A unique identity

Food and water security, climate change, access to agricultural markets, land grabbing, conservation of biological and cultural diversity, and valorisation of local traditions are some of the major problems that affect the progress of rural areas in the Global South.

The level of intensification and the environmental impact of the different possible solutions to face these problems must be carefully considered case by case. Modern technologies can bring consistent increase of productivity in advanced areas; at the same time they can result as inappropriate, with high social and environmental impacts. Sustainable solutions that can be implemented should also be based on the integration of local knowledge.

The MSc (Laurea Magistrale) in Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture (previously also called Natural Resources Management for Tropical Rural Development) of the School of Agriculture at the University of Florence promotes research and professional training in the sectors of modern and sustainable agriculture, forestry and animal sciences, land and water management, agricultural economics and rural development, and identifies as preferential area of intervention the little and medium-scale farms of the Global South, without neglecting technologically advanced forms of interventions in rural areas of that guarantee the environmental, economic and social sustainability and the respect of local populations.

Flyer of the course

Our History

The relationship between Florence city and Tropical Agriculture dates back to the last century, when the Italian Agricultural Colonial Institute (IACI) was founded in 1904 and, consequently, the first tropical specialization course for postgraduates in Agriculture was launched in 1913.

After the Second World War (1945), the IACI Institute became the technical agency of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) and was renamed Istituto Agronomico per l'Oltremare (IAO) in 1959. In 2015, the IAO was then dissolved and incorporated into the Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo (AICS - Italian Agency for International Cooperation for Development).

Since the beginning, a strong collaboration has been established between the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Florence and the IACI/IAO/AICS over the years. In particular, in 1980, a four-year MSc degree course in Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture was started.

From September 2014 to 2018, the course was held in collaboration with IAO (now AICS), and at present time the course is fully managed by the University of Florence as an MSc course at the School of Agriculture - Department of Agricultural, Environmental, Food and Forestry Science and Technology (DAGRI).

Mission

The mission of the MSc is the education and training of agronomists expert in the technical and scientific areas of agricultural production, environmental conservation, rural development and land and water management.

Employment opportunities

The MSc program is primarily designed for the training of technical experts, researchers, project designers and coordinators in the area of tropical and subtropical agriculture, international cooperation for rural development, environmental management, international marketing of livestock, crop and forestry products.

Potential employers are to identify within:

• Companies operating in production and marketing of agricultural and livestock products overseas with special focus on tropical and subtropical area
• Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in development and cooperation
• National and international institutions working on land and water management, agricultural cooperation and development
• National and international institutions responsible for food safety in relation to international trade
• National and international research institutions working on agriculture and the rural environment.