Consumers motivations for buying local and organic products in developing vs developed countries.

Despite numerous studies reporting on organic consumer profiles, little is known on consumers motivations for buying local and organic products. More precisely, do consumers prefer local products because they want to support local producers or do environment and the question of food miles matter in their choice ? Besides, very little is known about organic consumers in developing countries, since most surveys are generally conducted in developed countries. Our purpose is to fill this double gap. By conducting qualitative surveys based on individual interviews in four developing countries (Brazil, Egypt, Uganda and China) and two European countries, France and Denmark, we plan to study consumers choice for organic products from supermarkets, farmers markets or local organic food network respectively. Products are selected to cover examples of imported organic products that compete with comparable products of local origin. First results from Brazil and France show that French consumers are more concerned by the environment than Brazilian consumers, but that most consumers in both samples are not concerned by food miles and their subsequent environmental impacts. Results also shed light on different patterns related to commitment of supporting small or local farmers, and suggest implications for policy makers.

Nutrient content in aboveground biomass of Brazilian peanut cultivars in conservation tillage on sugarcane straw and pasture area.

Fields studies were conducted in 2004/2005 in order to evaluate the effects of tillage on nutrient content in aboveground biomass of two peanut cultivars, cultivated in rotation after mechanical harvested sugarcane and pastures. These trials were carried out in two types of soils; Oxisol and Ultisol, respectively in Ribeir?ao Preto and Mirassol, S?ao Paulo State, Brazil. The experimental design was split-plot with four replications. Tillage treatments (conventional, minimum and no-tillage) were main plots while sub-plots were peanut genotypes IAC-Tatu ST (Valencia market-type, erect growth habit, red seed coat, maturity range around 100 days after planting) and IAC-Caiap´o (Runner market-type, prostate growth habit, pink testa, maturity range more than 135 days). From 15 to 90 days after emergence, samples of leaves and stems were harvested, dried, weighted and ground to determine macro and micronutrient concentration. At 75 days after sowing, the cultivar IAC-Caiap´o showed higher contents of N, P, K, Cu, and Zn while IAC-Tatu presented higher concentrations of Ca, Mg, and S. Zn content was higher in conservation tillage than in conventional, mainly in Oxisoil for both of cultivars.

Trends in vertical movement of hexazinone herbicide considering typic eutrorthox soil of Espraiado´s stream cultivated with sugar-cane crop - local and default data scenarios.

2009

Consumers motivations for buying local and organic products in developing vs developed countries.

2008

Land quality monitoring systems that integrate local and technical knowledge contribute to sustainability valuation in agricultural landscapes.

2008