Academic literature on the topic 'Locally produced food'

Sustainability is considered in relation to the consumption of local food. Consumers have recently become more concerned about food safety, including potential impurities in Asian honey. Some consumers believe that eating local honey products might be a way to avoid food safety risks. Food security is also guaranteed by certification marks that create confidence in consumers, and help their decisions in buying. The aim of the paper is to identify the main characteristics of Hungarian consumer preferences when buying honey. In this article we analyse the consumer behaviour of Hungarian hive products. This study was supported by the data from a nationwide consumer survey carried out in 2016. A total of 1584 subjects participated in this survey, the sample is representative for gender, age and highest level of education in Hungary. The results of our study show the actual potential consumers of the Hungarian honey products. Based on the results, the consumers we interviewed consider the consumption of honey of Hungarian origin very important, and they prefer to purchase these products directly or indirectly from the beekeepers. Well-informed consumers in terms of honey certification marks consider some features of honey (Hungarian origin; region of origin; brand, producer name; certification marks) significantly more important than uninformed consumers. Awareness of the certification marks helps consumer decisions which are confirmed by the fact that consumers who are informed about honey certification marks were not affected by honey counterfeits.

AbstractLocal food system potentials were studied in Washington County, Nebraska. As a departure from most studies of locally based systems, farmers were surveyed in addition to consumers for potential participation. Data about the current food system and opinions and preferences for local production, marketing, and purchasing of food were collected using self-administered mail questionnaires. The response rate was 35% for the farmer survey and 37% for the consumer survey. Results indicated that, on the farming side of the food system, conventional corn and soybean production and marketing predominated in Washington County, and farmer interest in producing for local markets was low. Consumers reported a high level of interest in purchasing food from farmers' markets, local grocery stores, local restaurants and directly from farms, and indicated a willingness to pay a price premium for local foods. They also reported that quality and taste were the most important factors in food purchase decisions, but environmentally friendly production and support for local farmers were also important. We conclude that there is tremendous potential for local marketing of farm products, but that there is a large gap between consumer demand and willingness of farmers to meet this demand. Further study of motivations and opinions of farmers is needed, in addition to determining production thresholds for the number of farms and farmers needed to meet local food demands.

AbstractA mail survey was used to gather information from the main food buyer in random households in southeast Missouri to analyze consumer preferences for locally grown food. A majority of shoppers in the region were not aware of the state's AgriMissouri promotion program. Consumers defined locally grown not as a statewide concept but as a narrower regional concept that could cross state boundaries. Most important when purchasing produce were quality and freshness, and most consumers perceived local produce at farmers' markets to be of higher quality and lower price. Farm households were not significantly different from other households in the region and did not show a preference or willingness to pay a price premium for local food products. Food buyers who were members of an environmental group had higher education and income and were more likely to purchase organic food and more willing to pay a higher price for local produce. Households in which someone was raised on a farm, or had parents who were raised on a farm, had a preference for locally grown food and were willing to pay a price premium for it. Marketing local products should stress quality, freshness, and price competitiveness, and appeal to environmentalists and those with a favorable attitude towards family farms.

Purpose – This study aims to investigate how attributes associated with local food (intrinsic product quality; local support) motivate purchase behaviour. Previous research assumes heterogeneity in consumer motivation, but this has never been formally assessed. As such, the influence of local food attributes in motivating product use is integrated into a model in which consumer values and personal characteristics/situational variables are specified as moderators. Design/methodology/approach – Eight hypotheses are tested using data collected from a quota sample of respondents recruited via an online panel of 1,223 shoppers. A three-stage analysis is used using structural equation modelling. Moderation effects are tested using both latent interactions and multiple-group analysis. Findings – Shoppers purchase local food more frequently as a consequence of local support rather than intrinsic product quality. Unpicking these relationships reveal that local support has an amplified effect when local identity is higher, and when the shopper is either female or of an older age (55 years plus). Surprisingly, the influence of intrinsic product quality is equivalent by gender, age and location (rural/urban). Practical implications – Marketers promoting locally produced foods should focus on both the intrinsic attributes of local food as well as the role it plays within the local community. The latter is more likely to be successful with communications aimed at women and older consumers. Originality/value – With previous studies focusing on how local food attributes influence favourable consumer behaviours, the current study unpicks these relationships by examining heterogeneity in responses. This is the first study to concurrently use attributes, values and personal characteristics/situational variables in explaining shopping behaviour for local food.

The aim of this article is to evaluate the caloric contribution of the top imported and locally produced foods in Puerto Rico. Data from the USDA and Puerto Rico Planning Board were used to estimate caloric needs in different demographic groups and projected until 2025. In analyzing Puerto Rican produce, the caloric contribution of local production was estimated to be around 18 percent. By contrast, when the caloric contribution of 50 foods imported and produced in Puerto Rico was evaluated, these foods account for 115 percent of the calories needed daily for the population to maintain a normal weight. Sugar, rice, vegetable oil, milk and corn make the greatest contribution to the Puerto Rican diet, representing an estimated 58 percent of average number of calories that Puerto Ricans should consume. The distribution of calories identified in these 50 articles consumed in Puerto Rico (e.g., fruits, vegetables, dairy products, proteins, carbohydrates, etc.) shows serious discrepancies from the distribution suggested by the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines developed by experts of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. For example, 34 percent of the calories consumed in Puerto Rico correspond to foods high in sugar and fat.

