Sustainable agriculture in the Blue Nile Basin: land and watershed management practices in Ethiopia

2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 648-667 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Schmidt ◽  
Fanaye Tadesse
Keyword(s):  
Watershed Management ◽  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Nearest Neighbor ◽  
Continuous Treatment ◽  
Blue Nile Basin ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Matching Techniques ◽  
Robustness Check

AbstractThe trade-off between short-term welfare and long-term agricultural development in the highlands of Ethiopia represents a challenge to successful economic development in a predominantly agriculture-based economy. We employ nearest neighbor and kernel-based matching techniques to measure the impact of sustainable land and watershed management (SLWM) on the value of production at the plot level. Analysis suggests that plots that received SLWM investments (terraces, bunds, check dams) within the first study period (1992–2002) had a 24 per cent higher value of production in 2010. In addition, continuous treatment effects analysis provides a robustness check and suggests that plots with existing SLWM infrastructure have a positive and increasing value of production seven years after construction. Although value of production increases over time, net benefits may not outweigh costs, and mechanisms to incentivize maintenance may be needed.

Temporal changes in an alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) population

2013 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitchell B. East ◽  
J. Daren Riedle ◽  
Day B. Ligon
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Unknown Origin ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Macrochelys Temminckii ◽  
The Status ◽  
Management Recommendations ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Term Monitoring ◽  
Term Data

Context Monitoring populations of long-lived species requires continuous long-term efforts. This is especially applicable for species that have experienced declines range-wide. Aims Our study assessed the current status of a population of wild Macrochelys temminckii and compared the present results to those from a survey conducted nearly a decade ago. Methods Trapping in 2010–2011 was conducted on two creeks within the refuge, during the months of May–July. Capture data were compared with data collected by similar methods in 1997–2001. Key results The population structure of M. temminckii was dominated by juveniles, with few large adults or small juveniles detected and a missing size class was evident. Retrospective analysis of 1997–2001 data revealed that the population was likely to be in decline even then, despite high capture rates. Conclusions The M. temminckii population showed significant declines that indicated that the population had experienced stressors of unknown origin. The status of M. temminckii at the refuge is concerning, given the protection afforded this remnant population. Implications Short-term data from 1997–2001 indicated a healthy M. temminckii population, whereas longer-term data showed that the population has declined, resulting in significant demographic changes. Continued monitoring will be necessary to develop management recommendations and track the impact of implemented management practices. Longer-term monitoring of long-lived vertebrates is required to identify population trends.

scholarly journals Tallgrass Prairie Responses to Management Practices and Disturbances: A Review

Agronomy ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pradeep Wagle ◽  
Prasanna Gowda
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Tallgrass Prairie ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
The United States ◽  
N Fertilization ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
The Impact

Adoption of better management practices is crucial to lessen the impact of anthropogenic disturbances on tallgrass prairie systems that contribute heavily for livestock production in several states of the United States. This article reviews the impacts of different common management practices and disturbances (e.g., fertilization, grazing, burning) and tallgrass prairie restoration on plant growth and development, plant species composition, water and nutrient cycles, and microbial activities in tallgrass prairie. Although nitrogen (N) fertilization increases aboveground productivity of prairie systems, several factors greatly influence the range of stimulation across sites. For example, response to N fertilization was more evident on frequently or annually burnt sites (N limiting) than infrequently burnt and unburnt sites (light limiting). Frequent burning increased density of C4 grasses and decreased plant species richness and diversity, while plant diversity was maximized under infrequent burning and grazing. Grazing increased diversity and richness of native plant species by reducing aboveground biomass of dominant grasses and increasing light availability for other species. Restored prairies showed lower levels of species richness and soil quality compared to native remnants. Infrequent burning, regular grazing, and additional inputs can promote species richness and soil quality in restored prairies. However, this literature review indicated that all prairie systems might not show similar responses to treatments as the response might be influenced by another treatment, timing of treatments, and duration of treatments (i.e., short-term vs. long-term). Thus, it is necessary to examine the long-term responses of tallgrass prairie systems to main and interacting effects of combination of management practices under diverse plant community and climatic conditions for a holistic assessment.

