Agricultural Development Planning Research Articles

Agricultural Development and Nutritional Status in Malawi*

A comparative anthropometric assessment involving 2175 measurements of 1533 children under the age of 5 was carried out in Malawi, both before and after the harvest seasons (February and May, 1985). Subjects were randomly drawn from socioeconomically similar rural environments within and outside a large-scale agricultural development project. Chronic malnutrition (height for age less than 90 per cent of the median) was found to be 36 per cent in February and 41 per cent in May. The prevalence of acute malnutrition (weight for height less than 80 per cent of the median) was 4 per cent and 5 per cent, respectively. Tests of significance found no statistical difference between the project and non-project children for a variety of nutritional status indices. It is postulated that such factors as increased female access to extension services and male access to nutrition education may have greater impact on morbidity than income increases alone, and should be part of agricultural development planning.

Developing a geographical information system (GIS) for agricultural development in Belize, Central America

The collection of agricultural census data in developing countries has often been hampered by lack of available capital and manpower. Serious deficiencies in the subsequent analysis of data have also been frequently apparent. Agricultural censuses in Belize, Central America, have been no exception, but the latest census (1983–1987) has produced a more complete enumeration than previously, as well as major improvements in the storage, manipulation and analysis of data. A Geographical Information System (GIS) has been developed, incorporating not only the census data but also other resource surveys, information on geology, soils and climate, and data from satellite remote sensing. In this paper the development and operation of this GIS are considered, with consideration given to the ways in which data analysis will be fed into future planning of agricultural development in Belize. There is discussion of the role of the GIS within the overall census project and the forward planning of agricultural development. The evolution of the agricultural census itself is also considered, and preliminary results from the first stages of analysis are exemplified.

A simulation model for planning water resource developments in the Chi River Basin

The main objective of the Chi Basin (Northeast Thailand) Water Use Study was to prepare a long-term integrated water resource and agricultural development plan. A basin simulation model was written to help evaluate alternative development scenarios of combinations of reservoirs and irrigation schemes. The paper describes the main features and components of the model. The types of input data required for running the model are summarised. An explanation of how the model was used for planning is then given.

Status of Horticulture in the Developing Countries of Southern Africa

Abstract Horticulture has not been a priority in the agricultural development plans of southern Africa. Large advances have been made in the production of staple crops while horticultural production stagnated or declined. Governments in the Southern Africa Development Coordination Council (SADCC) region are now beginning to consider horticulture as a tool in improving nutrition, the income of their people, and national foreign exchange earnings. A number of constraints exist, however, including attitude, transport, postharvest handling, lack of horticulturists, seed and plant shortages, and poor communication. The potential of horticulture in the region is great if the governments and people of the region can meet the challenges of developing the horticultural industry.

Risk analysis of seasonal agricultural drought on low pacific islands

This paper presents a methodology for risk analysis of seasonal agricultural drought on low Pacific islands. Results are presented for a pilot study of low islands in the Cook Islands group. Drought is defined in terms of the number of consecutive days during which the actual evapotranspiration to potential evapotranspiration ratio (AE/PE) remains below a threshold value. A water balance model is used to estimate the AE/PE time series. Drought hazard is determined on the basis of the AE/PE time series as the return period of a particular drought magnitude ( AE/PE threshold) and duration (number of consecutive days below AE/PE threshold). Drought hazard is determined for each of six two-month seasons. This study provides a method of quantitative drought hazard assessment for application in agricultural development planning.

Application of interactive multiple goal programming techniques for analysis and planning of regional agricultural development

This paper describes a method of investigating development possibilities for a region under various constraints and demands. Use is made of an interactive multiple goal linear programming technique. The method is illustrated with an example from a semi-arid zone in the Mediterranean Basin. It is concluded that the method can help to decide on feasible development pathways within a wide range of technical and socio-economic scenarios, and so explore the ‘margins for policy’. It enables communication between politics, planning and research and can therefore serve as a tool for more efficient development planning.

