Australian farmers\u27 and food processors\u27 values

Purpose &ndash; The aim of this exploratory study was to examine and compare a range of business values held by farmers and food processors. Design/methodology/approach &ndash; Questionnaires with a section on business values were posted to 200 farmers and 200 food processing businesses in Victoria, Australia, with response rates of 44 per cent (n=69) and 31 per cent (n=48), respectively, achieved. Findings &ndash; The most important of the 28 value items for farmers were high quality produce, honesty, and caring for employees. For processors, the most important values were quality products, customer value, and caring for employees. Between group differences reached statistical significance for one-third of the items. In particular, processor businesses valued innovation and convenience products more highly and had a stronger process orientation than did farming businesses. Environmental sustainability, caring for the community, and providing healthy products were more integral to farming than processing businesses. Research limitations/implications &ndash; The main limitation was the small sample sizes, although it is likely that response bias was not high. Future research could survey a larger sample of food industry representatives and examine the values held by other food industry sectors. Practical implications &ndash; This information could increase the effectiveness of communications with industry groups on a range of issues and in the formulation of appropriate health and environmental policies. Originality/value &ndash; To the authors\u27 knowledge, this is the first study to compare the values of farmers and food processors. This information is particularly important for those in the food industry and health and environmental policy makers.<br /

Beyond the talk? Understandings of, expectations for, and barriers to climate services for climate adaptation in Tanzania

We are talking a lot...but can farmers rely on this? - NGO representative, Morogoro, Tanzania This thesis examines the complexities and potential misalignments between the aim of co- produced climate services (CS) and the perspectives, livelihood realities, and practical challenges such services must address if they are to achieve the goals and objectives associated with strengthening climate adaptation amongst smallholder farmers. Countries, such as Norway, support and promote the provision of co-produced climate services for climate adaptation under the assumption that enhanced climate information will support local adaptation efforts. Co- production is advocated as a way to bring together the relevant actors involved in producing, communicating, and using CS to overcome the limitations of top-down approaches and increase user relevance and uptake of these services. However, as illustrated by the opening quote, despite efforts toward achieving co-production, a gap exists between the “talk” of scientific research and the actual impact it has on informing smallholder farmers’ climate adaptation in practice. Through exploration of diverse understandings of, expectations from, and barriers to co- produced climate services for climate adaptation in Morogoro Region, Tanzania, findings in this study push back on the assumption that increased climate information, even when tailored to the assumed needs of recipients, inherently leads to enhanced climate adaptation. Perspectives of smallholder farmers and other stakeholders involved in producing, communicating, and using climate information show that how, when, and if climate information is useful and usable varies depending on individual and subjective backgrounds, experiences, ways of knowing, and decision-making contexts. Institutional and social barriers to access of information, as well as existing vulnerability among smallholder farmers in the studied locations, further limit the extent to which climate information and services, even when potentially useful, are operationally used. Despite widespread donor and governmental support for co-produced climate services in Tanzania and elsewhere, there remains a lack of convincing evidence for the uptake of such services by smallholders in ways that can support enhanced decision-making and climate adaptation in practice. Drawing on empirical data collected during participatory observation of a climate services co-production workshop, I investigate the different ways in which stakeholders understand and approach the process of climate service co-production and the different assumptions and expectations they bring to such processes. I further draw on qualitative iv interviews conducted with men and women smallholders and potential climate service intermediaries at local, national, and international levels to investigate the extent to which the seasonal forecast information that is currently produced at the national level is viewed as being accessible, relevant, trustworthy, and actionable and responsive to farmers needs in practice. To analyze the data, I employ a hybrid conceptual and analytical framework based on principles of “salience”, “credibility”, “legitimacy” (Cash et al., 2003) and “usefulness” and “usability” (Lemos & Morehouse, 2005) that have emerged from literature assessing the key criteria for enabling scientific information to inform and support adaptive action across the science-policy- society interface

