Agricultural labour productivity and credit constraints: implications for consumption in rural Ghana

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 331-351
Author(s):  
Haruna Issahaku ◽  
Ishaque Mahama ◽  
Reginald Addy–Morton
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Estimation ◽  
Credit Constraints ◽  
Labour Productivity ◽  
Rural Households ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Living Standard ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Agricultural Labour Productivity ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to assess the impact of credit constraints on agricultural labour productivity as well as the impact of credit constraints and agricultural labour productivity on rural households' consumption in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses the Ghana Living Standard Survey round six (GLSS 6) as the main source of data, which happens to be one of the most comprehensive household datasets in Ghana. Quantitative estimation techniques (namely: Endogenous Switching Regression and Two Stage Least Squares) are used to address possible endogeneity and selection into credit markets.FindingsFirst, large households are prone to credit constraints while age (experience) and compliance with extension advice reduce credit constraints. Second, the determinants of agricultural labour productivity for both constrained and unconstrained households are age, sex, farm equipment, herbicide and farm size. Third, household size, education and livestock rearing influence agricultural labour productivity of constrained households. Fourth, credit constraints, irrespective of how they are measured, impede agricultural labour productivity while access to credit fosters labour productivity. Lastly, credit constraints robustly reduce consumption while agricultural labour productivity strongly enhances rural households' consumption.Originality/valueThe first contribution is that, unlike most previous studies, we do not focus on the widely used measure of productivity – output per unit land, but on agriculture labour productivity in particular. Secondly, unlike most previous studies which examine the effect of credit constraints either on productivity alone or consumption alone, our study examines the impact of credit constraints on both. Thirdly, unlike the existing literature which uses one or two measures of credit constraints, we use a wide range of measures of credit constraints – seven different measures of credit constraints. Lastly, our empirical strategy solves at least two critical econometric problems – sample selection bias and endogeneity.

Off-farm income and food expenditure of rural households in China

2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (5) ◽  
pp. 1088-1100
Author(s):  
Yuying Liu ◽  
Alan Renwick ◽  
Xinhong Fu
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Rural China ◽  
Rural Households ◽  
Household Head ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Farm Income ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Food Expenditure ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of off-farm income on food expenditure, using survey data of 493 rural households from Gansu, Henan and Shandong provinces in China. Design/methodology/approach A two-stage least squares estimator is used to jointly estimate the determinants of off-farm income and the direct impact of off-farm income on food expenditure while controlling for the endogeneity issue associated with off-farm income variable. Findings The empirical results show that gender, education of household head, household size, farm size, the presence of children, smartphone use and asset ownership mainly determine off-farm income, and the off-farm income affects food expenditure of rural households significantly. In particular, the results show that a 1,000 yuan increase in per capita off-farm income increases per capita food expenditure by 61 yuan. Further estimations reveal that off-farm income has a larger effect on food expenditure of high-income rural households relative to their low-income counterparts. Originality/value Although poverty implications of off-farm income have been well documented, few studies have analysed the effects of off-farm income on food expenditure of rural households. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there are no studies on this issue that focus on rural China. Therefore, the present study attempts to provide a first insight into the association between off-farm income and food expenditure of rural households in China, with the aim of providing useful evidence for policymakers in their efforts to reduce rural and urban food consumption gap and further increase social welfare.

scholarly journals Evaluating undergraduate research conferences as vehicles for novice researcher development

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pauline Kneale ◽  
Andrew Edwards-Jones ◽  
Helen Walkington ◽  
Jennifer Hill
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Skills Development ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Conference ◽  
Researcher Development ◽  
Development Framework ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to focus on the undergraduate research conference as its sphere of study and investigate the impact of significance of participation and socialisation in such activities on student attitudes and professional development. Using situated learning to theoretically position the undergraduate research conference as an authentic learning context, connection is also made with the concept of graduate attributes. Design/methodology/approach The Vitae (2014) Researcher Development Framework (RDF) is used to provide a template for charting the experiences and development of undergraduate students as researchers. This can be applied to short-term activities and programmes and to long-term career plans. The insights from 90 undergraduate students participating in three national undergraduate research conferences were obtained through interviews, and thematically analysed to map the students’ skills development against the RDF criteria. Findings Three main aspects of undergraduate research conference participation were considered particularly important by the students: the value of paper presentations, the value of poster presentations and the value of the overall conference experience. Within these themes, participants identified a wide range of skills and attributes they felt they had developed as a result of either preparing for or participating in the conferences. The majority of these skills and attributes could be mapped against the different domains of the RDF, using a public engagement lens for comparing actual with expected developmental areas. Research limitations/implications This research helps undergraduate research conference organisers construct programme content and form it in such a way that students’ skill development can be maximised prior to, and during, the course of an event. Learning developers can also use these findings to help understand the support needs of students preparing to deliver papers at such conferences. So far, little empirical research has examined students’ skills development within the undergraduate research conference arena. Originality/value The outcomes of this study show the diversity of the skills that students developed and the value of the conference format for offering networking practice and enhancing the communication skills which employers value.

