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Thursday, 6 April 2017

Off-Farm Work and Economic Performance on Corn Farms

Author
Richard Nehring, Ashok Mishra (ashok.k.mishra@asu.edu), Jorge Fernandez-Cornejo, Charlie Hallahan, Kenneth Erickson and Michael Harris

Abstract: This paper examines the effect of off-farm work on the economic performance of corn farms. It estimates returns to scale and technical efficiency following an input distance function approach and compares the relative performance of corn farm operator households with and without off-farm work. We use farm-level data from the USDA’s ARMS survey for 2002-2011. The impact of off-farm work on scale and technical efficiency is examined at the household level. We find that off-farm income boosts scale efficiency on corn farms. We also find that operator hours worked off farm negatively affects technical efficiency, while we find no impact on technical efficiency for spouse hours worked off farm. Finally, we find that corn farms relying on off farm income have comparable returns on farm assets across all size classes, but significantly higher household returns (with off-farm income and assets accounted for) across all size classes.
Keywords: Consumer/Household Economics; Farm Management; Labor and Human Capital (search for similar items in EconPapers)
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr, nep-eff, nep-hrm and nep-lma
Date: 2013-06
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Looking at Pro-Poor Growth from an Agricultural Perspective

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World Development, 2017, vol. 90, issue C, pages 147-168

Abstract: Pro-poor growth has been identified as one of the most promising pathways to accelerate poverty reduction in developing countries. The diagnostic pro-poor growth toolbox has so far focused on the income dimension as well as key non-income achievements in education and health. This article contributes to the literature by expanding the toolbox with several new measures that take into account the extraordinary importance of agricultural productivity for poverty reduction in developing countries. We distinguish between land productivity and labor productivity and find that the poor identified by low incomes, poor education outcomes, low land productivity and low labor productivity overlap only to a small degree, suggesting that analyses of pro-poor growth from these different perspectives are complementary. The toolbox is then applied to three comparable household surveys from Rwanda (EICV data for the years 1999–2001, 2005–06, and 2010–11), a country that has experienced impressive economic growth since the genocide in the mid-1990s and that has undertaken considerable efforts to increase agricultural productivity and improve the population’s access to social services over the first decade of the 2000s. Our application shows that the enormous progress made in the income, education, and health dimension of well-being has been pro-poor according to most definitions of the concept. The new tools reveal that the land productivity-poor experienced pro-poor growth in the relative (and absolute) sense while the labor productivity-poor increased their labor productivity relatively (but not absolutely) faster than the labor productivity-rich even though the former dispose of considerably lower education levels.
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Working Paper: Looking at Pro-Poor Growth from an Agricultural Perspective (2016) Downloads
Working Paper: Looking at Pro-Poor Growth from an Agricultural Perspective (2013) Downloads
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Implications of Non-Farm Work to Vulnerability to Food Poverty-Recent Evidence From Northern Ghana

Author
Yacob A. Zereyesus, Weldensie T. Embaye, Francis Tsiboe (ftsiboe@hotmail.com) and Vincent Amanor-Boadu
World Development, 2017, vol. 91, issue C, pages 113-124

Abstract: Using survey data from northern Ghana, this study seeks to establish the impact of participation in non-farm work on the vulnerability of resource poor households to food poverty. Vulnerability to food poverty is assessed based on expected future food expenditure of households. The potential endogeneity problem associated with participation in non-farm work by households is overcome using a novel instrumental variable approach. Analysis of the determinants of expected future food expenditure is done using a standard Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS) method. Demographic and socioeconomic variables, location variables, and household facilities are included in the model as control variables. Our study finds that participation in non-farm work significantly increased the future expected food consumption, thereby alleviating the vulnerability of households to food poverty. Our study also confirms that current food poverty and future food poverty, i.e., vulnerability to food poverty, are not independent from each other. Non-farm work plays a crucial role in providing the means to overcome the risk of food poverty in these resource poor households. Policies that promote off-farm income generating activities, such as small businesses and self-employment, as well as the creation and support of businesses that absorb extra labor from the farm, should be encouraged in the study region. Because households in the study region are exposed to above average levels of hunger and food poverty, the study recommends the government of Ghana and development partners to take measures that enhance the resilience of these resource poor households.
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How Does Gender Affect Sustainable Intensification of Cereal Production in the West African Sahel? Evidence from Burkina Faso

Author
Veronique Theriault, Melinda Smale and Hamza Haider
World Development, 2017, vol. 92, issue C, pages 177-191

