231 |
Validation of a vehicle performance modelling system.Herbert, Russell Lloyd. January 2007 (has links)
Transport costs can account for a significant portion of the total production costs in an agricultural system. In order to ensure maximum efficiency of a transport operation, the transport manager is required to select a suitable vehicle and choose the best route. This is a complex process as vehicles should not be selected based solely on lowest capital cost, but with several variables taken into account. In order to determine an optimal haulage system and to aid the decision making process, a computer model called SimTrans has been developed. SimTrans simulates a haulage vehicle travelling on any given route under normal vehicle operating conditions. The model produces a set of simulated vehicle performance results and a summary of trip details. The vehicle input parameters and route details can be modified to enable the user to simulate different vehicle configurations on alternate routes. The SimTrans model was used in this research project as it provides a comprehensive output of simulated results. However, under certain conditions there is variance between actual and the simulated vehicle performance in SimTrans, particularly with the gear selection routines. The primary objective of this research was to refine, calibrate and validate the current SimTrans model. An initial investigation focused on diesel engine management systems for heavy-duty commercial vehicles and how these systems affect a vehicle's performance. This investigation was aimed at gaining an understanding of how performance data could be gathered directly from the onboard vehicle electronics of a haulage vehicle. A data logging system was developed to measure and record certain operating parameters of a haulage vehicle during operation. The system was installed on a Mercedes Benz 2637 and the vehicle was driven on two alternative routes between the Eston Sugar Mill and a loading zone near Mid-Illovo. The Mercedes Benz 2637 used for the vehicle tests was simulated in SimTrans using identical operating conditions of route and speed limits. By comparing the observed and simulated data sets, errors particularly with gear selection routines were identified. The SimTrans model was modified such that these errors were corrected and a new gear skipping routine was added. The modified SimTrans model was validated through a comparison of a new set of simulated results with the observed data. The modified model showed significant improvement in simulation accuracy over the previous version of SimTrans. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2007.
|
232 |
Trade liberalisation in Swaziland : its impact on the agricultural sector.Msibi, Mandlondlo Faith. January 2004 (has links)
In recent years, the world has been experiencing rapid and extensive global shifts that have had a positive and negative impact on different countries around the globe. These global shifts have also influenced the way countries conduct trade with their partners. A lot of countries, as a way of adapting to these changes, have been forced to review their trade policies to be in line with the trade liberalisation process. The expansion of markets has led to trade liberalisation, which promotes export growth in commodities. However in developing countries, they have experienced increases in imports and thus reflecting a certain level of uncompetitiveness of these countries with trade imbalances. This has also resulted in a declining purchasing power for some countries involved, export revenues falling as prices also fall due to intense competition in the world market. Studies have suggested that when countries liberalise they tend to experience some short falls in the first few years then a recovery thereafter. Agriculture is the major factor in the economies of developing countries. At least 80% of African economies are directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture. In these developing countries, a greater majority of the population lives in the rural areas where agriculture serves as a greater part of their occupation and source of livelihood. Being the engine of most African economies, the majority of the population of these countries are employed in the agricultural sector. Agricultural commodities represent by far the largest proportion of exported goods and the main raw materials for manufactured products. As a key to poverty reduction and food security, agricultural development may be seen as important. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2004.
|
233 |
Effect of Nutrition Merchandising and Consumer Preferences on Willingness to Pay for Local Tomatoes and Strawberries in Kentucky and OhioKompaniyets, Lyudmyla 01 January 2012 (has links)
This project investigates the impacts of nutrition merchandising on consumers’ willingness to pay for local tomatoes and strawberries. The data come from survey of Kentucky and Ohio residents in June 2011. Two thousand one hundred twelve individuals from Kentucky and Ohio were surveyed, to find out the impact of selfawareness of health benefits and health benefits information on their willingness to pay. The consumers were offered one of the three survey versions. The versions varied by how much nutrition information was provided to the consumer related to both strawberries and tomatoes – otherwise identical. A had the most, B had text only, and C omitted any nutritional benefits. This nutrition preamble was offered just before doing a payment card willingness-to-pay experiment. Standard demographic data were also included. The goal of the study was to see if and in what way the provision (or nonprovision) of this information, as well as consumers’ own knowledge of nutritional benefits of local foods, their beliefs and lifestyle influenced their willingness to pay for these local products.
