Competitiveness of the Agrofood Sector
Competitiveness is the ability to establish methods that allow competing with other actors within the same sector.
This research area focuses on the analysis of the competitiveness of agri-food chains throughout the process, from production to final consumption, thus studying both the demand and supply of food.
WHAT STRATEGIES TO CARRY OUT?
Set lower prices.
Create quality products.
Propose innovative sustainable methods.
Improve consumer satisfaction.
HOW IS IT STUDIED?
Competitiveness analysis has a multidisciplinary approach that uses technical, economic, psychological and behavioral knowledge.
In addition, several quantitative and qualitative methods are used to analyze the preferences and attitudes of the different agents in the chain, such as contingent assessments and choice experiments, both in a hypothetical and non-hypothetical context.
In order to measure the attitudes of economic agents, validated and reliable psychometric scales are used to determine the acceptance of innovations, new food production technologies or ethical problems (such as animal welfare and environmental beliefs).
RELATED PROJECTS:
Studies and Information Systems
The area of Studies and Information Systems and Value Chains is dedicated to the preparation of studies to respond to issues related to the agri-food economy.
To carry out the analyzes, we deal with a wide range of issues ranging from the design of insurance to cover farmers’ income, to the evaluation of public policies, through the analysis of value chains or the elaboration of sectoral reports, among others.
WHAT AUDIENCE ARE WE TARGETING?
Public administration.
Private sector.
Non-profit organisations (NGOs, sector associations, etc.).
Some of the entities with which we have collaborated are the Department of Agriculture and the Department of External Action of the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Agency for Food Information and Control (AICA), the Thünen Institute in Germany or the Spanish Association of Insurance Entities of Combined Agricultural Insurance (AGROSEGURO).
HOW IS IT STUDIED?
The focus of the reports is mainly quantitative, yet we incorporate qualitative analysis techniques when needed.
We offer the maximum possible flexibility to adapt to the needs of the entities that hire us, as well as an independent, rigorous work and an in-depth treatment of the issues.
For this, we have a team that is formed mostly by economists, but also by technicians from other disciplines, such as political science or agronomic engineering.
Natural Resources and Sustainability
Sustainability within the agrofood sector is based on establishing development methods in the economic, social and ecological fields that complete the needs we encounter as long as they can be suitable for future continuity.
The area of Natural Resources and Sustainability focuses on analyzing these methods within the different agricultural systems, which are agriculture, farming and fisheries, throughout their supply chain.
WHAT CHARACTERISTICS DO WE EVALUATE?
The economic evaluation of ecosystem services (benefits that an ecosystem brings to society).
The behavior of the agents involved in each chain.
The assessment of the mechanisms.
The adequacy of the policies that support each system.
The strategies adopted by smallholders (and their resilience to manage global change).
HOW IS IT STUDIED?
This work is applied in various investigations related to food losses and waste, extensive agricultural systems, agroforestry systems or the blue economy.
To do this, from CREDA we use a wide variety of methodologies from the social sciences, qualitative and quantitative.