Climate variability and its impacts on agriculture production and future prediction using autoregressive integrated moving average method (ARIMA)

This study assesses the impacts of climate variation on land productivity for major Indian food and non‐food grain crops. We collected data for 50 years from (1967–2016) with 15 crops across India. To estimate the variation of agriculture production for each crop by different variables, for instance, rainfall and temperature estimation and future prediction for 20 years, that is, until 2036. Our results specify that land productivity drops with a rise in annual mean temperature in most of the crops. The adverse impact of climate variation on agricultural production recommends food security risk to minor and marginal agricultural families, badly affected by climatic variations. Results show that a rise in temperature would reduce agricultural productivity and assessed sensitivity of Indian agriculture to climate change. We did forecasting using the autoregressive integrated moving average model for 20 years. It shows that as temperature and rainfall upturns in the future, production of some crops, such as gram, sesamum (til), jowar, groundnut, sugarcane, and bajra, will also increase. Some crops are climate sensitive, such as arhar, wheat, rice, cotton, and tea. As temperature increases, the production of these crops slightly increase or decrease.     

India after the 2014 general elections: BJP dominance and the crisis of the third party system

ABSTRACT

This article critically assesses claims that India has entered a new party system after the 2014 general elections, marked by renationalisation with the BJP as the new ‘dominant’ party.’ To assess these claims, we examine the electoral rise of the BJP in the build-up to and since the 2014 general elections until the state assembly elections in December 2018. Overall, we argue that despite the emerging dominance of the BJP, a core feature of the third party system -a system of binodal interactions- has remained largely intact albeit in a somewhat weaker form. Furthermore, by comparing the post 2014 Indian party system with key electoral features of the first three party systems, we conclude that the rise of the BJP has thrown the third-party system into crisis, but does not yet define the consolidation of a new party system.     

A study on loan approval and non‐performing asset—Segment identification

Nonperforming assets (NPAs) are a huge challenge infront of the Indian economy. Accumulating NPA is forming a burden and obstacle for economic growth. Financial institutions are struggling with nonperforming loans, and their efficiency is getting tremendously impacted. The aims of this study are to find out the critical factors for granting mortgage loan and to develop a formula that can help financial institutions in identifying and differentiating a possible loan defaulter from a non‐defaulter. The formula developed and the identification of defaulters could help in reducing NPA of financial institutions. Managers and loan approvers can use this model to grant loans to verified borrowers and can also keep an eye on their existing customers.     

Balanced Scorecard Implementation in a Local Government Authority: Issues and Challenges

Over the last decade the balanced scorecard (BSC) has emerged as a popular strategic performance measurement and control system within various public sector organisations as it assists in effectively implementing strategy and in measuring performance. This article investigates whether the implementation of a BSC has been of value to a large Local Government Authority (LGA) within Australia. The research takes a thematic approach to identify the issues, challenges and lessons learnt in relation to the design and implementation of the BSC, which is accomplished through a review of annual reports, published relevant documents and semi‐structured interviews with 13 senior managers of various programs and divisions within the LGA. Future research opportunities are also identified in this area.     

A review of literature on climate change and its impacts on agriculture productivity

This paper provides a comprehensive review of various reports, articles documents and papers literature related to the assessment of climate change impacts on crop productivity, and will focus on how climate change and affects agriculture productivity. Agricultural practice is affected by climate changes because of its direct dependence on climatic changes. There are two methods of relationships between agriculture and climate change and has huge significance especially for developing and underdeveloped or low‐income countries, who are largely dependent on agriculture for subsistence and their lack of infrastructure for adaptation as compared with developed countries. Geographically high‐latitude areas with already existence of low temperature, by virtue of increasing temperature due to climate changes, could allow for the longer growing season. Agricultural fields are affected by the emission of GHG such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane. Gasses have an effect on climate through the discharge of greenhouse gasses. Emissions mostly come from the tillage practices, fossil fuels, fertilized agricultural soils, and farm animal's manure in a huge amount and affected the agriculture sector. On the contrary, agriculture could be a solution for climate change by reducing emission and implementation of mitigation and adaptation actions widely. It will happen with the assistance of best management practices such as agroforestry practice, organic farming, rainwater harvesting, irrigation planning, and manure management.     

Determinants of Efficiency in Least Developed Countries: Further Evidence from Nepalese Manufacturing Firms

Using a translog stochastic production frontier and maximum likelihood econometric methods, we estimate and model the determinants of firm level efficiency in the Nepalese context. Our results are broadly in line with theoretical expectations. We find that large firms are more efficient and that a higher capital intensity leads to inefficiency. There is no statistical evidence to suggest that foreign participation leads to efficiency improvements. Also, we do not observe any link between export intensity and efficiency improvement. We find that higher protection leads to inefficiency. Overall, our results suggest that an outward looking industrial strategy, which relies on less intervention and permits the development of large-scale industries, is conducive to efficiency improvement in least developed countries (LDCs) like Nepal.     

India: A photographic essay

Abstract

A photograph depicts an individual entity: a face, a person, a situation, a scene. A tiny slice of a larger whole. Also, a split-second on the time dimension. And, yet, it is more than a slice, more than a split-second. Contained in it are elements of the universe of which it is a part. Suspended in it is the flow of history. Without this link with the universal, with history, it does not exist. And the universe, the whole, though bigger than any of its particular elements, and bigger even than the sumtotal of these elements, shows itself only through its particular elements.     

Differences in health-promotion behaviour among the chronically ill in three South Pacific island countries

In this study, the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile was used to compare health-promoting behaviours in three groups of chronically ill people being treated as outpatients at clinics and hospitals in Fiji, Nauru, and Kiribati. Significant differences were found between males and females and among groups in relation to practices and attitudes towards health responsibility, physical activity, nutrition, and stress management. Health professionals and educators must develop ways to transmit the message of healthy lifestyles to populations that do not pay much attention to conventional health-education methods.     

Distribution of malathion in body tissues and fluids.

Six cases of suspected poisoning were studied. The various body tissues and fluids of all the cases were analysed and malathion was found positive. The quantitative analysis was performed using high performance liquid chromatography. The distribution of malathion was studied in lungs, liver, kidneys, spleen, brain, heart, blood, muscles, urine and gastric contents.