Search Results (89)

There is little evidence of the implementation of the Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems between universities and businesses, and there is even less research that prioritizes people and implements sustainable development with a territorial focus. In this article, we address a form of collaborative work that integrates academia with business, where the Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (CFS-RIA) are seen as an opportunity to promote and strengthen the management of a business in the communities where it operates, and determine a new way of working from its links with the university. The experience is developed in the provinces of Santiago Rodríguez, Valverde (Mao), and Dajabón in the Dominican Republic, with the aim of contributing, using this new approach, to economic, social, environmental, and governance development in the territory. The conceptual and methodological basis for the university–business link is Working With People, a model that integrates key elements of planning such as social learning, collaborative participation, and project management models. The main catalysts of the experience are the business values and the stakeholders who insert the principles into their programs and projects. Among these is an innovative Family Social Responsibility Program with female entrepreneurs and organic banana production. It is concluded that the implementation of the CFS-RIA Principles has a significant impact on the sustainable development of the region and that the university–business link reinforces the social responsibility of companies, providing an opportunity for the entry of new actors. Full article

Consumer scrutiny of fat content in foods is becoming a notable trend in health concerns. This study aims to develop a novel functional low-fat goat feta cheese by utilizing polydextrose (PDX) and inulin as dietary fiber-based fat replacers to improve its overall characteristics. The physicochemical and textural properties, along with consumer acceptance, of the feta cheese were evaluated across three fat levels (full-fat [FFC], reduced-fat [RFC], low-fat [LFC]) and three fibers: PDX, inulin, and their combination. The intercorrelation of all characteristics was assessed through principal component analysis and Pearson’s correlation. Fat reduction significantly altered the cheese’s visual properties, increasing lightness and the total color difference, which inversely correlated with a* and b* values. Lower-fat cheeses exhibited decreased pH and increased lactic acid, with salinity playing a crucial role in both lactic acid development and texture. Under Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), PDX yielded a cheese matrix with a finer pore structure than inulin or the combined fibers. Lower-fat cheeses exhibited greater hardness, with PDX resulting in the highest hardness among the fiber treatments. Crucially, the RFC with PDX was as well-received by consumers as the FFC. These findings not only empower goat farmers and cheese entrepreneurs to increase their product value for niche market but also contribute to sustainability by providing a healthier food option for functional benefits. Full article

This study examines the framing of African technological innovations in Western media over the past two decades (2003–2023), focusing on four case studies: M-Pesa, LifeBank, FarmDrive, and NigeriaSat-1. Using a qualitative research design that integrates content analysis and framing theory, we analyze how major media outlets, including the BBC, CNN, The Guardian, Reuters, and The New York Times, represent African innovations. The analysis reveals that media coverage tends to frame these innovations primarily through a humanitarian lens, emphasizing their role in addressing poverty, healthcare, and food security challenges. While highlighting the social impact of these technologies, this narrative often overlooks their broader potential for global scalability and industry disruption. To complement the content analysis, we conducted 24 semi-structured interviews with tech entrepreneurs, media professionals, and scholars from Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal, investigating their perspectives on how Western media coverage impacts investment and collaboration in African technological sectors. The interview findings confirm that such media portrayals hinder international investment and partnership opportunities by reinforcing the narrative that African technologies are primarily crisis management tools, rather than innovative solutions with global market potential. This article argues for a shift in this narrative, recommending policies that include strategic media advocacy, enhanced public relations, and increased investment in Research and Development. Full article

