What really matters? A qualitative analysis on the adoption of innovations in agriculture

The agricultural industry is confronted with the need of increasing the production to feed a growing population, and contemporarily to manage the decreased availability of natural resources. This major challenge boosts agriculture sector to adopt new approaches and technical innovations; anyway, the adoption of innovations in agriculture is not immediate, due to the interaction of many drivers that impact on individuals and enterprises’ decisions. This paper aims at providing a list of drivers for the adoption of technological innovations in agriculture, on the basis of the outcomes of in-depth interviews and focus groups performed in three European countries (Italy, Greece, Turkey). With specific reference to innovations, ease of use, effectiveness, usefulness, resource savings, and compatibility were mentioned as relevant features for an innovation to be adopted. Trials, demonstrations, experience and knowledge sharing, and support from qualified third parties were included among the facilitating factors for conveying and promoting innovations. Finally, public funding, agricultural policies and market conditions were identified as factors that may tip the balance in the process of innovations’ adoption

Organic certification systems and international trading of agricultural products in gravity models

Recent literature about gravity models points out the importance of institutional frictions in the international market of agricultural products beyond the traditional economics variables as transport costs reducing the mass of trade in bilateral relationships. In particular, previous contributions stress that harmonization of food standards could decrease transaction costs in trading relationships by stimulating international market. In a previous work we hypothesized that the acknowledgment of equivalence in organic standards may represent a reliable signal of affinity in bilateral relationships which may be useful to identify areas in which transaction costs for both conventional and organic standards are lower. This article represents a step forward, since it assumes that the acknowledgment of equivalence in identifying areas with lower transaction costs in trading relationships for the whole produce could be a strong assumption that may be relaxed through the hypothesis that affinity in market exchange could be simply signaled by the presence of organic standards for the involved countries. Therefore, in our analysis we test if countries setting specific rules for organic standards are more “affine” in trading relationships because of a low common cultural, law and political distance but also if differences in organic standards themselves can be useful to differentiate the level of affinity among regions. Interesting insights for policy makers about the identification of relevant variables for international business arise from an econometric analysis.Gravity models, organic standards, transaction costs, international market, agricultural trade, food products, Agricultural and Food Policy, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods, Q11, Q13,

Prostorna rasprostranjenost jedinki nekih vrsta pašnjaka Sesleria albicans - Carex sempervirens

Spatial distribution of the individuals belonging to different species of the Seslerio-Caricetum sempervirentis in the Dolomites was investigated by means of 16 transects each of 2 metar lenght. Along each transect all individuals of vasculars plants growing along the axis were registered. The elaboration was carried out on the 13 species occurring most frequently, on the basis of binary association. The frequences observed differ in general significantly from a random distribution. In some cases there is the tendency for a species to occur more frequently in contact with individuals of certain species and avoids other species. In particular the two dominating species {Sesleria albicans and Carex sempervirens) seem to avoid each other and to be in contact with some preferential species. Consequently, in the community there is the tendency towards a differentiation of microniches. These relationships are explained as a consequence of growth form and characteristics of soil.Prostorna rasprostranjenost jedinki različitih vrsta koje rastu u zajednici Seslerio-Caricetum sempervirentis u Dolomitima proučavana je na temelju 16 transekata dužine 2 m. Na svakom transektu zabilježene su sve jedinke viših biljaka, koje su rasle duž osi transekta. Obrada je izvršena na 13 najčećih vrsta, upotrebljavajući metodu "binarne asocijacije", tj. brojenjem koliko puta jedinke jedne vrste rastu u dodiru s jedinkama iste vrste ili pak drugih vrsta. Rezultati pokazuju da u mnogo slučajeva zapažena učestalost znatno odstupa od slučajne rasprostranjenosti: jedinke pojedinih vrsta nastoje se udružiti ili razdružiti. Posebno valja istaknuti, da dvije dominantne vrste Sesleria albicans i Carex sempervirens nastoje ne rasti jedna blizu druge, pokazujući da imaju pratilice s kojima su češće u kontaktu. U sklopu zajednice javlja se dakle tendencija diferenciranja mikroniša. Ti se odnosi mogu objasniti pomoću oblika rasta i obilježja substrata

La Vegetazione dell'area Pantaleo-Gutturu Mannu-Punta Maxia-Monte Arcosu nel Sulcis-Iglesiente (Sardegna sud-occidentale)

