Contents
Academic literature on the topic 'Agricultural innovations – Economic aspects – Malawi'
Create a spot-on reference in APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, and other styles
Consult the lists of relevant articles, books, theses, conference reports, and other scholarly sources on the topic 'Agricultural innovations – Economic aspects – Malawi.'
Next to every source in the list of references, there is an 'Add to bibliography' button. Press on it, and we will generate automatically the bibliographic reference to the chosen work in the citation style you need: APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, Vancouver, etc.
You can also download the full text of the academic publication as pdf and read online its abstract whenever available in the metadata.
Journal articles on the topic "Agricultural innovations – Economic aspects – Malawi"
1
KAIDAROVA, L. K., SH ZH RAKHMETULLINA, and U. KERIMOVA. "ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF ECOLOGICAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION." Problems of AgriMarket 4 (December 15, 2020): 70–78. http://dx.doi.org/10.46666/2020-4-2708-9991.08.
Full textAbstract:
The theoretical and practical directions of development of ecological agriculture in the country are justified, based on the idea of closed cycle, which corresponds to ecological and economic principles. The works of domestic and foreign scientists on this issue were studied. The main economic indicators of agricultural production on the example of Pavlodar region were analyzed: dynamics of gross output of agricultural sector; the number of operating agricultural enterprises and peasant (private) farms; distribution of the land fund by land categories. Information on violation of environmental legislation in the field of land resources protection and on the volume of waste in the industry is provided. The problems that hinder the implementation of the main provisions of greening of production activities in agro-industrial complex are identified. Summarizing the arguments of domestic and foreign scientists, the need to develop and implement the mechanism of functioning of agricultural entities is shown, which is based on the use of secondary resources, implementation of which in the future will allow, using comprehensive analysis of the used technologies, to modernize the production capacities of processing enterprises, implementing the principle of minimizing waste, ensuring expansion of the market for environmenttally friendly products. Models of rational production are shown: outsourcing and in sourcing. Measures of public support for the use of environmental innovations, environmental insurance, public-private partnership instruments, strengthening control over compliance with the principles of rational environmental management, economic incentives for agricultural producers are proposed.
2
Kaidarova, L. K., SH ZH Rakhmetullina, and U. Kerimova. "ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF ECOLOGICAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION." Problems of AgriMarket, no. 4 (December 15, 2020): 70–78. http://dx.doi.org/10.46666/2020-4-2708-9991.08.
Full textAbstract:
The theoretical and practical directions of development of ecological agriculture in the country are justified, based on the idea of closed cycle, which corresponds to ecological and economic principles. The works of domestic and foreign scientists on this issue were studied. The main economic indicators of agricultural production on the example of Pavlodar region were analyzed: dynamics of gross output of agricultural sector; the number of operating agricultural enterprises and peasant (private) farms; distribution of the land fund by land categories. Information on violation of environmental legislation in the field of land resources protection and on the volume of waste in the industry is provided. The problems that hinder the implementation of the main provisions of greening of production activities in agro-industrial complex are identified. Summarizing the arguments of domestic and foreign scientists, the need to develop and implement the mechanism of functioning of agricultural entities is shown, which is based on the use of secondary resources, implementation of which in the future will allow, using comprehensive analysis of the used technologies, to modernize the production capacities of processing enterprises, implementing the principle of minimizing waste, ensuring expansion of the market for environmenttally friendly products. Models of rational production are shown: outsourcing and in sourcing. Measures of public support for the use of environmental innovations, environmental insurance, public-private partnership instruments, strengthening control over compliance with the principles of rational environmental management, economic incentives for agricultural producers are proposed.
3
Nikishyn, Yevhen. "ASPECTS OF THE DIFFUSION THEORY OF INNOVATIONS AND LOGISTISATION OF AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY OF UKRAINE." Economic Analysis, no. 28(2) (2018): 49–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.35774/econa2018.02.049.
