Agricultural Economics最新文献

In a series of highly cited papers over the period of 2009–2023, earth system scientists have identified a set of nine planetary boundaries that must not be breached if we wish to avoid catastrophic consequences for nature and humanity. These range from well-mixed, global boundaries, such as climate-altering atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations, to localized limits on freshwater availability and reactive nitrogen entering the environment. Recent estimates suggest that six of the nine planetary boundaries have already been breached. The food system is a key driver of these exceedances and, therefore, must play a key role in any solutions. However, the establishment of these boundaries and the analysis of potential solutions have often been devoid of economic considerations. Furthermore, in the case of several of these planetary boundaries, limited attention has been given to the economic policies that might allow society to address them, as well as the likely synergies and tradeoffs across economic policies targeted to individual objectives. This paper seeks to bring further economic analysis to bear on the quantitative assessment of global and local economic policies aimed at respecting these planetary boundaries, concluding with seven lessons to inform future research on this topic.

Evidence regarding whether consumers view plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) as substitutes for or complements to meat is mixed; however, the ultimate effect of increased demand for PBMAs on poultry and livestock production depends on this relationship. Existing elasticity estimates primarily come from stated-preference discrete-choice models, which assume all options are substitutes. This study employs a basket-based choice experiment (BBCE) to estimate own- and cross-price elasticities in food-away-from-home consumption settings. The elasticity estimates from the BBCE are then used to calibrate an equilibrium displacement model, which links shifts in demand for PBMAs to livestock and poultry supplies. Our findings indicate (1) there is a mix of complementarity and substitution between conventional meat and PBMAs, (2) the own-price elasticity of PBMAs lies between those of premium meat options (salmon and ribeye steak) and more affordable choices (burgers and chicken breast), and (3) lowering prices of PBMAs (or increasing consumers’ willingness-to-pay for PBMAs) is unlikely to significantly impact conventional poultry and livestock production.

Agricultural and environmental economists are in the fortunate position that a lot of what is happening on the ground is observable from space. Most agricultural production happens in the open and one can see from space when and where innovations are adopted, crop yields change, or forests are converted to pastures, to name just a few examples. However, converting remotely sensed images into measurements of a particular variable is not trivial, as there are more pitfalls and nuances than “meet the eye”. Overall, however, research benefits tremendously from advances in available satellite data as well as complementary tools, such as cloud-based platforms, machine learning algorithms, and econometric approaches. Our goal here is to provide agricultural and environmental economists with an accessible introduction to working with satellite data, show-case applications, discuss pitfalls and available solutions, and emphasize the best practices. This is supported by extensive supporting information, where we describe how to create different variables, common workflows, and a discussion of required resources and skills. Last but not least, example data and reproducible codes are made available online.

Measurement is not only a way of describing complex realities; it can also transform those realities by influencing policies. We live in an era of measurement innovation: new methods to deploy and new ways of adapting familiar, proven strategies to new contexts. This paper explores how new measurements provide fresh insights into the circumstances of small-farm households worldwide and describes challenges that these techniques have yet to overcome. Because the small farm sector plays a crucial role in global food security, global value chains, and rural livelihoods, understanding its conditions is a persistent focus of policymakers and researchers. I discuss how measures including satellite-based assessments of crop yields, tree cover, temperature, and rainfall, laboratory measures of soil and agricultural input quality, GPS-based plot area calculations, labor activity trackers, and high-frequency household surveys conducted via cellular phones are providing an improved understanding of fundamental dimensions of small farms and agrarian households. I identify important gaps in what is currently measured, discuss challenges related to implementing and interpreting new measures, and argue that new measurement strategies should be combined with continued investment for traditional “analog measures”—the household and farm surveys that remain fundamental for data collection in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

The global agri-food system faces major challenges in meeting the growing demand for food in an equitable way while mitigating environmental impacts such as deforestation, soil degradation, and climate change. Over the past few decades, voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) have proliferated as a potential instrument to promote more sustainable global value chains and sourcing practices. Although the body of impact evaluations on VSS has grown, most studies focus on single outcome dimensions, leaving interactions between dimensions underexplored. In this study, we use a conceptual framework to assess the relationships between VSS interventions and key sustainable food system outcomes across multiple dimensions. Our study focuses on economic prosperity, healthy ecosystems, gender equality, and food security, with a particular emphasis on identifying potential trade-offs and synergies between these dimensions. To illustrate the interactions identified in our framework, we present empirical data from three case studies in Ghana, Rwanda, and Peru. Our findings underscore the importance of balancing trade-offs and fostering synergies to advance sustainability across multiple dimensions. This study contributes to ongoing discussions on the effectiveness of VSS in promoting sustainability by highlighting their potential impacts, as well as the trade-offs that must be managed, to achieve more sustainable food systems.

This paper presents a method for and experiences with pioneering new research directions that challenge “conventional wisdom” and change policy and research debates. The method consists of four steps: (1) identify the conventional wisdom (CW); (2) ignore the CW and go to the field without pre-conceived notions, and look long and hard at reality—with interviews and surveys broad enough to allow oneself to make discoveries that contradict the CW; (3) then identify the contradictions between the CW and the field discoveries and pinpoint the implications for policy and research debates; (4) develop and mainstream a new research theme along a research “product cycle.” The paper summarizes my and collaborators’ application of the method with illustrations from four waves of market economics field research in Africa, Asia, and Latin America since the 1980s: (a) rural nonfarm employment; (b) processed food consumption; (c) the “hidden middle” (rapid diffusion of small and medium enterprises in the midstream of value chains); and (d) the “supermarket revolution”. The paper ends with a discussion of the benefits of this approach to policy and research debates and the researcher's own career, as well as considerations of risks, timing, and approach for application of the method.

JEL Classification: D12, J20, O12, O18, Q12, Q18