Agricultural Specialization Research Articles

Стратегические предпосылки обеспечения продовольственной безопасности Ростовской области

The article is devoted to the issue of long-term food security provision of the country’s regions that occupy leading positions in agriculture on the basis of a situational assessment of the key indicators of the industry, related conditions and factors. The purpose of the article is to determine the strategic prerequisites that positively affect the food security of Rostov region, taking into account innovative trends in the development of industrial enterprises, the level and directions of state support. The problems of assessment and analysis of food security at various territorial and administrative levels are studied. The study used general logical research methods, system and situational approaches, and modeling of economic processes. The article describes the scientific and theoretical approaches and methods of concept assessment, structure and indicators of food security in the papers of scientists and economists. The article presents a factor model of effectiveness assessment of the agricultural and food policy of the region based on the evaluation of potential and strategic directions of agro-industrial complex development of the constituent entity of the federation. The article discusses the trends in the development of agriculture in Rostov region, its specialization and specific characteristics. A comprehensive methodology for assessment of regional food security is presented and the factors influencing the choice of indicators are justified. The structure of the agro-industrial complex of Rostov region is characterized. Reasonable conclusions are made about the trends in the development of agricultural production. Further development of scientific research in this area should be associated with the development of a system of indicators for the assessment of food security, adjusted to the specific conditions of the country’s regions and the existing agricultural specialization. In the applied methodological approaches the analysis of innovations and risk factors of various origins, the system of preventive anti-crisis management associated with the peculiarities of the production and financial cycles of leading industrial enterprises are crucial.

СПЕЦИАЛИЗАЦИЯ ПРОИЗВОДСТВА ЗЕРНА ПО ЗОНАМ В РЕСПУБЛИКЕ БАШКОРТОСТАН

The main condition for specialization in agriculture is the production of those products for which there is the most favorable natural environment. The purpose of our study is to determine the nature of territorial specialization in grain production based on the level and its dynamics. The object of the research is the agriculture of the Republic of Bashkortostan, which is one of the leading in the Russian Federation. The subject of the research is the factors of formation of territorial specialization of grain production. The work was carried out on the basis of the application of general scientific research methods within the framework of comparative, logical, statistical analysis and graphic interpretation of the results. The territory of the Republic of Bashkortostan is divided according to the complex of natural conditions, respectively, and according to the peculiarities of agriculture, into six zones. We have grouped municipal districts according to the volume of grain production in statics and in dynamics. A map of the municipal districts of the Republic of Bashkortostan for the production of grain by agricultural zones has been built. It was revealed that the dynamics of grain production in the republic has a multidirectional character. In terms of grain production, many regions of the region are promising territories, which, despite the low volume of production, are characterized by positive dynamics, as well as stagnant territories, which are characterized, despite the high volume of production, by negative dynamics. Areas in which grain production is higher than the average for the region are located in agricultural zones belonging to the Southern forest-steppe, the Ural steppe, and the Trans-Ural steppe. But at the same time, in many areas of the Cis-Ural and Trans-Ural steppe, grain production is also increasing, many of them have grain-growing specialization. In the regions located in the southern forest-steppe, grain production is below the average level in the republic, sunflower is most of all cultivated. Agriculture in the republic must be developed in the direction of creating specialized zones, which will allow lower costs to ensure the growth of production. At the same time, the organizational and economic mechanism must change in such a way as to stimulate the specialization and concentration of production.

Does gender matter for household livelihood diversification in Ethiopia rural areas?

