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on Agricultural Economics |
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Issue of 2016‒09‒18
67 papers chosen by |
| By: | Machado, Abdias Garcia; dos Santos, Fábio Alexandre |
| Abstract: | This article aims to discuss the power of finance capital as environmental conservation promoter by building Payment for Environmental Services mechanisms, specifically livestock chain Brazilian court, listing the barriers to its full operation. The creation of cattle, started and accompanied the colonization and development of Brazil at first predominated by an extensive model, with animals coming from Portugal and Spain, with low performance in the tropics and without a systematic work of selection and breeding. It is now one of the main value chains of Brazilian agribusiness, with a herd of more than 200 million head and total export around US $ 7.4 billion in 2014. However, the period in years of livestock development in Brazil, it was often linked to pressure on the deforestation of native forests, mainly in the Amazon and Cerrado biomes. While groups linked to the productive sector argue that deforestation was linked to the Forest Code of 1973 and the national sovereignty of policies in food production from the Federal Government, groups linked to civil society organizations claim that the effect of this expansion is due to market interest and it is funded by national and international financial capital. Financial capital and agricultural production, as theoretical objects of research have generally been treated separately in the context of the economy and even the social sciences in general. In the Amazon, the expansion of the agricultural frontier created in March geo-graphic "Arc of Deforestation", which advances the replacement of natural forests for agricultural production. An expensive process that requires huge sums of financing, mostly coming from public financial institutions. In 2012, with the aprovoção the new version of the Brazilian Forest Code, replacing the version 1973, the Federal Government authorized the creation of support programs and incentives for conservation of the environment, as well as adoption of technologies and best practices that reconcile agriculture and forest productivity. Provided through a literature review, it was identified barriers to building an economic arrangement for structuring a permanent mechanism for Payment for Environmental Services, which would meet the demand created by the new federal law. Interviews with actors and significant entities financially and politically to the livestock sector, were held at the beginning and end of the research to understand the barriers and potentials in the use of Payments for Environmental Services - PSA in the targeting and use of finance capital. It was identified that the most frequently cited beneficiaries are owners and land owners, farmers and traditional communities and indigenous peoples. Still, few laws indicate which eligible land supportable categories for projects and actions of PSA. Furthermore, the legal uncertainty caused by the lack of a specific law for paying agents, agent receiver and inspection agent of PSA prevents actions to migrate the level of models and projects on a national scale. Keywords: beef cattle; payment for environmental services; deforestation; sustainability, payment for environmental services; sustainability; livestock; deforestation |
| Keywords: | beef cattle, payment for environmental services, deforestation, sustainability, payment for environmental services, sustainability, livestock, deforestation, Agribusiness, Agricultural Finance, Livestock Production/Industries, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244522&r=agr |
| By: | Grégoire Tallard; Peter Liapis; Graham Pilgrim |
| Abstract: | Reducing hunger and undernourishment is a global priority and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have the ambitious target of eradicating hunger entirely by 2030. Using the OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook to 2024, this paper provides projections on the availability of calories at the national level, for the number of persons undernourished, and for the proportion of undernourishment (PoU) that are consistent with the market projections of the Outlook’s baseline. It also considers the impact on undernourishment of four alternative scenarios: faster income growth relative to the baseline in developing countries; stronger growth in agricultural productivity; a combination of a faster income growth with a stronger productivity growth; and finally a more equitable access to available food supplies. Under the baseline, the global PoU is projected to fall from 11% to 8% over ten years, with Latin America as a whole dipping under the 5% threshold at which the FAO considers hunger to be effectively eradicated. The PoU falls from 12% to 8% in Asia and the Pacific and from 23% to 19% in Sub-Saharan Africa. The global total of undernourished people declines from 788 million to 636 million. The number of undernourished individuals fall the most in Asia. Higher income growth or more productive agriculture removes more people from the ranks of the undernourished, but in most cases, more equitable access to food leads to the biggest reductions. The analysis confirms that it is not lack of available food that is the fundamental problem, but rather effective access to that food. Trade plays an increasing role in ensuring national food availability for many countries. |
| Keywords: | food security, development goals, hunger, Prevalence of undernourishment, sustainable development goals millennium, scenarios |
| JEL: | I31 O13 Q10 Q18 |
| Date: | 2016–09–17 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:agraaa:95-en&r=agr |
| By: | Ferrazzi, Giovanni; Ventura, Vera; Ratti, Sabrina; Balzaretti, Claudia |
| Abstract: | Lombardy, with 87.393 hectares of rice is one of the leader region for this production in Italy and in the European Union (EU) too. This area is characterized by a strong connection with tradition both in terms of agricultural landscape and food culture. Nevertheless, during the last decade, farmers faced increasing competitiveness issues, mostly related to EU subsidies losses, market prices and the technical constraints of the traditional rice supply chain: provider of technical means, farmers, brokers and rice mill. In this scenario, the “Riso e Rane” Rural District (R&RD) supports farmers in improving competitiveness through innovation. The aim of the paper is to investigate the innovation in the rice supply chain related to the specific action of R&RD, that accounts for 60 farms. Starting from the direct survey carried out on the district productive structures, we investigate the farms' degree of innovation related to the adoption of a new model of supply chain. The case study areas is characterized by rice that represents the most important culture with 2.773 hectares (more than 58% of the district Utilized Agricultural Area (UAA)). In 2012, R&RD won a regional project titled “Buono, Sano e Vicino” with the aim to help local rice farmers developing an alternative supply chain in which the district grow into the local actor to increase farmers bargaining power and promotes new market strategies. To make this the attention was focused on one of the most important variety of Italian rice: Carnaroli. The main results of the study showed that the project was able to innovate the traditional supply chain in all the four innovation areas according to OECD (2005): product, process, market and organization. In conclusion, our results suggest that the R&RD is able to respond to farmers necessities in term of market competitiveness and to improve the sustainability of local food system. |
| Keywords: | Innovation, Rural District, Supply chain, Agribusiness, Community/Rural/Urban Development, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244445&r=agr |
| By: | Malak-Rawlikowska, Agata; Milczarek-Andrzejewska, Dominika |
| Abstract: | The extensive and growing literature on food supply chain has been mainly focused on relations between farmers, processing and retail sectors. Various studies have investigated for example the determinants of supply chain relationships (e.g. Dries et al., 2014) and a situation of small-scale producers in the face of rapid supply chain restructuring (e.g. Briones, 2015; Vorley et al., 2007). However, a systematic understanding of how farmers interact with input suppliers is very scarce. In response to this, the paper aims at improving our knowledge about farmers’ relations with input suppliers. The specific example that we examine comes from the Polish dairy sector, which seems to be particularly well suited for investigating relationships within the food value chain. On the one hand, fragmented structure of local farms, and poor income situation of small agricultural holdings are frequently emphasised (Milczarek-Andrzejewska, 2014). On the other hand, Polish dairy and feed sectors have undergone a thorough modernisation (Dries et al., 2011; Piwowar 2013). Rising farmer demand (due to production technology change being necessitated by milk productivity improvement) and increased competition in the feed sector have led to new vertical relations between the farm and feed production segments. Vertical coordination took many forms, including contracting, advisory programs, financial support etc. However, the existing theoretical and empitical literature on vertical spillovers through backward linkages (i.e. from buyers to suppliers) is scarce and focused on manufacturing (Kuijpers, Swinnen, 2016; Jarzębowski, 2013). A study on the relationship between dairy farmers and feed producers means that we examine also the relations between two agri-food chains. These two – dairy and feed – supply chains are vertically connected. The feed supply chain ends at the farm level where the feed is finally used in the milk production process, and where the dairy supply chain starts. Our study allows then to characterize the “boundary” segments of supply chains. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Farm Management, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244537&r=agr |
| By: | Poppe, Krijn |
| Abstract: | In 2020 the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union has to be renewed. This raises the question which policy would be optimal for the 3rd decade of the century, seen the changes in agriculture (decline in the number of farmers, effect of ict and other new technologies, concentration in the food chain etc.) and public issues that ask for solutions (climate change, sustainability, need for jobs and growth in rural development, food policy etc.) The history of the CAP has shown that policy changes are often incremental. Some argue that especially in 2020 changes will be small as the term of the policy is out of sync with the budget cycle (important decisions on the CAP are not taken without a decision on the EU’s financial framework) and as the CAP decision will be at the moment that the current commissioners hand over their mandate to their successors. However this should not prevent scholars from coming up with fresh ideas on how the policy could be made more effective and efficient for a resilient agriculture and food and nutrition security in a sustainable environment. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244467&r=agr |
| By: | Heery, Declan; O’Donoghue, Cathal; Ó Fathartaigh, Mícheál |
| Abstract: | In 2015, under its Food Wise 2025 strategy, the Irish government set itself the ambitious target of increasing Ireland’s income from agri‐food exports to €19 billion within ten years, an 85 per cent increase. This paper analyses the structure of the two main food systems in Ireland; the dairy and beef industries, to examine value chain efficiencies in production needed to achieve such a level of growth. This paper, lays bare a reality characterised by significant inefficiencies and suggests innovations to increase the competitiveness of the industries internationally. Moreover, the paper recognises that the ability of stakeholders to add value to primary products in the two main Irish food systems is key to the success of the Food Wise strategy. The methodology that the paper employs to analyse the dynamics of the Irish dairy and beef systems is the Global Value Chain (GVC) methodology championed and developed by the Center on Globalization, Governance & Competitiveness at Duke University. Through the disaggregation of the various segments that comprise the food systems, the GVC methodology allows for a multidimensional analysis, and for the identification of where rationalisation is required and where value may be added to primary products. The paper presents value chain maps for both the Irish dairy and beef systems to compare and contrast the structures, institutions, characteristics and effectiveness of the two value chains. The comparison illustrates cogently where rationalisation is needed and where value may be added. The paper finds that the Irish dairy system is more fragmented than the systems of other dairy‐producing countries and that at the farm and processing levels it still requires, despite much rationalisation since the 1980s, substantial consolidation may still be necessary. Regarding where value may be added to primary products, the paper finds that in the Irish dairy system there remains an over‐reliance on basic commodity sales and that innovation to open up entirely new markets, both in terms of products, such as in the area of sports nutrition, and geographically, such as middle‐eastern markets, with white cheese, is required. Regarding the Irish beef system it finds that while there is not as much scope for product diversification, innovation in branding and standardisation could produce a considerable dividend. Comparing value chain integration, the institutional structure built upon farmer owned cooperatives in the dairy sector allows for greater coordination and responsiveness to market opportunities. The beef value chain however is much less integrated, beset by cross‐value chain competition and low levels of trust, which has implications for future value generation and transformation across the chain. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244470&r=agr |
