Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics最新文献

This study evaluates the effect of natural resource dependence on employment quality in Africa, analysing data from 2002 to 2020. Our findings indicate that resource dependence is positively and significantly linked to poor employment quality. Specifically, a one-percentage-point increase in resource rent dependence results in a 0.026-percentage-point rise in vulnerable employment and a 0.282-percentage-point increase in working poverty rates. However, this effect of resource rents on employment quality occurs only when institutional quality is low. Once institutional quality surpasses a certain threshold, this adverse effect is reversed. These results highlight the need for policies that diversify economic structures to reduce African economies' overreliance on natural resource rents and enhance institutional quality.

The remote and iconic Kimberley region, in northern Western Australia, is a contested landscape with growing pressure for different types of land use and development. The region has high biodiversity values and impressive scenery that provide attractive recreation experiences for visitors. We estimate the value of domestic recreation to the region using a travel cost model. Analysis includes two approaches for accounting for multi-destination trips (MDTs) given travel to remote sites are more likely to include these than shorter trips, and four specifications for the value of travel time. We estimate a total consumer surplus of A$110.34 million annually and find that adjusting travel costs for MDTs using stated survey information produces a better fitting model than using revealed travel information. These findings highlight both the importance of estimating recreation values for use in land use planning in the Kimberley and for improving the travel cost method for remote sites where per-trip travel costs are high.

Coral reefs face a critical crisis worldwide because of rising ocean temperature, excessive use of resources and soil erosion. As reefs have great recreational and tourism value, the degradation of their quality may have a significant effect on tourism. This study employs a contingent behaviour approach to estimate the effect of reef extinction on the recreational demand for Kume Island, Okinawa, Japan. We propose a Poisson-inverse Gaussian (PIG) model with correction for on-site sampling issues to derive a more accurate estimate of consumer surplus (CS). The results show that the annual CS per-person trip is 5898 yen (US$ 49.15 in 2015 currency) according to the random-effects PIG model.

Farmers' adoption of commodity futures and options contracts (CFCs) in agriculture shows substantial variation across different regions. Sociodemographic and farm characteristics fail to fully account for these observed differences. Hence, research focussing on understanding the behavioural factors that influence the decision to adopt CFCs is gaining popularity. Although past research has addressed these behavioural factors, a comprehensive synthesis is needed. This study provides a systematic literature review to systematically categorise, taxonomically standardise and summarise behavioural factors influencing farmers' decisions to adopt CFCs. Results are reported via the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) scheme. In the systematic literature review, 41 usable studies were identified. The identified behavioural factors were classified into eleven core behavioural factors and grouped into three categories: dispositional, social and cognitive. In addition, a systematic literature map was created, which shows behavioural factors' inclusion frequency and share of being statistically significant in the identified studies. These approaches offer a framework for researchers and practical insights for trainers, policymakers and farmers. The results could be used, for instance, to develop strategies to promote more informed decision among farmers regarding the use of CFCs.

An increasing number of herbicide-resistant weeds challenge farming systems worldwide. Bans on active ingredients in chemical crop protection, which result in fewer weed control options, emphasise the importance of herbicide resistance management in arable farming. Resistance testing allows farmers to get an objective overview of the prevailing herbicide resistances on their land and to adjust their management strategies accordingly. Nevertheless, no study has examined farmers' adoption of herbicide resistance tests. For this purpose, an online survey with 197 German arable farmers was conducted. The adoption decision was investigated by applying the theory of planned behaviour framework. The results suggest that informing farmers of the economic benefits associated with herbicide resistance tests can facilitate widespread adoption. Furthermore, awareness of the availability of herbicide resistance tests needs to be raised through both advertising and crop consultants. Results from this study are relevant for several interest groups as the usage of herbicide resistance tests can help reduce the emergence of new resistance by optimising herbicide use at the farm level.

This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing Italian consumers' choice of biodegradable and compostable packaging by using a hybrid framework that integrates the theory of planned behaviour with a discrete choice experiment. By analysing the interplay between internal and external factors and rational consumer evaluations, the research clarifies that consumers' choices can be explained by a combination of economic and psychological models, offering a more accurate representation of the driving forces behind consumer decisions. Applying latent class analysis, we identify consumer segments based on packaging preferences for packaged salad, knowledge of waste disposal rules and the psychological characteristics of a statistically representative sample of Italian consumers. The integration of a comprehensive behavioural model allows for the identification of psychological determinants that influence consumer behaviour, outlining detailed profiles of both early adopters and those most opposed to this technology. This research contributes to the literature on sustainable packaging and offers insights to marketers and policymakers for promoting the adoption of sustainable packaging.

