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	Author	Azadi, H.; Akbar Barati, A.; Rafiaani, P.; Raufirad, V.; Zarafshani, K.; Mamoorian, M.; Van Passel, S.; Lebailly, P.
	Title	Agricultural land conversion drivers in Northeast Iran : application of structural equation model			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2016	Publication	Applied Spatial Analysis And Policy	Abbreviated Journal	Appl Spat Anal Polic
	Volume	9	Issue	4	Pages	591-609
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Economics; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	Identifying driving forces behind agricultural land conversion (ALC) remains one of the most difficult challenges that agricultural and environmental scientists must continually deal with. The difficulty emerges from the fact that in ALC, multiple actions and interactions between different factors (i.e., economic, political, environmental, biophysical, institutional, and cultural) exist and make it difficult to understand the function of the processes behind the changes. The phenomenon of ALC in different countries is varied in terms of intensity, trends and drivers. The main goal of this study was to understand these drivers in Northeast Iran through applying structural equation model (SEM). Using multi-stage stratified random sampling, 101 executive officers participated in the study. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire. A multi-stakeholder analysis and a mixed-method (qualitative and quantitative) approach were applied. Results revealed that not only from the policy makers perspective but also based on the SEM, economic, political, technological, social and environmental factors should respectively be the five major drivers of ALC. The results also showed that among other drivers, more profitability of non-agriculture sectors, excessive rising of land prices, farmers income instability, land fragmentation, urban sprawl and inheritance laws are the main six causes of ALC. Hence, it can be concluded that policy-makers and planners need to take these drivers and subsidiaries more into consideration in order to properly respond to ALC.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000387410900008	Publication Date	2015-06-04
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1874-463x	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	1.825	Times cited	6	Open Access
	Notes	; ;			Approved	Most recent IF: 1.825
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:136749			Serial	6148
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	Author	Van Dael, M.; Van Passel, S.; Pelkmans, L.; Guisson, R.; Reumermann, P.; Luzardo, N.M.; Witters, N.; Broeze, J.
	Title	A techno-economic evaluation of a biomass energy conversion park			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2013	Publication	Applied Energy	Abbreviated Journal	Appl Energ
	Volume	104	Issue		Pages	611-622
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	Biomass as a renewable energy source has many advantages and is therefore recognized as one of the main renewable energy sources to be deployed in order to attain the target of 20% renewable energy use of final energy consumption by 2020 in Europe. In this paper the concept of a biomass Energy Conversion Park (ECP) is introduced. A biomass ECP can be defined as a synergetic, multi-dimensional biomass conversion site with a highly integrated set of conversion technologies in which a multitude of regionally available biomass (residue) sources are converted into energy and materials. A techno-economic assessment is performed on a case study in the Netherlands to illustrate the concept and to comparatively assess the highly integrated system with two mono-dimensional models. The three evaluated models consist of (1) digestion of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste, (2) co-digestion of manure and co-substrates, and (3) integration. From a socio-economic point of view it can be concluded that it is economically and energetically more interesting to invest in the integrated model than in two separate models. The integration is economically feasible and environmental benefits can be realized. For example, the integrated model allows the implementation of a co-digester. Unmanaged manure would otherwise represent a constant pollution risk. However, from an investor's standpoint one should firstly invest in the municipal solid waste digester since the net present value (NPV) of this mono-dimensional model is higher than that of the multi-dimensional model. A sensitivity analysis is performed to identify the most influencing parameters. Our results are of interest for companies involved in the conversion of biomass. The conclusions are useful for policy makers when deciding on policy instruments concerning manure processing or biogas production. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000316152700062	Publication Date	2012-12-25
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0306-2619	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	7.182	Times cited	45	Open Access
	Notes	; We would like to thank the editor and the anonymous referees for their helpful suggestions and insightful comments that have significantly improved the paper. Furthermore, the authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from INTERREG and the province of Limburg (Belgium). Also, we would like to thank all remaining partners of the ECP project (Eloi Schreurs, Dries Maes, Kristian Coppoolse, Han ten Berge, Bert Annevelink, Nathalie Devriendt, Erwin Cornelissen, Hannes Pieper, Pieter Vollaard, Jan Venselaar, and Hessel Abbink Spaink) for their support and contributions. Finally, we would like to express our gratitude towards the organization of the eighth International Conference on Renewable Resources and Biorefineries in Toulouse (France) for giving us the opportunity to present and thereby fine-tune our work. ;			Approved	Most recent IF: 7.182; 2013 IF: 5.261
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:127552			Serial	6145
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	Author	Meul, M.; Van Passel, S.; Nevens, F.; Dessein, J.; Rogge, E.; Mulier, A.; Van Hauwermeiren, A.
	Title	MOTIFS : a monitoring tool for integrated farm sustainability			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2008	Publication	Agronomy For Sustainable Development	Abbreviated Journal	Agron Sustain Dev
	Volume	28	Issue	2	Pages	321-332
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Economics
	Abstract	Indicator-based monitoring tools are frequently applied for sustainability assessments, also in agriculture. However, many indicators focus on a rather restricted number of sustainability aspects such as economy or ecology. Moreover the choice of the indicator is rarely explained. The aim of our study was to develop an indicator-based monitoring tool for integrated farm sustainability – i.e. taking into account economic and ecological and social aspects – based on a supported vision of sustainable agriculture and using a set of relevant indicators. Hereby, specific attention was paid to aspects of communication and user-friendliness. Four methodological steps were considered: (i) translating the major principles of a supported vision of sustainable Flemish agriculture into concrete and relevant themes; (ii) designing indicators to monitor progress towards sustainability for each of those themes; (iii) aggregating the indicators into an integrated farm sustainability monitoring tool and (iv) applying the monitoring tool on a practical farm, as a first attempt at end-use validation. Stakeholder participation and expert consulting played an important part in each of these methodological steps. As a case study, the methodology was applied to Flemish dairy farms. As a result, we developed MOTIFS, a user-friendly and strongly communicative indicator-based monitoring tool that allows the measurement of progress towards integrated sustainable dairy farming systems and fits within a well-founded methodological framework. MOTIFS is based on the equality of the economic, ecological and social sustainability dimensions, and this equality is inherently built into the system. Through the applied methodology, we founded the selected themes and indicators and we avoided using indicators that are not relevant to the problem at hand.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000256235500018	Publication Date	2008-03-21
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1774-0746	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	4.101	Times cited	97	Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 4.101; 2008 IF: 1.649
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:136763			Serial	6229
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	Author	Meul, M.; Van Passel, S.; Fremaut, D.; Haesaert, G.
