Agri-food Sector Research Articles

Comparative Evaluation of Remote Sensing Platforms for Almond Yield Prediction

Almonds are becoming a central element in the gastronomic and food industry worldwide. Over the last few years, almond production has increased globally. Portugal has become the third most important producer in Europe, where this increasing trend is particularly evident. However, the susceptibility of almond trees to changing climatic conditions presents substantial risks, encompassing yield reduction and quality deterioration. Hence, yield forecasts become crucial for mitigating potential losses and aiding decisionmakers within the agri-food sector. Recent technological advancements and new data analysis techniques have led to the development of more suitable methods to model crop yields. Herein, an innovative approach to predict almond yields in the Trás-os-Montes region of Portugal was developed, by using machine learning regression models (i.e., the random forest regressor, XGBRegressor, gradient boosting regressor, bagging regressor, and AdaBoost regressor), coupled with remote sensing data obtained from different satellite platforms. Satellite data from both proprietary and free platforms at different spatial resolutions were used as features in the study (i.e., the GSMP: 11.13 km, Terra: 1 km, Landsat 8: 30 m, Sentinel-2: 10 m, and PlanetScope: 3 m). The best possible combination of features was analyzed and hyperparameter tuning was applied to enhance the prediction accuracy. Our results suggest that high-resolution data (PlanetScope) combined with irrigation information, vegetation indices, and climate data significantly improves almond yield prediction. The XGBRegressor model performed best when using PlanetScope data, reaching a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.80. However, alternative options using freely available data with lower spatial resolution, such as GSMaP and Terra MODIS LST, also showed satisfactory performance (R2 = 0.68). This study highlights the potential of integrating machine learning models and remote sensing data for accurate crop yield prediction, providing valuable insights for informed decision support in the almond sector, contributing to the resilience and sustainability of this crop in the face of evolving climate dynamics.

The Competitiveness of The Romanian Agri-Food Sector in Comparison with European Countries

The competitiveness of the Romanian agri-food sector benefits from the significant agricultural potential of our country, characterized by a favorable climate and fertile soils, which offer the possibility of diversifying cultivated agri-food products and, implicitly, the complex satisfaction of consumer needs. Unfortunately, in Romania, most of the factors that can contribute to increasing agri-food competitiveness are not exploited to their true potential. Among the main elements on which the effort for development, modernization and growth should be focused, with an impact on Romanian agriculture, are investments for innovation, advanced technological solutions, infrastructure, synergy between the actors involved, penetration of foreign markets, etc. The objective that Romania must have in mind is to improve its positioning compared to European countries, in terms of average production per hectare. In order to determine where Romania stands in European statistics, we processed the primary data from the Eurostat databases for the years 2020-2022 and analyzed the indicators of cultivated area and average production per hectare for cereal crops, vegetables and grape vines for all European countries.

Relevant Skills for Employment and Entrepreneurship in the Agri-Food Sector

In the current social, economic, natural and geopolitical context, there is an acute need for research on professional and entrepreneurial skills in line with the challenges and opportunities of the rapidly changing global economy. The aim of this study was to determine the skills required by employees and entrepreneurs in the agri-food sector. This research study consisted of interviews, questionnaires and focus groups on a sample of 111 employers, 288 students and 139 teachers from the North-East Development Region of Romania. The most important skills needed by higher education graduates in the agri-food sector were communication, learning and social skills, with values of 90.5, 74.3 and 70.6 points, respectively. The least appreciated skills were cultural, linguistic and mathematical skills, with values of 17.5, 36.9 and 43.8 points. For developing and running an entrepreneurial activity, the subjects appreciated communication (91.0 points), as in the case of employment-related skills, followed by economic skills (81.4 points) and learning skills (75.4 points). Additional efforts are needed to increase the relevance of practical activities in correlation with the skills required by the market, and it is necessary to strengthen the current partnerships and create new partnerships between universities and the economic environment by employing public and research entities.

PhInd-Database on Polyphenol Content in Agri-Food By-Products and Waste: Features of the Database.

