William E. Nganje

The role of land tenure and extension education in the adoption of slash and burn agriculture

Abstract Extension education can play a critical role in moving farmers in developing countries away from environmentally harmful slash and burn agriculture by making farmers more aware of the ecological costs of slash and burn. Land tenure issues may limit the effectiveness of extension education. The present research examines the extent to which extension education can promote adoption of cropping systems other than slash and burn, and whether or not land tenure issues reduce the effectiveness of extension education. This issue is addressed using survey data from the West African nation of Cameroon. The choice of cropping system by farmers in Cameroon, whether slash and burn, multiple crops, or mono-cropping, is modeled as a function of farm size, visits by extension personnel, cultivated acres, and the level of land ownership. Results indicate that higher visitation rates by extension personnel reduce the likelihood of farmers choosing slash and burn agriculture, but farmers with lower levels of land ownership are less likely to adopt alternatives than those with higher levels of land ownership. This suggests land tenure issues limit the effectiveness of extension education aimed at reducing slash and burn agriculture, and that extension programs should work in conjunction with land reform programs.

State-Branded Programs and Consumer Preference for Locally Grown Produce

Revitalization of state brands is deemed important to several constituencies. Stated preference with choice experiment methods were used to elicit consumer preferences for two locally grown products: spinach, which has had a well-publicized food safety incidence, and carrots, which have had no such incidence in recent history. A full factorial design was used to implement the choice experiment, with each commodity having four identical attributes varying at different levels. Findings reveal that consumers are willing to pay a premium for locally grown spinach marked with the Arizona Grown label over locally grown spinach that was not labeled. This premium was higher than the premium that would be paid for state-branded carrots. This difference highlights consumers’ perceptions of “locally grown” as an indicator of safety in their food supply. Findings have important implications with respect to providing consumer value and point to differentiated positioning strategies for state-branded produce.

Perception of Risks and Preferences for Locally Grown Produce: A Marketing System Approach

In recent years, the “buy local” movement has escalated in popularity. This trend is redefining how value along the food chain is shared between producers, retailers, and consumers. A theoretical model was developed and used to evaluate how consumers formulate preferences for locally grown attributes, with an emphasis on consumers’ perceptions of food safety risk. Linkages between locally grown produce attributes, perceived macro outcomes, and value allocation to consumers are then examined using random utility discrete choice models. While results were mixed depending on frequency of purchasing locally grown produce, they do indicate that consumer preferences are driven by perceived food safety risk and other macro outcomes. For example, consumers who frequently purchase locally grown produce perceive these products to be environmentally friendly and to improve their quality of life.

Perceived value of pasta in Greece and Romania

Purpose – This study aims to provide international pasta marketers with a better understanding of how consumers perceive product value, which enables them to create and deliver value. The effects of COO, price, and content on purchase intentions are assessed. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected via the survey method in Romania and Greece. Using a random utility discrete choice model, the authors test five hypotheses. Findings – Overall, Romanian and Greek individuals are less likely to buy US pasta; nevertheless, the likelihood that US or Italian pasta is purchased increases when this product is made from durum wheat versus soft wheat. Differences in purchase intentions due to age, gender, education, income, and nationality are also found. Research limitations/implications – The results have important implications for international pasta marketers, as it helps them to better understand the perceived pasta value and to position this product effectively in Greek and Romanian markets. Future st...

Economic costs of Fusarium Head Blight, scab and deoxynivalenol

Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) has led to major economic costs for wheat and barley producers. Grain products and feed grain contaminated with deoxynivalenol (DON) (commonly known as vomitoxin) are subject to Food and Drug Administration advisory limits and as a result end-users place restrictions on their use. This has led to steep price discounts, as well as higher risks for producers and grain merchandisers. Varietal research has led to development of varieties that are resistant or moderately resistant to FHB. Studies indicate combinations of genetic resistance, fungicides and some management practices (combine settings, tillage practices, etc.) can be used to decrease economic costs due to FHB. The purpose of this study was to estimate the economic costs of scab. To do so we developed several economic models, analysed extensive data and conducted surveys of wheat flour millers, barley maltsters, and grain handlers. A detailed assessment of costs indicates the most important costs accrued by the wheat and...

Nutrient Demand in Food Away from Home

Food away from home (FAFH) and, specifically fast food, has been targeted by academics and public policy officials alike as a major contributor to the obesity epidemic. Criticized as high in energy, fat and sugars, the implication is that consumers demand the combination of nutrients in FAFH in excess. If market-based policies intended to correct the perceived market failure in nutrient demand are to be successful, information on nutrient elasticities is required. Moreover, co-dependent relationships between nutrient intake and bioeconomic outcomes – obesity, physical activity and health status – are found to be important in the public health literature, but are not typically included in econometric studies of FAFH demand. Nutrients, however, do not have market prices. This study derives a set of implicit nutrient prices and estimates the elasticities of demand for nutrients in FAFH that takes into account the endogeneity of bioeconomic outcomes. Our estimation results show that fat is the only macro-nutrient that is elastic in demand, and all cross-price elasticities are small, so nutrient-based price policies may indeed be effective in modifying FAFH choices. Simulation results confirm this hypothesis, and also support the use of policies that subsidize positive health outcomes.

Food safety information, Changes in risk perceptions, and offsetting behavior

Decreased care or offsetting behavior by potential victims can reduce or reverse benefits provided by some safety policies. We explore reasons for offsetting behavior associated with food safety policies using a survey of a nationally representative sample of almost 3,000 consumers. Results reveal that positive food safety information can change consumers’ risk perceptions and attitudes, causing them to be less vigilant and to consume more of relatively unsafe foods. This behavioral anomaly plausibly explains ongoing incidences of food poisoning after a meat processing facility implements a pathogen-reduction hazard analysis of critical control points (PR/HACCP).

Quality Assurance for Imports and Trade: Risk-Based Surveillance

American consumers continually demand more fresh produce and food throughout the year, in particular during nonproductive seasons in the Northern Hemisphere. Consumer demand escalates food imports and requires delivering more tonnage through the current U.S. Ports of Entry (POE). Increased volumes of imported foods with ever-increasing velocity have been associated with significant food safety risks (unintentional food contamination from pathogens, chemical, or physical agents) and food defense risks (intentional food contamination by disgruntled employees or terrorists). While import inspections should help protect against outbreaks of food-borne illnesses, as well as plant or animal pests and diseases, it is neither possible nor optimal to inspect all produce at the POE. This chapter focuses on the impacts of increased international trade on the marketing system, emphasizing the sourcing of products from other countries, inspection and surveillance activities, and policies to mitigate potential market failure from food safety/defense risks. A framework to evaluate economic efficiency of policies and tools used to ensure imported food quality is discussed.

Marginal impact of sales consultant visits and financing opportunities on adoption of variable-rate fertilizer application

Precision agriculture has been practiced since the early 1990s, but the adoption rate of this technology has been slower than experts had predicted. This study explores the role of public- and private-sector financial assistance in the adoption of variable-rate fertilizer application. Public- and private-sector financial assistance are modeled to show the marginal impacts of changes in the traditional flow of government assistance, sales consultant visits, and financial risk. Results indicate that deviation from traditional Aone stop shopping@ has a negative and significant impact on the adoption of alternative fertilizer application technology. However, sales consultant visits, in conjunction with conservation and environmental quality incentive programs and the availability of financing opportunities, significantly favor the adoption of variable-rate fertilizer application. Changes in business risk produced opposite movements in financial risk to facilitate increased adoption of variable-rate fertilizer application technologies.