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Antiseptic paper soap is convenient because it is flexible, safe for the skin, easily foams, and relatively affordable. Measuring the ratio between the concentrations of NaOH, cooking oil, citronella oil, and aloe vera additives is needed to improve the quality of antiseptic paper soap. Testing the saponification rate, density, pH, water content, fatty acid (FA) level, and free alkali content is critical to determine the characteristics of antiseptic paper soap so that it meets the standards for solid bath soap according to SNI 3532-2021 which is closest to the characteristics of paper soap because SNI for paper soap is not yet available. The weight ratio of citronella oil to cooking oil used is 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3. The NaOH concentrations used were 30%, 40%, and 50% w/v. The natural additives used are 0%, 5%, and up to 10% of the total mass. The research results showed that saponification value of the antiseptic paper soap produced was 197.724 milligrams KOH/gram up to 206.138 milligrams KOH/gram, the pH of the antiseptic paper soap was 9.1-10.6, the water content value was 10.940%-23.863%, the alkali content value free is 0.044%-0.104%, total fatty acid (FA) content is 29.688%-45.734%. The best antiseptic paper soap is produced using 30% w/v NaOH with a weight ratio of citronella oil to cooking oil used of 1:1 and natural additives (aloe vera) 5% of the total mass.

Este artigo tem por objetivo identificar os fatores que têm afetado as receitas das exportações de celulose e papel e papelão, no período de 2001 a 2020. Especificamente pretende-se quantificar as variações nas receitas provenientes da taxa de câmbio, do preço internacional e da quantidade exportada de celulose e de papel e papelão e identificar os principais eventos associados essas variações. Para tanto, utilizou-se o método diferencial-estrutural, conhecido como shift-share, que decompõe as variações da receita de exportação em efeitos parciais proporcionado por outras variáveis relacionadas. Os resultados mostram que mesmo quando os efeitos do preço internacional e a taxa de câmbio são desfavoráveis a quantidade exportada de celulose e de papel e papelão tem sido crescente, e proporcionando efeito total positivo nas receitas das exportações. Somente em quatro grandes momentos houve queda nas receitas das exportações destes produtos, momentos estes que coincidem com a ocorrência das seguintes crises: atentado a torres gêmeas (2002), crise do subprime (2008), crise política interna (2016) e pandemia (Covid-2019). ABSTRACT: This paper aims to identify the factors that have affected revenues from pulp and paper and paperboard exports, in the period from 2001 to 2020. Specifically, it intends to quantify the variations in revenues arising from the exchange rate, the international price and the exported quantity of Wood pulp and paperbord and identify the main events associate these variations. For this purpose, the differential-structural method, known as shift-share, was used, which breaks down changes in export revenue into partial effects provided by other related variables. The results show that even when the effects of the international price and the exchange rate are unfavorable, the exported quantity of woodpulp and paperboard has been increasing, providing a positive overall effect on export revenues. Only in four major moments were there decreases in revenues from exports of these products, moments that coincide with the occurrence of the following crises: attack on the twin towers (2002), subprime crisis (2008), internal political crisis (2016) and pandemic (Covid- 2019).

Esse texto discute a formação do espaço econômico paranaense e sua relação com as atividades de base econômica ou exportação. A análise segue uma visão institucionalista a partir da teorização de Douglass North. A análise também se embasa em Pedro Calil Padis, por fazer um retrospecto eficaz dos primórdios do Paraná até o final dos anos 1960. Se parte do princípio de que várias economias regionais que surgiram no Brasil estavam em condições periféricas. O termo “periférico” é devido ao fato de a economia de cada uma dessas regiões ou Estados estar subordinada ao centro dinâmico do país devido a vários fatores, dentre eles a transferência de capital, fazendo com que o Paraná, com sua economia cafeeira, subsidiasse a indústria paulista. Abstract: This paper discusses the formation of the economic space of Paraná State and its relationship with economic-based activities or exports. The analysis follows an institutionalist vision based on Douglass North's theorization. The analysis is also based on Pedro Calil Padis, for making an effective retrospective of the beginnings of Paraná State until the end of the 1960s. It is based on the principle that several regional economies that emerged in Brazil were in peripheral conditions. The term “peripheral” is since the economy of each of these regions or states is subordinated to the dynamic center of the country due to several factors, including the transfer of capital, causing Paraná, with its coffee economy, to subsidize the São Paulo industry.

Ptalat adalah senyawa yang ditemukan dalam zat aditif yang sering ditambahkan ke dalam bahan kemasan berbasis kertas daur ulang. Zat yang berpotensi berbahaya yang ada dalam kertas daur ulang terkandung dalam residu tinta cetak, pernis, perekat dan zat lainnya. Makanan yang kontak langsung dengan kemasan kertas daur ulang dapat mengandung diisopropil-napatalene (DIPN), benzofenon, terfenil terhidrogenasi, amina aromatik primer, poliaromatik hidrokarbon (PAH), dan ptalat. Ptalat dapat bermigrasi dari kemasan ke dalam makanan, terutama untuk produk pangan berlemak. Salah satu jenis ptalat yaitu dibutil ptalat (DBP) dilaporkan dapat mengganggu sistem endokrin. Pada dosis tinggi, DBP telah terbukti merusak sistem reproduksi tikus. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi dan mengkuantifikasi DBP dari kemasan makanan berbasis daur ulang (dupleks) dan migrasinya ke dalam simulan pangan. Metode yang digunakan yaitu ekstraksi dengan pelarut yang dibantu ultrasonik (USE), diikuti dengan analisis kromatografi gas - spektrometri massa (GC-MS). Metode yang dikembangkan telah divalidasi, dengan nilai linearitas (R2) dari 0,999, rentang akurasi 89,98% - 102%, batas deteksi (LOD) dan batas kuantifikasi (LOQ) berturut-turut sebesar 0,04 mg/L dan 0,06 mg/L. Hasil analisis DBP dari lima kertas dupleks komersial berbeda nyata pada kisaran 1,7 hingga 5,8 mg/kg. Tingkat migrasi yang diukur dari kontak langsung antara kertas dan etanol 95% sebagai simulantpangan selama 2 jam pada suhu 40°C adalah 4,7 mg/dm2. Migrasi DBP melebihi nilai migrasi spesifik yang ditetapkan pada EU No. 10/2011 (0,3 mg/kg atau 0,05 mg/dm2). Hasil tersebut menunjukkan bahwa penggunaan kertas daur ulang sebagai kemasan primer produk pangan tidak dianjurkan, terutama untuk pangan berlemak.

