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Risk Management Applied to Brazilian Family Agriculture
No full textAlthough hazards exist in all agricultural settings—particularly for the family farmer—uncertainties related to production place food security and family subsistence at risk. The objective of this study was therefore to analyze the components of risk management applied to family farming. To this end, we performed an exploratory study using data from a statistical survey of the 2018 Agricultural Census. Our results showed risks that were classified between medium and high. We observed that 45.8% of producers received retirement funds, implying they tend to be an older population. As a result, family succession work aimed at strengthening agricultural activities through technical assistance and rural extension (ATER) are necessary, since 80.1% of properties do not receive specialized guidance. We also found that 59% of the producers are not registered with the Declaration of Aptitude to Pronaf (DAP), which is an instrument used to access differentiated public programs. In this case, we observed that 52.2% of credit comes from government programs, with Pronaf accounting for the highest volume of credit (40.2% of resources). Using these data, we find that integrated risk management contributes to the daily activities of the rural producer, promotes the continuous improvement of the family business, assists in decision-making, and ultimately results in a reduction of losses and increases family income
Use of project management techniques and methods in design management
No full textDesign is a synonym of project. This work aimed, based on the meaning of the word and the recognition that the term currently has on Brasilian market, to identify which ones, and how much are used the traditional project management techniques and methods disseminated by the PMI in design projects. For this, a questionnaire was applied to professionals in the area, inserted in several sectors such as interiors and products design. It was concluded that although these techniques and methods are used, they have a medium frequency in the projects and there was a tendency where it is customary to plan the use of the techniques rather than follow their development in the projects, which may indicate a point for action for project managers in the area
Use of digital tools, innovation capabilities, and results of soybean farmers in Paraná and MATOPIBA (Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí, and Bahia).
No full textBrazil is one of the most important agricultural producers in the world, being a fundamental supplier of food. The most prominent agricultural crop in the country is soybeans, a crop in which the country is the leading producer and exporter, with high levels of productivity and a production system based on locally developed scientific knowledge. The cultivation makes intensive use of technology and innovation, and given the digital transformation it has been undergoing, the objective of this research was to understand the reality and future perspectives of rural producers in terms of seeking and using innovations, their habits of using digital tools, and their usefulness in management and decision-making in agricultural activity. 55 producers from two important soybean-producing regions, Central and Northern Paraná and the MATOPIBA region, were interviewed using electronic forms and telephone calls.The results were analyzed using Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling to confirm the hypotheses or constructs. The use of digital tools on the farms had a very significant positive influence on the capacity for innovation, as well as on the absorption of innovation. In turn, the capacity for innovation also had a positive effect on generating competitive advantages for the farms. However, it was not possible to prove an influence of innovation absorption on competitive advantages. Improving and stimulating the use of digital tools aimed at agribusiness is important, and similar studies will be necessary to generate information and accelerate the digital transformation in the agricultural sector
Technical requirements of a convenience food to meet the demands of a customer segment
No full textMeeting customer needs is a step towards achieving the success of a product or service. As dynamic lifestyles have been taking place in society, the demands regarding food have changed, and the easiness of preparation and healthiness have become demanded by a segment of customers. Convenience foods are examples to fulfill these changes and stand out for their practicality, but with reservations about healthiness. Considering these new demands and the importance of incorporating customer needs into the product, this study aimed at defining the technical characteristics of an instant noodles that meets consumer demands in terms of practicality and healthiness using the quality function deployment method. A questionnaire was developed and applied to a group of target customers with higher acceptability and receptivity to this type of product. This group was chosen through factorial and cluster analysis. The technical requirement that most impacted customer needs was the amount of protein (mushroom), which met the health requirement, but had a strong influence on the final price of the product
Sustainability in the public sector in light of an Environmental Management Plan for solid waste
No full textThe public sector, in addition to legislating on environmental matters, must also set an example of good environmental management practices. The Federal Government, through the Ministry of the Environment (MMA), established the Environmental Agenda in Public Administration (A3P), in which one of the thematic axes is solid waste management. The objective of this work was to identify activities that generate environmental impacts involving waste disposal and manage them through an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for solid waste in light of project management. The case study was conducted in a municipal public body linked to the Health Department located in Leme (SP), encompassing all of its employees. The EMP was based on the good project management practices of the PMBOK® seventh edition and the A3P implementation methodology, in addition to using the "plan, do, check, act" (PDCA) cycle as a management tool. Three aspects that generate environmental impacts were identified: the use of plastic cups, inadequate waste disposal, and the waste of sulfite paper. After the implementation of the PGA (Environmental Management Plan), it was found that the greatest resistance encountered was regarding the reduction in the use of plastic cups. The improvements resulted mainly from the physical changes made in the sector and the integration and reinforcement of educational measures to raise awareness among employees about the importance of good practices for the use and disposal of waste. Favorable conditions were created for consistent changes in habits, which were substantial enough for the improvements achieved to be sustained in the long term
