Accès libre

Empirical approach to risk management strategies of Mediterranean mussel farmers in Greece

John A. Theodorou
John A. Theodorou
, 
Ioannis Tzovenis
Ioannis Tzovenis
 et 
George Katselis
George Katselis
   | 03 déc. 2021
Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies's Cover Image
À propos de cet article
Article précédent
Article suivant
Citez
Article Category: Original research paper
Publié en ligne: 03 déc. 2021
Pages: 455 - 472
Reçu: 27 mars 2021
Accepté: 21 juin 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/oandhs-2021-0039
Mots clés
© 2021 John A. Theodorou et al., published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Figure 1

Path analysis framework for risk management strategies in relation to socioeconomic and risk factors of Greek mussel farmers
Path analysis framework for risk management strategies in relation to socioeconomic and risk factors of Greek mussel farmers

Figure 2

Path diagram (statistically significant flows; p < 0.05 and * – p < 0.1) for risk management strategies in relation to socioeconomic and risk factors of Greek mussel farmers. Values on the arrows are standardized regression coefficients.
Path diagram (statistically significant flows; p < 0.05 and * – p < 0.1) for risk management strategies in relation to socioeconomic and risk factors of Greek mussel farmers. Values on the arrows are standardized regression coefficients.

Results of open-ended questions (% of respondents’ responses)

Risk sources variables What risks do you consider manageable? For what types of risks would you like to purchase insurance? What type of risk could be covered by public/government support?
Weather impact 0 14.3 51.0
Harmful algal blooms 0 0.0 79.6
Pollution 0 2.0 26.5
Predators 0 0.0 57.1
Diseases 0 0.0 8.2
Illegal actions 0 0.0 8.2
Uninsured boat 0 44.9 0.0
Farming in general (routine production handling) 100 0.0 0.0

Ranking of risk perception sources by mean scores (1 – not relevant, 5 – relevant); factor loadings from factor analysis (SRi) for risk sources and results of multivariate ANOVA (MANOVA) of factor scores per legal status and culture system. ExpVar% – % explained variance, CumExpVar% – % cumulative explained variance, SD – standard deviation, with significant values marked in bold (cut-off value of ± 0.6). Mean scale evaluation (MSE): M ≥ 4 – important (IM); 3 ≤ M < 4 – high moderate (HM); 2 ≤ M < 3 – low moderate (LM); Mi < 2 – low (LO), ns – non-significant statistical differences (p > 0.1), S, S* – significant statistical differences at p < 0.05 and p < 0.1, respectively, the rank of mean values of homogeneous subsets given in parentheses (post hoc Tukey HSD test)

