Expert systems in agriculture and long-term research

1996 ◽  
Vol 76 (4) ◽  
pp. 611-617 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Expert Systems ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Diagnostic Systems ◽  
Benefit Cost Analysis ◽  
Problem Solving Process ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Benefit Cost

Expert systems (ES) technology has many existing and potential uses as input into the agricultural production process. ES are simply computer programs that attempt to emulate human expertise for problem solving purposes. This technology is well suited to agricultural problem solving because of its ability to encode existing knowledge within specific application areas and then apply this knowledge within the problem solving process. ES effectively leverage management's input into agricultural production systems by allowing for the assimilation of all available knowledge pertinent to the task at hand. There are many types of agricultural ES and these can generally be categorized into: Crop Management Advisors, Livestock Management Advisors, Planning Systems, Pest Management Sytems, Diagnostic Systems, Conser-vation/Engineering Systems, Process Control Systems and Marketing Advisory Systems. The cost of ES development can be high. Potential projects, therefore, should be subjected to a benefit/cost analysis to ensure that development efforts are well targeted. ES development and agricultural research are complementary processes and should become more coordinated within an integrated knowledge production and implementation cycle. Key words: Expert systems, knowledge, management, agriculture, research

Distributional Weights in Benefit-Cost Analysis: Examples from Rwanda and Uganda

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles B. Moss ◽  
Andrew Schmitz
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Cost Analysis ◽  
Research And Development ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Systematic Variation ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Benefit Cost Analysis ◽  
Small Producer ◽  
Agricultural Research And Development ◽  
Benefit Cost

Abstract The question of how to allocate scarce agricultural research and development dollars is significant for developing countries. Historically, benefit/cost analysis has been the standard for comparing the relative benefits of alternative investments. We examine the potential of shifting the implicit equal weights approach to benefit/cost analysis, as well as how a systematic variation in welfare weights may affect different groups important to policy makers. For example, in the case of Rwandan coffee, a shift in the welfare weights that would favor small coffee producers in Rwanda over foreign consumers of Rwandan coffee would increase the support for investments in small producer coffee projects. Generally, changes in welfare weights alter the ordering for selecting investments across alternative projects.

scholarly journals Rethinking rehabilitation of salt-affected land: new perspectives from Australian experience

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Leake ◽  
Victor Squires ◽  
S Shabala
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Concerted Effort ◽  
Plant Soil ◽  
Mechanistic Basis ◽  
Australian Experience ◽  
Evolution Of Ideas ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Agricultural Production Systems

Soil salinity is emerging as a major threat to the sustainability of modern agricultural production systems and, historically, land and water degradation due to salinity has defeated civilisations whenever the cost of remediation exceeded the benefits. This work discusses the complexity inherent in working with salinity, and the opportunities where salt damaged land and water is viewed as a resource. It takes a wider look at land and waterscapes, seeing them as systems that link damage and repair across time and space to bridge the divide between the main beneficiaries of ecosystem services and the main actors, farmers, and land managers. We first discuss the mechanistic basis of crop reduction by salinity and evolution of ideas about how to shape the plant-soil-water nexus. We then discuss the needs of farmers and other land users required for adequate planning and land management within the constraints of existing policy. Lastly, an approach that provides a new technical and economic tool for the remediation of land in several land use categories is presented. We conclude that a more concerted effort is required to turn payments for ecosystem services into a true market, accepted as such by the land managers, whose agency is essential so the ‘knowledge of what can be done can be transformed into benefits’. Achieving this will require a transformation in the paradigm of how natural resources are managed.

scholarly journals VIABILIDADE ECONÔMICA DA PRODUÇÃO DE CARVÃO VEGETAL EM DOIS SISTEMAS PRODUTIVOS

FLORESTA ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aylson Costa Oliveira ◽  
Thiago Taglialegna Salles ◽  
Bárbara Luísa Corradi Pereira ◽  
Angélica De Cássia Oliveira Carneiro ◽  
Camila Soares Braga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Analysis ◽  
Net Present Value ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Planning Horizon ◽  
Economic Viability ◽  
Present Value ◽  
Charcoal Production ◽  
Average Annual Production ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Benefit Cost

