bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Induced innovation and land degradation: Results from a bioeconomic model of a village in West Africa
Authors: Barbier Bruno 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThis paper introduces a modeling method which simulates a village's response to population and market pressure. The method combines a recursive and dynamic linear programming model with a biophysical model of soil condition and plant growth that predicts yields and land degradation for different type of land, land use and cropping patterns. The linear programming model simulates farmers' plans aggregated at the village level under constraints of risk aversion, food consumption, land area, soil fertility, soil depth, labor and cash availability. Detailed agroecological factors determine Ihe main processes of land degradation. A large number of technological alternatives, representing different degrees of labor and/or land‐saving techniques available in the study areas, are introduced, taking into account their respective constraints, costs and advantages. The method has been calibrated for a village located in the sub‐humid region of Burkina Faso. Several simulations are carried out to the Year 2030. The results show that population pressure leads to intensification and investment in land conservation practices out not necessarily to better farm incomes. Increasing market opportunities can play a more positive role in boosting productivity, but for the next decades the best way to increase production per farmer is to let farmers migrate from the high‐population‐density areas to the low‐population‐density areas because, under the current economic conditions of most Sahelian countries, intensification per hectare is stil more expensive than the fallow system.
Tenure, land rights, and farmer investment incentives in China
Authors: Li Guo , Rozelle Scott , Brandt Loren 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThe goal of this paper is to understand the nature of the property rights associated with China's land tenure systems and to study the impact of these property rights on agricultural production efficiency. The results show that land tenure and associated property rights in rural China affect the production behavior of farmers. The most robust finding is that the right to use land for long periods of time encourages the use of land‐saving investments. While the results show that land tenure affects agricultural production decisions, the difference between collective and private plots, however, is small compared to the private plot‐ communal productivity gap that existed in the pre‐reform period.
Testing the induced innovation hypothesis: an error correction model of South African agriculture
Authors: Thirtle C. , Townsend R. , van Zyl J. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThis paper applies cointegration techniques to a model of induced innovation based on the two‐stage constant elasticity of substitution (CES) production function. This approach results in direct tests of the inducement hypothesis, which are applied to data for South African commercial agriculture for the period 1947–1991. South African data is used because the policy changes have been substantial enough that the factor and price ratios have turning‐points, rather than being monotonie. The time series properties of the variables are checked, cointegration is established, and an error correction model (ECM) constructed, allowing factor substitution to be separated from technological change. Finally, the ECM formulation is subjected to causality tests, which show that both the factor price ratios and R&D and extension expenditures are Granger‐prior to the factor‐saving biases of technological change. Thus, each stage of the analysis corroborates the inducement hypothesis. However, straightforward price‐inducement is only part of the explanation of changes in factor ratios. Policy‐induced innovation, in response to tax concessions and subsidised credit, is also present.
Water pricing policies, public decision making and farmers' response: implications for water policy
Authors: Varela‐Ortega Consuelo , Sumpsi José M. , Garrido Alberto , Blanco María , Iglesias Eva 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThe problems caused by water scarcity demand important changes in the criteria and objectives of water policies. The agricultural sector in Spain consumes up to 80% of all available hydric resources and the need to increase the efficiency of current uses of water in the agricultural sector is at the core of the country's national water policy. One alternative would be to resort to water pricing policies with the aim of providing incentives to save water consumption although it would inflict a certain degree of income losses to the farmers and raise the revenue collected by the water authorities. The objective of this research is to analyze the effect caused by the application of different water pricing policies on water demand, farmers' income and the revenue collected by the government agency. To undertake this analysis a dynamic mathematical programming model has been built that simulates farmers' behavior and their response to different water pricing scenarios. Empirical application of the model has been carried out in several irrigation districts in Spain covering varied farm regions and river basins. Results show that the effects of alternative pricing policies for irrigation water are strongly dependent on regional, structural and institutional conditions and that changing policies produce distinct consequences within the same region and water district. Thus, equivalent water charges would create widespread effects on water savings, farm income and collected government revenue across regions and districts.