	Title	Higher sustainability performance of intensive grazing versus zero-grazing dairy systems			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2012	Publication	Agronomy For Sustainable Development	Abbreviated Journal	Agron Sustain Dev
	Volume	32	Issue	3	Pages	629-638
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	Although grazing of dairy cows is an integral part of dairy farming in many European countries, farmers today more often choose for zero-grazing systems, where cows are housed throughout the year. Some studies already compared grazing and zero-grazing systems for specific issues such as labor efficiency, environmental impact, or animal welfare. In our study, we perform a more integrated evaluation, considering relevant ecological, economic, and social aspects. This allows for a balanced and more complete comparison of the sustainability performance of the two production methods. We evaluated ten intensive grazing and ten zero-grazing specialized Flemish dairy farms on the use of nutrients and energy, productivity and profitability, labor input, and animal welfare. In addition, we put special effort in formulating useful management advice for farmers. Therefore, we combined a detailed analysis of the sustainability indicators with an intensive interaction and discussion with farmers and farm advisors. Results show that, on average, the zero-grazing farms performed significantly worse from an ecological and economic point of view. This fact is explained mainly due to a less efficient use of concentrates and byproducts. Social sustainability performance did not differ significantly between the two groups. As a result, the integrated sustainability performance was significantly lower for the zero-grazing group. This finding shows that a further shift from intensive grazing to zero-grazing can move dairy farming in Flanders further away from sustainability. An important advice to improve the ecological and economic performance of zero-grazing farms is to optimize cows' rations to include more forages and optimize forage production and use. More detailed site- and case-specific management advice for farmers of both groups was provided during a discussion meeting. We consider this an essential additional step to any sustainability evaluation, since progress can only be made when monitoring results are translated into practical measures.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000306061800003	Publication Date	2012-01-11
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1774-0746	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	4.101	Times cited	26	Open Access
	Notes	; ;			Approved	Most recent IF: 4.101; 2012 IF: 3.573
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:127557			Serial	6209
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	Author	Gezahegn, T.W.; Van Passel, S.; Berhanu, T.; D'haese, M.; Maertens, M.
	Title	Do bottom-up and independent agricultural cooperatives really perform better? Insights from a technical efficiency analysis in Ethiopia			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2020	Publication	Agrekon	Abbreviated Journal	Agrekon
	Volume		Issue		Pages
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	The cooperative landscape in Ethiopia is very heterogeneous with a mixture of remains of the pre-1991 government-controlled system and new post-1991 bottom-up collective action initiatives. This heterogeneity, coupled with a large growth in the number of cooperatives in the country, offers an interesting perspective to study the determinants of the (in)efficiency of cooperatives. In this paper, we analyse the performance of Ethiopian agricultural cooperatives, focusing on the degree of technical (in)efficiency and its determinants. We use the stochastic frontier approach in which we account for heteroskedasticity and the monotonicity of production functions, presenting a methodological improvement with respect to previous technical efficiency studies. The results show that NGO- and government-initiated cooperatives are less efficient than community-initiated ones, implying that governments and NGOs should not interfere too strongly in cooperative formation. Cooperatives with a high degree of heterogeneity in members' participation are found to be about 98% less efficient, while cooperatives that have paid employees are 33% more efficient. Besides, results show that cooperatives in Ethiopia function more efficiently if they incentivize committee members through monetary compensation.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000487651200001	Publication Date	2019-09-24
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0303-1853	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	1.3	Times cited		Open Access
	Notes	; The authors acknowledge funding from the VLIR-UOS TEAM Program (VLIR-UOS-ZEIN2015PR406 (13V95615T), Belgium. ;			Approved	Most recent IF: 1.3; 2020 IF: 0.224
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:163772			Serial	6184
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	Author	Chekol Zewdie, M.; Van Passel, S.; Cools, J.; Tenessa, D.B.; Ayele, Z.A.; Tsegaye, E.A.; Minale, A.S.; Nyssen, J.
	Title	Direct and indirect effect of irrigation water availability on crop revenue in northwest Ethiopia : a structural equation model			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2019	Publication	Agricultural Water Management	Abbreviated Journal	Agr Water Manage
	Volume	220	Issue	220	Pages	27-35
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Economics; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	Development of a clear understanding of the relationship between the availability of dam-driven irrigation water and crop revenue is important in poverty reduction and food security process. As a result, large research efforts are devoted to understanding the relationship between the availability of irrigation water and crop revenue. However, earlier studies do have several limitations. For example, without considering its indirect effect, prior studies focused solely on the direct effect of availability of irrigation water on crop revue. In this study, using a structural equation model analysis, the direct and indirect effect of availability of dam-driven irrigation water on crop revenue is decomposed and quantified specifically for the Koga irrigation scheme, located in the Mecha district of Amhara region in Ethiopia. A primary data set was collected from a randomly selected sample of 450 households in the Koga irrigation scheme. More than half of the households (254) are supported by the Koga Dam irrigation water during the dry season, and the other 196 households depended only on rainfall. The results of the study showed that, in addition to its direct effect, the availability of irrigation water indirectly affected crop revenue through receptivity of the farmers to use modern farm inputs. Around 27 percent of the total effect of dam-driven irrigation water on crop revenue was mediated by farmers’ receptivity to use yield-enhancing modern farm inputs. The results of this study suggested that the availability of irrigation water is essential to improve both crop revenue and receptivity of the farmers to use modern farm inputs. This finding also drives a strategic framework that the receptivity of the farmers to use modern farm inputs is crucial for utilizing the positive effects of irrigation water availability on crop revenue.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000470941300003	Publication Date	2019-04-25
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0378-3774	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record
	Impact Factor	2.848	Times cited	1	Open Access
	Notes	; The authors would like to thank Bahir Dar University – Institutional University Cooperation (BDU-IUC) VLIR_UOS project for providing us enough funds for the completion of this study. Special gratitude is given to Abrehet Kahassay and Kassahun Birhanu for helping us to map the study area; and to the data collectors (Hilemichael Fentahun, Etsehewot Birara, and Tsegachewu Degu) for their commitment. The authors gratefully acknowledge the Koga Irrigation Scheme office managers, Tewachewu Abebe, and his colleagues for their support during the data collection. The authors also acknowledge the farmers (respondents) for their willingness to spend time responding honestly to questions. ;			Approved	Most recent IF: 2.848
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:159246			Serial	6182
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	Author	Zewdie, M.C.; Van Passel, S.; Moretti, M.; Annys, S.; Tenessa, D.B.; Ayele, Z.A.; Tsegaye, E.A.; Cools, J.; Minale, A.S.; Nyssen, J.