Characterizing the global greenhouse gases emissions using machine learning
No full textConsidering the current context, in which sustainable economic growth is sought with an emphasis on policies and incentives associated with environmental issues, this study investigated the relative importance of socioeconomic determinants in understanding the profile of greenhouse gas emissions using a "machine learning" approach. A "random forest" model was estimated using data on economic productive capacity and the amount of greenhouse gas emissions between 1990 and 2018. The sample studied consisted of countries representing the largest and smallest global economies, selected based on their level of economic activity during the period. Initially, the most relevant variables were identified using the recursive variable elimination technique; then, the model was trained using the "cross-validation" technique; and finally, it was validated with the data selected for testing. The performance metrics did not indicate overfitting problems, and the residuals of the estimates behaved according to the normal distribution.Based on the model estimated in this work, it was observed that the profile of greenhouse gas emissions was influenced differently depending on the country analyzed, such that the more or less relevant factors appeared to be associated with the level of economic activity. Thus, the discussions and modeling presented in this work aimed to encourage incentive policies and control measures directed at the most relevant sectors, which could contribute to sustainable economic growth
Multilevel analysis of performance factors in Brazil’s Public Education
No full textThis study examined the evolution and implementation of educational policies in Brazil, based on an analysis of basic education performance data from the Basic Education Assessment System (SAEB), collected in 2021. The research was justified by the need for continuous improvement in the quality of education, in response to the demands of the 1988 Federal Constitution and subsequent modifications to the Law of Guidelines and Bases of Education (LDB). The objective was to identify and analyze the main factors influencing the educational performance of Brazilian students through multilevel analysis of SAEB data. The methodology employed allowed for a comprehensive evaluation that considered not only the individual performance of students, but also the institutional and socioeconomic context of schools. The analysis was enriched by statistical models that identified and quantified the effects of variables relevant to educational performance. The results highlighted the significant influence of school characteristics and socioeconomic contexts on student performance. It was observed that well-directed public policies have the potential to mitigate disparities in education and promote quality education. Important interactions were identified between student performance and variables such as school resources, pedagogical practices, and school management. It was concluded that the integration of robust analyses and focused educational policies can significantly improve educational quality in different regional and socioeconomic contexts in Brazil
Hierarchical sectoral grouping of Brazilian industry with input-output data
No full textThis study proposed a sectoral analytical methodology for the Brazilian economy, based on the input-output approach originally developed by Wassily Leontief for the United States economy. The objective was to investigate the existence of dissimilarities between the industrial sector and other sectors in performance variables related to foreign trade, labor income generation, and labor productivity. The analysis was conducted using clustering and network methods, utilizing data from the Input-Output Matrix (IOM) of 2015 and the Resource and Use Tables (RUT) of 2019 from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). This clustering allowed for the identification of a positive differential in certain industrial activities compared to those of agriculture and services, positioning them ahead in Brazil's path towards income levels comparable to those of developed countries. Furthermore, network analysis revealed that external demand and consumption by Brazilian households are the main destinations for the production generated by industrial activities. It is concluded that, if Brazil seeks economic development through the expansion of industrial production, it is essential to consider alternatives to promote sustained growth in exports and consumption of goods by Brazilian households
The Farm Debt Problem
No full textContents: Farm-mortgage debt --- Sources of mortgage loans --- Farm real-estate values --- Mortgage debt in relation to farm real-estate values --- Proportion that farms with heavy debt are of all farms --- Interest rates on farm-mortgage loans --- Term of farm-mortgage loans and methods of repayment --- Time required to pay off farm mortgages --- Total farm-mortgage interest bill --- Farm taxes --- Interest and tax charges against mortgaged farms --- Taxes and interest in relation to farmers’ income --- Farm foreclosures and tax sales --- Credit agencies in their relation to the debt problem (Commercial banks – Federal land banks – Joint-stock land banks – Life-insurance companies – Mortgage loan companies and other groups of mortgage holders – Federal intermediate credit banks – Regional credit corporations – Federal seed loans) --- Readjusting farm-mortgage debt (Some methods of adjusting farm-mortgage debt in the United States and other countries [Voluntary agreements – Legislation to facilitate adjustment – Legislation for compulsory adjustment]) --- Suggestions as to possible means of adjusting and refinancing farm mortgages (Plan for voluntary readjustment – Supplementary credit facilities)
Modelación regional y económica del uso de suelo, producción y commodities agropecuarios en Uruguay: Simulaciones de mediano y largo plazo
No full text[ES] El trabajo modeliza el sector agropecuario del Uruguay a escala regional, a través de un modelo de equilibrio parcial del uso de la tierra. Una vez construido, se establece una línea de base, con un horizonte temporal de 10 años para emitir proyecciones del uso del suelo y la producción. También puede ser utilizado de modo contrafactual en el análisis y la evaluación de posibles intervenciones de políticas o cambios en el mercado. En Uruguay existen pocos trabajos de modelización del sector y no existen proyecciones por regiones que puedan distinguir la heterogeneidad de la producción agropecuaria. [EN] The study models Uruguay’s agricultural sector at a regional scale through a partial equilibrium model of land use. Once built, a baseline is established with a 10-year time horizon to produce projections of land use and production. It can also be used in a counterfactual manner for the analysis and evaluation of potential policy interventions or market changes. In Uruguay, there are few modeling studies of the sector, and there are no regional projections that capture the heterogeneity of agricultural production