Agricultural Commercialization

Comparing the technical efficiency of rice farms in urban and rural areas: a case study from Nepal

2012-01-14T19:19:00.001-08:00

Abstract: This study focuses on comparing the technical efficiency of rice farms in two locations with different level of urbanization. A production function using maximum likelihood method is estimated and efficiency score of individual household is calculated using stochastic frontier analysis. The efficiency scores are regressed on variables including farm-household characteristics and degree of output market commercialization. The empirical evidence suggests that the elasticity of production to land size and biological inputs like chemical fertilizer, pesticide, fungicide and seed is positive and statistically significant. The average efficiency scores in two sample districts indicate that the production can be increased by 26-33% through improving efficiency in a given technological condition. The result suggests that the degree of commercialization has positive effect on technical efficiency. Furthermore, household characteristics like education, age, share of agriculture in total household income, sharecropping also have a significant effect on technical efficiency.

Full paper

http://scialert.net/qredirect.php?doi=tae.2012.48.60&linkid=pdf

suj

Energy for all

2011-11-10T08:25:00.000-08:00

Global Hunger Index 2011

2011-10-12T21:11:00.000-07:00

IFPRI has recently published
Global Hunger Index
The challenge of hunger: Taming price spikes and excessive food price volatility

A very important book from IFPRI. It deals about why price hike in food, what are the effects and how to tackle it.
Following is the pdf link

http://www.ifpri.org/publication/2011-global-hunger-index

Sources of Agricultural Productivity in Low and Lower Middle Income Countries

2011-09-13T23:20:00.000-07:00

Sources of Agricultural Productivity in Low and Lower Middle Income Countries

Sujan PIYA¹⁾ and Akira KIMINAMI²⁾

1) Corresponding Author, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo
2) Professor, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo

(Received February 18, 2010)
(Accepted December 5, 2010)

Abstract

Assessing and quantifying the sources of agricultural productivity across developing countries is the prime objective of this paper. Thirty-one low and lower middle income countries from the Asian and African continents were selected for the study. The results show that variations in land productivity are well explained by variations in labor and fertilizer resources. However, variations in tractor and livestock inputs have low impacts on the performance of land productivity. The average annual malmquist factor productivity index is positive. Factor productivity was further divided into two components; technical change and efficiency change indices. The results show the technical change index is higher than the technical efficiency change index. The trends in productivity factors indicate convergence across developing countries after 1990.

for full paper
http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/srs/41/1/41_77/_article

The 9 billion-people question

2011-02-28T02:08:00.000-08:00

The world’s population will grow from almost 7 billion now to over 9 billion in 2050.

A special report on feeding the world

from Economist

http://www.economist.com/node/18200618

Evaluating the impact of geographic concentration on Nepalese agricultural export

2011-02-26T05:18:00.000-08:00

1. Evaluating the impact of geographic concentration on Nepalese agricultural export
http://sae.sagepub.com/content/11/2/207.abstract
Abstract:

This study observed and analyzed the behaviour of Nepalese agricultural export using vector error correction model (VECM). The first part of the analysis focused on the dynamic relationship among agricultural export, geographic concentration and total agricultural production. Results of the study revealed that Nepalese agricultural export was very much dependent on the Indian markets and had positive relation with the geographic concentration index in the long run. The significant and higher error correction term indicated that the short-run fluctuations in geographic concentration and agricultural production were promptly adjusted to its long-run trend. The long-run effect of agricultural production increment on export was positive. The second part of the analysis focused on the export of niche products. The analysis in vector auto regression (VAR) form indicated that the relationship between export of niche products and geographic concentration was insignificant. Granger causality test revealed that the production granger causes export and export granger causes geographic concentration.

Full paper
http://sae.sagepub.com/content/11/2/207.full.pdf+html

2. The effect of price and non- price factors on agricultural production in Nepal: A cointegration analysis
http://www.aesjapan.sakura.ne.jp/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/ronbunshu2009_e.pdf

Some free software

2011-01-31T20:33:00.000-08:00

1. to calculate water productivity- http://save-the-rain.com/world-bank/
2. land use calculator- http://www.lianpinkoh.com/luc/
3. Immigrants moving money- http://www.torre.nl/migrantsmovingmoney/

Micro Irrigation Technology

2010-11-27T21:39:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

Treadle Pump- Micro irrigation technology-

TP is basically an appropriate technology in rural areas where farm holdings are very small. Technology should be viable in terms of socio-ecoomic features of the farm household. Generally, the top down approach of government without concerning micro level intricacies hardly able to realize the targeted impact.

Small farmers means-
they have small investment capacity
their risk bearing capacity is very weak
they live in geographically difficult area
less educated
poor access to information
poor access to market

Thus, agricultural development programs should consider the real situation of rural farm household under which they are operating the farm business. Rural development programs should be compatible in terms of farmers physical and human resource endowments. The most important part is their institutional capacity build-up. Only focusing on commodity does not bear much fruit. Poor farmers are poor because their capacity to harness the available opportunity is very limited. Thus, it is better to promote such technology that really fits in their socio-economic environments. Treadle pumps could be an option.

David Harvey: The Crises of Capitalism (Animated)

2010-07-22T04:52:00.000-07:00

Agricultural Subsidies

2010-07-14T21:48:00.000-07:00

Agricultural subsidies

Ploughing on

The rich world's farmers are still reaping handsome subsidies

Source: www.economist.com

FARMERS are getting by with fewer subsidies in many countries around the world compared with 20 years ago. Yet subsidies still accounted for more than three-quarters of farmers’ incomes in Norway, Switzerland and Iceland between 2007 and 2009. And farm subsidies in the EU made up a slightly greater proportion of farmers' incomes in 2007-09 than two decades beforehand. OECD countries spent $253 billion on farm subsidies in 2009—22% of gross farm receipts, the first increase since 2004. High agricultural commodity prices ensured payments slid, and reach a record low in 2008. Last year, this trend reversed as commodity prices fell.

<p>&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=agriculturcom-20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;o=1&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;p=8&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;l=bpl&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;asins=9211126789&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;fc1=000000&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;IS2=1&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt1=_blank&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;m=amazon&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lc1=0000FF&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;bc1=000000&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;bg1=FFFFFF&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;f=ifr" style="padding-top: 5px; width: 131px; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" align="right" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=agriculturcom-20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;o=1&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;p=8&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;l=bpl&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;asins=9211126789&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;fc1=000000&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;IS2=1&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt1=_blank&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;m=amazon&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lc1=0000FF&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;bc1=000000&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;bg1=FFFFFF&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;f=ifr" style="padding-top: 5px; width: 131px; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" align="right" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=agriculturcom-20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;o=1&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;p=8&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;l=bpl&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;asins=0737745002&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;fc1=000000&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;IS2=1&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt1=_blank&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;m=amazon&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lc1=0000FF&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;bc1=000000&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;bg1=FFFFFF&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;f=ifr" style="padding-top: 5px; width: 131px; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" align="right" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;</p><p>&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=agriculturcom-20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;o=1&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;p=8&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;l=bpl&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;asins=B002M3SV90&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;fc1=000000&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;IS2=1&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt1=_blank&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;m=amazon&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lc1=0000FF&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;bc1=000000&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;bg1=FFFFFF&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;f=ifr" style="padding-top: 5px; width: 131px; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" align="right" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NykcR3RhyR4&feature=related

Some free statistical software

2010-04-24T19:25:00.000-07:00

http://www.r-project.org/ free software environment for statistical computing and graphics, different kinds of analyses can be done, can use as a calculator
http://statgen.ncsu.edu/qtlcart/WQTLCart.htm for mapping quantitative trait loci (QTL) in cross populations from inbred lines.
http://folk. uio.no/ohammer/past/ : easy-to-use data analysis package with many features including diversity index, multivariate, parsimony etc.
https://www. uni-hohenheim. de/plantbreeding /software/ : For genetics and plant breeding related experiment
http://faculty. vassar.edu/ lowry/tabs http://faculty. vassar.edu/ lowry/tabs.html : Statistcial tables
http://evolution. genetics. washington. edu/phylip/software.html : More than 100 software for phylogenetic study
http://www.statsoft .com/textbook/stathome.html .html : Electronic statbook