	Title	Pathways how irrigation water affects crop revenue of smallholder farmers in northwest Ethiopia: A mixed approach			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2020	Publication	Agricultural Water Management	Abbreviated Journal	Agr Water Manage
	Volume	233	Issue		Pages	106101
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Economics; Engineering sciences. Technology; Engineering Management (ENM); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	The relationship between irrigation water availability and crop revenue is multifaceted. However, most of the previous studies focused only on the direct effect of irrigation water on crop revenue or considered that the indirect effect passes only through the farmers’ improved farm inputs usage. Nevertheless, unlike previous studies, this study argues that a one-sided argument that irrigation water directly causes high crop revenue or indirectly affects crop revenue only via the farmers’ improved farm inputs usage is incomplete, as irrigation water not only directly contributes to crop revenue but also indirectly conduces to crop revenue via both the type of crops produced and the farmers’ improved farm inputs usage. Considering the previous studies’ limitations, this study investigates pathways how small-scale irrigation water affects crop revenue and identifies challenges of small-scale irrigation farming in Fogera district, Ethiopia. Results endorsed that irrigation water has both direct and indirect effects on crop revenue. The indirect effect is 67 percent of the total effect and it is mediated by both the type of crops produced and farmers’ improved farm inputs usage. The result also indicated that irrigation user farmers have a higher income, more livestock assets and resources and better food, housing, and cloths than the non-users. Moreover, challenges related to agricultural output and input market were identified as the most severe problem followed by crop disease. The findings of our study suggest that to utilize the benefits of irrigation water properly, it is crucial to encourage farmers to use more improved farm inputs and to shift from staple to cash crop production. Moreover, farmers are frequently exposed to cheating by illegal brokers in the output market, therefore it is also important to increase farmers’ accessibility to output and input markets, the quality of improved farm inputs, and the bargaining power of farmers with market information.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000525291200025	Publication Date	2020-02-29
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0378-3774	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	6.7	Times cited		Open Access
	Notes	Bahir Dar University – Institutional University Cooperation;			Approved	Most recent IF: 6.7; 2020 IF: 2.848
	Call Number	ENM @ enm @c:irua:167592			Serial	6353
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	Author	Merante, P.; Van Passel, S.; Pacini, C.
	Title	Using agro-environmental models to design a sustainable benchmark for the sustainable value method			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2015	Publication	Agricultural Systems	Abbreviated Journal	Agr Syst
	Volume	136	Issue		Pages	1-13
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Economics; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	Farms contribute heavily to overall sustainability. To date, various frameworks, approaches, methods and indicators have been developed to appraise how much corporations (firms, farms) contribute to sustainability. Among these, the Sustainable Value (SV) method helps to determine by which economic entity resources should be used in order to achieve the highest contributions to sustainability, by comparing company's efficiency of capital use against the efficiency of a benchmark. In this work we argue that the SV benchmark does not include certain crucial environmental concepts, such as the carrying capacity of an ecosystem or the multiple vital functions provided by ecosystem services. Thus, it is not a suitable reference for companies to evaluate their contribution to sustainability. As an alternative benchmark to standard SV applications, we propose a farm whose resource use productivity is correlated to the fulfilment of pre-determined environmental constraints: the Environmentally Sustainable Farm (ESF). To design this farm, we created an agro-environmental farm modelling framework that includes: (i) methods and approaches to assess indicators concerning specific environmental issues; (ii) an integrated ecological-economic model based on linear programming. This farm modelling framework is employed to determine both the environmental performance and the economic returns of two farming systems, conventional (CFS) and organic (OFS), which are compared using the Sustainable Value approach. Despite the fact that the OFS environmentally outperforms the CFS, none of them reaches the sustainable performances achieved by the ESF, both performing a negative Sustainable Value. The environmental constraints forced the ESF towards management choices that, although decreasing the economic performance, increase its environmental sustainability behaviour. Hence, the ESF is a viable benchmark that can be used to evaluate llllfarms' environmental sustainability. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000354503000001	Publication Date	2015-02-25
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0308-521x	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	2.571	Times cited	6	Open Access
	Notes	; We wish to thank all participants to the SVAPPAS project for their inspiring contributions and challenging debates. Furthermore, we are grateful to the financial support from the 6th Framework Programme of the EU (project code: SSPECT – 2006 – DG AGRI). The authors thank the technicians Giovanna Casella and Roberto Vivoli (University of Florence) for their technical contribution. ;			Approved	Most recent IF: 2.571; 2015 IF: 2.906
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:127536			Serial	6275
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	Author	Meul, M.; Van Middelaar, C.E.; de Boer, I.J.M.; Van Passel, S.; Fremaut, D.; Haesaert, G.
	Title	Potential of life cycle assessment to support environmental decision making at commercial dairy farms			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2014	Publication	Agricultural Systems	Abbreviated Journal	Agr Syst
	Volume	131	Issue		Pages	105-115
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	In this paper, we evaluate the potential of life cycle assessment (LCA) to support environmental decision making at commercial dairy farms. To achieve this, we follow a four-step method that allows converting environmental assessment results using LCA into case-specific advice for farmers. This is illustrated in a case-study involving 20 specialized Flemish dairy farms. Calculated LCA indicators are normalized into scores between 0 and 100, whereby a score of 100 is assumed optimal, to allow for a mutual comparison of indicators for different environmental impact categories. Next, major farm and management characteristics affecting environmental performance are identified using multiple regression and correlation analyses. Finally, comparing specific farm and management characteristics with those of best performing farms identifies farm-specific optimization strategies. We conclude that this approach complies with most of the identified critical success factors for the successful implementation of LCA as a decision support system for farmers. Key aspects herein are (i) the flexibility and accessibility of the model, (ii) the use of readily available farm data, (iii) farm advisors being intended model users, (iv) the identification of key farm and management characteristics affecting environmental performance and (v) the organization of discussion sessions involving farmers and farm advisors. However, attention should be paid (i) to provide sufficient training and guidance for farm advisors on the use of the applied LCA model and the interpretation of results, (ii) to evaluate the correctness of the used data and (iii) to keep the model up-to-date according to new scientific insights and knowledge concerning LCA methodology. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000343955300011	Publication Date	2014-09-15
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0308-521x	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	2.571	Times cited	25	Open Access
	Notes	; ;			Approved	Most recent IF: 2.571; 2014 IF: 2.906
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:127540			Serial	6238
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	Author	Moretti, M.; De Boni, A.; Roma, R.; Fracchiolla, M.; Van Passel, S.
