Search

This paper examines the link between formalisation of charcoal institutions and livelihood outcomes in Central- and West Africa. The woodfuel trade generally commenced informally, little controlled by legal or bureaucratic means. Developing formal institutions is often considered as a way of managing charcoal production more sustainably. However, formalisation can have adverse effects for charcoal producers and traders when this hinders their capacity to access the resource or markets. In order to assess the relations between the formalisation of charcoal institutions and socio-economic outcomes for those involved, this study combines a value chain and livelihoods perspective. A review of case studies and empirical data show that (1) West African countries, with a longer history of dealing with woodfuel issues, have more formal mechanisms in place to deal with charcoal management and these are more embedded into cross-sectorial energy and environmental policies; (2) Despite regulatory mechanisms dealing with woodfuel in all countries, institutions are mainly embedded in informal institutions and based upon customary rules, which allows large numbers of actors to be involved, but also leads to substantial unsustainable and unofficial production, corrupt practises and loss of tax revenues; (3) Formal mechanisms can have negative consequences, such as: conflicts of interests over tax revenues, difficulties in avoiding ‘free riders’ from sustainable management initiatives, and disproportional benefits reaped by more powerful urban-based actors. Comparing the West African countries with Central African countries where attention is relatively new, indicates that conditions for successful charcoal institutions are: devolving power and responsibilities for woodfuel management to a local level, monitoring woodfuel trade, (tax) incentives for sustainably produced charcoal and reinvesting taxes in social and environmental aims.

Bamboo is a well know and versatile material, which is a common sight across Cameroon's diverse ecosystems, from dry to humid tropical and Afromontane forests. Its numerous uses range from storage jars to decorating restaurant-bars, beehives to knives, fences, fodder, and fuel. Responding to the paucity of data on species and uses, the value chain for bamboo in Cameroon was analyzed. Based on 171 interviews and field observations, two African indigenous species (alpine Yushania alpina and savannah Oxytenanthera abyssinica) and exotic (Bambusa vulgaris spp.) bamboos were identified as most utilized. They were tracked from major production zones to final consumers. The ecological, socio-economic, institutional, and governance contexts and impacts are described and analyzed. Issues for research, conservation, and development are highlighted. These include the ambiguous regulatory status, the relationship between tenure and management, threats and conservation of African species and options to increase the sustainable livelihoods for stakeholders dependent upon bamboo.

This paper examines the institutional framework of artisanal mining in the forests of the Sangha Tri-National Landscape (TNS) in the Congo Basin. Artisanal miners in Cameroon and the Central African Republic (CAR) commonly make sacrifices to their god of diamonds, to improve fortunes. This study looks into ‘the other forces’; institutions that play a role in shaping the sector and its outcomes. These institutions comprise formal and informal institutions at a local, national, regional and international level. Although artisanal miners in TNS benefit by gaining cash income, this activity also carries risks as income is highly disparate and environmental impacts in this priority forest conservation area are expected to increase due to the growing competition over land use. It was concluded from a literature review, interviews and site visits that informal arrangements dominate the sector, especially in Cameroon, leading to poor relations between officials and miners and meaning that miners have few rights and no voice. The current institutional setup is inadequate to deal with current and anticipated social and environmental issues. Future interventions need to take into account the existing (local) types of organization, vulnerable groups, the interests of multiple actors and the fact that most miners are experienced but combine mining with other activities, such as agriculture, fishing and harvesting forest products. African initiatives concerning ASM offer opportunities to Cameroon and CAR to collaborate with other countries to combat similar issues. A regional integrated approach of both the forest and mining sector would be especially relevant for trans-boundary agreements, such as concerning the TNS, to reinforce positive outcomes for the landscape and the area's population.

