Search results

Mental budgeting, as a part of mental accounting theory, is expected to impact a household's budgetary management in terms of expenses. The purpose of this paper is to study whether and how mental budgeting can explain differences in farmers' reactions to different incentives of low-toxicity pesticide use.

Based on data from a survey of 393 vegetable farmers in the Sichuan Province, this analysis, using a Likert Scale approach, first explores whether farmers utilize mental budgeting. Secondly, using a Probit model, this paper analyzes how mental budgeting affects farmers' intentions to switch to low-toxicity pesticide use when faced with different incentives.

The results show that the majority of farmers categorize agricultural inputs into different groups and that 26.46% of the investigated farmers utilize mental budgeting for pest control practices. In addition, farmers who utilizing mental budgeting report a higher willingness to switch to low-toxicity pesticides when they're presented with a specific subsidy. Furthermore, if offered a price premium for quality, the willingness to switch to low-toxicity pesticides for farmers utilizing mentally budget is lower compared to other farmers.

This paper examines the existence of mental budgeting among farmers. It provides a better understanding of how farmers categorize agricultural inputs and their mental mechanisms with respect to agricultural expenses. Finally, this paper is the first to study the effects of mental budgeting on farmers' reactions to different incentives aimed at stimulating the adoption of low-toxicity pesticides.

This study aims to identify the most relevant causal factors and the feedback loops of the dynamics between Tuta absoluta incidence in tomato crops and farmers' reactions to the problem. The authors seek to develop a conceptual model based on farmers' know-how to address crop damage by T. absoluta at a local and regional levels in order to determine how to confront this problem in the tomato-growing region of Sáchica, Colombia.

Community-Based System Dynamics (CBSD) is a participatory research methodology in which a group of stakeholders identifies relevant variables and the cause-effect relations among them which are then arranged into a causal loop diagram. The authors implemented this methodology in a workshop, focused on the farmers' insights related to the pest situation at the local and regional level, to achieve a causal loop diagram that explained pest dynamics and their potential management.

The relevant factors for the presence of T. absoluta, seen in the causal loop diagram, vary regionally and locally. At the local level, the pest impacts tomato production, farmers' well-being and their cash flow, while at the regional level, it affects market dynamics and environment and promotes regional coordination among farmers. Farmers propose product innocuity as a key regional objective. They also proposed establishing a planting calendar and census of greenhouses to control the pest throughout the region and the tomato supply.

First, the synthesized model could not be validated with the farmers due to the COVID 19 epidemic. However, the authors held sessions with experts to analyze each result. Second, decision-makers from the local government did not participate in the workshop. Nevertheless, the approach of the workshop was aimed at understanding the mental models of the farmers since they are the ones who decide how pests are managed. Finally, even though farmers showed interest in projects aimed at proposing area-wide, long-term and wide pest control strategies, there is a risk that they will not adopt the proposed changes, due to risk aversion.

CBSD has not been applied to agricultural systems to analyze impacts from pests at the local and regional levels. The results of this study contribute to designing future interventions for pest control in the region, along with the factors which may turn out to be “side effects” or unwanted results. To design pest control interventions at a regional level, a sound understanding of the variables or factors that control the system dynamics at various levels is required. This study represents the first step towards that end.

The study is an endeavour to find out the preservation status of rare documents in Srinagar. The rare documents, here, mean the manuscripts and rare books, journals, reports, magazines, archival documents, etc. These resources are available in private libraries of individuals and religious institutions in Srinagar. This study aims to find these private libraries of individuals/families and religious institutions, which are unknown to the scholarly world and observe the preservation status of rare documents. The main focus is to document their present preservation status to give an opportunity to the stakeholders, particularly the government organizations, to take appropriate action before they are lost forever.

Before conducting the survey, the investigator interviewed 114 persons including literary persons, faith leaders, librarians, faculty members from various prominent institutions in Srinagar to get leads regarding the persons/families and religious institutions in possession of rare documents. The investigator gathered data through two different schedules and later analyzed the same in this study after carrying out a pilot study to make necessary changes to the schedules compiled for the study. The investigator visited personally each family/individual and religious institution to gather the data for months together.

