Dr Di Zeng
Senior Lecturer
School of Economics and Public Policy
Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Economics
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.
Di is an applied economist with research experience in economic analyses of the agri-food, water and environment systems. His previous work covers Sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the United States. His research aims to disentangle the complicated mechanisms linking food, health and economic development from both theoretical and empirical perspectives.
Before joining the Centre for Global Food and Resources, Di has worked extensively with CGIAR centres in Africa and Europe and governmental agencies in the United States. His work has been funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and several state government agencies in the United States. He has taught advanced impact evaluation methods to doctoral-level economists and social scientists from several CGIAR centres.
Di is an applied economist with research experience in agricultural development and food and health economics. His previous work covers Sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the United States. His research aims to disentangle the complicated mechanisms linking food, health and economic development from both theoretical and empirical perspectives.
Before joining the Centre for Global Food and Resources, Di has worked extensively with CGIAR centres in Africa and Europe and governmental agencies in the United States. His work has been funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and several state government agencies in the United States. He has taught advanced impact evaluation methods to doctoral-level economists and social scientists from several CGIAR centres.
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Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2021 - ongoing Senior Lecturer University of Adelaide 2016 - 2020 Lecturer University of Adelaide -
Language Competencies
Language Competency Chinese (Mandarin) Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title Virginia Tech United States PhD -
Research Interests
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Journals
Year Citation 2024 Sayekti, A. L., Hasibuan, A. M., Stringer, R., & Zeng, D. (2024). Understanding the dynamics of hybrid seed adoption among smallholder chilli farmers in Indonesia. Outlook on Agriculture, 53(1), 49-59.
2023 Chen, X., Xia, M., Zeng, D., & Fan, X. (2023). Citrus Specialization or Crop Diversification: The Role of Smallholder’s Subjective Risk Aversion and Case Evidence from Guangxi, China. Horticulturae, 9(6), 18 pages.
Scopus12022 Genova, C., Umberger, W., Peralta Sanchez, M. A., Newman, S., & Zeng, D. (2022). The Indirect Impact of Smallholder Vegetable Production on Children's Nutrition Outcomes in Rural Vietnam. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 6, 1-21.
Scopus12022 Xia, M., Zeng, D., Huang, Q., & Chen, X. (2022). Coupling Coordination and Spatiotemporal Dynamic Evolution between Agricultural Carbon Emissions and Agricultural Modernization in China 2010–2020. Agriculture (Switzerland), 12(11), 1-19.
Scopus15 WoS52021 Huang, Z., & Zeng, D. (2021). Factors Affecting Salt Reduction Measure Adoption among Chinese Residents.. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(2), 445.
Scopus6 WoS3 Europe PMC42021 Qanti, S., Peralta, A., & Zeng, D. (2021). Social norms and perceptions drive women’s participation in agricultural decisions in West Java, Indonesia. Agriculture and Human Values, 39(2), 645-662.
Scopus8 WoS12021 Wang, B., Zeng, D., & Yang, B. (2021). Decomposing peer effects in pro-environmental behaviour: Evidence from a Chinese nationwide survey. Journal of Environmental Management, 295, 113100.
Scopus24 WoS14 Europe PMC32020 Sayekti, A. L., Zeng, D., & Stringer, R. (2020). Impact of hybrid seeds on demand for labour: the case of chilli production in Indonesia. Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, 10(5), 15 pages.
Scopus5 WoS22020 Chen, X., Zeng, D., Zhang, H., & Kang, C. (2020). Farm expansion under credit constraint: evidence from commercial rice farmers in Guangxi, China. INTERNATIONAL FOOD AND AGRIBUSINESS MANAGEMENT REVIEW, 23(2), 203-215.
Scopus7 WoS32020 Umberger, W. J., Rupa, J. A., & Zeng, D. (2020). Understanding food westernisation and other contemporary drivers of adult, adolescent and child nutrition quality in urban Vietnam.. Public Health Nutr, 23(14), 2571-2583.
