There has been an increase in women’s share in bank credit in India in recent years, which includes credit given directly to women and indirectly via microfinance institutions that lend to women. However, bank credit to women has not grown as fast as credit given to men, resulting in a widening gender gap. The gender gap in credit is even wider when the credit received by women and men is seen as a ratio of the bank deposits they contribute. Credit received by women is only 27 per cent of the deposits they contribute, while the credit received by men is 52 per cent of their deposits. The policy of financial inclusion has significantly enhanced the probability of women holding bank deposits, and has pushed India above the world average in terms of the percentage of women with bank deposits. This increase in deposits is not matched by a corresponding increase in women’s access to bank credit. To address the gender gap, the policy of financial inclusion must be gender-sensitive and correct its disproportionate emphasis on deposits.
The aim of the study is to characterise the cellular structures in tension wood and compare its effect on the selected anatomical parameters in two mangrove wood species viz. Excoecaria agallocha Linn. and Sonneratia caseolaris (L.) Engl. Wood blocks of 1 cm(3) were prepared and thin sections of cross sections were cut using microtome and stained with Azure II to differentiate the structure of normal wood from tension wood fibres. The anatomical parameters analysed in this present study were vessel frequency, tangential vessel diameter and fibre wall thickness in tension wood as well as in normal wood. Vessel diameter and vessel frequency were significantly lower in tension wood compared to the normal wood in both the species. The reduction of tangential diameter in tension wood region is a way of protecting these elements from cavitation and providing mechanical support for the plant than liquid transport. A significant variation in fibre wall thickness was observed between tension wood and normal wood in both species.
When Covid-19 began in China, various control measures - including road closures, restrictions of movement of people, and social distancing - were introduced The economy as a whole and food supply chains were severely disrupted After four months, the virus has largely been brought under control The country is on the way to full recovery, and food markets and prices have returned to normal This paper reviews how the pandemic affected Chinese agriculture and food supply, how the government responded and what lessons can be shared with other countries The paper points out that timely monitoring of food prices, establishing green channels for input and output supplies and for workers, providing safety nets for vulnerable populations, and keeping trade open are critical for ensuring the smooth functioning of food supply chains and preventing potential food crises
This paper deals with the impact of Covid-19 on the agricultural sector. The analysis is organised at the global level, but it has a specific focus on India. First, it reviews the overall food supply situation in the world and India to assess the possibilities of food crises. The paper finds that while the food situation in April and May 2020 appeared comfortable, there were likely to be widespread food shortages in countries dependent on food imports if the pandemic was prolonged. This was particularly so if food exporting countries turned precautionary and restricted exports. In the case of many animal products, the paper finds that the drastic reduction in supplies created shortages in both the developed world and countries like India in April and May 2020. Secondly, it reviews the disruptions in food supply chains induced by the pandemic. International trade in agricultural goods shrank during the lockdown as imports fell and ports remained closed. Detailed data across more than 2000 markets in India are analysed to understand the fall in daily market arrivals for 16 crops between March 15 and May 31 over 2019 and 2020. The number of reporting markets fell in this period. Of the 16 crops analysed, it was only in paddy, lentil, tomato and banana that market arrivals in 2020 constituted more than 75 per cent of market arrivals in 2019. Thirdly, analysis of prices indicates that global price indices for food, dairy and meat fell in April and May 2020. For India, we do not find an across the board rise in either wholesale or retail prices of agricultural goods during the lockdown. The fall in wholesale price indices for cereals, vegetables, eggs and poultry chicken was indicative of low price realisation for the farmers. At the same time, the rise in urban CPI for cereals, vegetables, and egg, particularly in April 2020, was indicative of tightening supply chains in these commodities. Finally, the Covid-19 pandemic made the world recognise and appreciate the value of migrant labour. After the lockdown began, the mobility of migrant workers was severely restricted and large numbers of migrant workers returned home. Agriculture was acutely affected; farms across the world suffered from the impacts of labour shortages.
