This project studies the true values of and its impact on the agri-food sector. We aim to analyze the importance of using the True Cost Accounting approach.
The project consists of two work packages, and uses qualitative and quantitative approaches. In work package 1, we will review literature on the True Cost Accounting approach. We will review the types of data and methods used for calculation of true values, and analyze the feasibility and usefulness of implementing the True Cost Accounting approach. We will also discuss the overall welfare implications of a hypothetical intervention that corrects for the unobserved costs. In work package 2, we will use the Swiss Sustainable Food System (SWISSfoodSys) model to assess the ex-ante impacts of future developments and policy interventions on the true values of the food system. Here, we will simulate scenarios to analyze the impacts on true costs and benefits across the food system.
The project will help to understand various true costs and benefits for different actors in the agri-food sector. In addition, the study will provide understanding on the corrective price interventions for products that can consider the true values.