Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / Community-driven participatory monitoring and evaluation (PM&E) offers new ways of promoting learning and change. These processes have emerged as important tools for enhancing the participation of local people in planning, decision making and managing their activities. Local people are involved in the design and implementation of mechanisms for observing, systematizing, analyzing and reflecting on their project activities and goals as a basis for joint decision-making

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Yes / The evolving field of disruptive technologies has recently gained significant interest in various industries, including agriculture. The fourth industrial revolution has reshaped the context of Agricultural Technology (AgriTech) with applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and a strong focus on data-driven analytical techniques. Motivated by the advances in AgriTech for agrarian operations, the study presents a state-of-the-art review of the research advances which are, evolving in a fast pace over the last decades (due to the disruptive potential of the technological context). Following a systematic literature approach, we develop a categorisation of the various types of AgriTech, as well as the associated AI-driven techniques which form the continuously shifting definition of AgriTech. The contribution primarily draws on the conceptualisation and awareness about AI-driven AgriTech context relevant to the agricultural operations for smart, efficient, and sustainable farming. The study provides a single normative reference for the definition, context and future directions of the field for further research towards the operational context of AgriTech. Our findings indicate that AgriTech research and the disruptive potential of AI in the agricultural sector are still in infancy in Operations Research. Through the systematic review, we also intend to inform a wide range of agricultural stakeholders (farmers, agripreneurs, scholars and practitioners) and to provide research agenda for a growing field with multiple potentialities for the future of the agricultural operations.

In this thesis I inspect learning about adoption of technologies among cocoa farmers in Ghana, which are represented by non-labor inputs, particularly by fertilizer and hybrid seeds. Earlier research focused mainly on learning about returns associated with adoption of such innovative inputs. However, it is not clear whether the adopters learn about these returns or rather about what are the optimal amounts of these inputs. Therefore the focus of this thesis is to examine how do the farmers choose and learn about optimal amounts of inputs. Cocoa farming is very labor intensive, and thus this thesis concentrates on learning about both non-labor and labor inputs, which are closely connected. Similar research carried out in India suggests that heterogeneous returns among farmers might cause that the farmers rely rather on their own considerations than on observation of behavior of their village neighbors, i.e. social learning. The heterogeneous returns are also present among the Ghanaian cocoa farmers, which suggest that these farmers should similarly prefer individual learning over the social one. Using a model developed for estimation of the prevailing type of learning about the optimal amount of inputs, I show that the farmers do tend to prefer individual learning in case of the non-labor inputs but rather...

O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar o desempenho e a durabilidade do sistema de pulverização acoplado a pivô central, Notliada. Os testes foram realizados em um protótipo do sistema montando em uma área anexa ao Laboratório de Hidráulica do Departamento de Engenharia Rural (LER) pertencente à Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" - ESALQ/USP. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que não houve alteração significativa da vazão dos quatro tipos de emissores testados em 505 horas intermitentes de avaliação. O circuito eletroeletrônico, a válvula solenóide, a tubulação de material PVC soldável e os demais dispositivos da barra de pulverização operaram de maneira satisfatória no mesmo período de avaliação. As modelagens dos desvios relativos existentes entre as vazões estimadas e observadas em função da frequência de operação da válvula solenóide apresentaram excelentes índices de precisão e exatidão. Encontrou-se um tempo mínimo de 1s em que a válvula solenóide deve permanecer ligada para os emissores preto, vermelho e laranja. Para o emissor azul, esse tempo mínimo encontrado foi de 1,4s. A mesma válvula pode permanecer desligada durante qualquer tempo compreendido entre 3 e 9s para todos os emissores testados. Os emissores preto e laranja apresentaram excelentes índices de uniformidade estatística de aplicação para um tempo de ligamento da válvula solenóide maior que 0,7s. Os emissores vermelho e azul apresentaram excelentes índices de uniformidade estatística de aplicação para qualquer intervalo de tempo utilizado. Todos os emissores apresentaram excelentes índices de uniformidade estatística de aplicação para qualquer tempo de desligamento utilizado na válvula solenóide. / The aim of this work was to evaluate the performance and durability of the pulverization system components Notliada. This work was carried out in the Hydraulic Laboratory/Rural Engineer Department - "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture (University of Sao Paulo). The results showed that it was not significant the changes in flow rate for four emitters used during 505 hours of evaluation. The electro-electronic circuit, solenoid valve, PVC plain pipe and other components worked satisfactorily at the same evaluation period. The proposed models showed excellent precision and accuracy indexes. It was found a minimum time of 1s for the solenoid valve to remain "on" for the black, orange and red emitters. For the blue emitter the time found was 1.4s. The solenoid valve can remain off during any time between 3 and 9 seconds. The black and orange emitters had unacceptable indexes of statistical application uniformity for the "on" time less than 0.7s. The red and blue emitters showed excellent statistical uniformity indexes of evaluation for any time interval used. All emitters had excellent statistical uniformity indexes for all "off" times used of the solenoid valve.

