GETTING TECHNOLOGY AND THE TECHNOLOGY ENVIRONMENT RIGHT: LESSONS FROM MAIZE DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

This paper examines two questions: (1) what were the most important factors that led to differential rates of adoption of maize technology by farmers in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi from 1910 to 1995? and (2) what do these experiences suggest about strategic investments in institutions and organizations needed to create a sustainable environment for technology development and adoption in the future? The analysis suggests that productivity increases are facilitated by (a) technology innovations throughout the agricultural system, (b) integration of technological innovations with changes in policies, organizations, human capital and infrastructure related to extension, input and output markets and processing services, and (c) coordination of these innovations across different stages of the agricultural system.Crop Production/Industries, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Advanced software techniques for space shuttle data management systems Final report

Airborne/spaceborn computer design and techniques for space shuttle data management system

Watermelon configurations with wall interaction: exact and asymptotic results

We perform an exact and asymptotic analysis of the model of $n$ vicious walkers interacting with a wall via contact potentials, a model introduced by Brak, Essam and Owczarek. More specifically, we study the partition function of watermelon configurations which start on the wall, but may end at arbitrary height, and their mean number of contacts with the wall. We improve and extend the earlier (partially non-rigorous) results by Brak, Essam and Owczarek, providing new exact results, and more precise and more general asymptotic results, in particular full asymptotic expansions for the partition function and the mean number of contacts. Furthermore, we relate this circle of problems to earlier results in the combinatorial and statistical literature.Comment: AmS-TeX, 41 page

Numerical modeling of the Sakuma Dam reservoir sedimentation

YesThe present study attempts to predict the reservoir sedimentation in 32 km region of the Tenryu River between the Hiraoka and Sakuma Dams in Japan. For numerical simulations of the reservoir sedimentation, the one-dimensional model of the Hydrologic Engineering Centre-River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) is used together with the inclusion of channel geometry, bed gradation curve, Exner-5 bed sorting mechanisms, fall velocity of the particle, and flow and sediment boundary conditions pertaining to modeling region. The modeling region of the Tenryu River is divided into 48 river stations with 47 reaches in the numerical simulations. The numerical model is calibrated using the available data for 48 years from 1957 to 2004. The formulae of sediment transport function, Manning’s roughness coefficient, computational increment and fall velocity have been identified for getting the best estimation of the Sakuma Dam reservoir sedimentation. Combination of obtained sensitive parameters and erodible limits of 2 m gave the best comparison with the measured bed profile. The computed results follow the trend of measured data with a small underestimation. Although Manning’s roughness coefficient has an effect on the sedimentation, no direct relation is found between the Manning’s roughness coefficient and reservoir sedimentation. It is found that the temperature of water has no effect on the reservoir sedimentation

GETTING TECHNOLOGY AND THE TECHNOLOGY ENVIRONMENT RIGHT: LESSONS FROM MAIZE DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

This paper examines two questions: (1) what were the most important factors that led to differential rates of adoption of maize technology by farmers in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi from 1910 to 1995? and (2) what do these experiences suggest about strategic investments in institutions and organizations needed to create a sustainable environment for technology development and adoption in the future? The analysis suggests that productivity increases are facilitated by (a) technology innovations throughout the agricultural system, (b) integration of technological innovations with changes in policies, organizations, human capital and infrastructure related to extension, input and output markets and processing services, and (c) coordination of these innovations across different stages of the agricultural system

United States Geological Survey Reports

From introduction: "This interim report is designed to show the present status of the Geological Survey's information and the parts of a comprehensive program necessary to improve our information about the raw material resources of uranium and thorium.

United States Geological Survey Reports

Report outlining fields of study for a program of research in the geochemistry of uranium. From Abstract: "Various specific topics and projects that apply to these fields of study are suggested.