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Larson, Janelle B. Montaner. "An economic analysis of land titling in Honduras." Thesis, University of Oxford, 1995. http://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:be8d5f2d-f676-45f1-8e3f-2b2a7f49b4e0.
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In 1982 the governments of Honduras and the United States signed a contract that established the Proyecto de Titulación de Tierras, or land titling project. This project was initiated primarily to provide titles to small coffee farmers on State-owned land. Among the expected consequences of the project were increased access to resources, especially credit, for small farmers and increased on-farm investment due to this access to credit and increased security. It was hoped that a greater use of credit and investment would increase farm production and therefore the income and well-being of the farmers involved. In this dissertation, the land titling project is placed within the context of the history of agrarian reform in Honduras. The titling project called for a baseline study and final evaluation. These were carried out in 1983 and 1988, respectively. The author was able to obtain these data and re-interview the same farmers in 1993. These farmers are from two regions, one of which was titled and another which was not. The interviews gathered data on production, credit, use of inputs, investments, income and general socio-economic indicators. These data are used to determine the extent to which the goals of the tiding project have been met. A stochastic frontier production function is used to estimate farm-level technical efficiency. Following this, these technical efficiency scores are regressed on various factors such as education, credit and technical assistance to estimate their possible effects on technical efficiency. Finally, simultaneous equations are used to estimate the relationships among these variables. In general, ten years after the start of the project, the original goals have not been achieved. This analysis found that titling does not affect technical efficiency, access to credit, or the use of inputs. Education and technical assistance are the two factors that are consistently the most significant in meeting the project's stated goals. This analysis suggests that basic education and technical assistance, rather than expensive land titling projects, should be promoted to enhance access to credit, the use of inputs and increased technical efficiency.
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Cárcamo, Julio Antonio. "Sustainable development in Honduras: economic evaluation of soil conservation practices." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/42613.
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Costs and benefits associated with erosion reduction and adoption of soil conservation practices for a representative farm in a watershed in Honduras are examined in a linear programming framework. Special attention is paid to income-soil loss tradeoffs, income-risk tradeoffs, and on the effect of different farmers' planning horizons on net farm income.
A representative farm model for the area was constructed to achieve the objectives of the study. Twelve farmers in the region were surveyed, crop budgets were prepared, and soil loss values were calculated to provide the information required to construct this representative farm.
A linear programming model that maximizes net farm income is used to examine the effect of different soil loss levels on farm income. A MOTAD model that minimizes deviation in income (risk) is used to determine risk levels while income and/or soil loss levels restrictions are imposed.
Results indicate that considerable reductions in the amount of soil loss can be achieved in the study area. Erosion is reduced from 328.24 ton./mn./year to 6.56 ton./mn./year1 when constraints are imposed on the model. The reduced erosion lowers income from L.5929.24/year for high erosion rates to L.2825.8l/year for low erosion rates. Low levels of soil erosion are achieved at the expense of higher levels of risk. High levels of income are associated with high levels of risk regardless of whether soil loss constraints exist or not. Small differences in income exist among the four planning horizons analyzed.
The best soil conservation practices for this region turned out to be the cultivation of coffee on the highest slopes, the use of live barriers and terraces, and the use of conventional and minimum tillage.Master of Science
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van, Zyl Johan, Bach Helmke Sartorius von, and Johann Kirsten. "Internal environment: the agricultural sector in Region E." University of Pretoria, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/68792.
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The main purpose of this report is to conduct an analysis with a view to determine the potential role and contribution of agriculture in region E. This report emphasises the agricultural impact in determining an economic development strategy for region E. It is therefore the aim of this report to provide a brief situation analysis and an interpretation of existing problems affecting development. The importance of the sector, implications of the spacial distribution, the structure, potential growth and the policy environment will be addressed. From the above, constraints, bottlenecks, the likely future demand, etc will be pointed out. The interpretation of the above and its implications for development is necessary to determine objectives for the aimed strategy. The strategy for region E is necessary in determining policies stressing economic growth and fair distribution of resources to enable the mass of the population to share in increased wealth and economic opportunities.Region E economic development study
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Wong, Chi-kwong Patrick, and 黃志光. "Economic changes in rural China." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1995. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31954509.
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Theora, Benard Nganga 1956. "MARKET SHARE DETERMINANTS FOR COMMERCIAL BANKS LENDING TO AGRICULTURE." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 1987. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/276385.
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Kennedy, Daniel Richard 1962. "The impacts of rental-market legislation on agriculture in northwest Portugal." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 1989. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/277140.
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In January, 1986, Portugal became a part of the European Community. Although this will have many beneficial effects on Portugal's industrial sector, the agricultural sector will be negatively impacted by the regulations under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) due to take affect in 1996. The Entre Douro e Minho (EDM) region, in particular, will be hard hit by the CAP regulations. Modeling of the EDM suggests that farm operators can offset many of the negative impacts through increases in farm investment and farm size. However, legislation in both the credit and land markets hinder this process. This study analyzes the rental-market legislation in light of tenancy theory. The analysis suggests that changes in the method of calculating maximum rent along with changes in the security of tenure provisions will stimulate the rental markets and lead to the desired increases in farm investment and farm size.
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Mayom, Chol Permina. "Impact of Climate Change and Weather Variability on North Dakota Agriculture." Thesis, North Dakota State University, 2008. https://hdl.handle.net/10365/29717.
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This study used county-level yields and panel data (1950-2006) to explain the Impact of climate change and weather variability on North Dakota agriculture by estimating the effect of variation in temperature and precipitation on the yields of four major crops: com, durum, soybeans and wheat. In addition to yields, the study examined Impacts of climate change on crop gross revenues per acre for all 53 counties in North Dakota. An econometric model was developed to infer statistical relationships between weather variability and crop yields. Fixed and random effects models were employed to estimate the impacts of climate variables (temperature and precipitation) on crop yields. The Hausman test statistics was applied to test the preferred panel estimation approach: fixed versus random effects. Using mean values of precipitation and degree days for all counties, we calculated percentage changes in estimated crop yields for six climate change scenarios. The historical price data for the four crops (com, soybeans, spring wheat and durum) were used to generate per acre gross returns under the six weather-change scenarios in order to provide preliminary evidence about the effects of precipitation and temperature changes on farmer returns for the four crops.
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Berger, Joshua F. "Sugar ethanol in Florida : economic, agricultural,and environmental aspects." [Tampa, Fla] : University of South Florida, 2009. http://purl.fcla.edu/usf/dc/et/SFE0003140.
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Dupuis, Raymond 1957. "Economic efficiency in agriculture : an intercountry analysis for the developing countries." Thesis, McGill University, 1986. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=65369.
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Lipai, Monica. "Socioeconomic comparisons of organic and conventional farms in Canada : results from the 2001 Census." Thesis, McGill University, 2007. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=101864.