Nowadays, the non-farm sector gives more attention and high expectations in reducing poverty in sub-Saharan African. Because participation of farm households in the none-farm sector out of their farm activities will play a great role to reduce poverty. Cross-sectional data were used to collect data in 2020 from farm household heads of 371 respondents with the mixed methodology to investigate the effect of demographic factors in none/off-farm economic activities on gender perspective in Ethiopia. In this study, we employ a Logistic regression model to explore the probabilities of household heads' participation in none/off-farm economic activities out of their farm. The result indicated, age and education level have a positive effect and statistically significant effect on increasing non-farm activities with the coefficients of 3.406, 1.956 respectively, confirmed that these variables should take into account in policy development to increase their impact on livelihood diversification. And Gender has a negatively significant on livelihood diversification. FHH is more participants in non-farm economic activities than MHH. Credit access does not contribute to increasing livelihood diversification instead; it contributes to agricultural specialization, not diversification. Surprisingly, family size has insignificant results in non-farm economic activities The outcome indicated it has its implications for the Ethiopian policy and strategy. The government should give more attention to the progressive aspects of non-farm economic activities to eradicate poverty. Whereas, decreasing its negative impact on poorer households by controlling obstacles of non-farm activities.

Local sectoral specialization in a warming world

AbstractThis paper quantitatively assesses the world’s changing economic geography and sectoral specialization due to global warming. It proposes a two-sector dynamic spatial growth model that incorporates the relation between economic activity, carbon emissions and temperature. The model is taken to the data at the 1° by 1° resolution for the entire world. Over a 200-year horizon, rising temperatures consistent with emissions under Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 push people and economic activity northwards to Siberia, Canada and Scandinavia. Compared with a world without climate change, clusters of agricultural specialization shift from Central Africa, Brazil and India’s Ganges Valley, to Central Asia, parts of China and northern Canada. Equatorial latitudes that lose agriculture specialize more in non-agriculture but, due to their persistently low productivity, lose population. By the year 2200, predicted losses in real GDP and utility are 6% and 15%, respectively. Higher trade costs make adaptation through changes in sectoral specialization more costly, leading to less geographic concentration in agriculture and larger climate-induced migration.

Unique specialization of agricultural clusters in the regions of the Russian Federation

The article considers the possibilities of conducting agricultural production within the framework of cluster structures. The advantages of agricultural clusters specialization in the conditions of agriculture digitalization in Russia are highlighted. The geographical structure of the agricultural territories division in the country, taking into account the unique conditions characteristic of a particular area, is presented. The fundamental factors influencing the choice of agricultural specialization are identified: land resources, climatic conditions, availability of technologies, equipment, and staffing. The article presents examples from the implementation of the unique competitive advantages of participants operating within the framework of agricultural clusters. The implementation of the specialization principle in agricultural production made it possible to create an organic territorial cluster in the Krasnoyarsk region to increase the production of ecologically safe products in the territory of the region. The article contains the requirements for organic farming technologies, a list of regulatory documents, a list of information systems necessary for the development of a strategy for the unique specialization of the agricultural cluster in the region.

Natural Resource Potential of Industrial Development of The Tashkent Economic District

The key factors in the production development and location, including industrial production, in any region, are the territorial structure of natural resources and the level of production infrastructure development. At present, the industry is one of the leading sectors of the developed countries' economy. Therefore, the Government of Uzbekistan, from the first days of state independence, prioritises the industry development, its modernisation and diversification when reforming the national economy. Due to this, over the past ten years, the industrial production share in the country's GDP has grown significantly and amounts to almost 1/3 of it. However, the participation of regions in gross industrial output is very uneven, and a number of them, in the presence of high natural resource potential, still retain agricultural specialisation. The paper presents an economic and geographical analysis of natural resources as a factor of industrial development in the Tashkent economic district. The general characteristic of mineral and raw material balance of the Tashkent region in the context of administrative districts (rural areas) is given. The paper describes the current development state of the territorial and sectoral structure of the Tashkent region and Tashkent city. The study analyses reserves and the involvement level of mineral resources in the context of administrative districts. The authors of this paper considered the issues and prospects of territorial and sectoral structure establishment and development in Tashkent economic district industry.