Full textAbstract:
The article is devoted to theoretical aspects of diffusion of innovations, as the conditions of logistics of the agro industrial complex of Ukraine. The concept of innovation-economic niche as a separate system with the potential of making innovations, the development of which creates competitive advantages, is formulated. New types of diffusion are classified on the basis of decision-making mechanisms by innovators. The diffusion models are considered, the descriptions of specific features of the behaviour of the dissemination of innovations in the reaction-diffusion structure are studied and made taking into account the system-regulatory factors. The principle of informational conditionality of economic phenomena as the basis of distribution of diffusion is formulated. The existence of a cascade effect in the diffusion of basic innovations has been determined; the necessity of the accompanying innovations has been substantiated. The causal relationship between the influence of system-regulatory factors on diffusion, the emergence of a cascade effect, the formation of clusters of innovations and the general influence on the Kondratiev cycles have been investigated.
4
Mgomezulu, Wisdom Richard, Abdi-Khalil Edriss, and Kennedy Machila. "Impact of Gliricidia Fertilizer Tree Technology on Smallholder Farmers Economic Livelihood in Malawi: Case of Kasungu District." Journal of Sustainable Development 11, no. 6 (2018): 162. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/jsd.v11n6p162.
Full textAbstract:
Agriculture plays a huge role in farmer’s livelihoods in Africa. With the adverse effect of climate change on agricultural productivity, developing agricultural technologies that are adaptive to climate change is one of the perquisites for agricultural development. Gliricidia intercropping is one of the climate smart agricultural innovations; that is being promoted by most researchers. Gliricidia intercropping has many benefits. Despite evidence of such benefits, there exists some missing literature on the impact of Gliricidia intercropping on farmer’s economic livelihoods. The study used cross sectional data collected by ICRAF in Kasungu district which sampled 406 households and employed a Propensity Score Matching method to analyze the effect of Gliricidia intercropping on smallholder farmer’s incomes. Results showed that among the observable factors used to match participants and non-participants, hired labour, age, education level, soil type, perception of soil fertility and access to extension services significantly affected participation in Gliricidia intercropping. The Average Treatment Effect on the Treated showed that Gliricidia intercropping improves the economic livelihoods of farmers by increasing household monthly income by MWK 38,565.83 ($54) at 1 percent significant level. The study went further to conduct sensitivity analysis using the Rosenbaum bounds, and found that unobserved heterogeneity has to increase the odds ratio of participating in Gliricidia intercropping by 10-60 percent before it can negate the estimated ATT. The study then recommends promoting the adoption of Gliricidia intercropping by capitalizing on the factors that influence participation or adoption of Gliricidia intercropping in order to improve smallholder farmers’ incomes and hence their livelihoods.
5
Pulatov, Alim, Dušan Húska, Davran Abdullaev, and Darya Hirsch. "Reforms in Rural Development and their Influence on Agricultural Extension of Uzbekistan: Experience and Challenges in Water Management." Acta Regionalia et Environmentalica 13, no. 1 (2016): 1–5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/aree-2016-0001.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract Nowadays science applies agricultural innovations in a wide range all over the world; however, number of water users in innovations is in smaller amounts. This might happen to a number of factors, for example lack of adequate knowledge exchange system, nominal extension services at places, lack of well-defined policies, barriers in ‘human’ minds change’, barriers at policy level. As for Uzbekistan, it could be said that practice of extension of innovations application and its diffusion in agricultural irrigation sector in Uzbekistan does not have much experience, however, before 1991 Uzbekistan was one of the Soviet Unions’ republics and as it is known, the Soviet Union had high practice in innovations in different sectors, as well as in agriculture. Although, since independence, Uzbekistan has continued to experience innovations in agricultural sector independently, their diffusion is at a challenging shape. This article captures the policy issue, how Uzbekistan started to develop water management issues in its economic reforms, it describes a case research on application of innovative technique on a farm level and accordingly, it tries to propose the aspects that need to be involved in future reforms to make the current situation be better managed.
6
Dimitrijević, Dragan. "Theses for new strategies of development of textile and clothing industry: Part 2." Tekstilna industrija 69, no. 1 (2021): 36–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.5937/tekstind2101036d.