THE APPLICATION OF MODIFIED GRIT INPUT‐OUTPUT PROCEDURES TO RURAL DEVELOPMENT ANALYSIS IN GRAMPIAN REGION

Effective agricultural and rural development planning requires a detailed understanding of the rural and wider regional economy. A regional input‐output model has been developed for Grampian Region in North‐East Scotland.The production of regional input‐output matrices by survey methods is extremely expensive. An alternative method is to adjust mechanistically a national input‐output table by an employment ‐ based location quotient procedure. This paper discusses some important conceptual issues related to the methodology. It also presents the main findings of the Grampian model, in particular those relating to the agri‐business and food complex. The model's implications for regional and rural development are assessed by multiplier analysis and the applicability of the modelling procedures for other regions is considered.

The dryland research project at indore (1974–80) — an institutional innovation in rural technology transfer

The problem of how scientific and technical knowledge may best be brought to bear on raising the living standards of the rural poor in developing countries, has become a major world issue. The traditional view is that scientists in research stations establish ‘principles’ which are subsequently articulated in a productive context through a dialogue between extension agents and farmers. This paper explores an alternative model of technology transfer as exemplified by the Indore Dryland Research Project. Here scientists from different disciplines worked directly with farmers in a concerted effort to raise yields per hectare on a catchment area of around 2300 hectares, thus playing a much more direct role themselves while giving extension agencies more of a service function. The paper explores some of the lessons of the Indore experiment, concluding that this type of technology transfer model should be given more prominence in agricultural development planning in poor countries.

農村・集落土地利用計画と集落地域整備法

1 Recently, in the suburbs of cities, disorderly land use which is caused by the confusion of urban and rural landuse is becomming a serious hindrance to the maintenance of environment for settlement or agriculture, and for the establishment of land-use planning. 2 To put down the confusion, the new law carried out at June 1987. The law is composed of two parts. One of the parts is the local settlement plan, and the other is the agricultural community development plan. 3 The important pointsof view for contents of the new law are following; ·the contents of the new settlement area adjustment utilities. ·the new adjustment system for urban and rural land-use. ·the relationship of masterplan and districtplan. ·the balance fof the control of buildings and the intention of inhabitants. ·the neutralizing measures of the development permission standard. ·preservation of villagescape. 4 The main subjects of the rural land-use planning are following: the structure of planning-stage for land-use plan. the new ideas of the settlement area adjustment utilities. the control of land-use and the flexibilty of plan. the method of the planning for new settlement and community. studies on the relationship of masterplan and districtplan.

We can be farmers, just for one day

Academics from the University of Cambridge and the London School if Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) have developed a simulation game of the role of agrarian change in a traditional community of small farmers in India. Following extensive data collection and trials of ad hoc games in a variety of institutions over the past ten years, the game has now been marketed in a commercial form as The Green Revolution Game. The primary aim to the game is to give participants an idea of what life is like for a small farmer in a dynamic society in developing country. The designers hope that it will be of value in training and sensitizing professionals and students in agricultural extension, project appraisal, rural and development planning, nutrition and economics.

Women in Agriculture: Counting the Labor Force in Developing Countries

The undercounting of women in the labor force by censuses and labor force surveys has attracted considerable comment. This paper examines conceptual problems in the farm labor force (self-employed wage laborers and unpaid family workers) obtained from population censuses and surveys from estimates prepared by the International Labour Office (ILO) and from censuses of farm holdings coordinated by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN--each of which follows different definitions and procedures. Of the 3 sources population censuses including labor force surveys and official estimates generally yield the lowest proportion female in the agricultural labor force whereas the censuses of agriculture conducted under sponsorship of the FAO yield the highest proportions. The total farm labor is generally larger and women and children form a higher proportion of the total when the definition of economic activity includes farm production for subsistence only unpaid work by family helpers and homestead-based crop processing and similar activities in addition to field-based production and processing activities. A regression of FAO agricultural censuses of ILO estimates for comparable years from 21 countries is used as a basis of making new estimates of the proportions female in the agricultural labor force in 82 countries of sub-Saharan Africa North Africa the Middle East Asia and the Caribbean for which standardized ILO estimates are available for 1970. For all 82 countries combined the proportion of women in the agricultural labor force increases from 30 to 42% and the variation around the mean is substantially reduced. The plausibility of the new estimates is supported in many cases by similarity to figures from population censuses not accepted by the ILO. The new estimates are relevant to agricultural development planning and to theories of gender role and labor allocation.

