Academic literature on the topic 'Agri-Food SME'
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Journal articles on the topic "Agri-Food SME"
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Simmons, Geoffrey J., Mark G. Durkin, Pauric McGowan, and Gillian A. Armstrong. "Determinants of internet adoption by SME agri‐food companies." Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development 14, no. 4 (October 30, 2007): 620–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/14626000710832730.
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Camanzi, Luca, and Carlo Giua. "SME network relationships and competitive strategies in the agri-food sector." European Business Review 32, no. 3 (January 10, 2020): 405–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ebr-08-2019-0150.
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the main factors influencing agri-food small and medium enterprises (SMEs) participation in business networks and to evaluate the impacts of these factors on network structure and the ensuing competitive strategy. Design/methodology/approach The study is articulated in four main steps. First, a critical literature review is conducted concerning the main approaches to firm competitive advantage and the role of stakeholder relationships. Then, three research questions are formulated and discussed in the light of two case studies describing the implementation of an innovative contractual solution in Italy (i.e. business network contracts). Finally, based on these findings, a set of more general “propositions” are stated and included in a provisional conceptual model that schematically depicts an integrated vision of the antecedents and mechanisms influencing SMEs business network structure and competitive strategy. Findings The study results pointed out the opportunity to adopt an integrated approach, combining resource-based view and stakeholder causal scope approaches. The provisional conceptual model proposed illustrates the role of both external and internal resources and relational constructs to shaping network structure and competitive strategy. Originality/value The study’s contribution is twofold. First, the empirical study shed light on opportunities and limits of two business networks with different backgrounds, approaches and outcomes towards value creation. Second, the conceptual framework proposed advances our understanding and knowledge of the factors and mechanisms influencing SMEs business network structure and competitive strategy.
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O’Connor, Christina, and Stephen Kelly. "Facilitating knowledge management through filtered big data: SME competitiveness in an agri-food sector." Journal of Knowledge Management 21, no. 1 (February 13, 2017): 156–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jkm-08-2016-0357.
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Purpose This paper aims to critique a facilitated knowledge management (KM) process that utilises filtered big data and, specifically, the process effectiveness in overcoming barriers to small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs’) use of big data, the processes enablement of SME engagement with and use of big data and the process effect on SME competitiveness within an agri-food sector. Design/methodology/approach From 300 participant firms, SME owner-managers representing seven longitudinal case studies were contacted by the facilitator at least once-monthly over six months. Findings Results indicate that explicit and tacit knowledge can be enhanced when SMEs have access to a facilitated programme that analyses, packages and explains big data consumer analytics captured by a large pillar firm in a food network. Additionally, big data and knowledge are mutually exclusive unless effective KM processes are implemented. Several barriers to knowledge acquisition and application stem from SME resource limitations, strategic orientation and asymmetrical power relationships within a network. Research limitations/implications By using Dunnhumby data, this study captured the impact of only one form of big data, consumer analytics. However, this is a significant data set for SME agri-food businesses. Additionally, although the SMEs were based in only one UK region, Northern Ireland, there is wide scope for future research across multiple UK regions with the same Dunnhumby data set. Originality/value The study demonstrates the potential relevance of big data to SMEs’ activities and developments, explicitly identifying that realising this potential requires the data to be filtered and presented as market-relevant information that engages SMEs, recognises relationship dynamics and supports learning through feedback and two-way dialogue. This is the first study that empirically analyses filtered big data and SME competitiveness. The examination of relationship dynamics also overcomes existing literature limitations where SMEs’ constraints are seen as the prime factor restricting knowledge transfer.
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Yawson, David Eshun. "Knowledge Utilisation in AgriFood SMEs: Effects of Organisational and Informational Factors." Archives of Business Research 8, no. 7 (August 4, 2020): 235–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/abr.87.8664.
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Given the critical role of information and marketing in SME management it is surprising that little attention has been paid to the salient factors that motivate or inhibits consumer information used by agrifood SMEs. A model of organisational and informational factors affecting knowledge utilisation in Agri-food SMEs is presented and empirically tested through partial least squares analysis via SmartPLS. The results of the empirical testing of the conceptual model provide evidence to indicate that functional and technical qualities, provider-user interaction and usefulness in the market environment are determinants of knowledge utilisation. The findings of this study have implications for agri-food SME management in the UK regarding their growth and competitiveness in the medium and long term.
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Goue, Arnaud Fabrice, Ayi Ayayi Gavriel, and Patrick Drogui. "Optimizing The Effectiveness Of HACCP In Agri- Food SMEs." European Scientific Journal, ESJ 12, no. 24 (August 30, 2016): 18. http://dx.doi.org/10.19044/esj.2016.v12n24p18.
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Improving the safety of food products manufactured and marketed by agri-food businesses, and in particular by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of this industry, was the aim of this study focusing on optimizing the effectiveness of the HACCP system. The main objective was to determine which of the parameters involved in the operation of the HACCP system significantly influenced its effectiveness in order to make suggestions to SME managers on how to improve the safety of their food products.
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SOUSSI, Nour-Eddine, Habib ELFATHAOUI, and Jamal AGOURAM. "Governance and Performance of Agri-Food Exporting SMEs." Asian Journal of Social Sciences and Management Studies 8, no. 4 (December 9, 2021): 83–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.20448/journal.500.2021.84.83.91.
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Moroccan SME's are involved in local development and are currently the subject of several studies. Furthermore, Moroccan SMEs are crucial to the country's economic growth since they produce value, create employment, and play an important role in local development. The goal is to identify the factors that influence its export performance. This performance can be influenced by the governance system, which is defined as a set of mechanisms that have the effect of limiting managers' powers and influencing their decisions. In this light, the purpose of this paper is to demonstrate, using a sample of food SME's in Agadir city, that a good governance system improves export performance and accelerates the process of SME internationalization. Based on the findings of this study, we can infer that SMEs with effective internal governance mechanisms, such as an internal control and consultation body and strong hierarchical control, may improve their export performance and, as a result, their internationalization potential.
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Didukh, Serhii, and Victoria Minina. "Current directions of inclusive development of small and medium-sized enterprises of Ukraine in the agricultural industry." Ukrainian Journal of Applied Economics and Technology 8, no. 4 (October 25, 2023): 221–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.36887/2415-8453-2023-4-36.
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The article is devoted to studying the critical role played by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in forming the system of inclusive development of the agro-food industry in Ukraine. The urgency of this issue becomes evident in the conditions of a full-scale war and the need for post-war reconstruction. To achieve this goal, the work uses various research methods, including survey-analytical, abstract-logical generalization, graphic method, system analysis, and synthesis. In this work, the institutional prerequisites of the concept of inclusive development were determined, strategies in this direction were outlined, and scientific approaches to interpreting the term "inclusive development" were generalized. We offer a conceptual model of the inclusive development of SMEs in Ukraine and have identified the role of SMEs in forming an inclusive environment of the agro-food sector. The development of SMEs in the agri-food industry should be based on inclusiveness, which involves including different groups of society, ensuring equal opportunities, and supporting participation in entrepreneurship. The agri-food sector requires the ability of SMEs to develop sustainably and innovate. Inclusive development should focus on creating conditions for innovative growth, which will contribute to the competitiveness of enterprises. It is essential to emphasize the role of SMEs in fulfilling the social mission, mainly promoting the preservation and development of regional communities, and ensuring quality products and employment. Effective inclusive development involves establishing partnerships between SMEs, the public sector, and government institutions and ensuring access to financial, technological, and educational resources. The inclusive development of SMEs in the agri-food sector must consider gender aspects, promoting equal access of women and men to entrepreneurial activities. The article also analyzes the existing and prospective state support mechanisms for SMEs in wartime. We consider how SMEs can influence the country's post-war reconstruction in the context of the agri-food industry. Our further research will be aimed at substantiating the main directions of SME development in the conditions of an inclusive economy, improving the toolkit for assessing the inclusive development of SMEs and substantiating the model of inclusive development of SMEs in the agri-food industry. Keywords: small and medium-sized enterprises, inclusive development, inclusion, concept of inclusive development, model of inclusive development, agri-food industry, agri-food enterprises
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Cocco, Luisanna, Katiuscia Mannaro, Roberto Tonelli, Lorena Mariani, Matteo B. Lodi, Andrea Melis, Marco Simone, and Alessandro Fanti. "A Blockchain-Based Traceability System in Agri-Food SME: Case Study of a Traditional Bakery." IEEE Access 9 (2021): 62899–915. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/access.2021.3074874.