Using Aggregated Farm Location Information to Predict Regional Structural Change of Farm Specialisation, Size and Exit/Entry in Norway Agriculture

In this paper, we extend the analysis of farm structural change with respect to farm specialisation, size and exit in Norway by, first, explicitly incorporating the location information of farms generating a number of neighbouring farms within a certain range and, second, by predicting farm numbers in addition to farm group shares, which allows for consideration of the exit farm group. We use Norwegian single-farm full census data for the period 1996–2015. Four production specialisations and seven size classes represent farm groups, as well as a residual and an exit farm group at the regional level. The estimates indicate the explanatory power and importance of aggregated farm location information in the model. Simulation analysis showed that the farm groups develop differently, given a change in the number of neighbouring farms with respect to the farm numbers and farm group shares.

Debt as a Source of Financial Energy of the Farm—What Causes the Use of External Capital in Financing Agricultural Activity? A Model Approach

The aim of this study was to identify and assess the factors influencing the increase in the financial energy of a farm through the use of external capital, taking into account the farmer’s and farm characteristics. For its implementation, a logistic regression model and a classification-regression tree analysis (CRT) were used. The study was conducted on a group of farms in Central Pomerania (Poland) participating in the system of collecting and using data from farms (Farm Accountancy Data Network—FADN). Data on 348 farms were used for the analyses, obtained through a survey conducted in 2020 with the use of a questionnaire. Based on the analysis of the research results presented in the literature to date, it was established that the use of external capital in a farm as a factor increasing financial energy is determined, on the one hand, by the socio-demographic characteristics of the farmer and the characteristics of the farm, and on the other hand, by the availability of external financing sources. Factors relating to the first of these aspects were taken into account in the study. Using the logistic regression model, it was established that the propensity to indebtedness of farms is promoted by the following factors: gender of the head of the household (male, GEND), younger age of the head of the household (AGE), having a successor who will take over the farm in the future (SUC), higher value of generated production (PROD_VALUE), larger farm area (AREA) and multi-directional production of the farm (production diversification), as opposed to targeting plant or animal production only (farm specialization—SPEC). The results of the analysis carried out with the use of classification and regression trees (CRT) showed that the key factors influencing the use of outside capital as a source of financial energy in the agricultural production process are, first of all, features relating to an agricultural holding: the value of generated production (PROD_VALUE), agricultural area (AREA) and production direction (SPEC). The age of the farm manager (AGE) turned out to be of key importance among the farmer’s features favoring the tendency to take debt in order to finance agricultural activity.

"Youth" is an important part of rural revitalization

The characteristics of rural decline, in the rapid economic development of the present, is also spreading around the world. Overall, rural decline presents regional characteristics and national differences. After the fast industrialization and urbanization in the West, the scale and specialization of agriculture led to the expansion of farms, the decrease of population and the continuous decline of rural communities. In East Asia, aging and hollowing are increasingly common among precipitous industrialization and urbanization and government-driven rural development. In some developing countries, small and medium-sized farmers are forced to move into cities after bankruptcy, further aggravating the lagging status of rural development.

The impact of the transformation of the economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the reproduction of human capital: socio-economic aspect

In the context of the transition of the national economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan to an innovative type of development, the issues of the formation and development of human capital are becoming increasingly important. Increasing labor productivity, developing high-tech production, creating innovative products in the republic is impossible without providing the branches of the national economy with personnel who have the necessary professional and personal competencies. In turn, social and economic factors affect the formation and quality of human capital, while there is an uneven spatial distribution of human resources. Accordingly, the priorities of the socio-economic development of the territories require coordination with the tasks of increasing human capital. The basis of this study is the analysis of the reproduction processes of human capital in the regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, taking into account the socio-economic component. The object of the research is the human capital of the regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the subject of the research is the socio-economic aspect of the development of human capital. The method of the integral index for assessing human capital was taken as the main model for calculating human capital. We identified not only socio-economic factors affecting the effective use of human capital in the regions, but also demographic, environmental components and calculated indices based on these factors. The analysis showed that one of the key factors affecting the differentiation of the level of accumulated human capital is socio-economic. According to the results, the regions were identified as leaders and outsiders in terms of the level of accumulated human capital, regions with a post-industrial warehouse of the economy have high indicators of the human capital index, regions with agricultural specialization are low.

