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Community Supported Agriculture Farmers’ Perceptions of Management Benefits and Drawbacks

Author

Listed:
  • Antonella Samoggia

    (Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, 40125 Bologna, Italy)

  • Chiara Perazzolo

    (Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, 40125 Bologna, Italy)

  • Piroska Kocsis

    (Department of Vegetable and Mushroom Growing, Szent István University, 1118 Budapest, Hungary)

  • Margherita Del Prete

    (Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, 40125 Bologna, Italy)

Abstract

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a direct partnership between producer(s) and a group of consumers/members to share the risks and responsibilities of farming activities. CSA aims at producing and providing environmentally, socially, economically, and nutritionally sustainable food. Past research has focused on CSA members’ motivations. This research aims to gain a better understanding of CSA farmers’ perceived benefits and drawbacks in managing a CSA farm, and whether CSA management perception varies in different countries. The research collected data from 35 farmers that were based in the United States (US) and Hungary (HU). Data elaboration includes a one-way Anova test, Chi-square test, principal component analysis, and multiple multivariate linear regressions. The results support that US and HU farmers have similar positive perceptions of CSA farming management, especially in food quality, nutritional value products, environmental, and community benefits. The main differences concentrate on economic, financial, and management perceptions. CSA success as an alternative agro-food production and distribution system relies on the capability to involve CSA members. Therefore, CSA farmers’ management skills may evolve to ensure the performance of communication and community engaging practices. The main CSA concern is ensuring a fair income and living wage for the farmers and labor force. There is a need for better balancing non-monetary and monetary benefits for the farmers.

Suggested Citation

  • Antonella Samoggia & Chiara Perazzolo & Piroska Kocsis & Margherita Del Prete, 2019. "Community Supported Agriculture Farmers’ Perceptions of Management Benefits and Drawbacks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-21, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:12:p:3262-:d:239381
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Abrania Marrero & Andrea Lόpez-Cepero & Ramón Borges-Méndez & Josiemer Mattei, 2022. "Narrating agricultural resilience after Hurricane María: how smallholder farmers in Puerto Rico leverage self-sufficiency and collaborative agency in a climate-vulnerable food system," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(2), pages 555-571, June.
    3. Claudia Vaderna & Robert Home & Paola Migliorini & Dirk Roep, 2022. "Overcoming divergence: managing expectations from organisers and members in community supported agriculture in Switzerland," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Christina Gugerell & Takeshi Sato & Christine Hvitsand & Daichi Toriyama & Nobuhiro Suzuki & Marianne Penker, 2021. "Know the Farmer That Feeds You: A Cross-Country Analysis of Spatial-Relational Proximities and the Attractiveness of Community Supported Agriculture," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-20, October.
    5. Valentina Constanta Tudor & Toma Adrian Dinu & Marius Vladu & Dragoș Smedescu & Ionela Mituko Vlad & Eduard Alexandru Dumitru & Cristina Maria Sterie & Carmen Luiza Costuleanu, 2022. "Labour Implications on Agricultural Production in Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-22, July.
    6. Ilona Liliána Birtalan & Attila Bartha & Ágnes Neulinger & György Bárdos & Attila Oláh & József Rácz & Adrien Rigó, 2020. "Community Supported Agriculture as a Driver of Food-Related Well-Being," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-17, June.

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