Full textAbstract:
An important element of the policy of development and modernization of each country is the establishment of a program of balanced long-term development, which must be complementary with strategic priorities and national characteristics, as well as the real state and prospects of technical and technological development of science and industry. Therefore, manufacturing entrepreneurship today, would have to combine scientific research activities, education sector and public administration with production, in order to ensure efficient acquisition of new knowledge and skills, along the generation and production-economic valorization of innovations and diffusion and implementation of technical-technological innovations and new technologies, with priority reliance on ICT (information and communication technologies). It is obvious that sustainable competitiveness, in times of general and business globalization, is no longer in quantitative-qualitative aspects of production, but in new elements of production specialization, adequate and timely implementation of technical-technological innovations, in organizational innovations, in the way cluster business and in global efficiency, as well as in close and flexible connection of design, planning, production technologies and production, with the possibility of quick response (JustInTime and QuickResponseSystem) to the changes required by the market. That is why today the issue of redefining the way of work and business of textile/clothing industry companies is more than current, in fact the issue of redefining the strategic programs of economic development of developing countries.
7
Waskitojati, Damar, Daniel Kameo, and Pamerdi G. Wiloso. "CHALLENGES TO THE AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY WITHIN A SUBSISTENCE SOCIETY : AN ANALYSIS OF THE “REVOLUTIONARY AGRICULTURAL POLICY” IN SOUTH WESTERN SUMBA." Agric 31, no. 2 (2020): 158–75. http://dx.doi.org/10.24246/agric.2019.v31.i2.p158-175.
Full textAbstract:
Employing a qualitative approach, this study attempts a critical investigation into the Kebijakan Revolusi Pertanian, ie. The Revolutionary Agricultural Policy, as it was developed by the Regional Government of South-western Sumba. During the years 2014-2019 it aimed to raise the agricultural economy, and thereby overcome the problem of poverty. The data for this research was procured through personal observation and deep interviews with sources such as key informants within the regional environment. These were reinforced with a number of planning documents and executive programs which comprise a secondary resource. The analysis of the Policy is done taking into account the relevant political, economic, technological and social aspects (PETS analysis), as well the innovations occurring during the course of this Policy. This study will demonstrate that the Policy has been, at least till now, incapable of having a significant impact on the agricultural economy, or the efforts to overcome poverty. The causes of this failure is the antagonism between the characteristics of the subsistence society found there and the weak institutional application of the policies employed.
8
Gremmen, Bart, Vincent Blok, and Bernice Bovenkerk. "Responsible Innovation for Life: Five Challenges Agriculture Offers for Responsible Innovation in Agriculture and Food, and the Necessity of an Ethics of Innovation." Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics 32, no. 5-6 (2019): 673–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10806-019-09808-w.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract In this special issue we will investigate, from the perspective of agricultural ethics (e.g. animal welfare, agricultural and food ethics, environmental ethics etc.) the potential to develop a Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) approach to agriculture, and the limitations to such an enterprise. RRI is an emerging field in the European research and innovation (R&I) policy context that aims to balance economic, socio-cultural and environmental aspects in innovation processes. Because technological innovations can contribute significantly to the solution of societal challenges like climate change or food security, but can also have negative societal consequences, it is assumed that social and ethical aspects should be considered during the R&I process. For this reason, the emerging concept of RRI calls for ethical reflection on the nature, scope and applicability of responsibility and innovation in innovation practices in general, and the way social–ethical issues can be applied and addressed in agriculture.
9
ZHITIN, Ruslan Magometovich. "SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF THE LARGE LANDLORD ECONOMY DEVELOPMENT OF TAMBOV GOVERNORATE IN THE LATE 19th CENTURY." Tambov University Review. Series: Humanities, no. 175 (2018): 149–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.20310/1810-0201-2018-23-175-149-156.
