In the present study the redistributive dynamics of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) subsidies in Greece are examined, identifying differential impacts of public support across farm-size categories. Smaller and medium-sized holdings absorb the majority of CAP transfers, yet larger farms record significantly higher average gross and net incomes. However, the effectiveness of these payments diverges, as gross income is most responsive to subsidies in very large farms, whereas net income responds most strongly in the smallest holdings. Decoupled payments augment gross income in larger agricultural enterprises, whereas direct payments help stabilize the net income of smaller farms. Elasticity estimates suggest that, although CAP payments support income maintenance, they also reinforce structural asymmetries. A dual function of the CAP is identified, as it operates as stabilizing factor of vulnerable farmers while disproportionately benefiting larger, more capitalized holdings.
Cocoa production sustains smallholder farmers across tropical regions, particularly in West Africa. However, its long-term sustainability faces mounting threats from climate change, insufficient infrastructure, and underinvestment. In Côte d’Ivoire, foreign agricultural aid is a key instrument for mitigating these structural constraints and strengthening the cocoa sector’s productivity and resilience. This study employs threshold regression, complemented by a machine-learning-based kernel-regularised least-squares approach, to investigate the role of foreign agricultural aid in cocoa production amid climate change, spanning 1975Q1 to 2022Q4. Our results indicate that foreign agricultural aid has a detrimental effect on cocoa production below the aid threshold but significantly stimulates production above it. Remittances enhance cocoa output in the low-aid regime but reduce it in the high-aid regime. At the same time, population growth consistently depresses production, with more potent effects under low-aid conditions. Temperature and rainfall harm cocoa production in the low-aid regime but have little or no impact in the high-aid regime. Exchange rate depreciation and cocoa cultivated area positively influence production, with their effect varying by aid level. To validate robustness, the KRLS results further corroborate the presence of nonlinear relationships and distributional heterogeneity among cocoa production determinants. Our study supports the need for climate-resilient agricultural strategies, including aid programs designed to promote agroforestry systems, drought- and heat-tolerant cocoa varieties, and investments in protective infrastructure.
Food security in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region represents a complex challenge characterized by multiple conflicting criteria and significant data uncertainty. This study proposes a novel hybrid fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework to evaluate food security performance across 13 MENA countries. The methodology integrates fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) for criterion weighting under uncertainty and fuzzy Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) for alternative ranking. The research identifies four key dimensions of food security – availability, access, utilization, and stability – with utilization emerging as the most critical factor (weight: 0.52), followed by stability (0.25), availability (0.18), and access (0.11). The results reveal a clear performance hierarchy: high-income Gulf Cooperation Council countries demonstrate superior food security, while conflict-affected nations exhibit severe vulnerabilities. The robustness of findings is validated through comparative analysis with VIKOR, PROMETHEE, and MOORA methods. The study provides dimension specific policy recommendations, emphasizing the need for tailored interventions addressing each country’s unique weaknesses in the food security framework.
This study examines the factors influencing the adoption of agroecological practices in greenhouse production using a comprehensive framework that combines economic and structural, knowledge, awareness, institutional, socio-demographic, and behavioral dimensions. Using survey data from 278 farmers, an ordered logit regression model was applied to reveal the multidimensional dynamics influencing farmers’ decision-making processes. The results suggest that adoption behavior is driven by factors such as access to information, digital connectivity, voluntary motivation, and market integration, rather than traditional indicators. Farmers who participated in agroecological training (Xae) and actively used digital tools (Xmp) were significantly more likely to switch to the higher category. It was also found that farmers who were willing to adopt practices without government support (Xga) were 10.9% more likely to achieve the highest score. Farmers who believed in the economic benefits of the practices (Xeu) had a significantly greater propensity to adopt new techniques. Conversely, barriers to adoption were also identified. Farmers producing solely for the domestic market (Xic) were 9.6% less likely to move to the higher category. This suggests that cooperatives, contract farming models, and direct sales markets are important instruments in the agroecological transition process. In addition, misconceptions about resource use and labor input (Xsu) reduce the likelihood of adoption by 4.3%. The results highlight the importance of correcting these perceptions through effective extension services and technical advice. From a policy perspective, the results of the study emphasize the need to develop integrated policy tools that include practical training, digital advisory systems, financial incentives, and strengthening market linkages. The results suggest that these approaches, supported by farmer-led strategies, will be instrumental in accelerating agroecological transition, improving environmental sustainability, and increasing the competitiveness of greenhouse agriculture.