From the Pantaleo-M. Arcosu district (SW Sardinia) 14 associations are described, 4 of them (Phagnalo-Psoraleetum morisianae, Helichryso-Teucrietum mari, Pistacio-Juniperetum oxycedri and OsmundoAlnetum Glutinosae) for the first time. Prevailing vegetation types in this area are macchia-associations: in lower parts the Pistacio-Juniperetum oxycedri belonging to the Oleo-Ceratonion, in the higher ones the Asplenio-Quercetum ilicis (Quercion ilicis) a transiction belt, between about 400-700 m asI shows the Vibumo-Quercetum ilicis. Up to the last century, the whole study-area was covered by a dense evergreen mediterranean forest which has been modified and partially destroyed by cutting, fire and intense pasture. Nowadays, due also to the protection actions by regional forest authorithies, the woody species show an increasing vigour and are prevailing again. These associations at present can be interpreted as climaxnear vegetation types

La Flora di Pantaleo-Gutturu Mannu-Punta Maxia nel Sulcis (Sardegna sud-occidentale)

This study takes into consideration the floristic eomponent of the area Pantaleo- Gutturu Mannu-Punta Maxia, whieh extends over about 12.000 ha and is situated in the southwestern part of Sardinia. The flora eonsists of 594 taxa belonging to 338 genera and 90 families. The native eomponent is emphatised, particularly the endemie one whieh is 6,2% of the totaI. The analysis of the life forms spectrum reveals the dear dominance of therophytes which points out that the area is a typical plein mediterranean environment; also the ehorological speetrum shows 57% of mediterranean elements. FIoristic correlations with other areas of Sardinia are given

The Vegetation on Limestone Gravels and Screes on the Southern Parts of the Eastern Alps

In der vorliegenden Arbeit* wird die Kalkschuttvegetation der Ostalpen (am Südabfall) mittels automatischer Datenverarbeitungsmethoden überprüft und bearbeitet. Dazu wurden 266 (bisher noch unveröffentlichte) Aufnahmen von E. und S. Pignatti und eine Auswahl von Aufnahmen aus der entsprechenden Literatur (10 Tabellen mit jeweils 5 Aufnahmen) herangezogen. Die Bearbeitung läßt sich in z-wei Abschnitte teilen: Klassifikation der (unveröffentlichten) Aufnahmen und Anordnung des gesamten zu überprüfenden Materials. Das Ergebnis bestätigt die Aufteilung der Gesellschaften der Thlaspietalia zwischen den beiden Verbänden Thlaspion und Petasition. Der Kern des Thlas- pion umfasst 3 vikariierende Gesellschaften regionalen Charakters u.zw. das Thlaspietum rotundifolii in Graubünden und in angrenzenden italienischen Gebieten, das Papa- veretum rhaetici aus den Dolomiten und das Papaveretum julici der Julischen Alpen und Karawanken.U ovom prilogu je prikazana vegetacija točila južnih dijelova istočnih Alpa na temelju kompjutorske obrade vegetacijskih snimaka. Za obradu je uzeto 266 neobjavljenih snimaka koje su načinili Erika i Sandro Pignatti te izbor vegetacijskih snimaka iz literature (10 tabela s po pet snimaka). Rezultat obrade potvrđuje podjelu zajednica reda Thlaspietalia na sveze Thlaspion i Petasition. Jezgru sveze Thlaspion čine tri regionalne vikarne zajednice i to: Thlaspietum rotundifolii u Grabtindenu u Švicarskoj i susjednim graničnim područjima Italije, Papaveretum rhaetici iz Dolomita i Papaveretum julici iz Julijskih Alpa i Karavanki.The vegetation on limestone gravels and screes on the Southern side of the Eastern Alps is reviewed on the basis of an elaboration with computer. The material treated consists of 266 original relevés (not yet published) and 50 relevés selected in 10 tab. from the literature. The elaboration was performed in 2 steps: classification of the original relevés and ordination of the complete set. The results confirm the opportunity to articulate the Thlaspietalia in two alliances: Thlaspion and Petasition. The nucleus of the Thlaspion is given by 3 regionally vicariant associations: Thlaspietum rotundifolii in E-Switzerland and in the neighbouring Alps of Italy, Papaveretum rhaetici in the Dolomites and Papaveretum julici in the Julian Alps and Karawanken

Rastlinski svet Dolomitov

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Commercio elettronico per la dinamica delle catene agro-alimentari internazionali: un’analisi del potenziale [E-commerce for the dynamics of international agri-food chains: an adoption potential analysis]