While mineral exploitation can provide significant income and employment, it may negatively impact the environment, being ultimately detrimental to livelihoods in the long term. The consequences of mining are of concern in high value forest ecosystems such as the Sangha Tri-National (TNS) landscape covering Cameroon, the Central African Republic and Republic of the Congo. This paper captures the socio-economic and environmental impacts of small-scale mining in the TNS. Using structured questionnaires, consultations and observation, diamonds and gold were found to contribute directly to the livelihoods of at least 5% of the landscape's population. Although up to eight income-generating strategies are used, mining contributes on average to 65% of total income and is used mainly to meet basic needs. A gold miner's average income is US$ 3.10 a day, and a diamond miner earns US$ 3.08, making them slightly wealthier than an average Cameroonian and three times wealthier than an average non-miner in the TNS. Environmental impacts were temporary, low impact and of limited scale. However, with mining likely to increase in the near future, an increasing population and miners' low environmental awareness, measures are needed to ensure and reinforce the positive impact of artisanal mining on livelihoods and maintain its low environmental footprint in the TNS landscape.

Campylobacter bacteria are an important cause of foodborne infections. We estimated the potential costs and benefits of a large number of possible interventions to decrease human exposure to Campylobacter by consumption of chicken meat, which accounts for 20-40% of all cases of human campylobacteriosis in the Netherlands. For this purpose, a farm-to-fork risk assessment model was combined with economic analysis and epidemiological data. Reduction of contamination at broiler farms could be efficient in theory. However, it is unclear which hygienic measures need to be taken and the costs can be very high. The experimental treatment of colonized broiler flocks with bacteriophages has proven to be effective and could also be cost efficient, if confirmed in practice. Since a major decrease of infections at the broiler farm is not expected in the short term, additional measures in the processing plant were also considered. At this moment, guaranteed Campylobacter-free chicken meat at the retail level is not realistic. The most promising interventions in the processing plant are limiting fecal leakage during processing and separation of contaminated and noncontaminated flocks (scheduling), followed by decontamination of the contaminated flock. New (faster and more sensitive) test methods to detect Campylobacter colonization in broilers flocks are a prerequisite for successful scheduling scenarios. Other methods to decrease the contamination of meat of colonized flocks such as freezing and heat treatment are more expensive and/or less effective than chemical decontamination.

A sectoral market model and a stochastic epidemiological model were used to simulate the effects of classical swine fever (CSF) epidemics in the Netherlands in 1997-1998. Compulsory EU control measures were implemented. Welfare changes of Dutch stakeholders, as well as government costs, were calculated. In a medium-sized epidemic without export restrictions, pig producers' surplus increased by Euro 502 million, but producers within quarantine areas lost. Consumer surplus fell by Euro 552 million. With a ban on live pig exports, pig producers collectively lost whereas consumers gained or experienced only a small loss. Government costs were lower when exports were banned, although net welfare losses were higher. Net welfare losses increased more than proportionately with epidemic size.

The effects of additional measures adopted during a classical swine fever (CSF) epidemic to reduce piglet supply, namely, an insemination ban, abortion of sows and killing of young piglets, are studied using a stochastic, spatial, dynamic epidemiological simulation model of the pig sector in the Netherlands. The piglet supply derived from the epidemiological model is used as input for a sector-level market and trade model that simulates the pig market in the Netherlands. Changes in the economic welfare of different stakeholders are measured, as is the net welfare effect for the economy in the Netherlands. Sensitivity analysis is performed on parameters such as destruction capacity constraints and the duration of the high-risk period. Additional measures to reduce piglet supply are found to have no epidemiological impact, but they do involve larger economic welfare changes for stakeholders and a larger net welfare loss for the economy in the Netherlands. These findings do not support the use of the additional measures. Moreover, sensitivity analysis shows that such measures do not solve the problem of a shortage in rendering capacities

In this report the Agricultural Economics Research Institute (LEI), an independent research institute of Wageningen UR (University and Research) in the Netherlands, presents the results of a study on the competitiveness of the EU poultry meat sector. The production costs for poultry meat are calculated for several EU and non-EU countries. Based on these data, several scenarios are described and their effect is calculated to illustrate the impact of lower import levies and changes in exchange rates.