Abstract: Better understanding of gender differences in the adoption of agricultural intensification strategies is crucial for designing effective policies to close the gender gap while sustainably enhancing farm productivity. We examine gender differences in adoption rates, likelihood and determinants of adopting strategy sets that enhance yields, protect crops, and restore soils in the West African Sahel, based on analysis of cereal production in Burkina Faso. Applying a multivariate probit model to a nationally representative household panel, we exploit the individual plot as unit of analysis and control for plot manager characteristics along with other covariates. Reflecting the socio-cultural context of farming combined with the economic attributes of inputs, we find that female managers of individual cereal fields are less likely than their male counterparts to adopt yield-enhancing and soil-restoring strategies, although no differential is apparent for yield-protecting strategies. More broadly, gender-disaggregated regressions demonstrate that adoption determinants differ by gender. Plot manager characteristics, including age, marital status, and access to credit or extension services do influence adoption decisions. Furthermore, household resources influence the probability of adopting intensification strategy sets differently by gender of the plot manager. Variables expressing the availability of household labor strongly influence the adoption of soil-restoring strategies by female plot managers. By contrast, household resources such as extent of livestock owned, value of non-farm income, and area planted to cotton affect the adoption choices of male plot managers. Rectifying the male bias in extension services along with improving access to credit, income, and equipment to female plot managers could contribute to sustainable agricultural intensification.
Keywords: adoption; cereals; gender; intensification; Burkina Faso; West Africa(search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Coffee Certification and Forest Quality: Evidence from a Wild Coffee Forest in Ethiopia

Author
World Development, 2017, vol. 92, issue C, 158-166

Abstract: Shade coffee certification programs that aim to conserve the forest and to prevent forest degradation have attracted an increasing amount of attention. However, such programs’ impact on forest degradation remains unclear because of the absence of empirical evidence. In addition, there is heated debate about whether certification programs create an incentive for producers to expand their coffee-growing areas, which may accelerate forest degradation in the surrounding natural forest. This study, which was conducted in Ethiopia, aimed to evaluate the impact of a shade coffee certification program on forest degradation. Additionally, to provide empirical evidence for the debate, we examined the spillover effects of certification to surrounding forest areas and used remote sensing data of 2005 and 2010 to classify forest areas based on their density. We applied matching methods, such as the propensity score matching with different algorithms, to compare forest coffee areas with and without the certification. We found that the certified forest coffee areas slightly increased in forest density. By contrast, we observed drastic forest degradation in the forest coffee areas without certification. We checked the sensitivity of our results and found that our results are robust to potential hidden bias. Furthermore, our empirical results revealed that the natural forest areas within a 100-m radius from the forest coffee boundary area exhibited significantly reduced forest degradation compared with forest areas under similar environmental conditions but that such positive and significant impact diminished after 100-m distance. These results indicate that the certification program is effective in alleviating forest degradation in the certified area and in the surrounding natural forest.
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Reduced Deforestation and Economic Growth

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Abstract: The clearing of forests for agricultural land and other marketable purposes is a well-trodden path of economic development. With these private benefits from deforestation come external costs: emissions from deforestation currently account for 12 per cent of global carbon emissions. A widespread intervention in reducing emissions from deforestation will affect the paths of agricultural expansion and economic growth of lower income nations. To investigate these processes, this paper presents a general, dynamic, stochastic model of deforestation and economic growth. The model is shown to generate unique deforestation and investment paths and a model without reduced deforestation policy is shown to have a stationary distribution of income and landholdings. There are three main findings. First, in the short run national output growth falls with compensation for reduced deforestation. Second, deforestation rates are reduced through compensating either reduced deforestation directly or the stock of forests; however, compensating the stock of forests is likely to be prohibitively expensive. Finally, by offering a fixed compensation rate, as opposed to a compensation rate tied to a stochastic carbon price, further reductions in deforestation can be achieved.
Keywords: Reduced deforestation; economic growth; climate policy; stochastic stability(search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q38 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
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Date: 2014-02
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Identifying and ascribing the relative significance of introduction pathways for non-native plants into Iceland

Author
Wasowicz Pawel (pawel@ni.is)
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Environmental & Socio-economic Studies, 2014, vol. 2, issue 4, pages 28-37

Abstract: The study is aimed at identifying pathways frequently used by non-native plant species, assessing their relative significance and development in time. Pathways were defined following NOBANIS framework (Madsen et al., 2014). Species assessments were based on HARMONIA scheme (Branquart, 2007). Four categories of environmental hazards were assessed plus two additional categories summarizing impacts on health and economy. Temporal development of pathways was assessed using cumulative per annum taxa records. To quantify the activity of investigated pathways over time an index (δ10) showing the number of new species introduced during the period of 10 years was calculated. The study shows that horticulture, landscaping and agriculture can be pointed out as pathways of concern in Iceland. A set of species of concern is also proposed. Two plant taxa are included in A list (high risk species): Anthriscus sylvestis and Lupinus nootkatensis. Three taxa are placed in B list (watch list): Heracleum mantegazzianum, Heracleum persicum and Pinus contorta. Results of the present study are compared with similar studies carried out in Denmark, Scandinavia and Baltic countries. Different measures to prevent introductions of new and potentially dangerous non-native species are also discussed including selection of good practices that may significantly reduce the threat from non-native species used in agriculture and horticulture.
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Micromorphological study (ultrastructure of lamina surface, seeds, ultrasculpture of pollen grains) of Gladiolus L. species (Iridaceae Juss.) of Ukrainian flora

