Local Food Production Research Articles

Economic sustainability of local food producers: a mixed methods study

IntroductionThis study investigates local food producers’ economic sustainability by examining the impact of six variables: external and internal barriers, the number of economic operators, the imbalance of power, the number of distribution options, and waste.MethodsThe investigation uses mixed methods of questionnaires and interviews. The data was collected using a self-completed questionnaire, which was answered by 57 local food producers across Norway, and four semi-structured interviews with professionals in the food industry. The quantitative data was analyzed with the use of partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), and the qualitative data was analyzed using a thematic analysis.ResultsThe study has statistically confirmed three out of eight hypotheses. The three hypotheses show that when the number of economic operators in the supply chain increases and also imbalances in the sales channels increase. Additionally, the imbalance of power in the sales channels has a negative effect on economic sustainability, and external barriers have a negative effect on the imbalance of power in the sales channels. The interviews supported seven of the hypotheses, although four of them were not supported.DiscussionThe empirical evidence presented in this study indicates that the lack of balance within the supply chain exerts a substantial influence on the economic sustainability of local food producers. By adopting a comprehensive approach, this research demonstrates that a more holistic perspective leads to enhanced economic sustainability. Additionally, it elucidates the diverse ways in which various factors impact the economic sustainability of local food produce.

Cultural Literacy Training: Maintaining the Value of Harmonizing Local Culture amidst the Onslaught of Foreign Culture

This community service will be carried out regionally in Hargobinangun Village (Jl. Kaliurang KM. 20 Sawungan, Hargobinangun, Pakem, Sleman, Yogyakarta). The targets of this Community Service are traditional, religious leaders, Small and Medium Business actors and also the community who manage tourism in Hargobinangun Village. The aim of this community service is to train the community to increase the speed of the process of increasing human resource capabilities towards cultural literacy in accordance with the rate of growth development. The method used in this service is a literal approach, namely an action plan consisting of a set of steps to solve a problem or achieve a goal, then a mental procedure in the form of a sequence of steps that uses creative efforts to achieve a certain goal. This community service is planned to be carried out within 2 months after obtaining approval from the Educational Institution and Partners. Based on the results of Community Service, data was obtained that young people in Hargobinangun Village have participated in foreign cultures. Ways to maintain local culture amidst the onslaught of foreign culture include: using social media, educating parents, all village activities involving young people, and innovating food products originating from foreign countries into local food products that still maintain their philosophy. After the activity was carried out, it showed that 20 participants had understood the training material provided. However, to apply the material in everyday life, only 75% are able to apply it. One of the reasons is the lack of capital when innovating existing Jadah and the need for tools that are deemed inadequate. As many as 75% of participants have started marketing innovative products as an implementation of harmonized values amidst the onslaught of foreign culture.

Light manipulation as a route to enhancement of antioxidant properties in red amaranth and red lettuce.

With the growing global population and climate change, achieving food security is a pressing challenge. Vertical farming has the potential to support local food production and security. As a Total Controlled Environment Agriculture (TCEA) system, vertical farming employs LED lighting which offers opportunities to modulate light spectrum and intensity, and thus can be used to influence plant growth and phytochemical composition, including antioxidants beneficial for human health. In this study, we investigated the effect of four red-to-blue light ratios of LEDs (R:B 1, 2.5, 5 and 9) on the growth and antioxidant components in red amaranth microgreens and red lettuce. Plant growth, total phenols, betalains, anthocyanins, vitamin C and antioxidant capacity (ferric reducing antioxidant power assay) were evaluated. A higher proportion of red light resulted in biometric responses, i.e., stem elongation in red amaranth and longer leaves in red lettuce, while the increase in the blue light fraction led to the upregulation of antioxidative components, especially total phenols, betalains (in red amaranth) and anthocyanins (in red lettuce). The antioxidant capacity of both crops was strongly positively correlated with the levels of these phytochemicals. Optimizing the red-to-blue ratio in LED lighting could be effective in promoting antioxidant-rich crops with potential health benefits for consumers.

