1. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
To generalise regional contexts and to investigate the nature and complexity of market imperfections, policy requirements and their implications for the sustainability and resilience of specific commodity sectors and regions across Europe, SUFISA uses a framework that relates producers’ Conditions, Strategies and Performances (CSP). A key factor influencing and mediating producer strategies and performances, is the way commodities are sold to supply chain actors, such as processing firms, traders or retailers. These selling conditions are embedded in institutional or supply chain arrangements, that is, the rules and agreements that govern exchange relationships. These arrangements can be both formal (contract, law) and informal (trust, reputation), and can consist of both private (buyer requirements) and public (policies) elements. The final conceptual framework has been presented at a stakeholder meeting in Brussels in November 2018, the final conference in Krakow (Poland) and a lunch seminar at DG AGRI in Brussels on 6 May 2019. The conceptual model will also feature in an organised session to be held at the tri-annual conference of the EAAE in Prague, August 25-18, 2020.
2. CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
The nature of conditions influencing primary producers’ strategies was investigated through desk study research, focus groups and a large-scale producer survey. An inventory of all conditions, strategies and performances and their interlinkages was completed for all case studies. This database allows the identification of cross-case patterns of how conditions, strategies and performances are linked. A producer survey was implemented in all case studies, focusing on how institutional arrangements influence producers’ strategies and performances. Results have been published for each case separately, in short policy briefs, and a comparative report and a producer survey report
3. IMPACT EVALUATION
The relation between market imperfections, efficiency variations in the sector and environmental impacts were analysed in an extended efficiency approach, while also the relationship between market power and asymmetric information was investigated.
4. SOLUTIONS AND SCENARIOS
Four food system narratives reflecting on how societal changes could affect the organisation of European food systems in different and contrasted ways, quite independently from agricultural policies and producers’ strategies were developed, based on five main variables: trade policies, global demand for agrifood products, European diets, food chains organisation, and agricultural technology. These scenarios will assist in identifying and developing robust institutional arrangements fostering producers’ performances.
5. MULTIACTOR INVOLVEMENT AND DISSEMINATION
Feedback from stakeholders was sought through a variety of methods, such as social media, videos and workshops. A booklet summarising the project’s main results has been published. All output is available on the website www.sufisa.eu.
