African aquaculture: Realizing the potential

Despite 40 years of research and development, and hundreds of millions of dollars spent, aquaculture is struggling to realize its high biophysical potential in Africa. Hampered by ineffective institutional arrangements and donor-driven projects, the substantial gains in desperately needed food security and economic growth predicted by development agencies have generally not been achieved. Nevertheless, African aquaculture has demonstrated its competitiveness, producing fishes that feed low on the food chain in a range of well-adapted, environmentally friendly and profitable farming systems that meet the needs of a broad spectrum of user-groups. Key constraints to broader growth include lack of good quality seed, feed and technical advice; poor market infrastructure and access; and weak policies that, rather than accelerate, impede expansion, largely by emphasizing central planning over private sector initiative. If African aquaculture is to make substantial and much needed contributions to the continent’s development, government policy should attempt to facilitate the alleviation of key constraints and rely more heavily on commercial investments to lead future growth. Evidence to date indicates that a pragmatic business approach focusing on small and medium-scale private enterprises would produce more benefits for more people than centrally planned and government led development projects.     

World Bank's assault on the small farmer

The real meaning of the new emphasis of the World Bank on lending to the ‘small farmer’ is an attack on the self-provisioning peasantry aimed at forcing them into closer participation in the market economy. This aim is sometimes achieved forcibly, as in settlement projects, and sometimes through manipulation of price relationships or through a change in tenure systems to create a private market in land. In all cases, credit is the chief instrument used -institutional credit as well as private usury can lead to debt peonage.     

Crop biotechnology and the African farmer

Recent reports, workshops and meetings on GM (Genetically Modified) crops tend to characterize GM food production as a solution to Africa’s food crisis. However, GM crops are currently grown commercially in only one country in Africa – South Africa. Biotechnology tools range from tissue culture to molecular breeding and genetic engineering. This paper focuses on GM crop improvement and analyzes the development of seven GM crops (six food staples and cotton) over the past 15 years in Africa. The case studies reveal a number of unexpected scientific, legal, economic and political barriers to the development of GM crops and long delays in developing and implementing national biosafety regulations and guidelines. We conclude that most GM crops are at least 10–15 years or longer from reaching smallholder farmers in Africa. During this time special attention should be given to strengthening conventional plant breeding programs in NARS (National Agricultural Research Systems), African universities and the CGIAR. Biotechnology approaches must be nested and integrated into plant breeding programs. Special attention should also be given to raising public awareness of biotechnology, mobilizing political support and commitment to strengthening African capacity in biotechnology, biosafety, food safety and IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) and mounting long-term training programs to train the next generation of African plant breeders and GM crop specialists.     

一项技术:让180亿方废水变清水

有意中的无意收获 九十年代初期,武汉科技学院数名教师赴美国、法国等地访问留学,带回来一批国外前沿的印染技术和废水处理技术资料.此前一直致力于纺织印染后整理技术研究的曾庆福教授看到在这些资料后如获至宝,国外前瞻、创造性的研究,让他产生了浓厚的兴趣.     

实现企业信息化提高市场预测水平

随着我国加入WTO和经济全球化的发展趋势,对外贸易大量增长和新的贸易堡垒的出现,对我国出口产品及其包装提出了更高的要求,包装工业由传统迈向现代化的任务十分紧迫。     

实现射孔器标准化提升产品质量

有枪身射孔器主要用于油气井的射孔．是聚能射孔器的一种，它是由聚能射孔弹、密封的钢管（射孔枪）、弹架、起爆传爆部件（或装置）等构成的射孔总成．是利用炸药爆轰的聚能效应产生的高温高压高速的聚能射流完成射孔作业的。在生产中聚能射孔器的性能直接关系着射孔的效果和射孔后对井下环境的影响和破坏，因此，对射孔器的穿透性能、射孔枪的变形（外径胀大、裂纹）、套管伤害（外径胀大、内毛刺高、裂纹等）就要有一个硬性的要求。     

Contractual arrangements between farmer cooperatives and buyers in China

The agrofood market in China is dominated by spot market exchanges of small farmers and various small traders, with only minor penetration of the modern supply chain at the farmgate. The emerging Farmer Professional Cooperatives (FPCs) are expected to facilitate vertical coordination. The overall goal of this study is to investigate the contractual arrangements between the FPCs and the buyers. Based on a national representative survey of 157 FPCs in China, this study shows that 32% of FPCs introduced written contracts in the primary marketing channel. Contracts are more likely to be adopted in the livestock sector and are positively related to the scale of production. While branding promotes contracts between FPCs and buyers, public certification of quality and food safety often substitutes for contracts. Furthermore, the membership heterogeneity of FPCs affects an FPC’s decision to use contractual arrangements with the buyer.     