This study estimates how fertilizer intensity, mechanization, and agricultural water dependence relate to agricultural value added in the Mediterranean, and whether marginal effects differ between North (France, Spain, Portugal) and South (Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia). Using a harmonized annual panel (2000-2024), a two-way fixed-effects production model is estimated with Driscoll–Kraay standard errors. Agricultural value added is in logs; fertilizer and tractor density enter in logs (elasticities), while water dependence (agriculture’s share of freshwater withdrawals) enters in levels (semi-elasticity). Baseline estimates show positive elasticities for fertilizer and mechanization. Allowing for water-dependence curvature and water–input interactions indicates diminishing marginal associations in water dependence and weaker marginal returns to fertilizer and mechanization at higher dependence, with economically meaningful North–South heterogeneity in mechanization responses. The results imply that input policies should be tailored to water regimes and regional production structures, and paired with water-efficiency measures where dependence is high.
This paper examines the determinants of organic olive farming adoption in Andalusia, a region where spatial disparities in uptake persist despite overall growth. Using a complete 2024 census of olive plots, linked to administrative records and spatial indicators, we estimate a multilevel logistic regression model that accounts for the hierarchical structure of the data (plots nested within farms and municipalities). The analysis reveals that adoption is strongly associated with plot characteristics (e.g., plot size, cultivar type, slope, soil quality, and distance to the nearest village), farm structure (e.g., farm size, land tenure, and farmer’s proximity to the plot), and territorial features such as institutional capacity and Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payment structures. By clarifying the agronomic, structural, and institutional drivers of adoption, the results provide a foundation for targeted policies to expand organic farming in underrepresented areas.
Climate change and agriculture are closely interrelated as the environment affects agribusiness. The latter is related to food security and Sustainable Development Goals. Therefore, this paper establishes the research framework for the climate-agribusiness link by embarking on the systematic literature review. The paper applies the bibliographic and content analysis to identify 91 studies on the relevant topics. First, we document the typology of the effects of climate change on agriculture. Then, we identify the relevant indicators for the measurement of the impact. The major models for assessment of the climate change impact on agriculture are critically discussed. The paper identifies key issues pertinent to specific regions and outlines research agenda in this regard.
The agricultural boom outside North Africa’s oases has receded in some cases due to increased land and water scarcity. Facing frontier closure, children of the settler generation negotiate their place on the family farm or as independent providers of agricultural services. We explore these negotiations and their outcomes, focusing on the strategies of 24 young individuals navigating unequal intergenerational and gendered configurations in the Ferkla oasis (Morocco). Three types of relations exist on family farms: emancipation; co-management; or submission to the elder’s authority. Four explanatory factors of these relations are foregrounded: the taker’s educational and financial resources; his capacity to seize opportunities offered by public policies; and the elder’s perception of farm viability. Asymmetric negotiations also play out around services provision, increasingly seen by young women as a pathway to autonomy. The paper highlights that young people’s involvement in agriculture is a variegated process, crucially shaped by broader patterns of land and water availability, the broader network of social relationships and the policy landscape.