Waste minimisation in paper industry activities can be done by applying cleaner production methods. The objective of this research was to study of opportunity of cleaner production implementation in sack kraft industry. These stages of research were identification of process stages, identification of problems, identification of cleaner production opportunities, feasibility analysis of technical, environmental and financial aspects, and election priority cleaner production opportunities with Exponential Comparison Method (ECM). The processes of the sack kraft production included stock preparation, sheet formation, pressing section, drying section, scrolling and cutting. These Sack Kraft Industry used 110 tonnes of cardboard afval and produced 90.742 tonnes of sack kraft, 3.65 tonnes failed paper, 2.443 tonnes scattered paper, 4.915 tonnes defected paper and 8.25 tonnes solid waste in the form of plastic and metal. The problems often had been occured were downtime machine, broken machine, solid waste production, failed paper, scattered paper, and defected paper. Recommendation of cleaner production opportunities were making pellets from solid waste as fuel substitution (PBP 0.1 years and B/C 8.31), application of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for machine maintenance (PBP 3.9 years and B/C 1.3), Good manufacturing practice training (PBP 0.63 years and B/C 2.58). The priority order of cleaner production using ECM was application of SOP for machine maintenance, GMP training, and making pellets as fuel substitution.

The paper presents the current situation as regards the circular economy in agriculture in Romania, while also taking into consideration its global impact. We have here a system globally endorsed by the United Nations. It is also important for regional organisations such as the European Union or la Francophonie as the circular economy seems to have a high number of advantages in tackling climate change, creating a sustainable food chain, improving the organic character of the agriculture, etc. From that perspective Romania represents an interesting case study as it is both a European Union member state and a member of the Francophonie. It thus follows both sets of rules and recommendations in order to improve its status. The paper uses the bibliographic method and reviews the main documents that settle this aspect and presents the legal framework for circular economy. The put into practice of the circular economy in the Romanian agriculture would bring a series of advantages (environment, food safety, etc.) while also requiring systemic transformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Self-folded honeycomb structure (SHS) was fabricated via stimuli-responsive materials. • Origami-inspired design for SHSs with energy-absorption properties was established. • Relationship of design, structure, and compression performance was elucidated. • Energy-absorption of 5-layered SHS was 6.67 times higher than that of 1-layered SHS. • Damage factor for protected object was successfully removed via pre-straining. The origami technique has been employed in the medical, space, and agricultural industries owing to its low cost and ease of use. In particular, the use of stimuli-responsive materials to automate origami fabrication has garnered interest. In this study, self-folded honeycomb structures (SHSs) were fabricated using the self-folding technique. A sheet of paper undergoes self-folding without human intervention via the physicochemical reactions between the paper and printing solution. Six SHSs with different mechanical properties were fabricated. The relationship between the design and structural parameters was examined. The energy-absorption performance of the structure improved by a factor of 15.2 on employing the optimal parameters. A consistent relationship between the design and compression performance was also discussed. By applying stacking technology, the energy-absorption performance increased by an average of 1753 N·mm per layer. The application of a pre-strain eliminated the compressive force peak that could damage the protected object, while maintaining 90 % of the energy-absorption performance. The proposed technology shows potential for the fabrication of tailored energy absorbers using stimuli-responsive materials, providing a groundbreaking technology for the packaging industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This Special Issue presents the seven best papers from the 30th IFAMA 2020 World Congress, reflecting the richness and quality of the agri-food business and management scholarship that IFAMA facilitates and promotes. They reveal the diversity of research topics and current practices related to the most pressing agri-food business and management issues. Whether the papers discuss vegetable producers cooperatives in Cambodia, innovation intermarries and enhancing collaboration in Sweden, or information nudges in ornamental plant labeling in the United States, the papers in this Special Issue illustrate the need for variegated professional and academic skills and expertise represented in IFAMA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the premises and theories of public communication, this paper aims, through a qualitative study, to capture, on the one hand, the main aspects of the image of agricultural companies with direct impact on their profitability and, on the other hand, to identify the mechanisms of public communication that have the greatest impact on image formation. The importance of agricultural companies is becoming more and more strongly perceived lately, the post-Covid 19 experience, the danger of uncontrolled increase in prices of basic foods, have made it easier for public opinion to understand the role of agricultural companies in ensuring food security. Certain governmental strategies to promote Romanian products, cooperation on the short producer-consumer chain, have led to putting on the public agenda, especially in recent years, the role and importance of agricultural companies within the Romanian society. In this context, the paper aimed to analyze the specific public communication strategies in promoting agricultural companies for increasing their credibility, enhance their competitiveness and conquest new markets. The qualitative research conducted through the method of the self-administered structured questionnaire analyses how agricultural companies, through their communication strategies, use recommendations and European funds in promotional campaigns to increase market image and build their own brand. The scientific premises, on which the research was based, were validated, the responses showing a significant correlation regarding information, access to funds, or the use of online promotional campaigns for building the image and brand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the most active field in China's economic development, the digital economy is crucial to the high-quality development of enterprises. Taking Chinese-listed agricultural enterprises as research samples, this paper discusses the effect of the digital economy on promoting the high-quality development of agricultural enterprises and the mechanism behind it from the perspective of total factor productivity of enterprises. The study found that the digital economy significantly promoted the improvement of total factor productivity of agricultural enterprises and enabled the high-quality development of agricultural enterprises, and this conclusion remained valid after controlling for endogeneity and conducting robustness tests. In terms of action mechanisms, the digital economy is conducive to promoting green innovation and promoting the high-quality development of agricultural enterprises; However, entrepreneurial activity has a masking effect. Further analysis shows that the digital economy plays a more significant role in promoting non-resource-intensive agricultural enterprises located in northern China. At the same time, the higher the industrial structure and financial development level of the region, the more positive impact the digital economy can play. This study verifies the impact mechanism of the digital economy on the high-quality development of agricultural enterprises and provides enlightenment for China's the digital economy policy-making and enterprises' the high-quality development strategy decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During its life cycle, packaging comes into contact with various substances and even those it protects. Thus, for example, oil, water, and alcohol, if spilled on the packaging, can damage its functionality. In addition to exposure to chemicals, graphic products (packaging) can be exposed to moisture and UV radiation, which can negatively affect their stability during transport, storage, and handling. The choice of printing substrate can directly affect the stability of prints against different degrading influences. This paper explores the stability of thermochromic (TC) and conventional offset printing inks printed on environmentally friendly printing substrates intended for packaging applications (labelling). Results have confirmed that used printing substrates and printing inks give prints good rub resistance, but somewhat lower stability in terms of ethanol, water, and UV radiation. The choice of printing substrate can directly affect the stability of prints against different degrading influences. The resistance of prints to oil cannot be clearly defined since the samples were altered with the coloration of the oil. It can only be stated that oil reduced the functionality of the TC prints given that the samples were colored by the oil itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the opportunities and challenges facing the land reform programme in South Africa and the role of the National African Farmers Union (NAFU SA). Topics include the background information of NAFU SA and its mission, a brief overview of the land reform in the region, and the condition of the agriculture businesses in the area.

