SABIIA - Sistema Aberto e Integrado de Informação em Agricultura (Sabiia)

Liverpool-Tasie, Lenis Saweda O.; Winter-Nelson, Alex.

Despite recent traces of economic growth, Ethiopia remains one of the poorest countries in the world. Though about 80% of its population is engaged in agriculture, agricultural productivity remains low and extremely vulnerable to climatic conditions. The adoption and use of modern technologies is generally accepted as a potential vehicle out of poverty for many but adoption rates in the country remain low with the nature of the adoption process largely unstudied (Spielman et al, 2007). This paper studies the impact of social networks in the technology adoption process in rural Ethiopia. In particular it tests for the presence of social learning effects. In addition to geographic networks, it considers the role played by other networks with more...

A Financial Contracting Approach to the Role of Supermarkets in Farmers' Credit Access

Palavras-chave: Social learning; Persistent poverty; Technology adoption; Ethiopia; Food Security and Poverty; International Development; Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies; O31; O33; Q12; Q13.

Ano: 2009

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/49357

Marcoul, Philippe; Veyssiere, Luc.

Replaced with revised version of paper 10/17/08.

The Economics of Geological CO2 Storage and Leakage

Palavras-chave: Financial Contracting; Development; Financial Intermediation; Food Standards; Organization of Production; Supermarket; Agribusiness; Agricultural Finance; O17; O33; O50; Q12; Q13.

Ano: 2008

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/6366

van der Zwaan, Bob; Gerlagh, Reyer.

The economics of CO2 capture and storage in relation to the possibility of significant leakage of CO2 from geological reservoirs once this greenhouse gas has been stored artificially underground will be among the main determinants of whether CCS can significantly contribute to a deep cut in global CO2 emissions. This paper presents an analysis of the economic and climatic implications of the large-scale use of CCS for reaching a stringent climate change control target, when geological CO2 leakage is accounted for. The natural scientific uncertainties regarding the rates of possible leakage of CO2 from geological reservoirs are likely to remain large for a long time to come. We present a qualitative description, a concise analytical inspection, as well as a...

Microeconomics of Technology Adoption

Palavras-chave: Climate Change; Carbon Dioxide Emission Reduction; Technological Innovation; CO2 Capture and Storage (CCS); Geological Leakage; Environmental Economics and Policy; H21; D58; C61; O33; Q40.

Ano: 2008

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/6372

Foster, Andrew D.; Rosenzweig, Mark R..

There is an emerging consensus among macro-economists that differences in technology across countries accounts for the major differences in per-capita GDP and the wages of workers with similar skills across countries. Accounting for differences in technology levels across countries thus can go a long way towards understanding global inequality. One mechanism by which poorer countries can catch up with richer countries is through technological diffusion, the adoption by low-income countries of the advanced technologies produced in high-income countries. In this survey, we examine recent micro studies that focus on understanding the adoption process. If technological diffusion is a major channel by which poor countries can develop, it must be the case that...

Rural Broadband Internet Access Supply and Demand

Palavras-chave: Technology adoption review; Community/Rural/Urban Development; Farm Management; Food Security and Poverty; International Development; Labor and Human Capital; Land Economics/Use; Production Economics; Productivity Analysis; Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies; O10; O13; O33.

Ano: 2010

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/56760

Stenberg, Peter L.; Morehart, Mitchell J..

Internet use has grown rapidly over the last 15 years and so has its integration into the rural economy. Connecting to the Internet via high-speed technology such as DSL lines, cable, satellite, and wireless networks increases bandwidth and makes the Internet much more useful to businesses, households, and governments. Rural households are almost as likely as urban households to use the Internet. Broadband Internet access in rural areas has been less prevalent than in much more densely populated areas of the country. Evidence suggests that the difference may lie in the higher cost or less availability of broadband Internet access in rural areas. The paucity of national geographically-specific data, however, presents a challenge in trying to analyze...

Profitability of Hermetic Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) Bags for African Common Bean Producers

Palavras-chave: Broadband Internet access; Rural communities; Farm communities; Community/Rural/Urban Development; Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies; Research Methods/ Statistical Methods; O33; R0.

Ano: 2009

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/49361

Jones, Michael; Alexander, Corinne E.; Lowenberg-DeBoer, James.