scholarly journals In VivoEfficacy of Anuran Trypsin Inhibitory Peptides against Staphylococcal Skin Infection and the Impact of Peptide Cyclization

2015 ◽  
Vol 59 (4) ◽  
pp. 2113-2121 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. Malik ◽  
O. N. Silva ◽  
I. C. M. Fensterseifer ◽  
L. Y. Chan ◽  
R. J. Clark ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Cyclic Peptide ◽  
Sequence Similarity ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Inhibitory Activities ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACTStaphylococcus aureusis a virulent pathogen that is responsible for a wide range of superficial and invasive infections. Its resistance to existing antimicrobial drugs is a global problem, and the development of novel antimicrobial agents is crucial. Antimicrobial peptides from natural resources offer potential as new treatments against staphylococcal infections. In the current study, we have examined the antimicrobial properties of peptides isolated from anuran skin secretions and cyclized synthetic analogues of these peptides. The structures of the peptides were elucidated by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, revealing high structural and sequence similarity with each other and with sunflower trypsin inhibitor 1 (SFTI-1). SFTI-1 is an ultrastable cyclic peptide isolated from sunflower seeds that has subnanomolar trypsin inhibitory activity, and this scaffold offers pharmaceutically relevant characteristics. The five anuran peptides were nonhemolytic and noncytotoxic and had trypsin inhibitory activities similar to that of SFTI-1. They demonstrated weakin vitroinhibitory activities againstS. aureus, but several had strong antibacterial activities againstS. aureusin anin vivomurine wound infection model. pYR, an immunomodulatory peptide fromRana sevosa, was the most potent, with complete bacterial clearance at 3 mg · kg−1. Cyclization of the peptides improved their stability but was associated with a concomitant decrease in antimicrobial activity. In summary, these anuran peptides are promising as novel therapeutic agents for treating infections from a clinically resistant pathogen.

People-centred management for improving construction workers' productivity in Zimbabwe

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 350-368
Author(s):  
Tirivavi Moyo ◽  
Gerrit Crafford ◽  
Fidelis Emuze
Keyword(s):  
Labour Productivity ◽  
Construction Workers ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Companies ◽  
The People ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
High Concern ◽  
The Impact

PurposeWhile operational factors reduce construction workers' productivity in Zimbabwe, the impact of the people-centred management aspects has not been empirically interrogated as a remedy. This article reports on a study that sought to determine significant people-centred management aspects that lead to improved labour productivity and assesses the existence of statistically significant differences due to the demographic variables of respondents. Demographic-specific strategies that enhance construction “workers” productivity were revealed.Design/methodology/approachThe survey research design using a self-administered questionnaire was deployed to collect the primary data. The design followed a positivist paradigm to evaluate objectively how people-centred management affects construction workers' productivity. The statistical data were descriptively and inferentially analysed.FindingsPeople-centred management was determined to be significant in improving construction workers' productivity, with the most significant aspect being the building of employee confidence in related approaches. Designations and educational levels mostly indicated a statistically significant difference in several aspects that included the adoption of a functional reward culture for workers and training on people-centred principles. Training on-site management and construction workers in people-centred management and its application are crucial to improving construction workers' productivity.Research limitations/implicationsConstruction companies should drastically improve their concern for people while they sustain a high concern for production within their construction sites. Although several factors affect construction workers' productivity, this study determined that management-related factors and people-centred management were significant towards influencing low productivity in Zimbabwe.Originality/valueThe study determined people-centred management and demographic-specific interventions as being able to improve construction workers' productivity in Zimbabwe.

Impact of socio and demographic factors on multidimensional poverty profile of smallholder arable crop farmers – evidence from Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raheem Olatunji Aminu ◽  
Wei Si ◽  
Shakirat Bolatito Ibrahim ◽  
Aisha Olushola Arowolo ◽  
Adefunke Fadilat O. Ayinde
Keyword(s):  
Demographic Factors ◽  
Multidimensional Poverty ◽  
Household Size ◽  
Living Standard ◽  
Average Intensity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Crop Farming ◽  
Arable Crop ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Farming Households

