European Agri-Environmental Policy Facing the 21st Century

OpenAIRE

Latacz-Lohmann, Uwe

2000-01-01

This paper: reviews the development to date of agri-environmental policy in Europe; provides a critical assessment of its achievements and shortcomings; explores its likely future trajectory in the context of continuing CAP reform; highlights potential conflicts that may result; and draws comparisons with policy approaches in Australia and the US. The paper argues that the first generation of agri-environmental measures, implemented by northern European states in the early 1980s, focused on p...

Specific elements of communication on agri-food products resulting from EU legislation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Timiras

2012-12-01

Full Text Available In the European Union a significant number of regulations aimed at agricultural and food sector thus creating the legal framework regarding the mode of production, pricing, distribution and communication in relation to agri-food products. Specificity agri-food marketing communication at EU level resulting in most of the measures taken with regard to ensuring consumer protection, food safety and security, some of them, in force in early 2012, referring to the labeling, presentation and advertising of agri-food products, sponsorship and distinctive signs of quality are shown in this paper.

CHANGES IN FOREIGN TRADE IN AGRI-FOOD PRODUCTS BETWEEN THE EU AND CHINA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karolina Pawlak

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of the paper was to identify the changes in bilateral trade in agri-food products between the EU and China, as well as to assess – in mutual relations – ex post competitive advantages of major groups of agri-food products in 2008–2015. The research is based on data from the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat. The analysis covered the value, trade balance, shares in total trade and commodity structure of trade in agri-food products between the EU and China. Selected indices of revealed comparative advantage (XRCA, MRCA, RTA, Coverage Ratios (CR, Specialization Indicators (SI, and the indices of Intra-Industry Trade (IIT were calculated for major product groups of the Combined Nomenclature. It was  proved that bilateral trade in agri-food products between the EU and China has increased signifi cantly in 2008–2015, and the EU transformed from an importer to a net exporter. Despite the intensifi cation of mutual trade, the importance of China in the EU export of agri-food products remained relatively small. The structure of bilateral trade in agri-food products between the EU and China is consistent with the distribution of comparative advantages obtained by exporters and it is shaped under assumptions of the theory of similarity of preferences, the theory of product diff erentiation of the Armington type, and the Heckscher-Ohlin-Samuelson theorem of resources abundance. It can be considered that the Chinese agri-food sector is still in the stage of a factor-driven economy, while the agriculture and food industry in the EU countries has reached the stage of an innovation-driven economy.

Orientation manual for INIS and AGRIS (OMINAS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Binggeli, M.H.

1979-01-01

The manual is intended as a basic introduction to the computerized information systems, INIS (International Nuclear Information System) and AGRIS (International Information System for the Agricultural Sciences and Technology). Both systems contain information on already published literature, and include non-conventional literature (i.e. literature not available through normal commercial channels). Full bibliographic details and a subject classification are given. INIS, in addition, supplies descriptors, data-flagged where appropriate, and abstracts with every item of literature reported. The guiding principle followed by INIS and AGRIS is one of shared responsibility in development and operation. Both input is decentralized. The collection and preparation of documents relevant to the defined subject scopes are the responsibility of the country of publication. This decentralized input is transmitted to Vienna where centralized processing, merging and dispatching take place. The main output products are two printed journals, INIS Atomindex and AGRINDEX, and magnetic tape services. The manual is divided into four parts. The first is intended as a general introduction, and gives a bird's-eye view of the principles involved in the operation of the two systems. The second and third deal with INIS and AGRIS, respectively, and offer orientation in greater depth. The last part deals with the computer aspects of the system. The manual contains several appendices, a subject index and a list of basic references

Evaluating the financial performance of agri-food firms: a multicriteria decision-aid approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kalogeras, N.; Baourakis, G.; Zopounidis, C.; Dijk, van G.

2005-01-01

Food economists and financial researchers have long been preoccupied by the issue of evaluating the performance of agri-food firms. As the financial restructuring of the agri-business sector during the past two decades or so reflects sweeping changes that have occurred worldwide, questions have

Ethics, sustainability and logistics in agricultural and agri-food economics research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pietro Pulina

2012-07-01

Full Text Available This study analyzes the changes osberved in the agri-food system with the advent of logistical management of the flow of goods and information along the food supply chain. Agri-food functions and responsibilities towards society are also analyzed. This field of research has been widely explored in recent years following the development of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR certification in agri-business. The analysis starts by examining the coherence of the ethical basis of human choices in a homo oeconomicus framework in which social relationships are merely exploitable activities. CSR development is then studied in the light of the new stakeholder theory for firms. The main fields of economic research into sustainable development and the most important goals achieved are examined and the methodological perspectives of agricultural economics research will also be discussed.

Interaction between national and international information systems: The case of AGRIS and CARIS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samaha, E.K.

1990-05-01

The international cooperative information system as exemplified by IAEA's INIS and FAO's AGRIS and CARIS is based on national partnership. A unique type of interaction exists between this system and national systems. This paper outlines this relationship with examples drawn from AGRIS and CARIS, and looks at future prospects in the 1990s

Competitiveness of Slovak agri-food commodities in third country markets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iveta Ubrežiová

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The impression of a single “European” market is gradually generated mainly due to action of the Common Agricultural Policy. Most of the agro-food complex enterprises see opportunities especially in the internationalization, globalization and regionalization in the agri-food sector, in pursuance of this, they are gradually smouldering innovative activities and trying to work on their competitive advantages. Based on the written we can say, that the issue of the competitiveness of enterprises, as well as of various commodities is in the current period highly current and adequate. The importance of the trade with so-called third countries is still increasing. This increase is mainly caused by the enlargement of the European Union in the term of foreign trade and it can be also confirmed from the results of the research. As the results of the research shows, the most important customers of the Slovak agri-food commodities are the Commonwealth of Independent States, where in the followed four-year period went within third countries at the average of 32.9% of the total Slovak agriculture export, also countries of EUROMED, where this proportion was 18.4%, and Croatia, with the proportion of 19.1%. These countries are the largest buyers of such Slovak agri-food commodities as are for example malt, chocolate and live cattle. On the other hand, Slovak republic is in agri-food import mostly dependent on such countries as are for example MERCOSUR countries, Mediterranean countries EUROMED, the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP, China, ASEAN and the U.S., which are the major suppliers of so-called „irreplaceable“ items, which Slovak republic can not produce.Results of the research also shows that while the importance of the trade with those countries (note- third countries is still increasing, Slovak export to third countries, in the contrast to its import, is still decreasing and that the most competitive agri-food commodities are for example live

Strategic advertising for enhanced agri-business development in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Strategic advertising for enhanced agri-business development in Abia State, Nigeria. ... Advertising, a high-intensity consumer information medium, facilitates the latter. It is against this background that ... AJOL African Journals Online. HOW TO ...

Evaluating the Sustainability in Complex Agri-Food Systems: The SAEMETH Framework

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristiana Peano

2015-05-01

Full Text Available During the last few years, the definition of sustainability and the translation of its general principles into practical and operative tasks have come into the foreground of scientific research and political agendas throughout the world. The understanding and the evaluation of the environmental, social and economic performances of complex agricultural food systems is probably the real challenge, and the design of more sustainable alternatives has been recognized as necessary for a correct territorial management. This study’s primary goal is the proposition of an interpretive structure “Sustainable Agri-Food Evaluation Methodology” (SAEMETH, able to guide the evaluation of the sustainability of the various organizational forms of the small-scale agri-food supply chain. As a case study, the methodology was applied to 10 small-scale agri-food systems. The application of SAEMETH, as a monitoring tool based on qualitative indicators that are user-friendly and strongly communicative, demonstrates that it is possible to carry out sustainability evaluations of the small-scale agri-food systems through a long-term approach that is participatory, interdisciplinary and multi-institutional and that integrates a solid theoretical base with an operative framework tested in the field. SAEMETH can, in this way, generate a cyclical process that increases the probability of success in the design of sustainable alternatives and the implementation of projects and initiatives at the local/regional scale.

Sen2-Agri country level demonstration for Ukraine

Science.gov (United States)

Kussul, N.; Kolotii, A.; Shelestov, A.; Lavreniuk, M. S.

2016-12-01

Due to launch of Sentinel-2 mission European Space Agency (ESA) started Sentinel-2 for Agriculture (Sen2-Agri) project coordinated by Universite catholique de Louvain (UCL). Ukraine is selected as one of 3 country level demonstration sites for benchmarking Sentinel-2 data due to wide range of main crops (both winter and summer), big fields and high enough climate variability over the territory [1-2]. Within this county level demonstration main objectives are following: i) Sentinel's products quality assessment and their suitability estimation for the territory of Ukraine [2]; ii) demonstration in order to convince decision makers and state authorities; iii) assessment of the personnel and facilities required to run the Sen2-Agri system and creation of Sen-2 Agri products (crop type maps and such essential climatic variable as Leaf Area Index - LAI [3]). During this project ground data were collected for crop land mapping and crop type classification along the roads within main agro-climatic zones of Ukraine. For LAI estimation we used indirect non-destructive method which is based on DHP-images and VALERI protocol. Products created with use of Sen2-Agri system deployed during project execution and results of neural-network approach utilization will be compared. References Kussul, N., Lemoine, G., Gallego, F. J., Skakun, S. V., Lavreniuk, M., & Shelestov, A. Y. Parcel-Based Crop Classification in Ukraine Using Landsat-8 Data and Sentinel-1A Data. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing , 9 (6), 2500-2508. Kussul, N., Skakun, S., Shelestov, A., Lavreniuk, M., Yailymov, B., & Kussul, O. (2015). Regional scale crop mapping using multi-temporal satellite imagery. The International Archives of Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 40(7), 45-52. Shelestov, A., Kolotii, A., Camacho, F., Skakun, S., Kussul, O., Lavreniuk, M., & Kostetsky, O. (2015, July). Mapping of biophysical parameters based on high

Boosting youth employment in agri-business | IDRC - International ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Boosting youth employment in agri-business ... economic importance and could provide jobs for women and youth while increasing food security. ... “The main challenge youth face is poor access to credit and extension services,” she says.

AGRIS: providing access to agricultural research data exploiting open data on the web [v1; ref status: indexed, http://f1000r.es/599

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabrizio Celli

2015-05-01

Full Text Available AGRIS is the International System for Agricultural Science and Technology. It is supported by a large community of data providers, partners and users. AGRIS is a database that aggregates bibliographic data, and through this core data, related content across online information systems is retrieved by taking advantage of Semantic Web capabilities. AGRIS is a global public good and its vision is to be a responsive service to its user needs by facilitating contributions and feedback regarding the AGRIS core knowledgebase, AGRIS’s future and its continuous development. Periodic AGRIS e-consultations, partner meetings and user feedback are assimilated to the development of the AGRIS application and content coverage. This paper outlines the current AGRIS technical set-up, its network of partners, data providers and users as well as how AGRIS’s responsiveness to clients’ needs inspires the continuous technical development of the application. The paper concludes by providing a use case of how the AGRIS stakeholder input and the subsequent AGRIS e-consultation results influence the development of the AGRIS application, knowledgebase and service delivery.

AGRI-FOOD TRADE - A PATH TO AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT OF MOLDOVA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liliana CIMPOIES

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In this study we try to assess the progress in the development of the agricultural sector of Moldova. As indicator of the successful/unsuccessful development of the agri-food sector may serve the foreign trade activity. Thus, in the given research is analyzed the changes in the agri-food trade structure during 2007-2011, the competitiveness of the agricultural sector and the pattern trade flows. For this aim was computed Gruber-Lloyd index for evaluating the intra-industrial trade in this period, and RTA index for inter industrial trade. As well, some policy measures necessary for further integration will be discussed.

Agri-food supply chains and sustainability-related issues: evidence from across the Scottish agri-food economy

OpenAIRE

Leat, Philip M.K.; Lamprinopoulou-Kranis, Chrysa; Revoredo-Giha, Cesar; Kupiec-Teahan, Beata

2011-01-01

This paper examines the influence of agri-food supply chains on the sustainability-related activities and decisions of Scottish farmers, as well as the treatment of sustainability issues by food processors and retailers themselves. It is based on 8 whole chain case studies covering some of Scotland’s major agricultural products. The cases identify differing levels of understanding and activities related to sustainability, but widespread acknowledgement that sustainability involves the develop...

Bioproduction of vanillin using an organic solvent-tolerant Brevibacillus agri 13.

Science.gov (United States)

Wangrangsimagul, Nuttawat; Klinsakul, Kunticha; Vangnai, Alisa S; Wongkongkatep, Jirarut; Inprakhon, Pranee; Honda, Kohsuke; Ohtake, Hisao; Kato, Junichi; Pongtharangkul, Thunyarat

2012-01-01

Nowadays, majority of vanillin supplied to the world market is chemically synthesized from a petroleum-based raw material, raising a concern among the consumers regarding the product safety. In this study, an organic solvent-tolerant Brevibacillus agri 13 previously reported for a strong predilectic property was utilized as a whole-cell biocatalyst for bioproduction of vanillin from isoeugenol (IG). B. agri 13 is the first biocatalyst reported for bioproduction of vanillin at a temperature as high as 45°C. Both pH and temperature were found to affect vanillin production significantly. An extreme level of organic solvent tolerance of B. agri 13 allowed us to utilize it in a biphasic system using organic solvents generally considered as highly toxic to most bacteria. With an addition of butyl acetate at 30% (v/v) as an organic second phase, toxicity of IG exerted onto the biocatalyst was reduced dramatically while faster and more efficient vanillin production was obtained (1.7 g/L after 48 h with 27.8% molar conversion).

Innovation, Integration and Product Proliferation - Empirical Evidence for the Agri-Food Industry

OpenAIRE

Karantininis, Kostas; Sauer, Johannes; Furtan, William Hartley

2008-01-01

While mergers, both horizontal and vertical, have been shaping the landscape of the agri-food industry in Europe, the implications of the changing market structure on the level of innovation has not been studied yet. In this paper we deal with the link between innovation and market structure using the empirical example of the Danish agri-food industry. The purpose of this paper is two-fold. First we test for the importance of vertical integration on innovation. While there exist several studi...

Nanotechnology in agri-food production: an overview

Science.gov (United States)

Sekhon, Bhupinder Singh

2014-01-01

Nanotechnology is one of the most important tools in modern agriculture, and agri-food nanotechnology is anticipated to become a driving economic force in the near future. Agri-food themes focus on sustainability and protection of agriculturally produced foods, including crops for human consumption and animal feeding. Nanotechnology provides new agrochemical agents and new delivery mechanisms to improve crop productivity, and it promises to reduce pesticide use. Nanotechnology can boost agricultural production, and its applications include: 1) nanoformulations of agrochemicals for applying pesticides and fertilizers for crop improvement; 2) the application of nanosensors/nanobiosensors in crop protection for the identification of diseases and residues of agrochemicals; 3) nanodevices for the genetic manipulation of plants; 4) plant disease diagnostics; 5) animal health, animal breeding, poultry production; and 6) postharvest management. Precision farming techniques could be used to further improve crop yields but not damage soil and water, reduce nitrogen loss due to leaching and emissions, as well as enhance nutrients long-term incorporation by soil microorganisms. Nanotechnology uses include nanoparticle-mediated gene or DNA transfer in plants for the development of insect-resistant varieties, food processing and storage, nanofeed additives, and increased product shelf life. Nanotechnology promises to accelerate the development of biomass-to-fuels production technologies. Experts feel that the potential benefits of nanotechnology for agriculture, food, fisheries, and aquaculture need to be balanced against concerns for the soil, water, and environment and the occupational health of workers. Raising awareness of nanotechnology in the agri-food sector, including feed and food ingredients, intelligent packaging and quick-detection systems, is one of the keys to influencing consumer acceptance. On the basis of only a handful of toxicological studies, concerns have

A conceptual framework for supply chain governance: An application to agri-food chains in China

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhang, X.Y.; Aramyan, L.H.

2009-01-01

Purpose - Chinese agri-food chains consist of the millions of small scale farmers, who are not well structured and organized in the supply chain. Owing to market liberalization and globalization, one of the most challenging issues along agri-food chains in China is becoming the issue of how to link

Effect of Agri-SC as a soil conditioner on runoff, soil loss and crust ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study was carried out to determine the effect of Agri-SC as a soil conditioner at different doses (0, 18.50, 37.00, 55.50 and 74.00 l ha-1) on water erosion and crust strengths under laboratory conditions with three replicates. The Agri-SC solutions were sprayed and two consecutive simulated rainfalls (60 mm h-1) were ...

Identifying research advancements in supply chain risk management for Agri-food Industries: Literature review

Science.gov (United States)

Septiani, W.; Astuti, P.

2017-12-01

Agri-food supply chain has different characteristics related to the raw materials it uses. Food supply chain has a high risk of damage, thus drawing a lot of attention from researchers in supply chain management. This research aimed to investigate the development of supply chain risk management research on agri-food industries. These reviews were arranged in steps systematically, ranging from searching related to the review of SCRM paper, reviewing the general framework of SCRM and the framework of agri-food SCRM. Selection of literature review papers in the period 2005-2017, and obtained 45 papers. The results of the identification research were illustrated in a supply chain risk management framework model. This provided insight toward future research directions and needs.

Consumer perception of safety in the agri-food chain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Verbeke, Wim; Scholderer, Joachim; Frewer, Lynn J.

2006-01-01

, former real or perceived food safety problems extended into food scares after extensive mass media coverage. A wide diversity of studies consistently report declining consumer confidence, deteriorating perception and decreasing consumption rates after exposure to adverse food-health communication. After......Introduction: The aim of this section is to describe the scope and objectives of this chapter on consumer perception of safety in the agri-food chain. Furthermore, the rationale for taking consumer behavioural issues into account in agri-food safety debates is provided. In order to shed some light...... on consumer behaviour with respect to food safety issues, this chapter both provides some basic principles of consumer behaviour and a selection of topical case studies. First, this chapter envisages introducing basic principles of consumer behaviour and consumer decision-making that are applicable in food...

Addressing the Knowledge Gaps in Agroecology and Identifying Guiding Principles for Transforming Conventional Agri-Food Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angelina Sanderson Bellamy

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Today’s society faces many challenges when it comes to food production: producing food sustainably, producing enough of it, distributing food, consuming enough calories, consuming too many calories, consuming culturally-appropriate foods, and reducing the amount of food wasted. The distribution of power within the current mainstream agri-food system is dominated by multinational agri-businesses that control the flow of goods and wealth through the system. This hegemony has implemented a regime whose structures reinforce its control. A growing response to the current agri-food regime is the rise of agroecology, in both developed and developing country contexts. This is not a new phenomenon, but it has evolved over time from its Latin American origins. However, agroecology is not a monolithic block and represents many different perceptions of what it means to advance agroecology and ways in which it can help today’s society tackle the crisis of the agri-food system. This paper addresses these sometimes discordant view points, as well as the gaps in our knowledge regarding agroecology in an effort to lay out some guiding principles for how we can move forward in transforming the current agri-food system to achieve sustainability and a more equitable distribution of power and resources.

agriGO v2.0: a GO analysis toolkit for the agricultural community, 2017 update.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Tian; Liu, Yue; Yan, Hengyu; You, Qi; Yi, Xin; Du, Zhou; Xu, Wenying; Su, Zhen

2017-07-03

The agriGO platform, which has been serving the scientific community for >10 years, specifically focuses on gene ontology (GO) enrichment analyses of plant and agricultural species. We continuously maintain and update the databases and accommodate the various requests of our global users. Here, we present our updated agriGO that has a largely expanded number of supporting species (394) and datatypes (865). In addition, a larger number of species have been classified into groups covering crops, vegetables, fish, birds and insects closely related to the agricultural community. We further improved the computational efficiency, including the batch analysis and P-value distribution (PVD), and the user-friendliness of the web pages. More visualization features were added to the platform, including SEACOMPARE (cross comparison of singular enrichment analysis), direct acyclic graph (DAG) and Scatter Plots, which can be merged by choosing any significant GO term. The updated platform agriGO v2.0 is now publicly accessible at http://systemsbiology.cau.edu.cn/agriGOv2/. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Patterns of agri-environmental scheme participation in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pavlis, Evangelos S.; Terkenli, Theano S.; Kristensen, Søren Bech Pilgaard

2016-01-01

This paper investigates the personal and property characteristics of landowners who use EU Rural Development agri-environmental schemes (AES), as well as their motives for participation or non-participation in such schemes. The study is based on a questionnaire survey with landowners, in selected...... areas with marginal potential for agriculture. Motives for non-participation were also found to be dependent on the level of farming engagement and on case-area landscape types.......This paper investigates the personal and property characteristics of landowners who use EU Rural Development agri-environmental schemes (AES), as well as their motives for participation or non-participation in such schemes. The study is based on a questionnaire survey with landowners, in selected...... geographical particularities and on subjective factors, farmers' individualities, different rural cultures, landscape types, EU and national policies and special needs of the study areas—all areas where agricultural production is increasingly marginalized, for different reasons. Subsidy scheme participation...

Connecting Payments for Ecosystem Services and Agri-Environment Regulation: An Analysis of the Welsh Glastir Scheme

Science.gov (United States)

Wynne-Jones, Sophie

2013-01-01

Policy debates in the European Union have increasingly emphasised "Payments for Ecosystem Services" (PES) as a model for delivering agri-environmental objectives. This paper examines the Glastir scheme, introduced in Wales in 2009, as a notable attempt to move between long standing models of European agri-environment regulation and…

The theoretical bases of the domestic agri-food market development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyryliuk O.F.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available the article explored the modern trends of the domestic agri-food market development, reasonable priorities of strengthening its role in the formation of socially oriented national economy.

Innovation dynamics of Salvadoran agri-food industry from an evolutionary perspective

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peraza Castaneda, E.H.; Aleixandre Mendizábal, G.

2016-07-01

This paper presents a holistic approach to analyse the dynamics of innovation of a low-tech sector in a less developed economy, the agri-food industry in El Salvador, in the context of evolutionary economy. This requires using complementary quantitative and qualitative data and methodologies to better understand how Salvadoran agri-food industry innovation system works and how STI public policies can improve the performance of a key sector in terms of national socioeconomic development. The work already done shows a concentrated and vigorous sector with some upstream and downstream connections that innovate depending on firm size, age, R&D activities and use of industrial property rights. (Author)

Agri-Environmental Policy Measures in Israel: The Potential of Using Market-Oriented Instruments

Science.gov (United States)

Amdur, Liron; Bertke, Elke; Freese, Jan; Marggraf, Rainer

2011-05-01

This paper examines the possibilities of developing agri-environmental policy measures in Israel, focusing on market-oriented instruments. A conceptual framework for developing agri-environmental policy measures is presented, first in very broad lines (mandatory regulations, economic instruments and advisory measures) and subsequently focusing on economic instruments, and specifically, on market-oriented ones. Two criteria of choice between the measures are suggested: their contribution to improving the effectiveness of the policy; and the feasibility of their implementation. This is the framework used for analyzing agri-environmental measures in Israel. Israel currently implements a mix of mandatory regulations, economic instruments and advisory measures to promote the agri-environment. The use of additional economic instruments may improve the effectiveness of the policy. When comparing the effectiveness of various economic measures, we found that the feasibility of implementation of market-oriented instruments is greater, due to the Israeli public's preference for strengthening market orientation in the agricultural sector. Four market-oriented instruments were practiced in a pilot project conducted in an Israeli rural area. We found that in this case study, the institutional feasibility and acceptance by stakeholders were the major parameters influencing the implementation of the market-oriented instruments, whereas the instruments' contribution to enhancing the ecological or economic effectiveness were hardly considered by the stakeholders as arguments in favor of their use.

RFID Application Strategy in Agri-Food Supply Chain Based on Safety and Benefit Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Min; Li, Peichong

Agri-food supply chain management (SCM), a management method to optimize internal costs and productivities, has evolved as an application of e-business technologies. These days, RFID has been widely used in many fields. In this paper, we analyze the characteristics of agri-food supply chain. Then the disadvantages of RFID are discussed. After that, we study the application strategies of RFID based on benefit and safety degree.

Changes in agri-business outcomes among the dairy beneficiaries ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study compared changes in uptake of agri-business practices, productivity and wealth creation between dairy beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of Contracted Extension Service Delivery Model (CESDM) implemented by Kenya Agricultural Productivity and Agribusiness Project (KAPAP) in selected counties of Kenya ...

International agri-food chains and networks. Management and Organization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bijman, J.; Omta, S.W.F.; Trienekens, J.H.; Wijnands, J.H.M.; Wubben, E.F.M.

2006-01-01

This book brings together a rich collection of papers on management and organization in agri-food chains and networks. Producers, processors, traders and retailers of agricultural and food products operate in an economic and institutional environment that is increasingly dominated by global

Nanotechnology in agri-food production: an overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sekhon BS

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Bhupinder Singh SekhonInstitute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, PCTE Group of Institutes, Ludhiana, IndiaAbstract: Nanotechnology is one of the most important tools in modern agriculture, and agri-food nanotechnology is anticipated to become a driving economic force in the near future. Agri-food themes focus on sustainability and protection of agriculturally produced foods, including crops for human consumption and animal feeding. Nanotechnology provides new agrochemical agents and new delivery mechanisms to improve crop productivity, and it promises to reduce pesticide use. Nanotechnology can boost agricultural production, and its applications include: 1 nanoformulations of agrochemicals for applying pesticides and fertilizers for crop improvement; 2 the application of nanosensors/nanobiosensors in crop protection for the identification of diseases and residues of agrochemicals; 3 nanodevices for the genetic manipulation of plants; 4 plant disease diagnostics; 5 animal health, animal breeding, poultry production; and 6 postharvest management. Precision farming techniques could be used to further improve crop yields but not damage soil and water, reduce nitrogen loss due to leaching and emissions, as well as enhance nutrients long-term incorporation by soil microorganisms. Nanotechnology uses include nanoparticle-mediated gene or DNA transfer in plants for the development of insect-resistant varieties, food processing and storage, nanofeed additives, and increased product shelf life. Nanotechnology promises to accelerate the development of biomass-to-fuels production technologies. Experts feel that the potential benefits of nanotechnology for agriculture, food, fisheries, and aquaculture need to be balanced against concerns for the soil, water, and environment and the occupational health of workers. Raising awareness of nanotechnology in the agri-food sector, including feed and food ingredients, intelligent packaging and quick-detection systems, is

The Development of Agri-tourism in Opole Province, Poland. From Inexpensive Holidays in the Countryside to Experiential Marketing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara WOŚ

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The aim of the article is to show the evolution stages of agri-tourism in the Opole Province between the years 2002 and 2014. The bases for the study are as follows: archival and current data on the development of rural tourism, field research and interviews conducted in agri-tourism farms of the Opole Province. The research presents the stages of agri-tourism development in the Opole Province and identifies its basic tendencies. During the study the following basic trends were observed: the shift from agri-tourism to rural tourism, creation of family businesses implying an increase in the number of beds and service offer; experiential marketing – forming a specific offer for a specific recipient; increase in the standard of services and the development of active recreation; development of eco-tourism enriched by educational activities.

POTENTIAL TRADE EFFECTS OF TARIFF LIBERALIZATION UNDER THE TRANSATLANTIC TRADE AND INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP (TTIP FOR THE EU AGRI-FOOD SECTOR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agnieszka Poczta-Wajda

2017-06-01

Full Text Available  The aim of this article is to determine the potential trade effects of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP for the EU agri-food sector. The ex post analysis covered the characteristics of agri-food trade between the EU and the US in the years 2004–2014 on the basis of statistical data from the database of the World Bank WITS. The ex ante evaluation was carried out using SMART – a partial equilibrium model. The results of the study indicate that although bilateral agri-food trade relations of the EU–US have relatively little importance, but it is significant at the individual industries level. TTIP agreement, which includes the reduction of tariff barriers to agri-food trade between the EU and the US, will contribute to boosting bilateral agri-food trade to a greater extent for the US. The creation of a free trade produces mostly creation effect, whereby it will be asymmetric – concentrated in a few product groups.

Organizing information integration in agri-food: A method based on a service-oriented architecture and living lab approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wolfert, J.; Verdouw, C.N.; Verloop, C.M.; Beulens, A.J.M.

2010-01-01

Agri-food enterprises operate in a complex and dynamic environment. To meet increasing demands of consumers, government and business partners, enterprises continuously have to work on innovations of products, processes and ways of cooperation in agri-food supply chain networks (AFSCN). Hence, a

Measuring supply chain performance in the agri-food sector

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aramyan, L.H.

2007-01-01

Keywords : PMS,agri-food, supply chain, efficiency, flexibility, responsiveness, food quality

The main objective of this research is to contribute to the development of a Performance Measurement System (PMS) foragri-food supply chains that involves the entire chain (i.e. all

Virtual water trade of agri-food products: Evidence from italian-chinese relations.

Science.gov (United States)

Lamastra, Lucrezia; Miglietta, Pier Paolo; Toma, Pierluigi; De Leo, Federica; Massari, Stefania

2017-12-01

At global scale, the majority of world water withdrawal is for the agricultural sector, with differences among countries depending on the relevance of agri-food sector in the economy. Virtual water and water footprint could be useful to express the impact on the water resources of each production process and good with the objective to lead to a sustainable use of water at a global level. International trade could be connected to the virtual water flows, in fact through commodities importation, water poor countries can save their own water resources. The present paper focuses on the bilateral virtual water flows connected to the top ten agri-food products traded between Italy and China. Comparing the virtual water flow related to the top 10 agri-food products, the virtual water flow from Italy to China is bigger than the water flow in the opposite direction. Moreover, the composition of virtual water flows is different; Italy imports significant amounts of grey water from China, depending on the different environmental strategies adopted by the two selected countries. This difference could be also related to the fact that traded commodities are very different; the 91% of virtual water imported by Italy is connected to crops products, while the 95% of virtual water imported by China is related to the animal products. Considering national water saving and global water saving, appears that Italy imports virtual water from China while China exerts pressure on its water resources to supply the exports to Italy. This result at global scale implies a global water loss of 129.29millionm3 because, in general, the agri-food products are traded from the area with lower water productivity to the area with the higher water productivity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantifying the agri-food supply chain: proceedings of the Frontis workshop on quantifying the agri-food supply chain, Wageningen, The Netherlands, 22-24 October 2004

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ondersteijn, C.J.M.; Wijnands, J.H.M.; Huirne, R.B.M.; Kooten, van O.

2006-01-01

Due to globalization and internationalization of agri-food production, the arena of competition and competitive advantage is moving from individual firms operating on spot markets towards supply chains and networks. Therefore, coordination between firms within the chain becomes more important.

Business Process Modelling in Demand-Driven Agri-Food Supply Chains

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verdouw, C.N.; Beulens, A.J.M.; Trienekens, J.H.; Wolfert, J.

2010-01-01

Agri-food companies increasingly participate in demand-driven supply chains that are able to adapt flexibly to changes in the marketplace. The objective of this presentation is to discuss a process modelling framework, which enhances the interoperability and agility of information systems as

Effectiveness of the Swiss agri-environment scheme in promoting biodiversity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Knop, E.; Kleijn, D.; Herzog, F.; Schmid, B.

2006-01-01

1. Increasing concern over the loss of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes was one of the reasons for the introduction of agri-environment schemes in Europe. These schemes compensate farmers financially for any loss of income associated with measures aimed to benefit biodiversity. Nevertheless,

An updated generic architecture describingcompliance in Agri-Food Supply Chains

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kruize, J.W.; Robbemond, R.M.; Verwaart, T.

2016-01-01

In this report a generic architecture is presented comprising an inventory of the most important actors, roles, processes and information that are relevant in the processes of standardisation, certification and compliance in Agri-Food Supply Chains. This architecture becomes part of an architectural

Quality and safety of agri-food systems: technological and economic innovations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Domenico Ragazzi

2008-04-01

Full Text Available This study aims to point out the evolution of the economical approach to the topics of agri-food product quality and safety with particular attention to the schemes developed at European level. Thus, we wish to underline the forces which identified the insurance and certification systems as innovative tools for quality problem management in agri-food systems and what aspects they allow to manage according to the different needs of the stakeholders. In the last years, the proliferation of these schemes was so strong to considered the recent Iso 22000 Law as a possible solution for the harmonization process. Finally, some aspects of traceability systems are examined, apart from law obligations, identifying important opportunity of differentiation and acquisition of competitive advantages for the organization choosing them.

Review of agriculture and agri-food sector performance in the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

China encouraged the development of export-oriented agriculture and food processing industry to convert raw farm products to value added finished consumer products. This has been a powerful tool for economic development in the country. Keywords: agriculture, agri food industry, China, performance. Moor Journal of ...

Understanding the organization of sharing economy in agri-food systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Miralles, Isabel; Dentoni, Domenico; Pascucci, Stefano

2017-01-01

Despite the proliferation of sharing economy initiatives in agri-food systems, the recent literature has still not unravelled what sharing exactly entails from an organizational standpoint. In light of this knowledge gap, this study aims to understand which resources are shared, and how, in a

Utilization of INIS and AGRIS by the food industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loefflerova, J.

1982-01-01

The Technical Information Centre of the Food Industry has begun publishing user handbooks on various foreign services, such as Chemical Abstracts and the CAS, the International Food Information Service - Food Science and Technology Abstracts, the magnetic tape service Engineering Index - COMPENDEX, the DERWENT patent service, a handbook on the services provided by INIS and by AGRIS/FAO. (M.D.)

Design of Green Cold Chain Networks for Imported Fresh Agri-Products in Belt and Road Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yan Fang

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The development of Belt and Road has seen a boom of imported fresh agri-products in China. This stimulates the growth of refrigerated transport, which accounts for much more carbon emissions than traditional transport. Designing a sustainable cold chain network is of vital importance from both financial and environmental perspectives. In this research, a multi-objective linear programming model is proposed for green cold chain design for multiple imported fresh agri-products in China to balance between the two competing goals—the total cost and carbon emissions. The effect of the outdoor air temperature on the carbon emissions of transportation and maintaining distribution centers is considered. By applying the ε-constraint method, the multi-objective model is solved. Numerical examples derived from the scenario of imported fresh-agri products in China are conducted to shed light on green cold chain design under Belt and Road development.

Work-related lifelong learning for entrepreneurs in the agri-food sector

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lans, T.; Wesselink, R.; Biemans, H.J.A.; Mulder, M.

2004-01-01

This article presents a study on work-related lifelong learning for entrepreneurs in the agri-food sector. Accordingly, learning needs, learning preferences, learning motivation and conditions in the context of lifelong learning were identified. The results indicate that technology, IT and

Towards a Conceptual Framework of Sustainable Business Model Innovation in the Agri-Food Sector: A Systematic Literature Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henrik Barth

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to increase our understanding of sustainable business model innovation in the agri-food sector in terms of its theoretical and practical approaches for sustainability and their degree of complexity and maturity. The paper is based on a systematic literature review of 570 journal articles on business models and business model innovation published between 1990 and 2014. Of these articles, only 21 have business model innovation as their main focus. The review shows that research interest in the agri-food sector has increased in these years. The paper proposes a conceptual framework for sustainable business model innovation in the agri-food sector that can be used to meet the challenges encountered in taking a sustainability perspective.

Identifying the ICT challenges of the Agri-Food sector to define the Architectural Requirements for a Future Internet Core Platform

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brewster, C.A.; Wolfert, J.; Sundmaeker, H.

2012-01-01

This paper discusses the specific challenges of the agri-food sector in the light of research carried out in the SmartAgriFood project. Using questionnaires and focus groups, our research identifies a number of business needs and drivers which enable the identification of suitable Future Internet

Localized Agri-Food Systems and Biodiversity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bolette Bele

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Interest in localized agri-food systems has grown significantly in recent years. They are associated with several benefits and are seen as important for rural development. An important share of the academic debate addresses the contribution of localized food systems to the current and/or future sustainability of agriculture. Sustainability is defined in several ways, but many scholars recognize that sustainability can only be achieved by a combination of socio-economic, cultural, and environmental aspects. However, the attributes and indicators used for sustainability analyses also differ. Biodiversity is, for instance, often not included in analyses of environmental sustainability even if biodiversity is of crucial importance for longer-term ecological sustainability. To contribute to the debate about the importance of localized food production for sustainability from the environmental point of view, specifically with regard to biodiversity, this is therefore discussed based on the results of several studies presented in this paper. The studies focus on Nordic low-intensity livestock systems related to species-rich semi-natural grasslands. All the studies show that low-intensive agriculture and use of semi-natural grasslands may play an important role in maintaining biodiversity on both small and large scales. They also show that milk and dairy products from free-ranging livestock in heterogeneous landscapes with semi-natural grasslands may have a unique quality associated with local grazing resources. Thus, producers can combine production of food of documented high nutritional and gastronomic value with maintenance of biodiversity, i.e., localized agri-food production based on low-intensive agriculture systems and semi-natural grasslands may be a win-win recipe for both farmers and the society.

Nanotechnologies associated to floral resources in agri-food sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad S Ammar

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Nanotechnology advent in agri-food sector is set to prompt next revolution in agricultural engineering. However, there is a perpetually rising need for development of new nanotechnologies that could synchronically work with various agrochemicals such as fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and growth promoters to potentially increase farmlands efficiency, preserve agro-ecosystems, and diminish the negative health risks imposed by conventional practices. In nanotechnology, smart delivery systems that utilize either nanoscale carriers such as clay nanotubes and carbon nanotubes or nanoparticles such as mesoporous silica nanoparticles and silver nanoparticles, could enable not only the accurate and targeted delivery of functional ingredients but also their impartial dissemination over farmlands. Nanotechnology has found applications for bioremediation of irrigation water and agricultural runoff, crop breeding, agronomic traits via genetic manipulation of genomes at molecular level, and detection of minute quantities of contaminants and stressors as well as early detection of plant diseases and continuous monitoring of plant environment through employment of nano-biosensors. Scientists are diligently working to explore new substitutes for conventional technologies. Advancements in nanotechnology could help them to explore new frontiers and find novel applications in agri-food sector.

A Conceptual Framework for Agri-Food Tourism as an Eco-Innovation Strategy in Small Farms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shang-Yu Liu

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The proposed conceptual framework explores how small-scale farms can combine agricultural products and tourism into an eco-innovation strategy. This paper presents a case study conducted on a family-run farm within the territory of the Paiwan tribal community of the North Dawu Mountain situated in the Central Mountain Range of Taiwan. The area has become an important coffee-farming region since the Japanese colonial period between 1895 and 1945. For many years, most of the indigenous farmers of the area have cultivated varieties of coffee plants using traditional, non-commercial methods, such as a single-sale channel. The small-scale farmer implements an integrated approach that systematically optimizes supply chain relationships to improve both the upstream and downstream sides of agri-food tourism services. The upstream element of agri-food tourism, for example, can be adjusted to employ organic or “natural” farming methods that allow small-scale farmers to secure an “organic” certification. Based on this approach, a small farm is gradually transformed into a type of educational institution that can demonstrate to customers the methods for farming high-quality organic coffee while also attracting tourists of various backgrounds to experience the downstream components of agri-food tourism in a recreational setting. This case study highlights how a particular small-scale farmer plays an important role in attracting other tribal farmers to engage in sustainable practices that help preserve cultural, social, and environmental systems while also presenting agri-food tourism as a brand identity.

Some remarks on computational approaches towards sustainable complex agri-food systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Perrot, N.; Vries, de Hugo; Lutton, Evelyne; Mil, van H.G.J.; Donner, Mechthild; Tonda, Alberto; Martin, Sophie; Alvarez, Isabel; Bourgine, Paul; Linden, van der E.; Axelos, M.A.V.

2016-01-01

Background: Agri-food is one of the most important sectors of the industry in Europe and potentially a major contributor to the global warming. Sustainability issues in this context pose a huge challenge for several reasons: the variety of considered scales, the number of disciplines involved, the

Work-Related Lifelong Learning for Entrepreneurs in the Agri-Food Sector

Science.gov (United States)

Lans, Thomas; Wesselink, Renate; Biemans, Harm J. A.; Mulder, Martin

2004-01-01

This article presents a study on work-related lifelong learning for entrepreneurs in the agri-food sector. Accordingly, learning needs, learning preferences, learning motivation and conditions in the context of lifelong learning were identified. The results indicate that technology, IT and entrepreneurial competencies will become of increasing…

Biohydrogen production from renewable agri-waste blend: Optimization using mixer design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prakasham, R.S.; Sathish, T.; Brahmaiah, P.; Subba Rao, Ch. [Bioengineering and Environmental Center, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500 607 (India); Sreenivas Rao, R.; Hobbs, Phil J. [North-Wyke Research, Okehampton, Devon EX20 2SB (United Kingdom)

2009-08-15

Biohydrogen from untreated mixed renewable agri-waste using buffalo dung compost is reported. Corn husk (CH) supported 25% higher hydrogen (H{sub 2}) production and showed the maximum value (62.38%) with p value (1.2 x 10{sup -6}) revealing its significance at individual and interactive level, respectively, compared to ground nut shell (GNS) and rice husk (RH). Augmented-simplex-lattice design experimentation revealed that a partial supplementation of RH or GNS to CH improves H{sub 2} yield. Multiple-linear-regression analysis indicated that a quadratic model (low p = 0.0023, high F value = 35.99 and R{sup 2}{sub quadratic} = 0.99) was more significant compared to other (linear, cubic and special cubic) models. Acetate and butyrate were accounted >80% of the volatile fatty acids (VFAs). A maximum accumulation of 65.78 ml H{sub 2} g{sup -1} TVS was produced using agri-wastes in the ratio of CH:RH:GNS = 70:16:12. (author)

Agri-envrionmental indicators: recommendations for priority data collection and dat combination

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Velthof, G.L.

2011-01-01

This document is the result of the "DireDate project"'s tasks 4 and 5. The DireDate project focused on analysing the direct and indirect data needs linked to the farms, with the objective of setting up an efficient and sustainable data collection for agri-environmental indicators and policy

Agri-Environmental Schemes and Grassland Biodiversity: Another Side of the Coin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Münch, Angela

2010-01-01

In this paper, the Agri-Environmental Schemes (AES) of the European Union are evaluated on the basis of county-level data for the German Federal States Thuringia and Bavaria. The purpose is to disentangle the effects of AES on farming practice from their effects on biodiversity. One of the major ...

Understanding the complexities of private standards in global agri-food chains as they impact developing countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Henson, Spencer; Humphrey, John

2010-01-01

The increasing prevalence of private standards governing food safety, food quality and environmental and social impacts of agri-food systems has raised concerns about the effects on developing countries, as well as the governance of agri-food value chains more broadly. It is argued that current debates have been 'clouded' by a failure to recognise the diversity of private standards in terms of their institutional form, who develops and adopts these standards and why. In particular, there is a need to appreciate the close inter-relationships between public regulations and private standards and the continuing ways in which private standards evolve.

Assessing long-term sustainable environmental impacts of agri-environment schemes on land use

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vesterager, Jens Peter; Teilmann, Kasper Aalling; Vejre, Henrik

2012-01-01

, and indicators of the environmental state at farm level. In a Danish test case, agricultural practices at twenty-five farms in two groundwater protection zones were assessed. Data was collected from databases, registers, maps and interviews with farmers. The index was calculated for 1996/7 and 2006/7 to track......The lack of generic methods to assess the environmental consequences of agricultural practices and the lack of consensus on monitoring and evaluation of environmental, agricultural and socio-economic effects of agri-environment schemes (AES) in EU Member States call for better evaluation methods....... It is important to consider the robustness of each indicator: to assess whether changes will occur over time; whether changes are linked to management practices or external factors; and whether data are available up to date. Indicators dependent upon uptake data from agri-environmental schemes should be used...

An updated generic architecture describingcompliance in Agri-Food Supply Chains

OpenAIRE

Kruize, J.W.; Robbemond, R.M.; Verwaart, T.

2016-01-01

In this report a generic architecture is presented comprising an inventory of the most important actors, roles, processes and information that are relevant in the processes of standardisation, certification and compliance in Agri-Food Supply Chains. This architecture becomes part of an architectural framework. The architectural framework aims to reduce the paper -based administration by improving digitalisation of compliance processes and to enable a more efficient and effective data exchange...

Orchestrating innovation networks: The case of innovation brokers in the agri-food sector

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Batterink, M.H.; Wubben, E.F.M.; Klerkx, L.W.A.; Omta, S.W.F.

2010-01-01

This explorative study of network orchestration processes conducted by innovation brokers addresses new issues in bridging small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and research institutes in innovation networks. The study includes four in-depth case studies in the agri-food sector from different

Information and Communication Technology as a Driver for Change in Agri-food Chains

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Poppe, Krijn J.; Wolfert, J.; Verdouw, Cor; Verwaart, Tim

2013-01-01

Agri-food chains will be changed in the coming years by Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Technological trends and economic analysis suggest that ICT will be a major driver for innovation. Satellites and sensors make precision agriculture possible. More and more data are being

Exploring the benefit of farming slideshow to agri-business marketing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peng Yung-Hsing

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In Taiwan agriculture, most of the production management is done by paperwork. This kind of approach is labor-costing, and unable to give real-time information, which makes it difficult to disclose sufficient information from production, and therefore results in the problem of food safety. To break the bottleneck, the Institute for Information Industry (III develops the Smart Agri-management Platform (S.A.M.P., providing cloud services for agricultural production and sale management. In this paper, we adopt the S.A.M.P. to collect farming records containing images, date, field location, and task name. Traditionally, farming records are used to generate a table of texts for traceability. However, it is difficult to arouse the interest from customers by merely using texts. Therefore, this paper proposes the mechanism of farming slideshow, a new presentation of traceability by dynamic arrangement to farming records on S.A.M.P. The experiment is performed in the Yongling organic farm in Kaohsiung, generating over 30,000 vegetable packages supporting farming slideshow. According to 42 valid questionnaires from customers, 83% of them express higher willing to buy products with farming slideshow than those with only texts. Therefore, food traceability with slideshow can offer benefit to agri-business marketing, which is a positive reference for future agriculture.