Agriculture was and remains the support of human existence, representing the backbone of the Romanian rural economy. The gross domestic product represents a macroeconomic indicator of results, being the consequence of the efficient use of resources. In this context, the authors analyze the place that agriculture holds in achieving the gross domestic product in Romania compared to the European Union, as well as its dynamics. In this sense, the share of resources in the formation of the gross domestic product in the period 2000-2022 is presented. The main research methods used for this work are: analysis, synthesis, comparison and mathematical analysis. From the analysis carried out, conclusive ideas emerge, and the article becomes even more suggestive, in that it is accompanied by tables synthesized by the authors and relevant graphics that highlight and support the assessments that the authors make in the content of this article. At the end of the paper, the authors emphasize the fact that the GDP is the most complex indicator that reflects the transformations that the Romanian economy has gone through in recent years. From the point of view of the use of resources, it can be seen that the share of the agricultural sector has registered a downward evolution, which can be largely explained by the increase in the importance of industry and the service sector in the overall national economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Republic of Moldova has made significant strides in adopting organic farming practices, supported by government subsidies and strategic focus on market demand. This paper aims to analyze the economic performance of organic farms in Moldova and their impact on the sustainable development of the agricultural sector, using primary data collected from 63 organic farms benefiting from subsidies between 2020 and 2022. The agricultural sector in Moldova has experienced a gradual increase in cultivated land, with a noteworthy 9.5% dedicated to organic farming. Economically, farmers have seen substantial growth in income per hectare, credited to favorable climatic conditions and advanced technologies. Although organic farming contributes significantly, constituting approximately one-third of total income, conventional agriculture remains the primary contributor with two-thirds. The impact of subsidies from the National Fund for Agricultural and Rural Development is evident in farm development, as calculated profits per one lei of subsidy have surged from 1.51 to 10.43 lei in 2022. This underscores the effectiveness of government support in fostering growth and development within Moldova's agricultural sector, emphasizing a positive trajectory for sustainable agricultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to draw a research agenda for unveiling the underlying bottlenecks and possibilities for improving the agricultural total factor productivity in the European Union (EU). To this aim, the paper first surveys the key challenges for the modern agricultural economy. Then, the case of the EU is discussed by looking at the convergence in the partial productivity indicators (including the GHG emission) and growth efficiency that relate to the gap in the total factor productivity growth. The results suggest that the EU member states exhibited growth inefficiency (i.e., a gap in the total factor productivity growth) of 5–9% on average during 2004–2021. The paper also discusses the possibilities to utilize the production theory for assessing the pathways towards improvements in the productivity and sustainability of the EU agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review investigates the intricate interplay between COVID-19 and climate change, focusing on their collective repercussions on Sub-Saharan Africa's agricultural sector and food security. The paper aims to scrutinize existing literature to elucidate the multifaceted implications of COVID-19 and climate change on agriculture and food security. A review of scholarly articles, reports, and case studies was conducted to ensure a thorough analysis. Findings indicate that COVID-19 disruptions exacerbate the challenges posed by climate change, particularly through supply chain disruptions and labor shortages. Small-scale farmers demonstrate greater resilience due to their diverse and locally-oriented systems, while larger-scale farmers with more capital fare relatively better. In conclusion, urgent adaptive strategies and resilience-building measures are essential. Promoting diversified farming systems, enhancing smallholder capabilities, and advocating for international collaboration to address these synergistic threats effectively is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leisure agriculture in suburban towns provides important space for citizens to carry out leisure activities. This paper takes Xinkou town in Tianjin city as an example to analyze the development efficiency of leisure agriculture in suburban towns. On the premise of establishing the indicators for evaluating the development efficiency of leisure agriculture in Xinkou town, this paper first uses the data envelopment analysis (DEA) to measure the input and output indicators of leisure agriculture in 18 natural villages in Xinkou town, and calculates the comprehensive technical efficiency, target values, redundancy and returns to scale of leisure agriculture, and then evaluates the development efficiency of leisure agriculture in Xinkou town. Furthermore, by using the high/low clustering tool under the ArcGIS spatial statistics module, this paper conducts a high/low clustering analysis of the development efficiency of leisure agriculture in 18 natural villages of Xinkou town, and figures out the reasons for the high/low clustering of natural villages in Xinkou town spatially. After the research and analysis, the following conclusions are drawn: From the input–output perspective, except for Zhengzhuangzi village, Diliubu village, Yuejiakai village, and Dangcheng village, the development efficiency of leisure agriculture in other villages is relatively low due to their poor resource foundations, or deficiencies in management experience and transportation location. The development of leisure agriculture in Xinkou town is unbalanced, showing a pattern of polarized clusters: Diliubu village and Shuigaozhuang village form the most obvious high-value cluster, while Xiaoshawo village, Bijia village and Xuanjiayuan village form the most obvious low-value cluster, where the southeast corner of Xinkou town registers the lowest development efficiency value of leisure agriculture because it is far away from the town center and the main transportation arteries, and falls short of high-quality pastoral scenery. For the future development of leisure agriculture in Xinkou town, it is supposed to optimize the land use policy, provide active support to the competitive industrial and commercial capital, non-governmental capital, rural collective economic organizations, farmers' cooperatives, and family farms, strengthen the in-depth integration of industries, improve the support system for new-type leisure agriculture, and build leisure agriculture brands with local features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context and background In recent years, there has been a notable resurgence of medium-scale commercial farms in Africa. However, scholarly focus on their capacity to drive structural transformation, promote inclusivity, empower communities, generate wealth, and enhance livelihoods has been limited. Specifically examining the Zimbabwean context, this article contends that medium-scale farms play pivotal roles in production, social reproduction, income generation, commercialisation, investment and capital accumulation. These contributions have been significant in facilitating structural transformation, wealth generation, and improved livelihoods. Goal and Objectives: The paper is primarily concerned with exploring the extent to which mediumscale commercial agriculture contributes to structural transformation, wealth creation and enhanced livelihoods in the Zimbabwean and wider African context. Methodology: The paper utilized a mixed methods research approach comprising of a survey and in-depth interviews which targeted 200 resettled households in two rural districts in Zimbabwe. Results: Medium-scale farms possess the ability to play a role in structural transformation, wealth generation, and improved livelihoods. Factors such as land access, a supportive macroeconomic and policy environment, robust and inclusive land governance, and efficient administrative institutions hold promise in addressing and mitigating the challenges related to poverty, disenfranchisement, marginalization, and inequalities in power and resource allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the