scholarly journals Looking for Answers to Food Loss and Waste Management in Spain from a Holistic Nutritional and Economic Approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 125
Author(s):  
Jara Laso ◽  
Cristina Campos ◽  
Ana Fernández-Ríos ◽  
Daniel Hoehn ◽  
Andrea del Río ◽  
...  

The generation of food loss and waste (FLW) is a global problem for worldwide politics. About one-third of the food produced ends up in the rubbish before it is consumed. For this reason, it is essential to design and implement new strategies along the food supply chain (FSC) with the aim of reducing this FLW at each stage. However, not only mass quantification should be considered, but also economic and nutritional performance. The novelty of this study is the definition of a methodology based on the “distance to target” approach by means of multi-objective optimization to evaluate the economic and nutritional cost produced by this FLW. This methodology was applied to the Spanish food basket in 2015. The results revealed that 80% of the total FLW generated in economic and nutritional terms is concentrated in the agricultural production (53.3%) and consumption (26.3%) stages. In the first stages of the FSC, fruits (Dn eq.= 0.7), cereals (Dn eq.= 0.61), and vegetables (Dn eq.= 0.57) were the furthest from the distance target due to the great amount of FLW generated. Moreover, according to the normalized weighted distances obtained from the minimization of economic and nutritional cost, pulses (Dn eq. = 0.05–0.03) and eggs (Dn eq. = 0.02) were the more efficient food categories. The methodology described in this study proposes a single index to quantify the economic and nutritional cost of different food categories to facilitate the decision-making process. This index makes possible the definition of reduction strategies focused on specific food categories and depending on the FSC stage.

In this article approaches to search for reserves of decrease in cost of agricultural production are considered. The methods of cost calculation of dairy cattle breeding products used at the studied enter-prise are analysed, short characteristic of the standard method offered by the Ministry of Agriculture is given, and calculations of alternative options are also carried out. Today creation of accounting of a production unit is very important so that not only weight units must be considered in it, but also the quali-tative structure of products must be reflected. Definition of qualitative characteristics and technological properties by production of milk which depend on use purposes can be an example. The raw materials consumption on a unit of production and its quality and also firmness of storage depends on technologi-cal properties of milk. At calculation of prime cost taking into account qualitative characteristics for cal-culation milk in terms of basic fat content undertakes. The method of calculation of prime cost consider-ing qualitative characteristics is the most expedient as prime cost of 1 c of milk unlike the operating tech-nique is lower. In the article analytical methods of reserves calculation for decrease in prime cost taking into account various factors are proved. The revealed reserves will allow an enterprise to expand its in-vestment opportunities in the future, they will give an additional incentive of modernization of the worn-out machinery and equipment in branches of agriculture.


TERRITORIO ◽  
2009 ◽  
pp. 171-177
Author(s):  
Alessandra Giannini

- Country life is (and has been) the object of utopian visions, set against the rise of urban living. The paradigms of the myth of rural life can be traced back to Howard's Garden City and to Frank Lloyd Wright's Broadacre City. These examples of the paradigm blend into a broader and trans-disciplinary contemporary discourse on the myth of rural living. Since the end of the 1990s, the subject of the relationship between the rural and the urban has developed into plans that could be called ‘country utopias'. The system of agricultural production and the countryside is evolving today towards new forms of integration and hybridisation with urban areas. Planning practices are emerging today in the definition of the characters and traits of urban agriculture designed to create town and country interaction particularly in marginal areas, strips located on the borders between town and country. These modifications are leading to the definition of new rural figures, together with plans capable of giving new life to liminal and marginal areas between town and country by creating new models of ‘rururban' living.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (8) ◽  
pp. 72-78
Author(s):  
T. V. GRISHINA ◽  
◽  
N. V. ZAMYATKINA ◽  
Yu. A. YUKHLINA ◽  
◽  
...  

