INFLUENCE OF TRANSACTION COSTS ON CHOICE OF MARKETING OUTLETS AMONG SMALLHOLDER PEACH FARMERS IN LESOTHO

Peach ( Prunus persica ) production is a major agro-economic activity in Lesotho. However, most smallholder peach farmers in Lesotho still fail to reap the benefits that are in line with peach commercialization. This is because of high transaction costs, which vary along with different peach marketing outlets. This study was conducted to determine the influence of transaction costs on the choice of marketing outlets of peaches in Lesotho. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 90 respondents for this study. Cross-sectional data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. A Multivariate probit model was used to analyse transaction costs influencing the choice of marketing outlets among smallholder peach farmers. The study revealed that gender and communication costs positively influenced the choice of farm gate; while the time taken to reach other outlets and average monthly income negatively influenced the choice of farm gate outlets. Sorting, grading and communication costs negatively impacted the local market; whereas, the average monthly income positively influenced it. Household size influenced farmers\u2019 export market choice negatively. Evidence from the results suggests that the improvement of roads and communication infrastructure could enhance farmers\u2019 income through the proper selection of marketing outlets. Access to market information regarding both distance and the time taken to reach each of the outlets should also be improved.La production de p\ueache ( Prunus persica ) est une activit\ue9 agro-\ue9conomique majeure au Lesotho. Cependant, la plupart des petits exploitants de p\ueaches au Lesotho ne parviennent toujours pas \ue0 r\ue9colter les avantages qui sont en ligne avec la commercialisation des p\ueaches. Cela est d\ufb aux co\ufbts de transaction \ue9lev\ue9s, qui varient en fonction des diff\ue9rents points de vente de p\ueache. Cette \ue9tude a \ue9t\ue9 men\ue9e pour d\ue9terminer l\u2019influence des co\ufbts de transaction sur le choix des d\ue9bouch\ue9s commerciaux des p\ueaches au Lesotho. Une technique d\u2019\ue9chantillonnage \ue0 plusieurs degr\ue9s a \ue9t\ue9 utilis\ue9e pour s\ue9lectionner 90 r\ue9pondants pour cette \ue9tude. Les donn\ue9es transversales ont \ue9t\ue9 collect\ue9es \ue0 l\u2019aide d\u2019un questionnaire semi-structur\ue9. Un mod\ue8le probit multivari\ue9 a ensuite \ue9t\ue9 utilis\ue9 pour analyser les co\ufbts de transaction influen\ue7ant le choix des d\ue9bouch\ue9s commerciaux parmi les petits exploitants de p\ueaches. L\u2019\ue9tude a r\ue9v\ue9l\ue9 que le sexe et les co\ufbts de communication ont eu une influence positive sur le choix de la ferme; tandis que le temps n\ue9cessaire pour atteindre d\u2019autres points de vente et le revenu mensuel moyen ont influenc\ue9 n\ue9gativement le choix du point de vente \ue0 la ferme. Tri, classement et les co\ufbts de communication ont eu un impact n\ue9gatif sur le march\ue9 local; tandis que le revenu mensuel moyen l\u2019a influenc\ue9 positivement. La taille des m\ue9nages a influenc\ue9 n\ue9gativement le choix du march\ue9 d\u2019exportation des agriculteurs. Les r\ue9sultats des r\ue9sultats sugg\ue8rent que l\u2019am\ue9lioration des routes et des infrastructures de communication pourrait am\ue9liorer les revenus des agriculteurs gr\ue2ce \ue0 une s\ue9lection appropri\ue9e des d\ue9bouch\ue9s commerciaux. L\u2019acc\ue8s aux informations du march\ue9 concernant \ue0 la fois la distance et le temps n\ue9cessaire pour atteindre chacun des points de vente devrait \ue9galement \ueatre am\ue9lior\ue9

Hexagonal boron nitride-carbon nanotube hybrid network structure for enhanced thermal, mechanical and electrical properties of polyimide nanocomposites