complex causal relationships between various types of environmental regulatory instruments (ERI) and agri-firms' technological innovation employing fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The study finds a well-designed set of ERI can promote technological innovation in agribusiness; control-command ERI cannot promote technological innovation in agribusiness solely, market-incentivized ERI is indispensable in promoting firms' innovation performance, implicit ERI plays an important role in promoting firms' innovation and voluntary ERI does not play a significant role in promoting firms' technological innovation. The government should coordinate among various types of ERI and improve the design of ERI to achieve a win-win situation for both economic and environmental performance in the agriculture sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recognition that one publication receives from another is a citation. The nature of these references (citations), their variability and the drivers of the citations concerning the subject of foreign investment in agribusiness are unknown. Consequently, we investigated the nature, variability, and drivers of the citations in the writings on foreign investment in agribusiness. We used 406 studies extracted from Google Scholar through Publish or Perish Software and modeled with a twopart regression analysis. The results show that peer-reviewed publications, age of publication, full text in Google scholar, collaborative publications and self-citation enhance citations. Review articles and publishing in journals with impact factors do not promote citations. To make an impact through citations, authors and funders must focus on peer review, full text, and collaborative publications and engage in self-citation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to provide a scientific basis for the development of county-level agricultural industries through a comprehensive evaluation of the environmental and economic benefits of agricultural products. Focusing on Hancheng City in Shaanxi Province, this paper calculates and analyzes the carbon emission intensity per unit output value and the economic benefits of major agricultural products, assessing their comprehensive advantage indices. The research methods include data collection, data processing, and model construction, utilizing a bi-factor matrix analysis to explore the balance between environmental sustainability and economic profitability of different agricultural products. The results indicate that pepper and vegetables have the highest comprehensive advantages, demonstrating significant economic and environmental benefits, while soybeans show lower comprehensive advantages, requiring improvements in cultivation techniques and management practices. Based on the research findings, this paper proposes policy and management recommendations for different agricultural products, including focusing on the development of high-comprehensive-advantage products, improving cultivation techniques for low-comprehensive-advantage products, promoting green agricultural technologies, establishing a carbon footprint monitoring system for agricultural products, and strengthening agricultural infrastructure construction. The study's conclusions provide theoretical support and practical guidance for the agricultural development strategies of Hancheng City and similar regions, contributing to the achievement of sustainable agricultural development and carbon reduction goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disaster Risk Management (DRM) is complex due to interacting climate risks from interacting hazards and sectors. We develop a synthetic multi‐risk test case to explore the effects of these interactions on decision‐making under deep uncertainty. The test case accounts for changes in hazard impacts and occurrence frequency due to interactions between floods and droughts. Interactions between the shipping, housing and agricultural sectors are considered as well. We use this test case to explore the utility of the Dynamic Adaptive Policy Pathways for Multi‐Risk (DAPP‐MR) framework. DAPP‐MR has been introduced to assess DRM policies' effectiveness under deep uncertainties and to develop integrated adaptive strategies considering interactions across hazards, sectors and time. With the test case, we show that the stage‐wise approach of DAPP‐MR, which gradually increases the complexity of the analysis, can facilitate the evaluation process. Earlier stages of the analysis can be used to establish the direct cause‐effect relations, later stages allow us to identify whether additional interacting factors have a significant effect on the direct cause‐effect relations. As a result, decision‐makers can gain insights into dependencies and their relevance for developing short‐to long‐term strategies under deep uncertainty. We show that multi‐risk interactions can lead to non‐linear effects that influence the outcome of the policy analysis, for example, the indirect influence of a decision in one sector on another. Future work could investigate further improving the operationalization of this staged approach as well as extending the set of uncertainties, dynamics and decision‐rules accounted for in the multi‐risk test case. Plain Language Summary: This paper addresses the complex challenge that many regions face when dealing with multiple interconnected disasters, like floods, droughts and earthquakes. Traditional Disaster Risk Management methods often fall short, particularly in long‐term planning that considers factors such as climate change. We apply a step‐by‐step approach known as "Dynamic Adaptive Policy Pathways for Multi‐Risk (DAPP‐MR)" to assist decision‐makers in better understanding and planning for these intertwined risks over time. This paper employs a hypothetical test case where different sectors (e.g., agricultural sector) seek effective ways to prepare for and respond to flood and drought risks. The DAPP‐MR method facilitates this by breaking down the process into smaller, more manageable steps. This approach allows for an easier understanding of the direct effects of disasters and gradually incorporates more complex interactions between different risks. Our findings suggest that this step‐by‐step method can aid decision‐makers in grasping the connections between various factors and their significance in formulating both short‐ and long‐term strategies. The study also reveals that interactions between different risks can produce unexpected, nonlinear effects, adding complexity to the interpretation of policy outcomes. Key Points: A multi‐risk modeling case with interacting hazards and sectors is created to explore effects for decision‐making under deep uncertaintyDynamic Adaptive Policy Pathways for Multi‐Risk has proven effective for pathway analysis to grasp interactions and their relevance through a structured, stage‐by‐stage approachMulti‐risk interactions can alter the decision‐making outcome because of changes in performance or timings of potential pathways [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Two main problems the globe currently facing are migration and weather variation. Weather change has a significant impact on the agricultural industry, which affects the majority of poor people. There is a dearth of adequate methodological documentation when examining the relationship between weather variation, agricultural output, and migration. We aimed to identify methodological reporting difficulties by reviewing the quantitative literature on weather‐related migration through agricultural channels. Methods: A systematic evaluation was conducted using papers published between January 2010 and June 2022, indexed in the SCOPUS, PUBMED, and Google Scholar databases. Using inclusion/exclusion criteria, we selected 22 original research articles out of 18,929 distinct articles for review, in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. We extracted data from each study to understand how various concepts, research designs, and investigative techniques influence our understanding of migration patterns related to weather in the agricultural sector. Results: The majority (64%) of the study's data consisted of time series data. In 50% of the studies, secondary data were used. Additionally, 55% of these studies did not state the sample size. In 40% of the studies, model assumptions were fully adhered to, whereas in 36% of the studies, they were not followed at all. The majority of the articles used the Ordinary Least Squares technique, while about 41% applied the Two‐Stage Least Squares technique. Various tests were conducted across these studies, such as robustness checks (59.1%), endogeneity tests (31.8%), omitted variable bias tests (22.7%), sensitivity analyses (22.7%), and weak instrument tests (13.6%), to name