Professor Oscar Cacho
Professor, Faculty of The Professions, UNE Business School
Qualifications
BSc (UAM, Mexico), MSc (Auburn, USA), PhD (Auburn, USA)
Contact
| Email: | ocacho@une.edu.au |
| Room: | Economic Studies 2 (W40) 408 |
| Phone: | 02 6773 3215 (or +61 2 6773 3215 overseas) |
| Fax: | 02 6773 3596 |
Oscar started his professional life as a marine biologist and later became an economist. His research interests centre on the application of economics and biology (bioeconomics) to tackle problems of sustainability in agriculture and natural resources. His recent work has been in two major areas: the role of carbon markets to deal with climate change and the economics of biosecurity to protect native ecosystems.
He has been part of a Technical Advisory Group on Control of Invasive Species in the Galapagos Islands and a visiting expert at the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). He is currently involved in a project, based at ANU in Canberra, on reduced deforestation and forest degradation in Indonesia. He also has funding from the Australian Centre of Excellence for Risk Analysis to study surveillance and control of invasive species.
Areas of Teaching
Bioeconomics; agricultural risk analysis; natural resource economics; quantitative methods applied to economics, applied production and price analysis; sector planning and input/output analysis; farm management; applied computer programming; business decision making.
Research interests
Economics of biosecurity; carbon policy and carbon markets; aquaculture and fisheries economics; economics of grazing systems; bioeconomic modelling; decision theory, risk analysis.
Consultancy
Fishery Information Management Systems, U.S.A. (1989):Developed a computer program to schedule probabilistic catch and fishing effort surveys.
Wildlife International Ltd. U.S.A. (1990): Developed a computer program to design and manage environmental impact experiments.
Ministry for the Environment, Wellington, New Zealand (1992): "Using option pricing theory to estimate option value: A preliminary study." Implemented a computer program to evaluate operating policies of a gas field. Participated in the elaboration of the report.
Centre for Resource Management, Lincoln, New Zealand (1993): Developed a dynamic model to analyze optimal strategies for exploitation of fishery resources under stochastic conditions.
University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan (1996): Three-month in-country assignment, acted as technical advisor under a twinning agreement financed by the World Bank.
Inner Mongolia Grasslands Conservation Project - AUSAID (1999): Was subcontracted by Hassall's International to design a six-week training course on farm economics and relational database management.
CSIRO Marine Science (1999): Cost benefit analysis of prawn aquaculture production on the eastern coast of Australia.
CRC for Plant-Based Management of Dryland Salinity (2003-2006): Economic analysis of salinity management at the catchment level.
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (2003): Potential for carbon sequestration and poverty alleviation in smallholder agroforestry projects under the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol. Dowload Report
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (2006): Visiting Expert under the partnership program; working on global warming policy and bioenergy (August to December).
National Fire Ant Eradication Program, Biosecurity Queensland (2009): Development of computer models to assist in the planning and management of the eradication effort in collaboration with scientists at Monash University.
Victorian Department of Primary Industries (2011-2012): Integrating DPI whole-farm models to support policy analysis. Consists of integrating GIS regional maps with optimisation models at the farm level to enhance communication between scientists and economists and undertake scenario and policy analysis.
Selected Publications
JOURNALS
Hester, S.M and Cacho, O.J. 2012. Optimisation of search strategies in managing biological invasions: a simulation approach. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment. 18(1): 181-199.
Panetta, F. D. and Cacho, O.J. 2012. Beyond fecundity control: which weeds are most containable?. Journal of Applied Ecology. 49: 311-321.
Cacho, O.J. and Hester S.M. 2011. Deriving efficient frontiers for effort allocation in the management of invasive species. Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics. 55: 72-89.
Mewton, R. and Cacho, O.J. 2011. Green Power voluntary purchases: Price elasticity and policy analysis. Energy Policy. 39: 377–385.
Panetta, F. D., Cacho, O.J., Hester, S., Sims-Chilton, N. and Brooks, S. 2011. Estimating and influencing the duration of weed eradication programmes. Journal of Applied Ecology. 48: 980–988.
