Search Results (104)

This study examines how Ukrainian enterprises of different size classes adapted their trade activity under the compounded shocks of COVID-19 and the full-scale war. The article addresses national economic resilience and sustainable recovery by examining how export and import dynamics changed among micro-, small-, medium-, and large-sized firms during 2015–2023. The methodology combines the logarithmic decomposition of intensive and extensive trade margins with a strategic positioning matrix based on labour productivity and the net-export coefficient. The results reveal marked size-based differences in aggregate trade-adaptation patterns. During the pandemic, microbusinesses shifted toward a quantity-led compensatory pattern, whereas during the war, medium-sized and large enterprises showed a stronger efficiency-led export pattern. Micro- and small firms displayed characteristics associated with technology-oriented adaptation, combining rapid labour productivity growth with negative trade balances, whereas large enterprises were positioned closer to the niche-exporter profile, supporting the balance of payments but showing signs of slower productivity growth. Medium-sized firms occupied a transformation zone, indicating unresolved adjustment pressure and continued dependence on trade restructuring. These findings suggest that enterprise-size heterogeneity can serve as an analytical basis for differentiated recovery policy. The results are relevant for trade-dependent sectors, including agri-food and food-processing systems, where recovery depends on technological upgrading, export capacity building, and the more effective conversion of imports into future export potential. Full article

The rapid digitalisation of the agri-food sector has generated unprecedented volumes of farm and value chain data, but also highly fragmented data ecosystems and asymmetric power relations between farmers, technology providers, and public authorities. In response, the European Union has developed a comprehensive data governance architecture—including the Data Governance Act, the Data Act, the GDPR and the EU Code of Conduct on Agricultural Data Sharing—and is building a Common European Agricultural Data Space (CEADS). This article examines that governance framework and explores its implications for the agri-food sector in Spain. Through a qualitative legal policy review, we map the regulatory landscape, analyse five major European and Spanish initiatives (CEADS/AgriDataSpace, AgData, Agdatahub, RegenAg-X, and DADS), and use Spain as a national case study. A multi-level actor model (meta-governance, data originators, transformation intermediaries, and data users) structures the comparative analysis. On this basis, six design principles for responsible agri-food data spaces are identified: clarity of use cases, inclusive multi-stakeholder governance, data life cycle mapping, privacy and sovereignty by design, a fair economic model, and regulatory compliance as a trust factor. The article identifies open research questions on anonymisation of georeferenced data, data sovereignty, and equitable value distribution, and outlines an agenda for future empirical and legal research. Full article

Aronia melanocarpa (commonly known as black chokeberry) is a Rosaceae species native to eastern North America that has long been recognized as both a food and medicinal plant. Its berries are rich in polyphenols, particularly anthocyanins such as cyanidin-3-O-galactoside (19–1282 mg/100 g), which are associated with a wide range of bioactivities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, cardiometabolic-regulating, and antitumor effects. These activities involve key signaling pathways such as Nrf2/KEAP1, NF-κB/MAPK, and PI3K/Akt, as well as inhibition of ferroptosis. The rich phytochemical profile of aronia supports diverse applications in the agri-food sector, including sports nutrition products, natural antioxidant additives, natural pigments, food preservation, and food coloring. Based on a systematic search of Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Taylor & Francis, ScienceDirect, CNKI, and Wanfang Data up to October 2025, this narrative review summarizes the latest advances in aronia cultivation, chemical composition, pharmacological mechanisms, and food and clinical applications. Despite the growing body of evidence, significant gaps remain: clinical studies in humans are still limited, standardized extracts are lacking, and little is known about how these bioactive compounds behave during food processing and storage. This review highlights these gaps and outlines future research directions to maximize the potential of aronia for promoting human health. Full article

This paper examines how rural development support was associated with changes in Lithuania’s agri-food sector between 2000 and 2025 across successive Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) programming periods. Integrating complementary theoretical perspectives, the study assesses whether policy interventions were linked to structural transformation, market upgrading, partial innovation deepening, and sustainability-oriented change, or whether they primarily reinforced existing agri-food development paths. Methodologically, the research employs a quantitative, longitudinal, descriptive–analytical design, combining time-series analysis with comparative policy-cycle analysis. By tracing both incremental adjustments and more pronounced structural shifts over the 2000–2025 period, the paper provides an evidence-based assessment of how rural development support aligned with sectoral change. The findings suggest that the observed trajectory is most consistent with modernization, consolidation, and market upgrading, while innovation-led transformation appears more uneven and concentrated in downstream processing than in primary agriculture. The results contribute to debates on the calibration of rural development instruments and offer implications for future policy design in small open economies undergoing agri-food restructuring. Full article

