Agricultural Administration and Extension最新文献

Fundamental transformations underway throughout rural Asia will influence the future of Asia's agriculture. This paper outlines the challenges Asia's rural transformation presents to agricultural development policy through discussion focusing on issues of sustainable productivity, technological transformations, environmental limits on agricultural development, the implications of changes in Asia's rural economies, and the time-frame of agricultural development policy.

This paper reviews the economic implications of an improved land documentation system, utilizing data from rural Thailand. It is shown that not all farmers are aware of the benefits of more accurate documents. In less developed provinces, most farmers perceive improved access to credit as the main advantage of upgraded land documents. In more developed provinces, the reduction in land disputes is perceived as a main benefit. Econometric analysis shows that the value of land is positively related to the quality of the land document. This indicates substantial social benefits to improved land documentation.

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) had added a new dimension to agricultural research in India by launching in 1979 the National Agricultural Research Project (NARP) with World Bank assistance to strengthen the research capabilities of the State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) to conduct need-based, location-specific and production-oriented research. This paper examines the operational aspects of two such NARP sub-projects undertaken by the Haryana Agricultural University at its Regional Research Station, Bawal and the Andhra Pradesh Agricultural University at its Regional Research Station, Tirupathi during the first phase of the project from 1979 to 1983. Different farming situations with specific production constraints identified in the agro-climatic zones served by the two stations on aspects relevant to the first phase of the project were well considered by the two sub-projects. The prioritisation of experiments was in accordance with the importance of the problems of the zones. Most of the ideas for experimentation emanated from the Zonal Workshops in both the sub-projects. Since the first phase of NARP does not cover horticultural and vegetable crops and animals, the experiments were controlled by the scientists of the main campus which led to some administrative problems. Both the sub-projects made an attempt to follow the multidisciplinary approach to problem-solving under the NARP, but shortage of manpower and physical facilities led to the premature termination of some experiments during the project period. However, the research achievements during the project period were substantial. The sub-projects established excellent linkages with extension agencies as emphasised in NARP and the mechanism for the transfer of technology functioned smoothly. Delay in positioning of staff, frequent staff transfers and lengthy administrative procedures in executing the civil works greatly hampered the progress of the sub-projects.

Successful agricultural development in developing countries requires farmers gradually to change from subsistence to commercial farming. During the transition period they can be called commercializing farmers. Farmers in these circumstances face major changes in their life styles and must learn numerous new skills, requirements often not recognized by change agents. They also have several unique economic characteristics not found among farmers who have completed the change to commercial farming. Successful response by commercializing farmers requires policy approaches which recognize these unique characteristics.

Annual fluctuations in Nigerian grain supplies are large and uncertain. The amelioration of these fluctuations through reserve programmes to achieve reasonable stability is technically feasible.

This paper analyses the effectiveness of two alternative grain reserve programmes in meeting specific stabilization goals in Nigeria. The pattern of deviations in grain supplies served as the basis for analysis of the stabilization potentials of the alternative programmes.

The results show that the alternative programme involving stabilizing international trade is more cost-effective than the one that does not. The use of stabilizing trade would have resulted not only in reduced grain storage capacities but also in an improved rate of capacity utilization as well as substantial annual cost savings in operating reserves. A West African Regional grain reserve programme to backstop national grain reserves would be economically beneficial to Nigeria.