Search

Although indigenous vegetables (AIVs) have always been a staple food crop, the promotion of their production, marketing and consumption is a recent phenomenon. There is already consensus that AIVs contribute to food security by providing a variety of nutrients, while easing food insecurity tensions during periods of food shortages. This study found that the AIV producers sampled in Kenya followed sustainable production practices by predominantly using organic fertilizer and thus maximizing natural biological processes and promoting local biodiversity, both of which help improve soil fertility and environmental sustainability. In addition, the use of local seeds minimized farm expenses and the cost of non-renewable inputs. This study focused on fertilizer use, with the aim of identifying the main socioeconomic factors determining the use of different types of fertilizer among AIV farmers. The ordered probit model found that larger (in terms of household size) and better-off households were more likely to use organic fertilizer. In addition, receipt of remittances, distance to market, access to information about fertilizer application and living in a rural area increased the likelihood of organic fertilizer being used. Given the contribution of AIVs to food security and their production processes complying with sustainable production, it is recommended that their production and marketing should be promoted and scaled up.

Fresh fruit and vegetable is a dynamic and innovative industry evidencing relevant changes in the organization of inter‐firm business relationships. In the supply chain based competition environment of today’s world markets, relational approaches between the main actors of agribusiness marketing chains evolve. A decisive element for organisation of the local production and marketing system is that retailers transformed themselves from resellers of products to actors that play a critical role in product development, branding, supplier selection and distribution. The paper reports results from two case studies in Germany and Italy showing that the continuing concentration process on the distribution level as well as the management of themarketing chain exerted by the buying side interfere with the integrity of the regionally consolidated horticultural production and marketing system – characterised by close and frequent interactions between the horticulture business participants. Aim of the study is exploring the structure and coordination mechanisms of fresh‐vegetable chains in Europe on a regional level. A value‐chain approach was chosen to be the main analytical tool due to its effectiveness in explaining the distribution of tasks, risks, responsibilities and margins along the market chain. The analysis is complemented by a cluster‐approach technique to determine interdependent relationships between regional cooperation forces and the development of regional economies. The interviews of both case studies, Germany (19) and Italy (18) have been fully transcribed. The first case study was conducted in Germany, Palatinate, which is an important fresh vegetables production region. In the second case study, Italy (Emilia-Romagna and Veneto, which are important for fresh vegetables and fruit production), the existence of a fresh vegetable cluster was not that clear. Emilia‐Romagna is especially characterised by a high concentration of distribution and logistic operations related to produce coming from several areas in Italy and Europe. In the current phase of research, results of the study are still preliminary. The qualitative and time‐consuming analysis of the interviews to extract central concepts is still in progress. In a further step, after single case analysis, a cross‐case‐analysis of the concepts will be conducted to elaborate similarities and differences.

In Flanders a survey was organized in the agricultural and horticultural schools. In this survey the graduate students were questioned on what their expectations are for their professional life. Asked for their intention in the immediate future it was remarkable that 36 % of the graduate students had the intention to continue school. Of the students that will not continue their studies 17 % will work on the parental holding; this is 29 % of the students whose parents are entrepreneurs. Only 10 % of the graduates will start a new holding immediately after they finish school. In the long term 21 % of the graduate students want to take over the holding of their parents, 24 % want to start a brand new enterprise. This means that almost 50 % of the graduate students want to become an entrepreneur one day. Of these future entrepreneurs 45 % will manage an agricultural holding, 15 % will manage a horticultural holding, 23 % a landscape gardening holding and the other 17 % will manage another kind of holding. To maintain the number of holdings in Flanders 475 agricultural and 138 horticultural new holdings are needed every year. According to the study only 207 and 69 new entrepreneurs are available; this is not enough to replace all the holdings that disappear. On the other hand new holdings are larger than the average holding; to keep the total production potential of the sector less new holdings are required. For the graduate students the most important criterion for a job is a good income. On the second place, but very close to the first one is the expectation that the job would offer a varied work. To attract more future entrepreneurs it is necessary to improve the image of the sector.