This paper describes a methodology for the construction of a multidimensional index for sustainability assessment in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN 2030 Agenda. The methodology is designed to properly capture the multidimensional nature of sustainable development and the SDG framework, introducing an innovative Fuzzy Multidimensional Index to measure the performance of Mediterranean countries. The focus is on agro-food sustainability, in-line with the aims of the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA). Drawing on fuzzy set theory, a step-by-step procedure was developed: the underlying dimensions of a set of selected indicators for the SDGs are identified by exploratory factor analysis; an innovative weighting method is applied to aggregate the indicators and calculate the country scores for each dimension and the Fuzzy Multidimensional Index. The PRIMA program will be a first step towards the implementation of innovative solutions, by funding international cooperation projects between countries on both sides of the Mediterranean for a decade: the Fuzzy Multidimensional Index will be the primary source of data for evaluating such projects and policies implemented from them; the Index will therefore be able to close a gap in the availability of appropriate data.

This paper identifies methodologies and strategies appropriate for the development of indicators of well-being at the level of subnational regions, thus contributing towards the incorporation of the subnational dimension into public policy making. Considerations in adapting and augmenting country-level indicators for application at the regional level are discussed. Special technical procedures involved in this process are described. These include consolidation of measures defined with reference to different poverty line thresholds in the income distribution, cumulation of data or measures over multiple survey waves and use of small area estimation methods. Empirical illustrations using comparable survey data from European Union countries are provided, to the extent possible with the available microdata.

The main scope of the paper is to adopt a fuzzy sets approach for the measurement of multidimensional poverty over a period of eight years, from 2007 to 2015, which takes into account the effect of the 2008 economic and financial crisis. In particular, the focus is on the financial dimension of poverty, and its effects on citizens in the EU Mediterranean Area. The empirical analysis, based on the European Union—Statistics on Income and Living Conditions survey (EU-SILC), covers eight Mediterranean Countries.

Studying consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for sustainable certification labels and preferences in consumption is a relevant issue for policymakers. Several studies have revealed a positive WTP a premium price for many certified products. The aim of this paper is to assess an overview of Italian consumers’ WTP for eight different sustainable certification labels and to collect information about their consumption preferences and perceptions in consumption. Participants were selected by stratified simple random sampling, using regional distribution, gender, and age as stratification criteria, to obtain a representative sample of n = 3600. Eight ordered logit models were estimated to understand how consumer sociodemographic characteristics influence the price premium. The results show important differences in WTP among different certification labels; a higher WTP emerged for ethical certifications than for environmentally focused labels. Younger individuals; women; and those with higher education, income and life satisfaction, as well as consumers in southern regions, were significantly more willing to pay premiums for certified products. However, a key finding for policymakers is that the stated price premium consumers are willing to pay falls significantly short of the actual higher costs of these products in supermarkets. Furthermore, insights into consumer perceptions and preferences revealed that quality and origin are perceived as key price drivers, while method of production holds less importance. It also emerged that consumers primarily seek a balance between quality and price, with only a small segment prioritizing certified products.

This paper arises from an ONRR project on “New technologies and methodologies for traceability, quality, safety, measurements and certifications to enhance the value and protect the typical traits in agrifood chains”. It has a first aim of performing an exhaustive review pertaining to the construction of indicators of the quality and safety of agrifood products, creating information systems dashboards of unidimensional and multidimensional indicators and applying such indicators, in the context of consumer choices and decisions of policy-makers and firms. Since it has been found that the literature offers no single proposal linking all such aspects, a second central and innovative aim is to propose an original step-by-step procedure for integrating information systems of statistical indicators for citizens, institutions and policy-makers with a specific focus on new technologies and methods for traceability, quality and safety of agrifood systems. The final output is a smart and user-friendly online database that is an absolute innovation on the topic.