Production Environmental Conditions Research Articles

Impact of environmental production conditions on productivity and efficiency: A case study of wheat farmers in Bangladesh

Environmental conditions significantly affect production, but are often ignored in studies analysing productivity and efficiency leading to biased results. In this study, we examine the influence of selected environmental factors on productivity and efficiency in wheat farming in Bangladesh. Results reveal that environmental production conditions significantly affect the parameters of the production function and technical efficiency, as well as correlates of inefficiency. Controlling for environmental production conditions improves technical efficiency by 4 points ( p<0.01) from 86% to 90%. Large farms are more efficient relative to small and medium sized farms ( p<0.01 and 0.05), with no variation among regions. Policy implications include soil fertility improvement through soil conservation and crop rotation, improvement in managerial practices through extension services and adoption of modern technologies, promotion of education, strengthening the research-extension link, and development of new varieties that have higher yield potential and are also suitable for marginal areas.

Evaluation of environmental conditions for production of bacteriocin-like substance by Bacillus sp. strain P34

The influence of temperature, pH and media on bacteriocin production by Bacillus sp. P34 was investigated. The effect of temperature and initial pH was evaluated by factorial design and response surface methodology (RSM). Statistical analysis of results showed that, in the range studied, the two variables have a significant effect on bacteriocin production. Response-surface data showed maximum antimicrobial activity production at initial pH values between 6.0 and 8.0 and temperatures between 25 and 37 °C. No relationship between bacterial growth and bacteriocin production was observed. RSM proved to be a powerful tool in optimizing the production of antimicrobial activity by Bacillus sp. P34. When different media were tested, maximum bacteriocin production was observed in soybean protein-based medium, but antimicrobial activity was not achieved by cultivation on fish meal, feather meal, whey and grape waste.

Genetic diversity and sustainable management of animal genetic resources, globally

SummaryGeneral trends of development imply an increasing uniformity of animal genetic resources, caused by the loss of endangered breeds and increased inbreeding within commercial breeding populations. The implications of these trends point to a reduction in the genetic diversity of the animal genetic resources, which may reduce possibilities for utilization in the future, while at the same time a dramatic change in environmental production conditions can be observed. In order to change this developmental trend, sustainable management of animal genetic resources must be promoted globally. The fundamental issues for such sustainable management are illustrated by the principles given in the Convention on Biological Diversity. In order to accomplish sustainable management of these resources, the following actions must be taken:• The development of policies to promote national and global responsibility for maintaining genetic diversity, which will not be addressed within this paper• The development of knowledge as a fundamental concept to impose sustainable management principles on these animal genetic resources. This will be dealt with in this paper. A more complete description of these features can be found in Woolliams et al, 2005 in (Sustainable Management of Animal Genetic Resources).

Smallholder Technical Efficiency: Controlling for Environmental Production Conditions

Smallholder agricultural production depends heavily on environmental production conditions that are largely exogenously determined. Yet few data sets collect necessary, detailed information on environmental production conditions. This oversight raises the spectre of likely omitted variables bias because farmers' input choices typically respond in part to environmental conditions. Moreover, because environmental production conditions are rarely symmetrically distributed, the omission also generally leads to upward bias in estimated technical inefficiency and to biased estimates of the correlates of estimated technical inefficiency as well. Using panel data from 464 traditional rice plots in Cote d'Ivoire, we show that controlling for heterogeneous environmental production conditions significantly changes inferences, perhaps especially with respect to smallholder rice farmers' estimated technical inefficiency.

Smallholder technical efficiency controlling for environmental production conditions

Smallholder agricultural production depends heavily on environmental production conditions that are largely exogenously determined. Yet, few data sets collect necessary, detailed information on environmental production conditions. This oversight raises the spectre of likely omitted variables bias because farmers' input choices typically respond in part to environmental conditions. Moreover, because environmental production conditions are rarely symmetrically distributed, the omission also generally leads to upward bias in estimated technical inefficiency and to biased estimates of the correlates of estimated technical inefficiency as well. Using panel data from 464 traditional rice plots in Côte d'Ivoire, we show that controlling for heterogeneous environmental production conditions significantly changes inferences, perhaps especially with respect to smallholder rice farmers' estimated technical inefficiency.

Producing specific milks for speciality cheeses.