	Title	Integrated assessment of agro-ecological systems : the case study of the “Alta Murgia” National park in Italy			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2016	Publication	Agricultural Systems	Abbreviated Journal	Agr Syst
	Volume	144	Issue		Pages	144-155
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	Several indicators and methods are already applied for sustainability assessment in agriculture. The links between sustainability indicators, agricultural management and policies are not well explained. The aim of this study is to combine biophysical and monetary sustainability assessment tools to support agriculture policy decision-making. Three methodological steps are considered: i) the environmental impacts of farms are assessed using terrestrial acidification, freshwater eutrophication, soil and freshwater ecotoxicity as well as natural land transformation; ii) the most relevant indicators of agriculture damages on ecosystems quality are aggregated into an index; iii) the farms' index scores are integrated with farm assets, land and labor, into the Sustainable Value approach (SVA), as indicator of natural resources used by farms. As a case study, the methodology was applied to arable farms with and without animal husbandry of the “Alta Murgia” National Park. The crop farms, in our sample, have a higher sustainable value using their economic and environmental resources. Mixed farms need to improve their resources use efficiency. Although crop farms have lower land-use efficiency compared to mixed farms, our results suggest supporting, by means of policy options, the specialized crop farms that, on average, perform better in terms of ecosystems quality preservation. Finally, we find that Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to soundly measure the environmental impacts clearly enriches the SVA. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000373553100014	Publication Date	2016-02-27
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0308-521x	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	2.571	Times cited	6	Open Access
	Notes	; We would like to thank the editor and the anonymous referees for their helpful suggestions and insightful comments that have significantly improved the paper. The authors want to thank the “Alta Murgia” Park Authority for the support in this study and all farmers that collaborated with the authors providing data. Moreover, the authors want to thank Dr. Sylvestre Njakou Djomo for the useful discussion and suggestion to build the LCA model. ;			Approved	Most recent IF: 2.571
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:133254			Serial	6218
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	Author	Pacini, G.C.; Merante, P.; Lazzerini, G.; Van Passel, S.
	Title	Increasing the cost-effectiveness of EU agri-environment policy measures through evaluation of farm and field-level environmental and economic performance			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2015	Publication	Agricultural Systems	Abbreviated Journal	Agr Syst
	Volume	136	Issue		Pages	70-78
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Economics; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	A lot of attention in the debate on the 2014-2020 programming period of the EU CAP and rural development policy revolves around the policy's contribution to enhancing resource use efficiency, decreasing environmental impact, restoring ecosystems and how to ensure more efficient and effective agrienvironmental measures (AEMs). Nevertheless, studies that simultaneously address multiple measures with multiple environmental objectives and targets are underrepresented in the scientific literature. The objectives of the present article are (i) to present an integrated tool-kit for AEM design resulting from the combination of farm modelling with the Sustainable Value Approach (SVA), and (ii) to evaluate the potential of the tool-kit to support AEM design through an application to estimate cost-effective organic agriculture payments for the dairy sector in Mugello, northern Tuscany. Sustainability assessment of organic and conventional farming systems (OFS and CFS, respectively.) under the 2007-2013 EU CAP support schemes and a no EU support scenario show better OFS performances regarding nitrogen leaching (-52% and -47% under the current CAP and the no EU support scenarios, respectively), soil erosion (-24% and -34%), potential pesticide risks (-100%), biodiversity (+13% and +30%). Income foregone for the production of environmental benefits from organic agriculture under a no EU support scenario is equal to 210 Euro/ha. Sustainable value calculations combined with modelling results indicate soil erosion and nitrogen leaching as the environmental processes to be addressed with specific policy measures to further increase the efficiency of organic farming. A new organic agriculture support scheme designed based on such indications further increases the OFS SV and almost closes the GAP with a benchmark farm of the area, featured with ideal performances in terms of environmental and economic indicators. The payment scheme we designed with the support of the integrated tool-kit shows to be more cost-effective and efficient of current AEMs. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000354503000007	Publication Date	2015-03-18
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0308-521x	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	2.571	Times cited	12	Open Access
	Notes	; We wish to thank all participants to the SVAPPAS project for their inspiring contributions and challenging debates. We are furthermore grateful to the financial support from the 6th Framework Programme of the EU (project code: SSPECT – 2006 – DG AGRI). The authors are most grateful to technicians Giovanna Casella and Roberto Vivoli (University of Florence) for their technical contribution. ;			Approved	Most recent IF: 2.571; 2015 IF: 2.906
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:127537			Serial	6216
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	Author	van Winsen, F.; de Mey, Y.; Lauwers, L.; Van Passel, S.; Vancauteren, M.; Wauters, E.
	Title	Cognitive mapping : a method to elucidate and present farmers' risk perception			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2013	Publication	Agricultural Systems	Abbreviated Journal	Agr Syst
	Volume	122	Issue		Pages	42-52
	Keywords	A1 Journal article
	Abstract	Assumptions on the perceptions of risks, made in agricultural economics literature, are recognized to be over-simplistic. For example most studies assume that risks are independent and static, while in reality most risks are interlinked and dynamic. We propose an alternative method to identify and present risk perception, closer to the actual comprehension of risk by farmers. Grounded theory is used to investigate the perceptions of risk by farmers while avoiding prior assumptions. Main findings are: (i) farmers have difficulty to rank or score probability and impact of risks in a (semi)quantitative manner; (ii) farmers attach different meanings to risk, when the focus shifts between, uncertain event, probability or value at stake and; (iii) farmers perceive risks as being interrelated. Based on these findings, we propose that farmers' risk perception can be best understood as a network of interrelated notions of uncertain events, their effects and uncertain outcomes. Furthermore, cognitive mapping is suggested to elucidate and present these networks. We test cognitive mapping, exploring dairy farmers' risk perception, and demonstrate the appropriateness of this methodology for capturing the complexity and context of perceived risk. Advantages are: (i) the qualitative approach, (ii) the focus on interrelations and context, (iii) the applicability at farm level, (iv) the farmer-driven rather than researcher-driven perspective, and (v) the elucidation of the polyvalent use of the risk concept. Cognitive maps can be used as a communication tool, a risk management tool, and a tool to stimulate bi-directional learning amongst farmers, policy makers, researchers and extension agents. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000326910500005	Publication Date	2013-09-12
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0308-521x	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	2.571	Times cited	27	Open Access
	Notes	; We would like to acknowledge the Agency for Innovation by Science and Technology of the Flemish Government (IWT) for funding this research. Furthermore we would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their valuable input. ;			Approved	Most recent IF: 2.571; 2013 IF: 2.453
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:112765			Serial	6168
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	Author	Annys, S.; Van Passel, S.; Dessein, J.; Adgo, E.; Nyssen, J.