Setting research and extension priorities for agronomic crops in California

Agronomic crop production in California, including grains and animal feed, faces multiple challenges that could be addressed by extension support. This means that extension services need to understand priorities for using their limited resources. Until now, a statewide assessment of the most important topics for research and extension was lacking. A survey was conducted by the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) to identify high-priority needs and inform extension programming based on grower, consultant, and allied industry input. Our goal was to compare the importance of different topics with the level of satisfaction regarding UCCE’s delivery of information on these topics. Survey respondents identified integrated pest management, nutrient and irrigation management, and variety testing as high-priority needs, with overall high satisfaction regarding UCCE’s program delivery on these topics. Topics needing more focus (high priority but below-average level of satisfaction) included testing new products, soil health management, and water conservation and storage. Areas of low priority and low satisfaction included niche marketing, emerging crops, organic production, harvest/post-harvest technology, salinity management, compost and manure management, and greenhouse gas emission reductions. To address stakeholder challenges, results from this study suggest that research and extension efforts should prioritize issues directly impacting on-farm crop production. At the same time, areas of low interest reflect a need for more support to engage farmers on these topics, particularly those concerning state environmental regulations and challenges to local and global food production and security.

Penyuluhan Pemanfaatan Kacang Hijau dan Daun Bayam Sebagai Produk Minuman Serbuk Herbal “BHESTI” dalam Upaya Pencegahan Stunting di Desa Way Galih, Lampung Selatan

Stunting is a condition where toddlers fail to thrive due to prolonged chronic malnutrition and repeated exposure to infections, especially in the first 1000 days of life (HPK), resulting in short growth in children who do not meet standards. Based on Riskesdas data, the stunting rate in 2023 will reach 21.6% and every year the stunting rate in Indonesia continues to decline. One of the vegetable or legume commodities that is useful in fulfilling nutrition during the growing period is spinach leaves and soybeans. This is because green beans contain complete protein, namely calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, vitamins A, B, C. , E, and K. Apart from that, the nutritional content of spinach includes vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, B, C, protein, fat, carbohydrates, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and iron. One local food product that is well received by the public is a drink in the form of herbal powder with the main ingredients being green beans and spinach leaves. This community service (PkM) activity was carried out to introduce the results of innovations in making products that can be produced independently by the people of Way Galih Village, Tanjung Bintang District, South Lampung Regency. This activity consists of three stages including preparation, implementation and evaluation stages. The results of this activity are an increase in the understanding of the Way Galih Village community regarding education about stunting as well as nutritional information needed by children during the growth period which can be obtained through foods that are easy to find in everyday life such as green beans and spinach.

Consumers’ Perception and Purchase Intention Towards Local Food: A Case Study in Sulaimani City

Local food production in a short distance for consumers depends on a social structure and supply chain system. In simple terms, the local food system is all about producing and selling food within a particular area. Decisions by individuals, households, and society regarding the utilization and disposal of food, as well as efforts to share food with others, are influenced by various factors such as gender, age, and social dynamics. Additionally, actions aimed at fostering transformations in food environments are also taken into account in order to achieve these goals, a questionnaire- based was carried out in the Sulaimani City in KRG-Iraq. Data was collected from consumers who were participated by an online-google form. A total number of 469 questionnaires were validated. A principal component analysis was run, followed by cluster analysis. The results lead to 3 cluster solution: “local food consumers”, “local agricultural supporters”, “health concerned”, being statistically significant different in terms of socio-demographic characteristics. The results are useful for future development policies of the local products.

Striving for just sustainabilities in urban foodscape planning: the case of Almere city in the Netherlands

ABSTRACT As cities increasingly adopt diverse ethnic, social, and cultural characteristics, there is an emerging logic for planning and policy to reflect this hyper-diversity (inclusion) while resolving the looming sustainability-related challenges. However, what is not adequately addressed in the current literature on urban planning – which could also solidify the justification for more citizen inclusion – is what happens when citizens are involved in planning from the perspective of sustainability. In response, this paper asks a key question: “What are the implications, in the case of urban foodscape, when citizens are involved in planning from the perspective of sustainability?” This question is investigated in this paper in the domain of urban foodscapes and through qualitative interviews, with the support of maps, in the Dutch city of Almere. A novel theoretical combination of just sustainabilities and social licence to operate (SLO) was utilised to frame citizen inclusion in foodscape planning. The findings showed that based on everyday practical experiences of food access in the city, citizens were more concerned about social interaction, the representation of food from cultural origins, and local food production. This theoretical combination, as a way of deepening inclusion, would help avoid the tendency of urban planning being used as an instrument for glossing over social injustice under the guise of citizen participation. This paper, therefore, argues that SLO can be a key pathway for actualising just sustainabilities in both urban planning research and policy.

