{"title":"Economic Analysis of Global and Local Policies for Respecting Planetary Boundaries","authors":"Thomas W. Hertel","doi":"10.1111/agec.70008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/agec.70008","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In a series of highly cited papers over the period of 2009–2023, earth system scientists have identified a set of nine planetary boundaries that must not be breached if we wish to avoid catastrophic consequences for nature and humanity. These range from well-mixed, global boundaries, such as climate-altering atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations, to localized limits on freshwater availability and reactive nitrogen entering the environment. Recent estimates suggest that six of the nine planetary boundaries have already been breached. The food system is a key driver of these exceedances and, therefore, must play a key role in any solutions. However, the establishment of these boundaries and the analysis of potential solutions have often been devoid of economic considerations. Furthermore, in the case of several of these planetary boundaries, limited attention has been given to the economic policies that might allow society to address them, as well as the likely synergies and tradeoffs across economic policies targeted to individual objectives. This paper seeks to bring further economic analysis to bear on the quantitative assessment of global and local economic policies aimed at respecting these planetary boundaries, concluding with seven lessons to inform future research on this topic.</p>","PeriodicalId":50837,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Economics","volume":"56 3","pages":"336-348"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/agec.70008","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144091794","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Vincenzina Caputo, Jayson L. Lusk, Dan Blaustein-Rejto
{"title":"Plant-Based versus Conventional Meat in Food Away From Home Settings: Substitution, Complementarity, and Market Impacts","authors":"Vincenzina Caputo, Jayson L. Lusk, Dan Blaustein-Rejto","doi":"10.1111/agec.70002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/agec.70002","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Evidence regarding whether consumers view plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) as substitutes for or complements to meat is mixed; however, the ultimate effect of increased demand for PBMAs on poultry and livestock production depends on this relationship. Existing elasticity estimates primarily come from stated-preference discrete-choice models, which assume all options are substitutes. This study employs a basket-based choice experiment (BBCE) to estimate own- and cross-price elasticities in food-away-from-home consumption settings. The elasticity estimates from the BBCE are then used to calibrate an equilibrium displacement model, which links shifts in demand for PBMAs to livestock and poultry supplies. Our findings indicate (1) there is a mix of complementarity and substitution between conventional meat and PBMAs, (2) the own-price elasticity of PBMAs lies between those of premium meat options (salmon and ribeye steak) and more affordable choices (burgers and chicken breast), and (3) lowering prices of PBMAs (or increasing consumers’ willingness-to-pay for PBMAs) is unlikely to significantly impact conventional poultry and livestock production.</p>","PeriodicalId":50837,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Economics","volume":"56 4","pages":"587-603"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/agec.70002","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144574240","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Satellite Data in Agricultural and Environmental Economics: Theory and Practice","authors":"David Wuepper, Wyclife Agumba Oluoch, Hadi Hadi","doi":"10.1111/agec.70006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/agec.70006","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Agricultural and environmental economists are in the fortunate position that a lot of what is happening on the ground is observable from space. Most agricultural production happens in the open and one can see from space when and where innovations are adopted, crop yields change, or forests are converted to pastures, to name just a few examples. However, converting remotely sensed images into measurements of a particular variable is not trivial, as there are more pitfalls and nuances than “meet the eye”. Overall, however, research benefits tremendously from advances in available satellite data as well as complementary tools, such as cloud-based platforms, machine learning algorithms, and econometric approaches. Our goal here is to provide agricultural and environmental economists with an accessible introduction to working with satellite data, show-case applications, discuss pitfalls and available solutions, and emphasize the best practices. This is supported by extensive supporting information, where we describe how to create different variables, common workflows, and a discussion of required resources and skills. Last but not least, example data and reproducible codes are made available online.