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The Economic Role of Wild and Free Roaming Horses and Burros [WFHB] on Rangelands in the Western United States
No full text[Contents:] WFHB from a Historical Perspective --- Problems Faced by BLM and Forest Service Administrators (Population – Use of Non BLM/FS Land – Age and Sex – Adopters) --- Economic Impact of WFHB Management (Federal Agencies – Roundup/Adoption Costs – Impact on Other Uses [Domestic Livestock – Big Game – Watershed – Recreation – Other Impacts] --- Value of/Demand for WFHB --- Research Needs (Demands for WHFB -Adoption Procedures/Success – Control Techniques -Maintenance of Populations – Legal Restrictions) --- Literature Cited
Effect of irrigation frequency on cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) bean quality in Ghana’s major production zone
No full textThe productivity and quality of cocoa, a key economic crop in Ghana, are increasingly threatened by erratic rainfall and climate variability. This study investigates how different irrigation frequencies affect cocoa bean quality across three major production regions in Ghana: Western, Central, and Eastern. The study adopts a field-based experimental design assessing three irrigation regimes: morning, evening, and every two days. Key quality parameters evaluated included bean count, moisture content, and purity levels. Standardized post-harvest processing and laboratory techniques were employed, and data were analysed using ANOVA with Tukey’s test for mean separation at p < 0.05. Results showed that irrigation frequency significantly influenced bean count and purity levels, with notable regional variations. In the Western Region, morning irrigation yielded the highest bean count (125.7) and purity (97.77%). Conversely, in the Central Region; evening irrigation produced the highest bean count (113), while in the Eastern Region; a two-day interval gave the highest count (122). Moisture content remained relatively stable (6.8–7.2%) across treatments and regions, indicating that post-harvest drying practices were effectively managed. However, purity decreased with increased irrigation frequency, highlighting a trade-off between yield and quality under intensive watering. These findings suggest that optimising irrigation schedules based on regional agro-climatic conditions can significantly improve cocoa yield without compromising quality. The study underscores the need for climate-adapted irrigation strategies and offers data-driven insights for resource allocation in Ghana’s cocoa sector. It also highlights the importance of integrating quality-focused irrigation management into broader climate resilience and sustainable cocoa production frameworks. This research provides a practical foundation for policymakers, cocoa extension officers, and farmers seeking to enhance cocoa quality and market competitiveness under water-scarce conditions
Assessment of some water quality parameters of Kaptai lake, Bangladesh: a multivariate analysis
No full textThe current research was conducted to assess some key water quality parameters of Kaptai Lake (KL). To do this, water samples were collected from seventeen sites in the month of March, followed by laboratory assessment and multivariate analyses. The results revealed that pH, electrical conductivity (EC), temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD), free carbon di-oxide (CO2), bi-carbonate (HCO3⁻), chloride (Cl⁻), and calcium (Ca2+) varied with the range of 6.58-7.84, 111-127 µS/cm, 25- 26 °C, 9.10-10.20 mg/L, 2.0-5.90 mg/L, 88-180 mg/L, 214-390 mg/L, 89-231 mg/L and 0.25- 0.54 mg/L with mean values of 7.50, 117 µS/cm, 25.36°C, 9.64 mg/L, 4.02 mg/L, 139.06 mg/L, 295.71 mg/L, 159.18 mg/L and 0.31 mg/L, respectively. Water quality parameters exhibited diverse distributions and variability: pH was negatively (-1.49) skewed and EC was positively (1.23) skewed, while temperature and DO were approximately normally distributed with skewness of -0.07 and -0.04, respectively. The BOD, free CO2, HCO3⁻, Cl⁻, and Ca2+ showed moderate to high variability with skewness of -0.32, -0.29, 0.57, 0.13 and 2.40, respectively. The inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation of each parameter showed almost uniformity across the sampling sites. The hierarchical clustering dendrogram and correlation matrix heatmap revealed distinct groupings among variables: EC was correlated strongly with ionic constituents (HCO3⁻, Cl⁻, Ca2⁺), while BOD, free CO2, and temperature were inversely correlated with DO and pH. Although most parameters meet the criteria for irrigation and fisheries, relatively high values of BOD at certain locations indicate local anthropogenic impacts. These results emphasize water quality across KL and highlight the need for mitigation measures to ensure sustainable aquaculture and irrigation practices
