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Today the strategic vector of agricultural development is connected with the introduction of digital technologies. Digitalization leads not only to transformation of production processes in the industry but as well has much wider environmental, social and institutional context. This paper is aimed at finding out what digital transformations have the most strategic significance for social and economic development of agro-industrial regions of the south of Russia, as well as at revealing the factors fostering or constraining these processes. Digital transformation in the south Russian regions has just affected the first level -- application of new information technologies for raising economic performance and simultaneous alleviating environmental problems. The perspectives of digitalization of the agriculture are connected with developing open collaborative systems with different types of business collaborations. The authors highlight the main problems of realizing digital transformations in the agriculture of the south regions solving of which can be provided by means of authorities' institutional decisions within regional strategies of digitalization. This research gives an idea of the potential of agricultural digitalization and its results can be used for forming theoretical and methodological grounds for strategic development of agriculture in agro-industrial regions in modern circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eurasia represents an important economic region for the majority of the post-Soviet republics. The structure of their economies is highly dissimilar and reflects the status of agriculture. The aim of the paper is to analyse the relation between agriculture index and GDP per capita Using the basic economic indicators in agriculture (contribution of agriculture to GDP, share of employment in agriculture, agriculture value added per worker and share of rural population) as well as the cluster analysis, the countries were divided into four groups. There are sub-groups within the post-Soviet republics, differing considerably in the status of agriculture in their national economy. A negative correlation between GDP per capita (PPP) and the level of the agriculture index has been proved in the monitored countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There exist several possible approaches to the development of mobile applications. The paper treats the options of native applications for mobile devices. It analyzes economic aspects of two approaches - native applications development with the help of tools for individual platforms (Windows Phone, Android, iOS) and native applications developed by cross-platform tools represented by the tool Xamarin. In the paper basic variables and a formula for costs calculation are defined. The conclusions show that the utilization of the cross-platform tool Xamarin can lead to significant costs reduction. However, further research is needed mainly in the area of both the complexity development by cross-platform tools and meeting the requirements on UI and UX. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Agris On-Line Papers in Economics & Informatics is the property of Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Consulting Center of the Faculty of Economics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The paper presents overview of current research on open data potential and use in the agriculture. Open data are described through the concepts of information need and transformation places in the agricultural enterprise. Opportunities and stimuli of open data for agriculture are discussed such as real use cases of open formats (Open Office XML, CSV, ODS and RDF) and suggestions of value-added analysis of data available at eAGRI Portal that is leading information source in Czech agriculture. Based on the literature review and secondary data analysis a series of further research questions is provided in the conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SDI4Apps is an EU project that is building a cloud-based Geospatial Linked Open Data platform for data integration, to bridge from the top-down managed world of Geospatial Information to the bottom-up user-driven mobile world of Linked Open Data voluntary initiatives and micro SMEs developing applications using the information. To ensure its success, SDI4Apps has ensured the active participation of user communities in its co-design and validation through the implementation of 6 varied pilots involved in environmental management across Europe. Successful implementation of the SDI4Apps user communities' participation and their social validation is described in this paper. The social validation methodology has included development of specific criteria for measuring the platform's success, methods for multi-stakeholder social participation, analysis for internal and external communities and a clear set of indicators, which are now being measured during the validation process based on structured pilot scenarios. This robust stakeholders' involvement methodology, which is central to SDI4Apps, is not only generating sustainable economic returns through the interface between the users, SMEs, policy makers and scientific communities, but guarantees a solid contribution to the knowledge-driven economy and environmental management across Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Africa is a continent with specific problems differentiating this part of the world from other regions. Low economic performance ranks most of African countries among the poorest. On the other hand, African resources and unexploited opportunities offer a potential for a considerable economic development. Agricultural sector plays a specific role in African economic development because its share in total employment and GDP formation is enormous high. The aim of the paper is to analyze main changes in area of GDP structure formation (agricultural, industrial and services sector) which have occurred in selected African (Sub-Saharan) countries during a twenty-year period. The GDP and GDP per capita in Sub-Saharan countries are compared with the world GDP and GDP per capita. The comparative analysis is performed through logarithmic regression and elasticity analysis. The idea is to analyse the relationship existing between GDP and GDP per cap in relation to the GDP value generated by agriculture, industry and services sectors. The special attention is devoted to the position of agricultural sector in relation to the other sectors. The results indicate main trends in economic development and point to the specifics that while many Sub-Saharan countries have reached the modern type of economy with prevailing services in GDP composition, agriculture still dominates in most countries in terms of employment. From the economic point of view it is worth noting that the transformation process in Sub-Saharan Africa still has not reached