scholarly journals Food Supply without Risk: Multicriteria Analysis of Institutional Conditions of Exporters

Author(s):  
Rosa Puertas ◽  
Luisa Marti ◽  
Jose-Maria Garcia-Alvarez-Coque

International trade in food knows no borders, hence the need for prevention systems to avoid the consumption of products that are harmful to health. This paper proposes the use of multicriteria risk prevention tools that consider the socioeconomic and institutional conditions of food exporters. We propose the use of three decision-making methods—Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), Elimination et Choix Traduisant la Realité (ELECTRE), and Cross-Efficiency (CE)—to establish a ranking of countries that export cereals to the European Union, based on structural criteria related to the detection of potential associated risks (notifications, food quality, corruption, environmental sustainability in agriculture, and logistics). In addition, the analysis examines whether the wealth and institutional capacity of supplier countries influence their position in the ranking. The research was carried out biannually over the period from 2012–2016, allowing an assessment to be made of the possible stability of the markets. The results reveal that suppliers’ rankings based exclusively on aspects related to food risk differ from importers’ actual choices determined by micro/macroeconomic features (price, production volume, and economic growth). The rankings obtained by the three proposed methods are not the same, but present certain similarities, with the ability to discern countries according to their level of food risk. The proposed methodology can be applied to support sourcing strategies. In the future, food safety considerations could have increased influence in importing decisions, which would involve further difficulties for low-income countries.

2020 ◽  
pp. 0734242X2093676 ◽  
Author(s):  
Navarro Ferronato ◽  
Marcelo Antonio Gorritty Portillo ◽  
Gabriela Edith Guisbert Lizarazu ◽  
Vincenzo Torretta

The implementation of waste selective collection (SC) schemes in low-income countries is a challenge although it is one important way for improving environmental sustainability. The inclusion of the population is necessary for gaining effective results, and social surveys are support methods for understanding citizens’ involvement and behaviour. The aim of the research is to assess the support of the citizens concerning the formal and informal recycling in a low–middle income country. The study presents a questionnaire survey conducted in 2018 in La Paz, Bolivia, where 774 citizens were interviewed for evaluating their support to the formal and informal SC systems. Two questionnaires were submitted to two different users’ categories: users of the formal recyclable waste gathering points; and citizens of the neighbourhoods. Evidence of the survey shows that about 8% of the population supports the formal SC while about 48% are used to selecting their waste at home. About 79.2% of them bring the waste to the informal recycling shops or provide it to waste pickers, throwing the waste into or nearby the mixed containers in order to facilitate their collection. This research demonstrates how social inclusion is important for planning recycling systems within a developing big city, starting from the SC. Results suggest that the informal sector can be an effective means for improving the recycling behaviour of the citizens. The study can be of interest to stakeholders involved in introducing recycling policies in developing cities where the SC rate is still low, and informal waste collection exists.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riina Pilke ◽  
Marikki Stocchetti