Government intervention and market integration in Indonesian rice markets
Authors: Ismet Mohammad , Barkley Andrew P. , Llewelyn Richard V. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractLong‐run spatial price relationships in Indonesian rice markets and factors affecting the degree of market integration are evaluated using multivariate cointegration tests with weekly price data for the 1982‐1993 period. The analysis includes evaluation of pre‐self‐sufficiency and post‐self‐sufficiency periods as well as Cot the entire period. The cointegration tests for entire Indonesian rice market, represented by the nine most relevant price series, indicate that relative to the pre‐self‐sufficiency period, the post‐self‐sufficiency period has a smaller degree of market integration. The change of the degree of market integration over time indicates that rationalizing of the Indonesian rice price policy beyond 1984 rice self‐sufficiency has resulted in a less integrated market. This suggests that the policy shift has allowed the government to decrease its intervention without significantly decreasing market integration, indicating that the private sector is responding to price signals appropriately. It is possible that further reduction in intervention through widening the band between the floor and ceiling price could be accomplished without greatly affecting market integration. Regression results show that government intervention in terms of rice procurement significantly influenced market integration during the period of post‐self‐sufficiency (1985‐1993) and the entire period of 1982‐1993. This indicates that this aspect of government intervention has had positive influences on market integration, in contrast to distribution efforts, which were not found to be statistically significant, Procurement prices may be high, and could perhaps be lowered, reducing program costs. Regional per capita income is also found to be positively related to highei levels of market integration, suggesting that in periods of economic growth, government intervention may be decreased, thereby reducing program costs.
Prospects for food security in the 21st Century: with special emphasis on Africa
Authors: McCalla Alex F. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractFood security for the world in 2025 is possible and probable if the right set of things are done, starting now. But the task will not be easy. It is both a technology and a political/economic challenge. The challenge for sub‐Saharan Africa is even greater. While other regions improved per capita food availability over the last 30 years, Africa's availability declined. But food security is about more than supply. It is also about access which means income generating employment is critical. Meeting future requirements in Africa and the world will require sustainable intensification of complex production systems, appropriate national and international policies and continued investments in agricultural research. Without these conditions and increased employment intensive growth, prospects for the future are less bright.
An economic assessment of the Common Market Organization for bananas in the European Union
Authors: Guyomard Hervé , Laroche Catherine , Mouël Chantal Le 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThe main objective of this paper is to provide some estimates of how the world banana market has been affected by the Common Market Organization (CMO) for bananas established in the European Union (EU) on 1 July 1993, and modified in April 1994. We quantify the effects of the new EU regulation on world and EU prices, on the structure of EU imports from Latin American countries, African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries and EU regional suppliers, on the pattern of consumption in the various EU member states, and on consumers' and producers' welfare using a static partial equilibrium model of the world banana market. Simulation results suggest that the two key variables in determining the effects of the CMO are the size of the tariff quota on dollar and non‐traditional ACP bananas and the capacity of ACP countries to exhaust their ACP contingent share.
The performance of Botswana's traditional arable agriculture: growth rates and the impact of the accelerated rainfed arable programme (ARAP)
Authors: Seleka Tebogo B. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThis study assesses the performance of Botswana's traditional arable agriculture for the 1968‐90 period. Growth rate and arable sub‐sector production models are specified and estimated to determine how the sub‐sector performed over time, and to capture the impact of the Accelerated Rainfed Arable Programme (ARAP). Growth rate model results indicate that cultivated area increased by about 2.2% per year during the 1968‐90 period. However, crop output remained unchanged and yields declined by about 6.1% per year during the review period. Sub‐sectoral model results reveal that cultivated area, output and yields rose by about 27%, 120% and 74% (respectively) due to the implementation of ARAP. Therefore, ARAP was effective in improving rural household food security and welfare. However, it is further argued that the program was unsustainable since it involved phenomenal government outlays and has led to an unprecedented input substitution from animal traction to tractor traction, which seems to be unjustified given the current economic fundamentals of the country's traditional arable farming. Moreover, the results reveal loss of productivity in the sub‐sector over time. Therefore, the challenge facing policy makers is to devise new ways of reversing the current trend.
Wheat policy and economy‐wide reform in Brazil
Authors: Silva Orlando Monteiro da , Grennes Thomas 
Published: January 2020

AbstractIn recent years, the wheat sector in Brazil has moved from governmental protection and public intervention to a free market and privatization. In this study, those changes are analyzed through measures of governmental intervention on nominal rates of protection and on welfare of producers and consumers. Elasticities of demand and supply of wheat are estimated, and the effects of changes in policies are analyzed under official and shadow exchange rates. Welfare measures indicate that almost US$ 8 billion were spent from 1970 until 1989 with policies to subsidize producers and consumers. The policy‐induced stimulus to consumer demand exceeded the stimulus to domestic production, and self sufficiency in wheat declined. The reduction in wheat subsidies since 1989 was more than an isolated sector‐specific policy. It was part of macroeconomic antiinflation policy, and it coincided with other economy‐wide changes such as real appreciation and a decline in international commodity prices.
