Economics and interdisciplinary collaborative efforts

Znanstvena Misel Journal, 2020

Contemporary global conditions demand not only standardization, but also provide the possibility of using pluralism and relations harmonization between different academic disciplines. National schools of economics as-similate and integrate the interdisciplinary component into their own activities to varying degrees. At present, it can be noted that where economics avoids interdisciplinarity, the separation of theory from practice is manifested, which affects the solution of real-world problems.

Agricultural Economics arose as academic field of study in the late 19th century, combined the theory of the firm with marketing and organization theory, and developed throughout the 20th century largely as an empirical branch of General Economics in United States and Europe. In Ethiopia, for first time undergraduate program in Agricultural Economics was offered at Haramaya University (former Alemaya Agricultural University), then by Jimma University in October 2006. Agricultural Economists in Ethiopia and all over the world contribute important subject in economic development and policy, they take the responsibility for extension services and formulation of state and national policies toward the agricultural development. Economists initiate empirical research and the joint application of theory and mathematics as well as Statistics. However, before the 1950s few General Economists did empirical research; these make Agricultural Economists the first econometricians. The work of Agricultural Economists shows that the professionals has developed large contribution from the stand point of individual economic efficiency in production and marketing, but little attention has been given to the questions relating to state and national agricultural policy. The review results in this paper predicting currently about 60% of Agricultural Economists employed in different nonagricultural sectors and 45% of economics department indicated to hire Agricultural Economists to fill positions in their faculty.

1995

This article examines some difficult decisions that agricultural economists must confront in doing research. Over many years, rules and standards have developed in agricultural economics that guide researchers, providing an underlying framework for research methods. This article deals with applying these seldom discussed guidelines to specific research situations confronted by agricultural economists. With this article, we hope to stimulate a

2006

Historically, there has been declining cooperation between agribusiness firms and agricultural economists. In new product marketing research, firms' tend to conduct their own analyses, partially due to confidentiality, usually consisting of simple univariate or bivariate statistics such as chi-squared tests of independence. The primary objective of this paper is to demonstrate, through a case study, one way in which agricultural

Abdella Mohammed Ahmed (M.Sc.), 2024

Agriculture: no definitions that are following the word “agriculture” should production of crops or farming. In addition to this, now a day, agricultural activity includes animal husbandry and forestry. Again, it goes beyond business on farms and includes such business activities as marketing, processing and distribution of agricultural products and other off farm activities like supply of inputs (Seeds, Fertilizers, credits etc.) in other words agriculture can be defined as, Agriculture: is the art and science of crop and livestock production. In its broadest sense, agriculture comprises the entire range of technologies associated with the production of useful products from plants and animals, including soil cultivation, crop and livestock management. Economics: There is no universally accepted definition for the term economics. There are different definitions given by different scholars. However, when all the definitions are boiled down we get a common theme, which defines economics as a study of scarcity and choice. Since resources are scarce, society must choose between competing needs and necessities, particularly when resources are used for different productive activities. Scarcity choice Economics In general, the essence of economics is to acknowledge the reality of scarcity and then figure out how to organize society in a way to produce by adopting the most efficient use of resources. Thus, it is a social science that deals with among the question alternative uses of scarce resources in the process of producing, exchanging, and consuming goods And services? “The definition implies that economics deals with the allocation of scarce resources among the unlimited number of competing alternative uses. Now by bringing the two definitions together, we can define Agricultural Economics as a discipline that involves the application of economics to agriculture. Thus, it is an applied social science that deals with the problem of producers, consumers, and society‟s in usethe of production, processing, marketing, and consumption of agricultural output. In general, because agricultural economics involves the application of economics to agriculture, we may define this field of study as follows: Agricultural economics is an applied social science that deals with how producers, consumers, and societies use scarce and natural resources in the production, processing, marketing, and consumption of food and fiber products. And or Agricultural Economics is defined as application of principles of economics for solving agricultural problems and to maximize agricultural production. 1.1.2. Scope of agricultural economics We may dare to say that Agricultural Economics is as wide as the discipline of Economics, because, we can apply all economic principles in agriculture. We may again use different concepts of General Economics in Agricultural Economics like production, consumption, distribution, marketing, financing, planning etc. It can also be studied at micro or macro level. Its contribution to employment, GDP for example may be studied at macro level for the whole economy. Think for a minute Dear student, how agricultural economics can be studied at micro level? How agricultural economics can be also studied at macro level? A. Role at Microeconomic Level Agricultural economists at the micro level are concerned with issues related to resource use in the production, processing, distribution and consumption of products in the food and fiber system. B. Role at Macroeconomic Level Agricultural economists involved at the macro level are interested in how agriculture and agribusiness affect domestic and world economies and how the events taking place in other sectors affect these firms and vice versa. The field of agricultural economics is delineated by the application of economic science tools to the agricultural sector. Again, „agricultural econ principles concerning „economizing of resource level or tic‟from athe„dynamic‟„sta point of view. The scope of agricultural economics is larger t we know, it is an important sector of the overall economy. The mutual dependence of the various sectors of the economy on each other is well established. Growth of one sector is necessary for the growth of the other sector. What this implies is that agricultural economics not only develops concerning the use of scarce resources in agriculture proper but also examines the principles (a) regarding the out flow of scare resources to other sectors of the economy and (b) about the flow of these resources from other sectors into the agricultural sector itself. 1.1.3. Nature of Agricultural Economics 1) Agricultural Economics makes use of the principles of general economics with some modification. Economic principles are applied to solve certain problems in agriculture. 2) Agricultural economics is a specialized form of pure science instead of being an applied science. Because it does not directly apply all the principles of Economics. 3) Agricultural Economics is a normative science as well as an art like General Economics. As a science, it explains cause and effect relationships between various economic variables operating in agriculture. As an art, uses those relationships to solve various problems in agriculture.