scholarly journals The Future of Food: Understanding Public Preferences for the Management of Agricultural Resources

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (13) ◽  
pp. 6707
Author(s):  
Erika Allen Wolters ◽  
Brent S. Steel ◽  
Sydney Anderson ◽  
Heather Moline
Keyword(s):  
Political Ideology ◽  
Food System ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Public Preferences ◽  
Social Demography ◽  
Agricultural Resources ◽  
Tax Incentive ◽  
Food Productivity ◽  
Food Policies

The current U.S food system has managed to provide abundant food at a relatively low cost, even as the population increases. However, this unfettered growth is reaching maximum yields as demand for greater food production competes with other uses of agricultural lands. Extant ecological factors such as water scarcity are reducing food productivity, and competition for resources to produce food is becoming more apparent. This research examines public policy preferences of U.S. west coast citizens for the management of agricultural resources through the use of random household surveys. Results suggest overall support among respondents for food policies using regulatory, tax incentive, and voluntary outreach approaches. Multivariate analyses revealed that some social-demography, knowledge, environmental values, political ideology, and environmental efficacy variables were significant predictors of public opposition and support for food policies.

The Urban Agriculture Fix

2020 ◽  
pp. 93-110
Author(s):  
Joshua Sbicca
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
Urban Agriculture ◽  
Food System ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
Local Residents ◽  
The City ◽  
Sustainable Food System

When urban agriculture becomes a sustainability initiative with institutional backing, it can drive green gentrification even when its advocates are well intentioned and concerned about the possible exclusion of urban farmers and residents. This chapter explores these tensions through the notion of an urban agriculture fix, which I apply to a case in Denver, Colorado. Urban farmers accessed land more easily after the Great Recession and as a result were a force for displacement and at risk of displacement as the city adopted sustainable food system plans, the housing market recovered, and green gentrification spread. This case suggests the importance of explaining how political economy and culture combine to drive neighborhood disinvestment and economic marginalization, which can compel the entrance of urban agriculture due to its perceived low cost and potential high return for local residents. Yet, while urban agriculture may provide some short-term benefits, it may ultimately be entangled in some of the long-term harms of green gentrification.

scholarly journals Demand-Side Food Policies for Public and Planetary Health

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (15) ◽  
pp. 5924
Author(s):  
Elisabeth H.M. Temme ◽  
Reina E. Vellinga ◽  
Henri de Ruiter ◽  
Susanna Kugelberg ◽  
Mirjam van de Kamp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Food System ◽  
Food Policy ◽  
Policy Instruments ◽  
Policy Instrument ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Demand Side ◽  
Effective Policy ◽  
Food Policies

Background: The current food system has major consequences for the environment and for human health. Alignment of the food policy areas of mitigating climate change and public health will ensure coherent and effective policy interventions for sustaining human health and the environment. This paper explores literature on demand-side policies that aim to reduce consumption of animal-based foods, increase plant-based foods, and reduce overconsumption. Methods: We searched for publications, published between January 2000 and December 2019, considering the above policy domains. Articles were distinguished for type of policy instrument, for topic via keywords and examples were given. Results: The majority of demand-side policies focus on preventing overweight and obesity, using all types of policy instruments including more forceful market-based policies. Hardly any examples of public policies explicitly aiming to lower animal-based foods consumption were found. Policies combining health and sustainability objectives are few and mainly of the information type. Discussion: Moving towards environmentally sustainable and healthy diets is challenging as the implemented demand-side policies focus largely on human health, and not yet on environmental outcomes, or on win-wins. Policies targeting foods from the health perspective can contribute to lower environmental impacts, by indicating suitable animal-based food replacers, and aiming at avoiding overconsumption of energy dense-nutrient poor foods. Preferred policies include a variety of instruments, including strong measures. Conclusions: Working solutions are available to ensure coherent and effective demand side food policies aligning public health and environmental aims. Implementation of aligned and effective policy packages is urgent and needed.

Ecology of pastoralism in Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania

1987 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Homewood ◽  
W. A. Rodgers ◽  
K. Arhem
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Wildlife Conservation ◽  
Food System ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Size Composition ◽  
Herd Size ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variation ◽  
Conservation Area ◽  
Study Sites

SummaryThis management-oriented study of range, livestock and Maasai ecology in the wildlife conservation and pastoralist land use Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) quantifies spatial and temporal variation in range resources for three main study sites over a 2-year period. Livestock response is analysed in terms of biomass densities, habitat and pasture utilization, activity, herd size, composition and dynamics. Milk production is investigated together with the main ecological factors influencing yields. A household survey of the Maasai food system suggests that pastoral products now provide an annual average of 40% dietary energy intake, the remainder being supplied by grain. These findings form the basis of our analysis of the growing friction between the Conservation Authority and the pastoralists. Pastoralist livestock closely resemble wild ungulate utilization of NCA range resources. A combination of disease interactions and administrative restrictions allow wildlife to establish preferential access to critical grazing resources. Our results in the context of other work suggest that contrary to popular opinion pastoralist land use is an ecologically appropriate and efficient form of livestock management. There is no adverse impact on the conservation values of NCA. Despite average fertility and mortality levels pastoralist herds show progressive decline due to offtake for grain purchase. Imposed policies restrict grazing, ban cultivation and maintain poor conditions for livestock trade and grain supply. Possible interventions and their potential impacts are considered and management compromises which could benefit both pastoralists and wildlife are proposed.