This study suggests the simple and effective synthesis method of chemically interconnected hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN)–carbon nanotubes (CNTs) hybrid materials (BN–Fe-CNT) with aminosilane functionalized iron oxide nanoparticles (NH2–Fe) via amide bond formations. Synthesized BN-Fe-CNT was acting as an effective filler that enhanced the mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties of polyimide (PI) nanocomposites and accelerated polycondensation reaction of poly(amic acid) (PAA) due to its high thermal conductivity and heat diffusivity. At a 2 wt% filler reinforcement, the in-plane thermal conductivity of the BN-Fe-CNT/PI reached 15 W m−1 K−1 at 200 °C, which represents an enhancement of approximately 11430% compared to that of pure PI. Moreover, thermal stability was enhanced from 400 °C to 570 °C. Furthermore, the connected CNTs between the individual h-BN produced electron pathways through the PI matrix, with the BN-Fe-CNT/PI exhibiting 106 times higher electrical conductivity than that of pure PI. The results in this study clearly suggested that the BN-Fe-CNT could be applicable as an effective multi-functional reinforcement in the fabrication of lightweight polymer nanocomposites with superior mechanical properties, high thermal properties, and high electrical conductivities18

Developing a sustainability science approach for water systems

We convened a workshop to enable scientists who study water systems from both social science and physical science perspectives to develop a shared language. This shared language is necessary to bridge a divide between these disciplines’ different conceptual frameworks. As a result of this workshop, we argue that we should view socio-hydrological systems as structurally co-constituted of social, engineered, and natural elements and study the “characteristic management challenges” that emerge from this structure and reoccur across time, space, and socioeconomic contexts. This approach is in contrast to theories that view these systems as separately conceptualized natural and social domains connected by bi-directional feedbacks, as is prevalent in much of the water systems research arising from the physical sciences. A focus on emergent characteristic management challenges encourages us to go beyond searching for evidence of feedbacks and instead ask questions such as: What types of innovations have successfully been used to address these challenges? What structural components of the system affect its resilience to hydrological events and through what mechanisms? Are there differences between successful and unsuccessful strategies to solve one of the characteristic management challenges? If so, how are these differences affected by institutional structure and ecological and economic contexts? To answer these questions, social processes must now take center stage in the study and practice of water management. We also argue that water systems are an important class of coupled systems with relevance for sustainability science because they are particularly amenable to the kinds of systematic comparisons that allow knowledge to accumulate. Indeed, the characteristic management challenges we identify are few in number and recur over most of human history and in most geographical locations. This recurrence should allow us to accumulate knowledge to answer the above questions by studying the long historical record of institutional innovations to manage water systems

Developing a sustainability science approach for water systems

We convened a workshop to enable scientists who study water systems from both social science and physical science perspectives to develop a shared language. This shared language is necessary to bridge a divide between these disciplines’ different conceptual frameworks. As a result of this workshop, we argue that we should view socio-hydrological systems as structurally co-constituted of social, engineered, and natural elements and study the “characteristic management challenges” that emerge from this structure and reoccur across time, space, and socioeconomic contexts. This approach is in contrast to theories that view these systems as separately conceptualized natural and social domains connected by bi-directional feedbacks, as is prevalent in much of the water systems research arising from the physical sciences. A focus on emergent characteristic management challenges encourages us to go beyond searching for evidence of feedbacks and instead ask questions such as: What types of innovations have successfully been used to address these challenges? What structural components of the system affect its resilience to hydrological events and through what mechanisms? Are there differences between successful and unsuccessful strategies to solve one of the characteristic management challenges? If so, how are these differences affected by institutional structure and ecological and economic contexts? To answer these questions, social processes must now take center stage in the study and practice of water management. We also argue that water systems are an important class of coupled systems with relevance for sustainability science because they are particularly amenable to the kinds of systematic comparisons that allow knowledge to accumulate. Indeed, the characteristic management challenges we identify are few in number and recur over most of human history and in most geographical locations. This recurrence should allow us to accumulate knowledge to answer the above questions by studying the long historical record of institutional innovations to manage water systems