Traditional and modern markets are both potential distribution channels for the distribution of locally produced food in Indonesia. The aim of the current study is to gain insight into consumer preferences for locally produced food when shopping at both markets. A total of 300 respondents were interviewed using stratified purposive sampling in traditional markets and supermarkets in Banyumas regency. Factor analysis was used to group consumer towards their preferences for local food. The overall KMO values were 0.746 for consumers who shopped in traditional markets and 0.835 for those who purchased locally produced food in modern markets, with a significance level of 0.000 for both segments of consumers. All individual MSAs also emerged as over 0.06. The results show that consumer preferences for locally grown products are very similar in both markets. Five factors were found considerably to influence consumer preferences in both markets, namely habit, food quality, product availability, the tendency to support local food, and the availability of information and knowledge. What makes the difference between markets is that supermarket shoppers have enthusiasm and proud eating local food product. The total variance for the six factors was 64.245% and 65.705% for traditional and modern markets, respectively.

Promoting trading of locally produced food is one way to challenge the more conventional way of producing food while contributing to a more sustainable consumption. Through empirical research and design practice closely related to its users, this study has explored the motivational aspects behind trading within the platform and concept of REKO-ring Malmö. An analysis of the existing service in relation to its producers and consumers has been made to formulate problems related to how the platform works today. The study results in a design proposal of a new digital platform that shows improvement in meeting the needs and expectations of the consumers found during the empirical research.

While farmers’ market vendors rely on loyal and frequent patrons to purchase their products, it is unclear how the intrinsic differences among farmers’ market shoppers serve as indicators of potential shopping frequency at farmers’ markets. The objectives of this thesis are to identify consumers’ intrinsic values associated with characteristics of local foods, examine how these values are reflected in consumption behaviors among farmers' market shoppers, and explore the relationship between consumption activities and shopping frequency at farmers' markets. Results suggest that the differences between frequent and infrequent farmers’ market shoppers could be explained by the individual’s levels of high and low involvement in consumption activities that reflect intrinsic values associated with benefits of locally produced foods. Market patrons who generally exhibit higher levels of involvement in these activities are more likely to be frequent farmers’ market shoppers; this is particularly true for those who are drawn to activities associated with public life or group settings. This information can be used by farmers’ market managers and vendors to develop targeted marketing strategies for retention of frequent market shoppers and also for increasing market patronage for less frequent market shoppers.

Food consumption trends change continuously. A noticeable trend in Sweden and the western world is consumers’ need for knowledge about the food they consume and where it originates from. Moreover, consumers appreciate food products produced close to home. The interest towards locally produced food has lately increased amongst today’s consumer, as has many researchers’ interest in the topic.  The purpose with this dissertation is to investigate how and if product-specific attributes attached to a locally produced food product, like Price, Quality, Brand and Organically produced can lead to that consumers’ are loyal towards a region. A deductive research approach is applied for this dissertation. Based on the theories of consumer loyalty, and by regarding current food trends, the theory of regional loyalty as a concept is developed. The product-specific attributes Brand, Price, Quality and Organic are examined and tested. A model and hypotheses are developed in order to understand the relationship better. By using a quantitative method and conducting a questionnaire, the consumer’s attitudes were examined. The research was conducted in themunicipalityofKristianstadand 130 questionnaires were handed out outside the biggest grocery stores in town. The findings indicate that there is a positive correlation between the variables attached to locally produced food products and regional loyalty. The results show that all these attributes are related to regional loyalty except of price, regardless of age, income or current occupation. According to the authors’ knowledge, since no study has been conducted on regional loyalty or product-specific attributes affecting this, the results of this dissertation will bring new knowledge to this area of research. The results may also be useful for executives when marketing locally produced food products.

The aim of this study was to explore consumers’ descriptions of sustainable food consumption. The concept of sustainability can be difficult to grasp, but is often defined in terms of three pillars; environment, society and economy. Prior research of sustainable food consumption have often focused on one of the pillars rather than all of them together in relation to consumers understandings of sustainable food consumption. Notwithstanding, previous research have mentioned that in order to fully comprehend sustainability it is essential to take all of the three pillars into consideration. Therefore, this study acknowledged this gap, as it focused on the three pillars of sustainability as a base, and further connected the three pillars to the four food concepts; organic, Fairtrade, sustainable diets and waste, in order to fully understand consumers descriptions of sustainable food consumption. The study was conducted using a qualitative approach, and the data was collected through semi-structured interviews with a sample of students and employees at Linnaeus University in Sweden. The interviewees gave varied and interesting answers, which later were analyzed in comparison to the theory on the subject. With the answers from the interviews it was concluded that environmental and social sustainability were prioritized to economic sustainability among participants. As the participants’ descriptions of sustainable food consumption was varied, and all of the four concepts in relation to three pillars were analyzed, a framework was developed in order to clarify how the consumers describe sustainable food consumption. The study also presents a number of implications for further research as well as managerial implications.  Keywords Sustainable food consumption, consumers description, three pillars of sustainability, economic sustainability, environmental sustainability, social sustainability, organic, Fairtrade, sustainable diets, vegetarian, locally produced, waste reduction, food waste

Purpose of this study is to holistically analyze existing linkages between Aruba's tourism industry, restaurants and local farmers, by examining strategies that constrain the development of linkages between these stakeholders. Previous research indicated that tourism development is often accompanied with increased demand for imported food, which results in foreign exchange leakages, inflation and competition with local production. This phenomenon is very common in the Caribbean, where Aruba, with its heavy reliance on imported goods and services, is no exception to this occurrence. To comprehend potential problems associated with linking both sectors, these in-depth case study addresses three fundamental questions: a) what is the structure of supply and demand of food for the tourism industry of Aruba?, and b) what factors constrain the development of linkages between international tourism and Aruba's local agriculture? Using an exploratory and stochastic methodological approach, data will be obtained from structured surveys from three different stakeholders in the food supply chain of Aruba. Anticipated findings illustrate that the existing linkage between the tourism industry and agriculture in Aruba is still weak, yet the food consumption and preferences by tourists can contribute in enhancing an eco-gastronomic tourism supply chain.<br>Ph.D.<br>Doctorate<br>Dean's Office, Education<br>Education and Human Performance<br>Education; Hospitality Education

