bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Farmer‐to‐farmer transfer of new crop varieties: an empirical analysis on small farms in Uganda
Authors: Grisley W. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractFarmer‐to‐farmer transfer or dissemination of technologies is a neglected area of research even though successful diffusion of many researcher and farmer‐developed technologies is highly dependent upon farmers' private initiatives. This is particularly true in many developing countries where formal market mechanisms used in dissemination are often ineffective. Successful dissemination of new technologies to marginal farmers require greater knowledge and use of indigenous dissemination methods. The determinants of farmer‐to‐farmer transfer of new bean varieties experimented with by small‐scale farmers in Uganda are investigated. Farmers were experimenting with new varieties received through earlier on‐farm trials and were transferring small quantities of grain to other farmers for experimental purposes. On‐farm trials may thus be an effective, but limited method for diffusing new varieties. Factors directly associated with the transfer decision were farm size and variables identifying a willingness to experiment with new varieties. The Production risk reducing strategies of intercropping and sowing of a larger number of non‐climbing bean varieties were negatively associated with the probability to transfer grain. The quantity of grain available to transfer was not associated with the transfer decision. Farmers were not transferring grain of the five varieties at different rates even though significant differences in yield were found.
Estimating random effects production function models with selectivity bias: an application to Swedish crop producers
Authors: Heshmati Almas 
Published: January 2020

AbstractIn this paper, the estimation of production functions and measurement of the rate of technical change is performed when selectivity bias is expected. A sample selection model consisting of a selection and a regression equation is estimated using Heckman's two‐stage method. It is discussed in the context of a production function where the underlying technology is represented by a translog functional form. For the regression, a random effects model with heteroscedastic variances is assumed. This model and an alternative conventional model retaining heteroscedasticity without considering selectivity bias are estimated using the Generalized Least Squares method. The data used are a large rotating panel data set from Swedish crop producers over the period 1976–1988. The empirical results from the comparison between these two models show that the introduction of heteroscedasticity and the integration of sample selection in the production relationship is important. The impact of a correction for selectivity bias on the results, in terms of input elasticities and returns to scale is found to be significant.
Evaluation of external market effects and government intervention in Malaysia's agricultural sector: A computable general equilibrium framework
Authors: Yeah Kim Leng , Yanagida John F. , Yamauchi Hiroshi 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of changes in the external trade environment and domestic economic policies on the agricultural development of Malaysia. The scope of this research also includes providing further insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the computable general equilibrium (CGE) methodology for agricultural policy analysis. The first analysis focuses on the export agriculture sector which encompasses Malaysia's two primary agricultural commodities, rubber and palm oil. Heavily dependent on exports of rubber in the 1950s and 1960s, Malaysia has since built a more diversified economy with strong emphasis on manufacturing. Export agriculture, however, is still an important component of the national economy. The second objective examines the influence of domestic policy on agricultural development. The simulation results demonstrate the growing resiliency of the Malaysian economy to external shocks. Also, they point to the domestic economy's ability to buffer internal Policy‐induced distortions.
Market liberalization and integration of maize markets in Malawi
Authors: Goletti Francesco , Babu Suresh 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThe paper studies the extent of market integration of maize markets in Malawi in order to understand how it has been affected by market liberalization. Several measures of integration are introduced to analyze both the comovement of prices and the price adjustment process over time. Monthly retail prices of maize at eight main locations over the period January 1984 to December 1991 are considered. The main conclusion is that liberalization has increased market integration.
Profitability analysis of foodgrain in the Sudan's irrigated agricultural sector
Authors: Gumaa Yusuf T. , Faki Hamid H. , Mohamed Abu Bakr I. , Ismail Mohamed A. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThis paper discusses the situation of irrigated sorghum and wheat with respect to their financial and economic profitability and international competitiveness in use of domestic resources, in light of declared government policy which emphasizes shifting from traditional rainfed sector to irrigated sector for production of staple foodgrain. Domestic resource cost analysis has been employed using official and shadow exchange rates. Measures of domestic resource cost ratio, international value added, international competitiveness, nominal and effective protection coefficients were also estimated. Results indicate that the economic profitability has been significantly higher than the financial one due mainly to variability in international prices, yields and overvalued exchange rates; but devaluation of the currency is not a sufficient condition for paying higher prices to farmers.
How integrated are world beef markets? The case of Australian and U.S. beef markets
Authors: Diakosavvas Dimitris 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThe objective of the paper is to examine market integration between Australian and U.S. beef prices at the farmgate level. If these two prices are found to be integrated then it can be alleged that Australian beef prices can be used as a world price in empirical analyses and/or as a ‘reference price’ to measure the level of support accorded the U.S. beef sector. Co‐integration analysis and a time‐varying parameter estimation procedure based on the Kalman filter model are applied. The paper distinguishes between steer and cow beef segments and it uses monthly data over the 1972:1 to 1993:2 period. The results indicate that Australian and U.S. beef prices are co‐integrated, albeit not fully and that the degree of convergence between the various price pairs has not substantially increased over time. The results also suggest that Australian prices can not unequivocally be adopted as a world price in empirical analyses.
Liberalization of agricultural input markets in Bangladesh: process, impact, and lessons
Authors: Ahmed Raisuddin 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThe study takes a historical perspective to trace the path of evolutionary reforms in agricultural input markets of Bangladesh. It estimates the magnitude of the impact of these reforms on rice production, the most important crop in Bangladesh agriculture. It is estimated that the production of rice could have been 20‐32% lower than the level of 1992/1993, depending on the rice price that would have prevailed under alternative scenarios. The 20% credit to market reform relates to a real rice price level 19% higher than the actual 1992/1993 prices. The 32% credit to reform relates to the actual 1992/1943 price levels. The lower contribution of reform (20%) to increased production implies a loss to consumers not accounted for in the production benefit of reform, while the higher contribution (32%) of reform entails no loss to consumers. The bottom‐line conclusion is that Bangladesh, without the market reforms described in the paper, would have reverted back to the situation of regular food crisis and high rice prices, as was the case historically.The analysis of the process of reform provides interesting lessons for developing countries. A gradual process based on a well‐designed sequencing of various steps of market reform, particularly in the case of fertilizer, was a crucial factor for success. Careful monitoring during the period of transition is another crucial factor that has to be institutionalized in the system. Second generation problems of market reforms, particularly the emergence of an oligopolistic market structure, are possible and warrant a cautionary watch.
Economic impacts of East Coast Fever immunization on smallholder farms, Kenya: a simulation analysis
Authors: Nyangito Hezron O. , Richardson James W. , Mundy Darrell S. , Mukhebi Adrian W. , Zimmel Peter , Namken Jerry 
Published: January 2020

