Evaluating traceability systems within the South African sheep meat supply chain

One of the latest trends in the market for food products is the desire amongst consumers to know the origin of the products they purchase and to feel physically or emotionally connected to the farm and the producer. However, given the many efforts by producers and retailers to mislead consumers about the origin of products, for consumers to have faith in the origin of food products, they need to have some guarantee about the true origin of products. Thus, to be able to successfully guarantee the origin of food products, traceability systems need to be in place and they need to comply with the necessary legislation. This consumer need for origin-based food is now playing out in a variety of ways as food processors and retailers are labelling their products according to the origin of the product. Quite often, regional names are used for that identification. One iconic South African example of a product with regional identity is Karoo Lamb. In July this year producers from the Karoo region launched Karoo Lamb, a certification scheme, with a chain-wide traceability system in place to guarantee the Karoo origin of sheep meat in South African retail stores. The question, though, is whether all abattoirs and meat processors in South Africa are able to deliver origin-guaranteed products. The key factor here is the traceability system they have in place. The general objective of this study is therefore to assess current traceability systems in the sheep meat industry and to establish their ability to guarantee the origin of a carcass. This traceability system should be able to protect, manage and govern the food of origin attributes of a product in the sheep meat industry. The specific objectives of the study are: i) to create a high level process map to indicate the flow of Karoo Lamb products; ii) to share information by developing a detailed description of current and potential traceability systems in the Karoo Lamb supply chain; iii) to identify critical control points for maintaining product information and to test if these systems are in line with best practices; iv) to investigate the decision-making factors impacting on the implementation of a traceability system; and v) to develop recommendations for effectively implementing a traceability system that protects, manages and governs food of origin attributes. In response to these objectives, five hypotheses were developed and tested. The five hypotheses basically aimed to identify the tipping factor in the traceability implementation decision-making process. The population of South African sheep slaughtering abattoirs was used to draw a random sample of 55 abattoirs selected to participate in the research survey by means of interview administrated, structured questionnaires. The data was then processed and analysed to include a combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis. The results obtained by the research indicate that 92 % of the abattoirs in South Africa have proper traceability systems in place that enable them to market and deliver origin-guaranteed products. The 3 (8 %) abattoirs that do not have traceability systems are in the Northern Cape and Eastern Cape. This might become problematic, since sheep from these regions are often marketed as Karoo lamb. Without proper traceability systems, this credence attribute cannot be guaranteed. According to the hypothesis test, the fact that an abattoir delivers to a retailer is the single most significant factor, compared to the other factors tested, for abattoirs to implement a traceability system. Research showed that 95 % of retail delivering abattoirs have traceability systems in place, and the other 5 % of abattoirs are those situated in remote rural areas and their retail customers have little other choice than to buy from these abattoirs. However, the study identified poor knowledge on the costs and benefits of a traceability system as a potential drawback in doing a proper cost benefit analysis and therefore proper research on the economics of traceability systems was almost impossible. At the abattoir level, traceability systems are quite easily implemented because it is much easier to trace a single carcass in an abattoir than to trace different pieces of one carcass in the processing plant. Since this study did not include detail pertaining to the downstream tiers; meat processors, packers, wholesalers and retailers, it is not possible to conclude that the entire sheep supply chain can guarantee a product’s origin in the case of Karoo Lamb. The integrity of these role players will play a vital role in their ability to guarantee the origin of a sheep meat product especially when sheep carcasses are moved outside the Karoo boundaries for processing and packaging. It is therefore clear that the downstream tiers play a vital part in the South African sheep meat industry in terms of chain-wide traceability and transparency in order to guarantee the origin of a sheep meat product such as Karoo Lamb. Further research is therefore required to evaluate the other role players in the sheep meat industry for chain-wide traceabiltiy systems, in order to test the readiness of this chain and industry to guarantee the origin of a product like Karoo Lamb.Dissertation (MSc(Agric))--University of Pretoria, 2013.Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Developmentunrestricte

The corporatization of the Tshwane Fresh Produce Market in South Africa towards creating an enabling institutional environment: A case study