Common Agricultural Program (CAP) reforms and likely implications of Single Farm Payment (SFP) policy

2010-04-04T07:50:00.000-07:00

CAP:
The concept of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) emerged after Second World War with the objective of securing domestic production. The creation of a common agricultural policy was proposed in 1960 by the European Commission. It followed the signing of the Treaty of Rome in 1957, which established the common market. The CAP combines a direct subsidy payment for crops and cultivated land with price support mechanisms, including guaranteed minimum price, import tariffs and quotas on certain goods from outside the EU. European farmers responded

Image via Wikipedia

quickly to the high domestic prices created through such protection measures. This was further supported by increasing agricultural productivity through development of new technologies in the 1960s and 1970s. The consequence was that the European Union switched from net food importer to net food exporter in the late 70s. With the continuation of such policy, production increased significantly and later EU disposed surplus food products in the international market with export subsidy which depressed the world market price.

Image via Wikipedia

The policy, internationally, continues to attract criticism. The major criticisms are its anti-development and anti-globalization nature. It is argued that creating an oversupply of agricultural products which are then sold in the Third World and simultaneously preventing the Third World from exporting its agricultural goods to the West, the CAP increases Third World poverty by putting Third World farmers out of business. CAP is also frequently criticized for its biasness towards larger farmers. As CAP has traditionally rewarded farmers who produce more, larger farms have benefited much more from subsidies than smaller farms. Another big issue affiliated with CAP is its effect on environmental degradation through intensive mono-crop farming through creating artificially high price in the domestic market. In response to these issues, CAP has gone through various reforms since 1990. In this context, this paper has tried to evaluate the CAP reforms in different period. Specifically, this article is focused on the analysis of the Single Farm Payment (SFP) policy under CAP reform and its likely implication on Agricultural production, welfare and environment.

CAP reform

CAP has undergone several reforms since 1980s. High internal budget and increasing pressure from other countries during the Uruguay Round of the GATT gave rise to a major reform of the CAP in 1992. Various reforms of CAP with different objectives outlined briefly hereafter.

1992 MacSharry reform- 1992 CAP reform redirected the emphasis of farm support from markets to direct subsidies. The direct payments introduced in 1992 have been coupled to production, which means that farmers had to produce a certain crop/livestock products in order to be eligible for subsidies.

Agenda 2000- The planned EU enlargement and the continuing WTO trade negotiations towards further liberalization were the reasons for a further CAP reform in 1999. The agenda 2000 reforms brought price cuts in the cereal, beef and dairy sector, starting in 2005. Agenda 2000 was the set of reforms which not only dealt with CAP reform but also the future financing of the CAP, the structure funds, EU enlargement.
2003 reform- The mid term review of Agenda 2000 resulted in a new fundamental reform. The 2003 reform (referred to as Luxembourg agreement, or Fischler reform) of the CAP introduced a new system of single farm payments (SFP) and cut at least partially the link between support and production. The SFP is delivered to farmers irrespective of what and how much they produce (hence decoupled from production) and it is based on historical entitlements. However, member states could choose individually to maintain a limited link between subsidy and production within clear limits. This is a new development of the CAP towards re-nationalization of agriculture policy in the EU.
2004 reform- The second wave of CAP reform in 2004 introduced the SFP in the Tobacco, Hops, Olive-oil and Cotton sectors. In the sugar sector, a reform was adopted in February 2006 and the compensatory aid for sugar beet growers was integrated in the SFP.

Appraisal of CAP policy reform- Decoupled Single Farm Payment

Frequently raised question is: Whether the decoupled single farm payment is decoupled in reality or just a new version of old market protection measures?
Following is the predicted mechanism of SFP on output and market price.

Decoupling--> Relative profitability of different enterprise changes--> Optimal land use decision change--> change in farm investment decisions--> change in the use of factors of production--> changes in output and market prices

Most of the analysis carried out is based on the above framework. However, it will lead erroneous conclusion if based only on such framework. The decision making in dynamic world should not be based on such static analysis. This framework lacks the dynamics of complex relationships between and among different policies. So, analysis of such a big policy shift should be carried out in a very dynamic setting considering various factors like internal and external, price and non price, economic and non economic, short term and long term. Unfortunately, many of the studies carried out in the past to assess the impact of decoupling are based on partial equilibrium. Thus, referring such results to chalk out the conclusion could be misleading. Following is the brief review of the analysis of impact of SFP on three variables - production, welfare and environment.
Agricultural production issue- The assessment of impact of decoupling on various sub-sectors within agriculture and livestock varies in results in different publications especially due to different approaches and methodologies used for measuring such impact. Agriculture and Food science center, Queen’s University, in the publication of “Analysis of the Impact of Decoupling on Agriculture in the UK” using FAPRI modeling compared the situation with decoupling with that of without decoupling through producing baseline projections of key variables in the main agriculture sectors. Key variables include price, production and total receipts. The study assumed three hypothetical scenarios- A) producers base their production decisions on the basis of market return alone and no production response with decoupled single farm payment B) production response is attributable to 30 percent of the decoupled direct payments C) production response is attributable to 60 per cent of the decoupled direct payment. The impact on beef sector showed that with scenario-A, the level of production of beef and veal would be decreased by 10.6 percent by 2010 and reference price would be raised by 16.1 per cent. But this situation would be different in scenario B and C with less production reduction and less price rise. The impact on sheep production showed that sheep meat production would be reduced by 12.3 per cent by 2010 and price raise by 22.9 percent if scenario-A exists otherwise production and price rise would be lesser. But in case of Dairy, very little impact on UK milk production was anticipated because of modest premium in dairy sector. In case of crop sector, only modest decrease in production and consequently modest increase in price were anticipated in the study.
The result leads to the conclusion that the impact of decoupling on production and price depends on the level of decoupling. The above analysis is based on assumptions that the current export subsidy and import tariff are continued in the offing. However, it is very unlikely that this assumption exists because of possibility of reduction of the level of tariffs and export subsidy due to WTO trade negotiation.
In the same way, study commission by DEFRA entitled as “Decoupling and UK agriculture- A whole farm approach” using partial equilibrium analysis predicted the decoupling might trigger a long run reduction of production. The result is quite contrast than that of the result generated by using FAPRI model, which estimates quite higher price rise. Utilizing the different price rise scenario in FAPRI and partial analysis model, the farm level linear programming modeling has suggested that rise of 4% price in beef sector do not stimulate production under decoupled situation whereas it occurs only if more than 7% price rise. So variability of prediction of the impact of decoupling exists and definitive path can not be ascertained.
Decoupled payment has other side effects in the form of wealth and insurance effect. Due to fixed decoupled payment, wealth increases which enhance the farmers risk taking behavior while decoupled payment lead farmers expose to the vulnerability of market price fluctuations that may subside the insurance as was in the case of direct subsidy payment and thus, farmers may be more risk averse to take opportunity from market. So, these behaviors also affect the overall production scenario and should be eligible to be considered in the study of policy implication.
Welfare issue- The CAP, unreformed, will leave the EU economy around 100 billion poorer over the period of the next financial perspective than it would otherwise have been (DEFRA, 2005)). These costs are large in the context of the significant success the EU has had in improving the prosperity of its citizens through other policies. According to OECD estimates, even following the 2003 reforms around half of the CAP’s total cost is still in the form of market price support, the burden for which falls mainly on consumers and is disproportionately borne by the poorest. Around 30 billion is provided as direct payments to farmers, the burden being borne by taxpayers. Moreover, the CAP is inefficient in delivering benefits to the very people at whom it is principally directed- farmers in the EU. The OECD has estimated that only around 10 percent of market price support actually reaches farmers in their capacity as farmers. The OECD has estimated that up to 90 per cent of the value of coupled area payments is rapidly capitalized into land prices so that the benefit accrues mainly to the landowner who may or may not be a practicing farmer. With around 40 percent of EU farmland owned by non farmers, only half of the value of direct payment actually benefits farmers themselves. Thus, support through market prices or based on historical production or farm size takes no account of farm household income or wealth.
Environmental issue- The high level of market price support under CAP has encouraged farmers to intensify agricultural production. This has exacerbated agriculture’s contribution to negative impact on bio-diversity and wildlife. Some of the major consequences are surface water pollution due to increased levels of minerals, chemicals and organic material in water courses, groundwater pollution from the leaching of minerals and chemicals used in the agricultural production process, salinization caused by irrigation and the over use of aquifers.
The decoupled single farm payment with cross compliance is supposed to improve the agri-environment. However, there is still danger that taking decision freely on the basis of market signals with profit motivation may yield negative environmental consequences. Lots of past evidence showed that competitive paradigm leads maximum utilization of resources but not the sustainable utilization of the resources. However, it can be logically anticipated that CAP with reform should yield better environmental consequences than that of without CAP reform as artificial higher market price in without CAP reform scenario led to a maximum exploitation of land, labor and capital resources leading to surpassing supply over market demand . At least in decoupled situation, market forces will automatically control over-production through price mechanism
Conclusion