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McAdam, Maura, Rodney McAdam, Adele Dunn, and Clare McCall. "Regional Horizontal Networks within the SME Agri-Food Sector: An Innovation and Social Network Perspective." Regional Studies 50, no. 8 (February 23, 2015): 1316–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00343404.2015.1007935.
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Zarbà, Carla, Salvatore Bracco, Biagio Pecorino, Gioacchino Pappalardo, Gaetano Chinnici, and Mario D’Amico. "Supporting Agri-Food SMEs in Italy in the Post-COVID-19 Context: From Horizon 2020 to Horizon Europe." Sustainability 14, no. 13 (June 22, 2022): 7615. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su14137615.
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In recent decades, European policy has targeted specific measures towards SMEs. The recently concluded Horizon 2020 Programme, under the Europe 2020 Strategy, has provided economic support to stimulate competitiveness and boost the economy of member states by focusing on innovation. The SME Instrument, through a structure of multiple calls, constituted the vehicle for SMEs to access the funds made available by the European Union with disruptive innovation proposals. The initial structure of the SME Instrument, developed in phases and along the lines of the US Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Programme, was afterwards simplified in the design of its successor, the EIC Accelerator Pilot. The success of the above mentioned economic instruments led the European institutions to develop a new instrument, the EIC Accelerator, supported by the current Horizon Europe programme. After outlining the main features of this transition and the novelties introduced, this paper aims to ascertain the extent to which SMEs in the agri-food sector in Italy have had the ability and opportunity to intercept funds by measuring participation in the SME Instrument. Furthermore, it intends to verify which type of firms in the agri-food sector, divided into agricultural and industrial enterprises, intercepted more of the examined funds, and which organisational phase, productive or commercial, the enterprises have been oriented towards, also giving relevancy to the specific objects of the winning projects.
Dissertations / Theses on the topic "Agri-Food SME"
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Bakkour, Mahmoud. "Gouvernance des PME et stratégies de marquage ˸ le cas des PME agroalimentaires." Electronic Thesis or Diss., Montpellier, SupAgro, 2017. http://www.theses.fr/2017NSAM0021.
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Cette thèse examine le lien entre la gouvernance des petites et moyennes entreprises (PME) et les stratégies de marquage. En se basant sur une double approche, disciplinaire (théorie d’agence) et cognitive (théorie de l’intendance) et en prenant en compte les spécificité des PME en matière de gouvernance et de stratégie, nous proposons un cadre théorique d’analyse de ce lien. Une application empirique aux PME agroalimentaires (AA) de la région Languedoc-Roussillon (LR) grâce à deux enquêtes révèle plusieurs déterminants de la politique de marque.Notre recherche utilise une méthodologie alliant à la fois une approche quantitative et une approche qualitative. La première enquête s’appuie sur des données de questionnaires extraits d’un panel d’entreprises agroalimentaires suivies sur une période de sept ans dans le cadre de l’enquête EAA (339 entreprises en 2002, 322 entreprises en 2009). Une deuxième enquête qualitative réalisée grâce à des entretiens semi-directifs auprès de 9 responsables des PME AA.Les résultats montrent que la structure de propriété, les objectifs des actionnaires et le processus de prise de décision ainsi que les caractéristiques du dirigeant influencent les choix en termes de marque des produits. En particulier nous montrons que les entreprises familiales choisissent massivement de commercialiser leurs produits sans marques. Les entreprises actionnariales ont recours à une marque propre et à des marques en sous-traitance et enfin les sociétés coopératives offrent des produits avec une marque propre et des signes de qualité comme l’AOP et l’IGP. Au delà des facteurs liés au type de gouvernance, d’autres déterminants comme la taille de la PME et le secteur d’activité ou encore les crises et facteurs externes ont un effet significatif dans le choix des marquesThis thesis examines the relationship between the governance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and branding strategies. Based on a dual approach, disciplinary (agency theory) and cognitive (stewardship theory), and taking into consideration the specificity of SMEs in governance and strategy, we propose a theoretical framework for analyzing this link. An empirical application to the agri-food SMEs in the Languedoc-Roussillon region (South of France) through two surveys reveals several determinants of branding strategies.Our research uses a methodology combining both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The first survey is based on questionnaires extracted data from a panel of agri-food companies followed over a period of seven years as part of the EAA survey (339 companies in 2002 and 322 companies in 2009). A second qualitative survey was conducted through semi-structured interviews with managers in 9 agri-food SMEs.The results show that the ownership structure, the shareholders’ goals, the decision-making process and the characteristics of the manager influence the choices of products brand. In particular, we prove that family businesses massively choose to commercialize their products without brands, the shareholders' enterprises use their own brand and subcontract brands, and the cooperative companies offer products with an own brand and signs of quality such as DOP and PGI. Beyond the factors linked to the type of governance, other determinants have a significant effect on the choice of brands such as the size of the SME, the sector of activity or also the crises and external factors
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Carraça, Nicole de Fátima Pereira. "Plano de marketing para PME no sector do agro-negócio: o caso da queijaria Carraça." Master's thesis, Universidade de Évora, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10174/21784.
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Este trabalho de projeto consiste na elaboração de um Plano de Marketing para uma microempresa do ramo agroalimentar – Queijaria Carraça. Com este visa-se mostrar a importância da adoção do marketing e do plano de marketing para empresas de menor dimensão, como a empresa objeto de estudo.
O trabalho inicia-se com uma revisão teórica acerca dos temas Planeamento de Marketing, Marketing na PME e Agronegócio de forma a sustentar teoricamente o projeto.
Em termos de metodologia do Trabalho de Projeto recorre-se à abordagem qualitativa com recurso aos métodos de pesquisa exploratória e de observação. A este nível adaptou-se uma estrutura de plano de Marketing a ser seguida no desenvolvimento do projeto, neste sentido adaptou-se as perspetivas dos vários autores consultados, de forma a melhor responder às necessidades e dimensão da empresa.
Por fim elaborou-se o plano de forma adequada à realidade da empresa e com o objetivo de proporcionar crescimento à mesma.
Recomenda-se que a empresa em estudo não descure o planeamento e encare o marketing como uma área fulcral, devendo avançar com o plano proposto; Abstract:
Marketing Plan for SME in Agribusiness sector: The Case of Queijaria Carraça
This project work consists in the elaboration of a Marketing plan for a micro-enterprise of the agro-alimentary branch – Queijaria Carraça. This aims to show the importance of adopting marketing and marketing plan for smaller enterprises, such as the company object of study.
The work begins with a theoretical review of the themes of marketing plan, marketing in SMEs and agribusiness in order to theoretically sustain the project.
In terms of methodology of the project work, the qualitative approach is applied to the methods of exploratory research and observation. At this level, a Marketing plan structure to be followed in the development of the project was adapted to the perspectives of the various authors consulted, in order to better respond to the needs and size of the company.
Finally, the plan was devised adequately for the company's reality and with the aim of providing growth.
It is recommended that the company in the study does not neglect the planning and face marketing as a focal area, and should proceed with the proposed plan.
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Erissini, Elisa <1992>. "Network Contract: internationalisation of Italian Agri-food SMEs." Master's Degree Thesis, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/10579/14733.
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l'obbiettivo della mia tesi è quello di analizzare come il contratto di rete possa contribuire all'internazionalizzazione delle PMI nel settore agroalimentare. Capire se questo strumento innovativo può aiutare a portare i prodotti agricoli nei mercati esteri, promuovendo il Made in Italy anche per le imprese che da sole non sarebbero in grado di farlo.
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Reffo, Massimo <1997>. "Digital transformation of agri-food SMEs in the North East of Italy." Master's Degree Thesis, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, 2022. http://hdl.handle.net/10579/20841.
