@misc{Kalyanam, type = {Master Thesis}, author = {Kalyanam, Thanmai Sai}, title = {The Environmental Impact of Urban Agricultural Technologies Determined Using Life Cycle Assessment Method - A Systematic Review}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, abstract = {Urban Agriculture (UA) is identified as a sustainable solution to address urban food security challenges compounded by the exponential increase in urban population. Moreover, UA largely mitigates the negative impacts associated with conventional agriculture systems such as soil degradation, high resource usage, crop sensitivity towards climate change, and high fertilizer usage. UA is often complimented for its significant potential for producing higher yield nevertheless, for extensive use of UA, an in-depth understand- ing of its environmental impacts is required. For any UA methodology, environmental performance acts as a promising factor in promoting agriculture sustainability. This study performs critical analyses of available literature on UA techniques using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). LCA provides a comprehensive understanding of UA's environmental footprint across different stages of its life cycle. LCA facilitates the quantification of eco- logical impacts associated with various UA approaches, including vertical farming, roof- top farming, hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponics. This study utilizes a systematic review methodology, incorporating the PRISMA model, to conduct a comprehensive data collection process aimed at identifying the LCA of diverse UA methods and their associated impacts. The review addresses the following questions: How does LCA help in quantifying the environmental impacts of UA? What is the environmental performance of different UA techniques? The findings demonstrated that nearly every form of UA exhibited a notable advantage in yield, and efficiency in water usage and land usage. Specifically, aeroponics stands out for its superior performance in yield and water usage efficiency, albeit with elevated energy demands. Hydroponics and aquaponics showcase advantages in reduced water usage and fertilizer requirements. Vertical farms, due to their structural and Controlled Environment (CE) prerequisites, present as energy-intensive systems with higher Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. In contrast, rooftop farms, making use of under-utilised urban spaces, emerge as a balanced system with moderate energy consumption and GHG emissions. The environmental impact of UA techniques varies based on factors such as structure, operational components, crop selection, and the integration of innovative technologies, resulting in diverse outcomes when compared to conventional soil-based farms. This review recommended an extensive LCA of UA techniques, innovation to existing methodologies, urban reforms, and increased awareness about UA.}, language = {en} } @misc{SarmientoGonzalez2025, type = {Master Thesis}, author = {Sarmiento Gonzalez, Maria Angelica}, title = {Sustainable commercialization of Baru in the Cerrado: mapping its Value Chain for rural livelihood enhancement}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, year = {2025}, abstract = {Land-use transformation and insufficiently protected areas have led to extensive deforestation and conversion of native vegetation for croplands and pastures in the Cerrado, Brazil's second-largest ecosystem and one of the world's biggest biodiversity hotspots. The sustainable harvesting and commercialization of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) offer a potential alternative, contributing to sustainable development by enhancing rural livelihoods, promoting environmental conservation, fostering economic diversification, empowering vulnerable socio-economic groups, and encouraging sustainable resource management. Among Cerrado's promising NTFPs is the Baru nut (Dipteryx alata), a nutrient-dense product rich in protein, fiber, zinc, and healthy oils, with potential therapeutic applications for various health issues. Its unique composition and versatility present an opportunity for sustainable commercialization that enhances rural livelihoods while promoting health benefits. Incorporating Baru-related products into local, national, and international markets could diversify economic opportunities while maintaining environmentally sustainable practices in both production and commercialization. Despite its potential, research on Baru remains scarce, creating a knowledge gap in the dynamics and challenges of its value chain. This study addresses this gap by employing a mixed-methods approach to evaluate the financial performance of each stage of the Baru value chain and identify existing challenges and market opportunities. Focused on Arinos, Minas Gerais, the research incorporates 29 interviews with local value chain actors, 14 supplementary interviews with institutional stakeholders, and secondary data analysis. The findings reveal a fragmented and predominantly informal value chain at the local level, faced with challenges such as physically intensive work, unreliable demand, power imbalances, low-profit margins, and limited institutional support. This research proposes strategies to foster collaboration, equity, transparency, and sustainable development of Baru's value chain and contributes to a deeper understanding of this NTFP.