Agri-food Businesses Research Articles

Innovation intermediaries and key-capability development: evidence from organisations in two Philippine agri-food business industries

ABSTRACT Innovation intermediaries can help boost and hasten the diffusion and adoption of technologies and practices in agri-food businesses, leading to better livelihoods, communities, and ecosystems. However, these organisations require several key-capabilities to ensure that their role performance leads to better innovation success for their stakeholders. This study employs a multiple case study approach to understand the key-capability building process and focuses on 18 innovation intermediaries in the rice and mango industries of the Philippines. The researcher finds that knowledge-building and management capabilities are essential and foundational across different organisation types. However, differences between organisations are seen in their networking-based capabilities. Moreover, the study finds four factors that may affect how innovation intermediaries build their key-capabilities. Additionally, evidence to support human resource development as a fifth key-capability and motivation as a third underlying capability was found. This study also provides policy and management implications for innovation intermediary key-capability development.

Green supply chain management in the Southern Brazilian rice industry: A survey and structural analysis

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the influence of Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) dimensions on the performance of an agrifood supply chain, with a specific focus on the rice industry in southern Brazil. The region's rice industry produces a substantial amount of biomass, fostering circular economy practices that align with both economic and environmental objectives. Using Structural Equation Modeling with Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS), this research analyzes data from a survey of 92 companies. The measurement model incorporates 21 input and 11 output indicators, organized into six constructs. The input constructs—green strategy, green innovation, and green operations—are instrumental in shaping industry competitiveness, the fourth construct. The output constructs measure results and reputation. The findings indicate that green innovation and green operations significantly enhance competitiveness, whereas green strategy exerts minimal influence. The scope is limited to the rice industry in southern Brazil. Practical implications include offering a strategic framework for agrifood industry practitioners to improve competitiveness by optimizing green practices within their supply chains. Theoretical implications suggest that while green strategy alone may not be sufficient to drive competitiveness, the integration of green innovation and operations can enhance it. The originality of this research lies in the development of a comprehensive measurement model for assessing competitiveness in agrifood businesses, which evaluates both operational outcomes and reputational impact.

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The prospects of the food and agro-food sector in the structure of the economic management system are related to global and national trends in the development of agriculture, food industry and effective management of these industries. The growing demand for environmentally friendly products forces companies and farmers to implement sustainable production methods. This includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, using water and resources efficiently, and moving to organic agriculture. Environmental standards are becoming important in ensuring the competitiveness of products on the domestic and international markets. Automation and digital technologies are rapidly penetrating the agri-food sector. Precision farming technologies, artificial intelligence, drones and satellite systems allow for increased production efficiency, improved resource management and reduced costs.In addition, digital platforms help to optimize supply chains and improve interaction between market participants. There is an increasing focus on food safety due to increased regulation by governments and international organizations. This requires agri-food businesses to invest in quality control systems and meet international standards such as HACCP. The increase in the export of food and agricultural products is an important factor in the economic development of many countries. This requires diversification of sales markets, improvement of logistics infrastructure and adaptation to the requirements of foreign markets.In addition, supporting local producers through government subsidy programs can strengthen the domestic market. The concept of a closed-cycle economy involves minimizing waste and maximizing the use of resources at each stage of production. In the food sector, this may include using waste as raw material for fertilizer or energy production. Small and medium-sized businesses in the agri-food sector can play an important role in ensuring food security and sustainable development of rural areas. Government support programs, access to finance and educational programs can help strengthen this sector. Climate change directly affects the food sector, causing unpredictable weather conditions that can reduce harvests and increase the risk of production losses. Adapting to these changes requires the introduction of new technologies, genetically modified crops, and risk management programs. At the global level, more and more attention is being paid to food security - ensuring a stable food supply. This includes the development of the agro-industrial complex to reduce dependence on imports, increase food reserves, and develop infrastructure for storage and transportation

Toward a novel Sustainability Transparency Index for improved governance in agri-food value chains: A comparative study of Finnish and Ukrainian companies

The paper addresses ESG-based disclosure and transparency measurement in the context of a comparative analysis of Finnish and Ukrainian agri-food businesses based on the Sustainability Transparency Index (STI) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Based on the normalization method, SDG-related text mining, and qualitative text analytics, the sustainability information of the largest agri-food companies was traced. Among GRI, ISSB, and ESRS disclosure standards, only GRI 13 has clearly established SDG alignment with most material stakeholders’ requests. The results of the study give a snapshot of sustainability transparency in the agri-food business in 2023, where the indices of Finnish companies are higher than those of Ukrainian ones, with clear SDG 12, waste and water management priority compared to SDG 2 and sustainable agriculture in Ukraine. Regulatory recommendations based on a comparative analysis of sustainability disclosure in both countries include better alignment with EU (Finnish) benchmarks, reporting and assurance practices for Ukrainian companies, and the incorporation of recent EU sustainability disclosure approaches for Finnish companies. Acknowledgment Inna Makarenko gratefully acknowledges the support of the Academy of Finland (Decision 353888).  