An outline of compilation and processing of metadata in agricultural database management system WebAgris

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomaž Bartol

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The paper tackles international information system for agriculture Agris and local processing of metadata with database management software WebAgris. Operations are coordinated by the central repository at the FAO in Rome. Based on international standards and unified methodology, national and regional centers collect and process local publications, and then send the records to the central unit, which enables global website accessibility of the data. Earlier DOS-run application was based on package Agrin CDS/ISIS. The Current package WebAgris runs on web servers. Database construction tools and instructions are accessible on FAO Web pages. Data are entered through unified input masks. International consistency is achieved through authority control of certain elements, such as author or corporate affiliation. Central authority control is made available for subject headings, such as descriptors and subject categories.Subject indexing is based on controlled multilingual thesaurus Agrovoc, also available freely on the Internet. This glossary has become an important tool in the area of the international agricultural ontology. The data are exported to the central unit in XML format. Global database is currently eccessible to everyone. This international cooperative information network combines elements of a document repository,electronic publishing, open archiving and full text open access. Links with Google Scholar provide a good possibility for international promotion of publishing.

Sustainability Experiments in the Agri-Food System: Uncovering the Factors of New Governance and Collaboration Success

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marianne Hubeau

2017-06-01

Full Text Available In recent years, research, society and industry recognize the need to transform the agri-food system towards sustainability. Within this process, sustainability experiments play a crucial role in transforming the structure, culture and practices. In literature, much attention is given to new business models, even if the transformation of conventional firms toward sustainability may offer opportunities to accelerate the transformation. Further acceleration could be achieved through collaboration of multiple actors across the agri-food system, but this calls for a systems approach. Therefore, we developed and applied a new sustainability experiment systems approach (SESA consisting of an analytical framework that allows a reflective evaluation and cross-case analysis of multi-actor governance networks based on business and learning evaluation criteria. We performed a cross-case analysis of four agri-food sustainability experiments in Flanders to test and validate SESA. Hereby, the key factors of the success of collaboration and its performance were identified at the beginning of a sustainability experiment. Some of the key factors identified were risk sharing and the drivers to participate. We are convinced that these results may be used as an analytical tool for researchers, a tool to support and design new initiatives for policymakers, and a reflective tool for participating actors.

Regulatory aspects of nanotechnology in the agri/feed/food sector in EU and non-EU countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Amenta, Valeria; Aschberger, Karin; Arena, Maria; Bouwmeester, Hans; Botelho Moniz, Filipa; Brandhoff, Puck; Gottardo, Stefania; Marvin, Hans J P; Mech, Agnieszka; Quiros Pesudo, Laia; Rauscher, Hubert; Schoonjans, Reinhilde; Vettori, Maria Vittoria; Weigel, Stefan; Peters, Ruud J

2015-10-01

Nanotechnology has the potential to innovate the agricultural, feed and food sectors (hereinafter referred to as agri/feed/food). Applications that are marketed already include nano-encapsulated agrochemicals or nutrients, antimicrobial nanoparticles and active and intelligent food packaging. Many nano-enabled products are currently under research and development, and may enter the market in the near future. As for any other regulated product, applicants applying for market approval have to demonstrate the safe use of such new products without posing undue safety risks to the consumer and the environment. Several countries all over the world have been active in examining the appropriateness of their regulatory frameworks for dealing with nanotechnologies. As a consequence of this, different approaches have been taken in regulating nano-based products in agri/feed/food. The EU, along with Switzerland, were identified to be the only world region where nano-specific provisions have been incorporated in existing legislation, while in other regions nanomaterials are regulated more implicitly by mainly building on guidance for industry. This paper presents an overview and discusses the state of the art of different regulatory measures for nanomaterials in agri/feed/food, including legislation and guidance for safety assessment in EU and non-EU countries. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Agri-Environmental Resource Management by Large-Scale Collective Action: Determining KEY Success Factors

Science.gov (United States)

Uetake, Tetsuya

2015-01-01

Purpose: Large-scale collective action is necessary when managing agricultural natural resources such as biodiversity and water quality. This paper determines the key factors to the success of such action. Design/Methodology/Approach: This paper analyses four large-scale collective actions used to manage agri-environmental resources in Canada and…

Do stakeholder groups influence environmental management system development in the Dutch agri-food sector?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bremmers, H.J.; Omta, S.W.F.; Kemp, R.G.M.; Haverkamp, D.J.

2007-01-01

This paper presents the results of a survey that included 492 companies in the Dutch agri-food sector with respect to the influence of stakeholder groups on the companies' level of environmental management system (EMS) implementation. It is concluded that primary stakeholders (government, clients)

The role of network bridging organisations in compensation payments for agri-environmental services under the EU Common Agricultural Policy.

Science.gov (United States)

Dedeurwaerdere, Tom; Polard, Audrey; Melindi-Ghidi, Paolo

2015-11-01

Compensation payments to farmers for the provision of agri-environmental services are a well-established policy scheme under the EU Common Agricultural Policy. However, in spite of the success in most EU countries in the uptake of the programme by farmers, the impact of the scheme on the long term commitment of farmers to change their practices remains poorly documented. To explore this issue, this paper presents the results of structured field interviews and a quantitative survey in the Walloon Region of Belgium. The main finding of this study is that farmers who have periodic contacts with network bridging organisations that foster cooperation and social learning in the agri-environmental landscapes show a higher commitment to change. This effect is observed both for farmers with high and low concern for biodiversity depletion. Support for network bridging organisations is foreseen under the EU Leader programme and the EU regulation 1306/2013, which could open-up interesting opportunities for enhancing the effectiveness of the current payment scheme for agri-environmental services.

Seeing GMOs from a Systems Perspective: The Need for Comparative Cartographies of Agri/Cultures for Sustainability Assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amaranta Herrero

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Over the past twenty years, agricultural biotechnologies have generated chronically unresolved political controversies. The standard tool of risk assessment has proven to be highly limited in its ability to address the panoply of concerns that exist about these hybrid techno/organisms. It has also failed to account for both the conceptual and material networks of relations agricultural biotechnologies require, create and/or perform. This paper takes as a starting point that agricultural biotechnologies cannot be usefully assessed as isolated technological entities but need to be evaluated within the context of the broader socio-ecological system that they embody and engender. The paper then explores, compares and contrasts some of the methodological tools available for advancing this systems-based perspective. The article concludes by outlining a new synthesis approach of comparative cartographies of agri/cultures generated through multi-sited ethnographic case-studies, which is proposed as a way to generate system maps and enable the comparison of genetically modified (GM food with both conventional and alternative agri-food networks for sustainability assessment. The paper aims to make a unique theoretical and methodological contribution by advancing a systems-based approach to conceptualising and assessing genetically modified organisms (GMOs and proposing a synthesised methodology for mapping networks of relations across different agri/cultures.

Are In-House and Outsourcing Innovation Strategies Correlated? Evidence from the European Agri-Food Sector

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Materia, Valentina C.; Pascucci, Stefano; Dries, Liesbeth

2017-01-01

We analyse European agri-food firms’ choices about innovation in-house or through outsourcing and provide empirical evidence about the correlation between these strategies. The relationship between the innovation strategy and firm-, industry- and innovation-specific characteristics is analysed

Are in-house and outsourcing innovation strategies interlinked? Evidence from the European agri-food sector

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Materia, V.C.; Pascucci, S.; Dries, L.K.E.

2014-01-01

The paper investigates the determinants of innovation strategies in the agri-food sector and
the potential complementarity of these strategies. Innovation strategies are distinguished as
in-house and outsourcing. The choice between strategies is motivated by transaction

The Agri-Territorial Energy System: Energy from Biomass as a Tool in Local Development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tritz, Yvan

2012-01-01

Biomass is a high-potential energy source whose development has been one of the primary objectives of the debate over the environment in France. Among the projects emerging today, we highlight two types of logics: large-scale projects such as electrical power or biofuel production plants, and smaller, local initiatives launched in rural areas. This paper lays down and illustrates the bases for the Agri-Territorial Energy System (ATES). This was inspired by Local Productive Systems and Localized Agri-food Systems, and the concept was set up on the basis of analyses of local projects involving biomass energy production. The ATES option offers strong local rooting and an organizational innovation process linking multi-stake holders. The concept is illustrated by two case studies: the Miscanthus project in Ammerzwiller (Alsace), and the Bois Bocage energy project in Orne (Basse-Normandie). These examples bring up an important point, namely the multifunctional dimension of the ATES concept

Biogas production from animal manure and agri-organic by-products. An analysis of the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Boo, W.

1997-12-01

Growing interest in sustainable energy has been directed to the production of biogas from organic matter in animal manure and agri-organic by-products. The technology of biogas production by anaerobic digestion of organic materials is used in several parts of the world. Based on this experience and on positive results in a Novem study for the Netherlands situation in 1995, an actor survey has been carried out. The introduction of combined digestion of animal manure and agri-organic by-products has been discussed with companies, business associations and governmental organisations in the energy, agricultural and waste sectors. The survey has revealed that commercial exploitation of biogas plants with a capacity of 100 kton per year is possible under the following conditions: (1) costs of investment should not be higher than 100 Dutch Guilders (45 ECU) per ton processing capacity; (2) yield demands on investment capital, both equity and debt, should not be higher than 8%; (3) selling price for biogas should be around 0,30 Dutch Guilders (0,135 ECU) per m o 3 natural gas equivalents; (4) supply for processing of agri-organic by-products with a received minimum fee of 35 Dutch Guilders (15,7 ECU) per ton should be guaranteed; (5) dairy, pig and arable farmers involved in the biogas plant should have both financial and quality incentives to participation; (6) environmental legislation on the level of heavy metals in animal manure mixed with agri-organic byproducts should not be different from the accepted levels in 'normal' animal manure; and finally (7) the site of the biogas plant accepted by local authorities should be suitable by logistic standards for the transports of animal manure, agri-organic by-products, the digested mixture and biogas. It has been concluded that these conditions are not unrealistic, although there is no absolute certainty that they will be fulfilled. However, circumstances for the implementation of biogas plants have improved in recent years

Conservation Agriculture and its contribution to the achievement of agri-environmental and economic challenges in Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emilio J. González-Sánchez

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Conservation Agriculture is an ecosystem approach to farming capable of providing solutions for numerous of the agri-environmental concerns in Europe. Certainly, most of the challenges addressed in the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP could be tackled through Conservation Agriculture (CA. Not only the agri-environmental ones, but also those concerning farmer and rural communities’ prosperity. The optimisation of inputs and similar yields than conventional tillage, make Conservation Agriculture a profitable system compared to the tillage based agriculture. Whereas this sustainable agricultural system was conceived for protecting agrarian soils from its degradation, the numerous collateral benefits that emanate from soil conservation, i.e., climate change mitigation and adaptation, have raised Conservation Agriculture as one of the global emerging agrosciences, being adopted by an increasing number of farmers worldwide, including Europe.

Blurring the Boundaries between Vocational Education, Business and Research in the Agri-Food Domain

Science.gov (United States)

Wals, Arjen E. J.; Lans, Thomas; Kupper, Hendrik

2012-01-01

This article discusses the emergence and significance of new knowledge configurations within the Dutch agri-food context. Knowledge configurations can be characterised as arrangements between VET and (often regional) partners in business and research aimed at improving knowledge transfer, circulation or co-creation. Based on a literature review…

Farm data needed for Agri-environmental reporting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oenema, O.; Amon, B.; van Beek, C.

from the annual surveys of the annual Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) and sales data of market organization. Evidently, this proposal has the lowest farm data collection burden, but may face some loss of accuracy. Finally, the 28 AEIs capture the main agri-environmental interactions...... that will serve primarily European and national statisticians for creating the agreed 28 agrienvironmental indicators (AEIs) and thus serve policy makers, but as well agricultural and environmental researchers, observers of climate change and other environmental issues linked to agriculture”. The analysis of EU......): 1. Proceed as indicated in Regulation 1166/2008 with FSS in 2010, 2013 and 2016, and SAPM in 2010/2011. Include data from existing and additional survey(s) related to fertilizers, pesticides, energy, animal feeding and manure management in intermediate years, preferably at farm level. From 2016...

Nitrogen balances at farm level as a tool to monitor effects of agri-environment policy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brouwer, F.M.

1998-01-01

Nitrogen balances at farm level are an important tool for monitoring the effects of agri-environmental policy in the European Union. Nitrogen surpluses, defined as the difference between input and output flows, are a pressure indicator to link agricultural activities with environmental quality

THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AGRI-FOOD SPHERE

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V. Samofatova

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The article highlights the historical preconditions and principles of sustainable development of theagri-food sphere. The analysis of the evolution of the categorical content of sustainable development iscarried out. It has been noted that the main ideology of sustainable development is the integration andharmonization of the ecological, economic and social spheres of society. It is shown that the concept ofsustainable development has an interdisciplinary character, so it should be considered in many aspects andstudied from different angles. The basic advantages of sustainable development for the agri-food sphere areoutlined.

Regulatory aspects of nanotechnology in the agri/feed/food sector in EU and non-EU countries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Amenta, V.; Aschberger, K.; Arena, M.; Bouwmeester, H.; Botelho Moniz, F.; Brandhoff, P.; Gottardo, S.; Marvin, H.J.P.; Mech, A.; Quiros Pesudo, L.; Rauscher, H.; Schoonjans, R.; Vettori, M.V.; Weigel, S.; Peters, R.J.B.

2015-01-01

Nanotechnology has the potential to innovate the agricultural, feed and food sectors (hereinafter referred to as agri/feed/food). Applications that are marketed already include nano-encapsulated agrochemicals or nutrients, antimicrobial nanoparticles and active and intelligent food packaging. Many

Characterisation of Agri-Landscape Systems at a Regional Level: A Case Study in Northern Tuscany

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Mariassunta Galli

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Preserving our landscape in sustainable development processes is now widely considered as fundamental. It is a complex and evolving issue that can be tackled from several perspectives. Agronomy can contribute to analyzing the relationships between agricultural production systems (cropping, farming and agricultural systems at different levels (field, farm, and region and the agricultural landscape (in terms of patches, matrixes, dynamics, etc. This is of particular interest where the relationships between “what and how” are produced by agricultural activities and the landscape are changing. In this case their own reciprocity may represent an opportunity to analyze complex systems, such as the characterization of agri-landscapes at a regional level. We propose a case study developed as an up-scaling analytical process from a farm to a regional level. The result was the identification of six main agri-landscape systems highlighting the landscape drivers that are changing the traditional landscape of a rural region in Northern Tuscany (Lunigiana.

Technological Implications of Supply Chain Practices in Agri-Food Sector: A Review

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Rahul Mor

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Today, the global business environment compels enterprises to consider rest of the world in their competitive strategy analysis where firms ignore external factors such as economic trends, competitive positions or technology advancement in other countries. While going truly global with supply chain management, a company develops product in the United States, produce in India and trade in Europe, and they have changed the traditional operation management & logistical activities. This change in trade and the modernization of transport infrastructures have elevated the importance of flow management to new levels. Manufacturers and researchers have noticed many problems concerning supply chain activities, and usually either a system or subcomponent in supply chains is discussed in the literature, but they fails to answer the rational (why, what, how behind them. This paper addresses a review of the principles, bottlenecks and strategies of supply chain practices for organizations with an emphasis on the implications of Indian agri-food sector. Findings of this review reveal that the human & environmental issues, improved product visibility, food safety/quality and the associated economic benefits in sustainable agri-food supply chains can be achieved through innovation, collaboration, elimination of uncertainties and introducing global SCM practices into green & lean initiatives.

Agri-spillways as soil erosion protection tools in conventional sloping vineyards (Montes de Málaga, Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigo-Comino, Jesús

2017-04-01

Rainfall causes soil erosion on Mediterranean sloping vineyards (>25˚ of slope inclination), however, little is known about information related to cheap, effective and suitable soil erosion protection measures. In the vineyards of the Montes de Málaga (southern Spain), a concrete land management practice against soil erosion is actually conducted by building tilled rills to down-slope direction to canalize water and sediments. We decided to call them agri-spillways. In this study, by carrying out runoff experiments, we assessed two agri-spillways (from 10 m to 15 m length) under extreme conditions. A motor driven pump mobilizes a constant water inflow about of 1.33 L s-1during between 12 and 15 minutes (≈1000 litres). Finally, we observed: i) a high capacity of these agri-spillways to canalize a large volume of water and sediments; and, ii) higher speed of water flow (from 0.16 m s-1to 0.28 m s-1) and sediment concentration (SC) rates with ratios up to 1538.6 g l-1). By comparing among them, the speed of water flow and the SC were much higher in one of tested rills, which was 5 meters length less and 7 degrees more of inclination. So, we concluded that these agri-spillways, after correctly planning and long term maintenance from contribution area to down-slope direction, can be function as a potential tool for designing suitable and cheap plans to protect the soil in Mediterranean sloping vineyards. Acknowledgements Firstly, we acknowledge the farmer's syndicate UPA (Unión de Pequeños Agricultores) and the wine-grower Pepe Gámez (Almáchar) for providing access to the study area. Secondly, we thank the students of the Bachelor course and Master from Trier University for their hard efforts in the field and laboratory works in the Almáchar campaign. Thirdly, we acknowledge the geomorphology and soil laboratory technicians María Pedraza and Rubén Rojas of GSoilLab (Málaga University) for the soil analysis. Finally, we also thank the Ministerio de Educaci

Structuring Tensions and Key Relations of Montreal Seasonal Food Markets in the Sustainability Transition of the Agri-Food Sector

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René Audet

2017-02-01

Full Text Available In cities across the world, local food networks aim to make food systems more sustainable and secure for all. As part of that effort, some of these networks also seek to introduce social innovation in the mode of selling food, namely as a way to initiate a broader transition of the sector. Based on two years of action research conducted together with promoters of Montreal’s seasonal markets, this article offers an account of the co-constructed narrative of a transition of the agri-food sector. On the one hand, transition theory anticipates that the transition to sustainability of the agri-food sector would depend on the protection and empowerment of innovative ‘niches’ that are facing the locked-in structure of the agri-food ‘sociotechnical regime’. Yet, on the other hand, the seasonal markets do not fit well in this portrait: they are shown to evolve at the intersection of the sociotechnical regime and innovative niches. For this reason, they are subject to regime rules and become difficult to protect as an entity. As such, seasonal markets face ‘structuring tensions’ that generate both practical dilemmas and innovative solutions in their modes of organization. These solutions, however, rely on webs of resources and supports that constitute ‘key relations’ for unlocking the agri-food regime rules. It is through managing these tensions and relations that the seasonal markets end up reconfiguring social and material relations and providing solutions for food security and a more sustainable food system. Therefore, we argue that the structuring tension and key relation concepts are useful for understanding the dynamics of social innovation in the transition to sustainability in food systems.

Modelling agri-environmental contracting of Dutch dairy farms: the role of manure policies and lock-in

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peerlings, J.H.M.; Polman, N.B.P.

2008-01-01

The paper examines the possibility of lock-in on the area contracted under an agri-environmental contract in Dutch dairy farming, using a mathematical programming model, and the interaction of these contracts with Dutch national manure policy. Stricter manure policies increase contract

The Seven Challenges for Transitioning into a Bio-based Circular Economy in the Agri-food Sector.

Science.gov (United States)

Borrello, Massimiliano; Lombardi, Alessia; Pascucci, Stefano; Cembalo, Luigi

2016-01-01

Closed-loop agri-food supply chains have a high potential to reduce environmental and economic costs resulting from food waste disposal. This paper illustrates an alternative to the traditional supply chain of bread based on the principles of a circular economy. Six circular interactions among seven actors (grain farmers, bread producers, retailers, compostable packaging manufacturers, insect breeders, livestock farmers, consumers) of the circular filière are created in order to achieve the goal of "zero waste". In the model, two radical technological innovations are considered: insects used as animal feed and polylactic acid compostable packaging. The main challenges for the implementation of the new supply chain are identified. Finally, some recent patents related to bread sustainable production, investigated in the current paper, are considered. Recommendations are given to academics and practitioners interested in the bio-based circular economy model approach for transforming agri-food supply chains.

Integrated cost-effectiveness analysis of agri-environmental measures for water quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Balana, Bedru B; Jackson-Blake, Leah; Martin-Ortega, Julia; Dunn, Sarah

2015-09-15

This paper presents an application of integrated methodological approach for identifying cost-effective combinations of agri-environmental measures to achieve water quality targets. The methodological approach involves linking hydro-chemical modelling with economic costs of mitigation measures. The utility of the approach was explored for the River Dee catchment in North East Scotland, examining the cost-effectiveness of mitigation measures for nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) pollutants. In-stream nitrate concentration was modelled using the STREAM-N and phosphorus using INCA-P model. Both models were first run for baseline conditions and then their effectiveness for changes in land management was simulated. Costs were based on farm income foregone, capital and operational expenditures. The costs and effects data were integrated using 'Risk Solver Platform' optimization in excel to produce the most cost-effective combination of measures by which target nutrient reductions could be attained at a minimum economic cost. The analysis identified different combination of measures as most cost-effective for the two pollutants. An important aspect of this paper is integration of model-based effectiveness estimates with economic cost of measures for cost-effectiveness analysis of land and water management options. The methodological approach developed is not limited to the two pollutants and the selected agri-environmental measures considered in the paper; the approach can be adapted to the cost-effectiveness analysis of any catchment-scale environmental management options. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Direct and indirect effects of the most widely implemented Dutch agri-environment schemes on breeding waders

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhulst, J.; Kleijn, D.; Berendse, F.

2007-01-01

1. In the Netherlands, agri-environment schemes are an important tool for halting the ongoing decline of meadow birds and, in particular, waders breeding on wet meadows. The effectiveness of the main scheme, postponed mowing, is heavily debated because it does not result in higher breeding

The seven challenges for transitioning into a bio-based circular economy in the agri-food sector

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Borrello, Massimiliano; Lombardi, Alessia; Pascucci, Stefano; Cembalo, Luigi

2016-01-01

Background: Closed-loop agri-food supply chains have a high potential to reduce environmental and economic costs resulting from food waste disposal. This paper illustrates an alternative to the traditional supply chain of bread based on the principles of a circular economy. Methods: Six circular

Etude Climat no. 39 'More than 800 agricultural and agri-food sites affected by the EU ETS'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foucherot, Claudine; Bellassen, Valentin

2013-01-01

Among the publications of CDC Climat Research, 'Climate Reports' offer in-depth analyses on a given subject. This issue addresses the following points: Agriculture accounts for 9% of Europe's anthropogenic emissions, counting only emissions of methane and nitrous oxide from cattle, crops and pasture. These emissions have two characteristics making their inclusion in the European Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS) difficult: they are diffuse and depend on a range of fairly complex pedo-climatic factors. Taking into consideration the whole of the agricultural sector, including upstream activities such as production of fertilizer, phyto-sanitary products, animal feed etc., as well as downstream emissions, dominated by the agri-food sector, and also emissions linked to energy consumption by farming installations, the sector's emissions contribution increases considerably. Within this expanded scope, some emissions sources are included in the EU ETS - mainly agri-food industries, but also producers of fertilizer, heated greenhouses and knackers' yards. Even if the proportion of the agricultural and agri-food sector's emissions covered by the emissions trading scheme is minimal, with just 1.5% of all emissions falling within the scope of the EU ETS, more than 800 industrial sites are covered, accounting for 8% of installations covered by the system. The agricultural and agri-food sector are among the net beneficiaries of the EU ETS in the first two phases (2005-2012), with a surplus of 33 million allowances over the period 2008-2011. This surplus, combined with gains from trading in allowances and credits, represents an estimated asset of 495 million euros. Although it has not been fully exploited on the market, this asset largely exceeds the cost of transactions associated with emissions monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) procedures and compliance work, which is estimated at 30 million euros over the same period. The emission trading scheme has therefore been

Efficacy and efficiency of Agri-environmental payments in impacts of crops' management

Science.gov (United States)

Blasi, Emanuele; Martella, Angelo; Passeri, Nicolo; Ghini, Paolo

2015-04-01

Since the 90s, in Europe the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) started to activate measures for improving the sustainability of European agriculture, these measures were systematized in 2000 with the tools of rural development, pursuing a synergistic environmental action trough the agri-environmental payments. Since their definition, those payments were designed to ensure the protection, maintenance and enhancement of natural resources (water, soil, forests), biodiversity (species and habitat), and landscape. In particular initiatives as set aside, afforestation, organic agriculture, integrated pest management, low input and precision agriculture have enriched the agricultural management practices. The aim of this work is to check the trend between agro-environmental subsidies and environmental performance (based on Ecological Indicators and CO2 evaluation) at country level in EU, in order to study the regulatory framework impact in addressing the European cropping system towards sustainability. In particular soils and their land use can storage CO2 as pool and so provide environmental services and, on the other hand the agricultural practices can stimulate the emission and the environmental footprint. Impacts (so called emissions/footprints and storage/environmental services) will be compared with the Agri-environmental Payments for calculating performances due to environmental management practices, supported by political initiatives. Such analysis sustains the European policy makers towards more suitable agricultural policies and in particular it can address national sustainability through agricultural practices.

Shifts in functional plant groups in ditch banks under agri-environment schemes and in nature reserves

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dijk, van W.F.A.; Schaffers, A.P.; Ruijven, van J.; Berendse, F.; Snoo, de G.R.

2013-01-01

Management of ditch banks of agricultural fields is considered to be a promising and multifunctional application of agri-environment schemes (AES) on farmland. Our previous research has shown that in the Netherlands, there is a small increase in the number of target plant species of AES in ditch

What drives firm profitability? A multilevel approach to the Spanish agri-food sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zouaghi, F.; Sánchez-García, M.; Hirsch, S.

2017-01-01

Strategic management research has demonstrated the importance of firm- and industry structure as drivers of firm profitability. However, less is known about how firms´ geographical locations affect profitability. Applying a multi-level approach of hierarchical linear modeling we estimated firm-, industry-, and region-specific effects on profitability of 3,273 agri-food firms operating in different Spanish districts over the time span 2006-2013. The results reveal the dominance of firm-specific effects which contribute up to 48.8% to variance in firm profitability while the contribution of industry effects (0.8-4.2%), geographical location (0.1-1.8%), and year effects (0.1-2.5%) is rather small. Moreover, firm size, risk, and innovative activity turn out as significant profit drivers at the firm level. Although firm-effects outweigh industry- and region-specific factors, the results indicate that industry concentration as well as regional education and unemployment influence profitability. In addition, proximity to technological institutes as well as the degree of urbanization of the region in which a firm operates can be drivers of profitability. Hence, despite the superiority of firm effects the results indicate that agri-food managers should also consider possible advantages from location-based resources in order to ensure competitiveness.

What drives firm profitability? A multilevel approach to the Spanish agri-food sector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zouaghi, F.; Sánchez-García, M.; Hirsch, S.

2017-07-01

Strategic management research has demonstrated the importance of firm- and industry structure as drivers of firm profitability. However, less is known about how firms´ geographical locations affect profitability. Applying a multi-level approach of hierarchical linear modeling we estimated firm-, industry-, and region-specific effects on profitability of 3,273 agri-food firms operating in different Spanish districts over the time span 2006-2013. The results reveal the dominance of firm-specific effects which contribute up to 48.8% to variance in firm profitability while the contribution of industry effects (0.8-4.2%), geographical location (0.1-1.8%), and year effects (0.1-2.5%) is rather small. Moreover, firm size, risk, and innovative activity turn out as significant profit drivers at the firm level. Although firm-effects outweigh industry- and region-specific factors, the results indicate that industry concentration as well as regional education and unemployment influence profitability. In addition, proximity to technological institutes as well as the degree of urbanization of the region in which a firm operates can be drivers of profitability. Hence, despite the superiority of firm effects the results indicate that agri-food managers should also consider possible advantages from location-based resources in order to ensure competitiveness.

The Swiss agri-environment scheme enhances pollinator diversity and plant reproductive succes in nearby intensively managed farmland

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Albrecht, M.; Duelli, P.; Müller, C.; Kleijn, D.; Schmid, B.

2007-01-01

1. Agri-environment schemes attempt to counteract the loss of biodiversity and associated ecosystem services such as pollination and natural pest control in agro-ecosystems. However, only a few studies have evaluated whether these attempts are successful. 2. We studied the effects of managing

Spatial analysis of agri-environmental policy uptake and expenditure in Scotland.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Anastasia L; Rounsevell, Mark D A; Wilson, Ronald M; Haggett, Claire

2014-01-15

Agri-environment is one of the most widely supported rural development policy measures in Scotland in terms of number of participants and expenditure. It comprises 69 management options and sub-options that are delivered primarily through the competitive 'Rural Priorities scheme'. Understanding the spatial determinants of uptake and expenditure would assist policy-makers in guiding future policy targeting efforts for the rural environment. This study is unique in examining the spatial dependency and determinants of Scotland's agri-environmental measures and categorised options uptake and payments at the parish level. Spatial econometrics is applied to test the influence of 40 explanatory variables on farming characteristics, land capability, designated sites, accessibility and population. Results identified spatial dependency for each of the dependent variables, which supported the use of spatially-explicit models. The goodness of fit of the spatial models was better than for the aspatial regression models. There was also notable improvement in the models for participation compared with the models for expenditure. Furthermore a range of expected explanatory variables were found to be significant and varied according to the dependent variable used. The majority of models for both payment and uptake showed a significant positive relationship with SSSI (Sites of Special Scientific Interest), which are designated sites prioritised in Scottish policy. These results indicate that environmental targeting efforts by the government for AEP uptake in designated sites can be effective. However habitats outside of SSSI, termed here the 'wider countryside' may not be sufficiently competitive to receive funding in the current policy system. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of Industry-Wide IS Integration Model in the Agri-Industry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hedman, Jonas; Henningsson, Stefan

2013-01-01

his paper presents a model explaining industrywide information systems (IS) integration in the agri-industry.Using a theoretical frame of value confi guration analysis and IS integration extent we study 15 organizations. We find that product sensitivity, continuous production, value chain captains...... sensitivity and continuous production process led to higher levels of integration......., and value creation logic explain the industry-wide IS integration. Incompatible value creation logic among stakeholders and the lack of presence of “value chain captains” – powerful actors dominating the entire industry - has and negative impact on industry-wide integration. On the other hand, product...

A proposal for the geographic delineation of boundaries of the "Val d'Agri-Lagonegrese" National Park

OpenAIRE

Pierangeli D; Donnoli A

2007-01-01

In this work, different proposal are reviewed that have been moved for geographical delineation and boundaries definition of the National Park "Val d'Agri and Lagonegrese" in Basilicata (Italy) and a working methodology is proposed for a better definition of the park boundaries, taking into consideration oil extraction activities carried out in the area.

A methodology for the sustainability assessment of agri-food systems: an application to the Slow Food Presidia project.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristiana Peano

2014-12-01

Full Text Available New and alternative models for agri-food production and consumption have brought up questions regarding the effects they have on local development processes in terms of the economic exploitation of rural areas as well as environmental, cultural, and social factors. The agri-food system proposed by the Slow Food (SF Presidia Project, which focuses on farm-to-market systems for local, high-quality, sustainable products, can respond to the new and emerging needs of both rural and urban populaces via several approaches in addition to food production itself. However, evaluating these parameters is challenging. The aim of this study was to develop an indicator-based tool to monitor the sustainability in agri-food systems that considers quality as well as economic, ecological, social, and cultural aspects. We: (i translated the major SF principles of "good," "clean," and "fair" into five major criteria to evaluate sustainability; (ii designed multiple indicators to monitor progress toward sustainability for each of those criteria; and (iii applied the monitoring tools to three case studies as a first attempt at end-use validation. Indicators and criteria were weighted either equally or based on their importance to surveyed stakeholders, i.e., consumers, producers, and scientists/experts. The proposed approach performed well as a tool for a broad sustainability evaluation by effectively combining the indicators with the same feedback. With this approach, we demonstrated that the SF Presidia project increases all dimensions of sustainability and in particular socioeconomic and cultural capital by preserving the environmental and quality aspects of the food products.

The Symbiotic Food System: An ‘Alternative’ Agri-Food System Already Working at Scale

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Marc C. A. Wegerif

2016-08-01

Full Text Available This article is an analysis of the agri-food system that feeds most of the over four million residents of the fast growing city of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. It is based on qualitative research that has traced the sources of some important foods from urban eaters back through retailers, processors and transporters to the primary producers. Particular attention is given to the functioning of the market places and how new actors enter into the food system. These reveal that more important to the system than competition are various forms of collaboration. Of particular interest is how a wide range of small-scale and interdependent actors produce the food and get it to urban eaters at a city feeding scale without large vertically- or horizontally-integrated corporate structures. This “symbiotic food system” is an existing alternative to the corporate-dominated agri-business food system; it can and does deliver at scale and in a way that better responds to the needs of people in poverty who are buying food and the interests of food producers. It is not perfect in Dar es Salaam, but the food system is working and is a model that should be built on.

A proposal for the geographic delineation of boundaries of the "Val d'Agri-Lagonegrese" National Park

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pierangeli D

2007-01-01

Full Text Available In this work, different proposal are reviewed that have been moved for geographical delineation and boundaries definition of the National Park "Val d'Agri and Lagonegrese" in Basilicata (Italy and a working methodology is proposed for a better definition of the park boundaries, taking into consideration oil extraction activities carried out in the area.

Chain-wide consequences of transaction risks and their contractual solutions : managing interdependencies in differentiated agri-food supply chains

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wever, M.

2012-01-01

Agri-food supply chains are characterized by strong interdependencies between the different stages. These interdependencies may lead to risk-spillovers, as when a downstream company is exposed to risks resulting from activities further upstream in the supply chain. For example, a change in the

Responsible tourism: A guide for tourism and sustainability in small-scale fisheries and agri-food

OpenAIRE

Ford, Adriana; Acott, Timothy

2015-01-01

‘Responsible Tourism: a guide for tourism and sustainability in small-scale fisheries and agri-food’ is a product of TourFish, a project funded by the EU INTERREG IVA 2 Seas programme. The aim of TourFish was to explore opportunities for coastal areas through developing responsible tourism that draws together food, small-scale inshore fisheries, regional branding and place-based marketing opportunities.

Hyperspectral imaging for diagnosis and quality control in agri-food and industrial sectors

Science.gov (United States)

García-Allende, P. Beatriz; Conde, Olga M.; Mirapeix, Jesus; Cobo, Adolfo; Lopez-Higuera, Jose M.

2010-04-01

Optical spectroscopy has been utilized in various fields of science, industry and medicine, since each substance is discernible from all others by its spectral properties. However, optical spectroscopy traditionally generates information on the bulk properties of the whole sample, and mainly in the agri-food industry some product properties result from the heterogeneity in its composition. This monitoring is considerably more challenging and can be successfully achieved by the so-called hyperspectral imaging technology, which allows the simultaneous determination of the optical spectrum and the spatial location of an object in a surface. In addition, it is a nonintrusive and non-contact technique which gives rise to a great potential for industrial applications and it does not require any particular preparation of the samples, which is a primary concern in food monitoring. This work illustrates an overview of approaches based on this technology to address different problems in agri-food and industrial sectors. The hyperspectral system was originally designed and tested for raw material on-line discrimination, which is a key factor in the input stages of many industrial sectors. The combination of the acquisition of the spectral information across transversal lines while materials are being transported on a conveyor belt, and appropriate image analyses have been successfully validated in the tobacco industry. Lastly, the use of imaging spectroscopy applied to online welding quality monitoring is discussed and compared with traditional spectroscopic approaches in this regard.

Changes in Polish foreign trade in agri-food products under accession to the European Union Zmainy w polskim handlu zagranicznym produktami rolno-spożywczymi w warunkach integracji z Unią Europejską

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karolina Pawlak

2007-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of the paper is to assess main trends and changes in commodity structure of Polish agri-food trade in 2003-2006. Joining in the Common Market and adopting the Common Trade Policy rules caused the significant growth of Polish agri-food trade values and improvement in the positive trade balance. Taking into account loss or reduction of some cost advantages, as well as liberalization of world agricultural trade, next years can be much more difficult for Polish exporters. The highest export potential applies to trade in animal origin products. Considering commodity structure of Polish agri-food trade, it should be said that processed products dominate both in export and in import.

Scenarios for future agriculture in Finland: a Delphi study among agri-food sector stakeholders

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P. RIKKONEN

2008-12-01

Full Text Available This article presents alternative scenarios for future agriculture in Finland up to 2025. These scenarios are the results of a large Delphi study carried out among Finnish agri-food sector stakeholders. The Delphi panel members gave their future view on desirable and probable futures. From these two dimensions, three scenarios were elaborated through the future images – the subjective future path and the importance analysis. The scenarios represent a technology optimistic “day-dream agriculture”, a probable future as “industrialised agriculture” and an undesirable future path as “drifting agriculture”. Two mini-scenarios are also presented. They are based on a discontinuity event as an unexpected impact of climate change and an analogy event as an ecological breakdown due to the expansive animal disease epidemics. In both mini-scenarios, the directions of storylines are dramatically changed. The scenarios support strategic planning introducing not only one forecast but alternative outcomes as a basis for future strategy and decisions. In this study the scenarios were constructed to address the opportunities as a desired vision and also the threats as to an undesirable future in the agricultural sector. These results bring to the table a Finnish agri-food expert community view of the future directions of relevant key issues in the agricultural policy agenda.;

The role of trust in the transition from traditional to electronic B2B relationships in agri-food chains

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Canavari, M.; Fritz, M.; Hofstede, G.J.; Matopoulos, A.; Vlachopoulou, M.

2010-01-01

E-business adoption rates in the agri-food sector are rather low, despite the fact that technical barriers have been mostly overcome during the last years and a large number of sophisticated offers are available. However, concerns about trust seem to impede the development of electronic

Integrated Harvest and Distribution Scheduling with Time Windows of Perishable Agri-Products in One-Belt and One-Road Context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yiping Jiang

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The unique characteristics of perishable agri-products are a short lifespan and rapid quality deterioration. This establishes the need to significantly reduce the time from harvest to distribution. These features require reducing the processing time from harvest to distribution to being as short as possible. In this study, we focus on an integrated perishable agri-products scheduling problem that combines harvest and distribution simultaneously, with the purpose of reducing processing time and quality decay. We propose this problem as a mixed integer nonlinear programming model (MINLP to optimize the harvest time and the vehicle routing to consumers, and this MINIP is formulated as a vehicle routing problem with time windows (VRPTW. We introduce a big M method to transform the nonlinear model into a linear model, then apply CPLEX to solve the transformed model. Numerical experiments and sensitive analysis are conducted to verify the efficiency of the proposed model and to provide managerial insights.

MARKETING OF AGRI-BUSINESSES IN ICT ENVIRONMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Davorin Turkalj

2012-06-01

Full Text Available By means of quantitative and qualitative research the doctoral dissertation has attained methodical insights into competences and usage levels of new technologies for marketing purposes in agri-businesses in the Republic of Croatia. The results and observations provided in the thesis indicate that swift action is required in order to improve the current situation and prepare farmers for forthcoming changes. In biotechnical sciences there is a need for continuous updating, research and control of interdependent processes and complex relations, which in turn creates a need for a unified system of knowledge dissemination. In order to manage a set of information arising from such processes, it is necessary to have a system that will allow us to store and transfer the acquired knowledge in a safe and simple way in real time, ensuring completeness of information. In today’s world, the key role in this process is to be played by information and communication technologies (ICT encompassing the use of computers and communication technologies, as well as technologies for information management and transfer. Together with other ICT, the Internet is a resource that can bridge the gap between professionals of different expertise on one hand and people living in rural areas and farmers on the other, as it provides a platform for interaction and dialogue. Furthermore, ICT can foster new cooperation and networking through inter-sectoral contacts between government institutions, different support agencies and farmers. The efforts to implement ICT in the agricultural sector are held back by a range of limiting factors, such as: the necessity to reconstruct the sector itself, required investments in new communication systems and adjunct platforms, low levels of computer literacy among farmers, insufficient infrastructure, etc. Taking all this into account, it is obvious that the Internet and modern technologies can be drivers of positive change in agriculture

The development of integrated accounting in small and medium-sized companies in the agri-and foodsector of the Russian federation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Burykin, Y.; Klichova, G.; Bremmers, H.J.

2012-01-01

This paper focuses on the regulation of financial accounting in SMEs in the agri- and food sector in Russia. The paper presents the factors which influence the accounting system and the quality of the information it provides. The information and reports that are prepared according to international

Towards a New Cosmopolitanism: Global Reflexive Interactive Democracy as a New Mechanism for Civil Society Participation in Agri-food Governance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Duncan, J.A.B.; Bevilaqua, D.

2010-01-01

In an increasingly interconnected world, where the widespread travel of goods highlights our interconnectedness, who has the power to decide the global regulations that shape the production, processing and exchange of agri-food products? How are such decisions made and by whom? Who decides what is

A Qualitative Study of Agricultural Literacy in Urban Youth: What Do Elementary Students Understand about the Agri-Food System?

Science.gov (United States)

Hess, Alexander J.; Trexler, Cary J.

2011-01-01

Agricultural literacy of K-12 students is a national priority for both scientific and agricultural education professional organizations. Development of curricula to address this priority has not been informed by research on what K-12 students understand about the agri-food system. While students' knowledge of food and fiber system facts have been…

Czechoslovak participation in IAEA's experiment with direct access to INIS and AGRIS data bases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stanik, Z.

Since June, 1978 Czechoslovakia has been participating in the IAEA terminal network allowing direct access to INIS and AGRIS data bases. A display and a printer from Hungary and a modem of a home make were used for equipping the terminal station. The equipment has been fully proven in operation. The Building is prepared of a home terminal network connected to the IAEA computer for rapid and quality meeting the information needs of Czechoslovak users. The connection is also considered of the projected network to ESA/IRS data bases via IIASA. (Ha)

Improving yield and composition of protein concentrates from green tea residue in an agri-food supply chain: Effect of pre-treatment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhang, Chen; Krimpen, Van Marinus M.; Sanders, Johan P.M.; Bruins, Marieke E.

2016-01-01

Rather than improving crop-production yield, developing biorefinery technology for unused biomass from the agri-food supply chain may be the crucial factor to reach sustainable global food security. A successful example of food-driven biorefinery is the extraction of protein from green tea residues,

Mobilizing the regional eco-economy: evolving webs of agri-food and rural development in the UK

OpenAIRE

Terry Marsden

2010-01-01

The paper traces the emergence of the regional eco-economy with reference to a new conceptual model called the rural web. These webs are embedded into the fabric of regional systems of production and consumption and provide a key driver for both rural development generally and eco-economic development more specifically. Relocalized agri-food networks are playing a key integrating role in mobilizing the web and the regional eco-economy more generally. The web concept is used to (i) assess the ...

Nanotechnology and the millennium development goals: water, energy, and agri-food

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cozzens, Susan; Cortes, Rodrigo; Soumonni, Ogundiran; Woodson, Thomas

2013-01-01

The claim has often been made that nanotechnologies will contribute to the global development process. In 2005, a careful study identified specific areas where nanotechnologies could help developing countries achieve the millennium development goals. This article examines whether the research agenda of nanotechnology in the intervening period, as reflected in publications, has followed the directions identified at that time, in three key areas, water, energy, and agri-food. We find that the research community has taken up the broad directions indicated in the earlier study, although not so often the detailed applications of specific nanoscale techniques or phenomena. However, the impact on global development is unclear, both because the same applications can be useful in both developed and developing countries, and because the conditions in developing countries may not match the socio-technical requirements of the applications

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION: JOINT (NSF-EPA) VERIFICATION STATEMENT AND REPORT: BROME AGRI SALES, LTD., MAXIMIZER SEPARATOR, MODEL MAX 1016 - 03/01/WQPC-SWP

Science.gov (United States)

Verification testing of the Brome Agri Sales Ltd. Maximizer Separator, Model MAX 1016 (Maximizer) was conducted at the Lake Wheeler Road Field Laboratory Swine Educational Unit in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Maximizer is an inclined screen solids separator that can be used to s...

Experiences and attitudes towards evidence-informed policy-making among research and policy stakeholders in the Canadian agri-food public health sector.

Science.gov (United States)

Young, I; Gropp, K; Pintar, K; Waddell, L; Marshall, B; Thomas, K; McEwen, S A; Rajić, A

2014-12-01

Policy-makers working at the interface of agri-food and public health often deal with complex and cross-cutting issues that have broad health impacts and socio-economic implications. They have a responsibility to ensure that policy-making based on these issues is accountable and informed by the best available scientific evidence. We conducted a qualitative descriptive study of agri-food public health policy-makers and research and policy analysts in Ontario, Canada, to understand their perspectives on how the policy-making process is currently informed by scientific evidence and how to facilitate this process. Five focus groups of 3-7 participants and five-one-to-one interviews were held in 2012 with participants from federal and provincial government departments and industry organizations in the agri-food public health sector. We conducted a thematic analysis of the focus group and interview transcripts to identify overarching themes. Participants indicated that the following six key principles are necessary to enable and demonstrate evidence-informed policy-making (EIPM) in this sector: (i) establish and clarify the policy objectives and context; (ii) support policy-making with credible scientific evidence from different sources; (iii) integrate scientific evidence with other diverse policy inputs (e.g. economics, local applicability and stakeholder interests); (iv) ensure that scientific evidence is communicated by research and policy stakeholders in relevant and user-friendly formats; (V) create and foster interdisciplinary relationships and networks across research and policy communities; and (VI) enhance organizational capacity and individual skills for EIPM. Ongoing and planned efforts in these areas, a supportive culture, and additional education and training in both research and policy realms are important to facilitate evidence-informed policy-making in this sector. Future research should explore these findings further in other countries and contexts. �

Orientation of Agri-Food Companies to CSR And Consumer Perception: A Survey on Two Italian Companies.