Full textAbstract:
The social and economic features of the large estates development in the Tambov Governorate in the late 19th are examined. The class composition of the latifundists, the social and economic development features of their estates are considered. The source for the work are materials describing the major Tambov estates, “Digest of Statistical Data on the Tambov Governorate”. On the basis of the socio-economic development of the estates, the data system “Large Estates of the Tambov Governorate in the Late 19th Century” is compiled, which allows to generalize information on 489 latifundia of the Tambov Governorate. The relevance of the work is determined by the importance of studying the most successful forms of social and economical pre-revolutionary modernization of the post-reform agricultural sector. In the post-reform period it was the entrepreneurial activity of latifundia that was the source of new forms of rationalism and enterprise, social and industrial innovations. The study of sources makes it possible to generalize the territorial features of the concentration of latifundia in the region, to elucidate the reasons for the economic stability of the latifundia in the region, to determine the specific features of the industrial structure of the economic complexes of the Tambov estates, and to consider the most common methods of land use. The study of the industrial modernization of the latifundia is supplemented by a study of the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the composition of local wage workers. The qualifications and shortcomings of the professions that were formed in privately owned farms were determined. Synthesis of material for a nu mber of farms shows that the economic success of large owners was largely due to the widely practiced use of a qualified administration and the involvement of agricultural hiring.
10
Juríčková, Zuzana, Zuzana Kapsdorferová, and Mária Kadlečíková. "The Recent Development Trends in Management of Agricultural Holdings." Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis 66, no. 6 (2018): 1509–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.11118/actaun201866061509.
Full textAbstract:
The aim of this scientific paper is to present recent development trends in the management of agricultural holdings in the Slovak Republic. Furthermore, the objective is to identify new trends in managerial competencies, the factors that represent key conditions for the business success of agricultural holdings, respectively the obstacles to increased competitiveness, and identify new trends in the utilization of progressive methods, techniques, tools and approaches to management. Several research hypotheses and scientific assumptions were set related to the purpose of the scientific contribution. Mathematical and statistical methods were applied for the statistical testing of the hypothesis – nonparametric tests. The results of a questionnaire survey were used as a source of data and this involved 96 top managers employed in agricultural holdings in the Slovak Republic. Stemming up from the results of our survey, managers among the others tools apply outsourcing (46, 88 %), diversification (92, 71 %) and information technologies (56, 99 %). The results confirm that although managerial approaches and methods have changed significantly as a result of multiple socio‑political and economic transformations, managers need to pay greater attention to environmental aspects, to transfer of innovations and to project management and knowledge management.
Dissertations / Theses on the topic "Agricultural innovations – Economic aspects – Malawi"
1
Chikafa, Kondwani Watson. "The efficacy of agricultural subsidies as social protection measures in rural Malawi." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021173.
Full textAbstract:
Social protection measures are poverty reduction interventions implemented to assist in reducing poverty shocks of communities. This study considered the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP) that has been implemented in Malawi with the aim of reducing poverty amongst subsistence farmers by providing them with subsidized farm inputs. The study was conducted in the rural area of Lilongwe District, under Traditional Authority Kabudula. The study mainly focussed on the outcomes of implementing the FISP and it entails whether or not the poverty reduction intervention is really achieving its goals. Thus, the study greatly evaluates the effectiveness of subsidizing farm inputs in reducing poverty amongst households in rural communities characterised by subsistence farming. This study was mainly qualitative in nature and data was collected through interviews and Focus Group Discussions. Some quantitative data for specific trends of national indicators was collected through document. Mainly, content analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data and descriptive statistical analysis with the aid of Microsoft Excel was engaged to analyse the quantitative data. The study found that that FISP assist in household food security only in the short term. Among the reasons cited, the package size received by households has become smaller with sharing tendencies that have been devised to help households that do not receive the inputs or qualify to receive them. This practice is compromising the agricultural productivity in terms of quantities as it lasts only in the short-term before the next harvest. When households’ food reserves are depleted, households become food insecure and poverty sets in again. The study thus reveals that FISP implementation is not operating as a sustainable programme as its intended goal is not being achieved in the long-term. The study also found that coupled with the fact that there is no clear policy guidelines on graduation and that there is continued benefitting of the same beneficiaries, FISP is nowhere close to its phasing-out stage in social protection perspective.
2
Kebede, Yohannes. "Household decision-making : the adoption of agricultural technologies in Ethiopia." Thesis, McGill University, 1993. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=41250.