Bakgrund Den svenska dagligvaruhandeln blir alltmer koncentrerad med större och färre livsmedelskedjor. Detta har resulterat i en maktobalans mellan livsmedelskedjorna och dess leverantörer. Trots livsmedelskedjornas uppenbara maktövertag ser aktörerna många anledningar till att samarbeta med varandra. Det har blivit allt viktigare för aktörer inom distributionskanaler för färska livsmedel att samarbeta för att bland annat kunna erbjuda konsumenten högkvalitativa produkter. Som följd av detta har det skett en utveckling av relationerna inom dessa distributionskanaler med ökad interaktion mellan aktörerna. För leverantörer som erbjuder närodlade produkter har det visat sig vara av stor vikt med interaktion för att bygga en förtroendefull relation till det köpande företaget. Den svenska konsumtionen av både närodlad och ekologisk frukt och grönt har ökat markant under de senaste åren och har blivit viktiga produktkategorier för dagligvaruhandeln. Med utgångspunkt i den kunskapslucka som finns inom svenska distributionskanaler för ekologisk och närodlad frukt och grönt, avser studien att undersöka dessa produktkategorier närmare. Studien har främst fokuserat på hur odlare som erbjuder ekologisk respektive närodlad frukt och grönt kan stärka sin position på marknaden. Studien vill även påvisa skillnader mellan närodlat respektive ekologiskt och om leverantörer som erbjuder någon av dessa produktkategorier har en starkare position på marknaden än den andra. Syfte Syftet med studien är att analysera relationer och maktbalansen mellan aktörer i distributionskanaler för ekologisk respektive närodlad frukt och grönt, där fokus är att komparera dessa två produktkategorier. MetodFör att svara på syftet med studien genomfördes totalt 11 intervjuer  med fem olika företag inom distributionskanalen för frukt och grönt. Dessa företag var detaljisten och grossisten ICA, grossisten Östgöta Trädgårdshall och tre olika producenter (odlare). Slutsats Studien visar på att det finns en tendens till att leverantörer för närodlade produkter har en starkare maktposition på den studerade marknaden än ekologiska leverantörer. Det kan även fastställas att relationerna är viktiga i distributionskanalen för frukt och grönt, inte minst mellan aktörer som har ett utbyte av närodlade produkter. Relationer kan även konstateras ha en inverkan på maktförhållandet mellan aktörer, då det har visats att den enskilda leverantören kan stärka sin maktposition gentemot livsmedelskedjan genom att investera i en nära relation.<br>Background The Swedish food distribution industry is becoming increasingly concentrated with fewer and larger supermarket chains. This has resulted in power imbalance between supermarkets and their suppliers. Despite the power of the supermarkets, the channel members recognise the need to cooperate with each other. It has become increasingly important for members of the distribution channels for fresh food to cooperate in order to offer the consumers high-quality products. The outcome of this is an elaborated relationship and a higher interaction between channel members. For suppliers that offer local products, it has proved to be of even greater importance with interaction in order to gain trust from the purchasing companies. Consumption of both local and organic fruit and vegetables has increased significantly in the recent years in Sweden. Therefore these product categories have become important to the supermarkets. Based on the lack of research of the Swedish distribution channels for organic and local fruit and vegetables, this study intends to analyse these product categories further. The study has mainly focused on how growers, who offer local or organic fruits and vegetables, can strengthen their position in the market. The study also intends to demonstrate possible differences between suppliers offering local and organic products, to see if one of these categories has a stronger market position than the other. Purpose The purpose of the study is to analyse the relationships and the power balance between members in the distribution channels for organic and local fruits and vegetables, where the focus is to compare these two product categories. Execution To answer the purpose of the study, a total of 11 interviews with five different companies in the distribution channel for fruit and vegetables were conducted. These companies were the retailer and wholesaler ICA, the wholesaler Östgöta Trädgårdshall and three producers (growers). Conclusion The study implies that suppliers for local products may have a greater power position within the studied market than suppliers for organic products. Furthermore, the study confirms that relationships are important between actors in the distribution channel of fruits and vegetables, especially in channels that involve an exchange of local products. Relationships also have an impact on the power balance between the actors thus it appeared that individual suppliers strengthen their power position towards the supermarkets by intimate relationships.

6 pp.<br>More and more consumers are choosing to buy locally produced foods. Locally grown foods are, fresher, contain more nutrients if picked at full ripeness, and are considered by many consumers to be better tasting than foods that have endured many miles of transportation. Consuming local produce may help communities by stimulating local economies and protecting the environment. This article outlines the benefits of buying locally grown foods. A recipe that is easy and affordable using some local produce is included. A calendar of seasonal produce in Arizona is included in the Appendix.

