THE ROLE OF AGROTOURISM IN SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF ZADAR COUNTY – PERCEPTIONS OF RURAL STAKEHOLDERS

U radu je na primjeru Zadarske županije analiziran agroturizam, kao segmentirani oblik turizma na obiteljskim poljoprivrednim gospodarstvima (OPG) i jedna od mogućnosti revitalizacije ruralnih područja. Osnovni ciljevi rada su: utvrditi prostorna i socioekonomska obilježja i procijeniti ulogu agroturizma u socioekonomskom razvoju ruralnog područja Zadarske županije. U tu svrhu provedeno je ispitivanje 30 dionika u ruralnom prostoru Zadarske županije. Rezultati su pokazali da nešto više od polovice ispitanih smatra kako agroturizam već sada pridonosi socioekonomskom razvoju ruralnog područja Županije, dok ih je u znatno većem postotku (90% ispitanih) potvrdilo da bi agroturistička djelatnost mogla potaknuti razvoj u sljedećih pet godina. Ispitanici predviđaju veću potporu EU fondova, povećanje potražnje za agroturizmom, povećanje vlastite konkurentnosti i povećanje dohotka. Međutim, potrebno je ukloniti ili barem smanjiti postojeće prepreke za razvoj agroturizma: nedovoljno financijskih sredstava za pokretanje, zahtjevnu administrativnu proceduru, nedovoljno proizvodnih resursa, neizgrađenu i neprilagođenu infrastrukturu i sl.In this paper are analyzed agrotourism as a segmented form of tourism on family farms and one of the possibilities of revitalization of rural areas in the Zadar County. The basic objectives are: to determine the spatial and socioeconomic characteristics and to estimate the role of agritourism in socioeconomic development in rural areas of Zadar County. For this purpose, we analyzed the secondary data sources and conducted interviews with 30 stakeholders in rural areas within Zadar County. The results show that the majority of respondents consider that agrotourism is already contributing to the socio-economic development of rural areas of the County, while a much higher percentage (90% of respondents) confirmed that the agrotourism activity could boost development in the next five years. Respondents expect greater support from the EU funds, the increase in demand for agrotourism, and increase of their competitiveness and income. However, it is necessary to eliminate or reduce existing barriers to the development of agrotourism: insufficient financial resources to start, consuming administrative procedures, lack of productive resources, undeveloped and unadjusted infrastructure etc

PUSH TRAVEL MOTIVATIONS AS A BASIS FOR SEGMENTATION OF TOURISTS IN EMERGING RURAL TOURISM DESTINATIONS: THE CASE OF CROATIA

Rural tourism has become one of the most popular strategies for rural development, and motivation is one of the most important criteria for identifying market segments. The aim of this paper is to explore the travel motivations of domestic rural tourists in Croatia and to identify a profile of rural tourists based on push travel motivation and tourist behaviour. An online survey was conducted on a convenient sample of 307 respondents. The collected data were analysed using factor analysis followed by cluster analysis. For rural tourists in Croatia, the most important travel motives are seeking relaxation and learning new things. Using a factor–cluster approach to market segmentation, the following four segments were identified: (1) Rural researchers and seekers of relaxation (16.8%), (2) Excitement seekers (29.0%), (3) Passive tourists (22.8%), and (4) Family rural tourists (31.4%). The study confirms the appropriateness of the push motives for segmenting tourists in emerging rural tourism destinations. The findings may help destination marketers to develop effective promotional and business strategies

Requirements for development of olive tourism: the case of Croatia

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to identify necessary requirements for development of olive tourism and compare the findings with the situation in Croatia in order to provide guidelines for the future development of this particular form of tourism. Design/methodology/approach – In this preliminary study, the method of secondary sources data analysis was used. The data includes searching of relevant scientific articles and official web sites such as web pages of the Ministry of Agriculture, Tourist Boards, etc. Findings –The analysis revealed the existence of eight requirements necessary for olive tourism developments, such as: oil mills open for visitors, museums and interpretation centers dedicated to olives and olive oil, olive farms, protected geographical indications, olive groves, events/fairs devoted to olives and olive oil, Olive Oil Roads, specialized shops for olive oil – oleotece. The results could help in future research for planning and development of olive tourism in other countries. Olive tourism requirements already exist in Croatia, but there is insufficient available information about stakeholders who offer activities related to olive tourism. Originality of the research – This study has identified necessary requirements for olive tourism development. It is oriented to olive tourism in developing countries, which have received little prior research attention

