scholarly journals Farmer Knowledge in Potato Virus Epidemiology and Control in Kenya

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Onditi ◽  
Nancy Ng’anga ◽  
Moses Nyongesa ◽  
René van der Vlugt
Keyword(s):  
Potato Virus ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Technical Information ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Farmer Knowledge ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Virus Control ◽  
Modes Of Transmission ◽  
Potato Yields ◽  
And Control

AbstractPotato is an important food security crop in Kenya. High prevalence of potato viruses is one of the major causes of low potato yields. Implementation of effective virus management strategies requires information on farmers’ perceptions and practices on virus epidemiology and control. To better understand farmers’ knowledge and practices in virus control and set possible pathways for intervention, a household survey involving 147 respondents was conducted in two major potato-growing regions in Kenya. Lack of sufficient technical information on potato virus symptoms, vectors and modes of transmission was found to be the major hindrance to farmers’ efforts towards virus control. A spider diagram approach was therefore used to determine the aspect of virus control that required the highest prioritization for immediate intervention by policy makers. Use of virus-resistant cultivars was found to require the most urgent attention compared to other aspects of virus control and was expected to have greater impact in lowering virus prevalence. This study showed that enhancing farmer knowledge needs to be prioritised as this is a key determinant of the success of the virus control strategy to be selected for implementation.

scholarly journals Understanding Public Views on a Dam Construction Boom: the Role of Values

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (14) ◽  
pp. 4687-4700 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Schulz ◽  
Julia Martin-Ortega ◽  
Klaus Glenk
Keyword(s):  
General Public ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Political Legitimacy ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Dam Construction ◽  
Hydroelectric Power ◽  
Value Conflict ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Under Construction

AbstractLarge numbers of dams for hydroelectric power production are currently planned or under construction in many areas around the world. While positive and negative social and environmental impacts of dams are increasingly well understood, little is known about attitudes of the general public towards dams, even though benefits to wider society are often cited to legitimise their construction. In Brazil’s Upper Paraguay River Basin, more than 100 mostly small-scale hydropower dams are planned or under construction in what can be considered a regional dam construction boom. Here we analyse public preferences for strategies to manage dam impacts in the area by investigating the value base that underpins such preferences, drawing on the recently proposed Value Landscapes Approach as our theoretical framework and data from a large representative household survey (N = 1067). We find that contrasting attitudes towards dams, expressed in preferences for economically or ecologically oriented water policies are informed by opposing underlying value landscapes, that is, groups of closely related fundamental, governance-related, and assigned (water) values. While such tensions between opposing values can never be fully eliminated, our research nevertheless gives insights to policy-makers seeking to minimise value conflict and to improve the political legitimacy of public decision-making on dam construction. Moreover, we find that a majority of members of the general public would prefer concentrating dam construction on some rivers while keeping others free-flowing, with direct implications for ecosystems and inland fisheries. This finding may guide policy-makers wishing to develop publicly supported water resources management strategies.

scholarly journals Changes in Coastal Agricultural Land Use in Response to Climate Change: An Assessment Using Satellite Remote Sensing and Household Survey Data in Tien Hai District, Thai Binh Province, Vietnam

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 627
Author(s):  
Duong H. Nong ◽  
An T. Ngo ◽  
Hoa P. T. Nguyen ◽  
Thuy T. Nguyen ◽  
Lan T. Nguyen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Agricultural Land Use ◽  
Landsat 8 ◽  
Land Uses

We analyzed the agricultural land-use changes in the coastal areas of Tien Hai district, Thai Binh province, in 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020, using Landsat 5 and Landsat 8 data. We used the object-oriented classification method with the maximum likelihood algorithm to classify six types of land uses. The series of land-use maps we produced had an overall accuracy of more than 80%. We then conducted a spatial analysis of the 5-year land-use change using ArcGIS software. In addition, we surveyed 150 farm households using a structured questionnaire regarding the impacts of climate change on agricultural productivity and land uses, as well as farmers’ adaptation and responses. The results showed that from 2005 to 2020, cropland decreased, while aquaculture land and forest land increased. We observed that the most remarkable decreases were in the area of rice (485.58 ha), the area of perennial crops (109.7 ha), and the area of non-agricultural land (747.35 ha). The area of land used for aquaculture and forest increased by 566.88 ha and 772.60 ha, respectively. We found that the manifestations of climate change, such as extreme weather events, saltwater intrusion, drought, and floods, have had a profound impact on agricultural production and land uses in the district, especially for annual crops and aquaculture. The results provide useful information for state authorities to design land-management strategies and solutions that are economic and effective in adapting to climate change.