This study explores the relation between meanings attached to food and sustainable food consumption. Specifically, this study examines how personal relationships between food producers and their consumers have an influence on how those consumers experience their own food consumption. Using a phenomenological approach, a number of consumers in Uppsala with various types of relationships to the producers of the food they consume were interviewed regarding their food habits and food related activities. Two groups of consumers with different kinds of relationships were chosen, and are as described: involvement in consumer-initiated alternative food networks (Group A), and no relationship at all to the producers (Group B). The observations and answers were analysed in order to detect meaning behind the interviewees' experiences of their food consumption. The meaning detected in the research material relates to giving and receiving food as a gift, how food products are valued and trust between consumer and food producer. Respondents with a connection to the producers of their food products connected meaningfulness with food related activities and with the people behind the food production. The more meaning people find in their food, the larger the increase of the potential benefits of socialisation, preservation of food techniques and food related culture. This findings result in a strong argument for creating greater consumer engagement in food networks to increase sustainability in the food system.

AbstractThe vulnerability of agriculture systems in Africa to climate change is directly and indirectly affecting the availability and diversity of plants and plant products available in local markets. In this chapter, markets in Benin City and environs were assessed to document the availability of plants and plant products. Markets were grouped into urban, suburban, and rural with each group having four markets. Majority of the plant and plant product vendors were women and 88 plant species belonging to 42 families were found. Their scientific and common names were documented as well as the parts of the plant and associated products available in the markets. Most of the plant and plant products found in local markets belong to major plant families. Urban markets had the highest diversity of plants and plant products. Three categories of plants and plant products were documented. Around 67% of the plants and plant products were categorized as whole plant/plant parts, 28% as processed plant parts, while 5% as reprocessed plant/plant parts. It was revealed that 86% of these plants are used as foods, 11% are for medicinal purposes, while 3% is used for other purposes. About 35% of plants and plant products across the markets were fruits, which is an indication that city and environs are a rich source of fruits. The local knowledge and practices associated with the plants and plant products can contribute towards formulating a strategic response for climate change impacts on agriculture, gender, poverty, food security, and plant diversity.

REZOS BRANDS is a food focused SME, with expertise in superfoods. The company is established in Patras, back in 1983, with main activity the distribution and development of national sales networks of imported and local food &amp; beverages products, operating in the Greek market. Over the years REZOS BRANDS has extended its operations to all activities of the vertical business model: from the farm to the fork, which includes cultivation, harvesting, research, process, packaging, warehouse storing, marketing, distribution. Having own multifunctional farm, the super foods are cultivated and grown up with the principles of sustainable precision farming in order to develop, monitoring &amp; analysing high nutritional value crops. The crops have been processed with novel processing techniques, such as osmotic dehydration.

AbstractThe fragmented forests of Taita Hills form an exceptional multi-functional socio-ecological production landscape with outstanding diversity of flora and fauna that provide ecosystem goods and services supporting human wellbeing and livelihood systems. However, these forests are threatened by illegal logging for wood products and encroachment for crop farming. A study was conducted in villages surrounding five forest fragments to establish the conservation programmes responsible for keeping these forests intact for provision of goods and services to the local communities. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data from 250 respondents in 25 villages surrounding the five forest fragments. Twenty-five focus group discussions (FGDs) were held with key informants actively involved in conservation activities. Results showed that the Taita community conserves the forest fragments through management practices that integrate livelihood needs in conservation, such as butterfly farming, bee-keeping and ecotourism. Additionally, community tree nurseries have been established to produce seedlings for restoring degraded areas, and agroforestry belts have been established on the forests’ edges to provide wood products and protect the forests from encroachment. Likewise, village committees have been established to oversee conservation activities inside the village jurisdictional area. The integrated conservation and livelihood approach has reduced forest destruction, enhanced landscape connectivity for biodiversity conservation, increased incomes, enhanced capacity of the community to adapt to climate change, improved food security, enhanced carbon storage, strengthened traditional knowledge and practices, and ensured availability of clean water for the local population.

According to the Actor Network Theory, the local food system is a set of interconnected processes and social agents including municipalities as a business environment. In the context of rural studies, support for local food producers is important for local communities. By content analysis of the information available on the websites of Zemgale region’s municipalities and the opinions of municipal specialists on local support measures for entrepreneurs, the aim of the paper was to identify the activities of municipalities in local food systems. Within a context of local food systems, the authors revealed that municipalities in Zemgale region provide support activities in two main directions: food businesses and tourism activities. The analysis of business support measures showed that local food producers in municipalities are promoted and supported in a number of ways through branding, special events and trade facilitation, seminars and annual awards. Activities in the field of tourism revealed cooperation, involving local food producers in the tourism system and ensuring the recognition of local food products to a wider group of consumers. Integrating local food businesses into tourism routes and thematic activities, in other words making locally produced food an integral part of the tourism product, develops small and medium-sized enterprises that contribute to the socio-economic resilience and environmental sustainability of rural communities, local innovations and creativity. In Zemgale, municipal activities for support of local food producers in the context of COVID-19 crisis are strengthening rural communities thus supporting and helping entrepreneurs to adapt to changes.

Rural areas have been facing distinctive challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. As in other parts of the world, in the Republic of Serbia noticed movement of people from places with high concentration of settlements, like cities, into less densely populated communities. Searching for rural, natural, wild areas far away from cities, tourists made different pressures on local environment (sound, litter, pressure on natural resources, pollution) but also increased demands for healthier way of living in accordance with World Health Organization recommendation during the Covid 19 period. Besides a clear environment, they would like to enjoy locally produced food and wild edible plants as a source of minerals, vitamins and other functional substances for strengthening immunity. Using standard botanical questionnaire, the research was conducted in selected rural areas with the aim to create a list of the most wanted wild edible plants by tourists and to overview their potential contribution to immune system strengthening in the COVID-19 pandemic period.