}, language = {en} } @misc{ShujaUdDin, type = {Master Thesis}, author = {Shuja Ud Din, Aneeba}, title = {"SCHOOL FEEDING AND PUBLIC FOOD PROCUREMENT PROGRAMS AS A POLICY INSTRUMENT TO PROMOTE SMALLHOLDER FARMING AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS - A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, abstract = {Family farms and smallholders have been kept out of the market niche due to their competition with larger multinational corporations. Smallholder farmers can enter the food market easily by linking them with school feeding programs. National school feeding programs exist globally. However, food quality is a major factor in the success of these programs in enhancing student nutrition. This offers opportunities for family farms to supply nutritious, local organic produce to regional schools and gain access to the food market in urban areas. Students and farmers can benefit from this integration along with all supply chain contributors. Nevertheless, proper management of these supply chains, programs, and farms is a necessity. In this review, the impacts of local procurement for school meal programs are discussed with data from different national programs. Perspectives of farmers, distributors, school management, students, and parents are discussed to assess the advantages of buying from family farms. Challenges faced in the process of procurement from smallholders and associated risks are also examined. Social actors including producers, distributors, consumers, and government that participated in these studies give their opinions on school feeding programs. The main problems arise from the lack of budget and incentives available to farms and faulty logistics that can affect quality and quantity of school meals. Organizational strategies to promote sustainable supply chains and investment in agriculture policies are practical solutions for these challenges.}, language = {en} } @misc{Koch, type = {Master Thesis}, author = {Koch, Alexander David}, title = {Collective Action Opportunities for Upgrading the Value Chain of Small-scale Wooden Furniture Enterprise in Hawassa, Ethiopia}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-5346}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, pages = {143}, abstract = {Ethiopia is challenged with a widening domestic wood supply gap and concurrent rapid population growth. Along with these developments, the population's growing purchasing power is driving the demand for wooden furniture. The majority of this demand is satisfied by small-scale enterprises. Adding to the domestic wood supply uncertainty, such enterprises are exposed to various challenges, such as infrastructural limitations, unfavourable market conditions, weak government support, or skill gaps, thereby hindering their development and often situating them in a subsistent and poor survival state. A development opportunity comes to light when considering that small-scale wooden furniture enterprises are linked to a critical natural resource base, exposed to growing markets, and mostly consist of individuals with an entrepreneurial vision. If guided effectively, this sector has the potential to drive an economic environment of innovative entrepreneurship, create skilful employment, and disseminate propulsive market signals towards wood suppliers. Collective action is a frequently discussed upgrading option for countering development barriers in the context of emerging economies and therefore, is explored as a potential upgrading mechanism. This study aims to develop a potential institutional model of collective action among small-scale enterprises in Hawassa, Ethiopia. The study follows the general procedure of a value chain analysis and frames the collective action model as a potential value chain upgrading strategy. As the target actor is poorly studied, an explorative and descriptive research approach is applied. In-depth interviews were conducted with 54 wooden furniture enterprises to gain insight into their value chain position and condition, cost structures, network ties, as well as challenges. Then, individual enterprises were asked to envision a desired collective action upgrading scenario. Several key informant interviews were also conducted with direct (internal) and indirect (external) value chain actors to forge a holistic value chain structure as well as to triangulate data. The situation for small-scale furniture enterprises was found to be highly unfavourable. The most substantial issue is the limited access to adequate factors of production, especially regarding the production site, physical capital and financial capital. With markets failing to provide these, enterprises were often observed to engage in social network ties with other furniture enterprise to enable access to resources. In addition, the government's role in supporting these enterprises was found to be weak and poorly organized. Access to support services was observed to be obstructed by ethno-centrism as well as a high labour turnover amongst development agents. Promised trainings and access to factors of production were either rarely fulfilled or qualitatively low. To counter these issues, an institutional collective action in the form of a business association is recommended. On the basis of a literature review, empirical evidence on the status quo of the target enterprises, as well as their perception on upgrading scenarios, the study develops a model association, describing its form, purpose, institutional arrangements as well as the characteristics of participating actors and potential members. It is purposed to facilitate stable network ties and act as a collective voice for improving the condition of small-scale furniture producers. It especially serves to lower transaction costs with authoritative entities, supports the access to improved business development services, such as microfinances or trainings, and advocates for improved market conditions. In the long run, the association will help small-scale enterprises collectively develop into innovative and resource efficient businesses, thereby driving and improving local forest-based markets.