Generation Z (Gen Z), aged 10-27, represents a pivotal cohort in shaping emerging dietary patterns, balancing convenience oriented lifestyles with cultural and familial food traditions. This study examines the determinants of Gen Z's food choices in Albania by integrating Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to explain how convenience, perceptions of traditional recipes, impulsive eating, and digital and peer influences shape eating behavior. Using data from 302 face-to-face questionnaires analyzed through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the findings show that convenience and social media significantly and positively influence food choices. In contrast, a strong attachment to traditional food negatively predicts the selection of modern and convenience based options, suggesting a value-based tension between cultural identity and contemporary consumption patterns. Impulsive eating was not a significant predictor, indicating that Gen Z's food choices may be more structured and socially influenced than purely spontaneous. The study contributes theoretically by extending SDT and TPB to a transitional food culture context and empirically by providing evidence from an underexplored Southeast European setting. The findings emphasize that food producers and policymakers should balance convenience with cultural authenticity when targeting Gen Z.
Smallholder farmers' behavioural responses to climate stress play a crucial role in determining the resilience of agri-food systems. In coastal Indonesia, rising salinity and recurrent flooding pose a significant threat to rice yields, rural livelihoods, and food security. Yet, limited research has explored how farmers actually adapt-or fail to adapt-to these climatic pressures. This study examines the social and psychological mechanisms that underline both adaptation and maladaptation, explaining why similar environmental threats elicit divergent behavioural responses. A dual-pathway behavioural model was developed by integrating four conceptual frameworks: the Theory of Planned Behaviour, Protection Motivation Theory, the Risk-Coping-Social Appraisal model, and the Model of Private Proactive Adaptation to Climate Change. Using survey data from 150 coastal rice farmers in Central Java, the study employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze relationships among attitudes, perceived social norms, adaptive efficacy, perceived vulnerability, and avoidant coping. The results indicate that subjective norms, positive attitudes, perceived vulnerability, and adaptive efficacy strongly shape adaptation intentions. Economic constraints and perceived risk severity play less significant roles. Perceived vulnerability increases adaptation when efficacy is high but contributes to disengagement when institutional support is weak. This study enhances our understanding of how farmers adapt their behaviour and suggests that group expectations and local support systems influence coping strategies. The study provides practical guidance for climate adaptation plans, emphasizing the importance of strengthening extension services, building farmers' confidence, and enhancing food system resilience.
This study examines consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for mountain wines and assesses the potential impact of extending the EU quality term "mountain product" to the wine sector. A discrete choice experiment was conducted with 256 wine consumers from the Veneto region (Italy). In the experiment, participants were presented with various wine options with different attributes, including a mountain designation, organic certification and price. The multinomial logit model was used to analyse consumer preferences and estimate WTP. The results show that consumers have a positive WTP for mountain wines, especially in combination with organic certification. Price, mountain designation and organic certification were the most influential factors in the decision-making process. In addition, environmental awareness and the perception of mountain wines had a significant impact on consumer choice. These findings provide actionable insights for policymakers and producers, highlighting the potential of the “Mountain product” label as a tool for sustainable rural development.
This study aims to elicit consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for gluten-free ramen noodles, exploring the alternative flour formulation of red kidney bean (RKB) to substitute for rice flour. Using the experimental method, first-price auction, with adult consumers as participants, truncated regression was applied to identify the WTP bids for three types of gluten-free ramen noodles. The findings reveal that the WTP bids for rice kernel- and 30% RKB flour-based ramen noodles are not significantly different, whereas consumers would pay 12.56 baht/150 g less for the 40% RKB flour item compared to the rice kernel item. The results also suggest that participants in the experiments would pay 15.452 baht/150 g less for the 40% RKB flour item compared to the 30% RKB flour item. These results underscore the 30% RKB flour is the optimal formulation for producing gluten-free ramen noodles to substitute for rice flour. This study also highlights the distinct preferences across individual characteristics and nutritional concerns, which underscores the potential for developing ramen noodles to satisfy consumer preferences beyond celiac concerns - providing food nutrition and improving well-being of consumes through dietary choices.
