Improved Production Technologies Research Articles

Food and water insecurity: re-assessing the value of rainfed agriculture

Rainfed agriculture has potential to produce needed cereals for the growing populations of West and Central Asia even though rainfed agriculture is perceived as risky. The value of rainfed agriculture to produce competitively should be re-assessed. This requires the concerted efforts of farmers, researchers, and policy makers to work on the technical factors that determine agricultural production as well as to address the economic policy environment. Syria is a small country with a diversified rainfed and irrigated agriculture. Rainfed and supplemental irrigation technology has improved Syria's food self-reliance, however, the policy environment is not conducive to the sustainable use of natural resources. Supplemental irrigation technology to produce wheat is used to illustrate the need to address both the technical issues as well as the economic incentives to make agricultural production competitive. Kazakhstan is a large country with a predominantly rainfed agriculture. Farmers could benefit from rainfall probabilities to use fertilizer and improved wheat varieties under rainfed agriculture as Syria did during the eighties and nineties. Implicit taxation of farmers needs to be removed and access to markets must be ensured for farmers in Kazakhstan to benefit from international wheat prices. While it is important to improve production technology, the economic policy environment needs to be addressed first to create incentives for farmers to produce commodities competitively in water-scarce regions.

International outbreak of Salmonella Oranienburg due to German chocolate.

BackgroundThis report describes a large international chocolate-associated Salmonella outbreak originating from Germany.MethodsWe conducted epidemiologic investigations including a case-control study, and food safety investigations. Salmonella (S.) Oranienburg isolates were subtyped by the use of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).ResultsFrom 1 October 2001 through 24 March 2002, an estimated excess of 439 S. Oranienburg notifications was registered in Germany. Simultaneously, an increase in S. Oranienburg infections was noted in other European countries in the Enter-net surveillance network. In a multistate matched case-control study in Germany, daily consumption of chocolate (matched odds ratio [MOR]: 4.8; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3–26.5), having shopped at a large chain of discount grocery stores (MOR: 4.2; CI: 1.2–23.0), and consumption of chocolate purchased there (MOR: 5.0; CI: 1.1–47.0) were associated with illness. Subsequently, two brands from the same company, one exclusively produced for that chain, tested positive for S. Oranienburg. In two other European countries and in Canada chocolate from company A was ascertained that also contained S. Oranienburg. Isolates from humans and from chocolates had indistinguishable PFGE profiles. No source or point of contamination was identified. Epidemiological identification of chocolate as a vehicle of infections required two months, and was facilitated by proxy measures.ConclusionsDespite the use of improved production technologies, the chocolate industry continues to carry a small risk of manufacturing Salmonella-containing products. Particularly in diffuse outbreak-settings, clear associations with surrogates of exposure should suffice to trigger public health action. Networks such as Enter-net have become invaluable for facilitating rapid and appropriate management of international outbreaks.

Comparison of light yellow fleshed pepper varieties grown on rockwool under unheated forcing conditions

Experiments are going on all over the world assisting the joint effort of researchers and practicing specialists to identify the methods which can help either in the reduction of production costs or in the increase of yields.
 The task of the growers is to make profitable use of the forcing facilities and to satisfy market demands at an acceptable price by means of improving production technology and applying new scientific, technological and technical information.
 For the last few years, rockwool based forcing has been gaining in importance. The subject of our scientific work was the analysis of an important question of this technological variant, the selection of the variety. Besides, we also tried to identify the most suitable pruning technology for the varieties studied.
 In Hungary, the highest demand is commonly known to be for the light yellow fleshed varieties which are suitable for stuffed dishes. In the future, due to their special quality and appearance, as well as to the Hungaricum character, they could become important export goods on the European Union market. It was within this variety type that comparison between varieties already common in production (HO F1, HRF F1, Danubia F1) was carried out, trying to get an answer to the question which of the three varieties could be produced with the greatest success. Considering the quantitative and qualitative indicators, it was H6 F1 that proved the best out of the three varieties tested under unheated forcing on rockwool. It excelled the other two varieties both in quality and in average fruit weight, preserving this advantage until the end of the growing period.

