Socioeconomic Impact of Establishment of University of Embu on Small Scale Farmers in Nthambo Sub-Location, Kenya

2018 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Gogo Jacqueline Akelo ◽  
Cyrus Gitonga Ngari
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Community Diversity ◽  
Socioeconomic Impact ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Supporting Evidence ◽  
Agricultural Potential ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Potential Area

The University of Embu is one of the fast developing and recently chartered University in Kenya. It is located in Nthambo sub-location, which is an agricultural potential area. Universities establishment have considerable influence on the activities of community that stays around it. Despite the fact that several studies have been conducted on the socioeconomic impact of establishment of different Universities to the community they reside in, a research on the socioeconomic impact of establishment of University of Embu on small scale farmers in their agricultural activities have never been done. Given that the University of Embu has been established on the agricultural potential area, this study sought to investigate the impact of the establishment of University of Embu on agricultural resources and productivity, describe the community diversity and living standards of the community. Methodology used in this research was descriptive survey design and stratified random sampling technique obtaining a sample of 100 households which was proportionate to the population. Using SPSS software for cross-tabulation, the results indicated that: the rate of both livestock and crop production have been declining with supporting evidence of (60.2%) and (66%) of the households respectively, the community was diverse (87.2%) with majority being university students (68.1%), most of the small scale farmers had access to electricity connection (78.1%), even though  farming activity remains main economic activity of  community within the area, it has been declining from (95.3%) to (53.2%), business activities have increased from (3.5%) to (41.5%), most of the households (54.3%) have constructed rental houses majorly to earn more money (70.2%). The researchers recommend that Embu County government should adopt a policy such that the communities surrounding University of Embu must develop, implement and enforce mechanisms for effective preservation of productive agricultural land (i.e. Urban growth boundaries, purchase of development rights, exclusive agricultural zoning among others).  

scholarly journals Perceived Effects of Climate Variability on Cassava Production among Small Scale Farmers in Anambra State, Nigeria

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Samuel E. Anarah ◽  
Caleb I. Ezeano ◽  
Ogonna O. Osuafor
Keyword(s):  
Climate Variability ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Anambra State ◽  
Perceived Effects ◽  
Cassava Production ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
The Impact

Climate variability is one of the predominant themes in agricultural research. Climate variations can seriously affect agricultural production. It brings about changes in weather patterns which in turn give rise to imbalances in seasonal cycles, harm to ecosystems and water supply affecting agriculture and food production. Extreme weather events such as floods, landslides and drought are caused by climate variation. Studies have shown that root crops such as cassava are most vulnerable to the impact of climate variability. This paper therefore investigated the perceived effects of climate variability on cassava production among small scale farmers in Anambra State. Specifically, the study described the socioeconomic characteristics of small scale cassava farmers in the state; identified the activities of small scale cassava farmers that contribute to climate variability; and ascertained the perception and levels of awareness of climate variability by small scale cassava farmers in the study area. A multi-stage sampling technique was used in selecting the sample units for the study. The instrument for data collection was a well-structured questionnaire based on the objectives. Descriptive statistics was used to actualize the objectives while the hypothesis was tested using multiple linear regression model. The result of the socioeconomic variables showed that majority of the small-scale cassava farmers were within the age range of 41-50 years; majority (59.38 %) of the respondents were females; majority (32.03%) have 7 to 11 years of farming experience; majority of the respondents (35.94 %) have farm size of 0.1 to 0.5 hectares; majority of the farmers (42.19 %) belong to 3 to 4 farming organizations; majority of the farmers (42.19 %) make  income of ₦50,000 to ₦100,000; and majority of the farmers (53.13 %) produce  yield of 3000 to 4000 kg of cassava. Result of the activities of small scale cassava farmers that contribute to climate variability show that majority of the farmers (88.28 %) perceived that bush burning contribute to climate variability while (82.03%), (60.16%), (56.25%) and (50.78%) indicated that intensive agricultural land use, use of inorganic fertilizers, use of fossil fuels and deforestation contribute also to climate variability, respectively. Based on the perception and level of awareness of climate variability by small scale cassava farmers in the study area, the result show that the farmers were significantly aware of the following climate variability; early onset of rainfall and early cessation; decreased rainfall days; shorter than normal rainfall; absence of frost; low intensity rainfall; flash flooding; unusual patterns of precipitation and high sunshine intensity. It was also found that significant relationship exists between socio-economic characteristics and production level by the small scale cassava farmers. Recommendations were made based on the findings.