Family farm dynamics in Canada and Israel: the case of farm exits
Authors: Kimhi Ayal , Bollman Ray 
Published: January 2020

AbstractCanada is one of the Jew countries for which data exist on individual family farms over time. Using these data, researchers have been able to show that much of the microdynamics of family farms in Canada (e.g. changes in size distribution) can be attributed to farmer entry and exit. However, the behavioral aspects of the exit decision received little attention in the literature. A comparison of Canadian and Israeli data could help us understand these behavioral aspects because of the vast institutional differences between the farm sectors in the two countries, and the possible effect of the institutional setup on exit decisions. Comparison of exit patterns may enable us to identify the dependence of farmers' mobility on the institutional setup. This may also have policy relevance. In both Canada and Israel, exit probability decreases with the extent of off‐farm work. We conclude that off‐farm work is complementary rather than a substitute for farm work, perhaps due to its less volatile nature. Both, Canadian and Israeli farmers over a certain age are more likely to exit as they become older, which is a natural result, but exit probability in Canada rises much faster with age than in Israel. The major difference between Canadian and Israeli farm‐exit patterns lies in the farm size. Farm size decreases exit probability in Canada but increases it in Israel. Perhaps this is because Israeli farm exits are less planned in advance than Canadian exits. Institutional constraints on land transactions in Israel may also play a role.
Agricultural higher education in transforming Central and Eastern Europe
Authors: Csaki Csaba 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThe paper discusses the major changes necessary for the agricultural higher education system in Central and Eastern Europe, including the former Soviet Union, to meet the challenges created by overall reforms in the food and agricultural sector as well as the adjustment of the global system of agricultural education. The issues arising from the need for reforms in the agricultural education system are presented in an overview of the inherited features of the system, an assessment of the current situation, a status report on the reform attempts and a discussion of the critical issues for the future.
Redistribution of social benefits from advances in extension and research in the Tanzanian maize industry
Authors: Nkonya Ephraim M. , Parcell Joe L. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThis study determined consumer and producer welfare gains from advances in extension and research in the maize industry of Tanzania to determine how a national taxing schedule should be determined. It was found that, for an off‐farm marketable surplus of 40%, consumers and producers gain equally, while for an off‐farm marketable surplus of 60%, consumers realize 75% of the welfare benefits. This suggests that consumers and producers should share equally in a revenue generating tax for funding maize research and extension programs. However, for large producers with a marketable surplus of 60% or more, their tax should decrease proportionally to the amount sold. Alternatively, if taxed equally, large‐scale producers should receive some form of compensation through direct government payments.
Pass‐through of exchange rates and tariffs in Greek‐US tobacco trade
Authors: Rezitis Anthony N. , Brown A. Blake 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThe paper examines the extent to which exchange rate and unit tariff changes are passed‐through in US import prices ot unmanufactured Greek oriental tobacco. The results indicate partial pass‐through of exchange rates and tariffs. Exchange rate pass‐through is about 0.272 and tariff pass‐through about 0.185. One possible reason for the partial pass‐through is oligopoly in tobacco exporting. Oligopoly would imply that depreciation of the drachma relative to the US dollar benefits tobacco exporters operating in Greece. A second possible reason is a possible correlation between exchange rates premiums paid to tobacco exporters in previous agricultural policies. An important implication ot this possible correlation is that Greek tobacco prices may be more sensitive lo exchange rate changes under the current agricultural policy.
Phase relations in the calcium carbonate/ammonium phosphate system under aqueous conditions and 25°C
Authors: Balonis Magdalena , Ma Xiao , Kakoulli Ioanna 
Published: January 2020

AbstractA theoretical and experimental approach was applied to investigate phase relations in a system containing calcium carbonate and different ammonium phosphate solutions. Using laboratory experiments and thermodynamic modeling, this paper provides an insight into the formation of stable phase assemblages in the calcium carbonate and mono‐, di‐, triammonium phosphate aqueous system. Focus is placed on the morphological and mineralogical characterization and thermodynamic calculation of calcium phosphates precipitating due to the reaction between the calcium carbonate and ammonium phosphate solutions. Correlations between the formed stable calcium phosphate phases and the ammonium phosphate precursors are provided. Advantages and limitations of various analytical and modeling techniques used in this study such as geochemical equilibrium‐based modeling, X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and thermal analysis, are critically evaluated. Additionally, possible impacts of the ammonium phosphate solution type on the kinetics of phase transformations are discussed.
