Potential of agricultural production and its impact on insurance premiums

Food production is becoming very important and it receives priority in relation to other activities in the world. As the number of inhabitants of the planet grows, food production has greater significance. Its production will certainly be affected by climate changes and the potential of agricultural land, which will be followed by changes in insurance cover of crops. Total area of arable land doesn’t have the same quality, but it’s especially common for underdeveloped and developing countries is that arable land is not used in the appropriate percent. For Serbia which belongs to that group of countries with low yield on arable land, it can be pointed out that insurance does not cover a sufficient share of that area. The reason for this lies in the lack of trust of potential insured, habits and consciousness of the insured, economic policy pursued by the state in relation to this issue, inadequate training of insurance agents and the lack of proper insurance products

Integrated Fuzzy System and Multi-Expression Programming Techniques for Supplier Selection

Supplier selection problem is a multi-objective problem in which different criteria should be taken into consideration. This article presents a new approach to supplier pre-qualification, supplier selection and evaluation. In the first stage of the model, multi-expression programming (MEP) techniques are used for a supplier pre-qualification. Techniques implemented in MEP allow construction of experiential models using the knowledge contained in the experimental information. Evaluation of the qualified suppliers is done in the second stage using fuzzy logic and Fuzzy Inference System (FIS). In this way, it is possible to retain expert knowledge of the subject phenomenon in a model with the possibility of selecting different operators which lead to the possibility of the faster selection of parameters and making more reliable decisions. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the proposed approach

Protection of land in the Republic of Serbia and ecological security with regard to strategic and legal frameworks

It is widely known that ecological and socioeconomic functions of the land are the basis for social and economic well-being. Despite this fact, land is still a relatively neglected natural resource, which can be concluded by analyzing the pressures on the land and the lack of systematic monitoring, which involves considering the situation and defining the program for its protection. In addition, insufficient allocations for solving these complex problems are evident, which, in addition to the inefficiency of the start-up, an-institutional and legal framework for land protection in the Republic of Serbia, ultimately lead to degradation of environmental security. Bearing this in mind, this paper emphasizes the need of adopting effective land protection measures in order to preserve ecological security, that is, an environmental management system that would reflect the tendency to eliminate negative environmental and human health impacts

Data Models for Moving Objects in Road Networks – Implementation and Experiences

Paper deals with the specific LBS scenario – Fleet management (FM) and more specifically with systems for Automatic vehicle location (AVL). Well designed and implemented spatial data model for moving objects is one of the most significant elements of any AVL system. In practical applications the results of the latest scientific research are seldom applied, despite the fact that this area has been developing intensively for more than 20 years. The reasons for this are analysed in the paper. Short analysis of functionality of these systems is presented considering the impact of these functionalities on the implemented data model for moving objects and more specifically their impact on spatio-temporal component of the model. The paper especially reviews the possibility of using road networks as a basis for the representation of moving objects data models and a fact that these models are rarely used in practical applications. A solution overcoming this situation is proposed. The solution assumes transition from the system that is not based on road network to the system that is based on network. There are quite few research papers dealing with OSM data models. Therefore, a significant space in this paper is dedicated to the description of these models since OSM data can be valuable for this type of applications

Serbian agriculture loans with the aim of improving the current situation

Agriculture is characterized by a number of specificities (seasonal and organic character, high risks of the production cycle, slow turnover of capital, inability to specialize production and low capacity utilization), due to which it is more demanding in terms of financing than other economic activities. Considering that the agriculture is one of the most important branches of the economy, which even in such difficult conditions and circumstances still yields profits, the subject of this work is to discuss the conditions of financing both by the state and by commercial banks, without which it is almost impossible to imagine the process of agricultural production. The aim of the paper is to point out the importance of stable and continuous financing of agriculture. Unfortunately, interest rate subsidy programs do not include consultations with the financial sector when programs are designed, and as a result, the way in which the programs are built does not motivate banks to increase lending to the agriculture sector. Farms need constant financial support because of the need to invest in production all at once and at a large scale, in accordance with the nature of production, the long retention period of the assets involved, ie the low turnover of the invested funds, and the low profit that the primary agricultural production generates makes it impossible to create own accumulation, or own sources of financing

Renewable energy resources in agriculture: Potential and legal framework in the Republic of Serbia