In the short run, there will be no substantial change in the production scenario. Whatever the incentive provided through SFP is capitalized in the land price in the long run and change of input and output price may compelled farmers to take decision on the basis of market signals to maintain profit in the business, which is unlikely in the short term. In the long run scenario also, it is not rationale to analyze the issue of SFP solely. Because, the agricultural sector and its various sub sectors are influenced by other factors apart from SFP, for example, whether the current level of export subsidy and tariff exist or not, the import and export policy of other non EU trading partners, macro economic variables like fiscal and monetary policy affecting exchange rate and interest rate, different agricultural trade negotiations in WTO etc. Thus, definite impact on agriculture sector of EU can not be ascertained without logical and correct anticipation of the behavior of such variables.

YARSAGUMBA- A natural wonder

2010-03-26T22:08:00.000-07:00

Yarshagumba, known as Cordyceps Sinensis, is a wonder of nature which is believed to be a cure for sexual impotency and considered as a Himalayan Herbal Viagra. Yarshagumba is found at an altitude above 4000 meters in the highlands of Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan. In Chinese medicine, it is used as an aphrodisiac (sex stimulant) and treatment of ailments from fatigue to cancer.

Yarshagumba is a type of fungus which grows on Thitarodes caterpillar larva that feeds underground on the roots of trees and shrubs. Once infected, the body cavity of the larva fills with fungal mycelia and grows out killing the host. A finger like mushroom grows out from the larva above the ground during the spring and summer. This fungus-caterpillar is popularly known as Yarshagumba.

Every year during May and June, thousands of villagers from remote areas risking their own lives head for high mountains to collect cordyceps or yarsagumba or yarchagumba. It is estimated that one villager can earn up to Rs. 2,500 approximately to $35 a day by collecting cordyceps or yarsagumba or yarchagumba which is beyond the monthly salary of many Nepalese households. Dolpa – a remote district in western Nepal with high steep valleys and dry climate is one of the foremost areas for collecting Cordyceps or Yarsagumba .
Almost 50% of the annual supply of Cordyceps or Yarsagumba or Yarchagumba comes from Dolpa alone. Here, not only the adults but school goers also take unofficial holidays in search of the gold rush. Collection of Cordyceps or Yarsagumba or Yarchagumba was illegal until 2001 but following its popularity and the lobbying from various organizations, the Government lifted the ban but imposed a royalty rate of Rs. 20,000 (US$ 280) per kilogram(2.2lbs). One kilo of Yarsagumba that costs about Rs. 315 (US$ 5/6) in 1992 increased to Rs. 105,000 (US$ 1,435) by the year 2002 and the price has been shooting up so as the international interest on the mysterious half-caterpillar-half-mushroom known as Cordyceps or Yarsagumba or Yarchagumba.

Due to higher demand in China, Thailand, Korea and Japan, there is a dire need for commercial cultivation of this species. However, there is little research on the cultivation practices of this species. It is heard that Korean scientists have developed technique for its commercial cultivation.

Following is a video on Dolpa district

Yarsagumba collection video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHe8qPMWYo0&feature=fvw

The Night at Dolpa

Is organic farming a viable option?

2010-03-26T08:22:00.000-07:00

I found a nice video on Youtube. It's about organic farming in the high hill area of Nepal. It shows how vegetable is grown organically in rural area of Nepal. Some non-government organizations are promoting organic farming in rural areas of Nepal.
Is organic farming a viable option to meet an ever increasing demand of food?

Does Agricultural terms of trade affect aggregate supply: A case study of Nepal

2010-02-22T19:09:00.000-08:00

This is a preliminary research report prepared and submitted to a journal. The research is basically about the dynamic relationship among aggregate supply, terms of trade and technological variables. I hope, you guys go through the document and give me feedback and suggestions. Thank you

ABSTRACT
Assessing the effect of agricultural terms of trade and technological variable on the aggregate production is the main focus of the paper. Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) is used to analyze the long-run as well as short-run impact. The result shows that the effect of price and technological factor in the short-run at different lag periods is not definite. However, the effect of technological variable has a positive long-run effect on production. Price related variable like terms of trade has no significant direct impact on the aggregate production but short-run dynamics shows that the effect of price factor transmits through technological variable.
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/26174234/Does-Agricultural-Terms-of-Trade-Affect-Aggregate-Supply

Building competitiveness in African Agriculture- A guide to value chain concept and application

2010-01-14T17:30:00.000-08:00

World Bank publication
Building competitiveness in African Agriculture- A guide to value chain concept and application

http://issuu.com/world.bank.publications/docs/9780821379523/1?mode=a_p

WORLD DEVELOPMENT REPORT- 2010 CLIMATE CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT

2009-11-28T19:02:00.000-08:00

CLIMATE CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT- WORLD DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2010
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTWDR2010/Resources/5287678-1226014527953/WDR10-Full-Text.pdf

World Development Report-2009 Reshaping Economic Geography

2009-11-13T10:07:00.000-08:00

World Development Report- 2009-Part 1
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTWDR2009/Resources/4231006-1225840759068/WDR09_bookweb_1.pdf
World Development Report- 2009- Part 2
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTWDR2009/Resources/4231006-1225840759068/WDR09_bookweb_2.pdf

Effect of agricultural commercialization on land tenure

2009-11-13T09:04:00.000-08:00

Effect of agricultural commercialization on land tenure - Philippines case
IFPRI paper
http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/bitstream/42164/2/rr79.pdf

The effect of price and non-price factors on agricultural production in Nepal

2009-11-12T07:36:00.000-08:00

The issue of agricultural supply response to price and non-price factors has been widely studied in the literature. However, there are lots of contradictions in the results. Past findings showed that aggregate agriculture production was not responsive to price factor in the long run [15] [17]. This fact is strongly pronounced in the studies considering the case of South Asian countries [5] [7] [10] [18] [22]. Contrary to South Asian cases, the study conducted on aggregate supply elasticity for Sub-Saharan Africa found that estimated supply elasticity to price factors is positive and appears to have a substantial welfare cost due to discrimination against agriculture [23]. See detail in fowlling link......