Full textAbstract:
Technology adoption has been seen as key to the development of more productive agriculture in lesser developed countries. But the adoption and adaptation of new agricultural technology occurs at the level of farm families where decisions are made based on perceived risks and benefits of the new technology, and its fit within the knowledge and practices of existing agricultural system.<br>The processes and consequences of household decision-making are investigated using unidisciplinary methods of decision analysis involving statistical, mathematical, psychological, anthropological and econometric techniques brought together in a holistic manner. The study is focused in the Ada and Selale regions of the Central Ethiopian Highlands. The technologies studied are fertilizer, improved crop varieties, pesticides and cross-bred cows.<br>Differences in goals and strategies of households are caused by inequalities in ownership of physical resources, and access to local institutions and indigenous knowledge. Village and regional institutions greatly influence access to physical (e.g. land) and non-physical (knowledge and information) resources. Successful intervention strategies are those that recognize region- and experience-specific potentials.<br>When compared with physical resources, non-physical resources exert greater influence on decisions to adopt technologies and on the efficiency with which inputs are used in the production of grain and milk outputs. Producers are willing to take risks in enterprises in which they have the advantages of favourable location or experience. The degree of risk-averse behaviour of households reduces the probability of adopting technologies in both study sites. Natural factors (e.g. rainfall) and policy variables (e.g., land tenure and market) increase production risk. Indigenous production knowledge and schooling consistently reduce variability in production.
3
Isabirye, Naomi Nabirye, and Solms R. Von. "A framework for enhancing trust for improved participation in electronic marketplaces accessed from mobile platforms." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20019.
Full textAbstract:
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have been widely researched as a mechanism for improving the socio-economic status of disadvantaged, rural communities. In order to do this numerous technology-based initiatives have been introduced into disadvantaged, rural communities to assist them in various aspects of their lives. Unfortunately, even when the proposed benefit of a particular technology is clearly evident to its initiators, the adoption by the target users is often uncertain. This has also been the case with e-commerce in agriculture. Despite the numerous benefits of e-commerce for agricultural producers, the uptake has been low. Trust is a critical pre-condition for the adoption of e-marketplaces. E-marketplaces expose consumers to the risk of non-delivery or misrepresentation of goods ordered and the misuse of personal information by external parties. Additionally, the time investment needed to make a shift to e-marketplaces and the opinions of important reference groups affects the user’s willingness to trust and depend on an e-marketplace. This study was undertaken to assess the extent to which rural users with limited ICT experience would trust and, consequently, adopt an e-marketplace to support agricultural trade. A pragmatic philosophy was adopted in this study, indicating that the researcher’s view of reality is founded on the practical implications and outcomes that are observed. This study used a Canonical Action Research strategy to design, develop and deploy a voice based e-marketplace to assist the trading activities of a Western Cape based aloe community. The community was allowed to utilise thee-marketplace over a period of eight weeks. Thereafter, interviews were held with the participants to investigate their perceptions of the technology. As a result, a model proposing the factors that must be in place for trust to be achieved in a voice based e-marketplace was proposed. The study found that the trustworthiness of a technology results from the technology’s technical capability to satisfy the needs of its users reliably. Usability and security were found to be important determinants of the trustworthiness of a technology. Furthermore, the requirements elicitation process was found to be central to achieving trust as it defines the necessary criteria for developing secure, usable, functional, and reliable technologies that meet the needs of their users.
4
Glazyrina, Anna. "Contribution of Public Investments and Innovations to Total Factor Productivity." Thesis, North Dakota State University, 2011. https://hdl.handle.net/10365/29848.
Full textAbstract:
This study examines the importance of public research and development (R&D) expenditures and innovations (prices) to U S agricultural productivity employing panel vector error correction econometric technique Specifically, time-series and panel unit root tests, panel cointegration procedures, panel causality tests, and vector error correction model are used in the analysis. Empirical application to U S state-level data for 1960-2004 suggests positive and statistically significant influence of both supply-side
drivers, in the form of public R&D expenditures, and demand-side drivers, in the form of innovations (prices), on total factor productivity growth.
5
Rahman, Baishali. "Estimating the Economic Benefits of Automatic Section Control in the North Dakota Prairie Pothole Region." Thesis, North Dakota State University, 2018. https://hdl.handle.net/10365/28870.
