2023 - Volume 125

The Operational Groups (OGs) of the European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability (EIPAGRI) were introduced by the 2014-2020 Common Agricultural Policy to foster competitive and sustainable farming and forestry. The objective of this paper is to assess the economic and environmental impacts of participating in the EIP-AGRI OGs located in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. Performance of participants in OGs is compared with that of non-participants, who are selected by applying propensity score matching techniques to an Italian farm accountancy data network sample of 3204 farmers observed in the period 2017-2020. Logistic regressions are used to measure both propensity scores and the average treatment effect on the treated, while one-to-many optimal matching without replacement is adopted to form the control group. The resulting sample is composed of 270 observations, of which 45 are treated subjects. Results indicate that the OGs analysed might have contributed to improving fertiliser management and profitability levels in participating farms, but they failed to preserve biodiversity and reduce the consumption of pesticides and other inputs such as water, energy, and fuels. To increase the effectiveness of OGs, policy makers are advised to condition projects on the actual experimentation and implementation of agricultural innovations and...

This article examines the performance of ten food security indicators across 91 countries in the world, categorised by their income levels, to identify differences and similarities. The variations and covariations observed in a multivariate way are outlined through Biplot plots that summarise the results of a Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The results show a direct link between the economic factors of the countries, food security, nutrition, and its derivatives. High-income countries are the best place for their populations to access a nutritious and quality food supply to meet the dietary energy needs needed for an active life. In contrast, low- and lower-middle-income countries still have critical indicators of the prevalence of severe or moderate food insecurity, malnutrition, and other related diseases, such as anaemia.

This paper presents an analysis of the potential socio-economic implications of the European Commission’s policy initiative to ban the use of cages in EU livestock farming, with a specific focus on conventional farrowing crates in the pig sector. Using the CAPRI (Common Agricultural Policy Regionalised Impact) tool, a multi-purpose comparative-static partial equilibrium modelling framework, the study examines two scenarios: an immediate phase-out of conventional farrowing crates by 2025 and a 10-year transition period until 2035. The simulation results indicate that the ban would lead to a significant decline in pork production in the EU, with production decreasing by 23.6% in the immediate phase-out scenario and by 8.4% in the 10-year transition scenario. The decline in production affects domestic demand and weakens the EU’s net trade position. However, the ban would also result in an increase in consumer prices and producer prices for pork, partly moderating the decline in profits for the pig sector. Moreover, the study highlights the interconnectedness of agricultural policies and the importance of a global assessment of their impact on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The simultaneous decline in EU pork exports and increase in EU pork imports trigger emission leakage: while GHG emissions from EU pork production...

Local products and short supply chains play an important role in national economies, as well as in creating a sustainable economy and society. In our research, we examined Hungarian consumer attitudes using a model related to the consumption of local products. The model analyses the reasons for buying or not buying local products. To explore consumer attitudes, we launched a nationally representative consumer survey of 500 people. The data obtained were analysed by factor and cluster analysis, which led to well-separated consumer segments being identified. The main arguments in favour of buying local products were a sense of security (local character) stemming from the knowledge of a product’s origin, a belief in their health properties, and support for local communities. We were able to identify three factors by factor analysis. These are External and Internal Product Features, Purchasing Benefits from Emotional Commitment, and Support for Local Producers and Local Merchants. Four clusters were identified along the factors: Emotional (36.5%), Local Patriots (15.0%), Passive (21.2%), and Conscious (27.3%). Each segment can be targeted with different marketing messages. The Conscious can be influenced with more rational messages, the Local Patriots and the Emotional with more emotional messages. The primary target group for...

This paper reviews food safety within the agri-food supply chain (AFSC) literature and presents a comprehensive framework for understanding how digitalisation has reshaped food safety practices within the AFSC. Its significant contribution lies in its identification of novel research streams in food safety that are underpinned by digitalisation techniques, a focus that can be expected to benefit both academic researchers and practitioners who are seeking solutions to pressing challenges related to the efficient achievement of food safety goals. In this paper, the powerful bibliometric analysis capabilities of Biblioshiny and VosViewer were utilised to conduct a comprehensive review of the relevant literature. Biblioshiny’s strengths in data visualisation and network analysis were instrumental in identifying key trends and patterns in the research, while VosViewer’s ability to create insightful maps of collaboration networks provided valuable insights into the relationships between researchers and institutions. The evolution of the published reviews from the past 10 years and the trending AFSC articles were thus revealed. The used databases were Web of Science and SCOPUS. Based on bibliometric coupling, the identified seven underlying research streams are (a) traceability challenges in AFSC, (b) quality management in AFSC, (c) Agri-food 4.0, (d) future trends of AFSC, (e) impact of...