	Title	From fast-track implementation to livelihood deterioration: The dam-based Ribb Irrigation and Drainage Project in Northwest Ethiopia			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2020	Publication	Agricultural Systems	Abbreviated Journal	Agr Syst
	Volume	184	Issue		Pages	102909-102913
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	The 21st century revival of large-scale water resources development projects makes it important to keep assessing their impacts – preferably from an interdisciplinary perspective – in order to not repeat past mistakes and explore whether they could improve livelihood conditions for rural communities. In this study, costs and benefits of the World Bank-funded Ribb Irrigation and Drainage Project (RIDP) were investigated using a unique systems approach. The impact for farmers with different initial farming systems (rainfed – residual moisture – irrigated) was studied using field observations, document analyses, remote sensing, agronomic data and semi-structured interviews (n = 165). Data on project-induced changes to land and water availability, cropping patterns, farming systems and farm-level economics were collected. The results show that dam and dyke construction has reduced flooding, which has resulted in declining rice productivity ( – 42%) and concomitant shifts to lower value cropping systems. Results also reveal that the land redistribution has caused widespread livelihood deterioration as households had to give up 25% of their farmland and the communal grazing land was fully converted into farmland. Due to top-down implementation, nontransparent communication, delayed construction and lagging financial compensation, social resistance has appeared in the command area, impeding the construction works. In addition to these problems, if no rapid change to higher value crops can be realized, 20.5% of the farmers (those who already irrigate) will experience a loss of livelihood, 64.1% of the farmers (those with rainfed and residual moisture cultivation) will be on the verge of livelihood deterioration and only 13.5% of the farmers (those with solely rainfed cultivation) will enjoy RIDP-induced improved livelihoods. The fate of this project stresses the importance of investigating initial farming systems, exploring worthy project alternatives, improving participation, communication and benefit-sharing and strengthening the institutional capacity of implementing authorities.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000564756600013	Publication Date	2020-08-08
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0308-521x	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	6.6	Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 6.6; 2020 IF: 2.571
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:172030			Serial	6927
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	Author	Gezahegn, T.W.; Van Passel, S.; Berhanu, T.; D'Haese, M.; Maertens, M.
	Title	Big is efficient : evidence from agricultural cooperatives in Ethiopia			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2019	Publication	Agricultural Economics	Abbreviated Journal	Agr Econ-Blackwell
	Volume	50	Issue	50	Pages	555-566
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Economics; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	In Ethiopia, there is a renewed interest in agricultural cooperatives as an institutional tool to improve the welfare of smallholder farmers. One of the pathways through which cooperatives benefit their members is scale economies. However, the establishment of cooperatives in Ethiopia seems to pay little attention to the size of the organizations. This article aims at investigating the effect of size on cost efficiency of agricultural cooperatives. More specifically, the purpose is to examine whether a single cooperative can serve a given number of farmers at a lower cost than two or more smaller cooperatives could. We employ the concept of cost subadditivity to compare the cost efficiency of large versus small cooperatives, and by extension unilateral actions. We estimate a flexible production technology using cross-sectional cooperative-level data. Findings show that costs would drop by 78% to 181% if farmers join hands in relatively large rather than small cooperatives.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000480797700001	Publication Date	2019-08-01
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0169-5150	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record
	Impact Factor	1.758	Times cited		Open Access
	Notes	; VLIR-UOS-ZEIN2015PR406 (13V95615T) PROGRAMME(TEAM), Belgium ;			Approved	Most recent IF: 1.758
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:161812			Serial	6161
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	Author	Van Schoubroeck, S.; Chacon, L.; Reynolds, A.M.; Lavoine, N.; Hakovirta, M.; Gonzalez, R.; Van Passel, S.; Venditti, R.A.
	Title	Environmental sustainability perception toward obvious recovered waste content in paper-based packaging : an online and in-person survey best-worst scaling experiment			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Resources, conservation and recycling	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	188	Issue		Pages	106682-13
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	This study explores consumers' visual sustainability impressions of paper-based packaging that has incorporated obvious waste content. Two research questions were addressed concerning (i) the environmental sustainability perception of noticeable waste content in packaging and (ii) the impact of the presentation format (i.e., online versus in-person surveys) when studying these perceptions. Best-worst scaling experiments were conducted, which made respondents choose the 'most' and 'least' environmentally friendly package. Packages were designed using paperboard substrates blending either brown linerboard or white hardwood pulp with different recovered waste materials. The results showed that consumers perceive obvious waste-containing packaging as more environmentally friendly than classical packaging (with no visual waste). Samples with a brown base and agricultural waste were perceived as more sustainable compared to white packaging and the use of paper waste. In addition, the presentation format changed respondents' perception, and should therefore be carefully considered when designing surveys.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000867675200002	Publication Date	2022-09-30
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0921-3449	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	13.2	Times cited		Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 13.2; 2023 IF: 3.313
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:191509			Serial	7357
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	Author	Sauve, G.; Esguerra, J.L.; Laner, D.; Johansson, J.; Svensson, N.; Van Passel, S.; Van Acker, K.
	Title	Integrated early-stage environmental and economic assessment of emerging technologies and its applicability to the case of plasma gasification			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Journal of cleaner production	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	382	Issue		Pages	134684-14
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	Economic and environmental impact assessments are increasingly being adopted in the design and implementation of emerging systems. However, their emerging nature leads to several assessment challenges that need to be addressed to ensure the validity and usefulness of results in understanding their potential performance and supporting their development. There is the need to (i) account for spatial and temporal variability to allow a broader perspective at an early stage of development; (ii) handle uncertainties to systematically identify the critical factors and their interrelations that drive the results; (iii) integrate environmental and economic results to support sound decision-making based on two sustainability aspects. To address these assessment challenges, this study presents an alternative approach with the following corresponding features: (i) multiple scenario development to conduct an exploratory assessment of the systems under varying conditions and settings, (ii) global sensitivity analysis to identify the main critical factors and their interrelations, and (iii) trade-off and ecoefficiency analysis to integrate the economic and environmental results. The integrated approach is applied to a case study on plasma gasification for solid waste management. The results of the study highlight how the approach allows the identification of the dynamic relations between project settings and surrounding conditions. For example, the choice of gasifying agent largely depends on the background energy system, which dictates the impacts of the process energy requirement and the savings from the substituted energy of the syngas output. Based on these findings, the usefulness and validity of the proposed integrated approach are discussed in terms of how the key assessment challenges are addressed and how it can provide guidance for the development of emerging systems.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000906664200001	Publication Date	2022-10-22
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0959-6526	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	11.1	Times cited		Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 11.1; 2023 IF: 5.715
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:193464			Serial	7361
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	Author	Admasu, W.F.; Van Passel, S.; Minale, A.S.; Tsegaye, E.A.; Nyssen, J.
