Food PolicyPub Date : 2024-11-30DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102769
Marco Costanigro , Magalie Dubois , Azucena Gracia , Jean-Marie Cardebat
{"title":"The Information Value of Geographical Indications","authors":"Marco Costanigro , Magalie Dubois , Azucena Gracia , Jean-Marie Cardebat","doi":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102769","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102769","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We conduct laboratory experiments in Spain (N = 148) and France (N = 143) simulating a wine shopping experience in which participants choose between four wines in a limited information environment, and access to Geographical Indication (GI) information, winery names, and expert review scores are “purchased” in multiple price listing elicitation sessions. Data analysis leverages the sequential nature of the rounds, experimental treatments, and a wine knowledge questionnaire to investigate the hierarchical structure and level of redundancy between alternative information sources, the role played by wine prices, and previously acquired expertise. We estimate that the average value of accessing GI information in a pre-purchase scenario lies between EUR 0.33 (Spain) and EUR 0.37 (France) for each purchasing occasion, and expert reviews provide a similar level of information. These findings are consistent across different price segments (high: €13-€17 vs. low: €4-€7). Firm names have lower average valuation but are more useful to high-knowledge consumers. GIs, firm names, and expert reviews are found to be imperfect substitutes, suggesting that GIs capture elements of both horizontal and vertical differentiation. The discussion is structured along three main thematic areas of contribution: the role of GIs as signals of quality, the extant literature studying how consumers interpret quality signals, and the contrast between our findings and the modeling assumption adopted in the GI theoretical literature.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":321,"journal":{"name":"Food Policy","volume":"130 ","pages":"Article 102769"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142747300","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food PolicyPub Date : 2024-11-26DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102768
Kelly A. Davidson , Brandon R. McFadden , Sarah Meyer , John C. Bernard
{"title":"Consumer Preferences for Low-Methane Beef: The Impact of Pre-Purchase Information, Point-of-Purchase Labels, and Increasing Prices","authors":"Kelly A. Davidson , Brandon R. McFadden , Sarah Meyer , John C. Bernard","doi":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102768","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102768","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cattle production is estimated to be the largest methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) emitter associated with consumer demand in the United States of America (U.S.). With a national commitment to reducing methane emissions by 30% before 2030, methane-reducing additives (MRAs) in livestock feed are being explored as a viable solution. This study investigated consumer preferences for low-methane ground beef produced using one of three MRAs with varying levels of methane mitigation: <em>Aspagopsis taxiformis</em> (seaweed), the organic compound <em>3-nitroxypropanol</em> (3NOP), or a blend of essential oils (e.g. garlic extract and citrus). In a nationally representative survey, 3,009 respondents completed a labeled discrete choice experiment used to estimate preferences, WTP, and market shares for conventional and low-methane ground beef. Randomized groups were given pre-purchase information about methane emissions from beef production and point-of-purchase labels communicating the methane reduction levels for each MRA. Given the contemporaneous rise in beef prices, respondents were randomized between a low and high-price group to examine the sensitivity of results. While conventional ground beef was generally preferred, consumer WTP and average market shares for the seaweed MRA product (the MRA with the highest methane reduction potential) surpassed conventional beef for the group that received pre-purchase and point-of-purchase information. Information added more utility and was more effective in the low-price group. Government policies that incentivize the adoption of a seaweed MRA could aid in meeting climate goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":321,"journal":{"name":"Food Policy","volume":"130 ","pages":"Article 102768"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142699671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food PolicyPub Date : 2024-11-01DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102738
Irvin Rojas , K. Aleks Schaefer
{"title":"Expanding the phytosanitary exclusion zone for Mexican avocados: Market impacts and unintended consequences","authors":"Irvin Rojas , K. Aleks Schaefer","doi":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102738","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102738","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Due to phytosanitary concerns, the U.S. has historically only allowed the importation of avocados from one Mexican state—Michoacán. In Michoacán, avocados have become a source of cartel conflict and violence. In August 2022, authorized shipments of avocados from an additional Mexican state – Jalisco – were allowed to enter the U.S. This research investigates the market impacts and unintended consequences of expanding the phytosanitary exclusion zone for Mexican avocados. We find that expansion of the phytosanitary exclusion zone was unequivocally beneficial from the perspective of U.S. avocado users and consumers. However, economic outcomes in the Mexican market are more nuanced, and temporal relationships suggest expansion of the phytosanitary exclusion zone may have affected cartel-related activity both in Michoacán and Jalisco.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":321,"journal":{"name":"Food Policy","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 102738"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142578736","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food PolicyPub Date : 2024-11-01DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102761
