Agri-food Sector Research Articles

Enablers of Managerial Practices for Circular Business Model Design: An Empirical Investigation of an Agro-Energy Company in a Rural Area

The concept of circular economy (CE) has gained prominence in management research as a new industrial approach that society, companies, and policymakers should follow in aiming to manage for sustainability issues. The adoption of CE principles has highlighted particular managerial practices that companies can implement in their business models. However, existing research still falls short of describing in sufficient detail the enablers of these practices for a circular business model design. This issue, especially in rural areas, is particularly interesting for the agri-food sector, which is characterized by enormous sustainability challenges, including food production and waste, packaging, transportation, consumer habits and behavior, and energy production and consumption. This article takes stock of this gap through an analysis of the enablers of managerial practices in Fiusis, a company operating in the agro-energy sector of a rural area, which has designed a circular business model and was recognized as “the best business model in the rural area” by the European Commission in 2019. The case highlights the importance of a suitable political and institutional environment beneficial to the starting-up and development of the business, and the importance of collaborating within the community of stakeholders for the creation of a new culture of sustainability.

Localisation Loss in the French Versions of Websites from the Andalusian Agri-Food Sector

Research in translation studies addressing the corporate website text genre has reported some content loss that occurs in localized versions when compared to the original versions. This study focuses on the contrastive analysis of a corpus of homepages and products sections from corporate websites from the Andalusian agri-food sector, studying their original versions (in Spanish) and the versions localised into English and French, according to a localization error taxonomy. The analysis focuses on assessing content loss in French versions, given that France is one of the main export destinations of the Andalusian agri-food industry. It is worth noticing that English versions tend to have less shortcomings than those localised into other languages, which may due to the international status of this language. Results show mainly shortcomings related to content omissions, untranslated text, and English text in versions localised into French, which puts French versions at a disadvantage in relation to English versions.

Тенденции территориального развития агропродовольственного сектора

The issues of spatial distribution of resources and territorial development of agricultural production are covered. It is shown that today there is an increasing concentration of investments in regions with favorable areas for growing products. It was revealed that against this background, in regions with better natural and economic factors, the products of the agri-food sector become more capital-intensive. It is concluded that a further increase in investment in production in territories with a favorable climate without taking into account their competitive advantages by type of product will hinder the balanced formation of physical and economic accessibility of products.

СОЦІАЛЬНА ВІДПОВІДАЛЬНІСТЬ АГРОБІЗНЕСУ ТА ESG ПРАКТИКА ЯК СПОСОБИ ДОСЯГНЕННЯ ЦІЛЕЙ СТАЛОГО РОЗВИТКУ

The need to solve the problems of sustainable development and gain strategic competitive advantages has led to the active dissemination of socially responsible business initiatives. This is also highly relevant for the agri-food sector, the role of which is vital for the global tasks of sustainability and the national economy of Ukraine. The article examines the main essential features of social responsibility of business and modern ESG practice in the example of the agricultural sector. Studies have shown that corporate social responsibility (CSR and ESG) is an example of a modern sustainable management business model with standard features. Both models aim to raise the level of corporate culture and achieve sustainable development goals. At the same time, the key feature of corporate social responsibility is its qualitative dimension, while the characteristic feature of ESG is qualitative assessment. ESG management practice is one of the priorities for Ukraine's agricultural business. It creates opportunities to achieve competitive advantages in attracting additional financial flows necessary for the sustainable development of agriculture and rural areas. The strategic bonuses formed for agricultural companies by using the principles of CSR and ESG in practice are defined. Among the main ones are: building up the image capital of agricultural companies; increasing market share; rapid and effective response to climate change risks and other environmental and social business risks; improving the understanding of future business development opportunities and finding effective mechanisms for their use; increasing the level of investment attractiveness of business. The key indicators for assessing the ESG rating in the context of three factors are studied: economic, social, and managerial. The current trends and social responsibility problems of Ukraine's agrarian business are analyzed. It is determined that voluntary, socially responsible initiatives take place mainly in large-scale agricultural companies. The potential possibilities of the influence of ESG practice on the financial results of agrarian formations are determined. The main promising directions and tools of CSR and ESG in the activities of business entities in the agricultural sector are outlined.

