Factors Influencing Selection of Information Sources by Cotton Producers Considering Adoption of Precision Agriculture Technologies

Acknowledgements: The authors thank Cotton Incorporated and the Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station for financial supportInformation source use decisions, Precision Agriculture Technologies, Extension, Media, Private sources, Multivariate Probit, Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession, Q12, Q16,

Factors Influencing the Selection of Precision Farming Information Sources by Cotton Producers

Precision farming information demanded by cotton producers is provided by various suppliers, including consultants, farm input dealerships, University Extension systems, and media sources. Factors associated with the decisions to select among information sources to search for precision farming information are analyzed using a multivariate probit regression accounting for correlation among the different selection decisions. Factors influencing these decisions are age, education, and income. These findings should be valuable to precision farming information providers who may be able to better meet their target clientele needs.Extension, information-source-use decisions, media, multivariate probit, precision agriculture technologies, private sources, Farm Management, Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,

Factors Influencing Cotton Farmers’ Perceptions about the Importance of Information Sources in Precision Farming Decisions

Information generated by precision farming technologies is of particular importance to producers. Precision farming technologies implies the ability to improve the management of production factors using site-specific information. This study examines factors influencing cotton farmers’ perceptions about the importance of crop consultants, farm input dealerships, Extension, other farmers, trade shows, the Internet and printed news/media for making precision farming decisions using a rank ordered logit model (ROLM). Results suggest that age, land tenure, income, percentage of income from farming, and location may affect farmers’ perceptions about the importance of different information sources when making decisions about precision farming technologies. Results suggest that regardless of farmer/farm business characteristics other farmers (OF) is one of the most important information sources when making precision farming decisions. Findings suggest that high income producers are more likely to prefer crop consultants, University/Extension, trade shows, and the Internet over OF as a source of information when making decisions about precision farming technologies. Findings also suggest that researchers need to be very careful when designing questions that ask respondents to rank alternatives so that they guarantee that individuals with different skills are able to precisely understand what is being asked. Decreasing the number of alternatives respondents must consider may be one strategy to reduce the complexity of ranking questions to minimize the probability of the respondents leaving alternatives unranked or ranking them randomly.Information-source preferences, Rank Ordered Logit Model, Precision Farming, Production Economics, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods, Q16, C25,

The P4G-Getting to Zero Coalition Partnership: Finding and supporting opportunities to decarbonise shipping in Indonesia, Mexico and South Africa

The International Maritime Organization has committed to reducing greenhouse gases emissions from international shipping by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008 levels. To reach that goal, a shift towards new low- and zero-carbon fuels -such as hydrogen and ammonia- is urgently needed, along with the deployment of safe and reliable zero-emission vessels, technologies and infrastructure. With shipping being a potential significant demand driver for these new fuels, it can act as a trigger and catalyst for the broader energy transition, benefiting other sectors of the economy. The P4G-Getting to Zero (GtZ) Coalition Partnership is a two-year project that focuses on shipping decarbonisation business and development opportunities in Indonesia, Mexico and South Africa. To the project’s core is the priority of bringing forward the national voices, priorities and policies around climate change, energy transition, job generation and air pollution. To that end, the P4G-GtZ team detected and engaged with key national and international stakeholders that can provide the current countries’ landscape, diagnostic and synergies around shipping opportunities. Apart from generating a networking space for the different key stakeholders, the project delivered detailed shipping activity maps coupled with energy studies that throw light at which low/zero-carbon fuel offers better feasibility to decarbonise shipping taking into account policy, job generation and international competition. The poster introduces the P4G-GtZ Coalition Partnership and the progress done so far while highlighting key findings around shipping decarbonisation, hydrogen-based fuels potential and energy transitions

Reasons for Adopting Precision Farming: A Case Study of U.S. Cotton Farmers

We used survey data collected from cotton farmers in 12 southern U.S. states to identify factors influencing cotton farmers’ decisions to adopt precision farming. Using a seemingly unrelated ordered probit model, we found that younger, educated and computer literate farmers chose precision farming for profit reason. Farmers who perceived precision farming to be profitable adopt it to be at the forefront of agricultural technology. We also found that farmers who were concerned with environment emphasize precision farming adoption as a reason to improve environmental quality. Our results also indicate that farmers in coastal states such as Alabama, Mississippi, and North Carolina chose environmental benefits as a reason for precision farming technology adoption.precision technologies, seemingly unrelated ordered probit, cotton, Agricultural Finance, Farm Management, Q16, C35,

Changes in the Use of Precision Farming Information Sources Among Cotton Farmers and Implications for Extension

Using information from precision farmer surveys conducted in the southern United States in 2005 and 2013, we evaluated changes in the use of precision farming information sources among cotton producers. Although Extension remains an important source for producers interested in precision farming information, the percentage of cotton producers using Extension to obtain precision farming information has decreased over time. Results from our study should motivate Extension professionals to re-evaluate the precision farming information they provide to producers and the practices they use to provide such information in efforts to maintain Extension\u27s importance as an information source

Cito y genotoxicidad en eritrocitos de tortugas Trachemys sp sometidas a diferentes concentraciones de metil-mercurio