Science.gov (United States)

Civero, Gennaro; Rusciano, Vincenzo; Scarpato, Debora

2018-05-07

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the most important tool for implementing Sustainability Guidelines for Business (US20030018487A1), delivering economic, social and environmental benefits for all the stakeholders and is currently the focus of international studies and debates (US7260559B1), especially in the agri-food sector as demonstrated by recent patents (CA2862273A1). In most agri-food businesses operating in Italy, there is little effectiveness in the communication strategies of this instrument to the stakeholders since they are often not advanced. Identifying the first two food companies in the European ranking of the 6th CSR Online Awards, through an empirical survey on consumers, their level of perception of the CSR strategies communication of this companies will be analyzed. In both case studies analyzed, there is the presence of a Sustainability Orientation and the evolution of CSR tools within such companies and their promotion and communication to all the stakeholders. Despite this, the level of perception of respondents on the CSR strategies communication of this companies and the promotion of CSR instruments is not optimal. The interviewed consumers has not enriched its knowledge on CSR due to the lack of an adequate communication strategy for both case studies. Consequently, to raise awareness on the subject, there is still a great deal of cooperation needed between public institutions, local communities, businesses and citizens. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Construction of a Bayesian Network for the Assessment of Agri-Environmental Measures – The Case Study of the Venice Lagoon Watershed

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Marta Carpani

2010-09-01

Full Text Available A methodological framework was designed to assess the effectiveness of agri-environmental policy measures adopted by the Veneto Region to reduce diffuse water pollution of agricultural origin. Two already existing methodologies were combined in a new flexible approach for policy assessment: Conceptual Modelling and Bayesian Networks (BNs. The former supported the development of a shared conceptual model (a cognitive map of the agro-ecosystem of the study area; while the latter allowed the development of a probabilistic model coherent with the cognitive map. BNs were selected because they allow analyses with scarce data; they can be updated when further information becomes available, and are easily understandable by layperson. The paper reports the results obtained in the Venice Lagoon Watershed (VLW case study, where the current agri-environmental measures were assessed in order to identify their effectiveness in terms of reduction of nitrogen releases in water bodies connected to the lagoon ecosystem. Preliminary results obtained by implementing expert opinions in the BN pointed out the likely limited effects of the measures on the declared objective of

Integrating different understandings of landscape stewardship into the design of agri-environmental schemes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Raymond, Christopher Mark; Reed, Mark; Bieling, Claudia

2016-01-01

While multiple studies have identified land managers’ preferences for agri-environmental schemes (AES), few approaches exist for integrating different understandings of landscape stewardship into the design of these measures. We compared and contrasted rural land managers’ attitudes toward AES...... to the reduced amount of funding available for entry-level and higher-level stewardship schemes in the UK since 2008, changing funding priorities, perceived overstrict compliance and lack of support for farm succession and new entrants into farming. However, there were differences in concerns across...... understandings of landscape stewardship, with production respondents citing that AES do not encourage food production, whereas environmental and holistic farmers citing that AES do not support the development of a local green food culture and associated social infrastructure. These differences also emerged...

Price transmission in the agri-food value chain - from a farmer perspective

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Henning Otte

2015-01-01

Price transmission in the agri-food value chain - when changes in one price cause another price downstream to change - is an important issue for farmers, markets and the economy as an efficient market price setting is crucial for all market players. However, there are numerous examples of price...... transmission in the agriculture value chain not working optimally, and there are several different forms of incompleteness and imperfection. There are a number of possible causes, but it is difficult to document on the basis of empirical data. The aim of this article is therefore to document the presence...... of imperfect price transmission, to determine some of the underlying causes and driving forces behind the phenomenon as well as highlight farmers’ interests, role and opportunities in connection with ensuring more effective price transmission. On the basis of an example of a grain-bread value chain...

Current use of impact models for agri-environment schemes and potential for improvements of policy design and assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Primdahl, Jørgen; Vesterager, Jens Peter; Finn, John A; Vlahos, George; Kristensen, Lone; Vejre, Henrik

2010-06-01

Agri-Environment Schemes (AES) to maintain or promote environmentally-friendly farming practices were implemented on about 25% of all agricultural land in the EU by 2002. This article analyses and discusses the actual and potential use of impact models in supporting the design, implementation and evaluation of AES. Impact models identify and establish the causal relationships between policy objectives and policy outcomes. We review and discuss the role of impact models at different stages in the AES policy process, and present results from a survey of impact models underlying 60 agri-environmental schemes in seven EU member states. We distinguished among three categories of impact models (quantitative, qualitative or common sense), depending on the degree of evidence in the formal scheme description, additional documents, or key person interviews. The categories of impact models used mainly depended on whether scheme objectives were related to natural resources, biodiversity or landscape. A higher proportion of schemes dealing with natural resources (primarily water) were based on quantitative impact models, compared to those concerned with biodiversity or landscape. Schemes explicitly targeted either on particular parts of individual farms or specific areas tended to be based more on quantitative impact models compared to whole-farm schemes and broad, horizontal schemes. We conclude that increased and better use of impact models has significant potential to improve efficiency and effectiveness of AES. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Agri-food Supply Chain Model to Enhance the Business Skills of Small-scale Farmers Using Corporate Social Responsibility

OpenAIRE

Wahyudi Sutopo; Muh. Hisjam; Yuniaristanto

2012-01-01

In general, small-scale vegetable farmers experience problems in improving the safety and quality of vegetables for supplying high-class consumers in modern retailers. Farmer Group and/or Cooperative (FGC) should be able to assist its members to meet the relevant provisions of modern retail on product specifications, delivery terms, and internal business requirements. This study proposed an agri-food supply chain (ASC) model that involves the corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities t...

Organisation as a key factor in Localised Agri-Food Systems (LAFS

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Corrado Giacomini

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Most studies of Localised Agri-Food Systems (LAFS focus on the localised concentration of members and firms, and pay less attention to organisational factors, particularly those of an exogenous nature. This paper focuses on the role of organisation in a LAFS, assessing the efficacy of EU organisational measures aimed at strengthening the concentration of supply from the recent CAP reform 2014-2020. The paper has three sections. Part One describes the evolution of the concept of LAFS. Part Two examines the leading role played by institutions in organising relationships between firms in a LAFS. The example provided is that of the measures affecting the organisation of supply introduced by the recent CAP reform, 2014-2020. It makes particular reference to the Distretto del pomodoro da industria – Nord Italia (‘Industrial Tomato District – Northern Italy’. Part Three describes how organisational factors can lead to the creation of a LAFS, while the criterion of proximity is necessary but not sufficient.

Pushing the boundaries of the social: private agri-food standards and the governance of Fair Trade in European public procurement

OpenAIRE

Fisher, Eleanor; Sheppard, Hannah

2013-01-01

The article explores how fair trade and associated private agri-food standards are incorporated into public procurement in Europe. Procurement law is underpinned by principles of equity, non-discrimination and transparency; one consequence is that legal obstacles exist to fair trade being privileged within procurement practice. These obstacles have pragmatic dimensions, concerning whether and how procurement can be used to fulfil wider social policy objectives or to incorporate private standa...

Beyond the vertical? Using value chains and governance as a framework to analyse private standards initiatives in agri-food chains

OpenAIRE

2009-01-01

Abstract The significance of private standards and associated local level initiatives in agri-food value chains are increasingly recognised. However whilst issues related to compliance and impact at the smallholder or worker level have frequently been analysed, the governance implications in terms of how private standards affect national level institutions, public, private and non-governmental, have had less attention. This article applies an extended value chain framework for crit...

Features of Solving Retrospective (Successive Tasks of the Monitoring Subsystem in Systems for Strategic Control of the Regional Structure and Territorial Organization in the Agri-Food Sphere

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tkachenko Serhii A.

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The given article highlights features of solving retrospective (successive tasks of monitoring production and economic activity of the territorial-production system through a profound using of scientific principles in the developed and introduced enlarged block diagram of the control system for a functionally advanced solution of the task of monitoring labour force turnover at the entity in the agri-food sphere. Solving the task of monitoring the labour force turnover in the territorial-production system by means of electronic digital machines allows: to reduce the complexity of calculations performed by employees of Human Resources Department and make time for other research and control functions; to accelerate submission of necessary accounting and economic as well as analytical information on the labour force turnover at the entity in the agri-food sphere to consumers; increase the quality of accounting and economic as well as analytical information by eliminating errors, which occur at manual calculation; to build a real scientific basis for developing measures of technical, organizational and socio-economic nature aimed at reducing the labour force turnover. The given list of issues solved at development of the monitoring subsystem in strategic control systems of the regional structure and territorial organization of the agri-food sphere is not complete, the use of industrial methods for creating a monitoring subsystem, training specialists and a number of other issues, which are no less important, should be mentioned as well.

Minnesota AGRI-Power Project. Task V - community education. Community education. Quarterly report, July 1, 1997--September 30, 1997

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fox, C.; Martin, N.

1997-10-30

This report describes the educational efforts made by Minnesota Agri-Power to provide education to the general public, to agricultural professionals and to growers. Information on the management of alfalfa growth, as well as sharing of research results were some of the information made available. The education program was accomplished by participation in: workshops for producers; professional conferences; field days and informational meetings for producers, educators, and Ag professionals; demonstrations; community meetings and information dissemination; fact sheets and management guides; internet information; press releases, publications, and publicity.

Current use of impact models for agri-environment schemes and potential for improvements of policy design and asseessment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Primdahl, Jørgen; Vesterager, Jens Peter; Finn, John A.

2010-01-01

Agri-Environment Schemes (AES) to maintain or promote environmentally-friendly farming practices were implemented on about 25% of all agricultural land in the EU by 2002. This article analyses and discusses the actual and potential use of impact models in supporting the design, implementation...... depended on whether scheme objectives were related to natural resources, biodiversity or landscape. A higher proportion of schemes dealing with natural resources (primarily water) were based on quantitative impact models, compared to whole-farm schemes and broad, horizontal schemes. We conclude...

Optimal set of agri-environmental indicators for the agricultural sector of Czech Republic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiří Hřebíček

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Current trends of agri-environmental indicators evaluation (i.e., the measurement of environmental performance and farm reporting are discussed in the paper focusing on the agriculture sector. From the perspective of agricultural policy, there are two broad decisions to make: which indicators to recommend and promote to farmers, and which indicators to collect to assist in agriculture policy-making. We introduce several general approaches for indicators to collect to assist in policy-making (European Union, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in the first part of our paper and given the differences in decision-making problems faced by these sets of decision makers. We continue in the second part of the paper with a proposal of indicators to recommend and promote to farmers in the Czech Republic.

Electrical imaging and self-potential survayes to study the geological setting of the Quaternary, slope depositsin the Agri high valley (Southern Italy)

OpenAIRE

M. Schiattarella; S. Piscitelli; V. Lapenna; S. I. Giano

2000-01-01

We present the results of a geophysical survey carried out to outline the structural modelling of Quaternary slopedeposits in the northern part of the Agri high valley (Basilicata, Southern Italy). Quaternary folding and brittle deformations of the subaerial slope deposits have been studied combining electrical imaging and self-potential surveys with geological structural analysis. This integrated approach indicates that the area underwent both transpressional and transtensional tectonics dur...

When does State Interference with Property (now Amount to Expropriation? An Analysis of the Agri SA Court's State Acquisition Requirement (Part I

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ernst Jacobus Marais

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Section 25 of the Constitution provides two ways in which the state may interfere with property rights, namely deprivation (section 25(1 and expropriation (section 25(2. As only the latter requires compensation, there is an incentive for property holders to label any infringement upon their property as expropriation in the hope of being compensated for their losses. It is therefore essential to have a principled distinction between these two forms of state interference, especially given the danger that uncertainty in this regard can hold for legitimate land reform initiatives, which often entail severe limitations on property. In the Agri SA case the Constitutional Court recently revisited this distinction and held that the distinguishing feature of expropriation is that it entails state acquisition of property. Two aspects of this judgment are worthy of consideration. Firstly, the centrality of acquisition makes it necessary to clarify its meaning and role in our law. Secondly, the Court's effect-centred test to establish whether acquisition took place appears incapable of coherently categorising property infringements that fall within the grey area between deprivation and expropriation. To address these two questions this article is divided into two parts. Part I investigates the meaning and role of state acquisition in South African law. Pre-constitutional expropriation law reveals that expropriation is an original method of acquisition of ownership and that the objects of expropriation include ownership, limited real rights, and certain personal rights, which correspond to the meaning attributed to this requirement in Agri SA. However, post-constitutional judgments diverge from pre-constitutional law regarding the role of state acquisition, where it was merely regarded as a general hallmark of expropriation. After Agri SA state acquisition is (now the "key feature" that distinguishes expropriation from deprivation. A brief analysis of

STUDY ON THE EVOLUTION OF SEASONALITY IN AGRI-TOURISM, BY REGIONS OF ROMANIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florentina Daniela Matei

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Tourist activity, in general, is influenced by seasonality phenomenon, which means that the company's marketing policy must adapt supply to the specific needs of consumers, no matter the time of year. However, the services demand have identified opportunities in tourism, while implicit threats. It is therefore necessary to analyze the material, financial, technical and managerial aspects of agro pension. These resources illustrates the possibility of upgrading the capacity of existing accommodation. In the study we used as indicators the number of arrivals and the number of overnight stays in agro hostels in Romania, by region, for 2010 and 2014,by months, thus obtaining data on the influence of seasonality. We concluded that agri-tourism records the highest number of tourists in summer (July-September, but in some regions it begins to develop in winter also. The only region with almost permanent activity is Bucharest-Ilfov, which has the lowest number of rural locations.

Potential benefits of commercial willow Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) for farm-scale plant and invertebrate communities in the agri-environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rowe, Rebecca L.; Hanley, Mick E.; Goulson, Dave; Clarke, Donna J.; Doncaster, C. Patrick; Taylor, Gail [University of Southampton, Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Life Sciences Building, Southampton, S017 1BJ (United Kingdom)

2011-01-15

The cultivation of bioenergy crops (BECs) represents a significant land-use change in agri-environments, but their deployment has raised important issues globally regarding possible impacts on biodiversity. Few studies however, have systematically examined the effect of commercial scale bioenergy plantations on biodiversity in agri-ecosystems. In this study we investigate how the abundance and diversity of two key components of farmland biodiversity (ground flora and winged invertebrates) varied between mature willow Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) and two alternative land-use options (arable crops and set-aside land). Although the abundance of winged invertebrates was similar across all land-uses, taxonomic composition varied markedly. Hymenoptera and large Hemiptera (>5 mm) were more abundant in willow SRC than in arable or set-aside. Similarly although plant species richness was greater in set-aside, our data show that willow SRC supports a different plant community to the other land-uses, being dominated by competitive perennial species such as Elytrigia repens and Urtica dioica. Our results suggest that under current management practices a mixed farming system incorporating willow SRC can benefit native farm-scale biodiversity. In particular the reduced disturbance in willow SRC allows the persistence of perennial plant species, potentially providing a stable refuge and food sources for invertebrates. In addition, increased Hymenoptera abundance in willow SRC could potentially have concomitant effects on ecosystem processes, as many members of this Order are important pollinators of crop plants or otherwise fulfil an important beneficial role as predators or parasites of crop pests. (author)

Assessment of greening and collective participation in the context of agri-environmental schemes: The case of Andalusian irrigated olive groves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Villanueva, A. J.; Gómez-Limón, J.A.; Arriaza, M.; Rodríguez-Entrena, M.

2015-07-01

Agri-environmental schemes (AES) in irrigated olive groves (IOG) in southern Spain were assessed based on farmers’ preferences toward these schemes. A choice experiment was used in this ex-ante assessment, with the inclusion of some innovative elements, such as collective participation and ecological focus areas (EFA). The results showed that farmers’ mean willingness to accept (WTA) participation in collective rather than individual AES was €124.5/ha. Their mean WTA for an additional 1% of EFA was €64.6/ha, while regarding the use of other agri-environmental practices, they showed a WTA of €6.3/ha and €114.7/ha for an additional 1% in the use of cover crops (CC) in olive grove areas and restrictive management of CC, respectively. These estimates were strongly influenced by farmers’ expectations and socio-economic characteristics, as well as farm management. We obtained that farmers’ expectations of no farm takeover reduce WTA for collective participation, whereas agricultural training and having at least a secondary-school education reduce farmers’ WTA for EFA and restrictive management of the CC, respectively. Conversely, harvesting ground olives increased farmers’ WTA for a high proportion of the area under CC. The analysis of the AES scenarios showed moderately high estimates of total WTA (€101-349/ha), especially when collective participation is required (€225-474/ha). The results supported the argument that there are efficient ways to encourage public goods provision, overcoming trade-offs with private goods provision by identifying the type of joint production. (Author)

Results of gas flux records in the seismically active area of Val d'Agri (Southern Italy

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V. Lapenna

2005-06-01

Full Text Available The Val d Agri area is well-known for oil exploration. An old 500 m deep exploration well in the northern part of this area has been used for long-term hydrogeochemical investigations. The well is characterized by a discharge of about 500 L/min of thermal water (27.8°C and a simultaneous methane gas emission of about 200 L/min. Gas analyses gave evidence that the methane come from a multiple deep reservoir. Continuous records of gas emission showed some anomalous variations occurred during the past three years. The gas flux anomalies were in a distinctive coincidence with self-potential anomalies of one station close to the hydrogeochemical station. The present paper describes the interpretation of these anomalies in relation to the geodynamic activity in the area.

Non-Double-Couple Component Analysis of Induced Microearthquakes in the Val D'Agri Basin (Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Roselli, P.; Improta, L.; Saccorotti, G.

2017-12-01

In recent years it has become accepted that earthquake source can attain significant Non-Double-Couple (NDC) components. Among the driving factors of deviation from normal double-couple (DC) mechanisms there is the opening/closing of fracture networks and the activation of pre-existing faults by pore fluid pressure perturbations. This observation makes the thorough analysis of source mechanism of key importance for the understanding of withdrawal/injection induced seismicity from geothermal and hydrocarbon reservoirs, as well as of water reservoir induced seismicity. In addition to the DC component, seismic moment tensor can be decomposed into isotropic (ISO) and compensated linear vector dipole (CLVD) components. In this study we performed a careful analysis of the seismic moment tensor of induced microseismicity recorded in the Val d'Agri (Southern Apennines, Italy) focusing our attention on the NDC component. The Val d'Agri is a Quaternary extensional basin that hosts the largest onshore European oil field and a water reservoir (Pertusillo Lake impoundment) characterized by severe seasonal level oscillations. Our input data-set includes swarm-type induced micro-seismicity recorded between 2005-2006 by a high-performance network and accurately localized by a reservoir-scale local earthquake tomography. We analyze two different seismicity clusters: (i) a swarm of 69 earthquakes with 0.3 ≤ ML ≤ 1.8 induced by a wastewater disposal well of the oilfield during the initial daily injection tests (10 days); (ii) 526 earthquakes with -0.2 ≤ ML ≤ 2.7 induced by seasonal volume changes of the artificial lake. We perform the seismic moment tensor inversion by using HybridMT code. After a very accurate signal-to-noise selection and hand-made picking of P-pulses, we obtain %DC, %ISO, %CLVD for each event. DC and NDC components are analyzed and compared with the spatio-temporal distribution of seismicity, the local stress field, the injection parameters and the water

Factors affecting members' evaluation of agri-business ventures' effectiveness.

Science.gov (United States)

Hashemi, Seyyed Mahmoud; Hedjazi, Yousef

2011-02-01

This paper presents work to identify factors affecting effectiveness of agri-business ventures (A-BVs) on the side of providers as perceived by their members. A survey was conducted among 95 members of A-BVs in Zanjan province, Iran. To collect data, a questionnaire was designed. Two distinct groups of A-BVs with low (group 1) and high (group 2) perceived (evaluated) levels of effectiveness were revealed. The study showed that there were significant differences between the two groups on important characteristics of A-BVs and their members. The study also found that there were statistically significant relationships between A-BVs' governance structure and capacity, management and organization characteristics and the perceived effectiveness, whereas there were no statistically significant relationships between A-BVs' advisory methods characteristic applied by members and the perceived effectiveness. Logistic regression results also showed that level of application of rules encouraging members' active participation in important decision makings, clear terms of reference to guide contracting procedures, roles, and responsibilities of parties involved, type of people served and geographical area of program coverage, and members' ability to use Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) were predictors of the perceived (evaluated) effectiveness of A-BVs. The study showed that evaluation of members of effectiveness of A-BVs would not be the same. It is suggested that Iranian public agricultural extension organization, as responsible organization for monitoring and evaluating services conducted by A-BVs, considered these differences between members with different levels of some important variables. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DNA markers as a tool for genetic traceability of primary product in agri-food chains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daria Scarano

2012-11-01

Full Text Available The agri-food components of the Made in Italy are well known all over the world, therefore they may significantly contribute to the Italian economy. However, also owing to a large number of cases of improper labelling, the Italian agro-food industry faces an ever-increasing competition. For this reason, there is a decline of consumers’ confidence towards food production systems and safety controls. To prevent erroneous classification of products and to protect consumers from false instore information, it is important to develop and validate techniques that are able to detect mislabelling at any stage of the food-chain. This paper describes some examples of genetic traceability of primary products in some important plant food chains such as durum wheat, olive and tomato, based on DNA analysis both of raw material and of processed food (pasta, olive oil, and peeled tomato.

Integration and self regulation of quality management in Dutch agri-food supply chains : a cross-chain analysis of the poultry meat, the fruit and vegetable and the flower and potted plant chains

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Plaggenhoef, van W.

2007-01-01

Introduction During the last decade, concerns about quality and safety in agri-food supply chains have been raised. Several sector-wide crises, such as the BSE and the dioxin crises, classical swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease and Aviaire Influenza have fuelled these concerns. These

Integrated landscape planning and remuneration of agri-environmental services. Results of a case study in the Fuhrberg region of Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

V Haaren, Christina; Bathke, Manfred

2008-11-01

Until now, existing remuneration of environmental services has not sufficiently supported the goals of spending money more effectively on the environment and of motivating farmers. Only a small share of the budgets for agriculture in the EU, as well as in US and other countries, is available for buying environmental goods and services beyond the level of good farming practice (GFP). This combined with the insufficient targeting of compensation payments to areas where special measures are needed leads to an unsatisfactorily low impact of agri-environment measures compared to other driving forces that stimulate the intensification of farming. The goal of this paper is to propose a management concept that enhances the ecological and cost efficiency of agri-environment measures. Components of the concept are a comprehensive environmental information base with prioritised goals and targets (available in Germany from landscape planning) and new remuneration models, which complement conventional compensation payments that are based upon predetermined measures and cost. Comprehensive landscape planning locates and prioritises areas which require environmental action. It contains the information that authorities need to prioritise funding for environmental services and direct measures to sites which need environmental services beyond the level of GFP. Also appropriate remuneration models, which can enhance the cost efficiency of public spending and the motivation of the farmers, can be applied on the base of landscape planning. Testing of the planning methodology and of one of the remuneration models (success-oriented remuneration) in a case study area ("Fuhrberger Feld" north of Hanover, Germany) demonstrated the usability of the concept and led to proposals for future development of the methodology and its application in combination with other approaches.

Ethnobotanical survey of wild food plants traditionally collected and consumed in the Middle Agri Valley (Basilicata region, southern Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Sansanelli, Sabrina; Ferri, Maura; Salinitro, Mirko; Tassoni, Annalisa

2017-09-06

This research was carried out in a scarcely populated area of the Middle Agri Valley (Basilicata region, southern Italy). The aim of the study was to record local knowledge on the traditional uses of wild food plants, as well as to collect information regarding the practices (gathering, processing and cooking) and the medicinal uses related to these plants. Fifty-eight people still possessing traditional local knowledge (TLK), 74% women and 26% men, were interviewed between May-August 2012 and January 2013, using open and semi-structured ethnobotanical interviews. For each described plant species, the botanical family, the Italian common and folk names, the plant parts used, the culinary preparation and, when present, the medicinal use, were recorded and the relative frequency of citation index (RFC) was determined. The 52 plant species mentioned by the respondents belong to 23 botanical families, with Asteraceae (12 plants) and Rosaceae (7 plants) being most frequently cited. The species with the highest RFC index is Cichorium intybus L. (0.95), followed by Sonchus spp. (S. oleraceus L., S. asper L. and S. arvensis L.) (0.76). The plant parts preferably used are leaves (22 plants), fruits (12) and stems (7). Only six wild plants were indicated as having both food use and therapeutic effect. The survey conducted on the traditional use of wild food plants in the Middle Agri Valley revealed that this cultural heritage is only partially retained by the population. Over the last few decades, this knowledge has been in fact quickly disappearing along with the people and, even in the rural context of the study area, is less and less handed down to younger generations. Nevertheless, data also revealed that the use of wild plants is recently being revaluated in a way closely related to local habits and traditions.

A fuzzy-based model to implement the global safety buildings index assessment for agri-food buildings

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Francesco Barreca

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The latest EU policies focus on the issue of food safety with a view to ensuring adequate and standard quality levels for the food produced and/or consumed within the EC. To that purpose, the environment where agricultural products are manufactured and processed plays a crucial role in achieving food hygiene. As a consequence, it is of the outmost importance to adopt proper building solutions which meet health and hygiene requirements as well as to use suitable tools to measure the levels achieved. Similarly, it is necessary to verify and evaluate the level of workers’ safety and welfare in their working environment. Workers’ safety has not only an ethical and social value but also an economic implication, since possible accidents or environmental stressors are the major causes of the lower efficiency and productivity of workers. Therefore, it is fundamental to design suitable models of analysis that allow assessing buildings as a whole, taking into account both health and hygiene safety as well as workers’ safety and welfare. Hence, this paper proposes an assessment model that, based on an established study protocol and on the application of a fuzzy logic procedure, allows assessing the global safety level of an agri-food building by means of a global safety buildings index. The model here presented is original since it uses fuzzy logic to evaluate the performances of both the technical and environmental systems of an agri-food building in terms of health and hygiene safety of the manufacturing process as well as of workers’ health and safety. The result of the assessment is expressed through a triangular fuzzy membership function which allows carrying out comparative analyses of different buildings. A specific procedure was developed to apply the model to a case study which tested its operational simplicity and the validity of its results. The proposed model allows obtaining a synthetic and global value of the building performance of

The role of food irradiation in terms of value addition and extension of shelf life of agri. materials (from FARM to Consumer)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prakash, V.

2001-01-01

Today, with the advent of modern processing techniques in the area of value addition to agri resources, food irradiation has made a big dent in terms of extension of shelf life and confidence of making the food free from microbial and other contaminants and need to be really harnessed more than what we are doing. However, there is still certain amount of stigma attached to this technology not because the technology is un-ripe but it is because of lack of awareness with the masses as regards to the safety of the foods that are processed by irradiation

Improving the utilization of research knowledge in agri-food public health: a mixed-method review of knowledge translation and transfer.

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Rajić, Andrijana; Young, Ian; McEwen, Scott A

2013-05-01

Knowledge translation and transfer (KTT) aims to increase research utilization and ensure that the best available knowledge is used to inform policy and practice. Many frameworks, methods, and terms are used to describe KTT, and the field has largely developed in the health sector over the past decade. There is a need to review key KTT principles and methods in different sectors and evaluate their potential application in agri-food public health. We conducted a structured mixed-method review of the KTT literature. From 827 citations identified in a comprehensive search, we characterized 160 relevant review articles, case studies, and reports. A thematic analysis was conducted on a prioritized and representative subset of 33 articles to identify key principles and characteristics for ensuring effective KTT. The review steps were conducted by two or more independent reviewers using structured and pretested forms. We identified five key principles for effective KTT that were described within two contexts: to improve research utilization in general and to inform policy-making. To ensure general research uptake, there is a need for the following: (1) relevant and credible research; (2) ongoing interactions between researchers and end-users; (3) organizational support and culture; and (4) monitoring and evaluation. To inform policy-making, (5) researchers must also address the multiple and competing contextual factors of the policy-making process. We also describe 23 recommended and promising KTT methods, including six synthesis (e.g., systematic reviews, mixed-method reviews, and rapid reviews); nine dissemination (e.g., evidence summaries, social media, and policy briefs); and eight exchange methods (e.g., communities of practice, knowledge brokering, and policy dialogues). A brief description, contextual example, and key references are provided for each method. We recommend a wider endorsement of KTT principles and methods in agri-food public health, but there are

Measures of the EU Agri-Environmental Protection Scheme (GAEPS) and their impacts on the visual acceptability of Finnish agricultural landscapes.

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Tahvanainen, Liisa; Ihalainen, Marjut; Hietala-Koivu, Reija; Kolehmainen, Osmo; Tyrväinen, Liisa; Nousiainen, Ismo; Helenius, Juha

2002-11-01

As a member of the European Union, Finland has committed itself to creating an environmental policy for agriculture. The aims of this study were to evaluate visual impacts of the General Agri-Environmental Protection Scheme (GAEPS) and Supplementary Protection Scheme (SPS) and general attitudes towards some activities in those policies and furthermore to examine the suitability of the method of Alho et al. (2001) for the scenic beauty assessment. The study areas consisted of three original, untreated, and 15 modified rural landscapes representing a variety of different activities. The scenic beauty of the landscapes was evaluated through pairwise comparisons of the responses of 68 people. Furthermore, attitudes towards environmental values, water protection, buffer strips and subsidies to agriculture were obtained. The respondents found the maintained buffer strips more pleasing than unmaintained strips and considered that the quality of watercourses was increased by buffer strips along them. A suitable width for the buffer strip along main ditches, brooks and waterways was regarded, on average, to be wider than the current recommendations. Although the opinions of farmers were basically in line with the existing recommendations, farmers' opininons on the second and third most important effects of buffer strips, an increase in weeds and a decrease in cultivated land, clearly differed from those of the other respondents. Afforestation, lack of building maintenance and abandoned fields were considered to be the most important factors impacting rural landscapes. This study indicates that the Finnish Agri-Environmental Protection Schemes have had positive impacts on the visual quality of landscapes. Attitudes towards other impacts are contradictory. This study also showed the improvement of the Alho et al. (2001) method in these kinds of studies relative to other methods of pairwise comparisons.

IMAA (Integrated Measurements of Aerosol in Agri valley) campaign: Multi-instrumental observations at the largest European oil/gas pre-treatment plant area

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Calvello, Mariarosaria; Caggiano, Rosa; Esposito, Francesco; Lettino, Antonio; Sabia, Serena; Summa, Vito; Pavese, Giulia

2017-11-01

A short-term intensive multi-instrumental measurement campaign (Integrated Measurements of Aerosol in Agri valley - IMAA) was carried out near the largest European oil and gas pre-treatment plant (Centro Olio Val d'Agri - COVA) in a populated area, where, so far, ample characterization of aerosol loading is missing. As such, between the 2 and 17 July in 2013, using a number of instruments analyses were carried out on physical, chemical, morphological and optical properties of aerosol at this distinctive site, at both ground and over the atmospheric column, including the investigation of the mixing and transformation of particles. The observation of slag silicates with a rough surface texture is consistent with the presence of oil-related activities which represent the only industrial activity in the area. Desulfurization/sulfur liquefaction processes occurring at COVA can explain the peculiar morphology of calcium-sodium-aluminum particles. The common COVA source was associated with high concentrations of sulfur, nickel and zinc, and with significant correlations between zinc-sulfur and zinc-nickel. The Optical Particle Sizer (OPS) data, hygroscopicity and optical properties of atmospheric aerosol are consistent with the typical oil-derived gaseous emissions (e.g. sulfur dioxide and methane) that strongly influence the mixing state of particles and their size distributions. Continuous combustion processes at COVA were found to be responsible for Equivalent Black Carbon (EBC) concentrations from their relevant contribution to the total number of fine particles. The expected significant contribution of WS (water soluble) and BC (Black Carbon) components to the total Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) are consistent with the results from the radiometric model especially for July 3 and 16.

Livestock and Ecosystem Services: An Exploratory Approach to Assess Agri-Environment-Climate Payments of RDP in Trentino

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Alessandra La Notte

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The identification of an appropriate justification for Agri-Environment-Climate (AEC payments is a crucial issue in the new Rural Development Programme (RDP. Given the environmental importance of grasslands in Trentino (Italy, the Management Authority in charge of the RDP decided to integrate an approach based on Ecosystem Services (ES into the calculation of AEC payments. The paper presents the methodology used for this approach as well as the preliminary results. The first step entails building a probabilistic model for the ES, named Sustainable Fodder Production. Model outputs are then integrated with the accounting results based on the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN database (2009–2012 with the aim of calculating the additional costs and income waived due to the environmental commitments deriving from the sustainable management of permanent grassland in livestock farming. Sustainability measures imply more extensive management practices that maintain meadows in a healthy state.

Shelf life of irradiated minimally processed (MP watercress (Nasturtium officinale Vida-de-prateleira de agrião (Nasturtium officinale minimamente processado e exposto à irradiação

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Cecília Geraldes Martins

2007-03-01

Full Text Available This study was carried out to evaluate the shelf life of minimally processed (MP watercress exposed to gamma radiation with doses of 1.0; 3.0; 4.0 kGy. Packaged irradiated and non-irradiated MP watercress was subject to sensory analysis. A panel consisting of 25-30 non-trained members, aged 20-55 years, was used. Sensory evaluation was carried out on days 0, 2, 5, 7, 9 and 12 after treatment with packages maintained at 7 °C. The members of the panel rated each sample for overall liking on a hybrid 10 hedonic scale (0 = extremely dislike; 10 = extremely like. Microbiological analyses were also conducted. Compared to the non-irradiated sample, 1 kGy irradiated watercress increased its shelf life by one day (16 days. Shelf lives of samples exposed to higher doses were reduced to 9 days (3 kGy and 6 days (4 kGy due to changes in appearance. The microbiological quality was good throughout the experiment.Este estudo foi desenvolvido para avaliar a vida de prateleira de agrião minimamente processado exposto a doses de 1,0; 3,0 e 4,0 kGy. Amostras de agrião não irradiadas e irradiadas foram submetidas à análise sensorial. Um painel composto por 25-30 membros não treinados e idade entre 20 e 55 anos foi utilizado. A avaliação sensorial foi realizada nos tempos 0, 2, 5, 7, 9 e 12 após o tratamento com radiação, utilizando embalagens mantidas sob refrigeração (7 °C. Os provadores avaliaram cada amostra utilizando a escala hedônica híbrida de 10 cm (0 = desgostei muitíssimo; 10 = gostei muitíssimo. Em paralelo foram realizadas análises microbiológicas. A amostra de agrião irradiada com 1 kGy apresentou vida de prateleira de 16 dias, um dia a mais que a da amostra testemunha. Por outro lado, amostras expostas a doses de 3 e 4 kGy apresentaram vida de prateleira menor, com 9 dias e 6 dias, respectivamente. A qualidade microbiológica do produto permaneceu adequada durante o experimento.

Electrical imaging and self-potential survayes to study the geological setting of the Quaternary, slope depositsin the Agri high valley (Southern Italy

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M. Schiattarella

2000-06-01

Full Text Available We present the results of a geophysical survey carried out to outline the structural modelling of Quaternary slopedeposits in the northern part of the Agri high valley (Basilicata, Southern Italy. Quaternary folding and brittle deformations of the subaerial slope deposits have been studied combining electrical imaging and self-potential surveys with geological structural analysis. This integrated approach indicates that the area underwent both transpressional and transtensional tectonics during Pleistocene times as testified by the existence of a push up structure in the basement buried by deformed Quaternary breccias. On this basis, the valley appears to be a more complex structure than a simple extensional graben, as traditionally assumed in the literature.

THE REALIZATION OF THE AGRI-ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SCHEME IN THE AREA OF NATURA 2000 IN THE VALLEY OF BIEBRZA RIVER

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Wojciech Gotkiewicz

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of the research was to analyse the functioning of agricultural farms located in the areas of Natura 2000 network. The research was conducted in 2015 among 70 farmers whose lands were located in the Valley of Biebrza River in Podlaskie Voivodeship. The main research method was a questionnaire. According to the results of the research, the agri-environmental scheme is a proper tool that combines the environmental protection and local producers’ interests; however, it requires the implementation of a supplement adjusted to the nature of the areas. It is also indicated that even though the economic part of the program does not raise any doubts, the natural eff ects are practically not recognized, which may lead to an incomplete protection of precious species and habitats.

Electrical imaging and self-potential surveys to study the geological setting of the quaternary slope deposits in the Agri high valley (Southern Italy)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giano, S I; Schiattarella, M [Basilicata Univ., Potenza (Italy). Centro di Geodinamica; Lapenna, V; Piscitelli, S [Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Tito, PZ (Italy). Ist. di Metodologie Avanzate di Analisi Ambientale

2000-04-01

The paper presents the results of a geophysical survey carried out to outline the structural modelling of quarternary slope deposits in the northern part of Agri high valley (Basilicata region, Italy). Quaternary folding and brittle deformations of the subaerial slope deposits have been studied combining electrical imaging and self-potential surveys with geological structural analysis. This integrated approach indicates that the area underwent both transpressional and transtensional tectonics during Pleistocene times as testified by the existence of a push up structure in the basement buried by deformed Quaternary breccias. On this basis, the valley appears to be a more complex structure than a simple extensional graben, as traditionally assumed in the literature.

A Review on the Rising Prevalence of International Standards: Threats or Opportunities for the Agri-Food Produce Sector in Developing Countries, with a Focus on Examples from the MENA Region

Science.gov (United States)

Faour-Klingbeil, Dima

2018-01-01

Food safety standards are a necessity to protect consumers’ health in today’s growing global food trade. A number of studies have suggested safety standards can interrupt trade, bringing financial and technical burdens on small as well as large agri-food producers in developing countries. Other examples have shown that economical extension, key intermediaries, and funded initiatives have substantially enhanced the capacities of growers in some countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to meet the food safety and quality requirements, and improve their access to international markets. These endeavors often compensate for the weak regulatory framework, but do not offer a sustainable solution. There is a big gap in the food safety level and control systems between countries in the MENA region and those in the developed nations. This certainly has implications for the safety of fresh produce and agricultural practices, which hinders any progress in their international food trade. To overcome the barriers of legal and private standards, food safety should be a national priority for sustainable agricultural development in the MENA countries. Local governments have a primary role in adopting the vision for developing and facilitating the implementation of their national Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) standards that are consistent with the international requirements and adapted to local policies and environment. Together, the public and private sector’s support are instrumental to deliver the skills and infrastructure needed for leveraging the safety and quality level of the agri-food chain. PMID:29510498

A Review on the Rising Prevalence of International Standards: Threats or Opportunities for the Agri-Food Produce Sector in Developing Countries, with a Focus on Examples from the MENA Region.

Science.gov (United States)

Faour-Klingbeil, Dima; Todd, Ewen C D

2018-03-03

Food safety standards are a necessity to protect consumers' health in today's growing global food trade. A number of studies have suggested safety standards can interrupt trade, bringing financial and technical burdens on small as well as large agri-food producers in developing countries. Other examples have shown that economical extension, key intermediaries, and funded initiatives have substantially enhanced the capacities of growers in some countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to meet the food safety and quality requirements, and improve their access to international markets. These endeavors often compensate for the weak regulatory framework, but do not offer a sustainable solution. There is a big gap in the food safety level and control systems between countries in the MENA region and those in the developed nations. This certainly has implications for the safety of fresh produce and agricultural practices, which hinders any progress in their international food trade. To overcome the barriers of legal and private standards, food safety should be a national priority for sustainable agricultural development in the MENA countries. Local governments have a primary role in adopting the vision for developing and facilitating the implementation of their national Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) standards that are consistent with the international requirements and adapted to local policies and environment. Together, the public and private sector's support are instrumental to deliver the skills and infrastructure needed for leveraging the safety and quality level of the agri-food chain.

Two Sides of the Same Coin? Analysis of the Web-Based Social Media with Regard to the Image of the Agri-Food Sector in Germany

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Justus Boehm

2010-10-01

Full Text Available  Never before has food been as safe and secure as it is today, but simultaneously, society has become increasingly critical towards agricultural and food related issues. This two-sided development between society and agribusiness will be analyzed using Framing Theory. A quantitative semantic analysis was applied to evaluate the web-based social media in Germany. 50,931 web posts were collected covering 21 issues identified as relevant for the agri-food sector. The results show that all contentious issues are mainly framed in a two-sided way. The modern productivity-driven industry is judged as a negative development, trends returning to a more natural food production are seen as positive.

A satellite-based analysis of the Val d'Agri Oil Center (southern Italy) gas flaring emissions

Science.gov (United States)

Faruolo, M.; Coviello, I.; Filizzola, C.; Lacava, T.; Pergola, N.; Tramutoli, V.

2014-10-01

In this paper, the robust satellite techniques (RST), a multi-temporal scheme of satellite data analysis, was implemented to analyze the flaring activity of the Val d'Agri Oil Center (COVA), the largest Italian gas and oil pre-treatment plant, owned by Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi (ENI). For this site, located in an anthropized area characterized by a large environmental complexity, flaring emissions are mainly related to emergency conditions (i.e., waste flaring), as industrial processes are regulated by strict regional laws. While regarding the peculiar characteristics of COVA flaring, the main aim of this work was to assess the performances of RST in terms of sensitivity and reliability in providing independent estimations of gas flaring volumes in such conditions. In detail, RST was implemented for 13 years of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) medium and thermal infrared data in order to identify the highly radiant records associated with the COVA flare emergency discharges. Then, using data provided by ENI about gas flaring volumes in the period 2003-2009, a MODIS-based regression model was developed and tested. The results achieved indicate that the such a model is able to estimate, with a good level of accuracy (R2 of 0.83), emitted gas flaring volumes at COVA.

Integrated interpretation of seismic and resistivity images across the «Val d'Agri» graben (Italy

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E. Ceragioli

2002-06-01

Full Text Available Val d'Agri is a «recent SSW - NNE graben» located in the middle of the Southern Apennines thrust belt «chain» and emplaced in Plio-Pleistocene.The recent sedimentation of the valley represents a local critical geophysical problem. Several strong near surface velocity anomalies and scattering degrades seismic data in different ways and compromises the seismic visibility. In 1998, ENI and Enterprise, with the contribution of the European Community (ESIT R & D project - Enhance Seismic In Thrust Belt; EU Thermie fund acquired two «experimental seismic and Resistivity lines» across the valley. The purpose of the project was to look for methods able to enhance seismic data quality and optimize the data processing flow for «thrust belt» areas. During the work, it was clear that some part of the seismic data processing flow could be used for the detailed geological interpretation of the near subsurface too. In fact, the integrated interpretation of the near surface tomography velocity/depth seismic section, built for enhancing the resolution of static corrections, with the HR resistivity profile, acquired for enhancing the seismic source coupling, allowed a quite detailed lithological interpretation of the main shallow velocity changes and the 2D reconstruction of the structural setting of the valley.

ABS-SmartComAgri: An Agent-Based Simulator of Smart Communication Protocols in Wireless Sensor Networks for Debugging in Precision Agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

García-Magariño, Iván; Lacuesta, Raquel; Lloret, Jaime

2018-03-27

Smart communication protocols are becoming a key mechanism for improving communication performance in networks such as wireless sensor networks. However, the literature lacks mechanisms for simulating smart communication protocols in precision agriculture for decreasing production costs. In this context, the current work presents an agent-based simulator of smart communication protocols for efficiently managing pesticides. The simulator considers the needs of electric power, crop health, percentage of alive bugs and pesticide consumption. The current approach is illustrated with three different communication protocols respectively called (a) broadcast, (b) neighbor and (c) low-cost neighbor. The low-cost neighbor protocol obtained a statistically-significant reduction in the need of electric power over the neighbor protocol, with a very large difference according to the common interpretations about the Cohen's d effect size. The presented simulator is called ABS-SmartComAgri and is freely distributed as open-source from a public research data repository. It ensures the reproducibility of experiments and allows other researchers to extend the current approach.

Implementation of PEF Treatment at Real-Scale Tomatoes Processing Considering LCA Methodology as an Innovation Strategy in the Agri-Food Sector

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Álvaro J. Arnal

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In Europe, science and innovation are boosting the agri-food sector and, in parallel, are helping to decrease greenhouse gas emissions (GHG and European dependency on non-renewable resources. Currently, it is well-known that this sector contributes to the consumption of energy and material resources, causing significant environmental impacts that require a complex and comprehensive environmental evaluation in order to manage them effectively. This becomes even more complicated when new technologies are reaching the level of technological maturity needed to be installed in the production lines. To address this scientific challenge, the life cycle assessment (LCA has been used in this paper to evaluate the potential of pulsed electric fields (PEF technology at an industrial scale to facilitate the steam peeling of tomato fruits. Considering the thermo-physical peeling stage, the LCA has shown that PEF technology is environmentally friendly, because when PEF technology is applied, all the considered environmental indicators improve between 17% and 20%.

A satellite-based analysis of the Val d'Agri (South of Italy) Oil Center gas flaring emissions

Science.gov (United States)

Faruolo, M.; Coviello, I.; Filizzola, C.; Lacava, T.; Pergola, N.; Tramutoli, V.

2014-06-01

In this paper the Robust Satellite Techniques (RST), a multi-temporal scheme of satellite data analysis, was implemented to analyze the flaring activity of the largest Italian gas and oil pre-treatment plant (i.e. the Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi - ENI - Val d'Agri Oil Center - COVA). For this site, located in an anthropized area characterized by a~large environmental complexity, flaring emissions are mainly related to emergency conditions (i.e. waste flaring), being the industrial process regulated by strict regional laws. With reference to the peculiar characteristics of COVA flaring, the main aim of this work was to assess the performances of RST in terms of sensitivity and reliability in providing independent estimations of gas flaring volumes in such conditions. In detail, RST was implemented on thirteen years of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) medium and thermal infrared data in order to identify the highly radiant records associated to the COVA flare emergency discharges. Then, exploiting data provided by ENI about gas flaring volumes in the period 2003-2009, a MODIS-based regression model was developed and tested. Achieved results indicate that such a model is able to estimate, with a good level of accuracy (R2 of 0.83), emitted gas flaring volumes at COVA.