One of the most important medium-term tasks in Latvia is the promotion of production and consumption of local food through implementing measures aimed at increasing the market share of food products produced in Latvia in public procurement and consumption. The research aim is to examine the situation of public food procurement in Latvia and assess the changes of local products share in public food procurement. In Latvia, at the end of 2014, in response to Russia's embargo on the Latvian-produced food products and to promote local food consumption in the country was accepted new Regulations. These Regulations prescribe the requirements for public procurement using environmental criteria, and their application, as well as the applicable tender selection criteria for the food supply and catering contracts. This contributed an increase of the quantity of purchases where ZPP criteria were used, thereby also increased the share of local production. The purchase of food from local farmers positively affects local entrepreneurship, while providing a significant income source for the local farmers; in this way, the viability of many small local agricultural holdings is maintained. Research methods used: monographic, descriptive, analysis, synthesis, statistical analysis. The present research was performed based on the statistical data, research papers and other information sources.

Oil provides energy for 95% of transportation and the demand of transport fuel continues to rise. According to the assessment of IPCC (International Panel on Climate Change) to climate change, global oil demand will rise by 60% from 75 Mb/d in 2000 to 120 Mb/d in 2030. All countries including India are grappling with the problem of meeting the ever increasing demand of transport fuel with the constraints of international commitments, legal requirements, environmental concerns, and limited resources. Hence, search for renewable fuels is becoming more and more prominent for ensuring energy security and environmental protection. This has renewed the interest of scientific community to look for alternative fuels of bio-origin which can provide a feasible environmental friendly solution with improved performance characteristics. Biodiesel is produced by a chemical process known as transesterification, by which the triglycerides are reacted with alcohols, in the presence of a catalyst, to produce fatty acid alkyl esters. For quite some time focus for production of biodiesel has shifted towards non-edible oil feedstock from the edible ones, mostly due to food security issues. One such non-edible oil, locally known as Mahua in Indian subcontinent, may be evaluated as a potential feed stock for biodiesel production. The fuel properties were found to be comparable with that of diesel fuel. In the present study, mineral diesel fuel along with 20% (v/v %) blend of Mahua oil methyl ester (MOME) was prepared for conducting experiments and the performance and emission characteristics was investigated at 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) rates. Major observations drawn from the exhaustive experiments is that the brake thermal efficiency (BTE) for M20 increased in comparison to diesel baseline whereas on employing cold EGR, BTE abridged with the increase in EGR rate. Unburned Hydrocarbon and Carbon monoxide emissions as well as Smoke Opacity upsurge with increase in EGR percentage. However, a considerable decline in NOx was obtained at higher EGR levels.

Fishermen in highly isolated communities like Shallatin and Halayeb (Southern Egypt) suffer from the fouling of their catch before reaching the markets, due to the prevailing high ambient temperatures. Thus, they resort to block or crushed ice to cool their catch. Since fresh water is unavailable naturally, energy is needed to produce the fresh water from sea water, as well as to operate the chiller for ice production. Hence, employing solar energy as the sole source of energy for manufacturing ice, and producing the ice straight from saline water provides independence from both the electric grid and fresh water resources. A prototype solar powered facility for chip ice production from saline water has been designed, manufactured and erected in Shallatin for this purpose. The prototype, basically an ice production machine provides facilities for fish chilling and refrigeration compartments for vaccines, medicines and food products. The produced ice can be easily transported in to fishing boats in 10 kg plastic boxes that are easy to carry and handle. The prototype design employs many standard parts to cut costs and development time. Adequate ventilation with natural heat leakage to the cool surfaces of equipment (e.g. external surfaces of tanks and their piping) produces the desired room temperature without need for a fan coil unit, as discovered in actual implementation. The design should be applicable to all environments similar to Halayeb and Shellatin, which includes many places on the Red sea in the Gulf area and Africa. It is thus expected to be attractive for commercial exploitation in those places, and offers opportunities for local manufacturing and exportation of industrial products.

Food security is one of the most important aspects of socio-economic development in Kyrgyzstan. Therefore, studies done in this field of research are of significant theoretical and practical interest. Resolutions of food security issues are one of the conditions for the preservation of state sovereignty, economic security and social stability in society, ultimately, national security. Food safety is important, in terms of strategic interests of the country, and its solution requires: to satisfy public demand for food products; providing industry with raw materials of local manufacture; preservation of social, political and social stability in society; to prevent dependency of the national economy on changes; conditions related to the world markets, the development of internal agricultural production, food and processing industry; neutralization of some import to ensure stable employment and income in rural areas; preservation of ethnic - national characteristics of the local population by creating opportunities for 'survival' of the village: prevention of major foreign exchange expenditure on food imports: the neutralization of the negative impact on the local food market crises in foreign countries - exporters and importers of food products.

Mycotoxins, the secondary fungal metabolites are important contaminants of food and feed. Among the other contaminants, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and OTA are frequently detected in the animal feed product. In the present study, the mixed dairy cow feed products were collected from the supermarkets in Qatar and analyzed for the presence of AFB1 and OTA. Yeast strains were isolated and tested for their biological control activities against aflatoxigenic and ochratoxin fungi. We demonstrated that local 15 yeasts isolates have important antifungal potential activities through the synthesis of volatile organic compounds (VOC) that are able to act against the mycotoxigenic fungi and their synthesis of the mycotoxins. Two Yeast strains (4&amp;2) isolated from fermented food, have shown a great antifungal inhibition growth in-vitro as well as spores inhibition and mycotoxins synthesis.

