Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Tamara Rudinskaya Author-Name: Tomas Hlavsa Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Agricultural Economics and Information, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Martin Hruska Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Agricultural Economics and Information, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Estimation of technical efficiency of Czech farms operating in less favoured areas Abstract: This paper deals with the technical efficiency analysis of farms in the Czech Republic. The empirical analysis provides an evaluation of technical efficiency with regard to the farm size, farm specialisation, and farm location. Accounting data of Czech farms from the Albertina database for the years 2011-2015 were used for the analysis. The data were classified by the utilised agricultural area and location of the farm expressed as a less favoured area type from the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) database. Research was conducted using the translogarithmic production function and Stochastic Frontier Analysis. The results indicate positive impact of farm size, expressed by utilised agricultural area, on technical efficiency. The analysis of the impact of farm specialisation on technical efficiency verified that farms specialised on animal production are more efficient. The lowest technical efficiency is shown by farms situated in mountainous Less Favoured Areas (LFAs), the highest technical efficiency by farms located in non-LFA regions. Keywords: agriculture, Less Favoured Areas (LFA), specialisation, Stochastic Frontier Analysis, technical efficiency Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 445-453 Volume: 65 Issue: 10 Year: 2019 DOI: 10.17221/52/2019-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/52/2019-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201910-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:65:y:2019:i:10:id:52-2019-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Enrica Iannuzzi Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy Author-Name: Roberta Sisto Author-Name: Claudio Nigro Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy Title: The willingness to consume insect-based food: an empirical research on Italian consumers Abstract: Nowadays, scholars, entrepreneurs and policy makers focus their attention on food-related health challenges, nutritional value and food safety. Among these themes, the use of processed animal protein developed from insects as alternative food source is increasingly debated. The main goal of this paper is to contribute to filling this gap with an empirical analysis focused on the willingness of Italian potential consumers to eat insect-based food. By applying the conjoint analysis technique, the study identifies the cause of consumers' reactions to novel food based on cultural bias rather than on 'neophobia in itself' or on knowledge about the product. In this new scenario, the companies operating in the food sector could reduce this bias by devising effective marketing strategies that are oriented to underline the link between consumption of insect-based food and the associated nutritional benefit. In other terms, consumption based on cultural elements can be seen as the result of a strategic dynamic process. Keywords: cultural bias, familiar food, food neophobia, insect-based food, nutritional value, sustainable attributes Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 454-462 Volume: 65 Issue: 10 Year: 2019 DOI: 10.17221/87/2019-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/87/2019-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201910-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:65:y:2019:i:10:id:87-2019-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Živilé Gedminaité-Raudoné Author-Name: Dalia Vidickiené Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Rural Development, Lithuanian Institute of Agrarian Economics, Vilnius, Lithuania Author-Name: Rita Vilké Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Rural Development, Lithuanian Institute of Agrarian Economics, Vilnius, Lithuania Title: Unused potential for Smart Specialization development through collaboration: Lithuanian case Abstract: Smart Specialization in this research is addressed to the use of collaboration as a tool for increasing efficiency of investment in entrepreneurship, research and innovation in a service-driven post-industrial economic system. This study provides evidence that collaboration potential is used only partly during the implementation of Smart Specialization strategy. The research illustrates given thesis by the evaluation of collaboration in Lithuanian biogas sector, which is listed among the priorities of Lithuania's Smart Specialization strategy till 2020, using structured interviews. The main aim of this empirical research is to assess the will to collaborate in order to enhance the development of Smart Specialization and identify unused collaboration potential among all Quadruple Helix model counterparts in the biogas sector. Empirical findings show that collaboration in the Smart Specialization development has a big potential. However, this potential is used only partly because of lack of knowledge and available business infrastructure for this task and the passive role in collaboration processes of government institutions. Research findings suggest that current situation should be changed by supporting measures for business and NGOs with the aim to encourage collaborative initiatives for Smart Specialization. Research findings might serve as guidelines for policy makers, entrepreneurs, university and NGO managers. Keywords: biogas, circular economy, post-industrial economic system, quadruple helix, service-driven economy Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 463-469 Volume: 65 Issue: 10 Year: 2019 DOI: 10.17221/98/2019-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/98/2019-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201910-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:65:y:2019:i:10:id:98-2019-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: LiHsien Chien Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Applied Economics, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan Author-Name: ShuYi Chi Title: An integrated data envelopment approach for evaluating the meat companies efficiency Abstract: The purpose of this study is to apply the assurance region (AR) concept to restrict the range of input-output weights with expert opinions in the data envelopment approach (DEA). Opinions from 34 experts were collected by a questionnaire in order to rank the importance of cost and revenue sources and measure the influence of business factors with the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP). This article suggests that a DEA with AR specification in variable weights can present realistic results to measure and rank the performance of twenty meat auction companies (MAC) in Taiwan. We categorise MACs into four groups by decomposing their two revenue sources with auction and slaughter priority and recommend the managerial strategies for each group to improve operational efficiency. This consideration is more critical for small samples or industries that are close to the spatial competitive market structure. Keywords: cluster analysis, efficiency decomposition, meat auction Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 470-480 Volume: 65 Issue: 10 Year: 2019 DOI: 10.17221/91/2019-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/91/2019-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201910-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:65:y:2019:i:10:id:91-2019-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Rizky Yanuarti Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agribusiness, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jember, Jember, Indonesia Author-Name: Joni Murti Mulyo Aji Author-Name: Mohammad Rondhi Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agribusiness, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jember, Jember, Indonesia Title: Risk aversion level influence on farmer's decision to participate in crop insurance: A review Abstract: Agricultural insurance in Indonesia is focused specifically on rice farming and is locally known as Asuransi Usahatani Padi (AUTP). To encourage farmer participation, the government subsidises farmers' cost of insurance (premium) by 80%. Despite high subsidy, AUTP is still unable to reach the coverage target. The objectives of this study are to investigate farmers' Risk Aversion Level (RAL), its influence on farmers' decision to participate in AUTP, and the effect of farmers' participation in AUTP on their income. The result of this study can contribute to enriching agriculture insurance literature from the point of view of developing countries and catalyse other studies on this matter especially in Indonesia. The analysis methods used in this study were multiple pricelist designs and propensity score matching with a logistic regression model. 130 farmers were interviewed. The results showed that farmers tend to have a high level of risk aversion (82.3% of farmers insure almost all of their land). RAL has a significant effect on farmers' decision to purchase AUTP (< 0.01). A positive value of Average Treatment on the Treated (ATT) indicated that participation in AUTP has a positive impact on farmers' income. AUTP is able to absorb production risks and encourage use of high input in farming. Keywords: agricultural insurance, propensity score matching, rice farming, risk aversion Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 481-489 Volume: 65 Issue: 10 Year: 2019 DOI: 10.17221/93/2019-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/93/2019-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201910-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:65:y:2019:i:10:id:93-2019-AGRICECON