Structural Changes in Israeli Family Farms: Long-Run Trends in the Farm Size Distribution and the Role of Part-Time Farming

Israeli agriculture has experienced rapid structural changes in recent decades, including the massive exit of farmers, a resulting increase in average farm size, a higher farm specialization and a higher reliance on non-farm income sources. The higher farm heterogeneity makes it necessary to examine changes in the entire farm size distribution rather than the common practice of analyzing changes in the average farm size alone. This article proposes a nonparametric analysis in which the change in the distribution of farm sizes between two periods is decomposed into several components, and the contributions of subgroups of farms to this change are analyzed. Using data on Israeli family farms, we analyze the changes in the farm size distribution in two separate time periods that are characterized by very different economic environments, focusing on the different contributions of full-time farms and part-time farms to the overall distributional changes. We found that between 1971 and 1981, a period characterized by stability and prosperity, the farm size distribution has shifted to the right with relatively minor changes in higher moments of the distribution. On the other hand, between 1981 and 1995, a largely unfavorable period to Israeli farmers, the change in the distribution was much more complex. While the overall change in the size distribution of farms was smaller in magnitude than in the earlier period, higher moments of the distribution were not less important than the increase in the mean and led to higher dispersion of farm sizes. Between 1971 and 1981, the contributions of full- and part-time farms to the change in the size distribution were quite similar. Between 1981 and 1995, however, full-time farms contributed mostly to the growth in the average farm size, while the average farm size among part-time farms actually decreased, and their contribution to the higher dispersion of farm sizes was quantitatively larger. This highlights the need to analyze the changes in the entire farm size distribution rather than focusing on the mean alone, and to allow for differences between types of farms.

Ancient agriculture in Southeast Arabia: A three thousand year record of runoff farming from central Oman (Rustaq)

Runoff farming is a key hydro-agricultural strategy that has proven efficient in arid areas. Research in Arabia on the function, development, maintenance, durability and abandonment of this technology is scarce. A multiproxy investigation (cartography, sedimentology, pedology, geochemistry, paleo-ecology and chronology) was conducted on a recently abandoned terraced area in Rustaq, Northern Oman. The aim was to characterize the formation, function and management of this runoff system and the driving factors behind its success. Cycles of cultivation were identified during the Iron Age II/III periods (specifically 750–450 BCE), the Early Pre-Islamic Period (PIR) (specifically 350–200 BCE), the Early and Middle Islamic periods (specifically 8–10th C CE, 13th-14th C CE) and the late Islamic period (specifically 17th C CE and later). This expansion and perenniality was possible thanks to: 1- available water (local to micro-regional orogenic precipitation despite a regional aridification during these periods); 2- suitable soils (weathered geological outcrops, probable aeolian /dust particles); 3- a system of production combining crops and husbandry; 4- a progressive increase in agricultural specialization (crops grown and techniques) in parallel with a diversification in hydraulic technology. These results are to some degree in accordance with known phases of settlement intensification and economic growth, but also reveal the persistence of small-scale rural livelihoods during periods of harsh conditions for which archaeological traces are very scarce.

The Analysis of the Investment Activity in Regions of the Republic of Uzbekistan

The article considers the issues of territorial structure of the national economy of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the analysis of the social-economic development of the regions was conducted, the author points out the features and factors, influencing the region's development, basic directions of sharp differentiation decline in the region's development as well. The analysis on role and impact of carried regional policy on mitigation of territorial disproportionate in the country taking into account the features of agriculture specialization, structure, domestic problems of social territorial development and rational use of natural resources, etc. The authors paid special attention to the development of the strategy and complex program on region's social-economic development. The issues of investment to the basic capital as the most important factor of the region's economic growth, influencing the investment amount, contributing the economy's intensification, manufacture modernization, quality growth and competition of production were analyzed in the article. In terms of the investment activity development and structural problems solution, investment risks the authors propose the program actions with SWOT-analysis, for assessment the update conditions and tendencies of the region’s investment activity development. The issues of the investment potential level, investment attraction of the republic regions have also been considered. In the frame of conducted scientific research the authors studied some aspects of the region’s investment potential and competitive advantages of region for investment activity. In the end, the authors made the substantial conclusions. Key words: territorial structure, modernization, concentration, specialization, investment, infrastructure, free economic zones, business environment, swot analysis, cluster system, labor resources, innovation, investment attraction, investment potential, competitive advantages, development policy.

