Consumers' fear regarding food security in Slovenia during the first wave of COVID-19 crisis

The various crises are having a significant impact on the entire food sector and are changing the attitudes of Europeans as well as policies on the importance of food security and sustainably produced quality and safe food for consumer health. The paper focuses on the consumer's fear of food security for the time of the first wave of COVID-19 and the associated concern for food security in the future and the changes in consumer behaviour. The online survey in Slovenia was conducted in June 2020 using a "snowball" method. The sample included 490 individuals. The results showed that both measured forms of fear (i) fear over food security during the first wave of COVID-19 crisis, and (ii) fear over food security in the future were statistically significant, moderately strong and positively associated with almost all forms of self-perceived behaviour change caused by the COVID-19 crisis. The respondents focused more on buying locally produced and processed food, food stockpiling and decreasing food waste. Only minor changes were expressed with regards to their food purchasing channels, with the elderly, the highly educated and those who classified themselves in a higher social class buying more often directly from farmers. In the future, the results of this research should be compared with other countries and the impact of an individual's economic situation and the impact of promotional campaigns on agricultural products on changing consumer behaviour should also be analysed in more detail.

China: export opportunities for food

The People's Republic of China has the largest population in the world, making it both one of the most fascinating and rapidly expanding import markets for food and beverages as well as one of the most difficult. The Chinese market is appealing to foreign food producers because of the country's high per capita income and quick urbanization. The Agriculture Chapter addressed fundamental trade barriers and will support a significant increase in the export of food, agricultural, and seafood products from the United States, boosting farm and fishery revenue, stimulating rural economies, and fostering employment growth. Numerous non-tariff barriers to the export of U.S. agricultural and seafood products are discussed, including those relating to rice, dairy, infant formula, horticulture products, animal feed and feed additives, pet food, and agricultural biotechnology products, as well as meat, chicken, and seafood. The U.S. has achieved significant export successes thus far, despite the pandemic. Decrees 248 and 249, which take effect on January 1, 2022, mandate that foreign suppliers of particular food products to China register with the GACC before presenting their goods for customs clearance. Several Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) reports on GACC Decrees 248 and 249 have been published by FAS offices in China. For the most recent information on whether their business has to register, whether it can self-register, or if it needs to be recommended for registration by a U.S. competent body, U.S. exporters should examine the GAIN system, which offers points of contact at the GACC. According to Euromonitor, urban Chinese customers who are short on time choose shopping near residential areas, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. During the crisis, consumers grew accustomed to shopping in their immediate areas. As a result, many major modern grocery chains have used a multi-format strategy and constructed smaller-format stores. Freshippo, Yonghui, and Carrefour are all opening smaller, more neighborhood-focused stores that place an increased emphasis on fresh foods. Some of these shops also act as e-commerce order warehouses and offer prompt home deliveries. Particularly Yonghui has opened Yonghui Mini Stores quickly as an addition to its hypermarket and major supermarket operations. The food processing sector in China has been expanding steadily in recent years. According to the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), sales, production, and income in the sector rose in 2020. The total profits of China's largest food processing firms reached 620.66 billion yuan (about US$97 billion) in 2020, an increase of 6.8% over the same period in 2019. According to MIIT, these businesses' profit growth was 3.1% higher than the average for all industrial sectors.

Food commerce upshots with their former locus in the economy with respect to the pandemic 2020 - a drawback or an aid in South Kolkata, West Bengal