Eyes in the sky on Tigray, Ethiopia - Monitoring the impact of armed conflict on cultivated highlands using satellite imagery

The war in Tigray, Ethiopia has triggered a massive humanitarian crisis, displacing millions. Yet, the impact on cultivated land and local food production remains poorly understood, impeding effective aid. Leveraging Sentinel-2 satellite imagery and a decision tree algorithm with Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) time series, we developed a model to map well-cultivated cropland, defined as fields judged by field surveyors to have satisfactory to optimal crop condition in 2021–2022 field observations. Assessing satellite estimated well-cultivated land in highland croplands (> 1200 m a.s.l), we found a net loss of 543 sq. km (95% CI: 81 sq. km) well-cultivated land in highland croplands equivalent to ≈ 8% of the average total surveyed cropland estimate from Central Statistical Agency between 2015 and 2019 (ESS, 2023a) in potential highland cropland. The net loss was positively associated with the density of recorded conflict incidents and sub-regions with high numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs), consistent with a causal effect of the conflict on cultivated land.Employing a two-way fixed effect model causal analysis with rainfall covariates, we quantified the impact of conflict incidents on cultivated land during the pre-war (2019/20) and in-war (2021) periods. Results indicated a ≈ 6.17 sq. km (SE: 2.06) additional loss per unit increase in conflict incidents during the growing season (June to October), eight times higher than total incidents occurring throughout the entire study period. We estimated the kilocalories lost due to loss of well-cultivated croplands in 2021 could have supported at least 90% of all recorded IDPs in Tigray as of June 2021, discounting for Western Tigray. Our study showcases the utility of satellite data, coupled with local agricultural knowledge, for timely and cost-effective information crucial for aid agencies and long-term rehabilitation initiatives in smallholder farming contexts.

Empowering Economic Development: A Case Study Analysis of Agricultural Commodity Production in Nepal's Local Markets with a Focus on Farmers and Traders (2021/ 22)

For economic development, Agriculture is the ultimate source of production to survive and manage economy and market system both. Nepal is divers with full of opportunities from the agriculture productions with three distinct geography such as hill, mountains and terai. This study aims to find out the role of consumable agriculture production in the economic development of Nepal. A mixed method approach is planned to conduct this research following the secondary data from the Government of Nepal that cross verified with the traders, farmers and various Key Informant persons using primary data collection tools. Study was conducted during 2022-23 and farmers and traders' data from all seven provinces were contracted and interviewed. The results shows that the role of agriculture production plays a vital role managing food security and economic situation of the Country. The local production is not enough to meet the requirement of Nepal. Import from India, China and Other countries supporting and meeting the requirement so the peoples. The study concluded as the GDP value of the local Production significantly plays a role in the positive development of Nations for the growth and sustainability. However, the local production is the ultimate way out to manage long-term sustainability in the study. Researcher suggesting instead of imports from neighbor country. A local production and traders' management is recommending managing local food production availability as well as growth in economic development.