Business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce is an innovative use of information and communication technologies and refers to the exchange of goods and related information between companies supported by Internet-based tools such as electronic marketplaces (also called electronic trade platforms) or online shops. It provides opportunities for cost-efficiency in supply chain management processes and access to new markets. With regard to the food sector with its chain levels input – agriculture – industry – retail – consumer, B2B e-commerce would take place in the exchange of food products between all levels except retail to consumer (business-to-consumer e-commerce). It is evident and widely known that B2B e-commerce brings key advantages and potentials for European consumers and the European food sector: - The affordability of high quality, traceable food for European consumers is supported as the innovation potentials from e-commerce technologies for cost-efficient processes along the food chain. The healthy choice of quality food will become the easy and affordable choice for European consumers. - The competitiveness of the European food sector with the majority of SMEs increases as B2B e-commerce technologies support cost-efficient transaction processes in food supply chains. In recent years, the availability of sophisticated B2B e-commerce technology has improved tremendously. The “European e-Business Market Watch” initiative from the Directorate-General Enterprise and Industry from the European Commission has shown that only large multinationals exploit the potentials of B2B e-commerce in the food sector for their supply chain management with their business partners. SMEs however, which create the majority of turn over in the European food sector and therefore create jobs and welfare in Europe, are reluctant to take up existing B2B e-commerce technologies into their food supply of selling. The crucial barrier to adoption is that trust between companies is not mediated appropriately by existing e-commerce technology. Currently, the barrier for food sector SMEs towards B2B e-commerce come from - the difficulty to examine the quality and safety of food products. This refers to all kinds of transactions in the food sector, whether supported by e-commerce or not. However, when it comes to e-commerce, the difficulty of physical product examination plays a much larger role as physical product inspection is not possible; - the (perceived) risk of performing a transaction via e-commerce. This includes concerns regarding secure transfer of data, or the possibly unknown transaction partner. Elements for the generation of trust between companies in the food chain and therefore of trustworthy B2B e-commerce environments for the food sector include guaranties regarding food quality, multimedia food product presentations to signal their quality, secure e-commerce technology infrastructures, third-party quality signs to be provided. As trust is highly subjective and depends on culture, food chains in different European countries with a different cultural background require different combinations of trust generating elements regarding the quality and safety of food. Different food chain scenarios with their transaction processes and risks regarding food quality and food safety and related trust elements need to be analysed and differences in trust in different European food chains need to be considered. It is the objective of this paper to identify food chains with trans-European cross-border exchange of food and international food chains in order to analyse the transaction processes and typical risks regarding food quality and food safety. The analysis focuses on trans-European cross-border and international food chains with their chain levels (e.g. production to wholesale trade, wholesale trade to industry, or wholesale trade to retail). In particular, it regards the food categories meat, grains, fresh vegetables, and fresh fruits and the particular risks regarding food quality and safety along the chains.e-commerce, B2B transactions, agri-food trade

Role of Sensory Attributes in the Food Marketing: An Exploratory Analysis in the Italian Organic Food Producers

 This paper explores in-depth sensory experiences, expectations and perceptions of organic producers regarding the role played by sensory properties in organic market, using a qualitative marketing research technique. Ten in-depth interviews supported by semi-structured questionnaire were performed in Italy during 2009. Findings shows that organic producers stated that sensory tests are mainly carried out empirically, they are not systematic and often performed by non trained assessors, even if they are completely aware of the importance of sensory information. Interviewees think that sensory attributes may play a primary or at least complementary role in consumer choice in order to adding-value and drivers for purchase motivations, but at the same time highlighted also the negative influence of variability in sensory features and the key role played by sensory education and training. Finally, organic producers expressed the need and the intention to plan scientific sensory tests with trained personnel in order to improve sensory properties of organic food although smallest companies declared difficulties since the high costs of sensory analysis

Nuove dinamiche nel commercio dei prodotti agroalimentari: resistenze all’adozione dell’e-commerce nelle relazioni B2B [New trends in agri-food products trade: resistance to adoption of e-commerce in B2B relationships]

Since some decades, agri-food products exchanges can be carried on using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools. Anyway, their adoption in the agri-food sector appears to be hindered, both because of consolidated dynamics in developing B2B transactions, and of the peculiarities of the agri-food products themselves. The lack of direct relationships between partner heighten problems connected with food safety assessments, and with the definition of standardized production practices able to match business partner’ needs. Standardization is the key point in the relationship between e-commerce and agri-food sector. As for some products it is possible to define standardized requirements, it is hard to find a collocation for the wide range of agri-food differentiated and quality products in e-commerce B2B relationships. Moreover, existing e-marketplaces are not always able to convey properly the degree of differentiation and the peculiarities of agri-food products. The study aims at analyzing the barriers connected with the adoption of e-commerce in B2B relationships in agri-food sector, defining the factors which affect the interaction between the two areas. The attitude towards e-commerce showed by potential ICT tools users, chosen between Italian agri-food operators, has been analyzed; moreover, an overview on the evolution of agri-food e-marketplaces in the last 5 years has been carried on. The results describe the main problems concerning the adoption of e-commerce in agri-food sector, deeply connected with the agri-food products specifics. In spite of positive outcomes about efficiency and transactions for standardized products, the interaction between ICT tools and agri-food sector’s needs becomes problematic in case of high quality levels and differentiation, which can’t be properly conveyed by e-marketplaces. Results also highlight the role of trust and reputation in e-environments.e-commerce, B2B transactions, agri-food products, standardization, quality requirements