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This thesis examines differences between organic and conventional farm and operators' characteristics, and identifies which characteristics explain whether a farm is organic or conventional. The data comes from the 2001 Canadian Census of Agriculture, which makes this study the first that is national in scope and includes detailed analysis of the differences between organic and conventional agriculture using a large sample size.Farms were divided into three groups: conventional, primarily organic, and mixed production (some organic production). Parametric and nonparametric tests were used to analyze farm and operator characteristics. Logistic regression was used to determine which variables explain whether a farm is organic, conventional or mixed. Results indicate that organic farmers are more likely to be younger, female, work less off farm and more on farm, when compared to conventional. Organic farms tend to be smaller, more profitable, more diversified, and have a higher dependency on hired labour. There were no differences in capital intensity. Mixed farms manifested the same patterns as organic when compared to conventional.
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Mkwela, Gcobani. "The role of agriculture in the Ncora area." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021107.
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Despite 19 years of democracy and public action by civil society, policy makers continue to neglect the role of agriculture in improving the quality of life in rural areas such as Ncora in the Eastern Cape. The communities in the Ncora area still experience poverty despite the fact people receive state grants. Agriculture is declining in this area without basic infrastructure. The study argues that communities in the Ncora area need assistance from government in order to increase agricultural activities. These activities are an important route through which these communities can reduce poverty. The primary objective of this study was to obtain a better understanding of the role of agriculture in reducing poverty in the Ncora rural areas. The conditions necessary to sustain agriculture in the rural areas were identified. This was mainly done to help alleviate the plight of rural areas in the Ncora area and to improve the quality of life of the rural population. The study was based on three research objectives. The first objective was to investigate the constraints to agricultural production in Ncora. The second objective was to ascertain what has been done by the Eastern Cape government in increasing agricultural activities. The third objective was to investigate the contribution of agriculture in reducing poverty in Ncora. The main finding in terms of the first research objective is that constraints to agricultural production in Ncora are structural constraints. These include inadequate infrastructure such as poor roads, lack of transport and equipment, lack of farming skills, poor quality seed, no access to markets, inadequate and unaffordable services. In terms of the second research objective, the main finding is that the government has encouraged investment in infrastructure using labour-intensive methods will eliminate service backlogs in underserviced areas such as Ncora. Secondly, it has encouraged the revival of irrigation schemes such as the Ncora irrigation scheme and is investing in human capital through the empowerment of people in order to improve the quality of life of the Ncora community. Empowerment involves skills and training, education and access to basic services, expertise regarding credit, land and the growing of vegetables. The development of human capital is an important determinant of the pace of economic development. Human, social, natural, financial and physical capital are essential elements of reducing poverty. In fact, the Ncora community has lobbied Intsika Yethu Municipality for community development Community development through education and community participation in development programmes. Efforts have to be made to increase the skills that will enable them to complete development projects. These include technical skills in areas such as vegetable and crop production during the year. A key component of the success of development projects is to involve communities in the planning and decision-making processes. Community development is linked to empowerment, in other words, empowered people are able to contribute to the development of their community because they have knowledge of the economic, social and political goals of development. Therefore, empowerment enables people to participate in and have an influence on the decisions that affect their lives. The main finding in terms of the third research objective is that people in the Ncora community are using their own labour to improve food production to reduce poverty. The Ncora community has been shown when and how to make, grow and plant seeds, and look after the vegetables of their choice. The community of Ncora has learnt about cropping practices that are appropriate to their situation. The intention is to sell vegetables and crops to local communities and markets in order to generate income. The community has to do it for themselves or else they will wait forever.
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Petersen, Emelda. "A theoretical framework for the labour relations between the farmer and farm workers during industrial strike actions." Thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/2671.
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Thesis (MTech (Public Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017.The purpose of this study was to analyse the labour relations of the workers in the agricultural sector, with reference to the De Doors area in the Western Cape. Despite the political, social and economic changes to better the lives of the farm workers that have been implemented to rectify the inequalities of the past, the labour conditions on farms stayed unchanged. It is evident that there is a gap in the labour relations in the agricultural sector, due to the 2012/13 strike actions that took place. Qualitative research methodology was employed in the study; it provided the researcher with the opportunity to personally interact with the farm workers. It further allowed the researcher to gain a holistic understanding of the daily lives of the farm workers which would foster a better understanding of their daily struggles. Interviews were used as method of data collection. This methodology also enables the researcher to interpret and describe the actions of participants. Good labour relations play a vital role in any industry or organisation. Farm workers are generally classified as vulnerable and the most exploited group of the South African society. They often work irregular hours throughout the year in various weather settings. Regardless of the physical strain that their jobs entail, farm workers earn a low wage and are often deprived of the basic benefits that an employee should be entitled to. This was the reason the farm workers embarked on a strike in 2012/13. The researcher proposed recommendations to the Agricultural department on how to improve the labour relations on the farms in the De Doorns area by suggesting that more labour inspectors are being employed to oversee that legislation are implemented. Skills Development needs to be become compulsory for all farm workers as farming is becoming more technological. Skills Development unlocks talents and creative energy for the farm workers which have a positive impact on production.
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Diebel, Penelope L. "An economic analysis of low-input agriculture as a groundwater protection strategy." Diss., Virginia Tech, 1990. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/40014.
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Carpentier, Line Chantal. "Agriculture and the environment : an economic-ecologic input-output model of the Canadian economy." Thesis, McGill University, 1994. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=55482.
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The current environmental movement calls for a re-evaluation of many economic-ecologic relationships. The objective of this study is to identify industrial sectors and final demands most responsible for particular types of residual discharge and resource use. An economic-ecologic model was constructed for the Canadian economy from the Statistics Canada I-O as modified by Thomassin et al. (1992). This modified version with its 12 agricultural sectors and 16 food processing sectors is best suited for agricultural policy analysis. The model estimates national erosion, pesticide and fertilizer use as well as air and water pollutants, solid waste, and water use associated with specified economic activities.Two different scenarios were analyzed. In the first, the impact on both the economy and the environment from changes in the final demand for agricultural and food commodities was simulated. Each commodity's final demand was increased by $1 million and its impact compared to the other simulated results. The ten commodities studied yielded similar economic impacts, while their environmental impacts differed considerably. Changes in the demand for wheat and oilseeds had the largest environmental impacts.
In the second scenario, the effects of a $1 million increase in each final demand category were compared. This scenario focussed on markets rather than products. The construction, exports and personal expenditures categories were the greatest generator of wastes and the largest user of free resources. The exports category yielded twice as much erosion than personal expenditures and twenty times more than the next highest value (construction).
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Agho, Njenyuei Gideon. "Urban agriculture for sustainable livelihood : a case study of migrants' women in Johannesburg." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020980.
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This research examines how urban agriculture contributes to the sustainable livelihood of migrants’ women living in the inner city of Johannesburg. The study focuses on the Cameroonian women community living in Turffontein. It explores the significant process of migration into the Republic of South Africa and the inspiration behind the choice of urban agriculture in the inner city of Johannesburg by women. The research report assesses the impact of urban agriculture on sustainable livelihood in the life of Cameroonian women living in Turffontein. It also examines the constraints encountered by these Cameroonians women in Turffontein in the practice of urban agriculture for sustainable livelihood. The findings of this study reveal that urban agriculture is used as a strategy for sustainable livelihood to a lot of Cameroonian migrants’ women living in Turffontein. The study has also shown how through urban agriculture these migrants’ women have been able to raise substantial income to support their respective families both in South Africa and in Cameroon. The study is based on a purposeful sample of Cameroonian migrants’ women living in the inner city of Johannesburg practicing urban agriculture. It uses a mixed method of approach with a transect walk to the area where this women practice the urban agriculture. It also included an in-depth face to face interactive interview and written sources such as journals, books and research reports where combined to gather relevant data. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse the data.