Wheat farming in Syria: An approach to economic transformation and sustainability

Sustainability has recently become an ingrained concept in crop production systems worldwide, and is the cornerstone of research programs of the global network of research centers operated by the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), which functions in collaboration with the various national agricultural research systems. One of the major CGIAR centers, the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), focuses mainly on dryland agriculture, but increasingly on irrigation, in its mandate area of West and Central Asia and North Africa. ICARDA has collaboration programs with its host country, Syria, the cradle of civilization and of settled agriculture, and the center of origin of many of the world‘s major crops, notably cereals and pulses. Wheat is, and has been, the most important commodity food in Syria. The Center‘s goal is to enhance wheat productivity in a sustainable manner for the benefit of the country‘s resource-poor farmers and society as a whole. Wheat is grown on about 1.5 million ha or 27% of the total cultivated land in Syria, mainly under rainfed conditions (300–500 mm annual rainfall), which are increasingly experiencing supplemental irrigation, while drier (<200 mm) areas are fully irrigated. Improved cultivars generally combine high yield potential and stress tolerance and tend to have high yield stability, being input-efficient under limited resources in stress environments and input responsive under favorable environments. Such varieties are tested under farmers‘ conditions through multi-year multi-locations. Other aspects of the ICARDA–Syrian collaboration wheat program include improved tillage, with an emphasis on conservation systems, adequate fertilization, and improved agronomic practices, e.g., early sowing in relation to rainfall conditions, optimum row spacing and plant population, and adequate weed control. This vigorous collaborative research–technology transfer program has produced a major shift in wheat production in Syria, from traditional low-input practices with landrace or improved cultivars to widespread adoption (two-thirds of wheat area) of modern cultivars along with improved production technology. As a result of such efforts, national income has substantially increased, and Syria has become a net exporter of wheat. Thus, the collaborative efforts of an international research center and its host country have shown clearly that there is an alternative to a traditional, low-output agriculture and its associated ills.

Wheat farming in Syria: An approach to economic transformation and sustainability

Sustainability has recently become an ingrained concept in crop production systems worldwide, and is the cornerstone of research programs of the global network of research centers operated by the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), which functions in collaboration with the various national agricultural research systems. One of the major CGIAR centers, the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), focuses mainly on dryland agriculture, but increasingly on irrigation, in its mandate area of West and Central Asia and North Africa. ICARDA has collaboration programs with its host country, Syria, the cradle of civilization and of settled agriculture, and the center of origin of many of the world‘s major crops, notably cereals and pulses. Wheat is, and has been, the most important commodity food in Syria. The Center‘s goal is to enhance wheat productivity in a sustainable manner for the benefit of the country‘s resource-poor farmers and society as a whole. Wheat is grown on about 1.5 million ha or 27% of the total cultivated land in Syria, mainly under rainfed conditions (300–500 mm annual rainfall), which are increasingly experiencing supplemental irrigation, while drier (<200 mm) areas are fully irrigated. Improved cultivars generally combine high yield potential and stress tolerance and tend to have high yield stability, being input-efficient under limited resources in stress environments and input responsive under favorable environments. Such varieties are tested under farmers‘ conditions through multi-year multi-locations. Other aspects of the ICARDA–Syrian collaboration wheat program include improved tillage, with an emphasis on conservation systems, adequate fertilization, and improved agronomic practices, e.g., early sowing in relation to rainfall conditions, optimum row spacing and plant population, and adequate weed control. This vigorous collaborative research–technology transfer program has produced a major shift in wheat production in Syria, from traditional low-input practices with landrace or improved cultivars to widespread adoption (two-thirds of wheat area) of modern cultivars along with improved production technology. As a result of such efforts, national income has substantially increased, and Syria has become a net exporter of wheat. Thus, the collaborative efforts of an international research center and its host country have shown clearly that there is an alternative to a traditional, low-output agriculture and its associated ills.

Prospects for Improving Production Technology for Polycaproamide Used in Manufacture of Textile and Industrial Fibres. Part II

The theoretical premises for improving continuous technology for synthesis of PA-6 on cascade lines and the advantages of the continuous-periodic production scheme in manufacture of polymers of ultrahigh molecular weight with linear chains and a low content of caprolactam and oligomers are examined.