Innovating in an Uncertain World: Understanding the Social, Technical and Systemic Barriers to Farmers Adopting New Technologies

The current geopolitical and socioeconomic landscape creates a difficult and uncertain operating environment for farming and agri-food businesses. Technological innovation has not been suggested to be a “silver bullet” but is one of the ways organizations can seek to reduce environmental impact, deliver net zero, address the rural skills and labor deficit and produce more output from fewer resources and as a result, make space for nature. But what barriers limit this promissory narrative from delivering in practice? The purpose of the paper is to firstly explore the reported social, technical and systemic barriers to agri-technology adoption in an increasingly uncertain world and then secondly identify potential research gaps that highlight areas for future research and inform key research questions. Socio-technical and infrastructural barriers have been identified within the context of the complex hollowing out and infilling of rural communities across the world. These barriers include seventeen factors that emerge, firstly those external to the farm (economic conditions, external conditions including bureaucracy, market conditions, weather uncertainty and the narratives about farmers), those internal to the farm business (farming conditions, employee relations, general finance, technology and time pressures) and then personal factors (living conditions, personal finances, physical health, role conflict, social isolation and social pressure). Adaptive resilience strategies at personal, organizational and community levels are essential to address these barriers and to navigate agri-technology adoption in an uncertain and dynamic world.

How can agrifood businesses improve their performance? The role of digital transformation

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to analyse the moderating effect of digital transformation (DT) on the relationship between innovation capacity and the performance of agrifood businesses.Design/methodology/approachBased on a structured questionnaire, data on 98 agrifood small and medium-sized enterprises operating in Spain were collected. The data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling to test the proposed model and study the moderating effect of DT on the relationship between the innovation capacity and performance of agrifood businesses.FindingsThe study finds support for the hypotheses and shows the existence of a direct positive relationship between the DT and performance of agrifood businesses. Developing new practices focussed on customer service and performing actions such as improving sales, promoting a new product or service and including a post-sales service influence the capacity of a business to undertake DT.Research limitations/implicationsFuture studies should include other factors in the analysis. For example, the impact of knowledge transfer and research and development (R&D) on agrifood businesses' performance should be studied. Education and training, as well as having a diverse network, can help develop and boost businesses' capacity to use and apply the required innovation. Networks play an important role in learning how to apply DT.Originality/valueThis quantitative study is the first to examine the moderating effect of DT in the Spanish agrifood sector on the relationship between innovation capacity and performance. The study examines the role of the DT of companies and explores the competitiveness and efficiency tools that digitalisation offers. Innovation capacity is crucial for the application of these tools.

INTEGRATING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT INTO THEIR MARKETING STRATEGY: PRACTICES OF LEBANESE AGRI-FOOD INDUSTRIES

Amidst technological growth and its environmental implications, there’s a global push for sustainable development using ethical methods that benefit both the planet and humanity. This underscores a rising corporate trend towards sustainability. Adopting this approach requires fresh methods and technologies to influence behavior changes. Consequently, marketing, when aligned with sustainability principles, becomes a pivotal tool for businesses transitioning to sustainable practices. The food industry, like other sectors, is not exempt from these considerations. This article focuses on examining how food industries in Lebanon are incorporating sustainable development principles into their marketing strategies. By studying their approaches, we aim to identify the level of integration of sustainability within the marketing practices of these industries, identify gaps, and to bring the future scientific research directions in marketing management. Thus, this research is conducted following the post-positivist paradigm and following a hypothetical-deductive approach. Hence the qualitative research and expert evaluation used to collect data due to its applicability to the context of the study. The target respondents are managers of the agri-food industries in order to measure the good practices of sustainable development of these industries and their Marketing strategy based on the 4Ps. Lebanon’s distinct challenges, from environmental to economic, call for specialized solutions. Achieving sustainability involves grasping local nuances, engaging stakeholders, and connecting different sectors. Sustainable marketing emphasizes local products and community ties, offering potential for significant change. The study indicates agri-food businesses mainly focus on environmental and economic elements. Yet, the research faced hurdles, like the pandemic, highlighting the need for context-awareness.

