Malawi: reforming the state's role in agricultural marketing

The role of the state in agricultural marketing activities has been a contentious issue in many countries undergoing structural adjustment. This paper examines three examples of smallholder market reform in Malawi to illustrate the case for various forms of state involvement and the complexities involved in reducing the state's role when this is required.     

Private agricultural research in Asia

Agricultural research in South and South-east Asia was started by a mix of private companies, commodity groups and governments. In the 1960s and 1970s, government research increased rapidly, commodity groups declined in importance and there were signs of private research growth. Recently, the increased demand for modern inputs and changes in government policy provide greater incentives for private research, but first they have to resolve a number of issues about the role private research should play in their societies.     

The impact of agricultural research on productivity and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa

While it is widely recognized that agricultural research is a key driver of broad-based technological change in agriculture that benefits the poor in many different ways, little is known about its aggregate impacts on productivity growth and poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Using a polynomial distributed lag structure for agricultural research within a simultaneous system of equations framework, this paper first demonstrates that agricultural research contributes significantly to productivity growth in SSA. Productivity growth is again shown to raise per capita incomes, with income increases finally having significant poverty-reducing effects. With an aggregate rate of return of 55%, the payoffs to agricultural research are also impressive. Agricultural research currently reduces the number of poor by 2.3 million or 0.8% annually. While the actual impacts are not large enough to more than offset the poverty-increasing effects of population growth and environmental degradation, the potential impacts of agricultural research are far greater. Apart from low research investments, SSA faces several constraints outside the research system that hinder realization of potential research benefits. The results show that doubling research investments in SSA would reduce poverty by 9% annually. However, this would not be realized without more efficient extension, credit, and input supply systems.     

A current research information system for the management of agricultural research

Abstract
A generalized current research information and costing system for management of an agricultural research programme is described by reference to the Agricultural Research Current Information System (ARCIS) of the Agricultural and Food Research Council of the United Kingdom.     

Pro-poor agricultural biotechnology: Can the international research system deliver the goods?

While global investment in agricultural research by the private sector is increasing with growth in developing country markets and the emergence of new technologies, complementary public sector investment is stagnating or declining in many developing countries. This review argues that the changing roles of the public and private sectors in generating new scientific knowledge may adversely affect the diffusion of explicitly pro-poor technologies—technologies that are simultaneously yield-enhancing and poverty-reducing. Comparing historical evidence from the Green Revolution with recent evidence from the emerging era of agricultural biotechnology, this review argues that a more pluralistic international system for agricultural research will be more responsive to poverty only if the strategic leadership role of the public sector is strengthened, certain research functions are reallocated to the private sector, and new policy and organizational mechanisms are used to stimulate pro-poor research in and for developing-country agriculture.     

Linking corporate strategy to capital structure: diversification strategy,type and source of financing

This study examines the relationship between corporate strategy and capital structure, specifically the diversfication and financing strategies of a firm. The results show that equity financing is preferred for related diversification and unrelated diversification is associated with debt financing. Additionally, firms diversifying through acquisitions are more likely to use public sources of financing and those emphasizing internal development of new businesses depend primarily on private sources of financing. Using simultaneous equation estimation, we found a reciprocal relationship between a firm's financial strategy and its corporate diversification strategy. Mode and nature of diversification are also reciprocally interrelated. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fertilizers to support agricultural development in sub-Saharan Africa: what is needed and why

Substantial growth in inorganic fertilizer use is a prerequisite for sustained agricultural growth in sub-Saharan Africa. Increased fertilizer use can lead to modest but immediate and important increases in yields, while the profitability of other technologies will be stifled without adequate plant nutrients. Average fertilizer application rates in sub-Saharan Africa need to increase from 10 kg/ha to 50 kg/ha within 10 years to prevent mining of soil nutrients. That implies an 18% annual growth rate. This is substantially higher than trends in the region, but within a reasonable range of historically observed levels from other parts of the world. While over-use of fertilizers can create environmental problems, this is not a widespread problem in sub-Saharan Africa, and should not become one as a result of applying 50 kg/ha of inorganic fertilizers. Rather, near-term environmental concerns in agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa will stem from the lack of intensification. Farmer demand for fertilizers and the physical capacity to make fertilizers available are the two key issues that determine whether a 50-kg/ha goal will be attained. However, demand-side incentives cannot be separated from fertilizer supply possibilities. Several studies document that the simple physical availability of fertilizers to farmers, in the appropriate quantity, packages and at the appropriate time of year, remains a main constraint on increased fertilizer use in sub-Saharan Africa.     