强化标准化 实现地震勘探新跨越

针对标准化的重要性、地震勘探所面临的问题、应用实例以及效果等方面进行了阐述与分析,在勘探难度以及规模越来越大、战线越来越长、要求越来越高、分工越来越细、生产协作越来越密切、竞争越来越激烈等条件下,通过强化标准化工作,不断实现地震勘探的新跨越,并为今后的地震勘探提供借鉴。     

The potential benefits of herbicide-resistant transgenic rice in Uruguay: Lessons for small developing countries

In many developing countries, the potential benefits from adopting a transgenic variety developed by a multinational corporation are limited by the crop’s small production base. This paper presents an ex-ante evaluation of the economic impact of herbicide resistant transgenic rice in a small developing country, Uruguay. To fully account for the multinational’s market power, the firm’s seed markup is assumed to affect the adoption rate for the variety. Stochastic simulation techniques are employed to understand how potential benefits may vary with changes in technology, yield, costs, and adoption parameters. The results indicate a $1.82 million mean net present value for producers from the development and utilization of transgenic rice in Uruguay and $0.55 million for the multinational. These relatively small multinational firm benefits suggest that a firm will not undertake significant efforts to develop transgenic varieties adapted to local conditions without either strategic partnerships with local institutions or access to wider regional markets.     

创新质量学术研究 实现石油企业又好又快发展

新一届中国质量协会石油分会换届情况根据《中国质量协会分会管理办法》和《中国质量协会石油分会章程》规定,到2008年中国质量协会石油分会（以下简称石油质协）第三届理事会任期5年届满,经石油质协第三届理事会同意和中国质量协会批准（以下简称中国质协）,2008年8-9月,用通讯方式召开了石油质协第四次会员代表大会和理事会。会议全面总结了石油质协第三届理事会5年来的工作,讨论修改了《石油质协章程》和《石油质协经费管理办法》,选举产生了新一届理事120人,常务理事56人。选举中国质量协会副会长、中国石油天然气集团公司副总经理王宜林为理事长,     

推行周日例检 实现驰预防维修

一、周日例检的提出周日例检是维修部门对管辖的设备,组织经验丰富的钳工和电工等专业人员参加,每周或每日按计划、采取停机或不停机的方式进行全面、主动检查和适时、预防修理.周日例检是我公司领导1994年提出的,多年来不断完善.我公司的生产活动特点要求设备连续运转,满负荷生产.为保证生产,提高设备利用率,促进企业的生存与发展,我们提出和开展了周日例检. 二、推行周日例检采取的主要措施为开展好周日例检,我们组织了公司一级和各所属单位的业务培训教育,在工人中以老带新,在实际工作中传授经验.这为提高周日例检工作质量奠定了基础.     

买现六个转变创新设备维检管理

为进一步完善设备维修管理体系,深化设备维修体制改革,更好地发挥维修力量服务生产主业的作用,2007年底,杭钢集团公司通过维修力量的资源整合,成立了维检中心,由原来的独立法人核算单位,归并为股份公司的二级生产单位,企业的定位与职责都发生了新的变化.     

四要素助推"神舟"六号实现光荣与梦想--访中国空间技术研究院院长袁家军

“大漠里‘神舟＇六号腾飞,草原上航天英雄凯旋!”2名航天员驾“神舟”六号寰宇遨游5天后顺利返回,再次聚焦了世界的目光,曾以璀璨发明领先于五大洲的中华民族,又向世界科技中心回归的路上迈出了一大步.成功后,记者采访了“神舟”六号飞船责任人、中国空间技术研究院院长袁家军,他平静地说：是四个要素的强力推进,使“神舟”六号一步冲天,让国人再次梦想成真.     

