While new agricultural technologies may lead to substantial yield improvements, the take-up rates in developing countries have frequently been low. There are many possible reasons why a farmer might refrain from adopting a new technology, and literature has pointed to several possible reasons in different settings. A key area for research is to understand what policies could encourage higher adoption rates. This thesis studies the research question by using a case study of fertiliser adoption in cocoa farming in Ghana. Chapter I investigates whether returns to fertiliser in cocoa farming are high and whether farmers' adoption decisions can be explained by comparative advantage. Chapter I uses data from Ghana to measure the returns to fertiliser using a correlated random model and static and dynamic panel models of homogeneous returns to fertiliser. The estimated returns in different models are positive, high and strongly significant statistically. The chapter also presents a correlated random effects model of heterogeneous technology, which allows for farmer-specific comparative advantage. The effect of the comparative advantage is found not to be statistically significant. Chapter II explores the fertiliser investment decisions and risk preferences of Ghanaian cocoa farmers in a framed field experiment. The experimental subjects decided whether to invest in fertiliser, and the fertiliser return depended on a stochastic weather realisation. An inexpensive index insurance scheme with a positive level of basis risk was found to have a minor positive effect on the fertiliser take-up, but this effect was statistically insignificant. An expensive index insurance scheme with no basis risk was found to have a substantial positive effect, and this effect was strongly significant. The experimental findings suggest that farmers are willing to pay for an index insurance if it successfully shields them from income variability. Chapter III investigates the effect of trust and of an ambiguous environment on fertiliser investments under index insurance. These two behavioural factors were studied by means of a framed field experiment conducted with Ghanaian cocoa farmers. The subjects had an option to invest in a package of fertiliser bundled with index insurance with a positive level of basis risk. The returns depended both on the subjects ́ investment choices and a stochastic weather realization. The key ingredient of the study was that for different subjects, the nature of the basis risk was framed differently. Substantially fewer subjects adopted fertiliser when possible losses of fertiliser investment were framed as resulting from the insurer ́s failure to meet its contract obligations, compared with an alternative in which the losses were framed as resulting from a mismatch between their own weather realizations and those on which the index insurance was based. A large negative effect on fertiliser investments was also found in treatments with either a small or large ambiguity regarding the exact level of basis risk. Both negative treatment effects were strongly significant. This may suggest that technologies with which farmers are relatively more experienced are more likely to be adopted under index insurance schemes. The overall experimental findings provide evidence that trust and ambiguity may be significant factors other than basis risk, limiting the effectiveness of index insurance in promoting agricultural innovation.

Due to the intense suppression of native vegetation in nascent areas of the State of Sergipe, one can notice a significant environmental degradation. Thus, it becomes necessary the adoption of practices aimed at the restoration of the vegetation and these can be carried through artificial regeneration with direct seeding or planting seedlings. Therefore, the study was carried to evaluate the development of native species in the Piauitinga watershed in Salgado-SE, with the artificial regeneration methods (direct sowing and planting seedlings), using the native forest species Anadenanthera macrocarpa (Benth.) Bren, Ceiba speciosa (A. St. Hill), Hymenaea stigonocarpa (Mart.) Hayne, Psidium guajava L. and Tabebuia aurea (Manso) Benth. & Hook. Initially, were held the physical and physiological quality of the seeds analysis in laboratory and subsequently a field experiment was established in a randomized block delimitation (RBD) in a factorial design with four replications, in an area previously occupied by pasture, located in Salgado-SE. The sowing was carried in holes (30x30x30cm), with spacing of 1,5 m x 1,5 m with 9 plants for species in every block and the planting of seedlings occurred similarly, totaling 90 plants per block, occupying an area of 0,1024 hectares. Were evaluated the percentage of emergence and seedling survival in the field, the initial development of seedlings and Relative Growth Rate (RGR) until 300 days after implantation. The species that showed better rates of emergence and survival was H. stigonocarpa with 74,44% and 48,89% respectively. Any plant of A. macrocarpa survived. In the of characteristics evaluation of growth in the field in relation to tillage, there was greater growth in height for P. guajava (25,84 cm) and diameter, T. aurea (6,51 mm). In planting seedlings, the more growth on the height was in the C. speciosa (93,26 cm) and the specie T. aurea presented greater increment in diameter (20,92 mm). There was statistical difference in the RGR of plants for planting two strategies. The species T. aurea, C. speciosa and H. stigonocarpa characteristics presented viable for use by direct seeding and planting seedlings in the recuperation of degraded areas of nascent. The strategy of planting that had higher averages for the parameters evaluated was the planting of seedlings in recuperation of the area studied. / Devido à intensa supressão da vegetação nativa em áreas de nascentes do Estado de Sergipe, pode-se notar um significativo quadro de degradação ambiental. Dessa forma, torna-se necessária a adoção de práticas que visem à recomposição da vegetação e estas podem ser realizadas através da regeneração artificial, com a semeadura direta ou plantio de mudas. Diante o exposto, o trabalho foi realizado com o objetivo de avaliar o desenvolvimento de espécies florestais nativas em área de nascente na bacia hidrográfica do rio Piauitinga, no município de Salgado-SE, com relação aos métodos de regeneração artificial (semeadura direta e plantio de mudas), utilizando-se as espécies florestais nativas Anadenanthera macrocarpa (Benth.) Bren, Ceiba