Food democracy as food security strategy: The case of a Costa Rican tourism town

Tourism communities such as Monteverde, Costa Rica, the site of this study, have been profoundly impacted by the loss of tourism revenue during COVID-19. Faced with intensified food insecurity caused by the cascading impacts of this pandemic, the community has organized initiatives to stimu­late local, sustainable food production to increase food security during the COVID-19 economic recovery. This paper adopts a food democracy framework to analyze restaurants’ regional food purchases, barriers to local purchasing, and tour­ists’ interest in and ability to identify local food products. Our findings show that nearly all restaurant owners identified benefits of purchasing regional food but reported multiple barriers to buying locally. Tourists reported high interest in eating locally produced food but do not have enough information to identify farm-to-fork options. Local food initiative stakeholder inter­views show that emergent strategies demonstrate a move toward food democracy actions by promot­ing communication and co-learning between res­taurants, food producers, and tourists to rein­force principles of food democracy. Based on our find­ings, we recommend (a) strengthening producer-to-restaurant networks, (b) enhancing communication of local food production benefits and responsi­bilities to restaurants, and (c) promot­ing the locally made certification for restaurants to strengthen localized food networks and direct tourists to transformative food strategies underway in Monteverde.

Development and innovation of locally inspired food products by Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Central Java, Indonesia

Indonesia possesses significant and diverse potential in local food production. The diversity has created ideal conditions for the production of a wide variety of local foods rich in flavors and nutritional value. This research aims to assess the extent of product development and innovation by Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Central Java, Indonesia, in responding to market challenges in producing locally-inspired food products. The research method involved a survey of 50 MSMEs producing local food products in five districts of Central Java, namely Grobogan, Banyumas, Semarang, Sragen, and Wonosobo, with 10 MSMEs sampled from each district using purposive sampling technique. Data analysis is conducted descriptively and through a literature review. The results of the study indicate that MSMEs have a high ability to create various locally-sourced food products, modify food products, believe in the originality of their products, and make efforts to brand the products they produce. Furthermore, the research also reveals a high level of innovation in marketing strategies carried out by MSMEs, including their ability to try new things in product marketing, openness to new marketing ideas, continuous product improvement, and the development of new product models.

A transdisciplinary approach for assessing connections between soil, food, and people in Aotearoa New Zealand

AbstractWith increasing urbanisation, there is a growing disconnect between soil, food, and people, centred around those relying on Western food production models. This ‘wicked’ problem is challenging sustainable soil use and food insecurity. Knowledge of soils through scientific studies alone are unable to address this problem, and we need to extend the boundaries of soil science for real progress to be made. We present a conceptual framework for understanding the reciprocal connections between soil, food, and people in local food production systems in Aotearoa New Zealand, applying principles and practices from a transdisciplinary research methodology. The resultant Food‐Landscape Networks framework consists of seven factors that support understanding the inherent connections between soil, food, and people. The factors are: soil health, land suitability, climate, productivity, food quality, well‐being, and engagement. These factors have been identified from weaving together mātauraka (the Kāi Tahu mita [dialect] is used in this text, where the ‘ng’ diagraph is replaced with ‘k’, e.g., mātauranga = mātauraka) Māori (Māori knowledge, culture, worldview, and values) and soil science using the He Awa Whiria, Braided Rivers, epistemological framework. Mātauraka Māori guides the traditionally reductionist discipline of soil science into a more holistic space, in an Aotearoa New Zealand context.

Assessment of Indigenous Hill People of Meghalaya, India regarding Household Food Access

Background: While the broad issue of food security has generally received attention of the researchers, the particularities in hills and mountains has remained neglected. Thus, to provide some insights on food insecurity regarding mountain specificities, the current study aims to evaluate household food access of indigenous hill people in Meghalaya, India. Methods: Food access is a measure of household’s ability to acquire available food over a given period. In the current study, a sample of 900 people from indigenous population were randomly selected from rural Khasi, Garo and Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya. Household food access was explored with the following indicators: household wealth and income; household dietary diversity score (HDDS), and food consumption score (FCS). Data collection was done during December, 2019 to September, 2020. Results: The sample households are characterised by the predominance of marginal farmers (93% to 97%). Most of them were in the category of borderline food security with the FCS of between 21.5 to 35.0. Starchy staples were considered the main component of their diet. Their dietary diversity was significantly correlated with income (correlation coefficient=0.22) and wealth (correlation coefficient=0.38) at 0.01 level of significance. Conclusion: As dietary diversity at household is related to income and wealth, scarcity of income and wealth regarding indigenous hill population was an obvious reason for poor dietary diversity and the resultant poor dietary quality at the household level. To increase local food production and improve dietary diversity of indigenous hill people, revitalizing and strengthening local food systems is of great significance.

