Effect of Liberalization on Institutional Agricultural Credit Flow and its Relationship with Average Cost of Cultivation in Indian Agriculture

This paper has examined (i) the nature and extent of inter-state disparities in per hectare flow of short-term institutional credit to agriculture, and (ii) its relationship with average cost of cultivation across states. It has covered all the six regions of the country comprising seventeen agriculturally most important states having about 96 per cent agricultural land in the country. It has revealed that inter-regional disparities in per hectare flow of institutional credit as measured through coefficient of variation (CV) had increased during the pre-liberalization period between 1980-81 and 1990-91. During the post-liberalization era (1991-92 to 2001-02), the inter-regional disparities have reduced. The per hectare institutional credit flow has shown that in most of the states across the country the coverage has increased though in different degrees during the post-liberalization stage over the pre-liberalization period. But, the coverage has still remained very low (below 20 per cent of cost of cultivation), except in the four states of southern region and Punjab and Himachal Pradesh in the northern region in 2001-02.Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries,

An Assessment of Risk Attitude of Dairy Farmers in Uttaranchal (India)

The study was carried out in the Tarai area of Uttaranchal state to (i) identify the sources of risks perceived to be relevant by the farmers, (ii) examine farmers risk attitude, (iii) identify the factors that affect risk attitudes and (iv) evaluate the relative importance of different risk management strategies. Adverse effect on family health was perceived as a major source of risk by the dairy farmers, indicating the crucial role that surplus family labour plays in dairy farming in India. Lack of institutional support in dairying was also perceived to be a major source risk. Farmers risk attitude was measured using an attitudinal scale approach. The attitudinal scale consisted of a series of different risk management strategies and the farmers attitude was measured by his rating of each of those strategies. The analysis establishes a refined 22-item scale that can be applied by researchers to measure the risk attitude of dairy farm ers in Indian context. The refined scale has high degree of reliability as farmers responses to the items of the scale revealed a communal variation of 85%, which is higher than the minimally acceptable range of 65% to 70%. The study further revealed slight degree of risk aversion among farmers as revealed by the adoption such risk management tools like vaccinating the animals, calling a veterinarian, prevention of illness, maintaining hygienic conditions, and feeding adequate concentrates. Hence, there is a strong tendency on the part of the farmers to mitigate the production risks at farm level by adapting appropriate measures. But, a certain degree of risk taking behaviour was also seen in regard to certain risk management tools, especially livestock insurance. Regression analysis to ascertain relationship between socio-economic factors with risk attitudes, revealed largely insignificant influence of the variables considered in the study. Herd size and hours spent in off-farm work showed negative and significant impact upon the risk attitude score. Number of dependents showed significant and positive relationship with the total score. The variables included in the study explained 54.5 per cent of variation in risk attitude score. As regards to relative importance of different risk management tools, carrying adequate cash reserve was cited by the farmers as relevant, which is against the general perception that Indian farmers, mostly being subsistent can not afford to hold cash reserve to meet future crisis.Livestock Production/Industries,

Natural nitrification inhibitors for higher nitrogen use efficiency, crop yield, and for curtailing global warming

Nitrification inhibitors selectively inhibit microbial enzymes responsible for the conversion of NH4+ to NO3-. Arresting nitrification could be a key strategy to improve nitrogen (N) recovery and agronomic N use efficiency in situations where the loss of N is significant. Although chemicals known to inhibit nitrifiers have been tested, many of these are still at the experimental level; high cost, limited availability, adverse influence on beneficial soil microorganisms, and above all, poor extension and promotional activities are major constraints in this respect. It is therefore necessary to develop plant-based nitrification inhibitors (natural nitrification inhibitors, NNI) for augmenting nitrogen use efficiency, crop productivity, and for safeguarding the environment. The advantages of NNI are that they are easily available, cheap, and eco-friendly. This paper briefly reviews the different aspects of plant-based nitrification retarder

Dynamic Analysis of Unidirectional Pressure Infiltration of Porous Preforms by Pure Metals

Unidirectional pressure infiltration of porous preforms by molten metals is investigated numerically. A phenomenological model to describe fluid flow and transport phenomena during infiltration of fibrous preforms by a metal is formulated. The model describes the dynamics of the infiltration process, the temperature distribution, and solid fraction distribution. The numerical results are compared against classical asymptotic analyses and experimental results. This comparison shows that end effects may become important and render asymptotic results unreliable for realistic samples. Fiber volume fraction and initial temperature appear as the factors most strongly influencing infiltration. Metal superheating affects not only the length of the two-phase zone but also the solid fraction distribution in the two-phase zone. The effect of constant applied pressure, although significant on the infiltration velocity, is almost negligible on the two-phase zone length and on solid fraction distribution. When the initial preform temperature is below the metal melting point, and constant pressure is applied under adiabatic conditions, the flow ceases when sufficient solidification occurs to obstruct it. A comparison with literature experiments proves the model to be an efficient predictive tool in the analysis of infiltration processes for different preform/melt systems

The Cholecystectomy As A Day Case (CAAD) Score: A Validated Score of Preoperative Predictors of Successful Day-Case Cholecystectomy Using the CholeS Data Set

Background Day-case surgery is associated with significant patient and cost benefits. However, only 43% of cholecystectomy patients are discharged home the same day. One hypothesis is day-case cholecystectomy rates, defined as patients discharged the same day as their operation, may be improved by better assessment of patients using standard preoperative variables. Methods Data were extracted from a prospectively collected data set of cholecystectomy patients from 166 UK and Irish hospitals (CholeS). Cholecystectomies performed as elective procedures were divided into main (75%) and validation (25%) data sets. Preoperative predictors were identified, and a risk score of failed day case was devised using multivariate logistic regression. Receiver operating curve analysis was used to validate the score in the validation data set. Results Of the 7426 elective cholecystectomies performed, 49% of these were discharged home the same day. Same-day discharge following cholecystectomy was less likely with older patients (OR 0.18, 95% CI 0.15–0.23), higher ASA scores (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.15–0.23), complicated cholelithiasis (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.48), male gender (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.58–0.74), previous acute gallstone-related admissions (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.48–0.60) and preoperative endoscopic intervention (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.34–0.47). The CAAD score was developed using these variables. When applied to the validation subgroup, a CAAD score of ≤5 was associated with 80.8% successful day-case cholecystectomy compared with 19.2% associated with a CAAD score >5 (p < 0.001). Conclusions The CAAD score which utilises data readily available from clinic letters and electronic sources can predict same-day discharges following cholecystectomy