Peasants and Proletarians in Harevli and Mahatwar
No full textThis note analyses socio-economic changes among peasants and rural workers in Harevli and Mahatwar based on surveys conducted in 2006 and 2023. It examines shifts in family and hired labour use, sources of income, and patterns of proletarianisation. Findings show a marked decline in family labour and growing dependence on non-agricultural income. Despite this, peasant households continue to contribute over 70 per cent of village agricultural output, underscoring their enduring significance. The study also notes increasing landlessness and diversification of livelihoods through migration and leasing, highlighting persistent inequality and the evolving character of rural class relations
Réduire l’usage des pesticides en agriculture : Efficacité et légitimité des nudges
No full textLe recours aux nudges (coups de pouce comportementaux) est fréquemment discuté dans les politiques publiques visant à orienter les agents économiques et les citoyens vers des choix plus durables. Une expérimentation menée auprès de viticulteurs du Bordelais a permis d’étudier l’efficacité des nudges fondés sur la comparaison sociale pour réduire l’utilisation des pesticides. Il apparait que la transmission d’une information volontairement minimaliste sur l’usage des pesticides dans le voisinage du destinataire, peut avoir un impact significatif, démontrant l’existence de marges de réduction possibles. A contrario, une information plus détaillée s’avère inefficace, soulevant ainsi de sérieuses questions éthiques concernant les mécanismes de ce type d’intervention
Reflections and new directions: An editorial retrospective and the launch of our new Policy Paper section
No full textOver the past two years, Bio-based and Applied Economics (BAE) has consolidated its role as a platform for rigorous and innovative research at the intersection of economics, sustainability, agriculture, and bio-based systems. In a period marked by significant global transitions, ranging from climate change and biodiversity loss to disruptive technological shifts and geopolitical instabilities, our community of scholars has provided crucial insights into how bio-based economies can adapt, evolve, and contribute to sustainable development.As a result of this commitment, we also received two important recognitions of the quality of the works published by the journal: BAE is now ranked Q1 in several subject categories and has been included in the list of “class A” journals for economics and political economy scientific sectors in Italy. This editorial aims to offer both a retrospective overview of the journal’s main contributions over the last two years and a prospective look at new directions
Agriculture and Environment: The inclusion of Italy in the SIMPLE and SIMPLE-G models
No full textThe paper presents a methodological contribution to analysing the interactions between economic and environmental factors by using the Simplified International Model of Agricultural Prices, Land Use and Environment (SIMPLE) model and its gridded version (SIMPLE-G). While SIMPLE addresses national agricultural trends, SIMPLE-G offers a detailed, spatially disaggregated analysis essential for assessing local impacts. We improve these models by building a comprehensive database, capturing aggregate and georeferenced data regarding Italy. The use of the models with the extended dataset may support the implementation of adaptation strategies offering boundary conditions for local decision-makers while reflecting the impact of policies on national and global variables. The article outlines the models’ structure, data sources, and calibration process, providing a preliminary application of SIMPLE for updating the baseline
Presentación
No full textAgroalimentaria reaches its 59th issue and celebrates its 29th anniversary (September 26, 1995, Universidad de Los Andes-ULA, Venezuela, Centro de Investigaciones Agroalimentarias “Edgar Abreu Olivo”), to contribute to the dissemination of research results in the social sciences of agri-food. The regular section of the issue includes eight articles from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico. As always, the REVIEWS AND MISCELLANEOUS section consists of three reviews: one of the book “Agri-food Potentials of traditional products from depressed regions of the Pacific Coast of Ecuador” (an e-book in Spanish by Luis Dionicio Andrade Alcívar, Rafael Cartay, and Henry Xavier Mendoza Ponce); the 47th issue of the Agricultural and Resource Economics Journal-EARN of Spain (Vol. 24, No. 1, January-June 2024); and the last one, issue 54 of the Agribusiness Review for Mexico And Latin America (Year XXVIII, Vol. 54, January-June 2024). The Cumulative Index for the year 2024 completes this 59th issue