1,721,009 research outputs found
Agricultural biotechnology in India: impacts and controversies
No full textIndia's agricultural research system had embarked upon modern biotechnology early on, with sizeable investments made by strong public and private sector research organizations. India was also one of the first countries in Asia to commercialize a genetically modified (GM) crop, namely insect-resistant cotton with inbuilt toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Bt cotton was first commercialized in India in 2002, and was rapidly adopted by cotton farmers in the following years. By 2012, over 7 million farmers had adopted Bt cotton on 27 million acres (James, 2012). Today, India has the largest area under Bt cotton worldwide. Since the technology's introduction, national cotton production has increased tremendously, mostly as a result of higher yields (Rao and Dev, 2010; Cotton Corporation of India, 2012). This sounds like a big success story for Bt cotton. Indeed, several peer-reviewed studies that analysed impacts confirmed sizeable benefits for adopting farmers (Morse et al., 2005; Bennett et al., 2006; Qaim et al., 2006; Subramanian and Qaim, 2010). Nevertheless, public attitudes remain sceptical about the merits of Bt cotton technology. Anti-biotech interest groups reports have highlighted incidents such as failures of this technology in farmers' fields, exploitation of smallholder farmers through seed companies, and disruption of traditional cultivation practices (Sahai and Rahman, 2003; Shiva et al., 2011). There have also been repeated claims of a causal link between Bt cotton and farmer suicides observed in cotton belts of India (Coalition for a GM-Free India, 2012)
Genetic Seeds of Discord: The Transatlantic GMO Trade Conflict after the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
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Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Social capital in large-scale projects and it's impact on Innovation: Social network analysis of Genome Canada (2000-2009)
Full text linkThe contemporary era is witnessing a systemic transition in the Canadian science and research paradigm. The research world is shrinking rapidly in response to modern technological developments, commercial and regulatory integration, faster communications and transportation and proactive science, technology and innovation policy. It is increasingly challenging to make competitive progress in world-class innovation or to gain global leadership in science. Big-science is now proposed as one of the means to realize national innovation goals and international competitiveness. As a result, government support for large-scale innovation projects has increased multifold.
This dissertation examines a range of hypotheses large-scale research projects enhance investigator exchanges and generate social capital that has significant downstream benefits, which would provide a reason to support big science beyond the instrumental goals of the projects themselves. Taking Genome Canada as an example, this dissertation examines the production and role of social capital generated through large-scale research projects to assess the evidence base for funding big science research. A group of 139 investigators who raised capital in the Genome Canada Applied Bioproducts and Crops (ABC) Competition in 2009 are examined in the context of their engagements and networks in 2000-2009 in four relational arenas, namely their area of expertise, institutional connections, research grants, and co-publications.
The investigation reveals three main findings. First, large-scale innovation projects as delivered through Genome Canada, comply with the fundamentals of contemporary innovation network theory. Second, the ties amongst investigators generate social capital, which offers positional advantage and differential superior access to networked resources. Third, the social capital generated in actor relations has pronounced long term impacts on downstream research success. Inter-disciplinary and cross-institutional large-scale research projects that have strong elements of knowledge production and financial exchange are found to assist the federal government in advancing research and innovation objectives. The results of the current investigation provide a strong rationale for the integration of people, disciplines, and institutions under the umbrella of large-scale genomics and proteomics research, and possible lessons for other research fields
Under the Accountability Microscope: Canadian Indigenous Accountability Policies, 2006-2016
Full text linkPolitical commentary, including discussion of Indigenous accountability, regarding nation to nation relationship building with Canada’s Indigenous nations has increased significantly since the federal election in October 2015. However, little academic research exists that assesses how prepared Canada’s public administrators are to implement such a vision. This thesis seeks to address this gap by exploring the role of accountability in the government’s relationship with First Nation communities. In particular, it investigates how the Conservative Government’s Indigenous accountability policies changed during their tenure from 2006-2016 and how these changes affected the Crown’s relationship with First Nation communities. The evidence collected through this project supports the argument that New Public Management, Canada’s current model of Public Administration, is fundamentally incapable of fostering an authentic nation to nation relationship as envisioned by many First Nation communities and Indigenous organizations. Communities remain subservient to the Crown through top-down Ministerial accountability, which remains firmly in place ten years later. Moreover, attempts to reduce program reporting requirements on First Nation communities has not resulted in any significant reduction in their reporting burden. This thesis argues that meaningful engagement with First Nation communities is a crucial interim step toward a new administrative framework that enables greater Indigenous self-determination
CREATING AN INNOVATION OPPORTUNITY SPACE FOR BROADACRE SMART FARMING: A CASE STUDY OF AUTONOMOUS FARM EQUIPMENT