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/16008054/The-effect-of-price-and-non-price-factors-on-agricultural-production-in-Nepal--A-cointegration-analysis

Linking Base of the Pyramid to the market

2009-11-07T16:32:00.000-08:00

Promoting market opportunity at the Base of the Pyramid (BOP). The poorest of the poor- 4 billion population of the world make up the base of the economic pyramid. How to link these poor people to the market? Without linking to the market, the subsistence livelihood can not be transformed to more market oriented lifestyle. Following is the case of Vietnams. A proceeding of conference. download ...
http://www.markets4poor.org/sites/default/files/file/Publications/M4P1/BOP_eng.pdf

The pros and cons of biofuels

2009-10-28T23:51:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

The pros and cons of biofuels

ONCE upon a time, biofuels were thought of as a solution to fossil-fuel dependence. Now they are widely seen as a boondoggle to agribusiness that hurts the environment and cheats taxpayers. A report commissioned by the United Nations endorses neither extreme. It gives high marks to some crop-based fuels and lambasts others. Meanwhile, two papers published in Science, a leading research journal, provide further reasons for caution. One suggests that the knock-on effects of growing biofuel crops, in terms of displaced food crops and extra fertiliser (an important source of a greenhouse gas called nitrous oxide), make the whole enterprise risky. The other points out a dangerous inconsistency in the way the Earth’s carbon balance-sheet is drawn up for the purposes of international law.

The UN report gives ethanol from sugar cane (which Brazil makes) a clean bill of health. In some circumstances it does better than just “zero emission”. If grown and processed correctly, it has “negative emission”—pulling CO2 out of the atmosphere, rather than adding it. America’s use of maize for biofuel is less efficient. Properly planted and processed, it does cut emissions; done poorly, it is more polluting than petrol. As to biodiesel palm oil grown on cleared tropical forest, when the destruction of the trees and release of CO2 from the cleared soil are accounted for, the crop is filthy—and worse than that if the forest was growing in peat, as is often the case.

The amount of ethanol produced for transport tripled from 17 billion litres in 2000 to 52 billion litres in 2007 and is set to rise further. But the world’s population is also rising, so competition for land between fuel and food is hotting up. This competition is the subject of Jerry Melillo’s paper in Science. Dr Melillo, of the Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory, and his colleagues have attempted to model how an expansion of biofuels might change world agriculture during the 21st century. They concentrate on the likely future—cellulosic biofuels made from whole plants such as fast-growing grasses, rather than the food-cum-biofuel crops of today. They reckon Africa is the best place to grow biofuels, and the one that will lead to most carbon capture in the long run. But they also show that the widespread growth of biofuel crops is likely to cause a net global release of greenhouse gases during the first half of the century, as land is cleared and fertilisers are scattered liberally. In the right circumstances the CO2 account, they reckon, could move into profit by mid-century, but the nitrous oxide account never does.

Tim Searchinger’s Science paper, meanwhile, looks at the way the accounts are drawn up in the here and now. Dr Searchinger, who works at Princeton University, and his collaborators point out that the rules for assessing compliance with the Kyoto protocol (which are also included in the version of America’s climate bill that passed the House of Representatives) are biased in favour of biofuels because they fail to account for emissions from land cleared to grow such fuels. Combine that observation with Dr Melillo’s modelling and you have a recipe for some perverse incentives indeed.

Sadly, settled international standards on biofuels or on a trading system that includes their carbon-cutting benefits are probably a long way off. Two more items on the “too busy to do” list of the Copenhagen conference on climate change.
www.economist.com

Another article from Economist.com

The future of biofuels

The post-alcohol world

Biofuels are back. This time they might even work

MAKE something people want to buy at a price they can afford. Hardly a revolutionary business strategy, but one that the American biofuels industry has, to date, eschewed. Now a new wave of companies think that they have the technology to change the game and make unsubsidised profits. If they can do so reliably, and on a large scale, biofuels may have a lot more success in freeing the world from fossil fuels than they have had until now.
The original 1970s appeal of biofuels was the opportunity to stick up a finger or two, depending on the local bodily idiom, to the oil sheikhs. Over time, the opportunity to fight global warming added to the original energy-security appeal. Make petrol out of plants in a sufficiently clever way and you can drive around with no net emissions of carbon dioxide as well as no net payments to the mad, the bad and the greedy. A great idea all round, then.
Sadly, in America, it did not work out like that. First, the fuel was not petrol. Instead, it was ethanol, which stores less energy per litre, tends to absorb water and is corrosive; people will use it only if it is cheap or if you force them to through mandatory blending. In Brazil, which turned to biofuels after the 1970s oil shocks, the price of ethanol eventually became low enough for the fuel to find a market, thanks to highly productive sugar plantations and distilleries powered by the pulp left when that sugar was extracted from its cane. As a result Brazil is now a biofuels superpower. North American ethanol is mostly made from corn (maize), which is less efficient, and often produced in distilleries powered by coal; it is thus neither as cheap nor as environmentally benign. But American agribusiness, which knows a good thing when it sees one, used its political clout to arrange subsidies and tariffs that made corn-ethanol profitable and that kept out the alternative from Brazil.
This still left the problem: using corn limits the size of the industry and pits it against the interests of people who want food. Boosters claimed that cellulose, from which the stalks, leaves and wood of plants are made, could if suitably treated become a substitute for the starch in corn. Both starch and cellulose consist of sugar molecules, linked together in different ways, and sugar is what fermentation feeds on. But cellulosic biofuel has so far failed, on an epic scale, to deliver. At the moment, only a handful of factories around the world produce biofuel from cellulose. And that fuel is still ethanol.

This is what companies working on a new generation of biofuels want to change. Instead of ethanol, they plan to make hydrocarbons, molecules chemically much more similar to those that already power planes, trains and automobiles. These will, they say, be “drop-in” fuels, any quantity of which can be put into the appropriate fuel tanks and pipelines with no fuss whatsoever. For that reason alone, they are worth more than ethanol.
Appropriately designed drop-in fuels can substitute for diesel and aviation fuel, which ethanol cannot. That increases the size of the potential market. They also have advantages on the production side. Because crude oils from different places have different chemical compositions, containing some molecules engines won’t like, oil refineries today need to do a lot of careful tweaking. The same applies to the production of biodiesel from plant oils. Genetically engineered bugs making hydrocarbons more or less from scratch could guarantee consistent quality without the hassle, thus perhaps commanding a premium with no extra effort. Meanwhile the feedstock could be nice and cheap: Brazilian sugar. Tariffs that block Brazilian ethanol from northern markets do not apply to drop-in hydrocarbons.

Scale models
If this approach works, it will not only be beneficial in its own right—modestly reducing greenhouse-gas emissions while making money for its investors—it will also provide a lasting market incentive to scientists to devise better ways of turning cellulose into sugar. This gives the prospects for this generation of biofuels a plausibility that was missing from its predecessors. The drop-in firms are starting to come out of the laboratory, float themselves on the stockmarket, team up with oil companies and build their first factories. The dice, in other words, are rolling.
One of the leaders of the drop-in drive is Alan Shaw, the boss of Codexis, a firm based in Redwood City, California, which makes specialised enzymes that perform tricky chemical conversions. In Dr Shaw’s opinion, the industry’s problem has not been bad products so much as a failure to think big.
Dr Shaw proposes to remedy that. In collaboration with Shell, an Anglo-Dutch oil company, and Cosan, Brazil’s third-largest sugar producer, he plans to build a factory capable of producing 400m litres (2.5m barrels, or 105m gallons) of drop-in fuel every year. The other companies will provide money, reaction vessels and sugar. He will provide the enzymes and genetically engineered bacteria needed to make a drop-in fuel.
The project is part of a joint venture by Shell and Cosan; with a capacity of more than 2 billion litres a year, it is the world’s largest biofuel operation, and it owns a 16.4% stake in Codexis. At the moment, the joint venture’s business is based on fermenting cane sugar into ethanol, but the new plant would start changing that. Codexis’s enzymes and bacteria can turn sugar into molecules called straight-chain alkanes which have between 12 and 16 carbon atoms in them. Such alkanes are the main ingredients of diesel fuel.
In April Codexis became the first start-up involved in drop-in fuels to float itself on a stockmarket—which in this case was NASDAQ, America’s main market for high-tech stocks. But it is not the last. Another firm that recently completed its NASDAQ flotation is Amyris, of Emeryville, which is also in the San Francisco Bay area. Amyris started off using large-scale genetic engineering, also known as synthetic biology, to create bugs that make a malaria drug. But now it, too, has a product that it claims is a drop-in biodiesel. And it, too, has hooked up with an oil company: Total, of France, which owns 17% of the firm.
Amyris’s biodiesel is made of more complicated molecules than Codexis’s (they are known, technically, as terpenes), and the firm employs genetically engineered yeast, rather than bacteria. But Brazilian sugar is again used as the raw material. Amyris has formed a joint venture with Santelisa Vale, Brazil’s second-largest sugar company, and is busy refitting some of that firm’s ethanol plants in order to make drop-in diesel.