Bruchid species like Acanthoscelides obtectus (Coleoptera) and Zabrotes subfasciatus (Coleoptera) cause significant storage losses for African common bean producers. The value of storage protection to a market-oriented farmer is a function of price seasonality, value loss prevention, and their respective opportunity costs of capital. Evidence suggests that hermetic technologies like Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) bags could be effective against key legume storage pests, but sustainable technology introduction requires that it be profitable for producers. While PICS bag effectiveness against these specific common bean bruchid species is still under investigation, this analysis references dry weight loss figures from life science articles and builds...

On the interaction between risk-taking and risk-sharing under farm household wealth heterogeneity

Palavras-chave: Agricultural pests; Technology adoption; Phaseolus vulgaris; Hermetic storage; Storage economics; Agribusiness; International Development; Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies; Q16; Q13; O33.

Ano: 2011

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/117708

Delpierre, Matthieu; Verheyden, Bertrand; Weynants, Stephanie.

Empirical evidence on developing countries shows on the one hand that rich farm-households are more keen to adopt new technologies and are higher risk takers than poor households. On the other hand, however, they are shown to be less vulnerable to income shocks than poor farmers. This paper provides a rationale for these observations. Risk averse agents, heterogeneously endowed with wealth, non-cooperatively decide on their level of subscription to risk-sharing and on the degree of individual production risk they take. Rich households take more risks and subscribe more to risk-sharing. Although risk-sharing allows all households to cope with idiosyncratic shocks, the risk-taking behavior of rich households increases the covariate component of poor...

Tipo: Presentation

Palavras-chave: Risk-taking; Risk-sharing; Technology adoption; Farm household; International Development; Risk and Uncertainty; O12; O13; O17; O33.

Ano: 2012

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/122556

Economics of Groundwater Irrigation in Nepal: Some Farm-Level Evidences

Bhandari, Humnath; Pandey, Sushil.

This article examines the economics of groundwater irrigation and shallow tubewell (STW) ownership decision making, using farm-level data collected from 324 households in Nepal. STW irrigation generated a significant positive effect on rice yield and farmers’ incomes. Based on a probit model, the farm size, land fragmentation, access to electricity, and access to credit were found to significantly influence farmers’ decisions to own STWs. Although the water market benefited poor farmers, it is too small and monopolistic. Policy reforms needed to make groundwater accessible to the poor majority include effective credit programs, investments in rural electrification, and public sector support for promoting suitable pumping technologies

Tipo: Journal Article

Palavras-chave: Groundwater irrigation; Probit model; Shallow tubewell; Community/Rural/Urban Development; Crop Production/Industries; Food Security and Poverty; C25; O33.

Ano: 2006

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/43759

Green Revolution Technology Takes Root In Africa: The Promise and Challenge of the Ministry of Agriculture/SG2000 Experiment with Improved Cereals Technology in Ethiopia; Statistical Annex and Copies of Questionnaire

Howard, Julie A.; Kelly, Valerie A.; Stepanek, Julie; Crawford, Eric W.; Demeke, Mulat; Maredia, Mywish K..

Tipo: Report

Palavras-chave: Food security; Food policy; Agricultural inputs; Ethiopia; Crop Production/Industries; Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies; Downloads July 2008 - July 2009: 5; O33.

Ano: 1999

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/54579

ICT and Typical Products: An Analysis of Italian Farms

Platania, Marco; Privitera, Donatella.

The paper discusses the final results of research into the use and impact of ICT on a sample of firms in the Calabria region of southern Italy processing typical food products (salami, citrus fruits, oil, cheese) certified as PDO or PGI. The specific sample was chosen for two reasons: on the one hand to assess the compatibility of ICT in firms where production follows historic and territorial traditions, and on the other to test the hypothesis that the use of ICT in firms processing food products of certified quality should ideally present a greater, more significant impact. The results let us know some characteristics concerning with the introduction and usage of new technology in the examined farms.

Entwicklung eines Modells zur Projektion des Wirtschaftswachstums und der langfristigen Nachfrage nach Produktionsfaktoren in Deutschland: unter besonderer Berucksichtigung des informations- technologischen Innovationsprozesses

Palavras-chave: Computer use; Typical Italian products; Intensity of innovation; Agricultural software use; Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies; Q12; Q16; O33.