Background: The Food Commerce industry has flourished massively during the past decade in South Kolkata in West Bengal, with new outlets opening every now and then, so much so that this region is known as 'Food Street'. Regardless of their scale of operations, each of these outlets had well established themselves, catering to their respective target markets and earning decent amount of revenue over the years. However, this growth suffered a setback owing to the origin of novel Coronavirus SARS-n-CoV-2. The growth rate declined to a great extent over the span of two years, with recent studies showing an overall stunted growth rate. Even though online marketing of these outlets and selling the food through delivery apps have aided the entrepreneurs, the cost to revenue ratio is not at par with that of the times before the pandemic hit. Overall, the pandemic has impacted the eateries in more way than initially imagined. Objectives: (a) To reveal the various problems and scenarios of managing food business during the Covid-19 pandemic in South Kolkata region;(b) To compare the present scenario of the food industry with how things were before prior to the pandemic to understand the nature of change during this time frame;and, (c) To describe the challenges and methods implemented by the food retail business entrepreneurs and managers of the randomly selected establishments to hold a steady business flow during the Covid-19 pandemic. Methodology: The study follows a descriptive research design. Therefore, the research will describe the characteristics of the sample under study. The food outlets of South Kolkata have been chosen as the study location. 100 respondents were selected. The respondents are those who consume food from these outlets such that they represent the wider target market of the 'Food Street'. Both Primary Data and Secondary Data were used. Primary Data was collected through sample survey. Random Sampling technique was used to choose the respondents. The study used quantitative data, therefore, only Quantitative analysis was performed. Results: The Research was able to depict the comparison between the present scenario and the situation prior to the pandemic. The study was able to reveal the challenges and problems that the food outlets had to suffer from. Also, the methods or strategies taken up by the entrepreneurs of these outlets to overcome the pandemic were discovered. 46% of the respondents opted for "Mobile Food Delivery" as their strategy to revive from losses. Conclusion: With COVID-19 having altered - and still in the process of altering - the definition of "normal" across the world, most industries are still scrambling to adjust. The effect on the restaurant industry has been particularly dramatic. With restaurants and pubs closed for sit-down service, many establishments are struggling to keep their heads above water. The food outlets located in South Kolkata shares the same fate and the research is able to highlight this effectively.

COVID-19 impacts on United States crawfish. (Special Issue: COVID-19 impacts on selected commodities.)

This research determines the impacts of COVID-19 US on crawfish production and consumption for 2020 and 2021 using an Equilibrium Displacement Model. In the US, crawfish is one of the seafood commodities where most production is consumed by domestic consumers (7% of domestic consumption is from imports). Crawfish and rice are complementary. Therefore, the impacts of COVID-19 on crawfish consumption simultaneously influence rice production and crawfish producers and consumers. In the first year of COVID-19 (2020), the reduction in crawfish retail demand caused negative effects on final consumers and producers. However, crawfish consumption recovered significantly in the second year (2021), which could compensate for the loss in 2020. Overall, consumer and producer gains ranged from $549 to $626 million if the COVID-19 pandemic only impacted retail consumption. However, in 2021, the increase in production costs due to higher oil/diesel prices and other input prices caused the farm supply to decrease. As a result, total welfare gains ranged from $200 to $228 million. If the demand in 2021 did not increase, but the crawfish farm supply decreased, consumer and producer losses ranged from $929 to $1045 million. Overall, the total effects of COVID-19 on consumers and producers for 2020 and 2021 depend on its effects in 2021. If the demand in 2021 increased following the decrease in farm supply, consumers and producers would benefit from the shocks of COVID-19 due to higher post-COVID-19 demand.

Is irrigation fit for purpose? A review of the relationships between scheme size and performance of irrigation systems

Irrigation is increasingly being called upon to help stabilize and grow food and water security in the face of multiple crises;these crises include climate change, but also recent global food and energy price crises, including the 2007/08 food and energy price crises, and the more recent crises triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war on Ukraine. While irrigation development used to focus on public, large-scale, surface- and reservoir-fed systems, over the last several decades, private small-scale investments in groundwater irrigation have grown in importance and are expected to see rapid future growth, particularly in connection with solar-powered pumping systems. But is irrigation 'fit-for-purpose' to support population growth, economic development, and multiple food, energy and climate crises? This paper reviews how fit-for-purpose irrigation is with a focus on economies of scale of surface and groundwater systems, and a particular examination of systems in Sub-Saharan Africa where the need for expansion is largest. The review finds challenges for both larger surface and smaller groundwater systems in the face of growing demand for irrigated agriculture and dwindling and less reliable water supplies. To support resilience of the sector, we propose both a holistic design and management improvement agenda for larger surface systems, and a series of suggestions to improve sustainability concerns of groundwater systems.