scholarly journals Workplace Healthy Lifestyle Determinants and Wellbeing Needs across the Preconception and Pregnancy Periods: A Qualitative Study Informed by the COM-B Model

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 4154
Author(s):  
Seonad K. Madden ◽  
Claire A. Blewitt ◽  
Kiran D. K. Ahuja ◽  
Helen Skouteris ◽  
Cate M. Bailey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Intervention Development ◽  
Health Behavior Change ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Specific Reference ◽  
Lifestyle Behaviors ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors ◽  
And Control

Overweight and obesity present health risks for mothers and their children. Reaching women during the key life stages of preconception and pregnancy in community settings, such as workplaces, is an ideal opportunity to enable health behavior change. We conducted five focus groups with 25 women aged between 25 and 62 years in order to investigate the determinants of healthy lifestyle behaviors, weight management, and wellbeing needs during the preconception and pregnancy periods in an Australian university workplace. Discussions explored women’s health and wellbeing needs with specific reference to workplace impact. An abductive analytical approach incorporated the capability, opportunity, and motivation of behavior (COM-B) model, and four themes were identified: hierarchy of needs and values, social interactions, a support scaffold, and control. Findings highlight the requirement for greater organization-level support, including top-down coordination of wellbeing opportunities and facilitation of education and support for preconception healthy lifestyle behaviors in the workplace. Interventionists and organizational policy makers could incorporate these higher-level changes into workplace processes and intervention development, which may increase intervention capacity for success.

scholarly journals Occurrence, Impact on Agriculture, Human Health, and Management Strategies of Zearalenone in Food and Feed: A Review

Toxins ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 92
Author(s):  
Dipendra Kumar Mahato ◽  
Sheetal Devi ◽  
Shikha Pandhi ◽  
Bharti Sharma ◽  
Kamlesh Kumar Maurya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Health ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Structural Similarity ◽  
Fungal Metabolites ◽  
Natural Estrogens ◽  
Food And Feed ◽  
Feed Safety ◽  
And Control ◽  
Different Sources

Mycotoxins represent an assorted range of secondary fungal metabolites that extensively occur in numerous food and feed ingredients at any stage during pre- and post-harvest conditions. Zearalenone (ZEN), a mycotoxin categorized as a xenoestrogen poses structural similarity with natural estrogens that enables its binding to the estrogen receptors leading to hormonal misbalance and numerous reproductive diseases. ZEN is mainly found in crops belonging to temperate regions, primarily in maize and other cereal crops that form an important part of various food and feed. Because of the significant adverse effects of ZEN on both human and animal, there is an alarming need for effective detection, mitigation, and management strategies to assure food and feed safety and security. The present review tends to provide an updated overview of the different sources, occurrence and biosynthetic mechanisms of ZEN in various food and feed. It also provides insight to its harmful effects on human health and agriculture along with its effective detection, management, and control strategies.

State-shifts of lion prey selection in the Kruger National Park

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 28 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. T. Maruping-Mzileni ◽  
P. J. Funston ◽  
S. M. Ferreira
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Prey Selection ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Stable State ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Key Indicator ◽  
Management Interventions

Aims Indicators of pending state-shifts carry value for policy makers. Predator–prey relations reflect key ecological processes that shape ecosystems. Variance in predator–prey relations may serve as a key indicator of future state-shifts. Methods Lion (Panthera leo) diet in the Kruger National Park was evaluated as such an indicator. Over the three-decade time span reviewed, variance in diet in relation to rainfall, prey abundance, management strategies and disease emergence were reviewed. Key results Rainfall patterns, both seasonal and cyclical, were identified as key drivers of predator–prey selection. However, the intensity of management in the form of artificial waterpoints overrode and confounded natural process. The results suggest that savanna systems are stable and punctuated by climatic events in the form of extreme above-average rainfall that temporarily destabilises the system. However, droughts are a cyclical part of the savanna system. Conclusion Lion prey selection did fluctuate with changing environmental conditions. Abrupt state shifts did occur; however, the ecosystem returned to a stable state. Implications State shifts in ecosystems pose key challenges to conservation managers. State shifts appear to be primarily associated with management interventions and environmental factors.

