Technology Adoption and Economic Development

Author(s):  
Taiwo E. Mafimisebi

Africa’s economic development will result from conscious efforts directed towards diversification and increased productivity in its low-performing agricultural sector. Technology development, transfer and uptake, which are low for now, are indispensible necessities in this respect. The purpose of this chapter is to review the characteristics, importance, constraints and technology adoption process of African agriculture to identify factors that enhance or hinder technology uptake. This is with a view to isolating lessons for developers or packagers of new agricultural or other technologies for Africa, especially nanotechnology and microelectronics which are evolving and transformational. The attributes of technologies that have made desired impact in African agriculture included cheapness, simplicity, observability, visibility of results, usefulness, compatibility with existing technologies and farm- or farmer-specific socio-economic or socio-cultural conditions. Case studies of the welfare-enhancing impacts of adopted agricultural technologies were examined under use of fertilizers, improved varieties and biotechnology. Useful lessons for development and transfer of nanotechnology and micro-electronics to Africa were highlighted.

2012 ◽  
pp. 58-73
Author(s):  
Taiwo E. Mafimisebi

Africa’s economic development will result from conscious efforts directed towards diversification and increased productivity in its low-performing agricultural sector. Technology development, transfer and uptake, which are low for now, are indispensible necessities in this respect. The purpose of this chapter is to review the characteristics, importance, constraints and technology adoption process of African agriculture to identify factors that enhance or hinder technology uptake. This is with a view to isolating lessons for developers or packagers of new agricultural or other technologies for Africa, especially nanotechnology and microelectronics which are evolving and transformational. The attributes of technologies that have made desired impact in African agriculture included cheapness, simplicity, observability, visibility of results, usefulness, compatibility with existing technologies and farm- or farmer-specific socio-economic or socio-cultural conditions. Case studies of the welfare-enhancing impacts of adopted agricultural technologies were examined under use of fertilizers, improved varieties and biotechnology. Useful lessons for development and transfer of nanotechnology and micro-electronics to Africa were highlighted.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Carlo Intriago Zambrano ◽  
Jan Carel Diehl ◽  
Maurits W. Ertsen

<p>Smallholder farming is the cornerstone of the agricultural sector in the Global South. It produces 80% of the food in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, though it accounts for barely 12% of the global farmland. Its sustainable intensification is therefore paramount in the accomplishment of Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger. In this respect, adoption of sustainable water pumping technologies is key to ensure access to irrigation water, thus to secure smallholder production. Sustained uptake of agricultural technologies, however, is a complex process whose attainment is far beyond the sole technology itself. It encompasses a number of intertwined variables of all kinds related to the adopter and the use context: biophysical, financial, institutional, social, cultural, etc.</p><p>We argue that innovative business models—like sustainable product-service system (SPSS)—have the potential to ease the adoption process by overcoming many of its constraints (e.g. unaffordable upfront costs, lack of adequate servicing). These business models, unlike traditional linear approaches of technology transfer, have to take into account a broader network of stakeholders. In this way, the technology becomes an agent of interaction between involved parties. It turns into a dynamic element, connected to other products and well-developed services, that caters multiple farming needs. In our paper, we discuss enablers and barriers for the implementation of an SPSS in smallholder contexts under different scenarios. We analyze them based on evidence from Nepali and Indonesian smallholder communities where a novel hydro-powered pumping technology, known commercially as the Barsha pump, has been deployed. The insights gathered reveal many leverage points to create synergies between farmers, entrepreneurs, financial institutions, non-profit organizations and governmental agencies. They also denote the persistent challenges in the required shift of mindset for such an innovative system to come into full operation.</p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 1101-1113
Author(s):  
M.Sh. Gutuev ◽  
B.Sh. Ibragimova

Subject. The article discusses the availability of technological equipment in the agriculture of the Republic of Dagestan. Objectives. We analyze the current situation and trends in the development of available technological equipment in the republican agriculture, identify the role and place of machine and tractor fleet in the retrofitting of the regional agriculture. Methods. The study is based on monographic, abstract logic, statistical, analytical methods. Results. Dagestan has got a critically few technological equipment, which affects the development of the regional agricultural sector. The availability of technological equipment is found to have dramatically reduced in animal husbandry for the recent 30 years. The availability of technological equipment and land cultivation strongly correlates, thus simplifying applicable agricultural technologies. Most agricultural producers of Dagestan were found to be unable to participate in the program for federal agricultural lease. Conclusions and Relevance. The deterioration of available technological equipment in agriculture is a key cause undermining the competitiveness of products and efficiency of the regional agriculture. We prove the importance of governmental actions incentivizing the influx of new technological equipment, including a set of measures reinforcing the availability of technological equipment. As long as most agricultural producers are microbusinesses that lack resources to participate in many machine renovation programs, funding should be increased substantially to subsidize a portion of equipment acquisition costs incurred by agricultural producers, and a portion of reimbursed costs as much as at least 50 percent of the value of agricultural machines acquired.