Full textAbstract:
The impact of Automatic Section Control (ASC) as a tool of Precision Agricultural Technology as considered in the more efficient application of inputs to produce the four major crops, corn, soybean, HRSW, and canola in the North Dakota Prairie Pothole Region. Reduction in machinery overlap in the sample 105 fields was calculated by simulating the routing paths of a 60-feet wide planter with 24 sections controlled and a 120-feet wide boom sprayer with individual nozzle control. The dollar and percentage seed and chemical costs that a farm can save by reducing overlapping area were calculated. Impact of field parameters on net savings were estimated by developing and estimating an econometric model. Results show that ASC can save substantial cost in the sample fields while field shape had the highest significant impact on net cost savings.<br>North Dakota State University. Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics
6
Agbobli, Edem Korku. "The influence of entrepreneurial and market orientations on small scale agricultural enterprises in the Vryburg region." Thesis, Bloemfontein: Central University of Technology, Free State, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/11462/223.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (D. Tech. (Business Administration )) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2013.<br>A major concern for developing countries including South Africa is the high levels of
unemployment, poverty and inequity. Developing countries have accordingly been
pre-occupied with finding solutions to these problems. Drawing on the success of
small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs) from the developed countries such as
the US and the UK, developing nations have embraced the idea of promoting
development through SMMEs. But the overall performance of the small business
sector in most developing countries has rather been dismal and as such have not been
able to contribute optimally to the development agenda. Adopting a strategic
management perspective, this study hypothesised that an integration of
entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and market orientations (MO) glued together by
innovativeness (INNO) would yield superior outcomes than the stand-alone effects of
these strategic postures. To test the hypothesis, a sample of 198 small scale
agricultural enterprises (SSAEs) in the Vryburg region was surveyed. Descriptive and
inferential statistical analyses were performed on the data generated. The empirical
findings showed that EO + MO + INNO interactively exhibited positive and significant
correlation with the performance (sales growth and profitability) of SSAEs in the
Vryburg region. However, the inter-correlations of EO + MO + INNO with business
performance were practically moderate. The moderate correlations create
opportunities for strengthening the entrepreneurial and market orientations and
innovativeness of SSAES and in fact small businesses in general. An intensive and
co-ordinated intervention of government and NGOs in transforming the small business
sector into the real engine of growth of the economy is imperative. The study also
attempted to predict firm performance holding EO + EO + INNO as predictor variables.
Multi linear regression and multinomial logistic regression analysis however did not
yield significant predictions of performance of SSAEs. This outcome provides a launch
pad for further research into the proposed model in different settings because this
study was mainly exploratory and executed in a rural and agricultural environments.
Notwithstanding, the study made important contributions to the literature. It showed
that it was possible to integrate EO + MO + INNO (previously viewed by many authors
as exclusive constructs) into a single business model for the synergic enhancement
of small business performance. It is hoped this would stimulate economic growth and
development especially in developing countries.
7
Manjengwa, George Munyaradzi. "Animal traction and small-scale farming : a Stellenbosch case study." Thesis, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/6542.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011.<br>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The main aim of this case study was to research the impact of the introduction of oxen for
draught power on Eric Swarts’ Stellenbosch farm. The research objectives were designed to find
out if the oxen helped to improve the quality of the soil, to determine their cost-effectiveness
(compared to a tractor) and other social and managerial constraints and benefits associated with
using them and also to make recommendations for small-scale farmers in developing countries.
The literature review revealed that human society faces many serious sustainability challenges
from ecosystem degradation and global warming, to massive poverty and social inequality. The
global population is growing against a background of decreasing agricultural productivity due to
degraded soils and the increased costs of farming. The adoption of farming methods that enhance
ecosystem services and depend less on external inputs is therefore essential. Animal traction is
still widely used among small-scale farmers in developing countries, but lacks policy and
investment support to make it more efficient. There are currently widespread negative opinions
about animal traction which regard it as a backward or old-fashioned technology. This research
investigated the possibility of animal traction emerging as an affordable, environmentallyfriendly and appropriate technology for small-scale farming.
The research is a case study with a qualitative, ethnographic research design in which participant
observation was key in gathering research data. A cost-benefit analysis (CBA) was carried out to
compare the cost-effectiveness of using oxen to either hiring or buying a tractor.
