IN SITU CONSERVATION OF CROP GENETIC RESOURCES IN A CENTER OF DIVERSITY

The purpose of this paper is to model farmer behavior with respect to in situ conservation, extending the existing literature beyond competition within the principal crop to encompass a broader definition of on-farm diversity and testing the hypothesis that factors affecting the principal crop explain overall crop diversity on the farm . Primary survey data is used from a rural area of Puebla state, Mexico. A Poisson regression is run on the total number of species in the milpa system as explained by cultural, agricultural and economic variables. A set of Poisson regressions, one for each crop group, is run in order test whether factors affect different crops in different ways. Policy implication of the findings are discussed for an in situ conservation program.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Costing the ex situ conservation of genetic resources: maize and wheat at CIMMYT

Worldwide, the number of genebanks and the amount of seed stored in them has increased substantially over the past few decades. Most attention is focused on the likely benefits from conservation, but conserving germplasm involves costs whose nature and magnitude are largely unknown. In this paper we compile and use a set of cost data for wheat and maize stored in the CIMMYT genebank to address a number of questions. What is the cost of storing an accession of either crop for one more year, or, equivalently what is the benefit in terms of cost savings from eliminating duplicate accessions from the genebank? Relatedly, what is the cost from introducing a new accession into the genebank, given the decision to store it is revisited after one year? Does it make economic sense for CIMMYT to discard accessions that may be available elsewhere? As an extension of this line of inquiry it is possible to value the benefits from either consolidating genebanks or at least networking existing banks to reduce or eliminate duplicate holdings not needed for backup safety purposes. We present estimates of the size and scale economies evident in the CIMMYT operation as a basis for assessing the economics of consolidation. Genebanks represent a commitment to conserve seeds for the very long-run. In this study we report on these long-run costs for the CIMMYT genebank costs that are sensitive to the interest rate used and the protocols for periodically replenishing accessions that are shared with others or regenerating accessions whose viability gradually diminishes with age.Germplasm conservation., Gene banks, Plant., Maize Breeding., Wheat Breeding., Rate of return.,

A Picture of the Research Field of Doctoral Education from the Students’ Perspectives : Studies Using Questionnaires and Scales

Peer reviewe

IN SITU CONSERVATION OF CROP GENETIC RESOURCES IN THE MEXICAN MILPA SYSTEM

This dissertation focuses on the theoretical modeling and empirical testing of household motivations for the in situ conservation of crop genetic resources (CGR). An original household survey is used to test whether the household diversity outcomes are different for the cropping system as a whole, for the principal crop, maize, or for the secondary crops, beans and squash. Agro-ecological characteristics and market characteristics are found to significantly affect the levels of diversity maintained by households. A review of the economic literature relevant to modeling in situ conservation is presented. A theoretical model is developed in which a household's decision to plant a milpa variety is linked to household, agro-ecological, and market variables. A household farm model appropriate to CGR conservation is presented, and extended to the case of missing markets. The agricultural ecology of the Sierra Norte de Puebla is described, as well as the principal CGR in the milpa system. The empirical methodology uses a Poisson regression, for the total number of crop varieties and for each crop group separately. The econometric work is extended to a hurdle model for sample selection, and a SUR model utilizing a Shannon diversity index as a linear measure of diversity. The results from the regressions of household level diversity show that a range of household, village, environmental, and market conditions affect the diversity outcomes. Market integration, measured by distance to a regional market, use of hired labor, and international migration, were found to negatively affect diversity outcomes. Agro-ecological conditions, measured by the number of plots, plots with different slopes, and the high altitude region, all were found to positively increase household diversity outcomes. The econometric findings were different for the combined milpa system than individual crops, and individual crops were affected by different factors. The principal crop, maize, seems mainly affected by the agro-ecological characteristics, while the levels of market integration are found to affect the minor crops, beans and squash. Conclusions are presented on the links between this study and conservation planning issues, and possible directions for future research are discussed

IN SITU CONSERVATION OF CROP GENETIC RESOURCES IN A CENTER OF DIVERSITY

The purpose of this paper is to model farmer behavior with respect to in situ conservation, extending the existing literature beyond competition within the principal crop to encompass a broader definition of on-farm diversity and testing the hypothesis that factors affecting the principal crop explain overall crop diversity on the farm . Primary survey data is used from a rural area of Puebla state, Mexico. A Poisson regression is run on the total number of species in the milpa system as explained by cultural, agricultural and economic variables. A set of Poisson regressions, one for each crop group, is run in order test whether factors affect different crops in different ways. Policy implication of the findings are discussed for an in situ conservation program

ISSUES IN THE RELEASE OF TRANSGENIC CROPS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: THE MEXICAN CASE STUDY

Crop Production/Industries,

On farm conservation of rice biodiversity in Nepal

This paper presents an empirical case study about farmer management of rice genetic resources in two communities of Nepal, drawing on interdisciplinary, participatory research that involved farmers, plant breeders, and social scientists. The decision-making process of farm households is modeled and estimated in order to provide information for the design of community-based conservation programs. A bivariate model with sample selection treats the simultaneous process of whether farmers decide to plant landraces or modern varieties, and whether the landraces they choose to plant constitute genetic diversity of interest for future crop improvement. Findings show that the two landrace choices are affected by different social and economic factors, indicating that they are separate decision processes. Policies to promote the conservation of local rice diversity will need to take both processes into account. Fitted equations are then used to compare the likelihood that households targeted for conservation according to one set of conservation criteria also meet other conservation criteria. Households most likely to plant landraces identified as important for crop improvement also grow richer, more spatially diverse rice varieties. In these communities, few policy trade-offs would result from employing one set of criteria instead of the other

On Farm Conservation of Rice Biodiversity in Nepal: A Simultaneous Estimation Approach

This paper presents an empirical case study about farmer management of rice genetic resources in two communities of Nepal, drawing on interdisciplinary, participatory research that involved farmers, rice geneticists, and social scientists. The decision-making process of farm households is modelled and estimated in order to provide information for the design of community-based conservation programs. A bivariate model with sample selection treats the simultaneous process of whether farmers decide to plant landraces or modern varieties, and whether the landraces they choose to plant constitute genetic diversity of interest for future crop improvement. Findings show that the two landrace choices are affected by different social and economic factors. The estimation procedure demonstrates that in certain cases, however, the decision processes are interrelated. Policies to promote the conservation of local rice diversity will need to take both processes into account. Fitted equations are then used to compare the likelihood that households targeted for conservation according to one set of conservation criteria also meet other conservation criteria. Households most likely to plant landraces identified as important for crop improvement also grow richer, more spatially diverse rice varieties. In these communities, few policy trade-offs would result from employing one set of criteria instead of the other