scholarly journals Epistemic Cartography: Evaluating Net-Map as a Frontline Tool for Navigating Informal Knowledge Networks

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luke Metelerkamp ◽  
Eva Schiffer
Keyword(s):  
Food System ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Curriculum Planning ◽  
Knowledge Networks ◽  
Analysis Tool ◽  
Sustainability Transitions ◽  
Teaching Resources ◽  
Informal Knowledge ◽  
Learning Pathways ◽  
And Diffusion

Sustainability transitions are dependent on the development and diffusion of transformative skills and competencies. However, the prevailing notion that learning for sustainability transitions will be led by universities, technical colleges and other similar institutions is practically not feasible in much of the global south. Net-Map is a social network analysis tool that uses interviews and mapping to help people understand, visualise, discuss, and improve situations in which many different actors influence outcomes (Schiffer & Hauck, 2010). In response to the pressing need for new approaches to the development and diffusion of sustainability skills, this paper evaluates Net-Map’s suitability as a methodological tool for educators, knowledge brokers and students seeking to enhance the navigability of the often complex and uncharted occupational pathways they encounter. To do this, the research applied Net-Map to an emerging sustainability niche within the food system in order to map the learning pathways of successful sustainability pioneers. We found that Net-Map was helpful in identifying diffuse informal knowledge networks and teaching resources. Being free, quick to learn and easy to use, Net-Map is a potentially low-cost method for circumventing traditionally costly approaches to curriculum development and accreditation – assisting community-based actors to make sense of the informal knowledge and competency networks that support emerging career fields. In emerging career fields such as organic farming, where pioneer knowledge is fragmented, poorly documented and often disregarded by mainstream-science, Net-Map could be useful in the preparatory phase of curriculum planning and design, providing training designers, course conveners and facilitators with contextually informed insights.

International Law and Public Attitudes Toward Torture: An Experimental Study

2013 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey P.R. Wallace
Keyword(s):  
International Law ◽  
Political Ideology ◽  
Institutional Design ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
Public Support ◽  
International Agreements ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Public Preferences ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Mass Attitudes

AbstractDomestic approaches to compliance with international commitments often presume that international law has a distinct effect on the beliefs and preferences of national publics. Studies attempting to estimate the consequences of international law unfortunately face a wide range of empirical and methodological challenges. This article uses an experimental design embedded in two U.S. national surveys to offer direct systematic evidence of international law's effect on mass attitudes. To provide a relatively tough test for international law, the surveys examine public attitudes toward the use of torture, an issue in which national security concerns are often considered paramount. Contrary to the common contention of international law's inefficacy, I find that legal commitments have a discernible impact on public support for the use of torture. The effect of international law is also strongest in those contexts where pressures to resort to torture are at their highest. However, the effects of different dimensions in the level of international agreements' legalization are far from uniform. In contrast to the attention often devoted to binding rules, I find that the level of obligation seems to make little difference on public attitudes toward torture. Rather, the relative precision of the rules, along with the degree to which enforcement is delegated to third parties, plays a much greater role in shaping public preferences. Across both international law and legalization, an individual's political ideology also exerts a strong mediating effect, though in varying directions depending on the design of the agreement. The findings have implications for understanding the overall impact of international law on domestic actors, the importance of institutional design, and the role of political ideology on compliance with international agreements.

scholarly journals Fortifying Bakso (Restructured meat product) with potential encapsulated functional strategies – a mini review

Food Research ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-23
Author(s):  
D. Rahardiyan
Keyword(s):  
Bioactive Compounds ◽  
Functional Food ◽  
Food System ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Meat Product ◽  
Social Economy ◽  
Protein Source ◽  
Eating Quality ◽  
Functional Components ◽  
Restructured Meat

This review revisits the Indonesian Bakso, a restructured meat product that is well preferred by wide ranges of social economy classes of the Indonesian community. Bakso has been a very good low-cost protein source for all. By understanding the complexity of the colloidal structure of Bakso that is constructed by the protein matrix and swelling starch granule interactions, it is also made clear in this review that Bakso has the potential for being more than just a low-cost protein source meal enjoyed by all. The colloidal complexities of the food system in Bakso allows it to entrap fortifications of bioactive compounds, bringing Bakso to the realm of functional foods. Various simple attempts have been made to improve the eating quality of Bakso by simple substitution of the starch with other plant-sourced starches that have functional properties. Effectiveness of these attempts had not scratched the surface of elevating Bakso into the functional food world, therefore it is an opened option to explore the potential of bringing encapsulation of functional components in this mini review processes into the mix. The variables in terms of bioactive functions, sources, polarities, solubilities and reactivities of the various compounds and encapsulating materials is still a large opportunity for further exploration. With encapsulation in play, this opens the doors of refitting Bakso with more varieties of bioactive compounds, and the elements of modifications that can be made to elevating Bakso in the functional food world.

