Food PolicyPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-12-18DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.103031
Jingwen Li, Jie Wang
{"title":"From endowment to engine: the rural innovation effects of China’s specialty agricultural industries","authors":"Jingwen Li, Jie Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.103031","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.103031","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The development of specialty agriculture plays a vital role in unlocking rural potential. However, the impact of policy-driven agricultural industrial cultivation on rural innovation has not been systematically examined. Using panel data from 1,805 Chinese counties between 2014 and 2021, this study treats the designation of China’s Agricultural Product Advantage Zones as a quasi-natural experiment and employs a multi-period difference-in-differences (DID) approach to empirically examine the impact of specialty agricultural industries on rural innovation. The results indicate that the development of specialty agricultural industries can significantly promote rural innovation. Further analysis confirms that specialty agricultural industries stimulate regional innovation elements by increasing government expenditure on science and education, expanding the scale of innovative entities, and improving the level of digital infrastructure—all of which contribute to enhanced rural innovation outcomes. Moreover, the development of digital inclusive finance further amplifies their innovation-enhancing effects. This study offers practical insights into how policy-driven specialty agricultural industries can stimulate innovation vitality, and provides a reference development pathway for other developing countries with agricultural-terroir advantages.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":321,"journal":{"name":"Food Policy","volume":"138 ","pages":"Article 103031"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145786429","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 : 2025-11-01Epub Date: 2025-12-03DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.103016
Christopher B. Barrett , Xinyu Ma , H. Holly Wang , Jason Jianqiang Zhao
{"title":"Food Policy at 50 years","authors":"Christopher B. Barrett , Xinyu Ma , H. Holly Wang , Jason Jianqiang Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.103016","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.103016","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The world’s food systems have changed considerably since the journal <em>Food Policy</em> launched 50 years ago. The journal has evolved along with both the issues most active in prevailing food policy discussions as well as with advances in the theories, methods, data, and evidentiary standards of the policy research community. This article introduces a 50th anniversary special issue, reviews the half-century-long evolution of the journal, and discusses what the patterns apparent therein signal about food policy issues more broadly.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":321,"journal":{"name":"Food Policy","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 103016"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145733415","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":"Mitigating food security impacts from crisis in high-income countries: lessons from different contexts","authors":"Katherine Baldwin , Kristina Mensah , Laura Tiehen , Bettina Rudloff","doi":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.102956","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.102956","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recent global events, including COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war, have brought to light vulnerabilities in global food supply chains. As a result, domestic food security in crisis situations is increasingly a topic of concern even in high-income countries. However, to date, there is limited literature to inform crisis response policy for food security in high-income countries. At the same time, related strands of literature from other crisis and country contexts offer relevant policy conclusions to inform the evidence base and identify areas for future research. This article expands the scope of analysis to review five related bodies of work, with the major aim of identifying findings relevant for food security policy in high-income countries in crises. First, we consider analysis related to food security policy in general crises contexts from the 1) disaster risk management in food and agriculture and 2) food and agricultural supply chain resilience literatures. Then, we turn to country context-specific findings, reviewing 3) food security policy in crisis situations in low- and middle-income countries, 4) food security policy outside of crisis in high-income countries, and finishing with the major focus of our review on nascent literature related to 5) food security policy in crisis situations in high-income countries. The review concludes by highlighting common themes relevant to food security policy and identifying research gaps to be addressed by future work.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":321,"journal":{"name":"Food Policy","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 102956"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145412431","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 : 2025-11-01Epub Date: 2025-09-08DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.102945
Paul Dorosh, Nicholas Minot, Shahidur Rashid
{"title":"Food price stabilization: theory and lessons from experience","authors":"Paul Dorosh, Nicholas Minot, Shahidur Rashid","doi":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.102945","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.102945","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Many countries pursue food price stabilization through public grain reserves (also called buffer stocks or strategic grain reserves) or trade policy. Views of the economics profession on food price stabilization have evolved over time, however, with increased skepticism about economic planning and government market interventions since the mid-1980s. Nonetheless, recent spikes in international commodity prices during the Covid-19 pandemic and at the start of the war in Ukraine have stimulated another wave of interest in establishing or expanding strategic grain reserves and food-based safety net programs.</div><div>This article reviews the experience with food price stabilization, focusing on public grain reserves and trade policy. We summarize research on the theory of price stabilization and the challenges of stabilizing food prices in the face of volatile international prices, speculative attacks, imperfect information, and political interference. We also include empirical studies of how these programs function in seven countries. The review concludes with a summary of key lessons from country experiences and suggestions for further research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":321,"journal":{"name":"Food Policy","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 102945"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145018758","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 : 2025-11-01Epub Date: 2025-10-29DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.102983
Matilde Reitano , Michelle S. Segovia , Rodolfo M. Nayga Jr.