The horticulture and propagation materials sector has been designated as one of the so-called top sectors in which the Netherlands excels globally and that are a government priority. The top sector approach for further innovation is based on public-private partnerships (PPPs) in which businesses, knowledge institutes and the (national) government are working closely together towards a common vision and action plans (the 'golden triangle'). This paper introduces the Digital Greenport Holland (Dutch: Tuinbouw Digitaal) and its research and innovation programme ‘a Smarter Greenport’. Digital Greenport Holland is the PPP of the horticultural top sector that focuses on digital information management. The business involvement consists of the collaboration between three active industry associations for chain information, i.e. Frug I Com (fruit and vegetables), Floricode (flowers and plants) and EDIbulb (flower bulbs). The activities focus on four main themes: E-standards, E-information-integration, E-business-to-government and E-competence. The programme ‘a Smarter Greenport’ has currently conducted eight projects on these themes., Proceedings in Food System Dynamics, Proceedings in System Dynamics and Innovation in Food Networks 2014

This paper explores the possibilities of making meaningful comparisons of the veterinary use of antimicrobial agents among countries, based on national total sales data. Veterinary antimicrobial sales data on country level and animal census data in both Denmark and the Netherlands were combined with information about estimated average dosages, to make model calculations of the average number of treatment days per average animal per year, at first based on the assumption that the treatment incidence is the same in all species and production types. Secondly, the exposure in respectively animals for meat production and dairy and other cattle (excluding veal and young beef) was estimated, assuming zero use in the dairy and other cattle, and thirdly by assuming respectively 100% oral and 100% parenteral administration. Subsequently, the outcomes of these model calculations were compared with treatment incidences calculated from detailed use data per animal species from the national surveillance programmes in these two countries, to assess their accuracy and relevancy.In Denmark and in the Netherlands, although the computed antimicrobial exposure would seem to be a reasonable estimation of the exposure for all animals as a whole, it differs significantly from the measured exposure for most species. The differences in exposure among animal species were much higher than the overall difference between the two countries. For example, the overall model estimate of 9 treatment days per year for Denmark is a severe overestimation of the true use in poultry (i.e. 3 days), and the overall model estimate of 13 treatment days per year for the Netherlands is a severe underestimation of the true use in veal calves (i.e. 66 days).The conclusion is that simple country comparisons, based on total sales figures, entail the risk of serious misinterpretations, especially if expressed in mg per kg. The use of more precise model calculations for making such comparisons, taking into account differences in dosages and in farm animal demographics, only slightly reduces this risk. Overall model estimates are strongly influenced by animal demographics and a very inaccurate indication of the true differences in exposure, per animal species. To get an appropriate certainty about the true differences in antimicrobial exposure between countries it is an absolute necessity to have reliable information about the use per animal species.

EU poultry meat producers have to comply with legislation on environmental protection, animal welfare and food safety. This legislation has increased the production costs of poultry meat. At the same time the EU is negotiating with other countries or groups of countries to liberalise trade in agricultural products. This report examines how lowering import levies impacts the competitiveness of the EU poultry industry. The results show that the offer price of broiler breast fillet in 2011 of some third countries was already below the average EU price. Despite the current import levy on breast fillet, these third countries can be competitive in the EU market. In a scenario with 50% lower import levies and no additional levy, Brazil, Argentina, the USA, Ukraine and Thailand have a lower offer price for breast fillet than the EU poultry meat industry.

EU poultry meat producers have to comply with legislation on environmental protection, animal welfare and food safety. This legislation has increased the production costs of poultry meat. At the same time the EU is negotiating with other countries or groups of countries to liberalise trade in agricultural products. This report examines how lowering import levies impacts the competitiveness of the EU poultry industry. The results show that the offer price of broiler breast fillet in 2011 of some third countries was already below the average EU price. Despite the current import levy on breast fillet, these third countries can be competitive in the EU market. In a scenario with 50% lower import levies and no additional levy, Brazil, Argentina, the USA, Ukraine and Thailand have a lower offer price for breast fillet than the EU poultry meat industry.

