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The purpose of this paper is to consider the climatic variables and evaluate the role of non-climatic factors that delicately influence agriculture. This study has come across various adaptation strategies such as modification in cultivation practices such as shifting planting dates, water-saving techniques and strategic nutrient management. Meanwhile, we are trying to forget the ground reality that a majority of the farmers are not aware of climate-resilient production technologies. However, farmers modify themselves in this climate change scenario for sustainable production. The practise of these adaptation strategies helps to reduce vulnerability to improve their “socio-economic status” and the “quality of life”.

The present study was attempted to document all the indigenous practices, which are practised by paddy-growers over time for confronting the climate crisis in the Hyderabad-Karnataka region of Karnataka state, India. A cross-sectional and questionnaire-based survey was conducted to collect primary data. The pre-tested interviewing questionnaire consisted of 7 sections with 51 questions. A total of 90 paddy-growing farmers of the region was selected as respondents for the survey. The descriptive statistics was used to analyse the collected data.

In respect of adopted strategies, the vast majority (96.67%) of the farmers had used crops as livestock fodder as they fall back in case of failure, followed by the majority (72.22%) of the selected appropriate varieties. Cent per cent of the farmers adopted the construction of waterways along the slope for safe disposal of rainwater. An overwhelming portion of the farmers adopted levelling of the land in between the bunds (96.67%) and construction of bunds to conserve moisture (95.56%). The majority (76.67%) of the farmers intensified agricultural activities on irrigated land. Nearly half of them (47.78%) paddy growers were practising zero tillage to save time and money.

The current study was carried out in a few districts of Karnataka. Hence, any policy framed based on the outcomes of this study may not conform to the policy specification needs in general to other parts of the country. The farmers did not maintain record books for updating various records. Therefore, the accuracy of data depends on the memory of the respondents. However, the researcher had made every possible effort to make sure that the data collected are the best of the knowledge of the respondents and bear minimal distortions.

The major constraints to applying agricultural adaptation strategies in the study area have been a general lack of knowledge, expertise and data on climate change issues; a lack of specific climate change institutions to take on climate change work and the need for a better institutional framework in which to implement adaptation. Actions to address these gaps include, namely, training programmes for local government officials, dedicated research activities and post-graduate courses and the initiation of specific institutional frameworks for climate change. Furthermore, improving and strengthening human capital, through education, outreach and extension services, improves decision-making capacity at every level and increases the collective capacity to adapt.

Hyderabad-Karnataka is already under pressure from climate stresses, which increases vulnerability to further climate change and reduces adaptive capacity. The adverse effects of climate change have a devastating effect particularly on paddy cultivation, which is the mainstay of most Hyderabad-Karnataka Region. This has affected food production with its resultant effect on widespread poverty. Farmers in the study area have developed traditional agricultural adaptation strategies to cope with climate variability and extreme events. Experience with these strategies needs to be shared among communities.

Though the many literatures were available on the adaptation strategies for climate change this research is one of the few studies to document the farmer led adaptation strategies. This study provides a better understanding of the importance of farmer led adaptation strategies which in turn helps to develop or modify the existing adaptation technologies to cope up with climate change. The authors have come across various adaptation strategies such as modification in cultivation practices such as shifting planting dates, water-saving techniques and strategic nutrient management. Meanwhile, we are trying to forget the ground reality that the majority of the farmers are not aware of climate-resilient production technologies. However, farmers modify themselves in this climate change scenario for sustainable production. The practise of these adaptation strategies helps to reduce vulnerability to improve their “socio-economic status” and the “quality of life”. Therefore, farmer-led adaptation strategies to confront with a change in climate require to be recorded.

To understand the political economy of export restrictions for grain commodities in Vietnam and India.

Two theoretical models were developed (one for each country) to analyze government policies for export restrictions in Vietnam and India based on price fluctuations. In Vietnam, there was one choice variable – export tariffs. In India, there were two choice variables – export tariffs and procurements. In both cases, the elite were assumed to maximize expected rents.

Export restrictions have become an important feature of trade policy in Vietnam and India and are unlikely to be eliminated in the foreseeable future because to do so would be costly both politically and economically to local elites. The impact of food price increases can be particularly large given the importance of loss aversion.

Understanding export restrictions as the outcome of a political-economic calculation is important because it suggests that efforts to limit export restrictions in countries like Vietnam and India are unlikely to be successful.

