Economic Analysis of Crop Diversification Essay Example for Free

Economic Analysis of Crop Diversification Essay There is a dramatic change in the earning, spending and saving pattern of the people of India in the post reform (economic) period that is post 1991. During this period, income generating mechanism in this country underwent massive changes. With a sustained economic growth, rising per capita income along with an ever increasing population, the dietary pattern in India is also changing very fast. The Indian food basket is diversifying in favour of high value food commodities like fruits, vegetables, dairy products, poultry products and fish products from staple food such as rice, wheat and coarse cereals. This raises a challenge to Indian agriculture. On the other hand the modern agriculture dominated by chemical and irrigation intensive farming system has not only raised productivity but simultaneously has also resulted in soil erosion, water contamination, pesticides poisoning, land degradation through water logging and soil salinity, depletion of bio-diversity, etc., forcing farmers to apply ever-increasing doses of fertilisers and to make water supply available on a continuous basis, in order to maintain the productivity levels. This again raises another challenge to Indian agriculture. It may not be wondering if we assume that organic farming system may generate such situation to address both the challenges mentioned above. This paper is concerned with an analysis of crop diversification under organic and inorganic farming in West Bengal. Crop diversification is different from the concept of multiple cropping or succession planting over the growing seasons. Moreover, it implies the use of environmental and human resources to grow a mix of crops with complementary marketing opportunities. Thus, it implies a shifting of resources from low value crops to high value crops such as fruits, vegetables, etc. The concept of crop diversification in globalized market of agricultural produce refers to increase the total crop productivity in terms of quality, quantity and monetary value under different specific agro-climatic situations across the world. There are two approaches to crop diversification in agriculture. First is horizontal diversification, which is the primary approach to crop diversification in production agriculture. The approach takes place through crop intensification by adding new high-value crops to existing cropping systems. Thus, the approach facilitates the improvement of overall productivity of a farm or farming economy of a region. The second approach is the vertical diversification. Under this approach, farmers and others add value to products through processing, regional branding, packaging, merchandising or other efforts to enhance the farm-product. The opportunities for crop diversification may vary depending on risks, opportunities and the feasibility of proposed changes within a socio-economic and agro-economic context. However, crop diversification through substitution of one crop or mixed cropping / inter-cropping may be a useful tool to mitigate problems associated with aberrant weather to some extent, especially in the arid and semi-arid drought-prone / dry land areas. Impact of crop diversification Crop diversification is intended to practice of growing more than one crop (or enterprise) in any year to increase financial and biological stability of the farm. In the agricultural context, diversification can be regarded as the re-allocation of some of a farms productive resources, such as land, capital, farm equipment and paid labour, into new activities. These can be new crops or livestock products, value-adding activities, provision of services to other farmers, etc. On the other hand, diversification of agriculture refers to the shift from the regional dominance of one crop to regional production of a number of crops, to meet ever increasing demand for cereals, pulses, oilseeds, fruits and vegetables, etc. It aims to improve soil health and a dynamic equilibrium of the agro-ecosystem. Crop diversification takes into account the economic returns from different value-added crops. Crop diversification can better tolerate the ups and downs in the market value of farm products and may ensure economic stability for farming families of the state. The adverse effects of aberrant weather, such as erratic and scanty rainfall and drought are very common in a vast area in agricultural production of the state. Incidents of flood in one part and drought in the other part are a very frequent phenomenon in the state. Under these aberrant weather situations, dependence on one or two major cereals (rice, wheat, etc.) is always risky. Diversification in agriculture has tremendous impact on the agro-socio-economic condition and uplifting resource-poor farming communities. It generates income and employment for rural youth year round for the ultimate benefits of the farmers in the state. It implies the use of local resources in a larger mix of diverse cropping systems and livestock, aquaculture and other non-farm sectors in the rural areas. Problem statement The yield as well as farm income is the essential part for crop diversification for the farmer of an agricultural based economy like West Bengal. Normally, the farmers diversify farm enterprises to meet the cash requirements of the family and to mitigate risk associated with mono-cropping, depending on conventional wisdom over the years. The crop diversification in the state is also considered with greater emphasis from the view point to price response, market infrastructure, availability of resources and public interventions (price and credit policies of farming business, research and development in farming activities, etc.) in agriculture. The judicious crop mix has facilitated increased farm incomes. It has also contribution towards the utilization of under employed resources to mitigate seasonal and under unemployment of rural labour force. The crop diversification has also helped to reduce risks and uncertainties in crops yields due to climatic and biological vagaries. Thus the study was conducted to analyze the extent of crop diversification at different levels of farm size as well as crop growing seasons in West Bengal for both inorganic and organic farming systems, commonly followed by the farmers in the state.