Farmers' attitudes towards sustainable agriculture issues and environmental quality in a selected area of Bangladesh

1999 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Z. Rahman ◽  
H. Mikuni
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Productivity Loss ◽  
Favorable Attitude ◽  
Agricultural Technologies ◽  
Aquatic Life ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Individual ◽  
High Level

AbstractThe sustainability issues associated with agricultural development are a growing concern worldwide. This study focussed on farmers' attitudes about environmental degradation and long term productivity loss that may result from implementation of modern agricultural technologies. The study was conducted in a selected area of Bangladesh and field level data were collected from the sampled farmers through personal interviewing. Findings revealed that more than two-thirds of the farmers confronted either a medium or high level of environmental problems due to intensive cultivation. Their main concerns were stress on soil fertility, loss of essential aquatic life, and reduction of earthworms and other beneficial organisms in soil. The farmers' recommended solutions were production of high yielding crop varieties with conservation management practices, and the balanced use of chemical fertilizers and organic manures. To apply these techniques, the top expectation of the farmers was to receive subsidies for agricultural inputs, and get easy-term credit from the government or non-government organizations. Interestingly, just half the farmers in the study area possessed a less than favorable attitude towards sustainability issues of agricultural development. In other words, to them these issues were of low or marginal priority. Only 6% of them expressed a highly favorable attitude (high priority) and 44% expressed a moderate attitude. Based on correlations, the individual farmer's age, education, family size, organizational participation, television exposure, communication behavior and environmental problem confrontation were identified as the main determinants of their attitudes about sustainability issues. Hence, these factors should be considered when formulating programs and policies for agriculture development that aim for long-term sustainability.

scholarly journals The impact of long-term agricultural development on the wetlands landscape pattern in Sanjiang Plain

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 1922-1932 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y.M. Xu ◽  
Y. Li ◽  
W. Ouyang ◽  
F.H. Hao ◽  
Z.L. Ding ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Landscape Pattern ◽  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Sanjiang Plain ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals African agriculture in the context of COVID-19: Finding salvation in the devil

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 302-310
Author(s):  
Guy Blaise Nkamleu ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Food System ◽  
Free Trade Area ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Agriculture Sector ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Impact

The world is facing unprecedented challenges from COVID-19, which is disrupting lives and livelihoods. The pandemic could profoundly affect the African continent and wipe out hard-won development gains, as sub-Saharan Africa heads into its first recession in 25 years. Beyond the multispatial impact of the coronavirus in Africa, its effects on the agriculture and food system is of particular interest, as food security could be the most affected area and, at the same time, agriculture could be the sector that could help African economies recover quicker from the impact of COVID19. This paper supports the view that COVID-19, as devilish as it may be, offers an opportunity to revive interest in the agricultural sector. The COVID-19 pandemic has placed immense pressures on African countries to raise additional resources, and consequently Africa’s growing public debt is again coming back to the centre stage of the global debate. The conversation on African debt sustainability has begun to dominate the scene and will flood the debate in the near term. While the observed, growing calls for debt relief for African countries are legitimate, we support in this paper that one should not divert attention from the long-term solutions needed to strengthen Africa’s resilience. These long-term solutions lie where they always have: in agriculture. With COVID-19, shipping agricultural inputs and food products from other continents to Africa has become disrupted and is accelerating the trend towards shortening supply chains. This will leave a potential market for inputs and food produced on the continent. COVID-19, together with the launching of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), have aligned the stars in favour of a decisive transformation of the agriculture sector on the continent. Agriculturalists and development experts need to be aware of their responsibility at this time, as they need to advocate for the topic of agricultural development to return to the centre and the heart of the agenda of discussions on how to respond to the consequences of Covid-19 in Africa. In this sense, and unexpectedly, COVID-19 is an opportunity for the agricultural sector.

scholarly journals Long-term watershed management is an effective strategy to reduce organic matter export and disinfection by-product precursors in source water

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (10) ◽  
pp. 804 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamed Majidzadeh ◽  
Huan Chen ◽  
T. Adam Coates ◽  
Kuo-Pei Tsai ◽  
Christopher I. Olivares ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
South Carolina ◽  
Watershed Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Mass Spectrometry Analysis ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Pyrolysis Gas ◽  
Water Extracts

Watershed management practices such as prescribed fire, harvesting and understory mastication can alter the chemical composition and thickness of forest detritus, thus affecting the quantity and quality of riverine dissolved organic matter (DOM). Long-term effects of watershed management on DOM composition were examined through parallel field and extraction-based laboratory studies. The laboratory study was conducted using detritus samples collected from a pair of managed and unmanaged watersheds in South Carolina, USA. Results showed that dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and ammonium (NH4+-N) concentrations were higher in water extracts from the unmanaged watershed than from the managed watershed (P<0.01). Pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis showed that water extracts from the unmanaged watershed contained more aromatic compounds than extracts from the managed watershed. For the field study, monthly water samples were collected for 1 year (2015) from the paired watersheds. DOC and TDN concentrations, as well as DOM aromaticity, were significantly higher in the unmanaged watershed than in the managed watershed for most of the year (P<0.05) and were linked to detrital thickness, precipitation and flow patterns. The formation potential of two regulated disinfection by-products was lower in the unmanaged watershed for most of 2015 (P<0.05). From this study, it appears that long-term watershed management practices may alter detrital mass and chemistry in ways that improve water quality.

