Small production and sustained development in the semiarid tropic: the necessity of suitable credit system

The semi-arid tropical regions all over the world are characterized by climatic risks associated to farming and cattle raisinq and to the adaptation of extensive cattle raising. In these regions the small producers adopt an accumulation logic that allows only for the reproduction of the social group. The majority of these regions is undergoing a period of crisis induced by reasons either of anthropic origin or not. The induced imbalance many times does not allow for the necessary accumulation to the reproduction of the social group. The consequences of this imbalance and the economical and social burden that it represents to the States, because of the migration from rural areas and of the environmental degradation, lead to the; -arousal of voluntarist practices for development implemented by regional, national and international institutions. The development and the intensification of these activities are limited by the climatic characteristics, by the problems related to the environmental preservation, by the extent of the investments and by the competitiveness with the production from other regions. The small producers' limited capacity for investment, made worse by the disappearance of their funds during periods of crises, emphasizes the importance of financing for rural activities, diversified and accessible to all. They are activities that can enhance the local workmanshi through the use of external funding ant that should try to boost the economical and social strategies of the local community. Not with standing by many reasons, the rural credit generally doesn't reach the small producer. The prerequisites that must be considered for the organization of a credit system accessible to the small producer are discussed hereby. An adapted financing system which doesn't leave aside the implementation of agriculturalist policies apt to secure economic space to the small production. (Résumé d'auteur

Organisation des agriculteurs familiaux et developement municipal: trois experiences au Nordeste du Bresil.

Trois expériencie de planification municipale; L´Unité de Planification Agricole de Juazeiro-Bahia - UPAGRO; Tauá-CE; Les stratégies des principaux acteuras;Conditions du dialogue entre acteurs municipaux; Le role de le recherche: elaboration de références et d´intruments d´aide á la décision

Inovação institucional, planejamento municipal e organização dos produtores no Nordeste brasileiro: análise comparativa de três experiencias.

O planejamento em nivel municipal mostra-se cada vez mais necessario, no entanto, carece referencias, metodos e instrumentos que permitam a elaboracao de projetos com base em uma negociacao a partir de um dialogo entre os diferentes atores do desenvolvimento. O trabalho apresenta algumas reflexoes sobre a participacao das organizacoes de produtores nos processos de decisao em projetos municipais, a partir do estudo de tres casos caracteristicos da agricultura nordestina: Juazeiro,BA, Pintadas, BA, Taua, CE. O estudo comparativo considera em particular as condicoes de participacao dos produtores nas acoes de planejamento nunicipal e as respectivas estrategias dos diferentes atores envolvidos (produtores, liderancas pliticas, instituicoes, entre outros). As principais conclusoes evidenciam: a condicao da organizacao dos produtres em todo processo de planejamento do desenvolvimento rural municipal; a necessidade e os limites das relacoes de parceria ou de aliancas com outros grupos sociais no contexto nordestino: o papel da intervencao da pesquisa, particularmente na contribuicao para a producao e difusao da informacao, e elaboracao de metodos e instrumentos de apoio a tomada de decisao: a importancia da apropriacao do processo de decisao peloa conjunto dos produtores via espacos de negociacao. A pesquisa agronomica pode ter um papel fundamental junto aos atores locais e as organizacoes de produtores

Interprovincial Migration and the Stringency of Energy Policy in China

Interprovincial migration flows involve substantial relocation of people and productive activity, with implications for regional energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. In China, these flows are not explicitly considered when setting energy and environmental targets for provinces, and their potential impact on the effectiveness of policy alternatives is ignored. We analyze how migration affects outcomes under energy intensity targets and energy caps. While both policies are part of the nation’s Twelfth Five Year Plan (2011–2015) and imposed at the provincial level, only the intensity targets are binding at present. We estimate a migration model, integrate it into a general equilibrium model that resolves each province in China, and simulate the effect of migration on energy use and economic activity. We find that although both types of policies are affected by uncertain migration flows, energy intensity targets (energy use indexed to economic output) are more robust than absolute caps. They are also more cost-effective, placing less burden on the relatively clean in-migration provinces. Our findings also underscore the value of moving from provincial targets to an integrated national emissions trading system, given that the choice of abatement strategies will adjust endogenously to labor relocation.The authors thank Eni S.p.A., ICF International, Shell International Limited, and the French Development Agency (AFD), founding sponsors of the China Energy and Climate Project. We also gratefully acknowledge the support of the Energy Information Administration at the U.S. Department of Energy. We are also thankful for support provided by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, the National Development and Reform Commission, and Rio Tinto China. We further gratefully acknowledge the financial suppo rt for this work provided by the MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change through a consortium of industrial sponsors and Federal grants. This work is also supported by the DOE Integrated Assessment Grant (DE-FG02-94ER61937)

Identificação de dinâmicas sociais e econômicas na construção territorial de cafés de qualidade diferenciada no Sul de Minas.