Development of local food products hedonic test of cassava sago lempeng with the addition of fish powder formula

Due to its geographical location, Ternate is vulnerable to natural disasters. In times of crisis, the community requires emergency disaster food. Preferably, this food should be sourced from the local area. Sago plates made from cassava, a staple food in the region, are commonly consumed by the people of Ternate. Substituting food ingredients has the potential to enhance sago plate products. In Ternate, fish is a crucial commodity and is widely consumed by the community, particularly tuna due to its high protein and omega-3 content. The objective of this study is to develop a food product wherein yellowfin tuna is used as a substitute for sago plate sigkong. The research is an intervention/experimental study that employs three formulas- F1, F2, and F3- with F1, F2, and F3 containing 10%, 15%, and 20% yellowfin tuna powder, respectively. A hedonic test was conducted to assess the favorability level of the three formulas. The test results indicated that F1, F2, and F3 were “slightly liked to liked,” with a score of 6 to 7 in terms of appearance, color, aroma, texture, and taste. The study’s conclusion is that the F3 formula, containing 20% yellowfin tuna powder, is the most preferred.

Inventarisasi Produk Pangan Fermentasi Lokal Pada Pasar Tradisional di Pontianak Sebagi Sumber Belajar Mikrobiologi

West Kalimantan, renowned for its abundant biological natural resources, often utilizes them in local food production through fermentation, representing indigenous knowledge passed down through generations. The involvement of microbes in changing a substrate to produce certain products is related to the use of microbes in life, and is one of the themes in the Microbiology course. The aim of this research is to inventory the types of traditional foods typical of West Kalimantan, and their relation to learning Microbiology. Data collection techniques to obtain facts are carried out through observation, interviews and documentation with sources. Data analysis was carried out in a qualitative descriptive manner. The research results showed that the types of traditional food found at the research location were cincalok, wet shrimp paste, salted mustard greens, tempoyak, jasam, and mandai. Based on the research results, it was concluded that there are six traditional food products which constitute local wisdom of ethnic groups in Pontianak. The process of making these food products utilizes bacteria that are naturally present, which means it involves the concept of microbiology, which indicates that it can be used as a learning resource for microbiology courses in the form of modules.

Innovative Packaging of Local Food Products for Home and Foreign Markets: Case of Dala Foods Nigeria Ltd.

Innovations in packaging has seen significant development due to industrial processing of food and need for instant food due to lack of time to prepare food from fresh ingredients. This study explores the application of packaging in marketing local food products in local and foreign markets with a special focus on an indigenous food processing company; Dala Foods Nigeria Limited, makers of packaged Kunun Tsamiya brand. The study adopts qualitative research approach through case study method in order to have an in-depth exploration of how packaging contributes to the success of Kunun Tsamiya in the market. The selection of participants is made by applying a non-probability sampling technique through convenience sampling. Structured open-ended questions are applied in the interview and the responses are presented using descriptive analysis of the thematic areas covered by the interview. Findings of the study reveal that packaging is a valuable marketing tool as it plays a significant role in food product marketing. Similarly, it contributes immensely towards the marketing and success story of Kunun Tsamiya in both local and foreign markets. Therefore, it is highly recommended that our local companies and individual producers of food products should warmly embrace and use proper packaging in marketing their products without any delay.

Global palates: unraveling digital nomads’ culinary journeys and gastro-tourist profiles

PurposeThis study aims to reveal the food preferences and to define the typology of digital nomads as gastro-tourists. In this context, it is aimed to provide information on issues such as the importance of food culture in destination selection for digital nomads, food prices, local dishes, local food markets, religious restrictions, researching cultural cuisines, preparing meals and participating in gastronomic events.Design/methodology/approachMultiple qualitative methods were utilized in the research for this study. Digital nomads' comments, videos and semi-structured interviews constitute the data sources of the research, and the data obtained were analyzed by content analysis.FindingsAs a result of the study, it was seen that digital nomads do consider gastronomy in their destination selection, and five different gastro-tourist profiles were determined. These are Local Flavor Hunters, Gastronomy Adventurers, Budget-Conscious Food Lovers, Cultural Explorers and Health and Sustainability Focused People.Originality/valueThe theoretical contribution of the study is to provide information with regard to the food and beverage preferences of digital nomads and to contribute to filling a gap in the literature. The practical contribution of the study is to help formulate tourism marketing strategies in the destination and strategies for businesses in the tourism industry. Since digital nomads play important roles in destination promotion, it is important to determine their perspectives and typologies towards gastronomy. The results of the study will be useful for tourism industry components, such as academics, experts, travel businesses, tourism destinations and local food producers who research the tourism industry and travel trends.

