Input Costs Research Articles

MOTIVATIONAL FACTOR AND CONSTRAINTS IN ADOPTION OF POTATO CUTIVATION TECHOLOGY BY POTATO GROWERS UNDER CONTRACT FARMING

Most of the farm operators being small and marginal farmers in India, there are problems in getting quality raw material for processing, marketing, and distribution, especially in perishable high value crops but contract farming which was restricted, largely, to seed production earlier, spread to perishable produce and has now become the dominant and growing mode of raw material production and procurement co-ordination among the processors and fresh produce market and exporters. Potato is very important perishable high value crop in North Gujarat Agro-climatic zone of Gujarat state with the cultivating area of 97,204 hector in six districts of North Gujarat (Anon.2014-15). Therefore, the present investigation was conducted in the North Gujarat Agro climatic Zone of Gujarat state. Two districts viz., Banaskantha and Sabarkantha occupy the highest area under potato cultivation in North Gujarat and hence, were selected purposively for study. Ten potato growers were randomly selected from twenty villages. In all, 200 contracting potato growers were selected for the study. Important motivated factors farmers toward contract farming were; assured price, price stability, no tension of marketing, technical advice to control pests and diseases, no cash payment for seed. Majority (78.00%) of the potato growers had medium to high level of adoption regarding potato cultivation technology. Major constraints faced by potato growers in adoption of potato cultivation technology under contract farming were; high rejection rate, low contract price, high cost of inputs given by contracting company, poor quality seed supply by company and manipulation of norms by firm. Important suggestions expressed by the potato growers were; provision of supportive price, quality seed to be provided by company, government intervention for making strict laws to make legal contracts and technical advice to control pests and diseases.

Identification of heterogeneous elasticities in gross-output production functions

This paper presents the identification of heterogeneous elasticities in gross-output production functions with non-separable unobserved productivity. We propose that the ex-ante flexible input cost shares identify the heterogeneous output elasticities with respect to flexible inputs for each firm. Applying the proposed method to a panel of firms in the food production industry in Chile, we find that the extent of heterogeneity in the output elasticities with respect to intermediate inputs has significantly declined from 1985 to 1995, with its distribution tending to concentrate toward zero as time progresses.

New Possibilities for Women’s Empowerment through Agroecology in Himachal Pradesh, India

In 2018, the state of Himachal Pradesh in north India launched an initiative to convert all its farmers to natural farming (NF), an agroecological approach. The aim was to address multiple challenges related to rural livelihoods, high input costs, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation. This paper is based on a qualitative case study of the state programme to transition farmers to NF. It seeks to understand how its mechanisms support and empower small and marginal women farmers. In addition to identifying mechanisms that facilitate the effective uptake of NF, the case study sought women’s views on whether these mechanisms increased spaces for decision making and developed capabilities and autonomy. Framed within the vision of reclaiming food sovereignty, various mechanisms such as training in villages, participating in NF groups and networks, visits to model farms, and adopting leadership roles offered new pathways for women farmers to gain confidence and capabilities. Women began to participate in spaces that had been culturally and structurally denied to them. This case study demonstrates how agroecology initiatives, with a particular emphasis on gender, can offer women various opportunities for decision making, income generation, and creative expression. These initiatives also expand community agency and enable the acquisition of knowledge necessary for sustainable ecosystems.

Antimicrobial Ayurveda Crops as Superfoods as For Export, Conservation & Farmers’ Benefit

Antimicrobial resistance is growing worldwide and presents risks such as a pandemic. It is caused by the overuse or misdirected use of antibiotics. Regulation of antibiotic use can be accompanied by herbal drugs such as turmeric, pepper, & clover, etc., that have been found to be effective for millennia with no emergence of resistance reported, due to their polyphenols and alkaloids or combination, also emerging as “superfoods” due to their inclusion in the regular diet. Combined herbal therapy may be synergistic, preventing the evolution of resistance among the microbes. The cultivation of such superfoods can double farmers' income due to the growing demand and low input costs and save threatened wild herbs from extinction.

