A latent class analysis of biosecurity attitudes and decision-making strategies of swine producers in the United States.

The 2018 African swine fever (ASF) outbreak highlighted the importance of biosecurity in food production systems. Despite the significant economic impacts, the sociopsychological consequences on decision-making have been overlooked. Previous studies have focused on algebraic models and simulation-based models without considering the complex psychological and social factors that influence farmers' biosecurity behaviors and decision-making processes. This study aims to classify livestock producers into distinct subgroups based on their attitudes towards biosecurity. We conducted a survey presenting producers with three scenarios to assess their willingness to report suspected ASF cases, trust in government agencies, risk perception, biosecurity knowledge, willingness to purchase livestock insurance, motivation to invest in biosecurity, readiness to report suspected infections, and intention to contact a veterinarian. Using latent class analysis, we identified three distinct classes: Biosecurity Sceptics, Biosecurity Compliant, and Biosecurity Ultra-Compliant. Our results show that producer characteristics significantly influence biosecurity attitudes and class membership, with small-scale producers less likely to adopt ultra-compliant biosecurity practices. Attending at least one eradication program encouraged biosecurity compliance. This research informs the design of targeted food policy and risk communication strategies that account for attitudes of livestock producers to encourage biosecurity adoption and reduce the likelihood of Tier 1 disease incursion.

Biosecurity indemnification and attitudes of United States swine producers towards the prevention of an african swine fever outbreak.

Animal disease outbreaks, such as the recent outbreak of African Swine Fever in 2018, are a major concern for stakeholders across the food supply chain due to their potential to disrupt global food security, cause economic losses, and threaten animal welfare. As a result of their transboundary nature, discussions have shifted to preventive measures aimed at protecting livestock while ensuring food security and safety. Emergency assistance has been a critical response option during pandemics. However, this may not be sustainable in the long run because the expectation of government bailout may encourage risk taking behaviours. Our hypothesis is that an indemnity policy that is conditioned on showing biosecurity practices would increase compliance and reduce government expenditure during disease outbreaks. We developed and launched a survey from March to July 2022 targeted at swine producers across the US. From the survey, we examined livestock farmers' attitudes and intentions regarding biosecurity investment and assessed their attitudes towards the purchase of livestock insurance and reporting suspected infected livestock on their farm. We used a partial proportion odds model analysis to examine the model. Our analysis revealed that intention to call a veterinarian, trust in government agencies and risk perception of farmers were instrumental in the willingness to self-invest in biosecurity, purchase livestock insurance, and promptly report infected livestock on their farms. This provides evidence that biosecurity compliance would increase if indemnification was tied to a demonstration of effort to adopt biosecurity practices. We also show that individuals who have been in the industry for a longer period may become complacent and less likely to report outbreaks. Farmers with a higher share of income from their production operations bear a greater risk from their operational income and are more willing to report any suspected infections on their farms. The data suggest that motivating the willingness of farmers to invest in biosecurity while overcoming cost concerns is achievable.

Renewable energy consumption in Africa: Evidence from a bias corrected dynamic panel.

Our study investigates the determinants of renewable energy consumption in Sub-Sahara Africa. We explore the driving factors of renewable energy consumption in the context of carbon intensity for 32 Sub-Saharan African countries from 1990 to 2015. Using carbon emission intensity to identify group-specific heterogeneity, we recognize carbon-efficient and least carbon-efficient countries in the region. By relying on the corrected least squares dummy variable estimator (LSDVC), we provide evidence on the driving factors of renewable energy consumption in Sub-Saharan Africa. Consequently, the findings point to varying degrees of impact on renewable energy consumption in the region. For instance, we observe advancement in technology, quality of governance, economic progress, biomass consumption, and climatic conditions influence renewable energy consumption. With a common occurrence across all groups, the implications indicate environmental, socio-economic, and climatic factors playing an important role in renewable energy consumption. The study further shows that urbanization and economic globalization depress efforts towards renewable energy consumption. Apart from these common factors, other controlling variables including; GDP per capita, environmental awareness, and biomass affect each group differently. We conclude that, policy implications can be drawn from common factors towards harmonization of clean energy markets and developing a policy mix that combines environmental, economic, and social factors in attaining the Sustainable Development Goals.