European food safety legislation allows for a new type of meat inspection in swine. This ‘risk-based meat inspection without incision’ or ‘supply chain meat inspection’ (SCMI) uses food chain information to derive a veterinary prognosis on the pigs’ health prior to delivery to the slaughterhouse and allows for visual inspection of pig carcasses. Slaughter companies who want to implement SCMI must develop their risk-based system and have it approved by the competent authority. In the Dutch-German border region, slaughter companies implementing SCMI and suppliers delivering pigs in such a system have to consider the prerequisites of a number of competent authorities. In turn competent authorities have to cope with the special conditions and requirements of a cross border economic region. Within the INTERREG-IV-A project SAFEGUARD issues were addressed that arise from the conduct of SCMI in a cross border context. The main objective was to elaborate an up-to-date comparison between Germany and the Netherlands. We used an iterative approach of collecting information from project partners, external experts and scientific literature and providing feedback to the project group during a number of meetings and workshops. We discovered, among others, important differences in ‘involvement of private parties’, ‘data exchange and communication’ and ‘use of epidemiological data’. We conclude that the existence of SCMI systems using different ‘epidemiological data’ from the holding is a barrier to inter-company acceptance of finishing pigs for slaughter. Further, current systems of data exchange fail to give a complete picture of a farm’s health if farms switch deliveries between slaughterhouses. We suggest, that data exchange of food chain information and meat inspection results should be reorganized and harmonized. Further research is needed to assess economic consequences of these issues.

Report within SAFEGUARD work package 3.1, Final Version 2012-08-17

Report within SAFEGUARD work package 3.1, Final Version 2012-08-17

The objective of this study is to obtain detailed insight into the trends in the exposure of farm animals to antibiotics. This is done by monitoring both overall sales data at the national level and usage data per animal species: pigs, poultry, veal calves, other cattle and sheep.

European food safety legislation allows for a new type of meat inspection in swine. This ‘risk-based meat inspection without incision’ or ‘supply chain meat inspection’ (SCMI) uses food chain information to derive a veterinary prognosis on the pigs’ health prior to delivery to the slaughterhouse and allows for visual inspection of pig carcasses. Slaughter companies who want to implement SCMI must develop their risk-based system and have it approved by the competent authority. In the Dutch-German border region, slaughter companies implementing SCMI and suppliers delivering pigs in such a system have to consider the prerequisites of a number of competent authorities. In turn competent authorities have to cope with the special conditions and requirements of a cross border economic region. Within the INTERREG-IV-A project SAFEGUARD issues were addressed that arise from the conduct of SCMI in a cross border context. The main objective was to elaborate an up-to-date comparison between Germany and the Netherlands. We used an iterative approach of collecting information from project partners, external experts and scientific literature and providing feedback to the project group during a number of meetings and workshops. We discovered, among others, important differences in ‘involvement of private parties’, ‘data exchange and communication’ and ‘use of epidemiological data’. We conclude that the existence of SCMI systems using different ‘epidemiological data’ from the holding is a barrier to inter-company acceptance of finishing pigs for slaughter. Further, current systems of data exchange fail to give a complete picture of a farm’s health if farms switch deliveries between slaughterhouses. We suggest, that data exchange of food chain information and meat inspection results should be reorganized and harmonized. Further research is needed to assess economic consequences of these issues.

During the period 2009-2011 the total sales of antibiotics dropped nearly 32%, from 495 tonnes in 2009 to 338 tonnes in 2011 (FIDIN, 2012). This far exceeds the policy objective for 2011 set by the Dutch government, i.e., a 20% reduction in antibiotic use compared with 2009. Survey data on antibiotic use per animal species indicate a decrease in all five livestock sectors examined in 2011.

The objective of this study is to obtain detailed insight into the trends in the exposure of farm animals to antibiotics. This is done by monitoring both overall sales data at the national level and usage data per animal species: pigs, poultry, veal calves, other cattle and sheep.

During the period 2009-2011 the total sales of antibiotics dropped nearly 32%, from 495 tonnes in 2009 to 338 tonnes in 2011 (FIDIN, 2012). This far exceeds the policy objective for 2011 set by the Dutch government, i.e., a 20% reduction in antibiotic use compared with 2009. Survey data on antibiotic use per animal species indicate a decrease in all five livestock sectors examined in 2011.