scholarly journals Is Cut-Flower Industry Promotion by the Government Negatively Affecting Pollinator Biodiversity and Environmental/Human Health in Uganda?

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-52
Author(s):  
Bin Mushambanyi Théodore Munyuli
Keyword(s):  
Human Health ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Pollination Services ◽  
Toxicological Studies ◽  
The Government ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
The Impact

A study was conducted from 2010 to 2012 around the flower growing areas in central Uganda to generate baseline information on the status of pollinators. Primary data were gathered using a questionnaire that aimed at determining farmers and flower farm officials’ perceptions on the impact of activities carried out inside greenhouses on pollinators, human health, and on crop production in the surroundings. Results indicated that the quantity of pesticides and fertilizers applied daily varied among the different flower farms visited. Bee species richness and abundance varied significantly (P<0.01) according to flower farm location, to the landscape vegetation type, and to field types found in the surrounding of flower farms. Bee richness found around flower farms varied in number from 20 to 40 species in total across seasons and years. Bee density increased significantly with the increase in flower density. Small-scale farmers were aware of the value and importance of pollination services in their farming business. There was no clear evidence of a direct effect of agrochemicals application on bee communities living in the surrounding habitats. There is a need for further research to be conducted on human health risks and for toxicological studies on soils, plants, flowers, and bees in the farm landscape.

The failure of non‐binding declarations to achieve university sustainability

2007 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 301-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.A. Bekessy ◽  
K. Samson ◽  
R.E. Clarkson
Keyword(s):  
Best Practice ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Pilot Studies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Institute Of Technology ◽  
University Leaders ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Insight Into

PurposeThis paper aims to assess the impact and value of non‐binding agreements or declarations in achieving sustainability in universities.Design/methodology/approachA case study of Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University is presented, analysing the reasons for lack of progress towards sustainability and evaluating best ways forward. Using a timeline and analysis of historical records for the 12 years since RMIT first engaged in the sustainability agenda, major trends in the process of implementing policies are identified. Secondly, 15 semi‐structured interviews with university leaders and key sustainability stakeholders from across the university are analysed to provide insight into how and why the university has failed to achieve sustainability.FindingsNew implications for successfully achieving sustainability arise from these findings. Accountability is a key issue, as RMIT appears to reap benefits from being signatory to declarations without achieving genuine progress. To ensure that declarations are more than simply greenwash, universities must open themselves up to scrutiny of progress to determine whether commitments have been honoured.Practical implicationsRelying on small‐scale “club” activities establishing demonstrations and raising awareness is unlikely to lead to permanent change. The evidence of RMIT's engagement with sustainability shows that, for example, even when successful pilot studies are conducted, these initiatives may do little to affect the mainstream practices of a university unless certain conditions exist. Furthermore, given the on‐paper commitments institutions have made, and the role of the university in society, small‐scale and gradual changes in university practice are a far from adequate response to the urgent sustainability imperative.Originality/valueThe initial engagement of RMIT University with the sustainability agenda 12 years ago marked it as a world leader in sustainability best‐practice. Analysing how and why such a disappointing lack of action has resulted from such promising beginnings provides insight into future directions for implementing sustainability in universities. The paper argues that considering the key responsibility of universities in leading the sustainability agenda, a more systemic and serious response is required.

scholarly journals Smallholder Coffee Productivity as Affected by Socioeconomic Factors and Technology Adoption

