Irrigazione e cambiamenti climatici

The aim of this PhD thesis, developed in the framework of the Italian Agroscenari research project, is to compare current irrigation volumes in two study area in Emilia-Romagna with the likely irrigation under climate change conditions. This comparison was carried out between the reference period 1961-1990, as defined by WMO, and the 2021-2050 period. For this period, multi-model climatic projections on the two study areas were available. So, the climatic projections were analyzed in term of their impact on irrigation demand and adaptation strategies for fruit and horticultural crops in the study area of Faenza, with a detailed analysis for kiwifruit vine, and for horticultural crops in Piacenza plan, focusing on the irrigation water needs of tomato. We produced downscaled climatic projections (based on A1B Ipcc emission scenario) for the two study areas. The climate change impacts for the period 2021-2050 on crop irrigation water needs and other agrometeorological index were assessed by means of the Criteria water balance model, in the two versions available, Criteria BdP (local) and Geo (spatial) with different levels of detail. We found in general for both the areas an irrigation demand increase of about +10% comparing the 2021-2050 period with the reference years 1961-1990, but no substantial differences with more recent years (1991-2008), mainly due to a projected increase in spring precipitation compensating the projected higher summer temperature and evapotranspiration. As a consequence, it is not forecasted a dramatic increase in the irrigation volumes with respect to the current volumes.

Gender equality and human development in Macedonia during transition (1991-2006)

The present thesis treats the issue of gender equality in Macedonia during the period of transition from the socialist system to the one of parliamentary democracy. The main aim is to mainstream the gender perspective in the analysis of the transitional policies through the examination of the basic citizenship rights to which citizens are entitled and by the means of the evaluation of their capabilities to exercise these rights. Gender equality, as one of the main strongholds of the concept of human development is measured through the application of nine gender relevant capabilities in a Case study conducted within selected municipalities in the country. Through the analysis of the Macedonian constitutional and legal framework and the assessment of gender based inequalities, the research questions the need for the enactment of a process of engendering of citizenship, which would integrate gender based differences, contemplate the private sphere of citizens lives and pledge participation in the political life of the country. The thesis, finally, analyses the gender equality strategy of the Macedonian government with the purpose to evaluate whether it is context based, i.e. it tackles the main fields where inequalities emerge and in this context whether it envisages a process of engendering of citizenship.