Wise, R.M. and Cacho, O.J. 2011. A bioeconomic analysis of the potential of Indonesian agroforests as carbon sinks. Environmental Science & Policy. 14: 451-461.
Cacho, O.J., Hester, S., Spring, D. and Mac Nally, R. 2010. Allocating surveillance effort in the management of invasive species: a spatially-explicit model. Environmental Modelling and Software. 25: 444-454.
Hester, S.M., Brooks, S.J., Cacho, O.J. and Panetta, F.D. 2010. Applying a simulation model to the management of an infestation of Miconia calvescens in the wet tropics of Australia. Weed Research. 50, 269–279.
Leung, B., Cacho, O. and Spring, D. 2010. Searching for non-indigenous species: rapidly delimiting the invasion boundary. Diversity and Distributions. 16 (3): 451-460.
Schmidt, D., Spring, D., Mac Nally, R., Thomson, J.R., Brook, B.W., Cacho, O.J. and McKenzie, M. 2010. Finding needles (or ants) in haystacks: Bayesian prediction of locations of invasive organisms to inform eradication and containment programs. Ecological Applications. 20(5): 1217-1227.
Guy, J.A, Johnston, B. and Cacho, O.J. 2009. Economic assessment of an intra-specific cross of silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus Mitchell) for commercial farming. Aquaculture Economics and Management. 13(4): 328-343.
Cacho, O.J., Hean, R. and Karanja, F. 2008. Accounting for carbon sequestration and its implications for land-use change and forestry projects. CAB Reviews: Perspectives in Agriculture, Veterinary Science, Nutrition and Natural Resources. 3 (077): 1-17.
Cacho, O.J., Wise, R.M., Hester, S.A. and Sinden, J.A. 2008. Bioeconomic modeling for control of weeds in natural environments. Ecological Economics. 65: 559-568.
Farquharson, R., Cacho, O.J., Mullen, J. and Schwenke, G.D. 2008. An economic approach to soil fertility management for wheat production in north-eastern Australia. Agricultural Economics. 38:181-192.
Sinden, J., Downey, P.O., Hester, S.M. and Cacho, O. 2008. Economic evaluation of the management of bitou bush (Chrysantemoides monilifera subsp. rotundata (DC.) T.Norl.) to conserve native plant communities in New South Wales. Plant Protection Quarterly. 23(1):34-37.
Cacho, O.J., Hester, S. and Spring, D. 2007. Applying search theory to determine the feasibility of eradicating an invasive population in natural environments. Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics. 51: 425–443.
Spring, D.A., Cacho, O.J., MacNally, R. and Sabbadin, R. 2007. Pre-emptive conservation versus 'fire-fighting': a decision theoretic approach. Biological Conservation. 136: 531-540.
Wise, R.M., Cacho, O.J. and Hean, R.L. 2007. Fertilizer effects on the sustainability and profitability of agroforestry in the presence of carbon payments. Environmental Modelling and Software. 22: 1372-1381.
Alford, A., Cacho, O.J., Davies, B.L. and Griffith, G.R. 2006. An economic model of the Northern Tablelands grazing system for assessing wool industry technologies in a whole-farm context. International Journal of Sheep and Wool Science.54 (3): 26-54.
Jones R., Cacho, O.J. and Sinden, J. 2006. The importance of seasonal variability and tactical responses to risk on estimating the economic benefits of integrated weed management. Agricultural Economics, 35:245-256.
Cacho, O.J., Spring, D., Pheloung, P. and Hester, S. 2006. Evaluating the feasibility of eradicating an invasion. Biological Invasions. 8 (4): 903-917.
Cacho, O.J. 2006. Bioeconomics of invasive species in aquatic ecosystems. Aquaculture Economics and Management. 10(2):107-124.
Behrendt K., Cacho, O., Scott J.M. and Jones, R. 2006. Methodology for assessing optimal rates of pasture improvement in the high rainfall temperate pasture zone. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture. 46 (6-7): 845-849.