Production of Semiconducting III–V Single Crystals: Current Status and Outlook

The current status of and outlook for the worldwide production of semiconducting III–V single crystals, primarily gallium arsenide, are examined. Particular emphasis is placed on improving production technologies and reaching head positions in the vertical crystallization technology.

Agriculture Intensification and Ecologically Sustainable Land Use Systems in Niger: Transition from Traditional to Technologically Sound Practices

ABSTRACT Increasing population pressure in Niger has increased demand for arable land leading to expansion of cropping into marginal land resulting in soil erosion and diminishing pasture, woodland and forest area which threatens ecosystem sustainability. Highly variable rainfall adds risk to crop production. Intensification of agriculture with adoption of sustainable, yield enhancing technologies is critical to the future development of all agroecological regions in Niger. Farm constraints analysis of crop productivity conducted in rainfed areas of the Niger by farmer surveys and on-farm experiments revealed that the major limitations to increased productivity were (1) low soil fertility and lack of fertilizer use, (2) limited organic manure availability, (3) low mineral nutrient use efficiency of crops when fertilizers were applied during soil moisture stress, (4) lack of high yielding varieties resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses, (5) practice of using low plant densities, (6) limited access to farm inputs, (7) lack of a marketing strategy, and (8) lack of adequate extension service to farmers. The use of improved technologies, such as fertilizer, improved varieties or hybrids, optimum plant density and water conservation technologies were shown to increase yields more than two-fold at the farm level. Key elements in a strategy to increase total crop production in Niger must include support from both the private and public sectors to promote more rapid acceptance of improved production technologies. This will require institutional modifications that enhance technology transfer, development of input delivery systems, improved policies of land tenure, availability of fertilizer, and improved policies that affect the input and output pricing structure.

Benefits of Integration of Cereals and Forage Legumes With and Without Crossbred Cows in Mixed Farms: An ex ante Analysis for Highland Ethiopia

ABSTRACT Poverty, low crop and animal productivity and large-scale resource degradation are major problems in the agriculture sector in the East African highlands. Among others, integration of forage legumes in cereal based cropping systems has been proposed as a promising strategy to improve the sustainability of smallholder farming systems through increased crop and livestock productivity and better soil management. Using experimental data from Ethiopia and elsewhere in the region, linear programming models have been used to determine the economic impacts of cereal-forage legume inter-cropping with and without crossbred cows for a typical highland mixed farm. An important feature of the model was that the benefits of inter-cropping in terms of nitrogen fixation and the better nutrition of animals were accounted for. Model results demonstrate that the introduction of forage legumes with cereals changes cropping pattern significantly, but does not significantly change the use pattern of principal farm resources, labor and ox power. Introduction of cereal-forage legume inter-cropping significantly increases gross margin and cash income, and the introduction of crossbred cows enhances these returns even further. Inter-cropping also significantly increases the share of livestock in farm and cash income when crossbred cows are included. Sensitivity analyses show that the improved technologies remain more profitable than current practices even when there is a substantial decrease in price of outputs. The results indicate that the improved production technologies should be widely tested under actual farm conditions under farmer management through on-farm research and extension. Benefits of intercropping in terms of weed control and control of soil erosion should be quantified in future research.

ECONOMICS OF SMALLHOLDER SOYABEAN PRODUCTION IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: A CASE STUDY OF FACTORS DETERMINING INCREASED SMALLHOLDER PRODUCTION IN ZIMBABWE

This paper contributes to the discussion on the economics and factors determining widespread soyabean production by smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa. Agronomic research carried out in several tropical countries has concluded that here is potential for increasing small farm soyabean production through adoption of improved varieties, and management practices such as appropriate nitrogen and phosphorus fertitiser placing and application rates, appropriate planting time and seed inoculation. However, it has been argued that if soyabean was consumed in various forms at the household level, leading to improvement in family nutrition and income, this would provide the incentive for widespread adoption. Introduction of appropriate processing technologies and information would be critical factors for adoption. As a result effort been invested in research on-farm processing to encourage home use. This paper looks at factors determining increased soyabean production by smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe. It is based on a longitudinal study of a progrmme for promoting smallholder soyabean production through transfer and adoption of improved production technologies and promotion of home processing and use of soyabean products. The findings of the study suggest that there is limited scope for expansion of soyabean as an immediate food crop at the household level. Home use and load demand for processed soyabean products are not a sufficient stimulus for widespread adoption. If the farmers can fit soyabeans into their farming system, the potential for increased production is a cash crop.