Food prices in the EU have risen dramatically in 2022 and the first half of 2023. The drivers of this increase originated in energy cost increases, aggravated by the effects of drought and animal disease outbreaks, but high global market prices in part due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine after February 2022 also helped to pull food prices higher and may have facilitated some element of profit-led inflation. Households have responded by buying less and trading down, with an increasing number turning to food banks to help make ends meet. Some limited steps were taken at EU level to help protect consumers from the effects of higher prices, but the important interventions have been at Member State level. These measures have primarily been focused on energy prices, but several Member States in addition directly tackled food price inflation either by lowering VAT rates on food products, by introducing temporary price controls on a basket of basic food products, or by providing food vouchers. Given the lags in price transmission along the food chain, food prices are likely to remain high for several more months. Lower energy and commodity prices, together with higher interest rates, should be reflected in lower...

The COVID-19 pandemic has had serious implications for food security around the world. The Russian-Ukrainian military conflict led to another surge in food prices. Central Asia, despite its diverse levels of economic development, has undoubtedly experienced a tangible shock from the food crisis of recent years. Food inflation in the region has many aspects to it. It was initially determined by global food price trends and the depreciation of national currencies during the pandemic period. Several national factors affected the local food situation: a series of adverse weather conditions, the different fiscal consequences of pandemic, and national strategic policies in support of agri-food exports. The countries of the region used all regulatory measures to protect their markets - export restrictions and export quotas, import subsidies and VAT zeroing, as well as subsidies for production and support to consumers. The forecasts for food prices in the region in 2023/2024 are not optimistic: prices will remain relatively high, and future changes largely depend on the still volatile geopolitical situation. The impact of COVID-19 may have long-term consequences for Central Asia. Over the coming 10-20 years, the development of agriculture in the region will be dictated by the need to address the growing...

Food price inflation has raised concerns about food insecurity and systemic crises in East and Southeast Asia, given the region’s population size, economic significance, and role in the international food market. COVID-19 repercussions, extreme climate- and weather-induced events, anthropogenic stressors such as global economic softness and the Russia-Ukraine war, and many other uncertainties enlarged the supply-demand imbalance of food. Those factors are not likely to ease in the short term and in the meantime, potentially new food crises are simmering in East and Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, China’s reopening and deepened intraregional integration have allowed the region’s food price situation to be less grim than elsewhere. This article conducts a political-economic analysis in order to identify the major forces driving recent food price inflation in the region as well as to explore what proactive measures can build greater food system resilience during the post-COVID-19 recovery. This article recommends that ountries refrain from imposing further export restrictions (whatever their form), and instead deepen dialogues and cooperation in order to facilitate food system resilience against the looming risks, such as El Niño.

Food prices in Africa respond in familiar ways to changes in the global environment, but there are a number of unique characteristics that have to be accounted for in understanding how these prices play out in domestic markets. African countries are price takers in global agricultural commodity markets, and face high farm gate to consumer costs, which are a major driver of food price inflation. Furthermore, the uncertainty that accompanies poor policy formulation and implementation distorts markets and results in the skewing of investment to mitigate the negative impacts of policy uncertainty rather than to build future opportunities. Finally, the high levels of poverty as well as of inequality distort consumer markets, which are fragmented by these extremes, and which compete with informal markets and with own consumption. In this paper, we address the role that these factors play in understanding trends in food prices across a spectrum of commodities in Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Zambia. These characteristics make it difficult to find relevant and timely data to help understand what is really going on in the real world.

Food inflation in North America reached its peak in 2022, mainly driven by two factors: COVID-19 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. COVID-19 disrupted the global supply chain, and triggered labour shortages; consequently, governments in all three North American countries adopted fiscal and monetary policies to offset the impact of the pandemic, mostly by providing direct assistance to businesses and households and by lowering interest rates. The invasion of Ukraine, a major exporter of grain and vegetable oil, increased commodity prices and contributed to higher food prices. Overall, food inflation in the U.S. varies according to both sector and timeframe. In response to the Russian invasion, cereal product prices in the U.S. have increased, whereas meat prices spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study focuses on determining the key factors that have led to higher food inflation in North America, and more specifically the United States. We have found that the unemployment rate, an index of global supply chain pressures, and COVID-19 related aid have directly contributed to U.S. food inflation. Projections from several organisations suggest food inflation will decline in 2023 and 2024.