THE DETERMINANTS OF ADOPTION OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGIES: EVIDENCE FROM THE HILLSIDES OF HONDURAS

Recent years have seen a growth of interest in the adoption and diffusion of low-input sustainable agricultural technologies among smallholder agriculturalists in developing countries. This paper examines the adoption of one such technology, labranza minima, a form of minimum tillage, among resource-poor agricultural households in villages in central Honduras. Logistic regression is used to analyze the determinants of adoption of minimum tillage among a sample of 250 agricultural households. The results show that plots with irrigation, plots farmed by their owners and plots with steeper slopes were more likely canididates for minimum tillage adoption. Farmer household characteristics are not generally found to represent significant influences on adoption. Importantly, household income does not appar to be a determinant of adoption, suggesting that minimum tillage is an appropriate low-input technology for resource-poor households. The results also indicate that previous use of leguminous cover crops, soil amendments (including chemical fertilizers), and commercial vegetable production are all associated with minimum tillage adoption. Results from studies like this are useful in targeting low-input technologies and programs promoting them among the farm household population.technology adoption, sustainable agriculture, minimum tillage, Farm Management,

THE DETERMINANTS OF ADOPTION OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGIES: EVIDENCE FROM THE HILLSIDES OF HONDURAS

Recent years have seen a growth of interest in the adoption and diffusion of low-input sustainable agricultural technologies among smallholder agriculturalists in developing countries. This paper examines the adoption of one such technology, labranza minima, a form of minimum tillage, among resource-poor agricultural households in villages in central Honduras. Logistic regression is used to analyze the determinants of adoption of minimum tillage among a sample of 250 agricultural households. The results show that plots with irrigation, plots farmed by their owners and plots with steeper slopes were more likely canididates for minimum tillage adoption. Farmer household characteristics are not generally found to represent significant influences on adoption. Importantly, household income does not appar to be a determinant of adoption, suggesting that minimum tillage is an appropriate low-input technology for resource-poor households. The results also indicate that previous use of leguminous cover crops, soil amendments (including chemical fertilizers), and commercial vegetable production are all associated with minimum tillage adoption. Results from studies like this are useful in targeting low-input technologies and programs promoting them among the farm household population

La política exterior de las potencias latinoamericanas hacia la Caricom: los casos de Brasil, México, Colombia, Venezuela y Cuba

ABSTRACT: The Caribbean Community (Caricom) is a system of subregional integration, influenced by the interests of the powers, especially the US. However, in the specific case of Latin America, which countries play a major role in this block? How are they related to Caricom? The purpose of this analysis is to review the foreign policy of the Latin American powers with regards Caricom. For the case studies, we use a geostructural methodology, which combines geographical factors with measurements of national power derived from the World Power Index (WPI). We then proceed to studying their foreign policy based on their discourses and actions. We conclude that the extent to which these powers are linked to Caricom is explained, first and foremost, by governments’ political will.RESUMO: A Comunidade do Caribe (Caricom) é um sistema de integração sub-regional, que se encontra influenciado pelos interesses das potências, em especial pelos Estados Unidos. Contudo, no caso específico da América Latina, quais países são os que incidem principalmente nesse bloco? Como se relacionam com a Caricom? O objetivo desta análise é fazer uma revisão da política exterior das potências latino-americanas quanto à Caricom. Para o levantamento de casos, utiliza-se uma metodologia de tipo geoestrutural, a qual combina fatores geográficos com medições do poder nacional derivadas do Índice de Poder Mundial. Em seguida, procede-se ao estudo de suas políticas exteriores a partir de seus discursos e ações. Conclui-se que o grau de vinculação dessas potências com a Caricom se explica, sobretudo, por sua proximidade geográfica, logo pelo acúmulo de poder e, finalmente, pela vontade política dos governos.RESUMEN: La Comunidad del Caribe (Caricom) es un sistema de integración subregional, que se encuentra influido por los intereses de las potencias, en especial por Estados Unidos. Sin embargo, en el caso específico de América Latina, ¿qué países son los que inciden mayormente en dicho bloque? ¿Cómo se relacionan con la Caricom? El objetivo de este análisis es hacer una revisión de la política exterior de las potencias latinoamericanas hacia la Caricom. Para el relevamiento de casos se instrumenta una metodología de tipo geoestructural, que combina factores geográficos con mediciones del poder nacional derivadas del Índice de Poder Mundial (IPM). Luego se procede al estudio de sus políticas exteriores a partir de sus discursos y acciones. Se concluye que el grado de vinculación de estas potencias con la Caricom se explica, ante todo, por su proximidad geográfica, luego por el cúmulo de poder y, finalmente, por la voluntad política de los gobiernos

Health- and Vision-Related Quality of Life in a Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Methotrexate and Mycophenolate Mofetil for Uveitis

PurposeTo evaluate changes in health-related and vision-related quality of life (VRQoL) among patients with noninfectious uveitis who were treated with antimetabolites.DesignSecondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.ParticipantsPatients with noninfectious uveitis from India, the United States, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico.MethodsFrom 2013 through 2017, 216 participants were randomized to receive 25 mg weekly oral methotrexate or 1.5 g twice daily oral mycophenolate mofetil. Median changes in quality of life (QoL) were measured using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and differences between treatment groups were measured using linear mixed models, adjusting for baseline QoL score, age, gender, and site. Among Indian patients, VRQoL scores from a general scale (the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire [NEI-VFQ]) and a culturally specific scale (the Indian Visual Function Questionnaire [IND-VFQ]) were compared using Pearson correlation tests.Main outcome measuresVision-related QoL (NEI-VFQ and IND-VFQ) and health-related QoL (HRQoL; physical component score [PCS] and mental component score [MCS] of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Survey [SF-36v2]) were measured at baseline, the primary end point (6 months or treatment failure before 6 months), and the secondary end point (12 months or treatment failure between 6 and 12 months).ResultsAmong 193 participants who reached the primary end point, VRQoL increased from baseline by a median of 12.0 points (interquartile range [IQR], 1.0-26.1, NEI-VFQ scale), physical HRQoL increased by a median of 3.6 points (IQR, -1.4 to 14.9, PCS SF-36v2), and mental HRQoL increased by a median of 3.0 points (IQR, -3.7 to 11.9, MCS SF-36v2). These improvements in NEI-VFQ, SF-36v2 PCS, and SF-36v2 MCS scores all were significant (P < 0.01). The linear mixed models showed that QoL did not differ between treatment groups for each QoL assessment (NEI-VFQ, IND-VFQ, PCS SF-36v2, and MCS SF-36v2; P > 0.05 for all). The NEI-VFQ and IND-VFQ scores for Indian participants were correlated highly at baseline and the primary and secondary end points (correlation coefficients, 0.87, 0.80, and 0.90, respectively).ConclusionsAmong patients treated with methotrexate or mycophenolate mofetil for uveitis, VRQoL and HRQoL improved significantly over the course of 1 year and did not differ by treatment allocation. These findings suggest that antimetabolites could improve overall patient well-being and daily functioning