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The aim of this study is to provide a cross-section about the status of digital transformation process in agri-food sector. The thesis is written in collaboration with a project of the Agrifood Management & Innovation Lab, the observatory born within the Management department of Ca' Foscari University of Venice. After a broad introduction of the main concepts of digital transformation, an analysis on the adoption of digital technologies in agri-food sector is provided. Then, new primary data collected through a survey on 300 agri-food SMEs is presented. Here, the focus is shifted to the scenario of North-eastern Italy area. All the participants are asked about the level of digital integration into their internal and external business processes. Five selected companies are also deeply interviewed in order to get a more qualitative and extensive vision regarding the digitalisation of the agri-food sector in Triveneto. This brings the quali-quantitative analysis to an even greater and more detailed focus as well as reporting some concrete examples. Thus, the reader is provided with an understanding of the dynamics of the agribusiness sector through the reworking of existing literature and data, as well as the presentation of new data and information, specifically collected for this study.
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Tsorbatzoglou, Konstaninos. "Marketing in successful agri-food small and medium sized enterprises in the North of England." Thesis, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/10443/503.
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Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) are vital components of many economic sectors including agri-food. However, due to their nature, SMEs face a number of developmental problems in their growth stages, including a lack of formalised marketing. Improving marketing is thus a potential source of competitive advantage for the industry and is therefore of policy interest to the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Foods (MAFF). This research is an attempt to understand SMEs marketing and identify the successful patterns of agri-food SMEs in the North of England, in terms of their marketing practices. The comparative, integrated model to marketing research, blending the process model with the contingency approach was employed. Both quantitative and qualitative techniques from the transactional and relational marketing literature were used in order to examine twenty hypotheses, and test the marketing practices of agri-food SMEs, and their influence on performance. Furthermore, the ownership status effect (subsidiary or independent) on marketing of SMEs was examined. Then, five cases were analysed to verify the survey's results, and gain a deeper understanding of how and why marketing is practised the way that it is, in successful agri-food SMEs. This research provided evidence to suggest that agri-food SMEs differ from other SMEs in terms of their marketing orientation. It also provided evidence to suggest that the most successful have a very good understanding of the fundamental marketing principles. Moreover, it showed that marketing practices differ between subsidiary and independent SMEs, in three marketing areas, namely Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats (SWOT) analysis, strategic focus, company/brand reputation. There is also an environmental difference between the two groups namely European or government regulation posing a threat to the survival of the company. The case studies showed that most successful SMEs are product oriented and pay attention to high quality, variety and service. They all operate on distinct niche markets or have a niche product in an established market. They are familiar with planning and strategy concepts, undertake many of them internally and constantly seek to strengthen their relationship with their customers. Furthermore, the independent companies do not have the tendency to spend large budgets on marketing research, but try to gain marketing information from family, friends, their sales-force and their customers. Subsidiaries, on the other hand, tend to have bigger contracts/accounts, which allow them to get information from their customers. The thesis concluded by proposing a model of successful marketing for agri-food SME, and making recommendations for policy makers. These included the following areas: 1. Emphasis on high product quality, and niche market or product; 2. Control of the marketing effort, by means of regular performance feedback meetings; and 3. The establishment of an on-going marketing information gathering system, by using all available employees who are in contact with customers, including van drivers and the sales-force.
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McCall, Clare. "The Relationship Between Collaboration Focused On Horizontal Intergration and Innovation within Agri-food SMEs." Thesis, Ulster University, 2009. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.516453.
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Yawson, David Eshun. "The utilisation of consumer information : an application to SMEs in the United Kingdom agri-food industry." Thesis, University of Kent, 2011. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.587523.
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Intense competition in the UK agri-food sector has made the use of information about consumers an important asset in the development of policies, strategies and decision making by businesses. However, in the agri-food sector, despite significant advances in the usefulness and ease of use of such information, SMEs are often seen to be disadvantaged for a variety of reasons, including inappropriate internal structures, capabilities and resources and, overall, an apparent lack of marketing orientation. The nature of SME marketing, and the disadvantages SMEs face, make it imperative to examine the use of information about consumers (i.e., consumer information) for marketing at the entrepreneurial and marketing interface (entrepreneurial marketing). Consumer information is conceptualised in this research as consisting of consumer information for changing the user SME's knowledge and understanding of market issues (knowledge- enhancing utilisation); effecting policies and strategies (action-oriented instrumental utilisation); decision making for the sake of the appearance of information rather than the intrinsic qualities (action-symbolic utilisation) and the use of information with the intent of feeling good" (affective utilisation). The research then operationalises the entrepreneurial and marketing interface as entrepreneurial marketing to depict a functional focus of marketing in agri-food SMEs. However, research on the use of consumer information to enhance firm performance at the entrepreneurial and marketing interface of SMEs is sparse. This research, therefore, examines consumer information utilisation in agri-food SMEs by integrating three important research streams of SMEs, entrepreneurial marketing and consume~ information utilisation, and contributing to the extant literature by answering the following research questions: 1. What are the factors that influence consumer information utilisation in SMEs? 2. How does consumer information utilisation affect SME entrepreneurial marketing orientation? 3. How does consumer information utilisation influence SME performance? Specifically, does entrepreneurial marketing orientation mediate the relationship between consumer information utilisation and SME performance? To address- these research-questions, a sample of agri-food SMEs were--placed a -a unique pseudo-experimental context, where they were supplied with consumer information over several months (specifically Tesco Supermarket loyalty card data from the dunnhumby database). Their usage of this information, and its antecedents and consequences, was then examined using a focus group and a questionnaire. Based upon empirical evidence, the results show that the antecedents of consumer information utilisation (knowledge-enhancing utilisation, action-oriented instrumental utilisation and action-symbolic utilisation) include 1) its functional quality, 2) its technical quality, 3) the interaction between information provider and user, and 4) the market environment. However, a higher technical quality of consumer information suppresses its use for the sake of appearance. Also, consumer information utilisation was found to affect entrepreneurial marketing orientation of SMEs. The use of consumer information for policy making, strategy and the sake of appearance enhance entrepreneurial marketing orientation. Consumer information for changing SME understanding of market issues did not have a direct relationship but appears to have a complex relationship in enhancing entrepreneurial marketing orientation of SMEs. The results also illustrate that, in the right circumstances consumer information influence SME performance. The use of consumer information for policy making and strategy directly enhance SME financial outcomes; and mediated by SME entrepreneurial marketing orientation to positively influence improvement in decision-making ability, and improved new products' creation and processes in SMEs. The use of consumer information for changing the user SME's knowledge and understanding of market issues directly and indirectly through entrepreneurial marketing orientation enhances SME decision-making ability. Importantly, this research also shows that consumer information utilisation enhances performance directly and indirectly through the mediating role of entrepreneurial marketing orientation. The research contributes to the marketing literature by providing a model for understanding consumer information utilisation in SMEs, and by providing a series of validated parsimonious measures for consumer information utilisation and entrepreneurial marketing orientation. So far the literature has primarily been focused with how large multi-national corporations use consumer information but, as it becomes cheaper and more widely available, an understanding from the SME perspective is important. It highlights the important role of entrepreneurial -marketing orientation in realising SME performance outcomes. The research also provides guidance for policy makers and SME business facilitators in implementing consumer information interventions for SMEs in the agri-food sector.
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Brianese, Martina <1996>. "The impact of Covid-19 pandemic on agri-food SMEs in Veneto: critical factors for strategic change." Master's Degree Thesis, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, 2022. http://hdl.handle.net/10579/20847.
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The spread of Covid-19 has created a psychological, social and economic upheaval, imposing new lifestyles, new eating habits and new ways of working, studying, meeting and purchasing, which, having experienced them, have somehow already become customary for many Italians.
This study highlights how the Covid-19 pandemic, as a tragic event of worldwide scope, has impacted the operation of the agri-food sector, through i) the spread of infections, ii) the succession of measures restrictive the freedom of movement, iii) the increased demand for certain shelf references and iv) the difficulty in finding the raw material and/or distributing the finished products. This study has the aim to provide an overview of how the operation of agri-food companies in 2020 and 2021 has been intensified and/or downsized, linking sales trends directly to i) the type of product offered by each company, ii) the diversification of their distribution channels and iii) the availability of resources to be used (labour force, production capacity, supplies). The aim was achieved by collecting the direct experience of 16 Venetian companies, different by province, size, legal form and production specialization, which were interviewed on the following macro-topics: i) development of the sector in the pre-Covid-19 period; ii) characteristics of the company’s core business and the supply chain in which it is part and iii) implications of the pandemic on the final demand for the product offered, on supply, distribution, internal and financial management of the company. Entrepreneurs' responses show an integrated, functioning, and resilient agri-food sector, that i) has always guaranteed the supply of a primary good - food - knowing how to balance the burden of the responsibility to produce and the duty to protect the health of its operators and that ii) has been able to adapt to the changing social and economic context, reinventing and exploiting the opportunities the pandemic crisis was opening to. Therefore, this study also exposes what reactions the Covid-19 pandemic has triggered in each of the 16 companies surveyed; in particular, it focuses on five winning business strategies that have allowed its companies to discover a new business model to be combined with the traditional one, on which it is worth investing because it works.