The Codexis-Cosan-Shell partnership and the Amyris-Santelisa-Total one are the furthest along of the drop-in fuel businesses, but others are coming up on the rails. LS9, which is based in South San Francisco (a separate municipality that has a cluster of biotech companies), also uses bacteria to make straight-chain alkanes. It is converting a fermentation plant in Florida into a test facility to see if what works in the laboratory will work at scale. And Virent, based in Madison, Wisconsin, is making alkanes out of sugars using a chemical, rather than a biological, process.
Gevo, of Englewood, Colorado, which filed for flotation on NASDAQ in August, is planning to make another type of post-ethanol fuel: butanol. Like Codexis, it will use enzymes and genetically engineered bugs to do this; like Amyris and LS9, it will retrofit existing ethanol plants to keep the cost down. The aim is to turn out an annual 2 billion litres of butanol by 2014. BP, a British petroleum company, is building a butanol pilot plant to do this near Hull in the north of England and also has big ambitions for the fuel.
Like ethanol, butanol is an alcohol. That means each of its molecules contains an oxygen atom as well as the carbon and hydrogen found in an alkane. Butanol, however, has four carbon atoms in its molecules, whereas ethanol has two. That gives butanol more energy for a given mass and makes it more alkane-like in its properties; nor does it absorb water as readily as ethanol. Moreover, the production process for butanol is more efficient than the processes that produce alkanes; proportionately more of the energy from the feedstock (various crops for Gevo, wheat for BP) ends up in the final fuel. And BP will certainly be able to bring to the party the ambitious scale that Dr Shaw praises.
The last of the Bay-area drop-in contenders is, in many ways, the most intriguing. Solazyme, another firm based in South San Francisco, wants to use single-celled algae to make its fuel. This is not a new idea. Craig Venter, who led the privately financed version of the Human Genome Project, is trying it too, through his latest venture, Synthetic Genomics, in San Diego. Synthetic Genomics is backed by the biggest oil beast of them all, ExxonMobil—and several other firms have similar ideas, if not the same heavyweight backing. Solazyme’s approach is unusual, though. Instead of growing its algae in sunlit ponds it keeps them in the dark and feeds them with sugar.
At first sight this seems bonkers. The attraction of algae would seem to lie in the possibility that, since they photosynthesise, they could be engineered to contain the whole sunlight-to-fuel process in one genetically engineered package. Sunshine being free, this looked a brilliant idea. But looks can be deceptive. If you keep your algae in ponds the rays do not always strike them at the best angle and the algae sometimes shade one another if they are growing densely. Photobioreactors—complicated systems of transparent piping through which alga-rich water is pumped—overcome those problems, but they cost a lot and are hard to keep clean. Solazyme tried both of these approaches, and almost went bankrupt in the process. Then its founders, Jonathan Wolfson and Harrison Dillon, asked themselves whether it might not be cheaper to ignore the photosynthetic step, buy the sugar that photosynthesis produces instead, and concentrate on getting the algae to turn it into oil.
Which is what the firm now does. It also has a nice little earner in the form of a contract with the American navy. The navy intends that, by 2020, half the fuel it uses (over six billion litres a year, mainly diesel and jet fuel) will be from renewable sources. Over the past year Solazyme has been providing it with trial quantities of both from its production facilities in Pennsylvania and Iowa. The algal oils are not themselves good fuel; but a refinery in Houston takes care of that, producing shipshape alkanes of the sort the navy likes.

High-fibre diet
The success of all this obviously depends on the price of sugar, which is rising. Historically, the cost of making Brazilian ethanol has been about 26 cents a litre. Diesel will cost more, but petroleum-based diesel sells in America for 57 cents a litre before distribution costs and tax, so there should be room for profit. Nevertheless, if drop-in fuels are to become a truly big business they need a wider range of feedstocks.
Until recently, the assumption has been that cellulose would take over from sugar and starch as the feedstock for making biofuels. Making cellulose into sugar is technically possible, and many firms are working on that possibility. Some are using enzymes. Some are using micro-organisms. Still others have a hybrid approach, part biotechnological and part traditional chemistry. And some go for pure chemistry, breaking the cellulose down into a gaseous mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide before building it back up into something more useful.
The reason for this enthusiasm has been government mandates: America’s Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS-2) and its European equivalent. On pain of fines, but with the carrot of subsidies, these require that a certain amount of renewable fuel be blended into petroleum-based fuels over the next decade or so. RFs-2 calls for a 10% blend of cellulosic fuel by 2022.
The targets in RFS-2, though, represent a huge climbdown. Its predecessor, RFS-1, called for 379m litres of cellulosic ethanol to be produced in 2010; RFS-2 mandates only 25m litres. The industry in fact has a capacity of about 70m litres today, according to the Biotechnology Industry Organisation (BIO), an American lobby group.
The reduced expectations reflect the fact that making fuel out of cellulose turns out to be hard and costly. Today’s cellulosic ethanol is competitive with the petrol it is supposed to displace only when the price of crude oil reaches $120 a barrel. In Dr Shaw’s view, a lot can be done by scaling up (and using the appropriate enzymes, of course, which Codexis will be only too happy to sell you). And big plants will, indeed, bring the price down—probably not to the point where cellulosic ethanol can compete in a fair fight, but quite possibly to a level at which fuel companies will make or buy the stuff rather than pay fines for not doing so.
Phil New, the head of biofuels at BP, says his firm is determined to comply with RFS-2. To that end it is planning a plant in Florida that will have a capacity of 137m litres when it comes on stream in 2013. It is one of seven cellulosic-ethanol fermentation plants with annual capacities above 38m litres (that is, 10m gallons) which BIO says should be running by 2013, with a further seven making ethanol using syngas conversion. However, such claims are not that different from those made three years ago—which singularly failed to bear fruit.

Grassed up
If things work out better this time, it still leaves the question of where the cellulose is to come from. The answer is likely, in one form or another, to be grass.
Though they look very different, sugar cane and corn are both grasses. So is wheat, which is corn’s counterpart as the starch source of choice in the EU. A simple way of garnering cellulose is to gather up the leftovers when these crops have been processed—bagasse from sugar cane, stover from corn and straw from wheat.
That is a start, but it will not be enough, Wood is a possibility, particularly if it is dealt with chemically, rather than biologically (much of the carbon in wood is in the form of lignin, a molecule that is even tougher than cellulose). But energy-rich grasses look like the best bet. Ceres, which is based in Thousand Oaks, California, has taken several species of fast-growing grass, notably switchgrass and sorghum, and supercharged them to grow even faster and put on more weight by using a mixture of selective breeding and genetic engineering. Part of America’s prairies, the firm hopes, will revert to grassland and provide the cellulose that biofuels will need. The Energy Biosciences Institute that BP is funding at the University of Illinois, in Urbana-Champaign, is working on hybrid miscanthus, an ornamental grass that can produce truly remarkable yields.
If the price were right, such energy crops might take America a fair bit of the way to the “energy independence” that early proselytisers for biofuels crowed about. A study carried out last year by Sandia National Laboratories, an American government outfit, suggests that in theory 285 billion litres of cellulosic biofuel a year could be extracted from the country’s agriculture and forestry without breaking too much sweat. That is 1.8 billion barrels, compared with American oil imports of 4.3 billion barrels in 2009. Europe’s higher human-population density leaves less space for energy crops. But there is clearly some room for expansion in the Old World as well as the New.
Beyond the rich countries, capacity is greater still. In a fit of enthusiasm a few years ago Steven Chu, now America’s energy secretary, floated the idea of a global glucose economy to replace oil. That is going a bit far. Brazil is a well-governed country, but other parts of the tropics, though endowed with sunshine and cheap land, are not always the sorts of places that the wise investor would pile into. And Brazil’s blessings in terms of oodles of land that can grow cane with no irrigation are not widespread. Nevertheless, the country’s success shows that international trade in biofuels is a possibility. If it brought economic development to less favoured lands, that would surely be welcome.

