Zwycięzcy i przegrani pandemii Covid-19: perspektywa globalna z uwzględnieniem gospodarki rolno-żywnościowej

The worldwide literature on the socio-economic impacts of the Covid-19 is extensive, covering individual enterprises and markets, economic sectors or branches, or the national and global economy. The current study is unique as it is a comprehensive compilation of the relevant evidence regarding economic entities and sectors of global or international significance and the societal groups from an angle of so-called "pandemic game" with some implications for the agri-food economy. Its main aim is to identify the actual and potential winners and losers of the pandemic. The winners’ notion covers actors, e.g. economic sectors or people groups those extraordinarily benefited or will benefit from a pandemic, extremely upgrading their financial or other performance. In turn, the losers include individuals or entities that incurred unusual costs or losses, worsened their results, or probably will face such pandemic consequences in the future. Some economic ideas also are considered. The article is based on the scientific, popular and grey literature as well as publicly available data to support research. The research uses deductive explanation methods. Results show that the biopharmaceutical industry, leading digital companies, shareholders in international retail chains, global financial holdings, food delivery companies, and the World’s richest people are among those who thrived exceptionally well in the new living and doing business conditions and can therefore be admitted as the current crisis’ winners. Adversely, the coronavirus victims, energy and air transport sectors, and food processing labour, all of them being harmfully affected by the pandemic, are examples of losers. Albeit the presented winners and losers represent various spheres of economic life, they are more or less related to the agriculture and food processing industry. The study confirms that the functioning and condition of the latter depend on the situation of other economic sectors, agents, and markets, and international disturbances spreading within an open economy. The paper can be of interest both to the research community, and decision-makers in different economic and social policy areas.

Mapowanie produktów polskiego eksportu produktów rolno spożywczych kierowanego do wybranych krajów Unii Europejskiej w 2020 roku

The article focuses on the search for growth prospects for Polish exports of agri-food products with economies belonging to the European Union and being the most important export markets for Poland in terms of agri-food products. Groups of these goods were identified that are characterized by positive and negative indicators of revealed comparative advantages and indicators of the trade balance. The study used a method based on the product mapping matrix.

Determinants of Women’s Empowerment and Household Poverty Reduction in Imbulpe DS Division, Sri Lanka

Women empowerment and poverty reduction are interrelated key driving forces to achieve the sustainable development of a country. However, most of the women farmers in rural areas have lack of access to adequate assets and resources, credit facilities and freedom of decision making within the households. Therefore, women empowerment is a timely important requirement to reduce the household poverty among them. This study was conducted to identify the determinants of empowerment of women farmers and also roles of them in reduction of poverty in Imbulpe Divisional Secretariat (DS) Division in Sri Lanka. In this study, 238 women farmers were selected using simple random sampling method, from purposively identified seven Grama Niladhari (GN) divisions in this area. Primary data was gathered from a field survey using a pre-tested, self-administered questionnaire from May to July 2019. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis were used as the statistical methods in data analyzing process. The result revealed that, age, education, monthly income of the respondents, economic resource accessibility, participation in decision making and freedom of mobility act as the determinants of empowerment of women farmers. The moderately significant positive nature of relationship was showed between the age of the women farmers and their role in poverty reduction. And also, the level of education, monthly income, economic resources accessibility of the respondents and participation of decision making within the household of the women farmers were showed moderately significant positive relationship with their role in poverty reduction. Therefore, encourage women farmers as rural entrepreneurs while performing their farming practices to earn additional income, enhance economic resource accessibility and motivate women farmers to express their ideas for enhance the active participation in the household decision making process are timely important requirements to empower women farmers and enhance their role in poverty reduction.

Consumers’ Awareness on Organic Food: Case of Urban Sri Lanka

The organic food market is rapidly expanding all over the world with the recent rise of concern in food safety and environmental protection. Thus, examining information about consumers’ awareness on organic food is one of the inspiring areas for producers and marketers to capture a greater market share successfully. Therefore, this study aimed at analyzing the consumer awareness towards organic food products while addressing socio-demographic factors affecting consumer awareness on organic food, knowledge of consumers about organic food, and their purchasing pattern. A sample of 600 consumers was selected from the main cities of six urban districts in Sri Lanka for the study. Data were collected via a consumer survey using a pre-tested questionnaire, from November 2018 to May 2019. The data analysis was carried out using frequencies, percentages, and multiple linear regression analysis. According to the results, the majority of the respondents were married females. The results revealed that Sri Lankan consumers have a better awareness on organic food. The results of the regression analysis highlighted that the consumers’ awareness is significantly affected by factors such as gender, marital status, education, and monthly income. Although most respondents have a good level of awareness on organic food, their buying trend is at a lower level. The findings of the study play an important role in promoting the organic food market and are essential for food marketing planners, researchers, and policymakers to enhance the organic food industry in the country in the future.

Assessment of Food Security in the East Kazakhstan Region

The article assesses the food security of one region of Kazakhstan - the East Kazakhstan region. In the analyses, criteria such as the level of the region’s food independence, the degree of satisfaction of the population’s physiological needs in basic food, and the level of economic availability of food were applied. The research has shown that the food security in the East Kazakhstan region was at an acceptable level. However, some threats to food security were identified, including: a high level of income differentiation among the households of the East Kazakhstan region, an increase in the price index for food products, and a significant proportion of the population with incomes below the subsistence minimum. The results of the evaluation can be useful for creating agri-food policy measures that will ensure, maintain and improve the level of food security at both a regional and national level.