An arduous job was carried out in which around 111 individuals/families and religious institutions were found to be having such rare resources. However, the data gathered reveals a dismal picture of private libraries and religious institutions, in possession of rare documents, as almost all caretakers/ families are devoid of any knowledge regarding the maintenance of these important sources of knowledge. Further, the traditional methods of preservation are still in vogue in some private libraries. These traditional methods have opened new areas of research while at the same time can prove detrimental to the collection if they are useless.

The study is the first of its kind in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir i.e. Srinagar. The study gives an idea of preservation status of manuscripts and rare documents including books, magazines, journals, archival documents, etc. so that the same are taken care of for posterity. The study is an eye-opener for the policymakers, conservators, archivists and others interested in historical documents. The study will help in furthering the research process as it needs to be ascertained whether the traditional methods of preservation are fruitful. In short, the study is quite helpful in understanding the nature of collection in Srinagar so that appropriate steps are taken by all particularly the Government in J&K. The paper will surely help in the policy formulation in the future.

World agriculture faces enormous challenges in the coming decades. To feed the world adequately in 2050, agricultural production in developing economies will need to nearly double. Incremental production will mainly come from increases in yields or cropping intensities. This chapter focuses on the potential of genetically modified (GM) crops to contribute to agricultural productivity growth and poverty reduction in developing economies. On the basis of a comprehensive literature review of the most recent literature, we aim to shed light on (a) whether GM crops benefit farmers in developing economies and (b) whether GM crops that are currently in the research pipeline address future challenges for agriculture. The first part of the chapter reviews farm-level impacts of GM crops in developing economies. The second part discusses the GM crop research pipeline. GM crop markets are expected to grow in the future but not to change dramatically. We conclude that GM crops benefited farmers, including resource-poor farmers, in developing economies, but benefits are location- and individual-specific. Addressing such complexities will be required to unlock technology potentials.

In our March issue, we discussed briefly the reappearance of the deficiency diseases among children in parts of this country; particularly rickets and, as far as our own experience goes, mainly among the immigrant peoples. With evidence on every hand of bigger and bonnier babies, school children several pounds heavier and at least two inches taller than the average of a generation ago; stores bulging with foods of every description and the accent always on the health aspect of foods, this news may have been difficult to believe. Now, under the title “Rickets Recurs in British Children”, the May issue of the Practitioner contains a survey of the increasing incidence of rickets among children in the Glasgow area (Arneil, Gavin O., 1964, Pract. 192, 652).

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the implications of and assess the economic and sustainable impact of environmentally friendly technological packages introduced into agribusiness players in the centre of chilli-producing regions of Indonesia.

This study used a theory of optimisation in production as a fundamental analysis. Producers are assumed to maximise profit by allocating rational amounts of inputs as the components of technological packages. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods was used. The rate of technology adoption was evaluated, and agribusiness performance was measured using an economic advantage and technical efficiency. Data were compiled using group discussions and individual surveys.

The packages of technologies improved economic and sustainability performance of agribusiness resulting from efficient use of agrochemicals and water resource, and increase the production. Socio-economic and technical factors influenced performance farmers, as agribusiness players responded positively towards the ecological technology packages.

The sustainability of agribusiness was indicated by the reduction in agrochemical use and by the efficient use of water irrigation. There are other measures of sustainability, which are beyond this study. Additional studies are expected to fill the gap.

Considerable potential exists for broad adoption of these technological packages in Indonesia if they are disseminated effectively and in a close partnership with local extension agencies, farmers’ organisations, local non-governmental organisations and private sectors.

This study provides a realistic representation of a current condition because this is an empirical study conducted at the grass-root level. Sustainability of agribusiness practices was achieved with ecological technological packages.

This paper aims to review scientific contributions that are essential to reduce the challenges to food security in Africa through food processing and appropriate storage technologies.

Several literature studies on the role of food processing and appropriate storage technologies in ensuring food security and food availability in Africa were critically reviewed.

