Foreign Exchange Rationing and Wheat Markets in Ethiopia

In spite of remarkable growth in Ethiopia’s agricultural production and overall real incomes (GDP/capita) from 2004/05 to 2008/09, prices of major cereals (teff, maize, wheat and sorghum) have fluctuated sharply in both nominal and real terms. International prices of cereals also fluctuated widely, particularly between 2006 and 2008. However, the links between Ethiopia’s domestic cereal markets and the international market are by no means straightforward. Among the major staples, only wheat is imported or exported on a significant scale. And frequent changes in trade and macro-economic policies, movements in international prices and fluctuations in domestic production have at times eliminated incentives for private sector imports of wheat.From July 2005 to March 2007, private sector wheat imports were profitable and domestic wheat prices closely tracked import parity prices. Then, from April 2007 to May 2008, good domestic harvests coincided with increase international wheat prices, so private sector wheat imports were no longer profitable. Most recently, rationing of foreign exchange for imports effectively stopped private sector wheat imports beginning in about April 2008. Partial equilibrium analysis shows, however, that government imports and sales in 2008-09 effectively increased domestic supply and lowered market wheat prices. These sales at the low official price also implied that recipient households, traders and flour mills enjoyed a significant subsidy. Allowing the private sector access to foreign exchange for wheat imports or auctioning government wheat imports in domestic markets would eliminate these rents and generate additional government revenue, while having the same effect on market prices as government subsidized sales.Keywords: Exchange Rate Policy, Agricultural Trade, Price Stabilization, Food Polic

Rice markets in Madagascar in disarray : Policy options for increased efficiency and price stabilization. Washington, World Bank.

Faced with a production shortfall in early 2004 and a sharp rise in the price of imported rice due to a depreciation of the Malagasy franc and a spike in international rice prices, Madagascar attempted to stabilize domestic rice prices through public tenders for rice imports and subsidized sales at official prices. This paper discusses the 2004 rice crisis, chronicling the events that triggered the crisis and the subsequent interventions by the government, and analyzes the impacts of the policies adopted and steps taken to spur development of the domestic rice market. Using a partial equilibrium model, the paper also quantifies the overall costs and benefits of a change in import duties for various household groups, and compares this intervention to a policy of targeted food transfers or security stocks. as well as other options for price stabilization, including a reduction in import duties and a security stock policy

Digital Transformation and Innovation in Business: the Impact of Strategic Alliances and Their Success Factors

The purpose of the article is to reveal the scientific approach that substantiates the impact of the creation of strategic alliances (SA) on the digital transformation of business and the development of their innovative power based on identified success factors. The aim was achieved using the following methods: abstract logic and typification (for classification of SA's success factors), generalization (to determine the peculiarities of SA's influence on their innovation development), analytical and ranking method (to determine the relationship between the dynamics creating of SA and the degree of acceleration of digital transformation), expert evaluation (to determine the degree of influence of SA success factors by business areas). Implementing a business-integrated approach to understanding digital transformation will accelerate implementation of innovation and organizational change, identifies future prospects for market, customer and business relationships, highlighting the importance of researching the factors that ensure their success. An alternative vision of SA’s success factors is suggested, which are determined by the possibilities the organization of partnerships and organizational culture, integration of business sectors, compatibility of management goals, external relevance, obtaining synergies. Innovation is considered by the authors as an integration factor that reconciles all groups of SA success factors, giving them the necessary focus to solve business problems. The results of the study show that the creation of SA has a significant impact on accelerating and changes priority of digital transformation of business areas involved in strategic partnerships, and the impact of SA on the development of their innovation power is crucial

Theoretical description of adiabatic laser alignment and mixed-field orientation: the need for a non-adiabatic model

We present a theoretical study of recent laser-alignment and mixed-field-orientation experiments of asymmetric top molecules. In these experiments, pendular states were created using linearly polarized strong ac electric fields from pulsed lasers in combination with weak electrostatic fields. We compare the outcome of our calculations with experimental results obtained for the prototypical large molecule benzonitrile (C$_7$H$_5$N) [J.L. Hansen et al, Phys. Rev. A, 83, 023406 (2011)] and explore the directional properties of the molecular ensemble for several field configurations, i.e., for various field strengths and angles between ac and dc fields. For perpendicular fields one obtains pure alignment, which is well reproduced by the simulations. For tilted fields, we show that a fully adiabatic description of the process does not reproduce the experimentally observed orientation, and it is mandatory to use a diabatic model for population transfer between rotational states. We develop such a model and compare its outcome to the experimental data confirming the importance of non-adiabatic processes in the field-dressed molecular dynamics.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figure

