Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Effect Of Fermentation On The Quality Characteristics Of Nixtamalized Corn, Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa, Samuel Sefa-Dedeh, Beatrice Cornelius

Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa

Spontaneous lactic acid fermentation is an important process in cereal processing. It is applied to develop and enhance taste and flavour, modify texture and improve the microbial safety of foods. When applied to nixtamalized corn mixed with traditional steeped corn it is expected to further improve the functionality, improve nutritional quality and provide an alternative corn-based ingredient. The objective of this study was to investigate the chemical and functional properties of fermented blends of steeped and nixtamalized corn. A 3_5 factorial experimental design with fermentation time (0, 24, 48 h) and blends composition (0:100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25, 100:0 steeped:nixtamalized corn) …

Application Of Response Surface Methodology For Studying The Quality Characteristics Of Cowpea-Fortified Nixtamalized Maize, Samuel Sefa-Dedeh, Beatrice Cornelius, Esther Sakyi-Dawson, Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa

Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa

Studies were conducted on the chemical and functional properties of fermented cowpea-fortified nixtamalized maize using response surface methodology. The central composite rotatable design for Ks3 was used to study the combined effect of lime concentration (0–1%), moisture content (55–65%) and cowpea level (0–30%) on pH, titratable acidity, water absorption, protein and viscosity of fermented nixtamalized maize. Regression models were developed to predict the variables. The presence of lime and cowpea influenced the pH, titratable acidity, water absorption, protein content and the cooked paste viscosity of the fermented cowpea-fortified maize. The presence of lime during fermentation generally decreased titratable acidity, water …

Regulating Illicit Trade In Natural Resources: The Role Of Regional Actors In West Africa, Emmanuel Aning

Emmanuel Kwesi Aning

This article explores the multiple efforts that have been initiated by regional actors in West Africa, mainly ECOWAS, to regulate the illicit trade in natural resources in the context of armed conflicts. It then examines the behaviour of 'spoilers' who are able to circumvent the sanctions regime and governments' domestic regulation. The paper argues that the characteristics and multiple dynamics of the armed conflicts in West Africa have created specific opportunities for economic activities in a thriving parallel economy through the 'illicit' trade in natural resources.

Market Transparency And Market Structure: The Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act Of 1999, Azzeddine Azzam

Azzeddine Azzam

The premise of the Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act of 1999 is that enhanced transparency promotes competition. This article provides a theoretical study of the consequences of such transparency for the structure, conduct, and performance of the livestock industry. I conclude that the usefulness of the Act to the livestock industry may not be in the value of reported information to feeders, as the supporters of the Act claim. Rather, by forcing packers to pool information at negligible marginal cost, the Act may foster more competitive conduct in the procurement of livestock.

Why Model Landscapes At The Level Of Households And Fields?, Jerome K. Vanclay

Professor Jerome K Vanclay

Sustainable resource management relies upon many disciplines and deals with complex interactions at the landscape scale. Many of the issues at the landscape scale arise from decisions taken at the household level and affect land use in fields and in small patches of forest. Spatially-explicit modelling of these units is desirable because it enables rigorous testing of model predictions, and thus of underlying propositions. The greatest insights may be obtained by participatory modelling of these processes as we understand them. Despite this, few models simulate dynamics at the household and field level. FLORES, the Forest Land Oriented Resource Envisioning System, …

Protecting Forests Through Farming: A Dynamic Model Of Nontimber Forest Extraction, Ujjayant N. Chakravorty, Herath Gunatileke

Ujjayant Chakravorty

Forest resource extraction by local communities has been cited as a major impediment to the efficient management of protected forests. This paper develops a two sector dynamic model for farming and forest resource extraction by communities living in the forest periphery. The model assumes that land under forestry is constant and households allocate their time to farming and forestry. Comparative dynamic results suggest that higher prices for agriculture output, lower input prices, better knowledge of farming techniques and a lower discount rate may result in a higher equilibrium stock of forest resources. Tobit analysis with primary data collected from the …

Efficiency And Technical Change In The Philippine Rice Sector: A Malmquist Total Factor Productivity Analysis, Ujjayant N. Chakravorty, Chieko Umetsu, Thamana Lekprichakul

Ujjayant Chakravorty

Regional differences in total factor productivity, efficiency, and technological change in the Philippine rice sector are examined for the post-Green Revolution era. Malmquist productivity indices were constructed for 1971-90 and were decomposed into efficiency and technological change. The average annual Malmquist productivity growth was only slightly positive. Productivity growth was negative during the early 1970s, and was followed by a period of positive growth. Growth was negative again in the late 1980s. The period of positive growth coincided with the introduction of new rice varieties while the declines are likely to have been caused by intensification of rice production in …

Basinwide Water Management: A Spatial Model, Ujjayant N. Chakravorty, Chieko Umetsu

Ujjayant Chakravorty

This paper develops a spatial model for a water basin that allows for surface water allocation and reuse of the water that is lost. The analytical solution suggests specialization of production over space—upstream farmers use canal water and downstream farmers pump groundwater that is lost upstream. Groundwater emerges as an endogenous ‘‘backstop’’. The empirical results suggest that when traditional conservation technologies are used, optimization over the entire basin leads to a significant increase in aggregate output, project area and water use. Somewhat counter-intuitively, rents from water decrease if farmers switch from traditional to modern irrigation technology.

Technical Efficiency Of The Danish Trawl Fleet: Are The Industrial Vessels Better Than Others?, Niels Vestergaard, Dale Squires, Frank Jensen, Jesper Levring Andersen

Niels Vestergaard

Technical efficiency in the Danish trawl fishery in the North Sea is estimated for 1997-1998 with a stochastic production frontier model. This model allows for both technical efficiency and a stochastic environment. The results show that the production frontier can be modelled by a translog function with time effects and a technical inefficiency function. The type of fishery (industrial or consumption) and size of vessel give a good explanation for the inefficiency of the fleet. The average technical efficiency is estimated to be 0.80. On avrage, industrial vessels have a higher technical efficiency than human consumption vessels, and smaller industrial …

The Travel Cost Model, George R. Parsons

George Parsons

No abstract provided.

Measuring The Economic Benefits Of Water Quality Improvements To Recreational Users In Six Northeastern States: An Application Of The Random Utility Maximization Model, George R. Parsons, Eric C. Helm, Tim Bondelid

George Parsons

An Economic Analysis Of Occupational Diversification Among Households In Andhra Pradesh, A Amarender Reddy

A Amarender Reddy

The study examined occupational diversification among rural households in Andhra Pradesh. The specific objectives of the study are: (i) To examine the occupational structure of households in different regions of rural Andhra Pradesh (ii) To assess the level of unemployment, underemployment and poverty in different categories of households (iii) To find out various socio-economic factors affecting employment pattern in different regions and among households, and (iv) To suggest policy measures to reduce unemployment and underemployment. The study is based on National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) unit household data from its 50th and 55th rounds on employment and unemployment surveys for …