Urban and peri-urban agricultural production along railway tracks: a case study from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region

Urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) contributes to food security, serves as an opportunity for income generation, and provides recreational services to urban citizens. With a population of 21 Million people, of which 60 % live in slums, UPA activities can play a crucial role in supporting people’s livelihoods in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). This study was conducted to characterize the railway gardens, determine their role in UPA production, and assess potential risks. It comprises a baseline survey among 38 railway gardeners across MMR characterized by different demographic, socio-economic, migratory, and labour characteristics. Soil, irrigation water, and plant samples were analyzed for nutrients, heavy metals, and microbial load. All the railway gardeners practiced agriculture as a primary source of income and cultivated seasonal vegetables such as lady’s finger (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench), spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.), red amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus L.), and white radish (Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus) which were irrigated with waste water. This irrigation water was loaded with 7–28 mg N l^(−1), 0.3–7 mg P l^(−1), and 8–32 mg K l^(−1), but also contained heavy metals such as lead (0.02–0.06 mg Pb l^(−1)), cadmium (0.03–0.17 mg Cd l^(−1)), mercury (0.001–0.005 mg Hg l^(−1)), and pathogens such as Escherichia coli (1,100 most probable number per 100 ml). Levels of heavy metals exceeded the critical thresholds in surface soils (Cr, Ni, and Sr) and produce (Pb, Cd, and Sr). The railway garden production systems can substantially foster employment and reduce economic deprivation of urban poor particularly slum dwellers and migrant people. However this production system may also cause possible health risks to producers and consumers.

Agricultural Production and Yield Estimation: Two distinctive aspects of Brazilian Agriculture and a perspective on world food problems

Brazil has been increasing its importance in agricultural markets. The reasons are well known to be the relative abundance of land, the increasing technology used in crops, and the development of the agribusiness sector which allow for a fast response to price stimuli. The elasticity of acreage response to increases in expected return is estimated for Soybeans in a dynamic (long term) error correction model. Regarding yield patterns, a large variation in the yearly rates of growth in yield is observed, climate being probably the main source of this variation which result in ‘good’ and ‘bad’ years. In South America, special attention should be given to the El Niño and La Niña phenomena, both said to have important effects on rainfalls patterns and consequently in yield. The influence on El Niño and La Niña in historical data is examined and some ways of estimating the impact of climate on yield of Soybean and Corn markets are proposed. Possible implications of climate change may apply.

Survey of Agricultural Practices and Alternatives to Pesticide Use to Conserve Water Resources in the Mojanda Watershed, Ecuador

Agriculture in the Mojanda Watershed is facing rainfall reductions caused by climate change. Reductions of water availability in the Watershed are also due to constant extension of the agricultural activities into the páramo ecosystem above 3000m a.s.l., with this ecosystem having immanently important functions in the local water balance. The application of pesticides threatens the quality of water and with less precipitation contaminations will further concentrate in the outflow. To analyze problems associated with agricultural practices in the area a questionnaire about agricultural practices (28) was conducted and fields (20) were surveyed for pests and diseases with a focus on potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.), tree tomatoes (Solanum betaceum Cav.) and peas (Pisum sativum L.). Potatoes were infected to a low degree with Phytophthora infestans and according to the farmers the Andean potato weevil (Premnotrypes spec.) caused biggest losses. To combat the weevil the soils are disinfected with toxic Carbofuran (WHO Class 1B). Tree tomatoes showed symptoms of various fungal diseases. Most important was Fusarium solani causing the branches to rot and Anthracnosis (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) causing the fruits to rot. Fungicide applications were correspondingly high. Peas were only minorly affected by Ascochyta blight (Mycosphaerella pinodes) and a root rot. Overall 19 active ingredients were applied of which fungicide Mancozeb (WHO class table 5) and insecticide Carbofuran (WHO Class 1B) were applied the most. Approved IPM methods are advised to reduce pesticide use. For tree tomatoes regular cutting of branches infected with F. solani and regular collection and disposal of infected fruits with Anthracnosis are advised. For potatoes plastic barriers around the fields prevent the Andean potato weevil from laying eggs thus reducing infestation with the larvae in the tubers. Local bioinsecticide “Biol” seems effective and without harm to the environment, although not used by many farmers. Organic fertilization promises to restore decreasing soil fertility, water holding capacity and reduce erosion. The here presented alternatives and strategies to reduce pesticide use pose an opportunity to preserve the water resources of the region.