For food preservation, drying techniques is most widely used. Earlier drying was done openly in sun. But now with increased awareness, drying of agricultural produce is done with care. Greenhouse dryers are being mostly used. Good greenhouse dryers are considered one which can dry products in short span of time. For obtaining good quantity of dried products, the design of greenhouse dryer should be such that the air circulation is good and high temperature can be achieved near the crops. In present work, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) approach has been used to visualize the air flow pattern and temperature distribution near the crops i.e., inside the direct type greenhouse dryer. Experimentally obtained data has been used as boundary conditions and numerically obtained results are helpful in understanding local parameters which cannot be found out experimentally.

In response to the rapid influx of Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, south-east Bangladesh, Oxfam implemented a Fresh Food Voucher (FFV) programme in August 2017. Vouchers were distributed on a monthly basis from January 2018 to August 2019, with funding from ECHO and the DEC. The intervention aimed to ensure dignified access to a wide range of fresh food for vulnerable and food-insecure refugee households and to improve their nutritional status. The programme also aimed to support the local economy by making goods available from local market vendors, who sourced produce locally where possible. This report presents the key findings of the evaluation of the initiative, with lessons and recommendations. It is hoped that this will prove useful for agencies using voucher programming in the Rohingya response and elsewhere. It is also a contribution to the wider influencing agenda around market-based programming, including cash and vouchers.

Studies of livelihoods and food systems since the start of the global pandemic in 2020 have shown a consistent pattern: the primary risks to food and livelihood security are at the household level. Covid-19 is having a major impact on households’ production and access to quality, nutritious food, due to losses of income, combined with increasing food prices, and restrictions to movements of people, inputs and products. The studies included in this Research for Policy and Practice Report and supported by the Covid-19 Responses for Equity (CORE) Programme span several continents and are coordinated by leading research organisations with a detailed understanding of local food system dynamics and associated equity and livelihood issues in their regions: (1) the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa; (2) supporting small and medium enterprises, food security, and evolving social protection mechanisms to deal with Covid-19 in Pakistan; and (3) impact of Covid-19 on family farming and food security in Latin America: evidence-based public policy responses.

Studies of livelihoods and food systems since the start of the global pandemic in 2020 have shown a consistent pattern: the primary risks to food and livelihood security are at the household level. Covid-19 is having a major impact on households’ production and access to quality, nutritious food, due to losses of income, combined with increasing food prices, and restrictions to movements of people, inputs and products. The studies included in this Research for Policy and Practice Report and supported by the Covid-19 Responses for Equity (CORE) Programme span several continents and are coordinated by leading research organisations with a detailed understanding of local food system dynamics and associated equity and livelihood issues in their regions: (1) the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa; (2) supporting small and medium enterprises, food security, and evolving social protection mechanisms to deal with Covid-19 in Pakistan; and (3) impact of Covid-19 on family farming and food security in Latin America: evidence-based public policy responses.

The BeefLedger Export Smart Contracts project is a collaborative research study between BeefLedger Ltd and QUT co-funded by the Food Agility CRC. This project exists to deliver economic value to those involved in the production, export and consumption of Australian beef to China through: (1) reduced information asymmetry; (2) streamlined compliance processes, and; (3) developing and accessing new data-driven value drivers, through the deployment of decentralised ledger technologies and associated governance systems. This report presents early insights from a survey deployed to Chinese consumers in Nov/Dec 2019 exploring attitudes and preferences about blockchain-credentialed beef exports to China. Our results show that most local and foreign consumers were willing to pay more than the reference price for a BeefLedger branded Australian cut and packed Sirloin steak at the same weight. Although considered superior over Chinese processed Australian beef products, the Chinese market were sceptical that the beef they buy was really from Australia, expressing low trust in Australian label and traceability information. Despite lower trust, most survey respondents were willing to pay more for traceability supported Australian beef, potentially because including this information provided an additional sense of safety. Therefore, traceability information should be provided to consumers, as it can add a competitive advantage over products without traceability.