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Daniel M. Wambua ◽  
Bernard M. Gichimu ◽  
Samuel N. Ndirangu
Keyword(s):  
Technology Adoption ◽  
Socioeconomic Factors ◽  
Land Tenure ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Farm Income ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Farm Level ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
The Impact

Despite the increase in area under coffee in Kenya in the last decade, productivity has been on the decline. Numerous production technologies have been developed through on-station research but there has been limited on-farm research to assess the impact of these technologies at the farm level. On the other hand, smallholder farmers are endowed differently and this would positively or negatively affect the adoption of recommended technologies and hence coffee productivity. This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of socioeconomic factors and technology adoption on smallholder coffee productivity at the farm level. The study employed stratified random sampling where 376 farmers were randomly sampled from six cooperative societies which had been preselected using probability proportional to the size sampling technique. The effects of socioeconomic factors and technology adoption on coffee productivity were analyzed using the stochastic Cobb-Douglas production function. The study revealed that off-farm income, access to credit, type of land tenure, and land size had significant positive effects on coffee productivity. Therefore, coffee farmers should be encouraged to diversify their income sources and to embrace credit financing, as the government reviews land use policies to avail adequate agricultural land. The study further revealed that the adoption of recommended application rates of manure, fungicides, and pesticides had significant positive effects on coffee productivity. The adoption of these technologies should therefore be enhanced among small-scale farmers to improve coffee productivity at the farm level.

scholarly journals Impacts of climate change on groundwater flooding and ecohydrology in lowland karst

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 1923-1941
Author(s):  
Patrick Morrissey ◽  
Paul Nolan ◽  
Ted McCormack ◽  
Paul Johnston ◽  
Owen Naughton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Karst Aquifer ◽  
Global Climate Models ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Wetland Ecosystems ◽  
Extreme Flooding ◽  
Karst Systems ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

Abstract. Lowland karst aquifers can generate unique wetland ecosystems which are caused by groundwater fluctuations that result in extensive groundwater–surface water interactions (i.e. flooding). However, the complex hydrogeological attributes of these systems, linked to extremely fast aquifer recharge processes and flow through well-connected conduit networks, often present difficulty in predicting how they will respond to changing climatological conditions. This study investigates the predicted impacts of climate change on a lowland karst catchment by using a semi-distributed pipe network model of the karst aquifer populated with output from the high spatial resolution (4 km) Consortium for Small-scale Modelling Climate Lokalmodell (COSMO-CLM) regional climate model simulations for Ireland. An ensemble of projections for the future Irish climate were generated by downscaling from five different global climate models (GCMs), each based on four Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs; RCP2.6, RCP4.5, RCP6.0 and RCP8.5) to account for the uncertainty in the estimation of future global emissions of greenhouse gases. The one-dimensional hydraulic/hydrologic karst model incorporates urban drainage software to simulate open channel and pressurised flow within the conduits, with flooding on the land surface represented by storage nodes with the same stage volume properties of the physical turlough basins. The lowland karst limestone catchment is located on the west coast of Ireland and is characterised by a well-developed conduit-dominated karst aquifer which discharges to the sea via intertidal and submarine springs. Annual above ground flooding associated with this complex karst system has led to the development of unique wetland ecosystems in the form of ephemeral lakes known as turloughs; however, extreme flooding of these features causes widespread damage and disruption in the catchment. This analysis has shown that mean, 95th and 99th percentile flood levels are expected to increase by significant proportions for all future emission scenarios. The frequency of events currently considered to be extreme is predicted to increase, indicating that more significant groundwater flooding events seem likely to become far more common. The depth and duration of flooding is of extreme importance, both from an ecological perspective in terms of wetland species distribution and for extreme flooding in terms of the disruption to homes, transport links and agricultural land inundated by flood waters. The seasonality of annual flooding is also predicted to shift later in the flooding season, which could have consequences in terms of ecology and land use in the catchment. The investigation of increasing mean sea levels, however, showed that anticipated rises would have very little impact on groundwater flooding due to the marginal impact on ebb tide outflow volumes. Overall, this study highlights the relative vulnerability of lowland karst systems to future changing climate conditions, mainly due to the extremely fast recharge which can occur in such systems. The study presents a novel and highly effective methodology for studying the impact of climate change in lowland karst systems by coupling karst hydrogeological models with the output from high-resolution climate simulations.

