Food System Dynamics (E-Journals)
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Does having a Choice make a Difference? Market Potential of the Animal Welfare Label in Germany
Get PDFThis 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
Consumers’ Preference for Sweet Peppers with different Process Attributes: A Discrete Choice Experiment in Taiwan
Get PDFBased 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
Key Success Factors in the Brazilian Coffee Agrichain: Present and Future Challenges
Get PDFCoffee production has grown 100% in volume over the past 30 years, with 30 million bags of coffee consumed every year in theworld. Brazil is responsible for 35% of this production, followed by Vietnam (16%), Indonesia (7%), Colombia (5%), and Ethiopia(5%). At this pace, consumption has expanded not only in traditional markets such as the United States of America (4.2 kg/year),Germany (6.9 kg/year) and France (5.7 kg/year), but also in tea‐driven markets such as Japan, Korea, Russia and China (CECAFE2013). In 2013, Brazil harvested 49.15 million 60 kg bags of processed coffee, 38.29 million of which were of Arabica coffee and10.86 million of Conilon species (CONAB 2014). The planted area in Brazil is 2.3 million hectares and there are about 287,000producers, predominantly mini and small farmers. Having continental dimensions, the country presents a variety of climates,reliefs, altitudes and latitudes that allow the production of a wide range of types and qualities of coffee (MAPA 2014). This researchaimed to clarify present and future challenges for the Brazilian coffee agrichain, considering the growing demand and alsocompetitiveness between the coffee countries’ producers. To capture the vivid perception of the actors in the coffee chain, aqualitative approach was employed. The research was conducted in three phases. In the first phase, 10 coffee specialists wereinterviewed using the snowball technique with the saturation premise, to identify the coffee sector’s main milestones for Brazilover the next 30 years. In the second phase, desk research was conducted to collect data and bibliographical information. Thisculminated in eight key success factors for coffee farming management. Finally, in the third phase, the results of phase two weresubmitted for analysis by 39 coffee farmers through three discussion panels held in the major producing regions: Sul de Minas(corresponding to 60% of the national production), Cerrado Mineiro (with 20%), and Matas de Minas (with 15%) (CECAFE 2012).The first outcome was a comparative analysis of the three regions using the lens of the key success factors and, secondly, the mainfuture challenges faced by each region. Added to those results, the panels provided insights for public policies and privatestrategies. The study consolidated new drivers of change that directly impact corporate strategies and public policies, namely: a)increasing complexity in coffee farming, b) farm succession, c) mechanization, d) increased use of pesticides, d) climate change, e)consumer behavior, and e) risk management in the coffee agrichain. Given these drivers of change, companies in the Braziliancoffee agrichain may move forward with relevant strategic focus on important issues, leading to: i) loyalty from the farmer toguarantee high quality coffee supply, ii) increase in entry barriers to ensure the maintenance of leadership in world coffeeproduction and exportation, iii) operational risk minimization for companies as well as coffee farmers, iv) encourage and participatein the farmers´ actions to make coffee activity more environmental friendly, and finally, v) designing marketing plans connectedwith the coffee consumers’ habits and desires, current and future
Climate Database Facilitating Climate Smart Meal Planning for the Public Sector in Sweden
Get PDFThe climate impact of food consumption corresponds to about 2 tons of CO2eq. 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).To combat climate change, recommendations need to be realized and incorporated into applications in daily practices. There has been an optimistic belief that the availability of information could boost environmentally sound behavior among the general public, but there is a rather weak link between knowing and doing. Feedback directly tied to people's own behavior has been shown to be more effective than general information (Lundgren, 2000), for example by making the information available directly in the decision making moment e.g. when shopping food or planning a meal. If such information is timely communicated, it can have considerable contribution to more sustainable consumption. In a field experiment conducted by Matsdotter et al. (2014) in 17 food stores in Sweden, the results show that climate labeling increased demand for climate-labeled milk by 7%. In another recent research project (Kamb et al, 2015), households in Uppsala were able to reduce their climate footprint by 31% by having access to climate friendly information and inspiration, e.g. the participants could get direct feedback on GHGs for certain products and services via a mobile application. This project was conducted at a very small scale, but still proves the potential of influencing behavioral change by using interactive applications at the point of decision making
Climate-friendly Products – to buy or not to buy?
Get PDFAlthough 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
Cashew Chain Value in Guiné-Bissau: Challenges and Contributions for Food Security: A Case Study for Guiné-Bissau
Get PDFGuiné-Bissau is a recent example of political stabilization after a recent period of instability, where the international community can play an important role in cooperation and development, but with innovation and new effective policies. Food security is certainly one of the big issues to be addressed and cashew production and respective chain value one of the main opportunities to improve the quality of life for many families. Guinea-Bissau can be considered one of the most fragile countries in Sub-Sahara Africa, but at the same time with significant economic potential. Poverty alleviation is very much dependent from agricultural activities and agribusiness will be always at the core of the most possible solutions. Within those possible solutions the contribution of the cashew sector is crucial, which has been playing already a key role in the economy and in the family survival equation. More than 80% of the families depend from agricultural activities and most of them are linked to the production of cashew. This crop represents more than 90% of exports, and at the same time is responsible for income alleviation resources at local family base. However Cashew expansion is a very recent phenomena, with about 20 years of success, beyond all political “turmoil.” Today the country is the second biggest in Africa, after Ivory Coast, and the fourth worldwide (also after India and Vietnam). Exports were around 20 thousand tons in 1990 and close to 200 thousand tons in the last year’s production. But the most important factors to be considered in a cash crop business is also a very “unique” structure of production, mostly family based and where the average dimension of production per family is dominantly between 1 to 2 hectares. Very much related to those structural characteristics, which vary by region, is the role of this crop in the food security dimension of the families, which is calculated to represent in average 4,8 months of income needs for food per year. The research addresses the Cashew chain value in Guiné-Bissau, added value possibilities with transformation, better markets, improved institutional environment and other alternatives aiming to promote the global value creation but also the dynamics of the food system, able to promote the family welfare and a sustainable development process
Bioceres: AG Biotechnology from Argentina
Get PDFIn this case we present a business decision-making situation in which the CEO of an Argentine Ag Biotech company, Bioceres, has to decide the best way to commercialize a new drought-tolerant transgenic technology. The company was founded by twenty three farmers, who shared a common dream that Argentina could become a benchmark in the development of Ag biotechnology. The case has strategic and financial implications, as well as decision-making situation involving a joint venture with an American biotechnology company. It also introduces to discussion the business models of Ag biotechnology companies in developing countries
Expo Milano 2015: Legacies in Tweets
Get PDFExpo 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
When Innovation Meets Tradition: The Case of “Riso & Rane” Rural District in Lombardy Region
Get PDFLombardy, 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
Preferences for School Milk - How Juveniles Differ
Get PDFSnacks 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