Adoption and Use of Improved Maize by Small-Scale Farmers in Southeast Guatemala

This report is based on a study of the adoption and use of improved open-pollinated varieties and hybrids by small-scale farmers in the Department of Jutiapa, Guatemala. The majority of maize producers in Guatemala are small-scale subsistence farmers. Approximately 60% of the basic grains produced in the country are grown on farms that are too small to satisfy the basic nutritional needs of a typical family (5-6 persons). Increasing yields through the use of new technologies is seen as a critical step to ensuring adequate nutrition and increasing farmer income in the area. The study, conducted in June and July 1991, randomly surveyed 208 farmers in 18 municipalities of Jutiapa, apportioned according to the number of farms in each municipality. There was particular interest in assessing the impact of the Project of Generation and Transfer of Agricultural Technology and Seed Production (PROGETTAPS), which was launched in 1986 by the Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnolog�a Agr�colas (ICTA) and the General Directorate of Agricultural Services (DIGESA) with the goal of increasing small-scale farmers access to improved seeds. Study findings reveal a complex pattern of seed use in Jutiapa. Although the farmers there use several types of local and improved maize seed, they seem to prefer and use the local variety known as Arriquin, as well as two improved materials: an open-pollinated variety (B-1) and a hybrid (H-5). The reported forms of acquisition and preferences indicate that most of the farmers use the same material from 1 to 3 sowing seasons. Yield gains and relative prices, two important factors determining the profitability of adoption of new varieties, are adequate. By changing from their local varieties to OPVs and hybrids, farmers most likely can expect yield increases ranging from 35% to 70%. The decision to use improved materials in part or all of the area cropped with maize is associated with a change in the maize cropping system. Results suggest that farmers that sow a plot of maize in monoculture tend to plant the entire area with improved seed, particularly with hybrids. Results also show that the size of the family, taken together with the cropping system, is an important factor influencing the probability of full adoption, particularly of hybrid materials. The findings indicate that the probability of using hybrid materials, either in part or all of a cropped area, increases with farm size. Importantly, results from the estimating model confirmed the trend observed at the aggregate level. PROGETTAPS had a significant impact on the adoption of OPVs in Jutiapa. Farmers that have experience with PROGETTAPS are more likely to adopt OPVs than those who do not have contact with it. Furthermore, the probability of adoption increases with the years of association farmers have had with the program.Crop Production/Industries,

An Economic Analysis of the Abonera Maize Production System in the Atlantic Coast of Honduras

This paper compares the economics of the abonera maize production system, in which maize is grown in rotation with a green manure crop (velvetbean, Mucuna deeringiana), with traditional bush-fallow cultivation of maize in the Atlantic Coast area of Honduras. A probabilistic cost-benefit analysis of introducing velvetbean into the existing maize cropping pattern is carried out for the field, farm, and regional level. The probabilistic approach allows for a more comprehensive assessment of economic profitability, one which recognizes that farmers are interested in reducing production risk as well as obtaining increases in average net benefits. The analysis reveals that the abonera system provides significant returns to land and family labor over the six-year life cycle. The abonera is not only more profitable than the bush-fallow system but reduces the variability in economic returns, making second-season maize a less risky production alternative. Although the labor requirement per unit of land is smaller in the abonera system than that in the bush-fallow system, the larger area allocated to maize implies a net increase in labor requirements at the farm level. At the regional level, widespread adoption of the abonera system appears to have increased the importance of the second season in total maize production. Although a causal link to adoption of the abonera system cannot be established conclusively from the data, adoption of the system remains a likely explanation for the changes observed in aggregate maize production in the Atlantic Coast region. Land rental prices for sowing second-season maize also reflect the widespread impact of the abonera system.Crop Production/Industries,

A complete characterization of Birkhoff-James orthogonality in infinite dimensional normed space

In this paper, we study Birkhoff-James orthogonality of bounded linear operators and give a complete characterization of Birkhoff-James orthogonality of bounded linear operators on infinite dimensional real normed linear spaces. As an application of the results obtained, we prove a simple but useful characterization of Birkhoff-James orthogonality of bounded linear functionals defined on a real normed linear space, provided the dual space is strictly convex. We also provide separate necessary and sufficient conditions for smoothness of bounded linear operators on infinite dimensional normed linear spaces

Challenges in Insurance Industry

How is possible to manage many numerous risks, in order to achieve human as well as environmental wellbeing, and to form modern insurance industry? This issue is very modern and it requires rational answers. Also, this is field of scientific research. Research results are commonly used by law regulative as row model for the profession and practice. Is mentioned line we can identify challenges in insurance sector. What are the characteristics of these challenges in developed and developing countries? What is the behavior of countries that are liders and those that are not? What are financial components, and what are social and personal effects of the modern insurance industry development? Insurance sector always has its own clear mission: to achieve as high as possible level of spiritual and material safety of the person insured. The vision should be achieving as high as possible level of spiritual and material safety of the person insured in real environment. Mission and vision of the insurance continuously transformed industry from everyday human activity to modern industry. This trend can not be stopped, because we are able to identify more and more risks every day and their identification, processing and management is more challenging. Two components are very important: financial and social. Developed countries formed the insurance industry as powerful and respectful sector that is important part of financial market. Its users are hundreds of millions of citizens and companies. Financial effects of life insurance are much higher that those of non-life. Developing countries has no alternative than to follow, as quickly as they can, the developed countries path. That should make easier building own insurance industry. Globalization, controlled liberalization and all migration movements are additional and unavoidable factors that support insurance challenges. What is the suggestion for small, not enough developed countries as Bosnia and Herzegovina or all countries of ex-Yugoslavia? Basic scientific truths in this field are continuous: probability theory and great numbers law, actuarial calculus based on relevant empiric research. Insurance challenges start with actuarial calculus and data needed. That follows portfolio formulation and investment of temporarily available funds. That means participation of insurance companies at financial markets as financial intermediates. How these challenges are present and how is possible to manage them in insurance sector of developed and developing countries as Bosnia and Herzegovina?insurance, risks, developed countries, developing countries