The global food sector is a highly interdependent and competitive sector that strives for food security, food affordability and sustainability. In South Africa, Fresh Produce Markets (FPMs) are faced with increasing competition in the form of direct contracting by retailers in response to consumer demand for better quality. These FPMs lack the ability to compete with retailers. Over the past two decades there has been an increased pace of corporatization of State-Owned Enterprises (SOE). The main focus of this research is to determine, by using the method of paired comparisons, whether corporatization into a Municipal Entity is indeed the best solution to allow for faster adaptability and improved performance

Traceability systems and origin based meat products in the South African sheep meat industry

In a consumer-driven world, consumers want to experience a connection between the product that they are consuming and the product’s origin. To guarantee the validity of this connection and therefore the origin attribute of the product, traceability systems are required. The main purpose of this paper is to assess current traceability systems implemented in South African sheep abattoirs, thereby establishing their ability to guarantee the origin of a carcass. Research indicated that the South African sheep abattoirs have traceability systems in place and they can guarantee the origin of a meat product. The descriptive analysis and hypothesis tests identified the tipping factor for the implementation of a traceability system, as the requirement from retail markets to which these abattoirs deliver their product.http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ragr20hb2016Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Developmen

Hotspots of vulnerability and disruption in food value chains during COVID-19 in South Africa: industry- and firm-level “pivoting” in response

We use a primary data set from a survey of medium and large firms and farms in the beef, citrus, and maize value chains in South Africa during March-June 2020, the early and late phases of the initial COVID-19 lockdowns. We have five main findings. (1) The initial lockdown regulations declared as “essential” the product (vertical) value chains but left as “inessential” the important “lateral” value chains delivering labour, materials, and logistics to the segments of the vertical value chains. This hurt the three vertical value chains as constraints in the laterals choked key segments of the verticals. (2) Vulnerability of the whole value chain emanated from vulnerability to shocks of critical “hotspot” linchpin segments (such as livestock auctions) or infrastructure (such as at ports). (3) Collective, industry-level “pivoting” was crucial both to organize the private sector response and to interact with government to course-correct on COVID-19 policies. (4) Responses to pre-COVID-19 challenges (such as drought and international phytosanitary rule changes) had prepared the beef and citrus value chain actors to respond collectively to the pandemic challenges. (5) Individual firm- and segment-level “pivoting” was also crucial for resilience, such as cattle auctions going on-line with the help of e-commerce firms.http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ragr202023-06-24hj2023Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Developmen

Culture Conversion Among HIV Co-Infected Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Patients in Tugela Ferry, South Africa

Little is known about the time to sputum culture conversion in MDR-TB patients co-infected with HIV, although such patients have, historically, had poor outcomes. We describe culture conversion rates among MDR-TB patients with and without HIV-co-infection in a TB-endemic, high-HIV prevalent, resource-limited setting.Patients with culture-proven MDR-TB were treated with a standardized second-line regimen. Sputum cultures were taken monthly and conversion was defined as two negative cultures taken at least one month apart. Time-to-conversion was measured from the day of initiation of MDR-TB therapy. Subjects with HIV received antiretroviral therapy (ART) regardless of CD4 count.Among 45 MDR-TB patients, 36 (80%) were HIV-co-infected. Overall, 40 (89%) of the 45 patients culture-converted within the first six months and there was no difference in the proportion who converted based on HIV status. Median time-to-conversion was 62 days (IQR 48-111). Among the five patients who did not culture convert, three died, one was transferred to another facility, and one refused further treatment before completing 6 months of therapy. Thus, no patients remained persistently culture-positive at 6 months of therapy.With concurrent second-line TB and ART medications, MDR-TB/HIV co-infected patients can achieve culture conversion rates and times similar to those reported from HIV-negative patients worldwide. Future studies are needed to examine whether similar cure rates are achieved at the end of MDR-TB treatment and to determine the optimal use and timing of ART in the setting of MDR-TB treatment