	Title	Nexus between land development and the value of ecosystem services in Ethiopia : a contingent valuation study			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Environment, development and sustainability	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	1-21
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	In Ethiopia, the state owns all lands within the territory of the country. Cities are incorporating large parcels of land from their surrounding rural agricultural areas through land expropriation. However, these land developments do not consider the nonmarket value of ecosystem services (ES), which is causing a deterioration of the existing ES and reduction on the potential supply of ES from agricultural land. The aim of this study was to estimate the monetary value of nonmarketable ES from the agricultural land using a double-bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation method. A survey of 524 smallholder farmers was conducted. In the survey, respondents were asked to state their willingness to pay for the improvement of some of the nonmarketable ES: erosion control, air and climate regulation, water regulation, and soil fertility. The estimation was carried out using a bivariate probit model. The results revealed that farmers are willing to pay on average 276 ETB (7.9 USD) per hectare per year for a period of 10 years. We found that individual characteristics such as age, family size, and a recent land expropriation experience adversely affect the willingness to pay by the farmers. On the other hand, individuals with higher income and larger land size are willing to pay more. In general, the study indicated that the nonmarket ES, which are affected by the land expropriation for urban expansion, are valuable for the farmers. Therefore, we recommend that the government consider the value of nonmarketable ES in its land use decisions and hence achieve sustainable land development.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000907898700002	Publication Date	2023-01-05
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1387-585x; 1573-2975	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	4.9	Times cited		Open Access	Not_Open_Access: Available from 05.01.2024
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 4.9; 2023 IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:193432			Serial	7363
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	Author	Buyle, M.; Audenaert, A.; Brusselaers, J.; Van Passel, S.
	Title	Rebound effects following technological advancement? The case of a global shock in ferrochrome supply			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Journal of cleaner production	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	391	Issue		Pages	136264-11
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Economics; Engineering sciences. Technology; Energy and Materials in Infrastructure and Buildings; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	Novel recycling technologies aim at increasing material efficiency by turning former waste products into valuable reclaimed resources. A key question is whether such technologies really reduce primary resource consumption or instead stimulate aggregated market demand. In this study the consequences of a positive shock in ferrochrome supply to the global stainless steel value chain is assessed quantitatively. This new source might be unlocked by technology under development for the recovery of chromium from carbon and stainless steel slags. The aim of this study is to quantitatively assess the income and substitution effects of reclaimed ferrochrome along a part of the stainless steel value chain. The impact of the supply shock is analysed by means of a vector autoregression (VAR), a dynamic model where lagged values of all included variables estimate current state of the system. Additionally, the VAR model is extended to a structural vector autoregression (SVAR) to account for contemporary effects as well. Both the VAR and SVAR model indicate that additional ferrochrome supply leads to an increase in aggregated supply of stainless steel, in combination with a substitution effect between ferrochrome and nickel. The extended SVAR model additionally highlights that contemporaneous effects do play an important role as well to capture the direct rebound effect in the ferrochrome market when working with quarterly data. In other words, an additional supply of reclaimed ferrochrome triggers a complex combination of interactions and consequences, yet it does not necessarily lead to a lower overall material consumption. The main contributions of this paper are the assessment of direct rebound effects of supplying reclaimed metals along the value chain and the demonstration that quantifying the effects of circular strategies is feasible.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000930165300001	Publication Date	2023-01-30
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0959-6526	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record
	Impact Factor	11.1	Times cited		Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 11.1; 2023 IF: 5.715
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:193569			Serial	7365
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	Author	Fitawok, M.B.; Derudder, B.; Minale, A.S.; Van Passel, S.; Adgo, E.; Nyssen, J.
	Title	Stakeholder perspectives on farmers' resistance towards urban land-use changes in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Journal of land use science	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	18	Issue	1	Pages	25-38
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	Owing to growing uncontrolled land-use change and urban expansion, farmers in urban fringes are struggling to sustain their livelihood. Farmers have been expressing their dissatisfaction at different times. This study analyzes the stakeholders' perspectives on the causes and outcomes of farmers' resistance to land-use change and urban expansion processes by zooming in on Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. The paper is based on focus group discussions with farmers in the neighboring villages, local agricultural extension experts, and, subsequently, key informant interviews of local government officials. Juxtaposing farmers' and local experts' positions reveals that inadequate compensations during land expropriation, lack of good governance in the urban expansion process, and inaccessibility of infrastructures are primary reasons for the farmers' struggle against urban expansion in the urban fringes. This study provides insights into the consequences of unplanned urban development challenges and may inform research and policymaking on sustainable urban development in the area and beyond.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000936397600001	Publication Date	2023-02-22
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1747-423x; 1747-4248	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	3.2	Times cited		Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 3.2; 2023 IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:195109			Serial	7368
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	Author	Compernolle, T.; Van Passel, S.; Lebbe, L.
	Title	The value of groundwater modeling to support a pump and treat design			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2013	Publication	Groundwater monitoring & remediation	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	33	Issue	3	Pages	111-118
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Economics
	Abstract	A wide range of rules, algorithms, and models are available to design an effective pump and treat remediation system. Often, one refers to the effectiveness of the developed pump and treat system to demonstrate how valuable the use of a groundwater model can be. An economic valuation of the groundwater model is usually missing. This study provides a framework that puts the discussion concerning the use of groundwater models in an economic perspective. It is not only demonstrated that a more effective pump and treat system can be designed using a groundwater model, but also the economic implications of using a groundwater model are calculated. A set of economic decision rules is applied to determine the economic value of a groundwater model. It is shown that investing in a groundwater model can be economically worthwhile. The remediation time is reduced, remediation costs are saved and the property can be sold more early. These benefits outweigh the costs of developing a groundwater model, and hence a positive net benefit (NB) is determined.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date	2018-03-05
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:129867			Serial	6277
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	Author	Petitclerc, E.; Welkenhuysen, K.; Van Passel, S.; Piessens, K.; Maes, D.; Compernolle, T.