a few. In the research we selected, the methodology section had various shortcomings and lacked organization. Furthermore, the justifications for deviations from model assumptions were unclear, potentially affecting the study outcomes. Conclusion: This study has important indications for researchers in studying climatic (weather) migration through agricultural channels besides for policymakers by giving a thorough review of the methods and techniques. Key points: Providing narrative insights on how various issues, research designs, and analytical techniques shape our understanding of the association between weather variation and migration via agricultural production.Providing a broad overview of the pertinent literature, covering 22 articles, as a complement to earlier studies.Our study has important ramifications for researchers studying climatic (weather) migration through agricultural channels as well as for policymakers by giving a thorough review of the methods and techniques currently used in this sector.Future studies on weather variation, agricultural production, and migration should use prudent and comparable models that capture whole climatic (weather) impacts on migration through mediating factors like agricultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agro-industrial grain industry generates a large amount of waste, which is often discarded, leading to environmental problems and the potential loss of valuable resources. However, in recent years an innovative approach has emerged that aims to use this waste to obtain cellulose, a compound with several industrial applications. The process of extracting cellulose from agroindustrial by-products of the food industry involves stages such as harvesting and milling, followed by a chemical and/or enzymatic treatment to obtain pure cellulose. Dependence on primary sources of pulp such as wood is reduced, thus contributing to the conservation of forests and natural ecosystems. In addition, the use of agro-industrial waste for pulp production reduces the amount of waste burned or poorly discarded, thus minimizing the environmental impacts associated with its disposal. Inadequate, in addition to the environmental benefits, the use of agro-industrial waste to obtain cellulose can also generate economic opportunities for many families who can use this medium to grow economically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite its status as one of the most ancient sectors worldwide, agriculture continues to be a fundamental cornerstone of the global economy. Nevertheless, it faces obstacles such as a lack of trust, difficulties in tracking, and inefficiencies in managing the supply chain. This article examines the potential of blockchain technology (BCT) to alter the agricultural industry by providing a decentralized, transparent, and unchangeable solution to meet the difficulties it faces. The initial discussion provides an overview of the challenges encountered by the agricultural industry, followed by a thorough analysis of BCT, highlighting its potential advantages. Following that, the article explores other agricultural uses for blockchain technology, such as managing supply chains, verifying products, and processing payments. In addition, this paper examines the constraints and challenges related to the use of blockchain technology in agriculture, including issues such as scalability, legal frameworks, and interoperability. This paper highlights the potential of BCT to transform the agricultural industry by offering a transparent and secure platform for managing the supply chain. Nevertheless, it emphasizes the need for involving stakeholders, having clear legislation, and possessing technical skills in order to achieve effective implementation. This work utilizes a systematic literature review using the PRISMA technique and applies meta-analysis as the research methodology, enabling a thorough investigation of the present information available. The results emphasize the significant and positive effect of BCT on agriculture, emphasizing the need for cooperative endeavors among governments, industry pioneers, and technology specialists to encourage its extensive implementation and contribute to the advancement of a sustainable and resilient food system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture plays an important role in the economy of any country. Approximately half of the population of developing countries is directly or indirectly connected to the agriculture field. Many farmers do not choose the right crop for cultivation depending on their soil type, crop type, and climatic requirements like rainfall. This wrong decision of crop selection directly affects the production of the crops which leads to yield and economic loss in the country. Many parameters should be observed such as soil characteristics, type of crop, and environmental factors for the cultivation of the right crop. Manual decision-making is time-taking and requires extensive experience. Therefore, there should be an automated system for the right crop recommendation to reduce human efforts and loss. An automated crop recommender system should take these parameters as input and suggest the farmer's right crop. Therefore, in this paper, a long short-termmemory Network with an attention block has been proposed. The proposed model contains 27 layers, the first of which is a feature input layer. There exist 25 hidden layers between them, and an output layer completes the structure. Through these levels, the proposed model enables a successful recommendation of the crop. Additionally, the dropout layer's regularization properties aids in reduction of overfitting of the model. In this paper, a customized novel long short-term memory (LSTM) model is proposed with a residual attention block that recommends the right crop to farmers. Evaluation metrics used for the proposed model include f1-score, recall, precision, and accuracy attaining values as 95.69%, 96.56%, 96.9%, and 97.26% respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different capital structures and their impact on firm performance are one of the most studied topics in the finance literature. This study is an attempt to assess the impact of financial structure on profitability of agricultural enterprises in the Republic of Serbia, with the aim of evaluating the importance and nature of the contribution of the total, short-term and long-term aspects of debt to the success of the company. The financial performance of the selected sample of 38 medium and large agricultural enterprises in the Republic of Serbia was analysed in the period from 2018 to 2021. The findings of this paper indicate that total debt and short-term debt significantly determine the return on equity, while the effect of long-term debt is insignificant. The nature of the impact of all three aspects of financial structure is negative. The inclusion of size and growth of sales in the regression models showed that only annual sales growth significantly positively determines profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the background of the continuous progress of China's agricultural reform, the development of characteristic agriculture is an important field of agricultural development in the country and even the world. Yunnan has unique advantages in geography, location, climate, and human resources, and has unique conditions for the development of agriculture with plateau characteristic. However, the sustainable development of agriculture with plateau characteristic is affected and restricted by many factors. How to promote the sustainable development of agriculture with plateau characteristic is an important research topic, and it is also the main purpose of this study. Therefore, through literature analysis and investigation, this study studies the advantages and disadvantages, development status, main problems, countermeasures and suggestions, macro development direction, and theoretical research methods of characteristic agriculture in the Yunnan plateau. This paper analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of the Decision-making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) and the Adversarial Interpretation Structure Modeling Method (AISM) and proposes to combine the two models to make up for each other and improve the accuracy of model analysis. On this basis, a set of identification and evaluation systems of factors affecting the sustainable development of agriculture with plateau characteristic is established, which can comprehensively and accurately identify and evaluate various influencing factors, and provide a scientific basis for the sustainable development of agriculture with plateau characteristic. Finally, combined with the relevant statistical data of Yunnan Province from 2009 to 2020 and many results calculated by