The War Against Terror and Chinas Treatment of the Uigher Ethnic Minor

The War Against Terror and China's Treatment of the Uigher Ethnic Minority In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, President George W. Bush reached out to the world to back the U.S. in a war to eradicate terrorism. One of the more surprising participants in this coalition, China, had until that point been at odds with U.S. policy but seemed to find sufficient common ground with the U.S. to support the war. In recent months however, China has not been lauded for unprecedented cooperation with its â€Å"strategic competitor† but has instead been criticized for using the war on terror as carte blanche to step up its â€Å"Strike Hard† campaign in the Uigher Xinjiang Autonomous Region in the northwest, resulting in unprecedented numbers of executions of political prisoners, a suspension of free religious worship, and a general decline in respect for human rights. The western media has claimed that Beijing had been waiting for a chance to crack down on Uigher separatists and is now behaving as an opportunist to pu rsue these goals while the U.S. is in no position to decry its behavior. However, this opportunism argument only explains some of the recent actions in Xinjiang; in this paper I will seek to show that Beijing’s increased policing of Xinjiang serves primarily to demonstrate to the international community that it will not be excluded from Central Asia. The Roots of Today’s Conflicts in Xinjiang An overview of the history of this volatile region is vital to understanding the present struggle for control. The movement for self-rule of Xinjiang dates back to the beginnings of China’s last dynasty, the Qing (1644-1911) when ethnic Chinese sought to settle the region and incorporate it into the ... ... with the reports of separatist bombings, verifiable data from the Chinese government is virtually impossible to come by; more recent reports, particularly those from after September 11, are from reliable à ©migrà © sources and anecdotal evidence presented in reputable publications. [17] Dillon, Michael, p. 25. [18] Smith, Craig S. â€Å"China, in Harsh Crackdown, Executes Muslim Separatists.† New York Times, Dec. 16, 2001, p. A1. [19] Smith, Craig S., p. A1. [20] Rosenthal, Elisabeth. â€Å"U.N. Official Fears China Uses Terror War as Front for Abuses.† New York Times, Nov. 10, 2001, p.A7. [21] Smith, Dianne L., p. 163. [22] Donnelly, Tom. â€Å"China’s Persecution Complex.† The Weekly Standard. Feb. 4, 2002, p. 21. [23] Eckholm, Eric. â€Å"U.S. Official Praises China for Its Cooperation in Rooting Out bin Laden’s Terror Network.† New York Times. Dec. 7, 2001, p.B5