</p>","PeriodicalId":50837,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Economics","volume":"56 3","pages":"493-511"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/agec.70006","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144091298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Navigating the Measurement Frontier: New Insights Into Small Farm Realities","authors":"Hope Michelson","doi":"10.1111/agec.70013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/agec.70013","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Measurement is not only a way of describing complex realities; it can also transform those realities by influencing policies. We live in an era of measurement innovation: new methods to deploy and new ways of adapting familiar, proven strategies to new contexts. This paper explores how new measurements provide fresh insights into the circumstances of small-farm households worldwide and describes challenges that these techniques have yet to overcome. Because the small farm sector plays a crucial role in global food security, global value chains, and rural livelihoods, understanding its conditions is a persistent focus of policymakers and researchers. I discuss how measures including satellite-based assessments of crop yields, tree cover, temperature, and rainfall, laboratory measures of soil and agricultural input quality, GPS-based plot area calculations, labor activity trackers, and high-frequency household surveys conducted via cellular phones are providing an improved understanding of fundamental dimensions of small farms and agrarian households. I identify important gaps in what is currently measured, discuss challenges related to implementing and interpreting new measures, and argue that new measurement strategies should be combined with continued investment for traditional “analog measures”—the household and farm surveys that remain fundamental for data collection in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).</p>","PeriodicalId":50837,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Economics","volume":"56 3","pages":"526-542"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/agec.70013","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144091297","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Sustainability Standards in Agri-Food Value Chains: Impacts and Trade-Offs for Smallholder Farmers","authors":"Meike Wollni, Sophia Bohn, Carolina Ocampo-Ariza, Bruno Paz, Simone Santalucia, Margherita Squarcina, Françoise Umarishavu, Marlene Yu Lilin Wätzold","doi":"10.1111/agec.70005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/agec.70005","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The global agri-food system faces major challenges in meeting the growing demand for food in an equitable way while mitigating environmental impacts such as deforestation, soil degradation, and climate change. Over the past few decades, voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) have proliferated as a potential instrument to promote more sustainable global value chains and sourcing practices. Although the body of impact evaluations on VSS has grown, most studies focus on single outcome dimensions, leaving interactions between dimensions underexplored. In this study, we use a conceptual framework to assess the relationships between VSS interventions and key sustainable food system outcomes across multiple dimensions. Our study focuses on economic prosperity, healthy ecosystems, gender equality, and food security, with a particular emphasis on identifying potential trade-offs and synergies between these dimensions. To illustrate the interactions identified in our framework, we present empirical data from three case studies in Ghana, Rwanda, and Peru. Our findings underscore the importance of balancing trade-offs and fostering synergies to advance sustainability across multiple dimensions. This study contributes to ongoing discussions on the effectiveness of VSS in promoting sustainability by highlighting their potential impacts, as well as the trade-offs that must be managed, to achieve more sustainable food systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":50837,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Economics","volume":"56 3","pages":"373-389"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/agec.70005","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144091264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Gendered Patterns of Labor in Agriculture","authors":"Cheryl Doss, Charles Gottlieb","doi":"10.1111/agec.70012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/agec.70012","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>As countries develop and experience structural transformation, the gendered patterns of labor change. We use harmonized labor force data and do not find evidence that women's share of the agricultural labor force is positively correlated with per capita income. Yet, the evidence shows many changes taking place that vary across locations. We identify five areas that require attention to understand these processes of change: the patterns of joint ownership and management among smallholder farmers, the responses to the migration of men off-farm, shifts across sectoral boundaries, time spent on domestic services and care work, and the impact on empowerment. It is important to go beyond the number of people employed in production agriculture to understand the many ways that the gendered patterns of labor are changing.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50837,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Economics","volume":"56 3","pages":"431-445"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144091355","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eva-Marie Meemken, Olayinka Aremu, Anna Fabry, Celestina Heepen, Patrick Illien, Marie Kammer, Andrew Laitha