COVID19, the war in Ukraine, the economic crisis, the energy crisis, climate change

Each month brings new fears and new reasons to worry about the future. In a world marked by permanent change, by the occurrence of the unthinkable generating a continuous feeling of insecurity, having confidence has become increasingly difficult: confidence in the future, confidence in our environments, in our organisations, confidence in our contemporaries, confidence in our collaborators and confidence in our ability to face a difficult tomorrow. Confidence and fear are inseparable and they are like the opposite sides of the same coin. Unable to look at both sides of a coin at the same time, we must constantly fight our fears with confidence. Therefore, more than ever, trust is an essential element to obtain team security and it only takes one person feeling insecure for the overall confidence of the team to be eroded. This feeling of low self-confidence is particularly true for the younger generation of veterinary surgeons and specialized veterinary assistants. This can result in difficulties that are often unexpressed and can lead professionals to abandon these vocations of "passion" since they do not feel up to the expectations of clients and managers alike. Building the self-confidence of the people concerned has become a professional priority. The origin of the feeling of lack of self-confidence is collective. Therefore, its treatment is collective. Since each member has the capacity to fight against their fears, he or she can play their part and increase security in the team.

The impact of price insulation on world wheat markets during COVID-19 and the Ukraine crisis

This paper begins with a survey of recent commodity price developments that highlights the magnitude of this price surge and identifies the rapid rise in wheat prices as a key element. The analysis in this paper focuses on the extent to which domestic markets are insulated from these changes and on the resulting impacts on world prices. An econometric analysis using Error Correction Models finds stable long-term relationships between world wheat prices and most domestic prices of wheat and wheat products, but with considerable variation across countries in the rate of price transmission. A case study of the price shocks during the Covid pandemic and the Ukraine food price crisis finds that price insulation roughly doubled the overall increase in world wheat prices and raised their volatility both during periods of price increase and price decline.

COVID-19, climate shocks, and food security linkages: evidence and perceptions from smallholder farming communities in Tanzania

Insights on the indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are critical for designing and implementing policies to alleviate the food security burden it may have caused, and for bolstering rural communities against similar macroeconomic shocks in the future. Yet estimating the causal effects of the pandemic is difficult due to its ubiquitous nature and entanglement with other shocks. In this descriptive study, we combine high-resolution satellite imagery to control for plot-level rainfall with household socio-economic panel data from 2014, 2016, 2019 and 2020, to differentiate the effect of the pandemic from climatic shocks on food security in Morogoro, Tanzania. We find evidence of decreased incomes, increased prices of staple foods, and increased food insecurity in 2020 relative to previous years, and link these changes to the pandemic by asking households about their perceptions of COVID-19. Respondents overwhelmingly attribute economic hardships to the pandemic, with perceived impacts differing by asset level.

Reaction of the cereal market to the disruption of trade flows in Romania

The paper presents the reaction of the Romanian cereal market to the disruption of trade flows caused by certain shocks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which lead to changes with high impact on the functioning of this market, representing an important test for the resilience of the sector. Due to trade liberalization in global markets, including agri-food markets, the competitiveness of exports has become increasingly important, contributing to the creation of the country's competitive advantage. Any restrictions to trade in agri-food products can distort trade flows, and this disruption will have an impact on supply and prices. Maintaining a balance between imports and exports is essential to ensure domestic market stability. International trade in agri-food products plays an important role in global food security. The results show that Romania mainly exports unprocessed agricultural products, with cereals having the largest share in the export structure, cereal supply is dependent on climate change, yet it is one of the products with the lowest volatility. The cereal market shows a more elastic reaction to price responses, even though demand for staple foods is generally inelastic.