Scopus8 WoS6 Europe PMC32020 Nguyen-Anh, D., Umberger, W. J., & Zeng, D. (2020). Understanding vietnamese urban consumers’ nutrition label use, health concerns, and consumption of food and beverages with added sugars. Nutrients, 12(11), 1-18.
Scopus6 WoS4 Europe PMC12019 Zeng, D., Thomsen, M., & Nayga, R. (2019). Neighborhood Convenience Stores and Childhood Obesity: A Panel Data Instrumental Variable Approach. Applied Economics, 51(3), 1-16.
Scopus11 WoS92019 Zeng, D., Thomsen, M. R., Nayga, R. M., & Bennett, J. L. (2019). Supermarket access and childhood bodyweight: Evidence from store openings and closings. Economics and Human Biology, 33, 78-88.
Scopus7 WoS5 Europe PMC52019 Rupa, J. A., Umberger, W. J., & Zeng, D. (2019). Does food market modernisation lead to improved dietary diversity and diet quality for urban Vietnamese households?. Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 63(3), 499-520.
Scopus18 WoS142018 Zeng, D., Alwang, J., Norton, G., Jaleta, M., Shiferaw, B., & Yirga, C. (2018). Land ownership and technology adoption revisited: improved maize varieties in Ethiopia. Land Use Policy, 72, 270-279.
Scopus47 WoS34 Europe PMC22018 Chen, X., Zeng, D., Xu, Y., & Fan, X. (2018). Perceptions, risk attitude and organic fertilizer investment: evidence from rice and banana farmers in Guangxi, China. Sustainability, 10(10), 3715-1-3715-14.
Scopus58 WoS392018 HUANG, Z., XU, Y., ZENG, D., WANG, C., & WANG, J. (2018). One size fits all? Contract farming among broiler producers in China. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 17(2), 473-482.
Scopus13 WoS102018 Kassie, M., Marenya, P., Tessema, Y., Jaleta, M., Zeng, D., Erenstein, O., & Rahut, D. (2018). Measuring farm and market level economic impacts of improved maize production technologies in Ethiopia: evidence from panel data. Journal of Agricultural Economics, 69(1), 76-95.
Scopus105 WoS772017 Zeng, D., Alwang, J., Norton, G., Shiferaw, B., Jaleta, M., & Yirga, C. (2017). Agricultural technology adoption and child nutrition enhancement: improved maize varieties in rural Ethiopia. Agricultural Economics, 48(5), 573-586.
Scopus37 WoS272016 Zeng, D., Thomsen, M., Nayga, R., & Rouse, H. (2016). Middle school transition and body weight outcomes: evidence from Arkansas public schoolchildren. Economics and Human Biology, 21, 64-74.
Scopus3 WoS2 Europe PMC12016 Huang, Z., Zeng, D., & Wang, J. (2016). Factors affecting Chinese broiler farmers’ main preventive practices in response to highly pathogenic avian influenza. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 134, 153-159.
Scopus12 WoS10 Europe PMC52015 Zeng, D., You, W., Mills, B., Alwang, J., Royster, M., & Anson-Dwamena, R. (2015). A closer look at the rural-urban health disparities: insights from four major diseases in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Social Science & Medicine, 140, 62-68.
Scopus29 WoS27 Europe PMC152015 Zeng, D., Alwang, J., Norton, G., Shiferaw, B., Jaleta, M., & Yirga, C. (2015). Ex post impacts of improved maize varieties on poverty in rural Ethiopia. Agricultural Economics, 46(4), 515-526.
Scopus81 WoS582015 Huang, W., Zeng, D., & Zhou, S. (2015). Welfare impacts of modern peanut technologies in China. Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture, 221-238. 2015 Huang, W., Zeng, D., & Zhou, S. (2015). Welfare impacts of modern peanut varieties in China. Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture, 54(3), 221-238.
