78,895 research outputs found

    The Sustainable Livelihoods Approach as an impact assessment tool for development interventions in rural Tigray, Ethiopia : opportunities & challenges

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    Measuring the impact and sustainability of development programmes requires the development of appropriate assessment tools. This paper examines the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach's (SLA) potential to be transformed to and called in as a practical instrument to evaluate the impact of development interventions in rural Tigray (Northern Ethiopia). Fieldwork has been carried out in communities in woreda Dogua Tembien using participant observation and open interviews as methods. Next to more general challenges of defining, measuring and comparing livelihood assets, context specific factors complicate the operationalisation of the SLA as an impact assessment tool in the area. The SLA distinguishes between livelihood assets on the one hand and transforming structures and processes on the other. The latter lend meaning and value to the former. This conceptual distinction is worthy as it makes the two-way interaction between both categories explicit and escapes from reducing institutions, organisations, policies and legislation to context or background. However, in practice the boundaries are fuzzy and not easy to interpret. The example of religion as a cross-cutting organizing principle illustrates this assumption. Moreover the distinction complicates the operationalisation of the SLA as it implies the meaning and value of capitals to be volatile and depending on the prevailing social, institutional and organisational environment. This is exemplified with the big transforming power of policy shifts in the area. For the SLA to serve as an impact assessment tool, it requires a culture- and policy-sensitive analysis of farmers' asset base. Only a sound understanding of the interactions between livelihood assets and transforming structures and processes can lead to a locally contextualised, meaningful and workable impact assessment tool that measures asset levels using indicators that reflect farmers' own criteria to judge development interventions

    Knowledge management as a key stone of sustainable welfare in the Italian rural areas

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    Sustainable well-being in the rural areas directly depends on their sustainable development. However, sustainable management in contemporary agriculture does not come easy for farmers due to different challenges and quality standards. To meet these challenges and to achieve sustainable development, the agricultural enterprises need an informational support. Therefore this article offers knowledge management as a tool for facilitating agricultural performance and enhancing quality of rural life.Practical application of knowledge management is quite complicated due to its intangible characteristics. Hence, the paper is targeted at developing sustainable organizational model of knowledge management affordable for small and medium enterprises. This model was created after content-analysis of the literature and was verified through an executed survey. The Italian agriculture was considered as a context for this study

    The Balanced Scorecard Implementation in Farm Enterprise - A Case Study from Ukraine

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    This study exemplifies the first implementation experiences of Balanced Scorecard and the first results of them in Ukrainian agricultural enterprises. Essential prerequisites for the functioning of the BSC concept into practical agriculture will be discussed. Finally, some critical success factors to the BSC adoption by agricultural companies will be identified.Balanced Scorecard, Strategic Management, Ukraine, Farm Management,

    The Relationship between Social Responsibility and Business Performance: An Analysis of the Agri-Food Sector of Southeast Spain

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    This study aims to contribute to the existing debate on the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) orientation on different measures of business performance through the proposal of a conceptual model. Drawing on stakeholder theory, we conceptualize CSR as a broad and multidimensional construct with seven dimensions: employees, partners, customers, farmers, environment, community, and competition. We also extend the concept of business performance, which includes tangible variables, namely financial performance (FP) and export performance (EXP), as well as intangible variables, namely image and reputation (IR) and the satisfaction of relevant stakeholders (SS). The research context of this study is the agri-food sector in southeastern Spain. This sector has been the focus of attention of numerous researchers due to the relevance that social and environmental aspects have had in its development. To test the proposed model, the partial least-squares technique (PLS-SEM) was applied to data collected by means of a survey from a sample of 107 companies, which represent 81.4% of the turnover of the sector analyzed. The results show that CSR has a positive effect on financial performance, improves the volume and performance of exports, positively affects the corporate image and reputation, and increases the level of satisfaction of relevant stakeholders. Further research should examine the model from the perceptions of other stakeholders (e.g., customers, employees, and suppliers), using a longitudinal research design and exploring other contexts

    Using Regulation to Tackle the Challenge of Diffuse Water Pollution and its Impact on the Great Barrier Reef

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    Diffuse water pollution poses a significant threat to water quality globally. Challenges associated with managing and regulating diffuse water pollution stem from difficulties in measurement and attribution of pollution ‘emissions’, as well as the cumulative nature of diffuse water pollution. The introduction of Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef Protection Amendment Act 2009 provides a timely opportunity to explore challenges associated with managing and regulating diffuse water pollution from agriculture, using the Great Barrier Reef as a case study. This article, which is presented in two parts (sections II and III), outlines the nature of diffuse water pollution; potential management and regulatory options; and existing policy, management and legislative frameworks that exist at Commonwealth and Queensland State government levels relevant to managing Great Barrier Reef water quality. In section III, the article undertakes a detailed analysis of Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef Protection Amendment Act 2009, including an assessment of the likely effectiveness of this legislation; challenges associated with the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of measures taken under this new legislation; and its significance and role in the context of other relevant Commonwealth and Queensland government responsibilities, legislation and policies

    IFAD Rural Finance Policy

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    Two thirds of the Fund?s current projects have a rural finance component; about 21% of the Fund?s resources are dedicated to rural finance.2 Most of IFAD?s target group are small producers engaged in agric ultural and non-agricultural activities in areas of widely varying potential. Direct access to financial services affects the small producers? productivity, asset formation, income and food security. This policy paper is designed to provide an overall framework for the Fund?s work in rural finance. On that basis, operational guidelines and regional strategies will be prepared in due course for the use of staff, consultants and partner institutions, with scope both for innovations and for consolidation of successful existing practices. --

    Knowledge Management and Sustainable Agriculture:the Italian Case

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    The contemporary knowledge-based economy requires global usage of information in all aspects of modern society. Pertinent information is an important asset for successful business, therefore an application of knowledge management in organisational practice has become a crucial factor for the viability and sustainable development of enterprises. This is particularly relevant for the agricultural context, which needs modern practices for enhancement and development. However, information and knowledge, due to their intangible character, seem difficult to manage and organize. Therefore the paper targeted at developing sustainable organizational model of knowledge management for small and medium enterprises. Italian agriculture is considered as a context for this study, and knowledge management was offered as a tool for facilitating agricultural performance and increasing competitiveness of agricultural sector. A wide concept of knowledge management and specified agricultural context require a theory-based approach to research and a survey. Thus, the research methodology includes the next four parts. The first one contains literature review and examines definitions, strategies, approaches and models of sustainable knowledge management. The second part includes content analysis of 105 scientific publications. The third part of methodology is based on the results of the two previous parts and includes creating the model of knowledge management. Verification of this model is the last part of the research. Verification was executed through on-line questionnaire distributed to Italian agricultural enterprises throughout the country on their intentions and awareness towards knowledge management and developed model of knowledge management. The results of the survey have demonstrated farmer’s incentives to implement the developed knowledge management model with flexible approach in its organisation
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