Does Green Food Certification promote agri-food export quality?Evidence from China

The construction of a food certification system plays a vital role in upgrading export quality, which previous studies have largely overlooked. We match China's industry-level data of Green Food Certification with its HS6-digit export data of agri-food products to quantify the impact of Green Food Certification on export quality. We identify the significant and positive effect of Green Food Certification on export quality. The 2SLS estimation based on instrumental variables and a range of robustness checks confirm the validity and robustness of the benchmark conclusions. Further analysis discloses that Green Food Certification improves export quality by raising agricultural production efficiency and brand premiums. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the effect of Green Food Certification varies across regions, notably improving the quality of agri-food products exported to developed regions and regions with high levels of import supervision. Furthermore, among various product types, Green Food Certification significantly improves the export quality of primary products and products vulnerable to non-tariff measures. The above findings could guide the future development of agri-food quality certification systems, potentially leading to a transformation and promotion of the agri-food trade.

Impacts of agri-food e-commerce on traditional wholesale industry:Evidence from China

Rapidly expanding studies investigate the effects of e-commerce on company operations in the retail market.However,the interaction between agri-food e-commerce(AEC)and the traditional agri-food wholesale industry(AWI)has not received enough attention in the existing literature.Based on the provincial panel data from 2013 to 2020 in China,this paper examines the effect of AEC on AWI,comprising three dimensions:digitalization(DIGITAL),agrifood e-commerce infrastructure and supporting services(AECI),and agri-food e-commerce economy(AECE).First,AWI and AEC are measured using an entropy-based combination of indicators.The results indicate that for China as a whole,AWI has remained practically unchanged,whereas AEC exhibits a significant rising trend.Second,the findings of the fixed-effect regression reveal that DIGITAL and AECE tend to raise AWI,whereas AECI negatively affects AWI.Third,threshold regression results indicate that AECI tends to diminish AWI with three-stage inhibitory intensity,which manifests as a first increase and then a drop in the inhibition degree.These results suggest that with the introduction of e-commerce for agricultural product circulation,digital development will have catfish effects that tend to stimulate the vitality of the conventional wholesale industry and promote technical progress.Furthermore,the traditional wholesale industry benefits financially from e-commerce even while it diverts part of the traditional wholesale circulation for agricultural products.

Agri-food Supply Chain Management: Literature Review

The purpose of this paper is to present a critical review of prior literature relating to agri-food supply chain management. An in-depth analysis has been carried out to identify the influential information from the literature. This paper has identified gaps to be explored about agricultural supply chain management (SCM) practices which may be used by researchers to enrich theory construction and practitioners may concentrate on establishing the extent and frontiers of agri-food SCM. This research work is the first attempt to make a critical literature review of available literature on agri-food SCM practices for developing countries like India. The research articles and other materials related to the agri-food supply chain management were collected from online data bases like Scopus, EBSCO and Google Scholar for the period of 10 years (2006-2016). The study performs content analysis and is followed by descriptive analysis. In the next phase, the literature in the field of agri-food supply chain management is classified into four broad categories viz. general literature review of agri-food supply chain, policies affecting the segments of agri-food supply chain, individual segments of agri-food SCM (structure of supply chain segments and conduct of supply chain segments) and performance of supply chain segments. These four categories are comprehensively reviewed and elaborated the research gap in the literature based on agri-food supply chain management. Finally, potato supply chain of India is considered as a case example for comprehensive analysis and elaborated in detail.

Factor and Cluster Analysis on the Competitiveness of Agri-food Processing Industry in China

This paper establishes 13 evaluation indicators for the competitiveness of agri-food processing industry,uses factor analysis to evaluate the competitiveness of agri-food processing industry in 31 provinces(cities,autonomous regions)of China,and does cluster analysis to divide these regions into several categories according to the difference in competitiveness,in order to understand the level of competitiveness of agri-food processing industry in China.

Recovery of Unsold Food from Three Agri-Food Industries (SOCOCE, COQUIVOIRE and SCB) for the Feeding of the Abidjan Zoo Animals

The waste of foodstuffs is increasing in the agri-food industries. This is reflected in the increasing volume of their waste. Food is thrown away on criteria that have nosthing to do with its nutritional quality. In most cases, the criteria are shape, color and stains. In order to reduce this waste, a way of valorization was investigated. This paper focuses on waste reduction through feeding the Abidjan zoo animals with the unsold products of three agro-industries. The unsold products collected by the zoo were characterized over an 8-year period (2011 to 2019). Deaths and births were recorded. The food needs met by the unsold products harvested were evaluated and the economic gains estimated. The results showed that the food recovered by the Abidjan Zoo at SOCOCE contained 34.94% fruit, 38.58% vegetable and 23.47% meat products. At SCB and Coquivoire the donations are estimated at 2 tons of bananas and 1.5 tons of chickens (smoked and cold chicken) respectively. These donations allowed the Zoo to save 25.94% of its budget allocated to animal feed. The diversity of the food collected has a positive impact on the quality of life of the animals at the Zoo. This is reflected in an increase in the number of births from 0 to 12 per year and a decrease in mortality of 90%.

PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN AGRI-FOOD SYSTEM INNOVATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Research is essential for improvement of agricultural productivity,resource use and resilience,and for food systems transformation more broadly.This article analyzes the drivers of past agricultural productivity growth in low-and middle-income countries(LMICs)and argues that productivity is not growing fast enough to meet the needs of a global population of 10 billion by 2050.A sustainable transformation of agri-food systems in LMICs will need greater and faster technical change.Higher investment in agri-food R&D is therefore needed to accelerate productivity growth and address the social,economic,nutritional and environmental challenges facing LMICs.Greater and bettertargeted investment in sustainable technologies and climate change mitigation and adaptation will be particularly important to reducing the climate change impacts on agriculture and food security in the coming decades.However,LMICs with small research systems and limited innovation capacity lack the scale and resources to effectively tackle the challenges ahead.Better coordination and a clear articulation of roles and responsibilities among national,subregional,regional and global R&D actors(both from the public and private sectors)are essential to ensuring that scarce financial,human,and infrastructure resources are optimized,duplications minimized,and synergies and complementarities enhanced.

Repositioning fertilizer manufacturing subsidies for improving food security and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in China

China removed fertilizer manufacturing subsidies from 2015 to 2018 to bolster market-oriented reforms and foster environmentally sustainable practices.However,the impact of this policy reform on food security and the environment remains inadequately evaluated.Moreover,although green and low-carbon technologies offer environmental advantages,their widespread adoption is hindered by prohibitively high costs.This study analyzes the impact of removing fertilizer manufacturing subsidies and explores the potential feasibility of redirecting fertilizer manufacturing subsidies to invest in the diffusion of these technologies.Utilizing the China Agricultural University Agri-food Systems model,we analyzed the potential for achieving mutually beneficial outcomes regarding food security and environmental sustainability.The findings indicate that removing fertilizer manufacturing subsidies has reduced greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions from agricultural activities by 3.88 million metric tons,with minimal impact on food production.Redirecting fertilizer manufacturing subsidies to invest in green and low-carbon technologies,including slow and controlled-release fertilizer,organic-inorganic compound fertilizers,and machine deep placement of fertilizer,emerges as a strategy to concurrently curtail GHG emissions,ensure food security,and secure robust economic returns.Finally,we propose a comprehensive set of government interventions,including subsidies,field guidance,and improved extension systems,to promote the widespread adoption of these technologies.

考虑绿色技术投入的“农超对接”模式研究

将绿色技术投入引入由单个农户与单个超市组成的“农超对接”模式中,研究“农超对接”模式优势和农户与超市之间合约设计问题,分析不同“农超对接”模式下供应链主体预期效用,得出农户与超市最优决策。研究表明:农户风险厌恶度、消费者绿色偏好、绿色技术先进性均会影响农户绿色投入倾向,在毛收益佣金合同中,变动佣金比例影响农户绿色投入水平,而在净收益合同中,则不会有影响;比较不同合同发现,净收益佣金合同下“农户+农民合作社+超市”模式中的农户绿色技术投入水平最高;在所有模式下,农户风险厌恶均会在一定程度上降低最优绿色技术投入水平、超市和农户预期效用。

考虑鲜度竞争的农产品双渠道供应链货源配置研究

为了探索生产商利润最大化目标下有限货源在线上线下渠道的数量配置方法,针对农产品双渠道供应链的鲜度竞争冲突,构建了双渠道货源配置函数,研究了有限供给下农产品生产商双渠道货源配置策略。结果表明:生产商将货源全部配置到线上渠道的主观意愿具有刚性,当生产商自己决定线上渠道鲜度时,线上线下渠道的初始配置量平均分配;当冷链物流服务商决定线上渠道鲜度时,线上渠道的初始配置为货源的3/4;在批发价高于一定阈值的条件下,生产商自己决定线上渠道鲜度,且把更多货源投向线下渠道,生产商的利润和系统利润均更高。