Analysis of particulate matter in anthropized areas characterized by the presence of crude oil pre-treatment plants: The case study of the Agri Valley (Southern Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Trippetta, Serena; Caggiano, Rosa; Telesca, Luciano

2013-10-01

Simultaneous measurements of PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 (i.e., aerosol particles with aerodynamic diameter less than 10, 2.5 and 1 μm, respectively) daily mass concentrations and daily particle number concentration were performed for the first time in Agri Valley (Basilicata Region - Southern Italy) from July to November 2011. This area is characterized by anthropogenic activities having high potential environmental and human health impacts. In fact, the Agri Valley houses the largest European on-shore reservoir and the largest crude oil pre-treatment plant within an anthropized area. The PM measurements were analyzed combining an innovative statistical methodology, the Singular Spectral Analysis, with forecast models and remote sensing observations. Our findings show that most of the PM collected was made up of particles in the fine and sub-micrometric fractions (i.e., PM2.5 and PM1, respectively) very likely originated by common anthropogenic sources. Moreover, PM2.5 and PM1 daily mass concentrations were characterized by a slightly increasing trend that could be related to the contribution of local sources, such as the crude oil pre-treatment plant, whose combustion processes also produce the emission of particles mainly in the fine and sub-micrometric size ranges. The integrated use of model forecasts, satellite observations and in-situ measurements shows that the only PM10 exceedance was affected by the contribution of Saharan dust, while the three PM2.5 exceedances were mainly due to local anthropogenic sources. Finally, the analysis of the PM10 and PM2.5 Air Quality Index (AQI) values shows that air quality was always “good” with respect to PM10 and “moderate” with respect to PM2.5 suggesting that fine particles, if they will be not kept under control, should represent a real problem also posing health risks to the population living close to the crude oil pre-treatment plant.

A new magnetotelluric monitoring network operating in Agri Valley (Southern Italy: study of stability of apparent resistivity estimates

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L. Telesca

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Variations detected in geophysical, especially electromagnetic, parameters in seismic active areas have been sometimes attributed to modifications of the stress field. Among the different geophysical methods, magnetotellurics (MT could be one of the most effective because it allows us to explore down to seismogenic depths. Continuous MT recording could allow us to evaluate whether possible variations are significantly correlated with the seismic activity of investigated area. To assess the significance of such observations we must be able to say how well an apparent resistivity curve should be reproduced when measurements are repeated at a later time. To do this properly it is essential to know that the estimated error bars accurately represent the true uncertainties in comparing the transfer functions. In this work we will show the preliminary results obtained from the analysis of the data coming from the new MT monitoring network installed in Agri Valley. This analysis gives us the possibility: i to better study the temporal stability of the signals, ii to better discriminate the noise affecting the measures by remote reference estimation. The performed analysis disclosed a relatively low degree of noise in the investigated area, which is a promising condition for monitoring.

Evaluation of Agri-Environmental Measures in the Venice Lagoon Watershed. Nitrogen Budgets and Surplus Indicators

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Marta Carpani

2008-09-01

Full Text Available One of the main concerns of the environmental scientists and policy makers is related to the environmental compatibility of current agricultural systems and, in particular, to the losses of chemical fertilizers and manure in surface and ground-waters, as a consequence of run-off and leaching phenomena. In most cases European recent agrienvironmental schemes envisaged specific measures for the reduction of fertilizer rates and the control of manure applications, in order to limit the releases of nutrients in surface and ground-waters. Substantial financial resources are invested in those measures and therefore the issue raises interest in monitoring and evaluating their effectiveness. Nutrient balance indicators are often used for quantitative assessment of the effectiveness of the measures in limiting the environmental impact of farming activities. N-surplus is one of the most commonly used indicators. The paper refers the results of a research project aimed at assessing the outcomes of agri-environmental measures implemented in the Venice Lagoon Watershed with an approach based upon the gross nitrogen balance, called “Nboxes”. The results of applying the Nboxes procedure to a sample of 550 farms set are presented, evidencing the expectations of greater effectiveness in terms of nitrogen surplus reduction from the measure C.5.1.3a and C.5.1.3b (low input farming and buffer strips. Measures supporting improved irrigation systems, controlled drainage and more rational livestock nutritional programmes and technologies, showed instead only limited potential for tangible contributions to the reduction of nitrogen surplus in cultivated soils.

Evaluation of Agri-Environmental Measures in the Venice Lagoon Watershed. Nitrogen Budgets and Surplus Indicators

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Patrizia Trevisiol

2011-02-01

Full Text Available One of the main concerns of the environmental scientists and policy makers is related to the environmental compatibility of current agricultural systems and, in particular, to the losses of chemical fertilizers and manure in surface and ground-waters, as a consequence of run-off and leaching phenomena. In most cases European recent agrienvironmental schemes envisaged specific measures for the reduction of fertilizer rates and the control of manure applications, in order to limit the releases of nutrients in surface and ground-waters. Substantial financial resources are invested in those measures and therefore the issue raises interest in monitoring and evaluating their effectiveness. Nutrient balance indicators are often used for quantitative assessment of the effectiveness of the measures in limiting the environmental impact of farming activities. N-surplus is one of the most commonly used indicators. The paper refers the results of a research project aimed at assessing the outcomes of agri-environmental measures implemented in the Venice Lagoon Watershed with an approach based upon the gross nitrogen balance, called “Nboxes”. The results of applying the Nboxes procedure to a sample of 550 farms set are presented, evidencing the expectations of greater effectiveness in terms of nitrogen surplus reduction from the measure C.5.1.3a and C.5.1.3b (low input farming and buffer strips. Measures supporting improved irrigation systems, controlled drainage and more rational livestock nutritional programmes and technologies, showed instead only limited potential for tangible contributions to the reduction of nitrogen surplus in cultivated soils.

A Novel Integrated Approach for Green Supplier Selection with Interval-Valued Intuitionistic Uncertain Linguistic Information: A Case Study in the Agri-Food Industry

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Hua Shi

2018-03-01

Full Text Available With strengthening global consciousness of environmental protection, green supply chain management plays an increasingly important role in modern enterprise production operation management. A critical means to implement green supply chain management is incorporating environmental requirements into the supplier selection practices. In this paper, we put forward a novel integrated approach by using interval-valued intuitionistic uncertain linguistic sets (IVIULSs and grey relational analysis (GRA-technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS method for the evaluation and selection of green suppliers. First, various qualitative assessments of alternatives provided by decision makers are described by the IVIULSs. Then, the GRA-TOPSIS method is extended and employed to prioritize the alternative suppliers. The proposed model can handle the uncertainty and fuzziness of decision makers’ subjective evaluations more easily and get a more realistic and accurate ranking of green suppliers. Finally, an illustrative example in the agri-food industry is presented to verify the proposed green supplier selection model and demonstrate its practicality and effectiveness.

Assessing the Impact of Sustainability Improvement Options on the Agri-food Supply Chain Governance Structures: Development of an Evaluation Tool

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Cosimo Rota

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The competitiveness of a supply chain is driven by the ability of supply chain governance structures to adapt to the chains’ continuously changing technical and organizational characteristics. The present study addresses the adoption of sustainability improvement options in the area of organization and management in the agri-food sector; within this framework the study proposes a tool for assessing the impact of sustainability oriented processes on the supply chain governance structures, in turn influencing the competitiveness of the supply chain. Two different approaches, proposed by (Gereffi et al., 2005 and (Hobbs and Young, 2000 have been linked to provide a theoretical framework for the tool development. The proposed new conceptual framework links the dimensions defining five different governance structures complexity of transaction, ability to codify and capabilities in the supply-base (Gereffi et al., to the product characteristics, regulatory and technology aspects defined by Hobbs and Young as drivers influencing the vertical coordination of supply chains. The method suggested for measuring the relations between improvement options and the chain governance structure is the adoption of experts’ evaluations. This method improves the tool capacity to provide a context-related supply chain governance structure assessment and management.

Enabling a sustainable and prosperous future through science and innovation in the bioeconomy at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

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Sarkar, Sara F; Poon, Jacquelyne S; Lepage, Etienne; Bilecki, Lori; Girard, Benoit

2018-01-25

Science and innovation are important components underpinning the agricultural and agri-food system in Canada. Canada's vast geographical area presents diverse, regionally specific requirements in addition to the 21st century agricultural challenges facing the overall sector. As the broader needs of the agricultural landscape have evolved and will continue to do so in the next few decades, there is a trend in place to transition towards a sustainable bioeconomy, contributing to reducing greenhouse gas emission and our dependency on non-renewable resources. We highlight some of the key policy drivers on an overarching national scale and those specific to agricultural research and innovation that are critical to fostering a supportive environment for innovation and a sustainable bioeconomy. As well, we delineate some major challenges and opportunities facing agriculture in Canada, including climate change, sustainable agriculture, clean technologies, and agricultural productivity, and some scientific initiatives currently underway to tackle these challenges. The use of various technologies and scientific efforts, such as Next Generation Sequencing, metagenomics analysis, satellite image analysis and mapping of soil moisture, and value-added bioproduct development will accelerate scientific development and innovation and its contribution to a sustainable and prosperous bioeconomy. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Creating a Competitive Advantage by Developing an Innovative Tool to Assess Suppliers in Agri-Food Complex

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Dedina Daniel

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The main aim of this paper is to introduce a new certified applied methodology for Assessing Suppliers in Agri-Food Complex as a tool for company competitiveness. The work is based on the results obtained in the research project NAZV QG60148/2005 funded by the Czech Ministry of Agriculture and on the requirements of agricultural practice. The novelty lies in the use of practices of the worldwide respected GLOBALG.A.P. standard (formerly EUREPGAP as yet not well known in our country. Based on the practical experience of the authors with the application of food safety standards in the food manufacturing industry and application of GLOBALG. A.P. standard in agricultural primary production, risk and hazard analysis was developed for the product group of fruit and vegetables. Subsequently, a checklist was designed for the implementation of the suppliers’ audit. The result is a methodology for food manufacturers based on the identification of sources of risks in primary production, which can threaten food safety. As part of the introduced methodology are proposed methodological criteria for evaluating suppliers of fruit and vegetables, including rating scales and the possibilities of its implementation. Different variations of the introduction of this approach are discussed from the management, time, and financial viewpoints. The use of this procedure in practice aims to reduce the likelihood of hygiene and health hazards of the basic input raw material according to the principles of the certified standards and thus strengthen the competitiveness of a given manufacturer on the market.

Amphibians in Southern Apennine: distribution, ecology and conservation notes in the “Appennino Lucano, Val d’Agri e Lagonegrese” National Park (Southern Italy

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Antonio Romano

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Italy is the European country with the highest amphibian richness and endemism. However distributional data from some Southern Italy areas are scanty, in particularly for the Basilicata region. In this study, we present the results of field and bibliographic survey on the amphibians of the “Appennino Lucano, Val d’Agri e Lagonegrese” National Park (almost 70,000 ha. We recorded breeding activity of 12 amphibian species in 307 sites, for a total of 493 records. For some endemic species we provide new ecological data, such as new altitudinal limit (Salamandrina terdigitata or expansion of the annual activity cycle (Bombina pachypus. Indices of diffusion, density and rarity were applied to test the status of each species in the Park. Correspondence analyses showed a clear aquatic habitat partitioning between anurans and urodelans and, concerning the latter, between newts and salamanders, newts being strictly dependent on artificial water bodies. Our results support the growing idea, recently formalized by the IUCN, that maintaining and restoring artificial water bodies may be fundamental for an appropriate conservation management of amphibian communities in Mediterranean rural landscapes.

Implications of applying methodological shortcuts to expedite systematic reviews: three case studies using systematic reviews from agri-food public health.

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Pham, Mai T; Waddell, Lisa; Rajić, Andrijana; Sargeant, Jan M; Papadopoulos, Andrew; McEwen, Scott A

2016-12-01

The rapid review is an approach to synthesizing research evidence when a shorter timeframe is required. The implications of what is lost in terms of rigour, increased bias and accuracy when conducting a rapid review have not yet been elucidated. We assessed the potential implications of methodological shortcuts on the outcomes of three completed systematic reviews addressing agri-food public health topics. For each review, shortcuts were applied individually to assess the impact on the number of relevant studies included and whether omitted studies affected the direction, magnitude or precision of summary estimates from meta-analyses. In most instances, the shortcuts resulted in at least one relevant study being omitted from the review. The omission of studies affected 39 of 143 possible meta-analyses, of which 14 were no longer possible because of insufficient studies (studies generally resulted in less precise pooled estimates (i.e. wider confidence intervals) that did not differ in direction from the original estimate. The three case studies demonstrated the risk of missing relevant literature and its impact on summary estimates when methodological shortcuts are applied in rapid reviews. © 2016 The Authors. Research Synthesis Methods Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. © 2016 The Authors. Research Synthesis Methods Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Butterfly Density and Behaviour in Uncut Hay Meadow Strips: Behavioural Ecological Consequences of an Agri-Environmental Scheme

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Lebeau, Julie; Wesselingh, Renate A.; Van Dyck, Hans

2015-01-01

Sparing zones from mowing has been proposed, and applied, to improve local conditions for survival and reproduction of insects in hay meadows. However, little is known about the efficiency of refuge zones and the consequences for local populations. We studied population densities of butterflies before and after mowing in the refuge zone of 15 meadows in 2009 and 2011. We also studied the behaviour of the meadow brown (Maniola jurtina) comparing nectar use, interactions and flights in the refuge zone before and after mowing. Densities of grassland butterflies in this zone doubled on average after mowing. The density of females of M. jurtina increased on average fourfold, while males showed a more modest increase. In line with the idea of increased scramble competition in the refuge zone after mowing, M. jurtina increased the time spent on nectar feeding, the preferred nectar source was visited more frequently, and females made more use of non-preferred nectar sources. Maniola jurtina did not interact more with conspecifics after mowing, but interactions lasted longer. Flight tracks did not change in linearity, but were faster and shorter after mowing. After mowing, only a part of the local grassland butterflies moved to the uncut refuge zone. The resulting concentration effect alters the time allocated to different activities, nectar use and movements. These aspects have been largely ignored for agri-environmental schemes and grassland management in nature reserves and raise questions about optimal quantities and quality of uncut refuge sites for efficient conservation of grassland arthropods in agricultural landscapes. PMID:26284618

A Decision Support System Coupling Fuzzy Logic and Probabilistic Graphical Approaches for the Agri-Food Industry: Prediction of Grape Berry Maturity.

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Perrot, Nathalie; Baudrit, Cédric; Brousset, Jean Marie; Abbal, Philippe; Guillemin, Hervé; Perret, Bruno; Goulet, Etienne; Guerin, Laurence; Barbeau, Gérard; Picque, Daniel

2015-01-01

Agri-food is one of the most important sectors of the industry and a major contributor to the global warming potential in Europe. Sustainability issues pose a huge challenge for this sector. In this context, a big issue is to be able to predict the multiscale dynamics of those systems using computing science. A robust predictive mathematical tool is implemented for this sector and applied to the wine industry being easily able to be generalized to other applications. Grape berry maturation relies on complex and coupled physicochemical and biochemical reactions which are climate dependent. Moreover one experiment represents one year and the climate variability could not be covered exclusively by the experiments. Consequently, harvest mostly relies on expert predictions. A big challenge for the wine industry is nevertheless to be able to anticipate the reactions for sustainability purposes. We propose to implement a decision support system so called FGRAPEDBN able to (1) capitalize the heterogeneous fragmented knowledge available including data and expertise and (2) predict the sugar (resp. the acidity) concentrations with a relevant RMSE of 7 g/l (resp. 0.44 g/l and 0.11 g/kg). FGRAPEDBN is based on a coupling between a probabilistic graphical approach and a fuzzy expert system.

Assessing pollinators’ use of floral resource subsidies in agri-environment schemes: An illustration using Phacelia tanacetifolia and honeybees

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Rowan Sprague

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Background Honeybees (Apis mellifera L. are frequently used in agriculture for pollination services because of their abundance, generalist floral preferences, ease of management and hive transport. However, their populations are declining in many countries. Agri-Environment Schemes (AES are being implemented in agricultural systems to combat the decline in populations of pollinators and other insects. Despite AES being increasingly embedded in policy and budgets, scientific assessments of many of these schemes still are lacking, and only a few studies have examined the extent to which insect pollinators use the floral enhancements that are part of AES and on which floral components they feed (i.e., pollen and/or nectar. Methods In the present work, we used a combination of observations on honeybee foraging for nectar/pollen from the Californian annual plant Phacelia tanacetifolia in the field, collection of pollen pellets from hives, and pollen identification, to assess the value of adding phacelia to an agro-ecosystem to benefit honeybees. Results It was found that phacelia pollen was almost never taken by honeybees. The work here demonstrates that honeybees may not use the floral enhancements added to a landscape as expected and points to the need for more careful assessments of what resources are used by honeybees in AES and understanding the role, if any, which AES play in enhancing pollinator fitness. Discussion We recommend using the methodology in this paper to explore the efficacy of AES before particular flowering species are adopted more widely to give a more complete illustration of the actual efficacy of AES.

Web Based Research Mapping and Analysis: ICT-AGRI's Meta Knowledge Base Centralizes ICT and Robotics Development in Agriculture and Related Environmental Issues

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Koen C. Mertens

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Ample research is conducted on ICT, automation and robotics in agriculture and related environmental issues. ICT and Robotics innovations are rapidly emerging and have the ability to revolutionize future farming through their major impacts on productivity and profitability. Unfortunately human and financial resources and efforts are fragmented and limited. This led to the creation of the ICT-AGRI ERA-NET that provides a central structured framework. Its main objective is to strengthen and coordinate European research regarding ICT and robotics in agriculture. Besides the creation of the Meta Knowledge Base (MKB, a common European research agenda will be developed and common research calls are launched. The Meta Knowledge Base (http://db-ictagri.eu is attempting to map all relevant research and development within the selected research area. To accomplish the mapping, two types of information are collected: research profiles and research postings. To organize the postings, a three-dimensional task-technology oriented framework was designed. The results indicated that the three axes: task, technology and scope seemed insufficient to describe the whole research area. Therefore, an improved framework was developed. By extending the task-technology oriented framework with a process-control–information system, a useful framework was designed.

Estratégias para o agronegócio no Mercosul ampliado Mercosur agri-food strategies

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Marcos Sawaya Jank

1999-12-01

Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho é traçar o perfil do setor agroalimentar do Mercosul ampliado (Mercosul mais Chile e Bolívia, analisando os pontos fortes e fracos do agronegócio do bloco e discutindo as principais tendências na produção agropecuária, na indústria de alimentos, no comércio de bens, nos recursos humanos e físicos, na infra-estrutura e, por fim, nas políticas públicas. O artigo propõe uma agenda estratégica de ações públicas e privadas necessárias para o incremento na competitividade das exportações extra-bloco. Conclui-se que o Mercosul deve perseguir a sua vocação natural de região exportadora de produtos do agronegócio, tendo a constituição de uma base de produção de bens e serviços competitiva e rentável como principal instrumento de ação e o compromisso com eqüidade e sustentabilidade como obrigação moral e ética.The main topic of this article is to outline the agri food sector within expanded Mercosur countries (Mercosur plus Chile and Bolivia, and to discuss the trends of production, trade, physical and human resources, infra-structure, food industry, and, finally, public policies. The article analyses the threats and opportunities of extra-block competitiveness. Having as its goal the improvement of competitive advantages of extra-block exportations, the article proposes a strategic agenda for private and public policies. It concludes that Mercosur must improve its status of an exporter of agribusiness products. Therefore, it is necessary to yield competitiveness and profitability of the productive base of goods and services, which is conceived as the main instrument in pursuing the block’s equity and sustainability.

Is it worth protecting groundwater from diffuse pollution with agri-environmental schemes? A hydro-economic modeling approach.

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Hérivaux, Cécile; Orban, Philippe; Brouyère, Serge

2013-10-15

In Europe, 30% of groundwater bodies are considered to be at risk of not achieving the Water Framework Directive (WFD) 'good status' objective by 2015, and 45% are in doubt of doing so. Diffuse agricultural pollution is one of the main pressures affecting groundwater bodies. To tackle this problem, the WFD requires Member States to design and implement cost-effective programs of measures to achieve the 'good status' objective by 2027 at the latest. Hitherto, action plans have mainly consisted of promoting the adoption of Agri-Environmental Schemes (AES). This raises a number of questions concerning the effectiveness of such schemes for improving groundwater status, and the economic implications of their implementation. We propose a hydro-economic model that combines a hydrogeological model to simulate groundwater quality evolution with agronomic and economic components to assess the expected costs, effectiveness, and benefits of AES implementation. This hydro-economic model can be used to identify cost-effective AES combinations at groundwater-body scale and to show the benefits to be expected from the resulting improvement in groundwater quality. The model is applied here to a rural area encompassing the Hesbaye aquifer, a large chalk aquifer which supplies about 230,000 inhabitants in the city of Liege (Belgium) and is severely contaminated by agricultural nitrates. We show that the time frame within which improvements in the Hesbaye groundwater quality can be expected may be much longer than that required by the WFD. Current WFD programs based on AES may be inappropriate for achieving the 'good status' objective in the most productive agricultural areas, in particular because these schemes are insufficiently attractive. Achieving 'good status' by 2027 would demand a substantial change in the design of AES, involving costs that may not be offset by benefits in the case of chalk aquifers with long renewal times. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Choice of mineral fertilizer substitution principle strongly influences LCA environmental benefits of nutrient cycling in the agri-food system.

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Hanserud, Ola Stedje; Cherubini, Francesco; Øgaard, Anne Falk; Müller, Daniel B; Brattebø, Helge

2018-02-15

Increased nutrient cycling in the agri-food system is a way to achieve a healthier nutrient stewardship and more sustainable food production. In life cycle assessment (LCA) studies, use of recycled fertilizer products is often credited by the substitution method, which subtracts the environmental burdens associated with avoided production of mineral fertilizer from the system under study. The environmental benefits from avoided fertilizer production can make an important contribution to the results, but different calculation principles and often implicit assumptions are used to estimate the amount of avoided mineral fertilizer. This may hinder comparisons between studies. The present study therefore examines how the choice of substitution principles influences LCA results. Three different substitution principles, called one-to-one, maintenance, and adjusted maintenance, are identified, and we test the importance of these in a case study on cattle slurry management. We show that the inventory of avoided mineral fertilizer varies greatly when the different principles are applied, with strong influences on two-thirds of LCA impact categories. With the one-to-one principle, there is a risk of systematically over-estimating the environmental benefits from nutrient cycling. In a sensitivity analysis we show that the difference between the principles is closely related to the application rate and levels of residual nutrients in the soil. We recommend that LCA practitioners first and foremost state and justify the substitution method they use, in order to increase transparency and comparability with other studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ética y Responsabilidad Social de los Agronenocios en Latinoamerica.

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Alfredo Aguilar Valdés

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Article in Spanish Ethics and social responsibility of agri-business in Latin-America The main objective of this work is to remark the relevance of ethics and the social responsibility of agri-business in a globalized World. Initially the concept of globalization is reviewed and its effects on the management of agri-business, and also is showed the relationship between ethics, social responsibility and globalization under this frame. Afterwards a review of entrepreneurial ethics, its instruments and its relation with the organizational culture is made, followed by an analysis of the concept of social responsibility of agri-business and application models to this one, putting emphasis in advantages and disadvantages of each model. Next step shows the related areas to the applicability of social responsibility of agri-business, such as the environmental management, protection of the consumer, and total quality. Finally suggestions of some areas of study and meditation for agri-business professionals are made.

PDO as a Mechanism for Reterritorialisation and Agri-Food Governance: A Comparative Analysis of Cheese Products in the UK and Switzerland

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Damian Maye

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The protection of geographical indications (European regulation 1151/2012 is arguably the most significant initiative, certainly within Europe, that promotes foods with territorial associations and reorganises agri-food chain governance through a strategy of reterritorialisation. Research on Protected Designation of Origins (PDOs and Protected Geographical Indications (PGIs suggests that they generate significant economic value at an EU-level, especially in certain countries. They can also help to deliver territorial rural development policy and develop new food markets. In this paper we examine the way the PDO scheme has been developed and applied in one commodity sector (cheese in two countries (Switzerland and the UK, where the uptake of PDOs is variable. We adopt a food chain approach and examine specific cheese product case studies (at micro and meso levels in both countries to better understand how the PDO scheme (as a territorialisation and respacing strategy is implemented. L’Etivaz and Le Gruyère are examined in Switzerland. Single Gloucester and West Country cheddar are examined in the UK. The PDO scheme is an important governance strategy and regulatory system, but despite strict guidelines regarding implementation and geographical infrastructure there are notable differences between the UK and Switzerland in terms of how the label is used to organise and respatialise food chains: it is framed as a strategy to protect the rural economy in Switzerland but is promoted more as a mechanism to communicate and reconnect with consumers in the UK.

AgriSense-STARS: Advancing Methods of Agricultural Monitoring for Food Security in Smallholder Regions - the Case for Tanzania

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Dempewolf, J.; Becker-Reshef, I.; Nakalembe, C. L.; Tumbo, S.; Maurice, S.; Mbilinyi, B.; Ntikha, O.; Hansen, M.; Justice, C. J.; Adusei, B.; Kongo, V.

2015-12-01

In-season monitoring of crop conditions provides critical information for agricultural policy and decision making and most importantly for food security planning and management. Nationwide agricultural monitoring in countries dominated by smallholder farming systems, generally relies on extensive networks of field data collectors. In Tanzania, extension agents make up this network and report on conditions across the country, approaching a "near-census". Data is collected on paper which is resource and time intensive, as well as prone to errors. Data quality is ambiguous and there is a general lack of clear and functional feedback loops between farmers, extension agents, analysts and decision makers. Moreover, the data are not spatially explicit, limiting the usefulness for analysis and quality of policy outcomes. Despite significant advances in remote sensing and information communication technologies (ICT) for monitoring agriculture, the full potential of these new tools is yet to be realized in Tanzania. Their use is constrained by the lack of resources, skills and infrastructure to access and process these data. The use of ICT technologies for data collection, processing and analysis is equally limited. The AgriSense-STARS project is developing and testing a system for national-scale in-season monitoring of smallholder agriculture using a combination of three main tools, 1) GLAM-East Africa, an automated MODIS satellite image processing system, 2) field data collection using GeoODK and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and 3) the Tanzania Crop Monitor, a collaborative online portal for data management and reporting. These tools are developed and applied in Tanzania through the National Food Security Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives (MAFC) within a statistically representative sampling framework (area frame) that ensures data quality, representability and resource efficiency.

High Resolution Vp and Vp/Vs Local Earthquake Tomography of the Val d'Agri Region (Southern Apennines, Italy).

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Improta, L.; Bagh, S.; De Gori, P.; Pastori, M.; Piccinini, D.; Valoroso, L.; Anselmi, M.; Buttinelli, M.; Chiarabba, C.

2015-12-01

The Val d'Agri (VA) Quaternary basin in the southern Apennines extensional belt hosts the largest oilfield in onshore Europe and normal-fault systems with high (up to M7) seismogenic potential. Frequent small-magnitude swarms related to both active crustal extension and anthropogenic activity have occurred in the region. Causal factors for induced seismicity are a water impoundment with severe seasonal oscillations and a high-rate wastewater injection well. We analyzed around 1200 earthquakes (MLENI petroleum company. We used local earthquake tomography to investigate static and transient features of the crustal velocity structure and to accurately locate earthquakes. Vp and Vp/Vs models are parameterized by a 3x3x2 km spacing and well resolved down to about 12 km depth. The complex Vp model illuminates broad antiformal structures corresponding to wide ramp-anticlines involving Mesozoic carbonates of the Apulia hydrocarbon reservoir, and NW-SE trending low Vp regions related to thrust-sheet-top clastic basins. The VA basin corresponds to shallow low-Vp region. Focal mechanisms show normal faulting kinematics with minor strike slip solutions in agreement with the local extensional regime. Earthquake locations and focal solutions depict shallow (< 5 km depth) E-dipping extensional structures beneath the artificial lake located in the southern sector of the basin, and along the western margin of the VA. A few swarms define relatively deep transfer structures accommodating the differential extension between main normal faults. The spatio-temporal distribution of around 220 events correlates with wastewater disposal activity, illuminating a NE-dipping fault between 2-5 km depth in the carbonate reservoir. The fault measures 5 km along dip and corresponds to a pre-existing thrust fault favorably oriented with respect to the local extensional field.

Pulling back the curtain on 'behind the border' trade costs: The case of EU-US agri-food trade

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanjuán, A.I.; Philippidis, G.; Resano, H.

2017-01-01

With the rise of anti-free-trade sentiment on both sides of the Atlantic, there is a growing urgency by trade negotiators to conclude the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations. The harmonisation of non-tariff restrictions is a key component of the talks, whilst global modelling databases typically lack a price compatible representation of these measures, which lends a degree of bias to ex-ante modelling assessments. In the gravity literature, there is (limited) evidence of non-tariff ad-valorem equivalent (AVE) estimates of agriculture and food, although disaggregated agri-food activities and/or bilateral EU-US route specific estimates are still in relatively short supply. Using panel data, this study consolidates both of these issues, whilst also proposing an ‘indirect’ gravity method as a basis upon which to provide econometric non-tariff AVE estimates compatible with the degree of sectoral concordance typically found in global modelling databases. On a general note, the results revealed the presence of significant behind the border trade costs on both sides of the Atlantic, which exceed their tariff counterparts. Using simple aggregated averages, our estimates are comparable with ‘direct’ gravity method studies. Furthermore, rigorous qualitative and quantitative comparisons on a sector-by-sector basis showed that a number of bilateral non-tariff AVEs are also found to be plausible, although in some cases, with recourse to relevant policy documents and expert opinion, it is debatable whether the EU or the US is more restrictive. Further work could focus on refining the sector specificity of each gravity equation to improve the model's predictive capacity.

Pulling back the curtain on 'behind the border' trade costs: The case of EU-US agri-food trade

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanjuán, A.I.; Philippidis, G.; Resano, H.

2017-07-01

With the rise of anti-free-trade sentiment on both sides of the Atlantic, there is a growing urgency by trade negotiators to conclude the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations. The harmonisation of non-tariff restrictions is a key component of the talks, whilst global modelling databases typically lack a price compatible representation of these measures, which lends a degree of bias to ex-ante modelling assessments. In the gravity literature, there is (limited) evidence of non-tariff ad-valorem equivalent (AVE) estimates of agriculture and food, although disaggregated agri-food activities and/or bilateral EU-US route specific estimates are still in relatively short supply. Using panel data, this study consolidates both of these issues, whilst also proposing an ‘indirect’ gravity method as a basis upon which to provide econometric non-tariff AVE estimates compatible with the degree of sectoral concordance typically found in global modelling databases. On a general note, the results revealed the presence of significant behind the border trade costs on both sides of the Atlantic, which exceed their tariff counterparts. Using simple aggregated averages, our estimates are comparable with ‘direct’ gravity method studies. Furthermore, rigorous qualitative and quantitative comparisons on a sector-by-sector basis showed that a number of bilateral non-tariff AVEs are also found to be plausible, although in some cases, with recourse to relevant policy documents and expert opinion, it is debatable whether the EU or the US is more restrictive. Further work could focus on refining the sector specificity of each gravity equation to improve the model's predictive capacity.

Systemic Analysis of Food Supply and Distribution Systems in City-Region Systems—An Examination of FAO’s Policy Guidelines towards Sustainable Agri-Food Systems

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Vanessa Armendáriz

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The world is continuously transforming to supply growing cities and urbanization processes are still driving important changes in our current food systems. Future sustainability constraints are emphasizing that Food Supply and Distribution Systems (FSDS are deeply embedded in city-region systems with specific technical and socio-ecological characteristics. This paper aims to provide a systemic understanding on FSDS focusing the integration of urban and rural structures considering the system biophysical boundaries and societal targets. A qualitative framework model, based on the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO’s FSDS literature, has been developed by using Systems Thinking (ST and System Dynamics (SD approaches. The model analysis suggested that to increase sustainability and resilience of food systems large emphasis has to be maintained on: (i estimation of local territorial carrying capacities; (ii land use planning to enhance connections among rural supplies and city needs; (iii city policies, to regulate emergent market size and local scale of production; (iv technological efficiency at farm, distribution and market levels; (v urban, peri-urban and rural functional linkages that considers social metabolic balances; (vi rural development as a core point for building sustainable food systems and counteracting the urbanization growth. These key areas are relevant to test new paths of cities-regions reconfiguration towards the transition to resilient agri-food systems.

IMPORTANCE OF THE AGRI-ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE SCHEME WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION SYSTEM (IN THE LIGHT OF THE POLISH RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME 2014–2020

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Bartosz Mickiewicz

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The study discusses the agri-environment scheme, which gained a high position in the process of integration of environmental protection in the framework of the CAP. The purpose of the payments was to encourage farmers to protect and improve the environment. The farmers were required to apply environmentally friendly techniques and practices for a period of fi ve years. Received payments had additional reimbursement of extra costs and decreased income resulting from the application of environment-friendly practices. Agrienvironmental scheme was realized through packages and variants, whose number diff ered in time. In 2004–2006, agrienvironmental scheme included approximately 70 thousand of agricultural holdings, which labored on the surface of the 1.4 million ha. In the next programming period (2007–2013 the benefi ciaries submitted 448,6 thousand applications, and the level of payment amounted to PLN 6.7 billion. The program of the current fi nancial perspective (2014–2020 includes 2058,9 thousand ha of agricultural land, as compared to the total area of agricultural land in the country in the amount of 14609 ha of agricultural land represents 14.1%

Expanding Business Opportunities for Youth in the Fish and Poultry ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Youth and agri-business in Kenya While promoting agri-business opportunities ... Training, mentoring, support The project will use different training methods ... Centre of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and IDRC.

Apple based agroforestry in Dendi Woreda, Oromiya Region ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In agri-horticulture agroforestry approach apple trees were integrated with vegetables at ... activities incorporating their own farm resources to minimize input costs. ... Keywords: Agri-horticulture system; Apple tree adoption; Household income ...

Food safety in an organic perspective

OpenAIRE

Kristensen, Erik Steen; Alrøe, Hugo Fjelsted; Hansen, Birgitte

2002-01-01

The holistic perspective of organic farming implies a broader conception of food safety that includes both product safety and agri-food system safety. The credibility of organic food can only be maintained if the organic agri-food system is developed in correspondence with the basic organic principles. In this way it will be possible to show the whole organic agri-food system as a safer alternative to conventional farming. Thereby trust will be supported in organic foods despite the sparse (a...

Research Award: Agriculture and Food Security Program

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Office 2004 Test Drive User

diversify small‐scale agriculture, improve nutritional quality, and income by ... strategies for youth engagement in agri-food value chains for improved food ... successful examples of youth in agri-food businesses and for connecting youth.

When does State Interference with Property (now Amount to Expropriation? An Analysis of the Agri SA Court's State Acquisition Requirement (Part II

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ernst Jacobus Marais

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Section 25 of the Constitution provides two ways in which the state may interfere with property rights, namely deprivation (section 25(1 and expropriation (section 25(2. As only the latter requires compensation, there is an incentive for property holders to label any infringement with their property as expropriation in the hope of being compensated for their losses. It is therefore essential to have a principled distinction between deprivation and expropriation, especially given the danger that uncertainty in this regard can hold for legitimate land reform initiatives, which often entail severe limitations on property. This contribution attends to Agri South Africa v Minister for Minerals and Energy 2013 4 SA 1 (CC, where the Constitutional Court recently revisited this distinction and held that the distinguishing feature of expropriation is that it entails state acquisition of property. Without state acquisition the interference can (at most amount to deprivation. Unfortunately, viewing state acquisition as the "key requirement" for expropriation is problematic. Firstly, it ignores the true nature of this feature in that it is only a consequence of a valid expropriation rather than a pre-requisite for it – at least in terms of pre-constitutional law. It is therefore inaccurate, concerning both pre- and post-constitutional expropriation case law, to regard acquisition as an indispensable requirement for expropriation. Secondly, limiting the constitutional property inquiry to whether or not the state acquired property appears inadequate as a means of solving difficult cases where the state acquires property pursuant to infringements like taxation and criminal forfeiture. As both these examples result in state acquisition, there must be another explanation of why they do not amount to expropriation.

Innovations in Rural Financial Services Provision

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ndyetabula, Daniel; Temu, Andrew E.

2013-01-01

The aim of at investigating innovations related to financial services for the agri-bussiness sector, suing examples from Tanzania......The aim of at investigating innovations related to financial services for the agri-bussiness sector, suing examples from Tanzania...

Competitiveness of Small Farms and Innovative Food Supply Chains: The Role of Food Hubs in Creating Sustainable Regional and Local Food Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giaime Berti

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Over the last decades, the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the conventional agri-food system has and continues to be contested within both academic and public institutions. For small farms, the unsustainability of the food system is even more serious; farms’ declining share of profit and the cost-price squeeze of commodity production has increased barriers to market access with the inevitable effect of agricultural abandonment. One way forward to respond to the existing conventional agri-food systems and to create a competitive or survival strategy for small family farms is the re-construction of regional and local agri-food systems, aligning with Kramer and Porter’s concept of shared value strategy. Through a critical literature review, this paper presents “regional and local food hubs” as innovative organizational arrangements capable of bridging structural holes in the agri-food markets between small producers and the consumers—individuals and families as well as big buyers. Food hubs respond to a supply chain (or supply network organizational strategy aiming at re-territorialising the agri-food systems through the construction of what in the economic literature are defined as values-based food supply chains.

Edible safety requirements and assessment standards for agricultural genetically modified organisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Pingjian; Zhou, Xiangyang; Zhou, Peng; Du, Zhong; Hou, Hongli; Yang, Dongyan; Tan, Jianjun; Wu, Xiaojin; Zhang, Jinzhou; Yang, Yongcun; Liu, Jin; Liu, Guihua; Li, Yonghong; Liu, Jianjun; Yu, Lei; Fang, Shisong; Yang, Xiaoke

2008-05-01

This paper describes the background, principles, concepts and methods of framing the technical regulation for edible safety requirement and assessment of agricultural genetically modified organisms (agri-GMOs) for Shenzhen Special Economic Zone in the People's Republic of China. It provides a set of systematic criteria for edible safety requirements and the assessment process for agri-GMOs. First, focusing on the degree of risk and impact of different agri-GMOs, we developed hazard grades for toxicity, allergenicity, anti-nutrition effects, and unintended effects and standards for the impact type of genetic manipulation. Second, for assessing edible safety, we developed indexes and standards for different hazard grades of recipient organisms, for the influence of types of genetic manipulation and hazard grades of agri-GMOs. To evaluate the applicability of these criteria and their congruency with other safety assessment systems for GMOs applied by related organizations all over the world, we selected some agri-GMOs (soybean, maize, potato, capsicum and yeast) as cases to put through our new assessment system, and compared our results with the previous assessments. It turned out that the result of each of the cases was congruent with the original assessment.

76 FR 3046 - Farmers' Market Promotion Program Regulation; Notice of Request for Approval of a New Information...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-19

... does not meet the definition of a Federal mandate because the resulting annual State expenditures would..., roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs, agri-tourism activities, and other direct...' markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs, agri-tourism activities, and other...

Effects of a coordinated farmland bird conservation project on farmers' intentions to implement nature conservation practices – Evidence from the Swedish Volunteer & Farmer Alliance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Josefsson, Jonas; Lokhorst, Anne Marike; Pärt, Tomas; Berg, Åke; Eggers, Sönke

2017-01-01

To increase the efficacy of agri-environmental schemes (AES), as well as farmers' environmental engagement, practitioners are increasingly turning to collective forms of agri-environmental management. As yet, empirical evidence from such approaches is relatively scarce. Here, we examined a

FY 1994 report on the development of wood-waste/agri-waste pyrolytic gasification technology and utilization technology of gas product; 1994 nendo mokushitsukei haikibutsu no netsubunkai gas ka gijutsu to seisei gas no riyo gijutsu kaihatsu hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-03-01

This 5-year joint project (FY 1990 to 1994) by Japan and the Philippines is aimed at joint research and development of (thermal decomposition/gasification and power generation system) for transforming large quantities of wood-wastes/agri-wastes left unutilized in the Philippines into electric power, in which thermal decomposition/gasification of the wastes is combined with a gas engine system. The field tests of the demonstration plant successfully produce power of 100 kW by burning only the low-calorie gas with a heating value near critical level for self-sustained combustion, obtained by gasification of sawdust by the fluidized gasifier and refined, attaining the object of the project. It is confirmed that a 200 to 300 kW class commercial plant can be designed and constructed basically by scaling up the 100 kW demonstration plant. The other data obtained by the field tests include those for improved operability and maintainability, gas purification, and reducing sizes of the facilities, including utility facilities. (NEDO)

A MODIS-based analysis of the Val d'Agri Oil Center (South of Italy) thermal emission: an independent gas flaring estimation strategy

Science.gov (United States)

Pergola, Nicola; Faruolo, Mariapia; Irina, Coviello; Carolina, Filizzola; Teodosio, Lacava; Valerio, Tramutoli

2014-05-01

Different kinds of atmospheric pollution affect human health and the environment at local and global scale. The petroleum industry represents one of the most important environmental pollution sources, accounting for about 18% of well-to-wheels greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The main pollution source is represented by the flaring of gas, one of the most challenging energy and environmental problems facing the world today. The World Bank has estimated that 150 billion cubic meters of natural gas are being flared annually, that is equivalent to 30% of the European Union's gas consumption. Since 2002, satellite-based methodologies have shown their capability in providing independent and reliable estimation of gas flaring emissions, at both national and global scale. In this paper, for the first time, the potential of satellite data in estimating gas flaring volumes emitted from a single on-shore crude oil pre-treatment plant, i.e. the Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi (ENI) Val d'Agri Oil Center (COVA), located in the Basilicata Region (South of Italy), was assessed. Specifically, thirteen years of night-time Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data acquired in the medium and thermal infrared (MIR and TIR, respectively) bands were processed. The Robust Satellite Techniques (RST) approach was implemented for identifying anomalous values of the signals under investigation (i.e. the MIR-TIR difference one), associated to the COVA flares emergency discharges. Then, the Fire Radiative Power (FRP), computed for the thermal anomalies previously identified, was correlated to the emitted gas flaring volumes, available for the COVA in the period 2003 - 2009, defining a satellite based regression model for estimating COVA gas flaring emitted volumes. The used strategy and the preliminary results of this analysis will be described in detail in this work.

Earth Science Goes E-Commerce

Science.gov (United States)

2000-01-01

Software packages commercially marketed by Agri ImaGIS allow customers to analyze farm fields. Agri ImaGIS provides satellite images of farmland and agricultural views to US clients. The company approached NASA-MSU TechLink for access to technology that would improve the company's capabilities to deliver satellite images over the Internet. TechLink found that software with the desired functions had already been developed through NASA's Remote Sensing Database Program. Agri ImaGIS formed a partnership with the University of Minnesota group that allows the company to further develop the software to meet its Internet commerce needs.

Comparison of biochemical parameters of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) reared in two different trout farms'

Science.gov (United States)

Karatas, Tayfun

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to compare biochemical parameters of cultured rainbow trouts (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Walbaum, 1972) reared in two different trout farms' (Agri and Erzurum). The average weights of fish were 150±10gr for first station (Agri), 230±10gr for second station (Erzurum). Fishes used in research were randomly caught from pools, and fifteen pieces were used for each group. Fishes were fed with commercial trout feed with 45-50% crude protein twice a day. The levels of AST, ALT, LDL, total cholesterol and triglyceride in the second station (Erzurum) were found to be higher (p<0.05) than that of first station (Agri). Whereas, the levels of HDL in the second station (Erzurum) were found to be lower (p<0.05) than that of first station (Agri). Differences in the levels of total cholesterol and AST, ALT, HDL, LDL, triglyceride may be associated with size, sex, sexual maturity and environmental conditions (temperature, pH, hardness and dissolved oxygen).

Assessing the environmental performance of English arable and livestock holdings using data from the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN).

Science.gov (United States)

Westbury, D B; Park, J R; Mauchline, A L; Crane, R T; Mortimer, S R

2011-03-01

Agri-environment schemes (AESs) have been implemented across EU member states in an attempt to reconcile agricultural production methods with protection of the environment and maintenance of the countryside. To determine the extent to which such policy objectives are being fulfilled, participating countries are obliged to monitor and evaluate the environmental, agricultural and socio-economic impacts of their AESs. However, few evaluations measure precise environmental outcomes and critically, there are no agreed methodologies to evaluate the benefits of particular agri-environmental measures, or to track the environmental consequences of changing agricultural practices. In response to these issues, the Agri-Environmental Footprint project developed a common methodology for assessing the environmental impact of European AES. The Agri-Environmental Footprint Index (AFI) is a farm-level, adaptable methodology that aggregates measurements of agri-environmental indicators based on Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) techniques. The method was developed specifically to allow assessment of differences in the environmental performance of farms according to participation in agri-environment schemes. The AFI methodology is constructed so that high values represent good environmental performance. This paper explores the use of the AFI methodology in combination with Farm Business Survey data collected in England for the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN), to test whether its use could be extended for the routine surveillance of environmental performance of farming systems using established data sources. Overall, the aim was to measure the environmental impact of three different types of agriculture (arable, lowland livestock and upland livestock) in England and to identify differences in AFI due to participation in agri-environment schemes. However, because farm size, farmer age, level of education and region are also likely to influence the environmental performance of a

A new MODIS based approach for gas flared volumes estimation: the case of the Val d'Agri Oil Center (Southern Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Lacava, T.; Faruolo, M.; Coviello, I.; Filizzola, C.; Pergola, N.; Tramutoli, V.