| By: | Hirsch, Darya; Meyer, Christian; Klement, Johannes; Hamer, Martin; Terlau, Wiltrud |
| Abstract: | Agricultural activities within the city boundaries have a long history in both developed and developing countries. Especially in developing countries these activities contribute to food security and the mitigation of malnutrition (food grown for home consumption). They generate additional income and contribute to recreation, environmental health as well as social interaction. In this paper, a broad approach of Urban AgriCulture is used, which includes the production of crops in urban and peri-urban areas and ranges in developed countries from allotment gardens (Schrebergarten) over community gardens (Urban Gardening) to semi-entrepreneurial self-harvest farms and fully commercialized agriculture (Urban Farming). Citizens seek to make a shift from traditional to new (sustainable) forms of food supply. From this evolves a demand for urban spaces that can be used agriculturally. The way how these citizens’ initiatives can be supported and their contribution to a resilient and sustainable urban food system increasingly attracts attention. This paper presents an empirical case study on Urban AgriCulture initiatives in the Bonn-Rhein-Sieg region (Germany). Urban AgriCulture is still a niche movement with the potential to contribute more significantly to urban development and constitute a pillar of urban quality of life. |
| Keywords: | citizen participation, sustainable transition, urban green spaces, social empirical research, food systems, regional food production, Agribusiness, Production Economics, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244536&r=agr |
| By: | Ochieng, Dennis O.; Veettil, Prakashan C.; Qaim, Matin |
| Abstract: | With the modernization of global agri-food systems, the role of contract farming is increasing. This also involves smallholder farmers in developing countries. While previous studies have looked at economic impacts of contract schemes on smallholder farmers, little is known about farmers’ preferences for contracting in general, and for specific contract design attributes in particular. Better understanding farmers’ preferences and constraints is important to make smallholder contract schemes more viable and beneficial. This article builds on a choice experiment to analyze farmers’ preferences and preference heterogeneity for contracts in Kenya. In the study region, supermarkets use contracts to source for fresh vegetables directly from preferred suppliers. However, farmer dropout rates are high. Mixed logit models are estimated to examine farmers’ attitudes towards critical contract design attributes. Having to deliver their harvest to urban supermarkets is costly; hence farmers require a significant output price markup. Farmers also dislike delayed payments that are commonplace in contract schemes. The most problematic contract attribute is related to unpredictable product rejection rates, which substantially add to farmers’ risk. Designing contracts with lower transaction costs, more transparent quality grading, and fairer risk-sharing clauses could enhance smallholder participation in supermarket procurement channels. |
| Keywords: | supermarkets, contracts, farmers’ preferences, choice experiment, Kenya, Agribusiness, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Industrial Organization, Institutional and Behavioral Economics, International Development, O12, O13, Q12, Q13, Q18, |
| Date: | 2016–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:gagfdp:244354&r=agr |
| By: | Frank, Markus |
| Abstract: | AgBalance comprises a multi-criteria life cycle based approach in combination with a defined aggregation and summary of single results into a single sustainability score (Frank et al. 2012). AgBalanceTM delivers results that enable farmers, the food industry, politicians and society to objectively evaluate processes in terms of their sustainability profile. In doing so, a vast amount of information on individual factors can be ascertained in addition to overall statements on the sustainability of agricultural practices (e. g. ploughing). AgBalance was finalized in mid of 2011. In September 2011, the methodology was given independent assurance by the global expert agencies such as DNV Business Assurance. AgBalanceTM can be used to map an individual farm or the whole agricultural sector in one region, for example. The focus can either be on the agricultural production system alone or on the processes that have established themselves downstream in the value chain, such as logistics or processing. Measuring sustainability can be a central key to steady improvements towards sustainable agriculture. It is therefore an essential requirement that it succeeds in translating results from complicated life-cycle analyses into farmers’ everyday reality and to derive specific recommendations for action from this. Novel IT solutions are required in order to make use of LCA-based knowledge for a more sustainable crop management on-farm. This is the basic idea of the online game “AgBalance – My Virtual Farm”. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244533&r=agr |
| By: | Rosa, F.; Weaver; Vasciaveo |
| Abstract: | The EU dairy industry is facing an unprecedented change since the removal of milk quotas has exposes the sector to the world competition with strongly organized multinational traders. The basic question of this paper is if the milk quota expiration will have any impact on market equilibria and decisions of agents operating at various market levels. This paper has been preceded by two other papers discussing various issues about dairy market in Italy: market asymmetries and consequences for price transmission and presence of oligopoly competition and consequences for price setting. The present analysis uses the time series analysis of weekly dairy prices to test the market behavior before and after quota regime. Volatility was tested with simple CV, SD indexes and more complexes Arch-Garch models including the breaks and changes in market regime correlated to policy adjustments. Results suggest a moderate change in volatility; our explanation is the Italian dairy sector was for long time protected from world market competition and a consistent amount of raw milk processed for cheese production was managed by the coop organization that transferred to the dairy farms the margins realized at other market levels. The future scenario is more pessimistic in absence of any protection: some structural changes needed to face the world competition could have been postponed in this protected market with the OCM. The expected growth of milk supply after quota will determine a decline in the raw milk price becoming closer to the marginal costs of the most efficient dairy farms in the world. This will cause the exit of a great number of dairy farms, the restructuring of the dairy industry and more concentration at retail level. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Demand and Price Analysis, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244463&r=agr |
| By: | Florén, Britta; Amani, Pegah; Davis, Jennifer |
| Abstract: | The climate impact of food consumption corresponds to about 2 tons of CO2 eq. per capita, representing around 25 % of the total consumption-driven climate change impact in Sweden. There are several diverse ongoing trends of food consumption in Sweden, and their primary drivers are environmental and health considerations. The results of a market research carried out by YouGov (2010) indicated that nearly 75 percent of respondents would buy climate-labeled food, and nearly 50 percent of the respondents would be willing to pay a higher price for such a product. The climate impact from meals could be significantly decreased through small changes in recipes by reducing the amount of ingredients with high carbon footprints or substituting them with other ingredients with the same function but lower carbon footprints. By making more climate-conscious choices, e.g. eating more vegetables as well as poultry, egg and seafood instead of red meat, the climate impact per person and year could be reduced by half. Several recent studies suggest that dietary changes can reduce food-related environmental impacts significantly (e.g. Tilman and Clark, 2014; Hallström et al., 2015; Stehfest, 2014; Röös et al., 2015; Bryngelsson et al., 2016). These studies have mainly explored theoretical dietary scenarios, and not what people actually eat; for example, in one study a model-based theoretical diet, which reduced GHGs by 90%, included unrealistic amounts of only seven food items (Macdiarmid, 2012). Still, this information is important when aiming to guide food producers, public authorities and consumers towards more sustainable and healthy options. The national food agency Sweden updated their dietary advice in 2015, which now also takes environmental consideration into account, besides health impact (SLV, 2015). |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244465&r=agr |
| By: | Katarzyna Cieslik |
| Abstract: | Present-day development theory and practice highlight the potential of micro-entrepreneurship for poverty reduction in least developed countries. Fostered by the seminal writings of microfinance founder Muhammad Yunus and the bottom-of-the-pyramid propagator Krishnarao Prahalad, the new approach is marked by a stress on participation and sustainability, and the new, market-based development models. With the growing popularity of the new approach there has been an increased demand for research on the efficacy and impact of innovations. What has scarcely been addressed, however, is the legitimacy of the new paradigm within its contexts of application. Since engagement and participation have been made the focal point of the new approach, my research investigates how the innovative, mostly market-based models have been received by the local populations on the ground. This doctoral dissertation is looking up-close at the rural populations of Burundi, describing and explaining their perceptions, behaviors and actions in response to the market-based development innovations: microfinance, rural entrepreneurship and community social enterprise. Do the concepts of entrepreneurship, community engagement and participation find a fertile ground among the poorest rural dwellers of sub-Saharan Africa? Can subsistence farmers be entrepreneurs? How to create social value in the context of extreme resource scarcity? It is investigating these and other questions that guided the subsequent stages of my work. I based my dissertation on extensive field research, conducted periodically over the period of four years in the remote areas of rural Burundi.In the first chapter, I question the applicability of entrepreneurship-based interventions to the socio-cultural context of rural Burundi. Basing my quantitative analysis on a unique cross-section dataset from Burundi of over 900 households, I look into the entrepreneurial livelihood strategies at the near-subsistence level: diversifying crops, processing food for sale, supplementary wage work and non-agricultural employment. I find that the farmers living closer to the subsistence level are indeed less likely to pursue innovative entrepreneurial opportunities, unable to break the poverty cycle and move beyond subsistence agriculture. The paper contributes to the ongoing debate on by analyzing its drivers and inhibitors in the context of a subsistence economy. It questions the idea of alleviating rural poverty through the external promotion of entrepreneurship as it constitutes ‘a denial of the poor’s capacity for agency to bring about social change by themselves on their own terms’.Drawing on these findings, the second chapter focusses on the role of local communities as shareholders of projects. The aim of this paper is to investigate the ways in which the agrarian communities in rural Burundi accommodate the model of a community social enterprise. The project understudy, implemented by the UNICEF Burundi Innovation Lab, builds upon the provision of green energy generators to the village child protection committees in the energy-deficient rural regions of the country. The electricity-producing