Producers\u27 expectations about the impact of GIs on the competitiveness of Pag cheese

Paški sir je jedan od najpoznatijih hrvatskih tradicijskih ovčjih sireva koji je zbog zadržavanja stoljetnog načina proizvodnje odavno zaštitni znak otoka Paga. Iako ima sve preduvjete, Paški sir još uvijek nije zaštićen jednom od zemljopisnih oznaka prema važećem zakonu. Cilj ovog rada je bio ispitati poznaju li proizvođači Paškog sira zemljopisne oznake (ZO), kako ih percipiraju te utvrditi njihova očekivanja o utjecaju ZO na povećanje konkurentnosti Paškog sira. Telefonsko ispitivanje je provedeno s 30 manjih proizvođača Paškog sira. Rezultati istraživanja su pokazali da je 18 proizvođača samo djelomično upoznato sa zemljopisnim oznakama i koristima koje one nose. Veće znanje o ZO imaju obrazovaniji proizvođači i oni koji su članovi udruga ili kooperanti mljekara (P<0,05). Iako većina ispitanika ima pozitivna očekivanje glede utjecaja ZO na konkurentnost Paškog sira, pozitivnija očekivanja imaju proizvođači koji više znaju o ZO (P<0,05).Pag cheese is one of the most famous Croatian traditional sheep cheese, and it is the trademark of the whole island of Pag because of its traditional way of production which is kept for centuries. Although it has all the prerequisites, Pag cheese still does not have geographical protection according to the current legislation. The aim of this paper was to determine whether producers of Pag cheese are familiar with geographical indications (GIs), their perceptions and expectations about these indications and impact of geographical indication on the competitiveness of Pag cheese. A telephone survey was conducted with 30 small scale cheese producers. The results showed that most of the surveyed producers are only partially familiar with GIs concept and their benefits. Higher level of knowledge about GIs has been found among more educated producers as well as among those who are members of producers\u27 association or co-operators of dairies (P<0.05). Even though most of the respondents have rather positive expectations about potential impact of GIs on Pag cheese competitiveness, producers with higher level of knowledge about GIs have more positive expectations compared to other respondents (P<0.05)

ANALYSIS OF THE WORLD AND CROATIAN PORK MARKET

Cilj rada bio je utvrditi stanje na svjetskom i hrvatskom tržištu svinjskog mesa. Za prikaz hrvatskog tržišta svinjskog mesa korištena je metoda proizvodno – potrošnih bilanci sukladno metodologiji Statističkog ureda europskih zajednica, podaci Državnog zavoda za statistiku (DZS) i FAOSTATa. Za analizu svjetskog i EU tržišta svinjskog mesa korišteni su podaci FAOSTAT-a. Rezultati analize svjetskog tržišta su pokazali da se u razdoblju od 2006. do 2016. svjetska proizvodnja svinjskog mesa povećala za 17,2 %. U analiziranom razdoblju najveći svjetski proizvođači svinjskog mesa bili su Kina, SAD i Njemačka. Najveći svjetski uvoznici svinjskog mesa su Japan, Rusija, Južna Koreja, Kina i Njemačka, a najveći izvoznici SAD, Njemačka, Kanada i Danska. Prosječna svjetska potrošnja svinjskog mesa u 2016. Godini iznosila je 12,4 kg/stanovniku, a na razini EU 33 kg/stanovniku. Najviše svinjskog mesa se konzumira u Austriji (56,15 kg/stanovniku), Njemačkoj (54,52 kg/stanovniku) i Španjolskoj (52,67 kg/stanovniku). Proizvodnja svinjskog mesa u Hrvatskoj u konstantnom je padu od 2010. te je prema dostupnim podacima zabilježen pad proizvodnje do 2016. od 23 %. U razdoblju od 2010. do 2016. uvoz svinjskog mesa u Hrvatskoj porastao je za čak 83 %, a uvoz živih svinja se smanjio za 23 %. U promatranom razdoblju izvoz svinjskog mesa se povećao za 213 %, a izvoz živih svinja za 784 %. U 2016. godini najviše svinja smo uvozili iz Nizozemske, Njemačke i Danske, a izvozili u Italiju, Mađarsku te Srbiju. U 2016. godini potrošnja svinjskog mesa iznosila je 45,9 kg/stanovniku, a samodostatnost 55 %. Revitalizacija svinjogojskog sektora moguća je većim ulaganjem u konvencionalnu proizvodnju te u proizvodnju specifičnih proizvoda od izvornih pasmina od kojih su neke kritično ugrožene.The aim of the paper was to determine the situation on the world and Croatian market of pig meat. The method of production and consumption balance was used to show the Croatian pig meat market according to the methodology of the Statistical Office of the European Communities, the data of the C entral B ureau o f S tatistics a nd F AOSTAT. F AOSTAT d ata w as u sed t o analyze the world and EU pig meat market. The results of the world market analysis showed that in the period from 2006 to 2016 world meat production increased by 17.2 %. In the analyzed period, the world\u27s largest pig meat producers were China, the USA and Germany. The world\u27s largest importers of pork are Japan, Russia, South Korea, China and Germany, and the largest exporters are USA, Germany, Canada and Denmark. The average world consumption of pork in 2016 was 12.4 kg per capita and at EU level 33 kg per capita. Most pork meat is consumed in Austria (56.15 kg/capita), Germany (54.52 kg/capita) and Spain (52.67 kg/capita). Pig meat production in Croatiahas been steadily declining since 2010, and according to available data, production fell 23 % by 2016. Between 2010 and 2016, imports of pork in Croatia increased 83 %, while imports of live pigs decreased by 23 %. In the observed period, exports of pig meat increased by 213 % and exports of live pigs increased 784 %. In 2016 Croatia imported the most pigs from the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark and exported to Italy, Hungary and Serbia. In 2016 consumption of pig meat was 45.9 kg/per capita and self-sufficiency was 55 %. Revitalization of the pig meat sector is possible by investing more in conventional production and in the specific products from domestic breeds, some of which are critically endangered