ID Risk Sources (RS) variables Rank by Mean Mean (M) SD MSE Factors
SR1 SR2 SR3 SR4 SR5 SR6 SR7 SR8 SR9 SR10
8 Availability of grading machines 9 3.65 1.38 HM −0.83 −0.23 0.06 −0.19 −0.13 0.05 −0.16 0.14 −0.07 0.01
20 Health & safety 26 2.73 1.44 LM 0.73 −0.34 −0.02 −0.06 −0.11 0.26 0.13 0.18 0.23 0.03
6 Technology availability 14 3.41 1.21 HM −0.72 −0.15 0.10 −0.15 0.05 −0.01 −0.12 −0.06 0.43 0.08
7 Vessel availability 3 4.18 1.47 IM −0.58 −0.29 0.32 −0.13 −0.19 0.02 −0.25 0.35 0.10 0.06
33 Division of tasks within family 20 3.22 1.43 HM 0.57 0.41 0.46 0.19 0.05 0.19 −0.15 −0.14 0.10 0.03
32 Family relations 12 3.49 1.32 HM 0.48 0.46 0.42 0.11 0.26 0.27 −0.22 −0.11 0.06 0.19
31 Disability/health of farmer 2 4.20 1.17 IM 0.13 0.91 0.06 −0.06 0.07 0.19 −0.05 0.00 −0.03 0.12
30 Health situation of farmer family 5 4.02 1.13 IM 0.09 0.90 0.13 0.01 0.03 0.16 0.05 −0.03 −0.06 0.04
28 Possibility to remit loans 17 3.33 1.49 HM −0.11 0.02 0.88 −0.16 −0.03 0.03 0.07 0.12 −0.04 −0.02
27 Changes in interest rates 11 3.49 1.43 HM 0.00 0.16 0.85 −0.11 0.01 0.01 0.11 0.15 −0.04 0.09
23 Public Authorities Services 10 3.65 1.45 HM −0.07 −0.33 0.46 0.40 −0.07 −0.11 0.31 0.03 0.16 −0.12
16 Freshwater availability 15 3.41 1.17 HM 0.15 0.10 0.01 0.80 −0.20 −0.14 0.21 −0.02 0.08 0.20
19 Environmental impact 28 2.37 1.41 LM 0.13 −0.25 −0.25 0.79 0.10 0.31 0.03 −0.07 −0.08 −0.05
17 Diseases 33 1.76 1.20 LO 0.35 0.20 −0.07 0.63 0.39 −0.07 0.06 −0.19 0.29 −0.23
1 Weather impact 22 3.08 1.22 HM 0.27 0.52 −0.28 0.53 −0.17 0.14 0.17 0.10 −0.03 −0.19
2 Seed recruitment availability 13 3.41 1.15 HM −0.10 0.03 0.04 0.03 −0.87 −0.05 0.07 0.05 0.09 0.01
10 Ex-farm mussel price 1 4.49 0.82 IM 0.06 0.21 −0.05 0.14 0.65 0.12 0.23 0.41 0.14 0.09
29 Sea rental 29 2.18 1.27 LM −0.22 0.21 0.10 −0.26 0.47 0.39 0.09 0.22 −0.36 −0.01
3 Mussel meat yield 16 3.33 1.20 HM 0.29 0.25 −0.34 0.27 −0.47 0.04 −0.13 −0.07 −0.05 0.41
22 NGOs 31 1.90 1.08 LO −0.04 0.13 0.16 −0.05 0.06 0.82 −0.03 0.13 0.04 0.25
21 Media 21 3.20 1.62 HM 0.13 0.35 −0.15 0.19 0.26 0.68 0.10 −0.06 −0.22 −0.07
18 Illegal actions 30 2.02 1.25 LM 0.36 0.30 −0.12 0.13 −0.02 0.63 0.05 −0.05 0.15 −0.26
26 New license availability 19 3.22 1.37 HM 0.27 0.14 0.39 0.07 0.11 −0.04 0.73 −0.08 0.11 0.08
25 Environmental Policy 8 3.86 1.32 HM 0.07 −0.12 −0.04 0.30 −0.03 −0.11 0.66 −0.08 0.18 −0.13
12 Transport 32 1.86 1.12 LO −0.03 −0.21 0.28 −0.11 −0.19 0.43 0.63 −0.11 −0.22 0.08
11 Supply absorption 6 3.94 1.03 HM 0.16 0.23 −0.12 0.07 0.40 0.29 0.61 0.17 −0.07 0.08
5 Production cost 7 3.92 0.73 HM 0.01 0.06 0.06 −0.01 0.29 0.13 −0.13 0.75 −0.08 0.11
9 Labor availability 18 3.29 1.43 HM −0.33 −0.13 0.40 −0.08 −0.07 −0.05 0.03 0.71 0.04 −0.17
14 Pollution 27 2.47 1.37 LM −0.27 0.24 −0.02 0.46 0.23 0.21 0.02 −0.50 0.21 0.02
24 Termination of governmental support 25 2.86 1.40 LM −0.07 0.03 0.22 0.08 −0.11 0.04 −0.04 −0.07 0.81 0.13
13 Harmful algal blooms (HABS) 4 4.12 1.11 IM 0.08 −0.10 −0.29 0.06 0.06 −0.07 0.20 0.01 0.76 −0.04
4 Fouling organisms 23 2.98 1.03 LM −0.02 0.04 0.00 0.04 0.06 0.06 0.02 −0.02 0.14 0.95
15 Predators 24 2.86 1.65 LM −0.13 0.24 0.33 −0.29 −0.20 −0.01 0.03 0.39 −0.15 0.61
Eigenvalues 3.51 3.49 3.23 2.91 2.49 2.46 2.28 2.07 2.05 1.89
ExpVar% 10.65 10.57 9.79 8.81 7.55 7.47 6.91 6.27 6.21 5.73
CumExpVar% 10.65 21.21 31.01 39.81 47.37 54.83 61.74 68.01 74.22 79.95
MANOVA results
Legal status ns S (4 < 1, 2, 3) ns ns ns S (1, 2, 4 < 3, 4, 2) S* (1, 2, 3 < 2, 3, 4) ns ns ns
Culture system ns ns ns ns ns S (1 < 2) ns ns ns S* (2 < 1)

Total absolute effects of the relative risk attitude factor, socioeconomic factors (SER) and sources of risks factors (SR) on risk management strategy factors (RMS) determined for Greek mussel farmers by path analysis

Relative risk attitude factor, Socioeconomic factors (SER) and Sources of risk factors (SR) Risk Management Strategy factors (RMS)
Off-farm employment OR Applying strict hygienic rules Intra-company measures Insurance Collaboration OR Production at lowest cost Geographic dispersion OR Business diversification
Relative risk attitude 0.138 0.475 0.405 0.111 0.551
SER Farm features 0.215
Farm manager education
Work experience 0.287 0.218 0.065 0.172
SR Health safety OR Technology availability 0.272 0.262 0.431 0.218
Personal welfare 0.320 0.312
Financial risk
Environmental risk 0.510 0.336
Market risk
Social acceptance 0.289 0.216 0.371
Institutional 0.391
Production cost & Labor availability 0.287
HABs 0.242 0.240
Biofouling & predators 0.328 0.306