Unraveling the complexity! Exploring asymmetries in climate change, political globalization, and food security in the case of Pakistan

Climate change and global politics pose potential threats to food security by impacting crop productivity and food availability. Short-term variability resulting from climate change and global politics may disrupt the stability of entire food systems. The regional implications of these factors remain uncertain, prompting this study to investigate the relationship between climate change, global politics, global inflation, and food security. Using time series data spanning from 1981 to 2021, the Non-linear Auto Regressive Distributive Lag (NARDL) approach was used to examine the asymmetric effects of political globalization (proxied by political globalization) and environmental change (proxied by CO2 and Mean Temperature) on food security. Our findings indicate that mean temperature (MT), CO2 emissions, and political globalization (POLG) had an asymmetrical effect on food security as CO2_POS, CO2_NEG, and MT_POS, MT_NEG had a positive relationship with food security while POLG_POS, POLG_NEG had a negative relationship with food security. The current research proposes that Pakistan needs a holistic approach to address climate and food security, including sustainable farming, water management, climate-resilient infrastructure, social safety nets, and local food production. Government subsidies and incentives can encourage heat-tolerant crop cultivation, while international collaboration and alliances are needed to strengthen domestic agriculture, invest in research, implement social safety nets, and manage exchange rate fluctuations.

Benefits and Difficulties of Implementing Family-Farming Food Purchases in the Brazilian National School Feeding Program.

Objectives: To explore the opinions of Brazilian National School Feeding Program (NSFP) nutritionists concerning the benefits and difficulties of implementing family-farming food purchases for the school feeding program. Methods: Exploratory and descriptive qualitative study conducted through the analysis of inductive content of open interviews carried out with technically responsible nutritionists of the School Feeding Program of 21 municipalities in Southern Brazil. Results: The qualitative analysis of the interviews resulted in 17 codes grouped into four categories that show the opinion of nutritionists on the benefits and difficulties of purchasing family-farming food: 1. increasing the visibility of rural areas and 2. improving the quality of food provided in school meals; 3. low product availability and 4. limited infrastructure for production and delivery. Conclusion: According to nutritionists, purchasing family-farming food in NSFP can increase the supply of healthy food in schools and stimulate rural development. However, efforts are needed to adjust institutional food demands for local food production and improve infrastructure for food production and distribution.

Surviving the storm: navigating the quadruple whammy impact on Europe's food supply chain

SummaryThis article explores the impact of the ‘Quadruple Whammy’ consisting of Brexit, COVID‐19, Conflicts (Russia‐Ukraine and Israel‐Palestine) and Natural disasters on the food supply chain in Europe. This research adopted a two‐phase methodology comprised of the e‐Delphi technique followed by the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses) approach within the context of these four identified challenges. The objective of this article is to analyse the challenges faced by the European food supply chain due to these four factors. The article examines the impact of political isolationism such as Brexit on trade, cost and border controls, while also discussing the effects of COVID‐19 on labour, supply chains and the rise of e‐commerce. In addition, the article examines the impact of conflicts on food access and availability and the role of international aid and assistance. The effects of natural disasters, such as the Turkish and Moroccan earthquakes, floods in Spain and Portugal and the Moroccan drought, on food security are also analysed. The article offers several strategies for taming the quadruple whammy, such as investing in local food production and supply chains, diversifying supply chains and trade partnerships and strengthening food safety regulations and standards. The importance of building resilience and preparedness in the face of these challenges is emphasised and the article concludes with final thoughts and recommendations.