machines are also a new income source for the groups, transforming them into economically viable community enterprises. Since the revenue earned is to directly support the village orphans’ fund, the communities in question engage in a true post-development venture: they gradually assume the role of the development-provisioning organizations.The third chapter of this work focusses on the complex interaction between the microfinance providers and the population of its clients and potential clients: the rural poor. It draws on the existing research on positive deviance among African communities and explores the social entrepreneurial potential of the rule-breaking practices of microfinance programs’ beneficiaries. Using the storyboard methodology, I examine the strategies employed by the poor in Burundi to bypass institutional rules. My results suggest that transgressive practices and nonconformity of development beneficiaries can indeed be seen as innovative, entrepreneurial initiatives to reform the microfinance system from within, postulating a more participatory mode of MFIs’ organizational governance. The three empirical chapters provide concrete examples illustrating the contested nature of the development process. In the last, theoretical, chapter, I examine how the different conceptualizations of social entrepreneurship have been shaped by the disparate socio-political realities in the North and in the South. I then analyze how the process of constructing academic representation has been influenced by the prevalent public discourses.Since doubling or tripling of the external development finance has not sufficed to bring about systemic change, the assumption that technology, managerial efficacy and the leveraging power of financial markets could be applied to solving the problem of persisting global poverty has a lot of appeal. At the same time, my findings point to the fact that if the ultimate objective of development is broadly defined value creation, the definition of what constitutes value should be negotiated among all the stakeholders. The dissertation makes an important contribution to the understanding of participation, entrepreneurship and community engagement in the context of development studies.I strongly believe that development organizations must have a quality understanding of the social and cultural characteristics of the need or problem they are targeting in order to make productive decisions about the application and scaling of interventions. I very much hope that my work can provide some guidance for their work on the ground. |
| Keywords: | social entrepreneurship, micro-entrepreneurship, agrarian economy, positive deviance, Burundi |
| Date: | 2016–01–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ulb:ulbeco:2013/222062&r=agr |
| By: | Peltoniemi, Ari; Niemi, Jyrki |
| Abstract: | There is a growing interest – among consumers, the media, political decision-makers and the food system at large – in more detailed information on the formation of consumer prices for foodstuffs. This paper, based on Finnish case evidence, is an opportunity to increase the transparency of the food chain as well as consumers’ knowledge of its functioning. The aim of this study is to present an analysis of the price margin data for selected food products falling into three sectors: meat products, dairy products and cereal products. More specifically, the objective is to determine the share of consumer food prices taken by each actor along the food supply chain: primary production, processing, and retailing, as well as government taxes. |
| Keywords: | Food, price margin, primary production, processing, retailing, Agribusiness, Demand and Price Analysis, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244464&r=agr |
| By: | Clemente, Flavia; Nasuelli, Piero; Baggio, Rodolfo |
| Abstract: | Various economic theories and many approaches in the study of food chains have produced, over the years, a variety of models. They are used as tools for analysis and forecasting, and often offer a basis for the development in software of various kinds. In an earlier stage of our field research we developed a model mapping the dense network of links connecting the actors of the supply chains of products of animal origin of the Italian territory. An initial version of the model has shown the basic characteristics of the system and already provided a number of interesting insights (Clemente et al., 2015a, 2015b). The Eva.CAN model (Evaluation of Complex Agro‐food Networks) is a complex network model representing together the chains of milk (cow, goat, sheep and buffalo), and beef and pig meat along with all their products, fresh and matured, in which the links represent the economic exchanges between the different actors. In this next phase of analysis our aim is to show, in particular, a study of the structure of the Italian pig meat sector (fresh and cured products), the dynamics of import of raw materials and export of processed products, and also those of consumption on the Italian territory. A special attention is given to our PDO products, considered among the best in the World as for quality and quantity. The pig production in Italy reached 1.6 million tons. The meat of more than 70% of the bred animals is destined to the production of PDO products (In Italy the PDO products are 21 out of a total of 36 European). The industry imports nearly 1.2 million tons of meat that is intended in part to fresh consumption and in part to the transformation. In the analysis we use a higher amount of actual data pertaining to a greater number of years compared to the previous works. We apply network analytic methods to assess the topology (structural characteristics) of the network which is known to affect the overall functionality and dynamics (Newman, 2010). For the analysis of the sector it is important to understand what is the mix of processed products destined to domestic consumption and exports that allow the company to get the best economic performance. On this basis a series of simulations can provide different development scenarios. The evidence resulting from these allows examining possible strategic suggestions for what concerns business management and policies to be adopted in the whole sector. |
| Keywords: | food supply chain, network analysis, Italian pig meat chain, fresh and seasoned products, Agribusiness, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244542&r=agr |
| By: | Christoph-Schulz, Inken; Weible, Daniela; Salamon, Petra |
| Abstract: | Snacks and lunches offered at school can decisively influence children’s dietary habits. In the light of discussions to establish prevention and intervention programs to abate current trends of rising childhood obesity, children’s preferences for food items with lower calorie content gain on importance. But youths preferences concerning different school milk products are not well-known. Therefore, the objective is to investigate if the milk products offered at school still meet older children’s preferences or if modifications could prove to be useful. Based on outcomes of an online survey covering a choice experiment and conducted among juveniles in Germany the probability that youths benefit from different products as well as varying prices, sugar and fat contents is estimated. Socio-demographics, psycho-metrics and perceived weight status are employed to explain youths choices preferring novel school milk products yet unavailable in German schools. Results of the choice experiment show that youths aged 15-18 are a heterogeneous group. They prefer a wider range of different products including drinking yoghurt as an option as well. Results indicate that nutritional aspects (low sugar/fat content, artificial sweetener) and body image are important for some of them. |
| Keywords: | school milk, youths, preferences, choice experiment, body image, Agribusiness, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244518&r=agr |
| By: | Juan Carlos Munoz Mora |
| Abstract: | Identifying the complex channels through which civil war affects household decisions is important in the design of policies that eliminate or mitigate the consequences of armed conflict on household welfare. This is particularly relevant in conflict-affected countries looking to establish a transitory justice towards a post-conflict. In this dissertation, I analyze the micro-level impact of civil war and illicit activities on household welfare, using the case of Colombia and Burundi. For doing this, I develop five chapters where I provide an empirical investigation on three dimensions: (i) the impact of armed conflict on agricultural production; (ii) the role of institutions on the “war of drugs”; and, (iii) the determinants and socio-economics consequences of household migration during and after being exposed to civil war.The first part investigates the impact of armed conflict on the agricultural production, using the case of coffee growers in Colombia. After being many years out of conflict, coffee producer regions in Colombia were exposed to violence as a consequence of the intensification of conflict during nineties and the deteriorate of the world coffee market. In order to initially understand such relationship, in Chapter 1, co-authored with Ana María Ibañez and Philip Verwimp, we use unique census data sets from two different years (1997 and 2005) to estimate the relationship between coffee and violence. First, we explore how conflict generates disincentives to continue on agricultural production. Second, we examine the direct impact of conflict on agricultural production through different productive outcomes. We find a significant negative relationship between levels of violence and the decision to continue coffee production as well as the levels of productivity of the coffee production to coffee. Results are robust after controlling for sample selection bias and alternative specifications.After establishing observational evidence from the census analysis on the presumably negative impact of armed conflict on the agricultural production, I make a step further to establish a causal link in Chapter 2. I take advantage of a natural experiment in the levels of violence due to the unexpected rupture of the peace dialogues between Colombian Government and guerillas groups in 2002. Using data provided by National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia, I estimate the Intention to Treat (ITT) effect using a difference-in-difference specification. Results suggest that an exogenous increase of the levels of violence induced a reduction of hectares allocated to coffee, on average, -0.06 hectares (ha). Moreover, an average farm, which is 2 ha of coffee, an exogenous increase of the levels of violence induced a reduction of the sowing new coffee until 3.5%. This paper contributes to the literature on the microeconomics costs of conflict in Agricultural Production, providing further information about mechanisms (labor market).In long civil conflicts, rebel groups may eventually be evolved in production of illicit crops to finance their activities, boosting the intensity and prevalence of armed confrontations. Despite the different multi-lateral drug policies, the production continues increasing. In the second part of the dissertation I study this fact using the case of coca crops in Colombia. In Chapter 3, co-authored with Santiago Tobon and Jesse D’Anjou, we analyze the role of formalization of land property rights in the war against illicit crops in Colombia. We exploit an exogenous variation in the level of formalization of land property rights, as result of the application of a national land-titling program during 1994-2000. We argue that, as a consequence of the increase of state presence and visibility during the period of 2000-2009, municipalities with a higher level of formalization of their land property rights saw a greater reduction in the area allocated to illicit crops. We found a significant negative relationship between the level of formalization of land property rights and the number of hectares allocated to coca crops per municipality. We hypothesize that this is due to the increased cost of growing illicit crops on formal land compared to informal, and due to the possibility of obtaining more benefits in the newly installed institutional environment when land is formalized. Empirical results validate these two mechanisms. The third and last part of this dissertation, studies the nutritional status of formerly displaced households after return and the determinants of household structure during civil war in Burundi. In chapter 4, co-authored with Philip Verwimp, we investigate the food security and nutritional status of formerly displaced households. Using the 2006 Core Welfare Indicator Survey for Burundi we compare their food intake and their level of expenses with that of their non-displaced neighbors. We test whether it is the duration of displacement that matters for current food security and nutritional status or the time lapsed since returning. We use log-linear as well as propensity score matching and an IV-approach to control for self-selection bias. We find that the individuals and households who returned home just before the time of the survey are worse off compared to those who returned several years earlier. On average, the formerly displaced have 5% lower food expenses and 6% lower calorie intake. Moreover, we found evidence in favor of duration of displacement as the main mechanisms through which displacement affect household welfare Results are robust after controlling by self-selection bias. Despite international, government and NGO assistance, the welfare of recent returnees is lagging seriously behind in comparison with the local non-displaced populations.The final chapter, co-authored with Richard Akresh and Philip Verwimp, analyzes whether civil war modifies household structure by boosting individual migration. The identification strategy uses a unique two waves longitudinal data set from Burundi, for 1997 and 2008. This data set was collected during ongoing conflict and allows tracking individual migration decision over ten years. Besides the traditional conflict exposure measures at village level, our data gathered yearly information on household victimization. Results show that higher exposure to violence increases the probability to individual non-marital migration. These effects are concentrated on poor households and those household members that are adults or men. Our results are consistent with aggregated measure of conflict exposure, as well as household level victimization measures. Furthermore, we found that whereas marital migration in adult un-married women is unrelated with exposure to violence at village level, it does with household victimization approaches. In particular, we found that being victim of any assets related losses is related to an increase of marital migration for middle age unmarried women. It could imply the use of marriage market as strategy to face liquidity constraints. Results are robust to including province–specific time trends, alternative conflict exposure measures, and different levels of aggregation. |
