An
Estimation of the Viability of Commercial Fishing in Botswana
--
Patricia Masego Makepe and Segametsi Raletsatsi
This
study uses the traditional cost-benefit analysis to estimate
the viability of commercial fishing in Botswana, using
the Boiteko Syndicate in Shakawe, Botswana. The Net present
Value (NPV) and Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR), indicate that
commercial fishing, as practiced by the Boiteko Syndicate,
is commercially viable and thus, should be encouraged
and supported. The findings are supported amply by the
results of the sensitivity analysis carried out in the
study. The paper also indicates that in order to avoid
over exploitation of freely available biological resources
like fish, specific rules and regulations should be formulated,
thus, ensuring the long-term sustainability of the fishing
industry. This article thus provides feasible ways to
aid the agricultural sector in contributing towards the
diversification of the economy of Botswana.
©
2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
Agricultural
Productivity in Pacific Island Countries: Issues
and Challenges
-- Mahendra
Reddy and Ron Duncan
Most
Pacific Island Countries (PICs) rely heavily on the agricultural
sector for food, security and source of economic growth.
Thus, with the increasing population, especially in the
Melanesian and Micronesian countries, and desire for higher
incomes, agricultural productivity has to be increased
through efficiency gains and technical progress. But,
the pertinent question is; how well have they done in
these areas in the past? An analysis shows that in most
countries, while production in the crop and livestock
sector has increased, the per capita production has decreased.
Moreover, estimates of the total factor productivity reveal
little gain over the past four decades. The most striking
result is that, efficiency has declined in all countries
considered in the study. The result of this paper is the
identification of the causes of such trends, and suggestion
of policy measures that can be implemented for raising
agricultural productivity.
©
2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
Technical
Efficiency of Vegetable Production in Kerala: A Frontier
Production Function Approach
--
E K Thomas, S Krishnan, K Jesy Thomas and P Sreela
This
study is confined to the Nemmara block of Palakkad district
in Kerala, one of the major vegetable growing tracts in
the district. A multi-stage random sampling procedure
was adopted, and a sample of 180 growers60 farmers each
for bitter-gourd, snake-gourd and ivy-gourdwas selected
for the study, during 2004-05. The stochastic production
function of the Cobb-Douglas form was used to determine
the technical efficiency. The Mean Technical Efficiency
(MTE) was worked out as the ratio of the production of
ith farm to the frontier production of the
same farm. For bitter-gourd, snake-gourd and ivy-gourd,
the mean technical efficiencies were 0.85, 0.91 and 0.58,
respectively. Technical efficiency of the individual farms
varied widely between 30% and 100%.
©
2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
Role
of the Non-farm Sector in Transforming Rural India: A
Study with Special Reference to Uttar Pradesh
-- Nirankar
Srivastav
This
article evaluates the role of the non-farm sector in generating
productive employment and reducing poverty in rural areas.
An attempt has been made to analyze the recent growth
of rural non-farm activities to explore the determinants
and factors that might be responsible for growth. The
sources of growth and nature of activities undertaken
in the Rural Non-farm Sector (RNFS) are important considerations
while analyzing the significance of the non-farming sector
in transforming the economic life of rural households.
In this regard, the inter-relationship of the RNFS employment
and agricultural wages, and the degree of urbanization
are highlighted in the article. The major changes in the
occupational structure of RNFS, during the period 1983-84
to 1999-2000 are also examined. This article is based
mainly on the unit record level data on employment and
unemployment, collected by the National Sample Survey
Organization (NSSO) in the 38th (1983) and
55th (1999-2000) rounds across 71 comparable
rural NSS regions nationwide. The article sketches the
growth of RNFS in Uttar Pradesh and examines the factors
which could explain the growth, identifies the areas for
further research and suggests some policy measures for
improving the RNFS.
©
2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
Income,
Consumption and Savings of the Rural Farm Households:
A Study of Coastal Andhra Pradesh
--
Ch
Paramaiah
This
study examines the income, consumption and savings pattern
of rural farm households in select three coastal districts
of Andhra Pradesh. The findings of the study were that
the average gross income and household expenditure are
consistently higher in the developed West Godavari district,
followed by the developing Prakasam district, and lowest
in the moderately developed Srikakulam district. Although
Srikakulam district is well-off in terms of possession
of agricultural resources compared to Prakasam district,
socially and culturally it is a backward district in Andhra
Pradesh. Perhaps this has prompted the farm incomes of
Srikakulam district to operate at a lower level of equilibrium
with regard to either production or consumption.
©
2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