Tunisia ranks among the world’s most severely water-stressed countries, and the situation is exacerbated by the intersection of several factors, including climate change and geopolitical risk. This study seeks to assess the effects of climate vulnerability and geopolitical risk on total and sectoral water use in Tunisia while controlling for economic growth, trade openness, and urbanisation. The empirical investigation covers the period 1995-2022 and is based on the novel Dynamic Autoregressive-Distributed Lag Simulations (DYNARDL) approach. The main estimation results indicate that total water use, as well as water use for the agricultural and municipal sectors, increases with rising climate vulnerability and geopolitical risk in both the short- and long-run. Simultaneously, to capture the anticipated counterfactual shock to climate vulnerability on water use, simulations over the period 2022-2042 show that water use in Tunisia will significantly react to any change in climate vulnerability, ceteris paribus. The pathways that are useful for policy are highlighted and discussed in this study.
This study investigates how agricultural support policies shape the sustainability of cotton production in Türkiye. Based on survey data collected from 657 farmers in Şanlıurfa, Aydın, Diyarbakır, Hatay, and Adana, which together account for over 80% of the country’s cotton cultivation area, an analysis was conducted using the Tobit model. The findings reveal that subsidies play a decisive role in farmers’ land allocation decisions. Increases in premium payments and input subsidies encourage producers to expand cotton cultivation, while reductions in these supports lead to contraction. Premium payments were found to have a stronger effect than input subsidies. Beyond statistical evidence, the study emphasises that farmers’ daily challenges, from land preparation to product delivery, are critical for formulating effective policies. Taking these realities into account can help policymakers design support measures that are not only economically effective but also aligned with producers’ lived experiences, thereby contributing to the long-term sustainability of the cotton sector.
This study investigates the environmental awareness, attitudes, and behavioral intentions of university students with their preferences and willingness-to-pay (WTP) for eco-friendly packaging through a hybrid method involving the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE). Survey data were obtained from 300 university students in Northern Cyprus, mainly Generation Z. Results of the SEM showed positive and significant effects of environmental awareness on purchase intention (/3 = 0.476, p = 0.017), and also marginally significant effects on perceived behavioral control (/3 = 0.231, p = 0.056). However, attitudes and subjective norms did not predict intention highly. An analysis of the discrete choice experiment using the conditional logit model revealed that price had a negative and significant effect, confirming its importance in shaping consumer trade-offs. Among the evaluated attributes, packaging material emerged as the strongest driver of choice, followed by origin. Consumers were willing to pay 7.00 TL for 100% recycled plastic, 4.88 TL for recyclable aluminum, 3.02 TL for bioplastic, 2.30 TL for carton, and 2.07 TL for locally produced options. Interaction effects showed significant negative wtp when local production was combined with 100% recycled plastic, recyclable aluminum, and bioplastic, whereas the carton & times; locally produced interaction was not significant, indicating nuanced trade-offs. Furthermore, gender effects revealed that female students exhibited higher wtp for both 100% recycled plastic and locally produced packaging. These findings provide insight on how to craft sustainable packaging and a marketing approach for youth segments towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 12-Responsible Consumption and Production.
The relationship between wine products and the concepts of quality, identity, place, typicality and terroir is rooted in a deep socio-cultural and agricultural connection. Today, that bond, once considered incontrovertible, is increasingly at risk of weakening or fading due to the impacts of Climate Change. In light of this, our study aims to explore wine growers’ perceptions of these effects and examine the adaptation strategies, both planned and already implemented, chosen by winegrowers. The phenomenon was investigated at both national and regional levels in two of the world’s most significant wine-producing countries, namely France and Italy, focusing specifically on producers in the Languedoc-Roussillon and Tuscany wine regions. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with twenty-three wine producers, revealing a high level of awareness regarding the severe climatic impacts, with coping strategies varying by region. However, these adaptive approaches often conflict with the rigid product specifications of the designations of origin, which have remained largely unchanged over time, showing limited flexibility in response to an evolving climate, society and market. In this context, the study underscores the urgent need for dynamic regulatory frameworks to support the adaptation efforts and measures developed by European wine producers.