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Book Chapters
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Conference Papers
Year Citation 2023 Qanti, S., Peralta Sanchez, M. A., & Zeng, D. (2023). Unfolding the spousal differences in response to intrahousehold decision-making participation questions: Evidence from West Java, Indonesia. In Australasian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society 67th Annual Conference. Christchucrch, New Zealand. 2023 Qanti, S., Peralta Sanchez, M. A., & Zeng, D. (2023). Women Decision Making and Dairy Technology Adoption: Positive correlation between women's participation in dairy farming activities and decisions with the adoption of improved cattle nutrition practices in West Java, Indonesia. In Australasian Agriculture and Resource Economics Society 67th Annual Conference. 2018 Pagliuca, L. G., Dumbrell, N., Umberger, W., & Zeng, D. (2018). Drivers of changing meat expenditure and consumption patterns in urban Vietnam. In 62nd Annual Conference of the Australasian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society. Adelaide, Australia. 2018 Khamthara, P., Zeng, D., & Stringer, R. (2018). Horticultural Development and Its Welfare Implications on Agricultural Household Education Investment in Indonesia. In Horticultural Development and Its Welfare Implications on Agricultural Household Education Investment in Indonesia. Vancouver, Canada. 2017 Dumbrell, N., Umberger, W., Zeng, D., Nguyen, A., & Pagliuca, L. (2017). Consumer preferences and consumption patterns for fruit & vegetables in urban Vietnam. In North-West Vietnam Research Symposium: Mountains of Opportunity. Hanoi, Vietnam: Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research. 2014 Zeng, D., Alwang, J., Norton, G., Shiferaw, B., Jaleta, M., & Yirga, C. (2014). Agricultural Technology Adoption and Child Nutrition: Improved Maize Varieties in Rural Ethiopia. In Proceedings of Agricultural & Applied Economics Association’s 2014 AAEA Annual Meeting. Minneapolis, USA. -
Conference Items
Year Citation 2019 Khamthara, P., Zeng, D., Stringer, R., & Hasibuan, A. (2019). The impacts of risk preference on off-farm income and child education investment: evidence from Indonesian horticultural farmers. Poster session presented at the meeting of Australasian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society Conference 2019. Melbourne, Australia. 2018 Khamthara, P., Zeng, D., Stringer, R., & Yi, D. (2018). Horticultural Development and Its Welfare Implications on Agricultural Household Education Investment in Indonesia. Poster session presented at the meeting of Australasian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society Conference 2018. Adelaide, Australia. 2018 Genova, C., Umberger., Newman., Peralta., & Zeng. (2018). The impact of smallholder vegetable production on child nutrition in rural Vietnam. Poster session presented at the meeting of 2018 Annual Australasian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society (AARES) Conference. Adelaide Convention Centre, Adelaide, SA. 2018 Nguyen, A. D., Umberger, W., & Zeng, D. (2018). Concerns and valuation of food quality and food safety in urban Vietnam. Poster session presented at the meeting of Australasian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society 62nd Annual Conference. 2017 Nguyen, A. D., Umberger, W. J., Zeng, D., & Dumbrell, N. P. (2017). Concerns and valuation of food quality and food safety in urban Vietnam. Poster session presented at the meeting of North-West Vietnam Research Symposium: Mountains of Opportunity. Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research. 2017 Dumbrell, N., Umberger, W., Zeng, D., Nguyen, A., & Pagliuca, L. (2017). The role of market research in agricultural development for northwest Vietnam: The case of fruit and vegetables. Poster session presented at the meeting of North-West Vietnam Research Symposium: Mountains of Opportunity. Hanoi, Vietnam: Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research. 2017 Rupa, J., Ahmed, S., Umberger, W., Zeng, D., & Sim, N. (2017). Analysing the association between rural farm household health and economic shocks and food security in Bangladesh: a consolidated approach of measuring food security. Poster session presented at the meeting of PowerPoint presentation at 61st Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society's Annual Conference. Brisbane, Qld.. 2016 Rupa, J., Ahmed, S., Umberger, W., & Zeng, D. (2016). Analysing the association between rural farm household health and economic shocks and food security in Bangladesh: a consolidated approach of measuring food security. Poster session presented at the meeting of XXIII Agri-food Research Network (AFRN) conference. Adelaide, SA. 2016 Zeng, D., Thomsen, M., & Nayga, R. (2016). Food Desert and Weight Outcome: Disentangling Confounding Mechanisms. Poster session presented at the meeting of Allied Social Sciences Association (ASSA) 2016 Annual Meeting. 