Ano: 2005

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/24648

Danckwerts, Rudolf-Ferdinand; Grossmann, Wolf Dieter; Henne, Wolfgang.

Es wird das Konzept für ein makroökonomisches Strukturmodell mit integriertem Innovationsprozesskern zur Analyse und Projektion der Wirtschaftsentwicklung in Deutschland vorgestellt. Das geplante Modell soll explizit die Auswirkungen des immer bedeutsamer werdenden IuK-technologischen Innovationsprozesses auf das Wirtschaftswachstum erfassen. Das Modell besteht aus einem makroökonometrischen Teil zur Darstellung der gesamtwirtschaftlichen Entwicklung und einem systemdynamischen Teil zur Erfassung des Innovationsprozesses auf mikroökonomischer Ebene. Als Modellteile sind zwei bereits existierende Modelle, das HWWA-Modell und das ISIS-Modell, nach ihrer Erweiterung und Anpassung vorgesehen. Die erforderlichen Modifizierungen, das Verfahren zur Kopplung der...

Changing role of BRIC countries in technology-driven international division of labor

Palavras-chave: Zeitreihenmodelle; Dynamische Analyse; Prognose und Simulation; Neue Ökonomie; Technischer Wandel; Research Methods/ Statistical Methods; C32; C53; C61; E17; O33.

Ano: 2003

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/26166

A New Measure of the Producer Welfare Effects of Technological Change

Gryczka, Marcin.

In contemporary international division of labor the importance of ICT technologies and social capital is increasing, and allows the economy to be more competitive due to arising many connections to the global information networks. The major goal of this article was analyzing (mostly in descriptive manner) and comparing the recent trends in GDP growth and its composition and international trade of high-technology manufactures and services for developed and BRIC countries. The results of conducted statistical data analysis justify the conclusion that some developing economies, especially China and India, are in fact gaining on importance in international trade of high-tech products and knowledge-intensive business services, even having become more effective...

Tipo: Journal Article

Palavras-chave: International division of labor; Technological change; Creative economy.; Labor and Human Capital; O33.

Ano: 2010

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/95975

Bullock, David S..

It is well recognized that the statistical reliability of the conventional method of estimating the effects of technological change on producer welfare is often quite poor. I present a method that enhances the statistical reliability of such estimates. I emphasize that when measuring the welfare effects of technological change, valuable information can be gleaned from data on input prices and quantities. This type of data is often available, but the conventional measure typically does not take full advantage of its availability. Letting T0 be some initial level of technology and T1 be a subsequent level, the conventional measure of producer welfare change due to a technology change is the change in the “triangle” area under the price and behind the...

The Environment and Directed Technical Change

Palavras-chave: Technological change; Producer welfare; Applied welfare economics; Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies; Research Methods/ Statistical Methods; O30; O33.

Ano: 2011

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/103834

Acemoglu, Daron; Aghion, Philippe; Bursztyn, Leonardo; Hemous, David.

This paper introduces endogenous and directed technical change in a growth model with environmental constraints. A unique final good is produced by combining inputs from two sectors. One of these sectors uses "dirty" machines and thus creates environmental degradation. Research can be directed to improving the technology of machines in either sector. We characterize dynamic tax policies that achieve sustainable growth or maximize intertemporal welfare. We show that: (i) in the case where the inputs are sufficiently substitutable, sustainable long-run growth can be achieved with temporary taxation of dirty innovation and production; (ii) optimal policy involves both “carbon taxes” and research subsidies, so that excessive use of carbon taxes is avoided;...

THEME OVERVIEW: BRINGING BROADBAND TO RURAL AMERICA

Palavras-chave: Environment; Exhaustible Resources; Directed Technological Change; Innovation; Environmental Economics and Policy; O30; O31; O33; C65.

Ano: 2010

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/92839

Barnes, James N..

Tipo: Journal Article

Palavras-chave: Broadband; Internet; Regional Economic Development; Rural Regions; Community/Rural/Urban Development; R12; O33; O57; R11.

Ano: 2010

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/100801

Spatial Development

Desmet, Klaus; Rossi-Hansberg, Esteban.

