A REVIEW OF THE BOOK “THE APPLICATION OF THE ANALOGY METHOD IN THE SEARCH FOR COMMON AREAS OF COGNITION IN BIOLOGY AND ECONOMICS” BY WIESŁAW MUSIAŁ AND KAMILA MUSIAŁ. THE PUBLISHING HOUSE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE IN KRAKOW, 2021, 215 PP

A review of the book “The Application of the Analogy Method in the Search for Common Areas of Cognition in Biology and Economics” by Wiesław Musiał and Kamila Musiał. The Publishing House of the University of Agriculture in Krakow, 2021, 215 pp

Borrowing and repayment hardships: evidences from farmers in Haryana

Subject and purpose of work: The paper focuses on the problems faced by farmers in obtaining and repaying loans from institutional and non-institutional sources. Materials and methods: The study was conducted in Haryana state, India. It was based on a field survey involving 600 farmers. Proportionate sampling technique was employed and pre- tested schedules were filled during vis-a-vis interviews. Results: The findings of the study highlight main problems faced by farmers in acquiring and repaying loans. They include: no loan without security, ambiguous terms and conditions, the time-consuming procedure of granting loans, not farmer friendly bank officials, and the request for bribes. In the case of non-institutional sources, main problems include: lack of security, deterioration of social status, and hesitation in mortgaging agricultural land. Furthermore, low price of agricultural produce, crop failure, and the high-interest rates charged by non-institutional sources were major constraints in the timely repayment of loan amounts. Conclusions: Several constraints existed in granting loans to farmers. Government should support and provide hassle free loans to farmers

PRE- AND DURING-PANDEMIC FINANCIAL STANDING OF COMPANIES IN POLAND RANKED ACCORDING TO THE TYPE OF BUSINESS ACTIVITY

Subject and purpose of work: This paper seeks to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the financial standing of companies classified according to the type of their business activity. Materials and methods: This paper is based on aggregate data on businesses operating in Poland in the period 2017–2021, grouped according to the type of business activity. The data was published by the Central Statistical Office GUS in Poland. The company status was investigated using the calculated values of diagnostic indicators (return on assets, current financial liquidity, level of debt, stock rotation, and growth in sales). These indicators were normalized with the zero unitarization method to construct a synthetic indicator. The synthetic indicator was then used to generate business rankings. Results: The vast majority of the examined companies proved to be profitable. In 2020, the profitability and sales revenue of the businesses concerned were found to deteriorate slightly. There has been a downward trend in the rankings for companies operating in the accommodation and catering sector and the manufacturers of petroleum products. Pharmaceutical companies were the businesses that improved and topped the rankings. Conclusions: The pandemic had a strong negative impact on businesses operating in the market sector of accommodation and catering. The producers of refined petroleum products were also affected. The producers of pharmaceuticals benefited most during the pandemic. There are no clear indicators as to the impact of the pandemic on other types of businesses

A Statement on Rural Problem Areas

Information and map graphics on: Low Income Farm Families, People on Poor Lands, Farm Tenants, Farm Laborers, Farm Families on Relief, Unemployment in Agriculture, Migrating Farm Families, and Farm Families on Low Standards of Living

The Dust Bowl: Agricultural Problems and Solutions

Report Foreword: The Regional Agricultural Council for the Southern Great Plains reports physical conditions in the Dust Bowl much improved. It reports that the acreage subject to wind erosion in the spring of 1940 was not as large as was feared in the fall of 1939; that dust storms did not occur with anticipated intensity. Last winter many persons predicted trouble in the Dust Bowl because of the widespread drought in 1939 which dried out the soil, caused abandonment of a large acreage of fall-sown wheat, and generally put the land in a condition to blow. Soil blowing this spring was light. This was due in part to heavy winter snow, to relatively light spring winds, and in part to the wider use of methods of soil management that protect against wind erosion. However, much must still be done in the Southern Plains to create a stable, independent, and permanently profitable agriculture. This seems an appropriate time to look at the agricultural problems of the Dust Bowl and to report the progress farmers have made, with the help of Government programs, toward solving these problems

CHANGES IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR IN HUNGARY DUE TO THE 2008 ECONOMIC CRISIS AND COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Subject and purpose of work: The paper examines two of the most important sectors of agriculture, crop and livestock production, in a time series analysis. The authors analyzed the number of enterprises, the number of employees, labor costs, turnover, and balance sheet total, and also assessed the evolution of liquidity and profitability in the two sectors, broken down by size. Materials and methods: The results of livestock and crop production were examined separately for the period 2008-2020. The analysis was based on aggregated data from the National Tax and Customs Administration in Hungary. Enterprises with the NACE REV 0140 for animal husbandry and 0110 for crop production were studied. In the research time series analysis and, where possible, trend analysis were performed. Results: In the research, the following indicators were examined using time series analysis in both crop and livestock production: the number of companies, the number of employees, the net sales revenue, the composition of net sales, the development of the balance sheet total, cost structure, labor costs, the quick ratio of liquidity, and the ROA indicator. Conclusions: Agricultural enterprises are most affected by the downward trend during the period under review, with the exception that the animal husbandry sector started to decline earlier than the crop production sector

