New Trends in Agri-Food Sector: Environmental, Economic and Social Perspectives, 2nd Volume

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Topic is a continuation of the previous successful Topic “New Trends in Agri-Food Sector: Environmental, Economic and Social Perspectives”.

It is our pleasure to extend this invitation to potentially interested researchers in the field of sustainable consumption and production. Over the last few years, the agri-food sector has had to face different challenges. The increase of the world population (destined to reach 9 billion by 2050) has led farmers and agri-food entrepreneurs to the over-exploitation of numerous agricultural systems in order to meet the growing food demand. However, in most cases, producers have only pursued an increase in their incomes, neglecting the environmental and social aspects of their productions. The search for ever greater yields and revenues has caused a worsening of agro-ecosystems (i.e., excessive use of chemical inputs and soil tillage, continuous cropping, deforestation), reducing their fertility and biodiversity, increasing environmental pollution and forcing people to leave rural areas, both farmers and agri-food firms. Moreover, if we consider that global warming requires us to rethink production processes in order to reduce GHG emissions, it appears necessary to adopt sustainable agri-food productions, from the economic, environmental and social points of view. In this context, the achievement of a sustainable agri-food sector depends not only on entrepreneurs’ choices, but also on consumer’s behaviour change and on incentives or subsidies towards an agroecology transition.

The Topic “New Trends in Agri-Food Sector: Environmental, Economic and Social Perspectives” tries to create a discussion on this topic. It includes but is not limited to the following relevant themes:

• Agroecology and organic farming;
• Green economy;
• Circular economy;
• Consumers’ behaviour;
• Innovation adoption;
• Sustainable development of rural areas.

Dr. Riccardo Testa
Dr. Giuseppina Migliore
Prof. Dr. Giorgio Schifani
Prof. Dr. József Tóth
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Sustainability sustainability	3.9	5.8	2009	18.8 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Agronomy agronomy	3.7	5.2	2011	15.8 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Agriculture agriculture	3.6	3.6	2011	17.7 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Foods foods	5.2	5.8	2012	13.1 Days	CHF 2900	Submit
Horticulturae horticulturae	3.1	2.4	2015	14.7 Days	CHF 2200	Submit

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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All Sustainability Agronomy Agriculture Foods Horticulturae

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21 pages, 1239 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Social Capital on Socially Responsible Supply Chain Performance: The Moderating Role of Supply Chain Transparency

by Hua Liu, Guangyao He, Ruili Ma and Shaoling Fu

Foods 2023, 12(19), 3624; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12193624 - 29 Sep 2023

Viewed by 1124

Abstract

The outbreak of COVID-19 has brought global poverty to the forefront, and existing research suggests that socially responsible supply chains play an important role in poverty alleviation. However, there is limited research on how to improve the performance of socially responsible supply chains. [...] Read more.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has brought global poverty to the forefront, and existing research suggests that socially responsible supply chains play an important role in poverty alleviation. However, there is limited research on how to improve the performance of socially responsible supply chains. This study innovatively chooses a dual perspective, i.e., companies and farmers in contract farming, the dominant model of socially responsible supply chains in Chinese agriculture, as the research object. Furthermore, it examines the role of social capital on the performance of socially responsible supply chains, as well as the moderating role of supply chain transparency, in order to find out how to improve the stakeholder performance. The empirical results found that the factors affecting socially responsible supply chain performance differed between the dual perspectives. From the firm’s perspective, all three dimensions of social capital (shared values, communication and reciprocity) have a significant positive effect on socially responsible supply chain performance (income increase), while supply chain transparency only positively moderates between communication and income increase. From the farmers’ perspective, only reciprocity and shared values had a significant positive effect on income increase; interestingly, supply chain transparency negatively moderated the relationship between reciprocity and income increase. This study expands the role of social capital theory, and the dual perspective examination provides insights for performance improvement of companies and farmers in socially responsible supply chains, as well as guidance for promoting sustainable social development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic New Trends in Agri-Food Sector: Environmental, Economic and Social Perspectives, 2nd Volume)

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12 pages, 602 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Revitalize Traditional Agriculture: Chinese Consumer Perception and Preference of “Modern” Organic and Sustainable Traditional Rice Products

by Erpeng Wang

Sustainability 2023, 15(12), 9206; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129206 - 07 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1104

Abstract

Many smallholder farmers in developing countries have used sustainable traditional agricultural techniques to ensure food safety and sustainability over the centuries. However, the value of sustainable traditional agricultural products, especially as an inexpensive substitution for “modern” organic products in developing countries, is rarely [...] Read more.

