IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i10p7846-d1144012.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Ecological Balance of Agri-Food Supply Chains—The Case of the Industrial Tomato

Author

Listed:
  • Angelo Martella

    (Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Business Organization, University of Tuscia, Via del Paradiso 47, 01100 Viterbo, Italy)

  • Ilenia Maria La Porta

    (Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Business Organization, University of Tuscia, Via del Paradiso 47, 01100 Viterbo, Italy)

  • Marco Nicastro

    (Cooperativa OP Mediterraneo, 71017 Torremaggiore, Italy)

  • Elisa Biagetti

    (Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Business Organization, University of Tuscia, Via del Paradiso 47, 01100 Viterbo, Italy)

  • Silvio Franco

    (Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Business Organization, University of Tuscia, Via del Paradiso 47, 01100 Viterbo, Italy)

Abstract

Tomatoes are one of the major productions in Italy. One of the main cultivation areas is the southern plain of Capitanata (Puglia, Southern Italy). However, a series of impacts from cultivation to distribution are connected to this production. Different methodologies have been proposed to evaluate and quantify these impacts from the single product to the supply chain. This work proposes a methodology for assessing environmental sustainability, using the agri-food chain of industrial tomatoes in a specific area of Italy (Puglia) as a case study. The theoretical approach adopted refers to the paradigm of ecological economics, recalling the concept of strong sustainability through the conservation of natural capital and its non-replacement with economic capital. This condition can be assessed through the ecological balance tool by comparing the availability and use of natural capital in economic activities. The aim of this study was to understand the extent of the load generated on the environment, thus evaluating whether the carrying capacity of the agricultural system was able to support the environmental load of the entire supply chain. The results show an overall unsustainability of the entire supply chain with a value of EB = −1911.49 gha. The agricultural phase is the only one to present a positive value EB = +62.99 gha, which fails to compensate for the impacts of the transport (EB = −349.13) and industrial (EB = −1630.96) phases. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess the sustainability of the tomato food chain using the ecological footprint method. In the agricultural sector, there is a constant search for tools capable of combining economic efficiency and environmental sustainability. In this sense, the ecological footprint methodology provides essential information that can be used by policymakers of different levels to define sustainable development strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Angelo Martella & Ilenia Maria La Porta & Marco Nicastro & Elisa Biagetti & Silvio Franco, 2023. "Ecological Balance of Agri-Food Supply Chains—The Case of the Industrial Tomato," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-12, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:10:p:7846-:d:1144012
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/10/7846/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/10/7846/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wang, Lei & Li, Lianqing & Cheng, Kun & Pan, Genxing, 2019. "Comprehensive evaluation of environmental footprints of regional crop production: A case study of Chizhou City, China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 1-1.
    2. Ahsan Siraj & Shilpa Taneja & Yongming Zhu & Hongbing Jiang & Sunil Luthra & Anil Kumar, 2022. "Hey, did you see that label? It's sustainable!: Understanding the role of sustainable labelling in shaping sustainable purchase behaviour for sustainable development," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(7), pages 2820-2838, November.
    3. Dietz, Simon & Neumayer, Eric, 2007. "Weak and strong sustainability in the SEEA: Concepts and measurement," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(4), pages 617-626, March.
    4. Rosa Francaviglia & Claudia Di Bene, 2019. "Deficit Drip Irrigation in Processing Tomato Production in the Mediterranean Basin. A Data Analysis for Italy," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-14, April.
    5. Brodt, Sonja & Kramer, Klaas Jan & Kendall, Alissa & Feenstra, Gail, 2013. "Comparing environmental impacts of regional and national-scale food supply chains: A case study of processed tomatoes," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 106-114.
    6. Grunert, Klaus G. & Hieke, Sophie & Wills, Josephine, 2014. "Sustainability labels on food products: Consumer motivation, understanding and use," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 177-189.
    7. Lukáš Čechura & Zdeňka Žáková Kroupová & Antonella Samoggia, 2021. "Drivers of Productivity Change in the Italian Tomato Food Value Chain," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-17, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Elisa Biagetti & Barbara Pancino & Angelo Martella & Ilenia Maria La Porta & Clara Cicatiello & Tommaso De Gregorio & Silvio Franco, 2023. "Is Hazelnut Farming Sustainable? An Analysis in the Specialized Production Area of Viterbo," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-10, July.
