Analysis and assessment of economic and institutional conditions for the adoption of ECOPONICS. Product supply chain governance issues both on domestic and export markets
Analyse et évaluation des conditions économiques et institutionnelles pour l'adoption d’ECOPONICS. Analyse de la gouvernance de la filière sur les marchés domestiques et d'exportation
Résumé
The Ecoponics project aims to improve in an economically viable manner the efficiency in water use of the Mediterranean horticultural sector for major vegetable crops (tomato). However, what may be currently valued on the markets, either abroad or locally, is not water use efficiency but a higher quality of the product with taste and low chemical safety as main attributes. In our report, we explain why there is almost no way of valuing safety quality through selling products with a premium. Accordingly, the only way to promote safety is through certifying that safety has been duly controlled. That is the reason why safety control has turned into the key issue to address to efficiently promote IPM/Ecoponics efforts in the South Mediterranean countries fresh produce sector. And this is the central focus of work package 6.2 which aims to study institutional and supply chain governance issues, highlighting the role of the different actors or institutions in promoting food safety and environmentally friendly produce.