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Chaumba, Joseph A. "Opportunities for and constraints on crop production within Zimbabwe's fast-track resettlement programme: A Case Study of Fair Range Estate, Chiredzi District, South Eastern Zimbabwe." Thesis, University of the Western Cape, 2006. http://etd.uwc.ac.za/index.php?module=etd&action=viewtitle&id=gen8Srv25Nme4_9563_1181914396.
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The government of Zimbabwe started implementing its fast track resettlement programme in July 2000, the objective being to accelerate both land acquisition and land redistribution. This programme witnessed a massive movement of people from various localities into mainly large-scale commercial farms in search of agricultural land. Under this programme, people were settled under the A1 model (which involves villages and land use pattern similar to those found in communal areas) as well as the A2 model, which involves commercial farming. This study investigates, documents and analyses the opportunities and constraints currently being faced by newly resettled crop production farmers in one example of an A1 model resettlement project (Fair Ranch Estate in Masvingo Province). A questionnaire was used to gather data on livelihood sources, income, assets and also aspects of the associational life of crop production farmers. Seventy households were interviewed, and a number of key informant interviews were undertaken with both government officials and the local leadership. The greatest opportunity that A1 crop production farmers in Fair Range Estate experienced was the fact that they now have access to land that they can call their own, without having to go through the market to try to acquire such land. In terms of crop production, however, farmers in Fair Range Estate face a number of challenges and constraints: they lack adequate access to tillage and livestock
the supply of inputs is inadequate
generally negative socio economic conditions prevailing in the country have led to sharp increases in prices of all basic commodities, including inputs such as fertilisers and seeds
they lack tenure security
the amount of rainfall received in the area is generally not sufficient for crop production
and many lack crop production skills. Measures to reverse this decline must include the availability of foreign currency to buy spare parts for tractors, rebuilding of the national herd, which was greatly affected by both drought and the disturbance of commercial agriculture as a result of the controversial land reform programme. Fuel should also become more readily available, and urgent policy measures be put in place to revamp institutional frameworks in the agricultural sector to make them more farmer-oriented.
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Xu, Qing. "China's agricultural reforms : experience, empirical evidence and tendency /." Title page, abstract and table of contents only, 2004. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09PH/09phx9.pdf.
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Gurung, Ananda Bahadur. "Impact of Agricultural Productivity Changes on Agricultural Exports." Thesis, North Dakota State University, 2008. https://hdl.handle.net/10365/29760.
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This study uses linear programming and econometric tools to determine the impact of agricultural productivity (technology) on agricultural exports. The study determines total factor productivity (TFP) using the Malmquist index method for a panel of 64 countries. Productivity impact on exports is determined by a two-stage estimation procedure. The results show agricultural productivity affects agricultural exports. This has important implications for developing countries. A 1 unit change in cumulative TFP increases agricultural output by .79% and a 1% increase in estimated agricultural output increases exports by .37%. Therefore, the total effect of technology on exports of primary and processed commodities is .29%. Developed countries generally have higher TFP rates, leading to higher export earnings; meanwhile, developing countries are not getting the benefits from agricultural exports because they have a relatively lower level of agricultural productivity. Investing in research and development for agriculture can improve technology, which, in turn, can Increase agricultural exports.
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Mbwika, James M. "Kenya smallholder farmer education and farm productivity." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 1990. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/29578.
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This research was undertaken to study the effect of education on small farm revenues and profits in Kenya. Schooling (defined as the number of school standards completed by the farm operator) was used as the most important source of education. It was hypothesized that schooling has a positive effect on farm revenues and profits. The effect of other sources of information viz; extension contact, demonstration attendance and baraza attendance on farm revenues and profits were also investigated.
The research was done using regression analysis where these variables and other farm activity relevant variables were fitted in regression equations. The choice of these variables
were based on economic theory, Kenya small farm characteristics and the objective of the study. Several factors would qualify as supporting evidence for the argument that educated farmers are more productive. We expect educated farmers to be more informed in terms of use of new production technologies. Education as a source of human capital also enhances the productive abilities of human beings and also enables those who have invested in education to use their resources more efficiently as well as adjusting to new "ways of producing more efficiently".
In the current study we find that schooling of the farm operator is positively related to level of expenditure on farm purchased variable inputs. This indicates that education enhances adoption of new technologies and innovativeness. Further it was shown that farmers with more education earned more value added per acre from their farm business compared to their less educated counterparts. On the overall farm activity, farmers with eight or more standards of schooling earned upto 80.2% in value added per acre compared to those who had no schooling.
The regression estimates were done on a stepwise procedure where farm specific enterprises
were estimated separately and then aggregated and estimated as one farm sector. Thus a crop equation, a livestock equation and a total farm output equation were estimated.
This model was then developed into a variable profit function. A simple linear function procedure was used in the regression analysis.
In all the estimated value added equations the schooling coefficient was positive and significant at 5% level two tail t-test. As we move from farm specific activities to a farm aggregate output model and lastly to value added model the schooling coefficient increased in size confirming the positive role of education in allocative effect. These results show that schooling plays an important role in allocation of other purchased inputs and also choice of crop mix and input selection. The estimated marginal return to schooling of farm operator in the profit function was Kshs.281. In an earlier function where schooling of the farm operator was fitted into a total farm income equation the estimated marginal return to schooling was Kshs.778.89.
When schooling of the farm operator is allowed to interact with extension service the estimated interaction variable coefficient is negative showing the two act as substitute sources of knowledge, and the schooling coefficient increased in size showing that those who had both schooling and extension service earned comparatively more farm revenues.
The role of other educative factors like extension service, demonstration attendance, and baraza attendance in influencing agricultural production was investigated. Regression
results showed that extension contact had a negative and significant effect on farm revenues and profits. Demonstration and baraza attendance had similar effects on farm revenues and profits.
In the value added function hired labour variable was fitted as the cost of hired labour per day. The estimated coefficient for this variable was positive and significant at 5%. The estimated coefficient for this variable shows hired labour is not optimally used, and farmers can increase their farm profits by hiring more labour. When this variable was fitted as the wage rate paid to hired labour per day the estimated coefficient was positive and significant. These results indicate that cost of hired labour depends on its quality. In the sales function hired labour was specified as mandays of hired labour per year and the estimated coefficient which reflects the shadow price of labour was higher than average hired labour wage rate implying that this factor is underemployed.
In the sales function the estimated coefficient for the value of purchased inputs variable indicates that there is an element of underutilization of these inputs. This variable is fitted in value terms and in profit maximizing conditions the estimated coefficient is expected to be no different from unit. However, the estimated coefficient for this variable is approximately 2.5 showing a shilling spent on purchased inputs will bring forth 2.5 shillings. Thus an increase in the use of purchased inputs will increase farm revenues.
Results show evidence of regional differences in farmer productivity and utilization of purchased inputs in favour of Central province.