Transformation of the agri-food sector caused by COVID-19: A review of challenges and opportunities

Transformation of the agri-food sector caused by COVID-19: A review of challenges and opportunities

УДОСКОНАЛЕННЯ ДЕРЖАВНОГО УПРАВЛІННЯ СОЦІАЛЬНО-ЕКОНОМІЧНИМ РОЗВИТКОМ АГРОПРОДОВОЛЬЧОЇ СФЕРИ В УМОВАХ АКТИВІЗАЦІЇ ЗЕД ТА ПОСИЛЕННЯ СОЦІАЛЬНОЇ ВІДПОВІДАЛЬНОСТІ БІЗНЕСУ

The improvement of state regulation by the development of the agri-food sector in the conditions of the activation of economic activity and the strengthening of social responsibility of business should be carried out in the context of the ties "state authorities - professional associations of agrarian business entities" at the state and regional levels. The construction of an effective system of coordination of the interests of agrarian subjects is defined as the first priority of the state agrarian policy. After all, the role of the state is to create such a mechanism that allows to ensure the maximum level of self-organization of the agro-food sector within the national economy as a set of interconnected components. The construction of a balanced system of regulation of the development of the agro-food sector allows to ensure its activation through the conclusion of institutional agreements within the proposed structure, which defines the criteria for state intervention, the mutual responsibility of organizations managing socio-economic development and the limits of interdependence of the state's actions with social mechanisms and entities. The conclusion of the proposed institutional agreement should be preceded by a number of measures aimed at the formation of self-sufficient organizations - participants of the proposed structure: activation of the development of selforganization of economic entities; formation of the organizational structure of management of agrarian development, which also includes associations of agrarians; improvement of legislative acts in the direction of liberalization of the activities of self-governing organizations, associations of agrarian subjects in particular. The formation of a clear system of mutual relations is an important step on the way to improving the mechanism of socio-economic development of the agro-food sector, which will maximally take into account the interests of all subjects of agrarian relations. Such an institutional compromise will contribute to: increasing the social and economic responsibility of the state and agrarian business entities; the formation of institutional ties in the system of state regulation of the development of the agro-food sector; avoiding institutional traps caused by the opportunistic behavior of subjects of agrarian management; consolidation of efforts in the direction of achieving priorities for the development of the agro-food sector. Improvement at the "state-region" level of management vertical connections is expedient to ensure the granting of greater autonomy to the regional management of agro-industrial development, in particular in terms of the distribution of agrarian resources and the application of management approaches to the formation of an environment for the development of the agro-food sector. In this regard, it is worth turning to foreign experience of regional development and creating agencies for regional development of the agro-food sector under the executive authorities. To ensure a high level of transparency, it is advisable to entrust these powers to public organizations created at the initiative of state and local authorities.

Assessing the impact of emerging technologies on sustainable fruit production: A systematic review of the literature

Agriculture 4.0 refers to innovations in technological tools used in agriculture to achieve different objectives, such as adapting the supply chain to avoid waste, increasing productivity and collecting mass data through ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) to meet the growing food demand of the population. The objective of this study is to conduct a systematic literature review to evaluate the impact of emerging technologies on sustainable fruit production. Initially, a bibliographic search was conducted on the technologies currently implemented in agriculture; the Bibliometrix library of the R Studio software was used, and then an analysis of relevant scientific publications published in the last ten years was carried out through the VOSviewer® software, which allowed the construction and visualization of bibliometric networks. The results show Europe and China as the leading regions in technological development, while developing countries face economic and research limitations; in Colombia, the use of Agriculture 4.0 is focused on the implementation of satellite images for monitoring agro-climatic conditions. In summary, Agriculture 4.0 aims to achieve economic, social, and environmental sustainability in the agri-food sector through data-generating technologies to improve production, reduce costs, and ensure food safety and quality. However, there is a technology gap between developed and developing countries that affects the adoption of these innovations. More support is therefore needed from governments, academia, and the private sector to drive innovation, training, and adoption of these technologies, which can contribute to the economic, social, and environmental development of the country.

