Parents' trust in food safety and healthiness of children's diets: A TPB model explaining the role of retailers and government

This study started from the assumption that children's healthy diets are primarily determined by their parents and their intentions towards serving fruit and vegetables. Although it is widely known that a significant share in fruits and vegetables in children's diets has several advantages, there are some safety issues that can act as barriers in promoting fruit and vegetable consumption.Therefore, we investigated parents' determinants in giving fruits and vegetables to their children taking into account that the trust in actors who minimize the presence of risks could be instrumental to understand the whole story. Due to the incidence of childhood obesity, Southern Italy is a suitable case study. An extended Theory of Planned Behavior (tpb) model including trust towards government and retailers has been set up.Results suggested that parental intention to give to their children fruits and vegetables in primarily determined by their perceived behavioral control, then by their attitude and by subjective norm.Trust has been proved to influence parents' intentions, but only related to retailers and not to government. Furthermore, the model positively explained childrens' behavior reported by parents.

Prevalence and correlates of food insecurity in rural Nigeria: A panel analysis

The study assessed dynamics of food insecurity among households in rural Nigeria using the Living Standard Measurement Survey-Integrated Survey on Agriculture (LSMSISA) collected in 2010/2011 and 2015/2016. Food insecurity status of the households was constructed using Household Food Insecurity Access Scale and analysed with descriptive statistics and random effect ordered probit model. Overall, 63.10%, 26.24%, 9.53% and 1.13% of households were food secure, mildly food insecure, moderately food insecure andseverely food insecure, respectively in the first panel; while 46.53%, 31.63%, 19.39% and 2.45% were food secure, mildly food insecure, moderately food insecure and severely food insecure, respectively in the second panel. Food insecurity status increased with large household size, dependency ratio, being female-headed and aging household heads. Households in south-eastern Nigeria had a higher food insecurity incidence than elsewhere. Age, age squared, female to male adult ratio, primary and tertiary education, occupation, marital status, household size, access to credit and living in North East, North West, South West, South East and South zones were the correlates of food insecurity in rural Nigeria. Based on the findings, the study recommended an increased awareness on the use of family planning methods and improved access to family planning services. Also, severely food insecure households should be identified and specifically targeted by the government for appropriate safety net interventions.

Whose salad is organic? An attribute segmentation perspective-evidence from Albania

Organic agriculture remains a black box attribute when considering consumer behaviour and preferences in developing countries. This is due partially to a lack of awareness about such products in addition to a lack of trust in relation to the certification bodies responsible. Meanwhile, increasing demand for these products comes as a result of food intolerance and hygiene safety issues. Through this framework it is crucial to clarify the concept from the consumer perspective. The objective of this paper is to understand consumer perceptions regarding organic attributes and identify the characteristics considered by consumers when buying organic products. The relative importance index shows the sensitivity of Albanian consumers in relation to the organic attribute, mainly in fruit and vegetables. Through the Contingent Valuation Method it is estimated that the consumer will pay an average premium of 27.7% for organic vegetables and 28.3% for organic fruit. The segmentation approach indicates that consumers linking organic attributes with health expressed a high willingness to pay for organic products. However, the majority use price as the main indicator of the quality of the product they consume; a higher price meaning an organic product. This conclusion is important in developing countries where consumers display low trust in food safety mechanisms and institutions.

Comparison study of agricultural insurance government subsidy and farmers' self-subsistent premium in Indonesia

Agricultural Insurance as an embodiment of farmer protection and empowerment is carried out with The Rice Farming Business Insurance (AUTP) facility with an insurance premium scheme by the Government of 80% and 20% by farmers. This study aims to simulate the AUTP premium based on government's subsidy and farmers' self-subsistent premium. The simulation test used panel data estimates in Indonesia Province during 2016-2019. The AUTP premium simulation was identified through the Moderating Regression Analysis (MRA) approach, with the moderate variables being government subsidies and farmers' self-subsistent premium. The Government's premium subsidy policy became a pure moderator that significantly increased the AUTP land area by 0.057%. Meanwhile, the coefficient of the farmers' self-subsistent premium variable has a negative and significant effect on the realization of AUTP in Indonesia. The results of the policy simulation emphasize the importance of the government's role in encouraging the increase in the realization of AUTP through subsidizing premium assistance to farmers. The implication of this simulation of the MRA model is that the response and participation rate of the farmers' premium payments independently is not followed by an increase in the realization of AUTP in Indonesia. The policy implications in the simulation of the two equation models conclude the importance of managing subsidized farmer premium payments and self-subsistent schemes based on insured land and farmer insurance policy. Agricultural insurance policy needs to adopt risk management tools, diversify agricultural insurance programs, and calculate the willingness to pay agricultural insurance premiums appropriately.