An intellectual gap in root research on major crops of the Canadian Prairies

Prairie cropping systems face several challenges, including high input costs and climate change. Research to address these challenges has focused on above-ground agronomic parameters while completely ignoring the role roots play below ground. The objectives of this review study are to (i) synthesize past root studies carried out in the Canadian Prairies, (ii) provide a context for prairie root research, and (iii) identify gaps for future research. This review reports that root architectural traits of major crops have been assessed under field and greenhouse conditions in soil, artificial media, and a mixture of both soil and media, mostly under natural/well-watered and drought conditions. Several root traits have been compared for major crops grown with respect to moisture levels and nutrient uptake. A dearth of research exists on the complex relationship between root traits, soil microbiome, nutrient uptake, carbon sequestration, and photosynthetic efficiency. No studies were found relating root traits, fertilizer placement, and nitrogen and water use efficiencies, carbon sequestration, soil microbiome dynamics, and common root diseases. This review also reports that more research and funding are needed to exploit the benefits that root research will bring to further sustainability goals and ensure food security in the Canadian Prairies.

ASSESSMENT OF THE CONTRIBUTION OF GURARA DAM IRRIGATION SCHEME TO POVERTY REDUCTION AMONG FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

The study assessed the contribution of Gurara dam irrigation scheme to poverty reduction among farming households in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Data on respondents’ poverty status, and the constraints faced by farming households in utilizing the Gurara irrigation facilities was collected using structured questionnaire during the 2019 cropping season. A four-sampling stage technique was employed in this study to select randomly 340 farming households made up of 170 each of beneficiary and non-beneficiary. The analytical tools used to achieve the objectives were descriptive statistics, Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) index, and Tobit regression models. The poverty headcount, poverty gaps and severity indices of the Gurara dam beneficiary farming households were 0.24, 0.03 and 0.005, respectively. Decomposition of poverty status of the Gurara dam beneficiary and non-beneficiary farming households based on socio-economic characteristics, institutional and living conditions characteristics was estimated using mean per adult equivalent household expenditure. The Tobit regression model showed that the marginal effects of household size (0.176), cooperative membership (-0.168), farm income (-0.157), farm size (0.404) and credit utilized (-0.193) for farm production were statistically significant determinants of the poverty status of household farmers. The result of analysis of constraints encountered by Gurara dam farming households were ranked from most critical to the least critical; these include inadequate irrigable land and water; excessive cost of irrigation equipment, inadequate inputs, inadequate and untimely supply of inputs, inadequate extension visits and research. Farming households should be encouraged by government and Non-Government Organization (NGO) as well as their cooperative empowerment to engage in small scale irrigation farming to enable increase production of food and alleviate their poverty status.

Farmers’ adaptation strategies to mitigate climate impacts on cocoa production: experience from Osun State, Nigeria

The study assessed cocoa farmers’ adaptation strategies for mitigating impacts of climate change on cocoa production in Osun State, Nigeria. It profiled socio-demographic features of cocoa farmers, examined impacts of climate change; determined utilisation of adaptation strategies and examined the barriers to their usage. Data were drawn from 120 cocoa farmers across the state using interview schedule. Appropriate statistical tools were employed to analyse the primary data collected. The findings showed that most of the cocoa farmers (87.5%) were male with a mean age of 54.1± 10.8years. All (100%) cocoa farmers indicated high awareness of climate change. The findings showed that climate change retarded growth of cocoa seedlings and reduced cocoa yield. Key adaptation strategies utilized were planting of shade trees and frequent spraying of cocoa with pesticides. Majority of the cocoa farmers indicated high level of usage of different climate change adaptation strategies. High cost of inputs and unpredictable weather were the major barriers limiting the usage of adaptation strategies. Age (r=-0.501) and years of engagement in farming (r=0.551) were significantly related to the utilization of adaptation strategies. The research concluded that cocoa farmers utilized multiple adaptation strategies at high level to mitigate impacts of climate change to enhance sustainable and optimum cocoa production in Nigeria.