Especially in the case of future crises, whatever they may be, the implications and responses/reactions resulting from this analysis can serve as a stimulus for managers, policy makers and financial institutions to react and/or support new business strategies, ensuring the resilience of businesses, especially craft and small businesses, and entire production sectors.
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Liao, JS. "Using Web 2.0 to enhance SME agri-food supply chain management: a Tasmanian study." Thesis, 2013. https://eprints.utas.edu.au/17542/1/Whole-Liao%2C_Junheng_thesis.pdf.
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This research project investigates the potential for Web 2.0 techniques (in this context, social media and websites using very accessible and scalable publishing techniques) to support and enhance agri-food supply chains within the Australian State of Tasmania. The research is based on three major areas of focus: agricultural and food supply chains (agri-food supply chains); small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) in these supply chains; and Web 2.0.
To achieve a representative outcome, both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered from a number of sub-sectors comprising seafood, dairy, livestock, fruit and vegetable.
The empirical research process made use of three data gathering stages: 10 key informant interviews to gather expert opinion prior to broader data collection, followed by a survey of 28 Tasmanian primary producers and, after refinement of the initial model, a validation focus group.
Since the majority of the interviewees had only limited familiarity with Web 2.0, a ‘typical’ Web 2.0 prototype was developed and presented during the survey interviews, allowing participants to trial the Web 2.0 application in a supply chain management (SCM) environment without risking their real businesses.
The results indicate the widespread popular view of the prevalence of Internet use. The majority of interviewees had also used some types of Web 2.0 technologies, although only a limited number of participants had used this sort of ICT at a sophisticated level – most interviewees used the Internet simply to obtain information, rather than actively engaging in content contribution. In particular, few of these SMEs had applied Web 2.0 to their agribusinesses, or to their supply chain activities. This situation is starting to change, however, as fragmentary Web 2.0 SCM applications begin to appear in many key areas of supply chain management including: procurement, processing and inventory management, marketing and sales, transport and customer service, as well as in all the sub-sectors investigated – some of them as a result of involvement in this project. One fisherman even developed his own iPhone app with record keeping and traceability functions for his fishing business.
The outcomes of this project suggest that applying Web 2.0 to SCM is not only driven by economic benefit, but also by lifestyle enhancement. Perceived effort expectancy, communication quality enhancement and social & other external factors also have significant effects on the adoption decision. Moreover, the degree of those perceptions also differs by gender (though, interestingly, it was the female participants who were most techno-savvy), age, customer types and technology experience – although the relatively small size of the sample means that some of these interactions will require further testing before their generalisability can be confirmed. Interestingly, the moderating effects of gender and age are diminishing as technology becomes more readily available and easier to use – and as Information Technology literacy becomes more standard.
This research project makes two significant contributions: to theory, in terms of extending the Web 2.0 literature and the applicability of UTAUT to the field of Web 2.0; and to practice, in terms of enhancing our understanding of agri-food supply chains in Tasmania and exploring the business potential of Web 2.0 within the primary production sector.
Books on the topic "Agri-Food SME"
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Ivanišová, Eva, Ľubomír Belej, and Adriana Kolesárová, eds. CASEE Online Winter School. Food Environment and Health Risk Assessment in Danube Region (DanubeFEHRA). Book of Abstracts. Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Slovakia, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.15414/2021.9788055223322.
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Why have we organized winter school? We believe everyone should be able to understand how important is Food Environment and Health Risk Assessment in Danube Region. The environment plays a crucial role in people’s physical, mental and social well-being. The degradation of the environment, through air pollution, noise, chemicals, poor quality water and loss of natural areas, combined with lifestyle changes, may be contributing to substantial increases of civilisation diseases. The production and consumption of sufficient, affordable and nutritious food, while conserving the natural resources and ecosystems on which food systems depend, is vital. Food systems play a central role in all societies and are fundamental to ensuring sustainable development. Sustainable food systems are critical to resolving issues of food security, poverty alleviation and adequate nutrition, and they play an important role in building resilience in communities responding to a rapidly changing global environment. 13 students from around the world joined our 2- week Winter School Programme in Slovak republic, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences. CASEE Online Winter School was multidisciplinary, encompassing chemistry, environment, microbiology, nutrition, quality assurance, sensory analysis, management, food engineering and manufacturing and also about very actual problematic Covid-19 and its impact on agri-food sector. The Winter School gave our participants an idea of how interesting these topics really are. Online lectures were provided by experts in agri-food sector from Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, professional lecturers from prestige universities all over the world, state authorities, research institutes and SMEs as well as representatives from CASEE universities.
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Golubev, A. V. Agri-food import substitution through the prism of agricultural sustainability. Publishing house of the Russian state agrarian University UN-TA im. K. A. Timiryazeva, 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.26897/0235-2494-2022-8-2-8.
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The difficult geopolitical situation has exacerbated the problem of agri-food import substitution, in which Russia has made obvious progress in recent years. However, the increasing volumes of agricultural production do not mean further dynamics of the industry development. On the contrary, a number of fundamental growth factors in some cases do not provide even simple reproduction. Thus, the natural fertility of the soil has been steadily declining over the past decades, the material and technical base of agriculture is not updated in sufficient volume, the wages of farmers are significantly lower than the average level in the economy, many enterprises of the industry are credited, the disparity of prices for agricultural and industrial products is increasing. These contradictions between the growth of output and the reproductive abilities of the agricultural sector of the economy cannot last forever. Therefore, a transition to sustainable agricultural development is necessary, assuming that the current needs of society are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. To do this, Russia has key capabilities that allow the conversion of available energy resources into food production on a planetary scale, which, in addition to the source of economic prosperity, strengthens the geopolitical influence of our country.
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Lowitt, Kristen, Katherine Gray-Donald, Gordon M. Hickey, Arlette Saint Ville, Isabella Francis-Granderson, Chandra A. Madramootoo, and Leroy E. Phillip. The Obesity Pandemic and Food Insecurity in Developing Countries. Oxford University Press, 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190626686.003.0010.
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Overweight and obesity affect over half a billion people globally and represent major public health concerns because excess weight gain is a key risk factor for non-communicable diseases. This chapter presents an overview of global trends in obesity, considering both developed and developing country contexts. It describes how this pandemic is rooted in the “nutrition transition” taking place around the world as a result of a globalized agri-food system that is changing the quantity, types, and desirability of foods available for consumption. In some countries, this is contributing to a “double burden of malnutrition,” as the problem of undernutrition now coexists alongside an increasing prevalence of over-nutrition. An overview of key policy responses and policy instruments that governments can utilize to address obesity is provided, recognizing that a holistic food systems response is needed to address the global challenge of obesity. The remainder of the chapter focuses on the food security and obesity challenges facing the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and profiles a “farm to fork” school feeding project in the island nation of St. Kitts-Nevis that was designed to reduce obesity and improve food security among children. Implementation and key results of this integrated project are presented, including the core components of agricultural production, procurement of local produce, and children’s consumption of nutritious foods. The chapter concludes by identifying lessons for supporting “farm to school”-type projects as a possible food systems response to addressing obesity and food insecurity.
Book chapters on the topic "Agri-Food SME"
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Heigermoser, Maximilian, Tinoush Jamali Jaghdani, and Linde Götz. "Chapter 9: Russia’s Agri-Food Trade with the Middle East and North Africa." In Palgrave Advances in Bioeconomy: Economics and Policies, 253–77. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-77451-6_10.