El metil mercurio (MeHg) es un contaminante ambiental tóxico y nocivo que se bioacumula y biomagnifica en la cadena trófica. La tortuga Trachemys scripta elegans (Tse), considerada centinela de contaminación ambiental debido a su longevidad, posee eritrocitos (RBCs) nucleados con afinidad del 90% por MeHg. Este estudio determinó la citotoxicidad y genotoxicidad in vitro del MeHg sobre RBCs de Tse a concentraciones de 0, 0,5, 0,7, 1, 10, 20, 50 y 100 mg/L-1 a las 24 y 96 h de exposición. Los RBCs se aislaron por centrifugación y se emplearon 1,69 x 106 RBCs por tratamiento. Se determinó el porcentaje de viabilidad, concentración letal media (CL50) y se verificaron cambios citológicos a las 24 y 96 h. El ADN fue extraído a las 96 h y se evaluó la genotoxicidad por marcadores RAPDs calculando el porcentaje de polimorfismo, índice de estabilidad genética (GST) y coeficiente de disimilaridad de Jaccard (dJSC). A las 96 h la viabilidad a 0,5, 0,7 y 1 mgL-1 de MeHg fue del 99% y 10, 20, 50 y 100 mgL-1 de MeHg fue de 94%, 20% y 0%. La CL50 determinada en 22,55 mgL-1 de MeHg. El análisis celular mostró en las diferentes concentraciones de MeHg, inclusiones citoplasmáticas, desvanecimiento o ruptura de membrana, núcleos excéntricos y lisis celular. El polimorfismo identificado fue del 85% y 50% y dJSC de 0,5 y 0,63 en 50 a 100 mgL-1 de MeHg comparado con el grupo control. La GST disminuyó hasta 42% a 100 mgL-1 de MeHg. Se concluye que el MeHg es citotóxico y genotóxico a concentraciones mayores de 10 mgL-1 en RBCs de Tse. Este estudio representa una línea base para estudios en toxicología por Hg en RBCs de Tse

Chicamocha Canyon Geopark project: A novel strategy for the socio-economic development of Santander (Colombia) through geoeducation, geotourism and geoconservation

The proposed Chicamocha Canyon Geopark project is starting its way for nomination as a UNESCO Global Geopark under the recognition of the Global Geoparks Network. This paper aims to present the justifications of establishing this geopark. It also assesses the potential role of a geopark figure in Santander as an urgent measure to promote the geoconservation of the Chicamocha Canyon territory. The success of this project will not only improve the living conditions of local communities, but also will be a reference model in terms of geological conservation at national and international level. The Chicamocha Canyon, where is proposed to develop this project, has a great potential for the development of the tourism industry due to climatic conditions of the region, besides possessing a rich cultural and natural heritage that needs to be enhanced and protected. Undoubtedly, this initiative should satisfy all the requirements to be a UNESCO Global Geopark, which include a delimited area that defines a territory, the occurrence of geological features of international importance with scientific, educational and aesthetic value, the presence of other types of heritage such as archaeological sites, as well as a proper access infrastructure that favors the socio-economic development of the region. In order to guarantee the successful consolidation of the proposed geopark within the defined territory, this initiative must count the strong support of the local communities and must involve stakeholders such as government authorities, academic and research institutions, and local businesses

Opportunity, satisfaction and reasons for not using the health services in colombia, according to the quality of life survey, dane 1997

Objectives :To identify, from a user's perspective, the satisfaction and opportunity of the health care services in Colombia and the reasons for not using them, in order to determine the achievements in health care quality since the promulgation of Law 100 of 1993. Methods: The results of the home questionnaire of the National survey on Quality of Life carried out by the National Administrative Statistics department during the second semester of 1997, with a sub-sample of 10 016 homes, representing the country's population (39 824 424 inhabitants), were analyzed. Only the variables pertinent to the research purpose were used, assigning new codes for them in order to allow performing the planned analyses. Results: Opportunity and quality of the health care services were well evaluated by a part of the Colombian population. Some of the factors which determine variations in the evaluations of quality and opportunity, as well as the reasons for not using the health cares services, were determined. 64,7 % of the people not using the health care services mentioned reasons associated with quality problems. Amongst the most important, were those related to accessibility: long distance to the health care provider, lack of money and lack of credibility in the health agents. Conclusions: The problems in the quality of the Social Security Services are greater than is usually considered. On the other hand, factors associated with the opportunity, quality (satisfaction) and reasons for not using health care services were identified.Objetivos: Identificar, desde la perspectiva del usuario, la satisfacción y la oportunidad de los servicios de atención médica en Colombia y las razones para no usarlos, buscando determinar los logros alcanzados en materia de calidad desde la promulgación de la Ley 100 de 1993. Métodos: Se analizaron los resultados del formulario de hogares de la Encuesta Nacional de Calidad de Vida del Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística-DANE, realizada durante el segundo semestre de 1997, con una submuestra de 10 016 hogares, representativa de la población total del país (39 824 424 habitantes). Se utilizaron únicamente las variables pertinentes para la investigación, asignándoles nuevos códigos que permitieran efectuar los análisis previstos. Resultados: La oportunidad y la calidad de los servicios de atención fueron bien evaluadas por parte de la población colombiana. Así mismo, se identificaron algunos factores que determinan las variaciones en las evaluaciones de la oportunidad y de la calidad, lo mismo que en las razones para no utilizar los servicios de atención médica. En relación a las razones de no uso de los servicios, se encontró que 64,7 % de la población que no utilizó los servicios de atención médica, mencionó "razones" que se asocian con problemas de calidad. Entre las más importantes, se encontraron las relacionadas con la accesibilidad: larga distancia hasta el oferente, falta de dinero y falta de credibilidad en los agentes de salud. Conclusiones: Se logró establecer que los problemas de la calidad de los servicios en la Seguridad Social pueden ser mayores de lo que se cree. De otra parte, se identificaron factores asociados con la oportunidad, la calidad (satisfacción) y las razones de no uso de los servicios de atención