Value chain research and development: The quest for impact

Jason Donovan (2023, [Artículo])

Motivation: For decades, governments, donors, and practitioners have promoted market-based development approaches (MBDA), most recently in the form of value chain development (VCD), to spur economic growth and reduce poverty. Changes in approaches have been shaped by funders, practitioners and researchers in ways that are incompletely appreciated. Purpose: We address the following questions: (1) how have researchers and practitioners shaped discussions on MBDA?; and (2) how has research stimulated practice, and how has practice informed research? We hypothesize that stronger exchange between researchers and practitioners increases the relevance and impact of value chain research and development. Methods and approach: We adopt Downs' (1972) concept of issue-attention cycles, which posits that attention to a particular issue follows a pattern where, first, excitement builds over potential solutions; followed by disenchantment as the inherent complexity, trade-offs, and resources required to solve it become apparent; and consequently attention moves on to a new issue. We review the literature on MBDA to see how far this framing applies. Findings: We identify five cycles of approaches to market-based development over the last 40 or more years: (1) non-traditional agricultural exports; (2) small and medium enterprise development; (3) value chains with a globalization perspective; (4) value chains with an agri-business perspective; and (5) value chain development. The shaping and sequencing of these cycles reflect researchers' tendency to analyse and criticize MBDA, while providing limited guidance on workable improvements; practitioners' reluctance to engage in critical reflection on their programmes; and an institutional and funding environment that encourages new approaches. Policy implications: Future MBDA will benefit from stronger engagement between researchers, practitioners, and funders. Before shifting attention to new concepts and approaches, achievements and failures in previous cycles need to be scrutinized. Evidence-based practice should extend for the length of the issue-attention cycle; preferably it should arrest the cycling of attention. Funders can help by requiring grantees to critically reflect on past action, by providing “safe spaces” for sharing such reflections, and by engaging in joint learning with practitioners and researchers.

Agri-Food Value Chains Issue-Attention Cycles Market-Based Development Approaches CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA VALUE CHAINS PRIVATE SECTOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT SMALLHOLDERS

Alternative cropping and feeding options to enhance sustainability of mixed crop-livestock farms in Bangladesh

Timothy Joseph Krupnik Jeroen Groot (2024, [Artículo])

We investigated alternative cropping and feeding options for large (>10 cows), medium (5–10 cows) and small (≤4 cows) mixed crop – livestock farm types, to enhance economic and environmental performance in Jhenaidha and Meherpur districts – locations with increasing dairy production – in south western Bangladesh. Following focus group discussions with farmers on constraints and opportunities, we collected baseline data from one representative farm from each farm size class per district (six in total) to parameterize the whole-farm model FarmDESIGN. The six modelled farms were subjected to Pareto-based multi-objective (differential evolution algorithm) optimization to generate alternative dairy farm and fodder configurations. The objectives were to maximize farm profit, soil organic matter balance, and feed self-reliance, in addition to minimizing feed costs and soil nitrogen losses as indicators of sustainability. The cropped areas of the six baseline farms ranged from 0.6 to 4.0 ha and milk production per cow was between 1,640 and 3,560 kg year−1. Feed self-reliance was low (17%–57%) and soil N losses were high (74–342 kg ha−1 year−1). Subsequent trade-off analysis showed that increasing profit and soil organic matter balance was associated with higher risks of N losses. However, we found opportunities to improve economic and environmental performance simultaneously. Feed self-reliance could be increased by intensifying cropping and substituting fallow periods with appropriate fodder crops. For the farm type with the largest opportunity space and room to manoeuvre, we identified four strategies. Three strategies could be economically and environmentally benign, showing different opportunities for farm development with locally available resources.

