Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Xi Chen Author-Workplace-Name: School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, P.R. China Author-Name: Kai Wang Author-Workplace-Name: College of Economics and Management, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, P.R. China Author-Name: Lirong Xing Author-Workplace-Name: College of Economics, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, P.R. China Author-Name: Jianzhen Lu Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, P.R. China Title: Nonlinear effects of bank loans on county agrifood SMEs innovation: Empirical evidence from China Abstract: Innovation is the driver of sustainable business development and is essential to promote high quality econo-mic development in the country. Are more bank loans better for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) innovation? Therefore, based on mixed cross-sectional data of county sweet potato processing enterprises, this study applied the econometric model to explore the impact of bank loans on county agrifood SMEs innovation. We find that there is an 'inverted U-shaped' relationship between bank loans and county agrifood SMEs innovation. The analysis of the mechanism shows that bank loans can not only alleviate the problem of innovation financing constraints for agrifood SMEs, but also provide financial support for the innovation activities of agrifood SMEs as a result of trade openness. This study has important practical implications for promoting county agrifood SMEs innovation in China and promoting high-quality county economic development. Keywords: bank loans, SMEs, enterprise innovation, nonlinear relationship, OLS Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 604-617 Volume: 71 Issue: 11 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/324/2024-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/324/2024-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-202511-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:71:y:2025:i:11:id:324-2024-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Baozhen Jia Author-Workplace-Name: The School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Renmin University of China, Beijing, P.R. China Author-Name: Xiqin Wang Author-Workplace-Name: The School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Renmin University of China, Beijing, P.R. China Author-Name: Bingqing Ran Author-Workplace-Name: The School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Renmin University of China, Beijing, P.R. China Author-Name: Jingao Hu Author-Workplace-Name: The School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Renmin University of China, Beijing, P.R. China Title: Analysis of the impact of farmland transfer on agricultural carbon emissions - Based on survey data from farming households in groundwater irrigation areas of Hebei Province, China Abstract: Farmland transfer is a practical need for China to achieve agricultural mechanisation and modernisation, and also an important way for farmers to optimise their family resource allocation. The existing studies ignore the impact of farmland transfer on the environment, especially carbon emissions. The practical significance of this paper lies in exploring the likely mechanisms driving the effect of the farmland transfer on agricultural carbon emissions from a microeconomic perspective using data from rural households, based on the heterogeneity of land management scale. Results show: (i) Land transfer impacts carbon emissions differently. Land transfer of small-scale farmers increases carbon emissions, while large-scale farmers reduce them. The threshold value of land management scale is 1 ha. (ii) The impact mechanisms are water-saving technology adoption and input of fertilizers and pesticides. Small-scale farmers increase fertiliser and pesticide input after land transfer, increasing carbon emissions. Large-scale farmers mostly reduce irrigation electricity consumption, as well as fertilizer and pesticide input, thus reducing agricultural carbon emissions. In conclusion, it is recommended to guide farmers to expand farmland transfer scale through subsidy policies; guide small-scale farmers' green agricultural production behaviours; and increase the adoption rate of water-saving technologies. Keywords: agricultural land transfer, carbon emissions, land management scale, water-saving technology Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 579-591 Volume: 71 Issue: 11 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/400/2024-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/400/2024-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-202511-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:71:y:2025:i:11:id:400-2024-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mahdieh Khezri Nezhad Gharaei Author-Workplace-Name: Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - Barcelona Tech (UPC), Barcelona, Spain Author-Workplace-Name: Centre de Recerca en Economia i Desenvolupament Agroalimentari UPC-IRTA (CREDA), Castelldefels, Spain Author-Name: Bouali Guesmi Author-Workplace-Name: Centre de Recerca en Economia i Desenvolupament Agroalimentari UPC-IRTA (CREDA), Castelldefels, Spain Author-Workplace-Name: University of Carthage, Mograne Higher School of Agriculture, Zaghouan, Mograne, Tunisia Author-Name: Jose Maria Gil Roig Author-Workplace-Name: Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - Barcelona Tech (UPC), Barcelona, Spain Author-Workplace-Name: Centre de Recerca en Economia i Desenvolupament Agroalimentari UPC-IRTA (CREDA), Castelldefels, Spain Author-Workplace-Name: Universidad Bío Bío, Bío Bío, Chile Title: From metrics to insights: Evaluating cereal farming sustainability in Catalonia using composite index approach Abstract: Assessing the agricultural sustainability of farms is challenging, since it involves various aspects that can change over time and differ by location. This paper develops a composite index to evaluate the sustainability of cereal farming in Catalonia, Spain. Using factor analysis, we integrate 21 indicators across economic, environmental, and social dimensions based on the Farm Accountancy Data Network (2016-2021). The results show sustainability scores ranging from 2 to 5, with larger economic s farms outperforming smaller ones by 0.4 points. Five key factors explain the variance in sustainability across farms, with profitability, benefit-cost ratio, and agri-footprint carrying the highest weights. In addition, our empirical findings indicate that subsidy dependence negatively affects the sustainability of farms, while modernisation and environmental management improvements enhance farm performance. This suggests a need for size-specific policy interventions focusing on smallholder management capacity and broader climate adaptation strategies. The methodology could offer a practical tool for monitoring sustainability progress in Mediterranean cereal production systems, and for identifying possible sources of improvements with regard to more sustainable agricultural practices. Keywords: cereal sector, factor analysis, farm level, indicator integration, sustainable performance Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 592-603 Volume: 71 Issue: 11 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/462/2024-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/462/2024-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-202511-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:71:y:2025:i:11:id:462-2024-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ernesto Mesa-Vázquez Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economic Analysis and Political Economy, Faculty of Economics and Business Sciences, University of Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain Author-Workplace-Name: Mediterranean Research Center on Economics and Sustainable Development (CIMEDES), University of Almería, Almería, Spain Author-Name: José A. Aznar-Sánchez Author-Workplace-Name: Mediterranean Research Center on Economics and Sustainable Development (CIMEDES), University of Almería, Almería, Spain Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economy and Business, Faculty of Economics and Business Studies, University of Almería, Almería, Spain Author-Name: Óscar González-Yebra Author-Workplace-Name: Mediterranean Research Center on Economics and Sustainable Development (CIMEDES), University of Almería, Almería, Spain Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Graphic Expression, Design and Projects, School of Industrial Engineering, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain Author-Name: Miguel A. Gómez-Tenorio Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agroforestry Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Almería, Almería, Spain Title: The use of the game theory in the management of agroecosystem services Abstract: Agroecosystems provide a number of ecosystem services that are essential to human well-being.  The valuation of these services by stakeholders offers important information that can be used to manage them more efficiently. In agroecosystems, individual stakeholder preferences can be heterogeneous and even opposing. This paper puts forward a novel analytical framework based on game theory to integrate the valuation of ecosystem services by different stakeholders into agroecosystem management. To illustrate it, the agricultural region of Los Vélez (south-eastern Spain) is used and three game modalities are applied (prisoner's dilemma, common-pool resource game and battle of the sexes). Results indicate that the use of game theory contributes to more effective conflict resolution between stakeholders with different interests and priorities, making it easier to reach consensus on optimal management strategies. This approach can guide policymakers in the design and implementation of socially accepted agroecosystem management policies. Keywords: decision-making, ecosystem services, management strategies, stakeholders, valuation Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 618-627 Volume: 71 Issue: 11 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/86/2025-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/86/2025-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-202511-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:71:y:2025:i:11:id:86-2025-AGRICECON