Career opportunities

The Master's Degree Programme in "Agri-food sustainability" (Class LM-69) provides a framework and advanced skills for professional activities in a variety of contexts, ranging from high-quality food production to the consideration of the nutritional and functional value of food at all stages of production. Not only from the soil to the plate, but also to the health of the environment and the consumer.

Graduates will be able to facilitate the creation and development of quality agro-food chains that are implemented in a sustainable way. They will be highly trained technicians capable of communicating and collaborating at a professional level within the world of post-production distribution and involved in its transformation. In addition, graduates will gain knowledge of agro-food products that are of interest to human health.

In particular, graduate students will be able to:

• manage agricultural businesses, through the knowledge of cultivation and marketing technologies of agro-food chains;
• carry out environmental monitoring and analysis of agroecosystems through modern techniques of detection, representation and analysis of territorial data, including the use of satellites, drones, and ad hoc detection systems on the ground; the use of computerization and advanced data management; and digital innovation;
• manage the resources available locally, with a view to optimising resources such as water and fertiliser;
• use and enhance local biodiversity in a sustainable way with traditional phytogenetic resources and local supply chains to produce high quality products on an organoleptic and nutritional level;
• use tools and techniques for the conservation and protection of the soil, in order to preserve its fertility and guarantee an adequate hydraulic and hydrogeological structure;
• act as an intermediary between local populations and cultures, developing agronomy based on scientific knowledge and technology for the optimisation of traditional techniques;
• understand the business organisation/ culture, and professional ethics, in connection with the conservation and use of agri-food products;
• evaluate, improve and certify the quality of processes and products through the use of innovative methodologies;
• communicate with the world of catering, considering that many farms are now also educational farms which often offer services related to food, as well as tourist hospitality and environmental education.

Graduate students will operate with:

• farms at various levels and complexities, including the organic sector;
• storage and processing companies and agro-food marketing;
• professional consultancy for small and medium-sized enterprises;
• different areas of Public Administration with functions including coordination and connection of primary and related production processes;
•  third sector associations (e.g. social agriculture) and non-profit organisations (NGOs) with the task of supervising primary production;
• associations and institutional bodies representing the social and productive partners, international organisations such as the UN, FAO, etc.

Professional profiles:

• professional farmer;
• farm manager / consultant, with particular reference to farms that already operate (or plan to expand) in fields that are still considered frontier, such as sustainable agriculture, both conventional and integrated, as well as organic farming;
• consultant for farms on the "green" programmes of the EU in line with the interventions envisaged for the reinforcement of the eco-sustainability of the European Union economy, with specific skills on aspects such as: current legislation, sustainable use of phytosanitary measures, reduction/CO2 offsetting, and conservation and use of biodiversity;
• consultant for single or associated farms for the improvement of production performance, especially in the context of climate change, with specific skills regarding strategic choices for planting new crops and suitable seeds in standard productions;
• technical consultant for companies undergoing conversion to, or already in, the "Organic" regime (e.g. "Organic farming") for national but also extra-European productions;
• consultant for single or associated agricultural companies to support the digitalisation and computerisation processes of the company, to network with external databases (e.g. meteorology databases, satellite data), develop ground detection networks and sensors, and promote the use of satellites and drones;
• farm consultant for contacts/ interfaces with the food industry in the area of production to ensure adequate quality raw materials and products useful for human health and well-being;
• consultant/ employee of product/ process quality certification bodies in the agri-food sector, including the acquisition of European brands (see IGP, DOP, DOC, ...);
• consultant/ manager of agricultural services within local public bodies, or their technical agencies, at various levels.