Challenges hindering the commercialization of nutraceuticals derived from agri-food by-products

Several agri-food by-products carry a significant amount of bioactive compounds and could potentially be transformed into nutraceuticals within the circular economy framework. However, the full realization of this potential is hindered by logistics, technological, biological, and regulatory challenges, slowing down the development of a robust nutraceutical market. The present article discusses the need for innovative solutions to optimize waste collection and transportation. The technological challenges in extracting and preserving bioactive compounds call for advancements in unconventional extraction methods and encapsulation approaches. Biological challenges, particularly regarding the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of bioactive compounds, underscore the importance of tailoring delivery methods for optimal efficacy. In addition, selected regulatory aspects need to be highlighted in order to clarify the need for harmonization in ensuring the safety and efficacy of nutraceuticals. Despite challenges, the potential rewards include health benefits, economic growth, and environmental sustainability, driven by the pivotal role of scientific research and interdisciplinary collaboration to realize the vision of a circular economy in the agri-food sector.

Agricultural digitalisation and just transition: a framework for the analysis

Digital agriculture is generally depicted as a new technological frontier allowing both the efficiency and sustainability of the agri-food sector to be increased through the introduction of innovative “green” and cost-effective solutions. However, there is still little empirical evidence on the wider environmental and socio-economic implications of ongoing agricultural digitalisation processes. The paper makes the point that the digitalisation of agriculture is a political and ecological process representing an important element of the uneven and combined patterns of the capitalist development of agriculture. At the same time, the practices that inform agricultural digitalisation are shaped by social, economic and environmental factors that change according to the context. Starting from these premises, the authors propose a critical framework for equipping empirical research on digital agriculture with a more comprehensive understanding of local contexts, while also retaining a wider political economy perspective inspired by the concept of “just transition”.

Regulatory “Reliance” in Global Trade Governance

AbstractOne of the most significant recent trends in global trade governance has been the increasing use of regulatory “reliance” arrangements as a significant element of trade alliances. Against this backdrop, an important set of questions are raised about how existing institutions of global trade governance – especially the World Trade Organization and international regulatory standards organisations – should respond. To what extent, and how, should such institutions facilitate reliance arrangements? And what role can they usefully play in overseeing and guiding their use? This paper begins to answer these questions through a focused case study of regulatory reliance in the agrifood sector. Four challenges are identified regarding the implementation of such arrangements: the high costs of establishment and maintenance; the lack of agreed and reliable assessment methodologies; the potential for arbitrary discrimination between trade partners; and the difficulties of dealing with regulatory change over time. In light of these challenges, the paper assesses the work of existing international organisations in governing reliance arrangements in the agrifood sector. The paper concludes with a number of preliminary suggestions as to how this architecture of global governance might be supplemented or harnessed to address some of the challenges posed by reliance arrangements.

Integrating IOTA’s Tangle with the Internet of Things for Sustainable Agriculture: A Proof-of-Concept Study on Rice Cultivation

Addressing the critical challenges of resource inefficiency and environmental impact in the agrifood sector, this study explores the integration of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies with IOTA’s Tangle, a Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). This integration aims to enhance sustainable agricultural practices, using rice cultivation as a case study of high relevance and reapplicability given its importance in the food chain and the high irrigation requirement of its cultivation. The approach employs sensor-based intelligent irrigation systems to optimize water efficiency. These systems enable real-time monitoring of agricultural parameters through IoT sensors. Data management is facilitated by IOTA’s Tangle, providing secure and efficient data handling, and integrated with MongoDB, a Database Management System (DBMS), for effective data storage and retrieval. The collaboration between IoT and IOTA led to significant reductions in resource consumption. Implementing sustainable agricultural practices resulted in a 50% reduction in water usage, 25% decrease in nitrogen consumption, and a 50% to 70% reduction in methane emissions. Additionally, the system contributed to lower electricity consumption for irrigation pumps and generated comprehensive historical water depth records, aiding future resource management decisions. This study concludes that the integration of IoT with IOTA’s Tangle presents a highly promising solution for advancing sustainable agriculture. This approach significantly contributes to environmental conservation and food security. Furthermore, it establishes that DLTs like IOTA are not only viable but also effective for real-time monitoring and implementation of sustainable agricultural practices.