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AbstractThe Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is the top destination for Russian food exports, grains in particular. Focusing on Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, this chapter shows that Russia’s food trade with MENA countries is strongly affected by bilateral political relations. Russia banned most food imports from Turkey over a political conflict in 2016. In the same year, improved intergovernmental cooperation with Saudi Arabia resulted in a diversification of Russia’s food exports to the Gulf country, and in 2019, Iran’s accession to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) led to increasing food trade with Russia. Food imports in MENA countries are usually managed by powerful state trading enterprises (STEs), which recurrently disapprove food products originating from Russia based on non-adherence to food quality standards. Our analysis shows that Russia is successfully working to open additional destination markets, while simultaneously impeding imports of food products that it aims to produce domestically.
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Gulati, Ashok, and Ritika Juneja. "Transforming Indian Agriculture." In India Studies in Business and Economics, 9–37. Singapore: Springer Singapore, 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-0763-0_2.
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AbstractAgriculture is an important sector of the Indian economy. Covering 11.24% of the world’s arable land area and 4% of the world’s renewable water resources, India produces sufficient food, feed and fibre to sustain about 18% (1.38 billion) of the world’s population (as of 2020). Over the last few decades (1980/81–2019/20), the sector has registered an average annual growth of 3.2%—almost double the population growth of 1.7% per annum during the same period. As a result, it has turned India from a food deficit country to one with a net trade surplus of 3.7% of agri-gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018–19. Agriculture contributes about 16.5% to the country’s overall GDP, and employs nearly 42.3% of the country’s workforce (2019/–20), with an average holding size of just 1.08 hectares (2015/16). This chapter dwells on how Indian agriculture was structurally transformed over the long run and the role of technologies, investments and institutions and policies in this transformation. In the light of this, a moot question addressed in this paper is: can India remain a food surplus nation by 2030, especially in the wake of emerging challenges of sustainability, climate change, urbanisation, etc.? The chapter ends on a positive note that with emerging innovations across food value chains, India can remain largely self-reliant in food—with the possibility of some net surpluses—and can also graduate to more nutritious diets, provided agriculture policy is not only crop-neutral but also neutral between consumers and producers.
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Wegren, Stephen K. "Chapter 10: Agri-Food Trade Between the United States and Russia: From Divergence to Irrelevance." In Palgrave Advances in Bioeconomy: Economics and Policies, 279–316. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-77451-6_11.
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AbstractThis chapter investigates the impact of political relations on U.S. food exports to the Soviet Union and Russia. The chapter finds that during the Cold War, political relations between the United States and Russia and agricultural trade were divergent, which means that food trade was not much affected by poor relations. In the post-Soviet period, the relationship between politics and agricultural exports has become convergent, which means that political relations and U.S. exports move in the same direction. With Putin in office, U.S. agricultural exports have fallen into irrelevance, a trend that predates Russia’s 2014 food embargo against the West.
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Copăcenaru, Olimpia, Adrian Stoica, Antonella Catucci, Laura De Vendictis, Alessia Tricomi, Savvas Rogotis, and Nikolaos Marianos. "Copernicus Data and CAP Subsidies Control." In Big Data in Bioeconomy, 265–90. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71069-9_20.
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AbstractThis chapter integrates the results of three pilots developed within the framework of the Horizon 2020 DataBio project. It aims to provide a broad picture of how products based on Earth Observation techniques can support the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy requirements, whose fulfillments are supervised by National and Local Paying Agencies operating in Romania, Italy and Greece. The concept involves the use of the same data sources, mainly multitemporal series of Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery, but through three different Big Data processing chains, tailored to each paying agency’s needs in terms of farm compliance assessment. Particularities of each workflow are presented together with examples of the results and their accuracy, calculated by validation against independent sources. Business value aspects for each use case are also discussed, emphasizing the way in which the automation of the CAP requests verification process through satellite technologies has increased the efficiency and reduced cost and time resources for the subsidy process. We end the chapter by highlighting the benefits of continuous satellite tracking as a substitute, but also complementary to the classical field control methods, and also the enormous potential of Earth Observation-based products for the agri-food market.
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Batterink, Maarten. "Orchestrating open innovation. The case of innovation brokers in agri-food SME Innovation Networks." In Profiting from external knowledge, 73–103. Brill | Wageningen Academic, 2008. http://dx.doi.org/10.3920/9789086866557_006.
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Doni, Federica, Antonio Corvino, and Silvio Bianchi Martini. "Natural capital accounting and biodiversity in the Italian winemaking industry." In Protecting natural capital and biodiversity in the agri-food sector, 239–60. Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, 2024. http://dx.doi.org/10.19103/as.2023.0128.10.
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Biodiversity is a key resource for our planet’s natural systems. This chapter analyses the Italian context by exploring the relationship between biodiversity and the winemaking sector. This chapter first introduces the Italian winemaking sector. It then discusses how biodiversity is defined in the winemaking sector. The chapter goes on to analyse a range of reports on sustainability and biodiversity produced by a sample of five leading Italian winemaking companies. It then discusses a particular case study of Cantine Teanum, a family-run small-medium enterprise (SME) situated in the Apulia Region, By conducting a semi-structured interview with Cantine Teanum, the authors investigated ‘why’ and ‘how’ biodiversity is beginning to play a significant role in the winemaking industry. The findings provide an interesting insight about the main actions and policies carried out by winemakers and, at the same time, barriers in protecting biodiversity in vineyard management.
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Ibrahim, Adamkolo Mohammed, Md Salleh Hj Hassan, and Sarina Yusuf. "Factors Influencing Acceptance and Use of ICT Innovations by Agribusinesses." In Advances in Business Strategy and Competitive Advantage, 39–55. IGI Global, 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-2107-5.ch003.
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This chapter proposes a modified conceptual framework for investigating the influence of cognitive, management characteristics and organizational size factors on information and communication technology (ICT) adoption by agribusinesses. Agro-based small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) often deal in commodities that have shorter shelf life. Given that, researchers often face challenges determining the appropriate conceptual framework to adopt, which yields results that proffer both practical and theoretical solutions to business problems, hence, it is imperative for agri-preneurs to harness technology for maximum profit and food security. The unified theory of use and acceptance of technology (UTAUT) model, which has four key predictors, was adopted with the integration of two external variables: SME Managerial Characteristics and SME Organizational Size. Factor analysis shows that five out of the six predictors loaded strongly. The study concludes that researchers in technology adoption should consider integrating organization and management quality variables into their research frameworks.
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Ibrahim, Adamkolo Mohammed, Md Salleh Hj Hassan, and Sarina Yusuf. "Factors Influencing Acceptance and Use of ICT Innovations by Agribusinesses." In Technology Adoption and Social Issues, 560–76. IGI Global, 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-5201-7.ch024.
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This chapter proposes a modified conceptual framework for investigating the influence of cognitive, management characteristics and organizational size factors on information and communication technology (ICT) adoption by agribusinesses. Agro-based small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) often deal in commodities that have shorter shelf life. Given that, researchers often face challenges determining the appropriate conceptual framework to adopt, which yields results that proffer both practical and theoretical solutions to business problems, hence, it is imperative for agri-preneurs to harness technology for maximum profit and food security. The unified theory of use and acceptance of technology (UTAUT) model, which has four key predictors, was adopted with the integration of two external variables: SME Managerial Characteristics and SME Organizational Size. Factor analysis shows that five out of the six predictors loaded strongly. The study concludes that researchers in technology adoption should consider integrating organization and management quality variables into their research frameworks.
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Morgan, Kevin, Terry Marsden, and Jonathan Murdoch. "Geographies of Agri-food." In Worlds of Food. Oxford University Press, 2006. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780199271580.003.0011.
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Chapters 1 and 2 have reviewed the contemporary theoretical and policy context of agri-food with specific reference to Europe and North America. In this chapter we turn our attention to the nature of the new agri-food geographies. What are the driving forces behind these geographies, and how do they play themselves out across time and space? This theme is central to the more detailed treatment of three different regions (Tuscany, California, and Wales) in succeeding chapters. Here, we introduce a conceptual framework that helps us to understand the new agri-food geographies. The chapter starts by outlining the nature of the conventional agri-industrial system. In general terms, we see this as a system that leads to a process of deterritorialization of foods. That is not to say that it comes without any actual geography; rather, its geographies are the result of corporate capitals’ attempts to continue to intensify and to appropriate some of the functions of agriculture in ways that stretch the links, networks, and chains between production and consumption spheres. We then place this trend in conceptual juxtaposition with the more recent forces of reterritorialization (or what some scholars term ‘relocalization’), a process whereby local and regional geographies come back again to play a central role in reshaping food production and consumption systems. We argue here that it is important to see these conflicting geographical forces as distinctive, even though both processes may indeed be operating—to varying degrees and in different ways—in the same region or locality at the same time. This is at the heart of our contingent notion of ‘worlds of food’. Throughout the twentieth century, agri-industrialism struggled with resolving Kautsky’s formulation of the agrarian question, that is, how to continue to intensify production and appropriate some farming functions in processing and agri-industry while at the same time maintaining some sort of ecological or natural balance in the agricultural transformation process (Kautsky, 1988; Goodman and Watts, 1997). In the agri-industrial model, the driving force was corporate capital.