Factor loadings (SERi) from factor analysis of socioeconomic variables on Greek mussel farmers and results of multivariate ANOVA (MANOVA; p = 0.05) of factor scores per legal status and culture system. ExpVar% − % explained variance, CumExpVar% − % cumulative explained variance, with significant values marked in bold (cut-off value of ± 0.6), ns − non-significant statistical differences (p > 0.05)

Factors
farm features farm manager education work experience
Socioeconomic variables SER1 SER2 SER3
Production capacity 0.95 0.01 −0.02
Farm size 0.90 −0.05 0.04
Part-time work 0.81 −0.15 0.05
Full-time work 0.79 0.32 −0.09
Age −0.21 0.87 0.22
Education −0.19 −0.81 0.14
Work experience 0.03 0.03 0.99
Eigenvalues 3.07 1.55 1.06
ExpVar% 43.86 22.13 15.12
CumExpVar% 43.86 66.00 81.12
MANOVA results
Legal status (1, 2, 3, 4) ns ns ns
Culture system (1, 2) ns ns ns

Descriptive statistics of questionnaire responses from mussel farmers (n = 49) representative of production capacity in Greece; survey period from November 2008 to February 2009

Respondents (mussel farmers)/total Greek managing production capacity (t) 31 068/45 403
Production representation (%) 68
Questionnaire respondents (N/%) 49*/12
Age of respondents (18–30 yr/31–40 yr/41–50 yr/51–60/61 yr <) (%) 9/19/40/21/11
Work experience (yr) 13.9 ± 8.1
Education (primary/secondary/higher) 12/61/27
Mussel farmers’ managing capacity range (min.–max; t) 50–12 000*
Mean farm production capacity per farm unit (including individual cooperative members of respondents; t) 225 ± 152
Mean farm size ownership per individual farmer, including cooperative members (ha) 2.4 ± 1.7
Full-time occupation (workers/mussel farm) 1.25 ± 1.60
Part-time occupation (workers/mussel farm) 2.73 ± 1.81
Culture system (1 long line/2 hanging parks; %) 92/8
Legal status of the mussel farm (1 self-employment/2 general partnership GP/limited partnership LP/3 Ltd/4 SA) (%) 44/36/5/15

Effects of the relative risk attitude factor, socioeconomic factors (SER) and sources of risk factors (SR) on risk management strategy factors (RMS) determined by path analysis for Greek mussel farmers. Percentages of the absolute effect of independent variables on RMS given in parentheses.

RMS SER and SR Direct effect Indirect effect through Total effect Total association Non-causal Effect
Relative risk attitude Work experience
Off-farm employment or Applying strict hygienic rules Health safety OR Technology availability 0.272 (66.22%) 0.138 (33.77%) 0.411 0.272 −0.14
Environmental risk −0.51 (71.42%) −0.20 (28.57%) −0.715 −0.511 0.20
Production cost & Labor availability 0.287 (77.51%) −0.08 (22.48%) 0.204 0.287 0.08
Intra-company measures Relative risk attitude −0.34 (100%) −0.341 −0.355 −0.01
Health safety OR Technology availability −0.26 (66.22%) −0.13 (33.77%) −0.396 −0.414 −0.02
Environmental risk −0.33 (71.42%) −0.13 (28.57%) −0.471 −0.338 0.13
Social acceptance −0.28 (77.51%) −0.08 (22.48%) −0.373 −0.240 0.13
Institutional −0.39 (100%) −0.392 −0.286 0.11
Farm features −0.21 (100%) −0.215 −0.195 0.02
Insurance Health safety OR Technology availability −0.43 (66.22%) −0.21 (33.77%) −0.651 −0.431 0.22
Personal welfare 0.320 (63.29%) 0.186 (36.70%) 0.507 0.321 −0.19
Social acceptance 0.216 (100%) 0.217 0.217 0.00
HABs −0.24 (78.74%) 0.065 (21.25%) −0.177 −0.242 −0.07
Collaboration OR Production at lowest cost Health safety OR Technology availability 0.218 (66.22%) 0.111 (33.77%) 0.330 0.219 −0.11
Biofouling & predators −0.32 (100%) −0.329 −0.329 0.00
Social acceptance −0.37 (77.51%) −0.10 (22.48%) −0.480 −0.372 0.11
HABs 0.240 (78.74%) −0.06 (21.25%) 0.175 0.240 0.06
Geographic dispersion OR Business diversification Relative risk attitude −0.40 (100%) −0.401 −0.224 0.18
Biofouling & predators −0.30 (100%) −0.307 −0.271 0.04
Personal welfare 0.312 (67.56%) 0.150 (32.43%) 0.494 0.120 −0.37

Risk ranking by mean scores of questionnaire responses (n = 49); factor loadings for mussel farmers’ willingness to take risks and results of multivariate ANOVA (MANOVA) of factor scores per legal status and culture system. ExpVar% − % explained variance, CumExpVar% − % cumulative explained variance, SD − standard deviation, with significant values marked in bold (cut-off value of ± 0.6), ns − non-significant statistical differences (p > 0.1), S, S* − significant statistical differences p < 0.05 and p < 0.1, respectively, the rank of mean values of homogeneous subsets given in parentheses (post hoc Tukey HSD test).