{"title":"Policy for Decent Work in Agriculture","authors":"Eva-Marie Meemken, Olayinka Aremu, Anna Fabry, Celestina Heepen, Patrick Illien, Marie Kammer, Andrew Laitha","doi":"10.1111/agec.70009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/agec.70009","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The agricultural sector offers employment for a large share (⅛) of the global population, yet there are various employment challenges, including precarious working conditions and labor market frictions, contributing to labor shortages in some—and unemployment in other—regions. It remains unclear which policy tools are best suited to address these challenges as the extant evidence is scattered, limited, and lacks a comprehensive overview of policy options. Here, we fill this gap by offering the first literature review on this topic, unraveling the complexity of employment challenges, providing an overview of policy tools, and proposing a policy and research agenda. Our overview shows that a bundle of coherent, national, and international policies is needed to address the interconnected and global nature of employment challenges in agriculture. Many such tools are available but few of them have been rigorously evaluated, often because suitable data are lacking. Our contribution is timely, given the surge in public interest in social sustainability, the proliferation of policies for decent work in agriculture, and limited research guiding these efforts.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50837,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Economics","volume":"56 3","pages":"401-418"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144091363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Opening the Village Door: China's Agricultural E-Commerce Facilitates the Transformation of Land Rental Markets","authors":"Linyi Zheng, Lili Li, Songqing Jin","doi":"10.1111/agec.70010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/agec.70010","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>High transaction costs and information asymmetry in developing countries not only constrain land transactions but also limit them among village acquaintances, hindering the marketization of land. E-commerce, emerging as a new phenomenon in rural areas, has the potential to disrupt this status quo. Drawing on nationally representative data from the 2017 and 2019 China Rural Household Panel Survey, this study employs a panel Tobit model and propensity score matching approach to examine the relationship between agricultural e-commerce and the transformation of land rental markets. Our findings reveal that agricultural e-commerce is associated with higher land rents by attracting agricultural operators and enhancing agricultural profitability, thereby facilitating the transformation of land rental markets. The association is further strengthened by road infrastructure, with better road infrastructure enhancing the positive link between agricultural e-commerce and land rents. Moreover, the correlation between agricultural e-commerce and land rents is more pronounced in households with more female members and weaker political and economic ties, reflecting the value of agricultural e-commerce in promoting inclusive development. In addition, agricultural e-commerce is positively influenced by the formalization of land leases through written contracts. These findings highlight the importance of agricultural e-commerce in fostering the development of the land rental market in China and other developing countries, emphasizing the need for policies to support its continued growth.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50837,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Economics","volume":"56 4","pages":"622-636"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144573773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Rocking the Boat to Change the Debate: Identifying and Testing Conventional Wisdom","authors":"Thomas Reardon","doi":"10.1111/agec.70014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/agec.70014","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This paper presents a method for and experiences with pioneering new research directions that challenge “conventional wisdom” and change policy and research debates. The method consists of four steps: (1) identify the conventional wisdom (CW); (2) ignore the CW and go to the field without pre-conceived notions, and look long and hard at reality—with interviews and surveys broad enough to allow oneself to make discoveries that contradict the CW; (3) then identify the contradictions between the CW and the field discoveries and pinpoint the implications for policy and research debates; (4) develop and mainstream a new research theme along a research “product cycle.” The paper summarizes my and collaborators’ application of the method with illustrations from four waves of market economics field research in Africa, Asia, and Latin America since the 1980s: (a) rural nonfarm employment; (b) processed food consumption; (c) the “hidden middle” (rapid diffusion of small and medium enterprises in the midstream of value chains); and (d) the “supermarket revolution”. The paper ends with a discussion of the benefits of this approach to policy and research debates and the researcher's own career, as well as considerations of risks, timing, and approach for application of the method.</p><p><b>JEL Classification</b>: D12, J20, O12, O18, Q12, Q18</p>","PeriodicalId":50837,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Economics","volume":"56 3","pages":"543-553"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/agec.70014","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144091352","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Groundwater Use in Agriculture in South Asia: The Role of Technology","authors":"Soumya Balasubramanya","doi":"10.1111/agec.70004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/agec.70004","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In recent years, the policy discourse in South Asia has increasingly focused on reducing pressure on groundwater use in irrigated agriculture and reducing irrigation energy subsidies, without making farmers worse off. In an environment where pricing water and energy is administratively and politically challenging, much hope is placed on the widespread adoption of irrigation technologies that improve irrigation efficiency. This paper highlights knowledge gaps in this discourse, to identify avenues where research could inform evidence-based decision-making.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50837,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Economics","volume":"56 3","pages":"474-484"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144091268","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}