scholarly journals The Predictive Power of K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN): The Effect of Corporate Governance Mechanisms on Earnings Management

SAGE Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 215824402094953
Author(s):  
Mengyun Wu ◽  
Martha Coleman ◽  
Jonas Bawuah
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Earnings Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Nearest Neighbor ◽  
K Nearest Neighbor ◽  
Governance Mechanisms ◽  
Corporate Managers ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Corporate Governance Mechanisms ◽  
The Impact

This study investigates the long-run effect of corporate governance mechanisms on earnings management of listed companies in Nigeria and Ghana. The study uses Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) and K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) in establishing a long-run effect of good corporate mechanisms in reducing earnings management practice by corporate managers. ACO selected four major corporate governance mechanisms: Board Procedure Index, Board Disclosure Index, Ownership Structure Index, and Shareholders’ Rights Index; these were the key corporate governance mechanisms that influence the reduction in earnings management activities. KNN produced a strong significant longitudinal effect of implementing good corporate governance mechanisms in decreasing the manipulating behavior of managers. Quality corporate governance mechanisms’ implementation reduces the opportunistic behavior of corporate managers in manipulating earnings. Therefore, the study alert policymakers the urgency in setting up appropriate policies to enhance the reduction in earnings management practices to provide accurate financial information for stakeholders’ financial decision-making. The use of ACO and KNN in the study is a great novelty, which presents a calibration and prediction of the impact of corporate governance mechanisms on earnings management showing the rate of reduction.

The impact of livestock grazing on the persistence of a perennial forb in a temperate Australian grassland

2003 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josh Dorrough ◽  
Julian Ash
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
Population Growth Rates ◽  
Perennial Plant ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Recent Occurrence ◽  
The Impact

The presence of perennial plant species in grazed habitats may be an imperfect predictor of their long-term ability to persist under grazing by livestock. This is particularly the case in landscapes where grazing by livestock is a relatively recent occurrence or where management practices are leading to intensification of grazing. This paper investigates the impacts of grazing on the native perennial inter-tussock forb Leptorhynchos elongatus (Asteraceae) in grasslands on the Monaro Tablelands of New South Wales. Although the species persists in grazed habitats, exclosures indicate that current grazing management can lead to severe depletion of seed, largely due to selective removal of flowers and seed heads by livestock. A population model suggests that under current grazing management, population growth rates may be negative. Removal of livestock during flowering and seed set may assist long-term persistence of this species in grazed habitats. Despite almost 200 years of livestock grazing on the Monaro Tablelands, recent intensification of grazing management could result in the future loss of some plant species in grazed habitats.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LAND TENURE AND SOIL PRODUCTIVITY

1986 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 357-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. VAN VUUREN ◽  
P. YSSELSTEIN
Keyword(s):  
Land Tenure ◽  
Soil Conservation ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Soil Productivity ◽  
Corn Yield ◽  
Contractual Obligations ◽  
The Impact

Renting of agricultural land is gaining in importance in Canada. The impact of rental on soil conservation and on long-term soil productivity was examined in central southwestern Ontario. Prevailing leasing contracts were short-term, with a minimum of contractual obligations on both parties. A difference in soil management practices was found between owner-operated land and rented land. Both recurrent and nonrecurrent practices upgrading the soil were carried out to a lesser extent on rented than on owner-operated land, while the quality of the rented land was in fact lower and in greater need of ameliorative practices. This resulted in a difference in grain corn yield; the lower yield being obtained from rented land. Key words: Land tenure, tenancy, rental contract, soil conservation, soil productivity, soil quality

Long-Term Measurements to Quantify the Impact of Arable Management Practices on Deep Seepage and Nitrate Leaching

2010 ◽  
pp. 243-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uwe Schindler ◽  
Lothar Müller ◽  
Ralf Dannowski ◽  
Dietmar Barkusky ◽  
Glyn Francis
Keyword(s):  
Nitrate Leaching ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
The Impact
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document