O Sul de Minas é a maior região produtora de café do país e o espaço geográfico de Machado, Poço Fundo e Campestre, aí localizado, compreende um dos mais destacados conjuntos de municípios sob o ponto de vista do cultivo. A base técnica e social sob a qual a cultura do café destas três áreas se desenvolveu historicamente é caracterizada por numerosas e pequenas explorações familiares. O café é de toda evidência responsável por uma identidade territorial aí existente, o que torna pertinente uma pesquisa nestes municípios do Sul de Minas Gerais, com ênfase nos conhecimentos, práticas e representações utilizadas na produção, usos, difusão e conservação de recursos do território. O objetivo da pesquisa é buscar respostas aos problemas do desenvolvimento territorial sustentável e, para tal, destacou inicialmente o município de Poço Fundo, dentre os três mencionados. A partir da conclusão do mapeamento de projetos coletivos, atores sociais e programas públicos, esta fase da pesquisa, aqui em destaque, buscou identificar as dinâmicas sociais e econômicas capazes de caracterizar o processo de construção de território junto a gestores públicos e atores representativos dos projetos coletivos, por intermédio do uso de entrevistas apoiadas em um roteiro único semi-estruturado

How a plantar pressure-based, tongue-placed tactile biofeedback modifies postural control mechanisms during quiet standing

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of a plantar pressure-based, tongue-placed tactile biofeedback on postural control mechanisms during quiet standing. To this aim, sixteen young healthy adults were asked to stand as immobile as possible with their eyes closed in two conditions of No-biofeedback and Biofeedback. Centre of foot pressure (CoP) displacements, recorded using a force platform, were used to compute the horizontal displacements of the vertical projection the centre of gravity (CoGh) and those of the difference between the CoP and the vertical projection of the CoG (CoP-CoGv). Altogether, the present findings suggest that the main way the plantar pressure-based, tongue-placed tactile biofeedback improves postural control during quiet standing is via both a reduction of the correction thresholds and an increased efficiency of the corrective mechanism involving the CoGh displacements

Zoneamento agrossocioeconômico dos tabuleiros costeiros e da baixada litoranea de Sergipe

The adoption of the concept of Research and Development by the EMBRAPA stimulated the development of methods that search to adapt the research to the necessity of specific social groups, within the concept of sustainability. This paper had the objective of zoning and knowing the characteristics of the socio-economic and agricultural situations of the State of Sergipe, in the area of "coastal plains" and "Lowerland litoral", to understand the problems for the region development. The methodology used was the "key resource people interviews", which allows the gathering of up-to-date information about the behavior of the agrarian situation from the rural social agents perception. The work permitted the zoning of the region into eight Development Units. and the analyzis of their historical process of occupation. (Résumé d'auteur

Trajectoires de développement et modèle d'évolution des espaces locaux au Nordeste brésilien

Pour rendre compte des transformations des systèmes de production et des formes d'organisation des producteurs, les auteurs proposent l'étude de trajectoires de développement local. L'exemple de la région de Massaroca (Bahia) illustre cette démarche. Il valorise l'histoire agraire et l'approche spatiale et il repose sur des enquêtes conduites auprès d'agriculteurs et de techniciens. L'analyse comparative des études réalisées dans diverses localités du Nordeste semi-aride s'appuie sur l'interprétation de la diversité ou de la similitude des évolutions en des lieux distincts à des époques données et sur celle d'évolutions semblables en des lieux et à des moments différents. Les évolutions locales et macro-régionales sont mises en perspective. L'analyse identifie les mécanismes d'évolution des espaces ruraux. La caractérisation des espaces étudiés permet l'identification d'états différenciés. A chacun, correspondent des formes d'organisation locale, des stratégies et des pratiques particulières. L'analyse des mécanismes de transition entre états permet de mieux comprendre l'évolution des espaces locaux et d'en proposer une modélisation. Enfin, les auteurs discutent l'usage du modèle, avec la perspective d'identifier des actions possibles d'appui au développement rural

Contribution à la planification du développement sans objectif final : proposition pour la région Nordeste (Brésil)

Le Nordeste, région problématique du Brésil, connaît des mutations rurales que les institutions de développement ne parviennent plus à accompagner. La forte demande institutionnelle ouvre le champ aux initiatives. L'URCA-Nordeste (Unité régionale de formation et d'appui au développement rural du Nordeste) expérimente un système d'appui à la planification sans objectif prédéterminé fondé sur la mise en place d'un observatoire régional des dynamiques agraires, sur la modélisation de trajectoires de développement et l'animation d'une dynamique institutionnelle. Il s'agit de fournir aux acteurs locaux et régionaux des informations pour la planification et le développement, ce qui constitue un défi méthodologique et institutionne