Modelling Crop Diversity in Italian Lentils’ Value Chain: Exploring the Potential of the Agent-Based Model Approach

This study addresses the critical issue of declining agricultural biodiversity in agri-food systems. This decline is not solely the responsibility of farmers but extends to processors, and retailers, reinforcing the dominance of existing agri-food systems. Shifting from industrialized cropping to biodiversity-based agriculture is viewed as a crucial strategy for balancing production and environmental sustainability. Despite the urgency of the problem, there is a lack of comprehensive documentation regarding trends in crop diversity within the agri-food value chain. To address this, the study employs Agent-Based Modeling (ABM) as a methodology to simulate the decision-making processes of various entities across the supply chain. The research aims to design a comprehensive multi-actor approach applied to the lentils value chain in Italy with the aim of embedding and fostering crop diversity in terms of minor underutilized varieties. Key questions raised include how economic incentives can drive greater crop diversity and how interactions among different actors contribute to this diversity.