Short-term financing in a cash-constrained supply chain

In this paper we consider a two-level supply chain with a single retailer and a manufacturer, where both the firms are facing financial constraints and can not produce/order their optimal quantity. Our work shows that a lender who finances the manufacturer has a motivation to finance the retailer as well. Motivated by this, we investigate lender's problem of financing both the firms by making a joint decision on the loan amount and comparing it with the case when lender makes independent decision on loan amount for both the firms. Our numerical study indicates that if one of the firms in the supply chain has sufficiently low cash, joint decision (we refer to it as supply chain financing) may be better not only for the lender but for the retailer and manufacturer as well.     

施工企业筹资成本与工程造价的关系

目前,我国的建筑市场基本是卖方市场,施工企业为了承包工程绝大部分是在垫资施工,这就使得施工企业背上了沉重的财务负担。本文从施工企业垫资施工入手,分析垫资的危害及施工企业的筹资的原因,进而分析施工企业的筹资成本与项目工程造价之间的关系,通过分析得到施工企业的筹资成本对项目的工程造价有很大的影响,最后提出了几种解决我国建筑市场上这种不合理现象的措施,对于企业工程项目管理人员进行工程项目成本管理有一定的参考作用。     

BT模式下融资风险管理

分析了BT模式下的融资风险,认为风险并不是独立存在的,而是有着一定的相互影响关系。利用ISM技术将风险间关系清晰地表达了出来,并在此基础上提出了风险管理策略和应对措施。针对BT模式的融资风险管理,提出了对该模式的改进意见,能更好的降低风险。     

The AMS in agricultural trade negotiations: a review

This article reviews the role of the Aggregate Measure of Support (AMS) in the agricultural trade negotiations of the Uruguay Round. Contrary to expectations at the start of these negotiations, the AMS only occupies a subsidiary position in the final agreement. In order to explain this, first an economic analysis is presented of the Producer Subsidy Equivalent (PSE), the basic AMS concept in the GATT discussions. Secondly, the political AMS debate is described and analysed, using information from unpublished GATT documents. Although the PSE concept is based on simple assumptions, its measurement already meets a number of difficult problems (policy coverage, product coverage, external reference prices, currency). Once these are solved, the concept may offer a brief insight into actual governmental support in agriculture. However, the calculations do not provide a sound measure of the trade distortions caused by agricultural policies. Mainly for that reason, the idea of a pure aggregated approach—based on the AMS—proved unsuccessful in the negotiations. Instead, the Contracting Parties accepted the framework of making binding agreements on three separate areas: internal support, market access and export support. While important and very specific commitments were made in the areas of agricultural imports and exports, the AMS has only found application in the internal support area.     

Technology development and adoption rates: Systems approach for agricultural research and extension

Adoption of new technology in peasant agriculture remains lower than expected. Failure to achieve expected returns is associated more with insufficiencies in the conduct of research than with external and economic factors such as price structure or lack of agricultural support services. This article sets out the case for national agricultural research and extension structures that emphasize on-farm research with a systems approach.     

Smallholders' perceptions and preferences for market attributes promoting sustained participation in modern agricultural value chains

Connecting smallholder farmers to modern agricultural value chains (henceforth high-value markets [HVMs]) represents a credible pathway to improving the welfare of farmers in developing countries. Smallholder exit rates from HVMs remains high, raising concerns about their sustained participation of smallholders in HVMs. We conduct a Best-Worst Scaling choice experiment with horticultural farmers in Kenya to understand their perceptions and preferences for market attributes that could promote sustained participation in HVMs. A unique feature of our study examines smallholders' best or worst choice consistency as means to further understand their thought process. Our results reveal that smallholders mostly expressed preference for a flexible incentive-based pricing option and long-term formal relationships with their buyers. Delayed payments and high investment requirements were the worst market attributes chosen by smallholders. Preference heterogeneity was driven by the farming experience, gender, income and location of the farmers. We find that smallholders are well aware of conditions that might motivate exit from HVMs relative to conditions that facilitate participation in HVMs. Our findings demonstrate the relevance of various key market attributes central to participation in HVMs, while teasing out the various coordination roles cooperatives, non-governmental organisations can play in facilitating sustained smallholder participation in HVMs.     