Microgrids for green hydrogen production for fuel cell buses – A techno-economic analysis for Fiji

The study examines the feasibility of producing hydrogen for fuel cell buses in Fiji. The paper focuses on sizing hybrid microgrids comprising solar panels and wind turbines as the primary power source for hydrogen production while considering both off-grid and grid-connected cases. As no fuel cell vehicles exist in Fiji at present, five long-distance buses with daily travel of 380 km are proposed as a pilot scale baseline system, which would operate in the daytime only. Detailed technical and economic modelling was done using the HOMER Pro software with cost inputs derived from literature. A total of three cases for the on-grid and four cases for the off-grid systems are analyzed based on the various combinations of components. HOMER Pro optimized the grid configurations to minimize the Net Present Cost (NPC) values. All seven cases were also modelled with and without the effects of hydrogen gas compressors to emulate the production of low-pressure gas without compression and compressed high-pressure hydrogen required for fuel cell buses. It was found that a grid-connected system with solar and wind hybrid was the most feasible configuration and yielded the lowest NPC of $6 million. The grid-connected case also yielded a Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) of $0.10/kWh and a Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) of $9.08/kg with compression to 400 bars. The LCOH stood at $8.73/kg for hydrogen generation without compression. The most feasible off-grid configuration using solar and wind power attained an LCOE of $1.15/kWh while giving a LCOH of $13.00/kg for compressed hydrogen. It was also found that neglecting hydrogen compression load and costs can underestimate the LCOH by as much as 6.92 %. The off-grid best case had no CO2 produced during its operation, leading to a net zero process that offsets 929.9 tons of CO2 compared to the baseline. The grid-connected system does have some emissions but leads to a 93.9 % reduction in CO2 emissions, offsetting 873.3 tons of CO2 compared to the baseline. The study updated the cost inputs to account for inflation, logistics, and hydrogen gas compression, which are not available directly in HOMER Pro software. At the time of writing this paper, no feasibility study existed for hydrogen production in Fiji using renewable energy.

Combining water-saving and drought-resistant rice with plastic film mulching mitigates CH4 emissions with higher net economic benefits

Plastic film mulching (PM) and water-saving and drought-resistant rice (WDR) are believed to increase crop yields and decrease CH4 emissions, respectively. Here, a comprehensive estimation is prepared on how the combination of PM and WDR impacts rice yields, CH4 and N2O emissions, global warming potential (GWP), greenhouse gas emission intensity (GHGI), and net economic ecosystem benefits (NEEB). Shifting continuous flooding (CF) into traditional rainfed (TF) and PM decreased CH4 emissions (35–92 %), GWP (33–91 %), and GHGI (31–88 %). Moreover, PM considerably reduced input costs and GWP costs relative to CF whereas increasing grain yields and yield gains relative to TF, thus promoting NEEB by around 3500 and 6000 CNY ha–1, respectively. Combining PM with WDR further enhanced NEEB by 935 CNY ha–1. The findings indicate that PM with the combination of WDR would be a promising strategy for lower greenhouse gas emissions and higher grain yields and economic benefits in rice agriculture.

Sustainability evaluation of contrasting milpa systems in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico

AbstractThe milpa agroecosystem is an intercropping of maize, beans, squash and other crops, developed in Mesoamerica, and its adoption is widely variable across climates and regions. An example of particular interest is the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, which holds highly diverse milpas, drawing on ancestral Mayan knowledge. Traditional milpas have been described as sustainable resource management models, based on long rotations within a slash-and-burn cycle in forest areas. Nevertheless, due to modernization and intensification processes, new variants of the approach have appeared. The objective of this study was to evaluate the sustainability of three milpa systems (traditional, continuous, and mechanized) in four case studies across the Peninsula, with emphasis on food self-sufficiency, social inclusion and adoption of innovations promoted by a development project. The Framework for the Evaluation of Agroecosystems using Indicators (MESMIS, for its Spanish acronym) was used for its flexible, participatory approach. A common group of indicators was developed despite regional differences between study cases, with a high level of farmer participation throughout the iterative process. The results show lower crop yields in traditional systems, but with lower inputs costs and pesticide use. In contrast, continuous milpas had higher value in terms of crop diversity, food security, social inclusion, and innovation adoption. Mechanized milpas had lower weed control costs. Profitability of cash crops and the proportion of forest were high in all systems. Highly adopted innovations across milpa types and study cases included spatial crop arrangement and the use of residues as mulches. However, most innovations are not adapted to local conditions, and do not address climate change. Further, women and youth participation is low, especially in traditional systems.

