School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences - Theses
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ItemFormulation of a national institutional framework for sustainable irrigation development in the Lao People's Democratic Republic( 1999)The primary objective of the thesis is to develop recommendations for institutional arrangements within various levels of government agencies concerned with irrigation for improved development and management of small scale irrigation in Lao PDR. Secondary objectives of the thesis are the identification of a legal framework to protect the rights of investors, developers and beneficiaries; and the identification of financial arrangements to ensure the availability of funds for construction and development, as well as the generation of funds for effective operation and maintenance. Using experience from studies in other Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries and within Lao PDR, the thesis reviews existing organisational arrangements for the irrigation sub-sector in Lao PDR and makes recommendations for change. It is acknowledged that some of existing arrangements, although not ideal, are unlikely to be changed within the next few years. Funding arrangements for irrigation are set out on the basis that the water users will contribute substantially to costs. Government funding flows are detailed and again it is noted that change is unlikely. The organisation of the National level Department of Irrigation is considered in some detail with recommended roles and responsibilities recommended for five operational divisions. These are the Survey, Study and Design Division; the Technical Management Division; the Operations and Maintenance Division; the Administrative Division; and the Planning and Cooperation Division. Operational units of each of these divisions are also detailed. Staff numbers for each unit have been estimated and the recommended minimum number of staff required to effectively operate the Department of Irrigation is specified. Detailed job descriptions determined from an analysis of the capabilities and needs of the Government and experiences of the literature review, sub-sectoral review and case studies have been published separately. These recommendations are considered to adequately meet the objectives of the thesis.
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ItemPotential impact of a farm forestry industry on the Goulburn regional economy( 1996)Transactions for a hypothetical farm forestry industry in the Goulburn region were constructed from the output of the FARMTREE model. Eleven different regimes were simulated, including hardwood and softwood, woodlots, timberbelts and wide-spaced agroforestry. This output included estimates of annual cash flows of costs and revenues per hectare. These were transformed to regional aggregated cash flows projected forward over one hundred years. A regional input-output table without farm forestry was constructed using the national input-output table and GRIT and adjusted for future growth. For certain years or 'snapshots' the farm forestry industry transactions were inserted into the future projected input-output table for the Goulburn regional economy. The new balanced input-output table summarizes the inter-sectoral flows and describes the regional structure with the new farm forestry industry inserted. Three snapshots were taken representing different stages of the development of the farm forestry industry: i 2004, the establishment phase: when the cost of plantation formation is greater than the predicted returns from wood sales. ii 2019, the transition phase: when the returns from wood sales have begun to swell whilst new sites are still being planted. iii the steady state phase: when harvesting is equal to replanting, no new sites are being planted, a full range of plantations exist at different stages of formulation and returns from wood sales have trebled since the previous transition year. Two methods were used to analyse the input-output tables constructed and the associated impacts. The first method was the analysis of the difference between the input-output table with farm forestry inserted compared to the input-output table without farm forestry inserted. This method allowed the estimation of the effects of farm forestry industry and the value-added processing of farm forestry products on the other sectors in the regional economy and hence the economy as a whole. The second was with conventional multiplier analysis used to estimate the changes in a given year resulting from an increase in demand for the farm forestry industry, wood manufacturing and other sectors. In the year 2034, the introduction and integration of a farm forestry industry in the Goulburn regional economy potentially generates, using multiplier analysis: $53 million worth of output; $13 million worth of income; and provides for up to 234 jobs. The farm forestry industry, using the difference method of analysis, produced a change in the economy of: $1,268 million in total output, a change of 6 per cent; $302 million in total income, a change of 5 per cent; and 5,750 jobs, a change of 4 per cent. The industry that experiences the single largest increase was the wood manufacturing industry through its value adding of the product purchased from the farm forestry industry.
