The earlier generation of irrigation performance indicators was based on canal flow data. Commonly, they quantify performance in a command area downstream of a discharge measurement device. Remote sensing determinants, such as actual evapo-transpiration, soil water content and crop growth reflect the overall water utilization at a range of scales, up to field level. Crop evapo-transpiration includes water originating from irrigation supply, water from precipitation, groundwater and water withdrawn from the unsaturated zone. Hence, this is a refinement in spatial scale as compared to the classically collected flow measurements, and describes moreover depletion from all water resources. If these possibilities are well implemented, we expect that a new generation of irrigation performance indicators can be quantified in a cost-effective manner. Especially, because satellite measurements pave a way to standardize data collection between different irrigation schemes and among different countries at costs which are currently decreasing. These challenges can only turn into a success if irrigation managers are involved in pilot projects and demonstration studies exploring satellite data.

The existing criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management developed by the Montreal Process, the Helsinki Process and so forth were compared. The comparative analysis revealed that the currently available information on forest conditions and its uses can not be used to judge spatially whether the forest use is sustainable or not. This implies the importance of spatial approach which integrates forest dynamic models and remote sensing data with GIS [geographic information system]. The authors propose an additional indicators based on this approach to the criteria and indicators

This paper presents evidence on attitude changes among investors in the US stock market. Two basic attitudes are explored: bubble expectations and investor confidence. Semiannual time-series indicators of these attitudes are presented for US stock market institutional investors based on questionnaire survey results 1989 1998, from surveys that I have derived in collaboration with Fumiko Kon-Ya and Yoshiro Tsutsui. Five different time-series indicators of whether there is among investors an expectation of a speculative bubble, an unstable situation with expectations for increase in the short run only, are produced. Four different time-series indicators of whether there is an expectation of a negative speculative bubble are presented. Four different time-series indicators of investor confidence, that nothing can go wrong, are produced. Time-series variation for these indicators is significant, and cross correlations are generally positive. A bubble expectations index, a negative-bubble expectations index, and an investor confidence index are derived from these indicators. Behavior of the indicators and indexes through time is examined, and the indexes are compared with other economic variables. A notable finding is a degree of high-frequency fluctuation, semester to semester, in the indexes.

M. Haggith et al., 'CIMAT: a knowledge-based system for developing criteria & indicators for sustainable forest management', Technical Report no. WS-99-07, 1999 | The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) has carried out research to develop Criteria and Indicators for sustainable forest management (C&I) in eight countries since 1994. In the CIFOR framework C&I are organised hierarchically as principles, criteria, indicators, and verifiers. Based on an analysis and synthesis of the C&I research a set of C&I has been identified that can form the starting point for developing localised sets of criteria and indicators. This set is called the “Generic Template”. A Knowledge based system called CIMAT (Criteria and Indicators Modification and Adapation Tool) has now been developed to support the process of developing locally adapted C&I using the Generic Template are represented as items that can be modified by the user. The modification can only take place when users explain their reason for the change. All the reasons in the system can be made dependent upon one to another, they can be revised during modification, and they can be counter-argued by other users. The need to represent and maintain these reasons and their interdependencies is resolved through the use of a reason maintenance system (RMS). Another meta-level component of CIMAT is its ability to compare and analyze multiple knowledge bases

Poverty revercoming effort through "IDT" program brought social group as a main media for alleviation activity. Practically, social group as a media has self dynamic process. It has eight indicators, that are: (1) objective, (2) structure, (3) functions, (4) extension, (5) solidity, (6) harmonism, (7) pressure, and (8) group effectivity. This study shown that the social group improved based on the above indicators, but not significantly affected by all indicators. The social group dynamic change were structure, extension, assistance. While leadership influence, assistance activity and characteristics of household member of social group were moderately significant affected

Recent research on the multi-factorial nature of food security has provided a wealth of analytical insight, but measurement problems remain a major challenge, not only for research, but particularly for targeting, program management, monitoring and evaluation. Building on an approach suggested in a 1996 article, this paper constructs a series of alternative food-security indicators based on the frequency and severity of consumption-related coping strategies. These alternative indicators are then compared with more standard measures, including a consumption benchmark, a poverty benchmark and a nutritional benchmark using data from the 1997 Accra Urban Food and Nutrition Study. Against these more traditional indicators, the coping strategy indicators are best at ruling out cases--that is, minimizing the risk of classifying a food-insecure household as food-secure. They also help to identify sources of vulnerability and the trade-offs made with other basic needs to acquire sufficient food. The measures outlined here are much less time-consuming and less expensive in terms of data collection and analysis, and therefore perhaps offer a pragmatic alternative to food and livelihood program managers. However, the comparative analysis of conventional benchmarks with the coping strategies indicator reveals some shortcomings with the benchmark indicators as well-a sign that perhaps the indicators of food security proposed here are both alternative and complementary measures.

The approximation of the Slovak Republic to the EU has been going on. The preparation for admission means to be acquainted with the principles of the support to the policy from the structural funds of the EU. Subsidies for the agriculture sector are being granted after meeting territorial criteria of the EU regional policy. Regarding the support mountainous regions are being preferred at present. The indicators of the natural conditions of the SR and of the production capacity of forest territories in the SR are quantified. The method for the determination of the altitude and sloping terrain of the forest territories in the SR as basic indicators of the natural conditions in SR is presented. Data for forestry indicators were obtained by using the methods of geographical information system through overlapping the districts and working-plan areas, by the calculation of data for particular districts. Based on these indicators mountainous regions of the SR were determined.