Madhura Rao , Jonathan Luger , Barbara J. Regeer , Cristina Yacoub Lopez , Danielle Wilde , David Wilde , Emel Karakaya Ayalp , Julia Pinedo Gil , Nina Isabella Moeller , Yağmur Özcan Cive , Marjoleine G. van der Meij
{"title":"Small wins in practice: Learnings from 16 European initiatives working towards the transformation of urban food systems","authors":"Madhura Rao , Jonathan Luger , Barbara J. Regeer , Cristina Yacoub Lopez , Danielle Wilde , David Wilde , Emel Karakaya Ayalp , Julia Pinedo Gil , Nina Isabella Moeller , Yağmur Özcan Cive , Marjoleine G. van der Meij","doi":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102761","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102761","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, we examine how 16 initiatives across Europe are addressing ‘wicked’ food system issues by mobilising local networks and implementing small-scale but impactful changes in urban and <em>peri</em>-urban regions. To map the potential of these initiatives to contribute to large-scale change, we apply the Small Wins Framework proposed by <span><span>Termeer & Dewulf (2019)</span></span>. By analysing data collected through interviews with participants working on initiatives spanning 13 cities across 9 European countries, we identify the manifestation of six propelling mechanisms that signal the capacity of small wins to bring about systemic change. Findings from this study reveal the presence of most mechanisms across the included initiatives. However, the ways in which these mechanisms appear depend on various factors such as stakeholder motivation, the maturity of the initiative, the need for additional funding, local food culture, and the regional and national political landscape among others. Our analysis indicates that the Small Wins Framework could be successfully used as a mapping tool in urban transformation processes, but it is likely to be more effective as a tool for reflexive monitoring rather than ex-post evaluation. Drawing on the impacts of various large-scale disruptions on the initiatives, we suggest that social, political, and economic shocks can present windows of opportunity to accelerate change and that initiatives performing well under such pressure should be supported in their pursuit of systems transformation. Lastly, we recommend non-linear growth strategies such as spreading, deepening, and expanding, as ways to compound the impact of small wins.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":321,"journal":{"name":"Food Policy","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 102761"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142593156","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food PolicyPub Date : 2024-11-01DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102760
Jingru Jia, Paul E. McNamara
{"title":"Information interventions and willingness to pay for PICS bags: Evidence from Sierra Leone","authors":"Jingru Jia, Paul E. McNamara","doi":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102760","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102760","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the different impact of informational interventions on smallholder farmers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) bags in Sierra Leone. Despite the proven efficacy of PICS bags in reducing post-harvest losses and maintaining crop quality, their adoption rates remain extremely low in Sierra Leone. Through a field experiment with random assignment involving 436 households, this research investigates how health and profit-oriented information impacts farmers’ valuation of PICS bags. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: receiving health benefits information, receiving profit benefits information, or a control group receiving standard usage instructions. Both treatment groups also received the standard usage instructions provided to the control group. The WTP was assessed using the Becker–DeGroot–Marschak (BDM) auction method. Results indicate that while profit-related information significantly increases WTP, health information does not. Additionally, this study explores heterogeneity in treatment effects, finding that there is no significant variation in response across different demographic and socioeconomic groups, pointing to a potential uniformity in the effectiveness of the informational interventions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":321,"journal":{"name":"Food Policy","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 102760"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142593157","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food PolicyPub Date : 2024-11-01DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102766
Uwe Grewer , Dong-Hyuk Kim , Katharina Waha