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ItemAn economic analysis of Nigeria's import substitution policy for rice and wheat( 1993)The study involves analyses of substitution effects of Nigeria's import restriction imposed on rice and wheat; in terms of domestic production, consumption and prices. The theoretical and empirical literature on uncertainty, risk and self sufficiency under international trade is reviewed, as well as smuggling and its welfare implications. The analyses involves use of regression and correlation models. The result shows that increase in price of wheat would reduce per capita wheat consumption, thereby shifting consumption to maize and millet. It is found that wheat and rice are inferior commodities in Nigeria. In addition, increase in the prices of yam and maize would increase per capita rice consumption . Therefore, yam, maize and rice are substitutes in consumption, so also are wheat and rice in production. An increase in price of rice would increase rice area while increases in prices of maize and wheat would increase wheat area. While increase in the price of rice would lower wheat production, thereby favouring rice production in the longrun. Accordingly, increase in world prices for rice and wheat would lower their domestic prices. While increase in tariff would increase domestic wheat producer price. Between 1973 and 1986 prices of most food commodities in Nigeria increased both nominally and in real terms. In addition, real prices for rice and wheat slumped between 1987 and 1989. Retail prices were always higher than producer prices. It is concluded that insulating domestic prices and supplies of rice and wheat is no panacea to problems associated with price instability, self sufficiency and balance of payments. Sustainable policies, such as consumption tax; use of futures markets; diversification and appropriate exchange rate are the best policy options.
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ItemA review of Albizia falcataria in West Java, Indonesia, and a study of its use in selected smallholder systems( 1992)Albizia falcataria (L) Fosberg or Paraserianthes falcataria (L) Nielsen, a fast-growing leguminous tree, was introduced to Java, Indonesia in 1871. Since then the species has been spread throughout the country. It is widely planted both in government-and privately owned forests as well as by smallholder farmers. The study is in two parts. The first reviews current literature on A. falcataria with special reference to general silviculture and production systems, and its current status as a plantation crop in Java. The second part looks at the deployment of the species by a selected group of smallholder farmers in Bogor District, West Java. This leguminous species has been planted because of its multiple uses including: - interplanting with other crops in home gardens; - as a part of agroforestry systems and as shade trees for estate crops; - as a component of forestry production; - reforestation and afforestation programs; - maintainance or increase of soil fertility; - as a timber for use in the building industry; - furniture, handicraft, fuel wood, and pulp and paper industries; - the leaves are useful as a fodder for livestock. The species have particular advantages as trees on farms: - easy to grow and maintain even by unexperienced farmers; - grow-well on many types of soils; - can be cut in a relatively short time (3- 5 years) because of its fast growth; - relatively cheap to grow and maintain; and - has a good price and easily marketed. A survey of 25 respondents in the Bogor district of West Java was conducted in November and December 1991. The respondents were not randomly selected. The main criterion was the choice of smallholder farmers who grow A. falcataria as groups of trees. There are many other farmers who grow the-trees as single or scattered units. The farmers studied had much larger farms than is the average size in Bogor or Java. Average land holding of the respondents was 3.5 ha; in Java the average farm is less than 0.5 ha. The study showed that income from Albizia falcataria was relatively large in comparison with other sources of income for the respondent farmers. Average annual income from the species for the sample farmers, was approximately Rp.1,310,000 (US $ 650) for the first five years from planting. The trees contributed about 43 per cent of income from agricultural activities or 27 per cent of total income. For monocultural A. falcataria plantations, the average net income could reach Rp. 2,000,000 to Rp. 3,000,000 or US $ 1,000 to 1,500 per ha per year. The price for Albizia falcataria wood has been increasing each year and is currently around Rp. 50,000 (US $ 25) per cubic meter for medium quality wood. It seems possible that more farmers will grow these trees in the future. This trend is supported by Indonesian government policy, which encourages all rural people to plant A. falcataria on their lands, including home gardens or yards under programs of reforestation and afforestation. Under government supervision, and with the provision of inputs such as free seedlings, extension services, fund, processing and marketing facilities it is believed that Albizia falcataria will have an increasingly important role, particularly in Java where natural forest is scare and some marginal and. sloping grounds remain underutilised. In summary, Albizia falcataria can contribute a significant share of total income for those smallholder farmers in the Bogor district who grow this increasingly valuable tree crop.