First fungal genome sequence from Africa : a preliminary analysis

Some of the most significant breakthroughs in the biological sciences this century will emerge from the development of next generation sequencing technologies. The ease of availability of DNA sequence made possible through these new technologies has given researchers opportunities to study organisms in a manner that was not possible with Sanger sequencing. Scientists will, therefore, need to embrace genomics, as well as develop and nurture the human capacity to sequence genomes and utilise the ’tsunami‘ of data that emerge from genome sequencing. In response to these challenges, we sequenced the genome of Fusarium circinatum, a fungal pathogen of pine that causes pitch canker, a disease of great concern to the South African forestry industry. The sequencing work was conducted in South Africa, making F. circinatum the first eukaryotic organism for which the complete genome has been sequenced locally. Here we report on the process that was followed to sequence, assemble and perform a preliminary characterisation of the genome. Furthermore, details of the computer annotation and manual curation of this genome are presented. The F. circinatum genome was found to be nearly 44 million bases in size, which is similar to that of four other Fusarium genomes that have been sequenced elsewhere. The genome contains just over 15 000 open reading frames, which is less than that of the related species, Fusarium oxysporum, but more than that for Fusarium verticillioides. Amongst the various putative gene clusters identified in F. circinatum, those encoding the secondary metabolites fumosin and fusarin appeared to harbour evidence of gene translocation. It is anticipated that similar comparisons of other loci will provide insights into the genetic basis for pathogenicity of the pitch canker pathogen. Perhaps more importantly, this project has engaged a relatively large group of scientists including students in a significant genome project that is certain to provide a platform for growth in this important area of research in the future.We thank the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa, members of the Tree Protection Co-operative Programme, the THRIP initiative of the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Science and Technology (DST)/NRF Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology and the Oppenheimer Foundation for funding.http://www.sajs.co.zanf201

SNAPSHOT USA 2019 : a coordinated national camera trap survey of the United States

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.With the accelerating pace of global change, it is imperative that we obtain rapid inventories of the status and distribution of wildlife for ecological inferences and conservation planning. To address this challenge, we launched the SNAPSHOT USA project, a collaborative survey of terrestrial wildlife populations using camera traps across the United States. For our first annual survey, we compiled data across all 50 states during a 14-week period (17 August - 24 November of 2019). We sampled wildlife at 1509 camera trap sites from 110 camera trap arrays covering 12 different ecoregions across four development zones. This effort resulted in 166,036 unique detections of 83 species of mammals and 17 species of birds. All images were processed through the Smithsonian's eMammal camera trap data repository and included an expert review phase to ensure taxonomic accuracy of data, resulting in each picture being reviewed at least twice. The results represent a timely and standardized camera trap survey of the USA. All of the 2019 survey data are made available herein. We are currently repeating surveys in fall 2020, opening up the opportunity to other institutions and cooperators to expand coverage of all the urban-wild gradients and ecophysiographic regions of the country. Future data will be available as the database is updated at eMammal.si.edu/snapshot-usa, as well as future data paper submissions. These data will be useful for local and macroecological research including the examination of community assembly, effects of environmental and anthropogenic landscape variables, effects of fragmentation and extinction debt dynamics, as well as species-specific population dynamics and conservation action plans. There are no copyright restrictions; please cite this paper when using the data for publication.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

The bii4africa dataset of faunal and floral population intactness estimates across Africa’s major land uses

Sub-Saharan Africa is under-represented in global biodiversity datasets, particularly regarding the impact of land use on species’ population abundances. Drawing on recent advances in expert elicitation to ensure data consistency, 200 experts were convened using a modified-Delphi process to estimate ‘intactness scores’: the remaining proportion of an ‘intact’ reference population of a species group in a particular land use, on a scale from 0 (no remaining individuals) to 1 (same abundance as the reference) and, in rare cases, to 2 (populations that thrive in human-modified landscapes). The resulting bii4africa dataset contains intactness scores representing terrestrial vertebrates (tetrapods: ±5,400 amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) and vascular plants (±45,000 forbs, graminoids, trees, shrubs) in sub-Saharan Africa across the region’s major land uses (urban, cropland, rangeland, plantation, protected, etc.) and intensities (e.g., large-scale vs smallholder cropland). This dataset was co-produced as part of the Biodiversity Intactness Index for Africa Project. Additional uses include assessing ecosystem condition; rectifying geographic/ taxonomic biases in global biodiversity indicators and maps; and informing the Red List of Ecosystems

Asymmetric information, principal-agent behaviour and governance mechanisms in the South African lamb supply chain