The study revealed that the world faces multiple challenges to food security including under nutrition and overconsumption, rising food prices, population growth, rapid diet transitions, threats to agricultural production, inefficient production practices and supply chains and declining investment in food system research. Many people lack adequate amounts of foods that are rich in the nutrients needed for a healthy and productive life. According to FAO, 1996, chronic undernutrition affects 43 per cent of the Africa’s population or some 215 million people in sub-Saharan Africa. Food security is highly instrumental to the economic growth and sustainability of any country. The use of simple but effective on- and off-farm storage facilities and agro-processing technology should be promoted to add value to products and increase their shelf-life. The Strategic Grain Reserve Scheme should be modernized, strengthened and upgraded to a National Food Reserve Program, which will enable it to handle all staples and essential food products. This will help in attainment of national food security goal. It is also crucial to promote and develop agro-processing in the various African countries for the evolution of virile agro-allied industries and rural micro-enterprises.

The paper reviewed the role of food processing and appropriate food storage technologies in ensuring food security and availability in Africa. There are insufficient data and information on adoption of new food processing and appropriate storage technologies in Africa. Although, there have been some instances where the introduction of modern techniques has resulted in products rejection by consumers.

The paper helps in reviewing food situation in Africa and how to make food available for the people and Africa food secured.

This paper revealed strategies that could be used to improve food security and ensuring food availability in Africa.

This review paper is of value to policymakers, government agencies responsible for food quality control and assurance and consumers to make food available and affordable for the people.

The last two years have witnessed what may justly be described as a revolutionary change in the packaging and marketing of goods, of which pre‐packed food constitutes a substantial part, but as far as public reaction goes, it has largely been a silent witness. There has been none of the outcry such as accompanied metrication, sufficient to call a halt to the process, and especially to the introduction of the decimal currency, of which most shoppers are convinced they were misled, “conned”. Every effort to make the changeover as smooth as possible was made; included was the setting up within the Department of Trade of a National Metrological Co‐ordinating Unit charged with co‐ordinating the work of 91 local weights and measures authorities in Great Britain in enforcing the new law, the Weights and Measures Act, 1979. This Act replaced the net or minimum system of the old law, the traditional system, re‐enacted in the Weights and Measures Act, 1963 with the average system, implementing EEC Directives and bringing weights and measures into line with Member‐states of the European Community.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the barriers inhibiting horticulture product export from Nigeria, particularly to the UK, and identify those requiring resolution if global horticulture value chains (GHVCs) are to contribute to economic growth in Nigeria.

A single-case (embedded) research design was adopted. In total, 26 participants from five stakeholder groups (namely, farmers, exporters, air freight forwarders, aviation operators and government institutions) were selected for investigation to examine the research problem.

The empirical investigation showed that: the existing institutional framework, infrastructure and logistics issues, market penetration issues, stakeholders’ incompetence, food safety and quality issues, high transaction costs, operational challenges of exporting, neglect of agriculture and the existing airline market structure are prominent barriers that require resolution if horticultural product exports are to increase.

The study focuses on the analysis of five key stakeholder groups upstream in the supply chain. Further investigation should include stakeholders downstream (importers, wholesalers and retailers).

The specific case study of horticultural product export from Nigeria offers empirically rich insights into the barriers hindering the participation of Nigeria in GHVCs.

This paper aims to explore the potential of blockchain technology (BT) to support the operational excellence in perishable food supply chain (PFSC) during outbreaks, by doing use-case analysis.

A systematic literature review is performed to determine the dimensions of operational excellence in the food supply chain (FSC), then a single use-case analysis is conducted to explore the potential of blockchain in order to achieve operational excellence for PFSC during the pandemics by applying context, interventions, mechanism and outcomes (CIMO) logic.

The findings of this study reveal that blockchain capabilities such as immutability and transparency, visibility, traceability, integration and interoperability, disintermediation and decentralisation, smart contracts and consensus mechanism provide better sustainable operational excellence outcomes for PFSCs to be more responsive, flexible, efficient and collaborative to cope with the impacts of COVID-19.

This research employs only one real case with multiple PFSC participants. Statistical generalisation is not possible at this stage of the research. However, the findings are not restricted to this single use-case.

This study provides a research direction to explore the potential of BT to achieve operational excellence in the PFSC during outbreaks and generates prescriptive knowledge for better managerial decision-making across the PFSC during outbreaks.

This research conducts semi-structured interviews with different participants in one blockchain ecosystem to understand multiple participants' perspectives of operational excellence within PFSC.