Breastfeeding success in low birth weight infants

Breastfeeding is a fundamental public health issue since it promotes health, prevents disease and helps contribute to reducing health inequalities. It provides the foundation for a healthy start in life and prevents disease in the short and long-term for babies and their mothers. The aim of the study was to point out the incidence of breastfeeding among low birth weight (LBW) infants and factors that can influence it. We want to show that breastfeeding can be set independently of serious medical complication even in LBW infants. All LBW preterm (birth weight of up to 1500 g) admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) from 2009 to 2011 were investigated. All LBW preterm infants had their mothers with them. The study included 69 preemies with a gestational age from 25 to 32. About 36% of infants were breastfeed, 29% were fed with their mother’s milk, and 35% were fed a combination of mother’s milk and industrial preparations. Severe medical complications were not connected with successful breastfeeding in our study. Success of breastfeeding is statistically connected only with the gender of the preemie or a premature infant, and with the duration of bottle feeding. In observing the impact of complication (cerebral haemorrhage, asphyxia, mechanical ventilation and infection) on the success of breastfeeding there was no statistically significant difference. The manner in which breastfeeding begins is very important in LBW infants. When a premature baby begins to breastfeed, it is best to not to add milk from the bottle (despite weight loss)

Segmentation of local food consumers based on altruistic motives and perceived purchasing barriers: a Croatian study

This is the first empirical study which has segmented consumers based on their altruistic motives and perceived barriers in purchasing local food in a developing country, which has received little prior research attention and as such, provides a valuable contribution to the local food research stream. An empirical study was conducted via an online questionnaire on a sample of 402 Croatian local food consumers. In such a way we identified two consumer segments: (1) embedded local food consumers and (2) disinclined local food consumers. Embedded local food consumers report a significantly higher mean score concerning altruistic motives and a significantly lower mean score for perceived barriers in purchasing local food compared to the other segment. Also, they buy and consume local food more often and put more emphasis on personal motives, such as freshness, quality, and taste. Embedded local food consumers are more satisfied with the current local food supply and are willing to pay higher prices for local food as compared to disinclined local food consumers. This empirical study fills the evident research gap in local food literature regarding altruistic motives and barriers in purchasing locally produced food

Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Newborns of Gestational Age of over 32 Weeks

Albeit the aetiology of the respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is well known, the paper shall demonstrate that the causes of RDS changed over the years 2006 and 2010. This retrospective study comprises analysis of the data collected from 60 newborns of over 32 weeks gestation with RDS in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Clinical Hospital Centre in Osijek. The focus of the paper lies in the difference in the incidence of RDS over two research periods (2006 and 2010), the most common and possible causes of RDS in newborns of over 32 weeks gestation as well as in the potential changes in the aetiology over the two research periods. An increase in the incidence of RDS was established in 2010, but it was statistically significant only for newborns of gestational age of 35 1/7 to 36 6/7 weeks. The most common cause of RDS in both research periods was sepsis, which decreased in its share in 2010, whereas the incidence of asphyxia and complications during pregnancy increased. The new potential cause in 2010 was maternal thrombophilia. The share of unknown causes of RDS decreased, although not significantly so. The results of the research indicate that the causes of RDS changed over the observed periods and that further research should focus on thrombophilia and other complications during pregnancy with the aim of reducing morbidity and improving neonatal outcomes as well as further reducing the incidence of RDS with unknown causes in newborns