2015 Zeng, D., Thomsen, M., Nayga, R., & Rouse, H. (2015). Supermarket Access and Childhood Obesity: Natural Experiments of Store Openings and Closings. Poster session presented at the meeting of 2015 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting. 2013 Zeng, D., Alwang, J., Norton, G., Shiferaw, B., Jaleta, M., & Yirga, C. (2013). Ex-Post Impacts of Improved Maize Varieties on Poverty in Rural Ethiopia. Poster session presented at the meeting of Agricultural and Applied Economics Association 2013 Annual Meeting. 2012 Zeng, D., You, W., Mills, B., Alwang, J., Royster, M., Studer, K., . . . Zeng, D. (2012). How Much DoWe Know about Rural-Urban Health Disparities: Lessons from Four Major Diseases in Virginia. Poster session presented at the meeting of Agricultural and Applied Economics Association 2012 Annual Meeting. -
Working Paper
Year Citation 2016 Rupa, J. A., Ahmed, S., Umberger, W., Zeng, D., & Sim, N. (2016). Analysing the association between rural farm household health and economic shocks and food security in Bangladesh: a consolidated approach of measuring food security.
Zeng, D., Zuo, A., Roberts, R., Umberger, W., Johns, C. (2020-2023). Strengthening small-scale agricultural exports to China: Evaluation of two innovative marketing channels. DAWE (AUD: 291,500)
Zeng, D. (2016). Executive Dean's Award for excellence in research. Faculty of the Professions, University of Adelaide (AUD: 2,000).
ECON 3525 Economic Policy Analysis, 2024- (BEc capstone course, instructor and coordinator)
ECON 3523 Advanced Economic Analysis III, 2023- (BEc Advanced capstone course, instructor and coordinator)
AGRIBUS 7055 Global Food and Agricultural Markets, 2016- (Instructor and Coordinator)
AGRIBUS 7061 Research Principles and Methods, 2017, 2021 (Co-instructor and coordinator)
AGRIBUS 7054 Global Food and Agricultural Policy, 2017 (Co-instructor and coordinator)
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Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2024 Principal Supervisor Transforming to sustainable food consumption: an empirical study in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Thi Xuan Dieu Phan 2024 Principal Supervisor From Grain to Plate: A Multifaceted Analysis of Consumer Preferences for Rice in Bangladesh Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Limon Deb 2023 Principal Supervisor Climate change and water saving technologies: investigating the adoption decision and effects in China Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Siqi Huang 2022 Co-Supervisor Wheat, Weapons and Worship: Improving the Delivery of Agricultural Development in Fragile and Conflict-Affected Situations Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Angus Alexander Davidson -
Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2020 - 2023 Co-Supervisor Women’s Participation in Intrahousehold Decision-making: A Case in Rural Smallholder Farm Households in West Java Indonesia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Sara Ratna Qanti 2020 - 2024 Principal Supervisor Understanding Consumers’ Organic Food Purchasing Behaviour in Laos and Australia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Chitpasong Kousonsavath 2019 - 2023 Principal Supervisor Investigating online market consumer behaviour through spatial, big data and machine learning approaches: cases in Daigou, e-commerce platform and NFT crypto market Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Wenzhu David Tang 2017 - 2021 Co-Supervisor Exploring Relationships between Changing Food Environments, Food Consumption Behaviour, Attitudes and Nutrition Outcomes for Urban Vietnam Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Anh Duc Nguyen 2017 - 2020 Co-Supervisor Horticultural Farming and Development Outcomes: Examining Human and Social Capital Investment Among Horticultural Households in Rural Indonesia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Phassara Khamthara 2017 - 2019 Co-Supervisor Analysing the Drivers of Dietary Diversity, Diet Quality and Household Food Security in Developing Asia: Evidence from Urban Vietnam and Rural Bangladesh Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Jesmin Ara Rupa 2016 - 2020 Co-Supervisor Understanding the Roles of Gender in Rural Development: The Case of Labour-Intensive Chilli Production in Indonesia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Apri Laila Sayekti
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