The Effect of Transaction Costs on the Sustainability of Milkfish Aquaculture in North Coast of Java, Indonesia

The potential of Milkfish Aquaculture on the North Coast of Java is very promising as the source of economy to both the farmers and Indonesia. However, the challenge faced by milkfish farmers is the fluctuation of input and selling prices may threaten business. Gresik as one of the center of milkfish production faces issues in accessing the market to sell their products, hence they require intermediaries that carries transaction costs which implicitly increase their final costs. Moreover, lack of cold storage and advance processing in the area complicate and reduce the bargaining value of milkfish farmers towards its buyer. This is because milkfish has a relatively very short shelf-life without proper storage or additional processing. The research is aimed to analyze the cost structure of milkfish farmers on the north coast of Java towards farmers income. Quantitative method is employed using two analyses: Ordinary Least Square (OLS) and Mann-Whitney Comparative Test. This study found that input cost is significantly affect the milkfish farmer, while the investment and transaction costs do not affect the milkfish farmer. Although the transaction cost variable is not significant, it shows negative coefficient value which implies reverse relationship with income. The result of Comparative Test is that the transaction cost of traditional farmers is higher compared to the semi-intensive. This is because the semi-intensive aquaculture has a higher bargaining position compared to the traditional ones, so that the cost of information, negotiation and other transaction cost are lower compared to the traditional ones. This study may useful for the milkfish farmer to increase efficiencies in the production by reducing the hidden costs and improve supply chain of the milkfish industry for the sustainability of milkfish farmers and its sub-industries in Gresik.

Cost-effectiveness of volume computed tomography in lung cancer screening: a cohort simulation based on Nelson study outcomes

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of lung cancer screening (LCS) with volume-based low-dose computed tomography (CT) versus no screening for an asymptomatic high-risk population in the United Kingdom (UK), utilising the long-term insights provided by the NELSON study, the largest European randomized control trial investigating LCS. Methods A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted using a decision tree and a state-transition Markov model to simulate the identification, diagnosis, and treatments for a lung cancer high-risk population, from a UK National Health Service (NHS) perspective. Eligible participants underwent annual volume CT screening and were compared to a cohort without the option of screening. Screen-detected lung cancers, costs, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) were predicted. Results Annual volume CT screening of 1.3 million eligible participants resulted in 96,474 more lung cancer cases detected in early stage, and 73,825 fewer cases in late stage, leading to 53,732 premature lung cancer deaths averted and 421,647 QALYs gained, compared to no screening. The ICER was £5,455 per QALY. These estimates were robust in sensitivity analyses. Limitations Lack of long-term survival data for lung cancer patients; deficiency in rigorous micro-costing studies to establish detailed treatment costs inputs for lung cancer patients. Conclusions Annual LCS with volume-based low-dose CT for a high-risk asymptomatic population is cost-effective in the UK, at a threshold of £20,000 per QALY, representing an efficient use of NHS resources with substantially improved outcomes for lung cancer patients, as well as additional societal and economic benefits for society as a whole. These findings advocate evidence-based decisions for the potential implementation of a nationwide LCS in the UK.