the level of the global economic transformation. A significant reduction of agriculture's share in total GDP is to be expected in the future, it is also possible to expect an increasing role of processing industry and especially of services in the regional GDP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to investigate the dimensions and determinants of growth in Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) based on a survey covering 178 randomly selected MSEs in Mekelle city, northern Ethiopia through the test of four main hypotheses and arguments of Gibrat's law and the learning theory hypothesis. Semi-structured questionnaire and interview were used to collect data, and the binary choice model was used to identify factors that significantly affect the growth of MSEs. Employment size index is used as a proxy to measure firm growth in which about 76.4 percent of MSEs are found survival and the remaining 23.6 percent are growing type. There is also an evidence supporting the law of proportional effect could hold in the MSEs context. Moreover, the logit model result reveals that there is a significant gender difference in growth of MSEs. Furthermore, the start up capital, location and sector in which MSEs operate matter a lot for their growth. Hence, government and non-government organizations that are concerned with the promotion and development of MSEs need to take these factors in to account to accomplish better result and increase the potential contribution of MSEs to the e conomic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The food industry as an important part of the agriculture sector markedly influences through its financial economic results development both in agriculture and in related links of the food chain. The objective of the present paper is to identify negative and positive these aspects of results obtained in this sector in 2007-2009 and to reveal some risks that can retard the agriculture sector and/or to indicate positive trends that will lead to its development. Some segments - manufactures influencing the results of the food industry as a whole in a pronounced way were selected for analysis. The graphical model Spider Analysis was used for an expeditious and objective evaluation of results in the branches of manufacture and their position within the studied sector for the given period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the advanced technology of the normalized commodity-money relations. The technology is considered as updating the model of the normalized economic mechanism. The core of this technology is the e-trade with direct lending where deferred portion of the payment is documented as the buyer's debt to the seller (not to the bank!). The technology of e-trade with direct lending provides the possibility of early repayment of debt amounts to the sellers of priority goods. This repayment is fulfilled by the debt department of the state central bank. Rules of emission of debt amounts are presented in the advanced model of normalized money. The important innovation in normalized e-trade is the rule of obligatory state online certification of transactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Italian agri-food sector has traditionally been one of the strongest in the national socio-economic system. In the last ten years, commercial exchange trends have shown growing openness towards foreign countries and in particular to European Union (EU) countries. Both the primary sector and food industry are strongly influenced by their territorial location so much so that several authors have highlighted territorial specialisation and its effects on that territory's features also considering the contribution of the Italian Regions. The following work will analyse the patterns of agri-food specialisation in the Italian Regions. In particular, the Lafay Index will be used to evaluate competitive advantag e at a Regional level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The way the researcher groups his research data will influence the result of his work. In the literature, this phenomenon is treated as a Problem of the Modifiable Areal Unit. The objective of this article was to analyze the three spatial levels by Municipalities, Regional Centers and Mesoregions using the following data: gross domestic product, effective agricultural production, grain production and gross value of agricultural production for the state of Paraná-Brazil in the period since 2012 until 2015. The methodological procedure studied data from the Paranaense Institute for Economic and Social Development of the above-named variables collected on the website of the Paranaense Institute for Economic and Social Development of the 399 municipalities, 23 regional centers and 10 mesoregions. The results found show the presence of the Modifiable Areal Unit Problem, presenting different results for each level of grouping. The study revealed the problem of the modifiable areal unit is a relevant occurrence and it should be disregarded by researchers who work with clusters of spatial data in their studies. The results found allow a better understanding of the scale effect and demonstrate the efficiency of spatial analysis in socioeconomic data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are a number of ways by which access to ICT can help boost economic activities of communities in a country with the mobile phone being the most common ICT tool especially in Sub Saharan Africa. To examine the impact of digital technology on rural livelihoods in the Pru district of the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana, a survey of 212 peasant farmers was conducted. The probit regression results indicate that, digital technology adoption is significantly influenced by age, cost and availability of the technology. Furthermore, digital technologies contribute to the improvement of rural livelihoods by expanding and strengthening social capital, increase people's ability to deal with emergencies and enhanced efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study assesses the potential for an intervention of m-commerce in the fisher women retailer community of coastal Karnataka region of India. The study was conducted using primary data with a sample size of 383 fisher women across 26 markets in Udupi, Uttara Kannada and Dakshina Kannada districts of Karnataka, who are engaged in fishing practices. This study analyses m-commerce adoption and digital literacy among fisher woman retailers. Study identifies an insight into the degree of acceptance, zeal to learn and willingness to experiment technology change and shift in the trade practices with a digital platform. The result, using binary logistic regression also identifies variation of significant variable and behaviour of the population across 3 districts. The present study provides the basis for further research to build m-commerce model for the fish retailers in coastal