Perspectives of agricultural cooperatives re-development after COVID 19 pandemic in Slovakia

The Covid 19 pandemic is a global, not only, health crisis with devasting impact on the world economy in general. These impacts are also visible more and more in food and agriculture sector as the main sector of population nourishment. In spite of adopted measures in many countries, spread of the virus is starting to distrupt the supply of agrofood products to markets and consumers, both within and across borders. Most major economies are expected to enter recession as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic, and the OECD has estimated that for each month the necessary containment measures continue the drop in output is equivalent to a decline in annual GDP growth up to 2 percentage points. How damaging these impacts tourn out to be for individual agricultural production of countries and agricultural cooperatives which are consider as the more viable during crisis is the objective of this paper.

E-food trade effects on purchasing approach regarding customer behavior

Our world is changing too fast. The distances have been shortened and communication has been increased by the invention and widespread use of the internet. Our habits started to change in many aspects of our lives by the development of digitalization. Especially during the pandemic Covid-19 that has started at the end of 2019, it's observed that mobility of people have been decreased and however, they began to have difficulties in meeting the needs. There has been a great demand for companies that sell over the internet. In particular, the tendencies of people to purchase food items which are their vital need over the internet have increased to a great extent. Looking at the e-commerce market on a sectorial basis during the pandemic, the biggest increase was seen in e-food trade with a growth of approximately 400%. Within that period, it is predicted that our purchasing habits will change rapidly and virtual markets will become much more important in our lives. The delivery of food products to the consumer has always been a big problem. The risk of deterioration of the products in a short time and the physical destruction of the products during their transportation has increased the importance of food logistics. The logistics channels are needed to be developed in order to increase e-food trade. For this reason, contemporary logistics channels have started to be used by integrating developed logistics applications to the traditional logistics channels. It will be much faster and cost-efficient to deliver the products to the consumer with the new logistics channels in the near future. Yield penalty due to transportation will decrease, and since the number of stock brokers is reduced, the consumer will be able to reach the product they demand at a more affordable price from the producer that they have chosen. In the future, physical stores will be replaced by logistics-supported virtual markets. The agriculture and food sector should also start working in order to accommodate quickly to the new trade order.

Mitigating poverty and undernutrition through social protection: a simulation analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh and Myanmar

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in severe income losses, but little is known about its impacts on diets and nutritional adequacy, or the effectiveness of social protection interventions in mitigating dietary and nutritional impacts. We first assess the likely impacts of COVID-19 shocks in Bangladesh and Myanmar on poverty and food and nutrient consumption gaps. We then analyze the estimated mitigating effects of five hypothetical social protection interventions of a typical monetary value: (1) cash transfers;(2) in-kind transfers of common rice;(3) in-kind transfers of fortified rice enriched with multiple essential micronutrients;(4) vouchers for a diversified basket of rice and non-staple foods;and (5) food vouchers with fortified rice instead of common rice. The simulation results suggest modest effectiveness of the cash transfers for mitigating poverty increases and little effectiveness of all five transfers for preventing increasing food and nutrient consumption gaps among the poorest 40%. Rice fortification is, however, effective at closing key micronutrient consumption gaps and could be a suitable policy instrument for averting 'hidden hunger' during economic crises.

Impacts of COVID-19 on U.S. seafood availability. (Special Issue: COVID-19 impacts on selected commodities.)

Seafood is the food group with the highest share traded, and the U.S. is the world's largest seafood importer, importing 79% of the seafood consumed. Hence, a study examining the impacts of the measures to contain COVID-19 on U.S. seafood imports will not only show how U.S. seafood availability has been affected, but will also give strong indications of how resiliently the global seafood markets have worked through the pandemic. We find that U.S. imports of seafood actually increased in 2020 and 2021, suggesting supply chains were able to adapt to potential disruptions. Moreover, for the 14 largest product forms imported to the U.S., there are no strong price movements. Given that there is a global market for most species groups, this adaption also suggests that the markets have worked quite well beyond the U.S. Hence, while there have undoubtedly been market shocks associated with the COVID-19 measures such as the reduction in demand from the restaurant sector and the increased sales in the retail sector, opportunities seem to balance out challenges, and the supply chains for seafood to the U.S. have been highly resilient.