Ruminant Feed Pareto-Based Optimization Farm Bioeconomic Model CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA RUMINANT FEEDING BIOECONOMIC MODELS MIXED CROPPING FARMS LIVESTOCK

The past, the present, the future, and occupational self-efficacy: an attributions and cultural differences perspective

Daniel Arturo Cernas Ortiz (2023, [Artículo, Artículo])

This study´s objective was to examine empirical relationships between three dimensions of time perspective (future, present fatalistic, and past negative) and occupational self-efficacy. By surveying Mexican (n = 286) and U.S. (n = 272) respondents, we also tested the moderating role of culture. Regression analyses revealed that time perspective dimensions have significant associations with occupational self-efficacy, being future time perspective more potent than its past negative and present fatalistic counterparts. Moderation analyses indicated that none of the examined time perspective-self-efficacy relationships varied significantly between the U.S. and Mexico. Overall, this study suggests that relationships between time perspective and occupational self-efficacy vary according to different temporal dimensions, that future TP is key to develop occupational self-efficacy, and that cultural values may not exert a significant influence on the time perspective-occupational self-efficacy connection.

Perspectiva de tiempo autoeficacia diferencias culturales análisis de moderación CIENCIAS SOCIALES CIENCIAS SOCIALES Time perspective self-efficacy cultural differences moderation analysis

Review of Nationally Determined Contributions (NCD) of China from the perspective of food systems

Tek Sapkota (2023, [Documento de trabajo])

China is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG) and one of the countries most affected by climate change. China's food systems are a major contributor to climate change: in 2018, China's food systems emitted 1.09 billion tons of carbondioxide equivalent (CO2eq) GHGs, accounting for 8.2% of total national GHG emissions and 2% of global emissions. According to the Third National Communication (TNC) Report, in 2010, GHG emissions from energy, industrial processes, agriculture, and waste accounted for 78.6%, 12.3%, 7.9%, and 1.2% of total emissions, respectively, (excluding emissions from land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF). Total GHG emissions from the waste sector in 2010 were 132 Mt CO2 eq, with municipal solid waste landfills accounting for 56 Mt. The average temperature in China has risen by 1.1°C over the last century (1908–2007), while nationally averaged precipitation amounts have increased significantly over the last 50 years. The sea level and sea surface temperature have risen by 90 mm and 0.9°C respectively in the last 30 years. A regional climate model predicted an annual mean temperature increase of 1.3–2.1°C by 2020 (2.3–3.3°C by 2050), while another model predicted a 1–1.6°C temperature increase and a 3.3–3.7 percent increase in precipitation between 2011 and 2020, depending on the emissions scenario. By 2030, sea level rise along coastal areas could be 0.01–0.16 meters, increasing the likelihood of flooding and intensified storm surges and causing the degradation of wetlands, mangroves, and coral reefs. Addressing climate change is a common human cause, and China places a high value on combating climate change. Climate change has been incorporated into national economic and social development plans, with equal emphasis on mitigation and adaptation to climate change, including an updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) in 2021. The following overarching targets are included in China's updated NDC: • Peaking carbon dioxide emissions “before 2030” and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060. • Lowering carbon intensity by “over 65%” by 2030 from the 2005 level. • Increasing forest stock volume by around 6 billion cubic meters in 2030 from the 2005 level. The targets have come from several commitments made at various events, while China has explained very well the process adopted to produce its third national communication report. An examination of China's NDC reveals that it has failed to establish quantifiable and measurable targets in the agricultural sectors. According to the analysis of the breakdown of food systems and their inclusion in the NDC, the majority of food system activities are poorly mentioned. China's interventions or ambitions in this sector have received very little attention. The adaptation component is mentioned in the NDC, but is not found to be sector-specific or comprehensive. A few studies have rated the Chinese NDC as insufficient, one of the reasons being its failure to list the breakdown of each sector's clear pathway to achieving its goals. China's NDC lacks quantified data on food system sub-sectors. Climate Action Trackers' "Insufficient" rating indicates that China's domestic target for 2030 requires significant improvements to be consistent with the Paris Agreement's target of 1.5°C temperature limit. Some efforts are being made: for example, scientists from the Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (IEDA-CAAS) have developed methods for calculating GHG emissions from livestock and poultry farmers that have been published as an industrial standard by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, PRC (Prof Hongmin Dong, personal communication) but this still needs to be consolidated and linked to China’s NDC. The updated Nationally Determined Contributions fall short of quantifiable targets in agriculture and food systems as a whole, necessitating clear pathways. China's NDC is found to be heavily focused on a few sectors, including energy, transportation, and urban-rural development. The agricultural sectors' and food systems' targets are vague, and China's agrifood system has a large carbon footprint. As a result, China should focus on managing the food system (production, processing, transportation, and food waste management) to reduce carbon emissions. Furthermore, China should take additional measures to make its climate actions more comprehensive, quantifiable, and measurable, such as setting ambitious and clear targets for the agriculture sector, including activity-specific GHG-reduction pathways; prioritizing food waste and loss reduction and management; promoting sustainable livestock production and low carbon diets; reducing chemical pollution; minimizing the use of fossil fuel in the agri-system and focusing on developing green jobs, technological advancement and promoting climate-smart agriculture; promoting indigenous practices and locally led adaptation; restoring degraded agricultural soils and enhancing cooperation and private partnership. China should also prepare detailed NDC implementation plans including actions and the GHG reduction from conditional targets.

CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS CLIMATE CHANGE FOOD SYSTEMS LAND USE CHANGE AGRICULTURE POLICIES DATA ANALYSIS FOOD WASTES

The potential of UAV and very high-resolution satellite imagery for yellow and stem rust detection and phenotyping in Ethiopia

Gerald Blasch David Hodson Francelino Rodrigues (2023, [Artículo])

Very high (spatial and temporal) resolution satellite (VHRS) and high-resolution unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery provides the opportunity to develop new crop disease detection methods at early growth stages with utility for early warning systems. The capability of multispectral UAV, SkySat and Pleiades imagery as a high throughput phenotyping (HTP) and rapid disease detection tool for wheat rusts is assessed. In a randomized trial with and without fungicide control, six bread wheat varieties with differing rust resistance were monitored using UAV and VHRS. In total, 18 spectral features served as predictors for stem and yellow rust disease progression and associated yield loss. Several spectral features demonstrated strong predictive power for the detection of combined wheat rust diseases and the estimation of varieties’ response to disease stress and grain yield. Visible spectral (VIS) bands (Green, Red) were more useful at booting, shifting to VIS–NIR (near-infrared) vegetation indices (e.g., NDVI, RVI) at heading. The top-performing spectral features for disease progression and grain yield were the Red band and UAV-derived RVI and NDVI. Our findings provide valuable insight into the upscaling capability of multispectral sensors for disease detection, demonstrating the possibility of upscaling disease detection from plot to regional scales at early growth stages.

Very High Resolution Imagery Disease Detection Methods Early Growth Stages CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES STEM RUST PHENOTYPING HIGH-THROUGHPUT PHENOTYPING WHEAT

Vida de un muerto. Entre nuestro universo y el otro

Nicolás Amoroso Boelcke (2023, [Capítulo de libro])

Capítulo número 3 de la Sección Imágenes y representaciones.

Se analiza el film Raymond & Ray, desde la construcción de la vida de Harris, personaje muerto desde el principio del film, y esto se hace mediante las palabras, no con escenas de la infancia que mencionan Raymond y Ray ni tampoco en las acciones que participa con los otros perso¬najes que hablan de él. Harris habita el filme desde las palabras.

Semiotics and motion pictures. Culture--Semiotic models. Dialogue analysis. Semiótica y cine. Análisis del diálogo. NX180.S46 HUMANIDADES Y CIENCIAS DE LA CONDUCTA CIENCIAS DE LAS ARTES Y LAS LETRAS TEORÍA, ANÁLISIS Y CRÍTICA DE LAS BELLAS ARTES CINEMATOGRAFÍA

Genomic regions associated with resistance to three rusts in CIMMYT wheat line “Mokue#1”

Naeela Qureshi Ravi Singh sridhar bhavani (2023, [Artículo])

Genetic Analysis Leaf Rust CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA GENETICS RUSTS QUANTITATIVE TRAIT LOCI MAPPING DISEASE RESISTANCE STRIPE RUST STEM RUST

Spatiotemporal analysis of rainfall and temperature variability and trends for climate resilient maize farming system in major agroecology zones of northwest Ethiopia

Kindie Tesfaye Dereje Ademe Enyew Adgo (2023, [Artículo])

