An Analysis of Scope Economies and Specialisation Efficiencies Among Thai Shrimp and Rice Smallholders

Smallholders increasingly combine shrimp culture with the more traditional rice enterprise in regions of Thailand suitable for raising shrimps. They can exploit cost complementarities in production by combining activities in these enterprises within their farming systems. At the same time, it makes them more susceptible to on-farm negative externalities between rice and shrimp production, in both directions, causing scope diseconomies. A stochastic input distance model is estimated using data on shrimp and rice production by 52 smallholder households. Results from the estimated model are used to establish whether scope economies or diseconomies exist and whether specialisation in either shrimp or rice production significantly influences technical efficiency on the sampled smallholdings. Significant scope economies were found to exist between the two enterprises among best-practice smallholders but they were offset by diversification inefficiencies beneath the frontier. Hence, specialisation in one of the two enterprises has two effects on productivity that operate in opposite directions. The first effect is a negative impact on productivity via loss of scope economies. The second effect is an increase in productivity by reaping specialisation efficiencies or, put another way, avoidance of diversification inefficiencies. If on-farm negative externalities between rice and shrimp production do exist, they appear to be strongly outweighed by cost complementarities on the frontier. It is likely that 'best-practice' smallholders are able to 'internalise' the negative externalities in both directions to a substantial degree. They achieve this 'internalisation' by regular use of fresh water in a semi-closed pond system of shrimp production that minimises pond contamination and protects them from the activities of surrounding producers who discharge effluent into the waterways or whose shrimp suffer from diseases. In addition to the degree of enterprise specialisation, the level of schooling of the household head and the tenure system in shrimp and rice production were identified as variables that significantly influence technical inefficiency. As expected, higher education is associated with lower technical inefficiency. Tenancy is also associated with lower technical inefficiency. Results indicate that a small but significant level of technical inefficiency exists, which means there is limited opportunity to expand crop output without resort to greater use of factor inputs or the introduction of improved production technologies.scope economies, specialisation efficiencies, input distance function, Thailand, smallholders, technical efficiency, Crop Production/Industries, Farm Management, Livestock Production/Industries,

Risk factors for the onset and persistence of neck pain in undergraduate students: 1-year prospective cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although neck pain is common in young adulthood, studies on predictive factors for its onset and persistence are scarce. It is therefore important to identify possible risk factors among young adults so as to prevent the development of neck pain later in life.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A prospective study was carried out in healthy undergraduate students. At baseline, a self-administered questionnaire and standardized physical examination were used to collect data on biopsychosocial factors. At 3, 6, 9, and 12 months thereafter, follow-up data were collected on the incidence of neck pain. Those who reported neck pain on ≥ 2 consecutive follow-ups were categorized as having persistent neck pain. Two regression models were built to analyze risk factors for the onset and persistence of neck pain.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among the recruited sample of 684 students, 46% reported the onset of neck pain between baseline and 1-year follow-up, of whom 33% reported persistent neck pain. The onset of neck pain was associated with computer screen position not being level with the eyes and mouse position being self-rated as suitable. Factors that predicted persistence of neck pain were position of the keyboard being too high, use of computer for entertainment < 70% of total computer usage time, and students being in the second year of their studies.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Neck pain is quite common among undergraduate students. This study found very few proposed risk factors that predicted onset and persistence of neck pain. The future health of undergraduate students deserves consideration. However, there is still much uncertainty about factors leading to neck pain and more research is needed on this topic.</p

Econometric analysis on economies of scale: An application to rice and shrimp production in Thailand

Shrimp production in Thailand has historically been undertaken in the saline and brackish waters of coastal mangroves. In recent years rising demand and prices for shrimp and falling productivity of mangrove areas have motivated an expansion of shrimp production into the fresh-water margins of river estuaries that were previously used for rice cultivation. Generalised additive models, which offer a comprehensive approach to regression analysis, are mainly used for empirical analysis, and model development and specification for rice and shrimp production in this study. This paper presents a brief introduction to generalised additive models, discusses how they are applied to develop cost functions to satisfy the restriction of production theory, and describes a comparative economic analysis of shrimp and rice production. A final result was found that rice production is characterised by constant returns to scale, and shrimp production by increasing returns to scale. On this basis it was concluded that shrimp production will continue to expand in the fresh-water areas, displacing rice production and exacerbating environmental problems

Coping Strategies against El Nino-Induced Climatic Risk: Case of Northeast Thailand

This second phase of the study is expected to produce actual and accurate information concerning socio-economic information and measures to cope with the El Nino effects at the farm level. Evidence of abnormal weather was apparent in Thailand in 2001 when the rain was less than the previous years' and the high temperatures were from January to March 2002. However, the rain came early in May 2002. Thus, the period of 2001 is suitable to represent an abnormal year for the study of the second phase of the project. The objectives of the second phase are to analyze and evaluate drought impacts at farm-household level, farmer's responses and government measures to overcome the problems. The research was conducted in two different provinces, namely Lop Buri in the Central Plains and Nakhon Ratchasima in the Northeast Plateau, where the effects of abnormal weather were experienced in 2001. The emphasis of this study is on production, cropping systems, household characteristics, farmer's attitudes toward measures and mechanisms to solve the problems, and food security at household and community levels