The findings showed that oxen were a more cost-effective means of draught power than a tractor,
not only in terms of capital costs but also maintenance and operational costs. The manure from
the oxen was both an effective way of supplying crops with essential nutrients and improving
soil biodiversity. The introduction of the oxen presented some challenges to the farmer
concerning knowledge about how animals work and other managerial challenges, but these were
overcome by learning through practice. It was found that the farmer will be able to make
significant savings in soil-amendment costs and he can control the quality of the manure to suit his needs. It was concluded that small-scale farmers who choose animal traction over tractors as
a means of draught power will realise many advantages in return.<br>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die hoof doelwit van dié gevallestudie was om die impak van die ingebruikneming van osse as
trekkrag op Eric Swarts se plaas te Stellenbosch na te vors. Die navorsingsteikens was ontwerp
om uit te vind of die beeste gehelp het om die kwaliteit van die grond te verbeter, om hul
lonendheid vas te stel (in vergelyking met ’n trekker) asook ander sosiale en bestuursbeperkings
en -voordele wat met hul gebruik geassosieer word en ook met voorstelle vir kleinskaalboere in
ontwikkelende lande voorendag te kom.
Die literatuuroorsig navorsing het ontbloot dat die menslike samelewing met vele
volhoubaarheidsuitdagings vanaf ekosistemiese agteruitgang en aardverhitting, tot swaar
armoedigheid en sosiale ongelykhede gekonfronteer word. Die wêreld bevolking groei steeds ten
spyte van die afname in landboukundige produktiwiteit as gevolg van verlaagde grondkwaliteit
en die toenemende landboukoste. Die ingebruikneming van landboumetodes wat ekosistemiese
dienste verhoog en minder staatmaak op eksterne insette is dus noodsaaklik. Dieretrekking word
steeds algemeen in ontwikkelende landebenut, maar dit ontbreek beleids- en
beggingsondersteuning om dit meer doeltreffend te maak. Daar is tans algemeen verbreide
negatiewe sienswyse oor dieretrekksag wat dit as agterlike en oudmodiese tegnologie beskou.
Dié navorsing het ondersoek ingestel om die moontlikheid van dieretrekking as ’n bekostigbare,
omgewingsvriendelike en passende tegnologie vir kleinskaalboerdery vas te stel.
Die navorsing is’n gevallestudie met kwalitatiwe, etnografiese navorsingsontwerp waarin
deelnemerwaarneming kern is tot die insameling van data. ’n Kostewinsteanalise (KWA) was
uitgevoer om die lonenheid van beeste te vergelyk met dié van of die huur of die koop van ’n
trekker.
Die bevindings het getoon dat beeste ’n lonender wyse van trekkrag as trekkers is, nie net in
terme van kapitale koste nie, maar ook onderhouds en bedryfskoste. Die beesmis was beide ’n
doeltreffende manier om die gevasse van nodige voedingstowwe te voorsien asook om
grondbiodiversiteit te verbeter. Die ingebruikneming van beeste het sekere uitdagings vir die
boere ingehou in verband met die kennis van hoe diere werk en ander bestuursuitdagings, maar dié was oorkom deur onderrig uit ondervinding. Daar was bevind dat die boer beduidende
besparings kan maak aan grondaanvullingskoste hierdie jaar en dat hy die kwaliteit van die
beesmis kan beheer om sy behoeftes dien. Die slotsom is dat kleinskaalboere wat kies om
dieretrekking eerder as trekkers as trekkrag te gebruik, sal vele voordele hê.
8
Serajuddin, Umar. "The influence of neighbors in technology adoption: evidence from farmers in Pakistan and Malawi." Thesis, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/2152/2643.
Full text
9
Coplin, Abigail Elizabeth. "Domesticating Biotechnological Innovation: Science, Market and the State in Post-Socialist China." Thesis, 2019. https://doi.org/10.7916/d8-z1m3-ef53.