Wastewater usage in urban and peri-urban agricultural production systems: scenarios from India

The role urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) plays in reducing urban poverty and ensuring environmental sustainability was recognized by the Millennium Development Goals (MGDs). India is the world’s largest democratic nation with a population of 1.2 billion. The rapid urbanization and high proportion of people below the poverty line along with higher migration to urban areas make India vulnerable to food crisis and urbanization of poverty. Ensuring jobs and food security among urban poor is a major challenge in India. The role of UPA can be well explained and understood in this context. This paper focuses on the current situation of UPA production in India with special attention to wastewater irrigation. This question is being posed about the various human health risks from wastewater irrigation which are faced by farmers and labourers, and, secondly by consumers. The possible health hazards involve microbial pathogens as well as helminth (intestinal parasites). Based on primary and secondary data, this paper attempts to confirm that UPA is one of the best options to address increasing urban food demand and can serve to complement rural supply chains and reduce ecological food prints in India. “Good practice urban and peri-urban agriculture” necessitates an integrated approach with suitable risk reduction mechanisms to improve the efficiency and safety of UPA production.

Small and Closed vs. Large and Open: Some Lessons from Comparing Cuban to Colombian Agricultural Development

Comparing the experiences of selected Latin America and the Caribbean countries and their trajectories over the past 15 years offers rich insights into the dynamics and causes for not meeting the 2015 MDGs. They also offer clues for post-MDG strategies. Central to achieving sustainable growth are government policies able to support small and medium-sized farms and peasants, as they are crucial for the achievement of several goals, centrally: to achieve food security; to provide a sound and stable rural environment able to resist external (financial) shocks; to secure healthy food; to secure local food; and to protect vibrant and culturally rich local communities. This paper analyses and compares the most successful government policies to the least successful policies carried out over the last 15 years in selected Latin American and Caribbean countries and based on this analysis, offers strategies for more promising post-MDG politics, able to reduce poverty, reduce inequality, fight back informality, and achieve more decent work in poor countries.

Political Economy of Global Rush for Agricultural Land: a Tract on India’s Overseas Acquisitions

This paper is an attempt to map the global land acquisitions with a focus on Indian MNCs in acquiring overseas land for agricultural purposes. It tries to outline the contemporary political economy of capital accumulation at the global level, especially, in the emerging developing economies like India and China, where the emergence of a new capitalist class has engaged itself into acquisition of land and control of other natural resources in Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe and South East Asia, for example, water and other minerals to secure itself from the eventual losses of ongoing economic crisis and to earn profit from the volatile agricultural commodity markets. This sway of control of resources by the MNCs has got paramount State support under the helm of neoliberal policies. The paper provides scale of overseas land acquisitions at the current juncture and tries to highlight its causes and the major implications associated with it.

Simultaneous Drying and Separation of Composite Agricultural Material for Hay Processing