Factors that transformed maize productivity in Ethiopia

Published online: 26 July 2015Maize became increasingly important in the food security of Ethiopia following the major drought and famine that occurred in 1984. More than 9 million smallholder house- holds, more than for any other crop in the country, grow maize in Ethiopia at present. Ethiopia has doubled its maize produc- tivity and production in less than two decades. The yield, currently estimated at >3 metric tons/ha, is the second highest in Sub-Saharan Africa, after South Africa; yield gains for Ethiopia grew at an annual rate of 68 kg/ha between 1990 and 2013, only second to South Africa and greater than Mexico, China, or India. The maize area covered by improved varieties in Ethiopia grew from 14 % in 2004 to 40 % in 2013, and the application rate of mineral fertilizers from 16 to 34 kg/ ha during the same period. Ethiopia ’ s extension worker to farmer ratio is 1:476, compared to 1:1000 for Kenya, 1:1603 for Malawi and 1:2500 for Tanzania. Increased use of im- proved maize varieties and mineral fertilizers, coupled with increased extension services and the absence of devastating droughts are the key factors promoting the accelerated growth in maize productivity in Ethiopia. Ethiopia took a homegrown solutions approach to the research and development of its maize and other commodities. The lesson from Ethiopia ’ s experience with maize is that sustained investment in agricul- tural research and development and policy support by the national government are crucial for continued growth of agricultur

Dental status of children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in complex treatment process

Отримані результати свідчать про достатньо ефективну дію запропонованого лікувально-профілактичного комплексу, який включав препарати імуномодулючої, дезінтоксикаційної, протимікробної, антиоксидантної, мембраностабілізуючої та регулюючої мікробіоценоз дії, при стоматологічному лікуванні дітей 6-8 та 12-14 років з ювенільним ревматоїдним артритом. У дітей з даною патологією під дією лікувально-профілактичних заходів карієпрофілактична ефективність за 2 роки спостережень склала 40,7 % у 6-8 річних, а у 12-14 річних дітей – 45,1 %. Під дією лікувально-профілактичного комплексу у дітей з ювенільним ревматоїдним артритом суттєво покращились пародонтальні індекси (РМА, %, кровоточивості, проба Шиллера-Писарєва) та індекси гігієни порожнини рота (Silness-Loe і Stallard).The results obtained indicate a fairly effective action of the proposed treatment and prophylactic complex, which included drugs immunomodulating, detoxification, antimicrobial, antioxidant, membrane stabilizing and microbiocenosis regulating action in dental treatment children 6-8 and 12-14 years old with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. In children with this pathology under the influence of therapeutic and prophylactic measures caries prophylactic efficacy for 2 years of observation was 40.7% in 6-8-year-olds, and in 12-14-year-olds - 45.1%. Under the influence of treatment and prophylactic complex in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis significantly improved periodontal indices (PMA%, bleeding test, Schiller-Pisarev test) and oral hygiene indices (Silness-Loe and Stallard)

Population Distribution, Settlement Patterns and Accessibility across Africa in 2010

The spatial distribution of populations and settlements across a country and their interconnectivity and accessibility from urban areas are important for delivering healthcare, distributing resources and economic development. However, existing spatially explicit population data across Africa are generally based on outdated, low resolution input demographic data, and provide insufficient detail to quantify rural settlement patterns and, thus, accurately measure population concentration and accessibility. Here we outline approaches to developing a new high resolution population distribution dataset for Africa and analyse rural accessibility to population centers. Contemporary population count data were combined with detailed satellite-derived settlement extents to map population distributions across Africa at a finer spatial resolution than ever before. Substantial heterogeneity in settlement patterns, population concentration and spatial accessibility to major population centres is exhibited across the continent. In Africa, 90% of the population is concentrated in less than 21% of the land surface and the average per-person travel time to settlements of more than 50,000 inhabitants is around 3.5 hours, with Central and East Africa displaying the longest average travel times. The analyses highlight large inequities in access, the isolation of many rural populations and the challenges that exist between countries and regions in providing access to services. The datasets presented are freely available as part of the AfriPop project, providing an evidence base for guiding strategic decisions