The study is based on the 1982 CBS-IDS-World Bank Household Survey of Rural Kenya data set.Land and Food Systems, Faculty of
Graduate
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Kumara, G. A. Kumudu Kusum. "Growth without capitalism : agrarian change in the peasant economy of Sri Lanka." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 1991. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/30828.
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This study examines the impact of capital on the small peasant economy of Sri Lanka which has been dominated by paddy cultivation, the consequent processes of agrarian change in the peasant society and the impact of these changes on the lives of the peasantry. The persistence of peasant agriculture throughout the developing world has posed a challenge to classical theories of the development of capitalism in agriculture which considered peasant production or Simple Commodity Production as a transitional phenomenon doomed to disappear. Recent interpretations of theories on Simple Commodity Production however, argue that peasant forms of production can and likely will survive within capitalist social formations, and therefore the analysis of the dynamics of agrarian change has to focus on historically specific situations. Pursuing the latter view, this study identifies the role of the State, class structure, and the role of agro-ecological imperatives as key factors influencing agrarian change in Sri Lanka. While existing agrarian relations in the peasant sector have not become a barrier to the growth of productive forces in the peasant economy, this growth has not necessarily led to the disintegration of the peasantry, despite a certain amount of differentiation among them. While the dynamism manifested in the emergence of a small stratum of rich peasants and rural entrepreneurs may indicate the possibility of capitalist development in the peasant sector in some areas of the country, the overall situation within the peasant economy indicates the possibility of paddy agriculture reaching its advanced stages within the form of peasant production itself. In the event of such a possibility, it is the problem of underemployed labour in the peasant sector which will become the agrarian question of Sri Lanka.Arts, Faculty of
Sociology, Department of
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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.
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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.
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Rali, Jongikhaya. "Agriculture as a contributor to local economic development (LED) in Nkonkobe Local Municipality." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020402.
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Africa while being underdeveloped in terms of industry and infrastructure has much rural land and therefore has significant potential to provide global food security. This study investigates agriculture as a contributor to economic development of Nkonkobe Local Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa. While the potential of agriculture, in Nkonkobe Local Municipality is high, this sector has not been fully developed to the benefit of the community and the municipality at large. The results of this study have pointed out that the Eastern Cape, Nkonkobe Local Municipality in particular is where communal farming is practiced on the largest scale and where further growth can take place. This study is informed by the goals of reconstruction and development, as expressed in the Government’s Reconstruction and Development Programme (1995) tabled to meet the basic needs of the people, develop its human resources and to build the local economy. This study aims to transform Nkonkobe Local Municipality into an economically developed area of Amathole District Municipality, by improving the area’s agricultural contribution to the Local Economic Development (LED) of the area. This study supports entrepreneurship and innovation, job creation, raising the quality of basic services to the poorest citizens of Nkonkobe Local Municipality, and increasing the distribution of agricultural land to small holders. This study promotes the development of agricultural sector, which will enable it to absorb more low skilled labour which will assist in poverty alleviation, and promote LED initiatives. This study also develops and promotes the sustainable contribution of agriculture to LED programmes, and improves the participation of local communities in these programmes. The study was conducted using qualitative research methodology. The findings of the study reveal that agricultural infrastructure in support of LED in Nkonkobe Local Municipality must be established and improved. Such infrastructure should include the reticulation of services, such as irrigation schemes, big dams, farming equipment, tractors, laboratories, cold storages and communication links. These services are currently inadequate in the area, and hamper development and progress that the area clearly has great potential to add in terms of global food security and poverty alleviation.
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Henn, Patrick. "User benefits of urban agriculture in Havana, Cuba : an application of the contingent valuation method." Thesis, McGill University, 2000. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=31233.
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In Cuba, the act of growing flood in the city has become a way of life. Since the beginning of the "Special Period in Time of Peace", brought about by the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, Cubans have engaged in many forms of urban agriculture (UA) to cope with the food crisis affecting the Island. In Havana, the popular garden movement occupies 8% of total urban land in agriculture (3.4% of urban land) and is practiced by 18,000 gardeners who produce vegetables and fruit, and raise small livestock to increase food security and generate income. The purpose of this study was to provide estimates of the user benefits of UA, as well as qualitative and quantitative information related do this activity. The contingent valuation method (CVM) was used to elicit users' willingness to pay (WTP) for the land they use, that is currently provided at no charge by the stale. The average WTP was estimated at 23.5 pesos/1000 m2/month under current conditions and 34.4 pesos/1000 m2/month with improvements in water and anti-theft services. These amounts represent about 11% and 14% of monthly household income, respectively. Aggregate WTP for popular gardens in the city of Havana was estimated to be 6.88 million pesos/year (344,000 $US) and 10.07 million pesos/year (503,500 $US) with the proposed improvements. The study has produced important results that give an indication of the use and non-use value of UA for gardeners of Havana. Results also suggest that CVM is a non-market valuation technique that can be successfully applied in Cuba, and can provide information to be integrated in cast-benefit analysis frameworks that assess the importance of UA.
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Covas, António. "Les enjeux socio-politiques de l'intégration agricole du Portugal dans le système communautaire." Doctoral thesis, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, 1987. http://hdl.handle.net/2013/ULB-DIPOT:oai:dipot.ulb.ac.be:2013/213426.
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Avalos, Sartorio Beatriz 1959. "COMPETITIVENESS, EFFICIENCY AND POLICY IN MODERN IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE IN THE STATES OF SONORA AND SINALOA, MEXICO." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 1987. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/276387.
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Man'ombe, Edson. "Economic value and genetic prediction of clinical mastitis in South African Holstein cattle." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/86396.