O objeto de análise nesta dissertação de mestrado é a cana-de-açúcar. A área abordada é o Estado de São Paulo, e o período, desde sua implantação até os dias atuais. Basicamente dois focos são abordados: o histórico de interiorização dessa cultura agrícola, e o padrão tecnológico em seus campos empregado. Buscou-se interrelacionar os distintos períodos históricos com suas respectivas territorializações e regionalizações. Em seguida é dado maior ênfase no processo de mecanização das atividades vinculadas ao sistema de \"CCT (corte, carregamento e transporte)\" da cana. / The object of analysis in this dissertation is the sugarcane. The area is the state of Sao Paulo, and the period, since its establishment until today. Basically two foci are discussed: the history of the westward displacement of this crop, and the standard technology used in their fields. We attempted to interrelate the different historical periods with their territorialization and regionalization. Then it is given greater emphasis in the process of mechanization of activities related to the \"CLT system (Cutting, Loading and Transport)\" of sugarcane.

O emprego de reguladores vegetais como maturadores da cana-de-açúcar tem sido uma prática bem utilizada, em virtude da necessidade de antecipação da colheita e da otimização do planejamento agrícola. Contudo, com a freqüente disponibilidade de genótipos de cana-de-açúcar pelos programas de melhoramento, pouca informação se tem das interações entre novos genótipos e produtos sobre a qualidade tecnológica. Este estudo objetivou determinar a resposta de sete genótipos de cana-de-açúcar à aplicação de dois reguladores vegetais quanto à influência na qualidade da matéria prima. O ensaio foi instalado em março de 2004 e conduzido na APTA Regional Centro-Oeste, Jaú (SP). O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos casualizados, em parcelas sub-divididas, com quatro repetições, constituído pela combinação dos genótipos IAC87-3396, IAC87-3410, IAC89-3124, IAC91-2195, IAC91-5155, PO88-62 e SP80-1842, e de três manejos de condução da maturação sulfometuron metil, 20 g p. c. ha-1; etefon, 2,0 l p. c. ha-1 e testemunha. A qualidade tecnológica foi determinada através dos atributos Brix no caldo, pol no caldo, pureza do caldo, fibra da cana, pol na cana, açúcares redutores no caldo, açúcares redutores na cana e açúcar total recuperável (ATR) aos 0, 21, 42, 63, 84, 105 e 126 dias após a aplicação (DAA), além dos atributos florescimento, "isoporização", produtividade de colmos e de açúcar aos 126 DAA. Observou-se que, para a maioria dos genótipos, o emprego dos maturadores antecipou a colheita em 21 dias em relação à testemunha, sendo o etefon indicado para colheita entre 42 e 84 DAA, e o sulfometuron metil para o período entre 105 e 126 DAA. O IAC91-5155 não respondeu aos maturadores, o PO88-62 apresentou melhor resposta ao sulfometuron metil, e os demais genótipos ao uso de etefon, quanto à qualidade tecnológica. Os dois produtos, etefon e sulfometuron metil, controlaram o florescimento. Os genótipos IAC91-5155 e PO88-62, apesar de não florescidos, apresentaram "isoporização". Para a maioria dos genótipos a aplicação dos maturadores não afetou a produtividade de colmos, exceto para o sulfometuron metil que reduziu a do genótipo SP80-1842, e para etefon que aumentou a do IAC91-2195. O sulfometuron metil e o etefon aumentaram a produtividade de açúcar do genótipo IAC89- 3124. O IAC91-2195 apresentou produtividade de açúcar maior com a aplicação de etefon. A produtividade de açúcar foi menor no SP80-1842 com o emprego de sulfometuron metil. / Use of plant growth regulators as sugarcane ripeners has been a practice well used, because of the need of early harvest and the agricultural planning optimization of the crop. However, with the frequent release of genotypes by breeding programs, little information is available about of the interactions among new genotypes and products over the technological quality. This study aimed to determine the response of seven sugarcane genotypes to the application of two ripeners in the raw material quality. The experiment was installed in march 2004 and carried out in the APTA Regional Center West, Jaú (SP). The experimental design was the randomized complete blocks, in split-plot, with four repetitions, constituted by the genotypes IAC87-3396, IAC87-3410, IAC89-3124, IAC91- 2195, IAC91-5155, PO88-62 and SP80-1842, and by three ripening manegement sulfometuron methyl, 20 g p. c. ha-1; ethephon, 2,0 l p.c. ha-1 and control. The technological attributes evaluated were Brix in the juice, pol in the juice, purity of the juice, fiber of the cane, juice reducing sugars, stalks reducing sugars and recoverable total sugars (ATR) to 0, 21, 42, 63, 84, 105 and 126 days after the application (DAA) besides flowering, pith, productivity of stalks and sugar attributes to 126 DAA. It was observed that for the most of the genotypes the use of ripeners antecipated the harvest in 21 days in relation to control, being ethephon recomendable for harvest between 42 and 84 DAA, and sulfometuron methyl for the period between 105 and 126 DAA. The genotype IAC91-5155 didn't answer to the ripeners, PO88-62 presented better answer to sulfometuron methyl and the others genotypes to ethephon to technological quality. Both products, ethephon and sulfomethuron methyl, controlled the flowering. The genotypes IAC91-5155 and PO88-62, in spite of no flowering, presented pith. For most of the genotypes the application of the ripeners didn't affect the productivity of stalks, except to sulfomethuron methyl that reduced it in SP80- 1842, and to ethephon that increased it in IAC91-2195. Sulfomethuron methyl and ethephon increased the productivity of sugar of the genotype IAC89-3124. IAC91-2195 presented bigger sugar productivity with ethephon application. The productivity of sugar was smaller in SP80-1842 with sulfomethuron methyl use.