Digital entrepreneurship in agrifood business: a resource bricolage perspective

PurposeThe aim of this research paper is to investigate entrepreneurial opportunities through digital technology among agrifood businesses. Specifically, the research paper uses resource bricolage theory to evaluate the various activities that agrifood businesses conduct through digital technology, and whether these businesses realise their full potential from these activities.Design/methodology/approachData are gathered from 22 semi-structured interviews with representatives of small agrifood businesses. Maximum variation sampling was used to ensure that respondents were representative of different types of agrifood businesses across the food supply chain. Interview data were analysed through thematic analysis.FindingsAgrifood businesses engage in a range of activities through digital technology, however, findings point to a continuum of different attitudes among respondents towards the adoption of digital technology, ranging from passive to proactive attitudes. Notable themes from the research identified efficiency and productivity, usability, marketing and connectivity as issues in the adoption of digital technology by agrifood businesses. However, these businesses were less likely to engage in cutting-edge technology activities.Originality/valueThis research contributes to emerging research on digital entrepreneurship, but particularly on digital entrepreneurship in the agrifood sector. This builds on existing debates relating to the passive nature of agrifood businesses towards growth opportunities. The use of research bricolage is also a novel theoretical approach to research on this topic. The development of a digital technology adoption continuum provides businesses and policymakers with a deeper understanding of how digital entrepreneurship opportunities can be harnessed.

Unlocking the Potential of Sprouted Cereals, Pseudocereals, and Pulses in Combating Malnutrition.

Due to the global rise in food insecurity, micronutrient deficiency, and diet-related health issues, the United Nations (UN) has called for action to eradicate hunger and malnutrition. Grains are the staple food worldwide; hence, improving their nutritional quality can certainly be an appropriate approach to mitigate malnutrition. This review article aims to collect recent information on developing nutrient-dense grains using a sustainable and natural process known as "sprouting or germination" and to discuss novel applications of sprouted grains to tackle malnutrition (specifically undernutrition). This article discusses applicable interventions and strategies to encourage biochemical changes in sprouting grains further to boost their nutritional value and health benefits. It also explains opportunities to use spouted grains at home and in industrial food applications, especially focusing on domestic grains in regions with prevalent malnutrition. The common challenges for producing sprouted grains, their future trends, and research opportunities have been covered. This review article will benefit scientists and researchers in food, nutrition, and agriculture, as well as agrifood businesses and policymakers who aim to develop nutrient-enriched foods to enhance public health.

Application of smellscapes and affective-cognitive analysis in memorable cheese-based tourism experiences

As a marketing tool, tastings help to bring closer products and potential customers. The creation of emotional and sensorial tasting experiences triggers positive attitudes, intentions and memories that benefit both tourism and agri-food businesses. This study has examined the influence of olfactory stimuli on cognitive and emotional processing, as well as, the attitudes and recall of participants in a cheese tasting experience. Through a multimethodological approach, psychophysiological measures, surveys and a longitudinal study analyzed the emotional, attentional, intentional and remembered reactions to an experimental cheese tasting experience in two different evoked olfactive environments: nature scent and cheese factory scent. The results reveal that the environments evoked by nature and cheese factory odors have different effects on the participants' cognitive process and preferences. The congruent odor with cheese (cheese factory scent) produces direct associations, but it is not cognitively chosen. Whereas, the natural odor (nature scent) induces relaxation and increases cognitive attention and approach. Agri-food and tourism companies should take into account these results with the aim of creating more immersive, emotional and long-lasting experiences around their products and get better their marketing results.

Aligning Agri-food Business with Sustainable Development and Quality of Life in Rural Areas: Stakeholders' Perspectives from Greece

