Strengthening the Value Chain Resilience of Indonesian Agricultural Fintech in the Aftermath of the Covid-19 Pandemic

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the default rate for Indonesian agricultural fintech remained elevated at seven percent. Agricultural fintech companies and their farmers must develop a strategy for the agricultural fintech value chain resilience. This descriptive study aims to develop risk mitigation and recovery strategies for agricultural fintech in Indonesia. It uses a survey to gather data from fintech value chain actors, which is then analysed using the House of Risk model. The priorities are cash flow management, the minimum payment amount and leeway, the harvest price contract, the procurement of seed and fertilizer agro-inputs, and the harvest supply contract

Investigating the Dynamics and Trends of Sustainable Food Systems in Ethiopia: Characterizing the National Performance within the Global Context

This paper assesses the trends of Sustainable Food System in Ethiopia, and how the various indicators evolved over time in the four food system dimensions: environmental, economic, social, and food and nutrition security. We employed quartile analysis to evaluate the relative performance of Ethiopia vis-à-vis the rest of the world by grouping the latter into lower quartile, median, and upper quartile based on their performance. The result revealed that while some positive strides have been achieved in reducing poverty headcount ratio over the past two decades, a high proportion of stunting and undernourishment, high variability of food supply, the slow-onset of adult obesity, and poor access to basic facilities for food utilization, especially when compared to the countries in the lower, median and upper quartiles, remain to be formidable challenges calling for the attention of policymakers

Understanding Local Food Brand Buying Intention in Indonesia and Vietnam: The Role of Ethnocentrism, Attitude and Subjective Norms

This study examines how ethnocentrism, the attitude toward support local agribusiness, attitude toward the consumption of local food brands, and the subjective norm affect buying intention of livestock-based local food brands. This study was carried out in Indonesia and Vietnam because both countries are promising markets for global brands, due to their large populations and economic growth rates. The study was conducted through offline and online surveys. Data was analyzed using t-test and Partial Least Square structural equation modeling for the hypothesis testing. The result showed that in Indonesia and Vietnam, ethnocentrism influenced the attitude toward the consumption of local food brands, but the data from Indonesia showed that the attitude toward support local agribusiness did not affect the attitude toward the consumption of local food brands. Moreover, for both countries, the attitude toward the consumption of local food brands and the subjective norm influenced the local food brand buying intention. However, in Indonesia and Vietnam, the attitude toward support local agribusiness did not affect the local food brand buying intention. Moreover, mean average off all constructs in Indonesia were significantly higher than in Vietnam

Smallholder conflicts in agribusiness systems

Conflicts arise because of deficient coordination between actors during the exchange of goods and services in agribusiness systems. The aim of the study was to assess conflicts at the smallholder level by reviewing literature resources. From the systemic analysis, it is evident that price imposition is the main conflict that smallholders face during commercialization with suppliers and agro-industries. Conflicts arise due to the high bargaining power of large corporations. The concentration of companies in input supply and processing markets also generates conflict environments during transactions. Collective forms and the use of contracts are conflict mitigation alternatives in agrifood chains

Stakeholder Growth Platforms for the Development of Food Sector Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs): A case study experience from Wales, United Kingdom

Project HELIX 2016-2020 was developed and implemented in Wales, to improve technical/ safety/science knowledge; and sustainable innovation in food manufacturing small to medium enterprises (SMEs). The paper aims to place Project HELIX within the wider context of regional and food sector development and then examine the project's rationale and delivery methods in relation to this. It reflects on the effectiveness of the project (or otherwise) in constructing regional advantage from knowledge transfer and knowledge spillovers. Finally, the paper identifies areas of further research both in terms of the firm level and in relation to other food sector initiatives more generally

Identifying pathways for food system transformation: Unusual solutions for improving food system performance

