Papers by Maria Rola-Rubzen
Which chain is best for me? The case of supply chain for wheat in Western Australia
Improving Market Access for Smallholders: Challenges and Opportunities
Impact of Labour Market Policies on Farm Households in the Philippines
Directory of Grants and Initiatives for Desert Businesses
Many farmers in West Timor operate small-scale mixed crop-livestock farms. In most of these farms... more Many farmers in West Timor operate small-scale mixed crop-livestock farms. In most of these farms, productivity of livestock production systems is quite low. There is, however, a potential to improve the contribution of livestock to total household income. Combining breeding and fattening represents an alternative for improving livestock production systems. To examine the feasibility of this production system, a study
This paper examines the marketing systems for pigs and chicken in Western Leyte, Philippines. The... more This paper examines the marketing systems for pigs and chicken in Western Leyte, Philippines. The aim is to provide a clear understanding of the existing marketing systems to smallholder livestock farmers and to formulate recommendations for improving marketing of livestock produce. Using reconnaissance surveys and focus group discussions, this study determined the supply chain for livestock and identified opportunities for improving marketing of pigs and chicken in Western Leyte.
Various approaches have been used to improve smallholder farmers’ livelihood systems. One approac... more Various approaches have been used to improve smallholder farmers’ livelihood systems. One approach is to build farmer capacity with a view of improving their knowledge and skills. In Western Leyte, Philippines, researchers worked with farmers in improving farmers’ knowledge base in technical and economic aspects of their farming system. With a focus on improving profits, farmers were equipped with a range of tools to enable them to improve their farming system and to assess possible changes in their system.
DKCRC-Working-paper-67-Profile-of-Leonora_A-sustainability-case-study
This paper presents the profile of Leonora town, located in Western Australia. It discusses Leono... more This paper presents the profile of Leonora town, located in Western Australia. It discusses Leonora’s population, including main demographic characteristics, and economy. It draws on a range of secondary sources, particularly data available from Australian Bureau of Statistics, and it supplements this with insights from several visits to Leonora and its environs over the past two years. The paper also discusses some issues in regards to the sustainability of the town and concludes with some comments in regards to implications for adaptability and sustainable futures.
Intra-Household Modelling Farm-Household Systems
Theory and Practice of Participatory Action Research and Learning With Cluster Marketing Groups in Mindanao, Philippines
IV International Symposium on Improving the Performance of Supply Chains in the Transitional Economies, 2013
ABSTRACT
Increasing the Economic Role for Smallholder Farmers in the World Market for Horticultural Food
Horticulture: Plants for People and Places, Volume 3, 2014
ABSTRACT Smallholder farmers will be critical to meeting the growing demand for food in the next ... more ABSTRACT Smallholder farmers will be critical to meeting the growing demand for food in the next 40 years. However, currently they face many challenges in meeting the changing demands of modern markets, including the effects of climate change, deficiencies in their enabling environment, resources, capacities and institutional models for change and development. In this chapter we set the context by defining these deficiencies and their implications for development of the smallholder horticultural sector. We present a dualistic agribusiness systems framework that helps focus analysis on the interactions in the system and the complexity of the problems. This framework helps highlight the need to develop new institutional approaches to link smallholder farmers to markets and to improve their productivity. We then review some options for linking them to markets and conclude that a range of solutions will be required, but that contract farming and traditional cooperatives will only be relevant to a limited range of contexts. We suggest that cluster marketing arrangements will be another important solution, because they are suited better to smallholder resources and capacities. They can also be used as a means to develop a horticultural innovation system that meets the needs of smallholder farmers rather than just the needs of larger enterprises.
As part of an aid project on smallholder livestock improvement and innovation in western Leyte, P... more As part of an aid project on smallholder livestock improvement and innovation in western Leyte, Philippines, a longitudinal study of chicken production systems was undertaken, with the main focus of monitoring the performance of smallholder chicken production systems. This involved the regular collection of data from small scale and scavenging chicken flocks managed by smallholder farmers. Information on smallholder chicken
Availability of seed and farm production factors, i.e., land and farm labour, formed a single fac... more Availability of seed and farm production factors, i.e., land and farm labour, formed a single factor that was found to be the most important factor influencing East-Javanese farmers’ decision to purchase seed. While such would suggest that the resulting impact of the factor may influence the amount of seed purchased by farmers, seed is often unavailable when it is required.
Review of farmers' markets
Stewart Postharvest Review, 2007
ABSTRACT Purpose of review: The popularity of farmers’ markets is increasing, yet little is under... more ABSTRACT Purpose of review: The popularity of farmers’ markets is increasing, yet little is understood about their contribution in developing social or economic benefits for the farmers who use them. This paper reviews the literature on farmers’ markets and the contributions that they make, not only to the rural community but also the urban centres within which they operate, and the various challenges associated with their operation. Main findings: Although there are many advantages of farmers’ markets, the review identifies a clear gap in the research literature relating to the potential impact of farmers’ markets on urban areas and tourism. While most studies have been undertaken in developed countries, research in developing countries is equally if not more important, given the potential role of farmers’ markets in enhancing the economic wellbeing of smallholder producers. Directions for future research: Future research should guide policy makers by providing more evidence on the economic impact of farmers’ markets and the potential for tourism and urban development.
The Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 2001
New development paradigms come and go, seemingly with increasing rapidity, yet poverty remains th... more New development paradigms come and go, seemingly with increasing rapidity, yet poverty remains the scourge of the developing nations. As we enter the new millennium, we fear that still more development fads and fancies will emerge, to be taken up and then dropped by the development community. These swings in fashion bring with them the danger that the`basics' of e¡ective development strategies for poverty reduction will be neglected. In this article, we advance some personal and perhaps controversial views about the virtues of getting agriculture moving as a means of reducing poverty, and about the role that agricultural economists can and should play in that endeavour.
Buyer/seller reflections on inter-organisational information systems: Implications for chain data collection methods
Journal on Chain and Network Science, 2002
When deciding to conduct research on chains and networks, a decision needs to be made about the u... more When deciding to conduct research on chains and networks, a decision needs to be made about the unit of analysis that will be used for data collection. The present paper examines the validity of collecting data from one party in a chain or dyad. The research examines the differences in perception between dyadic pairs of buyers and sellers about the nature of their relationship and the inter-organisational information system. There were significant differences in perceptions about the nature of the inter-organisational information system ...
Effective relationship among partners is a key in strengthening collaborative marketing efforts. ... more Effective relationship among partners is a key in strengthening collaborative marketing efforts. One of the collaborative marketing efforts is through clustering of farmer to link into market. This study examined the level of relationship of vegetable cluster farmers with their market intermediaries - cluster and the downstream buyers. A total of 81 vegetables farmers in Southern Philippines were surveyed to determine their relationship level on trust, power-dependence, relationship-specific investments and satisfaction. Comparison between clusters and downstream buyers were made using ANOVA and Welch Test. The study found that farmers have high level of trust to their clusters compared to their downstream buyers. The high level of trust is attributed to assurance of the market, leadership of the clusters, and openness in sharing and information. Results showed that there benefits offered by clustering which were not found in other buyers. This include provision of training and high...
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Papers by Maria Rola-Rubzen