12 research outputs found
Properties of Flexible Functional Forms for Modeling Bilateral Export Supply and Import Demand in Multi-Country Agri-Food Models
Get PDFThis paper illustrates the opportunities of incorporating more advanced functional forms into multi-country trade policy models. It suggests the use of flexible forms such as the Symmetric Generalized McFadden Function (SGMF) or the Normalized Quadratic-Quadratic Expenditure System (NQQES). Particularly if issues namely trade in differentiated products, preferential trade and effects of standards and traceability on bilateral trade are considered the NQQES offers attractive properties since it allows estimating variety specific expenditure elasticities which might compensate for example increased certification costs. A second aim of the paper refers to the critique on the handling of model parameters in calibrated policy models. In general, employed elasticities violate the theoretical conditions. We describe the calibration procedure developed to obtain model parameters consistent with economic theory.bilateral trade modelling, flexible functions, calibration, International Relations/Trade, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods, B41, C61, F13, Q18, Q17,
Food Security, Energy Equity, and the Global Commons: a Computable Village Model applied to sub-Saharan Africa
Get PDFThis paper examines potential of contract farming as a rural development tool by revealing its effect on productivity and income of small holders in tea production in north-western Vietnam. In the present research, three economic analyses are applied. First, the technical efficiency of tea production is estimated by using stochastic frontier model. The results show that contract farming achieved significantly higher technical efficiency compared to non-contract farming. Second, logit model is investigated to determine the influential socio-economic characteristics of households for contract participation. The model indicates that social relationship of households, such as the membership in the communist party, play an important role in contract participation with 73% correct prediction. Finally, the impact of contract participation on income is estimated by applying Propensity Score Matching. A significant effect of contract participation on income by 8,000 VND daily per capita can be observed
Properties of Flexible Functional Forms for Modeling Bilateral Export Supply and Import Demand in Multi-Country Agri-Food Models
Get PDFThis paper illustrates the opportunities of incorporating more advanced functional forms into multi-country trade policy models. It suggests the use of flexible forms such as the Symmetric Generalized McFadden Function (SGMF) or the Normalized Quadratic-Quadratic Expenditure System (NQQES). Particularly if issues namely trade in differentiated products, preferential trade and effects of standards and traceability on bilateral trade are considered the NQQES offers attractive properties since it allows estimating variety specific expenditure elasticities which might compensate for example increased certification costs. A second aim of the paper refers to the critique on the handling of model parameters in calibrated policy models. In general, employed elasticities violate the theoretical conditions. We describe the calibration procedure developed to obtain model parameters consistent with economic theory
EU Food Safety Standards, Traceability and Other Regulations: A Growing Trade Barrier to Developing Countries' Exports?
Get PDFFood Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, International Relations/Trade,
EU Food Safety Standards, Traceability and Other Regulations: A Growing Trade Barrier to Developing Countries' Exports?
Get PDFAnpassung an den Klimawandel – Lasten verteilen und Ernährungssicherheit schaffen
