1,721,203 research outputs found
TERRITORIAL GOVERNANCE IN RURAL BOSNIA: THE ROLE OF LOCAL INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS IN SARAJEVO OMANIJA REGION
Get PDFRural economy in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is getting more diversified and it is slowly moving out from the traditional dependency on the agricultural sector. Although national and municipal budgets are still mainly focused on direct support to production, the number of organizations engaged in rural governance is rapidly growing and their role in policy design and delivery is getting increasingly important. The aim of this paper is to analyze the network and the coordination capacity of local agro-rural organisations operating in Sarajevo-Romanija region (SRr, BiH) and the level of inclusion of local community members’ in these organizations. A set of policies and instruments to improve local institutions coordination is also proposed and discussed. Methodologically the paper is based on an extended desk research, on a number of interviews with sectoral experts and local administrators and on a field survey focusing on 35 households in seven municipalities of SRr
Agri-food markets towards sustainable patterns
Get PDFIn recent decades, the confluence of different global and domestic drivers has led to progressive and unpredictable changes in the functioning and structure of agri-food markets worldwide. Given the unsustainability of the current agri-food production, processing, distribution and consumption patterns, and the inadequate governance of the whole food system, the transition to sustainable agriculture and food systems has become crucial to effectively manage a global agri-food market able in supporting expected population growth and ensuring universal access to suffcient, safe, and nutritious food for all. Based on a critical review of the existing international literature, the paper seeks to understand the evolutionary paths of sustainability issues within agri-food markets by analyzing their drivers and trends. An extensive analysis was conducted highlighting the development and importance of the body of knowledge on the most important sustainability transition frameworks, focusing mainly on the relationship between markets, trade, food and nutrition security, and other emerging issues within agri-food markets. Finally, the study makes suggestions to extend the research in order to improve basic knowledge and to identify opportunities to design meaningful actions that can shape agri-food markets and foster their transition to sustainability
Impatto ambientale a medio termine di rame in vigneti ed oliveti biologici della puglia: influenza delle proprietà del suolo e delle pratiche colturali e fitosanitarie
No full textAssessing diets, food supply chains and food systems sustainability: towards a common understanding of economic sustainability
No full textOne of the main challenges impeding the promotion of sustainable food systems and diets is that
related to sustainability assessment. Therefore, it is crucial to develop a shared scientifically-sound
and easily applicable methodology for the analysis of sustainability. Economy is widely recognised
as one of the three pillars of sustainability. The paper lists the main nutrition, health, environment,
society, ethics and economy issues that should be considered for defining the economic sustainability
of diets and provides insights for the assessment of the economic sustainability of healthy diets
with a particular focus on the modelling of the economic effects of a switch to recommended diets
and the analysis of the economic sustainability of food supply chains using different models and
methods (e.g. input–output models, scenario analysis). The paper also highlights the importance
of analysing the economic sustainability in relation to public policies especially those related to
agriculture, food/nutrition and health. As a concrete case study, the paper provides a tentative list
of indicators for assessing the economic sustainability of the food system in Apulia region (southeastern
Italy). For economic sustainability analysis many indicators can be used to describe current
resource allocations and the impact of changes in food demand such as land use, production,
prices, value of output, employment and trade. Economic objectives for sustainable food chains
may include ensuring moderate food prices, achieving an equality point between food supply and
demand, maintaining job posts, and optimising added value and return on investment. Economic
modelling can be used to predict what might happen in case of a shift towards more healthy diets
under different scenarios. The paper points out that the sustainability assessment focus (diet, food
supply chain, food system) and geographical coverage should be clearly defined for the selection of
appropriate economic indicators
Influenza delle caratteristiche chimico-fisiche del suolo e della gestione fitosanitaria sulla concentrazione di solfati in oliveti e vigneti biologici della Puglia
No full textChapter 11 - Mediterranean food and environmental impacts
No full textThe current agrofood system holds much of the responsibility for environment degradation (e.g., biodiversity loss, water resources depletion and/or pollution, land degradation, and climate change). Therefore there is a need for a genuine transition toward sustainability in which sustainable diets can play a key role. The Mediterranean diet is widely considered as a sustainable diet model. Many studies show that adherence to the Mediterranean diet can bring about environmental, social, and economic benefits besides health-nutrition benefits. This chapter provides an overview on the environmental benefits of the Mediterranean diet with a particular reference to environmental footprints (e.g., water footprint, ecological footprint, and carbon footprint). It shows that, in general, the better is adherence to the Mediterranean diet, the lower is the water, land, and energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. It also highlights that the Mediterranean diet can play an important role in biodiversity conservation, food wastage reduction, and climate change mitigation
