AN AGRO-FOOD WASTE COMMERCIAL UTILISATION BEHAVIOUR LENS AMONG URBAN AGRO-PRODUCER HOUSEHOLDS IN A DEVELOPING ECONOMY

Small-urban farm businesses utilise agro-food waste emanating from own production and other levels of food supply chain activities to supplement conventional inputs. Out of these, the food produce surplus from agro-producer households is offloaded to the urban market. As such, the aim of the study was to assess the determinants of agro-food waste commercial utilisation behaviour among urban agro-producer households. An electronically-designed research tool was administered to 456 agro-producer households to collect selfreported estimates of their agro-food waste utilisation behaviour. Results indicated higher budget share towards conventional inputs (0.73) compared to agro-food waste (0.27) but the observed suboptimal production intensification could be rectified with increased use of agrofood waste. Structural equation modelling results indicated that attitude, environmental awareness and concern, motivation and perceived moral obligation had positive significant influence on commercial utilisation intention. The adopted constructs for the model could explain 79.1% of the commercial utilisation behaviour variance. Furthermore, commercial utilisation intention, risk perceptions and perceived behavioural control had significant influence on the commercial utilisation behaviour. Findings are an indicator that agro-food waste commercial utilisation intentions among small-urban farm businesses would likely transition to commercial utilisation behaviour. Since behaviour can be learnt and developed, aspects that contribute to commercial utilisation intentions and behaviour would need to be stimulated. As a strategy of reducing the collectible waste, urban authorities may introduce tailor-made programs meant to stimulate commercial utilisation intention and behaviour in small-urban farm businesses. In valuation of agro-food waste, methodologies that could factor in utility would provide more precise insights in its commercial utilisation.

小型城市农场商户利用自身生产及食品供应链各环节产生的农用食品废弃物（agro-food waste），作为常规投入品的补充来源。其中，农业生产农户（agro-producer households）的剩余农产品会销往城市市场。有鉴于此，本研究旨在探究城市农业生产农户农用食品废弃物商业化利用行为的影响因素。研究向456户农业生产农户发放了电子化设计的调研工具，以收集其农用食品废弃物利用行为的自我报告数据。结果显示，农户在常规投入品上的预算占比为0.73，显著高于农用食品废弃物的0.27；但通过提升农用食品废弃物的使用比例，可改善当前未达最优的生产集约化水平。结构方程模型（structural equation modelling）分析结果显示，态度、环境认知与关切、动机及感知道德义务对商业化利用意向具有显著正向影响。该模型所采用的构念可解释79.1%的商业化利用行为变异量。此外，商业化利用意向、风险感知与感知行为控制对商业化利用行为具有显著影响。研究结果表明，小型城市农场商户的农用食品废弃物商业化利用意向大概率会转化为实际的商业化利用行为。由于行为可通过学习养成，因此需对有助于提升商业化利用意向与行为的相关因素进行激发。作为减少可收集废弃物的策略之一，城市管理部门可推出定制化方案，以激发小型城市农场商户的商业化利用意向与行为。在农用食品废弃物的价值评估中，纳入效用因素的评估方法可为其商业化利用提供更精准的认知参考。