Many smallholder farmers in developing countries have used sustainable traditional agricultural techniques to ensure food safety and sustainability over the centuries. However, the value of sustainable traditional agricultural products, especially as an inexpensive substitution for “modern” organic products in developing countries, is rarely studied. Using the contingent valuation method, we compared Chinese consumers’ perceptions of and preferences for sustainable traditional agricultural products and “modern” organic products. Our results show that sustainable traditional agriculture can signal environment-friendly practices and food safety, and consumer willingness to pay for sustainable traditional agricultural products is higher than those of “modern” organic products. Considering the high demand for sustainable traditional agricultural products, revitalizing sustainable traditional agriculture may be a good way to balance sustainability and feasibility in developing countries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic New Trends in Agri-Food Sector: Environmental, Economic and Social Perspectives, 2nd Volume)

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15 pages, 1231 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Can Dried Fruits Replace Unhealthy Snacking among Millennials? An Empirical Study on Dried Fruit Consumption in Italy

by Riccardo Testa, Giuseppina Rizzo, Giorgio Schifani, Ilenia Tinebra, Vittorio Farina, Francesco Vella and Giuseppina Migliore

Sustainability 2023, 15(9), 7083; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097083 - 23 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3039

Abstract

The consumption of dried fruits in place of unhealthy snacks, which are rich in sugars, salt, and fats, could represent a valid option for reaching the daily intake recommended by the WHO for fruits and for encouraging the adoption of a sustainable diet. [...] Read more.

The consumption of dried fruits in place of unhealthy snacks, which are rich in sugars, salt, and fats, could represent a valid option for reaching the daily intake recommended by the WHO for fruits and for encouraging the adoption of a sustainable diet. However, the consumption of dried fruits is lower than that of unhealthy snacks, especially among young people. Therefore, to foster young people’s intentions to consume dried fruits instead of unhealthy snacks, it is important to identify the factors underlying millennials’ consumption intentions. Using a convenience sample of 174 Italian millennials, this paper aimed to understand the factors influencing young people’s intentions to consume dried fruits by measuring their willingness to pay a price premium. The findings showed that under half of respondents were willing to pay an extra premium for dried fruits. The intentions to consume dried fruits among Italian millennials would seem to be characterized by a certain predisposition toward novelty, as revealed by the attitudes of being neophiliacs, as well as by convenience and emotional aspects related to the product. Relative to socio-demographic factors, Italian millennials with higher household incomes and high educational levels tended to show a high willingness to pay a price premium for dried fruits. These results may have theoretical, managerial as well as policy implications. They could enrich the existing literature on dried fruits consumption and provide suggestions for practitioners wishing to adopt effective marketing strategies and specific promotion campaigns, as well as for government policies or programs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic New Trends in Agri-Food Sector: Environmental, Economic and Social Perspectives, 2nd Volume)

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21 pages, 2430 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Do China’s National Agricultural Science and Technology Parks Promote County Economic Development? An Empirical Examination Based on Multi-Period DID Methods

by Qi Yu, Yongchang Wu, Xueyuan Chen, Lin Zhang and Yaowen Liang

Agriculture 2023, 13(1), 213; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13010213 - 14 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2415

Abstract

China’s National Agricultural Science and Technology Parks (NASTPs) play a key role in improving the nation’s agro-industrial structure and regional economic development; notably, NASTPs can demonstrate innovations in modern agricultural science and technology and, relatedly, incubate emerging modern agri-industries. However, after more than [...] Read more.