Author
Zhygalova Svitlana L. (snizil@rambler.ru), Futorna Oksana A. and Levanets Anatoliy
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Environmental & Socio-economic Studies, 2014, vol. 2, issue 4, pages 21-27

Abstract: Micro-morphological characteristics of the four Gladiolus L. species of the Ukrainian flora (G. imbricatus L., G. italicus Mill., G. palustris Gaudin and G. tenuis M. Bieb.) as regards leaves, seeds and pollens are presented with this investigation in a detailed way. An examination of the surface structure of the leaves, seeds and pollen grains of the Gladiolus species indicates that the characteristics of the ultrastructure of leaves and of pollen grains are not diagnostic for distinguishing species, but they could be important at genus level (leaves: features such as being amphistomatic, having the same quantity of immersed stomata on both surfaces and having a high stomata index, the presence and localisation of papillae, the shape of epidermal cells; pollen grains: monosulcate type with two operculums). However, the type of surface ultrastructure of the seed coat is a diagnostic feature as at genus level so for species. It can be mentioned that propose the use of features such as the shape and position of the cicatricle, the type of cuticle, the shape and boundaries of cells of testa, and the anticlinal cell walls as diagnostic features at genera level. The shape of seeds, the presence and disposition of wing, the level of the periclinal cell walls of the seed coat and types of relief are additional diagnostic features for distinguishing of Gladiolus species.
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Invasive species in the flora of the Starobilsk grass-meadow steppe (Ukraine)

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Kucher Oksana O. (prykhodko.oksana@mail.ru)
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Environmental & Socio-economic Studies, 2015, vol. 3, issue 2, pages 11-22

Abstract: The results of an investigation of the invasive species in the flora of the Starobilsk grass-meadow steppe are presented. Check-list of alien plant has over 386 species of vascular plants of which 28 species are invasive. We have identified 6 transformer species from the invasive plants. We aggregate data on the entry, distribution history, ecology, occurrence in different plant communities, degree of their naturalization and the habitats where they occur. The leading families of invasive species are: Asteraceae. The basis for this group is presented by origin from the North America and the Mediterranean. With respect to the time of immigration, most of them are kenophytes. By the method of introduction, ksenophytes are dominated; according to the degree of naturalization epoecophytes and agriophytes dominate in this group. With regard to the characteristics of life forms, half of invasive species are terophytes. The vast majority of plants are heliophytes and xeromesophytes. Most species are found in biotopes group I: Cultivated agricultural biotopes; least of all species found in biotopes group F: Biotopes dominated by chamephytes and nanophanerophytes. Only 3 species found in biotopes group F: Biotopes dominated by chamephytesand nanophanerophytes. The maps of distribution of 28 invasive species are provided. Most of the species marked dispersed in more than 30 squares.
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Plant occurrence on burning coal waste – a case study from the Katowice-WeÅ‚nowiec dump, Poland

Author
Ciesielczuk Justyna (justyna.ciesielczuk@us.edu.pl), Czylok Andrzej, FabiaÅ„ska Monika J. and Misz-Kennan Magdalena
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Environmental & Socio-economic Studies, 2015, vol. 3, issue 2, pages 1-10

Abstract: Coal-waste dumps superimposed on former rubbish dump frequently undergo selfheating and selfignition of organic matter dispersed in the waste. The special conditions for plant growth generated as a result have been investigated since 2008 on the municipal dump reclaimed with coal wastes in Katowice-WeÅ‚nowiec, Poland. The plants observed most frequently where heating has occurred are Sisymbrium loeselii, Artemisia vulgaris, Sonchus arvensis, Chenopodium album, Achillea millefolium, Cirsium arvense, Amaranthus retroflexus, Atriplex nitens and Solanum nigrum. Some new, rare species such as Portulaca oleracea, first noticed in 2011, may be added. Most of encroaching species are annual, alien archeophytes and neophytes. Native species are mainly perennials. The majority of these species show a tendency to form specimens of huge size (gigantism). The abundance of emitted CO2 and nitrogen compounds is the likely cause of this. Additionally, the plants growing there are not attacked by insects. The heating of the ground liquidates the natural seed bank. After cooling, these places are seeded by species providing seeds at that very moment (pioneer species). Heated places on the dumps allow plant growth even in the middle of winter. As the seasonal vegetation cycle is disturbed, plants may be found seeding, blooming and fruiting at the same time.
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Advantages and Disadvantages of Fasting for Runners

Author BY   ANDREA CESPEDES  Food is fuel, especially for serious runners who need a lot of energy. It may seem counterintuiti...