Protected denomination of origin (PDO) cheeses have distinctive sensorial characteristics. They can be made only from raw milk possessing specific features, which is processed through the 'art' of the cheesemaker. In general, the distinctive sensorial traits of PDO cheese cannot be achieved under different environmental-production conditions for two main reasons: (1) some milk features are linked to specific animal production systems; (2) cheese ripening is affected by the interaction between milk (specific) and the traditional technology applied to the transformation process (non-specific). Also, the environment for a good ripening stage can be quite specific and not reproducible. With reference to milk, factors of typicality are species and/or breed, pedoclimatic conditions, animal management system and feeding. Other factors that influence cheese quality are milk treatments, milk processing and the ripening procedures. The technology applied to most cheeses currently known as PDO utilizes only raw milk, rennet and natural lactic acid bacteria, so that milk must be, at its origin, suitable for processing. The specific milk characteristics that ensure a high success rate for PDO cheeses are high protein content and good renneting properties, appropriate fat content with appropriate fatty acid composition and the presence of chemical flavours originating from local feeds. Moreover, an appropriate microflora is also of major importance. The factors that contribute to achieving milk suitable for transformation into PDO cheese are genetics, age, lactation stage, season and climate, general management and health conditions, milking and particularly feeding, which affect nutrient availability, endocrine response and health status, and also the presence of microbes and chemical substances which enrich or reduce the milk-cheese quality. Many of these factors are regulated by the Producer Associations. However, the secret of the success of PDO cheeses is the combination of modern technology and tradition, with the objective of adapting the product to market demand, without losing specificity, originality and authenticity.

Global warming and navy beans: Decision making by farmers and food companies in the U.K.

Farmers are continually adjusting their business enterprises in response to the shifting economic, political and social pressures which affect each aspect of their production. These adjustments may include structural changes, agronomic (production) changes or moves into ‘diversification’ enterprises, and are manifest at different scales, from the farm unit to changes in a country's or region's agricultural structure. One factor influencing future changes in agriculture is likely to be climate change (‘global warming’) which will alter the physical environmental conditions of production. The consequences of this might include a change in the crop species cultivated in different areas. This paper examines the responses of farmers in part of southern Britain to the possibility of growing navy beans, a crop used for baked bean manufacture and obtained almost wholly from North America, as a response to a warmer climate. The paper seeks to explore the network of relations at the farm, national and international scales which will determine the likelihood of commercial adoption of the crop occurring in the U.K. Through discussion of the results of interviews with farmers, food processing companies and associated agencies it is concluded that there are significant structural barriers to the adoption of navy beans as a diversification option on U.K. farms as a result of international trade restraints and a measure of inertia and risk aversion within the processing companies.

Operational yield forecast using AVHRR NDVI data: Reduction of environmental and inter-annual variability

Operational millet yield forecast has been conducted in Senegal using AVHRR data. This was possible by establishing a linear relation between yield collected in the field and NDVI integrated during the reproductive period of millet growth. A bio-physical frame was adapted in order to understand and reduce inter-annual and environmental variability. This was done by limiting potential variation of plant physiological parameters by accounting for vegetation complexity and differences in productivity: (1) Subtracting a pre-growing season NDVI reference level from the NDVI integral improved significantly the level of explained yield variance and was interpreted to reduce the influence of non-crop vegetation within the agricultural domain. (2) Soil and vegetation maps were used to identify areas of homogeneous environmental production conditions. Using this information along with the NDVI integral, accorded a millet yield regression model with a correlation coefficient of r2 0.72 and a standard error of estimate of 190kg ha 1. Yield data could be available one month before the harvest.

Industrial Clean Rooms: Architectural Engineering Considerations

Industry has demonstrated the essential role of “controlled environments” in meeting stringent cleanliness requirements and indoor environmental conditions for production and product storage. This paper reports on the fundamentals of industry-based clean-room layout design and delineates major architectural and structural concerns related to clean rooms. Several industries are highlighted with aspects of each industrial use explored in relation to the diverse requirements of a range of potential users. The resulting array of clean-room performance requirements is then reduced to key concepts that range from preventing particle entry to prohibiting particulate generation at the source. Since air is the most important element of consideration in establishing contamination control measures in clean-room environments, considerable attention is given to the concept of laminar airflow and the different ways this concept can be integrated. Comparisons of various layouts, such as, tunnel, open bay, and minienvironment are performed. Structural and lighting parameters of concern are also highlighted. Finally, proper construction and finishing materials for clean-room boundary surfaces are identified by desired performance qualities with example materials listed.