Special Issue: The relationship between nutrition and COVID-19. (Special Issue: The relationship between nutrition and COVID-19.)

This special issue contains 8 articles that discuss and highlights the importance of nutrition in mitigating the mental and health-related issues associated with the pandemic, as well as its effects on diet quality and physical activity levels. Topics include: (1) a systematic literature review that emphasizes the role of nutrition in minimizing mental and health-related issues during COVID-19. The review concludes that a healthy diet rich in essential nutrients can play a crucial role in supporting mental health, immune function and overall well-being during the pandemic. In addition, it highlights the need for public health interventions that promote healthy eating habits and provide access to nutritious foods, (2) adherence to the Mediterranean diet in Greek adolescents during COVID-19, (3) a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial investigated the effect of synbiotics on inflammatory markers and white blood cell count in COVID-19 patients, (4) COVID-19 pandemic anxiety was reflected in nutritional habits in adults, (5) investigation of the link between metabolic risks, dietary patterns and COVID-19 prognosis, (6) exploration of the factors related to sedentary lifestyle in a Brazilian sample during the COVID-19 initial quarantine.

Memorable dining experiences amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the effects of memorable dining experiences (MDEs) in the USA during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 530 valid survey responses were collected in the USA. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to estimate inner and outer models. A two-stage approach was applied to test the moderating effects of restaurant safety measures. Additional analyses were conducted to compare electronic word of mouth (eWOM) intention and actual eWOM behavior. Findings: All five dimensions contributed to the overall memorability of a dining experience, with affect being the primary factor. Overall memorability was positively related to subjective well-being and actual eWOM behavior. Restaurant safety measures were positively related to the overall experience but did not moderate the relationship between any dimension and overall memorability. Research limitations/implications: Findings provide empirical support for the conceptualization of MDEs during a pandemic and underscore the importance of actual eWOM behavior in restaurant research. Practical implications: Results offer guidance for restaurant managers in designing MDEs. Originality/value: The restaurant industry is evolving from simply providing products and services to creating experiences. Yet the impacts of crafting MDEs are not well understood, especially during a pandemic. This study filled this gap by investigating MDEs and their effects on subjective well-being and eWOM behavior.

Oilseeds development in Morocco in the current international context

Oilseeds are grown mainly for the extraction of vegetable oils and for its by-products needed in livestock feed and in other industrial uses. The oils obtained from them are becoming a staple food used in daily cooking in several countries, and as a result the world demand is constantly increasing. This situation, combined with the exponential increase in the world population and other cyclical factors, is leading to a surge pricing, especially in importing countries. This increase in prices is fueled by soaring oil prices and disruption in supplies following Covid-19 pandemic and geopolitical tensions in the Black Sea. Morocco is directly impacted by these fluctuations given that the country imports almost its total needs in vegetable oils, oilseeds and meals. The high dependence on imported vegetable oils and oilseed products has a detrimental effect on the economy of Morocco and weighs heavily on the country's trade balance. Considering their increasingly important role in society, the development of a local oilseed sector to reduce Morocco's dependence on imports and cope with the vagaries of global markets has never been more topical in the current context of sustainable agriculture and food sovereignty.

Swine breeding in the villages of Valcea county, Oltenia (Romania) - tradition or necessity?

Food supply has been a constant source of concern for mankind. In the present context, with food security a priority of European and national policies, an analysis of pig farming in a representative NUTS2 administrative level of Romania that emphasizes the proportion of households raising at least one pig and the main factors influencing farmers to adopt or give up swine breeding could allow a much clearer understanding of this phenomenon that lies at the border between cultural tradition and socio-economic necessity. This study uses mixed methods that complement each another to help reveal this complex phenomenon in the analyzed territory. Cluster analysis shows the concentration of swine breeding and maps its spread in terms of both subsistence and larger farms, and qualitative interviews prove the motivation of farmers to continue in this occupation. As a primary result, the study visualizes the spatial distribution of pig farming in the rural environment of Valcea county, Romania, from a diachronic perspective in the post-communist period. It also reveals areas of differing concentrations of both very small-sized farms, which prioritize meeting their own food needs, and larger farms, which prioritize commercial production to supplement their revenue streams. Both categories, but particularly the latter, are of particular interest in a period in which the socio-economic environment after 1990 - marked by economic restructuring, unemployment, population migration, the economic crisis of 2008-2010, the pandemic of 2020-2021, and the most recent energy crisis - periodically highlights the importance of rural areas in ensuring food security and sufficiency at both the local and regional levels.

