Greening Chinese agriculture: can China use the EU experience?

PurposeChina's Government in 2015 announced its goal of stabilizing the use of fertilizers and pesticide by the year 2020. However, implementation of effective policies is not straightforward, while one may even argue that the policy goal is by far not ambitious enough. Hence, it is useful to look at experiences of other countries that have gone through a similar process. In this paper, the authors explicitly consider the case of European Union's (EU’s) policies aimed at greening agriculture. The choice for the EU is motivated by the fact that the EU is about 35 years ahead of China in implementing a policy agenda to counter the problems China is facing now.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, the authors focus on agricultural inputs, in particular fertilizer and pesticides, as well as land use and their impact on food safety, air and water quality, soil degradation, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and biodiversity. Policies related to those issues are discussed for both, China and the EU. Given that implementation and monitoring are critical for the success of policies, the authors also discuss how policies are implemented and monitored under different governance and institutional conditions.FindingsFrom the EU experiences, positive and negative, three central lessons are drawn: (1) China should strive for cross compliance but in two steps. In the first step, arrangements for on-farm monitoring must be made, coupled with a pilot program of cross-compliance conditions for large farms in selected counties; in the second step, cross-compliance requirements must be introduced for all farmers, with additional funds for rural development in vulnerable areas. (2) Strong stakeholder commitment should be sought in the formulation as well as implementation of greening policies. (3) Monitoring of greening results should be harmonized and standardized across the country, with a limited number of indicators.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the policy discussion by comparing the agricultural greening measures in the EU (which was some 35 years ago in the same situation as China now) with the measures taken in China so far.

Download Full-text

EU Green Deal will involve greater state regulation

Emerald Expert Briefings ◽

10.1108/oxan-db252161 ◽

2020 ◽

Keyword(s):

Ghg Emissions ◽

Radical Change ◽

State Regulation ◽

Low Carbon ◽

Content Type ◽

Low Carbon Economy ◽

Playing Field ◽

Goods And Services ◽

Sector Funds ◽

The Eu

Subject European Green Deal. Significance The European Green Deal seeks to transform the EU to a low-carbon economy. It proposes radical change in the way goods and services are produced and consumed. While based on a level playing field for all actors within the EU, it implies much greater state regulation of economic and social activities with the aim of achieving net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. Impacts The Green Deal’s adoption would increase the likelihood of environmental criteria becoming more prominent in trade policy. The mobilisation of additional public sector funds implies rising debt levels on top of the expenditure relating to COVID-19. COVID-19 will delay EU and member state scrutiny and ratification of the Green Deal components.

Download Full-text

The impact of geographical indications on farm incomes in the EU olives and wine sector

British Food Journal ◽

10.1108/bfj-12-2020-1119 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 123 (13) ◽

pp. 579-598

Author(s):

Kathrin Poetschki ◽

Jack Peerlings ◽

Liesbeth Dries

Keyword(s):

Geographical Indications ◽

Switching Regression ◽

Data Network ◽

Content Type ◽

Farm Accountancy Data Network ◽

Wine Sector ◽

Farm Performance ◽

On Farm ◽

The Impact ◽

The Eu

PurposeGeographical indications (GIs) are expected to stimulate rural development by increasing the viability and resilience of farms in disadvantaged and remote areas. However, little quantitative evidence exists to support this expectation. This study fills this knowledge gap by quantitatively analyzing the effect of GI adoption on farm incomes in the EU olives and wine sectors.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis uses data from the Farm Accountancy Data Network and EUROSTAT and an endogenous switching regression model to analyze the impact of GI adoption on farm incomes for specialized quality wine and olives producers in the year 2014.FindingsThe results show that GI adoption significantly improves farm incomes in both the olives and the wine sector.Research limitations/implicationsThe research uses data from the farm accountancy data network (FADN). This is seen as a limitation of the analysis. The research raises some concerns about the appropriateness of FADN for the assessment of farmers' involvement in food quality schemes and a reconsideration of FADN as a tool for farm performance analysis is advised.Originality/valueThis is one of few quantitative studies of the impact of geographical indications on farm performance. Furthermore, it gives insights into the mechanisms by which GI can affect farm incomes.