| Keywords: | Development Economics; Economic of Conflict; Crime Economics; Applied Econometrics |
| Date: | 2016–06–28 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ulb:ulbeco:2013/230735&r=agr |
| By: | Baldi, Lucia; Peri, Massimo; Vandone, Daniela |
| Abstract: | The recent global food crisis has caused an increase in agricultural market volatility, raising important questions on the determinants of this instability. Many studies have analyzed this issue focusing on main factors affecting price volatility, as past volatility and trends, transmission across prices, oil price volatility, export concentration, stock levels and yields (Balcombe, 2010). Existing empirical literature identifies different drivers of volatility; among them, financialization and speculation are by far one of the most important. Indeed, with the introduction of agricultural commodity as an alternative asset class in investment portfolios, and the consequent increasing integration between commodity markets and major financial markets, there has been a growing convergence of risk-adjusted returns on assets class across markets, and an increase in the risk of volatility spillovers from outside to commodity markets due to portfolio rebalancing of institutional investors (Adams and Gluck, 2015). Since the beginning of the new millennium, in fact, there has been a steady flows of financial investments in commodities. As reported by Irwin and Sanders (2011), commodity investments have grown between 2003 and 2009 from 15 billion to 250 billions of dollars. Investments in these markets is made through different financial instruments, driven by different motivations: in futures, both for hedging and speculative purposes, and also in commodity index funds and hedge funds, mainly for portfolio diversification purposes. Increase in investing in the latter two types of investments, however, has been much stronger, compared to the past (Cheng et al. 2014). This process of massive increase in investments in commodities through financial instruments, knows as “commodity finanziarization”, has generated a gradual integration between commodities market and financial markets which, in turn, has risen spillover volatility between markets due to investors’ rebalancing of portfolio’s asset classes. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Agricultural Finance, Demand and Price Analysis, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244461&r=agr |
| By: | Verhoosel, Jack; van Bekkum, Michael; Verwaart, Tim |
| Abstract: | Food supply chains consist of many links and operate on a global scale with many stakeholders involved from farm to fork. Each stakeholder maintains data about food products that they handle, but this data is not transparently available to all other stakeholders in the chain due to various reasons. Trust and reciprocity for data sharing is limited and there is insufficient clarity in data ownership and possible legal consequences. However, various stakeholders could benefit from making data available across the supply chain. Food producers are very interested in consumer demands and trends. Growers also want to guide their supply based on the potential demand for specific food products in the near future. In addition, there are various other data sources that contain interesting data for these same stakeholders, such as import/export transactions, production (forecast) data, parcel crop information, local weather predictions and social media streams. To make all stakeholders in the food chain benefit from these data sources and to share data more transparently, the Dutch horticulture and food domain is developing the HortiCube platform via which various data sources are made accessible to application developers using a secure, linked data application interface. This paper describes the development of the HortiCube, the technologies being used and the lessons learned on aligning semantics by mapping of terms and the implementation performance using an example demo application. |
| Keywords: | HortiCube, data sharing, trust and security, semantic alignment, Agribusiness, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244530&r=agr |
| By: | Seidu, Ayuba; Onel, Gulcan |
| Keywords: | Consumer/Household Economics, Food Security and Poverty, Labor and Human Capital, |
| Date: | 2016–06–22 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iamf16:243994&r=agr |
| By: | Deodhar, Satish Y. |
| Abstract: | Pulses have been an important traditional food crop of India. India is the largest producer and consumer of pulses. However, pulse acreage and yield has not kept pace with the growing demand in India. As a result, India is also the single largest importer of pulses today. While Green Revolution in India focused on cereal crops, pulses remained an orphaned and neglected crop. However, from the triple perspective of economy, environmental sustainability, and provision of balanced nutrition; pulses have now been recognized as the future of food. India can substantially increase her production and yield in pulses with a strategic emphasis on research in public and private sector, expanding irrigation infrastructure, provision of MSP to pulses, assured procurement by government for PDS/MDMS, facilitation of mini dal mills and storage at village level, and allowing futures markets to function. Price stability for consumers can also be attained by reduction in middlemen margins through modern warehousing, FDI in wholesale and retail trade, introducing competition to APMC markets, and substantial reduction in import tariffs on substitute products such as chicken. |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iim:iimawp:14549&r=agr |
| By: | Tsukada, Rachel (UNU-MERIT); Lehmann, Christian (Universidade de Brasilia) |
| Abstract: | This paper explores the effects of rainwater harvesting (RWH) on aggregate household labor supply in areas prone to droughts. Using a Brazilian survey on rainwater harvesting, we find that having a RWH infrastructure at the homestead increases household wellbeing through three channels: (i) a direct time allocation effect - since households spend less time fetching water from distant sources, the time saved is allocated to other productive activities; (ii) a direct input effect - since water is an essential input for agricultural households and more labor hours are available, the cistern technology may contribute to increase the household's agricultural production. Both direct effects associate the labor-saving technology with an increase in productive labor supply. Finally, there is (iii) an indirect consumption effect - as a consequence of larger production, households can exchange larger quantities of own production against market goods, further increasing the household wellbeing. |
| Keywords: | poverty, access to water, risk coping, labor supply |
| JEL: | I32 I38 L95 O15 Q25 |
| Date: | 2016–08–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:unm:unumer:2016045&r=agr |
| By: | Swati Dhingra (London School of Economics) |
| Abstract: | Abstract. This paper investigates the distributional gains from changes in agricultural world prices in developing economies. Agricultural markets in developing countries are rarely perfectly competitive. The market structure is characterized by a large number of small farmers who typically sell their produce to one or few big companies with significant monopsony or oligopsony power. We provide a flexible theoretical framework that captures this market structure and allow us to investigate how international trade affects the incomes of small farmers, agribusiness and intermediaries in developing countries. |
| Date: | 2016 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:red:sed016:712&r=agr |
| By: | Salamon, Petra; Weible, Daniela; Weber, Sascha; Christoph-Schulz, Inken |
| Abstract: | with a regional declaration of the origin concerning main ingredients and their place of processing, protected designations of origin (PDO) and protected geographical indications (PGI) regulated by (EU) No 1151/2012 defined by particular quality or other value-adding characteristics or attributes. The German Food, Consumer Goods and Feed Code (LFGB) contains regulations for the protection of consumers against fraud and deception regarding origin labelling (LFGB, Article 11(1), sentence 2). Article 3(1) German Food Labelling Ordinance (LMKV) deals with indirect declarations of origin for food e.g., for milk products whereas it is mandatory to specify the name of the company or producer by an id-code so that an identification is guaranteed. In this context the main point is discussion is, that consumers may want to identify place of origin of the raw material and or processing of dairy products, but, at the moment, they are unable to do so with respect to all products offered. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244520&r=agr |
| By: | Engelseth, Per; Hogset, Heidi |
| Abstract: | Supply chain management is adapted to the particularities of local foods production characterised by short chains and intensive horizontal and vertical networking in an integrated context. A case study of chain of local foods logistics to a common retailer in Norway empirically grounds what constitutes "supply chain management of local foods". Findings based on analysis applying contingency theory indicate that local foods chains not only are short in structure. They are differentiated grounded in a developed local reputation. They also resemble in structure as well as operations more service supply chains than modernistic supply chains due of heightened reciprocal interdependencies demanding quality networking. The exchange economy is therefore vital in managing local foods logistics. |
| Keywords: | Local foods logistics, Supply chain management, Contingency theory, Interdependencies, Exchange economy, Agribusiness, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244469&r=agr |
| By: | Siddig, Khalid; Elagra, Samir; Grethe, Harald; Mubarak, Amel |
| Abstract: | The 2012 SAM for the Sudan, with a special focus on agriculture, water and energy, is built using data from domestic sources in the Sudan including the Central Bureau of Statistics, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and the Central Bank of Sudan besides other external sources. Major data sets used include the 2012 National Accounts and Trade Statistics of the CBS, the 53rd Annual Report of the Central Bank of the Sudan, the 2011 Labor Force Survey, the 2009 Household Income and Expenditure Survey, The 2009-2012 Agricultural Production Cost Survey and the 2005 Industrial Survey. Data from external sources are used to complement national sources. These sources include IMF studies on government finances, FAO reports and data on agriculture and ILO reports on labor. The SAM distinguishes between agricultural activities based on the modes of irrigation, energy based on its major sources and water based on modes of production and types of uses. Land is divided into irrigated and non-irrigated, while natural water resources are added in a separate account. Households are categorized by state, location (rural and urban) and income quintiles. Labor accounts are differentiated based on location (rural and urban), skill level and gender. |