Drop in or drop out
Such a future, though, depends on cars continuing to be powered by liquid fuels. A large shift to electric cars would put the kibosh on the biofuel market as currently conceived by most of its supporters; but it would not necessarily kill the principle of using plants to convert sunlight into car-power. The goal of reducing emissions needs low-carbon generators to power the grid the electric cars draw juice from. Put the energy crops in generators instead of distilleries and off you go.
Richard Hamilton, the boss of Ceres, says he is indifferent as to whether his grasses end up in petrol tanks or power stations. Others think making them into electricity might be a better answer anyway. A study published last year by Elliott Campbell, of the University of California, Merced, and his colleagues suggested that turning crops into electricity, not fuel, would propel America’s cars 80% farther and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions even more. Electrons are easy to transport and burning uses all of the fuel value of a plant—including that stored in the lignin which current processing methods find hard to deal with.

The electrification of cars, however the electricity might be generated, would be the end of the road for ethanol. But not necessarily for drop-ins. There is no realistic prospect for widespread electric air travel: the jet engines on aircraft need the high-energy density that only chemical fuels can provide. So if you want low-carbon flying, drop-in biofuels are the only game in town. And civil aviation alone is expected to use 250 billion litres of fuel this year, is growing fast and could pay a premium if its emissions were subject to a cap or a tax. Over the long run, the future for biofuels may be looking up.

Asia’s Contribution to Global Economic Development and Stability

2009-10-28T23:37:00.000-07:00

Asia’s Contribution to
Global Economic Development and Stability
Asian Development Bank Institute, Tokyo, Japan
download link... http://www.adbi.org/files/2009.10.22.book.adbi.annual.conference.2008.proceedings.pdf

Directory of open access journal

2009-10-04T22:13:00.000-07:00

Directory of open access journal

Acta Agriculturae Slovenica
ISSN: 15819175
EISSN: 18541941
Subject: Animal Sciences --- Plant Sciences --- Agriculture (General)
Publisher: University of Ljubljana
Country: Slovenia
Language: Slovenian, English
Keywords: agriculture, zootechny, animal breeding, nutrition, genetics, microbiology, economics, dairying, physiology, statistics, ethology, food technology, rural population
Start year: 2004

Acta Agronómica
ISSN: 01202812
Subject: Plant Sciences --- Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Palmira
Country: Colombia
Language: Spanish
Keywords: crops systems, animal production systems, food production, food consumption
Start year: 2007

Acta Scientiarum : Agronomy
ISSN: 16799275
EISSN: 18078621
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Eduem - Editora da Universidade Estadual de Maringá
Country: Brazil
Language: Portuguese
Keywords: agronomy, plant science, soil science
Start year: 1998
License:

Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Hortorum Cultus
ISSN: 16440692
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: University of Life Science in Lublin
Country: Poland
Language: Polish, English
Keywords: horticultural science
Start year: 2002

Aestimum
ISSN: 15926117
EISSN: 17242118
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Firenze University Press
Country: Italy
Language: Italian
Keywords: agricultural economics, agricultural finance
Start year: 1977

African Journal of Agricultural Research
ISSN: 1991637X
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Academic Journals
Country: Nigeria
Language: English
Keywords: agriculture
Start year: 2006

African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development
ISSN: 16845374
EISSN: 16845374
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Rural Outreach Program
Country: Kenya
Language: English
Keywords: nutrition, Africa, farming
Start year: 2002

Agraarteadus
ISSN: 10240845
Subject: Animal Sciences --- Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Estonian Academic Agricultural Society
Country: Estonia
Language: Estonian, English
Keywords: crop science, animal science, genetics, economics, environment
Start year: 2001

Agricultura Técnica
ISSN: 03652807
EISSN: 07176333
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, INIA
Country: Chile
Language: English, Spanish
Keywords: agricultural sciences
Start year: 2000

Agriculturae Conspectus Scientificus (ACS)
ISSN: 13317768
EISSN: 13317776
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: University of Zagreb
Country: Croatia
Language: English
Keywords: agriculture, agronomy, animal science, agricultural economics, food science and technology
Start year: 1997

Agricultural Engineering International : The CIGR e-journal
ISSN: 16821130
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: International Commission of Agricultural Engineering
Country: Germany
Language: English
Keywords: agricultural engineering, international
Start year: 1999

Agriscientia
ISSN: 03276244
EISSN: 1668298X
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Universidad Nacional de Córdoba
Country: Argentina
Language: Spanish, English
Keywords: agricultural sciences
Start year: 2006

Agroalimentaria (Caracas)
ISSN: 13160354
Subject: Animal Sciences --- Agriculture (General) --- Nutrition and Food Sciences
Publisher: Universidad de Los Andes (Venezuela)
Country: Venezuela
Language: Spanish
Keywords: food production, food science, agriculture, economics, social sciences
Start year: 1995

Agrociencia
ISSN: 14053195
Subject: Agriculture (General) --- Forestry --- Animal Sciences
Publisher: Colegio de Postgraduados
Country: Mexico
Language: Spanish, English
Keywords: animal science, livestock, agriculture, forestry
Start year: 2000

Agronomía Costarricense
ISSN: 03779424
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Universidad de Costa Rica
Country: Costa Rica
Language: Spanish
Keywords: agriculture
Start year: 2000

Agronomía Mesoamericana
ISSN: 10217444
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Universidad de Costa Rica
Country: Costa Rica
Language: Spanish
Keywords: agronomy
Start year: 2002

Agronomy Research
ISSN: 1406894X
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Estonian Agricultural University
Country: Estonia
Language: English
Keywords: agronomy
Start year: 2003

American Journal of Agricultural and Biological Science
ISSN: 15574989
EISSN: 15574997
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Science publications
Country: United States
Language: English
Keywords: farming, plant science
Start year: 2006

American-Eurasian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture
ISSN: 19950748
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: American-Eurasian Network for Scientific Information (AENSI)
Country: Pakistan
Language: English
Keywords: environmental sciences, agricultural sciences
Start year: 2007

Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine
ISSN: 12321966
EISSN: 18982263
Subject: Agriculture (General) --- Environmental Sciences
Publisher: Institute of Agricultural Medicine in Lublin
Country: Poland
Language: English
Keywords: agriculture, environmental medicine
Start year: 1997

Applied Ecology and Environmental Research
ISSN: 15891623
EISSN: 17850037
Subject: Ecology --- Agriculture (General)
Publisher: University of Budapest
Country: Hungary
Language: English
Keywords: agriculture, ecology
Start year: 2003

Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences
ISSN: 19918178
Subject: Science (General) --- Agriculture (General) --- Plant Sciences
Publisher: INSInet Publications
Country: Pakistan
Language: English
Keywords: applied sciences, agricultural biology
Start year: 2007