In the post-COVID-19 era, there has been an increasing interest in re-evaluating citizens’ living conditions within dense and grey urban areas. The provision of green spaces has always been identified as an important aspect of alleviating contemporary everyday life stress and preventing or limiting mental health-related issues. It is also an important strategy to mitigate urban heat islands and foster adaptation strategies to climate change. Among the numerous experiments of ‘green action’ available to urban planners, urban farming strategies have been widely used in Europe to provide green spaces and ecosystem services, exploring the topics related to self-production of food, biodiversity, and zero-km cultivation. Therefore, finding new spaces for agriculture in urban environments has driven scientists, researchers, and entrepreneurs to develop new soilless technologies (such as hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponics) to maximize yields in urban areas, creating new agricultural and architectural models such as the vertical farms (VF) and the building-integrated greenhouses (BIGH). In this regard, the objective of this paper is to recontextualize the integrated greenhouse element for high-tech food production as new iconic architectural models derived from the experience of the Victorian Winter Gardens and the first tropical greenhouses. Revisiting these perspectives, this paper offers opportunities to redefine the greenhouse as a multifunctional asset that aligns with both environmental goals and architectural standards. Full article

This paper investigates the key drivers influencing the internationalization of agricultural small and medium-sized enterprises (agri-SMEs) in Latin America, with a particular emphasis on the role of social and ethnic networks. Focusing on Argentina, Brazil, and Chile—three of the region’s largest agricultural economies—this study examines how familial and cultural connections between descendants of European immigrants and European entrepreneurs facilitate the global expansion of agri-SMEs. Using a cross-sectional quantitative analysis, data from agri-SME managers reveal the importance of these networks in reducing market entry barriers by providing insider knowledge of foreign markets, regulatory conditions, and potential business partnerships. The findings demonstrate that ethnic networks significantly reduce market entry barriers, providing Latin American agri-SMEs access to essential insider knowledge on foreign markets and local regulations, thereby facilitating internationalization. Additionally, agri-SMEs that leverage these networks are better positioned to meet growing global demands for sustainable, traceable food products, gaining a competitive advantage in international markets. The strength and frequency of interactions within ethnic networks are positively correlated with the degree of internationalization, highlighting the importance of social capital in overcoming operational challenges. This paper contributes to the literature by highlighting the underexplored role of ethnic networks in shaping the international marketing strategies of agricultural firms and their capacity to adapt to evolving consumer behaviors. The study offers practical insights for supporting the global integration of agri-SMEs in Latin America, addressing both operational challenges and the increasing need for sustainable food production practices. Full article

Subscription services have become popular in recent years, breaking the traditional business model of one-time payment and prompting operators to build long-term loyal relationships with their customers. As smartphones are popular in Taiwan and the Taiwanese have a high acceptance of new technologies, is it possible for domestic restaurants to reach a win-win situation for both consumers and restaurant operators and to reduce food waste through subscription services? The Technology Acceptance Model was used in this study to explore consumers’ perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and attitudes toward restaurant subscription platforms, with two variables, new environmental paradigm and environmental behavior, added to probe the relations with intention to use. This study was conducted by convenience and snowball sampling, and the subjects were consumers eating out. A total of 400 questionnaires were collected and 369 valid ones were returned, with a response rate of 92.25%. The results show that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, new environmental paradigm, environmental behaviors, and attitude toward using have significant positive effects, and attitude toward using has the same effect on intention to use. In addition, attitude toward using has a mediating effect on perceived usefulness, new environmental paradigm, environmental behavior, and intention to use. Finally, it is expected that the results of this study can be used as a reference for restaurant operators to adopt subscription services in order to build long-term and stable relationships with consumers. Furthermore, new entrepreneurs can also evaluate the feasibility of building a subscription platform like this one, which can provide a convenient and economical option for consumers dining out, as well as reduce food waste. Full article

Craft beer represents a dynamic and creative segment within the food and beverage industry, emphasizing quality, aroma, health, sustainability, locality, and tailored brewing techniques. This paper explores the multifaceted roles of craft beer’s production and consumption growth dynamics. Both a bibliometric analysis and a systematic literature review were conducted on a sample of 239 scientific papers to provide an in-depth evaluation of the main characteristics and influences that craft beer has in the field of food science. Based on the identified roles of craft beer/breweries in the selected sample of literature, a conceptual framework was constructed to serve as a guideline for policymakers and different stakeholders. In this way, our findings enrich the existing literature and contribute to a better understanding of craft beer production and surroundings, which can be beneficial for promoting sustainable policies and innovative strategies for the growth of small/micro-producers and entrepreneurs in this niche market. Furthermore, this evidence can stimulate clear and ethical information to enhance consumers’ knowledge and agendas to strengthen the identity of local communities. Full article