The disappearance of natural resources, development of environmental awareness and need to rationalize their spending, and in order to reduce the cost of energy production, caused an increasing need for the development and use of renewable energy sources (RES).Larger use of RES would provide energy security and lower energy imports. Of all forms of RES in R. Serbia, the biomass energy potential comes first. There has been considered legal framework relevant to the use of RES at the European level and within the boundaries of the R. Serbia. The authors point to the need for further harmonization of domestic legislation with global and European trends in the field of RES, as well as obligations from ratified international documents and the European integration process. The article also shows the potential of RES in agriculture as well as the actual state of exploitability in R. Serbia. Increasing the use of RES in R. Serbia can help diversify Serbian's energy supply, create growth and jobs, and lower greenhouse gas emissions

Terrain Surface Modeling Using Triangular Spline Patches

Algorithms and software for digital terrain modeling using TIN based surface model are presented in the paper. Processing of all types of terrain surface data are supported: mass points, local extrema, contours, breaklines, structure lines, fault lines, etc. TIN topology and Bézier triangular surface patches are used for terrain surface reconstruction. Special attention is dedicated to the problem of respecting all implicit information about terrain surface that are contained within the input data. This is especially important in cases when terrain surface has to be reconstructed by using mostly contour data, since there are a lot of additional information that are implicitly contained within the data of this type. The software also contains functions for efficient verification of collected terrain data and DTM. Special consideration is given to the numerical procedures and algorithms aiming at providing contours and other outputs of DTM analysis of cartographic quality as required by many surveyors and their clients. The results of experiments demonstrated that the quality of terrain surface reconstruction from contours and/or other data using developed procedures and software is better, or at least as good as the quality achieved by using procedures and methods implemented within standard GIS/DTM software

Vegetative and dendrological characteristics of Hober forest park in Korčula

Sustavnih istraživanja biološko-ekoloških obilježja cjelokupnog područja i same park-šume Hober nije bilo do sada. Strukturna obilježja sastojine nalazimo tek u Planu gospodarenja za park-šumu Hober (2006-2015). Šumarsku problematiku nalazimo u radu Vojinovića (1997). Dendrološka istraživanja imamo u radovima Denich i Draganović (1985), Vojinović (1997),Fabris (2001), Onofri (2002). Izostala je njegova cjelovita inventarizacija.Današnje stanje park-šume Hober karakterizira njegova zapuštenost i neuređenost kako šumske vegetacije i dendrološko-hortikulturnih, tako i vrtno-arhitektonskih sadržaja. Prisutna je koncepcijska nedefiniranost cjelokupnog područja Hobera.Park-šuma Hober u vegetacijskom smislu pripada šumskoj zajednici šuma alepskog bora i hrasta crnike (Querco ilicis – Pinetum halepensis Loisel 1971). Upravo iz razloga vegetacijske i strukturne neujednačenosti, postavljeno je 7 pokusnih ploha u samoj park-šumi, te još 4 izvan nje. Cilj je detaljnom vegetacijskom i strukturnom analizom izdvojiti pojedina područja, dati njihov opis i prikazati njihovo stanje, što se kasnije može upotrijebiti u svrhu zoniranja prostora.Analizirana istraživanja pokazuju da u sloju drveća alepski bor prevladava na plohama 1,2,3 i 9; crnika na plohama 4 i 5 te obični čempres na plohama 6 i 7. U sloju grmlja najzastupljenija je lemprika koja dolazi na svim plohama. Zatim su tu širokolisna zelenika i tršlja. Iz tablice 2 vidimo da je na svim plohama pokrovnost vegetacijom potpuna osim na plohi 6, gdje je rijetka makija. Sloj drveća je prevladavajući osim na plohama 8, 10 i 11, gdje je prisutna makija. Zamjetno je da je kod razvijenih sastojina podjednako gust sloj drveća i grmlja. Tu odstupaju plohe 6 i dijelom ploha 9 te plohe 10 gdje je makija te ploha 11 koja je prirodna sukcesija šumske vegetacije na zapuštenim poljoprivrednim površinama. Osim kod makije imamo vrlo visok drvni volumen (drvna zaliha) koji se ovisno o razvoju sastojine kreće od 100 do čak 270 m3/ha. Broj stabala je isto vrlo velik i kreće se od 1000 do 2700 po ha. Svi ti podaci ukazuju na neuređenost i izostanak bilo kakvih uzgojnih radova. Cilj ovog rada je istražiti vegetacijska, dendrološka, šumsko-uzgojna i strukturna obilježja cjelokupnog područja Hober. Ona su primarni pokazatelj stanje i dat će smjernice za njegovu buduću biološku i prostornu valorizaciju.A systematic research of biological and ecological characteristics of the overall Hober area and Hober forest park itself has not been performed thus far. Structural characteristics of the stand were included only in The Management Plan for Hober Forest Park (2006-2015). Forestry issues were addressed in the paper by Vojinović (1997). Dendrological research was included in the papers by Denich and Draganović (1985), Vojinović (1997), Fabris (2001) and Onofri (2002). Its overall inventory records are missing.The current condition of Hober forest park is characterised by its neglect and no landscape design in terms of both forest vegetation, dendrological, horticultural and garden and architectural content. Moreover, there is conceptual indefiniteness of the overall Hober area.Hober forest park in terms of vegetation belongs to the forest community of the Aleppo pine and Holm oak (Querco ilicis – Pinetum halepensis Loisel 1971). It is primarily due to vegetative and structural unevenness that 7 experimental surfaces were placed in the forest park itself and 4 more outside of it. A comprehensive vegetation and structural analysis was intended for the selection of individual areas, in order to provide their description and present their condition, which can subsequently be used for the purpose of zoning the area.According to the analysed research the Aleppo pine prevails in the layer of trees on the surfaces 1, 2, 3 and 9; Holm oak on the surfaces 4 and 5 and Common cypress on the surfaces 6 and 7. Laurestine is the most common species in the shrub layer, which appears on all the surfaces. Then there are green olive trees with broad leaves and mastic trees. The tree layer prevails with the exception of the surfaces 8, 10 and 11 where there is maquis. It is evident that in developed stands the tree layer and the shrub layer are almost equally dense. The latter is not the case on the surface 6, partially on the surface 9 and the surface 10 where maquis prevails and the surface 11, which is a natural succession of forest vegetation on abandoned agricultural surfaces. With the exception of maquis, there is a very high wood volume which, depending on stand development, ranges from 100 to even 270 m3/ha. The number of trees is also very large and it ranges from 1,000 to 2,700 per hectare. All this data indicates no landscape design and absence of any silvicultural work. The objective of this paper is to explore vegetative, dendrological, silvicultural and structural characteristics of the overall Hober area. They are the primary indicators of the condition and will provide the guidelines for its future biological and spatial valorisation