O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar a viabilidade econômica da produção de carvão vegetal em dois sistemas produtivos: oito fornos de superfície acoplados a uma fornalha para queima de gases e dez fornos do tipo “rabo-quente” sem sistema de queima de gases. Para análise econômica, definiu-se uma produção anual média igual a 1.571 metros cúbicos de carvão (mdc) e horizonte de planejamento de 12 anos, sendo propostos 2 cenários. No primeiro cenário, após a colheita da madeira, realiza-se o plantio de uma nova floresta, permanecendo o custo da madeira constante em todo o planejamento; no segundo cenário, após a colheita, considerou-se a condução da brotação, reduzindo os custos na 2ª rotação e consequentemente os custos da madeira. A análise econômica foi realizada através da determinação dos seguintes indicadores: Valor Presente Líquido (VPL), Valor Anual Equivalente (VAE), Razão Benefício/Custo (B/C) e Lucratividade. Os indicadores calculados demonstraram a viabilidade dos dois sistemas produtivos avaliados em ambos os cenários propostos, porém o sistema fornos-fornalha apresentou melhores valores para os indicadores. Conclui-se que a produção de carvão vegetal nos sistemas avaliados foram viáveis economicamente, com o sistema fornos-fornalha gerando maior lucro ao produtor de carvão.Palavras-chave: Fornos de alvenaria; análise determinística; valor presente líquido. Abstract Economic viability of charcoal production in two production systems. The objective of this study was to analyze the economic viability of charcoal production in two conversion technologies: eight surface kilns coupled to a furnace for burning gases (kilns-furnace system) and ten "rabo-quente" or traditional charcoal kilns without burning gases system. An average annual production of 1571 cubic meters of charcoal (mdc) was used to perform the economic analysis. A planning horizon of 12 years and two scenarios were proposed. In the first scenario, after harvesting the wood, the planting of a new forest was performed, and the cost of wood remained constant throughout the planning horizon. In the second scenario, after the harvest, the conduction of shooting was considered, which reduced costs in the second rotation and consequently the cost of wood. The economic analysis was performed by determining the following indicators: Net Present Value (NPV), Equivalent Annual Value (EAV) and Benefit - Cost Reason (B/C). Calculated indicators demonstrated the viability of producing charcoal in the two production systems in both scenarios proposed, but kilns-furnace system presented better values. As conclusion, production of charcoal in the evaluated systems were economically viable. Kilns-furnace system was able to generate more profit to charcoal producer.Keywords: Kilns; deterministic analysis; net present value.

scholarly journals A retrospective assessment of the costs of EPA’s 1998 Locomotive Emission Standards

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 285-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Kopits
Keyword(s):  
Cost Analysis ◽  
Total Cost ◽  
Benefit Cost Analysis ◽  
Retrospective Assessment ◽  
Emission Standards ◽  
Ex Post ◽  
Data Limitations ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Benefit Cost ◽  
Benefits And Costs

Abstract:While the need to update EPA benefit-cost analysis to reflect the most recent science is broadly acknowledged, little work has been done examining how well ex ante BCAs estimate the actual benefits and costs of regulations. This paper adds to the existing literature on ex post cost analyses by examining EPA’s analysis of the 1998 Locomotive Emission Standards. Due to data limitations and minimal ability to construct a reasonable counterfactual for each component of the cost analysis, the assessment relies mainly on industry expert opinion, augmented with ex post information from publicly available data sources when possible. The paper finds that the total cost of bringing line-haul locomotives into compliance with the 1998 Locomotive Emission Standards rule remains uncertain. Even though the initial per-unit locomotive compliance costs were higher than predicted by EPA, total costs also depend on the number of locomotives affected by the regulation. Over 2000–2009, the number of newly built line-haul locomotives was higher but the number of remanufactured line-haul locomotives was lower than EPA’s estimate.

scholarly journals The Potential Economic Impact of Biotechnology and Related Research on the Forest Sector

1989 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 185-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. L. C. Reed
Keyword(s):  
Cost Analysis ◽  
Financial Support ◽  
Forest Community ◽  
Forest Sector ◽  
Central Theme ◽  
Manufacturing Plants ◽  
Related Research ◽  
Benefit Cost Analysis ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Benefit Cost

The Canadian forest sector is at a critical juncture in maintaining its competitive position internationally. One reason is the difficulty that we are experiencing in holding the line on the costs of timber and its processing. The expenditure on silviculture alone is often in the range of 10-20% of the cost of delivering roundwood to manufacturing plants. The entire forest community is counting of forestry science, and especially biotechnology, to enhance industry viability and provide solutions to problems with environmental quality. However, the funding of forestry R&D has always been handicapped by our inability to argue persuasively for science budgets. The central theme of this paper is that the application of biotechnology and other science to forestry certainly does pay. A synthesis of traditional and newer approaches to benefit-cost analysis is recommended to assist science managers in making their case for financial support.