农产品稀缺线索对临期食品购买意愿的影响研究

食物浪费是粮食安全的重要威胁因素,引起全社会的关注。临期食品丢弃是导致零售环节食物浪费的主要因素,有必要采取措施来影响和塑造消费者对临期食品的购买行为以减少浪费。文章基于稀缺效应,研究了农产品稀缺线索是否以及如何影响消费者对临期食品的购买意愿。通过两项实验发现:(1)提供(vs.不提供)与临期食品相关的农产品稀缺线索,无论是短期稀缺线索还是长期稀缺线索,都可以在同等程度上提升消费者对临期食品的购买意愿;(2)农产品长期稀缺线索(vs.无稀缺线索)对购买意愿的提升作用通过感知价值中介,农产品短期稀缺线索(vs.无稀缺线索)对购买意愿的提升作用通过感知风险中介;(3)环境卷入度调节了农产品稀缺线索对购买意愿的影响。研究结论从理论上厘清了农产品稀缺线索促进临期食品购买的机制,从实践上为促进临期食品购买和减少食物浪费提供了启示。

Quality control of a four-echelon agri-food supply chain with multiple strategies

Current research into the supply chain coordination problem of product quality focuses mainly on the two-echelon supply chain,and most coordination models neglect the demand relationship between quantity and quality.Even in a direct sale pattern,an agrifood supply chain involves at least four actors,and the contract between different actors may be different.Here,we present a four-echelon agri-food supply chain that consists of one agricultural producer,one processing enterprise,one distributor,and many consumers.We also analyze the quality decision of each actor based on Stackelberg game theory and develop a combined multiple strategy(profit sharing,quality commitment,and risk sharing)for coordinating quality control in the agri-food supply chain.The results show that these strategies affect quality control at the level of the processing enterprise;however,only the profit-sharing strategy and a quality commitment to consumers affect the product quality from agricultural producers.Product quality is not associated with the profit-sharing contract between the processing enterprise and the distributor.Thus,the quality commitment to consumers is the only way for a processing enterprise to control the food market price.Furthermore,enforcing and enhancing this quality commitment to consumers by the processing enterprise will improve the quality of primary agricultural products and food.

考虑鲜度竞争的生鲜农产品双渠道供应链保鲜方式选择的研究

物流保鲜是影响农产品质量的重要因素之一。考虑消费者的鲜度敏感性和渠道偏好,构建了自营保鲜和保鲜外包两种情形下,生产商、零售商和冷链物流服务商的序贯博弈模型,求解出最优定价和鲜度水平。借助数值试验,分析了保鲜成本和保鲜服务价格对生产商和零售商的保鲜方式选择及渠道鲜度差异的影响。结果表明:无论生产商还是零售商,选择保鲜外包的农产品鲜度与保鲜成本呈负相关、与保鲜价格呈正相关。零售商总是选择自己保鲜,但是保鲜水平(或保鲜价格)高于(或低于)一定阈值后,生产商会选择保鲜外包,此时线下渠道与线上渠道的鲜度趋近。若保鲜水平较低,冷链物流服务商倾向于承接零售商保鲜外包,反之承接生产商保鲜外包,但是承接生产商保鲜外包的供应链系统利润更大。

农业种植智能体(Agri-agent)的构建与应用展望

在农业领域中,由于生产环境、生产能力和生产目标多种多样,如何有效管理这种多样性成为农业智能化和现代化的关键。种植智能体以其系统性、自治性和具身性等特征,可成为农业实现系统化、智能化和现代化的可行方案。本研究对农业中智能体技术的发展进行分析,提出了种植智能体的概念框架,有助于更好地定位智慧农业的应用方向。本研究围绕智能体的内涵形态、技术架构和业态趋向3个方面展开研究,初步建立了智慧农业种植智能体的系统框架。该框架包括种植智能体的定义、特性、架构、关键技术,并对未来发展方向进行初步探讨。该方法旨在为智慧农业种植智能体的进一步研究奠定基础,提出切实可行的解决方案,最终建立信息化、智能化的智慧农业种植体系。在数字技术与农业深度融合的背景下,种植智能体框架及应用解决方案在保障农产品供给、提升农业抗风险能力方面将发挥重要的作用,为农业的智能化、可持续发展注入新的活力。

Research status and applications of nature-inspired algorithms for agri-food production

Nature-inspired algorithms have been developed with biological mimicking.Machine learning algorithms from artificial neurons and artificial neural networks have been developed to mimic the human brain with synthetic neurons.This research can be traced back to the 1940s and has been expanded to agri-food problem solving in the last three decades.Now,the research and applications have entered the stage of deep learning with more layers and neurons that have complex connections to extract deep features of the target.In this paper,the developments of artificial neural networks and deep learning algorithms are presented and discussed in conjunction with their biological connections for agri-food applications.The related independent studies previously conducted by the author are summarized with the newly conducted being presented.At the same time,the algorithms motivated by recent bionics studies are compared and discussed for their potentials for agri-food production.