Download Full-text

Economic and Environmental Consequences of the ECJ Genome Editing Judgment in Agriculture

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11061212 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 1212

Author(s):

Alexander Gocht ◽

Nicola Consmüller ◽

Ferike Thom ◽

Harald Grethe

Keyword(s):

Genome Editing ◽

Agricultural Sector ◽

Ghg Emissions ◽

Food Products ◽

Food Prices ◽

Farm Income ◽

The European Union ◽

Environmental Consequences ◽

European Court ◽

The Eu

Genome-edited crops are on the verge of being placed on the market and their agricultural and food products will thus be internationally traded soon. National regulations, however, diverge regarding the classification of genome-edited crops. Major countries such as the US and Brazil do not specifically regulate genome-edited crops, while in the European Union, they fall under GMO legislation, according to the European Court of Justice (ECJ). As it is in some cases impossible to analytically distinguish between products from genome-edited plants and those from non-genome-edited plants, EU importers may fear the risk of violating EU legislation. They may choose not to import any agricultural and food products based on crops for which genome-edited varieties are available. Therefore, crop products of which the EU is currently a net importer would become more expensive in the EU, and production would intensify. Furthermore, an intense substitution of products covered and not covered by genome editing would occur in consumption, production, and trade. We analyzed the effects of such a cease of EU imports for cereals and soy in the EU agricultural sector with the comparative static agricultural sector equilibrium model CAPRI. Our results indicate dramatic effects on agricultural and food prices as well as on farm income. The intensification of EU agriculture may result in negative net environmental effects in the EU as well as in an increase in global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This suggests that trade effects should be considered when developing domestic regulation for genome-edited crops.

Download Full-text

Analysis of the New Kuznets Relationship: Considering Emissions of Carbon, Methanol, and Nitrous Oxide Greenhouse Gases—Evidence from EU Countries

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18062907 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (6) ◽

pp. 2907

Author(s):

Mara Madaleno ◽

Victor Moutinho

Keyword(s):

Nitrous Oxide ◽

Least Squares ◽

Fixed Effects ◽

Ghg Emissions ◽

Ordinary Least Squares ◽

Kuznets Curve ◽

Ekc Hypothesis ◽

Long Run ◽

Short Run ◽

The Eu

Decreased greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) are urgently needed in view of global health threat represented by climate change. The goal of this paper is to test the validity of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis, considering less common measures of environmental burden. For that, four different estimations are done, one considering total GHG emissions, and three more taking into account, individually, the three main GHG gases—carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane gas (CH4)—considering the oldest and most recent economies adhering to the EU27 (the EU 15 (Old Europe) and the EU 12 (New Europe)) separately. Using panel dynamic fixed effects (DFE), dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS), and fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) techniques, we validate the existence of a U-shaped relationship for all emission proxies considered, and groups of countries in the short-run. Some evidence of this effect also exists in the long-run. However, we were only able to validate the EKC hypothesis for the short-run in EU 12 under DOLS and the short and long-run using FMOLS. Confirmed is the fact that results are sensitive to models and measures adopted. Externalization of problems globally takes a longer period for national policies to correct, turning global measures harder and local environmental proxies more suitable to deeply explore the EKC hypothesis.

Download Full-text

An Investigation of the Potential Adoption of Anaerobic Digestion for Energy Production in Irish Farms

Environments ◽

10.3390/environments8020008 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 8

Author(s):

Sean O’Connor ◽

Ehiaze Ehimen ◽

Suresh C. Pillai ◽

Niamh Power ◽

Gary A. Lyons ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Anaerobic Digestion ◽

Energy Production ◽

Effective Means ◽

Ghg Emissions ◽

Co2 Reduction ◽

Agriculture Sector ◽

Lack Of Information ◽

High Investment ◽

On Farm ◽

Technology Ranking

Anaerobic digestion (AD) has been recognised as an effective means of simultaneously producing energy while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Despite having a large agriculture sector, Ireland has experienced little uptake of the technology, ranking 20th within the EU-28. It is, therefore, necessary to understand the general opinions, willingness to adopt, and perceived obstacles of potential adopters of the technology. As likely primary users of this technology, a survey of Irish cattle farmers was conducted to assess the potential of on-farm AD for energy production in Ireland. The study seeks to understand farmers’ motivations, perceived barriers, and preferred business model. The study found that approximately 41% of the 91 respondents were interested in installing AD on their farming enterprise within the next five years. These Likely Adopters tended to have a higher level of education attainment, and together, currently hold 4379 cattle, potentially providing 37,122 t year−1 of wastes as feedstock, resulting in a potential CO2 reduction of 800.65 t CO2-eq. year−1. Moreover, the results indicated that the primary consideration preventing the implementation of AD is a lack of information regarding the technology and high investment costs. Of the Likely Adopters and Possible Adopters, a self-owned and operated plant was the preferred ownership structure, while 58% expressed an interest in joining a co-operative scheme. The findings generated provide valuable insights into the willingness of farmers to implement AD and guidance for its potential widespread adoption.