Societal and political voices call for stronger environmental protection, biodiversity conservation, and reduced pesticide use. Integrating digital farming technologies into farming systems like strip intercropping offers promising pathways toward more sustainable and efficient food production. The successful adoption of these innovations depends on acceptance by both farmers and consumers. To explore these intersections of technology, sustainability, and market dynamics from a consumer perspective, a discrete choice experiment (DCE) followed by consumer segmentation was conducted in Germany. The study examines preferences for different farming systems, focusing on autonomous machinery, landscape structure, food prices, and environmental factors. Sociodemographic variables, along with value- and attitude-based factors, were used to differentiate consumer segments. The study highlights social preferences for welfare-enhancing agricultural systems, such as strip intercropping, and demonstrates a societal demand for more sustainable agroecosystem outcomes, in terms of biodiversity, soil erosion prevention and reduced use of chemical-synthetic pesticides. Results show that the balance between environmental benefits and agricultural technology differs markedly across four consumer segments, underscoring the need to integrate ecological and technological dimensions in communication and policy for enhancing consumer acceptance and support sustainable transitions in agriculture.
The paper focuses on the analysis of meat consumption patterns and the level and structure of consumption of individual types of meat, on segmenting consumers according to consumption patterns and determining the key factors affecting meat consumption. The study is based on data obtained through an electronic questionnaire survey conducted in 2020 on a sample of 1,409 Slovak consumers. Descriptive statistics, cluster analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to process the data. The results indicate a relatively high overall meat consumption, but with an unbalanced structure between individual types of meat. Based on these consumption patterns, four consumer segments were identified: consumers preferring poultry meat, consumers with a high consumption of all types of meat, consumers oriented mainly towards pork meat and consumers combining poultry meat and pork meat. The analysis of factors affecting meat consumption identified three main components. The first component represents a key factor, including items such as freshness, quality, aroma, meat content, appearance, country of origin, perishability, previous experiences, price, producer and health aspects. The second component represents a composition factor, consisting of factors related to nutritional attributes. The last component is a sales and promotion factor, related to product availability, packaging, and marketing attributes. The study provides insights for the food and meat processing industry in creating targeted marketing strategies related to health and sustainable aspects of consumption, as well as for public policymakers. Results also contribute to expanding the existing theoretical framework in the field of consumer behavior.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how consumers in credence-based markets search for, interpret, and trust product information. In the wine sector, where authenticity and quality depend on symbolic and experiential cues, AIdriven recommendation systems increasingly act as new intermediaries. This paper develops a conceptual framework explaining how consumers perceive algorithmic expertise and form trust in AI-generated wine recommendations. Integrating theories of information asymmetry, signalling, source credibility, and trust in automation, the framework identifies AI transparency and source framing as key drivers of perceived expertise and trustworthiness. These perceptions, moderated by literacy, cultural orientation, and risk, influence purchase intention and reliance on AI advice. The study highlights AI as both a signalling and screening institution that can reduce but also redistribute information asymmetries in agri-food markets. The paper concludes with methodological and policy directions for ensuring transparent and consumer-centred AI adoption in the food and wine industries.
Climate change poses a significant challenge to agriculture in the Mediterranean region, generating multiple food-related concerns. Wild edible plants (WEPs) may represent a partial solution as they provide a valuable genetic resource and possess notable nutritional properties. However, realising their full market potential is dependent on consumer knowledge. This study aimed to develop a scale for assessing consumers' objective knowledge of WEPs and to identify consumer segments based on that knowledge. Data were collected from consumers shopping at farmers' markets in Istria County, Croatia. The results suggested that consumers possess only basic knowledge of WEPs. They were very familiar with wild asparagus and least familiar with purslane, followed by sea fennel. Cluster analysis identified three distinct segments: high-knowledge, moderate-knowledge, and low-knowledge WEP consumers. These segments differed significantly in terms of gender, dietary restrictions, prior purchase of WEPs, household size, attitudes toward WEPs, and perceptions of the impact of climate change on WEPs.
Natural wines have garnered increasing attention from healthconscious and environmentally aware consumers, thereby carving out a distinct niche within the broader wine market. This study adopts the Contingent Valuation method and the Van Westendorp Price Sensitivity Meter to explore consumer willingness to pay and the acceptable price range for natural wine (hereinafter: NW), verify the convergence of results, and investigate which consumer attributes influence the economic appreciation for this beverage. An online survey was conducted on a sample of 370 Italian wine enthusiasts and experts. The results indicate a reasonable level of consumer awareness of the economic value of the NW, despite their willingness to pay a lower price for this beverage. Age, individuals' income status and product market price have a positive impact on the willingness to pay for NW. Conversely, the effects of the level of education, naturalness attitude, and wine consumption habits are not significant. The results could support the efforts of the wineries to develop adequate pricing strategies for gaining a competitive advantage and expanding their market share.