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Ruzza, Daniel, Lorenza Morandini, and Alessandro Chelli. "Blockchain Application to the SMEs in the Food Industry." In Advances in Data Mining and Database Management, 19–42. IGI Global, 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-8014-1.ch002.
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The agri-food sector is the highest application of blockchain technology to track and trace components and raw material along the supply chain. Blockchain presents many potential advantages; however, small and medium enterprises often lack the means and knowledge to exploit this technology fully. This chapter presents a case study of blockchain application, namely Trusty, a platform for the notarization of fully traceable information on blockchain in the agri-food sector. Thanks to its limited up-front implementation costs and its modularity, it seems particularly suitable for use by SMEs. The authors' goal is to identify some useful issues for practitioners and inspiration for future research for academics. The most relevant topics that will be placed are (1) needs and expectations of SMEs in the agri-food sector towards the blockchain, (2) difficulties of introducing blockchain into SMEs, (3) the agnostic approach to blockchain, (4) the different value of notarized information for B2B and B2C companies, and (5) limits of some blockchains compared to others.
Conference papers on the topic "Agri-Food SME"
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Varbanova, Monika, Marcia Dutra De Barcellos, Milena Kirova, Xavier Gellynck, and Hans De Steur. "SOCIAL INNOVATION AS AN INCENTIVE FOR THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF AGRI-FOOD COMPANIES IN CEE." In 13th International Scientific Conference „Business and Management 2023“. Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, 2023. http://dx.doi.org/10.3846/bm.2023.1019.
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The managers/owners of the agri-food producing companies located in remote rural areas, with limited knowledge and resources for new technologies cannot benefit from the increased performance and competitiveness that the Agriculture 4.0. offers. Meanwhile, those managers/owners often keep very close relationship with their employees and need social incentives to digitally transform. The interrelationship between social innovation and digitalisation is still under researched. The aim of this paper is to assess if technology-based social innovation could enhance the transition towards Agriculture 4.0. of agri-food manufacturing SMEs in Central and Eastern Europe. The methods include factor analysis with data from a recent survey on digitalisation collected among 169 owners/from six countries (Bulgaria, Serbia, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic), comprising three sectors – Food Manufacturing Sector (transforming foodstuff into ingredients), Product Manufacturing (preservation of products or their transformation, agri-food companies are also included) and other industries (without food). Then cluster analysis is performed to analyse the sociodemographic characteristics of those sectors. The results demonstrate that agri-food companies in Eastern Europe are more sensitive to social innovation as a factor for their digital transformation.
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BERTOLOZZI CAREDIO, Daniele, and Asta RAUPELIENE. "CETA AND ITALIAN AGRI-FOOD PRODUCTS: AN ANALYSIS ON COMPARED ADVANTAGES OF THE MAIN ITALIAN AGRI-FOOD SECTORS." In RURAL DEVELOPMENT. Aleksandras Stulginskis University, 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.15544/rd.2017.116.
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At the age of second-generation agreements, the European Union is going to achieve a number of new trade deals, as well as others country, first of all the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement treated with Canada. A significant part of the debating about CETA is focused on the real need or not to reach new deal and add more liberalization, in particular regarding the Agri-food goods. EU, and above all Italy, can boast a number of excellent export Agri-food processed product, such as wine, cheese and pasta; at the same time, Italy has a need of primary goods, like wheat. Revealed Competitive Advantage is an indicator of the importance of a specific product and, specifically, it’s used to identify the advantage or disadvantage of a trade flow. Some of the main Italian products exported in Canada have been analysed, just like the main imported product from Canada, the wheat; as opposed to EU-28 import of Durum wheat, the other trades have showed a comparative advantage in trade. Finally, in three cases, Italy proves greater advantages in respect with the EU.
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Aloui, Aymen, Nadia Hamani, Jaouher Chrouta, and Laurent Delahoche. "Enhancing logistics operations sustainability through resource sharing: The case of French agri-food SMEs." In 2021 IEEE 2nd International Conference on Signal, Control and Communication (SCC). IEEE, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/scc53769.2021.9768379.
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Nicasio Marco, Juan José. "Las figuras de calidad agroalimentaria diferenciadas como herramientas para un desarrollo rural sostenible." In I CONGRÉS DE LA TOMACA VALENCIANA: LA TOMACA VALENCIANA DEL PERELLÓ. Valencia: Universitat Politècnica de València, 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/tomaval2017.2017.6395.
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The current situation of the agri-food sector leads us to the need to sharpen the ingenuity to find tools that allow consumers to identify our products in the market. A fundamental tool for achieving this objective is the use of differentiated agri-food quality figures. Given the plurality of figures on the market, it's very important to know how to identify which of them is the one that best fits our product, and the image that we want that they have of the same one. With this purpose it is important to delimit what are the main characteristics of each of them, or at least of the most important ones, as well as to identify which can be the main problems with which we can find when opting for a concrete formula. In any case, whatever the formula adopted, success is not always guaranteed, so it is more than advisable to go step by step. Initiate the process through the constitution of a collective mark or guarantee as a previous experience to make the leap towards more ambitious horizons such as a protected geographical indication or protected designation of origin.
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Zarba, Carla, Gaetano Chinnici, Biagio Pecorino, Mario D'Amico, and Salvatore Bracco. "THE EUROPEAN UNION RESPONSES TO THE IMPACT OF COVID 19 ON SMEs IN THE ITALIAN AGRI-FOOD SISTEM." In 20th SGEM International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference Proceedings 2020. STEF92 Technology, 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.5593/sgem2020v/6.2/s08.21.
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Karanisa, Theodora, Imen Saadaoui, Helmi Hamdi, Noora Fetais, and Sami Sayadi. "Food, Energy and Water Management Innovation in Doha: A Design-led Nexus Approach." In Qatar University Annual Research Forum & Exhibition. Qatar University Press, 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.29117/quarfe.2020.0045.
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Urban communities are affected by population growth, urbanization and climate change, thus being vulnerable to food, energy and water demand. According to the United Nations, the world’s population is expected to increase by 2 billion people in the next 30 years and 68% of them are projected to live in urban areas by then. At the same time, 1/3 of the food produced in the world for human consumption every year gets lost or wasted and still, 795 million people worldwide are malnourished. A sustainable Food, Energy, Water and Waste Nexus is urgent. The Moveable Nexus Project is aiming to give a solution to the FEW Nexus through urban design methods and agricultural practices by practicing the design method, the evaluation effect and the participation. The design method will be practiced through design charrettes and international workshops and the evaluation will be realized by a Food, Energy & Water consumption environmental footprint calculator. Finally, the participation phase will engage the stakeholders and the community at the Doha Living Lab. The Doha Living Lab will quantify the urban FEWW-fluxes through urban agriculture and will try to achieve sustainability in terms of food production, new crops and new production technology, water management, organic waste management, reuse and recycle. The Living Lab will also assess the needs of the community and the involved stakeholders, by engaging them in every process thus enhancing resilience among people and agri-food systems.
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Utami, Hesty Nurul, Eleftherios Alamanos, and Sharron Kuznesof. "Co-creation Benefits by Re-configuring the Value Network in Creative Agri-food Transformation through the SMEs e-commerce channel: A Business Market Perspective." In Proceedings of the International Conference on Trade 2019 (ICOT 2019). Paris, France: Atlantis Press, 2019. http://dx.doi.org/10.2991/icot-19.2019.14.
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Fedorciucova, Svetlana, Valentina Calmâş, and Olga Tabunșcic. "Dairy industry of Republic of Moldova: production, trade and conformity of products." In International Scientific Conference “30 Years of Economic Reforms in the Republic of Moldova: Economic Progress via Innovation and Competitiveness”. Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova, 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.53486/9789975155618.22.