2014-12-01

Gas flaring is one of the most controversial energetic and environmental issues the Earth is facing, moreover contributing to the global warming and climate change. According to the World Bank, each year about 150 Billion Cubic Meter of gas are being flared globally, that is equivalent to the annual gas use of Italy and France combined. Besides, about 400 million tons of CO2 (representing about 1.2% of global CO2 emissions) are added annually into the atmosphere. Efforts to evaluate the impact of flaring on the surrounding environment are hampered by lack of official information on flare locations and volumes. Suitable satellite based techniques could offers a potential solution to this problem through the detection and subsequent mapping of flare locations as well as gas emissions estimation. In this paper a new methodological approach, based on the Robust Satellite Techniques (RST), a multi-temporal scheme of satellite data analysis, was developed to analyze and characterize the flaring activity of the largest Italian gas and oil pre-treatment plant (ENI-COVA) located in Val d'Agri (Basilicata) For this site, located in an anthropized area characterized by a large environmental complexity, flaring emissions are mainly related to emergency conditions (i.e. waste flaring), being the industrial process regulated by strict regional laws. With reference to the peculiar characteristics of COVA flaring, the RST approach was implemented on 13 years of EOS-MODIS (Earth Observing System - Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) infrared data to detect COVA-related thermal anomalies and to develop a regression model for gas flared volume estimation. The methodological approach, the whole processing chain and the preliminarily achieved results will be shown and discussed in this paper. In addition, the possible implementation of the proposed approach on the data acquired by the SUOMI NPP - VIIRS (National Polar-orbiting Partnership - Visible Infrared Imaging

Studies on the utilization of agricultural residues in the manufacture of pulp and paper, and industrial chemicals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joshi, V.S.; Kamath, G.P.; Basu, S.

1980-03-15

While demand for pulp and paper products in India is increasing at the annual rate of 7 to 8%, availability of cellulosic raw material to meet the ever increasing demand is becoming a serious problem. It has been estimated that bamboo, the traditional source of cellulosic raw material in India, even after ensuring the most scientific and best possible exploitation, could provide less than 50% of the requirement. In a big agricultural country like India, agri-residues like straws and bagasse, along with jute sticks, available in huge quantity, could provide substantial amount of cellulosic resources to the pulp and paper industry. Realizing the importance of agri-residue utilization in Indian economy, a series of research projects have been initiated and completed during the last 15 years to study the techno-economic feasibility of manufacturing pulp, paper, and industrial chemicals, based on rice and wheat straws, bagasse, and jute sticks. The economic advantages of the mechano-chemical pulping process, as compared to the conventional pressure, pulping process, for the conversion of agri-residues into pulp and paer is evaluated. For highlighting the importance of agri-residues in the field of useful chemical recovery possibilities, experimental data are given on the saccarification of agri-residues into reducing sugars by the simple acid hydrolysis method with the help of concentrated sulfuric acid.

Sociology in Global Environmental Governance? Neoliberalism, Protectionism and the Methyl Bromide Controversy in the Montreal Protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brian J. Gareau

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Sociological studies of global agriculture need to pay close attention to the protectionist aspects of neoliberalism at the global scale of environmental governance. With agri-food studies in the social sciences broadening interrogations of the impact of neoliberalism on agri-food systems and their alternatives, investigating global environmental governance (GEG will help reveal its impacts on the global environment, global science/knowledge, and the potential emergence of ecologically sensible alternatives. It is argued here that as agri-food studies of neoliberalism sharpen the focus on these dimensions the widespread consequences of protectionism of US agri-industry in GEG will become better understood, and the solutions more readily identifiable. This paper illustrates how the delayed phase out of the toxic substance methyl bromide in the Montreal Protocol exemplifies the degree to which the US agri-industry may be protected at the global scale of environmental governance, thus prolonging the transition to ozone-friendly alternatives. Additionally, it is clear that protectionism has had a significant impact on the dissemination and interpretation of science/knowledge of methyl bromide and its alternatives. Revealing the role that protectionism plays more broadly in the agriculture/environmental governance interface, and its oftentimes negative impacts on science and potential alternatives, can shed light on how protectionism can be made to serve ends that are at odds with environmental protection.

Organising Collective Action for Effective Environmental Management and Social Learning in Wales

Science.gov (United States)

Mills, Jane; Gibbon, David; Ingram, Julie; Reed, Matt; Short, Christopher; Dwyer, Janet

2011-01-01

The paper explored key factors that might lead to successful agri-environmental social learning and collective action in order to deliver landscape-scale resource management within agri-environment schemes. Using the theory of collective action as an analytical framework the paper examined findings from in-depth interviews with 20 members of two…

From Post-Productionism to Reflexive Governance: Contested Transitions in Securing More Sustainable Food Futures

Science.gov (United States)

Marsden, Terry

2013-01-01

The paper critically assesses the more turbulent period in agri-food since 2007- by applying a transitions perspective to a range of empirical data collected from key private and public stakeholders in the UK during that period. It argues that increased volatility and a series of interdependent landscape pressures on the dominant agri-food regime…

Consumer acceptance of and willingness to pay for food nanotechnology: a systematic review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giles, Emma L.; Kuznesof, Sharron; Clark, Beth; Hubbard, Carmen; Frewer, Lynn J.

2015-01-01

Consumer’s attitudes to, and acceptance of, emerging technologies and their applications, are important determinants of their successful implementation and commercialisation. Understanding the range of socio-psychological, cultural and affective factors which may influence consumer responses to applications of nanotechnology will help “fine-tune” the development of consumer products in line with their expectations and preferences. This is particularly true of applications in the food area, where consumer concerns about technologies applied to food production may be elevated. This research applied systematic review methodology to synthesise current knowledge regarding societal acceptance or rejection of nanotechnology applied to agri-food production. The objective was to aggregate knowledge derived from different research areas to gain an overall picture of consumer responses to nanotechnology applied to food production. Relevant electronic databases of peer-reviewed literature were searched from the earliest date available, for peer-reviewed papers which reported primary empirical data on consumer and expert acceptance of agri-food nanotechnology, using a formal systematic review protocol. Inclusion criteria for papers to be included in the review were: empirical peer-reviewed papers written in English; a population sample of adults aged 18 years and over used in the research; a research focus on consumer and expert acceptance of agri-food nanotechnology; and research on attitudes towards, and willingness to pay for, different applications of agri-food nanotechnology. Two researchers independently appraised the papers using NVivo 10 QSR software. Studies examining consumer and expert acceptance were thematically analysed, and key information was collated. The results were synthesised in order to identify trends in information relevant to consumer acceptance of nanotechnology applied to food production. Eight key themes were identified from the 32 papers

Consumer acceptance of and willingness to pay for food nanotechnology: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Giles, Emma L; Kuznesof, Sharron; Clark, Beth; Hubbard, Carmen; Frewer, Lynn J

Consumer's attitudes to, and acceptance of, emerging technologies and their applications, are important determinants of their successful implementation and commercialisation. Understanding the range of socio-psychological, cultural and affective factors which may influence consumer responses to applications of nanotechnology will help "fine-tune" the development of consumer products in line with their expectations and preferences. This is particularly true of applications in the food area, where consumer concerns about technologies applied to food production may be elevated. This research applied systematic review methodology to synthesise current knowledge regarding societal acceptance or rejection of nanotechnology applied to agri-food production. The objective was to aggregate knowledge derived from different research areas to gain an overall picture of consumer responses to nanotechnology applied to food production. Relevant electronic databases of peer-reviewed literature were searched from the earliest date available, for peer-reviewed papers which reported primary empirical data on consumer and expert acceptance of agri-food nanotechnology, using a formal systematic review protocol. Inclusion criteria for papers to be included in the review were: empirical peer-reviewed papers written in English; a population sample of adults aged 18 years and over used in the research; a research focus on consumer and expert acceptance of agri-food nanotechnology; and research on attitudes towards, and willingness to pay for, different applications of agri-food nanotechnology. Two researchers independently appraised the papers using NVivo 10 QSR software. Studies examining consumer and expert acceptance were thematically analysed, and key information was collated. The results were synthesised in order to identify trends in information relevant to consumer acceptance of nanotechnology applied to food production. Eight key themes were identified from the 32 papers which were

Consumer acceptance of and willingness to pay for food nanotechnology: a systematic review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giles, Emma L., E-mail: e.giles@tees.ac.uk [Teesside University, Health and Social Care Institute (United Kingdom); Kuznesof, Sharron; Clark, Beth; Hubbard, Carmen; Frewer, Lynn J. [Newcastle University, School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (United Kingdom)

2015-12-15

Consumer’s attitudes to, and acceptance of, emerging technologies and their applications, are important determinants of their successful implementation and commercialisation. Understanding the range of socio-psychological, cultural and affective factors which may influence consumer responses to applications of nanotechnology will help “fine-tune” the development of consumer products in line with their expectations and preferences. This is particularly true of applications in the food area, where consumer concerns about technologies applied to food production may be elevated. This research applied systematic review methodology to synthesise current knowledge regarding societal acceptance or rejection of nanotechnology applied to agri-food production. The objective was to aggregate knowledge derived from different research areas to gain an overall picture of consumer responses to nanotechnology applied to food production. Relevant electronic databases of peer-reviewed literature were searched from the earliest date available, for peer-reviewed papers which reported primary empirical data on consumer and expert acceptance of agri-food nanotechnology, using a formal systematic review protocol. Inclusion criteria for papers to be included in the review were: empirical peer-reviewed papers written in English; a population sample of adults aged 18 years and over used in the research; a research focus on consumer and expert acceptance of agri-food nanotechnology; and research on attitudes towards, and willingness to pay for, different applications of agri-food nanotechnology. Two researchers independently appraised the papers using NVivo 10 QSR software. Studies examining consumer and expert acceptance were thematically analysed, and key information was collated. The results were synthesised in order to identify trends in information relevant to consumer acceptance of nanotechnology applied to food production. Eight key themes were identified from the 32 papers

Consumer acceptance of and willingness to pay for food nanotechnology: a systematic review

Science.gov (United States)

Giles, Emma L.; Kuznesof, Sharron; Clark, Beth; Hubbard, Carmen; Frewer, Lynn J.

2015-12-01

Consumer's attitudes to, and acceptance of, emerging technologies and their applications, are important determinants of their successful implementation and commercialisation. Understanding the range of socio-psychological, cultural and affective factors which may influence consumer responses to applications of nanotechnology will help "fine-tune" the development of consumer products in line with their expectations and preferences. This is particularly true of applications in the food area, where consumer concerns about technologies applied to food production may be elevated. This research applied systematic review methodology to synthesise current knowledge regarding societal acceptance or rejection of nanotechnology applied to agri-food production. The objective was to aggregate knowledge derived from different research areas to gain an overall picture of consumer responses to nanotechnology applied to food production. Relevant electronic databases of peer-reviewed literature were searched from the earliest date available, for peer-reviewed papers which reported primary empirical data on consumer and expert acceptance of agri-food nanotechnology, using a formal systematic review protocol. Inclusion criteria for papers to be included in the review were: empirical peer-reviewed papers written in English; a population sample of adults aged 18 years and over used in the research; a research focus on consumer and expert acceptance of agri-food nanotechnology; and research on attitudes towards, and willingness to pay for, different applications of agri-food nanotechnology. Two researchers independently appraised the papers using NVivo 10 QSR software. Studies examining consumer and expert acceptance were thematically analysed, and key information was collated. The results were synthesised in order to identify trends in information relevant to consumer acceptance of nanotechnology applied to food production. Eight key themes were identified from the 32 papers which were

Urban Agri_polis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reynisdottir, Eva Margret; Hedegaard, Rikke; Harder, Henrik

2009-01-01

set i lidt bredere perspektiv, fx via "landbrugsproduktion" i eksisterende byområder, implementeres i en større skala - i byer, bydele og bynære landskaber. I 2025 forventes det, at 75 % af verdens befolkning vil være bosat i urbane områder. Visionen om "Urban Agriculture", eller fødevareproduktion i...

Department of Agri

African Journals Online (AJOL)

USER

2016-03-29

Mar 29, 2016 ... tools for the study of the effects of the interacting .... the lowest is 325m above sea level. About ... resolution extracted from the Shuttle Radar ..... Demonstration Case Study No.1 ... Nigeria national water resources master.

Imaging the Shallow Crust in the Epicentral Area of the 1857 M7 Agri Valley Earthquake (Southern Italy) by Combined Traveltime and Full-Waveform Tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Improta, L.; Operto, S.; Piromallo, C.; Valoroso, L.

2008-12-01

The Agri Valley is a Quaternary extensional basin located in the Southern Apennines range. This basin was struck by a M7 earthquake in 1857. In spite of extensive morphotectonic surveys and hydrocarbon exploration, major unsolved questions remain about the upper crustal structure, the recent tectonic evolution and seismotectonics of the area. Most authors consider a SW-dipping normal-fault system bordering the basin to the East as the major seismogenic source. Alternatively, some authors ascribe the high seismogenic potential of the region to NE-dipping normal faults identified by morphotectonic surveys along the ridge bounding the basin to the West. These uncertainties mainly derive from the poor performance of commercial reflection profiling that suffers from an extreme structural complexity and unfavorable near-surface conditions. To overcome these drawbacks, ENI and Shell Italia carried out a non-conventional wide-aperture survey with densely spaced sources (60 m) and receivers (90 m). The 18-km-long wide-aperture profile crosses the basin, yielding a unique opportunity to get new insights into the crustal structure by using advanced imaging techniques. Here, we apply a two-step imaging procedure. We start determining multi- scale Vp images down to 2.5 km depth by using a non-linear traveltime tomographic technique able to cope with strongly heterogeneous media. Assessment of an accurate reference Vp model is indeed crucial for the subsequent application of a frequency-domain full-waveform inversion aimed at improving spatial resolution of the velocity images. Frequency components of the data are then iteratively inverted from low to high frequency values in order to progressively incorporate smaller wavelength components into the model. Inversion results accurately image the shallow crust, yielding valuable constraints for a better understanding of the recent basin evolution and of the surrounding normal-fault systems.

A Combined Monitoring and Modelling Approach to Maximise Environmental, Social and Economic Outcomes from Agri-environment Subsidies at a National Scale

Science.gov (United States)

Emmett, B.; Anthony, S.; Chadwick, D.; Cross, P.; Swetnam, R.; Jackson, B. M.; Smart, S.; Skates, J.

2014-12-01

Planning, delivery and monitoring of integrated environmental, social and economic outcomes from agri-environmental payments to land owners has rarely been attempted at a national scale. Wales has launched one of the most ambitious projects ever within the EU to frame both delivery of payments and ongoing integrated assessment of outcomes within an ecosystem framework. Payment and evaluation activities are running simultaneously, which when combined with scenario analysis from a suite of biophysical and landscape quality models, allows for adaptive management as the scheme progresses. Social and economic benefits and constraints to uptake of scheme measures and desired outcomes are embedded within the project to ensure benefits to the wider population are realised. Initial modelling results in the first year of the monitoring and evaluation programme quantified potential benefits from a range of management options offered under the subsidy scheme. At a national scale these ranged from: 1 to 9% improvement in flood mitigation; 5 to 10% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions; increased accessible land for 'generic' broadleaf focal species by 3 to 12%, increased national carbon storage by ca. 0.4%, and reduced eroded soil and phosphorus delivery by up to 15% due to reduced connectivity of erodible land to rivers and lakes. Results at local / farm scales could be as high as 80% in some locations. A 75% improvement in habitat for selected 21 indicator plant species was also projected. The inter-dependency between outcomes is being explored through a major integrated rolling monitoring programme taking co-located measurements of soil, vegetation, landuse, soils, water, birds and pollinators, GHG fluxes, landscape and historic features and farmer / landowner surveys using a stratified sampling approach across the country. In addition to scenario analysis, modelling is being used to upscale and integrate findings and to explore the extent of co-benefits and trade

Tourism Demand and Agriculture Supply: Basis for Agritourism Development in Quezon Province

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nichole Ann A. Lago

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Establishing the tourism and agriculture linkage is a vital factor for the promotion of agri - tourism. This study aimed to determine the tourism and agriculture factors in Quezon province . Specifically, to present the profile of tourists and farmers; determine the supply and demand – related factors influencing the linkage between tourism and agriculture; test the significant difference in the responses of tourists and farmers in terms of su pply and demand related factors; test the significant differences on the supply and demand related factors when grouped according to profile; test the significant relationship between tourists’ motivation and preferences and propose an action plan for agri - tourism development in Quezon. This study used descriptive design with farmers and tourist as respondents. Self - made questionnaire was utilized as data gathering instrument. Percentage, frequency distribution, weighted mean, T - Test, ANOVA and Pearson - r co rrelation were the statistical tools used. Based on the result, it was revealed that tourism and agriculture linkages in Quezon province were relatively strong. Educational attainment of farmers is an important factor for agriculture supply, civil status a nd income were found to be the major indicators of tourist demands while safety and security becomes the major consideration of tourists to visit agritourism sites. It is recommended that there is a need to educat e farmers in order to encourage diversifica tion of farms into agri - tourism wherein market segmentation is vital for agri - tourism promotion while fostering a community - based agri - tourism in Quezon province is likewise highly recommende

FY 1992 report on the development of wood-waste/agri-waste pyrolytic gasification technology and utilization technology of gas product; 1992 nendo mokushitsukei haikibutsu no netsubunkai gas ka gijutsu to seisei gas no riyo gijutsu kaihatsu hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1993-03-01

It is urgently necessary for the Philippines, which has no promising energy source to replace imported oil and lacks hard currencies, to reduce dependence on oil. The country, consisting of a number of islands, has faced many difficulties in construction of large-scale power transmission grids covering wide areas, which greatly retard development of local industries and dissemination of electricity. Therefore, great expectations have been placed on the techniques this project plans to develop for utilization of wastes as the energy source. This 5-year project (FY 1990 to 1994) is aimed at joint research and development of (thermal decomposition/gasification and power generation system) for transforming large quantities of wood-wastes/agri-wastes left unutilized into electric power, in which thermal decomposition/gasification of the wastes is combined with gas engine/power generator systems, and thereby to establish the systems suitable for the developing country. The major R and D results obtained in FY 1992 as the third year include on-the-spot surveys, tests for validating elementary techniques, designs and fabrication of part of the demonstration plant, and invitation of Philippine researchers to Japan. (NEDO)

FY 1991 report on the development of wood-waste/agri-waste pyrolytic gasification technology and utilization technology of gas product; 1991 nendo mokushitsukei haikibutsu no netsubunkai gas ka gijutsu to seisei gas no riyo gijutsu kaihatsu hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1992-03-01

It is urgently necessary for the Philippines, which has no promising energy source to replace imported oil and lacks hard currencies, to reduce dependence on oil. The country, consisting of a number of islands, has faced many difficulties in construction of large-scale power transmission grids covering wide areas, which greatly retard development of local industries and dissemination of electricity. Therefore, great expectations have been placed on the techniques this project plans to develop for utilization of wastes as the energy source. This 5-year project (FY 1990 to 1994) is aimed at joint research and development of (thermal decomposition/gasification and power generation system) for transforming large quantities of wood-wastes/agri-wastes left unutilized into electric power, in which thermal decomposition/gasification of the wastes is combined with gas engine/power generator systems, and thereby to establish the systems suitable for the developing country. The major R and D results obtained in FY 1991 as the second year include on-the-spot surveys, tests for validating elementary techniques, designs and fabrication of part of the demonstration plant, and invitation of Philippine researchers to Japan. (NEDO)

FY 1990 report on the development of wood-waste/agri-waste pyrolytic gasification technology and utilization technology of gas product; 1990 nendo mokushitsukei haikibutsu no netsubunkai gas ka gijutsu to seisei gas no riyo gijutsu kaihatsu hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1991-03-01

It is urgently necessary for the Philippines, which has no promising energy source to replace imported oil and lacks hard currencies, to reduce dependence on oil. The country, consisting of a number of islands, has faced many difficulties in construction of large-scale power transmission grids covering wide areas, which greatly retard development of local industries and dissemination of electricity. Therefore, great expectations have been placed on the techniques this project plans to develop for utilization of wastes as the energy source. This 5-year project (FY 1990 to 1994) is aimed at joint research and development of (thermal decomposition/gasification and power generation system) for transforming large quantities of wood-wastes/agri-wastes left unutilized into electric power, in which thermal decomposition/gasification of the wastes is combined with gas engine/power generator systems, and thereby to establish the systems suitable for the developing country. The major R and D results obtained in FY 1990 as the initial year include negotiations with the Philippines, on-the-spot surveys for the demonstration plant sites and conditions, and conceptual designs of the demonstration plant. (NEDO)

Modelling the bioaccumulation of persistent organic pollutants in agricultural food chains for regulatory exposure assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Takaki, Koki; Wade, Andrew J; Collins, Chris D

2017-02-01

New models for estimating bioaccumulation of persistent organic pollutants in the agricultural food chain were developed using recent improvements to plant uptake and cattle transfer models. One model named AgriSim was based on K OW regressions of bioaccumulation in plants and cattle, while the other was a steady-state mechanistic model, AgriCom. The two developed models and European Union System for the Evaluation of Substances (EUSES), as a benchmark, were applied to four reported food chain (soil/air-grass-cow-milk) scenarios to evaluate the performance of each model simulation against the observed data. The four scenarios considered were as follows: (1) polluted soil and air, (2) polluted soil, (3) highly polluted soil surface and polluted subsurface and (4) polluted soil and air at different mountain elevations. AgriCom reproduced observed milk bioaccumulation well for all four scenarios, as did AgriSim for scenarios 1 and 2, but EUSES only did this for scenario 1. The main causes of the deviation for EUSES and AgriSim were the lack of the soil-air-plant pathway and the ambient air-plant pathway, respectively. Based on the results, it is recommended that soil-air-plant and ambient air-plant pathway should be calculated separately and the K OW regression of transfer factor to milk used in EUSES be avoided. AgriCom satisfied the recommendations that led to the low residual errors between the simulated and the observed bioaccumulation in agricultural food chain for the four scenarios considered. It is therefore recommended that this model should be incorporated into regulatory exposure assessment tools. The model uncertainty of the three models should be noted since the simulated concentration in milk from 5th to 95th percentile of the uncertainty analysis often varied over two orders of magnitude. Using a measured value of soil organic carbon content was effective to reduce this uncertainty by one order of magnitude.

Information services for European pork chains - Closing gaps in information infrastructures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lehmann, Richard J; Hermansen, John Erik; Fritz, Melanie

2011-01-01

and environmental issues, captured in the term of sustainability. Consumers in their role as final customers, and as a consequence also enterprises within agri-food supply chains, show increasing interest in the characteristics of food, and in turn, on the availability of related information and guarantees....... Enterprises in agri-food supply chains are facing new expectations and are seeking to communicate social, economic and environmental performance of their business to customers within their supply chain and to consumers. New solutions for determination and communication of sustainability are needed...... to measure and evaluate sustainability of products throughout agri-food supply chains. Gained information on product characteristics might be used for decision support within enterprises as well as for communication of sustainable practices to customers and consumers, resulting in increased competitiveness...

Measuring effectiveness of food quality management

OpenAIRE

Spiegel, van der, M.

2004-01-01

Keywords: effectiveness, food quality management, instrument, quality performance, contextual factors, agri-food production, conceptual model, performance measurement indicators, identification, validation, assessment, quality assurance systems, QA systems, HACCP, Hygiene code, ISO, BRC, GMP, bakery sector.In the last decade several incidents have occurred in the agri-food sector, such as the affairs of dioxin and BSE, whereas also the incidence of food-borne diseases and the production of hi...

Effects of inoculation with organic-phosphorus-mineralizing bacteria on soybean (Glycine max) growth and indigenous bacterial community diversity.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Wei; Qian, Xun; Gu, Jie; Wang, Xiao-Juan; Li, Yang; Duan, Man-Li

2017-05-01

Three different organic-phosphorus-mineralizing bacteria (OPMB) strains were inoculated to soil planted with soybean (Glycine max), and their effects on soybean growth and indigenous bacterial community diversity were investigated. Inoculation with Pseudomonas fluorescens Z4-1 and Brevibacillus agri L7-1 increased organic phosphorus degradation by 22% and 30%, respectively, compared with the control at the mature stage. Strains P. fluorescens Z4-1 and B. agri L7-1 significantly improved the soil alkaline phosphatase activity, average well color development, and the soybean root activity. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis demonstrated that P. fluorescens Z4-1 and B. agri L7-1 could persist in the soil at relative abundances of 2.0%-6.4% throughout soybean growth. Thus, P. fluorescens Z4-1 and B. agri L7-1 could potentially be used in organic-phosphorus-mineralizing biofertilizers. OPMB inoculation altered the genetic structure of the soil bacterial communities but had no apparent influence on the carbon source utilization profiles of the soil bacterial communities. Principal components analysis showed that the changes in the carbon source utilization profiles of bacterial community depended mainly on the plant growth stages rather than inoculation with OPMB. The results help to understand the evolution of the soil bacterial community after OPMB inoculation.

Chapter 1: Solar, wind and geothermal energy applications in agriculture: back to the future?

KAUST Repository

Bundschuh, Jochen; Chen, Guangnan; Tomaszewska, Barbara; Ghaffour, NorEddine; Mushtaq, Shahbaz; Hamawand, Ihsan; Reardon-Smith, Kathryn; Maraseni, Tek; Banhazi, Thomas; Mahmoudi, Hacene; Goosen, Mattheus; Antille, Diogenes L.

2017-01-01

The agri-food chain consumes about one third of the world’s energy production with about 12% for crop production and nearly 80% for processing, distribution, retail, preparation and cooking (Fig. 1.1) (FAO, 2011a). The agri-food chain also accounts for 80-90% of total global freshwater use (Hoff, 2011) where 70% is for irrigation alone. Additionally, on a global scale, freshwater production consumes nearly 15% of the entire energy production (IEA, 2012). It can therefore be argued that making agriculture and the agri-food supply chain independent from fossil fuel use has huge potential to contribute to global food security and climate protection not only for the next decades, but also for the coming century. Provision of secure, accessible and environmentally sustainable supplies of water, energy and food must thus be a priority.

Chapter 1: Solar, wind and geothermal energy applications in agriculture: back to the future?

KAUST Repository

Bundschuh, Jochen

2017-09-13

The agri-food chain consumes about one third of the world’s energy production with about 12% for crop production and nearly 80% for processing, distribution, retail, preparation and cooking (Fig. 1.1) (FAO, 2011a). The agri-food chain also accounts for 80-90% of total global freshwater use (Hoff, 2011) where 70% is for irrigation alone. Additionally, on a global scale, freshwater production consumes nearly 15% of the entire energy production (IEA, 2012). It can therefore be argued that making agriculture and the agri-food supply chain independent from fossil fuel use has huge potential to contribute to global food security and climate protection not only for the next decades, but also for the coming century. Provision of secure, accessible and environmentally sustainable supplies of water, energy and food must thus be a priority.

Identification Of Environmental Variables For Use In Monitoring For The Evaluation Of The Rural Environment Protection Scheme – End of Project Report - 5190a

OpenAIRE

Finn, John; Kavanagh, Brendan P; Flynn, Maeve

2005-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify and select quantitative environmental attributes for a monitoring programme that may be integrated into an environmental evaluation of Ireland’s agri-environmental scheme. This was achieved primarily by reviewing a range of agri-environmental indicators and suggesting indicators that would be appropriate for monitoring the REPS. The study conducted a desk review to collate information on current best practice in monitoring for environmental quality. A Pro...

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT LEVELS AGROECOLOGICAL LOADS ON BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SOIL

OpenAIRE

A. V. Shchur; D. V. Vinogradov; V. P. Valckho

2016-01-01

Aim. To study the effect of different levels of agri-environmental loads on the enzymatic activity of the soil.Methods. Isolation of soil fauna was conducted by thermogradient. Ecological characteristics of soil biota community was determined by ecological indices. The enzymatic activity of soil under different crops and at different levels of agri-environmental loads in our experiments was determined by methods proven in the laboratory soil enzymology Institute of Experimental Botany name V....

Starting a learning progression for agricultural literacy: A qualitative study of urban elementary student understandings of agricultural and science education benchmarks

Science.gov (United States)

Hess, Alexander Jay

Science and agriculture professional organizations have argued for agricultural literacy as a goal for K-12 public education. Due to the complexity of our modern agri-food system, with social, economic, and environmental concerns embedded, an agriculturally literate society is needed for informed decision making, democratic participation, and system reform. While grade-span specific benchmarks for gauging agri-food system literacy have been developed, little attention has been paid to existing ideas individuals hold about the agri-food system, how these existing ideas relate to benchmarks, how experience shapes such ideas, or how ideas change overtime. Developing a body of knowledge on students' agri-food system understandings as they develop across K-12 grades can ground efforts seeking to promote a learning progression toward agricultural literacy. This study compares existing perceptions held by 18 upper elementary students from a large urban center in California to agri-food system literacy benchmarks and examines the perceptions against student background and experiences. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the constant comparative method. Constructivist theoretical perspectives framed the study. No student had ever grown their own food, raised a plant, or cared for an animal. Participation in school fieldtrips to farms or visits to a relative's garden were agricultural experiences most frequently mentioned. Students were able to identify common food items, but could not elaborate on their origins, especially those that were highly processed. Students' understanding of post-production activities (i.e. food processing, manufacturing, or food marketing) was not apparent. Students' understanding of farms reflected a 1900's subsistence farming operation commonly found in a literature written for the primary grades. Students were unaware that plants and animals were selected for production based on desired genetic traits. Obtaining

Globalization of food and agriculture and the poor:

OpenAIRE

von Braun, Joachim; Díaz-Bonilla, Eugenio

2008-01-01

The economic impact of globalization, particularly on poverty, and the changes in agri-food markets have received much attention in recent years. However, the intersection of these two trends has been neglected. The present volume fills this gap by focusing on the way globalization of agri-food systems affects the world's poor and its impact on food and nutrition security in developing countries. Rather than offering a single policy prescription or simplistic messages about globalization bein...

Empirical Findings from Dutch Food Industry

OpenAIRE

van der Vorst, Jack G.A.J.; Peeters, Lotte; Bloemhof, Jacqueline M.

2013-01-01

with environmental and social performance. Therefore, in 2012, we started a collaborative project on this topic named SCALE (Step Change in Agri-food Logistics Ecosystems). SCALE aims to improve the sustainability of food and drink supply chain logistics in the context of rising food demands, increasing energy prices and the need to reduce environmentally damaging emissions. More in particular, SCALE aims to deliver a number of tools and frameworks valuable for the agri-food sector to secure ...

Discovering, Indexing and Interlinking Information Resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Celli, Fabrizio; Keizer, Johannes; Jaques, Yves; Konstantopoulos, Stasinos; Vudragović, Dušan

2015-01-01

The social media revolution is having a dramatic effect on the world of scientific publication. Scientists now publish their research interests, theories and outcomes across numerous channels, including personal blogs and other thematic web spaces where ideas, activities and partial results are discussed. Accordingly, information systems that facilitate access to scientific literature must learn to cope with this valuable and varied data, evolving to make this research easily discoverable and available to end users. In this paper we describe the incremental process of discovering web resources in the domain of agricultural science and technology. Making use of Linked Open Data methodologies, we interlink a wide array of custom-crawled resources with the AGRIS bibliographic database in order to enrich the user experience of the AGRIS website. We also discuss the SemaGrow Stack, a query federation and data integration infrastructure used to estimate the semantic distance between crawled web resources and AGRIS.

Agricultural countermeasure program - AGRICP: food and dose module in ARGOS- accident reporting and Guidance Operational System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calábria, Jaqueline A.A.; Morais, Gustavo F.

2017-01-01

Nuclear or radiological emergencies can affect food, feed and commodities grown. The regulatory bodies has a role in the post-accident phase instructing the population regarding the consumption of agricultural products, monitoring and recovering the contaminated areas and disposing the generated waste. To deal with nuclear/radiological emergencies, in the end of 2007, Brazil took part of the ARGOS consortium. ARGOS is a software used for support the Preparedness and Response of a nuclear emergency. Specifically for use during the recovery phase, ARGOS has a module called AgriCP (Agricultural Countermeasure Program). This functionality was add to the version 9.0 of ARGOS, in 2012, replacing FMD (Food and Dose Module) model. AgriCP can be very useful in the post-accident phasing, helping to planning the actions that must be taken, saving human and budged resources. However, most of the parameters used by default for the model are specific for Central Europe and must be adapted to the Brazilian characteristics. In this paper the basic functionalities of AgriCP are presented and a general view of the issues to be addressed while implementing AgriCP for the Brazilian case is given. Besides the lack of specific parameters for the Brazilian reality, the definition of the area to be considering for intervention in an accident, taking into account the very complex meteorological characteristic of the Brazilian NPPs (nuclear power plants) site, are some of the matters of concern. (author)

Agricultural countermeasure program - AGRICP: food and dose module in ARGOS- accident reporting and Guidance Operational System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Calábria, Jaqueline A.A.; Morais, Gustavo F., E-mail: jaqueline.calabria@cnen.gov.br, E-mail: gustavo.morais@cnen.gov.br [Comissao Nacional de Energia Nuclear (CNEN), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2017-11-01

Nuclear or radiological emergencies can affect food, feed and commodities grown. The regulatory bodies has a role in the post-accident phase instructing the population regarding the consumption of agricultural products, monitoring and recovering the contaminated areas and disposing the generated waste. To deal with nuclear/radiological emergencies, in the end of 2007, Brazil took part of the ARGOS consortium. ARGOS is a software used for support the Preparedness and Response of a nuclear emergency. Specifically for use during the recovery phase, ARGOS has a module called AgriCP (Agricultural Countermeasure Program). This functionality was add to the version 9.0 of ARGOS, in 2012, replacing FMD (Food and Dose Module) model. AgriCP can be very useful in the post-accident phasing, helping to planning the actions that must be taken, saving human and budged resources. However, most of the parameters used by default for the model are specific for Central Europe and must be adapted to the Brazilian characteristics. In this paper the basic functionalities of AgriCP are presented and a general view of the issues to be addressed while implementing AgriCP for the Brazilian case is given. Besides the lack of specific parameters for the Brazilian reality, the definition of the area to be considering for intervention in an accident, taking into account the very complex meteorological characteristic of the Brazilian NPPs (nuclear power plants) site, are some of the matters of concern. (author)

Concentration and health risk evaluation of heavy metals in market-sold vegetables and fishes based on questionnaires in Beijing, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Yanyan; Nie, Zhiqiang; Liu, Feng; Die, Qingqi; He, Jie; Huang, Qifei

2014-10-01

Concentrations of heavy metals (As, Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, Fe, Mn, and Zn) in market vegetables and fishes in Beijing, China, are investigated, and their health risk to local consumers is evaluated by calculating the target hazard quotient (THQ). The heavy metal concentrations in vegetables and fishes ranged from not detectable (ND) to 0.21 mg/kg fresh weight (f.w.) (As), ND to 0.10 mg/kg f.w. (Cd), and n.d to 0.57 mg/kg f.w. (Pb), with average concentrations of 0.17, 0.04, and 0.24 mg/kg f.w., respectively. The measured concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, Fe, Mn, and Zn are generally lower than the safety limits given by the Chinese regulation safety and quality standards of agriculture products (GB2762-2012). As, Cd, and Pb contaminations are found in vegetables and fishes. The exceeding standard rates are 19 % for As, 3 % for Cd, and 25 % for Pb. Pb contaminations are found quite focused on the fish samples from traditional agri-product markets. The paper further analyzed the health risk of heavy metals in vegetables and fishes respectively from supermarkets and traditional agri-product markets; the results showed that the fishes of traditional agri-product markets have higher health risk, while the supermarkets have vegetables of higher heavy metal risk, and the supervision should be strengthened in the fish supply channels in traditional agri-product markets.

The significance of the interconnection of second-level cooperatives and their peer-associated cooperatives for productivity growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martínez-Victoria, M.; Maté-Sánchez-Val, M.L.; Arcas-Lario, N.

2017-01-01

Cooperatives are especially important in current agri-food markets. These companies have responded to the current demand requirements with greater market orientation strategies to attract and satisfy customers. To do so, cooperatives have adopted different collaboration alternatives. In Spain, the most common alliance between cooperatives is materialised in second-level cooperatives, which are cooperatives integrated by at least two first-level cooperatives. The aim of this study was to analyse the interaction effects between first- and second level agri-food cooperatives on their productive growth and its components. To get this purpose, a Cobb-Douglas specification with spatial econometrics techniques was applied to evaluate this relationship. We included a spatial connectivity matrix to establish the interconnection among cooperatives of first- and second-level. Our results show a positive interaction effect highlighting the importance of these alliances on the productivity growth in the agri-food sector. The scarce amount of empirical papers explaining how second-level cooperatives influence the performance of first-level cooperatives shows the relevance of our study.

The key role of the meat industry in transformation to a low-carbon, climate resilient, sustainable economy.

Science.gov (United States)

Rijsberman, Frank

2017-10-01

Climate change, air pollution and refugees have become key global challenges threatening sustainability of lifestyles, economies and ecosystems. Agri-food systems are the number one driver of environmental change. Livestock production is the world's largest land user, responsible for half of greenhouse gas emissions from agri-food systems, and the source of repeated health crises. Poor diets have become the number one cause of ill health. Recommendations for a healthy diet emphasize plant-based food. Rapidly falling costs in information technology, biotechnology, renewable energy and battery technology will disrupt current energy and transportation systems and offer opportunities for responsible meat production. Growing consumer interest in healthy food, combined with innovative information systems, offer opportunities to create value through quality control and consumer information in integrated value chains. Meat scientists have a major role to play in the necessary transformation of global agri-food systems towards a new model of green economic growth that is climate resilient, sustainable and provides green jobs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The significance of the interconnection of second-level cooperatives and their peer-associated cooperatives for productivity growth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martínez-Victoria, M.; Maté-Sánchez-Val, M.L.; Arcas-Lario, N.

2017-09-01

Cooperatives are especially important in current agri-food markets. These companies have responded to the current demand requirements with greater market orientation strategies to attract and satisfy customers. To do so, cooperatives have adopted different collaboration alternatives. In Spain, the most common alliance between cooperatives is materialised in second-level cooperatives, which are cooperatives integrated by at least two first-level cooperatives. The aim of this study was to analyse the interaction effects between first- and second level agri-food cooperatives on their productive growth and its components. To get this purpose, a Cobb-Douglas specification with spatial econometrics techniques was applied to evaluate this relationship. We included a spatial connectivity matrix to establish the interconnection among cooperatives of first- and second-level. Our results show a positive interaction effect highlighting the importance of these alliances on the productivity growth in the agri-food sector. The scarce amount of empirical papers explaining how second-level cooperatives influence the performance of first-level cooperatives shows the relevance of our study.

Appraisal of Hygiene Indicators and Farming Practices in the Production of Leafy Vegetables by Organic Small-Scale Farmers in uMbumbulu (Rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa)

Science.gov (United States)

Mdluli, Fezile; Thamaga-Chitja, Joyce; Schmidt, Stefan

2013-01-01

During October, November and December 2011 (when highest sales of Agri-Hub fresh produce are observed), irrigation water, compost, lettuce and spinach sampled from four different farmer cooperatives supplying the local Agri-Hub in uMbumbulu (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) were analyzed monthly for the presence of total and fecal coliforms and Escherichia coli using the most probable number (MPN) technique. The pH values for all irrigation water samples analyzed were within the acceptable range of 6.5–8.5 for agricultural use. Fecal coliform levels were vegetables produced by Agri-Hub small-scale farmers met the requirements for total coliforms of vegetables were below the limit of detection. In addition, the farming practices of 73 farmers were assessed via a survey. The results revealed that more than 40% of farmers used microbiologically safe tap water for irrigation and that trained farmers have a significantly better understanding of the importance of production hygiene than untrained farmers. These results reiterate the importance of interventions that build capacity in the area of food safety and hygiene of small-scale farmers for market access of formal value chains. PMID:24065036

Appraisal of hygiene indicators and farming practices in the production of leafy vegetables by organic small-scale farmers in uMbumbulu (Rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa).

Science.gov (United States)

Mdluli, Fezile; Thamaga-Chitja, Joyce; Schmidt, Stefan

2013-09-13

During October, November and December 2011 (when highest sales of Agri-Hub fresh produce are observed), irrigation water, compost, lettuce and spinach sampled from four different farmer cooperatives supplying the local Agri-Hub in uMbumbulu (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) were analyzed monthly for the presence of total and fecal coliforms and Escherichia coli using the most probable number (MPN) technique. The pH values for all irrigation water samples analyzed were within the acceptable range of 6.5-8.5 for agricultural use. Fecal coliform levels were vegetables produced by Agri-Hub small-scale farmers met the requirements for total coliforms of vegetables were below the limit of detection. In addition, the farming practices of 73 farmers were assessed via a survey. The results revealed that more than 40% of farmers used microbiologically safe tap water for irrigation and that trained farmers have a significantly better understanding of the importance of production hygiene than untrained farmers. These results reiterate the importance of interventions that build capacity in the area of food safety and hygiene of small-scale farmers for market access of formal value chains.

Safety in Agri-food chains

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Luning, P.A.; Vlieghere, de F.; Verhé, R.

2006-01-01

Increasing public demand for adequate and safe food supply has led to extensive development in the field of plant-animal production, food processing, quality and safety procedures, food analysis and control and regulations. However, safety of food can only be guaranteed by the integration of control

agri-biotech applications' biosafety initiative

African Journals Online (AJOL)

these workshops are: Mexico, Costa Rica, in Mexico being the recipient, Monsanto (USA). Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, technology donor, and Rockefeller Foundation. Malaysia, Thailand, the People's Republic of financial donor; (4) training of a Mexican. China, Indonesia and the Philippines. scientist in the USA in ...

Acceptance of Agri-Food Nanotechnology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gupta, Nidhi; Frewer, Lynn; Fischer, Arnout

2017-01-01

Food technology has evolved from being focused on the issues associated with food availability to include, more latterly, additional foci on food safety, sustainability and functionality. Despite the intuitive appeal of these beneficial factors in providing the basis for consumer acceptance of

Agri-aqua farming in Thailand

OpenAIRE

Buendia, R.Y.

1997-01-01

Integrated agriculture-aquaculture systems have been in existence in Thailand for centuries. This country has the most varied integrated farming operations in southeast Asia; pig, cattle, buffalo, chicken, duck, vegetable, aquatic plant, rice and orchard in combination with fish are practices. The systems most preferred by subsistence farmers are rice-fish, duck-fish and chicken-fish culture. A brief outline is given of these 3 systems.

(AGRI-SMEs) in Abia State

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Madukwe

Department of Agribusiness and Management,. Michael Okpara University of ... agricultural zone of Abia state which has 12 local government areas in it .... years of entrepreneurial experience, distance of operators to research and extension ... Agribusiness small and medium scale piggery enterprise is a welcome business.

International cooperative information systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-01-01

Developing countries need mechanisms by which the information they generate themselves and development information from the rest of the world can be retrieved. The international cooperative information system is such a mechanism. Delegates to the Seminar on International Cooperative Information Systems were informed about various existing systems (INIS, AGRIS, INFOTERRA, TCDC/INRES, POPIN, DEVSIS, and INPADROC), some specialized information systems and services (CDS/ISIS and the Cassava Information Centre), and computer programs for information processing (INIS/AGRIS, CDS/ISIS, and MINISIS). The participants suggested some changes that should be made on both the national and the international levels to ensure that these systems meet the needs of developing countries more effectively. (LL)

Model of refrigerated display-space allocation for multi agro-perishable products considering markdown policy

Science.gov (United States)

Satiti, D.; Rusdiansyah, A.

2018-04-01

Problems that need more attention in the agri-food supply chain are loss and waste as consequences from improper quality control and excessive inventories. The use of cold storage is still being one of favourite technologies in controlling product quality by majority of retailers. We considerate the temperature of cold storage in determining the inventory and pricing strategies based on identified product quality. This study aims to minimize the agri-food waste, utility of cold storage facilities and maximize retailer’s profit through determining the refrigerated display-space allocation and markdown policy based on identified food shelf life. The proposed model evaluated with several different scenarios to find out the right strategy.

Optimization Model for Mitigating Global Warming at the Farm Scale: An Application to Japanese Rice Farms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kiyotaka Masuda

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In Japan, greenhouse gas emissions from rice production, especially CH4 emissions in rice paddy fields, are the primary contributors to global warming from agriculture. When prolonged midseason drainage for mitigating CH4 emissions from rice paddy fields is practiced with environmentally friendly rice production based on reduced use of synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, Japanese rice farmers can receive an agri-environmental direct payment. This paper examines the economic and environmental effects of the agri-environmental direct payment on the adoption of a measure to mitigate global warming in Japanese rice farms using a combined application of linear programming and life cycle assessment at the farm scale. Eco-efficiency, which is defined as net farm income divided by global warming potential, is used as an integrated indicator for assessing the economic and environmental feasibilities. The results show that under the current direct payment level, the prolonged midseason drainage technique does not improve the eco-efficiency of Japanese rice farms because the practice of this technique in environmentally friendly rice production causes large economic disadvantages in exchange for small environmental advantages. The direct payment rates for agri-environmental measures should be determined based on the condition that environmentally friendly agricultural practices improve eco-efficiency compared with conventional agriculture.

The use of biodegradable mulch for tomato and broccoli production: Crop yield and quality, mulch deterioration, and growers' perceptions

Science.gov (United States)

Cowan, Jeremy Scott

Biodegradable mulch may offer the benefits of polyethylene mulch for crop production with the added benefit of biodegradability. Four studies were carried out in Mount Vernon, WA to evaluate biodegradable mulch for tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) production. The first study compared four biodegradable mulch treatments: BioAgri, BioTelo, WeedGuardPlus (cellulose product), and SB-PLA-10/11/12 (experimental, non-woven fabric), to polyethylene mulch and bare ground in high tunnels and in the open field for tomato yield and fruit quality over three growing seasons. Biodegradable plastic films produced yields and fruit quality comparable to polyethylene. Moreover, high tunnels increased total and marketable fruit weight five and eight times, respectively, compared to the open field. The second study quantified relationships among visual assessment parameters and mulch mechanical properties. Visual assessments and mechanical property tests of polyethylene, BioAgri, BioTelo, WeedGuardPlus, and SB-PLA-10/11/12, were made over three growing seasons. Regression analyses found the strongest relationship overall (r2 = 0.41) to be between the percent of initial breaking force in the machine direction and log 10 of percent visual deterioration. However, evaluating mulch products individually and increasing sample frequency are recommended for future research. The third study evaluated three biodegradable mulch products, BioAgri, Crown 1, and SB-PLA-11, after soil-incorporation. The average area of recovered mulch fragments decreased for all mulch products over time. The number of mulch fragments initially increased for all mulch products, with the greatest number of Crown 1 and BioAgri fragments recovered 132 and 299 days after incorporation, respectively. At 397 days after soil-incorporation, the total area of recovered fragments of Crown 1 and BioAgri was 0% and 34% of the theoretical maximum area, respectively. The fourth study

The new era of cyber marketing / interv. Alina Lisina

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2005-01-01

Vestlusringis internetireklaamist osalesid Juris Mendzinsh, Linda Saulite, Ilze Taurina, Daina Misina, Edgars Rozentals, Gatis Veikshins, Reinis Zitmanis, Agris Strautnieks, Jurijs Zarinsh, Ivars Bauls, Martinsh Labans ja Vents Dorinsh

Northern and Mid-Latitude Soil Database, Version 1, R1

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the University of Copenhagen Institute of...