1.1 Macroeconomic summary Economic recovery has consistently outperformed the technical staff’s expectations following a steep decline in activity in the second quarter of 2020. At the same time, total and core inflation rates have fallen and remain at low levels, suggesting that a significant element of the reactivation of Colombia’s economy has been related to recovery in potential GDP. This would support the technical staff’s diagnosis of weak aggregate demand and ample excess capacity. The most recently available data on 2020 growth suggests a contraction in economic activity of 6.8%, lower than estimates from January’s Monetary Policy Report (-7.2%). High-frequency indicators suggest that economic performance was significantly more dynamic than expected in January, despite mobility restrictions and quarantine measures. This has also come amid declines in total and core inflation, the latter of which was below January projections if controlling for certain relative price changes. This suggests that the unexpected strength of recent growth contains elements of demand, and that excess capacity, while significant, could be lower than previously estimated. Nevertheless, uncertainty over the measurement of excess capacity continues to be unusually high and marked both by variations in the way different economic sectors and spending components have been affected by the pandemic, and by uneven price behavior. The size of excess capacity, and in particular the evolution of the pandemic in forthcoming quarters, constitute substantial risks to the macroeconomic forecast presented in this report. Despite the unexpected strength of the recovery, the technical staff continues to project ample excess capacity that is expected to remain on the forecast horizon, alongside core inflation that will likely remain below the target. Domestic demand remains below 2019 levels amid unusually significant uncertainty over the size of excess capacity in the economy. High national unemployment (14.6% for February 2021) reflects a loose labor market, while observed total and core inflation continue to be below 2%. Inflationary pressures from the exchange rate are expected to continue to be low, with relatively little pass-through on inflation. This would be compatible with a negative output gap. Excess productive capacity and the expectation of core inflation below the 3% target on the forecast horizon provide a basis for an expansive monetary policy posture. The technical staff’s assessment of certain shocks and their expected effects on the economy, as well as the presence of several sources of uncertainty and related assumptions about their potential macroeconomic impacts, remain a feature of this report. The coronavirus pandemic, in particular, continues to affect the public health environment, and the reopening of Colombia’s economy remains incomplete. The technical staff’s assessment is that the COVID-19 shock has affected both aggregate demand and supply, but that the impact on demand has been deeper and more persistent. Given this persistence, the central forecast accounts for a gradual tightening of the output gap in the absence of new waves of contagion, and as vaccination campaigns progress. The central forecast continues to include an expected increase of total and core inflation rates in the second quarter of 2021, alongside the lapse of the temporary price relief measures put in place in 2020. Additional COVID-19 outbreaks (of uncertain duration and intensity) represent a significant risk factor that could affect these projections. Additionally, the forecast continues to include an upward trend in sovereign risk premiums, reflected by higher levels of public debt that in the wake of the pandemic are likely to persist on the forecast horizon, even in the context of a fiscal adjustment. At the same time, the projection accounts for the shortterm effects on private domestic demand from a fiscal adjustment along the lines of the one currently being proposed by the national government. This would be compatible with a gradual recovery of private domestic demand in 2022. The size and characteristics of the fiscal adjustment that is ultimately implemented, as well as the corresponding market response, represent another source of forecast uncertainty. Newly available information offers evidence of the potential for significant changes to the macroeconomic scenario, though without altering the general diagnosis described above. The most recent data on inflation, growth, fiscal policy, and international financial conditions suggests a more dynamic economy than previously expected. However, a third wave of the pandemic has delayed the re-opening of Colombia’s economy and brought with it a deceleration in economic activity. Detailed descriptions of these considerations and subsequent changes to the macroeconomic forecast are presented below. The expected annual decline in GDP (-0.3%) in the first quarter of 2021 appears to have been less pronounced than projected in January (-4.8%). Partial closures in January to address a second wave of COVID-19 appear to have had a less significant negative impact on the economy than previously estimated. This is reflected in figures related to mobility, energy demand, industry and retail sales, foreign trade, commercial transactions from selected banks, and the national statistics agency’s (DANE) economic tracking indicator (ISE). Output is now expected to have declined annually in the first quarter by 0.3%. Private consumption likely continued to recover, registering levels somewhat above those from the previous year, while public consumption likely increased significantly. While a recovery in investment in both housing and in other buildings and structures is expected, overall investment levels in this case likely continued to be low, and gross fixed capital formation is expected to continue to show significant annual declines. Imports likely recovered to again outpace exports, though both are expected to register significant annual declines. Economic activity that outpaced projections, an increase in oil prices and other export products, and an expected increase in public spending this year account for the upward revision to the 2021 growth forecast (from 4.6% with a range between 2% and 6% in January, to 6.0% with a range between 3% and 7% in April). As a result, the output gap is expected to be smaller and to tighten more rapidly than projected in the previous report, though it is still expected to remain in negative territory on the forecast horizon. Wide forecast intervals reflect the fact that the future evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic remains a significant source of uncertainty on these projections. The delay in the recovery of economic activity as a result of the resurgence of COVID-19 in the first quarter appears to have been less significant than projected in the January report. The central forecast scenario expects this improved performance to continue in 2021 alongside increased consumer and business confidence. Low real interest rates and an active credit supply would also support this dynamic, and the overall conditions would be expected to spur a recovery in consumption and investment. Increased growth in public spending and public works based on the national government’s spending plan (Plan Financiero del Gobierno) are other factors to consider. Additionally, an expected recovery in global demand and higher projected prices for oil and coffee would further contribute to improved external revenues and would favor investment, in particular in the oil sector. Given the above, the technical staff’s 2021 growth forecast has been revised upward from 4.6% in January (range from 2% to 6%) to 6.0% in April (range from 3% to 7%). These projections account for the potential for the third wave of COVID-19 to have a larger and more persistent effect on the economy than the previous wave, while also supposing that there will not be any additional significant waves of the pandemic and that mobility restrictions will be relaxed as a result. Economic growth in 2022 is expected to be 3%, with a range between 1% and 5%. This figure would be lower than projected in the January report (3.6% with a range between 2% and 6%), due to a higher base of comparison given the upward revision to expected GDP in 2021. This forecast also takes into account the likely effects on private demand of a fiscal adjustment of the size currently being proposed by the national government, and which would come into effect in 2022. Excess in productive capacity is now expected to be lower than estimated in January but continues