scholarly journals Nanotechnology: A Journey towards Finding Solutions

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Satya Pal Singh
Keyword(s):  
Health And Safety ◽  
Functional Materials ◽  
Simulation Method ◽  
Industrial Applications ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Advance Research ◽  
American Physical ◽  
Richard Feynman ◽  
And Control ◽  
Thin Film Magnetism

<p class="1Body">Nanotechnology is the understanding and control of matter at the diemnsions ranging between 1-100 nm. One nanometer is one billionth of a meter. Nanotechnology involves manipulation of atoms, imaging, measuring and modelling at nano scale. Its potentials were first highlighted by Richard Feynman in the American Physical Scociety meeting in 1959. Though, he did not coin the world nanotechnology himself but he explored the possiblities of functional materials at the bottom of the scale. In last two decades this technology has been commercialized to great extent and gaining importance day by day influencing the economies of different countries and henceforth enforcing the policy makers to address the issues like environment, health and safety. Governments are regularisaing and monitoring its research, uses, applications and technology transfer which includes intelluctaul property rights. This paper addresses the dimensions and trends of nanotechnology covering economic aspects. The paper is focussed on the changes in the functional properties of nanomaterials as physical, chemical, optical, electronic, electrical, magnetic etc. in comparision to those of the bulk of material. It has been discussed how the basic and advance research in nanoscience could be explotiedfor making technologies for its commercial and industrial applications for the benefit and safety of the soceity. Thin film magnetism is demonstrated using Monte Carlo simulation method. Experimental synthesisof some of thenanorods and qunatum dots are also discussed.</p>

scholarly journals ICAN- International Common Assessment Number: The need of the hour

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 147
Author(s):  
G.V. Satya Sekhar
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Tax Planning ◽  
Assessment System ◽  
Monitoring And Control ◽  
Double Taxation ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Corporate World ◽  
Transfer Prices ◽  
And Control ◽  
Uniform Assessment

When   there is a system of international financial reporting system (IFRS) is much in discussion, why the policy makers are not thinking for ICAN( International Common Assessment Number) in place of PAN (Permanent Assessment Number)as in the  in case of assessees in India.    In this situation, any individual’s income earned any where in the world can become  under a common tax planning tool.The government of India has agreements with most other nations that determine how multinational companies are taxed. In other words, the tax treaties attempt to avoid the double-taxation that would occur if two nations taxed the same income. Since transfer prices represent revenue to the upstream division and an expense to the downstream division, the transfer price affects the calculation of divisional profits that represent taxable income in the nations where the divisions are based. Further, double taxation avoidance agreements also helpful for monitoring and control of fraudulent affairs in the corporate world. In this context, this paper is intended to examine the significance of uniform assessment system in the entire world and need for common assessment number. 

scholarly journals Estimation of Burden of Cystic Echinococcosis in Iran Using Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) in 2018

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fateme Parandin ◽  
Fatemeh Heydarpour ◽  
Mehdi Mohebali ◽  
Ahmad Ali Hanafi-Bojd ◽  
Ali Akbari Sari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Premature Death ◽  
Years Of Life Lost ◽  
Disability Adjusted Life Years ◽  
Public Concern ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Control Programs ◽  
Disability Adjusted Life ◽  
Life Years ◽  
Standard Life ◽  
And Control

Background: Human hydatidosis as a public concern has increased in a number of countries that have reduced control programs for the disease due to lack of resources or policies. We aimed to estimate Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) for human hydatidosis in Iran in 2018. Methods: Data were collected from the Center of Communicable Diseases Control, Ministry of Health &Medical Education, Tehran, Iran in 2018. To calculate DALYs, years of life lost due to premature death (YLL) with years of life with disability (YLD) were calculated according to the formula as DALY = YLL + YLD. The standard life expectancy lost method (SEYLL) was used to calculate the years lost due to premature death. Results: DALYs for human hydatidosis was calculated as 1210.12 years (YLD equals to 177.12 and YLL equals to 1033) in Iran for the year 2018. It was estimated to be 700.2 years for men and 509.8 years for women.  DALYs in men were significantly different from women (P= 0.001) so DALYs were more in men than women were. YLD was calculated at 78.228 years in men and 98.892 years in women and in both men and women at 177.12 years. YLD was significantly different in women compared to men (P=0.001), so YLD in women was more than in men. Conclusion: We reached considerable indices for hydatidosis in our study. Therefore, disease prevention and control programs in Iran seem necessary by the policy makers.

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