Northern and Mid-Latitude Soil Database, Version 1

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — ABSTRACT: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the University of Copenhagen Institute...

Application of information technology in agricultural extension ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... particularly with the impact of Information Communication Technology. Information technologies have the potential to support the agri-food sector in coping ... as the drive towards globalization builds on modern communication technology.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Aavudai Anandhi, City University of New York, New York City, United States. Acharyya ... Collins Waylon, National Weather Service, Corpus Christi, United States ..... Smith Anne Mhairi, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethdbridge, Canada.

Sicurezza alimentare e processi di integrazione della regolazione pubblica e privata

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giuseppina Carrà

2011-09-01

Full Text Available A new paradigm of regulation and management of food safety and quality has been gradually gaining ground. It is based both on the evolution of public standards and the increasing involvement of the private sector, which promotes forms of self-regulation, by adopting standards whose requirements are often higher than public ones. That reflects the needs and wants of consumers to obtain better guarantees on food safety and quality requirements and, consequently, the crucial role that these requirements have in supporting the enterprise strategy in the present day competitive market. The emergence of private standards, operating in various modes of interaction side-by-side with the public standards, has an important impact on the governance of agri-food supply chains. Looking at the literature from national and international perspective, the paper addresses, after an introduction on the role of standards in response to market failures, the incentives for firms to improve food safety and quality by adopting private standards. Then, it examines the integration processes of public and private standards and the related problems of governance of agri-food supply chains, operating increasingly at global dimension. These problems are associated to dominant role of private governance structures in agri-food markets, whose impact is the subject of an ongoing debate. The paper concludes by suggesting potential evolving of some key elements.

Application of exploration geochemistry techniques in agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos, G.P. Jr.; Fernandez, L.G.; Petrache, C.A.; Almoneda, R.V.; Rosales, C.M.

1989-01-01

Soil samples collected from Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Laguna and Quezon provinces were analyzed for Zn, Mn, Cu, Fe, Co, Pb, and Ni using two analytical methods - Smith and Lynch (S and L) element extraction technique used in exploration geochemical survey and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) technique for determining zinc availability in soil. The analytical results were treated statistically using the method of Lepeltier to obtain the background values. The background, or average concentrations of the elements obtained by the S and L method were an order-higher than those computed for the IRRI method. The different metal value contour maps of northwestern Luzon were multiplied by its corresponding metal ratio, IRRI/S and L to produce the agri-geochemical maps or agri-maps that show approximate trace element levels available to the plant. The agri-maps of northwestern Luzon show a region wide deficiency in Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb, Co, and Ni, with the exception of Baguio Area. It has been recognized that excess deficiency in certain minor or trace elements in, particularly the essential micronutrient elements, is one of the important factors in agricultural productivity. It is therefore, recommended that in order to assure the necessary level of trace elements in northwestern Luzon, additions of at least copper, zinc and manganese be provided together with the needed fertilizer. (Author). 14 figs.; 14 refs.; 4 tabs

Development of a Method for Evaluating Floor Dry-Cleanability from Wheat Flour in the Food Industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Barreca, F; Cardinali, G D; Borgese, E; Russo, M

2017-04-01

Many productive processes are characterized by inadequate protocols of sanitation that increase the possibility of proliferation of microbial contaminants, especially on surfaces. The use of this method for evaluating the degree of floor cleanability in agri-food companies is important not only to reduce the risk of contamination of products, but also to provide companies with a tool to identify critical issues. The method is based on the usage of bicinchoninic acid assay (BCA) in a solution at a 1:50 ratio of Cu 2+ /BCA, which is ideal for detecting the amount of proteins contained in wheat flour residues on industrial flooring. Spectrophotometric analysis allowed identifying maximum absorbance values at 562 nm for different protein concentrations, although the construction of a regression function led to the definition of the intervals of evaluation corresponding to different degrees of cleanliness from residues of wheat flour. The results of the absorbance curves, obtained by applying the proposed evaluation method to 6 tiles commonly used in agri-food buildings, showed the clear persistence of food material on 2 tiles with surface relief. In particular, such tiles showed a higher presence of proteins, with a level of contamination 440% higher. Furthermore, a robotic system was designed to standardize the cleaning method commonly employed in agri-food companies to remove solid particles from flooring. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Basis for strategizing agri-food innovation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Birgitte; Vedsmand, Tomas

Denne rapport indeholder en rapportering af baggrundsstudier og workshops i forbindelse med projektet ’Jordbrugs- og fødevaresektorens udviklingsmuligheder i et regionalt innovationssystem perspektiv’. Baggrundsstudierne omfatter tilgange til regional regionaludvikling, strategi og innovation...... øvrige resultater til udvikling af en strategimodel rettet mod erhvervsudvikling på regionalt niveau gennem innovation i jordbrugs- og fødevaresektoren. Projektet er finansieret af Ministeriet for Fødevarer, Landbrug og Fiskeri og er en del af forskningsprogrammet ’Jordbrugs- og fødevaresektorens...

Measuring effectiveness of food quality management

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spiegel, van der M.

2004-01-01

Keywords: effectiveness, food quality management, instrument, quality performance, contextual factors, agri-food production, conceptual model, performance measurement indicators, identification, validation, assessment, quality assurance systems, QA systems, HACCP, Hygiene code, ISO, BRC, GMP, bakery

Sustainable Agricultural Development and Environment: Conflicts ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

sustainable development in the context of Rwanda as the level of socio- political and ... envisaged by the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) includes the .... sustainable agriculture and agri-business development in Rwanda is.

Optimization of enzymatic cartilage hydrolysis from Prionace glauca wastes for the production of chondroitin sulphate

OpenAIRE

Vázquez, José Antonio; Blanco, M.; Noriega, Diana; Fraguas, Javier; Pastrana, Lorenzo; González Sotelo, Carmen; Pérez Martín, Ricardo Isaac

2014-01-01

Comunicación presentada en el Total Food Conference 2014 Science and technology for the economic and sustainable exploitation of agri-food chain wastes and co-products, Norwich, Uk, 11-13 November (2014)

Induced Seismicity from different sources in Italy: how to interpret it?

Science.gov (United States)

Pastori, M.; De Gori, P.; Piccinini, D.; Bagh, S.; Improta, L.; Chiarabba, C.

2015-12-01

Typically the term "induced seismicity" is used to refer minor earthquakes and tremors caused by human activities that alter the stresses and strains on the Earth's crust. In the last years, the interest in the induced seismicity related to fluids (oil and gas, and geothermal resources) extraction or injection is increased, because it is believed to be responsible to enucleate earthquakes. Possible sources of induced seismicity are not only represented by the oil and gas production but also, i.e., by changes in the water level of artificial lakes. The aim of this work is to show results from two different sources, wastewater injection and changes in the water level of an artificial reservoir (Pertusillo lake), that can produce induced earthquakes observed in the Val d'Agri basin (Italy) and to compare them with variation in crustal elastic parameters. Val d'Agri basin in the Apennines extensional belt hosts the largest oilfield in onshore Europe and is bordered by NW-SE ­trending fault systems. Most of the recorded seismicity seems to be related to these structures. We correlated the seismicity rate, injection curves and changes in water levels with temporal variations of Vp/Vs and anisotropic parameters of the crustal reservoirs and in the nearby area. We analysed about 983 high-quality recordings occurred from 2002 to 2014 in Val d'Agri basin from temporary and permanent network held by INGV and ENI corporate. 3D high-precision locations and manual-revised P- and S-picking are used to estimate anisotropic parameters (delay time and fast direction polarization) and Vp/Vs ratio. Seismicity is mainly located in two areas: in the SW of the Pertusillo Lake, and near the Eni Oil field (SW and NE of the Val d'Agri basin respectively). Our correlations well recognize the seismicity diffusion process, caused by both water injection and water level changes; these findings could help to model the active and pre-existing faults failure behaviour.

Declines of seagrasses in a tropical harbour, North Queensland ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2015-04-17

Apr 17, 2015 ... Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, James Cook University, Queensland, ... marily in the grey literature sponsored by the fishing indus- ..... age treatment plants were upgraded and urban and agri-.

The challenge of legitimizing spatially differentiated regulation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thorsøe, Martin Hvarregaard; Graversgaard, Morten; Noe, Egon

2017-01-01

Differentiating regulation is a promising approach to agri-environmental regulation that may potentially reduce the environmental impact of agriculture at the lowest possible costs for the farmers and society, but also possesses a number of challenges. In this article, we explore the challenges...... to the legitimacy of agri-environmental regulation that occurs when the regulatory regime changes from general regulation to differentiated regulation. The analysis is based on a case study of the implementation of the Buffer zone act in Denmark – a regulation that prevents agricultural production in a 10 (later 9......) meter fringe around selected waterbodies. We distinguish between two different ways of legitimizing: Producing knowledge and participation. We conclude that to harvest some of the obvious benefits of differentiated regulation a number of challenges must be resolved, 1) ensuring legitimacy...

Trigon Farming ehitab Kaiu moodsa eurolauda / Heli Talinur

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Talinur, Heli

2007-01-01

Trigon Farming tegutseb Eestis aastast 2003 ning firmal on laudad peale Kaiu veel Saaremaal Kärlas, lisaks tegutseb firma ka Venemaal ja Ukrainas. Farmingu emafirma on Trigon Agri, mis on noteeritud Stockholmi börsil

Egypt's first mobile service linking smallholder farmers to buyers ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

... by a lack of marketing knowledge, technical skills, and the dissemination of information. ... The agri-food digital network on mobile apps, web, and SMS provides ... These interactive communication and knowledge-sharing tools are already ...

a panacea to food crisis among women farmers in imo state

African Journals Online (AJOL)

oma

adulteration of food is common among producers and shopkeepers with a scandalous disregard for ... For instance whereas traditional methods are used for marketing fresh produce in ..... Rural Europe in the Global Agri-Food system. Henson ...

Een analyse van de handelsbelemmeringen voor geselecteerde Nederlandse exportprodukten

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kelholt, H.J.; Kuiper, M.H.; Tongeren, van F.W.

2005-01-01

Dit rapport analyseert handelsbelemmeringen die Nederlandse agri-food exporteurs tegenkomen op hun buitenlandse afzetmarkten, en vergelijkt deze met handelsinstrumenten die de EU hanteert. Centraal staat het identificeren van offensieve belangen in de lopende WTO-onderhandelingen in de

Estudo da ocorrência de enteroparasitas em hortaliças comercializadas na região metropolitana de São Paulo - SP, Brasil: II - Pesquisa de protozoários intestinais

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Augusto Fernandes de Oliveira

1992-10-01

Full Text Available Foram analisadas hortaliças "in natura", comercializadas na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo, SP-Brasil, visando à pesquisa e à identificação de cistos de protozoários de interesse médico. As hortaliças, constituídas de 50 amostras de cada variedade, consistiram em: alface (Lactuca sativa, variedades lisa e crespa, escarola (Chichorium sp e agrião (Nasturtium officinale. Os resultados evidenciaram elevados percentuais de contaminação em todas as variedades de hortaliças analisadas, porém as freqüências de protozoários foram maiores no agrião. As amostras de alfaces apresentaram os menores percentuais de contaminação, enquanto que a escarola apresentou valores geralmente situados entre o agrião e as alfaces. Observou-se uma grande variedade de protozoários, cujas freqüências de ocorrência na população residente na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo são igualmente elevadas. Os mais freqüentes foram Entamoeba sp (com 4 e 8 núcleos e Giardia sp. Foram também isolados cistos de Iodamoeba sp, Endolimax sp e Chilomastix sp. Os elevados níveis de contaminação fecal encontrados nas amostras analisadas apontam para a importância dos alimentos na transmissão de protozoários intestinais.

Estudo da ocorrência de enteroparasitas em hortaliças comercializadas na região metropolitana de São Paulo - SP, Brasil: II - Pesquisa de protozoários intestinais

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oliveira Carlos Augusto Fernandes de

1992-01-01

Full Text Available Foram analisadas hortaliças "in natura", comercializadas na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo, SP-Brasil, visando à pesquisa e à identificação de cistos de protozoários de interesse médico. As hortaliças, constituídas de 50 amostras de cada variedade, consistiram em: alface (Lactuca sativa, variedades lisa e crespa, escarola (Chichorium sp e agrião (Nasturtium officinale. Os resultados evidenciaram elevados percentuais de contaminação em todas as variedades de hortaliças analisadas, porém as freqüências de protozoários foram maiores no agrião. As amostras de alfaces apresentaram os menores percentuais de contaminação, enquanto que a escarola apresentou valores geralmente situados entre o agrião e as alfaces. Observou-se uma grande variedade de protozoários, cujas freqüências de ocorrência na população residente na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo são igualmente elevadas. Os mais freqüentes foram Entamoeba sp (com 4 e 8 núcleos e Giardia sp. Foram também isolados cistos de Iodamoeba sp, Endolimax sp e Chilomastix sp. Os elevados níveis de contaminação fecal encontrados nas amostras analisadas apontam para a importância dos alimentos na transmissão de protozoários intestinais.

The Future of the Food System: Cases Involving the Private Sector in South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura M. Pereira

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The food system is facing unprecedented pressure from environmental change exacerbated by the expansion of agri-food corporations that are consolidating their power in the global food chain. Although Africa missed the Green Revolution and the wave of supermarket expansion that hit the West and then spread to Asia and Latin America, this is unlikely to continue. With a large proportion of sub-Saharan African countries’ GDP still heavily reliant on agriculture, global trends in agri-food business are having an increasing impact on African countries. South Africa, a leader in agribusiness on the continent, has a well-established agri-food sector that is facing increasing pressure from various social and environmental sources. This paper uses interview data with corporate executives from South African food businesses to explore how they are adapting to the dual pressures of environmental change and globalisation. It shows that companies now have to adapt to macro-trends both within and outside the formal food sector and how this in turn has repercussions for building sustainable farming systems—both small and large-scale. It concludes with the recognition that building a sustainable food system is a complex process involving a diversity of actors, however changes are already being seen. Businesses have strategically recognised the need to align the economic bottom line with social and environmental factors, but real sustainability will only happen when all stakeholders are included in food governance.

Labeling the good: alternative visions and organic branding in Sweden in the late twentieth century.

Science.gov (United States)

Broberg, Oskar

2010-01-01

The past decade's rapid expansion of a global market for organic food has set powerful economic and political forces in motion. The most important dividing line is whether organic food production should be an alternative to or a niche within a capitalist mode of production. To explore this conflict the article analyzes the formation of a market for eco-labeled milk in Sweden. The analysis draws on three aspects: the strategy of agri-business, the role of eco-labeling, and the importance of inter-organizational dynamics. Based on archival studies, daily press, and interviews, three processes are emphasized: the formative years of the alternative movement in the 1970s, the founding of an independent eco-label (KRAV) in the 1980s, and a discursive shift from alternative visions to organic branding in the early 1990s following the entry of agri-business.

STAIRS User's Manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gadjokov, V.; Dragulev, V.; Gove, N.; Schmid, H.

1976-10-01

The STorage And Information Retrieval System (STAIRS) of IBM is described from the user's point of view. The description is based on the experimental use of STAIRS at the IAEA computer, with INIS and AGRIS data bases, from June 1975 to May 1976. Special attention is paid to what may be termed the hierarchical approach to retrieval in STAIRS. Such an approach allows for better use of the intrinsic data-base structure and, hence, contributes to higher recall and/or relevance ratios in retrieval. The functions carried out by STAIRS are explained and the communication language between the user and the system outlined. Details are given of the specific structure of the INIS and AGRIS data bases for STAIRS. The manual should enable an inexperienced user to start his first on-line dialogues by means of a CRT or teletype terminal. (author)

STAIRS User's Manual

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gadjokov, V; Dragulev, V; Gove, N; Schmid, H

1976-10-15

The STorage And Information Retrieval System (STAIRS) of IBM is described from the user's point of view. The description is based on the experimental use of STAIRS at the IAEA computer, with INIS and AGRIS data bases, from June 1975 to May 1976. Special attention is paid to what may be termed the hierarchical approach to retrieval in STAIRS. Such an approach allows for better use of the intrinsic data-base structure and, hence, contributes to higher recall and/or relevance ratios in retrieval. The functions carried out by STAIRS are explained and the communication language between the user and the system outlined. Details are given of the specific structure of the INIS and AGRIS data bases for STAIRS. The manual should enable an inexperienced user to start his first on-line dialogues by means of a CRT or teletype terminal. (author)

Las semillas del imperialismo agrícola estadounidense en el Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicolás Cuvi

2009-11-01

Full Text Available El artículo analiza la manera cómo, mediante emprésitos, asistencia técnica y el establecimiento de estaciones experimentales agrícolas en la región andina, los Estados Unidos desarrollaron una política imperial de planificación y dirección del desarrollo agrícola de vastas zonas de América Latina. En relación al caso ecuatoriano, el estudio centra su atención en las políticas implementadas por el United States Department of Agriculture, a partir de 1890, y la creación de la Estación Experimental Ecuatoriana como mecanismo para la explotación de la quina y el caucho en el marco de la obtención de recursos y materiales estratégicos para la guerra.

What we do | Page 17 | IDRC - International Development Research ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Coherence of Non-communicable Disease Prevention and Agri-food Policies ... Mexico has one of the highest rates of overweight and obesity in the world. ... for close to two-thirds of strokes and one-half of heart disease incidents worldwide.

Governance of differential stakeholder interests in supply chains and networks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wubben, E.F.M.; Bremmers, H.J.; Ingenbleek, P.T.M.; Wals, A.E.J.

2013-01-01

Competing frames and interests regarding food provision and resource allocation, adding to the increased global interdependencies, necessitate agri-food companies and institutions to engage themselves in very diverse multi-stakeholder settings. To develop new forms of interaction, and governance,

Governance of the member-cooperative relationship: a case from Brazil

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cechin, A.D.

2013-01-01

Recent events in the agri-food sector increased the demand for quality attributes, from healthy and safe products to sustainable agricultural practices (Grunert, 2005). Particularly challenging is the connectedness of transactions between farmers, traders, processors, retailers and final

A Rapid and Sensitive LC-MS/MS Method for the Determination of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

NICO

grade oxalic acid 99 % was from the Associated Chemical Enter- prises (Pty) Ltd. (Johannesburg, .... qualitatively observing weak signals for sulfonamides in the .... 10 W. Reybroeck, F.J. Jacobs, H.F. De Brabander and E. Daeselèire, J. Agri.

Chřástal polní - a jeho tajemný hlas našich luk

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Brlík, V.; Koleček, Jaroslav

2014-01-01

Roč. 2014, č. 3 (2014), s. 14-15 ISSN 1803-0092 R&D Projects: GA MŠk EE2.3.35.0026 Institutional support: RVO:68081766 Keywords : agri-environmental schemes * conservation management * intensification * succession Subject RIV: EG - Zoology

Network strength, transaction-specific investments, inter-personal trust, and relationship satisfaction in Chinese agrifood SMEs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lu Hualiang,; Feng, S.; Trienekens, J.H.; Omta, S.W.F.

2012-01-01

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of network strength, transaction-specific investments and inter-personal trust on business relationship satisfaction for small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) involved in agri-food processing and exporting in China.

SRAC

Science.gov (United States)

links at each of these sites. General Links AgriNet-Texas A&M Agricultural Program - Agricultural Health Monitoring System Aquaculture Engineering Society Aquaplant (a tool for aquatic vegetation University Extension National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) 2013 NASS Census of Aquaculture National

The limits of regulatory convergence: globalization and GMO politics in the south

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Falkner, R.; Gupta, A.

2009-01-01

Is globalization promoting regulatory convergence in agricultural biotechnology policies in the South? This article examines the nature and limits of regulatory convergence in the field of agri-biotechnology and investigates the effects that international forces have on biotechnology and biosafety

Reducing agrochemical use for nature conservation by Italian olive farmers : an evaluation of public and private governance strategies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Giomi, Tatiyana; Runhaar, Piety; Runhaar, Hens

2018-01-01

A variety of public policies and private strategies have been implemented to stimulate farmers to implement nature conservation measures. Examples include publicly funded agri-environment schemes (AES) but also eco-labels and Alternative Food Networks; strategies that have been implemented in

Reducing agrochemical use for nature conservation by Italian olive farmers: an evaluation of public and private governance strategies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Giomi, Tatiyana; Runhaar, Piety; Runhaar, Hens

2018-01-01

A variety of public policies and private strategies have been implemented to stimulate farmers to implement nature conservation measures. Examples include publicly funded agri-environment schemes (AES) but also eco-labels and Alternative Food Networks; strategies that have been implemented in

The Agromere "Arena" : bridging the boundaries between the urban environment and agriculture in Almere (NL)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansma, J.E.; Veen, E.J.

2012-01-01

Highly urbanised countries like The Netherlands tend towards a sharp delineation between the rural and urban environment, between food production and food consumption. Growing concerns about food prices, food security and the sustainability of the contemporary agri-food system reluctantly places

Diversity of flower-visiting bees in cereal fields: Effects of farming system, landscape composition and regional context.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Holzschuh, A.; Steffan-Dewenter, I.; Kleijn, D.; Tscharntke, T.

2007-01-01

1. Agri-environment schemes promote organic farming in an attempt to reduce the negative effects of agricultural intensification on farmland biodiversity and ecosystem services such as pollination. Farming system, landscape context and regional differences may all influence biodiversity, but their

Survey data on consumer behaviour in olive oil markets : The role of product knowledge and brand credence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Salazar Ordonez, Melania; Rodriguez Entrena, Macario; Cabrera, Elena R.; Henseler, Jörg

This paper presents data conducted to analyse consumer behaviour in agri-food markets, where product differentiation failures occur, with the aim of disentangling the roles played by both consumer information and inferences made from informational stimuli. We thus examined consumer knowledge

PEOPLE & POINTS

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

2007-01-01

“Our country is facinga period with high risks forfood safety.”Sun Xianze, Director of the Food Safety Coordination Department under the State Food and Drug Administration, warningon July 7 that food safety problems areimpeding Chinese agri-products and

Indirect effects of grassland extensification schemes on pollinators in two contrasting European countries.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kohler, F.; Verhulst, J.; Knop, E.; Herzog, F.; Kleijn, D.

2007-01-01

Flower-visiting insects play a crucial role in ecosystem processes by providing essential services such as pollination. During the last decades, agricultural intensification has caused a widespread decline of insect diversity. Agri-environment schemes (AES) have been implemented in many European

Contributing to the Food Sovereignty Debate: Re-Linking Local Production and Consumption

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Quaye, W.; Ruivenkamp, G.T.P.; Frempong, G.; Jongerden, J.P.

2013-01-01

Agri-based economies especially those in developing countries are becoming increasingly dependent on foreign markets and losing their autonomy in food production and distribution. However, there are possibilities to re-link local production and consumption. That is reconnecting local productive

Contract farming in Costa Rica: opportunities for smallholders?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sáenz-Segura, J.F.

2006-01-01

Transaction costs and other market failures are widely present in the agricultural sector of emerging economies and negatively affect to low-income smallholders, making difficult their integration into dynamic agri-food supply chains. Earlier literature mentions contract farming as an economic

El IDRC en Colombia

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

gación de Colombia en salud, agri- ... y desarrollar una base nacional de datos ... apoyada por el IDRC mostró caminos para .... conocimiento con los formuladores de políticas, con otros investigadores y comunidades en todo el mundo.

chemical parameters of Lagos lagoon, Nigeria

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

2009-05-06

May 6, 2009 ... fishery is the main economic activity but intensive agri- culture, industry and ... sured to the nearest gram using a pan balance (Salter Model). Also, the standard .... Nitrate was higher in dry seasons than in wet sea- sons.

Food safety performance indicators to benchmark food safety output of food safety management systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jacxsens, L.; Uyttendaele, M.; Devlieghere, F.; Rovira, J.; Oses Gomez, S.; Luning, P.A.

2010-01-01

There is a need to measure the food safety performance in the agri-food chain without performing actual microbiological analysis. A food safety performance diagnosis, based on seven indicators and corresponding assessment grids have been developed and validated in nine European food businesses.

Victims of agricultural intensification: Mowing date affects Rhinanthus spp. regeneration and fruit ripening

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Blažek, P.; Lepš, Jan

2015-01-01

Roč. 211, Dec 15 (2015), s. 10-16 ISSN 0167-8809 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : yellow rattle * hemiparasite * agri-environmental schemes Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 3.564, year: 2015 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167880915001553

The impact of public R&D on Marketing and Supply Chains on Small Farms' Marketing-Sensing Capability: Evidence from the Australian Seafood Industry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dentoni, D.; English, F.; Schwartz, D.

2014-01-01

Agri-food organizations that are capable of “sensing the market” – that is, capable of searching, processing and using market information, are usually also market oriented, innovative, entrepreneurial and successful. But how can a small farm with limited resources develop market sensing

Digital compliance: perspectives of key stakeholders : (D3.2.2 & D3.2.3 Analysis of workshops and interviews)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoes, Anne-Charlotte; Lan, Ge

2017-01-01

Different actors involved in organising agrifood chain transparency hold different views and expectations of farm data sharing and digital compliance in general and AgriPlace in particular. The findings are summarised into Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threat (SWOT) matrices that enable the

Public perceptions of agrifood applications of Genetic modification – A systematic review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Frewer, L.J.; Lans, van der I.A.; Fischer, A.R.H.; Reinders, M.J.; Menozzi, D.; Zhang, X.Y.; Berg, van den I.; Zimmermann, K.L.

2012-01-01

An extensive literature relating to public perceptions of genetically modified foods applied to agri-food production has been identified through the process of systematic review. Application of systematic review criteria indicated that 335 papers were of appropriate quality or relevance to be

modification of sequence of unit operations in mechanized palm fruit

African Journals Online (AJOL)

palm fruits processing sector, and requires less .... factory mill is a fully mechanized (non-labour ... in the digested fruit are to be all just touch- ing one ... fruits with human foot to pounding with pes- ... tural Service Bulletin 148 of Food and Agri-.

Driving a Fishery along the Bumpy Ride of Today's Globalisation: The Case of the Australian Southern Rock Lobster Association

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dentoni, D.; Lu, J.; English, F.; McBride, R.

2012-01-01

The case of the Australian Southern Rock Lobster Association describes real issues faced by the Market Development Manager of a collective agri-food organization (SRL) representing all the southern rock lobster fishermen in Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. The case deals with recent

76 FR 67440 - Market Access Agreement

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-01

... FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION Market Access Agreement AGENCY: Farm Credit Administration. ACTION: Notice of Draft Second Amended and Restated Market Access Agreement; request for comments. SUMMARY: The... Market Access Agreement (the ``Restated MAA'') is entered into among AgFirst Farm Credit Bank, AgriBank...

Integrating ICT applications for farm business collaboration processes using FIspace

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kruize, J.W.; Wolfert, J.; Goense, D.; Scholten, H.; Beulens, A.J.M.; Veenstra, T.

2014-01-01

Agri-Food Supply Chain Networks are required to increase production and to be transparent while reducing environmental impact. This challenges farm enterprises to innovate their production processes. These processes need to be supported by advanced ICT components that are developed by multiple

An ontology-based collaborative service framework for agricultural information

Science.gov (United States)

In recent years, China has developed modern agriculture energetically. An effective information framework is an important way to provide farms with agricultural information services and improve farmer's production technology and their income. The mountain areas in central China are dominated by agri...

Towards Effective Nature Conservation on Farmland: Making Farmers Matter

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Snoo, de G.R.; Herzon, I.; Staats, H.; Burton, R.J.F.; Schindler, S.; Dijk, van J.; Lokhorst, A.M.; Bullock, J.M.; Lobley, M.; Wrbka, T.; Schwarz, G.; Musters, C.J.M.

2013-01-01

Until now the main instrument to counteract the loss of biodiversity and landscape quality in the European countryside has been Agri-Environment Schemes (AES), which offer short term payments for performing prescribed environmental management behaviours. In our opinion this approach is, in its

Three-fold embeddedness of farm development

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Methorst, R.G.; Roep, D.; Verstegen, J.A.A.M.

2016-01-01

Farm development strategy is affected by, and affects, the biophysical and socio-economic context of the farm leading to agri-environmental challenges for farm development. For effective policies and support programmes it is important to understand the drivers for choices farm development.

Agricultural investments and farmer-fulani pastoralist conflict in West African drylands : A northern Ghanaian case study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Soeters, Sebastiaan; Weesie, Ruben; Zoomers, Annelies

2017-01-01

In the Global South, there is a push to drive agricultural modernisation processes through private sector investments. In West African drylands, land concessions are required for such agri-businesses are often negotiated through customary authorities, and inject large amounts of money into localised

What we do | Page 24 | IDRC - International Development Research ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Coherence of Non-communicable Disease Prevention and Agri-food Policies in Argentina. Unhealthy ... Developing a Front-of-Package Labelling System in Guatemala to Encourage Healthier Beverage Choices ... Childhood obesity prevention and improved nutrition through farm-to-school food systems in Central America.

Linking agricultural food production and rural tourism in the Kazbegi district – A qualitative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Hüller

2017-03-01

Full Text Available As in many transition countries, also in Georgia rural urban migration as well as migration from the agricultural sector takes place. This also applies to the Kazbegi district, a mountainous region in the Greater Caucasus of Georgia. The main activity in the district is subsistence farming, while only a few agricultural producers are commercially active. As the region offers beautiful nature, during the last decade tourism has been on the rise, while a dwindling interest in the agricultural sector can be observed. However, the growth in tourism also provides opportunities for small-scale agricultural producers to increase their income by marketing their surplus production to the local tourism sector and thereby improving their livelihoods. In turn, an increase in local agri-food products offered might have a positive effect on the tourism sector. Thus, establishing linkages of agricultural food production and rural tourism might contribute to the economic development of the district and even counteract migration to the capital and from the agricultural sector. Through a qualitative study, we aim at identifying local agri-food products suitable for being marketed to the tourism sector and efficient marketing options. In order to do so, we analyze local agri-food chains. Exploratory interviews, focus group discussions and expert interviews provide data for a qualitative content analysis. First results show that food products which require little technological equipment for processing and do not underlie strict food safety standards, like for example honey, seem to be adequate to tap marketing potentials with regard to rural tourism.

Reducing malnutrition in India's agri-biodiversity hotspots

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

The challenge. Many of India's poor live in rural areas that are heavily dependent on agriculture. Local crops have a rich heritage of genetic diversity, but this diversity is often threatened by government policies that promote rice and wheat cultivation. This results in a disconnect between the high potential of the agricultural ...

Education for a sustainable agri-food system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dittrich, K.; Dagevos, H.; Jong, de F.; Seuneke, P.

Food and the city has never been a more urgent theme than today, and The European Union’s priority to commit to innovation in this field will certainly enhance its economic and external strength and improve its competitive position in the world of food and life sciences. Europea Netherlands held a

A Study for Brucellosis Seroprevelance in Agri

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Duran Tok

2009-12-01

Full Text Available AIM: We evaluated retrospectively laboratory test results of 520 patient who has brucellosis suspect between 2002-2004 years. METHOD: We use to Rose-Bengal test, Wright agglutination test and the other laboratory results and demographic properties for diagnosis. RESULTS: Rose-Bengal test was positive in 39 patients (11.3 % sera. Wright agglutination test was found positive for 1/160 or higher titers in 18 (3.4% sera. CONCLUSION: Wright agglutination test gave higher positive results in summer and autumn months. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2009; 8(6.000: 485-488

Cost-benefit analysis of the Zonal Program of Castro Verde (Portugal): Highlighting the trade-off between biodiversity and soil conservation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marta-Predoso, C.; Domingos, T.; Freitas, H.; Groot, de R.S.

2007-01-01

We address the effects of erosion on the environmental services provided by the soil and explore possibilities for integrating soil erosion impacts in cost-benefit analyses of agri-environmental policies. As a case study, we considered the continued soil erosion caused by the traditional cereal

77 FR 76451 - Designation for the West Sacramento, CA; Frankfort, IN; and Richmond, VA Areas.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-28

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration Designation for the West Sacramento, CA; Frankfort, IN; and Richmond, VA Areas. AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and...-Agri West Sacramento, CA(916) 374-9700.. 1/1/2013 12/31/2015 Frankfort Frankfort, IN(765) 258-3624...

USSR Report, Agriculture

Science.gov (United States)

1984-08-03

range of foodstuffs. They improve the baking qualities of average grain. They are indispensable for the production of macaroni and confectionery ...million tons of marketable product per year. The material- 20 technical base of USSR Goskomsel’khoztekhnika [State Committee of the Agri- cultural

Supporting precision Agriculture by Technology Intergration on an Inter and Intra Enterprise level

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kruize, J.W.; Wolfert, J.; Scholten, H.; Beulens, A.J.M.

2011-01-01

Dutch agri-food supply chain network actors can use technologies, (web) services and tools to increase sustainable production and chain transparency in agriculture. Adoption of these (web) services and tools in arable farming is still low. Therefore, the Dutch ministry of agriculture started a

Supporting Precision Agriculture by Technology Integration on a Inter and Intra Enterprise Level

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kruize, J.W.; Wolfert, J.; Scholten, H.; Beulens, A.J.M.

2011-01-01

Dutch agri-food supply chain network actors can use technologies, (web) services and tools to increase sustainable production and chain transparency in agriculture. Adoption of these (web) services and tools in arable farming is still low. Therefore, the Dutch ministry of agriculture started a

Handling Practicalities in Agricultural Policy Optimization for Water Quality Improvements

Science.gov (United States)

Bilevel and multi-objective optimization methods are often useful to spatially target agri-environmental policy throughout a watershed. This type of problem is complex and is comprised of a number of practicalities: (i) a large number of decision variables, (ii) at least two inte...

Journal of Genetics | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Arabidopsis; metal-ion tolerance; metallothionein; rice; salt tolerance; yeast; transgenic gene expression. ... Daqing 163319, People's Republic of China; Texas A and M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Department of Horticultural Sciences, Texas A and M University, 17360 Coit Road, Dallas, TX 75252, USA ...

Open for business? An integrative framework and empirical assessment for business model innovation in the gastronomic sector

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bogers, Marcel; Jensen, Jørgen Dejgård

2017-01-01

business models. These business models offer a basis for considering the opportunities and barriers for business model innovation — for both startups and incumbent firms — within gastronomy and agri-food more generally. Originality/value The gastronomic sector is diverse and heterogeneous with a multitude...

Integrated assessment of adaptation to Climate change in Flevoland at the farm and regional level

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wolf, J.; Mandryk, M.; Kanellopoulos, A.; Oort, van P.A.J.; Schaap, B.F.; Reidsma, P.; Ittersum, van M.K.

2011-01-01

A key objective of the AgriAdapt project is to assess climate change impacts on agriculture including adaptation at regional and farm type level in combination with market and technological changes. More specifically, the developed methodologies enable (a) the assessment of impacts, risks and

The Utilization of Edge-of-Field Monitoring of Agricultural Runoff in Addressing Nonpoint Source Pollution

Science.gov (United States)

While basin-scale studies and modeling are important tools in relating land uses to water quality concerns, edge-of-field monitoring (EOFM) provides the necessary resolution to spatially target, design, and evaluate in-field conservation practices for reducing nutrient and sediment loading from agri...

The perceived impact of quality assurance systems on tomato supply chain performance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aramyan, L.H.; Meuwissen, M.P.M.; Oude Lansink, A.G.J.M.; Vorst, van der J.G.A.J.; Kooten, van O.; Lans, van der I.A.

2009-01-01

Agri-food supply chains are currently being confronted with many requirements regarding the product quality of their products. In recent years, concerns about food quality have risen among consumers as a result of several outbreaks of diseases and various environmental concerns. This has stimulated

Search Results | Page 914 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Results 9131 - 9140 of 9602 ... AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY GREENHOUSE GASES ... Impact of India-ASEAN free trade agreement : a cross-country analysis ... Implications of agri-food standards for Sri Lanka : case studies of tea and fisheries export industries ... in meeting various standards when accessing markets abroad.

Applying ontologies in the dairy farming domain for big data analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhoosel, J.P.C.; Spek, J.C.

2016-01-01

In the Dutch SmartDairyFarming project, main dairy industry organizations like FrieslandCampina, AgriFirm and CRV work together on better decision support for the dairy farmer on daily questions around feeding, insemination, calving and milk production processes. This paper is concerned with the

Determinants of farmers’ willingness to participate in subsidy schemes for pesticide-free buffer zones - a choice experiment study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Tove; Pedersen, Anders Branth; Nielsen, Helle Oersted

2011-01-01

Danish farmers have been far less interested in agri-environmental subsidy schemes (AES) than anticipated. In order to examine how to improve the appeal of such schemes, a choice experiment was conducted concerning 444 Danish farmers’ preferences for subsidy schemes for pesticide-free buffer zone...

Systematic assessment of core assurance activities in a company specific food safety management system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Luning, P.A.; Marcelis, W.J.; Rovira, J.; Spiegel, van der M.; Uyttendaele, M.; Jacxsens, L.

2009-01-01

The dynamic environment wherein agri-food companies operate and the high requirements on food safety force companies to critically judge and improve their food safety management system (FSMS) and its performance. The objective of this study was to develop a diagnostic instrument enabling a

Effects of ecological compensation meadows on arthropod diversity in adjacent intensively managed grassland

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Albrecht, M.; Duelli, P.; Obrist, M.K.; Müller, C.; Schüpbach, B.; Kleijn, D.; Schmid, B.

2010-01-01

An important goal of ecological compensation areas (ECAs) is to increase biodiversity in adjacent intensively managed farmland and the agricultural landscape at large. We tested whether this goal can be achieved in the case of the agri-environmental restoration scheme implemented for Swiss grassland

Catalytic abatement of nitrous oxide from nitric and production

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oonk, J.

1998-01-01

Nitric acid production is identified as a main source of nitrous oxide. Options for emission reduction however are not available. TNO and Hydro Agri studied the technological and economic feasibility of catalytic decomposition of nitrous oxide in nitric acid tail-gases. Although in literature

Partnering, poverty reduction and rural enterprise advancement ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Given this scenario, the University of Fort Hare (UFH) has, through its establishment of the Rural Enterprise Advancement Programme (REAP) and its implementation through the Nguni Cattle Project and the Agri-Park Business Training Programme, restructured its agricultural research, training and community partnering ...

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African Journals Online (AJOL)

integrated intoaggro—ecosystems. 1. 1 __tppropriate pruning ahd thinning regimes I. " 'beeorneimperative iriythe management-.of the tree component of an agri silvicultura-l . system involving sorghum toJ-minirni-zewl- shading effect. The aim of this sorghum under intereropping with Gmelina. __Leucaena. and Farina.

Differences in morphometrics and reproductive physiology between two populations of Trissolcus japonicus, a promising biological control agent candidate for brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys Stal) in the US

Science.gov (United States)

Trissolcus japonicus (Ashmead), a solitary egg parasitoid of Pentatomidae native to Southeast Asia, has been undergoing host-range testing in U.S. quarantine facilities since 2009 as a candidate for the biological control of brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys Stål)(BMSB), an invasive agri...

Financial Services and the Deployment of Agricultural Innovations in ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

As partners of farmers' associations and small agri-businesses, financial cooperatives can play an important role in the adoption of agricultural innovations by providing relevant financial services. This project will test the ability of financial services to support the deployment and large-scale adoption of innovations ...

Network form of the Danish agricultural council

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Graversen, Jesper Tranbjerg; Karantininis, Kostas

The Danish Agricultural Council (DAC) is a joint committee for the Danish farmers' associations and a number of other political and professional organisations of the agri-food industry. Danish farmers are often members of both the local farmer union and at least one cooperative, and both farmer...

Variation in implementation of corporate social responsibility practices in emerging economies' firms: A survey of Chilean fruit exporters

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klerkx, L.W.A.; Villalobos, P.; Engler, A.

2012-01-01

As in many sectors in emerging economies, the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become important for exporting agri-food firms in view of their integration in global supply chains. The purpose of this research was to assess the implementation by Chilean fruit exporters of CSR

Sustainability assessment of food chain logistics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bloemhof, J.M.; Vorst, van der J.G.A.J.; Bastl, M.; Allaoui, H.

2015-01-01

Food chain logistics plays an important role in the sustainability performance of the food sector. Therefore, project SCALE (Step Change in Agri-food Logistics Ecosystems) started as a collaborative international project, aiming for tools and frameworks for the food sector to make a step change in

Dairy cluster design for Myanmar

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zijlstra, J.; Lee, van der J.

2015-01-01

At the request of the Dutch and Myanmar governments, a project team consisting of researchers from Wageningen University & Research centre and experts from dairy processor Royal FrieslandCampina, feed company Royal De Heus and AgriWorks consultancy have developed a design for a dairy cluster in

Envisioning Agricultural Sustainability from Field to Plate: Comparing Producer and Consumer Attitudes and Practices toward "Environmentally Friendly" Food and Farming in Washington State, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Selfa, Theresa; Jussaume, Raymond A., Jr.; Winter, Michael

2008-01-01

A substantial body of sociological research has examined the relationship between farmers' environmental attitudes and their conservation behaviors, but little research has compared the attitudes of producers and consumers toward the environment with their behaviors or practices in support of sustainable agri-food systems. This paper addresses…

Heterogeneity in pineapple fruit quality results from plant heterogeneity at flower induction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fassinou Hotegni, V.N.; Lommen, W.J.M.; Agbossou, E.K.; Struik, P.C.

2014-01-01

Heterogeneity in fruit quality constitutes a major constraint in agri-food chains. In this paper the sources of the heterogeneity in pineapple in the field were studied in four experiments in commercial pineapple fields. The aims were to determine (a) whether differences in pineapple fruit quality

Aquaculture innovation system analysis of transition to sustainable intensification in shrimp farming

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Joffre, Olivier M.; Klerkx, Laurens; Khoa, Tran N.D.

2018-01-01

The shrimp sector has been one of the fastest growing agri-food systems in the last decades, but its growth has entailed negative social and environmental impacts. Sustainable intensification will require innovation in multiple elements of the shrimp production system and its value chain. We use

Presença de pesticidas anticolinérgicos (organofosforados e carbamatos em frutas e hortaliças no município de Cabo Frio, RJ

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia Cristina Machado de Figueiredo de Oliveira

2010-12-01

Full Text Available No estudo em questão, utilizou-se a inibição da enzima acetilcolinesterase para detectar pesticidas organofosforados e carbamatos em frutas e hortaliças consumidas na cidade de Cabo Frio. Hortaliças e frutas ali coletadas, em anos distintos (1996 e 2007 apresentaram pesticidas em todas as amostras. As amostras de alface (1996 e agrião (2007 foram as que apresentaram maiores teores de equivalentes de metil-paration, 0,7 e 1,4 ppm, respectivamente. Os níveis mais baixos foram detectados nas uvas: 0,2 ppm. A solubilização dos compostos envolvidos no estudo em Triton X-100 foi eficiente sem inibir a atividade da enzima acetilcolinesterase. Entre os alimentos estudados, a alface, o agrião e a maçã são merecedores de atenção para monitoramento de resíduos de pesticidas organofosforados e carbamatos.

Health, agricultural, and economic effects of adoption of healthy diet recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Lock, Karen; Smith, Richard D; Dangour, Alan D; Keogh-Brown, Marcus; Pigatto, Gessuir; Hawkes, Corinna; Fisberg, Regina Mara; Chalabi, Zaid

2010-11-13

Transition to diets that are high in saturated fat and sugar has caused a global public health concern, as the pattern of food consumption is a major modifiable risk factor for chronic non-communicable diseases. Although agri-food systems are intimately associated with this transition, agriculture and health sectors are largely disconnected in their priorities, policy, and analysis, with neither side considering the complex inter-relation between agri-trade, patterns of food consumption, health, and development. We show the importance of connection of these perspectives through estimation of the eff ect of adopting a healthy diet on population health, agricultural production, trade, the economy, and livelihoods,with a computable general equilibrium approach. On the basis of case-studies from the UK and Brazil, we suggest that benefits of a healthy diet policy will vary substantially between different populations, not only because of population dietary intake but also because of agricultural production, trade, and other economic factors.

Management and control applications in Agriculture domain via a Future Internet Business-to-Business platform

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sokratis Barmpounakis

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The Agriculture business domain, as a vital part of the overall supply chain, is expected to highly evolve in the upcoming years via the developments, which are taking place on the side of the Future Internet. This paper presents a novel Business-to-Business collaboration platform from the agri-food sector perspective, which aims to facilitate the collaboration of numerous stakeholders belonging to associated business domains, in an effective and flexible manner. The contemporary B2B collaboration schemes already place the requirements for swift deployment of cloud applications, capable of both integrating diverse legacy systems, as well as developing in a rapid way new services and systems, which will be able to instantly communicate and provide complete, “farm-to-fork” solutions for farmers, agri-food and logistics service providers, ICT companies, end-product producers, etc. To this end, this conceptual paper describes how these requirements are addressed via the FIspace B2B platform, focusing on the Greenhouse Management & Control scenarios.