Possibilities for the Use of Oil Contaminated Solids for Agricultural Purposes

All phases of oil exploitation, from the start of oil-drilling works to construction of the transport system (underground pipeline network) are accompanied by interventions and procedures hazardous to the environment. Although the state-of-the-art technical solutions and modern materials used by INA in all exploitation phases warrant a high level of safety, the possibility of different incidents is unfortunately not fully excluded. Incidents endanger natural resources, primarily soil and water, and may, depending on their severity, jeopardize for a certain length of time the intended use of the land on which the incident occurred, that is, rule out the possibility of its use for plant or livestock production. In the last two decades, the staff members of the Faculty of Agriculture Department of General Agronomy participated in the number of studies dealing with the evaluation of the extent of contamination of soil on which an oil incident occurred and drew up studies and plans for remediation of such soils. The paper presents the results of threeyear-long research on growing winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and soybean (Glycine hyspida L.) in pots under different degrees of soil contamination by oil. Research involved monitoring of changes in the soil chemical complex (pH, changes in plant available phosphorus and potassium, content of organic matter); also monitoring of number of plants, achieved yields and studying chemical changes in plant material caused by different degrees of soil contamination

UTJECAJ MODELA RADA NA PONAŠANJE POTROŠAČA HRANE TIJEKOM PANDEMIJE COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of people\u27s lives around the world. Restrictions on movement and social distancing have influenced consumer behavior and the emergence of various consumer trends, one of the most important of which is working from home. The main objectives of this study are (1) to identify changes in consumer behaviour in the purchase, preparation and consumption of food during the COVID-19 pandemic, (2) to investigate the impact of the work model on food consumer behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey was conducted among a convenient sample of 625 respondents in the Republic of Croatia. The food categories in which consumption increased the most were flour, vegetables, and fruits, while the greatest decrease was in alcoholic beverages and in the category of sweets and salty snacks. The study confirms that work model during the COVID -19 pandemic influenced some aspects of food consumer behavior. Consumers who worked from home were more inclined to go to the grocery store less often, they tended to make more planned purchases, buy larger quantities of food and stocked up on food; they also placed more importance on the time available for food preparation compared to consumers who worked in the office. The findings suggest that uncertainty and exposure to risk have shaped the way consumers buy food, prepare, and consume food, but only with time will we be able to determine which changes in consumers are temporary and which persist over the long term.Pandemija COVID-19 utjecala je na sve segmente života ljudi diljem svijeta. Ograničenje kretanja i socijalno distanciranje utjecali su na ponašanje potrošača i pojavu različitih potrošačkih trendova od kojih je jedan od najvažnijih rad od kuće. Glavni ciljevi ovog rada su (1) identificirati promjene u ponašanju potrošača pri kupnji, pripremi i konzumiranju hrane tijekom pandemije COVID-19, (2) istražiti utjecaj modela rada na ponašanje potrošača hrane tijekom pandemije. Provedeno je online istraživanje na prigodnom uzorku od 625 ispitanika u Republici Hrvatskoj. Kategorije hrane u kojima se najviše povećala potrošnja su brašno, povrće i voće, dok je najveći pad zabilježen u kategoriji alkoholnih pića te u kategoriji slatkiša i slanih grickalica. Studija potvrđuje da je model rada tijekom pandemije utjecao na neke aspekte ponašanja potrošača hrane. Potrošači koji su radili od kuće rjeđe su odlazili u trgovinu i bili su skloniji planiranoj kupnji hrane, kupovali su veće količine i stvarali zalihe hrane, a pridavali su i veću važnost vremenu dostupnom za pripremu hrane od potrošača koji su radili u uredu. Rezultati pozuju da su neizvjesnost i izloženost riziku tijekom pandemije COVID-19 oblikovali način na koji potrošači kupuju, pripremaju i konzumiraju hranu, no tek s vremenom ćemo moći odrediti koje su promjene u potrošača privremene, a koje će se održati dugoročno