In an era of accelerated digital transformation and growing sustainability challenges, Moroccan agricultural cooperatives are increasingly required to reinvent their practices to strengthen their competitiveness. This research examines the impact of digital capabilities on cooperative performance, focusing on the mediating role of Cooperative Business Model Innovation. Based on a quantitative approach involving a sample of 150 agricultural cooperatives and analyzed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling, the study shows that digital capabilities significantly enhance cooperative performance, both directly and indirectly through business model innovation. By integrating technologies such as smart irrigation systems, soil sensors, process automation, and digital marketing tools, cooperatives improve not only their financial outcomes but also member satisfaction and positive societal externalities. The findings confirm that business model innovation serves as a crucial strategic lever, enabling cooperatives to transform digital capabilities into sustainable value creation. This research offers practical implications for cooperative leaders and policymakers, emphasizing the need for an integrated strategy that combines digitalization and organizational transformation to boost the performance and sustainability of agricultural cooperatives in Morocco.
This study investigates the presence and temporal dynamics of speculative bubbles in T & uuml;rkiyes'citrus markets. The analysis is based on seasonal price data covering the 2000/2001 to 2023/2024 marketing years. This study employs the Supremum Augmented Dickey-Fuller (SADF) and Generalized SADF (GSADF) tests to determine whether these surges are attributable to fundamental market forces or speculative behavior. The results indicate the presence of speculative bubble episodes in citrus markets, particularly after 2020. Orange and mandarin prices exhibited persistent speculative patterns over multiple seasons, whereas lemon prices displayed shorter and more delayed bubble episodes. These findings suggest that speculative bubbles are not solely driven by supply and demand dynamics but are also significantly influenced by market uncertainty, asymmetric information, and financialization. The findings underscore the need for early warning systems, enhanced market transparency, and flexible policy interventions to mitigate the impact of speculative bubbles.
Pricing is an essential element that significantly impacts the supply chain mechanisms. The primary objective of this study is to explore the transmission of producer-to-consumer prices in the Spanish fresh tomato industry. Employing the Threshold Vector Autoregressive model, and subsequently utilizing the Generalized Impulse Response Function, we investigated the nonlinear price adjustments that occur in response to positive and negative shocks affecting both tomato prices of consumers and producers. The findings show a clear pattern of distinct reactions between segments in response to shocks. Specifically, the speed and intensity of consumer price responses to producer price shocks appear to surpass those observed when producer prices respond to consumer price shocks. Furthermore, it is evident from the current research that the behavior of producers has evolved from earlier studies that utilized outdated information, suggesting a more competitive approach. The research identifies a new trend in producer behavior within the supply chain. By analyzing tomato price fluctuations, it advances current knowledge and provides essential market insights to support informed decision-making.
Farmers in Tunisia play a critical role in ensuring food security and sustaining rural livelihoods. However, their development is constrained by multiple risks, including climate variability, market fluctuations, pest infestations, and socio-economic pressures. This study aims to (i) analyze Tunisian farmers’ perceptions of various agricultural risks, and (ii) examine the socio-demographic factors that influence these perceptions. Data were collected from 931 farmers across Central and Northwestern Tunisia using a structured survey instrument. To identify the risk dimensions, principal component analysis (PCA) was employed, which reduces data complexity by grouping correlated risk sources into interpretable components. Two main risk components were identified: natural risks and socio-economic risks. To explore factors associated with high perceived risk, a bivariate probit model was used, as the dependent variables were binary indicators of high versus low perceived risk for each component. Results show that farmers whose main activity is agriculture, younger farmers (under 40), female farmers, and those not assisted by extension services perceive higher levels of risk. Rainfed farming systems and farmer location are also associated with higher perceived risks. These findings highlight the need for targeted risk management strategies that consider farm type, demographic characteristics, and regional differences in order to support farmers and enhance agricultural efficiency in Tunisia.