A Retrospective Benefit-Cost Analysis on the Elwha River Restoration Project

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-100
Author(s):  
Allen Bellas ◽  
Lea Kosnik
Keyword(s):  
Cost Analysis ◽  
River Restoration ◽  
River Ecosystem ◽  
Elwha River ◽  
Benefit Cost Analysis ◽  
Current State ◽  
Ex Post ◽  
Original Analysis ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Benefit Cost

AbstractIn 1992, Congress passed The Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act with the goal of “full restoration of The Elwha River Ecosystem and native anadromous fisheries.” As part of that act, the federal government was required to produce a benefit-cost analysis on dam removal of the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams, which was published in 1994. This article revisits that initial 1994 benefit-cost analysis; background on its methods and assumptions is given, comparisons are made to current state-of-the-art techniques in benefit-cost analysis, and an ex post benefit-cost analysis of the project is conducted for comparison purposes. We find that the cost and scope of the project exceeded original expectations, the cost of the foregone electricity generation was less than expected, and that anticipated recreational and fisheries benefits were both delayed, and lower, than expected. Furthermore, issues such as the value of hatchery-spawned versus wild anadromous fish seem not to have been anticipated in the original analysis, highlighting the fact that in doing an ex ante analysis, researchers must expect that unexpected factors may influence the ex post results of any project.

scholarly journals Carbon Sequestering and Green Roof Technology: A Benefit Cost Analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 85
Author(s):  
Douglas Auld ◽  
Jeremy Wright
Keyword(s):  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Green Roof ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Private Benefits ◽  
Benefit Cost Analysis ◽  
Carbon Reduction ◽  
A Value ◽  
Carbon Sequestering ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Benefit Cost

The installation of a green roof on residential buildings affords the opportunity to sequester carbon from the atmosphere. The cost of incorporating green roofs in the construction of a family home or modifying an existing home is significant and the private benefits are rather small. Carbon reduction does have a value recognized by all levels of government in Canada. In this paper we calculate the cost of installing a green roof on a two vehicle garage in the Province of Ontario using current building costs. Utilizing data on the private costs and private benefits, the estimated NPV of a green roof over a 35 year period is negative. Once the value of carbon sequestering is introduced in the model, the NPV is positive, suggesting that subsidizing green roof construction is an efficient method in any government’s question to encourage a reduction in GHG emission.

scholarly journals Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment with Recommended Alternative Solutions Using the Benefit Cost Analysis Method

Tibuana ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (02) ◽  
pp. 120-124
Author(s):  
Rina Sandora ◽  
Fani Sandy Putra ◽  
Galih Anindita
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Cost Analysis ◽  
Hazard Identification ◽  
Benefit Cost Analysis ◽  
Analysis Calculation ◽  
Gas Detector ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Benefit Cost ◽  
Alternative Solutions

Determination of hazard identification and risk assessment on the company can not be separated from the calculation of the cost budget. The aim is to provide recommendations and calculate the profit rate using the Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA) method so that the company will more easily determine the most appropriate and needed alternative in the company. From the incremental analysis calculation, an alternative solution and value obtained from BCA are gas detector H2S B / C ratio 1.14, crane certification B / C ratio 3.66, welding helmet B / C ratio value 5.53, wire rope B / C ratio value of 5.19, O2 detector value of B / C ratio 6.11, small handtruck value of B / C ratio 18.1, fire dry chemical powder B / C ratio value of 22.27, N2 gas detector value of ratio B / C 1.53.

Implementing Highway Safety Manual Life-Cycle Benefit–Cost Analysis of Safety Improvements

2017 ◽  
Vol 2636 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-31
Author(s):  
Jordan B. Frustaci ◽  
Mitsuru Saito ◽  
Grant G. Schultz
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Cost Analysis ◽  
Reliable Method ◽  
Highway Safety ◽  
Cost Analyses ◽  
Benefit Cost Analysis ◽  
Highway Safety Manual ◽  
State Highway ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Benefit Cost

The Highway Safety Manual (HSM) lists four methods for determining the change in crash severity in order of reliability. The life-cycle benefit–cost analysis currently used by the Utah Department of Transportation is similar to the least reliable method. To provide a tool to perform the most reliable method defined by the HSM—the predictive method—this research developed a spreadsheet-based tool to allow department engineers to perform life-cycle benefit–cost analyses for the 11 roadway segment types included in the HSM. The tool can be used to analyze the cost-effectiveness of safety-related improvements identified by the Utah crash prediction model, which was previously developed to identify safety hot spots on the state highway system. The concept and the spreadsheet layout are presented by using the rural two-lane, two-way highway spreadsheet as an example. Then a case of a rural two-lane, two-way highway with two selected countermeasures is presented to demonstrate the use of this spreadsheet to compare their benefit–cost ratios. One important aspect associated with life-cycle benefit–cost analyses of safety-related improvements is the cost of implementing such improvements. Safety-related improvements are often included in larger construction contracts and such costs vary significantly, depending on the way they are included in the larger contracts. Hence, construction costs of safety-related improvements—such as initial cost, periodic rehabilitation cost, and annual maintenance costs—must be prepared outside this spreadsheet by the user.

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