{"title":"Too much, too soon? Early-maturing maize varieties as drought escape strategy in Malawi","authors":"Uwe Grewer , Dong-Hyuk Kim , Katharina Waha","doi":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102766","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102766","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Adopting early-maturing maize varieties can substantially increase yield and yield stability in suitable environments. Actionable recommendations that specify where early-maturing varieties can be suitably applied are lacking across low-income countries. We found for maize in Malawi that varieties with longer maturity duration provide on average the highest yield. However, if water stress occurs, we found that its timing determines which seed variety performs best. If water stress conditions are confined to the late season, early-maturing varieties escape drought and perform better than medium- and late-maturing varieties. Instead, if water stress conditions start already from mid-season, early-maturing varieties perform worst. Our results demonstrate that the typical seasonal timing of water stress can serve as a suitable criterion for recommending where to adopt early-maturing varieties. Finally, we propose an integrated research framework that complements our econometric analysis and allows to derive actionable variety suitability recommendations at the country level.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":321,"journal":{"name":"Food Policy","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 102766"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142705812","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food PolicyPub Date : 2024-11-01DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102767
Duo Chai , Shujin Yu , Ting Meng
{"title":"Do moral constraints and government interventions promote the willingness and behaviors of food saving among urban residents in China? An empirical study based on structural equation model","authors":"Duo Chai , Shujin Yu , Ting Meng","doi":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102767","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102767","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As income rises and the food supply becomes more sufficient, food waste becomes increasingly severe in emerging economies. Promoting food conservation behaviors among residents is crucial; however, there is little evidence of the consumer-related driving factors behind this behavior from both internal and external perspectives. Based on the theory of planned behavior and the structural equation model, this paper examines the impact mechanism of internal moral constraints and external government intervention on the psychology of saving food among Chinese urban residents in one research framework. Survey data combined from random street-stop interviews and an online survey are applied. Results show that moral constraints, as internal factors, still play a crucial role in forming Chinese urban residents’ willingness to save food. The most influencing mechanisms are through impacts on attitude (personal moral cognition) (β = 0.311) and perceived behavioral control (comparison of economic and moral costs and benefits) (β = 0.581). In the meantime, government interventions, as external factors, significantly impact residents’ willingness and behavior to save food. The government’s efforts in guiding food conservation have a direct promoting effect (β = 0.135) on the respondents’ food-saving willingness, while services and support to food conservation from the government directly promote food-saving behaviors (β = 0.068). Also, the number of household generations and respondent age positively impact food saving willingness, while chronic diseases, income, and food consumption expenditure have adverse impacts. Policies encouraging food saving need to conduct from both internal and external intervention. On the one hand, it demands to strengthen residents’ moral constrains by promoting traditional virtues and improving the awareness of global food security challenges, which can increase the benefits of food saving behaviors in terms of moral values. On the other hand, government intervention on guiding and supporting food conservation can effectively increase both willingness and behaviors of food saving.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":321,"journal":{"name":"Food Policy","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 102767"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142659403","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"How do women’s empowerment metrics measure up? A comparative analysis","authors":"Elizabeth Bageant , Erin Lentz , Sudha Narayanan , Nathan Jensen , Watson Lepariyo","doi":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102764","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102764","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Research has identified women’s empowerment as a critical factor for nutritional outcomes and a priority area for understanding women’s mental health status. At the same time, there is no consensus on how empowerment should be measured. The surrounding debate has produced several empowerment metrics that are widely used, yet we know little about whether they can be substituted for one another or their respective strengths and weaknesses. Using data collected from a single sample of women from rural, northern Kenya, we compare five empowerment metrics: The Project-level Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (pro-WEAI) and associated Health and Nutrition Module (HN), Women’s Empowerment in Nutrition Index (WENI), Women’s Empowerment in Livestock Index (WELI), and the Survey Based Women’s Empowerment Index (SWPER). The metrics have shared theoretical origins and are commonly used in the food, nutrition and health spaces to study rural women’s lives across low- and middle-income countries. We examine the metrics’ characteristics, distributions, pairwise correlations and capacity of each metric to predict outcomes often associated with the concept of empowerment: body mass index (BMI) and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). We find striking differences between these common empowerment metrics. The metrics’ correlations with one another are highly variable as are the predictive capacities for both outcomes. Further, our analysis finds that the choice of metric can dramatically influence which individuals are identified as empowered. In sum, our results suggest that while these metrics are used in remarkably similar ways to understand rural women’s empowerment and its consequences, unless they are computed with many identical survey questions, the metrics do not capture the same underlying concept and are not interchangeable. We recommend that our work be replicated elsewhere and caution should be taken when implementing and interpreting research using these metrics, as findings may be highly sensitive to the choice of metric.