|
234 |
The institutional economics of cultivated mushrooms in Swaziland : a study on value chains, transaction costs and collective action.Mabuza, Majola Lawrence. January 2013 (has links)
This study focuses on commercial mushroom production, a relatively new economic activity
in Swaziland that seeks to assist rural-based small-scale farmers to diversify and improve their
economic independence and livelihoods. The mushroom programme is in line with the
National Development Strategy, which, among its major objectives, aims to address povertyrelated
challenges through the promotion of non-conventional high-value agricultural
commodities that have not been explored by local farmers despite having a relatively high
consumer demand in local and international markets. In attempting to provide an impetus to
the mushroom industry, the Swaziland government currently offers free training in mushroom
production, extension services, high quality spawn at a very nominal fee, and free substrate
bags. Considering the geographical suitability and the magnitude of investment made towards
the mushroom development programme, there is a need to understand why many farmers are
not participating in the industry, and why Swaziland still imports more than 95 percent of
locally consumed cultivated mushrooms. There has also been no research so far on the
challenges and opportunities in producing, value adding, and marketing of mushrooms in
Swaziland. This study was, therefore, an attempt to address these knowledge gaps. It also
provided an opportunity to draw relevant policy and management implications to inform
future strategies in the industry. The specific objectives of the study were to: (i) identify and
examine the factors that influence households’ decisions to participate in mushroom
production; (ii) study the underlying mushroom production and market access constraints; (iii)
examine the effects of transaction cost factors that influence mushroom producers’ market
channel choice decisions and the quantity of mushrooms sold in selected channels; and (iv)
study the effects of organisational form on producers’ participation in collective
responsibilities.
Using cross-sectional data gathered from mushroom producers and non-producers, the results
of the Two-Stage Conditional Maximum Likelihood and Two-Stage Probit Least Squares
estimation methods revealed that farmers’ decisions to participate in the mushroom enterprise
are mainly influenced by institutional factors. Farmers who have undergone training in basic
oyster mushroom production, are located in close proximity to input and output markets, and
have positive perceptions towards mushrooms, are likely to participate in the mushroom
industry. The development of positive perceptions towards mushrooms is predominantly
influenced by the knowledge gained on their nutritional and therapeutical properties.
The value chain approach was used to identify the underlying factors constraining mushroom
production and producers’ participation in mainstream markets. Among the important
findings, the study showed that producers’ plans to expand production capacities are
hampered by the difficulty to access key inputs and services, which are centralised and fully
controlled by the government. Generally, local farmers produce below capacity in relatively
small low-cost structures, which are also not well equipped. As a result, farmers apply very
primitive management methods that eventually affect their productivity. These constraints are
partly responsible for the extremely low locally produced volumes and inconsistent market
supply, prompting local mushroom traders to rely on imports. Other constraints relate to the
lack of diversification as farmers currently produce only the oyster mushroom, yet consumers
are mostly interested in the button mushroom, which is favoured for its appearance and taste.
Currently, no cultivated mushrooms are exported from Swaziland and producers have not yet
engaged in any form of mushroom processing. Instead, from what they harvest, it was found
that about six to 10 percent is consumed at household level and the remainder sold through
four channels identified as: (i) the farm gate; (ii) retail market (supermarkets); (iii)
middlemen; and (iv) food services industry (restaurants/hotels). Among the four channels, the
retail market and farm gate were, respectively, identified as the most preferred. Between the
two, the retail market offers a comparatively higher producer price and a relatively more
dependable market. Cragg’s regression results revealed that producers who are likely to
supply the retail market are those who manage a relatively large number of spawn
impregnated bags, have a high labour endowment, own cold storage facilities, and are
affiliated to mushroom producing groups. However, the difficulty in accessing market
information and lack of bargaining power significantly constrains other producers’ plans to
supply the retail market; hence, they end up selling through less remunerative channels, such
as the farm gate. Producers’ decisions on the quantity of mushrooms supplied through the
retail market are significantly affected by the difficulty in accessing transport and uncertainty
about meeting the retailers’ quality requirements.