Bonacorso Insurance Agency, Burlington, MA

Bonacorso Insurance company was created by John Bonacorso and Brittany Martel, in Burlington Massachusetts. Presently, that location offers their only office, but another office building is being built in Middleton, Massachusetts, and it will be open soon. The company was originally established in 1956, and it served as a local insurance agency, but recently it has expanded to some degree, and offers various insurance portfolios in the private and business sectors.The company is a basic small insurance company, that is trying to acquire as many clients as possible, and to facilitate that action, the company offers discounts to new clients, and campaigns to provide people who could potentially save with Bonacorso Insurance with free quotes, and the advantages of the company, compared with those of competitors. Bonacorso Insurance offers a number of basic policies and packages, and gladly provides quotes for potential clients.The have life insurance policies, homeowner policies, health coverage policies, automobile insurance policies, policies for boat-owners, and for motorcycle owners. Life insurance premiums vary based on the specific conditions of given clients, but the policies usually cost between $500 and $1,500 per month. Depending on the size, condition, and overall value of a home, homeowner’s policies also vary greatly. For more conventional homes, policies start at $500 per month, and range up to, for the more expensive homes, a rate of $250,000 monthly.Basic health insurance policies for those who qualify cost $360 a month. Automobile insurance policies range from $550 to $6000 dollars monthly, depending on the quality and condition of the vehicle. Boat insurance is comparable in premium price to homeowner’s insurance, as its premiums range from $350 a month to $250,000 per month, based on the specifications of the boat. Motorcycle insurance is also offered by Bonacorso Insurance, and premiums for this type of insurance range from $225 t o $350 monthly, depending on the quality of the motorcycle.That is how every successful insurance agency operates, as rates are different for every client depending on their histories, and certain specifications of what is to be covered. For more conventional cars, boats, motorcycles, and houses, rates may be lower, as not as much is at risk. But for expensive items, rates are generally higher, as are the deductibles, because the company will have to make a much larger payout if coverage proves to be needed. All of these policies also take into account the specific cases of each client who is covered by Bonacorso Insurance.Rates may be slightly higher for clients who have bad histories, and lower for those who have shown their responsibility. For instance, drivers whose records are free of accidents of their own fault save on automobile insurance, as they present less of a monetary risk to the company. But drivers who have been involved in a number of accidents will generally have h igher premiums because the insurance agency feels that they are more likely to be involved in accidents, which the insurance company will pay for on their behalf.And in trying to recruit new clients, Bonacorso Insurance has people who are hired to give people free quotes, hoping that that will encourage them to realize that they could be saving if they switched to Bonacorso. People who work for the agency seek potential clients, and show them their rates, compared to the rates of their competitors, or the national average of a premium for similar clients. Often, when new clients apply for policies with Bonacorso Insurance, discounts are offered to encourage the clients to remain with the agency, because it will save them money.The insurance agency also offers benefits to clients who remain accident free after joining the agency, which may show in a decreasing of premium rates for improving drivers. Automobile insurance is one of the company’s biggest fields, so a lot of the c lient benefits and rewards are offered in that field. Monthly get-togethers, or parties, are hosted by the company, which invites clients to attend the festivities, giving clients a homely, local feel about their insurance provider.Mugs, T-shirts, and other apparel and novelty items are given to clients as well. Businesses are also recruited by Bonacorso Insurance company, and certain benefits are offered to particular businesses. Portfolios for businesses that offer coverage in a number of areas are provided for professional clients, which gives many businesses incentive to join the agency. And much like other insurance companies that work with businesses, certain services may be exchanged between a business and Bonacorso Insurance agency.For instance, if a business agrees to speak out in favor of the agency, or host certain agency events, which shows the business’ satisfaction with the agency, potentially encouraging other businesses to compare rates and perhaps switch to B onacorso, rates and portfolios may be less costly for the business. The agency has been growing in popularity lately, and has expanded from just a small, local boat and automobile coverage agency to one that offers all of the amenities of a larger, more established firm.In 1983, John Bonacorso took the company down a new road, which opened the company to the market of home insurance policies, health insurance policies, life insurance policies, and motorcycle insurance policies. One of the major benefits of the company is that premiums are cut for improving clients. Clients who had histories of accidents at home or in their vehicles would generally have higher premiums initially, but like some of the larger insurance agencies such as State Farm and Progressive are doing, rates may decrease for a client if his or her record improves, as that shows that he or she presents less risk to the agency.Bonacorso Insurance only sustains itself by its number of clients. For any insurance agency to succeed, the number of clients has to be somewhat established, and it cannot sharply decrease. For example, if there were only three clients that an agency had acquired, who were paying an average of $500 a month for their automobile insurance, it would potentially ruin the agency if one of the cars was to be totaled, causing many thousands of dollars in damages.But one in three cars being totaled in a short period is very bad odds for the insurance agency, and if one thousand in three thousand clients totaled their vehicles, it would have the same devastating effects on the insurance agency as if one in three was totaled. But the risk is much higher when the number of clients is low, because with a large number of clients, the firm acquires a level of stability, as the premiums of everyone else would be used to cover the accidents of the few.So Bonacorso Insurance makes it clear that they are always looking for clients, and they tell potential clients how they operate, which is done by stabilizing themselves with a large number of clientele. As with most insurance companies, Bonacorso provides potential clients with rate quotes, that in some cases can be detrimental to the agency, as it demonstrates that, in particular cases, the people shopping for insurance could save more elsewhere. But this is part of the process. No company can offer every client a lower rate than the individual could find with other agencies unless that agency was well on its way to monopolizing the market.So for the most part, Bonacorso Insurance knows that most clients will feel that they could be saving with the agency, as in many cases, rates are lower for potential clients with Bonacorso than with other agencies. So Bonacorso has established enough stability to reveal their quotes, compared with their competitors quotes for particular people (which at times could be slightly lower) because for the most part, Bonacorso Insurance agency offers more to the clients. Another thing t hat the agency has going for it is its local status.The company fits into the community of the Burlington, Massachusetts area, and that makes people feel safe and satisfied as they are insured by people whom they know. This is really shown by the get-togethers and parties that the agency hosts, which it invites its clientele to attend. Trust is thus established by the agency and its clients, which encourages clients to remain with the agency, which, many of them feel, really is helping them. All in all, the company has been a smaller, cordial insurance agency that has a neighborly relationship with its clients.Benefits and cut rates help the agency to secure clientele, and decreasing rates and courteousness on the part of the agency help Bonacorso Insurance maintain its client base. Although it started as a very localized agency that did not offer coverage in all of the fields that it does today, Bonacorso Insurance has grown to some degree, and plans to open a second branch in Midd leton, Massachusetts. But community involvement and its local, neighborly nature should continue to keep the company going at both locations for some time, because clients are satisfied by the way the agency operates.