While mineral exploitation can provide significant income and employment, it may negatively impact the environment, being ultimately detrimental to livelihoods in the long term. The consequences of mining are of concern in high value forest ecosystems such as the Sangha Tri-National (TNS) landscape covering Cameroon, the Central African Republic and Republic of the Congo. This paper captures the socio-economic and environmental impacts of small-scale mining in the TNS. Using structured questionnaires, consultations and observation, diamonds and gold were found to contribute directly to the livelihoods of at least 5% of the landscape's population. Although up to eight income-generating strategies are used, mining contributes on average to 65% of total income and is used mainly to meet basic needs. A gold miner's average income is US$ 3.10 a day, and a diamond miner earns US$ 3.08, making them slightly wealthier than an average Cameroonian and three times wealthier than an average non-miner in the TNS. Environmental impacts were temporary, low impact and of limited scale. However, with mining likely to increase in the near future, an increasing population and miners' low environmental awareness, measures are needed to ensure and reinforce the positive impact of artisanal mining on livelihoods and maintain its low environmental footprint in the TNS landscape.

The information presented on the MARAN website is based on a collation of data from ongoing surveillance systems on the sales and use of antimicrobial agents in animal husbandry in the Netherlands.

The objective of this study is to obtain detailed insight into the exposure of farm animals to antibiotics, by monitoring both sales data at the national level and more specifically data per animal species. The results of the study can be used by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation for policy evaluation. In addition, the usage data might play a role in explaining trends in resistance that have become apparent.

This chapter presents the AGMEMOD computer framework, introduces the reader to the available software and explains how to use this software. The technical aspects of building the AGMEMOD database, the generation and use of the computer model and the solving of the AGMEMOD model are presented in detail. This chapter can be used as a guideline for readers who are interested in the operational version of the AGMEMOD model.

The objective of this study is to obtain detailed insight into the exposure of farm animals to antibiotics, by monitoring both sales data at the national level and more specifically data per animal species. The results of the study can be used by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation for policy evaluation. In addition, the usage data might play a role in explaining trends in resistance that have become apparent.

The information presented on the MARAN website is based on a collation of data from ongoing surveillance systems on the sales and use of antimicrobial agents in animal husbandry in the Netherlands.

The effectiveness of different control strategies against Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) were investigated using epidemiological and economic models. A quick and large-scale vaccination within a radius of at least 2km is as effective as preemptive 1-km ring culling to mitigate FMD epidemics. Control measures should primarily target cattle farms. After the epidemic, most seropositive animals are expected on sheep farms and vaccinated cattle farms. An effective end-screening strategy should focus on these farms. Market acceptance by trade partners of products of vaccinated animals can limit the economic consequences of outbreaks of FMD. De effectiviteit van bestrijdingstrategieën tegen Mond-en-Klauwzeer (MKZ) is onderzochtmet behulp van epidemiologische en economische modellen. Het blijkt dat snelle en op grote schaal toegepaste vaccinatie in een straal van 2 km rond geïnfecteerde bedrijven net zo effectief is als ruimen in een straal van 1 km rond geïnfecteerde bedrijven bij het bestrijden van MKZ-uitbraken. Controlemaatregelen moeten vooral worden gericht op rundveebedrijven. Na de epidemie zijn de meeste seropositieve dieren te verwachten. De eindscreening zal zich op schapenbedrijven en gevaccineerde rundveebedrijven moeten richten. Acceptatie door internationale handelspartners van producten van gevaccineerde dieren kan de economische gevolgen van een uitbraak van MKZ beperken.

The effectiveness of different control strategies against Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) were investigated using epidemiological and economic models. A quick and large-scale vaccination within a radius of at least 2km is as effective as preemptive 1-km ring culling to mitigate FMD epidemics. Control measures should primarily target cattle farms. After the epidemic, most seropositive animals are expected on sheep farms and vaccinated cattle farms. An effective end-screening strategy should focus on these farms. Market acceptance by trade partners of products of vaccinated animals can limit the economic consequences of outbreaks of FMD.