Alford, A.R. , Hegarty, R.S., Parnell, P.F., Cacho, O.J., Herd, R.M. and Griffith, G.R. 2006. The impact of breeding to reduce residual feed intake on enteric methane emissions from the Australian beef industry. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture. 46: 813–820.
Wise, R.M. and Cacho, O.J. 2005. Tree-crop interactions and their environmental and economic implications in the presence of carbon-sequestration payments. Environmental Modelling and Software. 20 (9): 1139-1148.
Wise, R.M. and Cacho, O.J. 2005 A bioeconomic analysis of carbon sequestration in farm forestry: a simulation study of Gliricidia sepium. Agroforestry Systems. 64: 237-250.
Sinden, J. Jones, R., Hester, S., Odom, D., Kalisch, D., James, R., Cacho, O. and Griffith, G. 2005. The economic impact of weeds in Australia. Plant Protection Quarterly. 20 (1): 25-32.
Simmons, P. and Cacho, O.J. 2005. A possible conflict between economic efficiency and political pressure. Computational Economics. 26: 129-140.
Odom, D.I.S., Sinden, J.A., Cacho, O.J., and Griffith, G.R. 2005. Economics issues in the management of plants invading natural environments: Scotch broom in Barrington Tops National Park. Biological Invasions 7: 445–457.
Cacho, O.J., Marshall, G.R. and Milne, M. 2005. Transaction and abatement costs of carbon-sink projects in developing countries, Environment and Development Economics 10(5): 1-18.
Keys, S., Crocos, P. and Cacho. O.J. 2004.Commercial growout performance and cost-benefit analysis for farm production of the brown tiger shrimp Penaeus esculentus. Aquaculture Economics and Management. 8 (5-6): 295-308.
Cacho, O.J., Wise, R. and MacDicken, K. 2004 Carbon monitoring costs and their effect on incentives to sequester carbon through forestry. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change. 9 (3): 273 – 293.
Cacho, O.J., Hean, R.L. and Wise, R. 2003. Carbon-accounting methods and reforestation incentives. Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics. 47: 153-179.
Hester, S. and Cacho, O.J. 2003. Modelling apple orchard systems. Agricultural Systems. 77: 137-154.
Hean, R.L. and Cacho, O.J. 2003. A growth model for giant clams Tridacna crocea and T. derasa. Ecological Modelling. 163 (1-2): 87-100.
Odom, D.I.S., Cacho, O.J., Sinden, J.A. and Griffith, G.R. 2003. Policies for the management of weeds in natural ecosystems: the case of scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius, L.) in an Australian national park. Ecological Economics. 44: 119-135.
Hean, R.L. and Cacho, O.J. 2002. Mariculture of giant clams, Tridacna crocea and T. derasa: management for maximum profit by smallholders in Solomon Islands, Aquaculture Economics and Management 6: 373-395.
Purnamasari, R., Cacho, O.J. and Simmons, P. 2002. Management strategies for Indonesian rubber production under yield and price uncertainty: a bioeconomic analysis’. Agroforestry Systems. 54: 121-135.
Cacho, O.J. 2001 An analysis of externalities in agroforestry systems in the presence of land degradation. Ecological Economics. 39: 131-143.
Greiner, R. and Cacho, O.J. 2001. On the efficient use of a catchment’s land and water resources: dryland salinization in Australia. Ecological Economics. 38: 441-458.
Cacho, O.J., Greiner, R. and Fulloon, L. 2001. An economic analysis of farm forestry as a means of controlling dryland salinity. Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 45: 233-256.
Scott, J. and Cacho, O.J. 2000. Modelling the long-term effects on farm net worth of investments in pasture fertilizer under constraints of family expenditure. Agricultural Systems, 63:195-209.
Cacho, O.J. and Simmons, P. 1999. A genetic algorithm approach to farm investment. Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 43(3):305-322.
Cacho, O.J., Bywater, A.C. and Dillon, J.L 1999. Assessment of production risk in grazing models. Agricultural Sytems. 60:87-98.