China’s National Agricultural Science and Technology Parks (NASTPs) play a key role in improving the nation’s agro-industrial structure and regional economic development; notably, NASTPs can demonstrate innovations in modern agricultural science and technology and, relatedly, incubate emerging modern agri-industries. However, after more than 20 years of development, scholars have not yet to confirm whether NASTPs contribute to local economies. This study sought to explore the impact of NASTPs on county economic development, to identify the mechanisms behind this impact, and to verify these effects using a multi-period double difference method based on panel data from 1743 counties in China collected between 2000 and 2019. The study found that the NASTPs significantly improved county economic development. The policy effects were mainly evident in western regions and counties with higher levels of financial resources. No spatial spillover effects were observed. The NASTPs drove county economic growth through three main channels: agglomeration, institutional environment, and innovation effects. These findings provide insights useful for designing policies related to the high-quality construction of agricultural sci-tech parks, the high-quality growth of county economies, and a reduction in regional economic development gaps. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic New Trends in Agri-Food Sector: Environmental, Economic and Social Perspectives, 2nd Volume)

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25 pages, 3610 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

A Comparative Study of High-Quality Broiler Purchase Behavior between Chinese and Sierra Leonean Consumers: The Moderating Role of Uncertainty Avoidance

by Baichen Jiang and Fallah Samuel Kassoh

Sustainability 2023, 15(1), 457; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010457 - 27 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2619

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the effects of perceived environmental responsibility (PER), environmental knowledge (EK), new ecological paradigm (NEP), and environmental collective efficacy (ECE) on the high-quality broiler purchase intention of China and Sierra Leone. Despite prior studies that have investigated the relationship [...] Read more.

This research aims to analyze the effects of perceived environmental responsibility (PER), environmental knowledge (EK), new ecological paradigm (NEP), and environmental collective efficacy (ECE) on the high-quality broiler purchase intention of China and Sierra Leone. Despite prior studies that have investigated the relationship between Hofstede’s cultural dimensions’ impacts on high-quality food (e.g., organic and green) purchase behavior, research on the moderating effect of uncertainty avoidance (UA) on the formulation of high-quality food purchase intention is rarely found. Based on this, a study was conducted via administrating an online structured questionnaire to 588 Chinese consumers and 410 Sierra Leoneans. The validity and reliability of the new conceptual model were examined through a confirmatory factor analysis, while structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed for the data analysis, and to test the hypothesized relationships among the variables. The results revealed that PER, EK, NEP, and ECE directly influence consumers’ purchase intention (PI) and actual purchase behavior (APB) for high-quality broilers in China and Sierra Leone. However, the results from Chinese consumers show that UA has a direct impact on high-quality purchase intention and actual purchase behavior, but was not found to have a moderate impact between the antecedents and purchase intention as well as actual purchase behavior, while UA positively moderates the relationship between PER, EK, ECE, and GPI, as well as between PI and APB in Sierra Leone markets. Therefore, the study concluded that enterprises in African markets, particularly Sierra Leone, can segment their customers and target them with persuasive positioning approaches by taking the cultural element (uncertainty avoidance) into account. This study enhances the methodology for learning about the preferences and behavioral patterns of cross-cultural consumers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic New Trends in Agri-Food Sector: Environmental, Economic and Social Perspectives, 2nd Volume)

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18 pages, 17256 KiB  

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Developing a Spatial Emission Inventory of Agricultural Machinery in Croatia by Using Large-Scale Survey Data

by Šimun Lončarević, Petar Ilinčić, Zoran Lulić and Darko Kozarac

Agriculture 2022, 12(11), 1962; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12111962 - 20 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2067

Abstract

Agricultural machinery has an essential impact on climate change. However, its emission data are often missing, which makes it harder to develop policies which could lower its emissions. An emission inventory should first be developed to understand the impact of agricultural machinery on [...] Read more.