The Management Of The Macroeconomy - 1594 Words

Does it matter if the management of the macroeconomy is driven by political as well as economic considerations?/ careful thought The management of the macroeconomy is crucial for a countries stable economic growth. In this essay we will evaluate the effects of following economic as well as political considerations and determine whether a particular drive is beneficial or detrimental to a countries macroeconomy. Initially when referring to the macroeconomy we focuses on the aggregate changes in the economy such as unemployment, growth rate, gross domestic product and inflation. As a result of economist John Maynard Keynes work in the 1930s, governments are able to control the total amount of demand in the economy /Aggregate Demand (AD =†¦show more content†¦In reducing unemployment rates policymakers are able to cut government spending on benefit tax and generate greater government expenditure through means of income tax, which can then be put back into the economy to stimulate growth. For example greater expenditure can be used settle the outstanding trade deficit or used on public goods such as healthcare to create a more productive workforce, which will in itself benefit the economy through a greater number of units being produced- Keynesian multiplier effect. Clearly we are able to see the many benefits of reducing unemployment for an economy, which will not only benefit consu mers as they posses greater income, but businesses also through greater sales margins. Inevitable greater income levels for the government will result in greater income levels for consumers and business also, leading to an increase in injection into the economy and thus aid to stimulate economic growth. As we can establish whether the consideration to reduce unemployment originate from a political or economic foundation it will lead to the positive management of the macroeconomy. However, how policymakers intend to reduce unemployment is key to the success of managing the macroeconomy. If policymakers interests are to stimulate economic growth they will intend to use long term monetary, fiscal and supply-side policies to create steady