In composite agricultural materials such as grass, tee, medicinal plants; leaves and stems have a different drying time. By this behavior, after leaving the dryer, the stems may have greater moisture content than desired, while the leaves one minor, which can cause either the appearance of fungi or the collapse of the over-dried material. Taking into account that a lot of grass is dehydrated in forced air dryers, especially rotary drum dryers, this research was developed in order to establish conditions enabling to make a separation of the components during the drying process in order to provide a homogeneous product at the end. For this, a rotary dryer consisting of three concentric cylinders and a circular sieve aligned with the more internal cylinder was proposed; so that, once material enters into the dryer in the area of the inner cylinder, stems pass through sieve to the middle and then continue towards the external cylinder, while the leaves continue by the inner cylinder. For this project, a mixture of Ryegrass and White Clover was used. The characteristics of the components of a mixture were: Drying Rate in thin layer and in rotation, Bulk density, Projected Area, Terminal velocity, weight/Area Ratio, Flux through Rotary sieve. Three drying temperatures; 40°C, 60° C and 80° C, and three rotation speeds; 10 rpm, 20 rpm and 40 rpm were evaluated. It was found that the differences in drying time are the less at 80 °C when the dryer rotates at 40 rpm. Above this speed, the material adheres to the walls of the dryer or sieve and does not flow. According to the measurements of terminal velocity of stems and leaves of the components of the mixture, the speed of the air should be less than 1.5 m s-1 in the inner drum for the leaves and less than 4.5 m s-1 in middle and outer drums for stems, in such way that only the rotational movement of the dryer moves the material and achieves a greater residence time. In other hand, the best rotary sieve separation efficiencies were achieved when the material is dry, but the results are good in all the moisture contents. The best rotary speed of sieve is within the critical rotational speed, i.e. 20 rpm. However, the rotational speed of the dryer, including the sieve in line with the inner cylinder should be 10 rpm or less in order to achieve the greatest residence times of the material inside the dryer and the best agitation through the use of lifting flights. With a finite element analysis of a dryer prototype, using an air flow allowing speeds of air already stated, I was found that the best performance occurs when, through a cover, air enters the dryer front of the Middle cylinder and when the inner cylinder is formed in its entirety through a sieve. This way, air flows in almost equal amounts by both the middle and external cylinders, while part of the air in the Middle cylinder passes through the sieve towards the inner cylinder. With this, leaves do not adhere to the sieve and flow along drier, thanks to the rotating movement of the drums and the showering caused by the lifting flights. In these conditions, the differences in drying time are reduced to 60 minutes, but the residence time is higher for the stems than for leaves, therefore the components of the mixture of grass run out of the dryer with the same desired moisture content.

Plan Integral para la Comercialización de Aloe Vera en Colombia

En los últimos años, los gremios del sector agrícola en Colombia han venido haciendo grandes esfuerzos con el fin de obtener certificaciones a nivel internacional sobre los cultivos y productos derivados del Aloe Vera, que permitan cumplir con los estándares de calidad que exige el mercado industrial y también el consumidor final; pues él entiende, cada vez mejor, las bondades que este producto ofrece para su bienestar. Esto ha hecho que el extracto de Aloe Vera se presente actualmente como un mercado potencial que genera altas expectativas en cuanto al crecimiento de demanda local, y en consecuencia, motiva a llevar a cabo este proyecto de investigación con la intención de ofrecer al mercado local una alternativa para la sustitución de importaciones de extractos del Aloe Vera. La agricultura siempre será una de las locomotoras para el desarrollo de la economía de un país, en muchos casos las materias primas agrícolas se importan, cuando lo que se debe hacer es aprovechar el ecosistema que tiene el país acompañándolo con herramientas técnicas, capacitación al agricultor, programas de financiamiento, entre otras; para así lograr una integración en la cadena de abastecimiento y generar valor a los procesos para que el producto sea competitivo en el mercado local e internacional.

Maths Models in Finance

Exam questions and solutions for a third or fourth year maths course. Diagrams for the questions are all together in the support.zip file, as .eps files

Continuous Time Finance

Exercises, exams and solutions for a third year finance course.

Competitiveness and Trade Policy Problems in Agricultural Exports: The Case of Colombia. Doctoral Thesis Project

Este estudio explora el estado actual y el potencial competitivo de las exportaciones agrícolas colombianas a los mercados de Estados Unidos y la Unión Eurpea. Los mercados de estos paises industrializados se constituyen en los más importantes para Colombia, pero al mismo tiempo tienen varias restricciones en el sector agrícola. Este estudio mostrará que la competitividad no es solamente una función de los impedimentos locales o internacionales tales como la pobreza institucional, la baja capacidad tecnológica, la disponibilidad de capital, capital humano y mano de obra, sino también de impedimentos externos como el acceso a los mercados. Por lo tanto, éste es un importante objetivo del presente estudio con el objeto de proyectar posibles escenarios para el comercio colombiano, a fin de investigar la eliminación de estas restricciones. En la parte empírica se enfatizará en los impactos de las restricciones externas en el sentido de un estudio econométrico, sin embargo, la influencia de las restricciones internas será discutida como tal.