Information on the provision of ecosystem services has the potential to contribute to an integrative food labeling framework. This study examines that potential by explicitly communicating ecosystem services provided by agricultural producers. The research analyzes how different label formats- ranging from generic references to ecosystem services to specific indicators-influence consumer preferences. An on field Discrete Choice Experiment was conducted with 552 Italian consumers of extra virgin olive oil. A Latent Class Model identified consumer heterogeneity, and to address the endogeneity of environmental attitudes in class allocation, a two-stage Control Function approach was applied. Two consumer segments emerged. The first, showed a consistently higher and statistically significant willingness to pay for sustainability attributes. Their willingness to pay increased with the level of informational detail. However, a negative halo effect was observed when ecosystem services labels appeared alongside organic certification, suggesting a perception of redundancy. The second segment was more price-sensitive and resistant to additional information. From a policy perspective, the results indicate how ecosystem service labeling strategies, particularly when linked to measurable environmental outcomes, can stimulate market-based incentives.
This study examines the state of digital agriculture in the Republic of Armenia, a sector characterized by small farm sizes, extensive production models, and limited financial capacity. Using a stratified sample of 400 farms, the research assesses the extent of digital technology adoption, key obstacles, and the determinants of digital penetration. Descriptive findings reveal low adoption rates across most digital tools, driven by high costs, limited awareness, insufficient digital literacy, and skepticism toward digital practices. To provide a more rigorous empirical assessment, a Tobit regression model was applied. The results show that all included variables significantly influence digital adoption, with farm size exerting the strongest positive effect, underscoring the importance of economies of scale. Education, income, production orientation, production model, and age also significantly shape adoption likelihood. The combined descriptive and econometric evidence indicates that the discussed digital gap is largely rooted in structural limitations, particularly the prevalence of very small farms. The study concludes by recommending targeted policies (land consolidation, financial assistance, and farmer training) to support a more modern, efficient, and digitally integrated agricultural sector.
The integration of economic development with environmental protection forms a crucial foundation for the sustainable development of society. In this context, Green Human Resource Management Practices (GHRM practices) activities play a bridging role in helping organizations improve sustainable performance while meeting the demands of customers, society, and environmental protection. This not only brings practical benefits to businesses in the agricultural sector but also significantly contributes to global sustainable development. Through a survey of 400 employees in the agricultural sector and utilizing Smart PLS software for data analysis, the study demonstrates that Green Human Resource Management Practices positively impacts sustainable performance through two mediating factors: Green Innovation and Green Culture. These results provide an important practical basis to support managers and policymakers in the agricultural sector in building competitive advantages while creating long-term value for organizations and society. The findings offer actionable insights for implementing specific GHRM practices such as green recruitment, training, and performance assessment to enhance sustainable performance in Vietnam's agricultural context.
This review examines the role of pasture-based livestock systems in promoting agri-environmental sustainability across four key dimensions: biodiversity, water-use efficiency, carbon cycle, and animal welfare. Despite growing political and scientific interest in extensive grazing, the existing literature remains fragmented and limits a comprehensive understanding of grazing’s multidimensional impacts. To address this gap, we conducted a review of studies published between 2010 and 2025, following the Cochrane Handbook and applying the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) framework. The analysis focused exclusively on studies conducted in Europe to explore the state of the art on the topic and analyze future policy implications. The results indicate that moderate and well-managed grazing improves biodiversity, increases water-use efficiency, and promotes soil carbon sequestration, especially through rotation practices and tree integration. Access to pasture improves animal welfare, although outcomes vary depending on infrastructure and environmental conditions. The review emphasizes the need for integrated approaches that combine traditional knowledge, environmental design, and precision tools to maximize the sustainability of grazing systems.
This study provides a comprehensive examination of the environmental consequences of foreign direct investment (FDI) within Vietnam's agri-food sector, focusing on the tension between agricultural expansion and carbon emission control. In the context of rising global climate concerns, the analysis examines how FDI inflows affect CO2 emissions, while considering agricultural structural transformation, economic development, and trade openness. The results indicate that FDI significantly increases CO(2 )emissions, primarily through scale expansion and structural shifts toward emission-intensive agricultural activities. The findings underscore agricultural industrial restructuring as a crucial transmission channel. The study contributes both theoretically and practically by offering policy recommendations aimed at steering FDI toward cleaner agricultural development pathways and supporting Vietnam's transition toward a low-carbon and climate-resilient agri-food system.