to be significant and affected by high levels of uncertainty, as reflected in the wide forecast intervals. The possibility of new waves of the virus (of uncertain intensity and duration) represents a significant downward risk to projected GDP growth, and is signaled by the lower limits of the ranges provided in this report. Inflation (1.51%) and inflation excluding food and regulated items (0.94%) declined in March compared to December, continuing below the 3% target. The decline in inflation in this period was below projections, explained in large part by unanticipated increases in the costs of certain foods (3.92%) and regulated items (1.52%). An increase in international food and shipping prices, increased foreign demand for beef, and specific upward pressures on perishable food supplies appear to explain a lower-than-expected deceleration in the consumer price index (CPI) for foods. An unexpected increase in regulated items prices came amid unanticipated increases in international fuel prices, on some utilities rates, and for regulated education prices. The decline in annual inflation excluding food and regulated items between December and March was in line with projections from January, though this included downward pressure from a significant reduction in telecommunications rates due to the imminent entry of a new operator. When controlling for the effects of this relative price change, inflation excluding food and regulated items exceeds levels forecast in the previous report. Within this indicator of core inflation, the CPI for goods (1.05%) accelerated due to a reversion of the effects of the VAT-free day in November, which was largely accounted for in February, and possibly by the transmission of a recent depreciation of the peso on domestic prices for certain items (electric and household appliances). For their part, services prices decelerated and showed the lowest rate of annual growth (0.89%) among the large consumer baskets in the CPI. Within the services basket, the annual change in rental prices continued to decline, while those services that continue to experience the most significant restrictions on returning to normal operations (tourism, cinemas, nightlife, etc.) continued to register significant price declines. As previously mentioned, telephone rates also fell significantly due to increased competition in the market. Total inflation is expected to continue to be affected by ample excesses in productive capacity for the remainder of 2021 and 2022, though less so than projected in January. As a result, convergence to the inflation target is now expected to be somewhat faster than estimated in the previous report, assuming the absence of significant additional outbreaks of COVID-19. The technical staff’s year-end inflation projections for 2021 and 2022 have increased, suggesting figures around 3% due largely to variation in food and regulated items prices. The projection for inflation excluding food and regulated items also increased, but remains below 3%. Price relief measures on indirect taxes implemented in 2020 are expected to lapse in the second quarter of 2021, generating a one-off effect on prices and temporarily affecting inflation excluding food and regulated items. However, indexation to low levels of past inflation, weak demand, and ample excess productive capacity are expected to keep core inflation below the target, near 2.3% at the end of 2021 (previously 2.1%). The reversion in 2021 of the effects of some price relief measures on utility rates from 2020 should lead to an increase in the CPI for regulated items in the second half of this year. Annual price changes are now expected to be higher than estimated in the January report due to an increased expected path for fuel prices and unanticipated increases in regulated education prices. The projection for the CPI for foods has increased compared to the previous report, taking into account certain factors that were not anticipated in January (a less favorable agricultural cycle, increased pressure from international prices, and transport costs). Given the above, year-end annual inflation for 2021 and 2022 is now expected to be 3% and 2.8%, respectively, which would be above projections from January (2.3% and 2,7%). For its part, expected inflation based on analyst surveys suggests year-end inflation in 2021 and 2022 of 2.8% and 3.1%, respectively. There remains significant uncertainty surrounding the inflation forecasts included in this report due to several factors: 1) the evolution of the pandemic; 2) the difficulty in evaluating the size and persistence of excess productive capacity; 3) the timing and manner in which price relief measures will lapse; and 4) the future behavior of food prices. Projected 2021 growth in foreign demand (4.4% to 5.2%) and the supposed average oil price (USD 53 to USD 61 per Brent benchmark barrel) were both revised upward. An increase in long-term international interest rates has been reflected in a depreciation of the peso and could result in relatively tighter external financial conditions for emerging market economies, including Colombia. Average growth among Colombia’s trade partners was greater than expected in the fourth quarter of 2020. This, together with a sizable fiscal stimulus approved in the United States and the onset of a massive global vaccination campaign, largely explains the projected increase in foreign demand growth in 2021. The resilience of the goods market in the face of global crisis and an expected normalization in international trade are additional factors. These considerations and the expected continuation of a gradual reduction of mobility restrictions abroad suggest that Colombia’s trade partners could grow on average by 5.2% in 2021 and around 3.4% in 2022. The improved prospects for global economic growth have led to an increase in current and expected oil prices. Production interruptions due to a heavy winter, reduced inventories, and increased supply restrictions instituted by producing countries have also contributed to the increase. Meanwhile, market forecasts and recent Federal Reserve pronouncements suggest that the benchmark interest rate in the U.S. will remain stable for the next two years. Nevertheless, a significant increase in public spending in the country has fostered expectations for greater growth and inflation, as well as increased uncertainty over the moment in which a normalization of monetary policy might begin. This has been reflected in an increase in long-term interest rates. In this context, emerging market economies in the region, including Colombia, have registered increases in sovereign risk premiums and long-term domestic interest rates, and a depreciation of local currencies against the dollar. Recent outbreaks of COVID-19 in several of these economies; limits on vaccine supply and the slow pace of immunization campaigns in some countries; a significant increase in public debt; and tensions between the United States and China, among other factors, all add to a high level of uncertainty surrounding interest rate spreads, external financing conditions, and the future performance of risk premiums. The impact that this environment could have on the exchange rate and on domestic financing conditions represent risks to the macroeconomic and monetary policy forecasts. Domestic financial conditions continue to favor recovery in economic activity. The transmission of reductions to the policy interest rate on credit rates has been significant. The banking portfolio continues to recover amid circumstances that have affected both the supply and demand for loans, and in which some credit risks have materialized. Preferential and ordinary commercial interest rates have fallen to a similar degree as the benchmark interest rate. As is generally the case, this transmission has come at a slower pace for consumer credit rates, and has been further delayed in the case of mortgage rates. Commercial credit levels stabilized above pre-pandemic levels in March, following an increase resulting from significant liquidity requirements for businesses in the second quarter of 2020. The consumer credit portfolio continued to recover and has now surpassed February 2020 levels, though overall growth in the portfolio remains low. At the same time, portfolio projections and default indicators have increased, and credit establishment earnings have come down. Despite this, credit disbursements continue to recover and solvency indicators remain well above regulatory minimums. 1.2 Monetary policy decision In its meetings in March and April the BDBR left the benchmark interest rate unchanged at 1.75%.