Recommended Practices for More Accessible Quantification of Low‐Concentration Aqueous Phase Products in Photo/Electrocatalytic CO2/N2 Fixation

AbstractThe sustainable development of novel photo/electrocatalytic CO2/N2 fixation for chemical synthesis is predicated on reliable, accurate, and rapid detection methods. The directness, specificity, and simultaneity in detecting multiple molecules of the 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H‐NMR) technique have aroused increasing interest in photo/electrocatalysis. Thus far, two data processing means have been developed for the precise 1H‐NMR data processing: peak integral and peak height methods. However, few detailed studies offer a clear steer for choosing data processing methods for the concerned products in photo/electrocatalysis, especially the guidelines under the conditions of baseline distortions induced by water suppression. Herein, the feasible practices are restudied to quantify classical products in photo/electrocatalytic CO2/N2 fixation. On the basis of experimental results, 1H‐NMR data processing methods (peak integral and peak height methods) are found to convey different applicability for the different low‐concentration products, while introducing water suppression in the 1H‐NMR tests. The essential reason can be attributed to the baseline distortions caused by the water suppression, which arouses differentiated deviation of peaks with different peak widths. With this in mind, an accessible quantification criterion is provided to avoid superfluous input of time or cost in precise 1H‐NMR detection of low‐concentration products.

Long-term assessment of diverse nutrient management strategies in a rice-rice cropping system: analyzing yield trends, resource use efficiency and economic viability over a sixteen-year period

In recent times, the sustainability of rice-rice cropping systems has been threatened by a yield plateau, high input cost, declining water and labor availability, and increasing food demand. Hence, the rice-based cropping systems seek more attention in relation to nutrient management. This study evaluated the impact of 16-year long-term fertilizer application on crop and water productivity, yield trend, nutrient use-efficiency, and profitability of a rice-rice system (eight treatments and four replications; randomized block design). The study showed that the integrated application NPK and FYM (BInOF) significantly increased grain yield up to (∼3949 kg ha−1) and benefit cost ratio (2.01 and 1.62) in monsoon and winter rice. Furthermore, organic manure along with inorganic fertilizers significantly increased the nutrient uptake up to (80-89 kg ha−1 N; ∼16-19 kg ha−1 P; ∼85-106 kg ha−1 K; 0.22-0.25 kg ha−1 Zn) in monsoon and winter rice. The largest N recovery was observed under BInOF plots (54.9 to 59.8%). The highest carbon sequestration (2.06 t ha−1 after 16 years of cultivation) and water productivity (3.5-4.5 kg grain ha-mm−1) was observed under BInOF system (NPK + FYM). The sustainable yield index (SYI, 0.7), an indicator of rice sustainability was highest in BInOF. This study offers valuable insights into the impacts of chemical fertilizers and organic manures on the sustainability of the rice-rice cropping system. Such findings can guide policymakers in formulating strategies for crop diversification and underscore the importance of incorporating organic matter for optimal crop performance.

Shade versus intensification: Trade-off or synergy for profitability in coffee agroforestry systems?

CONTEXTCoffee agroforestry systems (shaded coffee) are considered less productive but more resilient than more intensive production systems. A persistent challenge for coffee farmers is the extreme fluctuations in coffee prices, leading to a loss of profitability and lower investment in production. There are contrasting conclusions regarding the profitability trade-off between increasing productivity through intensification and the sustainability benefits of shade tree coffee agroforestry systems. OBJECTIVEUsing a typology of different intensification and sustainability coffee production strategies in Costa Rica and Guatemala, we assess the economic feasibility and sensitivity of those strategies under likely future scenarios of price and cost variability. METHODSBased on on-farm survey data from a large-scale survey of farmers with information on costs, prices and yields over ten years, a probabilistic cash flow analysis was used to create a stochastic model for net returns. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSUnder future price scenarios, the Net Present Value (NPV) for coffee production was greatest for the high-productivity farms with high investment and moderate shade levels. The NPV of low-investment farms was greater (and positive) for highly shaded coffee production than for low shade coffee production (which, on average, had a negative NPV), despite the two having similar levels of investment. Diversification with bananas or avocados in association with coffee only improved NPV for high-value export avocado. Despite the substantially higher production costs for the high productivity systems, they generally maintained higher probabilities of achieving a positive net cash income or achieving a living income under most labour, fertilizer or coffee price scenarios, except a 50% fall in coffee prices. Diversification effects were as sensitive to changes in labour and input costs but in most cases reduced the probability of a more pronounced negative net cash income under low coffee price scenarios. We find an increase in coffee prices by 50% was needed to enable all farmers to achieve a positive net cash income; with an increased probability of achieving returns comparable with a living wage for higher productivity systems. SIGNIFICANCEWe conclude that high-investment, high-productivity coffee production systems are compatible with shade-grown production; more likely to lead to economic success and achieve positive returns under most conditions, except large falls in coffee prices. For farmers with limited capacity to invest, high-shade production systems provide a positive cash return under a broader range of price conditions than low-shade systems.