The European Green Deal is Europe’s ambitious and multi-layered response to climate change. Translating its objectives into action for a green transition has created a need for new skills and competencies. Vocational and Education Training (VET) systems are uniquely positioned to equip learners with these emerging green and transversal competences through their dual focus on knowledge dissemination and applied practice. However, current VET curricula remain oriented towards traditional occupations and are not adequately aligned with the sustainability and skills needs of the agri-food sector. This study, as part of a joint European-funded project (2023-1-IE01-KA220-VET-00156916: Train to Sustain), aimed to: (1) identify practical strategies for integrating sustainability concepts and innovative pedagogy into VET programs, and (2) gather multi-stakeholder perspectives on how VET agri-food education can be adapted for greater alignment with the green skills required by the sector. Following ethical approval, data were collected through semi-structured focus groups involving key agri-food stakeholder groups across Ireland, Slovenia, Poland and Italy. The data were qualitatively analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA). Five themes were identified: (1) Innovative and Sustainable Practices in Agri-Food systems, (2) Education, Awareness and Consumer Engagement, (3) Institutional and Structural Approaches, (4) Community and Localised Responses, and (5) Barriers, Opportunities and Future Directions. The findings highlight the significant potential VET offers in preparing a workforce with the cross-cutting sustainability competences and sector-specific skills needed to drive the innovation and growth of the agri-food sector. However, achieving this requires institutional change, strengthened collaboration, and a shift from traditional technical training toward curriculum models that embed sustainability principles across diverse local and regional contexts. Full article

The increasing demand for agricultural products, intensified by natural resource degradation and the lack of human labor in the agri-food sector, favors the adoption of advanced automated technologies in the entire farm-to-fork chain. Despite skepticism, 3D (three-dimensional) printing is amongst the methods that have drawn increasing attention and encourage expectations for tackling the aforementioned challenges. In this context, the current work has a multiperspective character. Firstly, it sheds light on the recent progress in the 3D printing fabrication area and focuses on laboratory-implemented parts improving the efficiency of typical agricultural processes. These cost-effective solutions vary from covers for damaged electric water pumps and joints for greenhouse structures to adjustable ventilation grilles, automatic irrigation valves and specialized fruit-harvesting grippers. Secondly, it reports on lessons learned, highlighting potential strengths/weaknesses during the fabrication process, assisted by complementary feedback collected via questionnaires from agricultural engineering students, their professors, and farmers. Experiences gained justify the optimism about the capacity of 3D printing to foster agriculture, but there are still concerns about the easiness of the 3D printing process and the ability of the 3D-printed parts to withstand harsh agricultural field conditions. Finally, it indicates future directions for the incorporation of 3D printing in agriculture toward increased sustainability pathways. Full article

The carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is indigenous to the Mediterranean basin, noted for its adaptability to biotic and abiotic stresses and its long history of use in traditional agroforestry systems. This review critically analyzes the phytochemical composition of carob, its traditional medicinal uses, and its contemporary applications in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and agri-food sectors. Particular attention is placed on the valorization of carob pods, seeds, and leaves, which are transformed into high-value products, including locust bean gum and polyphenol-rich extracts. Recent studies indicate that carob is a rich source of bioactive compounds, particularly phenolic acids and flavonoids such as gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, ellagic acid, catechins, quercetin, and luteolin. These compounds have primarily been investigated in vitro and in vivo, where they exhibited antioxidant, antimicrobial, and potential cardioprotective and gastrointestinal-related effects. This chemical diversity underscores their potential as a prime substitute for future nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications. The review further addresses the ecological and socio-economic relevance of carob cultivation, particularly in countries such as Algeria, where reforestation and agro-industrial valorization remain underexploited despite their significant economic potential. Overall, this work highlights the need for a comprehensive and critical evaluation of carob-derived bioactive compounds and encourages further well-designed studies, especially clinical investigations, to better substantiate their health-related benefits while supporting sustainable use of this multipurpose species. Full article

