Business activity of an enterprise is almost inconceivable without planning. Therefore today there are many discussions about the importance of activity planning of the enterprise and forecasting of the resources, necessary to reach the set tasks. For this reason the scientists and practicians offer to implement the budgeting system in the enterprises. This paper introduces the new budgeting model - Activity-Based Budgeting (ABB) model. It also contains the survey of advantages of this model and its applicability in theoretical aspect. The key objective of this paper is to present Activity-Based Budgeting (ABB) as an important means of planning and coordination of activity of the agricultural enterprise (or any other type of an enterprise). After performance of analysis of the main principles of Activity-Based Budgeting (ABB) model the reasoned conclusions can be drawn that application of this model in the agricultural enterprises could be the alternative means against the variable and changing economical and business conditions. It should be emphasized that contrarily to the traditional budgeting models; ABB can help to establish the connections between the incurred costs and the company processes. The paper contains ABB analysis based upon the scientific studies and the fragments of practical application of the model.

Over the last few years, the increase of society stratification and inequality of income that has favoured significant shifts in household dietary patterns and a growing demand for products of animal origin, particularly meat and milk can be observed. On the consumption side, meat plays an important role in improving the nutritional status of low-income households by addressing micro and macro nutrient deficiencies. In this context, this paper investigates beef consumption trends and aims to corroborate theoretical expectations with empirical findings. The aim of the research was to characterize main tendencies of beef consumption and to find out factors affecting beef consumption in Latvia. In order to achieve the set aim, the following research objectives were defined: 1) to characterize household expenditure for purchasing beef; 2) to describe overall beef consumption in Latvia; 3) to investigate beef consumption in households with different income level. The study was based on annual statistical data, statistical bulletins covering results of the Household Budget Survey from 2002 to 2007, scientific publications and special literature. To carry out the research, adequate research methods were used. The results of this study showed that beef consumption in the country has been more or less stable, although in relatively small amounts. The main factor that influences beef consumption and expenditure on beef is income level. The results also suggested that higher beef consumption is characteristic of urban households, which have higher income level than rural ones. Therefore, within increase of income level of Latvia's inhabitants, beef consumption and demand for beef could significantly increase.

After a 16-m high dam was constructed and a 297-ha pond was arranged in the River Šušvė nearby Angiriai in 1980, the previous natural flow regime of the river has changed: 15500000 m3 of water accumulated above the dam is not discharged via a natural bed, but through two 1.5x1.5 m bottom orifices, and flood discharges (up to Q1% = 296 m3 sE-1) are directed into the lower reach through a 16-m high shaft spillway of floods. Such arrangement of the Angiriai dam ensured it to become an essential obstacle for migrating fish. In 2000, after the arrangement and operation of Angiriai hydro-electric power station, the water regime downstream the dam has been changed and new hydrological pulses as well as ecosystem biodiversity are to be adapted. Thus, the operation of Angiriai HPS on the River Šušvė generating hydroelectric power can have adverse effect on the river habitats and hydro ecological connectivity. To evaluate the effect, the eco-hydraulic water regime measurements in 2005 in a lower stretch with and without turbines operating were made. The study results showed that artificial water levels fluctuation (≈ 4 m hrE-1) induced by Angiriai hydro-electric power station as well as the discharge flowing through the bottom orifices due to high velocities (13–14 m sE-1) and temperature differences could create stressful situations for young fish in the lower bank. According to the data of soil texture of the Šušvė River, the bed armoring process is going on below the Angiriai HPS is quasistable and no impact of HPS operation is found.

The aim of this research is to work out the graphic method for the calculation of the maximum rain intensity with a different guarantee in Riga. In order to develop this method analysis as regards the rainfall rates having a different probability was carried out. The measurement data of maximum rainfall minute intensity (mm minE-1) 3 and 9 hours as well as daily common rainfall from the accessible archive materials in the period 1954-2006 have been studied in this research and treated with the mathematical statistics methods. After the data collection and calculations, the final results are shown in a graphical way in which it is easy to determine which guarantee percent and repetition probability the rain intensity in Riga may be foreseen. In order to determine which module of one factor regression is the most accurate, five different modules were investigated. From the modules studied the most adequate one for data analyses was the logarithmic module having the accuracy up to 92%. The analysis of the rainfall data as well as the research of the situation of the location place can help to choose the system of rain accumulation and infiltration for each building location thus improving the operation of the total sewerage system. The calculations may be useful in practice to calculate the runoff rates from the areas of different covering. If necessary, using the graphic, it is possible to work out a mathematical expression for the calculation of the maximum rain intensity having any necessary probability. The accessibility and application of a wide range of materials for modern surfaces or infiltration buildings in the world present a wider range of their practical use for separate modern solutions in Riga.