Timely access to topic-relevant datasets is of paramount importance for the development of any successful strategy (food waste reduction strategy), since datasets illuminate opportunities, challenges and development paths. PhInd is the first comprehensive database on polyphenol content in plant-based by-products from the agri-food sector or the wastewater sector and was developed using peer-reviewed papers published in the period of 2015-2021. In total, >450 scientific manuscripts and >6000 compound entries were included. Database inclusion criteria were polyphenol contents = determined using HPLC/UHPLC quantitative methods. PhInd can be explored through several criteria which are either 'open' or checkboxes. Criteria are given in subsections: (a) plant source; (b) by-product industrial processing; (c) pre-treatment of by-products before the isolation of polyphenols; and (d) the extraction step of polyphenols. Database search results could be explored on the website directly or by downloading Excel files and graphs. This unique database content is beneficial to stakeholders-the food industry, academia, government and citizens.

Digital capabilities to manage agri-food supply chain uncertainties and build supply chain resilience during compounding geopolitical disruptions

PurposeThe agricultural supply chain is susceptible to disruptive geopolitical events. Therefore, agri-food firms must devise robust resilience strategies to hasten recovery and mitigate global food security effects. Hence, the central aim of this paper is to investigate how supply chains could leverage digital technologies to design resilience strategies to manage uncertainty stemming from the external environment disrupted by a geopolitical event. The context of the study is the African agri-food supply chain during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employ strategic contingency and dynamic capabilities theory arguments to explore the scenario and conditions under which African agri-food firms could leverage digital technologies to formulate contingency strategies and devise mitigation countermeasures. Then, the authors used a multi-case-study analysis of 14 African firms of different sizes and tiers within three main agri-food sectors (i.e. livestock farming, food-crop and fisheries-aquaculture) to explore, interpret and present data and their findings.FindingsDownstream firms (wholesalers and retailers) of the African agri-food supply chain are found to extensively use digital seizing and transforming capabilities to formulate worst-case assumptions amid geopolitical disruption, followed by proactive mitigation actions. These capabilities are mainly supported by advanced technologies such as blockchain and additive manufacturing. On the other hand, smaller upstream partners (SMEs, cooperatives and smallholders) are found to leverage less advanced technologies, such as mobile apps and cloud-based data analytics, to develop sensing capabilities necessary to formulate a “wait-and-see” strategy, allowing them to reduce perceptions of heightened supply chain uncertainty and take mainly reactive mitigation strategies. Finally, the authors integrate their findings into a conceptual framework that advances the research agenda on managing supply chain uncertainty in vulnerable areas.Originality/valueThis study is the first that sought to understand the contextual conditions (supply chain characteristics and firm characteristics) under which companies in the African agri-food supply chain could leverage digital technologies to manage uncertainty. The study advances contingency and dynamic capability theories by providing a new way of interacting in one specific context. In practice, this study assists managers in developing suitable strategies to manage uncertainty during geopolitical disruptions.

Dissemination analysis of SDGs in sustainability reports to enhance corporate communication strategy

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are at the heart of the management of public and private enterprises. Organizations have incorporated the SDGs into their business strategy by developing actions that they disseminate in their reports. In the last decade, academic research has paid special attention to this development, publishing a growing number of studies on the subject with the emergence of a specific line of research in the area of sustainability: sustainability reporting. In this context, this paper aims to show a methodology that serves as a tool to analyze the disclosure of SDGs in the sustainability reports. This methodology has three stages. First, a lexicographic analysis of sustainability reports has been carried out, second, a correspondence analysis, and third, outlining through “guided questions” how the information obtained can be useful to analyze SDG communication strategy. For further illustration the methodology has been applied to a company in the Spanish agri-food sector: Ebro Foods. This work has both academic and professional implications by providing a guideline for SDG dissemination analysis in sustainability reports and, on the other hand, by providing the business world with an analysis tool that serves to improve communication strategies in the field of sustainability.

DETERMINATING FACTORS IN ROMANIAN CONSUMERS' PREFERENCES FOR WHOLE GRAINS PRODUCTS IN CLIMATE CHANGE CONTEXT

Among other factors specific to the macro environment of the product market, which influence consumption behaviour, climate changes can be mentioned. Climate changes related factors (rainfall, temperature, drought) directly influence the level of production (supply) of cereals regardless of their type. At the same time, climate changes indirectly influence the diet of the population and the demand on the grain market. The grains sector is perhaps the most important agri-food sector in Romania and component of the Romanian agri-food system and not only. Among others factors, this is due to the pedo-climatic characteristics favourable for cereal crops and the cultivation tradition. This market is characterized by a high demand, due to the multiple ways of use and consumption, cereal products being essential food for a healthy diet. This paper aims to analyse consumers preference on the whole grains market, a category encouraged by high productions levelbut also recommended by specialists for improving health, both for population and environment. In this context, it is important to identify the main socio-demographic characteristics of the Romanian respondents that influence their consumption decision on this market. In order to achieve the purpose of this work, a questionnaire was applied among 126 respondents and the interpretation of the results was carried out with the help of the SPSS program. Thus, reference statistical parameters such as the chi-square test and contingency coefficient were calculated, in order to validate or not the research hypotheses.