Collaboration in cooperatives helps farmers strengthen their economic position in dynamic agri-food markets. Unlike other types of businesses, agricultural cooperatives are user-owned, user-controlled, and user-benefitting enterprises. Their dual nature as business enterprises and social groups of members complicates performance evaluation. This study attempts to bridge the gap by developing a micro-level conceptual framework for benchmarking agricultural cooperatives. Based on a systematic literature review of 77 empirical studies published in 1987–2025 and thematic analysis, the authors propose an eight-dimensional conceptual framework encompassing competitive, financial, educational, efficiency, environmental, governance, operational, and social performance indicators. The review reveals that existing research prioritises financial indicators while overlooking cooperative-specific characteristics arising from their dualistic nature. The conceptual framework offers a structured conceptual basis for assessing the performance of agricultural cooperatives across sectors and countries. Although applying the framework is beyond the scope of this paper, the authors highlight prospective indicators for future empirical work and practical implementation. Full article

In the absence of ex-post empirical evidence on the implementation effects of the EU-Mercosur agreement, assessments of expected risks and benefits for the agri-food sector must rely on ex-ante reasoning rather than statistical identification. This paper develops a deductive ex-ante framework to assess how partial market integration under EU–Mercosur may affect the prices and profitability of two groups: agri-food processors and agricultural producers. Methodologically, we formalize a two-market setting (final food products and agricultural raw materials) and derive comparative-statics implications for microeconomic profitability indicators that guide agents’ choices. The main propositions are as follows. First, the integration of the sourcing base for processors is likely to increase the relative profitability of processing by improving the ratio of output to raw-material inputs and, crucially, by widening the price wedge between final food prices and agricultural input prices. Second, the same mechanism implies that agricultural producers in the EU face greater downside risk, as increased competition on the raw-material market tends to depress farm-gate prices; the resulting revenue effect is unlikely to be fully offset by higher sales volumes in the short run. Third, these asymmetric effects rationalize the divergence of perceived risks and benefits across processors and farmers, even when both operate within the same integrated market environment. In addition, we highlight a complementary risk channel: market integration can affect not only price levels but also price volatility in raw-material markets, which may further increase downside risk for farms. The proposed framework provides a disciplined basis for scenario and simulation analyses relevant to agricultural and trade policy, and yields testable predictions for future ex-post evaluation. Full article

The agri-food sector is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions while facing increasing demand for food production driven by population growth. Transitioning towards sustainable and low-carbon agricultural systems is therefore critical. Green hydrogen, produced from renewable energy sources, holds significant promise as a clean energy carrier and chemical feedstock to decarbonize multiple stages of the agri-food supply chain. This systematic review is based on a structured analysis of peer-reviewed literature retrieved from Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar, covering over 120 academic publications published between 2010 and 2025. This review provides a comprehensive overview of hydrogen’s current and prospective applications across agriculture and the food industry, highlighting opportunities to reduce fossil fuel dependence and greenhouse gas emissions. In agriculture, hydrogen-powered machinery, hydrogen-rich water treatments for crop enhancement, and the use of green hydrogen for sustainable fertilizer production are explored. Innovative waste-to-hydrogen strategies contribute to circular resource utilization within farming systems. In the food industry, hydrogen supports fat hydrogenation and modified atmosphere packaging to extend product shelf life and serves as a sustainable energy source for processing operations. The analysis indicates that near-term opportunities for green hydrogen deployment are concentrated in fertilizer production, food processing, and controlled-environment agriculture, while broader adoption in agricultural machinery remains constrained by cost, storage, and infrastructure limitations. Challenges such as scalability, economic viability, and infrastructure development are also discussed. Future research should prioritize field-scale demonstrations, technology-specific life-cycle and techno-economic assessments, and policy frameworks adapted to decentralized and rural agri-food contexts. The integration of hydrogen technologies offers a promising pathway to achieve carbon-neutral, resilient, and efficient agri-food systems that align with global sustainability goals and climate commitments. Full article

Blockchain is increasingly applied in the agri-food sector to enhance traceability, data integrity, and accountability. However, its broader role in food system sustainability remains insufficiently characterized, particularly when examined against global megatrends shaping future agri-food transitions. This paper investigates how blockchain technology can reinforce sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems under the effect of major global megatrends. A structured literature review of peer-reviewed and industry sources was conducted to identify evidence on blockchain-enabled improvements in transparency, certification, and supply chain coordination. Complementary analysis of a curated dataset of European and international pilot implementations evaluated technological architectures, governance models, and demonstrated performance outcomes. Additionally, stakeholder-based foresight activities and scenarios representing alternative blockchain adoption pathways, developed within the TRUSTyFOOD project (GA: 101060534), were used to examine the interconnection between blockchain adoption and megatrends. Evidence from the literature and pilot cases indicates that blockchain can strengthen product-level traceability and improve verification of sustainability and safety claims. Cross-case analysis also reveals persistent constraints, including heterogeneous technical standards, limited interoperability, high deployment costs for smallholders, and governance risks arising from consortium-led platforms. Blockchain can function as an enabling digital layer for sustainable and resilient food systems and should be embedded in wider, participatory strategies that align digital innovation with long-term sustainability and equity goals in the agri-food sector. Full article