I hope that some of you may already be familiar with the name ACOMPLIS. This bibliographic database of urban information was established in 1973 by the GLC Research Library, which was at that time part of the Intelligence Unit of the Department of Planning and Transportation in the Greater London Council. Seven years later we are about to move into a new era as the system becomes available as an online information retrieval service.

Kotter’s framework of change management adapted to the situation of public policy implementation under the leadership of a civil service officer in the rural areas of a developing economy in South Asia.

This case has been written using the primary data collected from the protagonist through personal and computer-based interviews. Some of the documents associated with the event shared by the protagonist are also reproduced as case exhibits. Secondary data from government official websites were also used to enrich the case.

Mahbubnagar, an arid agricultural district in central India faced the threat of a water crisis owing to the unscientific water extraction by the resident farmers. The government appointed a task force to investigate the problem. The team executed the idea to harvest excess water from the fields through a cheap and efficient method. Though it showed spectacular results in the initial months, the farmers gave up the innovation soon. When the team met two years later, they were shocked by the unenthusiastic response of the farmers. This case pertains to the failure of policy innovations and change management in government.

This case is useful for undergraduate-level courses in public management, public policy and governance with modules in change management, innovation management, rural development and programme implementation. Training modules for novice public service professionals and programme management personnel in government organisations. Elective courses on public policy, government relations and public sector management for undergraduate students of business administration.

In his report for the year ending March 31st, 1957, Mr. W. A. Davenport, Chief Inspector of Weights and Measures for Buckinghamshire, makes some shrewd comments on the effects of the growth of self‐service shops on the purchasing habits of the ordinary housewife, and draws attention, as others have done, to certain aspects of this major social change that are not always entirely to the advantage of the buyer. The following is quoted, with acknowledgements, from the report:—

I WENT to a party, late in March, to celebrate the ‘launch’ of the 50‐volume Catalogue of printed music in the British Library to 1980 by KG Saur Ltd, three volumes of which have already appeared. The party was held in the magnificent boardroom of the BL'S new administrative offices in Novello House, Wardour Street, where two musical equivalents of Gilbert & George tinkled away at a piano with selections taken from the first volume of the catalogue, while a large number of dignitaries tanked up on something called ‘Bulgarian claret’ (which was quite passable, I must allow). I was addressed in respectful tones by many famous gentlemen, and not a few nubile ladies, all of which was good for my morale, though you can't do much about it at eleven o'clock in the morning (or probably in the BL boardroom at any time)!

THERE MUST BE, I think, some sort of automatic professional override‐switch which cuts in on lawyers and slows them down to a pace not exceeding two yards per hour whenever two parties to a proposed agreement indicate that they wish to complete a deal with extraordinary swiftness.

Examines UK milk pricing since market deregulation in November 1994. Finds a wide range of milk price contracts on offer, with many processing companies paying prices above those paid by the voluntary farmer co‐operatives. Looks at the factors influencing dairy farmers’ initial choice of milk supply contract in the months preceding deregulation of the UK dairy sector in November 1994. Finds around 70 per cent of farmers surveyed, slightly above the percentage for all milk producers, signed to supply the voluntary farmers co‐operative, Milk Marque. Then surveys farmers to identify those who have switched supply contract during the year, finding little evidence of movement. Attempts to understand the apparent differences between farmers’ expectations in their initial contract choice and the market realities they have experienced over that period.

Develops a method for estimating the monthly milk price schedule needed to counter the effects of seasonality, which is an enduring feature of milk production in the UK. The issue of seasonality has been mostly ignored in studies estimating milk supply functions. In this paper milk supply functions which explicitly take account of seasonality are estimated for Northern Ireland and Scotland. Pre‐testing of monthly milk price and milk supply time‐series, using an extended HEGY test and an ADF test, indicated the presence of deterministic seasonality. Empirical milk supply models incorporating seasonal dummy variables to account for deterministic seasonality were estimated in the two regions of study. The results of these models were used to calculate the monthly producer milk price schedule required to encourage dairy farmers to produce an even monthly milk supply pattern. These calculations indicated that, in the long run, a peak‐to‐trough seasonal price differential of around 8 pence per litre would be required to produce an even pattern of milk supply in Scotland, and 11 pence per litre would be required in Northern Ireland.