the model, the factors affecting the sustainable development of agriculture with plateau characteristic were comprehensively analyzed. The results show that transportation, environment, and insurance support factors are the root factors that affect the sustainable development of agriculture with plateau characteristic, while the regional economy, scientific and technological support, and the development of agricultural enterprises are of high importance. Financial support, the level of agricultural mechanization, the quality of labor, and other factors can not be ignored. Finally, according to the results of the analysis, the corresponding policy recommendations are put forward to provide a reference for the sustainable development of plateau characteristic agriculture in Yunnan Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the global population is expected to reach 10 billion by 2050, the agricultural sector faces the challenge of achieving an increase of 60% in food production without using much more land. This paper explores the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to bridge this "land gap" and mitigate the environmental implications of agricultural land use. Typically, the problem with using AI in such agricultural sectors is the need for more specific infrastructure to enable developers to design AI and ML engineers to deploy these AIs. It is, therefore, essential to develop dedicated infrastructures to apply AI models that optimize resource extraction in the agricultural sector. This article presents an infrastructure for the execution and development of AI-based models using open-source technology, and this infrastructure has been optimized and tuned for agricultural environments. By embracing the MLOps culture, the automation of AI model development processes is promoted, ensuring efficient workflows, fostering collaboration among multidisciplinary teams, and promoting the rapid deployment of AI-driven solutions adaptable to changing field conditions. The proposed architecture integrates state-of-the-art tools to cover the entire AI model lifecycle, enabling efficient workflows for data scientists and ML engineers. Considering the nature of the agricultural field, it also supports diverse IoT protocols, ensuring communication between sensors and AI models and running multiple AI models simultaneously, optimizing hardware resource utilization. Surveys specifically designed and conducted for this paper with professionals related to AI show promising results. These findings demonstrate that the proposed architecture helps close the gap between data scientists and ML engineers, easing the collaboration between them and simplifying their work through the whole AI model lifecycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

State aid to certain economic sectors in the European Union was an acceptable model until the establishment of the single market in 1992. The EC acknowledge that the allowance is imputable to the MS and that it constitutes State aid. In the light of the foregoing, the Commission concludes that the measures at issue in the present case constitute State aid (Article 107(1) TFEU). "Special rules on provision of state aids were created as secondary law rules by the EU Council and EU Commission". State aid to promote the economic development of the agricultural sector is part of the wider framework of the "Common Agricultural Policy" ("CAP"). This paper analyzes EU state aid regulation in the agriculture sector, with special focus on the provisions of the "Agriculture Block Exemption Regulation" -- ABER. The paper also analyzes agricultural aid, which must be notified to the EC as being authorized under the "Agriculture Guidelines". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital technologies represent a new direction increasing the efficiency of the agro-industrial sector and the sustainable development of agriculture. At the current stage, we can note the role of the transmissibility of new technologies and innovations in the agri-food complex, vis-a-vis regional improvement and development, the need for economic-financial and human sources for the implementation of innovations, as well as the efficiency of their implementation in practice. Management efficiency is treated through the complex and synergistic approach of economic, financial and ecological efficiency of enterprises. The purpose of the present article is to propose the digital assurance chain and to analyze the importance of current digital services in the development of intelligent management in agriculture. In the process of developing the objectives proposed in this article, the authors used the following methods, such as: analysis and synthesis, the statistical and mathematical method, the comparative method, the survey, the interview that would ensure the development of the entire economy by ensuring the sustainability of the agri-food sector. The proposed proposals will be used by agricultural entrepreneurs, not taking into account specialization and fields of activity, as well as by certain state institutions in the Republic of Moldova. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the key role sustainability plays in the agricultural sector and its impact on local communities. With climate change and economic challenges on the rise, it is vital to focus on sustainable agricultural practices to ensure food security and well-functioning ecosystems. Throughout the article we highlight global and local initiatives that encourage sustainable agriculture, as well as the benefits to the environment and society, highlighting our shared responsibility to future generations, highlighting collaboration between farmers, communities, governments and international organizations. For the representativeness of what will be presented we use the creative platform Canva, the basic statistical information comes from the National Institute of Statistics (NIS) and FAOSTAT, the descriptive analysis is performed using the advanced tools offered by Microsoft Excel 365 and in addition to standard reference sources, we have also consulted recognized specialized websites, thus strengthening our perspective and providing readers with up-to-date and verified information. The purpose of this review is to examine the depth and breadth of the implications of sustainability in the context of agricultural work, highlighting the complex interconnections between agricultural practices, the environment and society. In conclusion, this article highlights the need for a collective and integrated approach to achieving sustainability goals in agriculture and building a more resilient and balanced future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the dynamic interplay between digital finance and farm household income within the agricultural sector, utilizing the income elasticity of demand theory from bioeconomics to understand shifts in human needs and market models. We construct a theoretical framework to assess how digital finance tools are applied in bio-agriculture, focusing on their mechanisms in expanding market access, altering financing modes, and broadening coverage for agricultural households. Our analysis delves into the correlation between digital finance and farm incomes, exploring the threshold effects that delineate significant changes. We employ a comprehensive panel regression analysis using a mixed OLS model, along with random and fixed effects models, to quantify the impacts of digital finance on both agricultural and non-agricultural income among farmers. Our findings reveal substantial disparities: the mean non-agricultural income of farmers stands at 7,682.97 with a standard deviation of 5,054.09, whereas their agricultural income averages at 4,358.77 with a standard deviation of 1,667. Additionally, we document a pronounced growth in non-agricultural income, which has increased by approximately 9,000 yuan per capita over nine years, correlating with improvements in the total digital finance index. This growth suggests a homogenous promotion effect between digital finance and non-agricultural income. The insights garnered from this study offer valuable implications for policies aimed at fostering rural revitalization in conjunction with the expansion of digital finance, underscoring the critical role of digital technologies in enhancing the economic well-being of the agricultural sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the paper was to examine the impact of internal green marketing on managers' organizational identification and the financial performance of the organizations. The empirical research was carried out by an online survey. The model proposed in this paper was tested on a sample of 53 managers of Serbian organizations in the agribusiness sector. For empirical testing of the proposed hypotheses, partial