The continued evolution and advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies are offering innovative solutions and setting the futuristic trends in the food sector. The use of different Machine Learning (ML)-based models has demonstrated promising applications in the food processing industry. Processing operations such as drying, frying, cooking, heating, and baking are complex and challenged by multifaceted problems due to simultaneous heat, mass and momentum transport processes. The ML-based tools could potentially categorize each food material and efficiently predict its processing kinetics for optimization of the processing conditions. Furthermore, ML technologies have shown excellent applications in ensuring the traceability of food provenance and quality, enhancing the transparency and traceability from farm to fork, and providing consumers with more reliable product information. Overall, ML tools have untapped potential to identify and accelerate multiple development opportunities across the entire agri-food sector to improve productivity, profitability, and sustainability in the future. Full article

The capacity of the Valencian fruit and vegetable sector (i.e., cooperatives) to absorb knowledge has been analysed, as well as the influence of this capacity on the adoption of technological innovations and production processes. This objective is motivated by the multiple challenges currently facing the agricultural sector. The dominance of large distribution chains and competition from products imported from other countries have increased production costs without a proportional increase in income. The study was conducted with a sample of 14 fruit and vegetable companies and cooperatives. This study explored how these organisations acquire and assimilate knowledge from abroad and the barriers they face in this process. The results reveal that the extent of assimilation is fundamental to transforming potential absorption capacity into reality. Acquiring knowledge is not the problem, given the abundance of information available. The challenge lies in discerning which knowledge is relevant and aligning it with the needs of the organisation and its customers. The importance of generational change and team dynamics in knowledge consolidation is evident. The importance of effectively managing knowledge assimilation for the success of innovation in agri-food cooperatives is highlighted. In addition, common barriers to the implementation of innovation are identified. The lack of gender diversity is evident in the leadership profiles of cooperatives, highlighting the need for future research addressing absorptive capacity from a gender perspective. Full article

The EU–Mercosur agri-food trade is characterized by strong asymmetries reflecting long-standing structural differences between the two blocs. With the EU–Mercosur Agreement moving toward ratification, assessing these long-term trade patterns is essential for anticipating how liberalization may reshape comparative advantages and adjustment pressures in agri-food sectors. The analysis applies four quantitative indicators: the Revealed Comparative Advantage index (RCA), the Trade Complementarity Index (TCI), the Trade Intensity Index (TII), and the Export Similarity Index (ESI). Mercosur shows strong comparative advantages in raw and semi-processed commodities such as soybeans, meat, sugar and maize, while the EU specializes in higher value-added processed foods. High TCI values indicate strong alignment between Mercosur’s export structure and EU import demand, while low ESI values reveal limited direct competition. Low TII values suggest unrealized cooperation potential. Findings highlight both opportunities and vulnerabilities for agri-food sectors under future trade liberalization. Full article

The aim of this study was to analyse the economic conditions of the beekeeping sector in Poland between 2019 and 2024, with particular emphasis on production costs, price formation mechanisms, the foreign trade balance, and the structure of honey supply. The analysis was based on data from public institutions, beekeeping organisations, individual beekeepers, and the authors’ own research and analyses. The results indicate a clear increase in domestic honey production, which reached 31 thousand tonnes in 2024, confirming the growing potential of the sector. Poland is among the largest honey producers in the European Union. The market structure is dominated by direct sales; however, as production scale increases, wholesale channels become more important. Apiary size remains a key factor influencing unit costs and profitability—commercial apiaries benefit from economies of scale, while smaller operations have limited investment capacity. During the analysed period, the sector faced significant cost pressures driven by high inflation and rising prices of beekeeping production inputs. The market analysis shows increasing competitive pressure, particularly in the wholesale segment, intensified by low-priced imported honey. The oversupply of popular honey types reduces profitability and weakens beekeepers’ bargaining position. The future development of the sector should focus on increasing the added value of production, diversifying distribution channels, expanding premium segments, and building strong and competitive brands. Ensuring the stability of the sector is crucial not only for the agri-food economy but also for ecosystem balance and food security. In this context, proactive measures and the consideration of appropriate market protection instruments are essential to mitigate the effects of market imbalances and enhance the sector’s resilience to future economic shocks. Full article