    2. Malin Jonell & Beatrice Crona & Kelsey Brown & Patrik Rönnbäck & Max Troell, 2016. "Eco-Labeled Seafood: Determinants for (Blue) Green Consumption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-19, September.
    3. Magdalena Maciaszczyk & Artur Kwasek & Maria Kocot & Damian Kocot, 2022. "Determinants of Purchase Behavior of Young E-Consumers of Eco-Friendly Products to Further Sustainable Consumption Based on Evidence from Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-16, February.
    4. Feucht, Yvonne & Zander, Katrin, 2017. "Consumers' Willingness to Pay for Climate-Friendly Food in European Countries," 2018 International European Forum (163rd EAAE Seminar), February 5-9, 2018, Innsbruck-Igls, Austria 276930, International European Forum on System Dynamics and Innovation in Food Networks.
    5. Wei Zheng & Hongliang Qiu & Alastair M. Morrison, 2023. "Applying a Combination of SEM and fsQCA to Predict Tourist Resource-Saving Behavioral Intentions in Rural Tourism: An Extension of the Theory of Planned Behavior," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-23, January.
    6. Nils Engelbrecht & Tim-Benjamin Lembcke & Alfred Benedikt Brendel & Kilian Bizer & Lutz M. Kolbe, 2021. "The Virtual Online Supermarket: An Open-Source Research Platform for Experimental Consumer Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-25, April.
    7. Diana Tuomasjukka & Staffan Berg & Marcus Lindner, 2013. "Managing Sustainability of Fennoscandian Forests and Their Use by Law and/or Agreement: For Whom and Which Purpose?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(1), pages 1-32, December.
    8. Zhai, Yijie & Zhang, Tianzuo & Ma, Xiaotian & Shen, Xiaoxu & Ji, Changxing & Bai, Yueyang & Hong, Jinglan, 2021. "Life cycle water footprint analysis of crop production in China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).
    9. Antonino Galati & Giuseppina Migliore & Alkis Thrassou & Giorgio Schifani & Giuseppina Rizzo & Nino Adamashvili & Maria Crescimanno, 2023. "Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Agri-Food Products Delivered with Electric Vehicles in the Short Supply Chains," FIIB Business Review, , vol. 12(2), pages 193-207, June.
    10. Danilo Bertoni & Daniele Cavicchioli & Franco Donzelli & Giovanni Ferrazzi & Dario G. Frisio & Roberto Pretolani & Elena Claire Ricci & Vera Ventura, 2018. "Recent Contributions of Agricultural Economics Research in the Field of Sustainable Development," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-20, December.
    11. Coralie Hellwig & Kim Bolton & Greta Häggblom-Kronlöf & Kamran Rousta, 2022. "Aspects Affecting Food Choice in Daily Life as Well as Drivers and Barriers to Engagement with Fungi-Based Food—A Qualitative Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-25, December.
    12. Tiia-Lotta Pekkanen, 2021. "Institutions and Agency in the Sustainability of Day-to-Day Consumption Practices: An Institutional Ethnographic Study," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 168(2), pages 241-260, January.
    13. Van de Kerk, Geurt & Manuel, Arthur R., 2008. "A comprehensive index for a sustainable society: The SSI -- the Sustainable Society Index," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(2-3), pages 228-242, June.
    14. Yokessa, Maïmouna & Marette, Stéphan, 2019. "A Review of Eco-labels and their Economic Impact," International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics, now publishers, vol. 13(1-2), pages 119-163, April.
    15. Smith A. R. Dossou & Jean Adanguidi & Augustin K. N. Aoudji & Rodrigue C. Gbedomon, 2022. "Promotion of beekeeping: Insights from an empirical analysis of three honey value chains in Benin," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 46(1), pages 39-59, February.
    16. Berthold, Anne & Cologna, Viktoria & Siegrist, Michael, 2022. "The influence of scarcity perception on people's pro-environmental behavior and their readiness to accept new sustainable technologies," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    17. Nadine E. van der Waal & Frans Folkvord & Rachid Azrout & Corine S. Meppelink, 2022. "Can Product Information Steer towards Sustainable and Healthy Food Choices? A Pilot Study in an Online Supermarket," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-17, January.
    18. Bifani, Paolo & Agardy, Tundi & Vivas Eugui, David & Jaramillo, Lorena & Gómez- García, René & Vignati, Federico, . "Blue BioTrade: Harnessing Marine Trade to Support Ecological Sustainability and Economic Equity," Books, CAF Development Bank Of Latinamerica, number 1415.
    19. Pezzey, John C.V. & Burke, Paul J., 2014. "Towards a more inclusive and precautionary indicator of global sustainability," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 141-154.
    20. Dávid Szakos & László Ózsvári & Gyula Kasza, 2020. "Perception of Older Adults about Health-Related Functionality of Foods Compared with Other Age Groups," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-18, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:10:p:7846-:d:1144012. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.