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Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Mastitis is the most prevalent and costly production disease of dairy cattle; hence mastitis incidence is a distinctly important trait in dairy cattle. The primary objective of the study was to determine the economic value, and develop a model for genetic prediction of clinical mastitis in South African Holstein cattle. These procedures are a prerequisite to including this trait in the breeding objective. The cost of clinical mastitis per incident was calculated as the sum of revenue loss due to discarded milk during the infection period and the associated treatment costs. Economic value (ZAR/incident) was calculated as the change in profit (increase in costs) resulting from a simulated marginal increase in mastitis incidence in an average herd. Average economic losses due to clinical mastitis were estimated at ZAR919.96/cow/year and the average incidence was 0.9cases/cow/year. The economic value of clinical mastitis was ‐ZAR1079.51/incident. A model for predicting estimated breeding values (EBVs) for clinical mastitis using somatic cell score (SCS), fore teat length (FTL), udder depth (UD) and rear udder height (RUH) was developed, using genetic (co)variances among these traits. Since EBVs for SCS, FTL, UD and RUH are routinely estimated under the national genetic evaluation programme, EBVs for clinical mastitis can be predicted from the model developed in the current study. Thus, the results of the study provide the basis for including clinical mastitis in the breeding objective for South African Holstein cattle.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Mastitis is die mees algemeenste en duursteproduksie siekte wat voorkom by melkbeeste, daarom is die voorkoms van mastitis 'n belangrike eienskap in melkbeeste. Die primêre doel van die studie was om die ekonomiese waarde te bepaal, asook die ontwikkeling van 'n model vir genetiese voorspelling van kliniese mastitis in Suid‐Afrikaanse Holstein beeste. Hierdie prosedures is 'n voorvereiste vir insluiting van hierdie eienskap as ‘n teeldoelwit in seleksie programme. Die koste van kliniese mastitis per voorval is bereken as die som van die inkomste verlies weens melk weggegooi tydens die infeksie periode en die gepaardgaande koste vir die behandeling. Ekonomiese waarde (ZAR / voorval) is bereken as die verandering in wins (toename in koste) wat voortspruit uit 'n gesimuleerde marginale toename in mastitis voorkoms in 'n gemiddelde kudde. Gemiddelde ekonomiese verliese as gevolg van kliniese mastitis was beraam op ZAR919.96/koei/jaar en die gemiddelde voorkoms was 0.9gevalle/koei/jaar. Die ekonomiese waarde van kliniese mastitis was ‐ ZAR1079.51/geval. 'n Model vir die voorspelling van beraamde teelwaardes (EBV’s) vir kliniese mastitis is ontwikkel deur gebruik te maak van die ko‐variansies tussen die onderskeie eienskappe: somatiese sel telling (SST), voorspeen lengte (VSL), uier diepte (UD) en agter uier hoogte (AUH). Aangesien teelwaardes vir SST, VSL, UD en AUH gereeld beraam word onder die Nasionale genetiese evaluasie program, kan teelwaardes vir kliniese mastitis voorspel word vanuit die model wat ontwikkel is in die huidige studie. Dus verskaf die resultate van hierdie studie ‘n basis vir die insluiting van kliniese mastitis as ‘n teeldoelwit in seleksie programme van die Suid‐Afrikaanse Holstein beeste.
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Weideman, Lisa. "Investigating the Cuban Revolución Agricola as a model for the post-'peak oil' age." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/4998.
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In this dissertation, the socio-ecological transformations that occurred during Cuba’s Revolución Agrícola are explored, against the backdrop of the historical subalternisation of the country as a consequence of Spanish and American imperialism, and in relation to the continuing subalternisation of the country and its people through the neoliberal mass media. To contextualize such exploration, the origins of large-scale privatization of common land, and the subsequent process of urbanization in the West, are investigated, before Cuba’s similar developmental path – as a result of Spanish colonialism, U.S. imperialism, and communist influence – is detailed. Thereafter, the way in which Cuba established an alternative food paradigm, characterised by local, communal, and urban production during the country’s ‘Special Period’ in the 1990s, is discussed, with a view to illustrating how this eco-socialist model of food production, in both rural and urban areas, led to new relations between people and nature. This Cuban model is then posited as a socio-ecologically sustainable model of food production, deserving of the attention of communities around the world, who seek to gain a degree of autonomy from neoliberal agribusiness. Conversely, the efforts of mainstream neoliberal mass media to silence the immensely positive characteristics of the revolution are also investigated, and framed in terms of the historical subjugation of Cuban voices in the American mass media, and the contemporary marginalisation of the country and its people in the neoliberal mass media. Finally, the dissertation concludes by examining the alternative media response, on the part of several prominent Cubans and those sympathetic to their cause, to bring attention to the value of the socio-ecological transformations that have occurred on the island, against the backdrop of various theorisations of the importance of alternative media platforms as a radical counterforce to neoliberal mass media hegemony.
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Ellis, Ciaran R. "Valuing wild pollinators for sustainable crop production." Thesis, University of Stirling, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1893/22327.
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This thesis looks at the role of wild pollinators in providing services to crops. Two data chapters (2 and 3) are accompanied by a modelling chapter (4) which build on the findings of the field studies. The thesis ends with an overview of the trends in pollinator populations and how these relate to the needs of farmers in the UK (chap-ter 5). It is often assumed that commercial pollinators are appropriate substitutes of wild pollinators on farms; however this view neglects the differing roles that particular pollinator taxa might play in providing pollination services. For example, crops with a long growing system may require multiple pollinators to ensure pollination throughout the season. Strawberries in Scotland have an extremely long growing season, flowering from April to August. Chapter 2 presents a study showing season-al complementarity between different pollinating taxa across strawberry farms in Scotland. Pollinators of strawberries also differed in their responses to weather pa-rameters indicating that preserving multiple pollinator taxa could ensure yields un-der different weather scenarios. The requirements of a long-growing season and ad-verse weather may be specific to strawberry production in Scotland, but the valua-tion of multiple taxa can be generalised to systems with differing needs, and also to different ecosystem services. Wild bees are not only valuable for providing complementary services to commercial pollinators, but are also valuable in the longer term as it is unknown whether com-mercial pollinators will be available in the future. There are threats to the supply of honeybees which have already triggered price rises; such supply shocks could force farmers to leave production or to seek other ways of providing pollination, including supporting wild pollinators. However farm management pressures, in particular pes-ticide use, could threaten the ability of wild pollinators to continue to support crop production. The interplay of pesticides and pollination is discussed in chapter 3 and 4. Chapter 3 presents an experiment undertaken on soft-fruit farms which had and had not used the neonicotinoid, thiacloprid, and shows that nests exposed to thia-cloprid had higher worker mortality, and lower male production than those at con-trol farms. This has implications both for pollination services now, as worker mor-tality will reduce the number of bees visiting farms, and also for the maintenance of future pollination services through decreased reproductive capacity of exposed nests. Chapter 4 uses a theoretical model to link pesticide use and habitat use to pollina-tion services, and shows that the use of commercial pollinators could mask the de-cline in wild populations, making local extinctions more likely. Chapter 5 sets out the status and extent of pollinators in the UK, along with popu-lation trends, trends in habitat and trends in pesticide use to provide an overview of how well pollination services are likely to meet the ongoing needs of crop farmers.
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Riofrío, Ordóñez Carlos Andrés. "Economics of introducing forage and livestock into alternative crop rotation systems during the transition to organic agriculture." Thesis, McGill University, 2006. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=98779.
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The purpose of this study was to investigate the economic feasibility of alternative crop rotations and to determine the economic implications of including forages and livestock during the transition to organic agriculture in Nova Scotia. The rotation systems were distinguished by: (i) frequency of forage in the rotation, (ii) source of nutrient supply, and (iii) type of farming operation. The economic analysis was divided in two parts. The first part analysed data from a four-year crop rotation experiment, using enterprise budgeting and statistical methods to compare differences among rotations under different treatments. The second part involved the development of a multi-period linear programming (LP) model to simulate a commercial operation.The results from the statistical analysis suggest that crop enterprise net returns tended to be higher in forage-based rotations and in the livestock systems compared to cash crop rotations and the stockless system. Results from the LP model suggest that including forages and beef cattle during the transition to organic agriculture can provide considerable economic benefits, especially when crops were grown under ruminant compost.
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Huang, Zhi Feng. "Study of European Union Common Agricultural Policy : France agricultural policy anaysis." Thesis, University of Macau, 2008. http://umaclib3.umac.mo/record=b2555543.
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Forest, Jean-François. "The economics of conversion to organic agriculture : a rotational plan." Thesis, McGill University, 1992. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=60655.