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The dairy industry is one of the important branches of the agri-food sector. This branch aims to provide the population with safe, harmless and high quality dairy products. However, the dairy industry has declined steadily in recent decades. Official statistics for the last 10 years show a significant decrease in milk production: from 575 thousand tons in 2009 to 367 thousand tons in 2019 (-38%). During the same period, milk imports rose by 405%. On the other hand, dairy exports have decreased significantly in the last 4 years - by about 17%. Currently, the range of dairy products is very varied and mostly corresponds to the needs of the population. According to statistical information, at present, the dairy industry in the Republic of Moldova is represented by over 20 units for the industrialization of milk and dairy products, located in all geographical areas of the country. The aim of the paper is: studying of the current situation regarding the production, trade and conformity of dairy products. The research is performed using the methods: comparative analysis, expertise, etc. So this paper contains the results of production, consumption, trade and compliance of dairy products, as well as organoleptic, physico-chemical and microbiological research on the quality of domestic and imported whole milk (6 varieties). The research was conducted based on sensory and laboratory methods accepted in commodity science. The research results show that only 3 products out of 6 fully meet the prescribed requirements. The winner products of this competition are: Seven Mountains, Zuzu and Agronatura SRL. We also studied consumers' preferences through the sensory analysis of whole milk (20 points)."Zuzu" and "Seven Mountains" milks - products imported from Romania have accumulated the maximum score. In addition, we checked the correctness of the mandatory information presented on the product labels. In this respect, all 6 analyzed products correspond to the requirements of Law 279 on consumer information on food.
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Cioffi, Elena, and Barbara Pizzicato. "Design and tools for the transformation and valorisation of agro-industrial waste for Made in Italy industries." In 13th International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE 2022). AHFE International, 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.54941/ahfe1002019.
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Responding to a sustainable production is an imperative that is gaining more and more relevance in the definition of specific programs and strategies at national and international level. This urgency leads towards zero waste and circular models and processes that minimize the extraction of resources from the biosphere and do not create waste; instead, when the waste of natural or anthropogenic transformations cannot be avoided, their valorization as resources must be carried out. The development of integrated supply chains, knowledge transfer between different disciplines and the dialogue between research and industry becomes fundamental for the achievement of these objectives. Existing studies in the literature regarding the agri-food production chain in Italy show that the sector, whose environmental impacts are by no means marginal, is fragmented in many small production companies; an interesting and critical aspect at the same time since the generation of waste is not accompanied by an appropriate dissemination of data at a quantitative-qualitative level and there is no clear regulatory framework available on alternative management and valorisation methods. Design, given its natural inclination to transversality, allows to trace scenarios in which to configure, through interdisciplinary approaches, the sustainability models that are intended to be covered in this contribution. Moreover, its methods and tools allow to develop a critical thinking starting from the very early designing phase. The paper addresses the valorisation of agro-industrial waste in a circular and systemic perspective through the presentation of a review of case studies from the textile supply chain, which is one of the most relevant for Italian industry.Due to its disastrous environmental impact, the global textile industry is today the subject of extensive research aimed at the development of innovative materials and processes in order to overcome the traditional linearity of the textile supply chain. The negative impacts of the textile industry are distributed along the entire value chain and are mainly attributable to greenhouse gas emissions -for which the textile industry represents the fifth manufacturing sector- consumption and pollution of water resources and the production of textile waste. In particular, the production of synthetic fibers, which is estimated to be almost two thirds of the global fiber production, is associated with a high use of non-renewable resources and emissions, which derives from the extraction of fossil fuels. In this sense, the valorisation of agro-industrial waste as secondary raw materials and new sustainable inputs for the textile supply chain, represents an opportunity not yet fully explored, in particular as regards the development of a new generation of fibers, yarns and eco-compatible fabrics alternative to the materials currently in use. Bio-based wastes and by-products from agri-food industry could as well present enormous potential for valorisation in the textile finish due to their intrinsic properties (antimicrobial, prebiotic, antioxidant activity, among others). At present, nevertheless, textiles from agro-residues do not completely meet the requirements to make them an attractive replacement for conventional fibre sources. Future research should therefore focus on identifying new agro-residue based blends that offer both performance and sustainability, adopting a systemic design approach based on interdisciplinary and interconnections as a strategy for innovation.
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Moreno-Ramón, Héctor, Sara Ibañez-Asensio, Alfonso Martínez García, Ignacio Guillén Guillamon, Marta Cabedo Fabrés, Ana I. Jiménez Belenguer, Salva Calvet Sanz, and Miguel Ferrando Bataller. "Lessons as a tool to combine flip teaching and transversal skills at the UPV: A pilot experience in soil genesis subjects." In INNODOCT 2018. València: Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València, 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/inn2018.2018.8816.
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The potential offered by technologies is a reality that must be addressed and used in the Higher Education environments. Professors must be able to integrate technologies into their sessions and facilitate the work of the skill acquisition. The main objectives of this work are: i) to take advantage of the Lessons tool (PoliformaT) to evaluate the acquisition of transversal competences and, ii) to compare if the use of flip teaching improves its acquisition. In the subject of "Geology, Soil science and Climatology" (Degrees in Agri-Food Engineering and Forestry Engineering), an experience was developed during two academic courses in a population of 169 students on average each year. Through Lessons, a template was designed for the student to work, sequentially and based on their knowledge, a specific activity of soil science. In the activity, the student had to face a practical assumption with 4 options to consider as a response. According to its response the specific skills and critical thinking skill would be evaluated. The first year the students had to carry out the activity autonomously in PoliformaT, but in the second year, flip teaching was applied in the same activity. In that occasion; students had to watch online material and subsequently work on the specific concepts in class. Finally, they had to solve independently the practical case in Lessons, where they were evaluated and feedback was provided. The combination of "skill assessment and flip teaching" promoted that in the second year, 66% of the students acquired an adequate level of critical thinking skill. However, although the first year, 65% of the students also acquired it, it has been detected that in the second year there was an increase of 7% of students that passed from good to excellent acquisition level.
Reports on the topic "Agri-Food SME"
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Carlile, Rachel, and Tara Garnett. What is agroecology? Edited by Matthew Kessler. TABLE, June 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.56661/96cf1b98.
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In response to concerns about global hunger and malnutrition, climate and environmental crises, and corporate consolidation in agri-food value chains, increasing numbers of stakeholders are arguing for agroecology as a way of providing healthy nutritious food in an equitable and sustainable manner. This explainer provides an overview of the historical development and various definitions of agroecology and explores some of the major debates related to its use.
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Deolu-Ajayi, Ayodeji O., Wouter Muizelaar, and Adrie van de Werf. Seaweed cultivation in Vietnam for livestock methane reduction : A Top Sector Agri & Food SMP (Seed Money Project) report. Wageningen: Stichting Wageningen Research, Wageningen Plant Research, Business Unit Agrosystems Research, 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.18174/566553.
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Einarsson, Rasmus. Nitrogen in the food system. TABLE, February 2024. http://dx.doi.org/10.56661/2fa45626.