Natural resource surveys in agricultural development planning: A quick and clean method

The application of techniques for rapid rural appraisal (RRA) is examined in the light of practical experience of agricultural development planning in Indonesia. It is concluded that the speed of data collection would not have been dramatically increased by using RRA techniques. A major improvement would have resulted from collecting only the information that was actually used, but the experience highlights the difficulty of identifying the useful information in advance. A pilot study strategy is suggested as a means of ensuring the collection of appropriate information.

The Agricultural Development Plans in the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya and the Five-Year Agricultural Transformation Plan, 1976–1980. By S. A. Hajjaji. People's Establishment for Publishing, Distribution, Advertising and Printing, Tripoli, 1981.

The Agricultural Development Plans in the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya and the Five-Year Agricultural Transformation Plan, 1976–1980. By S. A. Hajjaji. People's Establishment for Publishing, Distribution, Advertising and Printing, Tripoli, 1981. - Volume 13

Nutrition and food policy

The definition of minimum nutritional standards has an important bearing on the planning of agricultural development in low-income countries. In high-consumption societies, the main concern of nutritionists is with health risks associated with overeating. Health authorities in several countries have issued dietary recommendations. Should nutritional considerations be more explicitly integrated in an overall “food policy”, what action may be necessary in consequence, and is current agricultural policy liable thereby to be modified? How may market prospects for agricultural products be affected by increasing public concern with more balanced diets?

Monitoring Land and Water Use in the Gefara Region by Satellite Imagery

Over ninety-seven per cent of Libya's water for agricultural and other uses came from groundwater in 1980 (Pallas). By then it was obvious that the renewable water in the coastal aquifers was seriously depleted and would not be sufficient to sustain the levels of water use implied by the national agricultural development plans. Meanwhile the potential of the southern aquifers had become apparent through their development in Kufrah, Sarir and Fezzan.The Gefara Plain has always been the major agricultural area of the country and until 1973, both before and after independence, had always attracted the bulk of public and private investment in irrigation. The decline in the level of the coastal groundwater was observed, or predicted, by all hydro-geologists who looked at the Gefara Plain after 1950, although it should be remarked that the observations were made on the basis of imprecise and unrepresentative data. Even by 1980 figures on groundwater recharge (estimated from landuse and assumed pumping levels) were numerous and inconsistent making it difficult for policy makers to determine the economies required and the measures necessary to achieve the optimum management of water resources. Depending upon which estimates of recharge and withdrawal were used, the amount by which withdrawal exceeded recharge varied from three to eight times.In these circumstances it was obviously prudent to attempt to determine the water balance from the Gefara Plain, and to this end a study was commissioned by FAO, on behalf of the Secretariat of Agriculture in Tripoli, for a study of recent satellite imagery to determine whether this inexpensive system of resources survey could make a contribution to planning water use in north-west Libya. By providing data on the irrigated area. From such data the water use element of the water balance equation could be estimated.

The Role of Social Sciences in Rural Development Planning: The Case of Ethiopia

Recent literature on rural development planning emphasizes the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in the preparation, formulation, and execution of development plans (Chambers, 1974; Whyte, 1975). This argument has been based on the assumption that for development planning to be successful, there needs to be an integrated knowledge of ideas of various disciplines, such as the physical and biological sciences (agriculture, engineering, etc.) and the social sciences (sociology, political science, economics, anthropology). However, for the last few years, social scientists, with the exception of economists, have played a peripheral role in agricultural development planning. Program design and the implementation of development plans have been conducted mainly by technical scientists. In most cases, social scientists have been invited to justify the decisions of the technical scientists after the selection and the designing of the projects. Such development projects have usually had unanticipated consequences because of this lack of input from social scientists. At present there is a growing concern by international funding agencies and other research institutes to involve social scientists not only in the evaluation and appraisal of development projects, but also in the planning and formulation of these projects. The rationale behind this is that social scientists can contribute to the understanding of social, political, and economic problems in a society and help to plan development projects in such a way that they address basic developmental needs.

Polyculture and monoculture: Contrast and analysis

Although polyculture or interplanting is a dominant production method used by traditional cultivators in the tropics, there has been increasing emphasis on monoculture in agricultural development planning. Analysis of the economic and ecological consequences of these two cropping alternatives in a densely-populated area of eastern Nigeria suggests that a focus on monoculture as a panacea for increasing productivity and food supply is questionable. Polyculture is held to be ecologically superior to monoculture and, in the field area examined, economically more productive as well. Thus further investigation of polycultural approaches to agricultural development would appear to be warranted.