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This thesis focused on the conversion period from conventional to organic agriculture for a Quebec dairy farm. The crucial problem resided in developing an economic framework to evaluate alternative crop rotations that would provide farmers in transition an optimal rotation plan compatible with organic farming practices.Two multi-period linear programming models were developed for that purpose, both models having different assumptions concerning effects that the transition might have on crop yield.
In both transitional models, two crop rotations were selected in the optimal solution. In addition, the establishment of crop rotations was comparable for both models, and this showed that the assumed drop in yield did not have a large impact on the selection of crop rotation. Also, the results support the notion that conversion to organic agriculture had a relatively less negative effect on farm profit if the transition was done gradually.
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Nxumalo, Nosikhumbuzo. "Value chain financing : the case of the Komati Downstream Development Project." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/97441.
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Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2015.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The research examines agriculture value chain finance as it has been applied in the Komati Downstream Development Project. It seeks to assess whether the Komati Downstream Development Project has addressed the challenges of access to finance, markets and support services and enabled smallholder farmers in the project area to operate commercially. The Swaziland National Development Strategy of 1999 committed to increase investment in agriculture. The Komati Downstream Development Project was in line with this strategy. However, for smallholder farmers to commercialise they needed to first overcome the constraints they faced, which included access to finance, access to markets and access to both business and technical support. This research will contribute to future developments and decisions involving the increase of financial flows and investment to the agriculture sector in Swaziland and in other developing countries. This is an empirical research study primarily using a qualitative method to answer the research question. The research design included a review of documentary evidence from a desktop study to collect secondary data and a field study through face-to-face interviews to collect primary data. The primary data was gathered through semi-structured interviews. The organisations interviewed included ten farmers’ associations, the outgrower development department, Swaziland Industrial Development Company and Swaziland Water and Agriculture Development Enterprise. Content analysis was used to analyse the results identifying similar themes and patterns from the interview transcripts. Secondary data on the performance of the KDDP farmers with respect to production volumes and quality of produce was collected and analysed to answer the question whether the smallholder farmers had moved from operating at a subsistence level to a commercial one. The research findings show that the agriculture value chain finance approach as applied in KDDP has improved access to markets, access to finance and access to support and services, and, in the process, the smallholder farmers are now operating commercially. The farmers are able to engage with bigger markets for both inputs and outputs in large-scale sugarcane farming. However, notable findings were made with respect to access to finance and support. Most of the farmers reported the need for continued support by Swaziland Water and Agriculture Development Enterprise and training despite the need to wean them off. Regarding access to finance, farmers reported improved access with more financial institutions selling financial products to the farmers and wanting to finance them. However, none of the farmers’ associations interviewed had accessed additional funding from any of the financial institutions following the initial funding they had acquired. The farmers’ associations have instead turned to internal sources of funds. Though these challenges do not change the conclusion, they are of concern and need to be addressed.
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Buyambo, Ntombentsha. "An enabling environment for women agri-entrepreneurs in the Tsitsikama area." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1013755.
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Agriculture plays an important role in the economy of every nation. Most countries depend on agriculture and other industries to survive. Economies around the world experience difficulties. There are many countries that have the potential to stimulate their economic growth through agriculture. The untapped resources have the potential of providing food, jobs and increased financial stability. Many countries utilise their agricultural sector to grow their economy. The growth of unemployment in South Africa has a big impact on our economy. This has caused an increase in poverty and unemployment (Ukpere & Slabbert, 2009). Women’s role in agriculture and food security is critical, but there is still lack of visibility regarding their participation and contribution in agriculture and development in general. This has led to two forms of agriculture in South Africa; so-called subsistence farming in the communal areas and white commercial farming (Kwa, 2001). Most emerging farmers are on communal land where they share decisions and ownership is unsecured, which discourages investment and limits productivity (Farmer's weekly, 2012). The main objective of the research was to determine if the women in the Tsitsikamma (Eastern Cape, South Africa), area have knowledge and strategies to manage their agribusiness in order to create an enabling environment and be competitive in their farming businesses. The qualitative method was used to answer questions in order to understand people’s perceptions, perspectives and understanding of particular situations. It is based on the belief that the researcher’s ability to interpret and make sense of what he or she sees is critical for an understanding of any social phenomenon. In seeking to create an enabling environment, a qualitative analysis investigated this particular situation. The sample consisted of 25 out of a possible 30 women in the agriculture industry. A structured questionnaire was used and interviews were conducted with women involved in agriculture regardless of owning a farm. This study was based in the farming industry, particular farm women who are interested or involved in agribusiness in the Tsitsikamma region. The results of the questionnaire revealed key findings, which enabled the researcher to draw meaningful conclusions and recommendations. The findings have suggested that the women farmers can overcome the identified constraints affecting the opportunities to grow their farming businesses. Further empirical results indicated that they do not have any strategies in running their farming businesses. The study also highlights areas in agribusiness that should be improved.
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Wilson, Paul, Roger Coupal, and William Hart. "An Economic Evaluation of Linear-Move Irrigation Technology." College of Agriculture, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 1987. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/602128.
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Makinana, Anazo. "Recycled water usage in peri-urban agriculture : an examination of its socio-economic and environmental benefits in Port Elizabeth." Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/5719.
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This study examines whether recycled water (specifically grey water) is used in peri-urban agriculture in greater Port Elizabeth. It also investigates the socio-economic as well as environmental benefits of using recycled water in peri-urban agriculture. Community perceptions and narratives about the use of recycled water for farming purposes were also investigated. Study respondents were purposively selected from Motherwell and Uitenhage in Port Elizabeth. A qualitative research methodology and methods were used. This involved using purposive sampling to sample, select and interview 22 respondents and eight key informants. All the respondents were interviewed using in-depth semi-structured interviews. The study found that while many respondents have heard about water recycling, they are however not using recycled grey water for their peri-urban farming activities. Instead, peri-urban farmers continue to use water supplied by the municipality. Recycled water is mostly used for watering sport fields around Port Elizabeth. This continued usage of municipal water (instead of recycled water) is not only costly to the municipality but the individual farmers as well. The respondents were however aware of the benefits of using recycled water. These include economic (money saved from not paying irrigation water bills), environmental (nutrient contents found in recycled water) and socio-economic (conserving fresh available for use in other community purposes). The study recommends that the Nelson Mandela Metro Municipality should do more (through educational and environmental campaigns) to encourage peri-urban farmers to use recycled water in their farming activities.
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DuBose, Jennifer Robin. "Sustainability as an inherently contextual concept : some lessons from agricultural development." Thesis, Georgia Institute of Technology, 1994. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/29567.
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Bradshaw, Girard W. "Detecting macroeconomic impacts on agricultural prices and export sales : a time series forecasting approach /." Thesis, This resource online, 1988. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-04122010-083628/.
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Robertson, John Campbell. "Misspecification testing in systems of equations." Diss., This resource online, 1992. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-06062008-165953/.
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Gacitúa, Marió Estanislao A. "Disarticulated agricultural growth: a comparative study of two Chilean regions." Diss., Virginia Tech, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/38417.
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During the last twenty years, Chilean agriculture has experienced unequaled modernization and growth. The uneven character of this process shows that economic development and the expansion of some agricultural sub-sectors can be associated with the absolute and relative increase of poverty, particularly in rural areas. This dissertation postulates that the disarticulated nature of the accumulation pattern has impeded the achievement of sustained national growth and social equity, as well as threatened the preservation of national food security.