Consumer demand information as a re-balancing tool for power asymmetry between food retailers and suppliers

This conceptual paper presents a model that may be used to redress the power balance between retailers and suppliers in the supply chain through better information symmetry and mutual dependence. It explores power dependence and resource dependence theories to conceptualise the use of demand information, by drawing on the diverse viewpoints within the extant literature on the effect of supply chain power asymmetry on exchange relationships and mutual dependence.Co-optation adds stability and reduces uncertainty through the exchange of resources. The dynamic nature of relationships and power between retailers and suppliers requires a multi-theory approach to identify a robust understanding of the interplay of different influence factors. This study has both operational and strategic implications for the food supply chain, as power asymmetry in relationships affects sustainability, especially in sales promotions periods for both retailers and suppliers.Improving power equilibrium between the buyer and supplier through information symmetry with the integration of power and resource dependence theory is novel.

Innovation in Basilicata agriculture: From tradition to digital

The 4.0 technologies are changing agricultural production processes and with them the agro-food supply chains, fundamental for the competitiveness of the Made in Italy and Basilicata, a region of southern Italy. It has invested in modernization and restructuring of agricultural, agri-food and forestry farms by rural development policies, which address respect for sustainability and to reduction of renewable and non-renewable resources, preserving quality and the link with the territory.   Some Lucanian agricultural entrepreneurs, interested in experimenting with innovative and sustainable agriculture, has intensified relations with the local scientific world, the advisors, training institutions and with small and medium-sized agro-industrial enterprises, setting up clusters. Then European Partnerships for Innovation have formed inside them.   This paper analyses the eleven Operational Groups of the Lucanian European Partnerships which represent the incubators for the digitalization of agri-food 4.0. From the analysis it emerged that the maximum expression of digitization in Basilicata is Precision Farming, as evidenced by the establishment of a specific operating group, AgrotechBasilicata. However, the other Lucanian OGs can also be classified as digital because they are interested by information collection systems, software and data analysis, as well as robotics and automation.

Food security and land use: The Ethiopian case

From the financial crisis of 2008, international investors have addressed their attention to new investment and expansion opportunities and have acquired millions of hectares of land in various parts of the world. Developing Countries are the main target for such Large-Scale Land Acquisition (LSLA). While the adverse effects of these land grab are well known, their implications on food security have been less studied. In the context of an increasing disequilibrium between local food needs and international investors goals, the examining the potential adverse effects of LSLA on food security become an increasingly pressing matter. The paper illustrates an in-depth analysis on the impacts of LSLA on food security in Ethiopia. The results indicate that if the entire area of the acquired land is assumed to be used for domestic food production, it could feed around 7.1 million people.

Consumers' perception of Prosecco wine packaging: A pilot study in Padua and Milan

This paper aims to illustrate and discuss the importance of packaging attributes in the wine market. A survey was conducted in the north of Italy to assess how different attributes affect the probability of choosing a bottle of Prosecco wine. Two hundred face-to-face interviews based on a structured questionnaire were administered in Milan and Padua supermarkets to elicit preferences. Each respondentranked three new bottles of Prosecco wine and expressed the importance of different packaging characteristics in its choice.Product attributes include Label's form, Label's colours, the Label in its entirety, the Writing "Prosecco", the Band on the bottle's neck and the Bottle's shape. The interviews allowed us to recognise the bottle customers found the most attractive, and rank-ordered logistic regression was able to disentangle whichpackaging characteristic led to their decision.

Agri-food trade and climate change

Climate change, the agri-food sector and trade are closely related. This contribution aims at presenting issues related to the economic impacts of climate changes on international trade. The agri-food sector is one of the most hit by changes in climate, and it is also responsible of substantial environmentalimpacts. In a globalised world, these effects do not alter only the agri-food domestic markets but propagate across countries.While climate change may trigger changes in trade patterns by altering food availability and access as well as comparative advantages across countries, trade itself may constitute an adaptation strategy. Our note provides elements to be considered in the future debate that will likely be focused on the interrelations between, climate change, trade and global value chains of agri-food products.