Environmental Indicators of Vegan and Vegetarian Diets: A Pilot Study in a Group of Young Adult Female Consumers in Poland

It has been broadly reported that the production of animal-derived foods significantly contributes to the environmental footprint of the agri-food sector, considering, among others, such indicators as land use, greenhouse gas emissions, and the water footprint. However, the environmental sustainability aspects of whole diets (i.e., more plant-based vs. meat-containing) have been studied so far to a limited extent, in many cases not taking into consideration various regional settings, which to a great extent determine meat- and other animal-derived foods’ substitutes consumed by vegetarians and vegans. The aim of this study was therefore to assess the environmental indicators of vegetarian, vegan, and meat-containing diets of a selected group of Polish consumers. Based on three-day food records of 24 respondents and the published data on the environmental footprint of a range of foodstuffs, the three dietary environmental indicators were calculated. In addition, the results were standardized in terms of dietary protein intake and energy value. The study showed the elimination of meat and other animal-derived foods from the respondents’ diet was predominantly motivated by their concerns related to animal welfare issues, which appeared to be a stronger factor than the willingness to reduce the diets’ environmental footprint. Following the results standardization, the studied vegetarian and vegan diets were characterized by 47.0% and 64.4% lower carbon footprint, 32.2% and 60.9% lower land use indicators, and 37.1% and 62.9% lower water footprints, respectively, compared to the meat-containing diet. Animal-derived foods, including milk and dairy, appeared to be the main contributors to all three environmental footprint indicators of both the meat-containing and the vegetarian diets. In the vegan group, the environmental footprint was found to be mainly influenced by the consumption of legumes and legume-based foods, cereal products, potatoes, sugar, products containing cocoa and vegetables, with nuts showing especially significant contribution to the fresh water consumption. The study confirms moving towards more plant-based diet has a potential to significantly reduce the diet’s environmental footprint. It also contributes to creating a ‘roadmap’ for consumers, to encourage them to plan their diets responsibly, taking into consideration both the health and the environmental sustainability aspects.

Estimation of contribution of production factors to an agricultural output change in emerging and developing Europe

Countries of Emerging and Developing Europe (EDE) significantly transformed their agri-food sector in the last decades, and it has specific implications for agricultural tendencies and the economy of these countries. This research focuses on the sources of growth of agricultural production in countries belonging to EDE, as the former communist countries classified by the International Monetary Fund. This group of countries is particularly interesting because there is room for further growth in agricultural production, which can be crucial in times of crisis. This article's main objective is to estimate agriculture's production function and analyze the relationship between agricultural output and used inputs. Based on data for the period 2008 to 2019, results showed that the increase in the use of mineral fertilizers is a key source of production growth among production factors. Due to the economic importance of fertilizer use and its environmental effect, it can be concluded that agricultural policy must be created carefully in these countries to achieve a balance between economic, social, and environmental goals.

Promotional campaigns in the agri-food sector aimed at reducing meat consumption: A promising leverage for action

Promotional campaigns, usually characterized by inter-organizational partnerships focused on food distribution or restaurant services, aim to increase awareness about various benefits of responsible consumption. This is particularly important for the rural population which is frequently involved in the sectors of economy linked to farming and food distribution. In this context, the objective of this study is to identify the promotional campaigns aimed at reducing meat consumption implemented in many Western countries. A scoping review was conducted to document the characteristics, facilitating factors and challenges of such promotional campaigns. The literature search led to the identification of a total of 25 initiatives that were gathered in a typology involving four types of campaigns: “Meatless Days” movements, contests that recognize companies with vegetarian alternatives, industry development-focused programs, and restaurant referral programs for vegetarian options. The study highlighted that the most impactful campaigns are the "Meatless Day" movements and referral programs. The results of this research are useful to develop and implement durable promotional campaigns aimed at reducing meat consumption.