least squares structural equation modeling was used. The findings revealed that the direct effect of internal green marketing on managers' organizational identification as well as the direct effect of managers' organizational identification on financial performance is positive and statistically significant. Managers' organizational identification fully mediates the relationship between internal green marketing and financial performance. This paper can contribute to better understanding of green internal marketing and its effect on organizations, especially in the agribusiness sector. The results can be useful to managers in the agribusiness sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: China’s rural financial landscape has long been characterized by exclusion, leaving countless farmers without access to essential financial services. However, the advent of digital financial inclusion presents a promising solution, offering low-cost, high-penetration avenues to bolster agricultural sustainability. This paper unravels how “Byte-Sized Finance” can yield “Bushel-Sized Benefits” in China’s agricultural green development. Methods: Methodologically, we pioneer a novel system to gauge agricultural green development across 31 Chinese provinces spanning from 2013 to 2021. Empirically, employing fixed-effect, mediation effect, and spatial Durbin models. Results: Our study reveals the intricate pathways through which digital financial inclusion influences agricultural green development. We find that it exerts its impact through the lenses of industrial structure and entrepreneurship, operating at both macro and micro levels. Furthermore, our analysis uncovers spatial spillover effects, shedding light on the differential roles played by these mechanisms across regions. Discussion: This groundbreaking discovery underscores the transformative potential of leveraging digital financial inclusion to propel China toward agricultural green development. By shedding light on these crucial dynamics, our findings offer insights for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners striving to foster sustainability within China’s agricultural sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmers' cooperatives, as one of the new types of agricultural businesses, are an effective carrier for the digital transformation of agriculture, yet existing studies have paid less attention to how farmers' cooperatives realize digital transformation. As agricultural economic organizations embedded in social networks, the digital transformation of farmers' cooperatives requires the joint efforts of governments and companies. Based on the evolutionary game theory, this paper constructs a tripartite evolutionary game model of the government, digital technology companies and farmers' cooperatives, and simulates and analyzes the behavioral decisions of different participants in the digital transformation of farmers' cooperatives from the perspective of government policy. The results show: Medium government subsidies can effectively promote the digital transformation of farmers' cooperatives, and strong subsidy policies increase the government's financial burden, which is not conducive to policy sustainability. Strong government regulation facilitates digital technology companies to actively provide high-quality services for the digital transformation of farmers' cooperatives, but government regulation does not have a significant impact on the strategic choices of the government and farmers' cooperatives. When farmer cooperatives and digital technology companies are in a medium or high level of cooperative trust or when the number of labors saved by digital transformation reaches a certain level, farmers' cooperatives opt for digital transformation even if the government withdraws from policy intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along with tourism, agriculture and industry are the most important sectors of the Montenegrin economy. The paper gives a financial analysis of these two sectors compared against the average for the Montenegrin economy. The analysis is based on the submitted final accounts for the period 2005 - 2019. The financial analysis in the paper showed that the growth of assets in agriculture was faster than the national average in the observed period, while in the case of industry it was slower. It also showed that agriculture has satisfactory solvency, while that in industry is a matter of concern, and although the debt level of the former is lower than that of the latter, the trend of debt growth is concerning. As for liquidity, it remains unsatisfactory in both sectors, but it is somewhat more favourable in industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advancement of information technologies during the past several decades has excelled, especially those that are applicable to all aspects of human activity. The aim of this paper is to determine the views of agricultural product producers in Central Serbia on e-business, with a focus on determining the perception of the promotional potential of the Internet itself. As social media networks, play an increasing role in e-business globally, the intention is to emphasize the importance of their use in order to promote various agricultural and food products. The survey included a final sample of 92 respondents. The basic hypothesis in this paper is that the Internet as an e-business technology has great potential for improving the position of farmers and producers, but also that it is not used in its full potential. The results confirm the aforementioned hypothesis, while the conclusions are directed towards the necessity of education in order of getting to know the benefits of e-business, as well as the advantages of promotion via social networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a decline in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per capita in all world regions since the 1990s. In developing countries, this decline has been attributed to population growth and an increase in absolute emissions, while in developed countries, the trend is mainly due to a decrease in absolute emissions combined with minor population changes. This paper aims to delve into the intricacies of global GHG emissions, with a spotlight on the agricultural sector. This paper assesses the patterns and reasons behind the decline in GHG emissions per capita since the 1990s across different regions. In particular, it addresses the concept of the "sustainable intensification of agriculture" and the debate between intensive vs. less-intensive production in the context of GHG emissions. Despite having high emissions per hectare, we argue that European countries show lower emissions in relation to production value, highlighting the region's production intensity and efficiency. Compelling visual data representations and references from significant international bodies, such as the IPCC and EEA, bolster the paper's findings and conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the paper is to identify the current situation in Romania in terms of the vegetable agricultural sector, based on the data obtained from the National Institute of Statistics, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Romania and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The research question is: how the agricultural area has been modified in the period 1990-2020 and what are the implications on vegetal origin production? In pursuing this, statistical data on agricultural areas and the productions obtained are analysed. The results of the research show that the agricultural area in Romania has decreased since 1990, as well as the agricultural production among certain products, which has implications for ensuring food security, Generally, Romania ensures its population's food security, even if in the last period the agricultural area decreased concomitantly with the production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of university education in Romania is to prepare specialists in their fields of study who, through the accumulated knowledge, can contribute to the development of society, the improvement of the way of life, innovation, research, and other aspects. These specialists, in addition to the theoretical and practical curricular knowledge that they acquire during the study program, also need other skills, knowledge, trainings, relationships in order to be prepared for integration into the labour market or to start an entrepreneurial path. In a society based on knowledge, the attitude, the competences and the abilities focused on a specific context have a decisive role. Moreover, employers follow very well-defined criteria in their recruitment process. This paper aims to analyse the perception of public and private employers regarding the evaluation criteria of