Current practices and user expectations

IAISE Policy Brief No. 1 on "Impact Assessment Systems and Tools in Europe: Current Practices and User Expectations" has just been published. This policy brief presents the key findings on the most comprehensive survey yet conducted of user needs and expectations with regard to Impact Assessment (IA) systems and tools in 17 European countries. The survey was carried out by researchers from the LIAISE Network of Excellence, who collected data through documentary analysis and interviews with 130 people who steer IA at a strategic level, i.e. those people who champion, oversee, guide, audit or write guidance for IA processes. A more detailed description of the survey’s results can be found in the LIAISE Innovation Report No. 2 (January 2011)

Impact assessment of rural development measures on the sustainability of agricultural holdings

The aim of the thesis was to assess the impacts of rural development measures on the sustainability of agricultural holdings of the region of Central Macedonia. One of the main goals was the development of a new impact assessment process for rural development measures. The new impact assessment process includes four phases and specific general and practical steps that must be followed. The positive mathematical programming is the main method used for this impact assessment process. The results of the positive mathematical programming model are compared with the results of the linear programming and the multicriteria analysis models. The impact assessment process was implemented on a sample of 219 agricultural holding of the region of Central Macedonia which had participated in the measure "Modernization of Agricultural Holdings". As regards the new step by step impact assessment process, the results showed that a relationship of trust is necessary to be established, between researchers and policy makers. The positive mathematical programming model managed to reorganize the crop plan of the average farm without abandoning a high number of crops. This is one of the main advantages of positive mathematical programming method. As regards the comparisons between the models, the results showed that the positive mathematical programming model achieved to increase the gross margin but at a lower level compared to the other two models. On the other hand, the model managed to achieve only the one of the other two objectives. The use of positive mathematical programming is recommended only in cases that we are interested in reorganizing the crop plans without major changes from the existent situation. The results of the thesis can be useful tool, both for researchers and policy makers, who are responsible for implementing the rural development measures.Αντικείμενο της διατριβής ήταν η αποτίμηση επιπτώσεων των μέτρων αγροτικής ανάπτυξης, στη βιωσιμότητα των γεωργικών εκμεταλλεύσεων της Περιφέρειας Κεντρικής Μακεδονίας. Ένας από τους βασικούς στόχους ήταν και η ανάπτυξη μιας νέας διαδικασίας αποτίμησης επιπτώσεων μέτρων αγροτικής ανάπτυξης. Στη νέα διαδικασία αποτίμησης επιπτώσεων, περιλαμβάνονται τέσσερις φάσεις και συγκεκριμένα γενικά, αλλά και πρακτικά βήματα που πρέπει να ακολουθούνται. Η μέθοδος του θετικού μαθηματικού προγραμματισμού είναι η κύρια μέθοδος που χρησιμοποιείται για την αποτίμηση των επιπτώσεων. Τα αποτελέσματα της συγκρίνονται με τα αποτελέσματα από τις μεθόδους του γραμμικού προγραμματισμού και της πολυκριτήριας ανάλυσης. Η εφαρμογή της διαδικασίας έγινε σε δείγμα 219 γεωργικών εκμεταλλεύσεων στην Περιφέρεια Κεντρικής Μακεδονίας, που συμμετείχαν στο μέτρο «Εκσυγχρονισμός Γεωργικών Εκμεταλλεύσεων». Τα αποτελέσματα δείχνουν ότι όσον αφορά την νέα προτεινόμενης βήμα προς βήμα διαδικασία, για την επιτυχή εφαρμογή της είναι απαραίτητη η ανάπτυξη μιας σχέσης εμπιστοσύνης μεταξύ της ερευνητικής ομάδας και των φορέων χάραξης πολιτικής. Προκύπτει επίσης, ότι η συνεπής εφαρμογή των βημάτων προσφέρει μεγαλύτερη διαφάνεια στη διαδικασία αποτίμησης επιπτώσεων. Όσον αφορά τη συμμετοχή των καλλιεργειών στα επιμέρους σχέδια παραγωγής, η μέθοδος του θετικού μαθηματικού προγραμματισμού πέτυχε την αναδιοργάνωση της μέσης γεωργικής εκμετάλλευσης, χωρίς την εγκατάλειψη μεγάλου μέρους των υφιστάμενων καλλιεργειών, πράγμα που αποτελεί και ένα από τα βασικά πλεονεκτήματα της χρήσης της μεθόδου. Οι συγκρίσεις των μεθόδων κατέδειξαν ότι η μέθοδος του θετικού μαθηματικού προγραμματισμού πέτυχε την αύξηση του ακαθάριστου κέρδους, σε χαμηλότερα όμως επίπεδα σε σύγκριση με τις δύο άλλες μεθόδους. Από την άλλη πλευρά ικανοποίησε μόνο τον έναν από τους δύο άλλους στόχους, αυτόν της χρήσης εργασίας σε μεγαλύτερο ποσοστό από ότι οι άλλες δύο μέθοδοι, ενώ η χρήση λιπασμάτων παρέμεινε σχεδόν σταθερή. Η χρήση της μεθόδου ενδείκνυται στις περιπτώσεις όπου ενδιαφερόμαστε για αναδιοργάνωση του σχεδίου παραγωγής χωρίς μεγάλες μεταβολές από το υφιστάμενο σχέδιο παραγωγής. Τα αποτελέσματα της διδακτορικής διατριβής, μπορούν να αποτελέσουν χρήσιμα εργαλεία, τόσο για τους ερευνητές όσο και για τους υπεύθυνους φορείς εφαρμογής των μέτρων αγροτικής ανάπτυξης ή χάραξης πολιτικής