Role of tissue culture as applied in seed potato multiplication to improve food security: a review

Rapid population growth, natural and man-made factors (COVID-19 and the lack of a social safety net) have led to an increase in the demand for food, which calls for significant improvements to the food system worldwide to supply food more efficiently with the same or fewer resources. Potatoes have great potential to contribute to food security and incomes for rural smallholder farmers, as well as provide nutritious, affordable food for urban consumers. The availability of disease-free and certified seed potatoes of better-performing varieties remains limited. The use of tissue culture to provide a disease-free seed potato is therefore crucial to ensuring food security. A key goal of this paper is to summarize the work done on various aspects of seed potato multiplication, and how it can improve the food security of smallholder farmers. The systematic review method was applied to summarize how tissue culture application can produce excess disease-free seed potatoes to improve food availability for marginal farmers. The most effective way for farmers in developing countries or areas prone to natural or man-made disasters to increase their incomes and improve nutrition is to use high-quality certified seeds. Tissue cultures are used worldwide to produce pre-basic, virus-free seed potatoes. Early Generation Seed (micro-tubers, cuttings and mini-tuber), multiplication of mother plants and production of apical rooted cutting for seed production for field planting are popular. The activities of diseases-free seed production start at the laboratory and end at the field with seed production for planting. In general, three major steps were used in seed potato multiplication: (1) Tissue culture (to produce disease-free tissue culture plantlets);(2) Production of cuttings (involves two important stages: (i) multiplication of mother plants and (ii) production of apical rooted cutting for planting) for further multiplication and (3) production of seeds for field planting.

Labor market transformation in the hospitality gig economy in a post pandemic era: impacts of institutional governance. (Special Issue: The sharing economy in a post-pandemic world.)

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the food delivery sector to boom as people continue to rely on services provided by online catering platforms (OCPs). However, because of the nature of sharing economy employment, gig workers' contributions went largely ignored until intervention from institutional governance. This study aims to explore the impacts of labor market transformation after the Chinese Government issued guidance to promote gig workers' welfare as a focal case. Design/methodology/approach: Focus groups and the Delphi technique were used to explore associated impacts on OCPs and gig workers based on governance theory. Findings: Results show that institutional governance negatively affected OCPs' operating cost structure but sustained gig workers' welfare. The dual effects of market mechanism and institutional governance in the sharing economy are needed to be balanced for labor market transformation. Research limitations/implications: Long-term equilibrium can be fulfilled, given the growing food-related demand for the market mechanism. Social reciprocity is expected to be realized through institutional governance for gig workers' welfare. Originality/value: This study suggests that moving from market governance to stakeholder governance, as mediated by state governance, could transform gig workers' labor structure in the gig economy. This study presents an integrated governance theory to enhance the epistemology of institutional governance.

Application of Benford's law in agricultural production statistics

The importance of food supply throughout the world has once again shown its significance in the COVID-19 pandemic period. A continuous food supply is possible with correct agricultural programming. An effective agricultural product programming can only be possible by obtaining precise agricultural data. However, it is very difficult to gather accurate agricultural production statistics from all over the world and confirm their accuracy. In this study, the compatibility of the production statistics of six important agricultural products (wheat, rice, potato, onion, banana, apple) which had been collected from local sources, and had published as opensource by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, with Benford's law was examined for the first time. Data for the last two decades are used to ignore the impact of annual fluctuations. The compatibility of theoretically expected and observed data was tested by Chi-square (X2) and Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD) tests. Although inconsistencies were found in some data by examining the numbers in the first, second, and first two digits, in general, the MAD test results gave a mostly concordant result.