Spatiotemporal studies of the annual and seasonal climate variability and trend on an agroecological spatial scale for establishing a climate-resilient maize farming system have not yet been conducted in Ethiopia. The study was carried out in three major agroecological zones in northwest Ethiopia using climate data from 1987 to 2018. The coefficient of variation (CV), precipitation concertation index (PCI), and rainfall anomaly index (RAI) were used to analyze the variability of rainfall. The Mann-Kendall test and Sen’s slope estimator were also applied to estimate trends and slopes of changes in rainfall and temperature. High-significance warming trends in the maximum and minimum temperatures were shown in the highland and lowland agroecology zones, respectively. Rainfall has also demonstrated a maximum declining trend throughout the keremt season in the highland agroecology zone. However, rainfall distribution has become more unpredictable in the Bega and Belg seasons. Climate-resilient maize agronomic activities have been determined by analyzing the onset and cessation dates and the length of the growth period (LGP). The rainy season begins between May 8 and June 3 and finishes between October 26 and November 16. The length of the growth period (LGP) during the rainy season ranges from 94 to 229 days.

Climate Trends Spatiotemporal Analysis Agroecology Zone CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA AGROECOLOGY CLIMATE CLIMATE VARIABILITY MAIZE

Structural analysis evaluationfor rollers of chassis dynoUsing finite element software

Jesús Emmanuel López Rizo ALFREDO CHAVEZ LUNA JAIME GONZALO SANTANA ESQUIVEL (2023, [Artículo])

This paper discusses the design considerations for a chassis dynamometer, focused on the rollers system used for measuring the power and torque of a vehicle in a university-level workshop. The design must prioritize factors such as safety, ease of use, adaptability to diverse types of vehicles, and the inclusion of safety systems to protect students and the vehicle. The work suggests adaptative features for the design, such as an adjustable fastening system and a compact and portable design, to adapt the structure into a university laboratory. The study also describes common methods for measuring engine power and torque using a chassis dynamometer, and the accurate and reliable measurement systems used for this purpose. This concludes with a discussion of the manufacturing methods used for the chassis dynamometer and a static analysis of the maximum effort capacity in each roller using Von Mises and Goodman fatigue theories. Developing a chassis dynamometer, in accordance the current patents available for workshop practices in a university is essential for providing students with comprehensive training.

Chassis dynamometer Conceptual design Finite element software Power and torque measurement Structural analysis INGENIERÍA Y TECNOLOGÍA CIENCIAS TECNOLÓGICAS OTRAS ESPECIALIDADES TECNOLÓGICAS OTRAS OTRAS

Pertinencia del análisis transdisciplinario de la lírica-musical popular latinoamericana

Fermin Monroy Villanueva (2023, [Capítulo de libro])

Capítulo número 3 de la Sección El juego de los signos.

El objetivo de este texto es resaltar la importancia de llevar a la práctica el análisis transdisciplinario de lo que comúnmente es conocido como canción popular, elemento fundamental de los géneros musicales latinoamericanos que aún son considerados representativos de la identidad de sus países. De entre el basto universo integrado por este tipo de producciones, el enfoque está en la música de mariachi mexicano –base de la canción ranchera–, el tango canción argentino y el pasillo ecuatoriano. En este sentido, sostenemos que el análisis de las letras es una vía de aproximación para conocer las condiciones contextuales que caracterizaron la época en que fueron escritas, es decir, al ámbito social, cultural, político, histórico, económico y, de forma muy particular, al emocional. De tal modo, el análisis de la lírica permite reconocer continuidades y resaltar la vigencia de elementos simbólicos que participan en la configuración de sujetos, sociedades y culturas: patrióticos (en la mención de héroes nacionales, lugares y fechas históricas, banderas, escudos, himnos), religiosos (Dios, santos, vírgenes, mártires), espaciales (pueblos, barrios, el campo, las ciudades), conductuales (comportamientos estereotipados en mujeres y hombres, costumbres), etcétera.

Music--Semiotics. Popular music--Latin America--History and criticism. Musical analysis. Intercultural communication. Música popular. Análisis musical. Comunicación intercultural. Semiótica y arte. ML3845 HUMANIDADES Y CIENCIAS DE LA CONDUCTA CIENCIAS DE LAS ARTES Y LAS LETRAS TEORÍA, ANÁLISIS Y CRÍTICA DE LAS BELLAS ARTES MÚSICA, MUSICOLOGÍA