An agent-based model of food safety practices adoption

Abstract

Food processors and governments have an interest to motivate suppliers of animal products to implement food safety measures. This paper proposes an agent-based simulation model to compare possible consequences of alternative communication programs and incentive systems. The agent model combines economic incentive models with social-psychological survey results in an approach based on the theory of planned behavior. Food safety actions follow from producers' attitudes, social network influences, and perceived availability of resources and opportunities to implement the measures. The model allows for heterogeneity in the agent population, for instance with respect to openness to communications and factors that motivate producers to implement food safety measures. A sensitivity analysis can be performed for both aggregate outputs, such as food safety risk reduction downstream in the supply chain, and individual agent performance, such as the response to different incentives and communications. Conclusions are drawn about the model's feasibility for food safety policy support. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2011.