This study explains the disarticulated character of Chilean agricultural growth during the last 25 years, analyzes the effects that disarticulation has on national food production and consumption levels, and attempts to advance some policy alternatives. An important contribution of this dissertation is to interpret the ongoing process of regional differentiation in Chilean agriculture through the analytical framework of disarticulated growth.
The results of this study indicate that decreasing disarticulation requires restructuring of the prevalent accumulation pattern. Otherwise, alternative policy instruments would not accomplish the goals of growth, equity, and sustainability. The development of the agricultural export sector is nut contradictory to the achievement of sustainability and equity. In fact the expansion of the export sector could contribute to the articulation of the economy. However, this would require a shift in the investment priorities and increasing state support to the annual crops and livestock sub-sectors, particularly to the campesino producers. At the same time, investment in the agroexport sector would have to shift from expanding production via incorporation of new lands to increasing productivity and overall increasing the value of the products. That is, investment would have to be geared toward agroindustrial processes that would add value to the unprocessed agricultural commodities that are currently exported. Finally, sectoral and macroeconomic policy should contribute to internal expansion by increasing employment and minimum wage levels.Ph. D.
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Gilimani, Benedict Mandlenkosi. "The economic contribution of home production for home consumption in South African agriculture." Thesis, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/1795.
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Jalilov, Shokhrukh-Mirzo. "Impact of Rogun Dam on Downstream Uzbekistan Agriculture." Thesis, North Dakota State University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10365/16332.
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Strains among the states of Central Asia caused by overuse of the region?s scarce water resources have been increasing in recent years. This is especially true for the relations between Tajikistan, upstream, and Uzbekistan, downstream, on the Amudarya River. Major controversy exists over constructing Rogun Dam on the Vakhsh River, a tributary of the Amudarya River. Construction of Rogun Dam, with a planned height of 335 m (1099 ft), began in 1976 but was stopped in 1991 with the breakup of the former Soviet Union. The intent of this dam is to supply Tajikistan with energy, but a side effect will be the changed flow regime of the Amudarya River to downstream states (especially Uzbekistan). The major impact will be on the agricultural sector of Uzbekistan. The objectives of this study are to estimate the monetary impacts of Rogun Dam and propose mitigation measures to minimize impacts. The study investigates the nature and extent of those impacts and indicates policy implications to mitigate negative consequences of the possible water shortage in summer by assessing the baseline situation and comparing that situation with future status-quo (no changes) level of water. Future water shortage could cost Uzbekistan annually over US $609 million economic loss in agriculture, reduce the country?s GDP by 2.2%, and result in 336,000 unemployed people. If Uzbekistan changes its present water use practice and increases water use efficiency, the future water shortage during irrigation periods will not as seriously affect the country?s economy, as adaptive management measures could cut the losses by 40%.
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Gong, Jian. "How U.S. Agriculture Adjusts to Energy Price Changes." Thesis, North Dakota State University, 2007. https://hdl.handle.net/10365/29849.
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The primary objective of this research is to measure the impacts of rising energy prices on U.S. agriculture and to analyze the capability of U.S. agricultural producers to adjust for energy price volatility. This study compares four different models of producer adjustment: the static model, the simple error correction model, the partial adjustment model, and the fully dynamic model. The first three models are nested within the fully dynamic model using ]948-2002 U.S. agriculture data. Morishima elasticities of substitution and price elasticities are estimated to investigate whether U.S. agriculture's responses to energy prices have changed over time. The elasticity estimates indicate that there are substitutions among production factors in U.S. agricultural production, and the substitution elasticities have increased over the 1948-2002 period. This finding suggests an increasing possibility for farmers to substitute other production inputs for energy to mitigate the effects of changing energy prices.Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute
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Wearaduwa, Vidana Kankanamge Thilani Kaushalya. "Economic Efficiency of Occupational Health and Safety Investments at Agricultural Cooperatives." Thesis, North Dakota State University, 2018. https://hdl.handle.net/10365/28861.
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Industries related to agricultural cooperatives record some of the highest injury rates in the U.S. Therefore, agricultural cooperatives are highly motivated to invest in occupational health and safety (OHS). This thesis examines the economic efficiency of OHS investments at agricultural cooperatives and identifies cooperative characteristics leading to greater economic efficiency of OHS investments. A multiple input-output data envelopment analysis (DEA) is used to estimate technical efficiency. The effects of cooperative characteristics on the efficiency of OHS investments are estimated using ordinary least squares, censored regression, truncated regression, and the Simar and Wilson (2007) bootstrap procedure. Results show that the mean technical efficiency score was 0.833. Furthermore, a cooperative?s annual insurance premia has a significant, negative relationship with technical efficiency. In contrast, the experience levels of a cooperative?s top safety person and top managerial person and a location?s total workers employed have significant, positive relationships with efficiency in all estimated models.North Dakota State University. Department of College of Agriculture, Food Systems and Natural Resources
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Katz, Michael. "A systems analysis of the contribution of legume crops to energy conservation and a profitability in the corn cropping program /." Thesis, McGill University, 1985. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=65360.
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Biswas, Margaret Rose. "FAO : its history and its achievements during the first four decades, 1945-1985." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2008. http://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:0b79db50-0d09-422e-8a11-d0ef8e9d47c3.
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Basu, Rathin. "An analysis of the relationship between sectoral activity, diversification, and structural change in the economy." Diss., This resource online, 1990. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-09162005-115007/.
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Stone, Margaret Priscilla. "Women, work and marriage: A restudy of the Nigerian Kofyar." Diss., The University of Arizona, 1988. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/184499.
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Most scholars of female farmers of sub-Saharan Africa have come to agree that the transition from subsistence to market agriculture has hurt women's independent agricultural enterprises and incomes. Research conducted among a group of farmers known as the Kofyar of central Nigeria provides a case study which runs counter to this general consensus. Kofyar women have not suffered a loss of economic or social independence with the introduction of cash-cropping but have in fact embraced the new opportunities of the markets to produce crops for sale independently of their households. The Kofyar farming system as a whole is outlined, and the system of independent production is described within this context. The recent history of the Kofyar is sketched including, most importantly, their migration into an agricultural frontier, the adoption of yams as the primary cash crop, and the evolution of a complex set of mechanisms for mobilizing labor. The role of women in the cooperative labor network and in household labor is described and women's important contributions to all types of labor are linked to their access to labor for their own independent production. One of the basic arguments is that Kofyar women are prospering relative to other African women because their labor has been so crucial to the agriculture of the Kofyar both before and since the introduction of cash-cropping. The other basic argument for Kofyar women's relative success is that they are successfully exploiting the flexibility inherent in their farming system to maximize their own production. The use of intensive techniques such as intercropping and taking advantage of the flexibility in the timing of certain agricultural tasks on their major crops of groundnuts and yams are examples of this strategy. Women have, in other words, evolved a system of independent production which fits around rather than competes directly with male/household farming. The dissertation goes on to place women's independent farming within the broader social system by analyzing differences between women in marriage and childbearing statuses and histories. Regular differences in magnitude of independent production are found between women with contrasting social characteristics (e.g. age, marital status, divorce history, numbers of children). The portrait of the most prosperous woman is sketched. Kofyar women's activities are seen as an essential part of Kofyar development. The system in general has become more prosperous and women as important contributors to that prosperity are also benefiting as individuals from these changes.