The paper deals with monitoring results of nitrate nitrogen (NO3 --N) run-off in three small agricultural catchments in Latvia (Berze, Mellupite, and Vienziemite) during the period of 1995 - 2007. Continuous flow measurements and water sampling were carried out in two scales - catchment and drainage field. Water quality data was analyzed statistically to identify outliers at various intensity agricultural production systems. The results indicated that with increase of agriculture intensity outlying values are higher and scattered from the rest of the data set thereby the risk of NO3 --N leaching is higher. It can be explained by application of different rates of organic and inorganic fertilization. To analyze water discharge data, cumulative distribution was used. The results show that main part of the water discharge is observed from late autumn to spring, whereas in summer period it is low and stable. The dependence of NO3 --N concentrations on the discharge is expressed by Spearman's correlation coefficient - at catchment scale it is 0.37 in Vienziemite site, 0.39 - in Berze, and 0.44 in Mellupite. Calculated correlation coefficients are statistically reliable.

This article gives a review of modern networking technologies and standards used in the development of distributed control systems. Study of related scientific and professional literature has been performed, and basing on it a multi-level model of digital network structure in the field of small-scale autonomous combined power systems has been proposed. Necessity of integration of autonomous powering into SmartHouse systems and related distributed computing and networking issues are reflected as well. As there is a wide variety of industrial networking standards used, this review covers and groups more frequently used protocols and stacks from the view of OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) reference model and layers of industrial automation. The aim of this article is to give a reference-point in the development of distributed control systems in the field of small-scale autonomous power supply and integration of them in SmartHouse systems.

The Bologna Process started in 1999, aiming to elaborate an overarching framework of qualifications for the European Higher Education Area. The doctoral level as the third cycle was introduced for promoting closer links between research and higher education. The implementation of doctoral programme of pedagogy has strengthened the area of educational research. The general goal of the doctoral education is to provide doctoral students with an in-depth knowledge of the field of research and the capability to produce novel scientific knowledge independently. The aim of the paper is to characterize the realisation of teachers' education as doctoral training in the context of Bologna Process strategies. The seminar in Salzburg set up ten basic principles concerning doctoral education. Learning outcomes in the field of research training are one of the basic building blocks of European higher education quality. The quality of teachers' education on doctoral studies level is depending on advanced learning outcomes of an individual. The goals of doctoral education are increasing internationalisation, co-operation between academies, promoting academic careers and establishing post-doctoral positions. The investigation about research training was carried out at Riga Teacher Training and Educational Management Academy doctoral study programme in pedagogy. A questionnaire about aspects of doctoral studies was developed for obtaining information for analysis and was given to teachers (doctoral students). Respondents were asked to complete the questionnaire focusing on learning outcomes. The estimation of the results was made summing the answers, and the percentage was calculated. Feedback from doctoral students plays an important role in the further development of the curricula.

Pig production has increasingly become an important activity, especially among smallholder farmers in Uganda in the past three decades as evidenced by a dramatic rise in pig population from 0.19 to 3.2 million. This is linked to the rise in demand for pork due to changes in preferences. Per capita consumption of pork has been estimated at 3.4 kg/person/year representing a ten-fold increase in the last 30 years. Pigs are important assets for the poor smallholders in Uganda generating income for meeting planned and emergency household financial needs. Despite its importance, the smallholder pig systems are faced with a number of productivity and market related constraints ranging from diseases, poor nutrition and poorly organized markets. Strong growth opportunities to improve smallholder pig systems exist if the constraints are minimized. However the constraints and opportunities vary among smallholder producers as they are not a homogenous group and are affected by various factors. This paper applies a cluster analysis to characterize smallholder pig production systems into typologies in three districts in Uganda by utilizing village level data from 35 villages. The paper further explores the constraints and opportunities for the different typologies to engage with output and input market systems. The paper concludes that different interventions are necessary to improve market linkages with the smallholder pig production systems due to their varying differences in terms of farmers’ cooperative involvement, institutional linkages and intensification related indicators.

This study was conducted in the rural kebeles around Dire Dawa for designing a simple, yet, feasible breeding scheme in the context of community-based management of animal genetic resources. Range of participatory rural appraisal tools, including focal group discussions and participatory mappings, were employed to study the local community’s Indigenous knowledge and practices in managing the goat gene pool. The breeding objective and local trait preferences were defined in a participatory manner through own-flock ranking experiments. The community generally practices selective pure breeding where by the own flock and flocks in the neighbourhood were the units of selection for bucks. There are social regulations in the community against sale of breeding does outside the community while encouraging communal use of outstanding breeding males. Goats are kept for multifaceted purposes ranging from products like milk, meat and live-sale to functions in socio-cultural, financial and ritual state of affairs. The breeding objective is to ensure improved milk production, through increased daily yield per doe and increased fertility per flock, and increased net income per flock, through increased number of marketable animals. Traditional criteria such as conformation, behaviour and adaptation were as important as most “production” traits in selecting breeding animals. The breeding goal traits considered were, accordingly, milk production, conformation and reproductive traits. Based on these findings, village breeding schemes, where-by flocks and breeding groups in a village are taken as focal points, is recommended as way forward in genetic improvement. The framework for a feasible implementation of such genetic improvement scheme is outlined based on the rationale of utilizing available social regulations, indigenous knowledge and traditional systems of breeding as well as future market prospects.