Coping Strategies against El Nino-Induced Climatic Risk: Case of Northeast Thailand

This second phase of the study is expected to produce actual and accurate information concerning socio-economic information and measures to cope with the El Nino effects at the farm level. Evidence of abnormal weather was apparent in Thailand in 2001 when the rain was less than the previous years' and the high temperatures were from January to March 2002. However, the rain came early in May 2002. Thus, the period of 2001 is suitable to represent an abnormal year for the study of the second phase of the project. The objectives of the second phase are to analyze and evaluate drought impacts at farm-household level, farmer's responses and government measures to overcome the problems. The research was conducted in two different provinces, namely Lop Buri in the Central Plains and Nakhon Ratchasima in the Northeast Plateau, where the effects of abnormal weather were experienced in 2001. The emphasis of this study is on production, cropping systems, household characteristics, farmer's attitudes toward measures and mechanisms to solve the problems, and food security at household and community levels.drought, climatic change, agriculture, Environmental Economics and Policy,

Stabilization of Upland Agriculture under El Nino-Induced Climate Risk: Impact Assessment and Mitigation Measures in Thailand

This study focused on the impacts on vulnerable areas in five provinces and five regions in Thailand. The findings indicated that events caused by El Nino induced weather changes had some impacts on the stabilization of upland agriculture in those vulnerable areas. Broadly speaking, severe drought and a long period of water shortages were experienced by some of the vulnerable areas in Northeast and Central Thailand. Some areas experienced a decrease of corn yield while others experienced complete failure of field corn, sorghum, sugarcane, peanut and mungbean. The impacts of El Nino on the social and economic conditions of Thailand's vulnerable areas were an occurrence of labour mobilization, and weaknesses in purchasing power and loan repayment abilities of the farmers. Although Thailand has no policies and measures for coping directly with events caused by El Nino, there have been existing policies and measures of effectively coping with normal droughts and floods that frequently occur. These effective policies and measures are national risk awareness and warning, reforestation and afforestation, water resource management, crop diversification, mixed farm systems, integrated farming and self-sufficient farming. For the future, policies and mitigation measures should be generated based on the following characteristics. They should be favorable to the increase in the participation rate of any community and communal administrative organization concerned as all for each and each for all. Moreover, they should be favorable to the stability and sustainability of on-farm productivity and the increase of the use of agricultural and forest by-products instead of fossil fuels. In addition, the policies should be favorable to the reinforcement of the national food security and the betterment of physical, biological, economic, and social environments. The stability of bio-diversity, prevention of soil erosion and shallowness of water sources are also focused upon

Rice versus Shrimp Production in Thailand: Is There Really a Conflict?

Shrimp farming in Thailand has had disastrous effects on the environment in the past, which has prompted a government ban on shrimp production in inland areas. However, a new low-salinity shrimp farming system has developed that seems to have fewer disease and environmental problems than previous systems but competes with rice production for land and water resources. The present study found that shrimp farming exhibits increasing returns to scale and is much more profitable than rice farming, which offers opportunities for rice farmers to improve their incomes through diversification. No evidence was found for external environmental effects of shrimp production on rice production or vice versa. A total ban on shrimp production in rice farming areas does not seem justified, although further analysis on the environmental effects of this farming system is warranted

Stabilization of Upland Agriculture under El Nino-Induced Climate Risk: Impact Assessment and Mitigation Measures in Thailand

This study focused on the impacts on vulnerable areas in five provinces and five regions in Thailand. The findings indicated that events caused by El Nino induced weather changes had some impacts on the stabilization of upland agriculture in those vulnerable areas. Broadly speaking, severe drought and a long period of water shortages were experienced by some of the vulnerable areas in Northeast and Central Thailand. Some areas experienced a decrease of corn yield while others experienced complete failure of field corn, sorghum, sugarcane, peanut and mungbean. The impacts of El Nino on the social and economic conditions of Thailand's vulnerable areas were an occurrence of labour mobilization, and weaknesses in purchasing power and loan repayment abilities of the farmers. Although Thailand has no policies and measures for coping directly with events caused by El Nino, there have been existing policies and measures of effectively coping with normal droughts and floods that frequently occur. These effective policies and measures are national risk awareness and warning, reforestation and afforestation, water resource management, crop diversification, mixed farm systems, integrated farming and self-sufficient farming. For the future, policies and mitigation measures should be generated based on the following characteristics. They should be favorable to the increase in the participation rate of any community and communal administrative organization concerned as all for each and each for all. Moreover, they should be favorable to the stability and sustainability of on-farm productivity and the increase of the use of agricultural and forest by-products instead of fossil fuels. In addition, the policies should be favorable to the reinforcement of the national food security and the betterment of physical, biological, economic, and social environments. The stability of bio-diversity, prevention of soil erosion and shallowness of water sources are also focused upon.climatic change, upland areas, environmental policies, Environmental Economics and Policy,