ANALYSING COMPETITION BETWEEN SEED VARIETIES: AN APPLICATION TO HYBRID CORN SEED IN FRANCE

This paper analyses the determinant of the sales the seed varieties sold the French corn market. The analysis is based on a model of differentiated product. The results show that the effect of the yield estimated by the extension services is positive and significant.Crop Production/Industries,

Water Valuation and the Application of Declared Preferences Method: Contingent Valuation vs a Choice Experiment Approach

In the Declared Preferences methods (DP) questions are developed to different persons in order to establish alternative hypothetical scenarios. The most important methods which are based in a Declared Preferences hypothesis are the Contingent Valuation (CV) method and those which are based in a Choice Experiment (CE) Approach. In DP methods questions are used in order to establish preferences over hypothetical scenarios, which could be different (either goods or services). Each alternative is described through different attributes, and the answers can be used in order to determine the different preferences. Some very relevant methods which are based in the DP hypothesis can be found which are based in CV and CE methods

Groundwater Management Competitive Solutions: The Relevance of the Gisser-Sanchez Model

The main subject of this chapter is related to the relevance of the Gisser-Sanchez effect in groundwater. It is important to point out that groundwater resources provide a primary source of irrigation water throughout much of the world. Two main questions need to be indicated when taking water extractions into account. The first has to do with water scarcity in local watersheds or whole basins created by excessive surface and groundwater withdrawals. The other is related to water degradation and the pollution loads leading to many tracts of rivers and whole aquifers being spoiled and losing their capacity to sustain ecosystem functioning and human activities. These conclusions were called into question by the Gisser and Sanchez analysis. These authors argue that the difference in producer surplus between the open access and optimally managed cases was numerically insignificant for large aquifers subject to inelastic water demand. Perhaps the most interesting point in the work by Gisser and Sanchez is multidisciplinarity

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELDS AND CONCENTRATION OF INNOVATION AMONG FOOD AND BEVERAGE MULTINATIONALS

With a sample of nearly 18,611 utility patents, this paper studies the technology mix of 90 of the world's leading food and beverage multinationals (FBMs) over 1969-1994. It explores the statistical association between patenting in food technology and in non-food technological fields. Food patenting is always associated with patenting in Biotech, Chemistry, Machinery and Other patenting, whatever the home country of the company. The strength of the association, however, could vary. Herfindahl indices show that capabilities in core technology and in Machinery and Other fields are spread among many FBMs. Though to a lesser extent, technical capabilities in Biotechnology, Packaging and Refrigeration are also dispersed. By contrast, patenting in Tobacco, Chemistry and Drugs is concentrated.Agribusiness, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

La rentabilidad del gasto público en la investigación agraria : una estimación para el caso español

Peer Reviewe

Production of ornamental plants and cut flowers in peri-urban areas: An economic and environmental analysis of the Barcelona Metropolitan region, Spain

Ornamental plants and floral plants are not usually considered in research works on urban agriculture. On the contrary, the main stream of research is focused on food production. An essential feature of ornamental plant markets is that they are global. Most of consumers ornamental plants and cut flowers are located in Europe, United States of America and Japan, and the emerging producers are located in South America and Africa. Ornamental crops present a very high added value, if they are compared with vegetables and fruits, or crops like cereals. Ornamental plants and cut flowers production needs a high level of technology to control the irrigation system (soilless culture), the environment (temperature, humidity, light) and the postharvest. The aim of this study is the evaluation of the technological level used by urban farmers. More specifically, this objective can be achieved through the next questions: How to be competitive in the ornamental global market? Which are the advantages of these farmers being located in urban areas? Which channels do they use to sell their production? A semi – structured survey was conducted of ornamental and cut flowers farmers in Barcelona Metropolitan Region (Catalonia, Spain). The survey was approved by the working group of Entrepreneurial Models of Urban Agriculture within the framework of the European project Cost Action TD 1106 Urban Agriculture Europe. © 2018 WIT Press.Postprint (published version

Economic evaluation of small desalination plants from brackish aquifers. Application to Campo de Cartagena (SE Spain)

The Campo de Cartagena (Eastern Spain) is one of Europe’s driest areas with a mean precipitation of around 300 mm. One of the main challengesin the region is to secure a reliable water supply in both quantity and quality terms, to provide a water supply and agricultural irrigation, while water desalination has become an extensively applied solution, and one of the most sustainable solutions to the water scarcity problem. As water availability is lacking and groundwater quality is poor, the agricultural sector in Campo de Cartagena has developed small private brackish groundwater desalination plants (15-20 m3/h) through already existing agricultural wells. Costs and benefits (C-B) for citrus cultivation (1 ha) in three such plants have been assessed. The results indicate that for the studied cases, current agricultural management is feasible and costs outweigh benefits, with a positive NPV and a cost/benefit ratio higher than 1. The internal rate of return is also positive and higher than 11%. The results evidence practical and theoretical implications as to how to increase water resources in areas where water is scarce by closing the loop, ensuring farmers’ profitability and encouraging private sector investments.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft