Commercial aquaponics approaching the European market: to consumers’ perceptions of aquaponics products in Europe

Detalhes bibliográficos
Autor(a) principal: Milicic, V.
Data de Publicação: 2017
Outros Autores: Thorarinsdottir, R., Dos-Santos, M., Hancic, M. T.
Tipo de documento: Artigo
Idioma: eng
Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10071/15675
Resumo: The first commercial aquaponics companies are starting up in Europe. The main focus has been on solving technology issues and optimizing production. However, increasing attention is now being paid to certification and regulations linked to aquaponics, as well as the marketing of products and services. The paper presents the results of a study whose main aim was to estimate consumers’ knowledge about aquaponics and their acceptance of aquaponics products in different European regions. An on-line questionnaire was administered to the general public through the aquaponics network of Food and Agriculture COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) Action FA1305 “The EU Aquaponics Hub—Realising Sustainable Integrated Fish and Vegetable Production for the EU” in 16 European countries. The methodology includes univariate and multivariate statistical techniques. The results show that, on average, attitudes towards aquaponics were positive, showing no significant differences between those who already knew about aquaponics and those who only heard about it through the survey. More than 50% of respondents had never heard of aquaponics, whilst more than 70% had already heard of hydroponics. No more than 17% of respondents were willing to pay more for aquaponically produced products and no more than 40% more when compared to the price of products from conventional farming. The results confirm three different clusters of potential consumers of aquaponics products. They also suggest an urgent need for implementing integrated and holistic approaches involving all stakeholders in aquaponics, in order to define a marketing plan and efficient communication strategies. This COST action, other projects and public decision makers must invest in educating consumers about aquaponics through the organization of guided tours, thematic workshops and tastings of aquaponics products in order to raise their awareness about this new technology. It is absolutely urgent that public decision makers, in cooperation with aquaponics stakeholders, address the main institutional constraints, namely the introduction of aquaponics as an economic activity and the organic certification of aquaponics products.
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spelling Commercial aquaponics approaching the European market: to consumers’ perceptions of aquaponics products in EuropeQuestionnaireAquaponics productsConsumers' acceptanceWillingness-to-payConsumers' preferencesOrganic certificationOn line surveyMarket analysisEducationMultivariate statisticsEuropeThe first commercial aquaponics companies are starting up in Europe. The main focus has been on solving technology issues and optimizing production. However, increasing attention is now being paid to certification and regulations linked to aquaponics, as well as the marketing of products and services. The paper presents the results of a study whose main aim was to estimate consumers’ knowledge about aquaponics and their acceptance of aquaponics products in different European regions. An on-line questionnaire was administered to the general public through the aquaponics network of Food and Agriculture COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) Action FA1305 “The EU Aquaponics Hub—Realising Sustainable Integrated Fish and Vegetable Production for the EU” in 16 European countries. The methodology includes univariate and multivariate statistical techniques. The results show that, on average, attitudes towards aquaponics were positive, showing no significant differences between those who already knew about aquaponics and those who only heard about it through the survey. More than 50% of respondents had never heard of aquaponics, whilst more than 70% had already heard of hydroponics. No more than 17% of respondents were willing to pay more for aquaponically produced products and no more than 40% more when compared to the price of products from conventional farming. The results confirm three different clusters of potential consumers of aquaponics products. They also suggest an urgent need for implementing integrated and holistic approaches involving all stakeholders in aquaponics, in order to define a marketing plan and efficient communication strategies. This COST action, other projects and public decision makers must invest in educating consumers about aquaponics through the organization of guided tours, thematic workshops and tastings of aquaponics products in order to raise their awareness about this new technology. It is absolutely urgent that public decision makers, in cooperation with aquaponics stakeholders, address the main institutional constraints, namely the introduction of aquaponics as an economic activity and the organic certification of aquaponics products.MDPI2018-04-20T17:31:18Z2017-01-01T00:00:00Z20172019-03-28T10:17:17Zinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/10071/15675eng2073-444110.3390/w9020080Milicic, V.Thorarinsdottir, R.Dos-Santos, M.Hancic, M. T.info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessreponame:Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)instname:Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informaçãoinstacron:RCAAP2023-11-09T17:24:38Zoai:repositorio.iscte-iul.pt:10071/15675Portal AgregadorONGhttps://www.rcaap.pt/oai/openaireopendoar:71602024-03-19T22:11:11.778818Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos) - Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informaçãofalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Commercial aquaponics approaching the European market: to consumers’ perceptions of aquaponics products in Europe
title Commercial aquaponics approaching the European market: to consumers’ perceptions of aquaponics products in Europe
spellingShingle Commercial aquaponics approaching the European market: to consumers’ perceptions of aquaponics products in Europe
Milicic, V.
Questionnaire
Aquaponics products
Consumers' acceptance
Willingness-to-pay
Consumers' preferences
Organic certification
On line survey
Market analysis
Education
Multivariate statistics
Europe
title_short Commercial aquaponics approaching the European market: to consumers’ perceptions of aquaponics products in Europe
title_full Commercial aquaponics approaching the European market: to consumers’ perceptions of aquaponics products in Europe
title_fullStr Commercial aquaponics approaching the European market: to consumers’ perceptions of aquaponics products in Europe
title_full_unstemmed Commercial aquaponics approaching the European market: to consumers’ perceptions of aquaponics products in Europe
title_sort Commercial aquaponics approaching the European market: to consumers’ perceptions of aquaponics products in Europe
author Milicic, V.
author_facet Milicic, V.
Thorarinsdottir, R.
Dos-Santos, M.
Hancic, M. T.
author_role author
author2 Thorarinsdottir, R.
Dos-Santos, M.
Hancic, M. T.
author2_role author
author
author
dc.contributor.author.fl_str_mv Milicic, V.
Thorarinsdottir, R.
Dos-Santos, M.
Hancic, M. T.
dc.subject.por.fl_str_mv Questionnaire
Aquaponics products
Consumers' acceptance
Willingness-to-pay
Consumers' preferences
Organic certification
On line survey
Market analysis
Education
Multivariate statistics
Europe
topic Questionnaire
Aquaponics products
Consumers' acceptance
Willingness-to-pay
Consumers' preferences
Organic certification
On line survey
Market analysis
Education
Multivariate statistics
Europe
description The first commercial aquaponics companies are starting up in Europe. The main focus has been on solving technology issues and optimizing production. However, increasing attention is now being paid to certification and regulations linked to aquaponics, as well as the marketing of products and services. The paper presents the results of a study whose main aim was to estimate consumers’ knowledge about aquaponics and their acceptance of aquaponics products in different European regions. An on-line questionnaire was administered to the general public through the aquaponics network of Food and Agriculture COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) Action FA1305 “The EU Aquaponics Hub—Realising Sustainable Integrated Fish and Vegetable Production for the EU” in 16 European countries. The methodology includes univariate and multivariate statistical techniques. The results show that, on average, attitudes towards aquaponics were positive, showing no significant differences between those who already knew about aquaponics and those who only heard about it through the survey. More than 50% of respondents had never heard of aquaponics, whilst more than 70% had already heard of hydroponics. No more than 17% of respondents were willing to pay more for aquaponically produced products and no more than 40% more when compared to the price of products from conventional farming. The results confirm three different clusters of potential consumers of aquaponics products. They also suggest an urgent need for implementing integrated and holistic approaches involving all stakeholders in aquaponics, in order to define a marketing plan and efficient communication strategies. This COST action, other projects and public decision makers must invest in educating consumers about aquaponics through the organization of guided tours, thematic workshops and tastings of aquaponics products in order to raise their awareness about this new technology. It is absolutely urgent that public decision makers, in cooperation with aquaponics stakeholders, address the main institutional constraints, namely the introduction of aquaponics as an economic activity and the organic certification of aquaponics products.
publishDate 2017
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z
2017
2018-04-20T17:31:18Z
2019-03-28T10:17:17Z
dc.type.status.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
dc.type.driver.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.uri.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10071/15675
url http://hdl.handle.net/10071/15675
dc.language.iso.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv 2073-4441
10.3390/w9020080
dc.rights.driver.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
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dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv MDPI
publisher.none.fl_str_mv MDPI
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
instname:Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informação
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instname_str Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informação
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reponame_str Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
collection Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
repository.name.fl_str_mv Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos) - Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informação
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