The effect of option transaction costs on informed trading in the options market around earnings announcements
Authors: Govindaraj Suresh , Li Yubin , Zhao Chen 
Published: January 2020

AbstractWe investigate the effect of option market transaction costs (a form of market imperfection) on the ability of option implied volatility‐based measures to predict future stock returns and volatility around quarterly earnings announcements. We find that the predictability is significantly stronger for firms with lower option relative bid‐ask spreads. The effect is more pronounced around positive rather than negative earnings news. We find no significant effect of option transaction costs around randomly chosen dates when there is no clustering of major information events. Trading strategies based on option market predictors and transaction costs earn monthly abnormal returns of 1.39% to 1.91%.
Island‐biogeographic patterns of spider communities on epiphytes depend on differential space use among functional groups
Authors: Méndez‐Castro Francisco Emmanuel , Mendieta‐Leiva Glenda , Rao Dinesh , Bader Maaike Y. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractAimPositive relationships between island size and species richness have been found for oceanic and non‐oceanic islands. However, the effect of isolation, also predicted by island‐biogeographical theory, seems challenging to test. Species‐specific mechanisms drive the perception of distance and space for animals, and therefore isolation patterns are masked when described at the community level. We used epiphytic plants (canopy islands) and their spider communities to study how functional group and species‐specific use of space modifies the effect of island‐level predictors on species richness.LocationA coffee plantation near Xalapa, Mexico.TaxonSpiders (Araneae), vascular epiphytes (Bromeliaceae, Piperaceae, Orchidaceae, Araceae, Pteridophyta).MethodsWe collected canopy islands from three trees and recorded their three‐dimensional position. Afterwards, we collected all epiphyte‐dwelling spiders. We used Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) to analyse the effect of island size and isolation on the species richness of spider communities and community subgroups (guilds, mobility groups and families). Isolation was calculated using two metrics (aerial and walking distances) associated with different ways of mobility in the canopy (bridging and wandering respectively). We evaluated species‐level associations with island features and tested for sample‐size effects on GLMs using null‐model analysis of ecological networks.ResultsAlthough unimportant at the community level, isolation was more important than island size for some spider subgroups, while having negligible effects for others. Species‐specific responses to isolation and island size were responsible for the variability in species richness patterns observed for broader subgroups (families, guilds and mobility groups). Specific responses of mobility groups to isolation metrics were in line with two ways of moving between islands; one using tree branches as pathways (walking isolation) and the other using silk threads to connect points directly across the air (aerial isolation).Main conclusionsSpatial patterns of epiphyte‐dwelling spiders were explained better when functional traits were considered, and the effect of isolation became apparent only when analysed per functional group, whereas it was masked at the community level. This supports the hypothesis that hunting behaviour and mobility affect the specific perception of space and distance even at the small spatial scale of canopy islands.
microRNA‐30a attenuates TGF‐β1–induced activation of pulmonary fibroblast cell by targeting FAP‐α
Authors: Wu Geting , Xie Bin , Lu Can , Chen Chen , Zhou Jianhua , Deng Zhenghao 
Published: January 2020

AbstractIdiopathic interstitial pulmonary fibrosis is a common diffuse interstitial lung disease and has poor prognosis. And one of the pathological features of it is persistent fibroblast activation. It was reported that microRNA‐30a was down‐regulated in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients. But whether miR‐30a is involved in fibroblast activation and its specific mechanism is unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of miR‐30a in fibroblast activation induced by TGF‐β1. We found miR‐30a could targetedly suppress FAP‐α expression. In MRC5 cells, miR‐30a was not only involved in regulating the expression of FAP‐α, col1a and α‐SMA induced by TGF‐β1 but also had a role in cell proliferation with or without TGF‐β1 treatment via regulating FAP‐α expression. Thus, the results indicated that miR‐30a alleviated fibroblast activation by regulating the expression of FAP‐α.
‘We Serve the People of Europe’: Reimagining the ECB's Political Master in the Wake of its Emergency Politics
Authors: Lokdam Hjalte 
Published: January 2020

AbstractIn the wake of the Euro crisis, the mission statement on the European Central Bank's (ECB) website was changed from ‘Our mission is to serve Europe's citizens’ to ‘Our mission is to serve the people of Europe’. This article situates this discursive shift within a broader change of the ECB's self‐presentation in public discourses and explores its meaning in terms of political theory and public law. The article argues that the shift represents a response to the perceived necessity of reimagining the ECB's foundation of legitimate governmental authority following its exercise of emergency powers during the Euro crisis. The discourse emphasizes an organic link between the ECB and ‘the people of Europe’ as a political subject able to authorize previously unauthorized governmental practices such as the outright monetary transactions programme. It reflects, furthermore, a new governing philosophy that stresses flexibility and discretion rather than strict adherence to rules in the ECB's exercise of power.