| Keywords: | Sudan, Social Accounting Matrix, agriculture, water, energy, Demand and Price Analysis, International Development, International Relations/Trade, Labor and Human Capital, Production Economics, E16, |
| Date: | 2016–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:huiawp:244286&r=agr |
| By: | Tiberti, Marco; Stefani, Gianluca; Lombardi, Ginevra |
| Abstract: | Farm capital structure may have contrasting effects on farm efficiency as a strand of the farm efficiency literature as pointed out ( for a review see for example Davidova and Latruffe 2007). Farmers often use external funding both to cover productions costs and to finance investments (machinery, equipment, buildings) to enhance farm economic performance. The debt is necessary to maintain or improve farm productivity and competitiveness by adopting technological innovation needed to increase farm efficiency. At the same time leverage may affects farm efficiency by influencing farm production decision constrained by lower farm expenditure capacity. In this case, farms response may rely on reducing the necessary expenditures to maintain the production assets with negative consequences on farm productivity, growth and efficiency. Finally, farm leverage may affects the farms capacity to react to market shocks adopting the needed strategic adjustments to maintain productivity, efficiency and competitiveness. A relevant case study for assessing this last effect would be the recent surge in price volatility that affected European and world cereal markets starting from 2008. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244539&r=agr |
| By: | Shagaida, Natalia (Gaidar Institute for Economic Policy; Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA)) |
| Abstract: | The paper discusses the methods of state regulation of the involvement of rural land for the construction of the example of foreign and Russian experience. Tools used in the United States, Uzbekistan, analyzed from the perspective of the feasibility of the use of analogues in Russia. A review of the organization of work on controlled use of farmland for the purposes of housing construction in the Belgorod region. It analyzes the activities of the Federal Fund sodeyst-tions Housing (RHD) with the risk position of agriculture and to ensure the reduction of barriers to housing access. |
| Keywords: | state regulation, rural land, construction, Uzbekistan, Russia, USA |
| Date: | 2016–06–28 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:rnp:wpaper:2864&r=agr |
| By: | Marion Dupoux |
| Abstract: | Land use change (LUC) is the second human-induced source of greenhouse gases (GHG). This paper warns about the LUC time-accounting failure in internalizing GHG impacts in economic appraisal (within policies). This emerges from (i) relative carbon prices commonly following the Hotelling rule as if climate change were regarded as an exhaustible resource problem and (ii) a uniform annualization (i.e. constant flows over time) of LUC impacts supported by most energy policies. First, carbon prices time evolution should account for the climate change framework specificities (natural carbon absorption, uncertainty), which makes a departure from the Hotelling rule necessary. Second, there is a carbon dynamic after land conversion: GHG impact flows are strictly decreasing over time. With a theoretical framework, I show that the employment of the uniform annualization, within a benefit-cost analysis, enhances both the discounting overwhelming effect and the carbon price increase, whatever the type of impact (emissions or sequestrations). It results in skewed values of LUC-related projects as long as relative carbon prices deviate from the Hotelling rule. I apply this framework to global warming impacts of bioethanol in France and quantify this bias. In particular, carbon profitability payback periods under the uniform approach do not reflect the LUC effective carbon investment. This potentially modifies the conclusions regarding a project’s achievement of imposed environmental criteria. |
| Keywords: | benefit-cost analysis, land use change, relative carbon price. |
| JEL: | D61 H43 Q15 Q16 Q48 Q54 |
| Date: | 2016 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:drm:wpaper:2016-28&r=agr |
| By: | Rosadi, Dadi; Sidharta, Iwan |
| Abstract: | Rapid technological advances that increasingly requires the application of technological advances stretcher. One model of information technology development by building a system of information in this case the expert system that can diagnose diseases of rice plants. By using an expert system is expected to assist in providing a facility that supports to provide information and diagnose symptoms rice plants which arise along with the cause, especially that caused by pathogens to farmers in real time, and can be an alternative to meet the shortfall of field educator staff field which provides information on the prevention and control of pests and diseases of rice plants to farmers. |
| Keywords: | information systems; expert system; rice plant diseases. |
| JEL: | O21 O32 |
| Date: | 2016–02 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:73600&r=agr |
| By: | de Carvalho, Bernardo Reynolds Pacheco |
| Abstract: | In this paper the author argues that sustainable development starts always solving the basic needs, mainly food needs and food security concerns of any community. Those concerns are key stones for any social‐economic development process, and need to be addressed in terms of guarantees in time and through time. Security concerns at several levels should be on the agenda, but food is a necessary condition to address the other dimensions of the human security concerns. The actual food system today represents one of the big achievements of the human community, at global/world level, in terms of solving the global needs in food, but it is still far away from solving the human needs at local community level and individual level where many problems are present. For example, hunger in the last 20‐30 years have been always between 800 million persons and 1 billion, and malnutrition is now even with bigger numbers, with estimations for obesity above 1,2 billion persons. The main argument of the paper is around the understanding that global sustainable development can only be achieved with local economic development, and it will be used the food system analysis to provide evidences on that matter. However this view cannot be confused with an inward perspective and it will be shown that improvements in trade flows are also important moves in most cases, regarding economic development and quality of life. Food security concerns and food sovereignty are both key dimensions to be analyzed in any food system, but both concepts have a lot in common, and can be seen as convergent in many dimensions. Two case studies will be used to provide support to the discussion, (one European Country and an African Country), showing that human welfare and food nutrition can be improved through time, where the food production system play an important role, but also trade, and where local economic development does not mean necessarily lower dependency from abroad. Policy and economic development experts should be able to address and provide solutions to improve welfare, food security and food sovereignty, preserving and improving equilibrium with nature, autonomy, freedom of choice, less vulnerability of the systems and, at the same time, taking full advantage of the international relations and trade opportunities. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Food Security and Poverty, International Development, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244443&r=agr |
| By: | Lie, Helene; Rich, Karl M. |
| Abstract: | In Nicaragua, the production of dairy and beef is the most important source of household income for many smallholder producers. However, erratic volumes and quality of milk limit the participation of small- and medium-scale cattle farmers into higher-value dairy value chains. This research uses a system dynamics (SD) approach to analyze the Matiguás dairy value chain in Nicaragua. The paper presents the conceptual framework of the model and highlights the dynamic processes in the value chain, with a focus on improving feeding systems to achieve higher milk productivity and increased income for producers. The model was developed using a participatory group model building (GMB) technique to jointly conceptualize and validate the model with stakeholders. |
| Keywords: | System dynamics, value chain, group model building, dairy, Nicaragua., Agribusiness, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244479&r=agr |
| By: | Michael R. Carter; Emilia Tjernström; Patricia Toledo |
| Abstract: | We study the impacts of a rural development program designed to boost the income of the small-farm sector in Nicaragua. Exploiting the random assignment of treatment, we find statistically and economically significant impacts on farm incomes and investment in farm capital. Using continuous treatment estimation techniques, we examine the evolution of program impacts over time and find that incomes in the activities targeted by the program as well as farm capital rise significantly over time, even after the expiration of the program. Because of the temporal pattern of impacts, shorter-term binary treatment estimators do not fully capture the impacts of the program. Additionally, panel quantile methods reveal striking heterogeneity of program impacts on both income and investment. We show that this heterogeneity is not random, and that there are some low-performing households that simply do not benefit from this program that tried to engage them as agricultural entrepreneurs. While the benefit-cost ratio of the program is on average highly positive, these findings on impact heterogeneity signal limitations of business development programs as a way to eliminate rural poverty. |
| JEL: | I32 O12 O13 Q12 Q13 |
| Date: | 2016–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:22628&r=agr |
| By: | Thilo R. Huning (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin); Fabian Wahl (University of Hohenheim) |
| Abstract: | We provide a theoretical model linking limits to the observability of soil quality to state rulers’ ability to tax agricultural output, which leads to a higher political fragmentation. We introduce a spatial measure to quantify state planners’ observability in an agricultural society. The model is applied to spatial variation in the 1378 Holy Roman Empire, the area with the highest political fragmentation in European history. We find that differences in the observability of agricultural output explain the size and capacity of states as well as the emergence and longevity of city states. Grid cells with higher observability of agricultural output intersect with a significantly lower number of territories within them. Our results highlight the role of agriculture and geography, for size, political, and economic organization of states. This sheds light on early, though persistent, determinants of industrial development within Germany, and also within Central Europe. |
| Keywords: | Principal-agent problem, soil quality, urbanization, political fragmentation, Holy Roman Empire |
| JEL: | O42 D73 Q15 N93 D82 |
| Date: | 2016–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hes:wpaper:0101&r=agr |
| By: | Roosen, Jutta; Dahlhausen, Johanna Lena; Petershammer, Silke |
| Abstract: | Everything consumers do involves making a choice. Looking at these choices, an increasing consumer interest in food products bearing labels identifying non-tangible attributes has been observed over the last years. Consumer concern relates not only to the issue as to what is produced and which product attributes are present in final products, but the growing sentiment relates also to the question of how food is produced in general. Consumers question fairness and justness of production processes with regard to producers (e.g., fair trade labelling) or animals (e.g., animal welfare labelling) and demand support for local supply chains. As a result, certain food production technologies are stigmatized in certain parts of the society. Thereby stigma is defined as “[…] a mark placed on a person, place, technology, or product, associated with a particular attribute that identifies it as different and deviant, flawed, or undesirable.” (Kasperson, Jhaveri & Kasperson, 2001:19). Human values are thought to be at the root of the stigmatization of certain food production technologies. A systematic analysis of human values was introduced in the seminal book by Milton Rokeach in 1973. He defines values “an enduring belief that a specific mode of conduct or end-state of existence is personally and socially preferable to alternative modes of conduct or end-states of existence.” Values hence transgress situations and time. Later work by Schwartz (1994) has refined the definition of values and developed a value survey instrument that links values to ten different value domains. He arranges these along a two-folded dichotomy of self-enhancement versus self-transgression and openness to change versus conservation. In consequence, some of these values relate to egoistic versus altruistic versus biospheric values. Thereby egoistic values refer to an egocentric orientation, altruistic values refer to a homocentric orientation and biospheric values refer to an ecocentric orientation (De Groot & Steg, 2008). |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Consumer/Household Economics, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Food Security and Poverty, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244482&r=agr |