}, language = {en} } @misc{Lemmen, type = {Master Thesis}, author = {Lemmen, Samuel}, title = {Operational Effectiveness of Means Reducing Food Losses and Waste in Food Retail}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, abstract = {Around the globe, high quantities of produced food do not meet their initial purpose of nourishing humans. Food losses and waste occur throughout food supply chains for various reasons, resulting in unsustainable economic, social and environmental behaviour. Several actors in the supply chain have responsibility to transfer food products from farm to fork, whereas each of them holds potential to reduce food losses and waste. Compared to other actors in the chain, retailers are in the exceptional position of selling items to consumers, commonly offering a huge variety of products. Retailers have power in the chain and are therefore seen as a promising stage where "means" tackling food losses and waste can be implemented. Besides the quantities that can be mitigated by the implementation of means, the adoption of these must be realistic in practice, too (i.e. practical feasibility). Together, the quantities mitigated and the practical feasibility are the determinants of the "operational effectiveness". Hence, the research objective is to analyse the operational effectiveness of means that can be applied by food retailers to reduce food losses and waste. The objective has been addressed by analysing ten individual means through a literature review, namely (1) improved forecasting, (2) lower order quantities, (3) avoiding rejections, (4) technologies enabling improved shelf life, (5) selling loose products, (6) price-reducing strategies, (7) reducing promotions, (8) alternative distribution pathways, (9) offering a reduced product range and (10) consumer education. Six means showed to "highly" mitigate food losses and waste, whereby five of these exhibit either a "low" or "inconclusive" practical feasibility. Alternative distribution pathways as well as price-reducingstrategies are frequently applied means by retailers and hold a "moderate" practical feasibility. Yet, the evaluation of means related to the use of packaging was mainly inconclusive, which can to some extent be explained by the lacking evidence and disagreements in previous research. Means like reducing promotions or offering a reduced product range appear to reduce food losses and waste, but stand in conflict with the marketing strategy of retailers and offer only a low practical feasibility. The same holds true for avoiding rejections. In that case, although retail standards are higher than required, these could also mitigate a transfer of waste. One of the key findings is that consumer education occurred to hold great future potential, because it showed to indirectly influence other means considered in this thesis, i.e. consumer understanding and acceptance are crucial for various means. Research concentrating on means tackling food losses and waste is limited, especially with focus on studies examining the (potential) impacts on retailing and suggests considerable research backlog.}, language = {en} } @misc{Vahrenhorst, type = {Master Thesis}, author = {Vahrenhorst, Nele Sarah}, title = {How to initiate transformative research on permaculture in the Lower Rhine valley? A framework developed based on the analysis of previous experiences}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, abstract = {As climate change continues to have negative effects on agriculture, the European Commission calls for sustainable farming approaches as solutions to challenges associated with climate change and therefore propose living labs as a transformative, transdisciplinary and participatory research mode in order to enforce the resilience of farming systems. Permaculture is considered as an approach for the living lab at the Lower Rhine as it aims at integrating sustainable management practices and ethical principles to provide the framework for a holistic approach that could provide an alternative to current management practices and their negative effects on the region. The thesis at hand aims at establishing a living lab framework that allows involvement of regional stakeholders from a range of sectors in a regional network that is part of a trinity of projects that additionally include an on-site test area and a digital knowledge platform. By performing literature research and interviews with regional primary producers and experts of the field, the thesis proceeds to place the permaculture living lab in the currently available context of living lab categorizations and provides a detailed framework with step-by-step instructions to follow as well as a selection of aspects to keep in mind in order to initiate transformative research on permaculture in the form of a living lab in the Lower Rhine region. Apart from the needs of regional primary producers, existing networks and organizations relevant for the living lab are identified, as well as successfully implemented living labs in Zurich, Lisbon, Bern and New York whose objectives align at least partially with those of the future permaculture living lab that can provide experience and suggestions for the planning process.}, language = {en} }