Learning in switching to organic farming

This paper estimates technical efficiency of organic and conventional dairy farming and its development over time. We control for possible selection bias and regional heterogeneity. The results suggest that technical efficiency measured as a ratio between actual and maximum obtainable output (relative to the peer group) at first diminishes when the conversion towards organic production starts. After 6-7 years from the switch, technical efficiency starts to increase again

Costs of Producing Biogas at Dairy Farms in The Netherlands

By 2020, Dutch dairy chains envisage to be self‐sufficient with regard to energy used by dairy farms and dairy processors. This would require dairy farms to produce 25 PJ per year, possibly by a combination of wind, solar and biogas. This paper focuses on biogas. To evaluate the project’s viability we estimated the expected technical and financial performance of 4 types of business models, i.e. “CHP‐farm”, “CHP‐large”, “green gas” and “central upgrading of green gas”. Data stem from among others 23 biogas plants in the Netherlands. Anticipating that CHPmodels and green gas models occur with a likelihood of 40% and 60% respectively, the total number of biogas plants would amount to 232 (1% of dairy farms), including a total of 5 million tons of manure per year (14% of all cattle manure in the Netherlands) and annual government subsidies of Euro 295 million. Aggregated annual profits are expected to be positive, but over the project’s total life time there is an expected deficit of Euro 262. For this to change costs of feedstocks or digestate disposal costs would for instance have to go down. Also fully switching to green gas models dampens the deficit. Results are used in current stakeholders debates on the organization of an “energy neutral dairy chain” in the Netherlands. Further analyses incorporating uncertainty around key technical and economic parameters including financial impacts of CO2‐reductions are underway.green electricity, green gas, empirical data, technical performance, financial performance, Production Economics, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Analysis of Seed Potato Systems in Ethiopia

This study aimed to analyze the seed potato systems in Ethiopia, identify constraints and prioritize improvement options, combining desk research, rapid appraisal and formal surveys, expert elicitation, field observations and local knowledge. In Ethiopia, informal, alternative and formal seed systems co-exist. The informal system, with low quality seed, is dominant. The formal system is too small to contribute significantly to improve that situation. The informal seed system should prioritize improving seed quality by increasing awareness and skills of farmers, improving seed tuber quality of early generations and market access. The alternative and formal seed systems should prioritize improving the production capacity of quality seed by availing new varieties, designing quality control methods and improving farmer’s awareness. To improve overall seed potato supply in Ethiopia, experts postulated co-existence and linkage of the three seed systems and development of self-regulation and selfcertification in the informal, alternative and formal cooperative seed potato systems. Resumen Este estudio tuvo el propósito de analizar los sistemas de producción de papa en Etiopia, identificar limitantes, y priorizar opciones de mejorar, mediante la combinación de investigación de escritorio, apreciaciones rápidas y estudios formales, encuestas a expertos, observaciones de campo y conocimiento local. En Etiopia co-existen sistemas de semilla informal, alternativo y formal. Domina el sistema informal, con baja calidad de semilla. El sistema formal es muy pequeño como para contribuir significativamente al mejoramiento de esa situación. El sistema informal de semilla debería tener como prioridad el mejoramiento en la calidad de la semilla mediante el aumento en la atención y habilidades de los productores, mejorando la calidad de la semilla-tubérculo de las generaciones tempranas y el acceso al mercado. Los sistemas alternativo y formal de semilla deberían priorizar el mejoramiento en la capacidad de producción de semilla de calidad, mediante la validación de nuevas variedades, el diseño de métodos de control de calidad, y mejorando la atención del productor. Para mejorar el suministro general de semilla de papa en Etiopia, los expertos postularon la co-existencia y asociación de los tres sistemas de semillas y el desarrollo de autorregulación y autocertificación en los sistemas cooperativos de semilla de papa informal, alternativo y formal. Keywords Potato . Seed quality . Seed tuber . Seed system . Quality improvement . Expert elicitation . Solanum tuberosum Introductio

Documentation of model components EXPAMOD and CAPRI

ISBN no.: 978-90-8585-129-

Improving seed potato quality in Ethiopia: a value chain perspective

In Ethiopia, use of low-quality seed potatoes by the majority of potato growers is associated with underdevelopment of the seed potato value chains. Three seed potato systems are present in Ethiopia: the informal seed system, the alternative seed system and the formal seed system. This chapter analyses the performance of seed potato value chains with respect to their ability to supply quality seed tubers to seed potato systems, by using the chain performance drivers enabling environment, technology, market structure, chain coordination, farm management, and inputs. Information obtained from literature review, secondary data and key informants’ interviews were used for the analysis. In the informal seed system, seed potato value chains suffered from a poor enabling environment such as a low quality technical support and lack of a seed quality control system; use of sub-optimal storage and transportation technologies, sub-optimal farm management practices; and little use of inputs. In the alternative seed system, main constraints were the lack of a seed potato quality control system, poor farm management practices, little use of inputs by seed potato growers, and a distorted seed potato market that resulted from involvement of institutional buyers. Chains in the formal seed potato system were characterised by little involvement of the private and public sectors in the production and supply of seed potatoes. Based on the analysis, improvement options for the three seed systems were identified

Sensory processing in young children with visual impairments:Use and extension of the Sensory Profile

Background: Children with visual impairments (VI) are at risk for sensory processing difficulties. A widely used measure for sensory processing is the Sensory Profile (SP). However, the SP requires adaptation to accommodate for how children with VI experience sensory information. Aims: (1) To examine sensory processing patterns in young children with VI, (2) to develop VI-specific items to use in conjunction with the SP and to determine internal consistency and construct validity of these newly developed items, and (3) to examine the association between sensory processing and and emotional and behavioral problems. Methods: Twenty-six VI-specific items were added to the SP. The SP and these items were completed by caregivers of 90 children with VI between 3 and 8 years old. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was used to assess emotional and behavioral problems. Results: Three- to five-year-old children with VI have significantly more difficulties in three quadrants of the SP as compared to the norm group. Six- to eight-year-old children with VI have more difficulties in all quadrants. A reliable and valid VI-specific set of 15 items was established following psychometric evaluation. Age-related differences were found in the associations between the SP and CBCL. Conclusion: Although further validation is recommended, this evaluation of the VI-specific item set suggests it has the potential to be a useful measure for children with VI

Naar een kosteneffectieve beheersing van bruinrot: ontwikkeling van een bio-economisch model

Sinds 1995 is de Nederlandse aardappelketen getroffen door diverse uitbraken van bruinrot, een quarantaineziekte die veroorzaakt wordt door de bacterie Ralstonia solanacearum race 3, biovar 2. Dit artikel gaat over het voorkomen van bruinrot, omdat het economisch belang daarvan erg groot is. De overheid vraagt zich af of het beleid nog wel kosteneffectief is en of er zaken verbeterd kunnen worden. Dit was het onderwerp van het promotieonderzoek ‘bio-economische modellering van bruinrot in de Nederlandse aardappelproductieketen’. Een verslag over de conclusies uit dat onderzoek, en een overzicht van beheersstrategieën en economische gevolgen van bruinro