Biomass Production from Crops Residues: Ranking of Agro-Energy Regions

The aim of the paper is to rank the agro-energy regions according to their potentials of biomass production in the Region of Central Macedonia (RCM). For this reason, a model of Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCDA) is developed with the ELimination and Et Choix Traduisant la REalite (ELECTRE) ΙΙΙ method, with the construction of outranking relations. The aim is to compare in a comprehensive way each pair of action, in our case the agro-energy regions of the RCM, in order to satisfy the main goal which is to rank the seven regions as regards their biomass production. The final goal is to select the optimal crop plan as a pilot case for biomass production in the region. In the case of ELECTRE III multicriteria model, we used several conflicting criteria such as the farm income, the biomass production from crop residues, the variable costs, and the production of thermal energy and electrical energy. Alongside a technical and economic analysis of the study area is conducted for the existent crop plans of each agro-energy region. The results show that agro-energy regions with cereals and arable crops have better results than regions with fruit trees and other crops

Efficiency of Vegetables Produced in Glasshouses: The Impact of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) in Land Management Decision Making

Glasshouse farming is one of the most intensive types of production of agricultural products. Via this process, consumers have the ability to consume mainly off-season vegetables and farmers are able to reduce operational risks, due to their ability to control micro-climate conditions. This type of farming is quite competitive worldwide, this being the main reason for formulating and implementing assessment models measuring operational performance. The methodology used in this study is Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), which has wide acceptance in agriculture, among other sectors of the economy. The production protocols of four different vegetables—cucumber, eggplant, pepper, and tomato—were evaluated. Acreage (m2), crop protection costs (€), fertilizers (€), labor (Hr/year), energy (€), and other costs (€) were used as inputs. The turnover of every production unit (€) was used as the output. Ninety-eight agricultural holdings participated in this survey. The dataset was obtained by face-to-face interviews. The main findings verify the existence of significant relative deficiencies (including a mean efficiency score of 0.87) as regards inputs usage, as well as considerably different efficiency scores among the different cultivations. The most efficient of these was the eggplant production protocol and the least efficient was that used for the tomato. The implementation of DEA verified its utility, providing incentives for continuing to use this methodology for improving land management decision making

Classification and Ranking Rural Areas in Greece based on technical, economic and social indicators of the agricultural holdings

This paper aims to classify and rank rural areas in Greece using a set of technical, economic and social indicators. For this purpose we developed appropriate indicators and criteria applied Hierarchical Cluster Analysis and the multicriteria method PROMETHEE II. In order to collect the appropriate data, a household survey carried out in the context of the research project CAP-IRE (Assessing the multiple Impacts of the Common Agricultural Policy on Rural Economies) which is a European FP7 funded project. A sample of 300 farm households located in the 16 prefectures of Macedonia and Thrace at Northern Greece was used to classify and rank these areas

Greek Agricultural Processing Industries: Relationships between Critical Success Factors and Enterprise Resource Planning implementation

This study aims to identify the relationships between critical factors and successful Enterprise Resource Planning implementation in the agricultural processing companies of Central Macedonia’s (Greece) region. Therefore, critical factors are taken into account collectively, as aspects of ERP implementation and its life cycle. Based on that, two versions of the particular information system’s management were presented, aiming to its success in the Greek agricultural processing field. The methodology which was used in order for the purposes of this analysis to be served, was that of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling. Through the answers given, it was determined whether the importance shown to the two different versions of critical factors is related to the degree of ERP systems’ success—or not—and in which way. Based on that, two management versions of ERP system are provided but also the scientific literature regarding the Greek and Central Macedonian field, is enriched. Lastly, helpful guidelines are developed in order for professionals and managers to understand the ways in which critical factors can be taken into account so as for the successful implementation of ERP in agribusinesses -specialized in the field of agricultural products processing- to be feasible

Greek Agricultural Processing Industries: Relationships between Critical Success Factors and Enterprise Resource Planning implementation

This study aims to identify the relationships between critical factors and successful Enterprise Resource Planning implementation in the agricultural processing companies of Central Macedonia’s (Greece) region. Therefore, critical factors are taken into account collectively, as aspects of ERP implementation and its life cycle. Based on that, two versions of the particular information system’s management were presented, aiming to its success in the Greek agricultural processing field. The methodology which was used in order for the purposes of this analysis to be served, was that of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling. Through the answers given, it was determined whether the importance shown to the two different versions of critical factors is related to the degree of ERP systems’ success—or not—and in which way. Based on that, two management versions of ERP system are provided but also the scientific literature regarding the Greek and Central Macedonian field, is enriched. Lastly, helpful guidelines are developed in order for professionals and managers to understand the ways in which critical factors can be taken into account so as for the successful implementation of ERP in agribusinesses -specialized in the field of agricultural products processing- to be feasible

Land Diversification and Its Contribution to Farms’ Income

Management and utilization of factors of production, in addition to diversification of land use, affect the performance of farms. In this article, it is identified whether the diversification of land use through its disposal to tourism infrastructure has a positive impact on the farms’ income. This identification was conducted by processing technical and economic data and applying bootstrap regression analysis. The research was conducted using a sample of 56 farms active in hospitality alongside agriculture, utilizing possibly uncultivated areas of land. Data collection was carried out by personal visits to the examined farms. The results showed that the performance of the farms is enhanced by tourism activity. At the same time, the results showed that land used for tourism activities has a positive impact on farms’ income. Paid labor also appears to have a positive influence. Although this investigation was executed in the Region of Central Macedonia (Greece), it contributes to strengthening the existing literature on rural tourism and land use. At the same time, it gives alternatives to policy-makers and owner-managers of farms regarding the utilization of the available factors of production with an emphasis on the land one