Making use of sustainable local plant genetic resources: Would consumers support the recovery of a traditional purple carrot?

Gracia, Azucena (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Sánchez, Ana María ; Jurado, Francesc ; Mallor, Cristina

Resumen: Local plant genetic resources are of vital importance for the resilience of the agroecosystems, especially under conditions of global climate change. The diversification of production using these resources is postulated as an alternative for the development of rural areas with non-optimal farming conditions and/or disadvantaged by depopulation. However, in order to sustainably utilize local genetic resources, their use has also to provide products accepted by consumers. The aim of this study was to evaluate consumer acceptance of a local purple carrot that is a Spanish landrace at risk of genetic erosion from Teruel, a province in the Aragon region seriously affected by depopulation and extreme weather conditions, to contribute to its sustainable recovery. Consumer preferences for carrots with different characteristics (color, price, variety, and production system) were studied, and their willingness to pay (WTP) for the local purple carrots was assessed. Data from a survey conducted in this Spanish region was used. We identified two segments of consumers with different willingness to pay, hedonic liking, and intention to purchase the purple local carrots. These traditional purple carrots would be accepted by the segment of consumers more willing to pay for and more likely to purchase these carrots. The traditional purple carrots should be promoted, emphasizing that they are produced by a local landrace whose purple color is due to anthocyanic pigments with known antioxidant properties.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.3390/su12166549

Año: 2020

Publicado en: Sustainability (Switzerland) 12, 16 (2020), 6549 [17 pp.]
ISSN: 2071-1050

Factor impacto JCR: 3.251 (2020)

Categ. JCR: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES rank: 124 / 273 = 0.454 (2020) - Q2 - T2
Categ. JCR: ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES rank: 60 / 125 = 0.48 (2020) - Q2 - T2
Categ. JCR: GREEN & SUSTAINABLE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY rank: 30 / 44 = 0.682 (2020) - Q3 - T3
Categ. JCR: GREEN & SUSTAINABLE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY rank: 6 / 9 = 0.667 (2020) - Q3 - T3

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 0.611 - Energy Engineering and Power Technology (Q1) - Environmental Science (miscellaneous) (Q1) - Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment (Q1) - Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law (Q1) - Geography, Planning and Development (Q1)

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA/Economía Agroalimentaria y de los Recursos Naturales
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/INIA/RFP2015-00012

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)

Área (Departamento): Área Econom.Sociol.Polit.Agra. (Dpto. CC.Agrar.y Medio Natural)