No contexto atual, no qual os recursos hídricos tornam-se cada vez mais limitantes, a utilização da água pela agricultura precisa ser mais eficiente visando à manutenção dos níveis atuais de produtividade. Uma vez implantado o equipamento de irrigação, o produtor necessita de uma estratégia de gerenciamento que defina o momento certo e a quantidade de água adequada para atender às necessidades hídricas da cultura. Uma ferramenta muito utilizada para esse fim é o balanço hídrico, pelo qual são contabilizadas as entradas e saídas de água do sistema, permitindo que se obtenha a quantidade a ser aplicada visando à utilização racional do recurso e o desenvolvimento adequado da cultura. Entretanto, muitas vezes o acompanhamento da quantidade de água disponível às plantas somente pelo balanço hídrico pode apresentar erros cumulativos, o que torna importante, a cada determinado intervalo de tempo, realizar-se medições da umidade do solo para fins de ajuste. O medidor Speedy, baseado no processo de formação do gás acetileno a partir da reação da água com carbureto de cálcio, pode ser utilizado de forma conjugada ao balanço hídrico por fornecer resultados rápidos com adequada precisão, ser portátil e de fácil manuseio. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi automatizar a leitura de um aparelho Speedy, integrando-o a um programa desenvolvido de manejo da irrigação. Foram desenvolvidos quatro sistemas baseados na leitura automatizada da umidade pelo aparelho, cada um com diferente grau de complexidade e aplicação. Dois testes foram realizados com os sistemas, o primeiro em laboratório e o segundo em campo, nos quais determinações de umidade pelo Speedy e pelo método gravimétrico foram comparadas. Os resultados foram submetidos a analise de correlação e regressão, determinando-se os índices de precisão (r) e exatidão (d). Tanto nos testes em laboratório quanto no em campo, os índices obtidos foram satisfatórios. Os sistemas funcionaram de forma adequada, constituindo-se como ferramentas de auxílio para o gerenciamento da irrigação. / As water supplies become limited, agricultural water use needs to become more efficient to maintain current productivity levels. Matching the amount and rate of water application to specific soil and plant conditions, the efficiency of irrigations system can be increased. An easy way to accomplish this is using the water balance. However, the monitoring of available water content only by the water balance can generate cumulative errors, which should be removed by soil moisture determinations. The Speedy moisture tester can be used in this situation, considering that it is portable, shows the results quickly and have good precision. The visualization of its results through tables, though, reduces the functionality of its use and can confer less precision to the measurements. So, the objective of this work was to automate the equipment readings and to integrate it in water balance software. It was developed four systems to do this process, using a microcontroller. Two tests, one in the laboratory e other in the field, were realized to compare the determinations by Speedy and by gravimetrical method. The systems resulted excellent precision (r) and accuracy (d) index, and seems to become an important tool for irrigation management.

Soil degradation and low crop productivity negatively affect the food security of smallholder farmers in West Africa. Various agricultural techniques have been developed as components of food security interventions, but their effectiveness in addressing food insecurity in part depends upon farmers’ willingness to adopt these techniques. Likewise, adoption depends upon the effectiveness of these techniques in fulfilling farmers’ objectives. The institutional and biophysical environments mediate not only the effectiveness of the techniques, but also how farmers value a technique. This study examined the evidence for fertilizer microdosing as a form of agricultural intensification and the socio-economic conditions that influence its adoption among smallholder farmers. A census was conducted in one village in northwest Benin that had recently seen the introduction of fertilizer microdosing. Key household-level determinants of adoption identified in the literature—household resources, household demographics, and access to inputs— were included in the household surveys. Using partial budgeting analysis and yield data from demonstration plots, the relative profitability of fertilizer microdosing was calculated as a necessary condition of adoption. Drawing from farmers’ stories, the potential value of microdosing was contextualized within the larger social and institutional context. Based upon the village census, there was little adoption outside of the research project that introduced microdosing to the village. Households using microdosing (predominantly found within the research project) had, on average, higher socio-economic status, more cultivable land and larger labour forces. Profitability analysis indicated that microdosing was on average less profitable than the point-source application of the recommended dosage rate in Benin (the common alternative). However, farmers still expressed a desire to microdose, due to poorly functioning input markets, poor infrastructure, and lack of access to financial instruments, all of which limited the availability, access and utilization of inorganic fertilizer.