Whereas numerous studies are available that describe the structure and components of food systems, far less attention is usually given to the analysis of drivers for food system change. Since such transformations take place at the interface of multiple stakeholders’ interests, involve the use of multiple instruments and may lead to multiple outcomes, it is of foremost importance to understand the underlying dynamics of food system transformation processes.This article identifies different leverage points for improving dietary outcomes and outlines analytical perspectives on three possible interventions along the food value chain that go further than just ‘solving the problem’. Real systems solutions intend to address fundamental interactions within the food system and thus provide unusual solutions to change its dynamics. This opens the way to new insights on appropriate policies and innovative incentives for steering food system transformation processes

Urban food consumption temporal patterns using power law scaling

We apply a variant of power law scaling to differentiate consumption patterns across major food categories in growing urban environments relative to rural environments. Using data from China over a 36-year period, we empirically demonstrate that there is a systematic dependence of urban food consumption on city population size. We derive a general function of food consumption based on the rate of urbanization that behaves with quantitative regularity manifest by urban efficiency gains. In urban areas, meat consumption increases by 80 percent while grain consumption declines by 16 percent with each doubling of population

Value Chain activities of Small and Medium Food Manufacturers in Wales, United Kingdom: The KITE Project

The Knowledge Innovation Technology Exchange (KITE) Feasibility Project (2008-2015) was implemented in Wales, to improve food science/technology knowledge and sustainable innovation in food manufacturing small to medium enterprises (SMEs). From this model, the study aimed to identify the salient features of such a paradigm to contribute to ‘value-added gains’ for competitive advantage. Cumulatively, >90 KITE interventions in 43 Welsh SME partners, were evaluated according to mappable value chain ‘primary activities’ and ‘support activities’. Findings from case study purposive samples conducted in 13 out of 43 KITE partner SMEs, identified added value activity across manufacturing and processing activities that positively impacted the food sector

Farmers are caught in Tri-Dilemma - Objectives and Challenges for Biodiversity in German Nature-Protected Areas

This paper aims to assess farmers’ challenges in enhancing biodiversity. The so-called “trilemma” (WBGU 2021) of land use stems from the multiple demands made on land for the benefit of mitigating climate change, securing food, and maintaining biodiversity. Agriculture is accused of maladministration, causing soil contamination, animal cruelty, bee mortality, and climate change. However, farmers play a key role in overcoming upcoming sustainability challenges. While their supportive role is urgently needed, farmers find themselves caught between a “rock” and a ”hard place”. Consumers call for sustainable production and affordable food products without pesticide residues, demanding enough for all. Farmers are restricted by the wants and needs of consumers who are influenced by interest groups and exposed to interdependent direct and indirect influencing factors. They need to balance the scrutiny of the critical public as well as the regulatory control. In this paper, we collected and surveyed the data of farmers within or close to the 21 selected nature protected areas of the DINA (Diversity of Insects in Nature protected Areas) Project, using a mixed methods approach with a semi-structured questionnaire considering issues’ interdependencies and the complexity of today´s problems. The conflicts and obstacles faced by farmers were assessed. The results reflect the farmers’ willingness and the importance of receiving appreciation for implementing biodiversity measures. These results, complemented by a following quantitative study, are the basis for recommendations for policymakers and farmers in all German nature protected areas

Emotional response to pictures of farm animals: Influence of picture content and recipient characteristics

Pictures play a dominant role in communication about livestock farming. They are used by competing lobby groups not only to inform their audience cognitively but also to target emotionally. However, few studies have looked at the effects pictures from livestock farming have on recipients. In this study, we used an online survey to investigate the emotional response in the dimensions pleasure and arousal to pictures showing farm animals of the animal classes fish, birds, and mammals in different circumstances. The results show that pictures depicting farm animals in an outdoor environment led to high pleasure and low arousal. Looking at pictures showing animals kept indoors led to less pleasure and higher arousal, a response that was further intensified when recipients were confronted with pictures of suffering animals. While the recipients’ characteristics investigated in this study, i.e. professional background, belief in animal mind and personality traits, had no influence on emotional response to pictures showing farm animals outdoors, they affected emotional response to pictures depicting farm animals indoors and suffering. We discuss how awareness of the individuality of emotional response and reflection on one’s own emotional states related to livestock farming might lead to more animal and human welfare and a more respectful dialogue between opposing groups