The present study examined how the agri-food enterprises in Greece affect the socio-economic life of rural areas and contribute to ensuring food security. It sought the extent of their contribution to the revitalization of the local community and residents’ quality of life. Furthermore, it focused on the policy measures needed to ensure that their operation protects the environment and reduces their environmental footprint. Additionally, this research explored agri-food enterprises’ impact in addressing the problems of rural societies in the context of their social responsibility. Qualitative research was conducted through semi-structured interviews with twelve central government and local self-administrative executives who formulate policies that shape or influence the agri-food sector and agri-food enterprises The study revealed that agri-food businesses play a major role in the rural economy. At the same time, they are a key factor in linking sustainable development to the well-being of citizens. It was also highlighted that agri-food enterprises in Greece continue to leave a large negative environmental footprint and therefore a change in the framework of existing policies is needed to make the latter effective. In this regard, measures are needed to support agri-food enterprises with certain financial instruments in order to enhance the reduction of their environmental footprint. Finally, the research indicated the need for further strengthening of agri-food enterprises' social responsibility toward rural residents. The contribution of this research has both theoretical and empirical value. It responds to the recent calls for greater investigation of agri-food enterprises and their contributions to sustainable development and rural residents’ quality of life as well. In this respect, the present primary study adds evidence to the international literature regarding the role of agri-food enterprises in the socio-economic life of rural areas by shedding light on various aspects while the findings can be used by the institutions (European, state, and local authorities) that are responsible for policy-making in the agri-food sector and agri-food enterprises respectively. Moreover, the findings can also be a valuable tool for the business world of agri-food entrepreneurship.

Water-energy-food nexus and business excellence models for a sustainability maturity evaluation of ten agri-food companies from Brazil and Kenya

The present article aims to compare sustainability maturity results among ten agri-food industries located in Brazil and Kenya. Integrated nexus analyses are missing from previous models to perform this type of comparison. Most of existing models focus on macro-analysis issues rather than micro-analysis, which includes evaluating organizations' production practices. A novel model was developed integrating the water-energy-food nexus with business excellence models, resulting in the following evaluation items: drivers, agents, and processes. Through interviews, documentation analysis, and direct observation, ten agri-food industries were evaluated, five in Brazil and five in Kenya. The results obtained are expressed using a sustainability maturity model with a 7-point scale (ranging from one to seven). For drivers, Brazilian companies received an average score of 2.98, compared to 3.68 for Kenyan companies. Brazilian agri-food businesses received a score of 3.33, whereas Kenyan businesses obtained an average score of 3.73 in the agent item. Finally, for processes, Brazilian companies received 2.8, while Kenyan companies scored 3.27. Overall, Kenyan companies performed better than Brazilian companies. With these results, it was possible to conclude that the developed evaluation model can be used to evaluate an agri-food company sustainable status as well as to establish comparisons among companies and countries, with benchmarking potential.

Power, governance, and global value chains: case studies on NGO agri-food innovation intermediaries in the Philippines

ABSTRACT Participation and integration in Global Value Chains (GVCs) is critical for industrial development, especially for developing economies in key sectors such as agri-food businesses (AFB). However, doing so optimally is difficult due to inherent power imbalances between GVC actors. Innovation intermediaries may support the upgrading and opportunities of less powerful actors by working between processes and institutions while exercising a mix of bargaining, demonstrative, institutional, and constitutive powers. By doing so, they can theoretically reconfigure chain governance structures. However, little research has been done on how precisely innovation intermediaries exercise these powers and to what ends. This study conducts case studies on two AFB non-government organisations (NGOs) in the Philippines, employing focus group surveys, semi-structured interviews, and content analysis to examine how they exercise different types of power to better their partners’ GVC position. We find that both NGOs employ these powers in diverse ways and to varying degrees over time. Our results reveal the critical importance of active value chain participation by non-firm actors in influencing the balance of power within GVCs and in shaping government response. These results have implications for theoretical and policy debates concerning GVCs and innovation intermediaries, both generally and in developing economy contexts.

Sustainable strategies of industrial tourism in the agri-food business: an exploratory approach

PurposeThis study aims to analyze the opportunities and potential of industrial tourism for the agri-food industry in the current post-pandemic scenario. Industrial tourism can favor appropriate behaviors by companies and tourists to address emerging challenges in the post-pandemic era, such as responsible production and consumption and the containment of waste production.Design/methodology/approachThe adopted research method is a case study with exploratory purposes, applied to an industrial tourism experiment called “Make it in Puglia” (Apulia Region, Italy). The case study was based on participant observation and semi-structured interviews.FindingsThis study analyzes how industrial tourism in active agri-businesses allows local areas to be enhanced while simultaneously improving and strengthening sustainable strategies and choices for organizations and customers, especially in the changing context of the post-pandemic era.Research limitations/implicationsThe country specificity of this project and the limited duration of the investigation in the post-pandemic period were the main limitations of this study.Practical implicationsIndustrial tourism in the agri-food business can contribute to a sustainable strategy for destination management based on new elements of attractiveness. Moreover, industrial tourism represents an opportunity for agri-food businesses, through the promotion of “business tours,” to respond to requests for more sustainable practices, especially considering that food waste and resource use efficiency have become a topic of growing concern.Originality/valueThis paper is one of the first studies that considers industrial tourism as a strategy for achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the agribusiness sector, as it analyzes industrial tourism as an instrument in the construction of a cohesive ecosystem where tourism, agri-food business and local communities together pursue preservation and safeguarding of the environment, heritage and territory.