This paper reviews the Indian state's response to the disruption in agri-food supply chains triggered by the lockdown as revealed in notifications pertaining to the agricultural sector This paper contends that though many notifications and orders did not percolate to State and local-level administrative enforcement mechanisms, the greater problem was the absence of coordination between the Centre and States Our analysis suggests that State Governments better managed the situation and in tackling many issues pertaining to agri-food supply chains, took action before the Centre did The Centre's actions were not only a step behind but also largely uncoordinated with State initiatives This disjunction was not addressed, and the ensuing chaos was therefore unsurprising This experience highlights the importance of better Centre-State coordination and offers lessons for both future emergencies and structural reform in agriculture
In the present study, phenotypic and genotypic correlations between tree growth traits (height, diameter and biomass) with some of the important wood quality parameters such as basic density, cellulose content, lignin content and fibre characteristics, viz. length, diameter, lumen diameter, double cell wall thickness and fibre content, were worked out using data from ten families of five-year-oldMelia dubiaraised by seed sources of ten superior candidate plus trees (CPTs). Result showed that medium to strong genetic and phenotypic correlations were recorded within and between growth traits and wood quality parameters studied. Direct positive strong association was observed between tree biomass with height and its diameter. Similarly, basic density of wood was phenotypically and genotypically associated with cellulose content, fibre length and fibre content; furthermore, all these parameters showed negative association with lignin content, fibre diameter, lumen diameter and double cell wall thickness. Genetic correlation showed that wood quality parameters, viz. basic density, cellulose content, fibre length and fibre content, were positively influenced by the height and diameter of trees. Thus, these parameters may be considered while selecting superior genotypes ofM. dubiafor better pulp and paper quality.
Syngonanthus nitens, locally called Sikki grass, is one of such potential natural fiber resources whose potential as a reinforcement in polymer matrix composite has not been explored till date. Natural fiber-reinforced epoxy composites are getting more importance between the research community in recent time. These types of composites are environment-friendly, biodegradable and having the comparable specific strength with respect to synthetic fiber composite. The present work is associated with fabrication of Syngonanthus nitens short fiber-reinforced epoxy polymer composite of different fiber fractions (10, 20, 30 and 40 wt%) by hand layup method. Mechanical tests were performed for characterization as per ASTM standard. It is observed that 30 wt% of fiber fraction composite gives the optimum strength among all weight percentage of fiber. EDS, XRD and FTIR analysis were carried out for finding the constituent proportion, crystallographic structure and organic functional group of the fiber and its composite. SEM study of fractured surfaces was also carried out for finding the fracture mechanism.
In this research, the effect of melamine resin-impregnated paper waste mixed with industrial wood fibers for medium density fiberboard manufacture was studied. One layer laboratory panel with the resin-impregnated paper of 0/100, 10/90, 20/80, 30/70 percent by weight, press time of 4 and 6 min, and resin content of 8 and 10% to dry weight of fibers, was produced. The physical and mechanical properties of panels including modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE), internal bonding (IB), and thickness swelling (TS) were measured. The results showed that resin-impregnated paper waste had a significant effect on MOR, MOE, and IB, where the TS of panels was decreased as resin-impregnated paper waste was increased. Furthermore, the result indicated that press time and resin content had a significant negative effect on the physical and mechanical properties of panels. According to statistical analysis, 20% resin-impregnated paper with 8% resin content and 4 min press time were the best treatments in this study.
This paper investigates the wettability of selected wood species from Indonesian community forests, namely (Indonesian name–Latin name) surian ( Toona sinensis ), jabon ( Anthocephalus cadamba ), gmelina ( Gmelina arborea .), Manglid ( Manglietia glauca ), rubber wood ( Hevea brasiliensis ), and sengon ( Paraserianthes falcataria ) . The study measures the contact angle and evaluates the suitability of these wood species for plywood production. Logs from a community forest were processed to convert into thin slices of veneer using the rotary cutting method at a plywood plant. Subsequently, the study analyzed the wetting behavior of the veneer samples resulting from a rotary process on tangential surfaces without smoothing treatment with distilled water. The veneer was then made into plywood using an adhesive nanofiller of phenol formaldehyde mixed with wood bark powder. Ball milling produced nanofillers from the bark of jabon, gmelina, and surian with nanoscale particle diameter size (10–1000 nm). The bonding strength of the plywood was evaluated under cyclic and dry test conditions according to Japanese Standards. The study shows that P. falcataria , H. brasiliensis , and A. cadamba have a smaller contact angle than T. sinensis , G. arborea , and M. glauca . Thus, the higher wettability of P. falcataria , H. brasiliensis , and A. cadamba results in a better adhesive spread and more intimate contact between the wood surface and the adhesive. However, the study found higher bonding strength values for H. brasiliensis and T. sinensis plywood using jabon nanofiller, followed by T. sinensis plywood using surian nanofiller and H. brasiliensis plywood using gmelina nanofiller.
