Analysis of the Performance of Transporting Soybeans from Mato Grosso for Export: A Case Study of the Tapajós-Teles Pires Waterway

The inefficiency of Brazil’s logistics system to handle the outflow of farm products impairs the sector’s performance. From the economic perspective, the high freight rates put the country’s agricultural sector at a competitive disadvantage in the global market. Besides this, the reliance on highway transport causes problems of an environmental (high CO 2 emissions) and social nature (large occurrence of accidents). As an alternative to this dependence, Brazil has an extensive network of actually and potentially navigable rivers that could serve as a key element to improve the performance of the agricultural sector. Therefore, the objective of this study is to analyze the possible influence of the Tapajós-Teles Pires Waterway on the sustainable performance of 19 Brazilian soybean export routes, using data envelopment analysis (DEA). Of these, only three would use the Tapajós-Teles Pires Waterway, which is not yet in operation. The origins of the routes are four soybean-producing centers located in Mato Grosso, the Brazilian state that produces the most soybeans, destined for 12 seaports. The inputs considered are Accident Cost and CO2 Emissions, while the output is Cargo Carried per US$. For this, we use the DEA-VRS (Variable Return Scale) input-oriented model. The results obtained from the DEA model revealed satisfactory performance of the routes using the Tapajós-Teles Pires Waterway from three of the four production centers. In Campo Novo do Parecis, some 16% (471 km) of the route is composed of highways and the rest of the waterway (84%, 1576 km). In Sorriso, only 3% (85 km) of the route consists of highways, while waterway transport is responsible for 97% (2388 km), and in Querência, 24.55% of the route to the Port of Barcarena consists of highways. The use of these routes and the combination of the two transport modes presented the best efficiency indexes, making development of the waterway a key element to improve the outflow of soybeans for export. The results of this study may help Brazilian authorities to define public policies and apply resources to improve the deficiencies of the transportation system, which can lead to a better balance of the Brazilian transportation matrix.

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Foreign Aid and its Role in Maintaining the Exploitation of the Agricultural Sector: Evidence from a Case Study in Africa

International Journal of Health Services ◽

10.2190/ekb0-afnd-8gn3-ge72 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 33-49 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Claudio Schuftan

Keyword(s):

Rural Development ◽

Foreign Aid ◽

Local Governments ◽

Agricultural Sector ◽

National Development ◽

The Other ◽

Sizable Proportion ◽

Using Data ◽

State Of Affairs

Today most foreign aid donors are genuinely committed to the idea that development in Third World countries should start with rural development. Therefore, a sizable proportion of their development funds are invested in rural projects. However, donors channel these funds through local governments (most often representing local bourgeois interests) that are not as committed to the principle of rural development. These governments are often also embarked in policies that are actually—directly or indirectly—expropriating the surpluses generated by agriculture and investing them in the other sectors of the economy. The peasants are therefore footing most of the bill of overall national development. This paper contends that, because of this state of affairs, foreign aid directed toward rural development is actually filling the investment gap left by an internal system of unequal returns to production in agriculture. In so doing, foreign aid is indirectly financing the development of the other sectors of the economy, even if this result is unintended. This perpetrates maldevelopment without redressing the basic exploitation process of peasants which lies at the core of underdevelopment. Evidence to support this hypothesis is presented using data from a primarily agricultural exporting country: the United Republic of Cameroon.

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Measuring Efficiency of Knowledge Production in Health Research Centers Using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA): A Case Study in Iran

Electronic physician ◽

10.19082/3266 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 8 (11) ◽

pp. 3266-3271

Author(s):

Mohammad Meskarpour Amiri ◽

Taha Nasiri ◽

Seyed Hassan Saadat ◽

Hosein Amini Anabad ◽

Payman Mahboobi Ardakan

Keyword(s):

Data Envelopment Analysis ◽

Knowledge Production ◽

Health Research ◽

Data Envelopment ◽

Research Centers ◽

Measuring Efficiency ◽

Using Data

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Does Access to Modern Marketing Channels Improve Dairy Enterprises’ Efficiency? A Case Study of Punjab, Pakistan

THE LAHORE JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS ◽

10.35536/lje.2012.v17.i1.a4 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 63-82

Author(s):

Sana Sadaf ◽

Khalid Riaz

Keyword(s):

Returns To Scale ◽

Marketing Channels ◽

Scale Efficiency ◽

Data Envelopment ◽

Land Area ◽

Fresh Milk ◽

The Mean ◽

Using Data ◽

Variable Returns To Scale

The main objective of this study is to investigate how access to modern marketing channels impacts the efficiency of dairy enterprises. Using data on dairy farms in central Punjab (Sargodha), we carry out a nonparametric data envelopment analysis to measure their technical and scale efficiencies. The results show that, for the sample dairy enterprises, the mean technical efficiency under variable returns to scale was 0.89 while scale efficiency was 0.94. The results of a follow-on regression analysis support the hypothesis that the access to modern marketing channels, where payment for fresh milk is based on measured milk quality (fat content), improved efficiency. We find that efficiency is positively affected by the size of dairy operations, and negatively by the size of operational land area. Moreover, dairy enterprises with smaller herds tend to operate at a suboptimal scale, possibly due to credit and/or land constraints.

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Evaluation of Assembly Part Build Orientation in Additive Manufacturing Environment using Data Envelopment Analysis

MATEC Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/matecconf/201929302002 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 293 ◽

pp. 02002 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kasin Ransikarbum ◽

Rapeepan Pitakaso ◽

Namhun Kim

Keyword(s):

Data Envelopment Analysis ◽

Additive Manufacturing ◽

Process Planning ◽

Data Envelopment ◽

3D Objects ◽

Lathe Machine ◽

Subtractive Manufacturing ◽

Personal Use ◽

Using Data

Whereas Subtractive Manufacturing (SM) is a process by which 3D objects are constructed by cutting material away from a solid block of material, such as milling and lathe machine; Additive Manufacturing (AM) is a synonym for 3D printing and other processes by which 3D objects are constructed by successively depositing material in layers. Recently, AM has become widespread for both industrial and personal use thanks to the freedom and benefits it provides in designing parts, reducing lead time, improving inventory, and supply chain. However, few studies examine process planning issues in AM. In addition, existing studies focus on production of an individual part alone. In this study, we examine the assembly orientation alternatives’ efficiency using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technique for different AM technologies and their associated materials under conflicting criteria. A case study of hardware fasteners using bolt and nut fabrication is illustrated in the study. Our results show that different AM technologies and materials clearly impact efficiency of part production and thus suggest optimal orientation in AM process planning platform.

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