AbstractA whole farm simulation model, Technology Impact Evaluation System (TIES), was used to assess ex‐ante financial and economic impacts of immunization of dairy cattle against East Coast Fever (ECF) by the infection and treatment method (ITM) on smallholder farms from two sites in Kenya. Four alternative strategics of immunization in combination with different levels of acaricide use were compared with the current acaricide‐based method of control. The economic impacts were estimated using simulated net present values, present values of ending net worth, internal rates of return, benefit‐cost ratios, annual cash farm incomes, cash expenses, and net farm incomes. The results from the analysis indicate that ECF immunization strategics are financially and economically viable on smallholder farms. Based on the risk preference for risk averse producers, the most preferred strategy was to adopt ITM in combination with a 75% reduction in acaricidc use. The results obtained provide a good indication of the relative orders of magnitude of the farm level financial and economic effects of ECF immunization by ITM. The whole farm simulation model used for the analysis has the advantage of incorporating the risks involved in farm production. Whole farm simulation offers a flexible method for assessing the financial and economic impacts of alternative disease control methods on smallholder farms.
The impact of floods on the adoption rate of high‐yielding rice varieties in Bangladesh
Authors: Azam Jean‐Paul 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThis paper analyses econometrically the impact of floods on the rate of adoption of high‐yielding varieties (HYVs) of rice in Bangladesh. It uses a small model combining a modified logistic adoption function with a model of the process generating expectations errors by the farmers which encompasses most other expectation hypotheses. Using pooled cross‐section and time‐series data at the district level, the econometric results show a significant negative impact of expected flood damage on the HYV adoption rate of ‘aman’ rice. Moreover, it is shown that the adoption of HYV ‘boro’ rice is governed by essentially the same equation.
Profitability, efficiency and comparative advantage of African cattle meat and milk production: the case of trypanotolerant village cattle production
Authors: Itty P. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractTrypanosomiasis is a major constraint to increased food production in Africa as it limits livestock production and mixed farming over an area of 10 million km2. The use of African trypanotolerant breeds of cattle is one approach to control trypanosomiasis that is being given increasing attention. This paper examines under what circumstances trypanotolerant village cattle enterprises can be economically viable in regions of origin and areas of introduction. On‐going production is analysed in four countries using cost‐benefit analyses. Comparative advantage and subsidies received are also estimated. Results indicate that resources for trypanotolerant cattle production are efficiently allocated as the sector has a comparative advantage and contributes effectively to the national welfare. Financial returns to producers are attractive and by comparing social and private prices important constraints are identified to improve profitability.
Modelling agricultural production of small‐scale farmers in sub‐Saharan Africa: A case study in western Kenya
Authors: Odulaja Adedapo , Kiros Fassil G. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractSmall‐scale farmers are known to produce the greater proportion of food consumed in the Third World, especially in sub‐Saharan Africa. The various national and international agricultural research centres located in these parts of the world have developed agricultural packages which have been proven, at experimental levels, to be highly productive. However, small‐scale farmers in these areas continue to produce at levels far below the capacities of these packages as predicted from experimental results. Consequently, these farmers, despite their relatively large number, could not produce enough to feed themselves let alone the general population.To improve the quality of life of these farmers in particular, and the population of the Third World in general, there is a need to study the various factors responsible for low agricultural production at the household level. Models relating production to the various factors need to be formulated to improve our understanding of the functional relationships. This in turn could lead to relevant national and international policies with respect to small‐scale farmers in the Third World. In this paper, we develop models to predict production given these factors. For simplicity, the parameters of the models are limited to land size (or herd size), environmental effect and management effect.A statistical examination of our model fitted to a set of survey data on this subject revealed that improving the farmers' management level could greatly enhance their production. Further statistical analysis of the data set showed that the various factors constituting the farmers' management level could broadly be classified into three groups: resources (labour and farm implements), personal characteristics (educational level and age) and external assistance (contact with extension agents/assistance) in that order of importance. We discuss the importance of these findings in the formulation of policies concerning small‐scale farmers in sub‐Saharan Africa.
Econometric estimation of a global spillover matrix for wheat varietal technology
Authors: Maredia My wish K. , Ward Richard , Byerlee Derek 
Published: January 2020