| By: | Meixner, Oliver; Haas, Rainer |
| Abstract: | This study analyzes consumers’ information needs concerning quality seals in the food sector. A survey was conducted taking one of the most well-known quality labels for food products in Austria (the AMA Quality Seal). Apparently, there is a lack of consumer-oriented information. Up to now, the type of information con-sumers of AMA sealed products demand is more or less unknown. Therefore, the objectives of this study were (1) to identify consumers actual use of information and (2) their information needs about the AMA Quality Seal in order to provide needs-based consumer information. |
| Keywords: | quality seal, information needs, consumer survey, cluster analysis, Agribusiness, Consumer/Household Economics, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Marketing, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244521&r=agr |
| By: | Di Corato, Luca; Moretto, Michele; Vergalli, Sergio |
| Abstract: | In this article we study the long-run average rate of forest conversion in Brazil. Deforestation results from the following trade-off: on the one hand, the uncertain value of benefits associated with forest conservation (biodiversity, carbon sequestration and other ecosystem services), on the other hand, the economic profits associated with land development (agriculture, ranching, etc.). We adopt the model by Bulte et al. (2002) as theoretical frame for studying land conversion and then derive, following Di Corato et al. (2013), the associated long-run average rate of forest conversion. We then identify the parameters to be used in our model. The object of our simulation is Brazil and 27 states. Our aim is to compute under several scenarios the time required to develop the remaining forested land in these states. We provide potential future scenarios, in terms of forest coverage, for the next 20, 100 and 200 years. Our results suggest that the uncertainty characterizing forest benefits plays a relevant role in deterring deforestation. We find that these benefits, if growing at a sufficiently high rate, may significantly slow down the conversion process. In contrast, a higher volatility accelerates the process of deforestation. We indicate the Brazilian states where forests are expected to be saturated earlier. In this respect, we find that forestland currently available may be expected to be fully converted within a 200-year horizon. |
| Keywords: | Deforestation, Long-run, Natural Resources Management, Optimal Stopping, Environmental Economics and Policy, C61, D81, Q24, Q58, |
| Date: | 2016–09–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:feemei:244528&r=agr |
| By: | da Silva Júnior, Aziz Galvão; Zanasi, Cesare; de Souza Júnior, Wilson; Ajonas, João Vitor Gutierrez |
| Abstract: | Soybean is a major ingredient for animal feeding in the EU, which is highly dependent on its import. Brazil is the main exporter of soy meal to Europe contributing to nearly 30% of EU total import of meal. The last ten years saw an increased demand from the EU feed and food industry in using sustainable raw material. In this context, the European Feed Manufacturer Federation (FEFAC) is currently discussing a guideline for the characteristics that sustainable soy production should have. At the same time, China has increased its share of import of soy and has become the main importer of soy in the world. Competition between Europe and Chine for the supply of soy is increasing. Trade barriers, due to complex sustainability requirements from the EU, could affect its import from Brazil. The SOJAPLUS program is a key initiative concerning the sustainability of soy production in Brazil. It was set up by the Brazilian Vegetable Oil Industries Association (ABIOVE) and by the Soybean Farmers Association (APROSOJA-MT). Considering the potential of this initiative to support the supply to the European market of significant amounts of sustainable soy, the objective of this paper is to discuss the possible harmonization of the sustainability criteria defined by these important EU and Brazilian soy market players. The two set of criteria have been compared, adopting the ITC data base and comparison method; the results show that SOJAPLUS comprises all FEFAC principles and most of its criteria. The main difference, however, is related to the verification system, which in SOJAPLUS is a 1st party system (self-verification) while the FEFAC guidelines consider a 3rd party system (audits); a relevant issue, common to both the FEFAC and SOJAPLUS approach, is related to the inclusion of GMO soy in the sustainability guidelines. As the FEFAC guidelines are still in discussion, there is a very interesting opportunity to harmonize both systems aiming at increasing the sustainability of soybean supply from Brazil to Europe by tackling the difficult challenges of 3rd party certification and GMO soy inclusion. The latter being a major concern for EU consumers, policy makers, farmers’ associations and other stakeholders involved in the processing and consumption of soy. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Crop Production/Industries, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244523&r=agr |
| By: | Ramamoorthy, Dr. R. Ravikumar; A, Mr Jagan Gopu |
| Abstract: | The major problem for the failure of agricultural sector in India is believed to not taking the modern methods and innovations from the knowledge quarters to the agricultural field. Without the meeting of technology and ground level implementation, the benefits of modern technology and science cannot be optimal. Unsuitability of technology given the local agro-climatic conditions, unawareness of technology due to a communication gap, unwillingness to take unknown risks due to lack of trust, lack of knowledge, cultural barriers, lack of adequate credit of support for investment which is a prerequisite to the adoption of technology, to overcome these barriers, sound management of the technology dissemination need to be followed. The demonstration conducted by the Official of the project at Krishnagiri block, in Pennaiyar river sub basin, Alapatti tank in Krishnagiri district reveals that the initial demonstration implemented in the period of October 2008 to March 2009 with the 39 farmers and covered 26 hectare. The sustainability is very important aspect to measure the success or failure of the precision farming in the implemented area hence 134 farmers with 40 ha coverage showed that the real demonstration effects on farmers were adopted and sustained with precision farming through the year with various multi crops cultivated by the farmers because of higher yield, least inputs and more than that huge income from the farm. Followed by the last year Oct 2011 to Mar 2012 the total area of demonstration covered 110 ha and the impact also 110 ha with the overall demonstration which spread across the area with the total sustainability area is 448 ha. |
| Keywords: | Precision Farming, Modern Technology, Adoption of Technology, Sustainability. |
| JEL: | Q16 |
| Date: | 2016–09–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:73674&r=agr |
| By: | Bangsund, Dean A.; Shaik, Saleem; Saxowsky, David; Hodur, Nancy M.; Ndembe, Elvis |
| Keywords: | Community/Rural/Urban Development, Environmental Economics and Policy, Public Economics, Risk and Uncertainty, |
| Date: | 2016–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:nddaae:244517&r=agr |
| By: | Jean-Paul Chavas |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the nonlinear dynamic response to shocks, relying on a threshold quantile autoregression (TQAR) model as a flexible representation of stochastic dynamics. The TQAR model can identify zones of stability/instability and characterize resilience and traps. Resilience means high odds of escaping from undesirable zones of instability toward zones that are more desirable and stable. Traps mean low odds of escaping from zones that are both undesirable and stable. The approach is illustrated in an application to the dynamics of productivity applied to historical data on wheat yield in Kansas over the period 1885-2012. The dynamics of this agroecosystem and its response to shocks are of interest as Kansas agriculture faced major droughts, including the catastrophic Dust Bowl of the 1930’s. The analysis identifies a zone of instability in the presence of successive adverse shocks. It also finds evidence of resilience. We associate the resilience with induced innovations in management and policy in response to adverse shocks. |
| JEL: | O13 O3 Q1 |
| Date: | 2016–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:22624&r=agr |
| By: | Luhmann, Henrike; Schaper, Christian; Theuvsen, Ludwig |
| Abstract: | As a major agricultural subsector, milk production plays an important role in the EU 28. Political decisions such as the aboli-tion of the milk quota system in 2015, highly volatile milk prices and fierce international competition have led to challenges for both farmers and dairies and a need to improve competitiveness. The concept of sustainability in the form of a produc-tion standard can be seen as a means for both dairy farmers and dairies to gain competitive advantages and meet stake-holders’ demands. Farmers’ acceptance of a sustainability standard is an important factor for its successful implementation. Therefore, future-oriented farmers are an important target group for dairies. This study investigates future-oriented dairy farmers’ acceptance of a comprehensive sustainability standard and, based on their responses, categorizes farmers into three different clusters: ‘halfhearted sustainability proponents’, ‘highly dedicated sustainability proponents’ and ‘profit-oriented sustainability refusers’. Further analysis provides insights into the determinants of farmers’ acceptance of a sus-tainability standard. The results of this study provide manifold starting points for deriving managerial implications for dair-ies and the implementation of sustainability standards. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Farm Management, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244538&r=agr |
| By: | Yeh, Ching-Hua; Hartmann, Monika |
| Abstract: | Based on an online discrete choice experiment (DCE) this study investigates the relative importance of food label information (country of origin, production methods, chemical residue testing (CRT)) and price for Taiwanese consumers’ in their purchase of sweet peppers. Results show that respondents focus mostly on the COO labeling during their sweet-pepper shopping, followed by price. Information concerning CRT results and production methods are of less importance. Our findings also indicate that interaction between attributes matter and that preference for attribute levels differs depending on socioeconomic characteristics. |
| Keywords: | choice experiment, food safety information, production methods, country of origin, logit models, Agribusiness, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Production Economics, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244483&r=agr |
| By: | Bezat-Jarzębowska, Agnieszka; Rembisz, Włodzimierz |
| Abstract: | Theoretical description of the agri-food market allows for identification of three entities whose interactions determine the market balance. In this perspective, we can distinguish consumers, agri-food processors and agricultural producers. They form a kind of circular flow of interdependent entities. The behavior of each of them conditions the behavior of others. The goal of the paper is to evaluate the role of processor in the food supply chain. We also raise the question of food processors in the context of their impact on the producers through prices of agricultural raw materials. The considerations are made basing on formal analytical models referring to the standards on the reasoning in microeconomics which are expand by the empirical evidence of analyzed problems. The processor is crucial to the sustainability of growth in the agri-food sector, because by seeking to maximize his objective function he determines the price level of agricultural products produced by the producers, under the assumption that the price of agricultural raw materials is determined by their marginal utility for the processor. It is also the basis for isolating the intermediate demand, which is reported by the agri-food processor for agricultural raw materials and direct (final) demand reported by the consumer. |
| Keywords: | agi-food sector, agri-food processor, food economics, Agribusiness, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244471&r=agr |
| By: | Zander, Katrin; Feucht, Yvonne |