Progress towards a more sustainable and equitable food system in Brazil?

Introduction: Brazil’s agri-food sector, traditionally being a low productivity sector, has evolved towards significant investment in technology-driven large-scale agribusiness, making Brazil a major food exporter. An increase in intensive large-scale agriculture production, while benefiting Brazil’s economy and export revenues, has also resulted in significant social and environmental externalities. With the aim to improve food security and more equitable access to food, Brazil’s federal government has intervened with a range of policies and initiatives to eliminate hunger and incentivize more sustainable practices for improved environmental outcomes. Objective: The paper provides an overview of the agri-food policy landscape, and policy innovations since the early 2000s intending to drive a transition towards a more sustainable and equitable agri-food system. Results and Discussion: It also highlights the challenges in implementing policies and programmes in the context of Brazil’s agrarian structures, vested interests and political conflicts surrounding the allocation of public assets. Successful implementation will require further innovation, collaboration and inclusive partnerships to foster food system transformation pathways towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Развитие инструментов экономического механизма в АПК России

The article is devoted to the issues of improving the tools of economic regulation in the agro-industrial complex of Russia in the context of modern challenges and threats. The authors emphasize that state support for the agro-industrial complex includes a whole system of existing mechanisms and tools. Despite the fact that the agri-food sector is one of the most dynamically developing sectors of the economy, in recent years there has been the decrease in the profitability of agricultural producers, the increase in price imbalances between various sectors of the AIC, the decrease in investment activity, insufficient efficiency of agricultural insurance and the low stimulating role of taxation. The article notes that at present the role of the state in the formation of the organizational and economic mechanism for the development of agriculture is significantly increasing. In this regard, the authors have proposed the set of tools for an economic mechanism aimed at forming sustainable and dynamic trends in the development of the country’s agri-food sector in order to ensure its extended reproduction.

Green way of improving the thermal efficiency of mortars by the addition of biobased phase change materials

The thermal efficiency of air lime-based mortars was improved by directly integrating varying amounts (5 wt. %, 10 wt. %, and 20 wt. %) of a microencapsulated biobased phase change material (PCM) into the fresh mortars. This PCM is made of vegetable oils and other organic wastes from the agri-food sector. The mortar formulation was optimized by adding different chemical additives and mineral admixtures. The mortar formulation was meticulously designed to produce rendering mortars that are easily workable, crack-free, and fully adherent for use in building envelopes. Positive outcomes in thermal efficiency tests have demonstrated the ability of these materials to store thermal latent energy, offering an environmentally friendly alternative to enhance the thermal comfort of building inhabitants.

Electronic knowledge books (eK-Books) as a medium to capitalise on and transfer scientific, engineering, operational, technological and craft knowledge.

The capitalisation on and transfer of technological, engineering and scientific knowledge associated with empirical know-how is an important issue for the sustainability and development of manufacturing. Indeed, certain sectors of industry are facing the increasing ageing of the labour force, recruitment difficulties and high staff turnover, leading to a loss of knowledge and know-how. In a context of numerical and digital transition and the migration of processes to industry 4.0, one of major challenges manufacturers face today is their capacity to build intelligent platforms for acquiring, storing and transferring their know-how and knowledge. It is crucial to create new media and tools for staff training and development capable of capturing knowledge and reusing it to create a project history through expertise and data collection. This paper presents the methodology and guidelines for implementing electronic knowledge books (eK-Books), along with their uses. The eK-Book is a semantic web-based hypertext medium (channel) allowing stakeholders to capitalise on, structure and transfer knowledge by using concept maps, process maps, influence graphs, downloadable documents, web pages and hypermedia knowledge sheets. They are intended for engineers, expert or novice technicians, manufacturers, sector coordinators and plant managers, as well as trainers and learners. They are usable and manageable in all types of environments and with different levels of accessibility. This paper highlights (1) the transfer knowledge capacity of eK-Books and (2) their usability in two agri-food sectors namely (1) the cheese sector with protected designation of origin (PDO) and protected geographical indication (PGI), and (2) the butchery and cold meat sectors.