Full text linkAdvances in digital technologies are transforming the agriculture and agri-food system. The technological changes are represented in many forms, ranging from software-based prescriptions for optimal rate application of farm inputs, advanced imagery of fields and plants collected by sensors, satellites and drones, to new forms of human-to-machine interactions and machine learning This thesis is a case study of one type of a smart farming innovation, a field robot., originating from a small-to-medium sized enterprise (SME) that designs and manufacturers machinery used in broadacre, conservation tillage farming. The innovation, known as DOT™, is an entrepreneur’s response to problems in the agriculture industry, and a solution to a critical constraint of labour shortages in the sector. By gathering qualitative data through interviews, news items and academic publications, observing the farming community’s engagement with digital technology innovation at farm show, and applying the Innovation Opportunity Space (IOS) analytical framework, this study identified that an autonomous DOT™ offers a solution for farming problems. Other firms are incorporating the DOT™ technology into their manufacturing operations through licensing agreements and early farmer adoption is positive. The process of innovation was based on synthesis of tacit knowledge (experience-based knowledge of farming and agribusiness) and codified knowledge (drawing on computer programing), while public policy facilitated the hiring of trained university students who remain with the SME as advocates for smart farming. There remain some gaps: public policy for safe deployment of smart farming innovation is lagging behind invention and commercialization; new business models for manufacture and commercialization of high-tech equipment are just emerging and data ownership and control remains unresolved; and evidence of the value of smart farming technologies to farmers and the larger social system remains scant
THREE ESSAYS ON TRADE POLICY, FOOD SECURITY AND PUBLIC STOCKHOLDING IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Full text linkPublic stockholding for food security purposes refers to state acquisition of foodstocks in support of food security objectives. Public stockholding for food security purposes in developing countries returned to WTO agenda in the wake of the 2007/2008 and 2010/2011 food crises. During the WTO Ministerial Meeting at Bali in 2014, a group of developing countries (known as the G-33) proposed that disciplines on stockholding be relaxed to allow them to acquire large foodstocks in anticipation of future crises. They contended that stockholding was necessary because exporting countries often restrict food exports in times of crisis, which consequently affect importing countries’ food security. Food exporting countries, on the other hand, opposed the policy arguing that it could lead to increased subsidies to producers of importing countries and, consequently distort trade. Due to the absence of consensus, a Pease Clause was introduced to temporarily restrain member countries from challenging stockholding activities until a permanent solution is reached. This thesis assessed three issues relating to WTO trade policy, food security and public stockholding in developing countries.
The first paper, presented in Chapter 2, assesses the need for public stockholding in developing countries. In this paper, the research estimates the speed at which markets respond to restore consumption distortions in developing countries. This speed is referred to as market response to consumption shocks. Low responses implies that food security cannot be guaranteed by relying on the international market. Hence, stockholding to support consumption can be legitimate food security policy in these countries. The research is applied to wheat, corn and rice due to their importance in the food security of developing countries. The results shows that markets generally fail to restore close to 60 percent of the consumption distortions, following a shock, in developing countries. This poses a risk to food security without public stockholding. Hence, the study concludes that stockholding will be a legitimate policy to consider in these countries.
The second paper, presented in Chapter 3, also assesses the need for public stockholding for food security purposes in developing countries. However, the research investigates whether or not the current de minimis WTO rules on public stockholding constitute a restriction to food security in developing countries. The research posits that the proposal to relax stockholding policy will be justified if current regulations constitute a restriction to achieving food security. The research is applied to wheat, corn and rice. To analyse this question, optimal public stocks required to achieving food security are compared with WTO allowable public stocks. The policy is restrictive if optimal public stocks is more than stock levels permitted under the WTO. The results found the de minimis policy to be substantially restrictive across some developing countries especially those which demonstrate a high food security risk. Hence, expanding stockholding policy for these category of countries should be considered.
The third paper, presented in Chapter 4, examines the potential impact of stockholding on trade. Stockholding has two important activities that can affect trade: stock acquisition and stock disposal. While stock acquisition can increase trade, the disposal of accumulated stocks from stockholding programs in importing countries could lead to significant trade losses for exporting countries. Food exporting countries are particularly against stockholding programs policy due to these potential negative impacts on their markets. In this paper, a potential public storage policy aimed at meeting 6-months of domestic consumption is applied to rice, corn and wheat in order to gain insights into the impact of the proposed stockholding policies on trade. The research seeks to estimate the maximum impact on trade that can arise as a result of stock disposal and stock acquisition. The results suggest that stock disposal could significantly decrease trade by more than 35 percent. Where stock acquisition does lead to increased trade, the overall negative impact of the policies will be relatively low. Moreover, the impacts on trade are relatively small when the policy is considered for small consumption countries. Thus, stockholding policy can be considered for small countries faced with considerable food security risk without generating significant trade impacts.
In conclusion, the study suggests that stockholding policies can be legitimate for small countries faced with considerable food security risk. Large consumption countries seeking to implement stockholding policies must establish appropriate compensation schemes to minimise their policies impact on affected countries
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
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