Indicators of efficiency and incentives derived from trade theory, such as the domestic resource cost coefficient (DRC) and effective protection (EP), are generally presented as simple means. Analysis of their distributions, using farm data on millet and sorghum production from West Africa, shows them to be highly variable and, in some cases, to be significantly skewed. The analysis also shows the indicators to be highly elastic to changes in such parameters as input and output prices. If this variability is not considered when making inferences from such data, policy recommendations can be seriously misleading because they are based on different farming populations.

Attempts to define a number of general precepts about Indian spiritual beliefs as they relate to Indian healing practices. Discusses ten points of commonality among Indian spiritual belief systems which seem to be the foundation on which many tribal religions and philosophies are based. The concepts of Indian spiritual beliefs presented in this paper are intended to serve as indicators or guides for further study.

Early studies have reported fragmentary evidence that the small-scale fishermen are among the poorest of the poor in the Philippines. The present analysis confirms this picture, as based upon interviews with a random sample of 200 small-scale fishermen in Iloilo province [Philippines]. Respondents showed evidence of a low quality of life on various individual and household indicators (e.g. income, food consumption) and were also both poorly organized and isolated from government welfare services

Extract: This report summarizes the evaluations by an Expert Scientific Working Group of the iron nutritional status of the US population based on biochemical data for persons aged 1 through 74 yr in the second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1976-1980. Three approaches were used for estimating the prevalence of impaired iron status. The first (ferritin model) required that at least two of three indicators be abnormal: serum ferritin, transferrin saturation, erythrocyte protoporphyrin. A second approach (MCV) model, using mean corpuscular volume rather than ferritin, also required that at least two of the three indicators be abnormal. Finally, the change in median hemoglobin concentration (hemoglobin percentile shift) was determined after exclusion of individuals with one or more abnormal iron status values. The range of prevalence estimates was fairly low with the exception of children aged 1-2 year, males aged 11-14 yr, and females aged 15-44 yr. The associations of impaired iron status with hemoglobin levels, inflammatory disease, and socioeconomic and demographic variables were examined. Data on iron overload were also assessed. (author)

Nutrition surveillance means "to watch over nutrition in order to make decisions which will lead to improvements in nutrition in the population". Three kinds of variables are relevant for establishing nutritional surveillance: resource variables, outcome variables, and flow variables. Outcome variables are those on which policy and program developments are based. They include direct indicators of nutrition and health outcome (birth weight, anthropometric measurements, morbidity, mortality) and indirect indicators (socio-economic status, environmental data). Most of the data on outcome variables come from health systems. English-speaking Caribbean countries have a well-developed network of health services, hospitals, and health centers compared to most developing countries. However, malnutrition among children in the Caribbean, remains a public health problem. Problems exist in data collection, in the utilization of data for decision making, and in obtaining the community involvement necessary to solve food and nutrition problems. The following steps are suggested to help alleviate the present situation of malnutrition in preschool children in the English-speaking Caribbean and the difficulties in obtaining data on outcome variables to make decisions aimed at improving nutritional conditions: 1) develop suitable gro wth charts for clinical records and mothers to be used in all Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute (CFNI) member countries, 2) establish a system of disaggregated data collection, using such data for program development and evaluation, and 3) apply the new growth charts and the data utilization system for outcome variables in all the English-speaking Caribbean. (aj)

Thinning models are generally based on the density of the stand measured by the average basal area per hectare, for instance. These models are handicapped by the uneven structure of the stands. In uneven stands the averages are inadequate indicators for the need and amount of thinnings. Small relascope plots were tested in the measurement of the spatial distribution of trees and in the determination of the need and amount of thinnings. The thinning quantity was determined as the difference between the actual distribution of the relascope plots into basal area classes and the ideal distribution after thinning. Sequential sampling was used in the derivation of the decision equations. A respective BASIC-program for a programmable pocket calculator is given. The PDF includes a summary in English.

Besides attempting to relate the physical defects in green coffee beans and the chemical defects in the ground coffee, this experiment was also carried out to study the relationship between the defect values according to the defect system and the chemical composition changes caused by those defects. The results of this experiment were also expected to provide the scientific data on chemical composition of various defective beans which were still lacking. Based on the chemical analysis results of 12 types of defects, it could be concluded that those defects significantly influenced the chemical composition of the ground coffee. The broken beans and the beans in silverskin had the least influence, on the other hand the black beans, partly black beans, broken black beans, husk coffee, immature beans, parchment coffee, as well as beans with more than one hole had a strong influence. Green coffee beans with a light defect (a small defect value) had a higher chemical composition, except for insoluble ash, alkalinity of soluble ash and sucrose components which showed the reverse. The soluble solids and reducing sugar had a significant correlation with the defect values. It was shown that those components could be used as quality indicators, the classification of which was based on the defect system.

The relationship of marketable yield with different indicator variables such as weevil density in the main stems and roots, percent weevil rating and percent weevil damage in the tuberous roots in the first and second croppings were tested by correlation and polynomial regression analysis. All indicator variables were highly negatively correlated with marketable yield of sweet potato, indicating a strong evidence of association. Although the indicator variables afforded high coefficients of correlation (4) and determination (r2) only two of them, namely, percent weevil rating and percent weevil damage, provided the highest and consistent coefficients. These two variables therefore, are more reliable indicators in assessing yield losses due to weevils. However, the percent weevil rating as an indicator variable for estimating yield losses due to weevil infestation, was more convenient and practical. The estimated percent yield loss was computed based on the formula: Y=-.292 + 1.905X - .009X to the second power

This document begins by illustrating how the region's development strategy was based on the drive for industrialization prevalent after World War II, and how agriculture, especially the subsector of small food producers for internal consumption, has been neglected. The document proceeds to the present international situation, the East-West conflict and the North-South dialogue, and the economic revitalization of the industrialized countries in 1983. The study also indicates how and why the continued deterioration of the terms of trade, especially for agricultural products, does not permit this economic revitalization to carry over to the Latin American and Caribbean countries. A summary of leading economic indicators, especially those relevant to agriculture, is included along with specific information on the population and labor force in the agricultural sector. The document proceeds with an analysis of the problem of land distribution and land access as the major causes of rural poverty in the region and as barriers to agricultural development. In order to round out and complete the study, different facets of the institutional and managerial structures are discussed. The public agricultural sector must be strengthened and support efforts for the private sector must be orchestrated if agriculture is to help overcome the crisis. Finally, guidelines are given for a unified Latin America response and for the institutionalization of a regional approach complement efforts made at the national level to strengthen the agricultural sector.