Challenges and issues concerning mycotoxins contamination in oil seeds and their edible oils: Updates from last decade.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhat, Rajeev; Reddy, Kasa Ravindra Nadha

2017-01-15

Safety concerns pertaining towards fungal occurrence and mycotoxins contamination in agri-food commodities has been an issue of high apprehension. With the increase in evidence based research knowledge on health effects posed by ingestion of mycotoxins-contaminated food and feed by humans and livestock, concerns have been raised towards providing more insights on screening of agri-food commodities to benefit consumers. Available reports indicate majority of edible oil-yielding seeds to be contaminated by various fungi, capable of producing mycotoxins. These mycotoxins can enter human food chain via use of edible oils or via animals fed with contaminated oil cake residues. In this review, we have decisively evaluated available data (from the past decade) pertaining towards fungal occurrence and level of mycotoxins in various oil seeds and their edible oils. This review can be of practical use to justify the prevailing gaps, especially relevant to the research on presence of mycotoxins in edible plant based oils. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

We Don’t Want to Be Officially Certified! Reasons and Implications of the Participatory Guarantee Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mamen Cuéllar-Padilla

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Official organic regulation in Europe is based on the third-party certification system to guarantee organic products. Many critics and dissatisfactions have motivated the emergence of other guarantee systems, based on an intense implication of producers and, in some cases, consumers and other local actors, involved in localised agri-food systems. They are called Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS, and are not recognised as valid guarantee systems by the official organic regulation. In the present paper, we analyse the main differences between the PGS and the third party certification system, deepening on their differentiated social and political implications. We conclude that the procedures behind PGS generate numerous positive impacts in the territories related to local producers (and consumers empowerment and localised agri-food systems drive, while their implications make them not considered as a substitute to third party certification system, unless certain conditions of social consolidated groups and agroecological and food sovereignty perspective of food system take place.

Opportunities within the Revised EU Common Agricultural Policy to Address the Decline of Farmland Birds: An Irish Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daire Ó hUallacháin

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The loss of global biological diversity continues despite on-going conservation efforts. Agriculture is the major terrestrial land use in Europe and any conservation efforts to protect biological diversity must address sustainable use of these food production systems. Using Ireland, within the European Union policy framework, as an example, the declines in farmland birds are discussed. The opportunities afforded to farmland bird conservation as a result of the recent reform to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP are outlined. The potential for revised and refined CAP, specifically agri-environment schemes, to deliver benefits for biodiversity and for farmland bird species within Irish agricultural ecosystems is explored. Despite all the efforts to date and the significant resources invested in implementing agri-environment measures and schemes, few attempts have been made to collect monitoring and surveillance data with which to quantitatively assess the effectiveness of schemes, and measures that are designed to assist in the recovery of farmland biodiversity, including bird species, in Ireland.

A guide on the possibilities of increasing energy efficiency in the meat, poultry, beverage and milk processing industries; Guide sur les possibilites d'accroitre l'efficacite energetique dans l'industrie de la transformation des viandes et volailles, des boissons et de la transformation du lait

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2002-08-01

This guide describes the potential for improving the energy effectiveness in Canada's agri-food sector. The food and beverage sector is the second most important manufacturing sector in Canada. Since 1998, it has ranked as the highest employer in Quebec. The sector consumed 29,050 GWh of electricity in 1998, with greenhouse gas emissions in the order of 3,800 kilo tonnes. This report referred specifically to energy efficiency measures that can be adopted for meat and poultry processing, beverage and beer production, and milk processing. It also described some aspects of water management, which is closely associated with energy use in the agri-food sector which relies heavily on hot water. Some promising innovations that can lead to energy savings include membrane filtration, cold pasteurization, heat pumps, and mechanical vapour re-compression. Energy savings can also be achieved through innovative heat transfer methods such as infrared, microwave, and heat induction. refs., tabs., figs.

La globalización agro-alimentaria: sus características y perspectivas futuras Agri-food globalization: its characteristics and future perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessandro Bonanno

2003-01-01

las compañías pero que no se traduce necesariamente en desarrollo social. Esta situación indica la exclusión de los circuitos globales como una estrategia democrática de desarrollo socio-económico.This article is aimed at examining the main characteristics of the process of globalization of the agri-food system regarding Latin America's socioeconomic development. The vast literature on globalization is summarized in three distinct groups. Radical neoliberals argue that globalization represents the necessary prescription for advancing the world socioeconomic development. Interventionist-centrists sustain that even though market dynamics have a central role, it is not possible to keep social and economic balance without state intervention. The third group criticizes globalization and defines it as a contradictory system that widens the gap between rich and poor countries and the gap between social classes within individual countries. Based on three case studies, this work examines three hypotheses generated by this debate. The first one concerns the workings of free market; the second one refers to the state's power and role; and the third one is related to the issue of democracy. The conclusion is that the market is strongly conditioned by transnational corporations and their actions negatively affect several social groups. It is also argued that the state keeps important powers, which, however, are being used to advance transnational corporations' interests, thus creating favorable conditions to capital's hypermobility. Regarding the third subject it is pointed out that globalization restrains popular participation in decision-making processes but simultaneously generates resistance and social mobilization. The conclusions underline that globalization generates a crisis in national development programs since economic growth is more based on the regional-global axis. It is also said that inclusion in global circles tends to increase benefits to companies but that

Urban Elementary Students' Conceptions of Learning Goals for Agricultural Science and Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Trexler, Cary J.; Hess, Alexander J.; Hayes, Kathryn N.

2013-01-01

Nationally, both science and agricultural education professional organizations have identified agriculture as a fundamental technology to be studied by students, with the goal of achieving an understanding of the agri-food system necessary for democratic participation. Benchmarks representing the content that K-12 children need to understand about…

Consumer attitudes to food quality products : emphasis on Southern Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klopcic, M.; Kuipers, A.; Hocquette, J.F.

2012-01-01

Quality foods, such as traditional, EU certified, organic and health claimed are part of a growing trend towards added value in the agri-food sector. In these foods, elements of production, processing, marketing, agro-tourism and speciality stores are combined. Paramount above all is the link to the

Polymerization of epoxidized triglycerides with fluorosulfonic acid

Science.gov (United States)

The use of triglycerides as agri-based renewable raw materials for the development of new products is highly desirable in view of uncertain future petroleum prices. A new method of polymerizing epoxidized soybean oil has been devised with the use of fluorosulfonic acid. Depending on the reaction con...

ability in Large Scale Land Acquisitions in Kenya

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Corey Piccioni

Kenya's national planning strategy, Vision 2030. Agri- culture, natural resource exploitation, and infrastruc- ... sitions due to high levels of poverty and unclear or in- secure land tenure rights in Kenya. Inadequate social ... lease to a private company over the expansive Yala. Swamp to undertake large-scale irrigation farming.

Convergence of EU nitrogen surplus, the RDP indicator of water quality

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reinhard, S.; Linderhof, V.G.M.

2015-01-01

The EU Water Framework Directive (WFD), EU Nitrate Directive and EU Rural Development Policy (RDP) aim to improve water quality. The nutrient content of water can be decreased by reducing nitrogen emission. In this article a novel approach is applied to the evaluation of the impact of Agri

Economic and environmental performance of alternative policy measures to reduce nutrient surpluses in Finnish agriculture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. LEHTONEN

2008-12-01

Full Text Available This paper provides an economic sector level analysis of the effectiveness of different policy measures in decreasing nitrogen (N and phosphorus (P surpluses from agriculture in order to reduce nutrient runoff from agricultural fields to watercourses and to improve water quality of surface waters. Assuming no changes in the EU level policies after CAP reform 2003 we focus on national level policy measures such as full or partial de-coupling of national support from production, payments for reduced nutrient surpluses of N and P, and N fertiliser tax. None of the analysed policy measures is superior one with respect to environmental performance, since full decoupling of national support would be the most effective in reducing P surpluses while payment for reduced nutrient surplus performed best with respect to N surpluses. Economic performance (farmers’ compliance cost per %-reduction of N or P surplus of full and partial de-coupling of national support is clearly better than that of specialised agri-environmental policy instruments, because both decoupling scenarios result in the increase of farmers’ income in comparison to base scenario, and thus compliance costs are in fact negative in these two cases. Our analysis confirms the fact that the overall policy package matters a lot for the effectiveness of agrienvironmental policy measures. Environmental performance of agri-environmental policy measures may be significantly reduced, if they are implemented jointly with production coupled income support policies. Thus, in order to increase the effectiveness of agri-environmental policy measures agricultural income support policies should be decoupled from production and this alone would bring substantial reduction in nutrient surpluses.;

Environmental services coupled to food products and brands: food companies interests and on-farm accounting.

Science.gov (United States)

Kempa, Daniela

2013-09-01

Much research has been carried out on governmental support of agri environmental measures (AEM). However, little is known about demands on and incentives from the commercial market for environmental contributions of the farmers. The factors farm structures, level of remuneration and legal framework have been thoroughly investigated. However, demands of the food industry for environmentally friendly goods(1) and their effects on farmers' decisions have not yet been analyzed. Leading companies in the food industry have observed an increasing consumer awareness and, due to higher competition, see an additional need to communicate environmental benefits which result from either organic production methods or agri-environmental measures. To address this research deficit, two case studies were carried out. The first case study is a survey aimed at the industrial food producers' demands with regards to the environmental performance of supplying farms. Concurrently, within a second survey farmers were questioned to find out what conditions are required to implement agri-environmental measures beyond cross compliance and document their environmental performance. This article presents the outcomes of the first case study. The results show that food companies have an interest in the documentation of environmental benefits of supplying farms for their marketing strategies. Provision of support by finance or contract-design is also seen as appropriate tool to promote an environmentally friendly production. In turn the food producers' demand and support for documented environmental services can have a positive influence on farmers' decisions for implementation and documentation of these services. Thus, the surveys provide essential findings for further development of documentation strategies for environmental benefits within the supply chain. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Creating Open Education Resources for Teaching and Community Development through Action Research: An Overview of the Makerere AgShare Project

Science.gov (United States)

Kaneene, John B.; Ssajjakambwe, Paul; Kisaka, Stevens; Miller, RoseAnn; Kabasa, John D.

2013-01-01

The AgShare Phase I Program, conducted at Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, was formed to create open education resources for teaching and community development through action research. The study was conducted by an interdisciplinary team of investigators from fields of veterinary medicine and agri-business. Two master of science students…

RESEARCH ARTICLE Cloning and expression analysis of chalcone ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Praveen Awasthi

Polymerase (New England Biolabs® Inc., USA) and cDNA template under the following conditions: 10 min at 95°C, 35 cycles of ... related plants was performed using the CLC genomic workbench (CLC bio, a Qiagen company, Netherland). Percentage. 6 ..... Chrysophyllum cainito L. (Star Apple). Jour Agri and Food Chem.

Effect of fungicides on sorghum anthracnose and grain mold in Burleson County, Texas, 2013

Science.gov (United States)

The experiment was conducted at the Texas AgriLife Experiment Station near College Station. The hybrids BH3822 and BH 5566 were planted in replicated plots and treatment arranged in a randomized, blocked factorial design. Each replicate consisted of four, 20 ft rows, with 30-in. row spacing and a ...

Effect of fungicides on sorghum anthracnose and grain mold in Burleson County, Texas, 2014

Science.gov (United States)

The experiment was conducted at the Texas A&M AgriLife Experiment Station near College Station (Burleson County), using the hybrids BH3822 and BH 5566. The seed was planted 10 Apr in a Belk clay soil. There were four replicates per treatment arranged in a randomized, blocked factorial design. Tre...

prevalence parasitologique et serologique des trypanosomoses ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

USER

instruction du programme de développement rural de la région Nord-Ouest, Ministère de l'Agri- culture et de Ressources Animales, Côte d'Ivoire, N° 2, 80 p. Anonyme 2005. Départements et districts de Côte- d'Ivoire. Office Ivoirien du Tourisme et de.

What we do | Page 80 | IDRC - International Development Research ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

​Reducing malnutrition in India's agri-biodiversity hotspots. Many of India's poor live in rural areas that are heavily dependent on agriculture. Local crops have a rich heritage of genetic diversity, but this diversity is often threatened by government policies that promote rice and wheat cultivation. South Asia, India, Canada.

What we do | Page 87 | IDRC - International Development Research ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

​Reducing malnutrition in India's agri-biodiversity hotspots. Many of India's poor live in rural areas that are heavily dependent on agriculture. Local crops have a rich heritage of genetic diversity, but this diversity is often threatened by government policies that promote rice and wheat cultivation. South Asia, India, Canada.

Browse Title Index

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Items 151 - 200 of 207 ... Vol 3, No 2 (2007), Rural Women\\'s Involvement In Dry Season Vegetable Production And Marketing In Ezinihitte Local Government Area Of Imo State, Nigeria, Abstract. AN Imoh, JP ... Vol 6, No 1 (2010), Strategic advertising for enhanced agri-business development in Abia State, Nigeria, Abstract.

Assessing the vulnerability of sorghum converted lines to anthracnose and downy mildew infection

Science.gov (United States)

A total of 59 converted sorghum lines and six checks were evaluated for resistance to two foliar fungal diseases, anthracnose and downy mildew (SDM) in 2008 and 2009 growing seasons at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Farm, College Station, Texas. In 2008, 23 lines exhibited resistance (35%), 29 sus...

FDI as an Export-Platform

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hajderllari, Luljeta; Karantininis, Konstantinos; Lawson, Lartey Godwin

We investigate factors affecting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) outflow from Danish agrifood firms to the rest of the world. We develop a conceptual model and subsequently use a gravity model based on data from 127 countries receiving Danish FDI in agri-food in 2004-2008. We find higher Danish FDI...

Expanding Business Opportunities for Youth in the Fish and Poultry ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

The project team will select and train aspiring agri-food entrepreneurs with business ideas that have the potential to grow and succeed. The lessons will be relevant to other agriculture and food security projects, especially those that aim to work with youth entrepreneurs. The project brings together the United States ...

GM plants, farmers and the public

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lassen, Jesper; Sandøe, Peter

2009-01-01

The controversy in Europe over genetically manipulated (GM) foods has been conceived largely as a conflict between a reluctant public and a more enthusiastic agri-food sector. As a result, the political focus has been on the public to the neglect of other actors, such as the farmers, whose willin...

Search Results | Page 79 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2006-01-01

Results 781 - 790 of 8491 ... Middle East Good Governance Fund (MEGGF) Special Initiatives Division. Published date. January 1, 2006. Studies. -. Report on Chief Kim Baird's trip to Ecuador, May 24 to June 1, 2010. Published date. January 1, 2010. Studies. -. Making agri-food systems work for the rural poor in Eastern and ...

All projects related to | Page 291 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

​Reducing malnutrition in India's agri-biodiversity hotspots. Project. Many of India's poor live in rural areas that are heavily dependent on agriculture. Local crops have a rich heritage of genetic diversity, but this diversity is often threatened by government policies that promote rice and wheat cultivation. Start Date: March 1, ...

A radarsat-2 quad-polarized time series for monitoring crop and soil conditions in Barrax, Spain

Science.gov (United States)

The European Space Agency (ESA) along with multiple university and agency investigators joined to conduct the AgriSAR Campaign in 2009. The main objective was to analyze a dense time series of RADARSAT-2 quad-pol data to define and quantify the performance of Sentinel-1 and other future ESA C-Band ...

The Examining of Prospective Teachers? Views about Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy Sources: A Case Study of Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Hasiloglu, Mehmet Akif

2014-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine prospective teachers? views about renewable and non-renewable energy sources. To collect data, a questionnaire with 5 open-ended questions was conveyed to 463 prospective teachers selected from Agri Ibrahim Cecen University. The results showed that almost three fourths of the prospective teachers tend to…

Book notices

NARCIS (Netherlands)

NN,

1957-01-01

M.A.H.A. Magazine. On p. 495 it was announced that this quarterly published by the Malayan Agri-Horticultural Association was revived and the volumes now received (vol. 12 for 1955 and 15 for 1956) appear to be as well executed as before, with numerous illustrations, several coloured plates, and a

Detection of some virulence factors in Staphylococcus aureus ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Detection of some virulence factors in Staphylococcus aureus isolated from clinical and subclinical bovine mastitis in Iran. ... Mastitis is one of the common diseases of dairy cattle and an inflammatory response of the mammary glands tissue. ... and B genes, 10 samples contained agrI gene, 42 samples contained agrII gene, ...

29 CFR 780.301 - Other pertinent statutory provisions.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Employment in Agriculture That Is Exempted From the Minimum Wage and Overtime Pay Requirements Under Section... minimum wage protection (section 6(a)(5)) for agriculture workers for the first time sought to provide a minimum wage floor for the farmworkers on large farms or agri-business enterprises. The section 13(a)(6)(A...

Fisheries and Limnological Studies on West Point Reservoir, Alabama-Georgia. Phase IV.

Science.gov (United States)

1984-05-01

This is seemingly due to the irregular fishing effort and catch during the winter as dictated by the vagaries of the weather. To substantially increase...Agri. Exp. Stat. Bull. 477. 21 pp. Echelle, A. A., and J. B. Mense . 1968. Forage value of Mississippi silverside in Lake Texoma. Proc. Okla. Acad. Sci

The Relationships between Positive Thinking Skills, Academic Locus of Control and Grit in Adolescents

Science.gov (United States)

Çelik, Ismail; Sariçam, Hakan

2018-01-01

The main purpose of this study is to examine the possible relationships between academic locus of control, positive thinking skills and grit in high school students. The participants of the research are composed of 288 adolescents continuing their high school education from 4 different schools in Agri, Turkey, which were selected with convenient…

Improving Disability Awareness among Extension Agents

Science.gov (United States)

Mahadevan, Lakshmi; Peterson, Rick L.; Grenwelge, Cheryl

2014-01-01

Increasing prevalence rates and legislative mandates imply that educators, parents, and Extension agents will need better tools and resources to meet the needs of special populations. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service addresses this issue by using e-learning tools. Extension agents can take advantage of these courses to gain critical…

Helminthes and protozoa occurrence in raw vegetable from commercial establishments in Guarapuava County, Paraná, Brazil/ Ocorrência de helmintos e protozoários em hortaliças cruas comercializadas no município de Guarapuava, Paraná, Brasil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

João Luis Garcia

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Vegetables are the most important transmission source of enteroparasites to human beings. The objective of this paper was to evaluate enteroparasites occurrence in vegetables from commercial establishments of Guarapuava County, Paraná State, Brazil. Forty two samples (44.7% out of 94 were positive, being 15 /21 (71.4% from smooth lettuce, 21 /55 from rough lettuce and 6 /18 (33.3% from watercress. Smooth lettuce samples have shown a higher contamination risk than rough lettuce (OR= 4, pO consumo de hortaliças é uma das principais vias de transmissão de enteroparasitas para os seres humanos. Considerando este fato, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a ocorrência de enteroparasitas em hortaliças comercializadas no município de Guarapuava, Paraná, Brasil. Amostras de alface lisa, alface crespa e agrião foram processadas e analisadas para verificar a presença de enteroparasitas. Das 94 amostras colhidas (55 de alface crespa, 21 de alface lisa e 18 de agrião, 42 (44,7% foram positivas para a presença de algum tipo de enteroparasita. As amostras de alface lisa apresentaram um risco de contaminação maior do que as de alface crespa (OR = 4, p < 0,05 e as de agrião (OR = 5, p < 0,05. Os principais helmintos e protozoários observados foram Ancylostomatidae (85,7%, Strongyloides sp. (28,5%, Giardia sp. (4,7% e Enterobius sp. (2,3%. Considerando os resultados obtidos, ressalta-se a necessidade da realização de medidas preventivas para melhorar a qualidade higiênica sanitária das hortaliças, tanto pelas autoridades sanitárias como pelos consumidores.

How much flower-rich habitat is enough for wild pollinators? Answering a key policy question with incomplete knowledge.

Science.gov (United States)

Dicks, Lynn V; Baude, Mathilde; Roberts, Stuart P M; Phillips, James; Green, Mike; Carvell, Claire

2015-09-01

In 2013, an opportunity arose in England to develop an agri-environment package for wild pollinators, as part of the new Countryside Stewardship scheme launched in 2015. It can be understood as a 'policy window', a rare and time-limited opportunity to change policy, supported by a narrative about pollinator decline and widely supported mitigating actions. An agri-environment package is a bundle of management options that together supply sufficient resources to support a target group of species. This paper documents information that was available at the time to develop such a package for wild pollinators. Four questions needed answering: (1) Which pollinator species should be targeted? (2) Which resources limit these species in farmland? (3) Which management options provide these resources? (4) What area of each option is needed to support populations of the target species? Focussing on wild bees, we provide tentative answers that were used to inform development of the package. There is strong evidence that floral resources can limit wild bee populations, and several sources of evidence identify a set of agri-environment options that provide flowers and other resources for pollinators. The final question could only be answered for floral resources, with a wide range of uncertainty. We show that the areas of some floral resource options in the basic Wild Pollinator and Farmland Wildlife Package (2% flower-rich habitat and 1 km flowering hedgerow), are sufficient to supply a set of six common pollinator species with enough pollen to feed their larvae at lowest estimates, using minimum values for estimated parameters where a range was available. We identify key sources of uncertainty, and stress the importance of keeping the Package flexible, so it can be revised as new evidence emerges about how to achieve the policy aim of supporting pollinators on farmland.

Simulating the Impacts of Tree, C3, and C4 Plant Functional Types on the Future Climate of West Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christiana Funmilola Olusegun

2018-05-01

Full Text Available This study investigates the future climatic impacts of different percentages of trees/shrubs, C4 and C3 plant functional types (PFTs over the West Africa region. The ratio of co-existence among the different PFTs was done as a representation of agri-silviculture practices over the region. Nine sensitivity experiments of different percentages of trees/shrubs, and C4 and C3 PFTs were carried out with a regional climate model (RegCM4 driven by Global Climate Model (HADGEM2-ES outputs. These experiments were carried out along the Guinea Savana zone of West Africa using both prescribed and dynamic vegetation options of the model. The model simulated the seasonal evolution of precipitation and temperature fields quite well, with correlations greater than 0.8, but exhibited cold and wet biases of about 1–2 °C and 1–4 mm/day, respectively. Widespread warming (1–3 °C and drying (1–2 mm/day is projected in the near future across most parts of West Africa all year round. The West African future climate change associated with the different percentages of trees/shrubs, and C4 and C3 PFTs varied with the vegetation state (prescribed or dynamic and model domain sizes. The prescribed vegetation experiments induced cooling of about 0.5–2 °C in most areas along the designated agri-silviculture zone, except Liberia and Sierra Leone. Similarly, enhanced precipitation occurred over most parts of Ghana and coastal parts of Nigeria (0.5–3 mm/day. On the other hand, the dynamic vegetation option did not exhibit pronounced changes in temperature and precipitation, except with a larger domain size. This study suggests the implementation of agri-silviculture as a mitigation and adaptation land-use practice across West Africa if drought-tolerant crops and the deciduous trees are adopted.

Summer Farms in Switzerland: Profitability and Public Financial Support

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tobias Schulz

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Summer farms are seasonal enterprises in high-elevation mountain regions, established for and highly specialized in grazing ruminants. This article synthesizes studies by the Swiss AlpFUTUR research program on the profitability of and public financial support for summer farms. It highlights current challenges of Swiss pastoralism and makes recommendations for future reforms. Profitability hinges on the size of the summer farms as well as on their ability to create value added. Particularly for smaller summer farms, key value-added strategies appear to be innovative cheese production and effective direct marketing. Public financial support is substantial, and the underlying agri-environmental scheme is relatively sophisticated. Eligibility for public support is based on both action-oriented and results-oriented criteria. Direct payments consider not only the number of livestock but also the duration of their presence on the summer pastures. For each summer farm, a stocking target is defined based on the pasture's carrying capacity. However, this target does not take into account the wide variation in forage needs between different meat and milk production systems. During the last decade, there has been a decline in the number of cattle sent to summer farms. Understocking is widespread, and the abandonment of marginal pastures has increased, resulting in scrub encroachment. The remaining cattle tend to be concentrated on more productive surfaces to reduce management costs; this causes overgrazing. More attention should therefore be given to the accurate enforcement of agri-environmental standards and to regional-level agreement on which surfaces should be abandoned. Supporting traditional pastoral practices remains an explicit objective of Swiss agricultural policy. Recently introduced agri-environmental payment schemes promoting biodiversity conservation can complement the summer farm subsidies. However, implementation costs are likely to

Rural Child Labour: Views of Extension Agents in Ethiopia

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, Una

2013-01-01

Purpose: Whilst children working in agriculture and domestic work is an inherent part of growing up and essential for survival, if boys and girls lose out on education they are less equipped to respond to inevitable environmental shocks and to negotiate agri-food value chains. This article investigates views of extension agents on children…

Perceptions of Texas 4-H Livestock Ambassadors on Career Development, Higher Education, and Leadership Development

Science.gov (United States)

Zanolini, William F.; Rayfield, John; Ripley, Jeff

2013-01-01

Selected 4-H youth participated in the Texas 4-H Livestock Ambassador program. Forty-five youth participated in the 3-day program delivered by university professors and staff, Texas AgriLife Extension faculty and industry representatives. An instrument was developed and administered to the Texas 4-H Livestock Ambassadors at the end of their first…

Feeding Dar es Salaam: a symbiotic food system perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wegerif, Marc C.A.

2017-01-01

This thesis is a sociological analysis of the agri-food system that feeds most of the over four and a half million residents of the fast-growing city of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. It is based on qualitative research that has generated a picture of the food system that supplies the important foods

Perspectives of Teacher Candidates on the Statements Related to Effect of Politics on Lecturers and Educational Administrators' Competence of Ensuring Unity

Science.gov (United States)

Demirel, Ihsan Nuri

2018-01-01

This study aims to find out the attitude of teacher candidates of Agri I.Ç. University Faculty of Education who study at the Department of Elementary Turkish Education to the statements related to effect of politics on lecturers and educational administrators' competence of ensuring unity. A-) The statements accepted as effect of politics on…

A Study on the Countermeasures of Modern Agricultural Development from a Perspective of E-commerce——A Case of Suzhou,China

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

2010-01-01

Based on the fact that e-commerce promotes the development of modern agriculture,the paper summarizes the present situation of agri-cultural e-commerce through related materials.Taking Suzhou city as an example,the paper analyzes the features of modern agriculture.And themodern agriculture is characterized with apparent industrialization and scaled requirements,the branded and particular agriculture has more advan-tages,leisure agriculture is the very special one.In order to upgrade the degree of agricultural industrialization of Suzhou,promote the communica-tion of agricultural information and sales of products and lower the risks of agricultural production,the e-commerce countermeasures of modern agri-culture have been put forward.Firstly,strengthen the network construction of agricultural information.Secondly,carry out the agricultural e-com-merce business by B2B model.Thirdly,construct the e-commerce platform of leisure agriculture.Fourthly,construct the e-commerce platform ofmodern agriculture.Fifthly,perfect the logistics distribution network of agricultural products of Suzhou.The last point is to accelerate the e-com-merce training of farmers and the introduction of talents.

Legislation on The Protection of Agricultural Land in the context of the implementation of the Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection in Slovak Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Palšová Lucia

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Protecting the qualitative aspect of the agricultural land is in the interest of European Union policies and Slovakia as well. The EU adopted in 2006 a Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection to ensure protection and sustainable use of land, including agricultural land. The aim of this paper is to analyze and evaluate legislation protecting agricultural land in the context of the implementation of the Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection in Slovakia. The basic legislation for the protection of agricultural land in Slovakia is the Act No. 220/2004 Coll. on the conservation and use of agricultural land and amending Act No. 245/2003 Coll. concerning integrated pollution prevention and control and amending certain laws, as amended, which provides a basic framework for conservation of the agricultural land. In terms of preserving, agricultural land has significant importance in the Common Agricultural Policy -pillar I and II which stipulate cross-compliance requirements, requirements for agri-environmental measures for applicants for single area payment scheme, for applicants for support under agri-environmental measures respectively.

GLOBAL CHALLENGES FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN SLOVAKIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magdalana Bartosova

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The paper is focused on the evaluation of economic, social and environmental challenges of sustainable agriculture. The selected indicators of the economic challenges of sustainable agriculture imply that agriculture in Slovakia is not in long term be able to ensure competitiveness in the European market, gross agricultural output is characterized by a faster decline in animal production than in crop production and the value of import of agri-food commodities is higher than the value of export. According to selected indicators of social challenges of sustainable agriculture the number of persons working in agriculture has decreasing tendency in last years. The evaluation of selected indicators of environmental challenges of sustainable agriculture implies that area of organic agriculture is the most widely applied sub-measure within the measure agri-environmental payments. For ensuring the balance of the three mentioned dimensions of sustainable agriculture is necessary to increase of local production and consumption of local products, to ensure the protection of nature and landscape, to ensure rural development and to increase the employment opportunities in countryside.

Agri-energy chains: from field to land planning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Mazzoncini

2011-02-01

Full Text Available A general consensus on bio-energy and renewable energetic sources is expressed by modern societies; at the same time, some concerns and uncertainties are related to the actual ecological and environmental standards that these new technologies are able to fulfill. The overall energy demand is permanently rising as the economic growth spread through new developing countries. The consciousness about the limited petroleum availability and the negative environmental consequences related to fossil fuels exploitation, inevitably calls for a new global energy model based on a drastic improvement on energy use efficiency, energy savings and renewables. On this respect, biomass could play an important role to meet these new constraints and requirements. The development of bio-energy needs a reliable biomass availability, a well organized and integrated chain-supply and reasonable costs of the biomass feedstock in order to be competitive with respect to conventional fossil-fuels. Different productive and distributive chain-supply can be depicted, at the large as well as at the local-scale; pros and cons can be identified for both, but locally produced bio-energy and “distributed” energy generation is mostly favored by general society and some stakeholders; it seems to better support landowners, rural economy and local market; at the same time, the environmental benefits seems to be higher. Rigorous evaluation procedures, such as “Life Cycle Assessment”, must be ordinarily implemented to proper compare such alternatives with each other and choose the one that fits better.

Life cycle assessment and the agri-food chain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hermansen, John Erik; Nguyen, T Lan T

2012-01-01

Our food consumption is responsible for a major part of the environmental impact related to our total consumption. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a product-oriented tool that can be used efficiently to identify improvement options within the food chain covering a product’s life cycle from cradle...... to grave, which is very complex for many foods, and to support choices of consumption. The LCA methodology is supported by public standards and public policy measures and has proved its value in business development for more environmentally friendly products. It is an essential feature that the effects...... of resource use and emissions associated with a product’s life cycle can be aggregated into impact categories (e.g., nonrenewable energy use, land occupation, global warming, acidification, etc.) and further aggregated into overall damage impacts (e.g., impacts on biodiversity, human health, and resource...

Agri-business for elderly people through the Internet

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kenji Hashimoto

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The leaf business of Irodori is an example of a successful enterprise realized by connecting elderly people and local agricultural resources in a peripheral area with an aging population. In the process of developing the business, Irodori has overcome three difficulties with regard to information systems. Firstly, it overcame the distances between the peripheral producing regions and the consumer markets in urban areas. Secondly, it overcame the disadvantageous condition of being based in a mountain village with a low population density, where it is difficult to develop a communications infrastructure. Thirdly, it overcame the difficulty and burden that elderly people felt regarding the use of a personal computer and the Internet. The example of Irodori can be considered as a model case when considering the exploitation of regional resources and strategies for utilizing them through 'informatization'.

Feed or bioenergy production from agri-industrial residues?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tonini, Davide; Hamelin, Lorie; Astrup, Thomas Fruergaard

induced GHG emissions). All in all, the use of biomasses that are today used as animal feed (e.g. beet molasses) induced significant GHG emissions through iLUC. These were quantified at between 1-3.5 t CO2/t dry residue depending upon the nutritional value. The recommendation is to avoid the use...

Trust and Contracting in Agri-Food Hybrid Structures

OpenAIRE

Martino, Gaetano

2007-01-01

The paper aims at examining the hypothesis that the influence of trust on contract can be thought of as a dynamic factor of organizational choices in supply chains. The relationship between contract and trust is delineated on the basis of institutional environment, contractual incompleteness, safeguards and restrictive provisions. The interaction between individual and system elements in the formation of trust and its influence in hybrid contracting is considered. According to a New Instituti...

Factors Shaping Agri-food Product Trade in Poland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Piotr Bórawski

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of the paper is to recognize the role of internal and external factors in the trade balance. The analysis of the trade balance is useful to help formulate goals and premises of economy policy to properly allocate production means to eliminate the negative effects of trade liberalization. The authors have studied data about trade of agricultural commodities in the years 2000–2010. To measure the impact of macroeconomic variables used a regression model. The macroeconomic factors included: X1 (inflation, X2 (investment in agriculture and hunting, X3 (GDP and X4 (exchange rate and X5 (FAO food price index. We wanted to recognize the impact of macroeconomic factors on: Y1 (total export, Y2 (total import, Y3 (trade balance.

Deposits and possibilities of using thermal waters in Debrc

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gajić Mirjana

2005-01-01

Full Text Available The geothermal waters in Debrc are in karstified Triassic limestone and dolomite. Maximal measured temperature is 58°C on the depth of 1000 m. By using geothermal energy from thermal waters of Debrc, is possible intensive agri and aqva culture production, especially organic food according to world ecologic standards, as well as toplification of Debrc.

India | Page 23 | IDRC - International Development Research Centre

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Home · South Asia. India. Inde. Read more about ​Reducing malnutrition in India's agri-biodiversity hotspots. Language English. Read more about Recours aux cultures céréalières traditionnelles pour améliorer la nutrition en milieu rural en Inde. Language French. Read more about Augmentation de la production de petits ...

Class Teacher Candidates' Opinions on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)

Science.gov (United States)

Ural Keles, Pinar; Aydin, Suleyman

2017-01-01

This study was conducted to determine the Class teacher candidates' opinions on Genetically Modified Organisms. The study was carried out with 101 teacher candidates who were studying in the 3rd grade of Agri Ibrahim Çeçen University Classroom Teacher Department in 2016-2017 academic year. Of the students who participated in the survey, 56 were…

Untitled

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Moore, W. C. ... Report of Fungus, Bacterial and other Diseascs of Crops in. England and Wales for the years 1933-42, London, H.M.. Stationary Office, 1944. 18. Muller-Thurgau, H. ... Landw. Jahrb. Schweiz, 1908, 22, 743-45, Abstr. in Zischr. Pflanzen-krank, 1910, 20, 50. 19. Nattrass, R. M. ... Cyprus Agri. Journ., 1933, 28 ...

Agrileisure: Exploring the "fun" of local food

Science.gov (United States)

Ben Amsden; Jesse. McEntee

2012-01-01

Farm-based agri-tourism, home-based hobby farming, rural/urban farmers markets, and community-supported agriculture (CSA) are all examples of agriculturally themed activities that, for many, include a measure of leisure and recreation. While people once saw the farm primarily as a space for work and production, a new generation is beginning to see farms as family-...

Antioxidant, Phytotoxic and Antiurease Activities, and Total Phenolic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A quantitative review of the effects of biochar application to soils on crop productivity using meta- analysis. Agri, Ec & Envi. 2013; 164: 32-52. 15. Ahmad VU, Hussain J, Hussain H, Jassbi A R, Ullah. F, Lodhi M A, Akah PA, Okafor CL. Blood sugar lowering effect of Vernonia amygdalina Del, in an experimental rabbit model.

The Views of the Teachers Related to the Problems the Nursery Class Teachers Encounter in Personnel Services and General Services

Science.gov (United States)

Ertör, Eren; Akan, Durdagi

2016-01-01

In this study, it was aimed to analyze the problems that the nursery school teachers, who worked in primary schools of Ministry of National Education in Agri city center in 2014-2015 academic years, experience in personnel services and general services according to the views of the teachers. In the direction of this purpose, phenomenology design,…

MYTH AND REALITY:ORGANIC VS NON-ORGANIC

OpenAIRE

Azeez, Ms G

2001-01-01

This report examines some of the key issues around organic food and its production. It takes up the challenge of answering the critics - critics who range from companies defending agri-business, through to the heads of national food authorities and some academics. It exposes the misleading and erroneous statements made against organic food, and provides the facts that proves them wrong.

JPRS Report, Science & Technology, China

Science.gov (United States)

1991-05-31

1) Produce new, high-yield, disease-resistant animals, duction of grains, fertilizer, and livestock; 2) Put priority hybrid rice, transgenic plants...high-nutrition grains, test- on biotechnologically developed new products in agri- tube calves, transgenic fishes and livestock; locate rice culture...Biotechnology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, duced and genetically transferred to such crops as rice, Beijing] wheat , and corn. Back in the

Potential effects of sulforaphane to fight obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Martins, Tânia; Colaço, Bruno; Venâncio, Carlos; Pires, Maria J; Oliveira, Paula A; Rosa, Eduardo; Antunes, Luís M

2018-06-01

Obesity is linked to the onset of many diseases such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases and cancer, among others. The prevalence of obesity nearly doubled worldwide between 1980 and 2014. Simultaneously, in the last decade, the effects of sulforaphane as a potential treatment for obesity have been investigated, with promising results. Fruits and vegetables and their processed agri-food co-products are good sources of natural health-promoting compounds. Brassica crops are among the most produced crops in the world and are a good source of glucoraphanin, which, following hydrolysis, releases sulforaphane. The Brassicaceae family generates large amounts of co-products with no intended use, causing negative economic and environmental impact. Valorization of these co-products could be achieved through their exploitation for the extraction of bioactive compounds such as sulforaphane. However, the extraction process still needs further improvement for its economic feasibility. This article reviews the potential effects of sulforaphane in the treatment of obesity, linked to the relevance of giving Brassica co-products added value, which is of key importance for the competitiveness of farmers and the agri-food industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

GOVERNANCE OF TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION IN THE TROPICAL FRUIT COMMODITY CHAINS IN LATIN AMERICA

OpenAIRE

Montenegro , E.; Temple , Ludovic; Quiros , O.; Ruales , J.

2010-01-01

N° ISBN - 978-2-7380-1284-5; International audience; The analyses mobilized costs conventional benefits for the evaluation ex ante of the feasibility of technical innovations in the agri-foodstuffs chains are criticized in their capacity to integrate the economic and environmental externalities that structure the development of the innovations. This communication proposes to undergo a methodology that puts in complementariness diagnoses, participating analyses multicriterion and investigation...

JPRS Report, China.

Science.gov (United States)

1989-10-17

fermented livestock feeds; and processing chopped coarse fodders for agri- culture. JPRS-CAR-89-103 17 October 1989 ECONOMIC 43 4. Administration and...distribution of leftovers from brewing and fermentation industries and from non- staple food factories that use grain as raw materials. Residues from...bean product manufacturing plants and flour mills, and sediments from soy sauce, vinegar plants, distilleries and breweries should be managed and

La situation agricole et alimentaire mondiale : causes, conséquences, perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mazoyer Marcel

2008-11-01

Full Text Available This article presents an overview of the development of agri-food system in the world, the disparity in productivity and income the long terme downward trend in international agricultural prices, the world agricultural divide and its conséquences in terms of poverty and malnutrition. Given this situation of poor farmers it analyses what should be the components of an effective policy development.

The national observatory of biomass resources. Assessment of available resources in France - Releases October 2012, December 2015, December 2016

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bova, Fabien; Zegers, Jean-Pierre; Vieillefont, Valerie; Bertrand, Raphael; Gurtler, Jean-Luc; Allain, Eric; Bonnard, Philippe; Mhiri, Tarek

2012-10-01

The different releases propose sheets containing graphs, tables and data which present and discuss assessments of biomass resources at the national and regional levels for France. Resources are distinguished according to their origin: agriculture (energy-oriented crops, crop residues, crop wastes, farming effluents, hedge and alignments trimming), forestry (forests and poplar groves), agri-food industries (wheat, malt, meat, fishery, sugar beet, milk, distillery industries, and so on)

Biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes

OpenAIRE

Josefsson, Jonas

2015-01-01

Agricultural industrialization alters rural landscapes in Europe, causing large-scale and rapid loss of important biodiversity. The principal instruments to protect farmland biodiversity are various agri-environmental measures (AEMs) in the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). However, growing awareness of shortcomings to CAP biodiversity integration prompts examination of causes and potential solutions. This thesis assesses the importance of structural heterogeneity of crop and non-crop habi...

Comparative Multi-Criteria Assessment of Climate Policies and Sustainable Development Strategies in Cameroon: Towards a GIS Decision-Support Tool for the Design of an Optimal REDD+ Strategy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anderson Gwanyebit Kehbila

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Cameroon is committed to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation plus conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of carbon stocks (REDD+. To achieve this goal, the government has introduced a series of policy reforms and formulated a number of key strategic planning documents to advance the REDD+ readiness process in Cameroon. This paper assesses the extent to which major cross-sectoral policies support or impede the development and implementation of an optimal REDD+ strategy in Cameroon from a comparative multi-criteria perspective. Study results reveal that a majority of the policy instruments reviewed appeared to be less prescriptive in terms of any tangible REDD+ strategy, as they do not have provisions for tangible measures to reduce deforestation and forest degradation. Given the lack of adequate flexibility, prompt review and responsiveness of these cross-sectoral policies to adapt themselves to new realities and respond to a changing environment, this paper introduces a GIS-REDD+ decision support system (GIS-REDD+DSS that is necessary to support the adaptive element of an adaptive REDD+ strategy in Cameroon. The GIS-REDD+DSS, an electronic REDD+agri intermediary hub, serves the following purpose: (1 host a database of locally-relevant climate information, improved input technologies, best practices as well as land use and forest cover geo-spatial maps; (2 host a virtual economic tool that performs economic valuations (costs and benefits and financial analysis of REDD+agri projects to aid investment decision-making; and (3 host an electronic marketplace to mediate any-to-any transactions among REDD+agri project developers, service providers, input suppliers, private and institutional investors and buyers (wholesalers and retailers, thereby creating value in two ways: aggregation and matching. This decision support tool, we argue, is a fundamental prerequisite for “policy and REDD+ safeguard

Water stress and harmful insects in agri-forest ecosystems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mario Solinas

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Present knowledge on ecological services supplied by insects to natural terrestrial ecosystems, allow us to identify many homeostatic mechanisms regulating biological balance as well as life perpetuation of the said ecosystems; at the same time, that knowledge represents a sound referring point to understanding how those mechanisms do work so as to manage them in the anthropized ecosystems (i.e., agriculture and forests, and especially in order to identify in the latter the natural meaning of the so called insect outbreaks, so as to forecast and possibly prevent them; as well as, when needed, to conceive and formulate efficient control strategies having minimal environmental impact. Water factor is crucial with genesis, configuration and conservation of a terrestrial ecosystem (both natural or anthropized as a whole or in its individual components, but especially concerning plant life as well as plant interactions with phytophagous invertebrates, mainly insects. Insect-plant trophic interactions are principally influenced by the water conditions in the ecosystem, and the impact of phytophagous insects on crops is markedly affected. Extremely severe water stress, especially if prolonged, prevent insect life just like plant’s life but a moderate and not so prolonged water stress, while depressing plant vigour, paradoxically can improve development and multiplication of phytophagous arthropods, with severe consequences on woody plants especially, and forest trees markedly.

OGM : vers une évaluation des impacts agri-environnementaux

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Icart Jean-Claude

2000-07-01

Full Text Available En 1998, les pouvoirs publics français prononçaient un moratoire de deux ans concernant les autorisations de mise sur le marché des variétés de colza génétiquement modifiées. Cette décision donnait suite aux conclusions de la conférence des citoyens des 20 et 21 juin 1998 à l’Assemblée nationale et aux recommandations de l’Office parlementaire des choix scientifiques et technologiques, fondées sur « les incertitudes liées à la diffusion de transgène dans l’environnement à partir de plantes comme le colza, présentant des risques de croisements avec d’autres espèces ».

Drawing up farm management plans for agri-environmental schemes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Balázs, K.; Podmaniczky, L.; Acs, S.

2002-01-01

The role of and the approach to the countryside and the environment has undergone dramatic changes in recent decades as relations between sustainable, multi-functional agriculture and the need for preserving natural resources were realised. On the other hand, to be successful in a commercial

​Reducing malnutrition in India's agri-biodiversity hotspots | CRDI ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

The challenge. Many of India's poor live in rural areas that are heavily dependent on agriculture. Local crops have a rich heritage of genetic diversity, but this diversity is often threatened by government policies that promote rice and wheat cultivation.This results in a disconnect between the high potential of the agricultural ...

​Reducing malnutrition in India's agri-biodiversity hotspots | IDRC ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

The challenge. Many of India's poor live in rural areas that are heavily dependent on agriculture. Local crops have a rich heritage of genetic diversity, but this diversity is often threatened by government policies that promote rice and wheat cultivation.This results in a disconnect between the high potential of the agricultural ...

Water stress and harmful insects in agri-forest ecosystems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mario Solinas

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Present knowledge on ecological services supplied by insects to natural terrestrial ecosystems, allow us to identify many homeostatic mechanisms regulating biological balance as well as life perpetuation of the said ecosystems; at the same time, that knowledge represents a sound referring point to understanding how those mechanisms do work so as to manage them in the anthropized ecosystems (i.e., agriculture and forests, and especially in order to identify in the latter the natural meaning of the so called insect outbreaks, so as to forecast and possibly prevent them; as well as, when needed, to conceive and formulate efficient control strategies having minimal environmental impact. Water factor is crucial with genesis, configuration and conservation of a terrestrial ecosystem (both natural or anthropized as a whole or in its individual components, but especially concerning plant life as well as plant interactions with phytophagous invertebrates, mainly insects. Insect-plant trophic interactions are principally influenced by the water conditions in the ecosystem, and the impact of phytophagous insects on crops is markedly affected. Extremely severe water stress, especially if prolonged, prevent insect life just like plant’s life but a moderate and not so prolonged water stress, while depressing plant vigour, paradoxically can improve development and multiplication of phytophagous arthropods, with severe consequences on woody plants especially, and forest trees markedly.