| Abstract: | Although climate change is reported to be an important issue for European citizens, market relevance of climate-friendly labelled products remains limited. Various barriers such as low knowledge, distrust in labels, time preference and uncertainty/risk prevent consumers from acting according to their ethical attitudes. The aim of this contribution is to better understand the factors which influence consumers’ purchase behaviour of climate-friendly labelled products with emphasis on knowledge, trust in labels and time preference. Based on the data obtained by an online survey with 6007 respondents in six European countries (DE, ES, FR, IT, NO, UK) in July 2015 a multinomial regression was conducted. Dependent variable was the actual buying frequency of climate-friendly food. Higher subjective knowledge had a positive impact while lack of trust in labels negatively influenced the probability of purchasing climate-friendly products. Test persons with higher time preference were less likely to buy climate-friendly products and vice versa. This is in line with theoretical considerations according to which the present saving of money and pleasure gains are valued higher than the possible benefits resulting of less future impacts of climate change. In contrast, the effects of different indicators of risk attitudes were ambiguous. |
| Keywords: | Food labelling, consumer behaviour, attitude behaviour gap, Agribusiness, Consumer/Household Economics, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244466&r=agr |
| By: | Lukas, Melanie; Rohn, Holger; Lettenmeier, Michael; Liedtke, Christa; Wirges, Monika; Wiesen, Klaus; Schweißinger, Johanna; von Lenthe, Charlotte |
| Abstract: | Human nutrition is responsible for about 30% of the global natural resource use. In order to decrease resource use to a level in line with planetary boundaries, a resource use reduction in the nutrition sector by a factor 2 is suggested. A large untapped potential to increase resource efficiency and improve consumers’ health status is assumed, but valid indicators and general guidelines to assess these impacts and limits can barely be found. Therefore we will have a try to define sustainable limits towards the individuals’ daily diet and therefore stimulate current available scientific debate. Within the paper an examination of existing indicators and assessment methods is carried out. We set the focus on health indicators, such as energy intake, and environmental indicators, such as the carbon or material footprint. The paper aims to provide first, an assessment of core indicators to explore the sustainability impact of foodstuff, and second, a deeper understanding and a discussion of sustainable limits for those dimensions of food and nutrition. Therefore we will discuss several ecological and health indicators which may be suitable to assess the sustainabilty impact and indicate differences or similarities. As a result it becomes obvious that several ecological indicators “point in the same direction” and therefore a discussion about the variability and the variety of these indicators has to be faced in the future. Further the definition of sustainable levels per indicator is an essential aspect to get an idea about the needed barriers for a sustainable nutrition, by now first steps had been made, but no binding guidelines are available yet. Therefore the paper suggests a few indications to set up sustainable levels for health and environmental indicators, based on the idea to reduce the resource use level up to 30-50% in 2030. |
| Keywords: | food, nutritional footprint, footprints, resource-efficiency, resource conservation, natural resource use, sustainability indicators, sustainable levels, Agribusiness, Food Security and Poverty, Health Economics and Policy, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244519&r=agr |
| By: | Huffaker, R.; Canavari, M.; Muñoz-Carpena, R. |
| Abstract: | Volatile food prices are held to threaten food security worldwide, but controversy over how to distinguish between ‘normal’ and ‘extreme’ volatility compromises threat assessment and identification of countermeasures. Whether food-market dynamics normally stabilize or destabilize prices is the source of controversy. The conventional view is that market dynamics are inherently stable so that price volatility—arising from exogenous shocks—normally stabilizes due to forces of supply and demand. Extended food panics are improbable, reducing need for interventionist public policy. An emergent alternative view is that market dynamics are inherently unstable so that volatility persists endogenously. Interventionist public policy is needed to deal with chronic food panics. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Demand and Price Analysis, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244462&r=agr |
| By: | ITO Koichiro; ZHANG Shuang |
| Abstract: | We develop a framework to estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) for clean air from defensive investments. Applying this framework to product-by-store level scanner data on air purifier sales in China, we provide among the first revealed preference estimates of WTP for clean air in developing countries. A spatial discontinuity in air pollution created by the Huai River heating policy enables us to analyze household responses to long-run exposure to pollution. Our model allows heterogeneity in preference parameters to investigate potential heterogeneity in WTP among households. We show that our estimates provide important policy implications for optimal environmental regulations. |
| Date: | 2016–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eti:dpaper:16074&r=agr |
| By: | Kabbiri, Ronald; Dora, Manoj K.; Alam, Mohammad J.; Elepu, Gabriel; Gellynck, Xavier |
| Abstract: | This paper examines whether milk prices within Kampala are cointegrated with those in other major towns of Uganda. The period of estimation is from July 2005 to March 2015. We use retail monthly prices for raw milk. We obtained the dataset from Uganda Bureau of Statistics. Using Engel Granger’s two‐step error correction approach, we examine the relationship that exists between prices for raw milk in Kampala and the regional markets. Our analysis provides evidence of a long‐run cointegration relationship between Kampala and Gulu, Mbarara and Masaka milk markets. On the contrary, we failed to reject the null hypothesis of no cointegration between Kampala and Arua, Jinja and Mbale milk markets. Regarding the Granger causality tests, the results reveal that causality mainly originates from the milk supply towns. This implies that milk prices in Uganda are supply driven. The speed of adjustment of the model is 50%, i.e. half of the disequilibrium in the system is corrected in one month time period. These results have important implications for the dairy sector in Uganda. The paper discusses these implications. |
| Keywords: | Error correction model, inter‐market relationships, dairy value chain, milk price transmission, speed of adjustment, Agribusiness, Agricultural Finance, Demand and Price Analysis, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244449&r=agr |
| By: | Randall Jackson (Regional Research Institute, West Virginia University); Amir B. Ferreira Neto (Regional Research Institute, West Virginia University); Elham Erfanian (Regional Research Institute, West Virginia University) |
| Abstract: | This paper estimates the economic and environmental impacts of introducing woody biomass processing (WBP) in a rural area in central Appalachia. WBP is among the most promising additions to energy generation portfolios for reducing import dependency and at the same time providing economic opportunity to stimulate regional economies, especially in rural regions where economic development options are often limited. We use an input-output framework to assess regional economic impacts of introducing WBP under three different pathways, fast pyrolysis, ethanol and coal/biomass to liquids. Based on an analysis of local biomass feedstock supply and using the results of life cycle assessments to parameterize the three production functions, we find that the proposed WBP will increase the regional output by $333.3 to $564.0 million dollars; it will increase income by $51.31 to $70.75 million dollars and employment by 850.7 to 1670 jobs in the region. Of these impacts, the direct portions are 63% to 77% of the total impact, depending on the chosen pathway. The results from the accompanying environmental assessment show that only the ethanol pathway has both economic and environmental benefits. |
| Keywords: | woody biomass processing, input output analysis, life cycle assessment, central Appalachia, rural economic development |
| JEL: | R58 R15 Q51 |
| Date: | 2016–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:rri:wpaper:2016wp04&r=agr |
| By: | Berg, Ernst |
| Abstract: | The recent fluctuations of agricultural commodity prices have stimulated the debate on the potential causes of price volatility. The most common explanation is that weather shocks or other external factors perturb supply, thus leading to substantial price fluctuations. In view of the development of global markets, which tend to average out supply disturbances, one would expect price volatility to decrease if primarily caused by external shocks. This however is contradicted by the experience of the recent past. An alternative explanation proposes that the persistent fluctuations are the result of nonlinear dynamics and would even occur in the absence of external shocks. The focus of this paper is on the latter type of explanation. It is investigated under which conditions price volatility is primarily caused by nonlinear dynamics. A system dynamics modelling approach is used for the analysis. The model results show that plausible behaviour of actors can lead to persistent price fluctuations, even in the absence of external shocks. |
| Keywords: | commodity cycles, nonlinear dynamics, price volatility, system dynamics, Agribusiness, Agricultural Finance, Demand and Price Analysis, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244441&r=agr |
| By: | Jarzębowski, Sebastian; Bezat-Jarzębowska, Agnieszka |
| Abstract: | The aim adopted in the paper is to review methods for assessing the efficiency of supply chains and to carry out their critical evaluation. Literature studies, interviews, analysis of processes in the chains are used for analyzing of interdependence between the individual stages of supply chain and identifying the efficiency of entire supply chain. An important aspect is to determine the possibility of assessing the efficiency of supply chains in selected sectors of agribusiness by using approaches presented in the paper. Within the analyzed methods, the stochastic frontier approach can be an useful tool for estimating the efficiency on the firm level. However, the efficiency scores obtained from estimation of the stochastic frontier have a little use for policy implications and management purposes if the empirical studies do not investigate the sources of the inefficiency. Thus, it is recommended to include into the models external factors like, for instance, the degree of competitive pressure, the ownership form, various managerial characteristics, network characteristics and production quality indicators of inputs or outputs. |
| Keywords: | supply chain management, food supply chains, efficiency, Agribusiness, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244526&r=agr |
| By: | Mmbengwa, Victor; Nengovhela, Nkhanedzeni; Ngqangweni, Simphiwe; Spies, David; Baker, Derek; Burrow, Heather; Griffith, Garry |
| Abstract: | In this paper we look back on the first year of a three‐year project which aims to undertake the research necessary to develop a wider range of market outlets, products and value chains for beef produced by the small‐scale and emerging sector in South Africa. We discuss the difficulties encountered in designing and implementing the project, and we review progress towards achieving the economic, social and environmental outcomes that we are seeking. |
| Keywords: | Beef, value chain, small‐scale farmers, South Africa, project design, Agribusiness, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244478&r=agr |
| By: | Grein, Theresa; Herrmann, Roland |
| Abstract: | Online markets are developing rapidly in many industrialized countries and have already reached a rather mature status for some product categories. This, however, is not the case in the food sector. In Germany, the online food market captured still less than 1 % of total food sales in 2014. Despite this small share of the online market, the segment is clearly increasing and major players on the offline grocery market engage themselves on the online market, too, or they plan to do so. It is intended in this paper to contribute to our knowledge on competitive strategies of multichannel suppliers and pure online traders which are active on this growing market segment. A major element of competitive strategies on the online market for foods is pricing. We concentrate on pricing strategies of multichannel firms and pure online traders on the German online market and present evidence for the product group chocolate. More and quicker price information for consumers will become available with the development of online markets. Theory suggests that buyers’ search costs will be lowered and market efficiency will be improved. With lower search costs, it is expected that price dispersion will be reduced, i.e. markets will tend towards the law of one price for identical goods, and that the price level will decline and adjust rapidly. It may, however, happen that online markets induce new search costs for consumers as the variety of products offered will also increase substantially. It is an empirical question whether the level and the dispersion of prices will actually fall as the online supply of foods grows. The increasing empirical evidence on non-food markets indicates that remarkable differences between various suppliers persist with the growing importance of online markets and prices remain relatively rigid over time. Different explanations for these patterns are offered in the literature including a growing importance of product differentiation and non-price strategies on online and offline markets. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, Demand and Price Analysis, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244457&r=agr |
