Adoption of food safety measures on milk production in Nepal: Impact on smallholders’ farm-gate prices and profitability

One way to ensure food safety is by enhancing compliance at the farm level. This study investigates the status, estimates the cost, identifies the determinants, and assesses the impact of compliance with food safety measures (FSM) in milk production in Nepal. The study is based on primary data collected from six high milk producing districts that captures the geographical and institutional diversity of milk production. Results show that the status of farm level compliance with FSM is not very encouraging. Also, the intensity of adoption of FSM exhibits significant inter- and intra-district variations. It varies positively with herd size but the additional cost of compliance with FSM varies negatively with herd size. Among other determinants, access to information, and incidence of inspection for conformity with safety and quality standards are also associated with higher adoption of FSM. Finally, we also estimate the impact of FSM on farm-gate prices and farmers’ profits and conduct several robustness checks.     

Quality in competitive fresh produce supply chains with application to farmers' markets

Fresh produce supply chains have special characteristics, notably, that the quality of the product (fruit or vegetable) deteriorates continuously over time, even under ideal conditions. In this paper, we begin with explicit formulae for fresh produce quality deterioration based on chemistry and temperature and provide a path-based framework. We then focus on farmers' markets, the popularity of which has been growing due to consumers' greater awareness of and interest in product quality and emphasis on health. Farmers' markets, as examples of direct to consumer channels and shorter supply chains, are studied in the framework of game theory in both uncapacitated and capacitated versions. A case study of apples in Massachusetts, under various scenarios, including production disruptions, provides quantitative evidence of the applicability of our supply chain network approach.     

北京市五星级酒店食品安全现状分析

本文以五星级酒店为研究对象,分析五星级酒店存在的食品安全问题,并针对这些问题提出解决对策,以期保证酒店餐饮食品安全,提高五星级酒店服务质量。     

An integrated approach to the purchase decision making process of food-delivery apps: Focusing on the TAM and AIDA models

The study employed two theories, the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the Attention-Interest-Desire-Action (AIDA) model, to provide an understanding of the process of consumers accepting an on-demand food-delivery app, and to establish the effect of marketing communication on outcomes related to consumer behavior. A conceptual model and hypotheses were developed by combining the key constructs of the two models to predict behavioral intentions. Findings revealed the attention and interest in the AIDA model related strongly to the salient behavioral beliefs of TAM, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Thus, it can be concluded that marketing communication acts as an external element in the process of accepting new innovations. Besides, it was confirmed that attitude towards the adoption of new technology acts as a mediator that promotes desire for the app. From the disciplines of information system and marketing communication, the study suggests an innovative approach to incorporating models.     

How do indicators of household food insecurity measure up? An empirical comparison from Ethiopia

Renewed emphasis on programs and policies aimed at enhancing food security has intensified the search for accurate, rapid, and consistent indicators. Measures of food security are urgently required for purposes of early warning, assessment of current and prospective status of at-risk populations, and monitoring and evaluation of specific programs and policies. Different measures are often used interchangeably, without a good idea of which dimensions of food security are captured by which measures, resulting in potentially significant misclassification of food insecure populations. The objective of this paper is to compare how the most frequently used indicators of food security portray static and dynamic food security among the same sample of rural households in two districts of Tigray State, Northern Ethiopia. Seven food security indicators were assessed: the Coping Strategies Index (CSI); the Reduced Coping Strategies Index (rCSI); the Household Food Insecurity and Access Scale (HFIAS); the Household Hunger Scale (HHS); Food Consumption Score (FCS); the Household Dietary Diversity Scale (HDDS); and a self-assessed measure of food security (SAFS). These indicators provide very different estimates of the prevalence of food insecurity, but are moderately well correlated and depict generally similar food security trends over time. We suggest that the differences in prevalence estimates, and in some cases the weaker than expected correlation, can be explained in three ways. First, the indicators differ in the underlying aspect of food security they attempt to capture. Second, each indicator is likely only sensitive within a certain severity range of food insecurity and these ranges do not always overlap. Third, categorization of the prevalence of food insecurity is strongly dependent on the choice of cut-off points. For valid reasons, “food insecurity” has no accepted gold standard metric against which individual indicators can be gauged, though without one it is difficult to say which indicator performs “best” in correctly and reliably identifying food insecure households. The implication is that using more than one indicator is advisable, and policy makers should be aware of what elements of food insecurity each indicator portrays.     

An econometric analysis of demand for food quantity and quality in urban China

This article offers an analytical framework for studying consumer demand for food quality based on a theory‐consistent demand model, namely, the Exact Affine Stone Index specification. Importantly, it accounts for unobserved consumer and regional heterogeneity, and allows for arbitrary Engel curves. The empirical value of our framework is illustrated in an econometric analysis of demand for food quality in China. Evaluating possible structural changes in consumer food expenditures in China is of paramount importance, given the ever‐increasing global role of China and the implications of the structural food preference changes for the global food system. The major findings emerging from this study indicate that income is an important determinant of demand for food quality and quantity with the relatively more affluent provinces having a higher affinity for food quality.     

Food,farmers, and the future: Investigating prospects of increased food production within a national context

With international food price shocks in 2008 and 2011, food security became a political priority in many countries. In addition, some politicians have recently adopted a more nationalistic stance. Against that background, this paper critically investigates the prospects of increased food production within a national context. We use a small, high-income country, Norway, as an empirical case. In 2012, the government set a goal of increasing agricultural food production by 20% by 2030. We ask: 1) How has food production in Norway developed before and after the goal was set? 2) What plans do farmers have, and what do they regard as the main obstacles to increased production? We apply a mixed method combining public statistics, a survey, and interviews. We analyze four production systems: a) milk; b) grass-based meat; c) combined pig and grain; and d) grain. These systems represent around 80% of the domestically consumed food produced on farms in Norway. Since 2000, aggregate food production has had a slight downward trend with periodic fluctuations. Based on a political economy approach, we identify land and labor as the most limiting factors. Capital is less of a hindrance and offers a potential for increased production. Farmers have modest expectations of increased production, though. This outlook resonates with the strong integration of agriculture into the wider economy, at both micro and macro levels, making it challenging to implement new policies and change farm practices on a broad basis. Increases in some specific products, however, are realistic.     

Food preferences as a proxy for adventurousness

Food preferences have been demonstrated to be a proxy measure for adventurousness, in general. This study demonstrates that a single variable of food preferences unveils the four dimensions of adventurousness that are applicable in a general tourism context. The findings suggest that adding this simple semantic differential question to visitor surveys can be a powerful tool to evaluate the critical factor of adventurousness in tourism.     

强化食品管理安全预警的思考

食品是人类构成社会的物质基础的重要一环,食品安全是事关国计民生的重大社会问题,关系到经济稳定和社会和谐。因此,如何完善食品管理,建立高效、时效、有效的食品安全预警系统,深化食品质量安全监督管理体制改革,是一项十分必要且刻不容缓的工作。