scholarly journals Local Government's Resource Commitment to Environmental Sustainability: Capacity, Conservatism, and Contractual Dynamics

2021 ◽  
pp. 107808742110649
Author(s):  
Wonhyuk Cho ◽  
Daewook Kim ◽  
Angela Y. S. Park
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Political Ideology ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Community Capacity ◽  
Service Production ◽  
Resource Commitment ◽  
Biodiversity Preservation ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Complex Picture

Local governments are leading sustainability efforts through a range of initiatives, often voluntarily. While a spate of research exists to explain what drives these voluntary decisions, we are still limited in understanding how localities follow through with the resources to implement their adopted plans. This is particularly the case for environment and climate protection programs that are transboundary in nature and thus require more innovative and longer-term approaches than those that are relatively low-cost and easier to implement with future savings. This research examines local investment in promoting three of these program areas: air quality, biodiversity preservation, and ecological restoration. It investigates how local governments vary according to resource commitment and what factors explain those variations. We find several factors significant, including community capacity, political ideology, and institutional arrangements for service production and delivery. Variations are, however, found across different types of resource commitment, suggesting a more complex picture of local resource availability for advancing sustainability efforts.

scholarly journals A discourse network analysis of the public media debate on the UK Soft Drinks Industry Levy

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
C H Buckton ◽  
G Fergie ◽  
P Leifeld ◽  
S Hilton
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
Complex Network ◽  
Political Ideology ◽  
Soft Drinks ◽  
Media Content Analysis ◽  
Data Set ◽  
The Public ◽  
Food Policies ◽  
The Uk

Abstract Background On 6th April 2018, the UK Government introduced the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) as a policy designed to reduce population level sugar consumption and related illnesses. Given that the successful introduction of upstream food and nutrition policies is a highly political enterprise involving multiple interested parties, understanding the complex network of stakeholders seeking to influence such policy decisions is imperative. Methods Media content analysis was employed to build a data set of relevant articles from UK national newspapers. Articles were analysed to identify stakeholder agreement or disagreement with defined concept statements. We used discourse network analysis to produce visual representations of the stakeholder network and coalitions evident in the debate, leading up to and following the announcement of the SDIL. Results We identified 3,883 statements made by 214 individuals from 176 organisations, relating to 47 concepts. Visualisations revealed a complex network of stakeholders with two discourse coalitions. Polarisation arose from 3 factors: (i) differences in political ideology; (ii) position on the specific policy option; (iii) interpretation of the evidence. Industry stakeholders appeared less united before the SDIL announcement. Some industry actors appeared in the supportive coalition, possibly due to the use of corporate social responsibility rhetoric. Jamie Oliver was a dominant supportive stakeholder, suggestive of his role as a policy entrepreneur. Conclusions This study illustrates the complexity of the network of stakeholders involved in the public debate on food policies such as sugar tax and the SDIL. Public health advocates seeking to gain support for future upstream regulation to promote population health would benefit from tailoring their communication to take advantage of sources of polarisation. Vocal celebrity policy entrepreneurs may be instrumental to facilitate alignment of stakeholders around a clear ideology. Key messages This study provides a novel insight into the network of stakeholders involved in public debates on food policies. Public health advocates may benefit by identifying and aligning with a clear ideology.

scholarly journals Public Preferences for Government Spending Priorities: Survey Evidence from Germany

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. e1-e37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernd Hayo ◽  
Florian Neumeier
Keyword(s):  
Public Debt ◽  
Political Ideology ◽  
Time Preference ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
Government Expenditure ◽  
Public Spending ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Economic Knowledge ◽  
Economic Literacy ◽  
Public Preferences

Abstract Employing data from a representative survey conducted in Germany, this paper examines public preferences for the size and composition of government expenditure. We focus on public attitudes towards taxes, public debt incurrence and public spending in six different policy areas. Our findings suggest, first, that individual preferences for the use of additional tax money can be categorised as either capital-oriented expenditure or public debt reduction. Second, we find that fiscal preferences differ along various dimensions. Specifically, personal economic well-being, economic literacy, confidence in politicians, political ideology and time preference are significantly related to individual attitudes towards public spending, taxes and debt. The magnitude of the effects is particularly large for time preference, economic knowledge and party preference. Third, public preferences for public spending priorities are only marginally affected when considering a public budget constraint.

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