PELATIHAN MENGHITUNG HASIL PENJUALAN ROKOK SELAMA MASA PANDEMI COVID-19 MENGGUNAKAN METODE SIMPLEKS DAN SOFTWARE POM-QM

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-77
Author(s):  
Matheus Supriyanto Rumetna ◽  
Tirsa Ninia Lina
Keyword(s):  
Community Service ◽  
Simplex Method ◽  
Community Education ◽  
Industrial Sector ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Business Owner ◽  
Study Program ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

Perkembangan dalam bidang industri semakin maju serta dampak pandemi Covid-19, membuat usaha-usaha berskala kecil harus terus bersaing dan berinovasi. Salah satunya adalah pemilik usaha Kios Ibu Olan. Ibu Olan mengalami masalah dalam memaksimalkan keuntungan dari hasil penjualan rokok. Untuk memaksimalkan keuntungan yang diperoleh Ibu Olan, maka tim Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat (PkM) Program Studi Sistem Informasi Universitas Victory Sorong menawarkan pengunaan Program Linier (PL) dengan Metode Simpleks dan teknologi informasi berupa software POM-QM for windows 5.0. Selain itu tim PkM juga menerapkan pendekatan pendidikan masyarakat, dalam hal ini tim PkM melakukan pelatihan untuk menghitung bersama keuntungan dari hasil penjualan rokok. Pelatihan ini bertujuan meningkatkan pemahaman serta kesadaran pemilik usaha sekaligus merupakan hasil akhir dari kegiatan PkM ini.Kata kunci: metode simpleks, pelaku usaha, pelatihan, software POM-QM Abstract: Developments in the industrial sector are increasingly advanced as well as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, making small-scale businesses have to continue to compete and innovate. One of them is Mrs. Olan's business owner. Mrs. Olan is having trouble maximizing the profit from selling cigarettes. To maximize the benefits obtained by Ms. Olan, the Community Service Team (PkM) of the Information Systems Study Program at the University of Sorong Victory offers the use of the Linear Program (PL) with the Simplex Method and information technology in the form of POM-QM software for windows 5.0. In addition, the PkM team also applies a community education approach, in this case the PkM team conducts training to jointly calculate the profit from the sale of cigarettes. This training aims to increase the understanding and awareness of business owners as well as the final result of this PkM activity.Keywords: simplex method, business actors, training, POM-QM software

scholarly journals Perceptions of Brazilian small-scale farmers about genetically modified crops

2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 193-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Almeida ◽  
Luisa Massarani ◽  
Ildeu de Castro Moreira
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Genetically Modified Crops ◽  
Free Food ◽  
Economic Feasibility ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
The Impact ◽  
To Receive

The aim of this paper is to investigate the perceptions of small-scale farmers in Brazil towards genetically modified (GM) crops based on a sample of 15 focus groups involving 111 individuals. The analysis of the corpus shows heterogeneous perceptions regarding these crops, shaped by diverse factors, including economic prospects and concerns with the impact on health and the environment. There are many misgivings about these effects among the farmers, who are keen to receive unbiased information on the topic. These uncertainties affect them more as consumers, as most would prefer eating GM-free food, than as producers, as they consider other aspects, especially economic feasibility, when deciding what to grow. Although most farmers believe they should have a voice in decision-making on agricultural issues, few have made concerted efforts to be heard.

scholarly journals Impacts of agriculture on the parasite communities of northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) in southern Quebec, Canada

Parasitology ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 134 (14) ◽  
pp. 2063-2080 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. C. KING ◽  
J. D. McLAUGHLIN ◽  
A. D. GENDRON ◽  
B. D. PAULI ◽  
I. GIROUX ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Community Diversity ◽  
Anthropogenic Activity ◽  
Strong Impact ◽  
Parasite Transmission ◽  
Parasite Communities ◽  
Leopard Frogs ◽  
Northern Leopard Frogs ◽  
The Impact