The genomic history of the Aegean palatial civilizations

SummaryThe Cycladic, the Minoan, and the Helladic (Mycenaean) cultures define the Bronze Age (BA) of Greece. Urbanism, complex social structures, craft and agricultural specialization, and the earliest forms of writing characterize this iconic period. We sequenced six Early to Middle BA whole genomes, along with 11 mitochondrial genomes, sampled from the three BA cultures of the Aegean Sea. The Early BA (EBA) genomes are homogeneous and derive most of their ancestry from Neolithic Aegeans, contrary to earlier hypotheses that the Neolithic-EBA cultural transition was due to massive population turnover. EBA Aegeans were shaped by relatively small-scale migration from East of the Aegean, as evidenced by the Caucasus-related ancestry also detected in Anatolians. In contrast, Middle BA (MBA) individuals of northern Greece differ from EBA populations in showing ∼50% Pontic-Caspian Steppe-related ancestry, dated at ca. 2,600-2,000 BCE. Such gene flow events during the MBA contributed toward shaping present-day Greek genomes.

ŞABRAN RAYONUNUN TƏBİİ ŞƏRAİT VƏ EHİYATLARININ TƏSƏRRÜFATIN İNKİŞAFI BAXIMINDAN İQTİSADİ – COĞRAFİ XARAKTERİSTİKASI

The article assesses the natural conditions and resources of Shabran region in terms of economic development and analyzes its economic and geographical characteristics. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that the region has a very high natural resource potential. In particular, its coastal strip creates favorable conditions for the development of the tourism complex, and mineral water fields create favorable conditions for the development of medical tourism. Although the total area is 108.8 thousand , 52.2 thousand or more than 48% of the total area is agricultural land. Analysis of the complex of natural conditions shows that the region has a natural resource potential that can affect the development of a very high economic complex. In the near future, we have recommended the inclusion of this potential in the development cycle of the economy as a key strategic direction. Also, specialization of the agriculture in accordance with the natural potential of the altitude zones should be considered as a necessary condition. Key words: natural conditions, resource potential, elevation zones, water resources, minerals, vegetation, ground cover

Геоинформационное картографирование для анализа пространственно-временных данных сельскохозяйственного производства регионов Сибири

The study deals with opportunities of assessing geoinformation mapping to identify prospective areas of interregional specialization for a macroregion as a new political and economic unit of Russia. The spatial assessment method for such Siberian regions’ agricultural specialization is proposed and tested. The study covers 392 rural municipal districts, united in sixteen entities of the Russian Federation and located in four macro-regions. The analysis of the rural muni- cipalities’ productivity indicators for 2007–2018 was carried out for 26 types of crop products and 5 types of livestock ones using methods of mathematical and cartographic modeling, which enabled identifying 16 perspective food interregional clusters in South Siberian, 12 ones – in the Angara-Yenisei and 1 – in the Ural-Siberian macroregion. A Web-cartographic product “Geoportal of agricultural specialization of Siberian macroregions” was developed for solving application tasks of spatial analysis and determining the state policy measures for the development of interregional agricultural cooperation in Siberia.