Participatory Development of Demand-Driven Curriculum for Career-Ready E-Extension Services in Nigeria

This paper described and contextualized participatory development of demand-driven curriculum for career-ready e-extension services in Nigeria as introduced by the Sasakawa Africa Fund for Extension Education. The stages of participatory development were participatory need assessment, participatory stakeholders’ workshop and validation among 124 stakeholders selected as key informants in relation to agricultural extension training, delivery, end users and policy makers. The stakeholders were grouped as follows: community leaders and policy makers; extension agencies / organisations / institutions / employers; farmers; input suppliers / marketers / agro-based traders / other value actors; and potential candidate groups. Stakeholder meetings were held separately with different groups three times, and then a combined meeting took place. The aggregated major decisions/consensus were subjected to content analysis using ATLAS.ti. The validation process included reading of each agreed decision to all participants, then participants indicated their agreement or otherwise, which led to either rejection or acceptance of the decision. This paper concludes that participatory curriculum development has enhanced the stakeholders to identify areas of demand-driven training in response to community needs. The stakeholders preferred more online than face-to-face training. The major perceived advantages of e-extension were reduced risk, time and cost effectiveness while infrastructural and human challenges were the perceived challenges that could possibly hinder the smooth running of e extension.

Determinanty zróżnicowania regionalnego cen gruntów rolnych w Polsce

The aim of the research presented in this article was an attempt to explain the regional differentiation of arable land prices in 2018 in terms of natural and economic conditions, resulting both from factors characterizing the size, structure and quality of land, as well as the level of economic development and agricultural potential of individual voivodeships. The research used qualitative and quantitative analysis of Polish Statistical Office data. The results of the analysis carried out confirmed the regional differentiation of natural and economic conditions as well as the level of prices and rents on the agricultural land market in Poland. The variables explaining the differentiation in land prices include indicators characterizing the quality of the agricultural land resource, its profitability and the agricultural potential of a given region.

Wdrażanie modelu gospodarczego opartego na obiegu zamkniętym w biogospodarce

Implementing circular bioeconomy solutions is a complex issue. It requires a good knowledge of the concepts, the different processes of the circular economy and their expected impacts on sectors and value chains. However, research on the circular economy appears to be fragmented across disciplines and there are often different perspectives on the interpretation of the concept and related aspects to be assessed. This article reviews the literature on bioeconomy and closed-loop economy to better understand the concept, as well as its different dimensions and expected impacts. The aim of the article is to outline the concept of a circular bioeconomy along with a presentation of the main considerations for its implementation. Selected policy initiatives for the implementation of the closed-loop bioeconomy concept in the bioeconomy sector and business models dedicated to bioeconomy solutions are presented.

Outlook of Present Organic Agriculture Policies and Future Needs in Sri Lanka

Many countries are formulating organic agriculture or organic farming policies aimed at sustainable agricultural development. Therefore, the objectives of this study were: to understand the present situation of organic agriculture policies in Sri Lanka and also in other countries where successful organic agriculture is operating; identify problems in the organic agriculture sector; and suggest potential policy measures to be implemented in Sri Lanka in future. The research was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, a thorough literature review was conducted to study the suitable policies available in other countries and also in Sri Lanka at present. In the second stage, two field surveys were carried out using pre-tested questionnaires, from December 2019 to May 2020, in order to gather farmers’ and extension officers’ information related to organic farming policy suggestions. According to the findings of the literature review, organic systems in some countries are more integrated with national strategic plans and visions. Those governments are more involved in new initiatives and farmers are encouraged to go organic through reliable and feasible policies. Although Sri Lanka has a high potential for organic agriculture, at present it is at an initial stage. While most organic products in Sri Lanka go to the export market, a small portion is kept at local markets. Demand for organic products in export as well as domestic markets is increasing. Even though there are seven international food certification agencies operating in the country as external inspection and certification bodies, a limited number of accredited certifications exist for products on the domestic market. Results of the farmers’ survey showed that even if farmers have a significant level of knowledge, few of them practice organic farming due to several existing problems. Moreover, extension officers have also identified similar types of problems that are faced by the farmers related to organic farming. Evaluation of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) related to organic agriculture in the country helped to identify key problems facing policy-makers when balancing the supply and demand sides of organic products. Also, in developing organic agriculture, an effective linkage and coordination among government and private participants is crucial. Therefore, in Sri Lanka in this context, strategic focus on policy support for organic agriculture is needed. Current organic farming programs need to be revised in order to formulate policies covering all areas related to production, handling, processing, certification, labeling and marketing, in order to bring the benefits of organic agriculture to farmers, marketers and consumers in a fair manner.

Female Farmers’ Agricultural Information Needs and Food Production: A Case Study of Imbulpe ds Division in Sri Lanka

The study was conducted to find out female farmers’ agricultural information needs and their impact on food production, in the Imbulpe DS Division in Sri Lanka. Of the female farmers in the area, 238 were taken as the sample for the study from seven selected Grama Niladhari (GN) divisions in the area. Female farmers were selected by using a simple random sampling method from these purposively selected GN divisions. A pre-tested, interviewer-administered questionnaire survey was used as the primary data collection method from March to July 2019. Data analysis was done by using descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis. The result revealed that the majority (62.6%) of respondents were middle aged (40-59 years), married, and belonged to families with 4-5 members. Most respondents (64.3 %) had studied up to junior secondary education level. Their average farm land size is 0.84 acres and they have farming experience of about 15 years. Most of the respondents mentioned that they had obtained higher levels of information needs about improved crop varieties. In addition, female farmers reported that they moderately need information on application of agrochemicals, improved market systems and modern farming technologies. Extension agents and other female farmers act as their major sources of agricultural information and ICT equipment acts as the least important agricultural information source in this area. Moreover, there is a significant positive association between the agricultural information needs and food production. Therefore, providing necessary agricultural information and enhanced utilization of ICT tools for agricultural information sources, and encouraging female farmers to participate in farming societies will lead to enhanced food production in this area.