EVALUATION OF THE CROP INSURANCE PERFORMANCE IN HARYANA

Subject and purpose of the work: The purpose of the study is to evaluate the overall physical and financial performance of the crop insurance schemes in Haryana. Materials and methods: The study was purely based on secondary data collected from the Department of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Union of Haryana. The compound annual growth rate and the percentage method have been used to analyse the performance of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. Results: The compound annual growth rate of benefited farmers was higher in the Rabi crop (28%), and in the same way, the overall area covered (1.4%) was also higher in the Rabi crop. The non-loanee farmers adopted Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) without any kind of loan in any scheme such as the Kisan credit card. The growth rates of non-loanee farmers of Rabi and Kharif crops were observed at 143.2% and 184.3% which was highly satisfactory. Loanee farmers were already large in number since the commencement of PMFBY. Conclusions: It was found that the parameters such as area covered, loanee, non-loanee farmers and the number of beneficiaries of Rabi and Kharif crops increased and had a significant effect on the farmer’s coverage over the years. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana gives a positive assurance to farmers. As the number of beneficiaries of this scheme increases and farmers have the assurance that if their crop is damaged due to natural calamities their claim will be settled, they will use a high-yielding variety of seeds, pesticides, herbicides, and new technology, thus production and productivity will increase. They play a vital role in the coverage of cultivated area and will ultimately decide to participate in crop insurance. Hence, this scheme has proved effective in maintaining the farmer’s interest in crop insurance and ensuring the timely settlement of claims, which has been the main driving force in retaining farmers under crop insurance

THE REVIVAL OF REGIONAL COOPERATION IN CENTRAL ASIA IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF HUNGARY'S EASTERN OPENING POLICY

Subject and purpose of the work: This study explores the specifics of strengthening Central Asian regional cooperation and its potential opportunities according to Hungary’s Eastern Opening Policy. Materials and methods: A two-pronged approach was used to conduct this study, which included a comprehensive literature review of relevant academic publications on regional cooperation, as well as an examination of cooperation projects to identify specific characteristics. Results are explicated using descriptive methodology for the analysis. Results: Central Asian regional integration differs from the traditional model, emphasising the importance of historical factors and the strengthening of Turkish ethnic identity as a foundation for unification efforts. Conclusions: Foreign economic engagement in Central Asia requires a continuous and assertive presence, along with the development of mutual trust due to the region’s unique historical, cultural and geopolitical context. These tendencies and intentions have been recognised by Hungarian foreign strategy - in line with the Eastern Opening Policy - with good sense and at a good pace

Transición a la intensificación sostenible en el cultivo de camarón: retos y oportunidades

[ES] Se analizaron las principales prácticas de Intensificación Sostenible (IS) que realizan pequeños y medianos productores en la camaronicultura de Sinaloa, México. Se usó el enfoque de sostenibilidad, desde el establecimiento de la granja hasta la comercialización. El estudio muestra una limitada incorporación de las prácticas de IS y los principales factores limitantes son: el deficiente marco institucional y regulatorio, la ausencia de electricidad, baja adopción de tecnologías, ineficiente manejo y suministro de alimentos y uso excesivo de antibióticos. Este trabajo contribuye al reconocimiento de limitaciones en la adopción de la IS en la camaronicultura y al avance en la sostenibilidad de esta actividad. [EN] The main practices of Sustainable Intensification (SI) carried out by small and medium producers in shrimp farming in Sinaloa, Mexico, were analyzed. The sustainability approach was used, from establishment to commercialization. The study shows a limited incorporation of SI practices and the main limiting factors are: poor institutional and regulatory framework, lack of electricity, low adoption of technologies, inefficient food management and supply, and excessive use of antibiotics. This work contributes to the recognition of limitations in the adoption of SI in shrimp farming, and to progress in the sustainability of this activity

THE USE OF THE HIERARCHICAL METHOD TO GROUP THE COUNTRIES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION ACCORDING TO THEIR ENERGY AND CLIMATE POLICIES ADOPTED ON THE BASIS OF DIRECTIVES OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

Subject and purpose of work: The European Union’s energy policy focuses mainly on three areas: reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the energy sector by increasing the use of RES, reducing emissions of harmful pollutants, and increasing the efficiency of the electricity used. Sustainable energy use, on the other hand, is clearly associated with an increased use of renewable energy sources, which ensures energy security, as well as diversification of energy supplies that sustain and improve the quality of the environment. The purpose of the paper is to present the diversity of the countries of the European Union in terms of the actions they take in the field of energy and climate policy resulting from the European Union directives. Materials and methods: Based on the goals of energy policy presented in the EU directives a number of indicators were selected in order to describe the actions taken by EU member states. After a substantive and statistical verification, 6 variables were left. The use of the Ward’s method made it possible to create groups of countries that are similar in terms of their energy and climate policies. Conclusions: The most favorable situation in terms of the effects of the climate and energy policy can be observed in the current leaders, that is in Sweden and Finland as well as in Estonia. Central European countries, mainly Poland, have high-emission economies, accompanied by low investment in modern environmentally friendly technologies. This is manifested, among others, in high concentrations of particulate matter, which contributes to poor air quality, categories in which Poland has some of the worst results in the entire EU