Biotechnologie, Agronomie, Société et Environnement
ISSN: 13706233
EISSN: 17804507
Subject: Agriculture (General) --- Biotechnology --- Environmental Sciences
Publisher: University of Gembloux
Country: Belgium
Language: English, French
Keywords: forest sciences, earth science, forestry, agronomy, rural engineering, food technologies
Start year: 1997
License:

Bragantia
ISSN: 00068705
EISSN: 16784499
Subject: Agriculture (General) --- Earth Sciences --- Geology
Publisher: Instituto Agronômico de Campinas
Country: Brazil
Language: English, Portuguese, Spanish
Keywords: agricultural sciences
Start year: 1966

California Agriculture
ISSN: 00080845
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: University of California, Los Angeles
Country: United States
Language: English, Spanish
Keywords: agriculture, environment, nutrition
Start year: 2000

Ciência e Agrotecnologia
ISSN: 14137054
EISSN: 19811829
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Universidade Federal de Lavras
Country: Brazil
Language: Portuguese, English
Keywords: agrarian science, food science and technology, agricultural economics, agribusiness, rural engineering, veterinary medicine, zootechnology
Start year: 2005

Ciencia e Investigación Agraria
ISSN: 03045609
EISSN: 07181620
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Country: Chile
Language: Spanish, English
Keywords: agriculture, environmental sciences, plant culture
Start year: 2000

Ciência e Tecnologia de Alimentos
ISSN: 01012061
EISSN: 1678457x
Subject: Agriculture (General) --- Nutrition and Food Sciences
Publisher: Sociedade Brasileira de Ciência e Tecnologia de Alimentos
Country: Brazil
Language: English, Portuguese, Spanish
Keywords: agricultural sciences, exact and earth sciences
Start year: 1997

Conservation & Society
ISSN: 09724923
EISSN: 09753133
Subject: Environmental Sciences --- Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment, Bangalore
Country: India
Language: English
Keywords: conservation, interdisciplinary research, environment, biological diversity, livelihoods
Start year: 2003

Custos e @gronegócio online
ISSN: 18082882
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco
Country: Brazil
Language: Portuguese
Keywords: agribusiness, agro-industrial management, cost accounting, agricultural economics
Start year: 2005

Electronic Journal of Environmental, Agricultural and Food Chemistry
ISSN: 15794377
Subject: Agriculture (General) --- Nutrition and Food Sciences
Publisher: Universidade de Vigo
Country: Spain
Language: English
Keywords: food chemistry, environmental science, agronomy, agricultural
Start year: 2002

Electronic Journal of Polish Agricultural Universities
ISSN: 15050297
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Polish agricultural schools of higher education
Country: Poland
Language: English
Keywords: agriculture
Start year: 1998

Engenharia Agrícola
ISSN: 01006916
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Sociedade Brasileira de Engenharia Agrícola
Country: Brazil
Language: Portuguese, Spanish
Keywords: agricultural engineering
Start year: 2004

Hacquetia
ISSN: 15814661
EISSN: 18549829
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Versita
Country: Slovenia
Language: English
Keywords: agriculture, biology, botany, ecology, plant science, zoology
Start year: 2007

IDESIA
ISSN: 00734675
EISSN: 07183429
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Universidad de Tarapacá
Country: Chile
Language: Spanish
Keywords: agronomy
Start year: 2006

International Agrophysics
ISSN: 02368722
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Institute of Agrophysics
Country: Poland
Language: English
Keywords: agrophysics, biomass production, soil-plant-atmosphere continuum
Start year: 1995

International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Engineering
ISSN: 19346344
EISSN: 19346352
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Association of Overseas Chinese Agricultural, Biological and Food Engineers(AOCABFE), Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering(CSAE)
Country: China
Language: English
Keywords: agricultural engineering, biological engineering, food science and technology, information and electrical technology, bioenvironmental engineering, renewable energy
Start year: 2008
License:

International Journal of Sociology of Agriculture and Food
ISSN: 07981759
Subject: Nutrition and Food Sciences --- Sociology --- Agriculture (General)
Publisher: The Research Committee on Food and Agriculture (RC40)
Country: New Zealand
Language: English, Spanish
Keywords: labor, production, market, policy, technology, global change, local change
Start year: 1991

Japan Agricultural Research Quarterly
ISSN: 00213551
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences
Country: Japan
Language: English
Keywords: agriculture
Start year: 1998

Japanese Journal of Crop Science
ISSN: 00111848
EISSN: 13490990
Subject: Agriculture (General) --- Plant Sciences
Publisher: Crop Science Society of Japan
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese, English
Keywords: crop science, agriculture
Start year: 2003

Journal of Agricultural Research
ISSN: 03681157
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Agriculture Department, Lahore
Country: Pakistan
Language: English
Keywords: agricultural sciences
Start year: 2006

Journal of Agricultural Sciences
ISSN: 13007580
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Ankara University
Country: Turkey
Language: Turkish, English
Keywords: crop improvement and production, animal production, agricultural engeneering, environment
Start year: 2005

Journal of Agronomy
ISSN: 18125379
EISSN: 18125417
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Asian Network for Scientific Information
Country: Pakistan
Language: English
Keywords: crop sciences
Start year: 2004

Journal of Central European Agriculture
ISSN: 13329049
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Journal of Central European Agriculture
Country: Croatia
Language: English, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Hungarian, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian
Keywords: agriculture
Start year: 2000

Journal of Rural and Community Development
ISSN: 17128277
Subject: Environmental Sciences --- Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Rural Development Institute, Brandon University
Country: Canada
Language: English
Keywords: rural development, community development
Start year: 2005

Journal of SAT Agricultural Research
ISSN: 09733094
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
Country: India
Language: English
Keywords: agroecosystem, bioinformatics, semi-arid tropical agricultural research
Start year: 2005

Journal of Science and Technology of Agriculture and Natural Resources
ISSN: 10287655
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Isfahan University of Technology
Country: Iran
Language: Persian
Keywords: agriculture, natural resources, plant sciences
Start year: 1997

Journal of Tekirdag Agricultural Faculty
ISSN: 13027050
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Tekirdag Agricultural Faculty
Country: Turkey
Language: Turkish
Keywords: agriculture, crop production, animal production, food science, agricultural engineering
Start year: 2005

Journal of Tropical Agriculture
ISSN: 0971636X
EISSN: 09735399
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur, Kerala
Country: India
Language: English
Keywords: tropical agriculture, crop production, crop protection
Start year: 2001
License:

Living Reviews in Landscape Research
ISSN: 18637329
Subject: Agriculture (General) --- Environmental Sciences
Publisher: Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research
Country: Germany
Language: English
Keywords: landscape research, landscape modeling, land use, agriculture
Start year: 2007
License:

Madras Agricultural Journal
ISSN: 00249602
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Madras Agricultural Students Union
Country: India
Language: English
Keywords: horticulture, agricultural engineering, animal husbandary
Start year: 2003

Mundo Agrario
ISSN: 15155994
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Centro de Estudios Histórico-Rurales
Country: Argentina
Language: Spanish, Portuguese
Keywords: agricultural sciences, rural conditions
Start year: 2000

Open Agriculture Journal
ISSN: 18743315
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Bentham open
Country: United States
Language: English
Keywords: crop protection, soil science
Start year: 2007

Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira
ISSN: 0100204X
EISSN: 16783921
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: EMBRAPA
Country: Brazil
Language: Portuguese, English, Spanish
Keywords: agricultural sciences
Start year: 2000

Pesquisa Agropecuária Tropical
ISSN: 15176398
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Universidade Federal de Goiás
Country: Brazil
Language: Portuguese, English
Keywords: agriculture, savannah, agronomy, soil, crop system
Start year: 1999

Plant Production Science
ISSN: 1343943X
EISSN: 13491008
Subject: Plant Sciences --- Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Crop Science Society of Japan
Country: Japan
Language: English
Keywords: plant science, agriculture
Start year: 2003