Full textAbstract:
Biotechnological innovation is simultaneously globalizing and localizing. While ambitious scientists and thriving companies operate in a transnational environment, national leaders perceive domestic innovation as a source of international power and of domestic regime legitimacy. My work leverages these tensions between nationalism and globalism to identify mechanisms by which the micro-level dynamics of Chinese state capitalism co-produce scientific expertise, political power, and social critique in China’s agrobiotechnology industry. By examining how this happens in an authoritarian, technocratic, post-socialist nation, I show that exclusively focusing on biotech development in advanced liberal-democracies has reified particular institutional arrangements as “essential” to biotech innovation. This myopia limits our understanding of how such innovation can occur under other state and market organizing principles.
Since the birth of the American biotechnology industry, scholars have tried to elucidate the institutional conditions catalyzing biotech growth and decipher the new organizational forms, scientific identities, and governance dilemmas accompanying its rise. Debates rage, for example, over whether “free market” forces or government policies kindled the biotech boom. Others examine how biotech firms translate between the logics of the market and science, how universities normalize academic entrepreneurship, and what configurations of capital, research organizations, and commercial firms boost the emergence of vibrant clusters. Ultimately, however, biotechnological development is not “simply a matter of advances in science and technology, but a product of complex entanglements among knowledge, technical capability, politics, and culture.”
My dissertation explores these entanglements in China. Employing in-depth interviews with key actors, observational field research, and textual analysis of Chinese media, I show how the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) deployment of nationalist ideologies reshapes and runs up against a science-driven industry of national importance. I contend that China’s approach to developing biotechnology centers on the principle of “technological domestication”, whereby fears of technologically-induced pollution and natural/artificial transgression surrounding genetically modified (GM) technology are recast into an opposition to foreign aggressors, be they countries, companies, or individual actors.
Centrally, I argue this nationalist frame is not merely ideological rhetoric, but a principle of institution building that uniquely mixes science, business and the state. As in a chemical reaction, the bonds and boundaries among these entities are restructured and a new compound synthesized, distinct from the sum of its parts. This nationalist “technology” permeates and structures each level of the agrobiotech project: how this nationalist frame fundamentally shapes the nature of business alliances within the agrobiotech sector, the chimeric organizational forms taken by commercial enterprises and academic laboratories, career trajectories spanning science, the market, and the state, professional identities embodied in the industry, and ultimately, even the contours of social criticism leveled against the technology. I aver that while the technological domestication frame enables Chinese firms and entrepreneurs to dominate Chinese technology markets and create novel—and often transgressive—organizational forms, career trajectories and professional identities, it also facilitates the party-state’s “taming” of these actors and the technologies they produce, as the system rewards the development of technologies that reinforce state power and requires ritualistic performances from the firms and academic entrepreneurs operating within it. Overall, while showing the construction of “biotechnology with Chinese characteristics” to be a socio-technical imaginary with meaningful technical, organizational, and moral consequences, I identify an alternative trajectory of knowledge economy development, reveal logics of state capitalism, and determine limits of expert co-option within a single party authoritarian regime.
Books on the topic "Agricultural innovations – Economic aspects – Malawi"
1
Gupta, D. Das. Technology transfer in agriculture: An economic appraisal. Uppal Pub. House, 1994.
Find full text
2
Altschul, Eugen. Technical progress and agricultural depression. National Bureau of Economic Research, 1986.
Find full text
4
Tompa, Béla. Innováció a mezőgazdaságban. Közgazdasági és Jogi Könyvkiadó, 1988.
Find full text
5
Brenner, Carliene. Technology and developing country agriculture: The impact of economic reform. Development Centre of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 1993.
Find full text
6
Sivalingam, G. Malaysia's agricultural transformation. Pelanduk Publications, 1993.
Find full text
7
István, Husti. A mezőgazdasági műszaki fejlesztés néhány társadalmi-gazdasági összefüggése. Akadémiai Kiadó, 1993.
Find full text
8
Restrepo, Iván. El paraíso fraccionado: De cuestiones agrarias y ambientes. Editorial UV, 1986.
Find full text
9
Njeru, Geoffrey R. Technical change and entrepreneurship in a marginal area: The case of agricultural innovators in Mbeere, eastern Kenya : a Ph.D research proposal. Institute for Development Studies, University of Nairobi, 1996.
Find full text
10
Fafchamps, Marcel. Agricultural markets in Benin and Malawi: Operation and performance of traders. World Bank, Development Research Group, Rural Development, 2001.
Find full text