Download Full-text

Corporate social responsibility and earnings management in the EU: a panel data analysis approach

Social Responsibility Journal ◽

10.1108/srj-04-2020-0156 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Panagiotis E. Dimitropoulos

Keyword(s):

Corporate Social Responsibility ◽

Panel Data ◽

Social Responsibility ◽

Earnings Management ◽

Financial Reporting ◽

Negative Association ◽

Content Type ◽

Corporate Social ◽

The Eu

Purpose Over the past decades, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been considered as a significant corporate strategy and also has been documented as a main information dissemination mechanism of corporations to shareholders, creditors and other external stakeholders. This fact makes the CSR activities and CSR performance interconnected with the quality of firms’ financial reporting. The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of CSR performance on the earnings management (EM) behaviour using a sample from 24 European Union (EU) countries summing up to 121,154 firm-year observations over the period 2003–2018. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a multi-country data set with various dimensions of CSR performance including indexes regarding workforce, community relations, product responsibility and human rights protection. The empirical analysis is conducted with panel data regressions. Findings Evidence supports the negative association between CSR and EM indicating that high CSR performing firms are associated with less income smoothing and discretionary accruals, thus with higher financial reporting quality. Practical implications Regulatory agencies in the EU could use the findings of the study for the improvement of the accounting framework via enhancing the use and publications of social and environmental responsibility information and reports. Social implications Also, the current paper could be of interest not only to academic researchers but also to potential and existing investors in European corporations. The negative association between CSR performance and EM could be used by investors in assessing the risk of firms and the quality and reliability of their financial information. Originality/value This is the first study within the EU, which considers the multi-facet characteristics of CSR on the quality of accounting earnings and offers useful policy implications for regulators and investors.

Download Full-text

From Ossau and Iraty to PDO Ossau-Iraty

British Food Journal ◽

10.1108/bfj-10-2018-0719 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 121 (12) ◽

pp. 3062-3075 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Morgane Millet

Keyword(s):

Local Development ◽

Qualitative Interviews ◽

Pasture Production ◽

Content Type ◽

Farm Production ◽

Protected Designation Of Origin ◽

Summer Pasture ◽

On Farm ◽

Term Analysis

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand how a geographical indication (GI) is built through time and how its (non)appropriation by local producers shapes it. The reciprocity of such process is also considered: how the creation of a GI changes local relationships between producers, within the GI and out of it? The case of Ossau-Iraty is relevant: in south-west of France, this protected designation of origin (PDO) has been based on two distinct regions: Bearn (Ossau) and Pays Basque (Iraty). Since then, most producers of Bearn have rejected this PDO. Design/methodology/approach The author adopts a diachronic perspective: the trajectory of the local dairy ewe sector is described, focusing on the trajectory of on-farm cheese makers from Bearn and Pays Basque and the trajectory of Ossau-Iraty. Based on different methods (qualitative interviews and archive research), this paper aims at analyzing the interactions within such heterogeneous networks. Findings When the PDO was created (1980), the opposition between producers of Bearn and Pays Basque was based on strong senses of place, which would be translated in a different perception of tradition: to Bearn producers, PDO Ossau-Iraty would be an industrial cheese, in which they did not recognize their product and themselves. With time, the producers who have been involved in the PDO worked on its specifications. The recognition of symbolic practices such as on-farm production or Summer pasture production, the recognition of differences between Basque cheese and Bearn cheese are changes that contribute to the evolution of perceptions within the local producers’ community. The author observes a recent convergence between Basque producers and Bearn producers, as their distinct products share common and strong qualifications within PDO Ossau-Iraty that contribute to their respective valorization. However, it seems to occur at an institutional level and the adhesion of the local producers might still be at stakes. Research limitations/implications A statistical study could reinforce the author’s exploratory and historical research. Furthermore, it would have been relevant to take local inhabitants and local consumers into account, as they have participated in the products’ qualifications as well. Originality/value A long-term analysis (40 years) contributes to better understand how cheeses are valorized and how such process is based on controversial processes. It contributes to root GIs into local histories, which are nor as consensual neither as uniform as we would primarily think, and to identity levers for sustainable local development.

Download Full-text

Credit constraints and labour allocation decisions in rural Burkina Faso

Agricultural Finance Review ◽

10.1108/afr-05-2016-0047 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 77 (2) ◽

pp. 257-274 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mohamed Porgo ◽

John K.M. Kuwornu ◽

Pam Zahonogo ◽

John Baptist D. Jatoe ◽

Irene S. Egyir

Keyword(s):