基于人力资源约束和不确定需求的农产品供应链优化配置

为了探究新冠肺炎疫情大流行对农产品供应链的冲击,研究人力资源约束和不确定的市场需求条件下的多级农产品供应链的优化配置问题,建立非线性规划模型。以某大型企业农产品小麦及衍生品麦粉供应链为例,利用自适应蚁群算法对模型进行求解,比较优化工具Lingo的求解结果,验证自适应蚁群算法的有效性。最后,分别对不同的外部市场需求和人力资源约束进行敏感性分析,得出一些重要管理学启示。

考虑碳交易与产品损失率的农产品供应链优化配置

农业是碳排放的重要来源,为了减少农产品供应链的碳排放,文章研究了考虑碳排放限额与交易(即碳交易)及农产品损失率的多级农产品供应链优化配置问题,建立了非线性规划模型,并以某企业的农产品(苹果)供应链为例,利用基于PSO和GA的混合算法对模型进行求解,比较优化工具Lingo的求解结果,验证了混合算法的有效性;最后,为了研究碳排放限额,碳交易价格和农产品损失率对优化配置结果的影响,分别对其做了一系列敏感性分析,获得一些重要管理学启示。

中国可持续健康膳食发展思考

膳食对居民营养健康、资源环境有着深远的影响,推动中国居民可持续健康膳食发展,对支持实现“健康中国”和可持续发展目标、保障国家粮食安全有着重要意义。本文系统梳理了可持续健康膳食的概念形成过程、代表性的可持续健康膳食模式,进一步从营养健康、资源环境、社会经济的角度阐明了可持续健康膳食的国际共识;分析了中国居民膳食现状,重点讨论了膳食相关的营养健康问题、膳食结构改变带来的资源环境问题。研究建议,提出膳食可持续健康优化方案、精确指导各地居民饮食,多措并举干预引导膳食转变、培养居民可持续健康食物消费行为,坚持生产和消费协同发展、构建可持续健康膳食供给体系,以此积极应对日益严峻的居民营养失衡与环境退化双重挑战,完善国家食物政策制定导向。

面向双渠道销售的农产品定价与库存补货联合决策

近场销售竞争让越来越多的传统零售商采用双渠道销售生鲜农产品,由此引发新的定价与库存联合优化问题。针对这一问题,假设线上渠道仅销售新鲜产品,线下渠道同时销售新鲜产品和部分变质的产品,以周期利润最大化为目标,采用变质库存理论,构建需求依赖于价格和库存水平的零售商双渠道定价与库存补货联合决策模型,分析最优解存在性的性质。基于两部求解思路,设计启发式算法求解出最优保鲜期、销售周期、定价和利润,最后对单位成本、需求率、保鲜期和变质率等参数进行敏感性分析。研究结果表明,零售商双渠道销售农产品,利润随着保鲜期延长而增大,随变质成本增大呈现小幅度波动变化。保鲜成本和变质成本较低、销售价格较高、线上市场份额较大是零售商获得更高利润的基本条件。

基于区块链的农产品冷库P2P共享平台系统

当前,中国农村地区的农户之间的农产品冷库仓储资源点对点(P2P,peer-to-peer)共享,面临着供需信息真假难辨匹配效率低、冷藏保鲜仓储记录易篡改且信息共享难、交易结算中损耗责任认定难三大难题,而区块链技术凭借其去中心化、安全可靠的特点,为解决农民间零散的冷库仓储资源的P2P共享难题提供有效技术工具。因此,针对上述难题,运用区块链技术建立一种农产品冷库P2P共享平台系统。结合中国农村地区农产品产地冷库的供需交易特点,构建一种基于区块链的P2P冷库共享框架;在区块链框架下设计农产品冷库的供需匹配机制、多主体信息共享机制和交易的自动结算机制;利用Hyperledger Fabric框架开发该平台的原型系统。该平台可以实现中国农村地区分散而多样的农产品仓储资源和存储需求之间的高效匹配和可信交易,确保生鲜农产品仓储过程中的冷链完整性,保障交易各方的合法权益,为实现安全可信的点对点冷库共享平台提供了新思路。