speciosa (A. St. Hill), Hymenaea stigonocarpa (Mart.) Hayne, Psidium guajava L. e Tabebuia aurea (Manso) Benth. & Hook. Análises da morfometria, determinação da umidade e qualidade fisiológica das sementes foram previamente realizadas em laboratório. O experimento em campo foi implantado em Delineamento em Blocos Casualizados (DBC), em esquema fatorial com quatro repetições, em uma área anteriormente ocupada por pastagem, localizada no município de Salgado-SE. A semeadura direta e o plantio de mudas foram realizados em covas (30x30x30cm), com espaçamento de 1,5m x 1,5m, contendo 9 plantas por espécie em cada bloco, totalizando 90 plantas por bloco, ocupando uma extensão de 0,1024 hectares. Foram avaliadas as porcentagens de emergência e sobrevivência das plântulas em campo, desenvolvimento inicial das mudas e Taxa de Crescimento Relativo (TCR) até os 300 dias após a implantação. A espécie que apresentou melhores índices de emergência e sobrevivência foi H. stigonocarpa com 74,44% e 48,89%, respectivamente. Na semeadura direta, nenhuma planta de A. macrocarpa sobreviveu. Na avaliação das características de crescimento em campo em relação à semeadura direta, observou-se maior crescimento em altura para P. guajava (25,84cm) e para diâmetro, T. aurea (6,51mm). No plantio de mudas, o maior crescimento em altura foi na C. speciosa (93,26cm) e a espécie T. aurea apresentou maior incremento em diâmetro (20,92mm). Houve diferença estatística na TCR das plantas, para as duas estratégias de plantio. As espécies T. aurea, C. speciosa e H. stigonocarpa apresentaram características viáveis para serem utilizadas por meio da semeadura direta e plantio de mudas em projetos de recuperação em áreas de nascentes degradadas. A estratégia de plantio que apresentou maiores médias em relação aos parâmetros avaliados foi o plantio de mudas, na recuperação da área estudada.

The growing investing interest in real estate in Russian market economy has led to the emergence and development of a new type of active investment and construction activities – development, which was related to the realizing of investment projects. The development of the market real estate services should be directed to the elimination of problems in the sphere of development of commercial real estate, which include: - delaying the time of construction and, as a consequence, the increase of payback period of real estate development projects; - low or negative return on capital due to the excess costs (caused, for example, irrational design decisions); - corrupt nature of the relationship of business and government in the real estate market. However, inspite of the existing problems, the most attractive at the moment for investors are still the objects of commercial real estate. The volume of commercial and office building is increasing all the time. Developers are looking for new solutions to increase the economic impact of existing projects. As a result of writing the Master's thesis has achieved the goal of enhancing the economic and social efficiency of development projects on the example of real estate TEC "Spectrum", this has caused a number of difficulties, the solution of which is described in this paper. Taking into account a number of risks occurring in the way of developers for projects, conceptual solution, unfortunately, could not provide for all possible threats. So there is always the likelihood that a strategic decision fell short of expectations due to a variety of external factors. For Order to adapt the project to the new market conditions it is necessary to carry out a series of actions, identify strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats; take into account the errors, identify the main participants of the project, to predict demand. When developing a new concept of the project TEC "Spectrum" the practical research method was chosen. The starting point was not a forecast of the lease, but the real demand of potential tenants to the shopping areas. Knowing the demand, a market proposal was formed. Thesis can be used both by developers and marketers as an algorithm in the development of conceptual solutions implementation of development projects and enhancing its economic effect. / Повышенный интерес к инвестициям в недвижимость в условиях перехода к рыночной экономике привел к возникновению и активному развитию нового вида инвестиционно-строительной деятельности - девелопмента, связанного с реализацией инвестиционных проектов в сфере недвижимости. Развитие рынка девелоперских услуг должно быть направлено на устранение проблем в сфере девелопмента объектов коммерческой недвижимости, к которым относятся: - затягивание сроков строительства и, как следствие, увеличение сроков окупаемости девелоперских проектов; - низкая или отрицательная отдача на капитал, обусловленная как избыточными затратами (вызванными, например, нерациональными конструктивными решениями); - коррупционный характер отношения бизнеса и власти на рынке недвижимости. Однако, несмотря на существующие проблемы, наиболее привлекательными в настоящее время для инвесторов являются все же объекты в сфере коммерческой недвижимости (что нашло свое отражение в увеличении объемов торгового и офисного строительства). Девелоперы ищут новые пути решения увеличения экономического эффекта уже в существующих проектах. В результате написания магистерской диссертации была достигнута цель повышения экономической и социальной эффективности девелоперского проекта на примере объекта недвижимости ТРЦ «Спектр», это вызвало ряд сложностей, решение которых описано в настоящей работе. Учитывая ряд рисков, встречающихся на пути у девелоперов при реализации проектов, концептуальное решение, к сожалению, не может предусмотреть все возможные угрозы, поэтому всегда есть вероятность того, что стратегическое решение не оправдает ожидание в связи с различными внешними факторами. Для того, чтобы адаптировать проект к новым рыночным условиям необходимо провести ряд действий, определить сильные и слабые стороны, возможности и угрозы; учесть ошибки, выявить основных участников проекта, спрогнозировать спрос. При разработке новой концепции проекта ТРЦ «Спектр» был выбран практический метод исследования, отправной точкой стал не прогноз арендных отношений, а реальный спрос потенциальных арендаторов на торговые площади. Ощутив спрос, было сформировано предложение. Диссертация может быть использована как девелоперами, так и маркетологами в качестве алгоритма при разработке концептуальных решений реализации девелоперского проекта и повышении его экономического эффекта.