Can Docked Bike-Sharing Systems Reach Their Dual Sustainability in Terms of Environmental Benefits and Financial Operations? A Comparative Study from Nanjing, 2017 and 2023

In this paper, we investigate the sustainability of docked bike-sharing in Nanjing in terms of environmental benefits and financial operations by comparing the data of March 2017 and March 2023 in Nanjing. We modify a community detection method, give and prove dynamic boundary conditions for the objective function of the heuristic algorithm, and realize the estimation of the rebalancing coefficients for this mega-system, thus obtaining more accurate emission factors. We find that there are significant differences in the results obtained from environmental benefit assessments over time. Further, there are also significant differences at the national level. This may signify that the assessment data of one country’s system cannot give a direct reference for another country’s system. Second, we considered the economic basis required for the environmental benefits of docked bike-sharing systems. We have calculated the sustainability of the system’s financial operations by considering its revenues over the next nine years, including the cost of facility inputs, facility upgrades, dispatching costs, labor costs, maintenance costs, and the time value of money. The results show a 4.6-fold difference in emission factors between 2017 and 2023; comparing 2017 to 2023 (when demand loss has been severe), the investment in 2017 will be recouped 2 years later than in 2023. Switching distribution vehicles from fuel vehicles to electric trikes would severely deteriorate the operator’s key financial metrics while only reducing the emission factor value by 8.64 gCO2 eq/km, leading to an unsustainable system. This signals the potential for the financial unsustainability, or even bankruptcy, of operators if the requirements for sustained emissions reductions from the bike-sharing system are divorced from the form of the economy on which it is sustainably operated. Finally, we consider the geographical patterns between environmental benefits and financial operations. We find that financial sustainability varies across geographic locations. Under financial sustainability, we gave emission factors under the mix distribution vehicle scenario.

Does Financial Technology Increase The Efficiency of Zakat Management Organizations or Other Factors?

<p><em>The purpose of this research is to analyze the efficiency of Zakat Management Organizations (ZMO) in utilizing financial technology to increase the collection and distribution of Zakat. Data was obtained from 4 social finance organizations that utilize financial technology: National Amil Zakat Agency (NAZA), Nahdathul Ulama (NU Care), Dompet Dhuafa, and Rumah Zakat between 2018-2019. The methodology used an efficiency approach with the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) tool. Operational variables are total operating and socialization costs as input variables, while Zakat’s entire collection and distribution are the output variables. The results are the 4 ZMOs based on Financial Technology, such as NAZA, NU Care, Dompet Dhuafa, and Rumah Zakat, indicate that NU Care is the most efficient ZMO with a score of 1.00 throughout 2018-2019 because it can decrease input costs and optimize output due to its large mass base and volunteer programs up to the village level. Meanwhile, other ZMOs experience inefficiency with a score below 0.60, which occurs due to the use of disproportionate inputs and outputs due to ZMOs having multiple roles and a relatively equal ZMO donor base, which causes competition among ZMOs. Hahslm Analysis proves that optimizing ZMO input and output is by using resources in a balanced way by minimizing costs and maximizing income, which is an important factor outside financial technology.</em></p>

Georgia and Florida Logging Businesses Persevere Through Pandemic, Rising Costs, and Uncertainty