Food fraud and mitigating strategies of UK food supply chain during COVID-19.

Covid-19 had shown the vulnerability of the food supply chain and fraudsters may take advantage of the pandemic whilst the population needed a continuous supply of safe and quality food. The lack of monitoring and policing in the food supply chain may encourage fraudsters to upscale their operations. Previous studies had warned of a surge in fraudulent products due to COVID-19. This raised the question on whether food fraud had increased during the pandemic? This study aims to investigate food fraud during COVID-19 and how the food supply chain develops mitigating strategies against fraudulent activities. A mixed-method approach including survey and semi-structured interviews were conducted among UK food businesses. Two hundred and two agri-food businesses responded to the survey and 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted. The majority of the food businesses did not experience an increase of food fraud activities during COVID-19. Two thematic domains and ten sub-themes were identified from the data set. There was a heightened sense of anticipation and preparation for increased fraudulent activities during the pandemic. The main risk mitigating strategies included horizon scanning; developing and maintaining supplier relationship and assurance; understanding product characteristics, testing capabilities, conducting vulnerability assessments and training. Practical and cost-effective strategies for small and medium food businesses were recommended. This is the first empirical study on food fraud and mitigating strategies of the UK food supply chain during the pandemic. Our findings provide evidence for informing the policies and practices of the food regulatory authorities as well as best practices to protect the UK food supply chain against food fraud during exogenous shocks like COVID-19.

Crowdsourcing food security: introducing food choice derivatives for sustainability

Global food supply chains are unprepared for the increasing number and severity of the expected environmental, social and economic shocks in the coming years. The price-setting process of commodities is directly impacted by such shocks, influencing consumer behavior regarding food choice and consumption. Both the market and advances in precision agriculture drive increased production and consumption. However, there has been a lack of consideration of how consumer behavior could be harnessed to mitigate such shocks through decreased consumption and reduced waste. The SAPPhIRE model of causality was applied to design sustainable and ecologically embedded futures derivatives that could have a role in affecting commodity markets. Multi-agent systems were combined with artificial intelligence and edge computing to provide the necessary functionality. The impact of war in Ukraine was used to exemplify the design of consumer “food choice” derivatives. This resulted in a mechanism to bring aggregated acts of consumer compassion and sustainability to commodities markets to mitigate food security shocks. When implementing food choice derivatives, care must be taken to ensure that consumer food choices are rational and compatible with individual nutritional needs and financial situations, and that the legitimate interests of agri-food businesses are protected.

Bridging organisational discourse and practice change: exploring sustainable procurement portfolios for Australian beef

PurposePrivate retail and brand-driven sustainable procurement standards are influencing global agri-food markets, shifting trade and export priorities and reshaping food supply chains. Using the case of Australian beef, the authors construct and evaluate three procurement activity “portfolios” and evaluate how these activity sets pull towards or against diverse organisational goals and/or science-based sustainability objectives.Design/methodology/approachA review of the academic and practitioner literature identified three key pillars for sustainable Australian beef procurement: animal welfare, environmental management and climate change (i.e. emissions). A subset of sustainable beef production activities (n = 100) was identified through this review plus semi-structured interviews with Australian beef retailers and industry bodies. This activity set was filtered (n = 40) and scored by a panel of science experts via a series of workshops and an additional survey. Using these data, the authors use a k-means cluster analysis (k = 3) to consider the strong or weak contributions of each activity portfolio towards typical sustainable beef goals.FindingsA portfolio-based view of sustainable procurement puts the trade-offs between activities and the need for clear sustainability prioritisation into sharp focus. The authors find that individual strategies may be singularly more or less impactful, complex or popular, but when combined as a suite of activities enacted towards a particular goal or set of goals, essential for success. The authors find that obtaining balance across sustainable beef pillars versus within specific pillars can narrow the optimal set of activities that can succeed against multiple sustainability goals.Practical implicationsFor procurement managers, the balance between clear focus and multidimensional progress is a difficult challenge. It requires the bold identification and articulation of an organisation’s interlocking corporate, industry or environmental objectives and flexibility on the strategies, tools and resources required. The authors posit that shifting away from a focus on rigid metrics may be useful in breaking the impasse on meaningful action.Social implicationsUsing a set of known activities and strategies that a procurement manager might draw from in operationalising sustainability goals, the authors cluster activities into three discrete activity portfolios. Each portfolio requires differing levels of effort, implementation complexity and potential for within-pillar and cross-pillar impact (i.e. co-benefits). Assessing the evidence and potential for cross-pillar impacts of individual strategies is a complex undertaking, indicative of the systems and tangled interactions that characterise sustainability science more broadly.Originality/valueBy assessing how the procurement function can be leveraged and operationalised towards sustainability goals through a lens of optimal portfolio management, the authors provide a way forward for the procurement managers working within large retailers and agri-food businesses to progress towards multiple sustainability pillars simultaneously.