| By: | Lyons, Savanna May |
| Date: | 2016–01–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:isu:genstf:3546&r=agr |
| By: | Adler, Matthew; Anthoff, David; Bosetti, Valentina; Garner, Greg; Keller, Klaus; Treich, Nicolas |
| Abstract: | The social cost of carbon (SCC) is a monetary measure of the harms from carbon emission. Specifically, it is the reduction in current consumption that produces a loss in social welfare equivalent to that caused by the emission of a ton of CO2. The standard approach is to calculate the SCC using a discounted-utilitarian social welfare function (SWF)—one that simply adds up the well-being numbers (utilities) of individuals, as discounted by a weighting factor that decreases with time. The discounted-utilitarian SWF has been criticized both for ignoring the distribution of well-being, and for including an arbitrary preference for earlier generations. Here, we use a prioritarian SWF, with no time-discount factor, to calculate the SCC in the integrated assessment model RICE. Prioritarianism is a well-developed concept in ethics and theoretical welfare economics, but has been, thus far, little used in climate scholarship. The core idea is to give greater weight to well-being changes affecting worse off individuals. We find substantial differences between the discounted-utilitarian and non-discounted prioritarian SCC. |
| Keywords: | Prioritarianism, Social Welfare Function, Social Cost of Carbon, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy, Q54, I30, |
| Date: | 2016–08–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:feemmi:244334&r=agr |
| By: | Ventura, Vera; Iacus, Stefano; Ceron, Andrea; Curini, Luigi; Frisio, Dario |
| Abstract: | Expo is the Universal Exhibition that the city of Milan hosted from May to October, 2015, under the theme: “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life”. Nevertheless, if the big event is important for awakening the world's interest and attracting investment, much attention is dedicated to the “ Expo after Expo” phase, with the aim to keep alive the public discussion on the these crucial issues even by the end of the exposition period. In summary, what will be the legacies of Expo 2015? This work takes an innovative approach to this question by analysing Twitter data focusing on the “after Expo” period. More specifically, the analysis of the distribution in the Twitter sphere of a set of food-related topics (right to food, sustainability, food losses as examples) is performed. Results can represent an opportunity to understand if the discussion of the global challenges linked to the theme of Expo Milano 2015 can also bring lasting benefits in terms of public awareness. |
| Keywords: | Agribusiness, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244534&r=agr |
| By: | Aithal, Sreeramana; Aithal, Shubhrajyotsna |
| Abstract: | Technology has affected the society and its surroundings in many ways and helped to develop more advanced economies including today's global economy. Science has contributed many technologies to the society which include Aircraft technology, Automobile technology, Biotechnology, Computer technology, Telecommunication technology, Internet technology, Renewable energy technology, Atomic & Nuclear technology, Nanotechnology, Space technology etc. have changed the lifestyle of the people and provided comfortability. In order to sustain this comfort of people in the society, they have to worry about the sustainability of the surrounding environment. In this paper, we propose how the technologies can be made sustainable by adding green component so that they can avoid environmental degradation and converted into green technologies to provide a clean environment for future generations. The paper also discuss the opportunities and challenges for green technology for agriculture, green technology for potable water, green technology for renewable energy, green technology for buildings, green technology for aircraft and space exploration, green technology for education, green technology for food & processing, and green technology for health and medicine in 21st century. |
| Keywords: | Green Technologies, Sustainability, Green Society |
| JEL: | Q2 Q20 Q42 |
| Date: | 2016–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:73661&r=agr |
| By: | Mili, Samir |
| Abstract: | This contribution explores the buyer side of the value chains for the main agricultural products sourced from the Mediterranean Partner Countries (MPCs) in North Africa and Middle East into the EU, taking Spain as study case of these European import flows. Using the Global Value Chain (GVC) approach, it provides new survey-based evidence for better understanding and profiling the opportunities and constraints for these trade flows, and therefore deriving implications to improve the efficiency of the target value chains both in origin and in destination. Primary information has been gathered using two complementary methods. First, a buyer survey has been conducted through structured questionnaires directed to major Spanish importing and trading companies of orange, strawberry, tomato and olive oil sourced from Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Turkey. Subsequently, survey results have been supplemented by in depth, semi-structured interviews to a representative group of knowledgeable experts from the academic, public administration and business sectors. Results show differences depending on the product and the country studied. The approach used has been efficient in fulfilling the research objectives. It complements conventional quantitative inquiries where available evidence reveals serious difficulties to conduct thorough empirical analysis of the functioning of this trade with quantitative models. It is shown that the suggested approach is an alternative avenue to overcome these difficulties. |
| Keywords: | Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, agricultural trade, Global Value Chain, buyer survey, Agribusiness, International Relations/Trade, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244541&r=agr |
| By: | Louw, André; van der Merwe, Melissa; Louw, Johan |
| Abstract: | The global food sector is a highly interdependent and competitive sector that strives for food security, food affordability and sustainability. In South Africa, Fresh Produce Markets (FPMs) are faced with increasing competition in the form of direct contracting by retailers in response to consumer demand for better quality. These FPMs lack the ability to compete with retailers. Over the past two decades there has been an increased pace of corporatization of State‐Owned Enterprises (SOE). The main focus of this research is to determine, by using the method of paired comparisons, whether corporatization into a Municipal Entity is indeed the best solution to allow for faster adaptability and improved performance. |
| Keywords: | Corporatization, South African fresh produce markets, paired comparison, sustainability, performance, Agribusiness, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244453&r=agr |
| By: | Hugh Rockoff |
| Abstract: | During World War II the United States rapidly transformed its economy to cope with a wide range of scarcities, such as shortfalls in the amounts of ocean shipping, aluminum, rubber, and other raw materials needed for the war effort. This paper explores the mobilization to see whether it provides lessons about how the economy could be transformed to meet scarcities produced by climate change or other environmental challenges. It concludes that the success of the United States in overcoming scarcities during World War II without a major deterioration in living standards provides a basis for optimism that environmental challenges can be met, but that the unique political consensus that prevailed during the war limits the practical usefulness of the wartime model. |
| JEL: | N42 |
| Date: | 2016–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:22590&r=agr |
| By: | Schulze-Ehlers, Birgit; Purwins, Nina |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the effects of the introduction of a specific animal welfare label on consumer decision making when shopping for pork. Based on two empirical studies, we analyze whether substitution effects between organic, regional, and animal welfare products have to be expected under current market conditions. Our results show that persons with preference for animal welfare decide significantly more often for the animal welfare or the organic product, not for local, and that organic heavy buyers do not differ from rest of sample with respect to animal welfare or local choice. The animal welfare label as stand-alone selling proposition may be too weak to create value added. Based on the examination of interaction terms, we find that organic does not gain by combination with an animal welfare label, whereas regional labels are not associated yet with animal welfare and would profit more by including an additional informational cue. We tentatively conclude that animal welfare programs should be embedded in regional marketing programs. |
| Keywords: | organic, regional, choice experiment, interaction terms, mixed logit, Agribusiness, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244531&r=agr |
| By: | Paulo Santos; Christopher B. Barrett |
| Abstract: | This paper studies the causal mechanisms behind persistent poverty. Using original data on Boran pastoralists of southern Ethiopia, we find that heterogeneous and nonlinear wealth dynamics arise purely in adverse states of nature. In favorable states, expected herd grow is quasi-linear and universal. We further show that those with lower herding ability, as reflected in past herd growth data, converge to a unique equilibrium at a small herd size while those with higher ability exhibit multiple stable dynamic wealth equilibria. |
| JEL: | O1 O12 Q12 |
| Date: | 2016–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:22626&r=agr |
| By: | Briggeman, Brian; Jacobs, Keri; Kenkel, Phil; McKee, Greg |
| Date: | 2016–01–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:isu:genstf:3560&r=agr |
| By: | Henchion, Maeve; McCarthy, Mary; Resconi, Virginia |
| Abstract: | Quality is a subjective term and means different things to different people. However there is general agreement that beef quality needs to be consistent, and needs to be improved. Furthermore, there is agreement that it will become an increasingly important factor in consumer decision making (Henchion et al., 2014). Informed by quality theory, this paper seeks to determine the relative importance of quality attributes from a consumer perspective through undertaking a systematic review of the literature on consumer attitudes to different beef quality attributes. |
| Keywords: | Meat quality, search attributes, experience attributes, credence attributes, Agribusiness, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, |
| Date: | 2016–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:iefi16:244481&r=agr |
| By: | Zhu, Xiaohong |
| Date: | 2016–01–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:isu:genstf:3547&r=agr |
| By: | S.M.P.Senanayake; S.P. Premaratne |
| Abstract: | This paper examines whether the structure of the paddy / rice market in Sri Lanka is competitive and efficient particularly by undertaking two tracer surveys. From these surveys it was revealed that the profit margins accruing to almost all the players involved in the paddy/rice value chains of both Nadu and Samba varieties are not excessive when compared with the average bank lending rate of 15 percent. The results of the tracer surveys also show that both the Nadu and Samba paddy/ rice value chains are economically efficient. There are concerns however, about the poor quality of rice milled by most small and medium scale traditional rice mills in the country. It was also disclosed that there is no hard and fast evidence to prove the allegation that the rice millers and wholesalers exploit both the rice producers and consumers by using oligopsonic oligopolistic practices in both the producer and consumer markets such as ‘cornering of the market’. |
| Keywords: | paddy/rice value chain, profit margins of paddy/tice, market structure, Sri Lanka |
| JEL: | O53 Q12 Q13 Q18 |
| Date: | 2016 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pas:asarcc:2016-04&r=agr |