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Sustainable Agri-Food Systems
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Sustainable Agri-Food Systems

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Agriculture".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 October 2021) | Viewed by 14009

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Carola Grebitus

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Morrison School of Agribusiness, Arizona State University, 7231 E Sonoran Arroyo Mall, Mesa, AZ 85212, USA
Interests: agricultural and experimental economics; marketing and consumer behavior; market research; sustainability; urban agriculture and community gardens; diet and health; food safety and technology
Prof. Dr. Alicia Rosburg

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Economics, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA 50614, USA
Interests: energy economics; agricultural economics; intergenerational mobility; economics of second-generation biofuels

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Contemporary food production systems are characterized by many opportunities and challenges related to sustainability. Sustainable agri-food systems require involvement across the value chain from farmers to the food industry, to food retailers and consumers. The demands on the food system are manifold, securing access to safe and nutritious foods for individuals while improving sustainability. The food environment also plays an important role—for example, can urban agriculture and community gardens improve sustainability measures for local food supply? This Special Issue seeks contributions related to all parts of the food supply chain to highlight current developments in food system sustainability. How do farmers improve their operations towards more sustainable production? Does that differ depending on whether they are located in rural or urban areas? What is the status quo of food processing and production with regards to sustainability measures? What is the consumer demand for sustainable food production? Does that differ by product? How are these environmentally conscious consumers characterized? What are the future directions of food-system sustainability? In this Special Issue, theoretical and conceptual contributions are equally as welcome as empirical investigations and case studies.

Prof. Dr. Carola Grebitus
Prof. Dr. Alicia Rosburg
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Sustainability
  • Food environment
  • Agriculture
  • Agribusiness
  • Local food
  • Food systems
  • Urban agriculture
  • Community gardens
  • Supply chain management
  • Food security
  • Rural development
  • Food safety

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 3158 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Meat: Looking through the Eyes of Australian Consumers
by Lívia Garcez de Oliveira Padilha, Lenka Malek and Wendy J. Umberger
Sustainability 2021, 13(10), 5398; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13105398 - 12 May 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5045
Abstract
Sustainability is a complex and multifaceted concept that comprises environmental, economic, social, and cultural dimensions. Growing consumer concerns over the impacts of global meat production and consumption have led to increasing interest in sustainability initiatives and the use of sustainability labels. Yet, an [...] Read more.
Sustainability is a complex and multifaceted concept that comprises environmental, economic, social, and cultural dimensions. Growing consumer concerns over the impacts of global meat production and consumption have led to increasing interest in sustainability initiatives and the use of sustainability labels. Yet, an understanding of what sustainability means to consumers in the context of meat and how consumers relate production-related credence attributes of chicken meat to sustainability remains limited. Between September 2019 and January 2020, an exploratory research study was conducted using a multi-method approach. Participants completed an online survey before participating in a series of eye-tracking choice tasks followed by in-depth interviews. The study revealed that the environmental dimension of sustainability is most important to consumers’ definition of a “sustainable food system”. Likewise, the sustainability of chicken meat products was most commonly associated with the perceived environmental impact of chicken meat production, followed by animal welfare aspects. Consumers made incorrect inferences about some sustainability labels and these inferences sometimes contributed to positive associations with sustainability. Consumers frequently associated a higher price with higher sustainability, indicating a belief that “doing the right thing” might cost more. This study provides new insights regarding consumers’ perceptions of production-related credence attributes and sustainability labels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agri-Food Systems)
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25 pages, 948 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Farm Fresh Food Boxes: A Hybrid Alternative Food Network Market Innovation
by Marilyn Sitaker, Jane Kolodinsky, Weiwei Wang, Lisa C. Chase, Julia Van Soelen Kim, Diane Smith, Hans Estrin, Zoe Van Vlaanderen and Lauren Greco
Sustainability 2020, 12(24), 10406; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su122410406 - 12 Dec 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4727
Abstract
Using a mixed-methods design, we evaluated Farm Fresh Food Box (F3B) a market innovation designed to expand producer markets, stabilize rural retail businesses, and improve rural food access. In the F3B model, pre-ordered Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)-style produce boxes are sold through rural [...] Read more.
Using a mixed-methods design, we evaluated Farm Fresh Food Box (F3B) a market innovation designed to expand producer markets, stabilize rural retail businesses, and improve rural food access. In the F3B model, pre-ordered Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)-style produce boxes are sold through rural retail outlets. F3B was implemented from 2016 to 2018 as part of a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-funded multi-state extension and research collaboration project in 3 geographically diverse and rural areas: Vermont, Washington, and California. The F3B evaluation aimed to (1) assess market potential; (2) determine logistics for successful implementation; (3) describe the benefits and drawbacks for farmers and retailers; and (4) measure consumers’ attitudes and purchase behavior. A national market survey indicated consumers would be likely to purchase F3B if it was perceived to offer good value on fresh local produce, without need for a subscription. The model put a few additional labor burdens on farmers and retailers, but required time for relationship-building and more record-keeping time for farmers. Those who purchased a F3B were generally satisfied with the quality, quantity and variety of produce each week and a high proportion considered F3B to be a good value for the money. As a new business innovation, F3B showed only modest profit, but retailers and farmers felt it was worthwhile to expand their customer base, promote their brand and develop their partnership. F3B began a means to address flattened growth in direct to consumer produce sales, food deserts and dwindling retail options for fresh foods in rural areas. We discuss F3B as a potential solution to food system weaknesses exposed by the COIVD-19 pandemic because it offers touch-free, high-quality local produce ready for curbside pickup at a convenient location. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agri-Food Systems)
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23 pages, 961 KiB  
Article
Using a Sensory Learning Framework to Design Effective Curricula: Evidence from Indigenous Nutrition Education Programs
by Kelly Green and Lauren Chenarides
Sustainability 2020, 12(17), 7077; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12177077 - 30 Aug 2020
Viewed by 3310
Abstract
As health disparities among Native Americans persist, promoting better health outcomes is of paramount concern among Indigenous populations. A variety of programs exist that try to alleviate problems resulting in higher rates of diet-related chronic diseases and premature death. For this study, we [...] Read more.
As health disparities among Native Americans persist, promoting better health outcomes is of paramount concern among Indigenous populations. A variety of programs exist that try to alleviate problems resulting in higher rates of diet-related chronic diseases and premature death. For this study, we collaborated with an Indigenous-led nonprofit that implemented a series of nutrition education courses designed to empower community members to make healthier food choices. The theoretically based curriculum, which provided learners with information in the form of sensory-based modules, e.g., food preparation, food handling, cultural awareness, and practical cooking skills, was introduced in various communities in the Great Plains and Southwest. The nutrition education programs were modeled after a canonical educational learning model, Bloom’s Taxonomy, designed to provide participants with information and resources necessary to make healthier food choices across three cognitive domains (i.e., tiers). We used a mixed-methods approach, coupling Principal Components Analysis with a qualitative SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis, to assess each program’s capacity to enhance learning retention, i.e., to assess the salience of information provided and the extent to which each program was more or less successful in participants’ learning. We found that course content and instruction are strongly correlated with program satisfaction. In addition, from the qualitative analysis, we found that as each successive module of the program challenged higher cognitive domains, participants were more likely to indicate satisfaction in the course material as well as state a desired change in their behavior, which we attribute to participants’ ability to synthesize and evaluate information. Aspects of this programming framework have the potential to be adapted to and integrated into other Native communities striving for the successful adoption of healthier diets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agri-Food Systems)
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