In this Issue

It’s with pleasure that the New Zealand Association of Scientists presents this issue of the New Zealand Science Review in collaboration with the Riddet Institute. The articles arising from the Agri-Food Summit meeting in April this year give insight into the research and educational resources necessary for a successful and sustainable agri-food sector in New Zealand. As mentioned in our guest editorial, the Summit speakers were selected to bring somewhat disparate views together on the topic under discussion. The result graphically illustrates the tranformational changes necessary to fully exploit New Zealand’s potential in agri-foods and the importance of growing our collaborative research and educational networks internationally

Swiss Agricultural Life Cycle Assessment: A method to assess the emissions and environmental impacts of agricultural systems and products

PurposeAgricultural production, which dominates the environmental impacts of the food sector, has specific characteristics that need to be considered in life cycle assessment (LCA) studies. Agricultural systems are open, difficult to manage and control, strongly depend on natural resources and their impacts are highly variable and influenced by soil, climate and farm management. A specific framework, efficient methods and tools are thus needed to adequately assess the environmental impacts of agricultural systems.MethodsWe present the Swiss Agricultural Life Cycle Assessment (SALCA) concept and method, developed for a detailed and specific analysis of agricultural systems. It comprises rules for the definition of system boundaries, functional unit and allocation, emission models, a life cycle inventory (LCI) database, calculation tools, impact assessment methods and concepts for analysis, interpretation and communication. This paper focuses on emission models for gaseous N, nitrate leaching, P emissions to water, soil erosion, pesticides, heavy metals, emissions from animal production and impact assessment methods for soil quality and biodiversity. The models are calculated at the crop, field, animal group and farm levels and are integrated in a consistent and harmonised framework, which is ensured by exchanging intermediate results between models.Results and discussionThe SALCA concept has been applied in numerous LCA studies for crops and crop products, cropping systems, animal husbandry systems and animal products, food and feed products, farms and product groups, the agrifood sector and food systems. The SALCA methodology has also been a backbone of the LCI databases ecoinvent, AGRIBALYSE and the World Food LCA database. The strengths of SALCA lie in its comprehensiveness, specificity to agriculture, harmonisation, broad applicability, consistency, comparability, flexibility and modularity. The extensive data demand and the high complexity, however, limit the application of SALCA to experts. The geographical scope is limited to Central and Western Europe, with a special focus on Switzerland. However, due to the modular and flexible design, an adaptation to other contexts is feasible with reasonable effort.ConclusionsSALCA enables answering a wide range of research questions related to environmental assessment and is applicable to various goals and scopes. A further development would be the inclusion of the social and economic dimensions to perform a full sustainability analysis in the SALCAsustain framework.

Kazakhstani agricultural products: prospects for entering the Chinese market

China, being one of the world's largest food importers, has significant market opportunities for the Kazakhstani agro-industrial complex. In order to use this potential, the Republic of Kazakhstan is actively implementing measures and programs to stimulate and support the export of agricultural products. The goal is to study the features and prospects for the export of agricultural raw materials and food products to the PRC. As part of this study, the International Trade Center provided information to analyze the volumes and range of exported and imported food products and goods that were categorized in accordance with the Commodity Nomenclature of Foreign Economic Activity. Methods - descriptive statistics and index approach, allowing toidentify the main trends, quantitative changes and structural shifts in trade in food products of Kazakhstan with China and other countries. To determine the efficiency of production of various food products in the Republic of Kazakhstan relative to other countries, the Balassa index was used, measuring comparative advantage (RCA) in this area. Results - the authors note the positive impact of development of logistics, economic growth, market size and geographic proximity of Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, on formation of supply chains at different levels. However, to further modernize agri-food sector, a number of obstacles and risks need to be addressed: problems in production processes, processing and logistics, as well as technical and institutional constraints. Conclusions - improving the export strategy is crucial in shaping the national policy in the field of agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan in conditions of a mobilization economy: mitigating threats and risks, identifying internal resources to strengthen trade relations with the People's Republic of China.