	Title	Towards geological-economic modelling to improve evaluating policy instruments for geothermal energy : case study for Belgium (Campine Basin)			Type	A3 Journal article
	Year	2017	Publication	European Geologist	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	43	Issue		Pages	10-15
	Keywords	A3 Journal article; Economics; Economics; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	Deep geothermal energy appears to be currently on the edge of a take-off in Belgium. However, the actual emergence of this technology is subject to developments in legislation and incentives from regional governments. Different risk/return expectations across stages of the investment continuum exist and the financial structures that are employed at each stage may require different types of public support. In this context, the ALPI project aims at developing a geological-economic model to calculate the impact of different policy instruments on development of the Belgian geothermal energy sector. Due to the lack of underground information describing the Campine Basin, economic methods are used to deal with these large geological uncertainties.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1028-267x	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:155239			Serial	6273
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	Author	Kuppens, T.; Van Dael, M.; Vanreppelen, K.; Carleer, R.; Yperman, J.; Schreurs, S.; Van Passel, S.
	Title	Techno-economic assessment of pyrolysis char production and application : a review			Type	P1 Proceeding
	Year	2014	Publication		Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	67-72
	Keywords	P1 Proceeding; Engineering sciences. Technology
	Abstract	Many organic residue streams such as pig manure are not or inefficiently used, although they can be converted into valuable materials, as well as energy, using pyrolysis. The yield of the pyrolysis products (i.e. oil, gas and char) is dependent on the process conditions and the feedstock used. Char as a soil amendment or activated carbon are interesting options for valorization of biomass residues. Here, a review is presented of the techno-economic potential of both valorization options based on literature and own experiments with wood from phytoremediation, particle board and waste from beer production. The term “biochar” is specifically used to designate pyrolysis char that is intentionally applied to soil in order to enhance its structure and fertility. Biochar applications are often also motivated by the objective of climate change mitigation. Two main disadvantages for the economic feasibility of biochar applications have been discerned. Firstly, carbon sequestration in agricultural crops and soils is not yet eligible under the Clean Development Mechanism. Secondly, the impact of biochar on crop productivity is unclear. Activated carbon (AC) seems to have interesting adsorption characteristics resulting in potentially high sales prices. A preliminary techno-economic assessment showed that AC production is preferred above oil production for wood from phytoremediation as long as the market price of 2 kEUR.t(-1) for commercially available ACs can be attained. Whenever a feedstock with high nitrogen content is available (e.g. particle board with melamine urea formaldehyde resin), even higher market prices might be attained. This study shows that valorization of the pyrolysis char might be an answer to the slow adoption of pyrolysis in commercial applications. Focus in research and development, for instance in future research with regard to pig manure valorization, should therefore be on sustainable products with high economic value and direct utilization potential.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000346540000012	Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title	International Conference on BioMass (iconBM 2014), 4-7 May 2014, Florence, Italy / Ranzi, Eliseo [edit.]; et al.
	Series Volume	37	Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	978-88-95608-28-0	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor		Times cited	8	Open Access
	Notes	; ;			Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:127547			Serial	6265
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	Author	Kuppens, T.; Van Dael, M.; Maggen, J.; Vanreppelen, K.; Yperman, J.; Carleer, R.; Elen, H.; Van Passel, S.
	Title	Techno-economic assessment of different conversion pathways for pyrolysis char from pig manure			Type	P1 Proceeding
	Year	2014	Publication		Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	901-911
	Keywords	P1 Proceeding; Engineering sciences. Technology
	Abstract	The amount of animal manure that can be brought back to agricultural land is limited by legislation. Because pig manure is available in too large quantities in some areas, we investigate the techno-economic feasibility of converting it into valuable products. First, slurry is separated in water, a thick fraction and a fertilizer concentrate poor in phosphate. Then, the thick fraction is dried and pyrolyzed. Our goal is to identify the optimal pyrolysis and activation conditions for the production of biochar or activated carbon. The latter has interesting adsorption characteristics due to the presence of nitrogen. It can also be used as a soil amendment as it improves biomass quantity and quality. On top, it immobilizes toxic elements and stores carbon in the soil. Char thus has many interesting characteristics and can be valued in different ways. The economic feasibility has been explored by a first techno-economic modelling iteration. The critical factors influencing the feasibility are identified by Monte Carlo simulations for further improvement of the process design.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title	22nd European Biomass Conference and Exhibition : Setting the Course for a Biobased Economy, 23-26 June 2014, Hamburg, Germany : conference proceedings
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes	; ;			Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:127546			Serial	6263
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	Author	Joolaie, R.; Sarvestani, A.A.; Taheri, F.; Van Passel, S.; Azadi, H.
	Title	Sustainable cropping pattern in North Iran : application of fuzzy goal programming			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2017	Publication	Environment, development and sustainability	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	19	Issue	6	Pages	2199-2216
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	Due to the important role that the application of mathematical programming models have in determining optimal cropping patterns, this research presents a sustainable cropping pattern that considers selected economic, environmental, and social goals together. Using a random sampling method, a sample size of 168 farmers was selected in the Sari County, Iran. Our results showed that economic, self-sufficiency, environmental, and social goals have a distinctly different impact on cropping pattern performance. Compared to the current cropping pattern, the gross margins for economic and social goals increased by nearly 11 and 2 %, respectively, and the gross margins for self-sufficiency and environmental goals decreased by nearly 2 and 36 %. Interestingly, it has been found that the performance of the current cropping pattern has an average positive impact of 6 % if economic, self-sufficiency, environmental, and social (employment) goals are realized simultaneously.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000414459300004	Publication Date	2016-09-02
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1387-585x	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor		Times cited	2	Open Access
	Notes	; ;			Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:147370			Serial	6257
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	Author	Peeters, M.; Compernolle, T.; Van Passel, S.
	Title	Simulation of a controlled water heating system with demand response remunerated on imbalance market pricing			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2020	Publication	Journal of building engineering	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	27	Issue	27	Pages	100969
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Economics; Engineering sciences. Technology; Economics; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	Buildings are responsible for 40% of our worldwide energy consumption and 50% of this energy is converted for Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems in buildings. The increasing share of renewable energy production required to make the transition towards a carbon neutral energy system challenges the stability of the grid. Through demand response it becomes possible to activate these systems in support of grid balancing. However, this flexibility is currently not rewarded in the market. We simulate a domestic water heater participating in the balancing of the electricity net and calculated the revenue from this action. We simulate a water heater in connection with an Economic Model Predictive Controller (EMPC) which takes future usage, energy cost, and reward for delivering balanced power into account. We show that the choice of an EMPC controller is valid as it allows the setpoint to change if certain conditions are met, leading to a more optimal revenue stream from selling flexibility. We find that the economic benefits of participating in delivering balancing power is considerable and offset an increase in energy costs. The increase in energy consumption could be justified as the participation in net stabilisation allows the macro-system to integrate more renewable energy sources. More importantly, the simulations also show that the poorer the energy performance of the water heater, the more flexibility can be sold. From a policy point of view, a minimal energy performance should be determined before allowing participation in net stabilisation.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000502361000075	Publication Date	2019-09-27
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes	; Tine Compernolle thanks the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) for funding her postdoctoral mandate [grant number 12M7417N]. ;			Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:164236			Serial	6248
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	Author	Creemers, S.; Van Passel, S.; Vigani, M.; Vlahos, G.
