Associate Professor of Economics,

Department of Economics and Finance

University of Rome Tor Vergata

Rome - Italy

Director

Research and Impact Assessment Division (RIA)

Strategy and Knowledge Department (SKD)

International Fund for Agricultural Development – IFAD

Rome - Italy

Board Member ICABR - International Consortium on Applied Bioeconomy Research

Board member of SITES: Italian Association of Development Economist

Sara Savastano is the Director of Research and Impact Assessment (RIA) Division of the Strategy and Knowledge Department at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Prior to her current appointment, she was Senior Economist at the World Bank with the Development Economic Research - Indicator Group where she lead the research agenda of the EBA – Enabling the Business of Agriculture Indicators.

From 2008 to 2016 Sara was Assistant Professor in Economics at the University of Rome Tor Vergata. She is currently on leave. . Before the University of Tor Vergata she served as an Economist at the Public Investment Evaluation Unit of the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance until 2008.

Her research focuses on land policies and institutions, rural development, agriculture efficiency and productivity, technology adoption. She has consulted to FAO, World Bank, IFPRI, UNIDO, and several private and public institutions.

She holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Rome Tor Vergata.

Research Interests:

Development and agricultural economics, agriculture efficiency and productivity, land reform, behavioral economics and neuroeconomics