Francesco Mantino is Senior Researcher at the National Institute of Agricultural Economics (INEA) on “Rural

Development”. He has worked on research projects in the broad field of rural and regional development: structural changes, policy design and delivery, local

development strategies and plans, lagging regions and development of mountain areas, evaluation of EU programmes, etc. He has done experts work for the European Commission, OECD and FAO. At national

level he has led the INEA’s work on the reform of the EU Rural Development Policy and its implementation in Italy since 1994. He was manager of the Italian Networks for Leader II and Leader+, and a consultant of several Italian institutions: the Ministries for

Agricultural and Forestry Policies, Budget and Economic Planning, Department of Tourism and many Regional Authorities. He is currently leading several research projects in the field of rural development

policies, both at national and European levels.