	Title	Relationship between farmers' perception of sustainability and future farming strategies : a commodity-level comparison			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2019	Publication	AIMS Agriculture and Food	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	4	Issue	3	Pages	613-642
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	The environmental challenges have become increasingly integrated into the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The Europe 2020 CAP Framework defines new rules for farmers and targets on innovation, resource efficiency, economic viability, and environmental sustainability. Given the continual evolution of the CAP, it is relevant to focus on sustainable agriculture and which indicators can be employed to aid our understanding of the future farming strategies. This study examines the relationship between perceived sustainability and future farming strategies for three different commodities: sugar beet, dairy, and feta cheese. Survey data collected between 2017-2018 from 191 Belgian sugar beet farmers, 524 dairy farmers (from UK, Denmark, France, and Latvia), and 150 Greek sheep and goat farmers producing milk for feta cheese were analysed using multinomial logistic regressions. Our results show that the farmers' attitude towards sustainability affects intentions to implement specific farming strategies. Belgian sugar beet farmers who perceive their supply chain arrangements (SCAs) environmentally sustainable are less likely to reduce the scale of their farms' operations rather than to maintain them. Dairy farmers are more likely to change the existing scale than to maintain scale if they perceive that production choices affect environmental sustainability to a higher extent. Dairy farmers who perceive their SCAs economically sustainable are less likely to abandon farming. Greek sheep and goat farmers who perceive their SCAs economically sustainable are more likely to expand the existing scale. The observed differences at commodity-level show the importance of well targeted policy measures towards more sustainable farming systems in the European Union.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000488251600009	Publication Date	2019-08-08
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	2471-2086	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record
	Impact Factor		Times cited	1	Open Access
	Notes	; This research was performed within the frame of the EU's HORIZON 2020 project SUFISA with the grant agreement number 635577. The authors want to thank colleagues from the SUFISA project for stimulating and inspiring discussions on this topic. In particular we would like to thank all the participants of the 2019 SUFISA final conference at the Jagiellonian University of Krakow for fruitful discussions. ;			Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:163832			Serial	6242
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	Author	Hoeks, C.; Azadi, H.; Khachak, P.R.; Troyo-Dieguez, E.; Van Passel, S.; Witlox, F.
	Title	Reforming land-tenure systems in South Africa : routes to socio-economic and agricultural sustainability			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2014	Publication	Development policy review	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	32	Issue	6	Pages	647-674
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Economics; Law
	Abstract	Given the historical development of land tenure in South Africa, the aim of this article is to examine the best routes to alleviate poverty and retain sustainable agriculture in the country. First, a theoretical framework is presented that relates land tenure to sustainability, and three historical periods (pre-colonial, colonial, and apartheid) are then considered to explain the changes in land tenure and their consequences. The progress and main limitations of post-apartheid land reform to approach agricultural sustainability and alleviate poverty are discussed. Based on the analysis, different possibilities for future land reform are elaborated, followed by some recommendations for future land-reform policies in South Africa.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000342755600001	Publication Date	2014-09-29
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor		Times cited	3	Open Access
	Notes	; ;			Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:122509			Serial	6241
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	Author	Compernolle, T.; Van Passel, S.; Lebbe, L.; Vangronsveld, J.; Thewys, T.
	Title	Populieren en hun bacteriën : een sanering hoeft niet altijd duur en ingrijpend te zijn			Type	A3 Journal article
	Year	2010	Publication	Nieuwsbrief milieu & economie	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	24	Issue	5	Pages	15-17
	Keywords	A3 Journal article; Economics
	Abstract
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:140852			Serial	6237
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	Author	Shahraki, M.R.; Abedi-Sarvestani, A.; Seyedi, M.S.; Rafiaani Khachak, P.; Nieto-Garibay, A.; Van Passel, S.; Azadi, A.
	Title	The perception by pastoralists of the factors influencing the appropriate distribution of livestock in the rangelands of north-east Iran			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2015	Publication	The Rangeland Journal	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	37	Issue	2	Pages	191-197
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Economics; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	The distribution of livestock grazing is a key principle of range management. This study examines pastoralists perceptions of the factors that affect the distribution of livestock in the rangelands of the Neqab region of the Kashmar County in north-east Iran. Data were collected from the pastoralists on their perceptions of the managerial, biological and physical factors that influences the distribution of livestock, using both qualitative and quantitative assessments. Results showed that, the perception of the majority of pastoralists was that the distribution of livestock was average or good in the study area. It was perceived that the experience of herders and the size of the rangeland were the main factors influencing the distribution of livestock. Regression analyses showed that it was perceived that managerial factors had a more important role than biological and physical factors in the distribution of livestock and the proper use of the rangelands in north-east Iran.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000351863200007	Publication Date	2015-02-18
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes	; ;			Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:129879			Serial	6234
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	Author	Soltani, S.; Azadi, H.; Hosseini, S.J.F.; Witlox, F.; Van Passel, S.
	Title	Marketing innovation in rural small food industries in Iran			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2015	Publication	Journal of food products marketing	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	21	Issue	5	Pages	533-551
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Economics; Engineering Management (ENM); Government and Law
	Abstract	Marketing innovation is essential for small industries to transform products into profit; therefore, understanding its nature and determinants is of utmost importance. This study aimed at understanding marketing innovation and its determinants in the 60 small food industries in the rural areas of Tehran province, Iran. Using a census sampling method, 111 managers of these firms were interviewed. Results showed that the firms performance in marketing innovation is generally weak, and a higher level of radical innovation in marketing is perceived compared to the incremental innovation. Also, a cause-and-effect relationship exists between both product and organizational innovations and marketing innovation. Furthermore, while incremental marketing innovation was negatively influenced by formal R&D unit, product diversification, and the managers years of experience, radical marketing innovation was affected by the capacity of production, product diversification, and managers age and education. The study concluded that in order to boost marketing innovation, innovation should be made also in products and organization. In addition, in order to facilitate the process of marketing innovation, practical and updated training for managers encouraging incremental innovation in marketing, product diversification, and improving R&D activities in the studied firms should be regarded.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date	2015-09-01
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1045-4446	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:130144			Serial	6225
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