Burkina Faso ◽

Agricultural Production ◽

Credit Constraints ◽

Probit Model ◽

Multinomial Logit Model ◽

Farm Households ◽

Content Type ◽

Labour Market Participation ◽

On Farm ◽

Allocation Decisions

Purpose Credit is central in labour allocation decisions in smallholder agriculture in developing countries. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the effect of credit constraints on farm households’ labour allocation decisions in rural Burkina Faso. Design/methodology/approach The study used a direct elicitation approach of credit constraints and applied a farm household model to categorize households into four labour market participation regimes. A joint estimation of both the multinomial logit model and probit model was applied on survey data from Burkina Faso to assess the effect of credit constraint on the probability of choosing one of the four alternatives. Findings The results of the probit model showed that households’ endowment of livestock, access to news, and membership to an farmer-based organization were factors lowering the probability of being credit constrained in rural Burkina Faso. The multinomial logit model results showed that credit constraints negatively influenced the likelihood of a farm household to use hired labour in agricultural production and perhaps more importantly it induces farm households to hire out labour off farm. The results also showed that the other components of household characteristics and farm attributes are important factors determining the relative probability of selecting a particular labour market participation regime. Social implications Facilitating access to credit in rural Burkina Faso can encourage farm households to use hired labour in agricultural production and thereby positively impacting farm productivity and relieving unemployment pressures. Originality/value In order to identify the effect of credit constraints on farm households’ labour decisions, this study examined farm households’ decisions of hiring on-farm labour, supplying labour off-farm or simultaneously hiring on-farm labour and supplying family labour off-farm under credit constraints using the direct elicitation approach of credit constraints. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to examine this problem in Burkina Faso.

Download Full-text

Unemployment and spell duration during the Great Recession in the EU

International Journal of Manpower ◽

10.1108/ijm-10-2012-0152 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 216-235 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Carlos Gradín ◽

Olga Cantó ◽

Coral del Río

Keyword(s):

Great Recession ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Labour Force ◽

Future Research ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Content Type ◽

The Great Recession ◽

Unemployment Spells ◽

Practical Implications ◽

The Eu

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the different dynamic characteristics of unemployment in a selected group of European Union countries during the current Great Recession, which had unequal consequences on employment depending on the country considered. Design/methodology/approach – The paper follows Shorrocks’s proposal of a duration-sensitive measure of unemployment, and uses cross-sectional data reported by Eurostat coming from European Labour Force Surveys. Findings – The results add some evidence on the relevance of incorporating spells’ duration in measuring unemployment, finding remarkable differences in unemployment patterns in time among European countries. Research limitations/implications – In this paper unemployment is analyzed for all the labor force. Future research should investigate patterns across specific groups such as young people, women, immigrants or the low skilled. Practical implications – It is generally accepted that the negative impact of unemployment on individual welfare can be very different depending on its duration. However, conventional statistics on unemployment do not adequately capture to what extent the recession is not only increasing the incidence of unemployment but also its severity in terms of duration in time of ongoing unemployment spells. The paper shows an easy and practical way to do it in order to improve the understanding of the unemployment phenomenon, using information usually reported by statistical offices. Originality/value – First, the paper provides a tool for dynamic analysis of unemployment based on reported cross-sectional data. Second, the paper demonstrates the empirical relevance of considering spells’ duration when assessing differences in unemployment across countries or in unemployment trends. This is usually neglected or only partially addressed by most conventional measures of unemployment.

Download Full-text

Assessment of the Dependence of GHG Emissions on the Support and Taxes in the EU Countries

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13147650 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (14) ◽

pp. 7650

Author(s):

Astrida Miceikienė ◽

Kristina Gesevičienė ◽

Daiva Rimkuvienė

Keyword(s):

Energy Consumption ◽

Empirical Study ◽

Ghg Emissions ◽

Gdp Per Capita ◽

Environmental Taxes ◽

Environmental Support ◽

Eu Countries ◽

Support Measures ◽

Per Capita ◽

The Eu

The reduction of GHG emissions is one of the priorities of the EU countries. The majority of studies show that financial support and environmental taxes are one of the most effective measures for the mitigation of the negative consequences of climate change. The EU countries employ different environmental support measures and environmental taxes to reduce GHG emissions. There is a shortage of new studies on these measures. The aim of the present study is to compare the effectiveness of the environmental support measures of the EU countries with the effectiveness of environmental taxes in relation to the reduction of GHG emissions. This study is characterized by the broad scope of its data analysis and its systematic approach to the EU’s environmental policy measures. An empirical study was performed for the EU countries with the aim of addressing this research problem and substantiating theoretical insights. A total of 27 EU member states from 2009 to 2018 were selected as research samples. The research is based on a cause-and-effect relationship, where the factors affecting environmental pollution (environmental taxes and subsidies) are the cause, and GHG emissions are the effect. Statistical research methods were used in the empirical study: descriptive statistics, the Shapiro–Wilk test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), simple regression and cluster analysis. The results show that the older member countries of the EU, which had directed the financial measures of environmental policy towards a reduction in energy consumption, managed to achieve a greater reduction in GHG emissions compared to the countries which had not applied those measures. The Central and Eastern European countries are characterized by lower environmental taxes and lower expenditure allocated to environmental protection. The countries with a higher GDP per capita have greater GHG emissions that the countries with lower GDP per capita. This is associated with greater consumption, waste, and energy consumption. The study conducted gives rise to a discussion regarding data sufficiency in the assessment and forecasting of GHG emissions and their environmental consequences.

Download Full-text