Do increasing prices affect food deprivation in the European Union?

The rise of prices of agricultural commodities in global markets during 2007-2012 was followed by increased consumer food prices around the world. More expensive food may have an impact on consumer food access and thus on their welfare, not only in developing countries but also amongst the most vulnerable in developed countries. Using a longitudinal database from the Statistics on Income and Living Conditions and population-averaged models, we tested whether increasing food prices had an impact on household food deprivation in 26 European Union (EU) member states. Results revealed a significant relationship between food deprivation and the consumer food price index and disposable income. Households in the lowest income quintile in the member states recently acceded to the EU were the most vulnerable to food deprivation. Results also showed that low-income households in densely populated areas were more vulnerable to food deprivation. This should be taken into account when evaluating food assistance programmes that focus on the segments of the population most at risk of food deprivation

Spanish wines in the US market: what attributes do US consumers look for in Spanish wines?

This paper analysed the impact of different attributes in Spanish quality wines on United States (US) demand behaviour. A hedonic price model was estimated in order to assess the values that US consumers give Spanish wines. The main results showed that the most influential factor on sale price was aging, which had a positive impact. US consumers valued the quality ratings provided by experts, especially in the upper price categories. The year of vintage and size of the winery were considered medium importance factors in decision-making, with the latest vintages and the smallest wineries receiving the highest ratings. Geographical origin (appellation) helped to explain consumer preferences. Although colour was the least important attribute in consumers’ purchase decisions, red wines were the most highly rated in this attribute

El modelo de ayudas directas en la PAC post-2013: análisis de impactos de escenarios potenciales

[EN] Following their introduction in 1992,direct payments have become one of the main instruments of the Common Agricultural Policy. The aim of this study is to analyse potential scenarios of harmonization of direct payments in the CAP post-2013. In doing so, we use the CAPRI model, which represents the functioning of agricultural markets at the global level and simultaneously models CAP measures at the EU regional level. Results suggest that while a flatter rate of direct payments would have minor impacts on agriculture at the EU level, it would imply substantial redistributive effects, both across regions and Member States.[ES] Desde su introducción en 1992, las ayudas directas se han perfilado como uno de los principales instrumentos de apoyo al sector agrario de la UE. Este trabajo analiza potenciales escenarios de convergencia de las ayudas directas en la PAC post-2013. Se utiliza para ello el modelo CAPRI, que permite representar el funcionamiento de los mercados agroalimentarios a escala global así como incorporar las medidas de política agraria a nivel regional. Los resultados indican que un pago único más nivelado tendría impactos mínimos a nivel global de la UE pero conllevaría efectos redistributivos considerables, tanto entre regiones como entre Estados Miembros.Los autores agradecen los comentarios de los asistentes al VIII Congreso de Economía Agraria, y de los revisores anónimos de la revista. Asimismo, los autores agradecen el trabajo del consorcio CAPRI en el desarrollo del modelo utilizado en este estudioBlanco Fonseca, M.; García-Germán Trujeda, S.; Bardají, I. (2011). Direct payments in the CAP post-2013: Impact analysis of potential scenarios. Economía Agraria y Recursos Naturales - Agricultural and Resource Economics. 11(2):83-108. https://doi.org/10.7201/earn.2011.02.04SWORD8310811

Agricultural policy and competitiveness. Effects of alternative aid schemes

[EN] The Agenda 2000 reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) justifies public intervention in agriculture in the basis of two main objectives: increasing the competitiveness of European agriculture and its multifunctional role. This paper attends to assess the ability of the reform to address this first objective. Competitiveness is considered both as the capacity to adopt new technologies and to restructure land holdings towards those more efficient. Mathematical programming models simulating the adoption of new technologies by selected representative farms have been constructed for two Spanish agricultural areas – Tierra de Campos of Valladolid and Campiña Baja of Córdoba. The simulation has included not only Agenda 2000 and the previous intervention system, but also three alternative policy scenarios. Relative results between scenarios allow to evaluate the size of the incentive introduce by each intervention system to adopt new technologies or promote structural reforms.[ES] La reforma de la Política Agrícola Común (PAC) de la Agenda 2000, justifica la intervención pública como medio de consecución de dos objetivos fundamentales: potenciar la competitividad de la agricultura europea y defender su carácter multifuncional. Este artículo trata de analizar el grado de consecución del primero de estos objetivos, en su doble vertiente de adopción de nuevas tecnologías productivas y de reforma estructural. Para ello se han construido sendos modelos de programación matemática con los que se simulan los efectos de la adopción de diferentes innovaciones tecnológicas sobre explotaciones tipo de dos comarcas agrícolas españolas (Tierra de Campos de Valladolid y Campiña Baja de Córdoba). Junto con la Agenda 2000 y su situación previa, se estudian los efectos de otros tres escenarios alternativos de política agraria. Los resultados relativos de estos escenarios permiten evaluar el incentivo que cada sistema de intervención introduce sobre los procesos de adopción de nuevas tecnologías y de reforma estructural.Atance Muñiz, I.; Bardají Azcárate, I.; Tió Saralegui, C. (2001). Política agrícola y competitividad. Efectos de sistemas alternativos de ayudas. Economía Agraria y Recursos Naturales - Agricultural and Resource Economics. 1(2):111-124. doi:10.7201/earn.2001.02.06SWORD1111241