[Full article is in English]English: This article reviews the main policy guidelines set by the European Union (EU) for eradicating poverty and inequality in the context of its development cooperation partnerships. Drawing on the structure of the EU’s treaty, the EU’s offi cial development policies since 2005, and the related European Commission documents over the past five years, it examines the conceptions of poverty and inequality and how the EU translates them into operational diff erentiation. The scope of the diff erentiated cooperation encompasses diff erent types of developing countries, including a variety of both low-income countries (LICs) and middleincome countries (MICs). The article argues that diff erentiation poses a challenge to the EU’s internal development policy coherence. While the EU has adopted a multifaceted understanding of poverty, its conception of inequality is very narrow. In addition, the authors contend that the EU lacks clear criteria for diff erentiation in diverse country contexts in both regards.Spanish: El propósito de este trabajo es revisar los principales lineamientos de política pública establecidos por la Unión Europea (UE) para la erradicación de la pobreza y la desigualdad en el contexto de sus asociaciones de cooperación al desarrollo. Con base en la estructura de los tratados de la UE, las políticas oficiales de desarrollo de la UE desde 2005, y los documentos relacionados de la Comisión Europea en los últimos cinco años, este artículo examina las concepciones de pobreza y desigualdad así como la traducción sistemática que hace la UE de dichos conceptos en una diferenciación funcional en sus asociaciones de cooperación al 22 Regions & Cohesion • Spring 2016 desarrollo. El alcance de la cooperación diferenciada abarca diferentes tipos de países en desarrollo, incluyendo una variedad de países con bajos y medios ingresos (LIC y MIC por sus siglas en inglés). El artículo sostiene que la diferenciación plantea un desafío a la coherencia de la política pública de desarrollo al interior de la UE. Mientras que la UE ha adoptado una comprensión multifacética de la pobreza, su concepción de la desigualdad es muy estrecha. Además, las autoras argumentan que la UE carece de criterios claros para una diferenciación que tome en cuenta las dimensiones tanto de pobreza como de desigualdad en diversos contextos de países.French: L’objectif de ce texte consiste à passer en revue les principales lignes de politique publique de l’Union Européenne (UE) en matière de lutte contre la pauvreté et des inégalités dans le cadre de son partenariat de coopération pour le développement. A partir d’une révision des traités de l’UE, des politiques officielles de développement depuis 2005 et de documents de la Commission Européenne datant des cinq dernières années, l’article évoque les conceptions de la pauvreté et des inégalités et comment l’UE les traduit par une différenciacion opérative en matière de coopération pour le développement. La portée de la coopération differenciée inclut différents types de pays en développement, y compris divers pays à revenus bas et intermédiaires. Cet article défend l’idée que la différentiation présente un défi pour la cohérence de la politique de développement au sein de l’UE. Alors que celle-ci a adopté un point de vue multifacétique de la pauvreté, sa conception des inégalités est extrêmement limitée. Ainsi, les auteures affirment que l’UE manque de critères clairs pour établir une différenciation qui prenne en compte à la fois les dimensions de la pauvreté et les inégalités dans les différents contextes nationaux.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 872-889
Author(s):  
Kamila Radlińska ◽  
Maria Klonowska-Matynia ◽  
Agnieszka Jakubowska ◽  
Grzegorz Kwiatkowski

A consequence of similar institutional conditions of domestic labor markets in Europe is the permanent occurrence of the “labor hoarding” phenomenon, which entails non-immediate adaptation of employment to production changes. The article verifies whether the phenomenon of labor hoarding occurs in the European Union countries and what is its level and the direction of changes between 1996 and 2016. The empirical study of employment adjustments to the production volume showed that in the examined period the phenomenon of labor hoarding occurred in all countries of the European Union (excluding Spain). Labor hoarding was accomplished through a slight adjustment of the number of employees to production changes. At the same time, it was noticed that the companies were more flexible with adjusting the number of hours worked. This was particularly evident during global crises and was the consequence of other vital changes in national economies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. e146
Author(s):  
Tullio Prestileo ◽  
Vito Di Marco ◽  
Ornella Dino ◽  
Adriana Sanfilippo ◽  
francesco Di Lorenzo ◽  
...  

Recycling ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justice Kofi Debrah ◽  
Diogo Guedes Vidal ◽  
Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis

Solid Waste Management (SWM) is a multifaceted problem comprising political, socioeconomic, institutional, and environmental aspects. Due to exponential urban growth, it has become one of the most significant issues faced by urban spaces in developing countries. The gap in environmental knowledge among the youth and the old within developing countries contribute to ecological issues or waste management problems, resulting in unsustainable development, with important consequences in low-income countries. For that matter, a systematic review was conducted aiming to identify and analyse environmental knowledge, awareness, attitudes, and practice studies on SWM from 2010 to 2019 in developing countries. The evidence suggests that students at both secondary and tertiary levels have positive environmental attitudes, and high awareness of environmental issues, but there is a lack of practical education of teachers to guide students to put SWM into practice. Student’s low environmental knowledge is related to a deficiency in teachers’ practical experience in SWM for environmental sustainability. A relationship between teachers’ and students’ knowledge and attitudes towards SWM, as well as differences in awareness, attitude, and practices of SWM linked with education and age, were also found. This review also revealed that the lack of environmental education in most developing countries is caused by fragilities in practical environmental curricula of teachers to respond to modern-day environmental issues for sustainable development and cleaner production (CP). To bridge the knowledge gap between the youth and older people in SWM, environmental sustainability education should be integrated into schools at all levels within developing countries.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-151
Author(s):  
Florica Mioara Serban ◽  
◽  
Carmen- Elena Stoenoiu

