An integrated methodology for the evaluation of organic farming support scheme environ-mental effects supported by Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Within the current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) framework, Member States are obliged to evaluate their respective Rural Development Plans (RDPs). The aim of the evaluation is to verify the efficiency and efficacy of the implementation process, particularly as concerns the objective of integration of environmental issues in the agricultural policy. In this context, a more comprehensive evaluation methodol-ogy is needed. Particularly, the spatial structure of the territory the intervention targets must be inte-grated in the analysis. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have been widely considered a useful tool to encompass the spatial aspects in the evaluation process. GIS, in fact, are able to perform spatial analysis as well as estimate quantitative indicators referred to different geographic frames. In this short paper we propose a GIS-based analysis of the effects of organic farming aid scheme implementation and we report the results of an application of such a methodology

Ecological characteristics and new competitiveness strategies in fresh vegetables market

The intense process of internationalisation of the food market is giving rise to new competitive scenarios. The growth of market shares by new export countries, along with other consumer and retailer's issues impose different marketing policies for agri-food products. In particular, a wider awareness of consumers for environmental and health issues is modifying the structure of demand for fresh products. In the past, the country of origin and a convenient quality/price ratio were the main strategic strengths for gaining and maintaining international market shares . Nowadays market shares are gained by moving towards new product attributes, namely environment friendliness and food safety. This paper aims to suggesting new and more successful marketing strategies. The case study is the German market of cherry tomatoes. An analysis of German consumer preference was performed on stated choice data. Results provide interesting insights. Product attributes related to the environment are found to be relevant. As these are defined as 'faith' attributes, we speculate that German consumers refer to product origin country as a proxy of its environmental aspects. Two separate competitive segments emerge, one with a higher level of environmental quality (Germany and Italy), and Turkey, Spain, France and Holland. Finally, results point out how policies need to be redesigned and focused on new and more complex issues expressed by consumers in modern and developed markets marketing.competitiveness strategies, cherry tomato German market, environmental friendly, fresh vegetables, Mixed Nested Logit, International Relations/Trade, Marketing,

Managing integration in bio-energy chains by promoting a collective action

This paper discusses how to develop and manage integration, coordination and cooperation (collective action) in bio-energy supply chains. Farmers decision on whether or not to participate in a contract farming scheme have been investigated, particularly assessing the trade-offs between the contract attributes and their impact on the likelihood to participate. A stated preference model has been implemented where respondents were asked to choose between alternative contracts with varying attribute levels to start biomass cultivation. Results show that participation is mainly influenced by minimum price guaranteed, contract length, and re-negotiation before the end of a contract

PROMOTING AGRO-ENERGY SUPPLY CHAIN AS A COLLECTIVE ACTION

The topic of integration and development of sustainable chains has lately gained much attention in the academia debates. In particular, how to manage integration in the bio-energy chains is discussed. Integration is a process of progressive dependence among different actors willing to coordinate processes of innovation. This dynamic is generated by the interaction of individuals willing to start up collective action. The effectiveness of a collective action depends on the number of formal norms developed by collective contracts. This paper tackles these issues considering the specific case study of a collective action in a bio-energy chain. It focuses on the decision-making process of farmers on whether to join or not a collective action, analysing their trade-offs over the attributes of collective contracts. The empirical study was conducted in an area in Southern Italy, most affected by soil erosion problems. A stated preference model was implemented where respondents were asked to choose between alternative collective contracts with varying attribute levels to start biomass cultivation. Two hundreds face-to-face questionnaires were administered to farmers in September-October 2013. First results show that participation is mainly influenced by minimum price guaranteed, contract length, and re-negotiation before the end of a contract

An Integrated approach to new marketing dynamics analysis: the case of organic farming

One of the most relevant phenomena that, recently, affected Italian agricultural sector is the increasing number of farms and extension of land converting to organic farming. The slow organic products market shift from a “niche” to a wider consumption has highlighted the deep differences between conventional and organic production, distribution and consumption processes. In such a context, the consumer's behaviour analysis about organic products transpires to be complex as it involves either social-economic and psychographic characteristics. In order to address this issue a research has been carried out in two steps: in the first qualitative analysis step, 45 organic products consumers have been interviewed in person using laddering interview method; then, in the quantitative step data from a 203 consumers sample, representative of a region of South of Italy, has been analysed by a multinomial logit. The main innovative aspect of the research resides in the two-step approach (qualitative and quantitative analysis), that has enabled researchers to identify and quantify the importance of the environmental and hygienic component in organic products consumer preferences

Development and Management of a Bio-Energy Supply Chain Through Contract Farming

This paper discusses how to develop and manage integration, coordination and cooperation in bio-energy supply chains. Farmers decisions on whether or not to participate in a contract farming scheme have been investigated, particularly assessing the trade-offs between the contract attributes and their impact on the likelihood to participate. A stated preference model was implemented where respondents were asked to choose between alternative contracts with varying attribute levels to start biomass cultivation. Results show that participation is mainly influenced by minimum price guaranteed, contract length, and re-negotiation before the end of a contract

Splitting consumer's willingness to pay premium price for organic products over main purchase motivations

Recently, Italian agriculture has been widely characterised by the increasing number of farms and land converting to organic farming. In the slow process of shifting from a "niche" to a broader consumption in the organic products market deep differences between conventional and organic production, distribution and consumption became evident. In such a context, the consumer's behaviour about organic products analysis transpires to be complex as it involves either social - economic and psychographic characteristics. In order to address this issue a research has been carried out in two steps: in the first one, a qualitative analysis step, 45 consumer s of organic products were interviewed by phone using laddering techniques; then, in the second quantitative step, data from a 203 consumer s sample, representative of a region of South of Italy, was analysed by means of a multinomial logit. The research main innovative aspect resides in the two- step approach (qualitative - quantitative analysis), that enabled researchers to identify and quantify the environmental and hygienic component importance in consumer preferences on organic products

Il consumatore di prodotti biologici in Campania

In questa ricerca è stato analizzato il comportamento dei consumatori campani nei confronti dei prodotti da agricoltura biologica. L’indagine è stata svolta seguendo due obiettivi distinti. Il primo è stato quello di caratterizzare il comportamento del consumatore campano nei confronti dei prodotti da agricoltura biologica; il secondo obiettivo, invece, è stato quello di comprendere le motivazioni che spingono l’attuale consumatore verso questa classe di prodotti. I due obiettivi sono stati perseguiti tramite due indagini distinte. La prima è stata condotta attraverso la somministrazione di un apposito questionario ad un campione di 203 responsabili di acquisto, rappresentativo delle famiglie campane. Il questionario ha permesso di delineare in maniera puntuale l’attuale profilo del consumatore di prodotti da agricoltura biologica. La seconda indagine, invece, è stata condotta al fine di individuare le motivazioni che spingono il consumatore campano verso questa classe di prodotti. In questo caso è stata utilizzata una indagine Laddering su un campione di 45 consumatori. Questo strumento ha permesso di individuare il percorso che lega l’acquisto di un prodotto alle motivazioni profonde che hanno generato quella preferenza. Essendo emerso da questa fase che le due principali motivazioni erano quella salutista e quella ambientale, è stato inserito un apposito quesito nel questionario sottoposto ai 203 responsabili di acquisto che aveva l’obiettivo, tramite un modello ad utilità stocastica (choice model), di scindere il premio di prezzo che i consumatori di prodotti da agricoltura biologica sono disposti a riconoscere alla componente salutistica e a quella relativa al miglioramento ambientale

Landscape economic valuation by integrating landscape ecology into landscape economics

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