We present a theory of spatial development. A continuum of locations in a geographic area choose each period how much to innovate (if at all) in manufacturing and services. Locations can trade subject to transport costs and technology diffuses spatially across locations. The result is an endogenous growth theory that can shed light on the link between the evolution of economic activity over time and space. We apply the model to study the evolution of the U.S. economy in the last few decades and find that the model can generate the reduction in the employment share in manufacturing, the increase in service productivity in the second part of the 1990s, the increase in land rents in the same period, as well as several other spatial and temporal patterns.

How Large Are the Welfare Gains from Technological Innovation Induced by Environmental Policies?

Palavras-chave: Dynamic Spatial Models; Growth; Innovation; Land Rent Evolution; Structural Transformation; Technology Diffusion; Trade; Community/Rural/Urban Development; E32; O11; O18; O33; R12.

Ano: 2010

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/59852

Parry, Ian W.H.; Pizer, William A.; Fischer, Carolyn.

This paper examines whether the welfare gains from technological innovation that reduces future abatement costs are larger or smaller than the "Pigouvian" welfare gains from optimal pollution control. The relative welfare gains from innovation depend on three key factors - the initially optimal level of abatement, the speed at which innovation reduces future abatement costs, and the discount rate. We calculate the welfare gains from innovation under a variety of different scenarios. Mostly they are less than the Pigouvian welfare gains. To be greater, innovation must reduce abatement costs substantially and quickly and the initially optimal abatement level must be fairly modest.

PRIVATE PARTICIPATION IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION IN NIGERIA AND BENIN: DETERMINING THE WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR INFORMATION

Palavras-chave: Innovation; Welfare; Regulation; Endogenous; Technological; Change; R&D; Environmental Economics and Policy; Q16; Q28; O32; O33.

Ano: 2002

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/10621

Horna, J. Daniela; Smale, Melinda; von Oppen, Matthias.

A typical private good is defined by its excludability and rivalry characteristics. Information might not generate rivalry among its users. By contrast, excludability is certainly a characteristic of information and its delivery can generate incentives for private participation. This study examines farmers' preferences for seed of new rice varieties and their willingness to pay for related information in villages of Nigeria and Benin. Conjoint analysis is used to estimate the structure of farmers' preferences for rice seed given a set of alternatives. Farmers are considered to be maximizers of utility rather than profit, preferring one variety over another based on the utility they obtain from its attributes, which depends on their own social and...

Producing and Procuring Horticultural Crops with Chinese Characteristics: Why Small Farmers Are Thriving and Supermarkets Are Absent in Rural China

Palavras-chave: WTP for information; Conjoint analysis; Rice attributes; Farmers' preferences; Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession; O3; O33; C35.

Ano: 2005

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/19401

Wang, Honglin; Dong, Xiaoxia; Huang, Jikun; Rozelle, Scott; Reardon, Thomas.

The supermarket revolution has arrived in China and is spreading as fast as or faster than anywhere in the world. As the demand for vegetables, fruit, nuts and other high valued products have risen, urban retailers are finding new venues seized on niche and today have over $55 billion in sales, more than a third of the urban food market. However, the experience of many developing countries suggests that there could be serious distributional impacts of the rising of supermarkets. There is concern among policy makers and academics that poor, small farmers might be excluded from market. The main goal of our paper is to understand what types of farmers have been able to participate in the horticultural revolution, how they interact with markets and how...

Land Use, Production Growth, and the Institutional Environment of Smallholders: Evidence from Burkinabe Cotton Farmers

Palavras-chave: Horticulture; Modern Supply Chains; Farmer Impacts; Poverty; China; Crop Production/Industries; O33; O53; Q13.

Ano: 2006

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/25762

Kaminski, Jonathan; Thomas, Alban.

The cotton boom in Burkina Faso consisted of a growth in cotton land shares together with an overall increase in total cultivated land. This paper examines the impact of institutional changes in the cotton sector on the evolution of smallholders’ land-use decisions. The empirical analysis is supported by a structural model that takes into account the specific institutional features of the Burkinabè cotton sector and builds upon household level data collected in rural Burkina Faso. We attribute most of the change in land use to the newly established institutional arrangements between producers and stakeholders, mechanization, and slackening of the food security constraint.