AbstractAn econometric approach using international and national yield trial data is employed to estimate a spillover matrix for wheat varietal technology. The global spillover matrix is estimated based on international yield trial data from 1979–80 to 1987–88, that include 195 international trial locations and 209 wheat varieties. The locations were classified across countries using the CIMMYT's wheat megaenvironment system and varieties were classified by both their environmental and institutional origin. The model gave good explanatory power and confirmed the location specificity hypothesis, at least, for the varieties developed by national programs (NARS). The spillover matrix shows that NARS varieties developed in the home' environment generally perform better on average than varieties developed in other megaenvironments. Also, the matrix is not symmetric. CIMMYT varieties perform better on average in irrigated and high rainfall environments than NARS varieties developed for these environments. The yield advantage of CIMMYT varieties in many test megaenvironments indicates the potential of CIMMYT varieties to spill‐over to these test megaenvironments. Results also indicate that national programs are efficient in selecting from among imported technologies.Analysis of international data is complemented by the analysis of country‐level data for Pakistan and Kenya that confirms the above results. The country‐level analysis, however, indicates that CIMMYT germplasm does not do so well in some sub‐environments, such as the irrigated short‐duration environment.The results of the spillover matrix have implications for the design of crop breeding programs both at the national and international levels. Information provided by the spillover matrix can be utilized by national programs to deploy their resources more efficiently by following a mixed strategy of direct importation of technology in some environments and local development of technologies in other environments which are unique to the country.
Challenges in quantitative economic analysis in support of multilateral trade negotiations
Authors: Meilke Karl D. , McClatchy Don , de Gorter Harry 
Published: January 2020

AbstractA wide range of economic analysis of agricultural trade liberalization was performed prior to and during the Uruguay Round of trade negotiations. Views differ as to the effectiveness of this research, although most would agree that it became less relevant as the negotiations progressed.This paper reviews the contributions of economists to the trade liberalization debate, with an emphasis on the quantitative assessment of multilateral agricultural trade liberalization. With a new round of agricultural trade negotiations scheduled to begin in 1999 it is crucial that the quantitative work required to support these negotiations begin in the near future.The authors conclude that the Uruguay Round outcome provides numerous challenges and opportunities in analyzing the traditional agenda of agricultural trade liberalization. In addition, new issues will be added to the agenda of the next round of negotiations. These include: trade and the environment, competition policy and intellectual property rights. It is important that economists begin to develop a research agenda that can address these issues and become activists in addressing these topics in public forums.
China's projected cereals deficits in a world context
Authors: Alexandratos Nikos 
Published: January 2020