This article analyses data on general government expenditure, at the level of the European Union (EU 28) according to the Classification of the Functions of Government – COFOG over the 2008-2017 period. Data shows that the expenditures increased at the beginning of the economic crisis in all EU countries, being followed by a slowdown in expenditures growth. All countries have adopted policies in order to reduce government expenditures towards the end of the period, aiming to increase their efficiency. Usually in high-income countries, compared with low-income countries, government expenditures are much larger as percent of gross domestic product (GDP), but the relations are not very strong though.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (24) ◽  
pp. 13747
Author(s):  
Chi-Hui Wang ◽  
Prasad Padmanabhan ◽  
Chia-Hsing Huang

The impacts of renewable energy adoption and environmental sustainability ratings on the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve and the pollution haven hypothesis are examined using annual balanced panel data from 64 middle and low-income countries and spanning the 2005 –2014 period. We show that the GDP per capita/CO2 emissions per capita relationship is an inverse S curve for the full sample of low and middle-income countries and for each subsample. The renewable energy/CO2 emissions per capita relationship is an inverse N curve for the full and the middle-income samples, but a V curve for the low-income sample. The foreign direct investment net inflows/CO2 emissions per capita relationship is an N curve for the full and the middle-income samples, and a positive relationship in the low-income subsample. High levels of government environmental sustainability ratings in low-income countries with relatively higher incomes can attract foreign direct investment net inflows while reducing pollution. In contrast, middle-income countries with high environmental sustainability ratings can attract foreign direct investment net inflows only if they allow small increases in pollution.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1055-1078
Author(s):  
Peter Appiah Obeng ◽  
Sampson Oduro-Kwarteng ◽  
Bernard Keraita ◽  
Henrik Bregnhøj ◽  
Robert C. Abaidoo ◽  
...  

On-site sanitation systems, the commonest sanitation technologies in low-income countries, are central to the elimination of open defecation in such countries. Nevertheless, their selection and application in the physical and socio-economic environment of low-income settings could be a complex and challenging task. Poorly designed and constructed facilities could pollute groundwater resources and create nuisances to the user and the general public. Meanwhile, local authorities in these countries often lack the human resource with the requisite technical capacity to analyse situations and recommend appropriate solutions. This calls for guidance in the most crucial technical decisions that affect the safe usage and environmental sustainability of on-site sanitation technologies. This Chapter reviews salient standards and guidelines for the selection of appropriate technologies, prevention of groundwater pollution, control of odor and fly nuisance, structural stability and safety of the latrine user.


Policy Papers ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (99) ◽  
Author(s):  

The emergence of BRICs—Brazil, Russia, India, and China—is reshaping low-income countries’ (LICs) international economic relations. While industrial countries remain LICs’ dominant development partners, LIC-BRIC ties have increased so rapidly over the past decade that BRICs have become new growth drivers for LICs. Trade with BRICs is already close to half of the value of combined trade with the European Union and the United States, and larger than with other emerging market economies. BRIC FDI and development financing are making a significant impact in some key areas despite their relatively small volumes compared with those from advanced countries. Beyond the increased flows of goods and capital, BRICs have brought new dynamics in LICs’ economic relations with the rest of the world, complementing as well as competing with OECD partners. Nevertheless, while potential benefits from the LIC-BRIC ties are enormous, there are challenges and risks in realizing such benefits.


Author(s):  
Peter Appiah Obeng ◽  
Sampson Oduro-Kwarteng ◽  
Bernard Keraita ◽  
Henrik Bregnhøj ◽  
Robert C. Abaidoo ◽  
...  

On-site sanitation systems, the commonest sanitation technologies in low-income countries, are central to the elimination of open defecation in such countries. Nevertheless, their selection and application in the physical and socio-economic environment of low-income settings could be a complex and challenging task. Poorly designed and constructed facilities could pollute groundwater resources and create nuisances to the user and the general public. Meanwhile, local authorities in these countries often lack the human resource with the requisite technical capacity to analyse situations and recommend appropriate solutions. This calls for guidance in the most crucial technical decisions that affect the safe usage and environmental sustainability of on-site sanitation technologies. This Chapter reviews salient standards and guidelines for the selection of appropriate technologies, prevention of groundwater pollution, control of odor and fly nuisance, structural stability and safety of the latrine user.


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