Willing to take risk more than my colleagues Rank by Mean Mean Scale ± SD Factor loadings
(1–5) 1–100% Relative risk attitude (F1)
in production 1 3.16 1.33 63.27 26.57 0.91
in marketing 2 3.12 1.39 62.45 27.88 0.92
in farming in general 3 3.02 1.20 60.41 23.98 0.98
more than other farmers* 4 2.98 1.23 59.59 24.66 0.98
financial issues 5 2.43 1.40 48.57 48.57 0.84
Farmer’ risk attitude** 2.94 1.21 58.86 24.26
Eigenvalues 3.62
ExpVar% 72.35
CumExpVar% 72.35
MANOVA results
Legal status S (4, 3 < 2, 3 < 1, 3)
Culture system ns

Ranking of risk management strategies by mean scores (1 − not relevant, 5 − relevant). Factor loadings (RSMi) for risk sources and results of multivariate ANOVA (MANOVA) of factor scores per legal status and culture system. ExpVar% − % explained variance, CumExpVar% − % cumulative explained variance, SD − standard deviation, with significant values marked in bold (cut-off value of ± 0.6). Mean scale evaluation (MSE): M ≥ 4 − important (IM); 3 ≤ M < 4 − high moderate (HM); 2 ≤ M < 3 − low moderate (LM); Mi < 2 − low (LO), ns − non-significant statistical differences (p > 0.1), S, S* − significant statistical differences p < 0.05 and p < 0.1, respectively, the rank of mean values for homogeneous subsets given in parentheses (post hoc Tukey HSD test).

ID Risk Management Strategies (RMS) Rank by Mean Mean SD MSE Risk Management Strategies Factors
RMS1 RMS2 RMS3 RMS4 RMS5
8 Off-farm employment (agri-farming, commerce, services) 2 3.65 1.65 HM 0.85 0.17 −0.21 −0.12 −0.10
7 Off-farm investment (i.e. agritourism, stock market) 8 3.37 1.39 HM 0.75 0.17 0.22 0.12 −0.09
2 Strict adherence to hygienic and environmental rules 9 3.24 1.15 HM −0.66 0.17 −0.04 0.01 −0.01
4 Financial and credit reserves 1 4.84 0.43 IM 0.51 −0.16 −0.22 0.31 0.46
14 Price contracts for sales 13 2.65 1.55 LM 0.03 0.80 −0.08 0.19 −0.08
5 Spatial diversification (other species) 15 2.08 1.29 LM 0.10 0.76 0.08 −0.08 −0.03
6 Participation in government supporting programs 7 3.45 1.44 HM −0.08 0.66 0.03 0.00 0.20
11 Buying boat insurance 10 3.24 1.48 HM 0.06 −0.20 0.81 0.28 −0.06
12 Buying business insurance 11 3.10 1.45 HM 0.13 0.11 0.75 −0.51 −0.05
13 Buying personal insurance 14 2.22 1.37 LM −0.18 0.38 0.67 0.14 0.36
15 Collaboration in trade (vertical) 5 3.47 1.53 HM 0.33 0.05 0.07 0.74 0.10
1 Producing at the lowest possible costs 3 3.65 1.18 HM 0.39 −0.11 0.11 −0.68 0.25
3 Collaboration in production (horizontal) 4 3.53 1.40 HM −0.01 0.03 0.33 0.63 0.39
10 Business diversification 6 3.45 1.58 HM −0.02 −0.36 0.18 0.03 −0.72
9 Geographic dispersion 12 3.06 1.77 HM −0.10 −0.09 0.21 0.06 0.69
Eigenvalues 2.32 2.12 2.04 1.95 1.62
ExpVar% 15.46 14.12 13.58 12.98 10.82
CumExpVar% 15.46 29.58 43.16 56.14 66.96
MANOVA results
Legal status ns ns S (1, 2, 4 < 3) ns ns
Culture system ns ns S* (1 < 2) ns ns
eISSN:
1897-3191
Langue:
Anglais
Périodicité:
4 fois par an
Sujets de la revue:
Chemistry, other, Geosciences, Life Sciences
RSS Feed de la revue