This study investigates the influence of agriculture on economic growth across developed and developing countries from 2001 to 2021, emphasizing agricultural productivity, technological inputs, trade openness, and human capital formation. The study utilized fixed effects panel regression analysis for the primary analysis and employed the Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS) method as a robustness check. The analysis reveals that technological adoption measured through fertilizer use and mechanization consistently drives economic growth in both country groups. Similarly, Agricultural productivity, measured as gross value added (GVA) per agricultural worker, emerges as a critical growth driver in both the nations, where it bolsters rural incomes, stimulates domestic demand, and generates multiplier effects across sectors. Conversely, tertiary education enrollment ratio (GER) exhibits a negative correlation with growth in lower-income settings, suggesting structural mismatches between educational outcomes and labor market needs. Trade openness in agriculture presents a dual narrative: while developed nations benefit from liberalized trade through high-value exports and agribusiness investment, developing countries often face competitive disadvantages, import-driven market disruptions, and restrictive trade policies from advanced economies. These dynamics can exacerbate rural poverty and undermine local production capacity. Overall, the study underscores the complex, context-specific interactions between agriculture and economic growth, advocating for policy frameworks that align technological advancement, educational and trade systems with national development priorities.
The European agricultural sector faces growing economic, environmental, and social challenges threatening farm viability, including market volatility, climate change, and crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Adapting to these pressures requires dynamically operationalising farm resilience, yet research on resilience in EU farming systems remains limited, particularly in the case of Catalan farms. This study examines the interplay between social, economic, and environmental sustainability pillars and farm resilience using structural equation modelling for cereal, rice, grape, and olive farms in Catalonia (2012-2022). The results reveal unexpected patterns across crop types, contradicting conventional sustainability theory; specifically, economic sustainability strongly drives resilience in cereal, rice, and olive farms, while environmental factors predominantly influence grape farm resilience. Contrary to theoretical expectations, social sustainability has negative direct effects on cereal and rice resilience, while showing positive influences in the case of olive farms, challenging assumptions about universal sustainability-resilience synergies. Furthermore, the empirical models indicate strong relationships between sustainability dimensions and resilience. These findings offer a holistic, crop-specific perspective to help policymakers develop targeted resilience strategies that support sustainable agricultural development in Catalonia amid changing global conditions.
The North African region’s lagoon ecosystems face numerous challenges, including urbanization, wastewater pollution, and overexploitation, leading to socioeconomic consequences that have proven to be detrimental. Therefore, we conducted a choice experiment to assess citizens’ preferences for lagoon restoration in Tunisia and their willingness to support the EcoPact endeavor to enhance the prevailing circumstances and halter environmental degradation. This research devised two improvement scenarios and utilized a Latent Class Model to gauge citizens’ utility in a lagoon restoration. The results revealed two citizen classes, “Pro-restoration” and “Reluctant to Restore”. The majority are pro-restoration citizens willing to voluntarily pay (WTP) up to $165.58 for one-year contribution for a high-impact scenario. The other class, Reluctant to Restore, appear to recognize the value of the project’s attributes, as evidenced by their significant WTP for high-level attributes. The results showed that the aggregated benefits is very close to the required project cost for the high-impact scenario, suggesting that the project is almost viable only if the improvement is highly significant.
In the context of climate change, soil erosion constitutes a significant threat to land conservation, water security, and ecosystem functioning. The study area covers Douimis catchment located in the northern part of Tunisia. The main objectives targeted, as well as the approaches considered in this present paper are 1-to assess the impact of climate change on soil loss based on RUSLE/GIS methodology, 2-to set an adaptation plan based on a participatory approach, then 3-to study its economic viability using Net Present Value (NPV) and Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) methods. The results showed that the basin is subject to a significant soil loss of 18 t/ha/year in the current situation. The impact of climate change has increased the erosion risk by 30% in 2050. This risk has been reduced by about 40% when introducing water and soil conservation measures. The economic analysis displayed that the Douimis Basin development plan constitutes an interesting investment opportunity that deserves the attention of local and national authorities in the search for funding. This shows the usefulness of investing in landscape management to prevent the degradation of natural resources.