99/01697 Improvement of technology for production of thermo anthracite : Khan, A. V. et al. Stal', 1998, (3), 32–34. (In Russian)

99/01697 Improvement of technology for production of thermo anthracite : Khan, A. V. et al. Stal', 1998, (3), 32–34. (In Russian)

Aggregate supply response in Tanzanian agriculture

Tanzania is among the many African countries that have engaged in agricultural liberalization since the mid-1980s. in the hope that reforms that introduce price incentives and efficient marketing will encourage producers to respond. This paper assesses that claim by examining the supply response of agricultural output in Tanzania. Our estimates suggest that aggregate agricultural supply response is quite high so that the potential for agricultural sector response to liberalization of agricultural prices and marketing may be quite significant. The long-run elasticity of aggregate food crop output to relative prices was almost unity. Short-run supply responses were estimated at about 0.35 for aggregate food crops and for all (food and export) crops. Liberalization of agricultural markets, where it increases the effective prices paid to farmers, can be effective in promoting production, although complementary interventions, to improve infrastructure, marketing, access to inputs and credit, improved production technology etc, are probably necessary.

El Niño-Southern Oscillation Impacts on Winter Vegetable Production in Florida*

Florida’s mild winters allow the state to play a vital role in supplying fresh vegetables for U.S. consumers. Producers also benefit from premium prices when low temperatures prevent production in most of the country. This study characterizes the influence of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on the Florida vegetable industry using statistical analysis of the response of historical crop (yield, prices, production, and value) and weather variables (freeze hazard, temperatures, rainfall, and solar radiation) to ENSO phase and its interaction with location and time of year. Annual mean yields showed little evidence of response to ENSO phase and its interaction with location. ENSO phase and season interacted to influence quarterly yields, prices, production, and value. Yields (tomato, bell pepper, sweet corn, and snap bean) were lower and prices (bell pepper and snap bean) were higher in El Niño than in neutral or La Niña winters. Production and value of tomatoes were higher in La Niña winters. The yield response can be explained by increased rainfall, reduced daily maximum temperatures, and reduced solar radiation in El Niño winters. Yield and production of winter vegetables appeared to be less responsive to ENSO phase after 1980; for tomato and bell pepper, this may be due to improvements in production technology that mitigate problems associated with excess rainfall. Winter yield and price responses to El Niño events have important implications for both producers and consumers of winter vegetables, and suggest opportunities for further research.

El Niño–Southern Oscillation Impacts on Winter Vegetable Production in Florida*

AbstractFlorida’s mild winters allow the state to play a vital role in supplying fresh vegetables for U.S. consumers. Producers also benefit from premium prices when low temperatures prevent production in most of the country. This study characterizes the influence of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on the Florida vegetable industry using statistical analysis of the response of historical crop (yield, prices, production, and value) and weather variables (freeze hazard, temperatures, rainfall, and solar radiation) to ENSO phase and its interaction with location and time of year. Annual mean yields showed little evidence of response to ENSO phase and its interaction with location. ENSO phase and season interacted to influence quarterly yields, prices, production, and value. Yields (tomato, bell pepper, sweet corn, and snap bean) were lower and prices (bell pepper and snap bean) were higher in El Niño than in neutral or La Niña winters. Production and value of tomatoes were higher in La Niña winters. The yield response can be explained by increased rainfall, reduced daily maximum temperatures, and reduced solar radiation in El Niño winters. Yield and production of winter vegetables appeared to be less responsive to ENSO phase after 1980; for tomato and bell pepper, this may be due to improvements in production technology that mitigate problems associated with excess rainfall. Winter yield and price responses to El Niño events have important implications for both producers and consumers of winter vegetables, and suggest opportunities for further research.

