Telecommunication Infrastructure Development and FDI into Asian Developing Nations

This study strives to evaluate the effects of infrastructure availability and development on foreign direct investment (FDI) in host developing nations.Employing fixed effects panel estimation technique, panel data for 23 Asian developing countries, from 1990-2009 is used with heteroscedasticity corrected standard errors. The results reveal a strong favourable impact of telecom infrastructure (measured by mobile subscriptions) in drawing inward FDI. Therefore, it is concluded that a country with improved infrastructure in general and telecom infrastructure in particular is likely to pull in more FDI. Other variables such as market size, economic development, and currency valuation (measured by exchange rate) appear important in captivating multinational investors, as they exhibit significant coefficients. On the contrary, high-inflation significantly deters inward FDI.

Prevalence of Colistin-Resistant Escherichia coli from Poultry in South Asian Developing Countries

Background. Antimicrobial resistance has become a huge problem in animal and public health worldwide. Inadvertent use of antibiotics in poultry has led to the emergence of resistance against many antibiotics, even to last resort of drugs like colistin. Aim. This study aimed to provide uniform quantitative estimate on the percentage prevalence of E. coli as well as to analyze their colistin resistance in poultry in South Asian developing countries. Methods. Two electronic databases, PubMed and Research4Life, were used to search studies as per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. The pooled data on the prevalence of E. coli and colistin resistance were analyzed. Results. In the meta-analysis of 9 studies in South Asian region (Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India), the pooled prevalence of E. coli was 73% (95% CI, 0.549–0.916). The pooled prevalence of colistin resistance against E. coli from poultry was found to be 28% (95% CI, 0.158–0.438). Conclusion. There is high prevalence of E. coli and their resistance rate against colistin in poultry. Therefore, antimicrobials in raising livestock should be supervised.

Non-Farm Activities and Impacts beyond the Economy of Rural Households in Vietnam: A Review and Link to Policies

Rural households in Asian developing countries such as Vietnam have been participating in non-farm activities for decades, yet impacts beyond the economy of these households are little understood. Using evidence from available literature and two case studies from rural Vietnam, this paper exposes a range of socio-cultural impacts of non-farm activities. An increased social tension driven by a widening economic gap between poor and better-off households or ethnic majority and minority groups was the most frequently reported impact in the literature. The case studies reveal additional impacts, notably those associated with public security, preservation of local culture, and safety of farm households with migrants during and following climate-related disasters. An increasing number of young migrants who exited family farms to access non-farm jobs partially led to the latter two impacts. The rural development and poverty reduction policies of Vietnam enacted in the past two decades (2000–2020) that promoted livelihood diversification had limited measures addressing socio-cultural impacts of non-farm activities. An amendment of these two categories of policies for the implementation beyond 2020 or a strengthened synergy in implementation with other categories of policy such as social policies is necessary to ensure sustainable rural development in Vietnam.

Harvester Evaluation Using Real-Time Kinematic GNSS and Hiring Service Model

To reduce human drudgery and the risk of labor shortages in the Asian developing countries, the appropriate introduction of agricultural machinery, especially combine harvesters, is an urgent task. Custom hiring services (CHSs) are expected to contribute to making paddy harvesters prevalent in developing countries; however, the economic performance has been rarely quantified. The study was carried out to precisely evaluate the machine performance attributes of medium and large combine harvesters using the real-time kinematic (RTK) global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and to estimate the economic performance of CHSs of paddy harvesters in Japan, as a typical case of Asian countries. The financial profitability was evaluated by four major indicators: net present value, benefit–cost ratio, internal rate of return, and payback period. The financial indicators showed that both types of harvester could be considered financially viable. Thus, the investment in combine harvesters can be highly profitable for CHS business by a local service provider and custom-hire entrepreneur, providing a great opportunity to use a combine harvester without initial investment by general farmers. The findings demonstrated the high feasibility of CHSs of paddy harvesters in Japan, while they highlighted that further study is needed to estimate the feasibility of CHS in the other Asian developing countries.

Does Government Spending in Health, Education, and Military Improve Welfare in Asian Developing Countries?

The study of government expenditure is essential for economists and policymakers. This study aims to analyze the impact of various government spending, mainly on education, health, and military, on the effect of welfare on Asian Countries. This study was conducted in 20 Asian countries constructed on panel data from 2013–2017 and is analyzed using the fixed effect general least square (FEGLS) method. The results show that, government spending in health, military, and education had a positive and significant effect on Asian Countries' welfare. This research concludes that, the government health expenditure had the highest impact on welfare, followed by education and military spending.

FOSSIL FUEL PRICE, CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSION, AND RENEWABLE ENERGY CAPACITY: EVIDENCE FROM ASIAN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

This paper examined the impact of fossil fuel price and carbon dioxide (CO2) emission on renewable energy, using a sample of 14 Asian developing countries from the years 2000 to 2018. Fossil fuel prices, mainly those of crude oil and coal, are positively related to renewable energy capacity. CO2 emission is also a positive driver, indicating the significance of environmental concern. The results were consistent for both the upper-middle-income and lower-middle-income countries. Between fossil fuels and CO2 emission, the positive impact of CO2 emission outweighed that of fossil fuels. From a policy perspective, this paper concurs the need to shift huge subsidies away from fossil fuels to renewable energy and to enforce a heavy tax on CO2 emission for a sustainable environment.