Author(s):  
I. М. Mikhaylenko ◽  
V. N. Timoshin

The transition to "intellectual" agriculture is the main vector of modernization of the agricultural sector of the economy. It is based on integrated automation and robotization of production, the use of automated decision-making systems. This is inevitably accompanied by a significant increase in data flow from sensors, monitoring systems, meteorological stations, drones, satellites and other external systems. Farm management has the opportunity to use various online applications for accurate recommendations and making various kinds of management decisions. In this regard, the most effective use of cloud information technologies, allowing implementing the most complex information and technical level of automation systems for management of agricultural technologies. The purpose of this work is to test the approach to creating expert management decision support systems (DSS) through the knowledge base (KB), formed in the cloud information system. For this, we consider an example of constructing a DSS for choosing the optimal date for preparing forage from perennial grasses. A complete theoretical and algorithmic database of the analytical DSS implemented in the data processing center of the cloud information system is given. On its basis, a KB is formed for a variety of different decision-making conditions. This knowledge base is transmitted to the local DSS. To make decisions about the optimal dates for the preparation of the local DSS, two variants of algorithms are used. The first option is based on management models, and the second uses the pattern recognition method. The approbation of the algorithms was carried out according to the BZ from 50 cases. According to the results of testing, the method of pattern recognition proved to be more accurate, which provides a more flexible adjustment of the situation on the local DSS to a similar situation in the KB. The considered technique can be extended to other crops.


2020 ◽  
pp. 71-80
Author(s):  
Olesya Tomchuk

The article highlights the problems and prospects of human development, which is the basis for the long-term strategies of social and economic growth of different countries and regions at the present stage. Submitting strategies of this type provides an opportunity to focus on individual empowerment and to build a favorable environment for effective management decisions in the field of forming, maintaining, and restoring human potential. The analysis of the Vinnytsia region human potential dynamics in the regional system of social and economic development factors was carried out. Application of generalized assessment of the regional human development index components allowed the identification of the main trends that characterize the formation of human potential of the territory, including the reproduction of the population, social environment, comfort and quality of life, well-being, decent work, and education. The article emphasizes that despite some positive changes in the social and economic situation of the region and in assessing the parameters of its human development level relative to other regions of Ukraine, Vinnytsia region is now losing its human potential due to negative demographic situation and migration to other regions and countries. The main reason for such dynamics is proven to be related to the outdated structure of the region's economy, the predominance of the agricultural sector, the lack of progressive transformations in the development of high-tech fields of the economy. An important factor is the low level of urbanization of the region, which leads to the spread of less attractive working conditions and less comfortable living conditions. The key factors that cause the growth of urbanization in the region have been identified, including the significant positive impact of the transport and social infrastructure expansion, the lack of which in rural areas leads to a decrease in the level and comfort of life. Without progressive structural changes in the economy and the resettlement system, the loss of human potential will continue.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (04) ◽  
Author(s):  
M S MEENA ◽  
R B KALE ◽  
S K SINGH ◽  
A K SINGH

A study was undertaken in collaboration with eight Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and five Learning and Experience based Advisor (LEAD) farmers were selected by each KVK, employing socio-metric technique. Hence, data were solicited from 40 LEAD farmers from eight districts who were trained by KVKs. Role of KVKs were determined based on their Index Value (IV). Study reveals that KVKs played an important role in skill development of LEAD farmers through organisation of need based and skill-oriented trainings (IV=62) followed by front-line demonstrations on location specific agricultural technologies at farmers’ fields (IV=59.42), and developing linkages between LEAD and fellow farmers (IV=58.33). Key determinants accountable for enhancing effectiveness of this model were enhanced technology adoption (IV=60.13) followed by enhanced agricultural production (IV=57.48) and productivity (IV=57.10). Study reveals that one LEAD farmer adopted 5 agricultural technologies from KVKs. Further, fellow farmers adopted 2 agricultural technologies from LEAD farmers. Hence, it was concluded that this approach may play a significant role in complementing Indian public extension system through reducing cost and coverage of more farm families. This model needs community as well as government support for sustainability and its scalability.


2021 ◽  
pp. 097491012110046
Author(s):  
Kunling Zhang

This article analyzes the structural transformation in 30 emerging market countries (E30) on the dimensions of industry, trade, and urbanization. It finds that first, in the agricultural sector, E30 have contributed greatly to the increase of the global agricultural productivity and the transfer of labor force from the agricultural sector to industry or the service sector. However, these countries still feature a high percentage of agricultural employment, which means there is vast room for shifting the agricultural labor force. Second, in the industrial sector, E30 have made remarkable contributions to the world’s industrial development but have also displayed a trend of premature “deindustrialization.” Third, the service sector has picked up speed and gradually turned into a new driver of economic development in E30. Against this backdrop, E30 face the major challenge of how to cope with the premature deindustrialization and smoothly shift the economic growth engine from the industrial sector to the service sector. Fourth, E30 have become an important force in the world trade, with their trade structure switching from simple, primary, low-value-added goods to sophisticated, high-grade, and high-value-added goods and services. However, some emerging market countries are more susceptible to the impacts of the anti-globalization trend because of their high reliance on foreign trade and improper trade structure. Therefore, how to diversify the economy and enhance its economic resilience holds the key to the sustainable economic development of E30. Fifth, E30 have contributed greatly to world urbanization. As urbanization relies more on the service sector than on the industrial sector, it is vital to properly strike a balance between industrialization and urbanization, and between industrialization and service sector development.


1962 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 120
Author(s):  
Richard D. Robinson ◽  
Adamentios Pepelasis ◽  
Leon Mears ◽  
Irma Adelman

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document