This study aims to describe the current framework of the Italian agricultural sector and the changes that occurred in the decade between the two general censuses of agriculture of 2010 and 2020, and the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) programming period 2014–2020. The General Census of Agriculture is an economic census carried out to fulfill international and EU legislation requirements, but also to meet national information needs. It consists in counting farms and identifying their characteristics. For this study, the official data of the 7th Italian General Census of Agriculture (GCA) of 2020 were collected, analyzed, and compared to those of the previous 6th GCA of 2010. Farms’ type of activities, structure, digitalization/computerization, innovation, and workforces’ characteristics were analyzed. Correlations between farms with investments in innovation and other variables like the age and the educational qualification of entrepreneurs and the farm’s size (agricultural used area) were calculated. Groups of similar Italian regions for types of farm and types of farming (segmenting the sector into subsets of regions that share common characteristics), and groups of similar farming characteristics in the entire agricultural sector, were highlighted. The results showed a notable positive correlation between farms’ investment in innovation and farms’ size, and a medium but positive correlation also with other two variables, the entrepreneur’s range of age and educational qualification. Results found groups of regions that are similar in terms of types of farm and farming types, highlighting that the agricultural sector in Italy is not homogeneous among all the regions of north, center, and south. Moreover, the discovered different groups of farming characteristics highlighted the Italian “farm profiles”, i.e., descriptions of key information about different specific types of farm. The overall analysis of all the results of this study provided the current situation of the Italian agricultural sector and discussion about its characteristics and changes during the last ten years. Based on our knowledge, this study is the first one with such a level of comprehensiveness. Findings are of high interest to academics in agriculture economics and policy maker, because they contribute to identifying the farms’ and territories’ strategic elements that require strengthening to foster economic and social development. Moreover these findings may provide food for thought on the effectiveness of the development strategy of the EU CAP 2023–2027 (through greening and digitization) at the regional and European levels, starting from the baseline situation of this country, which is certainly one, but which is among the most relevant ones in the European agri-food system and also globally. Full article

The focus of this paper is on the generation of food waste by small and micro restaurants, specifically on the perceptions of representatives of these restaurants. Do they perceive this generation of food waste as problematic, and do they perceive that they have enough knowledge about how to minimize this generated food waste? With data from a sample of 200 Dutch restaurants, which were collected through surveys and analyzed with regression analysis, we came to two key findings. The first key finding is that our respondents hardly perceive the food waste that is generated in their own restaurant as problematic. The second key finding is that they perceive they have limited knowledge about how to minimize the food waste that is generated in their own restaurant. The main influencing factor for both perceptions appeared to be the actual level of food waste generated in their own restaurant. This paper continues with a number of recommendations for future research, to apply other research techniques and to study other sectors as well. The paper ends with practical recommendations for the representatives of the small and micro restaurants, as the findings of this paper suggest a need for targeted educational and training programs to enhance food waste management in their restaurants, contributing to broader sustainability goals. Full article

Over the past few decades, a large variety of urban farms and projects have developed in the Global North. Urban agriculture addresses numerous challenges such as producing sustainable fresh food, educating people, and creating new jobs and skills. Urban agriculture is diverse in terms of location (rooftop, basement, underground, parking), activities (food production and/or services), and techniques (from low-tech to high-tech). These projects are created by entrepreneurs because they live in the city, want to change their environment, and promote sustainable practices. Faced with economic and environmental crises, public authorities at different levels and with various orientations reorganize the food system towards local production and consumption; they encourage the development of urban agriculture through a diverse range of policies. These public projects must be economically viable but can be created as socially oriented services based on food production and not only as sites of food production. Our empirical research based on the case studies of two original public urban farms, the Potager du Roi de Versailles and the Cité Maraichère de Romainville, uses the concept of the triple layered business model and highlights their sustainable strategy. Our evaluation of their economic, social, and environmental impacts tends to demonstrate not only their dependence on multiple interlinked public policies but also the justification of significant and recurring public funds for the general interest. Full article