Landscape and ecological valorisation in the context of protection and revitalisation of Hober forest park in Korčula, the Republic of Croatia

O nastanku gradskog parka Hober ima malo novijih radova koji se uglavnom temelje na prijepisima onih prijašnjih. Od vremena nastanka do danas prostor gradskog parka, danas i park-šume Hober, doživljava niz promjena uvjetovanih različitim društveno-ekonomskim i prirodnim okolnostima koje su se događale kroz povijest, a koje se događaju i danas. Prostor Hobera prolazi kroz različite razvojne faze, od prirodne šume iz koje nastaje preko gradskog parka koji se održava i njeguje, sve do razine zakonske zaštite u park-šumu. Godine 1969. je sukladno Odluci o proglašenju gradskog parka u Korčuli rezervatom prirodnog predjela, Hober zaštićen prema Zakonu o zaštiti prirode u kategoriji park-šuma. Nakon zakonske zaštite slijedi najveće njegovo zapuštanje. Gubitak identiteta gradskog parka i park-šume Hober događa se dugi niz godina kao posljedica nedostatka neophodnih mjera održavanja, uslijed širenja naselja i izostanka potreba i kulture građana, što uvjetuje njegovu degradaciju i gubitak kompozicijske osnove. Nedostatak istraživanja i naklonosti za obnovom i uređenjem ovog vrijednog prostora dovelo je zone ugroženosti sve do samih granica parka ali i unutar njega. Grad Korčula prepoznaje vrijednosti gradskog parka Hober koji traže adekvatnu valorizaciju i obnovu. Unatoč tomu, područje Hobera i gradskog parka ima značajnu biološko-ekološku, prostornu, estetsku, rekreacijsku i turističku važnost u kontekstu grada Korčule. Cilj je rada inventarizirati, analizirati i valorizirati postojeće stanje park-šume Hober i cjelokupnog prostora Hobera u odnosu na stanje kroz povijest i danas, te obrazložiti njegovu vrijednost i mogućnosti uređenja i obnove. Kroz istraživanja je obuhvaćeno prikupljanje postojeće arhivske građe, dokumentacije, kartografskih prikaza i katastarskih podloga vezanih za park. Kompleksno terensko istraživanje je obuhvaćalo i inventarizaciju te analizu postojećeg stanja parka, vrtno-arhitektonskih i biološko-ekoloških elemenata. Na osnovi provedenih istraživanja određena su područja prirodnog i kulturnog krajobraza na istraživanom području. Odabrani su kriteriji koji najcjelovitije prezentiraju istraživano područje. Definiranjem zajedničkih mjerila za određivanje krajobraznih vrijednosti za oba tipa krajobraza, njihova usporedba daje potpuni pregled vrijednosti i mogućeg vrednovanja svakog posebno i njihovu biološko-ekološku i socio-gospodarsku cjelovitost. Ocjene mjerila krajobraznih vrijednosti ujedno predstavljaju na određeni način njihovu osjetljivost na promjene i negativne utjecaje. Svrha dane klasifikacije i vrednovanja istraživanih krajobraza trebaju biti preporuke pomoću kojih se donose dugoročne strategije razvoja i korištenja. Uređenjem i obnovom parka treba naglasiti sve njegove vrijednosti koje se trebaju valorizirati u širem kontekstu Hobera. Dobiveni rezultati daju doprinos postizanja ravnoteže između zaštite i razvoja.The number of recent papers about the establishment of Hober City Park in Korčula is small and they are primarily based on copies of the previous papers. Since its inception, both the area of the City Park and currently also Hober Forest Park have seen a wide range of changes caused by different social and economic, as well as natural circumstances that occurred both throughout history and to date. The Hober area has passed through different development stages, from a natural forest from which it developed, through the city park that was maintained and cared for until it reached the level of legal protection in the Forest Park. In 1969, in accordance with the Decision on the Declaration of the City Park in Korčula a Natural Landscape Reserve, Hober was protected in accordance with Nature Protection Act in the Forest Park Category. After, legal