Smallholder farming households represent one of groups most exposed to the vagaries climate change because their production and livelihood depend on climatic elements. This study assessed effect adaptive capacity smallholder households' food security in Oyo State, Nigeria. Data from 246 were analysed using factor analysis generate Climate Change Adaptive Capacity Index (CCACI), Foster-Greer-Tho...

A Markov model for the performance of wind turbines is developed that accounts for component reliability and the effect of wind speed and turbine capacity on component reliability. The model is calibrated to the observed performance of offshore turbines in the north of Europe, and uses wind records obtained from the coast of the state of Maine in the northeast United States in simulation. Simul...

This study was conducted to identify the technical and economical performance of the existing models of maize sheller in the country and suggest the best maize sheller models for the farmers during 3 September 2006 to 30 March 2007 in the area of Bogra, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Rajshahi and Jessore. Detail field tests were conducted on seven selected maize sheller models of three categories to assess...

A growing number of studies have shown that adequate spatial access to healthy foods leads to increased fresh produce consumption and reduced risk of chronic diseases. Annual dynamics of spatial access to 1,539 vendors of fresh produce (including farmers markets and roadside farm stands) are analyzed in Massachusetts. Travel distance to the nearest fresh produce vendor was calculated for each c...

This chapter analyzes the technical efficiency of banana production among Ugandan smallholders by estimating a stochastic production frontier model with inefficiency effects. The empirical models are formulated within the overarching framework of the agricultural household specified in Chapter 2. The data design is also summarized in Chapter 2, although additional information about soil quality...

The principle that supervising and managing animals affects farm animal welfare is widely recognised within the livestock industries. However,the manner in which the stockperson affects animal welfare, both directly and indirectly, is probably not fully appreciated. Together with the opportunity to perform their tasks well, stockpeople require a range of well-developed husbandry skills and know...

A decision support system to assist cage aquaculture managers is presented. The system enables managers to perform four essential tasks: (i) site classification, (ii) site selection, (iii) holding capacity determination, and (iv) economic appraisal of an aquaculture farm at a given site. Based on measurements of water and substrate qualities, hydrometeorology and socioeconomic factors, a cage a...

This article assesses the achievement of land reform in South Africa with respect to the number of beneficiaries relative to rural employment and the demand for land and increases in livelihoods and agricultural output. Even though there are islands of success, for the past twenty years the Land Reform Programme has not satisfied these criteria. Implementation has been poor and farm workers’ an...