Providing food to the population of Kazakhstan: priorities, mechanisms

Goal - the current state and problems of development of agriculture in Kazakhstan are considered - basics of providing food to the population of the republic and development of recommendations for improving agricultural policy. Methods – systematic approach, abstract-logical, monographic, economic-statistical. Results - the authors note that the Republic of Kazakhstan ranks 32nd in the Global Food Security Index for 2022. The country has sufficient natural resources to strengthen agri-food sector, and there is the necessary level of physical availability of food products. At the same time, the share of consumer spending on food products exceeds 50%, which indicates a relatively low degree of economic accessibility of food products. The republic is directly dependent on imports of beef, pork, poultry, fish, seafood, vegetable oils, sugar and chocolate. Dairy products are uncompetitive in comparison with similar Russian and Belarusian products, which leads to significant volumes of imports. Positive results of the functioning of agro-industrial complex of Kazakhstan include exceeding gross grain harvest of the threshold level of food self-sufficiency. Conclusions – recommendations prepared as part of the study are aimed at further spreading agricultural cooperation in livestock and crop production, implementing the import substitution policy in agricultural sector, increasing profitability of small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises, improving domestic technological and resource base, and living conditions in rural areas. Improving food security will be possible if there are effective measures of support from the state for agricultural producers, which implies necessary level of subsidies, reimbursement of capital costs, preferential lending, and provision of targeted financial assistance.

Assessing the digital transformation in agri-food cooperatives and its determinants

The digital transformation (DT) of companies implies the emergence of new business models based on the widespread use of digital technologies. Digital transformation is necessary to improve efficiency, productivity, and market access in a context of increasing competition. In the case of the agri-food sector, DT is also required to address the challenges of food safety, food waste, and sustainability. This research aims to build a theoretical framework and a methodology to assess the global level of DT and its dimensions and factors that influence it in a specific type of agri-food company, namely agri-food cooperatives. These prominent social economy entities follow cooperative principles and play a significant role in rural development, especially in the most backward regions. An empirical analysis has been conducted to validate the methodology and meet the objectives. To this end, a Global Index of DT was built, and data was obtained from a survey of agri-food cooperatives in Andalusia, a southern Spanish region with a long-standing tradition of agri-food cooperatives, which also presents a low per-capita income in the European context. Empirical results effectively reveal that the proposed theoretical framework and methodology expediate the assessment of the global level of DT of agri-food cooperatives and the relevance of certain influential critical factors. In this way, relevant information for cooperatives and policy-makers can be collected to facilitate the implementation of DT.

Evaluating the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on Italian and regional agri-food systems: Case study in the Marche Region, Italy

The study intends to analyze the situation of the agri-food systems in Italy over a one-year period (2020–2021) of the pandemic caused by COVID-19, with a focus on the Marche Region in the North-Center of Italy. The study presents the economic situation prior to the pandemic (2019), with an analysis of quantitative and qualitative data on the most relevant sectors of the agri-food systems. The scope is to investigate, from a socio-economic dimension, the impacts on the agri-food sectors and estimate the alterations occurring in production and consumption during and after the Italian lockdown from March to April 2020. The analysis mainly compares the two-year momentum (2019–2021) of the demography of the agri-food companies and showcases current trends. This analysis of the Italian agri-food system demonstrates that the pandemic and the territorial restrictions severely affected the sectors and altered some of the usual market trends. The pandemic caused disruptions in the distribution of inputs, extension services, and cooperative services, also leading to a shortage of labour. Factors such as market accessibility, postharvest value addition, pricing, and product shortages played a crucial role in shaping the market supply during this period of upheaval. The findings obtained by this preliminary study could be important in supporting decision-makers and producers in shaping new policy strategies for possible future crises.