The aims of this study were to evaluate the characteristics of the binderless particleboard made from jabon wood, using several combinations of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) in an oxidation process. Jabon wood obtained from a community forest was chipped into particles. The particles were then dried to about 10% moisture content. Binderless particleboards with a target density of 0.75 g cm−3 were manufactured using H2O2 and FeSO4 to activate the wood particles. Eight combinations of H2O2 (H) and FeSO4 (F) were used: H5:F5, H10:F5, H15:F5, H20:F5, H5:F7.5, H10:F7.5, H15:F7.5, and H20:F7.5, where the numerical values indicated the percentage of each. The boards were then tested based on Japan Industrial Standard A 5908-2003. The results showed that the binderless particleboard made with FeSO4 at 5% and H2O2 at 20% exhibits best, with the physical and mechanical properties meeting the requirements of the standard.
In this article, we argue that societies' unpreparedness and inadequate responses to the Covid-19 pandemic expose weaknesses in the foundations of the dominant economic paradigm We document how economics came to disembed itself from broader societal analysis and how this has influenced public policy in problematic ways, leading to privileging of efficiency over resilience We then go a step further to consider the role of economic evidence in public policy more generally Furthermore, we demonstrate how heterodox economics can enrich our understandings of our economies' weaknesses and of how to build a more resilient and just economy We conclude that we need an explanation of the crisis that is capable of seeing the economy as more than just markets and as embedded in society;one that is capable of linking the causes and consequences of the pandemic to our systems of production and distribution
espanolEl territorio cubano es afectado fuertemente por ciclones tropicales que causan grandes danos a la poblacion y la economia del pais. Uno de los sectores mas perjudicados es el de la vivienda donde resaltan las estructuras que presentan cubiertas ligeras por su alta vulnerabilidad ante el embate de vientos extremos. Esta situacion resulta alarmante por el alto numero de hogares cubanos que utilizan este tipo de cubiertas y las grandes perdidas economicas que se registran anualmente por este concepto. La presente investigacion tiene como objetivo elaborar un metodo para determinar el angulo adecuado del techo en estructuras con cubiertas ligeras, que permita la construccion de viviendas mas resistentes al impacto de vientos extremos. Utilizando la Dinamica de Fluidos Computacional (CFD) para modelar el regimen de viento, se logra determinar la respuesta del techo de la estructura para diferentes inclinaciones de la pendiente. EnglishThe Cuban territory is strongly affected by tropical cyclones, a trend that is increasing as a result of climate change. One of the most damaged sectors is that of housing where the structures with light roofs stand out because of their high vulnerability to the onslaught of extreme winds. This situation is alarming because of the high number of Cuban households that use this type of roof and the great economic losses that are registered annually due to the impact of tropical cyclones. In order to elaborating a method, to determine the performance of the roof in structures with light covers against extreme wind, was developed this investigation. As part of this line of research, this work uses the benefits of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to generate a hurricane wind and determine the response of structures with different pitch inclination of the roof.
The Variations of anatomical, morphological and chemical characteristics with annual growth ring from first and second generation Acacia auriculiformis were investigated. The fiber length and wall thickness increased and proportion of ray cells decreased with increasing annual growth ring. First generation A. auriculiformis had higher proportion of fiber, longer fiber length than second generation A. auriculiformis. The average percentage of fibers, vessels and rays were 77.56%, 15.14% and 7.31% for first generation A. auriculiformis and 77.19%, 15.64% and 7.16%, for second generation A. auriculiformis, respectively. The holocellulose, α-cellulose and pentosan content increased and lignin and extractives content decreased with increasing annual growth ring. Holocellulose, α-cellulose, pentosan and lignin content in first generation A. auriculiformis were higher than second generation A. auriculiformis.