PurposeThis paper evaluates the impact of socio and demographic factors on the multidimensional poverty of smallholder arable crop farming households in Nigeria.Design/methodology/approachData were drawn from the second wave of the LSMS-Integrated Surveys on Agriculture General Household Survey Panel 2012/2013. The methods adopted in analysing the data were descriptive statistics, Alkire and Foster Method (AFM) and logit regression model.FindingsThe result shows that 84.34% of the households were headed by a male while 80.26% of the respondents were married with a mean household size of seven persons. The multidimensional poverty of arable crop farm households in Nigeria is 0.60, while the adjusted headcount ratio (MPI) is 0.27, with an average intensity of 0.45. We found that deprivation in the dimension of living standard accounted for 45.5% of the overall multidimensional poverty index (MPI). The result of the logistic regression indicates that household location, gender, household size and non-farm income are negatively correlated to poverty. The factors that increase poverty among households are the age of the household head and access to extension services.Originality/valueThe study presents an alternative means of assessing poverty among smallholder arable crop farming households in Nigeria. This study recommends that policymakers should focus more on improving the living standard of arable crop farming households to reduce poverty in rural areas. Similarly, concerted efforts should be made towards providing adequate health care and improved sanitation, supply of electricity and educational training that goes beyond primary education for farming household members.

Capital and credit constraints in the engagement of youth in Ghanaian agriculture

2019 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martinson Ankrah Twumasi ◽  
Yuansheng Jiang ◽  
Monica Owusu Acheampong
Keyword(s):  
Positive Impact ◽  
Credit Constraints ◽  
Rural Youth ◽  
Unique Contribution ◽  
Switching Regression ◽  
Credit Constraint ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Application Procedure ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the factors influencing rural youth farmers’ credit constraints status and the effect of credit constraint on the intensity of participation of these farmers in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach The econometric estimation is based on cross-sectional data collected in 2018 from the Brong Ahafo region in Ghana. The sample data set consists of 450 rural youth farmers. The collected data were analyzed through different econometric techniques, using the endogenous switching regression model (ERSM). Findings The direct elicitation approach employed in this study revealed that out of the 450 farmers, 211 (47 percent) of the respondents were credit constrained compared to 239 (53 percent) of their counterparts who were unconstrained. The ERSM indicated that youth farmers education, age, savings, parents occupation reduced the probability of the rural youth farmer to be credit constrained but cumbersome loan application procedure and loan disbursement time positively affect credit constraint. Moreover, farmers that are credit constrained have lower intensity of participation in agriculture activities than a random farmer from the sample. This suggests that access to credit has a positive impact on the intensity of participation in agriculture activities. Research limitations/implications In this study, only rural youth farmers in a particular region were considered. However, there are youths all over the nation. Therefore, future researchers could consider other youth’s farmers elsewhere in the country. Originality/value Although existing studies have examined rural youth farmers’ participation in agriculture and credit constraint separately, the unique contribution of this paper is the analysis of credit constraint of rural youth farmers as well as the impact of credit constraint on the intensity of participation in agriculture activities.

scholarly journals An Adaptive Bitrate Switching Algorithm for Speech Applications in Context of WebRTC

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Mohannad Alahmadi ◽  
Peter Pocta ◽  
Hugh Melvin
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Data Exchange ◽  
Quality Of Experience ◽  
End User ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Switching Algorithm ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC) combines a set of standards and technologies to enable high-quality audio, video, and auxiliary data exchange in web browsers and mobile applications. It enables peer-to-peer multimedia sessions over IP networks without the need for additional plugins. The Opus codec, which is deployed as the default audio codec for speech and music streaming in WebRTC, supports a wide range of bitrates. This range of bitrates covers narrowband, wideband, and super-wideband up to fullband bandwidths. Users of IP-based telephony always demand high-quality audio. In addition to users’ expectation, their emotional state, content type, and many other psychological factors; network quality of service; and distortions introduced at the end terminals could determine their quality of experience. To measure the quality experienced by the end user for voice transmission service, the E-model standardized in the ITU-T Rec. G.107 (a narrowband version), ITU-T Rec. G.107.1 (a wideband version), and the most recent ITU-T Rec. G.107.2 extension for the super-wideband E-model can be used. In this work, we present a quality of experience model built on the E-model to measure the impact of coding and packet loss to assess the quality perceived by the end user in WebRTC speech applications. Based on the computed Mean Opinion Score, a real-time adaptive codec parameter switching mechanism is used to switch to the most optimum codec bitrate under the present network conditions. We present the evaluation results to show the effectiveness of the proposed approach when compared with the default codec configuration in WebRTC.

scholarly journals Research on the Impact of Relationship Networks on Farmers’ Formal Credit Constraints: The Case of China