Abstract Logging businesses in Georgia and Florida combine to harvest approximately 66 million tons of timber annually, more than 10% of the US total. Since 1987, the University of Georgia has surveyed Georgia logging business owners every 5 years. Florida logging businesses were included in 2022 to gain a better understanding of logging businesses in the region. During the first quarter of 2022, questionnaires were mailed to 503 and 132 logging businesses in Georgia and Florida, respectively. Adjusted response rates were 22% in Georgia and 25% in Florida. Logging businesses produced an average of 1,956 and 2,619 tons per week in Georgia and Florida, respectively. The median owner age was approximately 56 years in Georgia and 58 years in Florida. Nearly 40% of owners were over 60 years old in both states. More than 30% of loggers in both states expected to leave the industry within 5 years. The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on logging businesses, with over 80% of logging business owners reporting reduced production, employees becoming infected, and/or difficulty finding employees. Logging business owners identified fuel, labor, trucking, and insurance as their greatest challenges in 2022. Study Implications: Rising costs, turbulent markets, and shortages of labor are stressing many logging businesses. In the short term, adjustments to logging rates are needed to respond to increased input costs. In the long term, individual logging businesses, loggers’ associations, and the forest industry should collaborate to increase the pool of qualified labor, address trucking and insurance challenges, and create succession plans for logging business owners that plan to leave the industry.

Factors Influencing the Airline Decision-Making Process in Planning Pricing Mechanisms in the Nigerian Aviation Industry

The airline industry is faced with a lot of challenges based on their various operations in terms of the carriage of goods and passengers. Part of this challenge is the issue of the best pricing strategies to be adopted. Prior to setting fare, the airline industry considered a number factors before the decision is implemented looking at customer satisfaction and profit making. Therefore, based on that, this study set out to assess the factors that influence airline pricing decisions in the Nigerian airline industry. The scope of the study covers all the domestic airlines operating in Nigeria. A questionnaire was administered to three hundred forty-nine staff consist of three categories of staffers (directorate, managerial, and supervisory) of all the domestic airlines in Nigeria. The collected data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis. Eleven variables (factors) were selected as attributes and tested. These include: demand, cost of inputs and supply, prevailing market airfare price, prices (fares) of alternative modes, route status, period (time) of supply and demand, distance between origin and destination, landing fees, availability of slots in peak periods, security on the origin-destination (O-D) market, and availability of aircraft maintenance. The results revealed that distance between the origin and destination, time of supply, and demand are the most significant factors influencing airline pricing decisions in the Nigerian airline industry. Therefore, based on the findings of the study, the study recommends that the airline industry must ensure that passengers are fully informed if prices are changed and also ensure the security of passengers from origin to destination.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Maribavir in Patients with Post-Transplant Cytomegalovirus Infection or Disease that are Refractory or Resistant to Conventional Therapy

OBJECTIVES: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection represents a serious post-transplantation complication, particularly among transplant recipients with resistant or refractory (R/R) infection. Despite the improvement made in CMV prevention and treatment, remains a need for new therapies that are better tolerated and safer for patients, especially for refractory or resistant (R/R) infections. This analysis investigates the cost-effectiveness of maribavir versus investigator-assigned therapy (IAT) for treatment of post-transplant R/R CMV in the Italian context.METHODS: The analysis was conducted from the National Health Service (NHS) perspective using a Markov model previously developed in Excel® to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of maribavir versus IAT for the treatment of post-transplant R/R CMV. Health event rates and transition probabilities were informed by data from observational studies and from SOLSTICE clinical trial, which compared maribavir to conventional antiviral treatments for transplant patients with R/R CMV infections. Utilities were from SOLSTICE and a utility vignette study. Costs inputs were derived from published literature and Italian national tariffs for outpatient and hospital services. Costs and outcomes were discounted by 3%.RESULTS: Maribavir compared to the IAT used for the treatment of post-transplant R/R CMV achieved an incremental cost of € 11,455 for an incremental quality adjusted life year (QALY) gain of 0.313. This resulted in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of € 36,626/QALY, for maribavir compared to IAT, which is below the generally accepted, national willingness-to-pay threshold for orphan drugs (€ 37,000/QALY).CONCLUSIONS: This analysis showed that maribavir, an orphan drug treatment, is cost-effective compared to the current antiviral treatments used for treatment of post-transplant R/R CMV.