Concepts in production ecology for analysis and quantification of agricultural input-output combinations

Definitions and concepts of production ecology are presented as a basis for development of alternative production technologies characterized by their input-output combinations. With these concepts the relative importance of several growth factors and inputs is investigated to explain actual yield levels and resource-use efficiencies. Differences between potential and actual levels are analyzed to open ways for improved production technologies. The basis of the analysis is knowledge of basic physical, chemical, physiological and ecological processes at soil, field and crop level. New production technologies and their input-output combinations can be used in studies aimed at the exploration of options for sustainable agricultural production systems and land use. The concepts allow a systematic analysis and quantification of input-output combinations and clearly discriminate between bio-physical possibilities and socio-economic constraints and objectives. They help in defining objectives and means for agricultural production and land use, and may be valuable as aids to communication between various disciplines involved in studying the possibility and feasibility of future production technologies and land use options. The concepts production level, physical environment, target-oriented approach, production technique, production activity, and production orientation are applied to identify new technologies and production systems at various levels of scale, each requiring different types of information. In this paper some examples of applications are given at field, farm and at regional level.

5492682 Hydrogen purification

Diesel particulate filters composed of so-called wall-flow monoliths are well established devices for diesel particulate abatement. Recent improvements in production technology allow implementation of full-featured catalyst functionality in the filter walls.From a reactor engineering point of view such wall-flow reactors with wall-integrated catalyst show fundamental differences compared to conventional flow-through monoliths. The complex interactions of convection, diffusion and reaction in the wall-flow monolith are studied by means of numerical simulation. A two-dimensional model for the flow in one pair of inlet/outlet channels with a generic first order reaction in the catalytic filter wall is developed. Concentration profiles in the reactor and a conventional flow-through catalyst are compared.It is found that in the range of moderate reactor conversion concentration gradients along the inlet channel of the filter are small. Thus the reactor can be described by an approximate one-dimensional model, taking into account only the radial flux through the filter wall and assuming a constant inlet concentration in axial direction along the inlet channel.Light-off curves are computed for the wall-flow and for the conventional flow-through monolith. Significantly better conversion is found for the wall-flow configuration. This can be explained by mass transfer limitation in the conventional flow-through monolith.

アジア特集 Ｉ 最近の中国における塗工白板紙生産の技術状況について

The white coated paperboard production in China is expected to be 800, 000 MT at 1995. The main plants of the white paperboard in China are listed with some equipments.Their performances are comparatively examined with imported ones. It's concluded that they had been improved in appearance but some problems remain in performances of uniformity, box convertibility and printability yet.In order to improve them the author appoints three terms or the selection of raw fiber material, the production technology improvement and the utilization of paper chemicals.

Potential of the Sudan's irrigated sector in cereal grains production: Analysis of various policy options

In this paper, a linear programming sector model was employed to analyze various policy options for exposing the potential of the Sudan's irrigated sector in enhancing grain production for improved food security, following a precarious contribution of rainfed production over the past decade. A free cropping pattern in irrigation schemes would be associated with large areas and production of grains under the existing financial cost and price levels, but would be bound with uncertainty of sustainable grain levels if prices change. Grain production targets could be imposed on irrigation schemes with manageable levels of support to producers and social costs. The main tools would be adequate input provision and adoption of improved production technology. The implementation would be favored by a structure of production in the irrigated sector that allows administrative control over production. This could be best blended with policy measures related to pricing and taxation levels of grain production. The comparative advantage of different schemes in producing certain crops should be utilized.

Technological improvement of the production process and accidents: An equivocal relationship

This paper deals with the relationship between improvement in production technology and its influence on occupational accidents. Based on a review of the most recent findings concerning technological change and accidents, it proposes a new context of interpretation for a previous article concerning mechanization and accidents in the logging industry. The results obtained then suggested that occupational safety could benefit greatly from the mechanization of production activities. Herein, the focus is broadened to take also into account the influence of technological alternatives other than mechanization, and this in the process as well as in manufacturing industries. Following a review of recent findings, three questions are discussed: (1) convergence in research findings; (2) isolability of the effects of technological improvements on accidents; (3) needs regarding orientations for further studies. It is finally stated that, despite the existence of some tendencies, the relationship between technological innovation and accidents cannot be seen as either uniform or deterministic.

Entry-inducing technology adoption

When spillovers are important, potential entry may lead incumbents to refrain from implementing costless improvements in production technology or working practices. Thus it is concluded that endogenous changes in market structure may exacerbate disincentives to do R&D.