AbstractLester Brown's recent writings about trends in China's food consumption, production and rapidly rising import requirements and his predictions that the world is running out of potential to increase production of cereals received wide publicity in the press. They increased awareness of the problem among the public, which was stimulated by recent declines in world cereals production per capita, falling stocks and sharp rises in world market prices. This paper is an attempt on my part to extract a coherent picture of what Brown says about China and the world and examine it in the light of what we know about this country and of possible developments in the world as a whole. I make the following conclusions.1. Brown misjudges China's potential to maintain and indeed increase cereals production because he misinterprets the data on land losses (he treats diversion of land from cereals to, mainly, other crops and aquaculture as if such land were, lost to food production), he ignores new data which indicate that China has more agricultural land than reported in official statistics and his projected numbers do not account for responses on the part of producers, consumers and government policy to an increasing scarcity of products and rising prices.2. The analogies he draws with the experiences of Japan, South Korea and Taiwan are inappropriate.3. China will probably be a growing net importer of cereals but at levels much below those projected by Brown.4. World production of cereals may indeed grow at a lower rate than in the long‐term past (but not as low as that projected by Brown) which could be sufficient to accommodate China's growing import requirements and the probable ones of other countries.5. The world food problem is one of persistence of very low food consumption levels and high incidence of undernutrition in many developing countries, mainly in sub‐Saharan Africa and South Asia.The persistence of severe food insecurity problems reflects not so much constraints in increasing food production in the world as whole but development failures (often agricultural development failures) and the persistence of poverty in certain countries.
An application of cointegration theory in the estimation of the Almost Ideal Demand system for food consumption in Bulgaria
Authors: Balcombe K.G. , Davis J.R. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThe Almost Ideal Demand system is applied to consumption in Bulgaria. It is argued that the conventional estimation of the Almost Ideal model should be done within the framework of contemporary time series methodology. In this paper, the canonical comtegrating regression procedure of Park is applied. It is argued that the results of the Almost Ideal Demand system that are presented are consistent with both theory and ‘casual’ observation of consumer behaviour in Bulgaria.
Unconventional adjustment strategies for rural households in the less developed areas in Greece
Authors: Damianos Dimitrios , Skuras Dimitrios 
Published: January 2020

AbstractInternational competition in agricultural production is intensifying following the implementation of the 1993 accord of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. The production of conventional farm products in surplus is being discouraged by means of indirect economic disincentives. The Common Agricultural Policy has already adjusted to unprotected national markets within the European Union and greater market orientation is being achieved mainly through price reductions.Farmers in the less developed areas in Greece, where agricultural activity is still the main source of income and employment, have been responding to policy reforms by seeking part‐time employment and income in non‐farm enterprises. The adoption of alternative, unconventional farm enterprises that use farm resources in an innovative and quantitatively different way does have the potential for bringing in a new source of income to farm business. For the purpose of this research three adjustment strategies were recognised. The ‘conventional’ (no change) pathway is based on traditional, region‐specific products, production methods and services. The adoption of the ‘new crop’ pathway refers to the redeployment of resources into new agricultural products, whereas farms on the market integration Pathway redeploy resources into new marketing services and agricultural product processing on the farm. The new crop and the market integration pathways are identified as unconventional adjustment strategies.Results derived from multinomial logit analysis highlight the major constraints and opportunities associated with the adoption of new crops and market integration practices. Farmers who have adopted unconventional practices are influenced by factors external to the farm. such as contacts with institutions, and have a high probability of having higher debts. These farmers are likely to depend heavily on seasonal labour and rented land. The fact that market integration activities are associated with smaller farms in conjunction with off‐farm work signifies the importance of establishing an integrated rural development policy approach. Public policy involvement in enhancing dissemination of information concerning unconventional enterprises is emphasised.
Impact of domestic content requirement on the US tobacco and cigarette industries
Authors: Beghin John C. , Brown A. Blake , Zaini M. Hasyim 
Published: January 2020

AbstractUsing a log‐linear equilibrium displacement model we quantify the impact of the recent domestic tobacco content requirement on US cigarette manufacturing. We investigate effects on US growers and manufacturers, and competing tobacco imports. The policy increased domestic use of US‐grown tobacco, but induced a small negative output effect. Tobacco imports decreased substantially. The paper also discusses the political–economic incentives for US manufacturers to comply with such policies. The political cooperation between US growers and manufacturers decreases the opposition of the latter to protectionist policies championed by the former.