Karnataka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For this community despite having other sources of income, jasmine cultivation has provided them with a sustained regular income. It safeguards them against poverty even if their other sources of income diminish. This study explores the areas in this community-based enterprise where information and communication technology (ICT) can be integrated. Thus, focus of the study was to visualize how this community-based enterprise works, understand the challenges faced and to provide possible ICT solution to overcome these challenges. ICT awareness among the growers and agents involved in the supply chain was also captured. Willingness of accepting ICT among the agents was analyzed using logistic regression and K-NN classifier machine learning models. Study showed a significant socio-economic impact of jasmine production on growers. To overcome the challenges faced, ICT solutions are proposed in place of current crude system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the article is to evaluate the development of risk management support in agriculture in the Czech Republic in the period 2001 - 2013. The article also tries to outline some possibilities for the future risk management scheme in the Czech Republic. Data provided by the Support and Guarantee Agricultural and Forestry Fund (PGRLF) and the Czech Insurance Association (ČAP) was described using descriptive statistical methods (mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variation). The data sources for international comparison come from secondary sources made by the research centres for European Commission. Authors identify that risk management support in the Czech Republic after 2014 will not use EU funds from the Rural Development Programme. It will depend on national financial sources, either in the form of direct support (premium subsidies, ad hoc aids) or indirect support of prevention (disease fund, recovery fund). In order to eliminate unexpected need for ad hoc aid, it is highly desirable to establish and continuously contribute a fund for covering catastrophic risks which cannot be managed by farmers or insurance companies. Such fund should be eligible only for those applicants who continuously take risk management measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the elements of competitiveness of the EU beef sector are assessed using the value chain approach. Consequently, the impact of the external factors represented by domestic policy and foreign trade policy is discussed, with the aim of deriving recommendations for policy makers. It is shown that investing in collaborative supply chains can improve the disadvantaged position of beef producers, which have the least power in the supply chain. Furthermore, the domains of science and innovation provide several opportunities that could be further explored, namely improving the logistics of the supply chain and developing more tailored quality systems. The main threats stem from potential free trade agreements, climate change and the internal competition between other agricultural crops. Better targeting of the CAP and environmental aspects are suggested to maintain the competitiveness of European beef producers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of information and communication technology also led to development in data visualization methods. There are many tools for monitoring of moving objects in agrarian sector, and also many different approaches on how to access and utilize location data. The suitability of given solution depends mostly on user requirements. Every user group has different demands and rights when operating software tools. The main objective of this article is to analyze different user groups and suitability of various GIS (geographic information system) for them. Three different approaches were experimentally evaluated: desktop, server and developer. Possibilities of these GIS solutions were ascertained with the target user group and required functionality in mind. Software was tested using standard movement visualization tasks, such as point location, movement paths, occurrence boundaries, and occurrence heat maps. Data used for the evaluation was procured from a long-term cooperation between Department of Information Technology and Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plantain is one of the most important staple crops in Nigeria and has the potential to contribute to food security and economic development of the country. There is inadequate information on competitiveness, comparative advantage and effects of government policies on the commodity. The study therefore analyzed competitiveness and effects of government policies on plantain production systems in Southwestern Nigeria. Primary data were collected using structured questionnaire from 260 producers randomly selected from major production areas in the zone. Secondary data on port charges and world prices were also utilized. Data were analyzed using Policy Analysis Matrix (PAM). Results indicated that plantain production was privately and socially profitable in all the productions systems. Domestic resource cost ratio of 0.16 - 0.19 and social cost benefit ratio of 0.20-0.23 revealed that southwestern Nigeria had comparative advantage in the production of the commodity. The policy indicators and incentives structure such as the nominal protection coefficient on output (0.31-0.42) and input (1.02-1.04), effective protection coefficient (0.26-0.37), profitability coefficient (0.21- 0.32), subsidy ratio to produces (-0.51 to -0.62) and producers subsidy estimate (-1.70 to -2.02) showed that the producers were taxed and there exists transfers of resources from the systems. The study recommends formulation of policies which are consistent with the country's goals of agricultural transformation, food security and economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Special attention has been given to untie the constraints of Micro and Small Enterprises in Ethiopia for they are important vehicles to address the challenges of unemployment, economic growth and equity in the country. The government is implementing different support service programs, in the forms of financial and business development, in different parts of the country. This study is aimed at evaluating economic impact of MSEs support service programs on enterprise sales, employment and capital asset formation in Dire Dawa Administration, Ethiopia. Propensity Score Matching is employed to estimate the impact of support service program. The result revealed that the program resulted in average increment of monthly sales by 28%, employee level by 42%, and capital asset formation by 60%. It is, therefore, indispensable to strengthen and expand the support service program to non participant enterprises by giving special attention to the major problems that participant enterprises are currently facing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]