Agricultural machinery has an essential impact on climate change. However, its emission data are often missing, which makes it harder to develop policies which could lower its emissions. An emission inventory should first be developed to understand the impact of agricultural machinery on climate change. This article presents a spatial variation of emissions from agricultural machinery in Croatia. Data on agricultural machinery for 2016 was collected via a large-scale survey with 8895 respondents and included machinery type, location data, and fuel consumption by fuel type. Data processing was conducted to optimize the survey results, and the emissions were calculated using the “EEA/EMEP Emission Inventory Guidebook” Tier 1 method. The research shows that two-axle tractors with engine power 61–100 kW had the most significant energy consumption and were responsible for most of the emissions. The highest total emissions were in counties in the Slavonia region, while counties in the Dalmatia region had the highest emissions per hectare of arable land. Results obtained this way enable policies to be developed that will target specific spatial areas and machinery types. Furthermore, this approach could allow precise spatial and temporal emission tracking. A designated institution which could conduct annual surveys and update the agricultural machinery emission data would ensure emission data continuity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic New Trends in Agri-Food Sector: Environmental, Economic and Social Perspectives, 2nd Volume)

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13 pages, 579 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Forecasting Food Innovations with a Delphi Study

by Alexis Zickafoose, Peng Lu and Mathew Baker

Foods 2022, 11(22), 3723; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11223723 - 19 Nov 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2433

Abstract

Food innovations can create novel nutritious food, improve agricultural sustainability, and increase the agri-food industry’s market profits. Our study proposes a consensus definition of food innovations and forecasts food innovations that will be available to consumers in the next five years by using [...] Read more.

Food innovations can create novel nutritious food, improve agricultural sustainability, and increase the agri-food industry’s market profits. Our study proposes a consensus definition of food innovations and forecasts food innovations that will be available to consumers in the next five years by using a Delphi study. Thirteen experts aged 35 to 85 from the US and the UK researching or working in agriculture and nutrition, public health, the agri-food industry, or food policy participated in three rounds of this Delphi study. The experts were chosen using the snowball sampling method. This study followed the implementation and data analysis guidelines popularized by the Rand Corporation. The consensus definition for food innovations (with 76.9% agreement) was that ‘food innovations aid in the development, production, or transportation of new food products, processes, or technology to promote human health, food security, or environmental sustainability’. The specific food innovations, which had over 69% agreement, are ranked as (1) plant-based meat alternatives, (2) personalized nutrition, (3) natural foods, (4) new genetically modified organisms, (5) regenerative agriculture, (6) urban agriculture, (7) packing innovations, (8) alternative flours, (9) improving shelf life, (10) supply chain technologies, (11) improved soil health, and (12) technology for traceability. The food innovation definition and identified specific food innovations could further connect the agricultural value chain to develop novel nutritious foods and improve agricultural sustainability. Agri-food industry specialists, practitioners, researchers, and policymakers can advance food innovation development and research pinpointing the specific food innovations along the agricultural value chain. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic New Trends in Agri-Food Sector: Environmental, Economic and Social Perspectives, 2nd Volume)

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13 pages, 982 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Substrate Mixes Containing Port Sediments for Sustainable ‘Verna’ Lemon Production

by Francisca Hernández, Juan José Martínez-Nicolás, Pablo Melgarejo, Dámaris Núñez-Gómez, Vicente Lidón, Rafael Martínez-Font and Pilar Legua

Foods 2022, 11(19), 3053; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11193053 - 01 Oct 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1903

Abstract

The increase in maritime trade and its global economic importance have forced port management actors to carry out the periodic dredging of their sediments to maintain an adequate depth for the passage of large ships to maintain their operation and competitiveness. During the [...] Read more.

The increase in maritime trade and its global economic importance have forced port management actors to carry out the periodic dredging of their sediments to maintain an adequate depth for the passage of large ships to maintain their operation and competitiveness. During the dredging process, large volumes of port sediment are generated. Dredged port sediment is currently considered a waste material and its disposal is regulated. Finding ways to safely reuse port sediments is necessary for sustainable development. In this study, a life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology was applied to identify the environmental impact of port sediments when used as a culture medium for lemon trees. A total of 90 lemon trees (Citrus limon L. Burm var ‘Verna’) were used in the trial. The trees were grown under controlled conditions using three substrates, with different portions of peat and port sediment (25%, 50%, and 75%) to identify the real impacts of the culture media on the growth process. The LCA was calculated and analyzed according to the ISO 14040:2006 standard, using the SimaPro v. 9.3 software (PRé Sustainability B.V, Amersfoort, The Netherlands). The functional unit defined for the three-culture media was 1 kg of lemons. The LCA results showed a significant increase in the environmental impact of lemon cultivation proportional to port sediment content (75%), due to the decrease in fruit production caused by the sediment. However, the least impact was identified for the culture medium at 50% peat and 50% port sediment. The greatest impacts were more related to crop management rather than the port sediment content. The results showed that the use of the port sediment, mixed with other substrates as an agricultural medium amendment, is a viable option for lemon growers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic New Trends in Agri-Food Sector: Environmental, Economic and Social Perspectives, 2nd Volume)