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lun-song Chen ◽  
Bi-Lin Sun
Keyword(s):  
Credit Constraints ◽  
Rural Households ◽  
Credit Constraint ◽  
Constraint Function ◽  
Relationship Networks ◽  
Social Interests ◽  
Relationship Network ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Based on the survey data of Lishui City, Zhejiang Province, this paper uses the Heckman two-stage model to construct a credit constraint function without selection bias, and explores the relationship between the scale and quality of the relationship network and the credit constraints of rural households. Research shows that the scale of the relationship network is affected adversely by urbanization and networking, having a weaker impact on the formal credit constraints of rural households. The quality of the relationship networks can improve farmers’ awareness of formal credit, reduce transaction exposure, regulate farmers’ behavior and act as a “guarantee”, thereby effectively alleviating farmers’ formal credit constraints. At the same time, the relationship network of farmers is gradually becoming more structured, where farmers' social interests are becoming more purposeful. Additionally, formal financial institutions have set a threshold for farmers’ credit, which requires a certain amount of securities for money.

Pushed out or pulled in? Participation in non-farm activities in rural China

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuanxiang Liu
Keyword(s):  
Rural China ◽  
Rural Households ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Switching Regression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Income Gap ◽  
Income Differential ◽  
Farm Production ◽  
Commercial Farming ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the determinants of China’s rural households’ non-farm participation. The authors pay special attention to the effect of potential income differential on this participation. Design/methodology/approach The data used in this study come from a household survey conducted in Hubei Province. The authors estimate participation equation and income equation, respectively, then introduce potential income differential simulated in participation equation to examine its effect on non-farm participation. Findings Potential income differential serves as the major pull factor that favors non-farm participation. Education, proximity to a city and specialized commercial farming are crucial in helping rural households to participate in non-farm production; while the land shortage or the labor surplus act as the push factor in non-farm participation. Better quality of land reduces the household’s propensity to participate in non-farm activities. Moreover, the income gap between households that participate in non-farm activities and pure farmers is mainly determined by the differences in household characteristics. Originality/value The authors use the method of “switching regression and structural probit” to examine the impact of potential income differential on non-farm participation, and simulate the response of the participation probability to the change of potential income differential. The authors also analyze the sources of income gap between non-farm and farm households using Oaxaca decomposition.

scholarly journals Dynamics in Copy Numbers of Five Plasmids of a DairyLactococcus lactisStrain under Dairy-Related Conditions Including Near-Zero Growth Rates

2018 ◽  
Vol 84 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oscar van Mastrigt ◽  
Marcel M. A. N. Lommers ◽  
Yorick C. de Vries ◽  
Tjakko Abee ◽  
Eddy J. Smid
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Limitation ◽  
Lactococcus Lactis ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Copy Number ◽  
Plasmid Copy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Copy Numbers ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Zero Growth ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACTLactic acid bacteria can carry multiple plasmids affecting their performance in dairy fermentations. The expression of plasmid-borne genes and the activity of the corresponding proteins are severely affected by changes in the numbers of plasmid copies. We studied the impact of growth rate on the dynamics of plasmid copy numbers at high growth rates in chemostat cultures and down to near-zero growth rates in retentostat cultures. Five plasmids of the dairy strainLactococcus lactisFM03-V1 were selected, and these varied in size (3 to 39 kb), in replication mechanism (theta or rolling circle), and in putative (dairy-associated) functions. The copy numbers ranged from 1.5 to 40.5, and the copy number of theta-type replicating plasmids was negatively correlated to the plasmid size. Despite the extremely wide range of growth rates (0.0003 h−1to 0.6 h−1), the copy numbers of the five plasmids were stable and only slightly increased at near-zero growth rates, showing that the plasmid replication rate was strictly controlled. One low-copy-number plasmid, carrying a large exopolysaccharide gene cluster, was segregationally unstable during retentostat cultivations, reflected in a complete loss of the plasmid in one of the retentostat cultures. The copy number of the five plasmids was also hardly affected by varying the pH value, nutrient limitation, or the presence of citrate (maximum 2.2-fold), signifying the stability in copy number of the plasmids.IMPORTANCELactococcus lactisis extensively used in starter cultures for dairy fermentations. Important traits for the growth and survival ofL. lactisin dairy fermentations are encoded by genes located on plasmids, such as genes involved in lactose and citrate metabolism, protein degradation, oligopeptide uptake, and bacteriophage resistance. Because the number of plasmid copies could affect the expression of plasmid-borne genes, it is important to know the factors that influence the plasmid copy numbers. We monitored the plasmid copy numbers ofL. lactisat near-zero growth rates, characteristic for cheese ripening. Moreover, we analyzed the effects of pH, nutrient limitation, and the presence of citrate. This showed that the plasmid copy numbers were stable, giving insight into plasmid copy number dynamics in dairy fermentations.

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