This study explores food insecurity in South Sudan through the lens of young entrepreneurs, revealing insights into understanding the causes, coping strategies, and innovative solutions. Analyzing survey responses reveals a complicated problem linked to poverty, conflict, climate change, and economic instability. We surveyed 19 standout candidates selected from 325 South Sudanese participants from the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR’s) hybrid training on entrepreneurship and agribusiness, who successfully passed the assessment criteria to attend a workshop in Hiroshima, Japan, in February 2024. These participants clearly depicted the dire circumstances, with widespread food insecurity, heavy reliance on humanitarian aid, and prevalent malnutrition, especially in conflict-affected regions like Yambio. Conflict, climate shocks, economic instability, and inadequate infrastructure emerged as primary drivers of food insecurity. Despite these challenges, young entrepreneurs express a keen desire to contribute to solutions, advocating for sustainable agriculture, entrepreneurship, and education initiatives. During conflict, coping strategies vary from reducing meal frequency to diversifying diets and engaging in subsistence farming. The innovative solutions proposed include sustainable agricultural practices, value chain development, and technology adoption. The study underscores the urgent need for comprehensive strategies addressing the root causes of food insecurity while empowering communities and young entrepreneurs to foster resilience. Sustained support in youth agri-business capacity building and entrepreneurial skills development, increased agricultural investment, infrastructure enhancement, and targeted youth empowerment initiatives are emphasized. Through collaborative efforts, South Sudan can progress towards achieving resilience and improving food security. Full article

Agro-investment in the fourth industrial revolution will be an imperative driving factor and a sacrosanct enabler for small farm business entrepreneurs to participate holistically in the agricultural economic value chain. Investing in advanced technology and entrepreneurship has the potential to promote business modernization and improve the productivity and profitability of farm businesses. This study assessed agro-investments in small farm business entrepreneurs in the era of the fourth industrial revolution in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. The study objectives were precisely to determine the perception of small farm business entrepreneurs on agro-investment and examine the impact of agro-investment for small farm business entrepreneurs in the fourth industrial revolution. The questionnaire used in this study employed structured and semi-structured questions for data collection, and an aggregate of 235 participants were randomly selected. The results on perception indicate that small farm business entrepreneurs mostly perceive agro-investment in the fourth industrial revolution as not suitable for small farm business conditions; this may be attributed to modern agricultural implements being predominantly manufactured in accordance with commercial sector specifications. The results from the binary logistic regression analysis on the perception of small farm business entrepreneurs in the fourth industrial revolution revealed that gender (P-value = 0.031), level of education (P-value = 0.04), farm size (P-value = 0.048), farming skills and knowledge (P-value = 0.027), farm productivity (P-value = 0.059) and investment opportunities (P-value = 0.057) were significant and influence the perception of small farm business entrepreneurs. The mean and standard deviation were used to assess the degree of severity of impact. From the results, sources of investment, technology, market participation, economic benefits, and government interventions were discovered to be impactful on agro-investment for small farm business entrepreneurs. The key contributions of agro-investments among small farm business entrepreneurs in the technological era embody catalyzed rural development, a diversified inclusive rural economy, and competitive participation in the agricultural food value chain. Another crucial contribution of the study is unlocking and accentuating the potential and opportunities that investors, technology designers, and manufacturers can exploit in small farm business agro-investments. This paper identifies and recommends that the South African government ought to create enabling environments for agricultural investment activities to thrive, especially among small farm business entrepreneurs, thereby providing grant funding and training, and enabling public-private stakeholder linkages. Full article