Trust, Contracting, and Adaptation in Agri-Food Hybrid Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gaetano Martino

2011-02-01

Full Text Available The paper considers the relationship between trust and governance structure from a Transaction Cost Economics perspective. The role of trust in the coordinating decisions is variously conceptualized according to the theoretical view adopted by the scholars. The present study adopt the three-level schema introduced by Williamson (1996 and suggest that determinants of trust may operate both at institutional and governance structure level. The analytical framework depicted maintains that trust may determine a reduction of ex post transaction cost in the adaptation of hybrid structure. As a consequence trust appears to be able to extend the range of existence of the hybrids. The empirical part of the study is dedicated to a case study which illustrates the emerging of conditional trust (Fritz et al., 2008 and the role of trust in the adaptation process.

Water stress and harmful insects in agri-forest ecosystems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mario Solinas

Full Text Available Present knowledge on ecological services supplied by insects to natural terrestrial ecosystems, allow us to identify many homeostatic mechanisms regulating biological balance as well as life perpetuation of the said ecosystems; at the same time, that knowledge represents a sound referring point to understanding how those mechanisms do work so as to manage them in the anthropized ecosystems (i.e., agriculture and forests, and especially in order to identify in the latter the natural meaning of the so called insect outbreaks, so as to forecast and possibly prevent them; as well as, when needed, to conceive and formulate efficient control strategies having minimal environmental impact. Water factor is crucial with genesis, configuration and conservation of a terrestrial ecosystem (both natural or anthropized as a whole or in its individual components, but especially concerning plant life as well as plant interactions with phytophagous invertebrates, mainly insects. Insect-plant trophic interactions are principally influenced by the water conditions in the ecosystem, and the impact of phytophagous insects on crops is markedly affected. Extremely severe water stress, especially if prolonged, prevent insect life just like plant’s life but a moderate and not so prolonged water stress, while depressing plant vigour, paradoxically can improve development and multiplication of phytophagous arthropods, with severe consequences on woody plants especially, and forest trees markedly.

Coherence of Non-communicable Disease Prevention and Agri-food ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

It will demonstrate how policies that affect this chain intermingle with NCD ... project will use three complementary methods: policy mapping, supply chain analysis, ... A set of commonly agreed recommendations will promote novel strategies to ...

Minnesota Agri-Power Project. Quarterly report, January--March, 1998

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilbur, D.

1998-05-01

The Minnesota Valley Alfalfa Producers propose to build an alfalfa processing plant integrated with an advanced power plant system at the Granite Falls, Minnesota industrial park to provide 75 MW of base load electric power and a competitively priced source of value added alfalfa based products. This project utilizes air blown fluidized bed gasification technology to process alfalfa stems and another biomass to produce a hot, clean, low heating value gas that will be used in a gas turbine. Exhaust heat from the gas turbine will be used to generate steam to power a steam turbine and provide steam for the processing of the alfalfa leaf into a wide range of products including alfalfa leaf meal, a protein source for livestock. This progress report describes feedstock testing, feedstock supply system, performance guarantees, sales contracts, environmental permits, education, environment, economy, and project coordination and control.

Changes in Agri-Business Outcomes among the Dairy Beneficiaries ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

User

sustain remunerative private sector investment in extension service .... market which is important for service provision and transformation of CIGs into co- ..... Table 7: The benefit cost ratio, return on investment and cost per farmer served.

AMOUNT TO EXPROPRIATION? AN ANALYSIS OF THE Agri SA

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Examiner

then make an order for the payment against the defendant to the state of any amount .... The second point of criticism is found in a decision of the Australian High Court, .... system when it comes to distinguishing between deprivation and ...

Innovation capabilities and governance in the agri-food sector

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tepic, M.

2012-01-01

Company performance is increasingly dependent on continuous improvement and innovation. In order to manage innovation projects effectively, a number of internal and external business capabilities are important: The results of this study show that functional, and in particular integrative firm

Czechoslovakia's participation in IAEA's INIS/AGRIS direct access experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stanik, Z.

1980-01-01

The task of establishing direct access to the INIS data base is being implemented in Czechoslovakia by the Nuclear Information Centre in Prague-Zbraslav. The aim and meaning of the experiment is to build a Czechoslovak network of terminals linked to the IAEA with the possibility of future connections to other data bases. The first stage is characterized by the use of a dial-up line. (M.S.)

Agri-Business coordination: A Systems Approach To Yam And ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The main objective of the study is to examine the “Systems Approach” to yam and cassava marketing in Bende agricultural Zone of Abia State, Nigeria. Data were collected from sixty (60) yam and cassava marketers randomly selected from two popular yam and cassava marketers in the local government area.

Canadian Food Dollar: Breakdown between Farm and Marketing Costs

OpenAIRE

Kelly, Jessica; Weersink, Alfons; Cranfield, John

2013-01-01

This poster assesses the breakdown of the Canadian food dollar between farm and marketing costs. It uses input-output methods, comparable to those used by the Economic Research Service (ERS), in order to allow for Canadian-American comparison. The farm share and marketing bill provide a valuable snapshot of the dynamics of the agri-food supply chain, changing consumer demands, and the resultant value distribution of the retail food dollar.

Contract farming in Costa Rica: opportunities for smallholders?

OpenAIRE

Sáenz-Segura, J.F.

2006-01-01

Transaction costs and other market failures are widely present in the agricultural sector of emerging economies and negatively affect to low-income smallholders, making difficult their integration into dynamic agri-food supply chains. Earlier literature mentions contract farming as an economic institution with the potential to incorporate smallholders into more advanced markets and strength supply chain integration. However, the application of contract farming in some countries of Latin Ameri...

A Review of Wireless Sensor Technologies and Applications in Agriculture and Food Industry: State of the Art and Current Trends

OpenAIRE

Ruiz-Garcia, Luis; Lunadei, Loredana; Barreiro, Pilar; Robla, Jose Ignacio

2009-01-01

The aim of the present paper is to review the technical and scientific state of the art of wireless sensor technologies and standards for wireless communications in the Agri- Food sector. These technologies are very promising in several fields such as environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, cold chain control or traceability. The paper focuses on WSN (Wireless Sensor Networks) and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), presenting the different systems available, recent developments a...

Characteristics of environmentally conscious production behaviour in agricultural waste management

OpenAIRE

Kormosne-Koch, Krisztina

2008-01-01

When measuring environmentally conscious behaviour and determining its variables, focus often lies only on consumers, but environmental conservation requires not only the consumers’ but also the producers’ input. After defining environmentally conscious behaviour, I utilized the market research method to determine how participating in agri-environmental programs and subsidies affects producers’ environmental consciousness and waste management behaviour. The research result indicates tha...

SPINSMEDE: a transnational taining experience on soil protection

OpenAIRE

Figueiredo, Tomás de; Graaff, Jan de; Evelpidou, Niki; Martínez-Casasnovas, José António; Merino, Agustín

2010-01-01

SPinSMEDE, acronym of Soil Protection in Sloping Mediterranean Agri- Environments, an Erasmus Intensive Programme, funded by the EC Lifelong Learning Programme, was designed and implemented following the policy context of the Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection in Europe. This document announced expectable demand for technical competences to meet increased requirements on the issue, most needed to cope with the specific soil degradation problems of Mediterranean hill-slopes. ...

Translations on USSR Science and Technology Biomedical Sciences, Number 11

Science.gov (United States)

1977-10-14

over the quality of combined feeds and the microclimate parameters, appropriate preparations of the production sectors, prevention of the " mastitis ...certain degree, and it is promoting improvement of the production indices However there are negative aspects to the work of veterinarians as well. ’ The...recent years with the active assistance and support of party, soviet, and agri- cultural agencies. The animals of the Ukrainian SSR, the Belorussian

Factors Affecting Information Security Focused on SME and Agricultural Enterprises

OpenAIRE

V.; A.; A.; F.

2016-01-01

Progress in the field of information and communication technology is a source of advantage that improves quality of business services; increases productivity levels and brings competitive advantage to enterprises and organisations related to agricultural production. However, the use of information and communication technology (ICT) is connected with information security risks that threaten business continuity and information assets. The ICT in small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) and agri...

Governance of the member-cooperative relationship: a case from Brazil

OpenAIRE

Cechin, A.D.

2013-01-01

Recent events in the agri-food sector increased the demand for quality attributes, from healthy and safe products to sustainable agricultural practices (Grunert, 2005). Particularly challenging is the connectedness of transactions between farmers, traders, processors, retailers and final customers in order to comply with quality requirements, which implies a need for value chain coordination. Combined with increased consumer demand for variety and convenience, these changes in sector have le...

Retailing of Processed Dairy and Grain Products in Mali: Evidence from a City Retail Outlet Inventory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veronique Theriault

2018-03-01

Full Text Available As in many sub-Saharan African countries, Mali is experiencing an unprecedented rate of urbanization and, with it, changes to its agri-food system. As more people live in urban areas, the demand for processed foods has been increasing rapidly. These changes have important implications for food and nutrition security. Yet, little is known about the scale and scope of the retailing of processed foods. To better understand this segment, we conducted a city retail outlet inventory of processed dairy and cereal foods in 2016. The main findings are that: (1 food availability is greater in the capital, high-income neighborhoods, and supermarkets; (2 there is a high prevalence of imported foods; (3 added sugar and vegetable fats are listed as a top-three ingredient in a quarter of processed products, highlighting issues related to healthfulness; (4 price premiums are paid for products that are imported from Europe, use improved packaging, and are retailed in supermarkets. Taken together, our findings indicate that the transformation in the Malian agri-food system is still at an early stage. The growing demand for processed foods presents economic opportunities for Malian farmers and processors, especially if they can improve product quality, packaging, and distribution.

Integration of experimental and computational methods for identifying geometric, thermal and diffusive properties of biomaterials

Science.gov (United States)

Weres, Jerzy; Kujawa, Sebastian; Olek, Wiesław; Czajkowski, Łukasz

2016-04-01

Knowledge of physical properties of biomaterials is important in understanding and designing agri-food and wood processing industries. In the study presented in this paper computational methods were developed and combined with experiments to enhance identification of agri-food and forest product properties, and to predict heat and water transport in such products. They were based on the finite element model of heat and water transport and supplemented with experimental data. Algorithms were proposed for image processing, geometry meshing, and inverse/direct finite element modelling. The resulting software system was composed of integrated subsystems for 3D geometry data acquisition and mesh generation, for 3D geometry modelling and visualization, and for inverse/direct problem computations for the heat and water transport processes. Auxiliary packages were developed to assess performance, accuracy and unification of data access. The software was validated by identifying selected properties and using the estimated values to predict the examined processes, and then comparing predictions to experimental data. The geometry, thermal conductivity, specific heat, coefficient of water diffusion, equilibrium water content and convective heat and water transfer coefficients in the boundary layer were analysed. The estimated values, used as an input for simulation of the examined processes, enabled reduction in the uncertainty associated with predictions.

Commercial Opportunities and Market Demand for Nanotechnologies in Agribusiness Sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vincent Sabourin

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Agribusiness is projected to be a $ 2.9 trillion USD industry in global investment by 2030 (World Bank 2013. Nanotechnology is poised to impact dramatically on all sectors of agribusiness industry in the next 10 years. Nanotechnology could be used to enhance the possibilities of developing conventional and stranded agribusiness resources. Nanotechnology can make the industry considerably greener and competitive, with its current growth rate of 25% (US$ 1.08billion annually. The opportunity for application of nanotechnology in agricul¬ture is prodigious. Nanotechnology, focusing on special properties of materials emerging from nanometric size has the potential to revolutionize the agricultural and food sectors, biomedicine, environmental engineering, safety and security, water resources, energy conversion, and numerous other areas. It is well recognized that adoption of new technology is crucial in accu-mulation of global wealth and market value which now stand at US$ 1.09 trillion in estimated value. Nanotechnology has emerged as a technological advancement that could develop and transform the entire agri-food sector, with the potential to increase agricultural productivity, food security and economic growth for industries by atleast 30% (Aver. US$0.9 trillion. This review set out to address the implications of nanotechnology for the agri-food industry by examining the potential benefits, risks and opportunities.

Territorial Governance and Social Innovation: The Cases of San Pedro Capula’s Artisanal Cheese and the Rice (Oryza Sativa of Morelos, Mexico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica Mariela Tolentino Martínez

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Over the last thirty-five years, Mexico has maintained a trade liberalization policy which has depressed food production and has reconstructed the structure of the agri-food sector; this has generated a higher food dependence and insecurity. In order to face this structural change, new organizational and socio-productive dynamics have emerged in communities, which take into consideration food diversity, heritage and cultural conditions of rural areas. In this paper, we use the theoretical approach of Localized Agrifood Systems (LAFS and the operative concepts of governance and social innovation to analyze and understand the efforts that at the base of society are created to grant development of productive systems. Therefore, we present the results of an investigation based on the exploration of two LAFS cases; in these cases, different strategies to achieve development have been established: the elaboration of artisanal cheese in the state of Hidalgo, and the production of rice in the state of Morelos, Mexico. Research results show the importance of concepts such as Social Innovation (SI and Governance within the framework of localized agri-food systems in rural studies, this, in order to identify the needs and potentials of family farming and producer’s groups inside the new contexts generated by globalization and market liberation process.

Creole Hens and Ranga-Ranga: Campesino Foodways and Biocultural Resource-Based Development in the Central Valley of Tarija, Bolivia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katherine L. Turner

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Biocultural heritage-based products, including regional specialty foods, are increasingly part of sustainable rural development strategies. While export-oriented biocultural products are often the most visible, we examine the role of campesino gastronomic heritage in the Central Valley of Tarija, Bolivia, as a case study of a local market-centered biocultural resource-based development strategy reflected in an alternative agri-food network. We develop a biocultural sustainability framework to examine this network from ecological, economic and sociocultural perspectives. Data are drawn from interviews (n = 77, surveys (n = 89 and participant observation, with primary and secondary producers of traditional and new products, as well as restaurant owners, market vendors and local consumers. We find that campesino biocultural heritage and the alternative agri-food network surrounding it represent an influential territorial project that underpins many household economies, particularly for women. We conclude that the relatively small investments by local governments to promote campesino gastronomic heritage are having positive ripple effects on small-scale producer livelihoods and on biocultural sustainability. We suggest that further support to increase market access and reduce other barriers to participation in alternative food networks will likely increase the options and benefits available to small-scale producers mobilising campesino gastronomic heritage within the local economy.

Enabling nutrient security and sustainability through systems research.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaput, Jim; Kussmann, Martin; Mendoza, Yery; Le Coutre, Ronit; Cooper, Karen; Roulin, Anne

2015-05-01

Human and companion animal health depends upon nutritional quality of foods. Seed varieties, seasonal and local growing conditions, transportation, food processing, and storage, and local food customs can influence the nutrient content of food. A new and intensive area of investigation is emerging that recognizes many factors in these agri-food systems that influence the maintenance of nutrient quality which is fundamental to ensure nutrient security for world populations. Modeling how these systems function requires data from different sectors including agricultural, environmental, social, and economic, but also must incorporate basic nutrition and other biomedical sciences. Improving the agri-food system through advances in pre- and post-harvest processing methods, biofortification, or fortifying processed foods will aid in targeting nutrition for populations and individuals. The challenge to maintain and improve nutrient quality is magnified by the need to produce food locally and globally in a sustainable and consumer-acceptable manner for current and future populations. An unmet requirement for assessing how to improve nutrient quality, however, is the basic knowledge of how to define health. That is, health cannot be maintained or improved by altering nutrient quality without an adequate definition of what health means for individuals and populations. Defining and measuring health therefore becomes a critical objective for basic nutritional and other biomedical sciences.

State of art of nanotechnology applications in the meat chain: A qualitative synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Belluco, Simone; Gallocchio, Federica; Losasso, Carmen; Ricci, Antonia

2018-05-03

Nanotechnology is a promising area in industry with a broad range of applications including in the agri-food sector. Several studies have investigated the potential benefits deriving from use of nanomaterials in the context of the whole food chain drawing scenarios of benefits but also potential for concerns. Among the agri-food sector, animal production has potential for nanomaterial application but also for safety concerns due to the possibility of nanomaterial accumulation along the farm-to-fork path. Scope and Approach: The aim of this work was to define the state of the art of nanomaterial applications in the animal production sector by assessing data belonging to recently publishes studies. To do this, a qualitative synthesis approach was applied to build a fit-for-purpose framework and to summarise relevant themes in the context of effectiveness, feasibility and health concerns. Key findings and conclusions: Nanomaterials have potential for use in a wide range of applications from feed production and farming to food packaging, including several detection tools designed for the benefit of consumer protection. The current high degree of variability in nanomaterials tested and in study designs impairs external validation of research results. Further research is required to clearly define which safe nanomaterial applications have the potential to reach the market.

Assessing Vulnerability of Lake Erie Landscapes to Soil Erosion: Modelled and Measured Approaches

Science.gov (United States)

Joosse, P.; Laamrani, A.; Feisthauer, N.; Li, S.

2017-12-01

Loss of soil from agricultural landscapes to Lake Erie via water erosion is a key transport mechanism for phosphorus bound to soil particles. Agriculture is the dominant land use in the Canadian side of the Lake Erie basin with approximately 75% of the 2.3 million hectares under crop or livestock production. The variable geography and diversity of agricultural production systems and management practices makes estimating risk of soil erosion from agricultural landscapes in the Canadian Lake Erie basin challenging. Risk of soil erosion depends on a combination of factors including the extent to which soil remains bare, which differs with crop type and management. Two different approaches of estimating the vulnerability of landscapes to soil erosion will be compared among Soil Landscapes of Canada in the Lake Erie basin: a modelling approach incorporating farm census and soil survey data, represented by the 2011 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Agri-Environmental Indicator for Soil Erosion Risk; and, a measured approach using remotely sensed data that quantifies the magnitude of bare and covered soil across the basin. Results from both approaches will be compared by scaling the national level (1:1 million) Soil Erosion Risk Indicator and the remotely sensed data (30x30 m resolution) to the quaternary watershed level.

Intergovernmental cooperation for mission-oriented information systems: a memoir

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Woolston, John E.

2004-12-01

This frankly personal account is based on my involvement in negotiations, design, and development for international bibliographic systems to support three different missions: fostering the peaceful uses of atomic energy (International Nuclear Information System, or INIS); supporting research, development, and better practices in agriculture (International Information System for the Agricultural Sciences and Technology, or AGRIS); and improving economic and social conditions in poorer countries (Development Sciences Information System, or DEVSIS). All three designs were based on the concept of decentralized operation: each country reports the information produced in its own territory; the merging of this input and the overall management are in the hands of an organization in the United Nations system; and all participants have equal rights to exploit the entire database. INIS began in 1970 and is still in steady operation; AGRIS started in 1975 and showed quantitative and qualitative growth for more than twenty years but has been in disastrous decline since its peak in 1996; and DEVSIS, unfortunately, was not launched on a global scale. Attempts are made to identify the condition -- political and technical -- likely to favor or frustrate efforts to obtain cooperation among countries for the construction of large, essentially comprehensive databases and ultimately for sharing knowledge without discrimination between rich and poor participants.

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT LEVELS AGROECOLOGICAL LOADS ON BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SOIL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. V. Shchur

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. To study the effect of different levels of agri-environmental loads on the enzymatic activity of the soil.Methods. Isolation of soil fauna was conducted by thermogradient. Ecological characteristics of soil biota community was determined by ecological indices. The enzymatic activity of soil under different crops and at different levels of agri-environmental loads in our experiments was determined by methods proven in the laboratory soil enzymology Institute of Experimental Botany name V.F. Kuprevich and Belorussian Research Institute for Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry.Results. Community soil biota is polydominant character, as evidenced by the values of environmental indices. It does not set a significant impact on the community agrotechnological loads of soil micro and mesofauna. Absolute figures soil phosphatase activity averaged over all embodiments without recourse formation were higher by 63% compared with plowing. Invertase and catalase activity was much higher in stubble on all variants of the experiment and selection of terms. The content of peroxidase lower under pure steam. The laws have taken place in respect of peroxidase activity, marked for polifenoloksidase activity.Main conclusion. There was no major change in the ecological characteristics of soil biota. In the enzymatic activity of soil influenced by sampling time, fertilizer system, soil tillage methods and cultivated crops.

Intergovernmental cooperation for mission-oriented information systems: a memoir

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woolston, John E.

2004-01-01

This frankly personal account is based on my involvement in negotiations, design, and development for international bibliographic systems to support three different missions: fostering the peaceful uses of atomic energy (International Nuclear Information System, or INIS); supporting research, development, and better practices in agriculture (International Information System for the Agricultural Sciences and Technology, or AGRIS); and improving economic and social conditions in poorer countries (Development Sciences Information System, or DEVSIS). All three designs were based on the concept of decentralized operation: each country reports the information produced in its own territory; the merging of this input and the overall management are in the hands of an organization in the United Nations system; and all participants have equal rights to exploit the entire database. INIS began in 1970 and is still in steady operation; AGRIS started in 1975 and showed quantitative and qualitative growth for more than twenty years but has been in disastrous decline since its peak in 1996; and DEVSIS, unfortunately, was not launched on a global scale. Attempts are made to identify the condition -- political and technical -- likely to favor or frustrate efforts to obtain cooperation among countries for the construction of large, essentially comprehensive databases and ultimately for sharing knowledge without discrimination between rich and poor participants

Rumo ao desenvolvimento espacial sustentável? Explorando as implicações da nova bioeconomia no setor agroalimentar e na inovação regional Towards sustainable spatial development? Exploring the implications of the emerging bio-economy in agri-food and regional innovation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ina Horlings

2011-08-01

Full Text Available O paradigma da bioeconomia pode ser descrito como o conjunto das atividades econômicas que captam o valor latente em processos biológicos e nos biorecursos renováveis, para produzir melhores condições de saúde, além de crescimento e desenvolvimento sustentáveis. Este artigo faz uma revisão crítica do impacto da bioeconomia emergente sobre o desenvolvimento rural. São descritas algumas das consequências do desenvolvimento rural bioeconômico, na esfera agroalimentar e da inovação regional baseada em uma definição específica -e, de nosso ponto de vista, fraca -de Modernização Ecológica. A questão central, então, é: quais são as bases conceituais, a força impulsora, as expressões empíricas e as implicações do desenvolvimento bioeconômico? Argumenta-se que, embora a bioeconomia faça duras cobranças em relação à sustentabilidade, também deixa lacunas, apresenta al-guns efeitos secundários negativos, tanto ambientais como sociais, e corre o risco de ser uma economia parcial. Sustentamos, ainda, que a trajetória do desenvolvimento ecoeconômico pode constituir uma boa alternativa para localidades particularmente vulneráveis que queiram aumentar sua resiliência.The bio-economic paradigm can be described as those economic activities which capture the latent value in biological processes and renewable bioresources to produce improved health and sustainable growth and development. This article is a critical review of the impact of the emerging bio-economy in rural development. It describes some of its consequences in the sphere of agri-food and regional innovation based on a specific -and in our opinion weak - definition of Ecological Modernization. The central question then is: what are the conceptual roots, driving forces, empirical expressions and implications of bio-economic development? We argue that although the bio-economy makes severe sustainability claims, it also shows some missing links, has some negative

Sustainability Assessment Framework for Food Supply Chain Logistics: Empirical Findings from Dutch Food Industry

OpenAIRE

van der Vorst, Jack G.A.J.; Peeters, Lotte; Bloemhof, Jacqueline M.

2013-01-01

Food companies are increasingly challenged to balance business performance and economic gains with environmental and social performance. Therefore, in 2012, we started a collaborative project on this topic named SCALE (Step Change in Agri-food Logistics Ecosystems). SCALE aims to improve the sustainability of food and drink supply chain logistics in the context of rising food demands, increasing energy prices and the need to reduce environmentally damaging emissions. More in particular, SCALE...

Replacement of Coconut Oils with Unsaturated Oils in Recombined Filled Milk

Science.gov (United States)

1992-10-01

preliminary study only) or high-temperature-short-time ( HTST ) pasteurization. The milk was cooled, packaged and stored at 35 0F. In formulations where Actoloids...Each of 30 gallon formulation was then processed through a De Laval 460 GPH HTST pasteurizer (De Laval Brand, Alfa-Laval Agri Inc., Everett, MA) and...However, it was noted that HTST pasteurization greatly reduced the extent to which these defects were noticed. Furthermore, an increase in the percent

Agricultural Cooperatives and Dilemmas of Survival

OpenAIRE

Gray, Thomas W.; Heffernan, William D.; Hendrickson, Mary K.

2001-01-01

The context of agricultural cooperatives is undergoing major change with the development of various food and information monitoring technologies. Large multi-nationals have moved to take advantage of these developments with the construction of agri-food chains. These chains are being facilitated via various mergers, acquisitions, and alliances, with the power, and deepening power of such deep-pocket organizations as Cargill, ADM, and ConAgra. Cooperatives have been integrated into these chain...

Documento sobre a imigração italiana em Ribeirão Preto

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brasil Bandecchi

1967-12-01

Full Text Available O documento que divulgamos pelas páginas desta Revista, intei-ramente inédito, nos foi cedido pelo dr . Francisco de Carvalho Soa-res Brandão Neto e pertence à sua irmã, que tem relações de paren-tesco com a família de Rodrigo Silva (Rodrigo Augusto da Silva, a quem o ofício é dirigido e que era, ao tempo, Ministro da Agri-cultura .

Best Practice Benchmarking in Australian Agriculture: Issues and Challenges

OpenAIRE

Ronan, Glenn; Cleary, Gordon

2000-01-01

The quest to shape Australian agriculture for improved and sustainable profitability is leading Research and Development Corporations, agri-service consultants and government to devote substantial effort into development of new farm business analysis and benchmarking programs. ‘Biz Check’, ‘Pork Biz’, ‘Wool Enterprise Benchmarking’, ‘Dairy Business Focus’ and ‘Business Skills and Best Practice’ for beef and sheep meat producers are examples of current farm management and training programs whe...

2014 - 2015 Civil Affairs Issue Papers: The Future of Civil Affairs

Science.gov (United States)

2015-02-18

companies. Included is a request for a SME on zoonotic diseases to help with a strange virus effecting goat herds in Beledweyne, a call for advice from a...local veterinary officer orders the right medication to treat the goats , the water plant manager or- ders the right pumps to improve agricultural...Since most CIM RFI deal with longer term civil sector challenges such as agri- cultural, farming , and education questions, responses are not

Renewable energies in Franche-Comte 2008 - 2010 - 2012 - 2014

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2015-12-01

Illustrated by maps and tables, this publication proposes an overview of the evolution of installed power and production of renewable electric power (by hydroelectric, solar photovoltaic, and wind energy), of renewable electricity and heat (by wood-energy, biogas, and recovery energy), of renewable heat (by solar thermal energy, very low energy geothermal energy and heat pumps, and wood-energy). It also briefly indicates the situation of biogas, agri-fuel and bio-fuel production

Articles from Volume 2, Issue 1, 2006, Journal of International Agricultural Trade and Development

OpenAIRE

Anonymous

2006-01-01

Content: Abler, David. "Introduction: Modeling Global Food and Agricultural Markets." (pp. v); (1) Sheldon, Ian. "Monopolistic Competition and Trade: Does the Theory Carry any Empirical Weight?" (pp. 1-32); (2) Abbott, Phillip. "Comment on: Monopolistic Competition and Trade: Does the Theory Carry any Empirical Weight?" (pp. 33-38); (3) Sarker, Rakhal and Yves Surry. "Product Differentiation and Trade in Agri-Food Products: Taking Stock and Looking Forward." (pp. 39-78); (4) Alston, Julian M....

Territorial Governance and Social Innovation: The Cases of San Pedro Capula’s Artisanal Cheese and the Rice (Oryza Sativa) of Morelos, Mexico

OpenAIRE

Jessica Mariela Tolentino Martínez; María del Carmen del Valle Rivera

2018-01-01

Over the last thirty-five years, Mexico has maintained a trade liberalization policy which has depressed food production and has reconstructed the structure of the agri-food sector; this has generated a higher food dependence and insecurity. In order to face this structural change, new organizational and socio-productive dynamics have emerged in communities, which take into consideration food diversity, heritage and cultural conditions of rural areas. In this paper, we use the theoretical app...

Status of Biological Control of Waterlettuce in Louisiana and Texas Using Insects.

Science.gov (United States)

1992-12-01

reduce recreational uses. Waterleett’je can block water intake valves where industrial and local municipalities receive water supplies. Water losses...to impact aquatic or semiaquatic agri- culture, includi g rice (Bua-ngam and Mercado 1975). Distinct changes in water quality have been documented in...1981. "An Introduction to the Study of Insects," Saunders College Publishing, Philadelphia, PA. Bua-ngam, T., and Mercado , B. L. 1975. "The Life Cycle

The Effectiveness of Entrepreneurship Extension Education among the FOA Members in Malaysia

OpenAIRE

Zainalabidin Mohamed; Golnaz Rezai and Mad Nasir Shamsudin

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study is to assess the state and effectiveness of informal entrepreneurship extension education among Malaysian farmers especially the members of Farmers’ Organization Authority (FOA). The development of an agri-entrepreneurship, both concept and activity, has been growing in importance in Malaysia. The government of Malaysia has established few agencies within the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry (MOA) such as FOA to provide extension on technical and motiv...

Distribuição de agregados e carbono orgânico em um Argissolo Amarelo distrocoeso em diferentes manejos Distribution of aggregates and organic carbon in an Ultisol submitted to different managements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veronildo S. Oliveira

2010-09-01

Full Text Available O objetivo principal deste estudo foi avaliar a estabilidade e a distribuição de agregados em um Argissolo Amarelo distrocoeso comparando-se os valores de uma área de mata nativa (MA, com três áreas cultivadas com cana-de-açúcar sendo uma sem irrigação (MSI, uma com irrigação (MCI e outra sob fertirrigação com vinhaça (MCV. O solo das três áreas cultivadas foi submetido ao mesmo tipo de preparo: gradagem pesada, gradagem leve e subsolagem. Amostras de solo com estrutura indeformada na área de mata e de cada área cultivada foram coletadas para determinação da estabilidade de agregados, expressa pelo diâmetro médio ponderado (DMP, índice de estabilidade de agregados (IEA, módulo de finura (MF, porcentagem de agregados estáveis em água com diâmetros maiores que 2,0 mm (AGRI e valores de carbono total. Os distintos tipos de manejo do solo com cana-de-açúcar promoveram perda da estabilidade de agregados com o aumento da profundidade. A estabilidade de agregados foi reduzida em relação à mata nativa na sequência: MA > MCV > MCI > MSI. Registraram-se, na área sem irrigação (MSI os menores índices de agregação, em que na submetida a fertirrigação com vinhaça (MCV os valores foram semelhantes aos da área de mata nativa apresentando maior índice de estabilidade de agregados em água. Correlações significativas e positivas foram obtidas entre carbono orgânico total e os índices de agregação do solo (DMP > AGRI > MF > IEA sob diferentes situações de manejo.The main objective of this study was to evaluate the stability and aggregate distribution of an Ultisol submitted to different management systems under sugarcane cultivation. Evaluated areas consisted of native forest (MA and sugarcane managed areas with irrigation (MCI, vinasse irrigation (MCV and without irrigation (MSI. Management of the areas followed the same conventional preparation: heavy and light harrowing and subsoiling. Undeformed soil samples

The evolution of agricultural intensification and environmental degradation in the UK: a data-driven systems dynamics approach

Science.gov (United States)

Armstrong McKay, David I.; Dearing, John A.; Dyke, James G.; Poppy, Guy; Firbank, Les

2016-04-01

The world's population continues to grow rapidly, yet the current demand for food is already resulting in environmental degradation in many regions. As a result, an emerging challenge of the 21st century is how agriculture can simultaneously undergo sustainable intensification and be made more resilient to accelerating climate change. Key to this challenge is: a) finding the "safe and just operating space" for the global agri-environment system that both provides sufficient food for humanity and avoids crossing dangerous planetary boundaries, and b) downscaling this framework from a planetary to a regional scale in order to better inform decision making and incorporate regional dynamics within the planetary boundaries framework. Regional safe operating spaces can be defined and explored using a combination of metrics that indicate the changing status of ecosystem services (both provisioning and regulating), statistical techniques that reveal early warning signals and breakpoints, and dynamical system models of the regional agri-environment system. Initial attempts to apply this methodology have been made in developing countries (e.g. China [Dearing et al., 2012, 2014; Zhang et al., 2015]), but have not yet been attempted in more developed countries, for example the UK. In this study we assess the changes in ecosystem services in two contrasting agricultural regions in the UK, arable-dominated East England and pastoral-dominated South-West England, since the middle of the 20th Century. We identify and establish proxies and indices of various provisioning and regulating services in these two regions and analyse how these have changed over this time. We find that significant degradation of regulating services occurred in Eastern England in the early 1980s, reflecting a period of rapid intensification and escalating fertiliser usage, but that regulating services have begun to recover since 2000 mainly as a result of fertiliser usage decoupling from increasing wheat

Monitoring of the risk of farmland abandonment as an efficient tool to assess the environmental and socio-economic impact of the Common Agriculture Policy

Science.gov (United States)

Milenov, Pavel; Vassilev, Vassil; Vassileva, Anna; Radkov, Radko; Samoungi, Vessela; Dimitrov, Zlatomir; Vichev, Nikola

2014-10-01

Farmland abandonment (FLA) could be defined as the cessation of agricultural activities on a given surface of land (Pointereau et al., 2008). FLA, often associated with social and economic problems in rural areas, has significant environmental consequences. During the 1990s, millions of hectares of farmland in the new EU Member States, from Central and Eastern Europe, were abandoned as a result of the transition process from centralized and planned to market economy. The policy tools adopted gradually within the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union (EU CAP), as well as the EU environmental and structural policies, aimed to prevent further expansion of this phenomenon and to facilitate the revival of the agriculture land, being abandoned (ComReg 1122/2009). The Agri-Environment (AGRI-ENV) component of the Core Information Service (CIS), developed within the scope of the FP7-funded project "geoland2" were designed to support the agricultural user community at pan-European and national levels by contributing to the improvement of more accurate and timely monitoring of the status of agricultural land use in Europe and its change. The purpose of the product 'Farmland abandonment', as part of the AGRI-ENV package, is to detect potentially abandoned agriculture land, based on multi-annual SPOT data with several acquisitions per year. It provides essential independent information on the status of the agricultural land as recorded in the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS), which is one of the core instruments of the implementation of CAP. The production line is based on object-based image analysis and benefits from the extensive availability of Biophysical parameters derived from the satellite data (geoland2). The method detects/tracks those land (or so-called reference) parcels in the LPIS, holding significant amount of land agriculture found as potentially abandoned. Reference parcels with such change are flagged and reported, enabling the National

Chester River Study. Volume I,

Science.gov (United States)

1972-11-01

of the effects of agri- i6 IA -46 cultural activities on the aquatic system. This initial feet (24 meters). The soils of the basin area are suit...to the stocks themselves. The shell crystal struc- ture modification in oysters recalls to mind the eggshell thinning in birds mentioned earlier...with figures provided by Chestertown to the mouth of the River at Love the U.S. Soil Conservation Service as of 1967 (last Point (Table VII). year of

Learning spaces in the countryside: university students and the Harper assemblage

OpenAIRE

Robinson, P.A.

2017-01-01

Using the concepts of affect and assemblage, this paper expands the boundaries of the geographies of education by shifting the student focus from the urban to the rural. Based on the findings of student interviews, it demonstrates how a multiscalar and diversely constituted network of material and non-material things (including buildings, animals and plants) coalesces with students to create affective atmospheres of learning in a specialist agri-food and land-based rural university. This lear...

The Globalization of Food Systems: A Conceptual Framework and Empirical Patterns

OpenAIRE

Senauer, Benjamin; Venturini, Luciano

2005-01-01

This paper discusses a number of stylized facts and empirical patterns regarding agri-food trade flows as well as foreign direct investments in food processing and retailing. This evidence supports the hypothesis of an increasingly global food system. We identify the main factors at work such as push/supply side, pull/demand-side, and enabling/external factors. We show how the shift from national to global retailing is a recent phenomenon whose relevance for the globalization of upstream sect...

THE EFFECT OF FERTILIZATION ON YIELD COMPONENTS AND QUALITY PARAMETERS OF SOYBEANS [(GLYCINE MAX (L.) MERR.] SEEDS

OpenAIRE

Macák, Milan; Candráková, Eva

2013-01-01

Field experiment was carry out at experimental farm Oponice (West Slovakia, 48° 28´N, 18° 9´E) ) in 2004-2007. The aim of the work was to evaluate the influence of nitrogen fertilization treatments on yield and yield component and selected quality parameters (proteins, oil, fibre, isoflavones) of soybeen seeds variety Korada, in agri-environmental condition of western part of Slovakia. The fertilization treatments were as follows: (I) unfertilized treatment; (II) application of nitrogen ferti...

A Report on the 40th International Symposium Actual Tasks on Agricultural Engineering, 21-24 February 2012, Opatija, Croatia

OpenAIRE

Silvio Kosutic; Daniele De Wrachien

2012-01-01

The 40th International Symposium, Actual Tasks on Agricultural Engineering, was held on 21-24 February 2012 in the “Grand Hotel Adriatic”, Opatija, in the Republic of Croatia. It was organized by the Agricultural Engineering Department of the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Zagreb, and was supported by the Department of Agricultural Engineering of the Faculty of Agriculture of the J.J. Strossmayer University, Osijek, the Department of Bio-Systems Engineering of the Faculty of Agri...

The Impact of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA): An Empirical Analysis of Sub-Saharan African Agricultural Exports

OpenAIRE

Zenebe, Addisalem; Peterson, Wesley; Wamisho, Kassu

2014-01-01

The African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) which was signed into law in 2000 as part of U.S. trade legislation has the objectives of increasing trade and investment between the U.S. and eligible Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, by reducing or eliminating tariffs applied to African exports of different products. This Act represents a promising approach to economic growth and development in SSA through international trade. This research paper examines the impact of AGOA on African agri...

Cellulose fibers obtained by organosolv process from date palm rachis (Phoenix dactylifera L.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ammar, H; Abid, M; Abid, S

2012-01-01

In this preliminary study, the chemical composition of Tunisian DPR was established and discussed. The main characteristic of this agri-residue was its high lignin content in comparison with that of alfa plant. CIMV process was used to selectively separate cellulose fibres, hemicelluloses and lignin at atmospheric pressure. The obtained unbleached pulp was analysed in accordance with Kappa index and degree of polymerisation and then bleached by treating successively with peroxyacids and hydrogen peroxide in basic media.

Profiling Consumer Trend-setters in the Canadian Healthy-foods Market

OpenAIRE

West, Gale E.; Larue, Bruno

2004-01-01

The agri-food industry faces new challenges as consumer demand for new, healthier foods increases. Media headlines frequently mention health benefits from certain foods and food components, and consumers are more health conscious because they are aging. They realize their food choices can reduce their risk of developing chronic illnesses such as cancer and heart disease. The competitive advantages for firms who are the first to bring their food innovations to market will depend in part on the...

Key factors influencing economic relationships and communication in European food chains (FOODCOMM)

OpenAIRE

Suvanto, Hannele; Querol, Marco; Kurki, Sami; Valkosalo, Pauli

2007-01-01

Finnish agri-food chain is going through many structural changes. Incomes of farms have decreased and thus the number of farms has declined. However, the average size of farms and numer of animals have grown. Production of rye has decreased but production of pork meat has increased steadily. Feed, bakery, meat, wholesale and trade sectors are concentrated and mostly national, but the market entry of foreign traders and processors has increased significantly suring last decade. Although l...

Transformation Leadership in Chemical Industry

KAUST Repository

Alsherehy, Fahad A.

2018-01-01

SABIC is a global leader in diversified chemicals headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It manufactures on a global scale in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific, making distinctly different kinds of products: chemicals, commodity and high performance plastics, agri-nutrients and metals. The company has more than 35,000 employees worldwide and operates in more than 50 countries, with innovation hubs in five key geographies ﾖ USA, Europe, Middle East, South East Asia and North East Asia.

Training requirements for agro-food industry in Portugal

OpenAIRE

Pedro D. Gaspar; Rita Pinheiro; Cláudia Domingues; Celestino Almeida; Teresa Paiva; Carlos D. Pereira; Manuela Vaz-Velho

2015-01-01

Agro-food companies are aware that the technical and soft skills of their employees directly influence business performance and, consequently, improving those skills will enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of their companies. This paper presents the main results of the AgriTraining project “Training requirements for the agro-food industry". Activities in pursuit of the objectives of this project involved: (1) analysis of the training needs in the agro-food industry in Portugal; (2) anal...

Attitudes Towards and Satisfaction with Credit Unions in Alberta. A Regression and Scale Analysis.

OpenAIRE

Dakurah, Henry A.; Goddard, Ellen W.; Osuteye, Nicholas

2005-01-01

Credit unions have played an important historical role in the Canadian economy. However, recent changes in the financial, agricultural and agri-food industry are posing great challenges to Credit unions in Western Canada. Much attention has been given to the impact of competitive rates and the environment offered by banks on credit union performance to the neglect of issues relating to member satisfaction and commitment which may be adding to other problems in the credit union sector. Studies...

The small goat holders to face food security, poverty and environmental challenges: conditions for experiencing successful projects : Lessons from a comparative analysis in different regions of the world (governance, markets, production systems)

OpenAIRE

Dubeuf, Jean-Paul

2014-01-01

Farming and agri-food systems have to face urgent social and environmental issues linked between them within the Millennium Development Goals firmed by the International Community. Poverty reduction and food safety is considered as a major challenge as at least 800 million people are suffering hunger and extreme poverty particularly in rural areas. The development of livestock for small holders is often seen as a solution to reduce poverty To explore and document the operational articulation ...

La méthode IDEA (indicateurs de durabilité des exploitations agricoles) : une démarche pédagogique

OpenAIRE

Briquel , V.; Vilain , L.; Bourdais , J.L.; Girardin , P.; Mouchet , C.; Viaux , P.

2001-01-01

The sustainability assessment of farm involves a great demand for indicators. The IDEA method, developed for an education aim on the instigation of the Ministry for agriculture and fisheries, helps farmers to progress on the way to sutainability. It includes an agri-ecological scale, a socio-territorial scale and an economic scale to assess, through 37 quantitative or qualitative indicators, the farm systems and to suggest ways for better sustainability. / La question de l'évaluation de la d...

Transformation Leadership in Chemical Industry

KAUST Repository

Alsherehy, Fahad A.

2018-01-16

SABIC is a global leader in diversified chemicals headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It manufactures on a global scale in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific, making distinctly different kinds of products: chemicals, commodity and high performance plastics, agri-nutrients and metals. The company has more than 35,000 employees worldwide and operates in more than 50 countries, with innovation hubs in five key geographies ﾖ USA, Europe, Middle East, South East Asia and North East Asia.

USSR and Eastern Europe Scientifics Abstracts cybernetics, Computers, and Automation Technology No. 25

Science.gov (United States)

1976-12-01

number). In addition, the microcomputer works with constants (the "K" key) and negative numbers. Performance time is less than 0.5 seconds for all...been added qualitative evaluations such as its suitability for mechanical milking, the albumin content in its milk, its resistance to mastitis , and...opinion it is advisable to create at the All-Union Academy of Agri- cultural Sciences imeni V. I. Lenin a special council on the use of computer 5/7

Application of geographical information system for farm mechanization education and training

OpenAIRE

R.M. Hudzari; W. Aimrun; M.A.H.A. Ssomad; M.S. Norazean

2013-01-01

Precision farming is managing each crop production input such as fertilizer, water, lime, herbicide, insecticide and seed on a site-specific basis to reduce waste, increase profit and maintain the quality of the environment. Without some remarkable enabling assisting technologies, the individual treatment of each plant is impossible and the concept of precision farming would not be feasible. Based on the trip, we can gain more information about the new technology that applies nowadays in agri...

Organic farming at the heart of the rural development policy. The example of Austria

OpenAIRE

Darnhofer, Ika

2006-01-01

With about 10% of all Austrian farms being certified organic, Austria has one of the highest rates of organic farms in the European Union. Organic farms receive payments within the agri-environmental programme (AEP). With about 78% of farms participating in the AEP, Austria is also leading the field in the EU. The high participation rates can be seen as a result of a successful Austrian agricultural policy which aims to reconcile agricultural production, environmental protection, social cohes...

Vývoj agrárního zahraničního obchodu USA

OpenAIRE

Šmídová, Kamila

2014-01-01

Bachelor thesis deals with development of agricultural foreign trade of USA. Main goal of thesis is to describe the development of international trade of USA. The paper is focused on the most important commodities, from the view of their production, export and import. In the first part of the paper is description of international trade in the concept of economic theory, the terms like protectionism and liberalization are explained. Further instruments of foreign policy and development of agri...

Conflict Resolution in Vertical Collaborations in the Agri-food Sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vera Belaya

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Vertical collaborations in supply chains imply the achievement of mutual benefits for the participating partners such as increasing sales, reducing costs and risks and improving the overall performance. However, the benefits are sometimes difficult to gain due to existing differences in interests and goals of the individual chain members. Thus, conflicts are inevitable. Power can be seen as one of the mechanisms to resolve conflicts in supply chains. By and large, the findings provide support that power could have a profound impact on conflict resolution in vertical collaborations. However, in order to successfully resolve conflicts the knowledge of different power types is essential.

Testing a performance measurement framework for agri-food supply chains

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aramyan, L.H.; Oude Lansink, A.G.J.M.; Kooten, van O.

2005-01-01

Measurement of entire supply chain performance is an important issue, because it allows for `tracking and tracing¿ of efficacy and efficiency failures and leads to more informed decisionmaking with regards to chain organization. The ultimate aim of implementing a performance measurement system is to

Penetapan Harga Pokok Produk Hortikultura (Kasus Di Agri Wira Pratama)

OpenAIRE

Damaidjati, Effi

2000-01-01

Determination of base price sale was very important for every commercial business, including horticutture company, because determination of base price will influence sale price of that product Sale pnce must be determined prerisely; because it will influence company benefits and consumer awake to buy that product. Mistaken in determining sale price will cause neither company loosing nor consumer will move to find another product. From BEP counting, balance point for that comodity it cellerry ...