The article highlights the theoretical approaches to the definition of the concepts of small and medium-sized businesses. The relevance of the research is determined by the need to solve the problem of the development of small and medium-sized businesses in the agricultural sector in the context of digital transformation, the development and justification of directions for improving its development. The scientific novelty of the study is the formation of a complex for assessing the development of small forms of agricultural production, which allows us to develop priority strategic directions of development, including aspects of modernization of agricultural production and innovative development. The indicators of the development of small and medium-sized businesses in the agricultural sector are studied. A new type of classification feature of small and medium-sized businesses in the agricultural sector is proposed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 411-418
Author(s):  
Anna Orel

Introduction. Ensuring the sustainable development of domestic agricultural producers involves achieving and maintaining a sufficient level of economic efficiency and competitiveness for the implementation of expanded reproduction. This, first of all, implies the formation of an appropriate level of competitiveness through the creation of sustainable competitive advantages of products and manufacturers. This process is impossible without attracting investment resources and introducing innovations in order to create competitive advantages, strengthen market positions and increase the level of concentration of productive capital. The latter necessitates a comprehensive strategic planning, which would be based on the innovative orientation of investment activities. The purpose of the article is to form theoretical and methodological and applied principles of competitive strategies formation of innovation and investment development of agricultural production entities. Method (methodology). Methods of comparison, analysis, theoretical and logical generalization are applied in the course of research. The dialectical method of research became the methodological basis. Results. The author’s vision of the definition of “competitive strategy” is offered in the article. The classification of competitive strategies is developed. A model of a strategic rhombus is proposed as a theoretical basis for determining areas for improving the mechanisms of managing the competitiveness of agribusiness entities, which includes five elements: arena; conductor; differentiators; sequence; economic logic. The proposals of applied character concerning realization of competitive strategies of innovative-investment development of subjects of agricultural production are substantiated. Key words: competitive strategies, subjects of agricultural production; innovation and investment development; competitiveness management.


OCL ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. D606 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Vincourt ◽  
Pierre Carolo

The Participatory Plant Breeding (PPB) concept emerged twenty years ago, particularly with the aim to build alternative organizations of the plant breeding activities in developing countries. It now as well questions the developed countries, in the frame of a more global expectation to make all the stakeholders more involved in the agricultural production, from the farmers to its final clients. We discuss here some of the questions addressed by this trend with regard to the definition of the ideotype: (a) different forms of PPB? (b) changing the paradigm: Client Oriented Breeding? (c) a new way to manage {genotype * environment} interactions? (d) mainly societal concerns at stake? (e) biodiversity and ideotypes. As the same key, technical, limiting factors are involved in both PPB and classical breeding, it is suggested to consider PPB as one of the ways in the frame of a general expectation for diversification, thus eventually resulting in the promotion of alternative ideotypes, rather than an alternative process.


2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 325-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Willem K. Brauers ◽  
Edmundas K. Zavadskas

The definition of robustness in econometrics, the error term in a linear equation, was not only broadened, but in addition moved to the meaning of common language: from a cardinal to a qualitative one. These interpretations were tested by an application on the Facilities Sector in Lithuania. The application is multi‐objective: like costs, experience and effectiveness at the side of the contractors; quality, duration of the work and cost price at the side of the owners. These objectives having all different units the dimensionless ratios of the MOORA method avoids the difficulties of normalization. In a first part of MOORA these ratios were aggregated and in a second one they were used as distances to a reference point. The results of both parts control each other, a test on robustness. Additionally, MOORA shows a robust domination on all other methods of multi‐objective optimization. For the Facilities Sector in Lithuania, both parts of MOORA resulted in a comparable ranking. In this way a double check was made on the robustness of the results. Santrauka Patikimumo apibrėžimas ekonometrikoje, kaip neteisingas terminas tiesinėje lygtyje, buvo ne tik papildytas, bet ir išreikštas įprasta kalba: nuo kiekybinio prie kokybinio. Šios interpretacijos buvo patikrintos taikant jas Lietuvos paslaugų sektoriuje. Taikymas yra daugiatikslis: iš rangovo pusės kaip išlaidos, patirtis, efektyvumas; kokybė, darbo trukmė, kaina iš užsakovo pusės. Minėtieji tikslai turi skirtingus matavimo vienetus. O jų santykiniai dydžiai neturi mato vienetų, todėl taikant MOORA metodą yra išvengiama sunkumų juos normalizuojant. Pirmoje MOORA metodo taikymo dalyje šie santykiai yra sujungiami, o antroje dalyje ieškoma atstumo iki geriausio sprendinio. Abiejų metodo dalių rezultatai pagrindžia sprendinio teisingumą. Tai rodo aiškų MOORA metodo pranašumą, palyginti su kitais daugiatikslio optimizavimo metodais. Taikant abi MOORA metodo dalis Lietuvos paslaugų sektoriui buvo sudarytas lyginamasis rangavimas, buvo atliktas dvigubas rezultatų patikimumo patikrinimas.


