Farmer consumer partnerships

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Farmer consumer partnerships (FCP)

The project will develop and test innovative generic communication strategies as a valuable tool for the strategic positioning of organic companies and farmers' initiatives following Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) approaches in the organic market. Varying approaches will be used and different cultural and behavioural backgrounds of consumers in five European countries are to be considered. A transdisciplinary conceptual framework will integrate the different research backgrounds of the partners and show the perspectives of the stakeholders and market actors. The CSR arguments and communication strategies with the general public, stakeholders and specifically with consumers of successful initiatives in each partner country are analysed in a case study approach. Promising communication arguments in all partner countries are then tested with different methods. An Information Display Matix is developed to screen promising communication arguments in different countries. With these arguments communication tools such as labels, leaflets and posters are developed by advertising companies. These tools are then discussed with consumers in Focus Group Discussions. Finally, Consumer Choice Tests will be used to analyse consumers' buying behaviour towards organic products presented with CSR arguments in a closed to purchase setting. The results will show organic farmers the most suitable CSR arguments to improve the image of their products and the consumers' willingness to pay.

 

Project co-ordinator:

Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hamm
University of Kassel
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences
Steinstrasse 19
37213  Witzenhausen, Germany

Tel.: +49 5542-98128; Fax: +49 5542-98128

E-mail: hamm@uni-kassel.de

http://www.uni-kassel.de/agrar/alm/?c=1


Partners are:

Prof. Dr. Bernd Freyer, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, AT
Prof. Dr. Raffaele Zanoli, University of Ancona, IT
Dr. Roberta Callieris, Mediterranean Agronomic Institute, Bari, IT
Dr. Matthias Stolze, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture, Frick, CH
Dr. Susanne Padel, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, UK
Coordination of European Transnational Research in Organic Food and Farming