Shedding light on the preconditions for circular economy: Evidence from SMEs in the agri-food sector

Shedding light on the preconditions for circular economy: Evidence from SMEs in the agri-food sector

Chemical composition and antifungal activity of Capsicum pepper aqueous extracts against plant pathogens and food spoilage fungi.

Capsicum pepper is a rich source of phytochemical compounds such as capsaicinoids, phenols, flavonoids, and so forth. Due to their antimicrobial and antioxidant potential all of these compounds have been assessed and used for both human and plant health benefits. Herein, three fresh varieties of Capsicum annuum (Cacho de Cabra, Bell pepper, and Hungarian Wax varieties) and one fresh and ripe variety of C. baccatum (Cristal) were evaluated. Capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, nordihydrocapsaicin and the phenolic content of Capsicum spp. extracts were characterised. The antifungal potential of capsaicinoids and antioxidant activities, and the ecotoxicity of each Capsicum spp. extract, using the model Galleria mellonella, were also evaluated. Phytochemical analyses showed that the Cristal and Hungarian Wax varieties presented the highest amount of capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, and nordihydrocapsaicin; while Bell Pepper had the highest phenol content and antioxidant activity. Capsaicinoids' standards and Capsicum spp. extracts showed fungistatic activity against the fungal strains assessed. For the fungal strains assessed, the fungistatic activities of capsaicinoids' standards were higher than those observed in Capsicum spp. extracts. The Hungarian Wax extracts inhibited slightly the growth of Aspergillus niger MUM05.11 and Fusarium oxysporum MUM16.143. Similarly, A. niger, F. oxysporum, Rhizopus arrhizus MUM16.05 and Alternaria sp. UFRO17.178 had their growth retarded by the use of Cacho de Cabra and Cristal extracts. Noticeable changes were observed in the fungal strains' morphologies, such as the presence of fragile fungal structures, pigmentation loss, variation in the reproductive structures size and the conidia number. Capsicum extracts weaken the growth of fungi, indicating their fungistatic potential. Considering the fungistatic potential and non-ecotoxicity of these extracts, it is possible to suggest their use as a tool for pest management in the agri-food sector, controlling the growth and reproduction of fungi without posing a risk to non-target biodiversity.

Strategic Capabilities in Sustainability-oriented Value Chains in the Northern German Agri-Food Ecosystem – a Natural-Resource-based View Perspective

Strategic Capabilities in Sustainability-oriented Value Chains in the Northern German Agri-Food Ecosystem – a Natural-Resource-based View Perspective

Disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic on the agri-food sector: A systematic review of its implications in post-pandemic and future of food security

<abstract> <p>The unprecedented challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic have significantly impacted various sectors, with the agri-food system proving especially vulnerable to disruptions. Ensuring food security and bolstering the resilience of agri-food systems in the aftermath of the pandemic has emerged as a crucial concern. Utilizing the PRISMA protocol, this systematic literature review systematically searched relevant databases and repositories using specific keywords related to agri-food security in the pre and post-pandemic context. The final review incorporated 37 articles. The results revealed that the pandemic profoundly impacted all facets of the agri-food sector, particularly agri-food systems. Despite this, we identified several measures that were implemented or recommended to mitigate disruptions caused by the pandemic and ensure the resilience of the agri-food sector for future similar events. Robust policy measures, promotion of urban agriculture, support for small-scale farmers, enhancement of the international market, technological innovations, collaborations, research and development, and the promotion of novel foods were all highlighted as crucial resilience measures. Policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders are urged to adopt a comprehensive approach encompassing these measures to build a resilient and secure food future in the post-pandemic era.</p> </abstract>

Inovativnost poljoprivredno-prehrambenog sektora u funkciji održivog razvoja

Innovation is very important for sustainable development of countries. In agriculture, innovations shift the focus from mere productivity-based technology to the economic, ecological and social aspects of sustainable development. Given that there is no unique framework for measuring innovation in the agri-food sector, and no single conclusion can be drawn as to which country is the most innovative in agriculture, the subject of the paper is the measurement of innovation in the agri-food sector of the most innovative countries and the Republic of Serbia. The aim of the paper is to prove the necessity of introducing innovations in the agricultural sector of the Republic of Serbia, in accordance with the innovations introduced by more agriculturally innovative countries. Innovative approaches such as precision agriculture and others, which are in line with sustainable development, play an increasingly important role in agriculture. The OLS panel regression on the example of innovative countries and the Republic of Serbia proved that the introduction of innovation in agriculture has a positive impact on sustainable development. Only in the case of inputs used in agriculture, this impact was negative, which is why it is important to introduce modern technologies and innovative approaches in order to increase their productivity, optimization and less use. The KruskallWallis test proved that the Republic of Serbia lags behind agriculturally innovative countries, which is why it is important to follow the example of innovative countries in terms of introducing innovative approaches in agriculture and increasing input productivity.