Benefits and barriers to the consumption of a vegetarian diet in Australia

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine consumers\u27 perceived benefits and barriers to the consumption of a vegetarian diet.Design: Survey (written questionnaire) that included questions on perceived benefits and barriers to the consumption of a vegetarian diet.Setting: South Australia.Subjects: Six hundred and one randomly selected South Australians.Results: The main perceived barriers to adopting a vegetarian diet were enjoying eating meat and an unwillingness to alter eating habits. This was the case for men, women and all age groups, although there were sex and age differences present in over half of the barrier items. For example, family food preferences were a greater problem for women than for men, while the oldest group was more likely to agree that humans are &lsquo;meant&rsquo; to eat meat than the younger groups. The main benefits associated with vegetarian diets were health benefits: increased fruit and vegetable intake, decreased saturated fat intake, weight control. Animal welfare-related benefits and disease prevention were also important. Age and sex differences were apparent, although age differences were more important than sex differences.Conclusions: The majority of respondents perceived there to be health benefits associated with the consumption of a vegetarian diet, but also, predictably, enjoyed eating meat. Given this, it is likely that interest in plant-based diets that contain some meat is higher than that in no-meat diets. An understanding of the perceived benefits and barriers of consuming a vegetarian diet will allow the implementation of strategies to influence meat and vegetarianism beliefs, dietary behaviour and, hence, public health.<br /

Consumer concerns about food and health : examination of general and specific relationships with personal values and demographics

Purpose &ndash; Aims to investigate the relationships between consumers\u27 food concerns and their personal values and demographic characteristics. Design/methodology/approach &ndash; A questionnaire was administered in a cross sectional random population survey conducted among a sample of 1,000 adults in South Australia. The questionnaire elicited information about respondents\u27 concerns about 20 food and health issues, the perceived importance of 23 values items derived from the Schwartz values inventory, and their demographic characteristics. Findings &ndash; Principal components analyses derived four food concerns factors and six personal values factors. Respondents\u27 safety concerns scores were positively associated with devout-tradition, order-discipline, and moderate-independent values. Their disease concerns score was positively linked to beauty-nature, devout-tradition, and order-discipline. Multiple regression and chi-square automatic interaction detection (CHAID) analyses showed that individual values items were strong predictors of consumers; specific concerns such as food and heart disease, and, genetic modification of foods. Research limitations/implications &ndash; The research was based on a cross sectional study. More refined indices of food concerns and personal values should be used in replications of this preliminary study. Practical implications &ndash; The findings support the use of psychographic market segmentation approaches in communication programs about food and health issues. Originality/value &ndash; The findings suggest that personal values, may be stronger predictors of consumers\u27 concerns about food and health issues than demographics. They also show that measurement level of values and concerns influence the observed strength of their relationships.<br /

The factors associated with the belief that vegetarian diets provide health benefits

The aim of this paper is to examine the factors associated with the belief that vegetarian diets provide health benefits. A random population mail survey about food choice was conducted among a sample of 1000 South Australians. An additional (non-random) survey of 106 vegetarians and semi-vegetarians was also conducted, giving a total of 707 participants from both samples. The main predictors of the belief that vegetarian diets provide health benefits for all respondents were found to be the belief that meat is neither healthy nor necessary and frequent searching for information on healthy eating. However, there were differences between vegetarians, non-vegetarians and semi-vegetarians. In particular, health issues were relatively more important for semi-vegetarians and vegetarians, while knowledge and convenience issues were most important for non-vegetarians. The results have important implications for public health. Many South Australians perceive that health benefits are associated with eating a vegetarian diet, which may also apply to plant-based diets in general. However, if non-vegetarians are to obtain some of the health benefits associated with the consumption of a plant-based diet, they require information on the preparation of quick and easy plant- based meals.<br /

