A multidimensional farming system typology

Farm Management,

Potentials of a Harmonised Database for Agricultural Market Modelling

The study analysed existing databases for agricultural market data on errors and discrepancies and to elaborate the possibilities to harmonise datasets for policy modelling. The study supports DG AGRI in improving quality and timely availability of data for market modelling and ensuring that data from different sources are consistent. This study aims to provide a structure for a consolidated database for policy modelling which does not alter existing databases. Within this report, existing databases are analysed to derive key insights for setting-up a harmonised metabase. As available databases comprise statistical databases as well as scientific model databases, both groups are studied. For the purpose of this study, statistical databases are defined as providers of the information that international institutes receive from their reporters, while the reporters are required to provide harmonised, complete, consistent, and where possible, timely data series for establishing models or other quantitative methods. Nevertheless, a statistical database can also serve as a model database, such as e.g. PS&D. Statistical databases from international institutions (FAO, USDA, Eurostat), as well as model databases (AGLINK/COSIMO, AGMEMOD, CAPRI/CAPSIM, ESIM, FAPRI, GTAP, FARM, IMPACT), were studied to find ways of consolidating data and providing insights that allow for a better comparison of model results. For this reason, various classification schemes used in agricultural statistics were reviewed (country, product, balance item, year, unit), as was the manner in which the different modelling groups have dealt with these classifications in their databases. Besides a common classification, a harmonised database for market modelling purposes will require further efforts to be applied to a consolidation effort for the original data. Such a procedure must be supplemented by methods dealing with completion and balancing.JRC.J.5-Agriculture and Life Sciences in the Econom

Dynamics of food systems in Sub-Saharan Africa : Implications for consumption patterns and farmers’ position in food supply chains

This paper looks into the dynamics in the food system in SSA countries, describing developments in drivers of the food system, analysing food consumption patterns in selected SSA countries, investigating the pace of change of the regional food retail formats and the impacts it has on how local production is connected to modern food retailers. More specifically, the research objectives are to: Depict the trends in population growth, urbanisation rates, income growth and the food-system environment as drivers of change in dietary patterns; Investigate the trends in food consumption patterns in a range of SSA countries, with attention to differences between urban and rural consumption trends; Illustrate the changing food retail and provisioning system in the SSA region with examples and data from selected countries; Analyse the effects of modernising food systems on small farmers’ position in local and regional supply chains and explore whether dynamics in the SSA food retail structure and consumption patterns have had implications for food import dependency in certain countries in the region

NATURE MANAGEMENT, LANDSCAPE AND THE CAP

The integration of nature management, landscape and environmental concerns into the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has gained momentum with the CAP reforms adopted in June 2003. The report explores instruments and approaches that contribute to the inte-gration of nature conservation and landscape concerns into the CAP. A broader use of the CAP instruments might help to achieve nature types in the Netherlands

A New Methodology for Incorporating Nutrition Indicators in Economy-Wide Scenario Analyses

This paper develops an innovative approach for calculating household nutrition indicators in a Computable General Equilibrium framework, using the flow of primary agri-food commodities through the global economy from farm to fork. It has been incorporated as a nutrition module in MAGNET. The method of tracing nutrients through the food system allows for making agriculture, the food supply chain and the economy as a whole nutrition-sensitive in scenario analyses. The validation of the nutrition outcomes in the base year with global data on nutrient consumption from the FAO reveals important differences which stem from differences in data and assumptions. Various solutions are identified to improve the calculations in the future. In the short run, correction factors are applied in the calculation of indicators in the nutrition module to capture and adjust the methodology for the remaining differences

We are what we eat: An economic tool for tracing the origins of nutrients with entry points for action

We develop a methodology for incorporating nutrition impacts in economy-wide analyses, providing entry points for where, when and how to act. It accounts for three channels of consumption, directly via primary commodities and indirectly via processed foods and food-related services, and produces indicators showing content by nutrient (currently calories, proteins, fats and carbohydrates), channel, source region and sector. The paper applies the framework in a CGE model (MAGNET) and uses FAO data to project nutritional outcomes resulting from the global food system over time. The analysis confirms that developing regions catch up with developed regions, with the USA at the high-end of nutrient consumption, whilst Southern Africa lags behind. In the USA the processed food channel dominates, whereas in Southern Africa the direct channel dominates. In the USA, and similar regions, fat taxes (thin subsidies) on unhealthy (healthy) processed foods, technologies reducing bad ingredients (e.g. trans fats, salt), improved food labelling, information and marketing campaigns, and/or targeted cash transfers may be worthwhile to investigate. In Southern Africa, and regions alike, technological advances increasing nutrient availability via primary agriculture and/or cash transfers enabling access may be more pertinent. The relative fixedness of sectoral origins shows that consumption habits change slowly and are visible only in the long term. For certain regions, including Southern Africa and USA, nutrient import dependency increases with substantial variations in regional sourcing. This implies that concerted action across the globe is crucial to reach diet, nutrition and health goals, and should include upcoming Asian economies, Africa (excl. Southern Africa) and the Middle East. Heterogeneity of results necessitates future ex-ante quantitative policy analyses on a more detailed and context-specific basis

NATURE MANAGEMENT, LANDSCAPE AND THE CAP

The integration of nature management, landscape and environmental concerns into the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has gained momentum with the CAP reforms adopted in June 2003. The report explores instruments and approaches that contribute to the inte-gration of nature conservation and landscape concerns into the CAP. A broader use of the CAP instruments might help to achieve nature types in the Netherlands.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Comparative analysis of leading and lagging rural regions in OECD countries in the 1980s and 1990s

In this paper leading and lagging regions in OECD countries in the 1990s are identified, and a comparative analysis is made of leading and lagging regions in the 1990s with those in the 1980s. The labels 'leading' and 'lagging' are derived from total employment growth. In almost all studied countries, employment growth in the leading predominantly rural and intermediate rural regions in the 1990s tended to exceed that in predominantly urban regions. On the whole, it appeared that about 60% of all leading regions in the 1980s were still leading in the 1990s, and that also 60% of the lagging regions in the 1980s were lagging in the 1990s

Comparative analysis of leading and lagging rural regions in OECD countries in the 1980s and 1990s

In this paper leading and lagging regions in OECD countries in the 1990s are identified, and a comparative analysis is made of leading and lagging regions in the 1990s with those in the 1980s. The labels 'leading' and 'lagging' are derived from total employment growth. In almost all studied countries, employment growth in the leading predominantly rural and intermediate rural regions in the 1990s tended to exceed that in predominantly urban regions. On the whole, it appeared that about 60% of all leading regions in the 1980s were still leading in the 1990s, and that also 60% of the lagging regions in the 1980s were lagging in the 1990s.Labor and Human Capital,