Reviews

Book reviewed in this article:The Political Economy of Agrarian Change. An Essay on the Green Rovolution. BY KEITH GRIFFIN. MacmillanAgricultural Policy Reports (new series). Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and DevelopmentMarketing Boards and Ministers. By P. J. GIDDINGS. Saxon House, D. C. HeathModels for Spatial Agricultural Development Planning. By F. K. BISHAY RotterdamMwea‐an Irrigated Rice Settlement Scheme in Kenya. Edited by R. CHAMBERS and J. MORIS. Weltforum VerlagEconomics and Management Planning of Range Ecosystems. By D. A. JAMESON, S. D'AQUINO and E. T. BARTLFTT. A. A. BalkemaMobility of Farm Workers. By RUTH GASSOND. Department of Land EconomyThe Advance of American Co‐operarive Enterprise: 1992–1945. By JOSEPH G. KNAPP

BOOK REVIEWS

Development and ChangeVolume 6, Issue 1 p. 107-121 BOOK REVIEWS First published: January 1975 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7660.1975.tb00672.xAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Abstract Book reviewed in this article: Fahmi K. Bishay, Models for Spatial Agricultural Development Planning. Studies in Development and Planning, Volume 3, edited by the Centre for Development Planning, Netherlands School of Economics A. P. Ghosh et al, Development Planning in South-East Asia D. P. Ghai (ed), Economic Independence in Africa Thomas Balogh, The Economics of Poverty. Weidenfeld and Nicolson Baldev Raj Nayar, The Modernisation Imperative and Indian Planning H. C. Bos, Martin Sanders, Carlo Secchi, Private Foreign Investment in Developing Countries. A Quantitative Study on the Evaluation of the Macro-Economic Effects A. Faludi, Planning Theory A. Faludi, A Reader in Planning Theory Partap C. Aggarwal, The Green Revolution and Rural Labour Wendell Bell and Walter E. Freeman (eds), Ethnicity and Nation-Building: Comparative, International and Historical Perspectives Ctaufurd D. W. Goodwin, The Image of Australia: British Perception of the Australian Economy from the Eighteenth to the Twentieth Century Volume6, Issue1January 1975Pages 107-121 RelatedInformation

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: British Land Policy at the Cape, 1795–1844‐a study of administrative procedures in the Empire, by LESLIE CLEMENT DULY. Uncertainty in Economics and Other Reflections, by G. L. S. SHACKLE. Cambridge University Press Library Edition (1968) Struggle for Growth: An enquiry into the Causes of Poverty and Prosperity of Nations, by L. N. BIRLA. Calcutta, World Press Private Limited Economics,3rd Edition by LLOYD G. REYNOLDS. Illinois, Richard D. Irwin Swaziland: Hulpbronne en Ontwikkeling. Deur G. M. E. LEISTNER en P. SMIT. (Pretoria, Mededelinge van die Afrika‐instituut van Suid‐Afrika The Bruges Money Market Around 1400, by RAYMOND DE ROOVER. Paleis der Academiën, Brussel Concentration and Price‐Cost Margins in Manufacturing Industries, by NORMAN R. COLLINS and LEE E. PRESTON. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles The Economics of Unemployment Insurance, by MARK M. HAUSER and PAUL BURROWS, University of York Studies in Economics: 3, General Editors: A. T. PEACOCK and J. WISEMAN, GEORGE ALLEN and UNWIN LTD.Banques et banquiers dans les cités grecques, by R. Bogaert. Leyden: A. W. SYTHOFF, 1968 Report of the Population Growth Estimation Experiment for 1962 and 1963. Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, Karachi 1968 Agricultural development planning and implementation. (Israel case study), by R. WEITZ and A. ROKACH, D. Reidel publishing company, Dordrecht, Holland Essentials of Economics, by I. GLYN JONES, 4th edn. (Gee & Co., London, 1969) Long Fluctuations in Real Series of American Economy. By M. MELNYK. Printed series No. 9, Bureau of Economic and Business Research, Kent State University, Ohio, Undated. Economic Workbook and Data. By D. I. TROTMAN‐DICKENSON. Pergamon Press. U.K.