University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine from Bucharest (USAMV from Bucharest) students and graduates. The Centre for Career Counselling and Guidance (CCOC) from USAMV Bucharest aims to acknowledge, study, clarify and implement the main requirements targeted by the employers regarding career orientation process. The research methodology involves an analysis of the specialized literature regarding the tendencies of skills needed for qualified personnel. The case study is composed of a questionnaire applied to commercial companies and institutions involved in an agribusiness field that contains 10 questions. The analysis of the resulting data was processed with the help of statistical methods, and the results obtained after their interpretation give us a clear picture of the HR criteria pursued by employers. We find that 80.4% of them consider theoretical knowledge to be important in the employment of graduates, 72.5% consider that specialized practice it is a must, 58.8% consider that graduates need internships and volunteer activities, but equally important are the digital skills that are underlined by 51% of company representatives. Also, 21.6% of the companies consider that the various personal development activities have an important role in the training of graduates. The challenges regarding a better integration on the labour market, the development of personal skills and their capitalization for added value in obtaining a job based both on generic and specific competences make the collaboration between universities and institutions in the field to be particularly important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the relationship between sustainability disclosure, measured by environmental, social, and governance (ESG) combined and individual scores on corporate performance of the agricultural companies from Europe. The main reason of this study is that on 15 November 2022 the worldwide population is more than 8 bn and is expected to increase at 9.6 bn in 2050, which will increase the pressure on agricultural industry to produce food and goods to serve the people needs. In this context and due to the new European regulation, companies must adopt strategies regarding the concerns for environment, social, and governance activities, developing an integrated report to show to investors how they are involved in social issues and environmental concerns. This study uses a multiple linear regression, data being collected from Thomson Reuters database for the period 2017-2021. The results indicate that companies with higher ESG scores have higher performance. This study may help investors and other stakeholders to have an overview as to which sector to orient their investment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is devoted to exploring the farming costs (including insurance) indicators of the agricultural enterprises in the European Union. The analysis employs the box plot methodology that provides a five-number summary for a set of data. In this paper, we analyse the evidence of interconnection between the indicators of efficiency and competitiveness and insurance costs regarding food market security. This research discusses the dynamic changes of the absolute value of farming costs (including insurance) indicators and different relative indicators derived from the original one for the agricultural enterprise holdings in the European Union for the period of 2004-2019. The results show that farming costs (including insurance) indicators of the agricultural holdings should be considered as an instrument for providing food market security. Based on these research results, we are going to further explore the impact of insurance on the food market security. In addition, these research results could help to clarify the difference between EU countries and dynamic changes in farming costs (including insurance) indicators of agricultural holdings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper studied the impact of the level of production intensity on productivity and profitability of crop production in agricultural enterprises of the regions of Ukraine. In order to answer the question of how to increase crop yields and financial returns of lands in the face of climate change, we built graphic-analytical models of dependence of the yield (productivity) of basic agricultural crops from the size of operating (production) expenses per 1 ha of harvested area in agricultural enterprises of the Ukrainian regions. The results of the analysis showed that the real increase in the yield of analyzed crops is directly related to an increase in the level of intensity, expressed by the value of expenses per 1 ha of harvested area. The paper employed the correlation and regression analysis for quantifying tightness and mathematical description of the relationship, in particular, the dependence of the yield of winter wheat grain, corn for grain, sunflower, soy, rape and potatoes from the size of production expenses per 1 ha harvested area. The predicted optimal level of intensity was determined, taking into account the action of the economic law of diminishing returns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is crucial for the economy and individuals, and there is a pressing need to improve its quality, efficiency, and competitiveness in emerging countries. This study uses data from Chinese-listed companies to investigate the effect of trade credit on agricultural firms' total factor productivity. The results demonstrate that trade credit access and provision can increase agribusinesses' total factor productivity. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that access to business credit has a higher contribution to total factor productivity for agribusinesses in the primary sector, for firms in the versus maturity stage, and with low or medium supplier concentration. The provision of trade credit has a more pronounced positive impact on agribusinesses in the maturing stage and enterprises with low or medium customer concentration. This paper further validates the channels of action through which trade credit affects a firm's highquality development. This research makes a valuable contribution to enhancing the quality and productivity of China's agricultural sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characterization of the detection capability assumes significance when the reliable monitoring of the region of interest by a non-contact sensor is a safety-relevant function. This paper introduces new validation scores that evaluate the detection capability of non-contact sensors intended to be applied to outdoor machines. The scores quantify, in terms of safety, the suitability of the sensor for the intended implementation in an environmental perception system of (highly) automated machines. This was achieved by developing an extension to the new Real Environment Detection Area (REDA) method and linking the methodology with the sensor standard IEC/TS 62998-1. The extension includes point-by-point and statistic-based error evaluation which leads to the Usability-Score, Availability-Score, and Reliability-Score. By applying the principle in the agricultural sector using ISO 18497 and linking this with data from a real outdoor test stand, it was possible to show that the validation scores offer a generic approach to quantify the detection capability and express this in a machine manufacturer-oriented manner. The findings of this study have significant implications for the advancement of safety-related sensor systems integrated into machines operating in complex environments. In order to achieve full implementation, it is necessary to define in the standards which score is required for each Performance Level (PL). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper identified the intangible aspects (IA) that generate impacts in companies of the agricultural sector in the different stages of the companies life cycle. This paper is based on a systematic review methodology to identify intangibles in the agricultural sector. Studies on the life cycle of companies were analyzed to classify the impact of intangible aspects according to the reality of companies. Identify the intangible aspects that impact the agricultural sector through a review of the scientific literature. How intangible aspects affect each stage of the life cycle of companies in the sector shows that they have a different impact depending on the period in which the company is located. Although, much of the previous literature has suggested that intangible aspects have positive effects on a variety of performance variables, there are no scientific studies that specifically address the importance of these intangible aspects in the life cycle of companies in the agricultural sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]