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Nel, Jacobus E. "Successful integration of upcoming farmers in the commercial farming sector : a focus on the Western Cape." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/97355.
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Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In South Africa, land reform and the development of upcoming farmers are part of the country’s transformation objectives. The development of upcoming farmers into commercial farmers therefore requires the growth of sustainable agri-businesses. Unfortunately, limited success has been achieved in terms of land reform and the country is far from its set targets. This study examined the factors that gave current successful, upcoming commercial farmers the advantage to grow their businesses up to a certain level. Data was collected through interviews with farmers, mentors, transformation managers and governing bodies such as Agri-West Cape. Interviews on the farms gave the researcher the opportunity to observe underlying factors that can influence their businesses. The objective of the study was to determine the critical success factors that relate to the success of upcoming commercial farmers in the Western Cape. The results identified a number of success factors, some of which were unexpected and in contrast with some of the literature sources. All the cases covered in this study – i.e. successful, upcoming commercial farmers in the Western Cape – used different business models and emphasised the importance of proper management. They also used their detailed business plans as a handbook for successful farming, and acknowledged the important role of mentors. Only a mentor-farmer relationship based on trust and respect worked in the end. The mentors took on coaching roles that were not limited to farming activities but included an equally important people development component. A sustainable market was identified as one of the critical success factors for successful upcoming commercial farmers. One of the biggest hurdles for upcoming farmers was financial management. Hence, they required dedicated financial management to be sustainable. One of the main outcomes of the study was the importance of the personal profile of the farmers and their understanding of the opportunity. Focusing on short-term financial gains resulted in failure. All the farmers in the case studies displayed a deep understanding of the long-term goal of their businesses and their role in that. Transformation, land reform and building an equal society in South Africa are burning points for the nation. The success of upcoming farmers helps to build confidence that the hard work is paying off.
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Posthumus, Karen-Louise. "Personality traits and emotional intelligence as predictors of sustainable commercial agricultural producers in South Africa." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/10399.
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The dual agriculture sector in South Africa comprises both a well-developed commercial farming and a smaller scale communal component. It is however, the commercial sector that is relied upon for food security. The multi-dimensional and complex nature of agricultural production in South Africa demands that sustainable commercial farmers of the future need to demonstrate the ability to effectively handle a multitude of tasks, which may be a function of individual personality traits and emotional intelligence. In this paper, the contribution of individual differences in personality and emotional intelligence as drivers for sustainability of South African commercial agricultural producers was investigated for inclusion into a selection model defining the entry-level requirements (skills, knowledge and competencies) for this occupation. Despite several studies that reported on the personality traits of farmers on a global level, no reports are found on similar studies conducted within a South African context. The main objective of this study was to improve the sustainability of all commercial agricultural producers in South Africa by investigating the personality traits and emotional intelligence driving that sustainability. This study focused on the commercial farming sector in South Africa, which has a unique need to integrate emerging/new farmers into the modern agricultural value chain. This is in accordance with the objectives of the Land Reform Bill (South Africa, 2015) as set out in the government’s National Development Plan (South Africa, 2012). The population of the study comprised commercial agricultural producers throughout South Africa and the sample frame was the estimated 40 000 commercial agricultural producers from whom the sample was drawn. The sampling method employed was snowball sampling (non-probability sampling) with the sampling unit selected on a degree of personal judgement. Quantitative questionnaires were administered to 60 commercial farmers throughout South Africa. Quantitative data was analysed using the STATISTICA Version 10.0 (2011) computer software programme and results were presented in tabulated format. The empirical results revealed that amongst the independent variables investigated in this study, only two variables were significantly related to the successful implementation of sustainable farming; they are neuroticism and management of emotions. Emanating from the findings of this study, recommendations were made to respective role-players on how to manage and support these findings.
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Mbatha, Cyril. "A case for institutional investigations in economic research methods with reference to South Africa's agricultural sector." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002706.
Full textAbstract:
Economic development remains elusive for many world economies, but especially those of African countries. The current global inequalities in terms of GNP per capita and human living standards between developed and developing nations have ensured that the challenges of food insecurities are only some of the many negative experiences of underdevelopment in the African continent. Hence, delivery pressures are increasing on policy makers and researchers to provide tangible and timely economic solutions to the resilient state of underdevelopment. In the policy fights against the challenges posed by a lack of development in South Africa, the agricultural sector has in the past and continues in the present to play a central role. Such is the case because the majority of citizens rely on agricultural production activities for their livelihoods. For instance, even though the sector only contributed four percent towards the national Gross Domestic Product in 2006, in the Eastern Cape Province, more than seventy percent of the total population resided in rural areas. Moreover, in 2004 more than sixty percent of the national formal and informal employment levels were found in the sector. These economic indicators do not only reinforce the assertions that high levels of geographical and sectoral inequalities exist in the country’s economy, but they also illustrate the importance of the agricultural sector in public policy attempts, which are aimed at achieving food security alongside long-term developmental objectives. Some economists, especially the proponents of institutionalism, have argued that most of the recommendations to public policy interventions from mainstream economic research endeavours are not adequately helpful. The recommendations generally lack well considered and socially effective ideas, mainly because there remains some level of ignorance about the impacts that institutions have on economic and social systems. Some argue that this ignorance is reflected in (flawed) hedonistic and rationalist assumptions made about economic actors and in the methodological thinking of many research designs and economic analyses. The misuse of formal tools and statistical methods, for example, are some of the important factors, which have led to failures of the discipline of economics to provide effective policy solutions to problems of underdevelopment and poverty, especially in poor country environments. The thesis, having taken account of the majority of criticisms levelled against the classical and new-classical economic schools of thought, argues that the discipline as a whole lacks a paradigmatic integration of institutional and new-classical economic perspectives to offer appropriate guidelines for a methodology aimed at achieving socially responsive research outputs. The lack of this integration has resulted in a skewed selection of methods by economists, which are employed in research without a supportive and in-depth understanding of institutional and social factors. To support the thesis, a more effective and integrated framework for economic research is developed and presented with case study illustrations in a cumulative manner. The 20th century history of agricultural policies in South Africa, the agricultural and institutional case studies from the Eastern Cape Province alongside reviews of other agricultural studies are all used in presenting a case for rigorous institutional investigations in general economic research. These are also used in developing the proposed integrated framework, which aims to give guidance in developing research methods, which are more socially responsive. Having shown the usefulness of the proposed research framework, the thesis recommends that public policy interventions (at national and local levels) should aim to eliminate all types of institutions which have high associated transactional costs. The interventions should also encourage the emergence and growth of the types of institutions, which present the lowest costs to initiatives of economic development. In the primary case studies from the Eastern Cape Province, the insecurity of land tenure and the various local initiatives of business ventures are highlighted as two examples of the types of institutions, which respectively present high and low transactional costs to local initiatives of agricultural and economic development.