Northeast India boasts a long history of large-scale tea estates dating back to the colonial era. Assam is India's largest tea production area and contributes over half of India's tea products. The backbone of this industry is the tea tribe women who are tea pluckers. Despite their crucial role, these women face significant economic, social, and political challenges that need greater empowerment. Meanwhile, tea production in Thailand has expanded significantly because of increasing domestic consumption. This research employs qualitative methods to explore economic diversification and tea supply chains in Northeast India and northern Thailand, with a focus on enhancing women's resilience. Data were collected via indept h interviews with 27 key informants in Assam, India, and 25 participants in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, Thailand, between May 2022-December 2024. Open coding and manual categorization are employed to organize and interpret narrative analysis based on diversification concepts. The study found that women workers in Assam rely solely on tea plucking, earning low wages due to a lack of educational opportunities and double-burden circumstances, compared to women in Thailand, who have more flexibility through diversified livelihoods. Assam requires multi-stakeholder collaboration in both vertical and horizontal diversification.
Safeguarding water resources has become a strategic need to maintain the viability of agricultural operations, which are significantly reliant on water accessibility. The urgency of this requirement is amplified by the manifest effects of climate change, necessitating the implementation of specific solutions to improve irrigation system efficiency and foster sustainable use of water resources. This research seeks to conduct an ex-post analysis of irrigation investments in the Po River Basin District, Italy’s most important agricultural area and one of the most irrigated in Europe, examining their sustainability by developing indicators that include technical, environmental, and social dimensions. The analysis examines interventions devised and executed by land reclamation and irrigation consortia, primarily targeting irrigation – including multipurpose reservoirs – as well as those directed towards environmental protection and the preservation of land and agricultural productivity amid instability. Preliminary findings underscore the role of both current and prospective investments in enhancing the overall efficiency of the region. The research offers valuable insights for policymakers, affirming the critical importance of investments in irrigation infrastructure for enhancing the resilience and longterm sustainability of agriculture and the national water system.
This study explores the factors that influence Vietnamese university students' food choices when it comes to products containing non-nutritive sweeteners (NNSs). Drawing on consumer behavior theory and insights from focus group discussions, a conceptual model was developed with five independent variables - Health Perception, Acceptance, Product Properties, Beliefs, and Availability - and one dependent variable - Food Choice. A survey was then conducted both online and offline with 1,849 responses and further reduced to 936 valid responses after two rounds of data cleaning. Data from the survey were analyzed for reliability, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modeling (SEM). The results confirmed a good model fit with strong convergent and discriminant validity. Three factors significantly influenced food choices were: Acceptance (beta = 0.463), Health Perception (beta = 0.235), and Availability (beta = 0.141), with Acceptance being the most influential. These findings offer valuable insights for businesses and organizations aiming to promote NNS-containing products more effectively. Understanding the key drivers behind students' food choices can help stakeholders tailor their products and communication strategies to better meet consumer needs and encourage healthier dietary habits.
This article aims to examine the scenario of credit granting and default among rural producers in the state of Rondônia between the years 2020 and 2024. The research is quantitative and descriptive, based on secondary data and document analysis concerning the management and operations of Banco da Amazônia (Bank of the Amazon) related to the Constitutional Fund for Financing the North (FNO). The results show that approximately 4.5 billion reais and 16,689 loans were granted during the period under study, of which 9,239 were allocated for operating expenses and 5,116 for investment purposes. It was found that default rates are low, since only 282 contracts (1.69% of the total) had overdue installments. It is also noteworthy that 10 municipalities in Rondônia, out of a total of 52, concentrate 48.48% of the credit contracts and 62.75% of the total credit amount granted. The study concludes that rural credit provides producers with resources to finance their activities and invest in infrastructure, innovation, and technology, enabling them to increase production, productivity, employment, and income, as well as improve living conditions in rural areas. These findings contribute to the understanding of the dynamics of rural credit allocation and default, providing insights for future research and for policies aimed at improving the rural credit system in the state.
Climate change is forcing a fundamental revision of water management in agriculture, particularly in Mediterranean viticulture. In Italy, rising average temperatures, irregular rainfall patterns, and the frequent occurrence of extreme events are reducing water availability and quality, compromising both yields and the quality of grape and wine production. This study presents a technical and scientific analysis of the current state of irrigation in Italian vineyards, integrating data from the 7th General Agricultural Census by ISTAT (2020) with information from the SIGRIAN system, and adopting a geospatial approach to estimate the actual water requirements of grapevines. Furthermore, the benefits of Regulated Deficit Irrigation (RDI) are explored as a means to increase water use efficiency without compromising enological parameters. The results highlight significant territorial differences in water needs and irrigation management, underscoring the necessity for adaptive policies and site-specific technologies.