改进捞砂工具实现防砂筛管内捞砂

辽河金马油田小洼区块采用蒸汽吞吐开采方式，注汽冲刷对近井地带岩石骨架结构破坏严重，致使地层大量出砂。地层出砂成为制约小洼油田开发最主要的矛盾，清砂质量是影响作业成功率的关键。     

The role of farmer organizations in supplying supermarkets with quality food in Vietnam

The development of supermarkets in Vietnam, as in other emerging countries, is accompanied by increasing consumer concern for food quality. This paper investigates whether farmer organizations are able to help small-scale farmers obtain access to supermarkets as well as examines the role that supermarkets and public support play in the emergence and development of these organizations. The paper is based on case studies of a number of stakeholders marketing vegetables, flavored rice and litchi fruit in Vietnam. Eight farmer groups operating in the form of private commercial organizations act as regular supermarket suppliers for the selected products. Their ability to supply supermarkets is related to the combination of functions they make available to their members, especially with regard to promoting and controlling quality for which they receive public support. Their participation in flexible contracts with supermarkets, shops and schools is also a key issue. Supplying supermarkets via farmer associations increases farmers’ profits per kilo compared to traditional chains, but the quantities supplied to supermarkets remain limited. The paper argues that changes in farmer organizations are not primarily due to supplying supermarkets, but rather to public and international support for food quality improvement which has been of benefit to supermarkets.     

Drivers influencing farmer decisions for adopting organic or conventional coffee management practices

Colombia is one of the world’s most important producers of Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica), whose coffee-growing zone coincides with a biogeographic hotspot of biodiversity. Given that coffee agroecosystems are grown by both organic and conventional schemes of management in Santander, a region which produces coffees with specialist distinctive flavours, this study aims to better understand the factors that influence the adoption of these different schemes of management. A combination of ethnographic techniques and quantitative methods were used to examine the predominant drivers of adoption and revealed farmer perceptions associated with coffee farming, and the complexity of interacting factors, that surround their decision making. The results of qualitative analysis suggests that social identity of coffee growers, the existence of farming spaces (lived, perceived, rationalised), the influence of coffee institutions, attitudes about management practices, and social relations of production, all play an important role in the process of decision making. In quantitative terms, we identified 18 socioeconomic drivers, some with interacting effects that had significant influence on the decision to adopt either organic or conventional practices. In particular, at local scale, important factors were technology availability, the type of landowner, formal education of farmers, the role of institutions, membership of community organisations, farm size, coffee productivity and the number of coffee plots per farm. Likewise, economic drivers, such as crop profitability, determined how farmers are involved in trade and market networks at broad regional, national, and international spatial scales. By adopting a more integrated approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methodologies, we characterised the complexity of factors that influencing adoption of coffee management schemes and show that not only financial factors but also a variety of other social factors drive farmer decision making. Identifying the most influential behavioural drivers provides policy with opportunities to better support farmer livelihoods.     

完善生产技术管理体系 实现专业并行管理

分析了当前我国生产企业总工程师领导技术体系的现状,阐述了新形势下酒钢二级厂设立总工程师技术体系的必要性,总结了酒钢总工程师的岗位要求、职责、权利和酒钢技术管理体系的实践效果,对促进同类型企业技术创新能力发展有一定启示。     

实现冷启动及手动、自动双向无扰动切换方法

介绍了一种工业自动控制中实用的无扰动切换方法,此方法是通过修改手动操作器中的少量几条线,用软件方法采集阀门开度,作为自适应模糊控制的基值,从而达到无扰动切换的目的     

基于农民人力资本视角的中国农民收入增长宏观分析框架

提高农民收入是目前十分重要而紧迫的一项任务,而制度供给对于农民收入的增加是边际绩效递减的。长期来看,从农业及农村内部去解决农民增收问题可能性越来越小。指出了农民自身素质即农民人力资本是认识和解决农民收入问题的切入点,并试图在制度供给因素之外,建立起农民人力资本这个长期的影响因子与中国农民收入间的联系。     

迎接新挑战实现产业由大到强的转变

2010年是国内外经济环境极为复杂的一年,面对极为复杂的国内外经济环境、严峻的各类自然灾害和各种重大挑战,我国国民经济运行态势总体良好,经济保持了平稳较快增长,并推进了经济结构调整、体制改革和经济发展方式的转变。