Impacts of COVID-19 on US agri-food supply chain businesses: Regional survey results.

Visible disruptions of appropriate food distribution for end consumers during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted calls for an urgent, renewed look at how the U.S. agri-food system is impacted by and responds to pandemics, natural disasters, and human-made crises. Previous studies suggest the COVID-19 pandemic yielded uneven impacts across agri-food supply chain segments and regions. For a rigorously comparable assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on agri-food businesses, a survey was administered from February to April 2021 to five segments of the agri-food supply chain in three study regions (California, Florida, and the two-state region of Minnesota-Wisconsin). Results (N = 870) measuring the self-reported changes in quarterly business revenue in 2020 compared to businesses' typical experience pre-COVID-19 suggest significant differences across supply chain segments and regions. In the Minnesota-Wisconsin region, restaurants took the largest hit and the upstream supply chains were relatively unaffected. In California, however, the negative impacts were felt throughout the supply chain. Two factors likely contributed to regional differences: (1) regional disparities in pandemic evolution and governance and (2) structural differences in regional agri-food systems. Regionalized and localized planning and the development of best-practices will be necessary for the U.S. agri-food system to enhance preparedness for and resilience to future pandemics, natural disasters, and human-made crises.

Consumer preferences for the Mediterranean Diet: Results of an empirical analysis

The Mediterranean Diet is a very healthy diet for the human organism. The study focuses on consumer behavior toward products that are part of the Mediterranean Diet. The purpose of this research is to give an insight into food awareness, to improve consumer health, by highlighting the food pyramid and lifestyles related to the Mediterranean Diet, and to understand cultural customs and habits regarding food. The empirical analysis was carried out through a survey of a sample of consumers. The questionnaire, administered online, included general cultural questions on the Mediterranean Diet, food groups, individual lifestyles, and eating habits of the consumers interviewed. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet model, concentrated in the territories proper of the Mediterranean, leads to an agri-food model that favors the development of local agri-food products, with the consequent increase in demand for products proper to Mediterranean agriculture. This situation potentially makes it possible to expand the supply of agri-food businesses that produce products of the Mediterranean diet and thus determine a positive effect of increased income and employment in the area. The results show that this dietary regime is widely followed and can be an opportunity for Mediterranean agro-food enterprises to expand the offer and produce healthier products aimed at that segment of consumers that follow this diet to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases or to prevent and cure metabolic diseases (such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes) and to prevent obesity. • The Mediterranean Diet is important for human health. • The Mediterranean Diet is a World Heritage Site. • The Mediterranean Diet promotes the development and growth of Mediterranean crops.

Help me if you can: the advantage of farmers’ altruistic message appeal in generating engagement with social media posts during COVID-19

The purpose of this study is to establish which message appeal is more effective in generating consumer engagement with social media posts of small and medium-sized agri-food businesses that promote direct-to-consumer sales during a COVID-19 type crisis. Using quantitative content analysis, 1024 posts from 48 Israeli farmers' Facebook brand pages were categorized into altruistic messages (ethnocentric, toward farmers, toward the environment, and maintaining public health) and egoistic messages (economic, emotional, functional, and hedonic values). The effectiveness of the message appeals was determined by consumer behavioral engagement (comments, shares and likes) with the posts. The results show that farmers used more egotistic arguments (mainly functional and hedonic motives) than altruistic arguments during the three stages of the crisis. However, a one-way ANOVA test revealed that posts with altruistic messages (specifically, altruism toward farmers) or posts that combine altruistic and egoistic motivations equally yielded significantly more consumer behavioral engagement. Practical recommendations regarding agri-food communications in times of crisis are given.