La efectividad de la política agraria europea de mejora de la calidad: un análisis de precios

La importancia de la política europea para el desarrollo rural está siendo ampliamente debatida. Uno de los instrumentos más importantes es la ayuda a las producciones a través de las Indicaciones Geográficas Protegidas (PGI). En este trabajo se presenta un análisis sobre los precios de dos variedades de carne, una acogida a las PGI y otra no acogida. El trabajo se centra en la producción de carne en un área específica del norte de España, en donde se produce la carne «Ternera de Navarra». Los resultados indican que la carne acogida a las PGI obtiene mayores precios y más estables a largo plazo. Adicionalmente, el análisis muestra que los productos acogidos a las PGI son más capaces de hacer frente a las crisis derivadas de la pérdida de confianza de los consumidores, lo que para un sector como la producción de carne resulta de gran interés.The European rural development policy, the second pillar of the Common Agricultural Policy, is currently playing an increasing role. One of its key instruments is the Support for quality standards through Protected Geographical Indications (PGI). The analysis presented in this article investigates prices for two varieties of beef (PGI and non-PGI). The research setting is a specific area in northern Spain, where "Ternera de Navarra" (Navarra beef) is produced. The results show that quality production systems achieve higher and more stable prices in the long term. Another major point emerging from the analysis, given the nature of the beef production sector, is that the PGI product is better able to stand up to consumer confidence crises, such as that triggered by the bovine spongiform encephalopathy outbreak.This study is part of the research projects «Integration of extensive livestock production in the agro-food system in Navarra» financed by the Government of Navarra, and «Extensive livestock farms integration in the agro-food system» financed by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología under the National Research and Development Plan (Project AGL2000/1365)

Microaprendizaje para estudiar bioeconomía y economía circular en sistemas agroalimentarios

La bioeconomía y la economía circular son aspectos novedosos que están despertando un creciente interés. A pesar de ello, existen escasos materiales didácticos relacionados con estos conceptos, especialmente en el ámbito agroalimentario. El proyecto BIOCIR (Aprendizaje activo en bioeconomía y economía circular en sistemas agroalimentarios) pretende suplir esa carencia creando contenido audiovisual mediante técnicas microlearning. El proyecto involucra a alumnos de Grado y Máster de 9 asignaturas de la Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas (ETSIAAB) en la elaboración vídeos cortos (2-5 minutos) sobre bioeconomía agraria y economía circular con el objetivo de consolidar una nueva fuente de material didáctico atractivo y transversal. Mediante encuestas a alumnos y profesores se evalúan las competencias adquiridas y la utilidad del material didáctico creado

How do Stakeholders Perceive the Sustainability and Resilience of EU Farming Systems?

An increasing variety of stresses and shocks provides challenges and opportunities for EU farming systems. This article presents findings of a participatory assessment on the sustainability and resilience of eleven EU farming systems, to inform the design of adequate and relevant strategies and policies. According to stakeholders that participated in workshops, the main functions of farming systems are related to food production, economic viability and maintenance of natural resources. Performance of farming systems assessed with regard to these and five other functions was perceived to be moderate. Past strategies were often geared towards making the system more profitable, and to a lesser extent towards coupling production with local and natural resources, social self‐organisation, enhancing functional diversity, and facilitating infrastructure for innovation. Overall, the resilience of the studied farming systems was perceived as low to moderate, with robustness and adaptability often dominant over transformability. To allow for transformability, being reasonably profitable and having access to infrastructure for innovation were viewed as essential. To improve sustainability and resilience of EU farming systems, responses to short‐term processes should better consider long‐term processes. Technological innovation is required, but it should be accompanied with structural, social, agro‐ecological and institutional changes

Improving the resilience‐enabling capacity of the Common Agricultural Policy: policy recommendations for more resilient EU farming systems

One of the aims of the post‐2020 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is to improve the resilience of Europe's farming systems. The CAP of the budget period 2014–2020, however, has insufficiently supported the resilience of farming systems. The ongoing CAP reform process offers an appropriate opportunity to integrate a broader perspective on resilience in the CAP. We therefore propose a set of policy recommendations on how to improve the capability of the CAP to support more fully the resilience (i.e. robustness, adaptability and transformability) of farming systems in the EU. The policy recommendations are based on a comparative analysis of six national co‐design workshops with stakeholders and a final EU‐level workshop with Brussels‐based experts. We concluded three key lessons about the CAP's influence on resilience: (1) resilience challenges, needs and policy effects are context‐specific; (2) resilience capacities are complementary, but trade‐offs between robustness, adaptability and transformability occur at the level of policies and due to budget competition; (3) there is a need for a coordinated long‐term vision for Europe's agriculture, which is difficult to achieve through the bargaining processes associated with a CAP reform. We propose specific policy recommendations that could contribute to a better balance between policies that support robustness, adaptability and transformability of Europe's farming systems

Spontaneous abortion associated with Zika virus infection and persistent viremia

We report a case of spontaneous abortion associated with Zika virus infection in a pregnant woman who traveled from Spain to the Dominican Republic and developed a rash. Maternal Zika viremia persisted at least 31 days after onset of symptoms and 21 days after uterine evacuation