SUMMARYGiven that numerous amphibians are suffering population declines, it is becoming increasingly important to examine the relationship between disease and environmental disturbance. Indeed, while many studies relate anthropogenic activity to changes in the parasitism of snails and fishes, little is known of the impact on the parasites of amphibians, particularly from agriculture. For 2 years, the parasite communities of metamorphic northern leopard frogs from 7 agricultural wetlands were compared with those from 2 reference wetlands to study differences in parasite community diversity and abundance of various species under pristine conditions and 3 categories of disturbance: only agricultural landscape, only pesticides, and agricultural landscape with pesticides. Agricultural (and urban) area was negatively related to species richness, and associated with the near absence of adult parasites and species that infect birds or mammals. We suggest that agriculture and urbanization may hinder parasite transmission to frogs by limiting access of other vertebrate hosts of their parasites to wetlands. The only parasite found at all localities was an unidentified echinostome infecting the kidneys. This parasite dominated communities in localities surrounded by the most agricultural land, suggesting generalist parasites may persist in disrupted habitats. Community composition was associated with dissolved organic carbon and conductivity, but few links were found with pesticides. Pollution effects may be masked by a strong impact of land use on parasite transmission.

scholarly journals Building Resilient Value Chains After the Impact of the COVID-19 Disruption: Challenges for the Coffee Sector in Central America

2022 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingrid Fromm
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Central American ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
External Shocks ◽  
Climate Change Effects ◽  
Coffee Farmers ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Coffee Sector ◽  
The Impact

Coffee is an important agricultural sector in Central American, directly employing over 1.2 million people in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Although export revenues from coffee trade have an overall positive effect on the gross domestic product (GDP) of these countries, poverty still prevails. The COVID-19 pandemic has placed additional pressure on the sector which is vulnerable to fluctuations in the international coffee prices, low productivity levels, and climate change effects and damages caused by pest and diseases. This paper examines the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and analyzes if the sector is resilient to withstand unexpected external shocks such as the pandemic and the hurricanes which impacted the region in the last months of 2020. The capacity to absorb, adapt, and/or transform to these shocks was assessed from the perspective of small-scale coffee farmers, traders, exporters and the entire sector in two time periods—immediately after the start of the pandemic and after the coffee harvest. Although the actors in the coffee value chain absorbed these shocks and could withstand them, adaptation to the disruptions has been challenging for small-scale farmers. Despite the vulnerability to unexpected external shocks, results indicate that a long-term transformation of the sector to build resilience is likely to be slow.

scholarly journals Eksistensi Dan Transformasi Petani Gurem: Kasus Pertanian Wilayah Pinggiran Kota Bandung

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 146
Author(s):  
Yonas Hangga Saputra
Keyword(s):  
Land Tenure ◽  
Technical Assistance ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Young Generation ◽  
Farm Productivity ◽  
The Status ◽  
Institutional Aspect ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

<em>This article aims at: (1) describing the existence and transformation of small-scale farmers; (2) identifying the problems of small-scale farmers related to the land tenure pattern, farming system, and institutional aspect; and (3) recommending the policy for small-scale farmers empowerment, case of sub-urban area of Bandung municipality.  The  research  results  show  that  the  existence  and  transformation  of small-scale farmers were degraded. The most problem faced by small-scale farmers in locale of the study was agricultural land conversion to non-agricultural purposes. Consequently, the proportion of small-scale farmers who operate their owned land was decreased and some of them transformed to the status of cultivated farmers either in rented or shared systems or became farm laborers. Moreover, the farm productivity was not optimal while the position of small-scale farmers especially the cultivated farmers became feeble in negotiation with owned land as well as in terms of capital aspect. The empowerment program intervention should be followed by technical assistance in line with aspiration of small-scale farmers toward collectively participatory in the organization of farmers. It should be implemented through participatory young generation both in on-farm and in off-farm activities.</em>

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