Buffer Zone Management Impact on Birds Assemblage in the High Nature Value Farmland (HNVf) : a study case on Meru Betiri National Park

The study aims to analyze the vertical and horizontal distribution of bird communities in agricultural areas and their interactions with the conservation area in MBNP. Research is carried out in agricultural areas in the Buffer zone, Rehabilitation Zone, and on the edge of the plantation. The research location was determined at 37 points: Rajekwesi (4), Sukamade (12), Bandealit (8), Wonoasri (5), Andongrejo (3), Sanenrejo (5). We applied the point count method (r = 17.5 m) in this study, where each point is at least 100-150 meters apart. In the study, 74.6% of records were birds with agricultural specialties and 71.30% of individuals using tree habitats. Birds with specialization in agriculture were found in large numbers related to the protection provided by the TNMB conservation area to bird habitat. Sukamade is the area with the highest number of records. As many as 40.10% were found in tree habitats. Followed by Seedling (16.28%), Pole (15.93%), Flying over (15.76%), and Sapling (11.90%).

Buffer Zone Management Impact on Birds Assemblage in the High Nature Value Farmland (HNVf) : a study case on Meru Betiri National Park

This study aims to analyze the distribution of bird communities and the impact of vegetation on bird habitat preferences in the buffer zone. Research is carried out in agricultural areas in the Buffer zone, Rehabilitation Zone, and on the edge of the plantation. The research location was determined at 37 points: Rajekwesi (4), Sukamade (12), Bandealit (8), Wonoasri (5), Andongrejo (3), Sanenrejo (5). We applied the point count method (r = 17.5 m) in this study, where each point is at least 100-150 meters apart. In the study, 74.6% of records were birds with agricultural specialities and 71.30% of individuals on tree habitats. Birds with specialization in agriculture were found in large numbers related to the protection provided by the TNMB conservation area to bird habitat. Sukamade is the area with the highest number of records. As many as 40.10% were found in tree habitats followed by seedling (16.28%), poles (15.93%), flying over (15.76%), and sapling (11.90%)

Des alternatives à la spécialisation des élevages porcins sont-elles encore possibles en zones de montagne ?

Malgré la faible densité de porcs dans le Massif central, la filière porcine y joue un rôle essentiel pour le maintien d’outils d’abattage et de transformation, et son identité culturelle. Une récente action de recherche-développement permet de décrire et comprendre les formes et conditions de maintien de ces élevages peu visibles mais essentiels pour le territoire. Reposant sur l’analyse des données de BDPORC, d’enquêtes postale et directe, elle explicite la diversité, les spécificités et les perspectives de ces systèmes à dominante mixte porcins-herbivores.

ОЦЕНКА КОНКУРЕНТОСПОСОБНОСТИ ПРОИЗВОДСТВА КАРТОФЕЛЯ В CЕВЕРНОМ РЕГИОНЕ (ПО МАТЕРИАЛАМ РЕСПУБЛИКИ КОМИ).

Studying the competitiveness of potato production in the Komi Republic is important for a deeper understanding of ways to ensure a stable financial state of the region's agriculture and an uninterrupted supply of local food to the population of the region. Purpose of the article: identification of the strengths and weaknesses of potato production in the Komi Republic, determination of market opportunities for the development of potato growing as a branch of specialization of agriculture in the region. Research hypothesis: there are four types of suppliers (agricultural organizations, farmers, personal subsidiary plots, importers) and five types of consumers (retail market, education and health care, public catering, wholesale trade, export) in the potato market of the Komi Republic. Market equilibrium is determined by the choice of win-win strategies by market participants. The article analyzes the main groups of potato producers in the Komi Republic, identifies the main groups of relations between them. A SWOT-analysis of potato production in the region was made. The main trends in the potato market in the Komi Republic are formulated. A decrease in consumption of fresh potatoes determines the development of its processing in the region and to complement the animal husbandry, logging etc. with potato growing. The authors recommend improving and creating new types of products and medicinal plants in the region for integration with potato growing. The article shows that in the potato market of the Komi Republic relations of cluster interaction, market division, mutual displacement, creation of value chains, strengthening of interaction and coordination on the part of local municipal and regional governments are formed. The practice of organic technologies and the brand of local products have a positive effect on the competitiveness of potatoes produced in the Komi Republic. The scope of the research results: state authorities and administrations of the Komi Republic, enterprises and organizations that sell and buy potatoes on the market of the Komi Republic.