{"title":"A systematic review on the impact of Artificial Intelligence in the agri-food supply chain","authors":"Matilde Reitano , Michelle S. Segovia , Rodolfo M. Nayga Jr.","doi":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.102983","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.102983","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With a growing global population and escalating concerns over food security, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative technology capable of optimizing agricultural processes and improving resource efficiency and security. This systematic review explores the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in the whole agri-food supply chain, focusing on its implications for agricultural productivity and consumer behavior. Using the PRISMA guideline, a total of 64 articles were selected to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of research on artificial intelligence applications within this domain. Unlike previous reviews, this study leverages cluster analysis to categorize research findings into four main themes: 1) adoption of AI technologies in agriculture, 2) applications of AI in the intermediary management of the supply chain, 3) consumer perceptions and acceptance of AI-powered food innovations, and 4) the role of AI in precision nutrition and personalized health management. The review identifies key benefits of AI, including enhanced decision-making capabilities, improved supply chain transparency, and the facilitation of personalized nutrition strategies. It also highlights significant challenges such as technological accessibility, knowledge gaps among agricultural stakeholders, consumer skepticism, and notable methodological limitations in the existing research. The insights presented in this review contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the AI’s role in shaping the future of the agri-food supply chain and provide a foundation for policymakers, researchers, and industry stakeholders to develop strategies that maximize the societal and economic benefits of AI integration in the agri-food supply chain.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":321,"journal":{"name":"Food Policy","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 102983"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145412429","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 : 2025-11-01Epub Date: 2025-09-18DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.102953
Xiao Dong , Anne T. Byrne , Alana Rhone , Michele Ver Ploeg
{"title":"Review: untangling the complex economics of the local food retail environment","authors":"Xiao Dong , Anne T. Byrne , Alana Rhone , Michele Ver Ploeg","doi":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.102953","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.102953","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The local food retail environment—or the stores, restaurants and other vendors where households acquire the majority of their food—has long been of interest to researchers and policy makers who care about the connections between it and household outcomes like diet, health, and consumer welfare. The local food retail environment, its characteristics and household outcomes are jointly determined by household and firm decisions through complex economic interactions, making it often difficult to parse out causality and important to have clear, shared definitions. This article highlights, reviews, synthesizes, and discusses current research on the complex economic relationships between households and the local food retail environment. We dedicate extra attention to a discussion and review of the economics behind understanding the association between market concentration and food outcomes of interest. Moreover, we discuss the necessity of understanding these relationships for impactful research and improved policy making.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":321,"journal":{"name":"Food Policy","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 102953"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145095298","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 : 2025-11-01Epub Date: 2025-10-29DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.102984
Mequanint B. Melesse , Mywish K. Maredia , Tesfamicheal Wossen , Damaris Odeny , David J. Spielman , Hope Michelson , Showkat Ahmad Waza , Kelvin Kamunye , Arega Alene , Manzoor H. Dar , Victor Afari-Sefa , Prabhu Pingali
{"title":"The role of genotyping in measuring improved variety adoption and impact: advances, challenges, and policy directions","authors":"Mequanint B. Melesse , Mywish K. Maredia , Tesfamicheal Wossen , Damaris Odeny , David J. Spielman , Hope Michelson , Showkat Ahmad Waza , Kelvin Kamunye , Arega Alene , Manzoor H. Dar , Victor Afari-Sefa , Prabhu Pingali","doi":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.102984","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.102984","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurate measurement of agricultural technology adoption is critical for evaluating the effectiveness of investments in agricultural research and development. While household surveys have long served as the primary tool for tracking varietal adoption, growing evidence reveals systematic mismatches between self-reported and DNA verified varietal identity. These mismatches arise from distinct local and scientific varietal nomenclatures, complex seed systems, and high varietal release rates. This review examines the emerging role of genotyping, particularly DNA fingerprinting, as a complementary method for varietal identification and adoption measurement. Drawing on a growing body of studies across crops and geographies, we assess how DNA fingerprinting alters adoption estimates, reveals patterns of varietal misclassification, and enhances our understanding of seed system performance. We identify critical design considerations for implementing DNA fingerprinting at scale, including sampling strategies, reference library construction, and integration with standard household surveys. The review also highlights methodological innovations to reduce DNA fingerprinting costs and explores how fingerprinting can inform monitoring, evaluation, and scaling of agricultural innovations. Finally, we outline key research and policy priorities to mainstream DNA fingerprinting into national agricultural systems and to support more evidence-based, accountable, and equitable food policy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":321,"journal":{"name":"Food Policy","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 102984"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145412430","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}