我国电力普遍服务问题研究

首先提出了电力普遍服务的定义与内涵,对电力普遍服务的必要性和资金来源进行了详细讨论;接着分析了我国电力普遍服务的发展历程、现状和存在的问题;最后明确提出,我国应该构建与电力体制改革和市场化改革相适应的、具有中国特色的新型电力普遍服务机制,对普遍服务的责任主体和资金来源、阶段目标、实施主体和实现方式、服务对象和业务范围、管理机制和成本补偿机制进行明确,为我国电力普遍服务提供法律保障。     

US agricultural research politics: Utopians,utilitarians, copians

Political support for US public agricultural research institutions has come from first users within the industry and from those interested in the long-run consequences of improved agricultural technology. Public funding for agricultural research was initially supported by ‘utopians’, who envisioned technology development as a route to food abundance and reduced labour. Recently, ‘dystopian’ groups have urged reform in the development process and have suggested alternative scenarios for coping with food needs in the twenty-first century. Major contemporary support comes from first users, including regional and commodity producer groups, and also from innovative farmers. These ‘utilitarians’ have also produced a scenario for coping with future food needs. Unsuccessful efforts have been made to reconcile the research agendas of these contrasting scenarios.     

How advanced is the strategy paradigm? The role of particularism and universalism in shaping research outcomes

As the field of strategy reaches its 25th anniversary, we examine how far the field has progressed during that time. Both management and strategy research have been characterized as being in an early stage of development. We draw on Kuhn's ( 1996 ) paradigm development model, which posits a connection between a field's stage of maturity and research processes and outcomes, to assess the maturity of the strategy field. We conduct two studies. The first is a cross‐discipline comparison of productivity norms for university faculty. The second study examines longitudinal research outcomes for a sample of 945 strategy faculty. Our results indicate that strategy has the attributes of both an early stage and mature field: while overall research norms are low relative to other fields, they are driven far more by merit‐based than non‐merit factors. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Plant breeders' rights and international agricultural research

Enactment of plant breeders' rights legislation has recently been a contentious political issue in several countries. An economic perspective to the issue is presented through consideration of the structure of the plant breeding and seed industries. A theoretical account is given of the probable economic effects of plant breeders' rights legislation in developing countries. Aspects which might be usefully considered when examining whether a particular developing country should enact plant breeders' rights legislation are also discussed. Finally, general issues faced by the international agricultural research centres with respect to plant breeders' rights are also outlined and some particular issues discussed.     

存货质押融资分阶段利率决策模型的构建

随着保理融资各交易阶段的进行,保理商所承受的风险相对由高至低,保理商利润非负的临界质押率水平及利率水平都发生了相应的动态变化。从价格波动规律出发,以进出口保理融资业务为代表,在满足下侧风险限制条件下,提出保理商针对各交易阶段提供融资业务利率的决策模型,并在此基础上分析保理融资中质押率、价格、违约可能性与利率的相互关系。研究得出利率水平随着各交易阶段的进行呈逐渐降低的趋势,灵活把握融资各阶段质押物价值、违约等风险因子变化,有利于降低融资风险性。     

Targeting agricultural research and extension for food security and poverty alleviation: A case study of fish farming in Central Cameroon

Over 5 years of participatory on-farm research, market access, profitability, farming systems productivity and economic sustainability were compared on 100 small-scale farms in Central Cameroon. Integration technology based on the use of agricultural by-products as fishpond inputs was the driver for intensification. Over all farms, fishpond productivity increased from 498 kg to 1609 kg fish/ha (2145 kg/ha/yr). During the project period, the number of active fish farmers increased from 15 to 192 (including 55 farms which participated only through information exchange). Over all farms, net returns from aquaculture increased by 5 times over pre-project levels. Productivity, intensity and profitability increased more significantly in periurban areas with good market access, compared to rural areas. Among farmers with good market access, average net income from the aquaculture enterprise rose from $118 up to $1485. Research-Extension Team (RET) support cost an average of $61,300 per year. Over 5 years, rural farmers recaptured 23% of the relevant RET investment compared to 442% by periurban farmers. Likewise, increase in production attributable to RET intervention was higher for periurban (253%) compared to rural (11.3%) fish farmers. Within 3 years of the end of extension support, rural farmers had returned to pre-project production levels, whereas periurban farms had better maintained their productivity and profitability. Findings indicate that, in areas with little or no access to markets, the number of fishponds and fish farmers can be increased and yields improved, increasing local food supplies, but sustainability in the absence of extension subsidies is questionable. To achieve either of the two principal goals for the sector, food security and/or poverty alleviation, investments need to be made in improving the availability of quality technical assistance to targeted farmers and finding means of reducing social conflict arising from perceived inequalities in the accrual of the benefits of development.