This study explores the uptake and potential application of nature-based solutions (NbS) that are particularly promising for small-scale farmers, ranchers, and food entrepreneurs operating in arid and semi-arid regions. Studying the adoption of NbS by local food entrepreneurs (LFEs), including related strengths and limitations, remains an area of exploration due to their potential to optimize interventions that foster environmental sustainability at the intersection of people, animals, and natural ecosystems (i.e., One Health). A multi-method design was used, including literature review, questionnaires, and semi-structured key informant interviews to assess adaptation needs and NbS among a sample of LFEs located in Southern AZ, USA. The findings revealed that existing NbS have been introduced mostly through learning-by-doing practices that are bounded by economic and technological resource constraints. The paper describes a range of accessible approaches and practices that can be piloted and/or scaled up to enhance local food system resilience and contribute to the overlapping health of people, animals, and natural ecosystems. The priority adaptation pathways for NbS were identified to be funding and financing and the co-creation and sharing of knowledge through peer-to-peer and expert-to-peer approaches. The results suggested that AZ LFEs are likely to adopt NbS based on their capacity to address priority climate-driven issues, revenue generation potential, and seamless augmentation with existing food production and operational activities.  Full article

Nowadays, introducing innovations is treated as a necessity to ensure market survival. However, this may be difficult, especially for food entrepreneurs whose innovations are strongly connected with tradition. The main aim of this study was to assess the innovation abilities and potential of traditional food producers in the context of the classic dilemma of innovation-and-tradition interplay. The surveyed food producers were from five Polish voivodeships belonging to the European Culinary Heritage Network. The study conducted 70 semi-structured interviews. The respondents were divided into two groups: the innovative and non-innovative groups. The statistical significance of the differences between the two groups was tested using a two-independent-samples t test. A comparison revealed significantly different average results for the following variables: general managerial education, business duration, sources of knowledge about traditions, profits and earnings, and own product brand. For the remaining variables (employment, sales range, financial capital sources, business goals in total, and own business), no significant differences were found between the mean results. Both tested hypotheses were verified to be valid. The vendors-producers of traditional food in this study showed innovative abilities and untapped innovation potential. Full article

Introduction: Agri-food systems in Europe are predominantly male-dominated. Female food entrepreneurs can play a key role in the development of novel, sustainable food products. The aim of the present study was to gain an increased understanding of the various barriers which female agri-food entrepreneurs situated in rural areas perceive as hindrances to their entrepreneurial growth and development. Methodology: A total of five separate focus groups (n = 29 participants; 18 females) were carried out with agri-food entrepreneurs throughout Europe (Ireland, Belgium, Poland, Italy). The discussions were semi-structured and revolved around individuals’ perceptions of the support received from their surrounding infrastructure and their opinions on mentorship programmes. A reflective thematic analysis was conducted following verbatim transcription of the conversations from the focus groups. Findings: Three major themes were identified: 1. Business Initiation and Development, 2. Perceived Barriers, and 3. Mentorship Programmes. Of these central themes, each of these themes was further divided into accompanying sub-themes. The most often-cited theme was the lack of adequate financial support and experiencing frustration with the complexity of funding application administrative processes. Socio-cultural support was oftentimes lacking, with participants noting they often felt more senior, experienced entrepreneurs gatekept information to avoid their development and expansion. Females in particular experienced gender-discriminatory behaviour from peers and those more senior than themselves. Finally, the vast majority of participants were aware of the benefits of an online presence but lacked confidence in their digital abilities and were unsure where to source the relevant support. Conclusions: These findings highlight a range of issues that need to be addressed to improve the infrastructure surrounding agri-food entrepreneurs throughout Europe and sustain the food sector. This knowledge may be used to guide policymakers and those at decision-making levels. Full article