protection was followed by its neglect. The loss of identity of the City Park and Hober Forest Park has been occurring for a large number of years as a consequence of a lack of the necessary maintenance measures, amid the expansion of the settlements and a lack both of the needs and culture of the citizens, which caused its degradation and the loss of its compositional basis. A lack of research and propensity towards renovation and landscaping of this valuable area resulted in an endangered zone both inside the park and to its very boundaries. The City of Korčula recognises the value of Hober City Park. Nevertheless, the areas of Hober and the City Park have a vital importance from the aspect of biology and ecology, as well as from spatial, aesthetic, recreational and tourism aspect in the context of the City of Korčula. The aim of this paper is to inventory, analyze and valorize the current state of the Hober park-forest and the entire Hober area in relation to its condition throughout history and nowadays and explain its value and the possibilities for landscaping and renovation. The research included the collection of the existing archival materials, documentation, cartographic images and cadastral databases linked with the Park. A complex field research also included making of an inventory and analysis of the pre-existing condition of the Park, as well as both of its garden and architectural components and its biological and ecological components. On the basis of the conducted research, there were determined areas of natural and cultural landscape in the researched area. The criteria that most comprehensively represent the research area was selected. By means of defining common criteria for determining the landscape values ​​for both types of landscapes, with their comparison we have a complete overview of the values ​​and possible evaluation of each one separately, and also of their biological-ecological and socio-economic integrity. In a certain way, estimates of landscape values ​​also represent their sensitivity to changes and negative impacts. The purpose of the given classification and evaluation of the researched landscapes should be the recommendations by means of which long-term strategies of development and usage are to be adopted. By the arrangement and renovation of the park it should be emphasized all of its values ​​that need to be valorised in the broader context of Hober. The obtained results on such a way, contribute to achievement of a balance between protection and development

First cobalt complexes with methyl pyruvate semi/thiosemicarbazone - synthesis, physico-chemical and structural characterization

In the reaction of acetone solutions of CoX2∙nH2O (X = Cl, Br) with methyl pyruvate semi/thiosemicarbazone (Hmps, Hmpt) the first Co(II) complexes with these ligands, i.e., [Co(Hmps)(H2O)X2] (X = Cl (1), Br (2)), [Co(Hmpt)2][CoCl4]∙2H2О (3) and [Co(Hmpt)2]Br2∙Me2CO (4) were obtained. Complexes 1 and 2 represent the first examples of metal complexes of Hmps. All the obtained compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, conductometry, magnetic measurements, and IR spectra, and for complexes 2–4, single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis was also performed. The effective magnetic moments were close to the upper limit (5 μB) for complexes 1 and 2, and close to the lower limit (4.4 μB) for complexes 3 and 4, and as such are characteristic for high-spin Co(II) complexes. Structural analysis showed that both ligands coordinate in a neutral form in a tridentate manner, via the ester oxygen, imine nitrogen and the oxygen atom of the ureido (Hmps), or the sulfur atom of the thioureido group (Hmpt). The central metal atoms are situated in a deformed octahedral coordination environment. Complex 2 has cis-Br configuration, while complexes 3 and 4 have mer-configuration