Quality, safety and consumer behaviour towards organic food in Portugal

This paper reports the results of an analysis of Portuguese consumer behaviour towards organic food products (OFP). For this purpose, a literature review on quality and food safety of OFP was carried out and a consumer survey was implemented, with data collected by means of personal interviews in the capital city of the country. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and a comparison of gender and age groups was made using chi-square tests and analysis of variance. Factor analysis was used for the attitudinal scales in order to reduce the number of variables and to search for dimensions underlying these attitudes. The results show positive consumer attitudes towards OFP. However, its consumption is much lower than could be expected from these attitudes. Intentions to buy OFP are quite high, suggesting that these products might obtain a substantial market share in the future. This is an encouraging sign for potential OFP producers, who might compensate for the costs of moving from traditional to organic farming with an increase in market share

Socio-economic characterization of olive groves in the region of Serpa and Moura, South of Portugal

The study focuses on a socio-economic characterization of an area in Serpa and Moura region, in the South of Portugal, where a project aiming at establishing soil covers on olive groves was implemented. The research consisted of two phases: data compilation from statistical and academic sources and a quantitative survey involving olives farmers in order to collect comprehensive information on socio-economic and technical characterization of olive groves. These data provided a comprehensive compilation of socioeconomic characteristics and allowed the establishment of accounts for different technological situations. The results obtained are focused on human resources, machinery capital and olive groves’ profits and costs. The use of soil crop covers, despite additional costs, allows avoiding the need of heavy tractors for harvesting. Irrigation technologies, although costly, produce higher yields consistently resulting in higher than operation costs profits. In dry land technologies, the incurred costs are always higher than profits and profitability depends on subsidies. Subsequently, farmers in this area have the conditions to innovate, however taking into account their age and farm sizes will probably need technical assistance. The technological options considered will allow a significant reduction in the risk farmers’ face, as it will allow avoiding income variability that is due to difficulties in harvesting. From the public point of view, this will contribute to maintain people and the traditional landscape of this region

Flora da Paraíba, Brasil: Loganiaceae Flora of Paraíba, Brazil: Loganiaceae

Neste trabalho apresenta-se o tratamento taxonômico da família Loganiaceae, como parte do projeto "Flora da Paraíba", que vem sendo realizado com o objetivo de identificar e catalogar as espécies da flora local. Realizouse coletas e observações de campo para as identificações, descrições e ilustrações botânicas que foram efetuadas após estudos morfológicos, com o auxílio da bibliografia especializada, complementados pela análise de fotos de tipos, espécimes dos herbários EAN, JPB e IPA, e comparação com material identificado por especialistas. Registrou-se para a Paraíba quatro espécies: Spigelia anthelmia L., com ampla distribuição, e três espécies de Strychnos, somente coletadas em remanescentes de Mata Atlântica, S. atlantica Krukoff & Barneby, S. parvifolia A. DC. e S. trinervis (Vell.) Mart.<br>This work constitutes a taxonomic treatment of the Loganiaceae family as part of the project "Flora da Paraíba", which have been carried out with the objective to identify and catalogue the species of the local flora. The botanical identifications and illustrations were made by morphological studies supported by bibliography, analysis of the types, specimens from herbaria EAN, JPB and IPA, and comparison with samples previously identified by specialists, complemented by field observations. Four species of Loganiaceae belonging two genera were found in State of Paraíba: Spigelia anthelmia L. that has wide distribution and three species of Strychnos, found on remains of Atlantic forest, which are S. atlantica Krukoff & Barneby, S. parvifolia A. DC. and S. trinervis (Vell.) Mart