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25 pages, 982 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Operational Decision and Sustainability of Green Agricultural Supply Chain with Consumer-Oriented Altruism

by Guangxing Wei, Linrong Zhou and Binta Bary

Sustainability 2022, 14(19), 12210; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141912210 - 26 Sep 2022

Viewed by 1413

Abstract

The agricultural supply chain has to balance the economic, environmental, and social dimensions of sustainability. This paper investigates the green agricultural supply chain, consisting of a manufacturer and a retailer, who are both altruistic towards consumers. Such consumer-oriented altruism is different from the [...] Read more.

The agricultural supply chain has to balance the economic, environmental, and social dimensions of sustainability. This paper investigates the green agricultural supply chain, consisting of a manufacturer and a retailer, who are both altruistic towards consumers. Such consumer-oriented altruism is different from the widely adopted enterprise-oriented altruism, which only measures the altruistic behaviors among supply chain enterprises. In the approach of game theory, the optimal operational decision is obtained, and thereby the economic, environmental, and social dimensions of sustainability are described rationally and attained, respectively. The impacts of consumer-oriented altruism on the sustainability of the green agricultural supply chain are analyzed and compared in a systematic way. A case study is carried out before drawing conclusions and managerial implications. The findings can be concluded as follows. Firstly, consumer-oriented altruism changes the operational performance of the green agricultural supply chain by enhancing the green level of agricultural products, cutting down the pricing decisions and marginal profit of each supply chain enterprise. Secondly, consumer-oriented altruism simultaneously facilitates each dimension of sustainability to different extents, and economic sustainability is promoted the most prominently, whereas environmental sustainability is improved the least. Thirdly, the retailer’s consumer-oriented altruism always improves each dimension of sustainability more than the manufacturer’s altruism does, and the advantage in the economic dimension is the most significant, while that in the environmental dimension is the smallest. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic New Trends in Agri-Food Sector: Environmental, Economic and Social Perspectives, 2nd Volume)

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13 pages, 272 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Factors Affecting Consumption of Different Forms of Medicinal Plants: The Case of Licorice

by Hosein Mohammadi and Sayed Saghaian

Agriculture 2022, 12(9), 1453; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12091453 - 13 Sep 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2352

Abstract

Licorice is one of the widespread medicinal plants used in various forms in many countries. Medicinal plants have an important role in health nutrition. This industry is in the early stages of its life cycle, but consumers’ recent trends toward healthy and organic [...] Read more.

Licorice is one of the widespread medicinal plants used in various forms in many countries. Medicinal plants have an important role in health nutrition. This industry is in the early stages of its life cycle, but consumers’ recent trends toward healthy and organic food products with low detrimental effects on human health and the environment have provided a greater opportunity for the promotion and marketing of these products. The purpose of this research was to evaluate factors affecting the marketability and consumption of various forms of licorice. In this study, we used the multinomial logit regression approach with a dataset derived from a survey of consumers of medicinal plant products in 2020 in the city of Mashhad, Iran. The results showed that consumers’ experience, having a reputable brand, packaging, gender, having a particular disease, consultation index, and cultural index had significant effects on consumers’ preferences for various forms of licorice. These results indicate that to increase the consumption of different forms of licorice, attention should be paid to creating reputable brands for the specific needs of different market segments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic New Trends in Agri-Food Sector: Environmental, Economic and Social Perspectives, 2nd Volume)

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