title: Analysis of environmental and economic efficiency using a farm population micro-simulation model

authors: Ramilan, Thiagarajah

subjects: Data Envelopment Analysis

abstract: New Zealand's success in raising agricultural productivity has been accompanied by higher input use, leading to adverse effects on the environment. Until recently, analysis of farm performance has tended to ignore such negative externalities. The current emphasis on environmental issues has led dairy farmers to target improvements in both environmental performance and productivity. Therefore, measuring the environmental performance of farms and integrating this information into farm productivity calculations should assist in making informed policy decisions which promote sustainable development. However, this is a challenging process since conventional environmental efficiency measures are usually based on simple input and output flows but nitrogen discharge is a complex process affected by climate, pasture composition, cow physiology and geophysical variability. Furthermore, the outdoor pastoral nature of New Zealand farming means that it is difficult to control input and output flows, particularly of nitrogen. We present a novel approach to measure the environmental and economic efficiency of farms, using the Overseer nutrient budget model and spatially micro-simulated virtual population data. The empirical analysis is based on dairy farms in the Karapiro catchment, where nitrogen discharge from dairy farming is a major source of nonpoint pollution.

text: Analysis of environmental and economic efficiency using a farm population micro-simulation model New Zealand's success in raising agricultural productivity has been accompanied by higher input use, leading to adverse effects on the environment. Until recently, analysis of farm performance has tended to ignore such negative externalities. The current emphasis on environmental issues has led dairy farmers to target improvements in both environmental performance and productivity. Therefore, measuring the environmental performance of farms and integrating this information into farm productivity calculations should assist in making informed policy decisions which promote sustainable development. However, this is a challenging process since conventional environmental efficiency measures are usually based on simple input and output flows but nitrogen discharge is a complex process affected by climate, pasture composition, cow physiology and geophysical variability. Furthermore, the outdoor pastoral nature of New Zealand farming means that it is difficult to control input and output flows, particularly of nitrogen. We present a novel approach to measure the environmental and economic efficiency of farms, using the Overseer nutrient budget model and spatially micro-simulated virtual population data. The empirical analysis is based on dairy farms in the Karapiro catchment, where nitrogen discharge from dairy farming is a major source of nonpoint pollution.

year: 2011

title: Static techniques for reducing memory usage in the C implementation of Whiley programs

authors: Weng, Min-Hsien

subjects: Computer science

abstract: Languages that use call-by-value semantics, such as Whiley, can make program verification easier. But effcient implementation becomes harder, due to the overhead of copying and garbage collection. This paper describes how a mixture of static analysis and runtime-monitoring can be used to eliminate unnecessary copying and deallocate memory with- out garbage collection. We show that this allows Whiley programs to be translated into effcient C implementations.

text: Static techniques for reducing memory usage in the C implementation of Whiley programs Languages that use call-by-value semantics, such as Whiley, can make program verification easier. But effcient implementation becomes harder, due to the overhead of copying and garbage collection. This paper describes how a mixture of static analysis and runtime-monitoring can be used to eliminate unnecessary copying and deallocate memory with- out garbage collection. We show that this allows Whiley programs to be translated into effcient C implementations.

year: 2017

title: Ngā kanohi hou – identifying and exploring the issues: Experiences of an intern

authors: Masters-Awatere, Bridgette

subjects: Maori

abstract: The current paper reflects upon the discovery of an intern from the post graduate diploma in community psychology programme (PGDipPsych (Com). The PGDipPsych (Com) is currently facilitated through the University of Waikato School of Arts and Social Sciences, Psychology Department. This journey of discovery is presented from the perspective of a Māori student who is employed in a mainstream public health organisation. The perspective of a person who is new to the workforce, and the “real world,” who views the surrounding environment with a pair of fresh eyes.

This paper highlights the importance of the internship period as it supports the student who moves from a structured environment with a strong emphasis on theory, towards a competitive, semi structured environment that is driven by deadlines, budgets and contracts.

Factors identified are the demands of Māori communities on Māori health researchers, supportive versus competitive environments, the benefits and drawbacks of being based in a mainstream health organisation, and the future direction of Māori health research. It is hoped that the current paper will encourage further discussion about the future direction of a diploma programme such as the PGDipPsychCom for Māori graduates of a New Zealand tertiary institution.

text: Ngā kanohi hou – identifying and exploring the issues: Experiences of an intern The current paper reflects upon the discovery of an intern from the post graduate diploma in community psychology programme (PGDipPsych (Com). The PGDipPsych (Com) is currently facilitated through the University of Waikato School of Arts and Social Sciences, Psychology Department. This journey of discovery is presented from the perspective of a Māori student who is employed in a mainstream public health organisation. The perspective of a person who is new to the workforce, and the “real world,” who views the surrounding environment with a pair of fresh eyes.

This paper highlights the importance of the internship period as it supports the student who moves from a structured environment with a strong emphasis on theory, towards a competitive, semi structured environment that is driven by deadlines, budgets and contracts.

Factors identified are the demands of Māori communities on Māori health researchers, supportive versus competitive environments, the benefits and drawbacks of being based in a mainstream health organisation, and the future direction of Māori health research. It is hoped that the current paper will encourage further discussion about the future direction of a diploma programme such as the PGDipPsychCom for Māori graduates of a New Zealand tertiary institution.

year: 1999