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":321,"journal":{"name":"Food Policy","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 102764"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142659404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food PolicyPub Date : 2024-11-01DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102762
Keijiro Otsuka , T.S. Jayne , Yukichi Mano , Kazushi Takahashi
{"title":"Viewpoint: Toward a sustainable Green Revolution in sub-Saharan Africa: The case of maize and rice","authors":"Keijiro Otsuka , T.S. Jayne , Yukichi Mano , Kazushi Takahashi","doi":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102762","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102762","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This Viewpoint article synthesizes seminal research from multiple disciplines in a virtual special collection (VSC) of Elsevier articles to highlight critical remaining steps to achieve a sustainable Green Revolution (SGR) in Africa. It is now widely recognized that the combined use of improved seeds and inorganic fertilizers – which were critical to the Asian Green Revolution – are necessary but insufficient conditions for African farmers to sustainably raise the productivity of their cereal crops. We highlight three key conclusions emerging from the VSC. First, achieving a maize SGR in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) will require the development of site-specific soil management practices that can be consistently applied by highly resource-constrained farmers. This condition is far from being achieved in most of SSA. Second, the challenges to achieving a rice SGR are different: Best management practices are largely established and effective. Rice yields have already increased dramatically in parts of SSA where Asian-style seed-fertilizer technology and cultivation practices have been adopted. Therefore, the priority for enhancing rice productivity in SSA is to promote wider adoption of these established practices in rice-producing areas. Third, overcoming these challenges for both maize and rice requires strong adaptive agricultural research, development, and extension organizations on the ground. Many African countries currently lack these organizations to carry out the core activities required to achieve a SGR; therefore, building institutional capacity for national and regional agricultural research, extension, and policy analysis is a fundamental component of an effective SGR strategy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":321,"journal":{"name":"Food Policy","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 102762"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142560536","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Food PolicyPub Date : 2024-11-01DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102763
Camille Horvath , Martin Koning , Gwenaëlle Raton , François Combes
{"title":"Short food supply chains: The influence of outlet and accessibility on farmer and consumer preferences. Two discrete choice experiments","authors":"Camille Horvath , Martin Koning , Gwenaëlle Raton , François Combes","doi":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102763","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2024.102763","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In France, Short Food Supply Chains (SFSCs) operate under specific regulatory frameworks, involving either direct sales or transactions with no more than one intermediary. SFSCs are of particular interest to local communities as they offer a potential pathway to enhancing food security through the local provisioning of urban areas. This study investigates both consumers’ and farmers’ preferences for different SFSC outlets. Harmonized discrete choice experiments (DCEs) were conducted in 2022 in France, involving 1,021 consumers and 154 market gardeners, focusing on the consumption and sale of fresh vegetables. The objective is to examine the consistency and divergence between farmers’ and consumers’ choices among different outlets and attributes. The results indicate that consumers are less sensitive to the type of outlet than farmers. For consumers, relational proximity—direct interaction with farmers—emerges as a key factor, whereas farmers value this proximity only when it does not entail additional logistical burdens. Furthermore, mutual aid among farmers is highly appreciated, with farmers willing to lower prices when collaborating on tasks such as delivery. The findings suggest that travel time and outlet accessibility are critical, with longer travel times negatively affecting consumers more than farmers. These insights provide valuable guidance for enhancing SFSCs development, suggesting that policymakers should prioritize improving outlet accessibility, promoting farmer collaboration, and addressing logistical costs to better align supply with demand.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":321,"journal":{"name":"Food Policy","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 102763"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142705810","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}