No full textGewaltsame Konflikte führen direkt oder indirekt über Risikokaskaden zu Schocks, die sich auf das Welternährungssystem auswirken. Bevölkerungswachstum, soziale Spannungen und der Klimawandel verstärken die Gefahr von Hunger und Ernährungsunsicherheit, sie sind aber nach Meinung von Reimund Schwarze, Helmholtz- Zentrum für Umweltforschung – UFZ, Leipzig, nicht deren Ursache. Diese liege in Nahrungsmittelsystemen, die nicht in der Lage seien, erschwingliche, vielfältige, sichere und nahrhafte Lebensmittel für alle zu liefern. Deshalb brauche es Strategien, um die Konfliktanfälligkeit der Nahrungsmittelsysteme der Welt zu überwinden. Robert Finger, ETH Zürich, zeigt die negativen Auswirkungen des Klimawandels auf breite Teile der europäischen Landwirtschaft. Sie könnten jedoch durch die Kombination diverser Anpassungsmöglichkeiten abgefedert werden, wobei zusätzliche Instrumente des Risikomanagements (z.B. Versicherungen), aber auch innovative Produktionsformen oder neue technologische Möglichkeiten eine große Rolle spielen. Der Sektor werde sich erfolgreich an den Klimawandel anpassen, allerdings sei dies kostspielig. Reimund P. Rötter und Mareike Köster, Universität Göttingen, analysieren, welche Anpassungsmaßnahmen in der Landwirtschaft erforderlich sind, um weltweit Ernährungssicherheit herzustellen, die natürlichen Ressourcen zu schonen und aktiven Klimaschutz voranzubringen. Hierfür werden die bereits stattfindenden Anpassungen, wie z.B. frühere Aussaattermine oder die Wahl existierender früher reifenden Pflanzenvarietäten, nicht ausreichen. Vielmehr sei die Züchtung klimaresilienter Pflanzen sowie die Erhöhung der Agrobiodiversität und Reduzierung von Treibhausgasen notwendig. Klaus Müller, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, stellt das Konzept der Agri-Photovoltaik und Landwirtschaft 4.0 vor. In diesem Fall lassen sich mindestens 85% der für die Energiegewinnung genutzten Flächen mit einer angepassten Technologie weiter bewirtschaften. Dies bietet den Unternehmen eine Chance, sich sowohl an den Klimawandel anzupassen als auch einen Beitrag zur Energiewende zu leisten. Theresa Hübsch, Maria Waldinger, Franziska Wintersteller und Gerome Wolf, ifo Institut, stellen die Situation in Subsahara-Afrika dar. Nahrungsunsicherheit sei eine große Bedrohung für die Bürger Subsahara-Afrikas, die durch den fortschreitenden Klimawandel zunehmend ernster werde. Der Klimawandel erschwere die landwirtschaftliche Produktion. Hinzu kommen gewaltsame Konflikte, die oft mit Klimawandel einhergehen und Hungerkrisen hervorrufen. Die Nahrungsunsicherheit könne durch technische Fortschritte und durch institutionelle Faktoren wie politische Stabilität, finanzielle Ressourcen und geregelte Eigentumsrechte bekämpft werden. Ulrike Grote, Etti Winter und Robyn Blake-Rath, Leibniz-Universität Hannover, weisen auf die Rolle Südamerikas als weltweit größten Nettonahrungsmittelexporteur hin, aber auch auf seine herausragende Rolle für den Klimaschutz, den Erhalt von Biodiversität und die Funktionsfähigkeit von Ökosystemen. Lateinamerika werde diese Funktionen allerdings nur erfüllen können, wenn sich sein Agrar- und Ernährungssystem in Richtung Nachhaltigkeit transformiere und die unterschiedlichen Anforderungen auf integrative statt auf konkurrierende Weise erfülle
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACTS OF CROATIA´S AGRICULTURAL TRADE POLICY ON THE AGRI-FOOD SECTOR
Get PDFCroatia recently signed several trade liberalisation agreements. The cornerstones of its trade policy are WTO membership, the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU and Croatia's application of membership as well as bilateral free trade agreements within the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe. The objective of this paper is to quantify the impact of Croatia's agricultural trade policy on the agri-food sector. For the analysis, a partial equilibrium model based on 1999/2000 data is used. Trade between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Slovenia, the EU-15 and the rest of the world is modelled for 12 product groups. Three liberalisation scenarios are analysed for the years 2002 and 2005. The scenarios differ with regard to the tariff changes. In general, the model results indicate that reciprocal trade liberalisation is welfare improving for Croatia. The increase in consumer welfare is larger than the decline in farmers' profits and the loss of governmental tariff revenues. In conclusion, the continuation of trade liberalisation is to be recommended. However, trade policy alone will not solve the existing problems of the agri-food sector, and transitional compensation measures could be considered to avoid unacceptable hardship. The benefits of trade liberalisation are primarily to be seen in an improved access to international markets, which probably enables Croatian food processors to realise economies of scale. In addition, internationally binding commitments such as trade agreements are likely to foster the internal and international political credibility and reduce political risks.