The recent addition of Karoo Lamb to South Africa’s repertoire of products with a regional identity attracted extensive publicity. The news headlines that spoke of challenges to protect the geographical name, discrepancies among supply chain stakeholders and the outright opportunism and exploitation of the geographical name made Karoo Lamb a particularly interesting case study to examine. Regrettably, the niche product “Karoo Lamb” has not yet come to its own. In an effort to support the development of this initiative, the thesis sets out to address the central question; “How do we increase farmer participation in differentiated product supply chains, whilst discouraging opportunistic behaviour so that the performance of these chains can be optimised?” The overarching question, mentioned above, is addressed in four independent but related research papers by using the differentiated Karoo Lamb supply chain as a case study. The specific questions considered in these papers are: What are the claims most vulnerable to opportunistic behaviour? What drives a farmer’s tendency to behave opportunistically, and how can these drivers be used to prevent opportunistic behaviour? What factors encourage a farmer to participate in a differentiated supply chain? What enforcement mechanisms are best suited to prevent the opportunistic behaviour of farmers? What governance mechanisms are currently employed to govern the supply chain? Are the governance and enforcement mechanisms properly aligned to guarantee the authenticity of the differentiated product? The thesis employed the principals of agency theory, transaction cost economics, and contract theory to address the practical problems faced by the Karoo Meat of Origin certification scheme. The thesis combined quantitative and qualitative research methods to analyse the data collected from four primary stakeholders involved in the Karoo Lamb supply chain. From the total population of 209 certified Karoo Lamb farmers, 73 farmers were interviewed on their farms in the Karoo region. In addition to the farmers, five abattoirs, two processors and/or packers and five retail outlets were interviewed. Results supported the expectation that a farmer’s decision to invest in the collective reputational capital of a product is shaped by his/her relationship with the abattoir, and the ease with which business is conducted. The easier it is for the farmer to do business with the abattoir the more likely the farmer is to invest in the Karoo Lamb initiative. Other, more personal attributes, such as the farmer’s risk profile, education and his/her network also proved to influence his/her willingness to invest in the collective reputation. The efforts to increase the membership base of Karoo Lamb contributes to the success story of Karoo Lamb. The success of the initiative, however, remains threatened by opportunism. The investigation revealed the “from the Karoo” and “free range” claims as the most vulnerable to opportunistic behaviour specifically during times of droughts. The study further revealed a lack of information exchange between the farmers and abattoirs, specifically regarding droughts, feeding practices and disease treatments, as the leading driver for opportunistic behaviour. An increase in information sharing, within the farmer network, and with the abattoir, is therefore recommended. This is the main strategy to reduce or eradicate the opportunistic behaviour of farmers. In addition to broadening farmer investments in the reputational capital of Karoo Lamb and to preventing the opportunistic behaviour of farmers, the success of the Karoo Lamb initiative also requires an alignment between the enforcement and governance mechanisms. The investigation supported the notion that the State-appointed third party is relatively unsuccessful when it specifically comes to the monitoring of the Karoo farmers for compliance with production standards. Due to the failure of the third party, the thesis made an attempt to explore alternative monitoring and enforcement mechanisms. The results indicate that the majority of the Karoo Lamb stakeholders preferred monitoring and enforcement mechanisms that include more frequent monitoring and stricter prosecution strategies to deal with non-compliant stakeholders. Owing to many years of commodity style operations throughout the supply chain, the correct vehicle for ensuring the proper implementation of the enforcement mechanisms remains a challenge. The assessment of the Karoo Lamb supply chain reveals non-contractual arrangements with qualified partners as being the most frequently utilised governance mechanism. However, this mechanism is not sufficient when the third party fails to monitor and enforce the production standards accurately. Therefore, with a view to ensuring the credibility of Karoo Lamb, a move to toward more hierarchical arrangements, are expected, which would provide a stronger focus on private or mutual enforcement mechanisms. This means that the stakeholders in the supply chain would be jointly responsible for the credibility of the product and therefore jointly responsible for the enforcement of quality and origin standards.Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2017.Red Meat Research and Development SABill and Melinda Gates FoundationAgricultural Economics, Extension and Rural DevelopmentPhDUnrestricte