Australians\u27 organic food beliefs, demographics and values

Purpose &ndash; To examine consumers\u27 beliefs about organic foods and their relationship with socio-demographics and self-transcendence (universal, benevolence) personal values.Design/methodology/approach &ndash; A random questionnaire-based mail survey of 500 Australian (Victorian) adults (58 per cent response) was used. The questionnaire included items on organic food beliefs, the importance of self-transcendence values as guiding principles in life, and socio-demographics. Statistical analyses included cross-tabulations of organic food beliefs by socio-demographics and multiple regression analyses of positive organic food beliefs with personal value and socio-demographic items as the independent variables.Findings &ndash; The majority of participants believed organic food to be healthier, tastier and better for the environment than conventional food. However, expense and lack of availability were strong barriers to the purchasing of organic foods. Generally, women were more positive about organic food than men (e.g. women were more likely to agree that organic food has more vitamins/minerals than conventional food). The personal value factor related to nature, environment and equality was the dominant predictor of positive organic food beliefs, followed by sex. These predictors accounted for 11 per cent of the variance.Research limitations/implications &ndash; A survey response bias needs to be taken into account. However, the response rate was adequate for reporting and differences in age and education between participants and the Victorian population were taken into account in data presentation. Future understanding of consumers\u27 use of organic foods will require the inclusion of a fairly extensive set of potential influences.Practical implications &ndash; Communication appeals based on psychographics may be a more effective way to alter consumers\u27 beliefs about organic foods than those based on demographic segmentation.Originality/value &ndash; To the best of one\u27s knowledge, this is the first study to examine the relationship between personal values, socio-demographics and organic food beliefs in a random population sample. This study is relevant to producers, processors and retailers of organic food and those involved with food and agricultural policy. <br /

Food industry awareness of consumers` plant food beliefs

Abstract: Purpose &ndash; The aims of this study were to examine farmers\u27 and food processors\u27 alignment with consumers\u27 views about plant foods and their intentions to produce plant foods. Design/methodology/approach &ndash; Data on plant food beliefs were collected from mail surveys of farmers, food processing businesses and random population samples of adults in Victoria, Australia. Findings &ndash; There were strong differences between consumers\u27 beliefs and farmers\u27 and food processors\u27 perceptions of consumers\u27 beliefs. For example, a higher proportion of farmers and processors believed that consumers would eat more plant foods if more convenience-oriented plant-based meals were available than consumers themselves agreed. Farmers appeared to be more aware of or aligned with consumers\u27 beliefs than were processors. One- and two-thirds of farmers and processors respectively were planning to grow or process more plant foods, which bodes well for the availability of plant and plant-based foods. Research limitations/implications &ndash; Study limitations include the small food industry sample sizes and possible response bias, although analysis suggests the latter was low. Future research could survey a larger sample of food industry representatives, including those from other sectors (e.g. retailers). Practical implications &ndash; Education of consumers and industry groups on plant foods and better lines of communication from consumer to processor to farmer, are required. Originality/value &ndash; To the authors\u27 knowledge, this is the first study to examine farmers\u27 and food processors\u27 awareness of consumers\u27 beliefs about plant foods. This issue is important for those involved with the production and marketing of plant foods or with food, farming and health policy. <br /

Laneway Infill: Re-Creating an Urban Housing Typology

This thesis proposes an incremental response to the challenge of creating increased density within urban residential communities. Responding to the growing need for smaller urban dwellings, and the projected needs caused by future urban population growth, it suggests that infill housing on historic residential lanes and alleys could continue the tradition of small-scale, adaptive, and gradual change along these often-forgotten corridors of older North American cities, and specifically in Hamilton, Ontario. Incremental intensification through laneway housing represents a ground-oriented, modern, and unique housing typology with scale, texture, and ways of living that bring added diversity to the city. With a strategic approach, these houses can generate reinvestment in historic neighbourhoods without destroying the existing urban fabric. Planning reforms, economic realities, and design considerations are analyzed through literature reviews, case studies, and original field research on the laneways in Hamilton, Ontario. Application of the findings establishes incremental laneway housing as a viable catalyst for achieving urban renewal and increased densification in mid-sized North American cities