ZUSAMMENFASSUNG
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSE DER AUSWIRKUNGEN VON KROATIENS AGRARHANDELSPOLITIK AUF DEN AGRAR- UND ERNÄHRUNGSSEKTOR
In den letzten Jahren hat Kroatien mehrere Handelsabkommen unterzeichnet. Die Hauptelemente der kroatischen Handelspolitik sind die Mitgliedschaft in der WTO, das Stabilisierungsund Assoziierungsabkommen mit der EU und der Antrag auf EU-Mitgliedschaft sowie die bilateralen Freihandelsabkommen innerhalb des Stabilitätspaktes für Südosteuropa. Ziel des vorliegenden Beitrages ist es, die Auswirkungen dieser Agrarhandelspolitik auf den kroatischen Agrar- und Ernährungssektor zu quantifizieren. Für die Analyse wird ein partielles Gleichgewichtsmodell verwendet, das auf Daten der Jahre 1999/2000 basiert. Für 12 Produktgruppen wird Kroatiens Handel mit Bosnien und Herzegowina, Ungarn, Slowenien, der EU-15 und dem Rest der Welt modelliert. Für die Jahre 2002 und 2005 werden drei Liberalisierungsszenarien untersucht, die sich bezüglich der Zolländerungen unterscheiden. Insgesamt zeigen die Modellergebnisse, das eine wechselseitige Handelsliberalisierung wohlfahrtssteigernde Effekte für Kroatien hat. Der Anstieg der Konsumentenwohlfahrt übersteigt den Einkommensrückgang der Landwirte und den Verlust an staatlichen Zolleinnahmen. Daher ist eine Fortsetzung der Handelsliberalisierung empfehlenswert. Allerdings kann die Handelspolitik alleine die existierenden Probleme im Agrar- und Ernährungssektor Kroatiens nicht lösen. Um unerwünschte Härten zu vermeiden, könnten für eine Übergangsphase Kompensationsmaßnahmen in Betracht gezogen werden. Der Nutzen einer Handelsliberalisierung ist vor allem in einem verbesserten Zugang zu internationalen Märkten zu sehen. Dies ermöglicht es kroatischen Verarbeitern wahrscheinlich, Skaleneffekte zu realisieren. Außerdem erhöhen international bindende Verpflichtungen wie Handelsabkommen die interne und internationale politische Glaubwürdigkeit und tragen damit dazu bei, politische Risiken zu reduzieren
Silicon as Smart Package for Photonic ICs
No full textIn this thesis, the research is described for realizing hybrid
modules where silicon can be used to effectively improve different functionalities of the
photonic device. Several aspect are detailed, spanning from the techology
to implement the hybrid modules to the description of some particular photonic
devices that might improve their performance when
mounted onto a silicon carrier. Also, some considerations
about different amplifier architectures for optical
communications are presented and completed with practical
implementations in an advanced university bipolar process
Traceability -- A Literature Review
Get PDFIn light of recent food safety crises and international trade concerns associated with food or animal associated diseases, traceability has once again become important in the minds of public policymakers, business decision makers, consumers and special interest groups. This study reviews studies on traceability, government regulation and consumer behaviour, provide case studies of current traceability systems and a rough breakdown of various costs and benefits of traceability. This report aims to identify gaps that may currently exist in the literature on traceability in the domestic beef supply chain, as well as provide possible directions for future research into said issue. Three main conclusions can be drawn from this study. First, there is a lack of a common definition of traceability. Hence identifying similarities and differences across studies becomes difficult if not impossible. To this end, this study adopts CFIA’s definition of traceability. This definition has been adopted by numerous other agencies including the EU’s official definition of traceability however it may or may not be acceptable from the perspective of major Canadian beef and cattle trade partners. Second, the studies reviewed in this report address one or more of five key objectives; the impact of changing consumer behaviour on market participants, suppliers incentive to adopt or participate in traceability, impact of regulatory changes, supplier response to crisis and technical description of traceability systems. Drawing from the insights from the consumer studies, it seems as if consumers do not value traceability per se, traceability is a means for consumers to receive validation of another production or process attribute that they are interested in. Moreover, supply chain improvement, food safety control and accessing foreign market segments are strong incentives for primary producers and processors to participate in programs with traceability features. However the objectives addressed by the studies reviewed in this paper are not necessarily the objectives that are of most immediate relevance to decision makers about appropriate traceability standards to recommend, require, subsidize etc. In many cases the research objectives of previous work have been extremely narrow creating a body of literature that is incomplete in certain key areas. Third, case studies of existing traceability systems in Australia, the UK, Scotland, Brazil and Uruguay indicate that the pattern of development varies widely across sectors and regions. In summary, a traceability system by itself cannot provide value-added for all participants in the industry; it is merely a protocol for documenting and sharing information. Value is added to participants in the marketing chain through traceability in the form of reduced transactions costs in the case of a food safety incident and through the ability to shift liability. To ensure consumer benefit and have premiums returned to primary producers the type of information that consumers value is an important issue for future research. A successful program that peaks consumer interest and can enhance their eating experience can generate economic benefits to all sectors in the beef industry. International market access will increasingly require traceability in the marketing system in order to satisfy trade restrictions in the case of animal diseases and country of origin labelling, to name only a few examples. Designing appropriate traceability protocols industry wide is therefore becoming very important.traceability, institutions, Canada, consumer behaviour, producer behaviour, supply chain, Agricultural and Food Policy, Consumer/Household Economics, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Health Economics and Policy, International Relations/Trade, Livestock Production/Industries, Marketing, Production Economics, D020, D100, D200, Q100,