К ВОПРОСУ ЦЕННОСТИ ЦИФРОВОЙ ТРАНСФОРМАЦИИ ДЛЯ АГРОПРОДОВОЛЬСТВЕННОГО СЕКТОРА

The study focuses on the value of digital innovations and data exchange technologies for the agri-food sector, which represents the "core" of the agro-industrial complex. The digital transformation of the economic activity of agriculture is reflected in increasing the marginality of business, restraining prices for agricultural products and at the same time maintaining the quality of goods. The main problems of the study cover digital innovation hubs that support the digitalization of the agri-food supply chain. The results of the AgroCode Awards in 2021, which encourages AgroTech entrepreneurs and their projects, organized by the Russian Agricultural Bank, are presented. In the course of the work, attention was drawn to crowdfunding as an important element of financing the agricultural sector, and its importance for agricultural projects. The analysis of the results highlights the need for companies, as well as investors, to carefully analyze crowdfunding options to ensure that they make economic sense, are structured and ideally lead to mutually beneficial investment relationships. The authors present key projects of digital transformation of the agri-food sector, namely, the use of specialized training programs in agricultural universities; the creation of platforms for farmers in the field of crop production and livestock; the creation of digital twins; the creation of digital production in the field of crop production and livestock online; control of the targeted use of budgetary funds and the implementation of control and supervisory activities. There is no universal way of digital transformation, despite the existence of a list of mandatory conditions. Within each specific company and its characteristics, digital transformation can take place in its own way. However, it is important to understand that thanks to digital transformation, a business gets a unique opportunity to be in demand.

РЫНОК МОЛОКА КАК ФАКТОР УСТОЙЧИВОГО РАЗВИТИЯ СЕЛЬСКИХ ТЕРРИТОРИЙ

The agri-food market sector of the country’s socio-economic system is represented by different markets, among which the milk market occupies an important place, providing the country’s population with the most important product that determines the country’s food security, balanced development of the economy of agriculture and related industries, increasing the efficiency of labor use in the agricultural sector, smoothing out seasonality in the use of labor. The relevance of the topic of scientific research is determined by the fact that the state and vector of development of the milk market is in close interaction with the sustainable development of rural areas, since its functioning is manifested through the use of resources, as part of rural areas, to create a dairy product in response to meet constant demand, both at the moment and in the future. Taking into account the multidirectional nature of the category of sustainable development of rural areas and the multifunctionality of the milk market, it is advisable to monitor its state in a dynamic market environment and manage the elements of the market mechanism at all levels of the economy.

Blockchain Technology for Transparency in Agri-Food Supply Chain: Use Cases, Limitations, and Future Directions

Modern agri-food supply chains have transitioned from autonomous and independent local actors to globally interlinked system of multiactors connected by complex relationships, affecting ways in which food is produced, processed, transported, and delivered to end consumers. Frequent incidences of fraudulent practices expose lack of transparency in agri-food supply chains, causing concerns related to economic losses, eroding consumer trust and enterprise brand value. Traditionally associated with cryptocurrencies, banking and finance, blockchains are now being applied in the agri-food sector to address supply chain-related challenges. This article examines the question: How blockchain technology facilitates transparency in agri-food supply chains? Primary attributes of blockchain, namely traceability, immutability, auditability, and provenance, promote transparency in supply chains. Using thematic analysis, the following three areas were identified for implementing blockchain in agri-food supply chains: first, agri-food distribution; second, agri-food origin and sourcing; third, agri-food safety and quality. By cross-mapping thematic areas with primary attributes, our analysis resulted in classification of 25 uses cases. Preliminary findings of this study highlight blockchain-enabled transparency via contemporary uses cases in conceptual, proof-of-concept and commercial stages. It is imperative to sift through the hype and scrutinize limitations of the technology which could interfere with its adoption, deployment, and scalability in agri-food supply chains.

Principles of Strategising in the Regional Agri-Food Sector: Industry Aspect

Principles of Strategising in the Regional Agri-Food Sector: Industry Aspect