salud financiera y riesgo en los estados financieros de la empresa avianca del sector aeronautico

La globalización y la competitividad como realidad de las empresas, implica que los gerentes preparen a sus empresas de la mejor manera para sobrevivir en este mundo tan inestable y cambiante. El primer paso consta de investigar y medir como se encuentra la empresa en cada uno de sus componentes, tales como recurso humano, mercadeo, logística, operación y por último y más importante las finanzas. El conocimiento de salud financiera y de los riesgos asociados a la actividad de las empresas, les permitirá a los gerentes tomar las decisiones correctas para ser rentables y perdurables en el mundo de los negocios inmerso en la globalización y competitividad. Esta apreciación es pertinente en Avianca S.A. esto teniendo en cuenta su progreso y evolución desde su primer vuelo el 5 de diciembre de 1919 comercial, hasta hoy cuando cotiza en la bolsa de Nueva York. Se realizó un análisis de tipo descriptivo, acompañado de la aplicación de ratios y nomenclaturas, dando lugar a establecer la salud financiera y los riesgos, no solo de Avianca sino también del sector aeronáutico. Como resultado se obtuvo que el sector aeronáutico sea financieramente saludable en el corto plazo, pero en el largo plazo su salud financiera se ve comprometida por los riegos asociados al sector y a la actividad desarrollada.

Análisis de los componentes de la cadena de suministro y global manufacturing y su relación con el desempeño organizacional en el sector manufacturero

El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo mostrar la relación que existe entre la cadena de suministro, global manufacturing y su relación con el desempeño organizacional en el sector manufacturero. El proyecto va a estar divido en tres grandes partes, en primer lugar estará el marco conceptual donde se especificarán los conceptos más significativos que abarcan la investigación, seguido del marco teórico donde se expondrán las teorías y estudios encontrados, analizados y estudiados con el fin de desembocar en la tercer parte que serán las conclusiones y recomendaciones que se darán a partir de los análisis y teorías que compactan el tema de la relación existente entre la cadena de suministro, global manufacturing y el desempeño organizacional.

Tratado de libre comercio entre Colombia e Israel. Perspectivas generales y oportunidades para el sector agrícola colombiano

Las estrategias tendientes a la diversificación de los mercados de exportación e internacionalización de la economía por parte del gobierno colombiano y sus políticas gubernamentales han incluido la firma de una serie de Tratados de Libre Comercio, entre ellos el TLC de última generación firmado con El Estado de Israel. Estos tratados además de abordar temas tradicionales de comercio, tratan nuevos capítulos en inversiones y servicios. Así mismo se analizan las principales políticas por parte del gobierno de Israel para la competitividad en términos empresariales y sociales. Más adelante se consideran aspectos generales de la economía colombiana y se analiza la relación comercial bilateral entre el Estado de Israel y la República de Colombia para entender su comportamiento histórico y el ambiente actual. Finalmente se hace un énfasis en el sector agrícola de Israel y sus aspectos que lo han dirigido al éxito, una observación corta del sector en Colombia y luego aspectos adicionales para a facilitación del comercio con Israel. El estudio va dirigido a empresarios, compañías o entes públicos a nivel local e internacional que vean en el sector agrícola colombiano una oportunidad de desarrollo, aprovechando los beneficios de comercio y conocimiento, con el objetivo de mejorar la competitividad y productividad del sector en Colombia. Se utilizan metodologías tanto cuantitativas como cualitativas para la investigación y análisis de caso tomando la información correspondiente de fuentes verídicas e independientes para así poder reseñar y describir las oportunidades y retos del sector agrícola.

Agricultural sector and competition in Colombia

In this chapter we provide a summary description of Colombian Competition Policy with an emphasis on the agricultural sector. Key developments and recent changes in institutional arrangements affecting competition policy, as it applies to the agricultural sector, are highlighted. Illustrative case studies are depicted to show the richness and complexity of policy developments and enforcement. Some general conclusions are drawn from this examination.