2020 ◽  
pp. 33-41
Author(s):  
Ivan Zubar ◽  
Yuliia Onyshchuk

Purpose. The aim of the article is research of theoretical, organizational and economic aspects of functioning and effective development of farms for growing and processing of snails and substantiation of prospects of heliceculture as a branch of agriculture on the basis of analysis of world experience. Methodology of research. In the course of the research the methods of general scientific (analysis, synthesis, abstraction) and empirical methods (observations, questionnaires, conversations) of economic science are used, which are based on a systematic approach, which allowed to characterize the current state of production and export of heliceculture products, as well as identify key issues in this area of agricultural production. Findings. The concept of “heliceculture” is substantiated and its content is analysed in terms of prospects as a new direction of agricultural production. The historical genesis of the development of traditions of snail products consumption has been studied, as a result of which the first mentions in the history of Ancient Rome, as well as France and Italy have been revealed. An analysis of the dynamics and current state of development of domestic heliculture entrepreneurship, which showed a rapid increase in the number of snail farms and increasing exports of snails to Europe. An overview of the world market for edible snails is made, where there is a noticeable tendency to a gradual annual increase in the consumption of heliculture products. The key elements of the technological process of growing edible snails are analysed, which allowed to systematize a number of basic technological processes and to conclude about the complexity and complexity of this production. The commodity assortment of heliculture has been determined, which includes meat, caviar and snail secretion. The key advantages of Ukraine as a producer and exporter of heliculture products are highlighted, including the availability of labour, proximity to markets, high land supply and dissatisfaction with global demand for these products, which makes it significant for the development of heliculture as an agricultural production. The key problems that hinder the development of snail farming are summarized, namely: legislative unregulation, limited industrial production capacity, lack of diversified processing, limited information and scientific research. The key directions of development of the heliceculture industry are determined, among which: organization of production and marketing heliceculture cooperatives, provision of in-depth processing and year-round uninterrupted production, development of agro-tourism on the basis of snail farms. Originality. A systematic approach to clarifying the definition of “heliceculture” is proposed. On the basis of a thorough study of official statistical information on the state of production of snail products, the importance of heliculture as a promising area of agricultural production is substantiated. Practical value. The obtained research results can be used in the development of an effective concept for the development of the heliculture industry. Key words: heliceculture, heliceculture market, snail farming, small business, family farm.


2019 ◽  
pp. 623-643 ◽  
Author(s):  
Max Craglia ◽  
Katarzyna Pogorzelska

Abstract In this chapter, we approach the economic value of Digital Earth with a broad definition of economic value, i.e., the measure of benefits from goods or services to an economic agent and the trade-offs the agent makes in view of scarce resources. The concept of Digital Earth has several components: data, models, technology and infrastructure. We focus on Earth Observation (EO) data because this component has been undergoing the most dramatic change since the beginning of this century. We review the available recent studies to assess the value of EO/geospatial/open data and related infrastructures and identify three main sets of approaches focusing on the value of information, the economic approach to the value of EO to the economy from both macro- and microeconomic perspectives, and a third set that aims to maximize value through infrastructure and policy. We conclude that the economic value of Digital Earth critically depends on the perspective: the value for whom, what purpose, and when. This multiplicity is not a bad thing: it acknowledges that Digital Earth is a global concept in which everyone can recognize their viewpoint and collaborate with others to increase the common good.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md Saad Nurul Eiman ◽  
Firdaus Muhammad Nurul Azmi Aida ◽  
Trias Mahmudiono ◽  
Siva Raseetha

The novel coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19, is a recent disease that has struck the entire world. This review is conducted to study the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic to food safety as well as the food supply chain. The pandemic has caused various changes around the world as numerous countries and governments have implemented lockdowns and restrictions to help curb the rising cases due to COVID-19. However, these restrictions have impacted many aspects of everyday life, including the economic sectors such as the food industry. An overview of the current COVID-19 situation in Malaysia was discussed in this review along with its implication on food safety and food supply chain. This is followed by a discussion on the definition of food safety, the impact of the pandemic to food safety, as well as the steps to be taken to ensure food safety. Hygiene of food handlers, complete vaccination requirement, kitchen sanitation and strict standard operating procedures (SOPs) should be in place to ensure the safety of food products, either in food industries or small scale business. Additionally, the aspect of the food supply chain was also discussed, including the definition of the food supply chain and the impact of COVID-19 to the food supply chain. Travel restriction and lack of manpower had impacted the usual operation and production activities. Lack of customers and financial difficulties to sustain business operational costs had even resulted in business closure. As a conclusion, this article provides insight into crucial factors that need to be considered to effectively contain COVID-19 cases and highlights the precaution methods to be taken through continuous monitoring and implementation by Malaysian government.


Author(s):  
D. Villalva-Bustamante ◽  
M. F. Logroño-Rodríguez ◽  
T. F. Flores-Pulgar ◽  
B. Naula-Erazo

The Decentralized Autonomous Government of the province of Chimborazo promotes the agricultural productive development of the province by promoting entrepreneurship, and improving the capacities of producers, access to production factors, and integration of actors and subjects of agriculture and management on the basis to strategic planning. The construction of the Chimborazo Competitiveness Agenda was a participatory process that identified opportunities to improve the agricultural sector, where agricultural production at the primary level was recognized as a vocation and strength of the province; however, a strategic necessity was to establish possibilities of adding value and diversifying agricultural production. The definition of a set of agricultural products with high potential at the primary level and/or in agroindustrial processes that are not deeply explored required determining market signals to identify new medium- and long-term commercial possibilities for Chimborazo farmers. Additionally, it was recognized that the management of the province of Chimborazo was based on its management of the Millennium Development Goals, the Constitution of the Republic, the National Plan for Development in a Supra-Provincial Framework, as well as the Plan Development of Chimborazo, the Territorial Planning Plan and others that promoted planning with a focus on territorial and solidarity sustainable development. Keywords: Chimborazo, productive development, entrepreneurship, agricultural sector. Resumen El Gobierno Autónomo Descentralizado de la Provincia de Chimborazo impulsa el fomento productivo agrícola de la provincia mediante la promoción del emprendimiento, el mejoramiento de las capacidades de los productores, acceso a factores de producción, integración de los actores y sujetos del agro y gestión en base a una planificación estratégica. Como parte de dicho accionar, la construcción de la Agenda de Competitividad Chimborazo fue un proceso participativo que identificó oportunidades para mejorar el sector agrícola, donde se reconoció la producción agrícola a nivel primario como una vocación y fortaleza de la provincia, no obstante, una necesidad estratégica fue el establecer posibilidades de agregación de valor y de diversificar la producción agrícola. La definición de un conjunto de productos agrícolas con alto potencial a nivel primario y/o en procesos agroindustriales que no están profundamente explorados requirió determinar señales de mercado para identificar posibilidades comerciales nuevas a mediano y largo plazo para los agricultores de Chimborazo. Adicionalmente, se reconoció que la gestión de la provincia de Chimborazo tuvo como base los Objetivos del Milenio, la Constitución de la República, el Plan Nacional de Desarrollo en un marco supra-provincial, así como el Plan de Desarrollo de Chimborazo, el Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial y otros en su conjunto que promovieron una planificación con un enfoque de desarrollo sostenible territorial y solidario. Palabras clave: Chimborazo, fomento productivo, emprendimiento, sector agrícola.


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