Over 90 percent of mushroom producers in Swaziland currently participate in the industry
through farmer groups. These groups are predominantly organised in two forms, depicted as
model A and B, respectively. In model A, besides establishing their own by-laws, members
produce mushrooms in one growing house where they share the costs and benefits of all preproduction,
production and marketing activities. In model B, members also establish their
own by-laws and share all pre-production activities. However, instead of producing under one
roof, each member manages his/her own growing house and members are at liberty to make
their own marketing arrangements independently. The results of the Propensity Score
Matching method indicated that producers affiliated to model B groups have significantly
higher levels of cooperation, which is evidenced in making joint decisions and performing
shared manual activities. Participation in such groups also improves producers’ knowledge of
the enterprise, and reduces the likelihood of internal free-riding.
The overall results of the study point to the need to strengthen farmer training in mushroom
production and value-addition. In attempting to improve producers’ access to key inputs and
services, it is recommended that the government should relinquish its position (to the private
sector) as the only provider of these services, allowing public institutions to assume a
monitoring role. Producers’ competitiveness and sustainable participation in the mushroom
value chain can be enhanced by institutionalising and strengthening collective action, which
can possibly enable them to achieve economies of scale benefits in the input and product
markets, and improve their bargaining position. As indicated in the empirical chapters, market
availability for mushrooms is not a challenge in Swaziland. However, the lack of a market
information system, expert assistance in agribusiness management, poor value chain
governance, and lack of vertical coordination, predispose producers to high marketing and
transaction costs such that they end up selling through less remunerative marketing channels.
|
235 |
Volatile profiles for disease detection in stored carrots and potatoesOuellette, Eric January 1988 (has links)
No description available.
|
236 |
Time-to-Produce, Inventory, and Asset PricesChen, Zhanhui 2011 August 1900 (has links)
In a production-based general equilibrium model, I study the impact of time-to-build and time-to-produce technology constraints and inventory on asset prices and macroeconomic quantity dynamics. A time-to-build constraint captures the delay in transforming new investment into productive capital; a time-to-produce constraint captures the delay in transforming productive capital into final products. Empirically, I find that the U.S. economy in aggregate exhibits approximately a three-quarter time-to-build and a four-quarter time-to-produce constraint. These delays in the production process introduce short-run risks in the economy where inventory accumulation facilitates consumption smoothing over time. Using this structure for time-to-build and time-to-produce constraints, I numerically calibrate a production-based general equilibrium model where the representative investor has recursive preferences over consumption and inventory. The model delivers first and second moments of macroeconomic quantities and asset prices consistent with the data. A small elasticity of intertemporal substitution is necessary to positively price the short-run risks induced by the production constraints. Inventories help fit the volatilities of asset returns, while the time-to-produce feature ensures nontrivial inventory holdings. In addition, the model is able to match empirical lead-lag patterns between asset prices and macroeconomic quantities as well as observed equity return
predictability.
|
237 |
Global finance / local crisis : the role of financial deregulation in the geographical restructuring of Australian farming and farm credit; the case of Kangaroo Island / by Neil Argent.Argent, Neil, 1964- January 1997 (has links)
Bibliography: p. 400-416. / xiii, 416 p., [1] p. of plates : ill., maps (chiefly col.) ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Despite the hegemony of economic rationalism in contemporary public policy circles public financial institutions, charged with the support of agricultural and other small business development at the regional level, are a necessary intervention to help maintain the family farm production base. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Geography, 1998
|
238 |
Food policy councils : an examination of organisational structure, process, and contribution to alternative food movements /Schiff, Rebecca. January 1900 (has links)
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Murdoch University, 2007. / Thesis submitted to the Division of Arts. Includes bibliographical references (p. 417-436).
|
239 |
The cooperative elevator movement a study in grain marketing at country points in the north central statesKenkel, Joseph B. January 1922 (has links)
Thesis (Ph. D.)--Catholic University of America, 1922. / Vita. Facsimile edition, 1975. Bibliography: p. 150-154.
|
240 |
Community supported agriculture as revitalization : reconnecting the farm and the dinner table /Howell, Jordan P. January 2008 (has links)
Thesis (Honors)--College of William and Mary, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 39-41). Also available via the World Wide Web.
|
Page generated in 0.0582 seconds