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Nitrogen (N) plays a dual role in the agri-food system: it is an essential nutrient for all life forms, yet also an environmental pollutant causing a range of environmental and human health impacts. As the plant nutrient needed in greatest quantities, and as a building block of proteins and other biomolecules, N is a necessary part of all life. In the last century, an enormous increase of N turnover in the agri-food system has enabled increasing per-capita food supply for a growing world population, but as an unintended side effect, N pollution has increased to levels widely agreed in science and policy to be far beyond sustainable limits. There is no such thing as perfectly circular N supply. Losses of N to the environment inevitably arise as N is transformed and used in the food system, for example in soil processes, in manure storage, and in fertilizer application. This lost N must be replaced by ‘new’ N, which is N converted to bioavailable forms from the vast atmospheric pool of unreactive dinitrogen (N2). New N comes mainly as synthetic N fertilizer and through a process known as biological N fixation (BNF). In addition, there is a large internal flow of recycled N in the food system, mainly in the form of livestock excreta. This recirculated N, however, is internal to the food system and cannot make up for the inevitable losses of N. The introduction of synthetic N fertilizer during the 20th century revolutionized the entire food system. The industrial production of synthetic N fertilizer was a revolution for agricultural systems because it removed the natural constraint of N scarcity. Given sufficient energy, synthetic N fertilizer can be produced in limitless quantities from atmospheric dinitrogen (N2). This has far-reaching consequences for the whole agri-food system. The annual input of synthetic N fertilizer today is more than twice the annual input of new N in pre-industrial agriculture. Since 1961, increased N input has enabled global output of both crop and livestock products to roughly triple. During the same time period, total food-system N emissions to the environment have also more than tripled. Livestock production is responsible for a large majority of agricultural N emissions. Livestock consume about three-quarters of global cropland N output and are thereby responsible for a similar share of cropland N emissions to air and water. In addition, N emissions from livestock housing and manure management systems contribute a substantial share of global N emissions to air. There is broad political agreement that global N emissions from agriculture should be reduced by about 50%. High-level policy targets of the EU and of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity are for a 50% reduction in N emissions. These targets are in line with a large body of research assessing what would be needed to stay within acceptable limits as regards ecosystem change and human health impacts. In the absence of dietary change towards less N-intensive diets, N emissions from food systems could be reduced by about 30%, compared to business-as-usual scenarios. This could be achieved by implementing a combination of technical measures, improved management practices, improved recycling of wasted N (including N from human excreta), and spatial optimization of agriculture. Human dietary change, especially in the most affluent countries, offers a huge potential for reducing N emissions from food systems. While many of the world’s poor would benefit nutritionally from increasing their consumption of nutrient-rich animal-source foods, many other people consume far more nutrients than is necessary and could reduce consumption of animal-source food by half without any nutritional issues. Research shows that global adoption of healthy but less N-polluting diets might plausibly cut future food-system N losses by 10–40% compared to business-as-usual scenarios. There is no single solution for solving the N challenge. Research shows that efficiency improvements and food waste reductions will almost certainly be insufficient to reach agreed environmental targets. To reach agreed targets, it seems necessary to also shift global average food consumption onto a trajectory with less animal-source food.
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Burns, Malcom, and Gavin Nixon. Literature review on analytical methods for the detection of precision bred products. Food Standards Agency, September 2023. http://dx.doi.org/10.46756/sci.fsa.ney927.
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The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act (England) aims to develop a science-based process for the regulation and authorisation of precision bred organisms (PBOs). PBOs are created by genetic technologies but exhibit changes which could have occurred through traditional processes. This current review, commissioned by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), aims to clarify existing terminologies, explore viable methods for the detection, identification, and quantification of products of precision breeding techniques, address and identify potential solutions to the analytical challenges presented, and provide recommendations for working towards an infrastructure to support detection of precision bred products in the future. The review includes a summary of the terminology in relation to analytical approaches for detection of precision bred products. A harmonised set of terminology contributes towards promoting further understanding of the common terms used in genome editing. A review of the current state of the art of potential methods for the detection, identification and quantification of precision bred products in the UK, has been provided. Parallels are drawn with the evolution of synergistic analytical approaches for the detection of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), where molecular biology techniques are used to detect DNA sequence changes in an organism’s genome. The scope and limitations of targeted and untargeted methods are summarised. Current scientific opinion supports that modern molecular biology techniques (i.e., quantitative real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR), digital PCR (dPCR) and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)) have the technical capability to detect small alterations in an organism’s genome, given specific prerequisites of a priori information on the DNA sequence of interest and of the associated flanking regions. These techniques also provide the best infra-structure for developing potential approaches for detection of PBOs. Should sufficient information be known regarding a sequence alteration and confidence can be attributed to this being specific to a PBO line, then detection, identification and quantification can potentially be achieved. Genome editing and new mutagenesis techniques are umbrella terms, incorporating a plethora of approaches with diverse modes of action and resultant mutational changes. Generalisations regarding techniques and methods for detection for all PBO products are not appropriate, and each genome edited product may have to be assessed on a case-by-case basis. The application of modern molecular biology techniques, in isolation and by targeting just a single alteration, are unlikely to provide unequivocal evidence to the source of that variation, be that as a result of precision breeding or as a result of traditional processes. In specific instances, detection and identification may be technically possible, if enough additional information is available in order to prove that a DNA sequence or sequences are unique to a specific genome edited line (e.g., following certain types of Site-Directed Nucelase-3 (SDN-3) based approaches). The scope, gaps, and limitations associated with traceability of PBO products were examined, to identify current and future challenges. Alongside these, recommendations were made to provide the infrastructure for working towards a toolkit for the design, development and implementation of analytical methods for detection of PBO products. Recognition is given that fully effective methods for PBO detection have yet to be realised, so these recommendations have been made as a tool for progressing the current state-of-the-art for research into such methods. Recommendations for the following five main challenges were identified. Firstly, PBOs submitted for authorisation should be assessed on a case-by-case basis in terms of the extent, type and number of genetic changes, to make an informed decision on the likelihood of a molecular biology method being developed for unequivocal identification of that specific PBO. The second recommendation is that a specialist review be conducted, potentially informed by UK and EU governmental departments, to monitor those PBOs destined for the authorisation process, and actively assess the extent of the genetic variability and mutations, to make an informed decision on the type and complexity of detection methods that need to be developed. This could be further informed as part of the authorisation process and augmented via a publicly available register or database. Thirdly, further specialist research and development, allied with laboratory-based evidence, is required to evaluate the potential of using a weight of evidence approach for the design and development of detection methods for PBOs. This concept centres on using other indicators, aside from the single mutation of interest, to increase the likelihood of providing a unique signature or footprint. This includes consideration of the genetic background, flanking regions, off-target mutations, potential CRISPR/Cas activity, feasibility of heritable epigenetic and epitranscriptomic changes, as well as supplementary material from supplier, origin, pedigree and other documentation. Fourthly, additional work is recommended, evaluating the extent/type/nature of the genetic changes, and assessing the feasibility of applying threshold limits associated with these genetic changes to make any distinction on how they may have occurred. Such a probabilistic approach, supported with bioinformatics, to determine the likelihood of particular changes occurring through genome editing or traditional processes, could facilitate rapid classification and pragmatic labelling of products and organisms containing specific mutations more readily. Finally, several scientific publications on detection of genome edited products have been based on theoretical principles. It is recommended to further qualify these using evidenced based practical experimental work in the laboratory environment. Additional challenges and recommendations regarding the design, development and implementation of potential detection methods were also identified. Modern molecular biology-based techniques, inclusive of qPCR, dPCR, and NGS, in combination with appropriate bioinformatics pipelines, continue to offer the best analytical potential for developing methods for detecting PBOs. dPCR and NGS may offer the best technical potential, but qPCR remains the most practicable option as it is embedded in most analytical laboratories. Traditional screening approaches, similar to those for conventional transgenic GMOs, cannot easily be used for PBOs due to the deficit in common control elements incorporated into the host genome. However, some limited screening may be appropriate for PBOs as part of a triage system, should a priori information be known regarding the sequences of interest. The current deficit of suitable methods to detect and identify PBOs precludes accurate PBO quantification. Development of suitable reference materials to aid in the traceability of PBOs remains an issue, particularly for those PBOs which house on- and off-target mutations which can segregate. Off-target mutations may provide an additional tool to augment methods for detection, but unless these exhibit complete genetic linkage to the sequence of interest, these can also segregate out in resulting generations. Further research should be conducted regarding the likelihood of multiple mutations segregating out in a PBO, to help inform the development of appropriate PBO reference materials, as well as the potential of using off-target mutations as an additional tool for PBO traceability. Whilst recognising the technical challenges of developing and maintaining pan-genomic databases, this report recommends that the UK continues to consider development of such a resource, either as a UK centric version, or ideally through engagement in parallel EU and international activities to better achieve harmonisation and shared responsibilities. Such databases would be an invaluable resource in the design of reliable detection methods, as well as for confirming that a mutation is as a result of genome editing. PBOs and their products show great potential within the agri-food sector, necessitating a science-based analytical framework to support UK legislation, business and consumers. Differentiating between PBOs generated through genome editing compared to organisms which exhibit the same mutational change through traditional processes remains analytically challenging, but a broad set of diagnostic technologies (e.g., qPCR, NGS, dPCR) coupled with pan-genomic databases and bioinformatics approaches may help contribute to filling this analytical gap, and support the safety, transparency, proportionality, traceability and consumer confidence associated with the UK food chain.