Cacho, O.J., 1997. Systems modeling and bioeconomic modeling in aquaculture. Aquaculture Economics and Management., 1:45-64.
Cacho, O.J., Finlayson, J.D. and Bywater, A.C. 1995. Simulation of grazing sheep: II. Whole farm model. Agricultural Systems. 48:27-50.
Finlayson, J.D., Cacho, O.J. and Bywater, A.C. 1995. Simulation of grazing sheep: I. Animal growth and intake. Agricultural Systems. 48:1-25.
Cacho, O.J. 1993. A practical equation for pasture growth under grazing. Grass and Forage Science, 48:387-394.
Cacho, O.J., Kinnucan, H. and Hatch, U. 1991. Optimal control of fish growth. American Journal of Agricultural Economics. 73:174-183.
Cacho, O.J., Hatch, U. and Kinnucan, H. 1990. Bioeconomic analysis of fish growth: Effects of dietary protein and ration size. Aquaculture. 88:223-238.
Cacho, O.J., 1990. Protein and fat dynamics in fish: A bioenergetic model applied to aquaculture. Ecological Modelling. 50:33-56.
BOOKS, CHAPTERS and MONOGRAPHS
Cacho, O.J. 2009. Economics of carbon sequestration projects involving smallholders. In Lipper, L., Sakuyama, T., Stringer, R. and Zilberman, D (eds), Payment for environmental services in agricultural landscapes: Economic Policies and Poverty Reduction in Developing Countries. New York: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Springer Science & Business Media, LLC. pp 77-102. (ISBN 978-0-387-72969-5).
Cacho, O., Hean, R., Ginoga, K., Wise, R., Djaenudin, D., Lugina, M., Wulan, Y., Subarudi, Lusiana, B., van Noordwijk, M. and Khasanah, N. 2008. Economic potential of land-use change and forestry for carbon sequestration and poverty reduction. ACIAR Technical Reports No. 68, 98 pp.ISBN 978 1 921434 33 4. http://www.aciar.gov.au/publication/TR68
Wise, R.M. and Cacho, O.J. 2008. Optimal land-use with carbon payments and fertilizer subsidies in Indonesia. In Otsuka, K and Kalirajan, K. Agriculture in developing countries, technology issues. Sage Publications, New Delhi. pp 81-99.
Cacho, O.J. and Lipper, L. 2006. Abatement and transaction costs of carbon-sink projects involving smallholders. Agriculture and Economic Development Analysis Division, The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). ESA Working Paper, 06-13.
Cacho, O.J., Hean, R. and Greiner R. 2004. Principles and suggestions for combining hydrology and economic models for dryland-salinity management. In Graham, T.W., Pannell, D.J. and White, B. (eds). Dryland Salinity: Economic Issues at Farm, Catchment and Policy Levels, Cooperative Research Centre for Plant-Based Management of Dryland Salinity, University of Western Australia, Perth. ISBN 1-74052-104-8. pp. 55-69.
Cacho, O.J. and Hean, R.L. 2004. Dynamic optimization for evaluating externalities in agroforestry systems: an example from Australia. In Alavalapati, J.R.R. and Mercer, D.E. (eds.), Valuing Agroforestry Systems, Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp. 141-165.
Sinden, J. Jones, R., Hester, S., Odom, D., Kalisch, D., James, R. and Cacho, O. 2004. The economic impact of weeds in Australia. CRC For Australian Weed Management, Technical Series # 8. (ISBN 1-920932-47). 55pp.
Cacho, O.J., Marshall, G.R. and Milne, M. 2003. Smallholder agroforestry projects: potential for carbon sequestration and poverty alleviation. Agriculture and Economic Development Analysis Division, The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). ESA Working Paper, 03-06. (http://www.fao.org/es/esa/pdf/wp/ESAWP03_06.pdf).
Cacho, O.J. 1993. Development and implementation of a fish-farm bioeconomic model: A three stage approach. In: Hatch, L.U. and Kinnucan, H.W. (ed.), Aquaculture: Models and Economics. Westview Press, Boulder, Colorado, ISBN 0-8133-8534-2. 55-72.