Research Journal of Agriculture and Biological Sciences
ISSN: 18161561
EISSN: 18195415
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: INSInet Publications
Country: Pakistan
Language: English
Keywords: agricultural sciences, biology
Start year: 2005

Revista Brasileira de Ciência Avícola
ISSN: 1516635X
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Fundação APINCO de Ciência e Tecnologia Avícolas
Country: Brazil
Language: English, Spanish, Portuguese
Keywords: agricultural sciences
Start year: 2000

Revista Brasileira de Ciências Agrárias
ISSN: 19811160
EISSN: 19810997
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Federal Rural University of Pernambuco
Country: Brazil
Language: Portuguese, English, Spanish
Keywords: crop production, animal husbandry, forest management, rural engineering, fishery
Start year: 2006

Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agrícola e Ambiental - Agriambi
ISSN: 14154366
EISSN: 18071929
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Departamento de Engenharia Agrícola - UFCG
Country: Brazil
Language: English, Spanish, Portuguese
Keywords: irrigation, drainage, agricultural meteorology, climatology, rural construction, agricultural products, environmental control, automation, instrumentation, agricultural energy
Start year: 2003

Revista Brasileira de Sementes
ISSN: 01013122
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Associação Brasileira de Tecnologia de Sementes
Country: Brazil
Language: Portuguese
Keywords: agriculture
Start year: 2003

Revista Científica UDO Agrícola
ISSN: 13179152
Subject: Animal Sciences --- Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Universidad de Oriente Press
Country: Venezuela
Language: Spanish, Portuguese, English
Keywords: agronomy, veterinary science, animal production, food technology and biology
Start year: 2001

Revista de Economia e Sociologia Rural
ISSN: 01032003
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Sociedade Brasileira de Economia e Sociologia Rural
Country: Brazil
Language: English, Portuguese
Keywords: agricultural sciences
Start year: 2003

Revista de la Ciencia del Suelo y Nutrición Vegetal
ISSN: 0717635X
EISSN: 07182791
Subject: Plant Sciences --- Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Sociedad Chilena de la Ciencia del Suelo
Country: Chile
Language: Spanish, Portuguese
Keywords: soil science, plant nutrition
Start year: 2006

Revista de la Facultad de Agronomía
ISSN: 03787818
EISSN: 16909763
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Facultad de Agronomía. Universidad del Zulia
Country: Venezuela
Language: English, Spanish, Portuguese
Keywords: agricultural sciences
Start year: 1999

Revista Fitotecnia Mexicana
ISSN: 01877380
Subject: Agriculture (General) --- Botany
Publisher: Sociedad Mexicana de Fitogenética
Country: Mexico
Language: Spanish
Keywords: botany, biology, agriculture
Start year: 2000

Revista Industrial y Agrícola de Tucumán
ISSN: 03705404
EISSN: 18513018
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Estación Experimental Agroindustrial Obispo Colombres
Country: Argentina
Language: Spanish, English
Keywords: agricultural sciences
Start year: 2005

Revista Lasallista de Investigación
ISSN: 17944449
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Corporación Universitaria Lasallista
Country: Colombia
Language: Spanish
Keywords: agriculture, engineering, social sciences, education
Start year: 2005

RURALS : Review of Undergraduate Research in Agricultural and Life Sciences
ISSN: 15593339
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: University of Nebraska, Lincoln Libraries
Country: United States
Language: English
Keywords: food safety, environment, plant production, animal production
Start year: 2006

Scientia Agrária
ISSN: 15191125
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Universidade Federal do Paraná
Country: Brazil
Language: Portuguese, English, Spanish
Keywords: agronomy, agriculture
Start year: 2000

Scientia Agricola
ISSN: 01039016
EISSN: 1678992x
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Escola Superior de Agricultura
Country: Brazil
Language: Portuguese, English
Keywords: agricultural sciences
Start year: 1996

Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research
ISSN: 1695971X
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Spanish National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology
Country: Spain
Language: English
Keywords: animal and plant production, animal and plant health, genetics, economics
Start year: 2003

Trakia Journal of Sciences
ISSN: 13121723
Subject: Science (General) --- Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Trakia University
Country: Bulgaria
Language: English
Keywords: biomedicine, medicine, veterinary medicine, agriculture, social sciences, ecology
Start year: 2003

Trends in Agricultural Economics
ISSN: 19947933
Subject: Agriculture (General) --- Economics
Publisher: Asian Network for Scientific Information
Country: Pakistan
Language: English
Keywords: agricultural economics, agricultural production, applied economics
Start year: 2008

Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems
ISSN: 18700462
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan
Country: Mexico
Language: Spanish, English
Keywords: agroecology, agronomy, agriculture, animal science, animal production, biological sciences
Start year: 2002

Tropicultura
ISSN: 07713312
Subject: Plant Sciences --- Animal Sciences --- Agriculture (General)
Publisher: TROPICULTURA/AGRI-OVERSEAS a.s.b.l.
Country: Belgium
Language: English, French, Spanish, Dutch
Keywords: tropical agriculture, veterinary sciences, food sciences, environmental sciences, socio-economy
Start year: 2002

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences
ISSN: 1300011X
EISSN: 13036173
Subject: Agriculture (General) --- Forestry
Publisher: Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey
Country: Turkey
Language: English
Keywords: agriculture, forestry
Start year: 1998

Vegetable Crops Research Bulletin
ISSN: 15069427
Subject: Agriculture (General)
Publisher: Versita
Country: Poland
Language: English
Keywords: agricultural science, plant sciences, plant genetics, plant genomics, plant pahology
Start year: 2007

World Journal of Agricultural Sciences
ISSN: 18173047
EISSN: 18175082
Subject: Agriculture (General) --- Environmental Sciences
Publisher: IDOSI Publications
Country: Pakistan
Language: English
Keywords: plants, animals, food, nutrition, environmental sciences
Start year: 2005

Climate change will hit developing world harvests hardest

2009-09-29T23:50:00.000-07:00

Nature news

Climate change will hit developing world harvests hardest

Report quantifies link between global warming and food security.

Natasha Gilbert

Developing countries could see large drops in crop yields by 2050 if climate change is left unchecked, according to a US report, potentially leaving as many as 25 million more children malnourished compared to a world without global warming.
see detail report in following link
http://www.nature.com/news/2009/090930/full/news.2009.963.html?s=news_rss

Agricultural Commercialization

Comparing the technical efficiency of rice farms in urban and rural areas: a case study from Nepal

Energy for all

Global Hunger Index 2011

Sources of Agricultural Productivity in Low and Lower Middle Income Countries

The 9 billion-people question

The world’s population will grow from almost 7 billion now to over 9 billion in 2050.

A special report on feeding the world

from Economist

http://www.economist.com/node/18200618

Evaluating the impact of geographic concentration on Nepalese agricultural export

Some free software

Micro Irrigation Technology

Related articles

David Harvey: The Crises of Capitalism (Animated)

Agricultural Subsidies

Agricultural subsidies

The rich world's farmers are still reaping handsome subsidies

Some free statistical software

Common Agricultural Program (CAP) reforms and likely implications of Single Farm Payment (SFP) policy

Related articles

YARSAGUMBA- A natural wonder

Is organic farming a viable option?

Related articles by Zemanta

Does Agricultural terms of trade affect aggregate supply: A case study of Nepal

Building competitiveness in African Agriculture- A guide to value chain concept and application

WORLD DEVELOPMENT REPORT- 2010 CLIMATE CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT

World Development Report-2009 Reshaping Economic Geography

Effect of agricultural commercialization on land tenure

The effect of price and non-price factors on agricultural production in Nepal

Linking Base of the Pyramid to the market

The pros and cons of biofuels

The future of biofuels

Biofuels are back. This time they might even work

Related articles

Asia’s Contribution to Global Economic Development and Stability

Directory of open access journal

Climate change will hit developing world harvests hardest