The Role of ICT-based Market Information Services in Spatial Food Market Integration: The Case of Malawi Agricultural Commodity Exchange

The government of Malawi in 2004 initiated an ICT-based Malawi Agricultural Commodity Exchange (MACE), a market information service project, to improve access by farmers to market information. MACE was intended to improve the efficiency of agricultural markets as part of the strategy to improve food security. This study uses quantitative methods to examine whether MACE has contributed to efficiency of rice markets in Malawi. It especially tests if MACE has contributed to spatial integration of rice markets. As hypothesized, the study finds that the tendency of rice prices to move together in spatially separated markets has significantly increased since the implementation of MACE. It concludes that ICT-based market information services improve the efficiency with which agricultural markets perform. The study discusses implications of this finding for policy.ICT-based intervention, market information service, market integration, rice, Malawi, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Constructing grids for molecular quantum dynamics using an autoencoder

A challenge for molecular quantum dynamics (QD) calculations is the curse of dimensionality with respect to the nuclear degrees of freedom. A common approach that works especially well for fast reactive processes is to reduce the dimensionality of the system to a few most relevant coordinates. Identifying these can become a very difficult task, since they often are highly unintuitive. We present a machine learning approach that utilizes an autoencoder that is trained to find a low-dimensional representation of a set of molecular configurations. These configurations are generated by trajectory calculations performed on the reactive molecular systems of interest. The resulting low-dimensional representation can be used to generate a potential energy surface grid in the desired subspace. Using the G-matrix formalism to calculate the kinetic energy operator, QD calculations can be carried out on this grid. In addition to step-by-step instructions for the grid construction, we present the application to a test system.Comment: 24 pages, 6 figures, articl

Public sector pricing policies : a review of Bank policy and practice

Nearly a decade has passed since the Bank codified its position on cost recovery policies (OMS 2.25) for public sector projects. In a review of 13 sectors, the authors find that the Bank guidelines are followed fairly closely in seven sectors: coal, irrigation, oil/gas, power, roads, telecommunications, and water/sewerage. In the other six sectors the focus is heavily on either distributional (health, education, housing) or financial (fertilizer, ports, railways) concerns - with little attempt to incorporate economic pricing principles. Efficiency pricing is not irrelevant or impossible in these sectors, and - even if used only as a benchmark - could improve sector management and project selection and design.Environmental Economics&Policies,Economic Theory&Research,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Public Sector Economics&Finance,Banks&Banking Reform

Funds Transfer Operations: Boon or Bane to the Viability of Rural Financial Intermediaries?

As far as the policies are concerned, the government has been successful in reversing the flow of loanable funds in favor of rural areas through maintenance of agricultural loan quota and deposit retention policies. This paper examines the structure of funds transfer operations of rural-based branches of banks, the factors that determine the volume of transferred funds from one branch to another and the impact of funds transfer operations on the savings mobilization efforts of rural-based financial intermediaries.banking system, rural sector, deposit liabilities, financial intermediaries, funds transfer

Funds Transfer: Boon or Bane to the Viability of Rural Financial Intermediaries

Institutional credit set up by the government may not necessarily be the major source of funds in the rural areas. In addition, there may be enough funds to support production and to sustain employment if financial resources are not rained. These insights are just few of authors’ findings in this paper. It suggests that addressing the problem of rural financial drain can open up the opportunities to pursue rural development without eroding the national budgetrural sector, financial intermediaries, funds transfer

An Assessment of Policies Affecting the Financial Sector, 1986-1988

This paper assesses the performance of the Aquino government in the financial sector. it presents the major policies and strategies outlined by the government. It also describes and analyzes the actions taken by the government in relation to the policies and a strategy spelled out and assesses its results quantitatively. Some policy issues are discussed.financial market, financial economy, financial sector

Funds Transfer Operations: Boon or Bane to the Viability of Rural Financial Intermediaries?

As far as the policies are concerned, the government has been successful in reversing the flow of loanable funds in favor of rural areas through maintenance of agricultural loan quota and deposit retention policies. This paper examines the structure of funds transfer operations of rural-based branches of banks, the factors that determine the volume of transferred funds from one branch to another and the impact of funds transfer operations on the savings mobilization efforts of rural-based financial intermediaries.banking system, rural sector, deposit liabilities, financial intermediaries, funds transfer

PENINGKATAN MODAL MANUSIA YANG BERDAYA SAING

Artikel peningkatan modal manusia yang berdaya saing berisi beberapa subjudul dimana setiap subjudul memiliki permasalahan masing-masing yang perlu didekati atau diberi solusinya. Beberapa subjudul tersebut adalah; Soal SDM dan Alat Indonesia Masih Buruk, Mutu Pendidikan Kita Rendah, Kesenjangan Pembangunan Manusia, Will I (Still) Be Relevant?, Lompatan SDM Indonesia, Menyiapkan Pendidik Yang Berkualitas, Pengembangan Kapasitas SDM, Kaum Muda Didorong Berjejaring Global, Mari Bersiap Menghadapi Perubahan yang Maha Dahsyat, Strategi Ampuh Pengembangan SDM Untuk Menghadapi Persaingan Bisnis, Tak Hanya Modal Kuat – SDM Startup Harus Berdaya Saing, Modal Manusia Adalah Aset Perusahaan, Ingin Membangun Perusahaan yang Berdaya Saing? Kuasai Kunci Sukses Bagi Perkembangan SDM Ini. Tujuan penulisan artikel ini adalah untuk memberikan solusi setiap subjudul yang ada. Metode penelitian menggunakan metode riset sekunder (secondary research), menggunakan data riset yang telah dikumpulkan oleh orang lain dan dilaporkan dalam buku, artikel dalam jurnal profesional atau sumber lain dari internet. Akhir artikel; solusi dan kesimpulan

The effect of genomic information on optimal contribution selection in livestock breeding programs

BACKGROUND: Long-term benefits in animal breeding programs require that increases in genetic merit be balanced with the need to maintain diversity (lost due to inbreeding). This can be achieved by using optimal contribution selection. The availability of high-density DNA marker information enables the incorporation of genomic data into optimal contribution selection but this raises the question about how this information affects the balance between genetic merit and diversity. METHODS: The effect of using genomic information in optimal contribution selection was examined based on simulated and real data on dairy bulls. We compared the genetic merit of selected animals at various levels of co-ancestry restrictions when using estimated breeding values based on parent average, genomic or progeny test information. Furthermore, we estimated the proportion of variation in estimated breeding values that is due to within-family differences. RESULTS: Optimal selection on genomic estimated breeding values increased genetic gain. Genetic merit was further increased using genomic rather than pedigree-based measures of co-ancestry under an inbreeding restriction policy. Using genomic instead of pedigree relationships to restrict inbreeding had a significant effect only when the population consisted of many large full-sib families; with a half-sib family structure, no difference was observed. In real data from dairy bulls, optimal contribution selection based on genomic estimated breeding values allowed for additional improvements in genetic merit at low to moderate inbreeding levels. Genomic estimated breeding values were more accurate and showed more within-family variation than parent average breeding values; for genomic estimated breeding values, 30 to 40% of the variation was due to within-family differences. Finally, there was no difference between constraining inbreeding via pedigree or genomic relationships in the real data. CONCLUSIONS: The use of genomic estimated breeding values increased genetic gain in optimal contribution selection. Genomic estimated breeding values were more accurate and showed more within-family variation, which led to higher genetic gains for the same restriction on inbreeding. Using genomic relationships to restrict inbreeding provided no additional gain, except in the case of very large full-sib families