Food security and nutrition in agro-food sustainability transitions
No full textFood and nutrition security is the main outcome of a sustainable food system. However, food insecurity and malnutrition still affect half of the global population. This is a symptom of the dysfunction of the food system and highlights the urgent need for transition toward sustainability. This chapter reviews research on agro-food sustainability transitions and analyzes whether and how it addresses food security and nutrition. It also casts light on pathways for transition toward sustainable food systems (viz., efficiency increase, demand restraint, and food system transformation). It is assumed that agro-food sustainability transition affects the four dimensions of food security (i.e. availability, access, utilization, stability) and implies changes in nutrition practices and dietary patterns. Nonetheless, food security and nutrition are marginal in the literature dealing with food sustainability transitions. This chapter makes the case for fostering integration of agro-food sustainability transitions and food security not only in research but also in policy and practice
Information and communication technologies for smart and sustainable agriculture
No full textAgriculture faces different environmental, economic and social challenges that make the case for transition towards sustainability. Digitization is one of the most significant ongoing transformation processes in global agriculture. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) range from traditional communication aids (e.g. telephones, televisions), internet and mobile applications, to Big Data analytics and information systems, Cloud computing, Internet of Things, remote sensing and drones, blockchain and artificial intelligence. Different terms have been used to refer to the application of ICTs in agriculture e.g. digital agriculture, e-agriculture, smart agriculture, precision agriculture. This review paper analyses the potential of ICT in agricultural sector. In particular, it explores the benefits of ICT in terms of agriculture smartness and sustainability, provides an overview on the main technologies used, delineates the contours of the smart farming market and landscape, and analyses the potential drawbacks of such a ‘digital revolution’ in agriculture. Smart agriculture is presented by some scholars and practitioners as the ‘Third Green Revolution’, after the plant breeding and genetics revolutions. It is widely recognised that ICTs can help reducing inefficiencies, increasing resource productivity, decreasing management costs, and improving traceability and transparency. However, some caution is needed to make the ongoing ‘digital revolution’ in agriculture inclusive for small-scale farmers and women, especially in developing countries. Moreover, some threats and challenges relating to digital and smart technologies need to be appropriately addressed through policies to support the development of the necessary market and legal architecture for ICT and smart farming, with due consideration to ethical questions
Food losses and waste in the context of sustainable food and nutrition security
No full textFood wastage (i.e., food losses and waste [FLW]) refers to a decrease in the quantity of food intended for human consumption along the food chain (from production to consumption). FLW are recognized as a global issue, as over a third of the global food production is lost or wasted, with impacts on both food and nutrition security and on food systems sustainability. This chapter analyzes the issues of FLW in the context of food and nutrition security. It also explores the causes of FLW as well as their environmental and economic implications. Moreover, the chapter relates FLW to food systems (un)sustainability. Food wastage represents a loss of valuable nutrients; thus the chapter goes beyond food security (cf. caloric energy and kcal) and looks to the nutritional value of food wasted (cf. nutrients, minerals, vitamins). The reduction of FLW is essential to achieve sustainable food and nutrition security for present and future generations within the safe operating space for humanity
Monitoring of Soil Copper Concentrations in Different Organic Farms over a Three-Year Period in Apulia, South-Eastern Italy
No full textCopper is considered as a cornerstone of grapevine downy mildew and olive fly management in Apulian organic farms in particular and in the Mediterranean area in general. In this work we studied the influence of soil properties, cultural practices, and pest management strategies on copper concentrations and accumulation in organic vineyards and olive groves of Apulia (south-eastern Italy). In 2005, 2006, and 2007 about 70 soil samples were collected from 13 organic olive groves and vineyards at 0-0.2 m and 0.2-0.4 m depths in five Apulian organic farms representing a wide range of soils physicochemical properties. Results of physical and chemical analyses, carried out in 2005 and 2007, highlighted notable differences between soil samples in terms of total carbonate, clay, and organic matter contents, while pH values were very similar. Copper input in 2004, 2005, and 2006 ranged from 7.6 to 46.8 kg/ha. Total copper concentrations, determined in 2005, 2006, and 2007 with ICP-OES, showed a moderate Cu accumulation, higher in the shallow layer than in the subsoil and in vineyards than in olive groves in all the sampled farms and for both sampling layers. Cu accumulation increased with increasing copper-based treatments number and application rates, and also with increasing pHH2O, clay, and organic matter. Copper availability was higher in the shallow layer than in the subsoil and in vineyards than in olive groves especially in 0-0.2 m layer. Results showed that copper has a medium accumulation in Apulian soils, therefore regulations limiting its use (i.e. CR 473/2002) should be rigorously applied and its alternatives use should be encouraged in order to minimize possible long term effects on soils
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