Increasing the area of drought-tolerant native vegetation in urban parks is a potential strategy to adapt to growing water scarcity under climate change. With a case study in Perth, Australia, we undertake benefit–cost analyses to understand the potential impacts of modifying urban park landscape designs away from conventions dominated by watered grass towards alternatives with more native vegetation. Considering the costs of establishing and maintaining alternative designs alone, we find that local governments can save money by reducing the extent of watered grass cover in parks. Incorporating nonmarket benefits into the analyses provides evidence of positive community net benefits from making changes to conventional park designs. We show that an alternative park design featuring a mix of 60% native vegetation and 40% watered grass delivers the highest net benefits for both new park development and retrofits to existing parks. These findings suggest it is time to rethink urban park design norms in Australia to better align landscaping choices with community preferences under a changing climate.

The aim of this research is to examine what antecedents of supply chain financing (SCF) should be overcome to ensure that the agricultural supply chain from preplanting to postharvesting generates enough food to achieve sustainable food security in developing countries. Drawing from complex adaptive systems (CAS) theory, we develop and test a model of how a prospective and challenging financing scheme navigates complex social and repayment systems to achieve sustainable SCF. The results of the study show that a challenging financing scheme must navigate complex social and repayment systems to achieve sustainable SCF, while a prospective financing scheme even though it shows a positive influence on sustainable SCF, its effect is higher when it is able to navigate these. The study hence concludes that for agricultural SCF schemes to lead to sustainable food security, they must be accessible and appropriate to the needs of the community, overcome default risk and cumbersome financial arrangements and be able to navigate the complex social and repayment systems. The study recommends that financing schemes should establish proximity to farming communities and engage farmers to determine appropriate funds for different stages among others.

The emergence of high-value supply chains, led by supermarket buyers, has transformed traditional avenues for marketing fruits and vegetables in India. Our study explores the evolving relationships between Indian farmers and supermarket buyers in the horticultural market. The investigation centres on understanding farmer satisfaction in this dynamic marketing landscape and its impact on their commitment to supermarket buyers. We identified critical factors such as price offer, reduced marketing cost and convenience as pivotal to farmers' satisfaction using the survey administered to 242 respondents. Results highlight the positive impact of price offer, reduced marketing cost and convenience on farmers' satisfaction, while underscoring that market assurance hampers satisfaction levels among farmers. In practical terms, our findings emphasise the importance of addressing farmers' needs for a more fruitful and mutually enriching partnership with the supermarkets. The study contributes depth to discussions on the evolving face of horticulture, accentuating the impact of modern supply chains on farmer welfare and economic growth.

Food safety is an issue of growing concern in many developing countries. Threats to food safety in Vietnam include contamination with toxic chemicals, microbiological hazards and adulterated food. To determine Vietnamese consumers' willingness to pay for food safety of pork and vegetables, a discrete choice experiment was employed in the cities of Hanoi and Haiphong. Principal factor analysis and mixed logit models reveal that urban consumers are, on average, willing to pay considerable price premiums for food safety attributes. On average, consumers are willing to pay a price premium of 244% for vegetables produced with the safe application of pesticides, 70% premium for pork processed in certified abattoirs that assure pork safety and 67% price premium for pork if the convenience attribute is satisfied. Regarding vegetables, there is considerable heterogeneity in the extent to which consumers are willing to pay for growth-hormone-free vegetables, depending on their education, and in perceptions towards food safety risks resulting from chemical hazards and foodborne illness in Vietnam. For pork, if consumers believe that contaminated food could cause life-threatening risks for people, they are willing to pay up to 102% more than the current market price for hormone-free and drug-free pork. The factor representing consumers' trust in food safety influences their WTP for traceability and clean water attributes. Moreover, consumer's self-health evaluation influenced their WTP for pork traceability. Almost all consumers prefer the convenience of being able to purchase vegetables and pork nearby.