A Framework for Reviewing Silvopastoralism: A New Zealand Hill Country Case Study

Silvopastoral systems can be innovative solutions to agricultural environmental degradation, especially in hilly and mountainous regions. A framework that expresses the holistic nature of silvopastoral systems is required so research directions can be unbiased and informed. This paper presents a novel framework that relates the full range of known silvopastoral outcomes to bio-physical tree attributes, and uses it to generate research priorities for a New Zealand hill country case study. Current research is reviewed and compared for poplar (Populus spp.), the most commonly planted silvopastoral tree in New Zealand hill country, and kānuka (Kunzea spp.), a novel and potentially promising native alternative. The framework highlights the many potential benefits of kānuka, many of which are underappreciated hill country silvopastoral outcomes, and draws attention to the specific outcome research gaps for poplar, despite their widespread use. The framework provides a formalised tool for reviewing and generating research priorities for silvopastoral trees, and provides a clear example of how it can be used to inform research directions in silvopastoral systems, globally.

Enterprise ownership patterns in the least developed districts of Slovakia

Research background: The literature overview shows a blank space regarding the effects of ownership on the determination of enterprises' spatial distribution. Various papers identify differences between determinants of the spatial distribution of foreign direct investments, exporters in foreign ownership, and domestically owned exporters; however, they mostly agree on the role of big cities, economic centres, and state of infrastructure as well as historical patterns. Purpose of the article: The article focuses on the spatial distribution analysis of enterprise units from their owner's perspective on the empirical evidence from all 79 districts of the Slovak Republic. Special attention is given to the category of the least developed districts. Methods: Within the presented article, the authors investigate the characteristics of the regional spatial distribution of business entities concerning standard ownership categories using the cluster analysis. The presented approach is twofold: firstly, the authors investigate the share of individual ownership types on the district level, and secondly, the number of enterprises by ownership categories is adjusted to 100,000 inhabitants. Cluster analysis and methods of spatial statistics are applied in both approaches. Findings & value added: The main results show a relation between the district's inclusion into the group of the least developed districts and enterprise ownership characteristics in these districts mainly through the relative underrepresentation of the secluded inland, foreign and international types of ownership, as well as their geographical clustering. The results of the presented research can be used in policy-making targeting business activity in underdeveloped districts. At the same time, the results provide basis for limited theoretical generalisations based on a single-country case study with regard to principles of business ownership structures development.

Regional disparities in prevalence of obesity among school-aged children in Egypt: A country case study from The Eastern Mediterranean Region

Background: This study is a review of recent research conducted in Egypt on the problem of rising prevalence rates of obesity among school-aged children. Methods: The search was conducted in three phases. The key words used were obesity, overweight, school-aged children, and nutritional status specifically for Egyptians over the past decade (2010–2021). Online research sites and the libraries of the Egyptian universities of the eluc.org. websites were searched along with on-site visits to the libraries of thesis universities and other research institutes in Egypt, to obtain full research material. Finally, retrieved data were analyzed statistically. Results: The search identified 24 studies that covered 15 governorates and one national survey that covered 25 governorates. The prevalence of obesity in the pooled populations was 10.6%. Prevalence rates of obesity were highest in Lower Egypt (LE) (10.0%) and urban governorates (9.2%) compared to Upper Egypt (UE) governorates (6.3%, p>0.05). Obesity in the children over 10 years was slightly higher among females in the urban (5.1%) and LE governorates (5.2%) compared to males (4.1 and 4.8%, respectively). However, it appeared higher in males (5.2%) compared to females (3.2%) in UE governorates (p>0.05). Conclusion: Obesity in Egypt is rising and is related primarily to high consumption of unhealthy foods. Member states must take active steps to regulate marketing of unhealthy foods to children.

The influence of transport offer on passenger traffic in the railway transport system in a post-socialist country: case study of Poland

The study examines factors influencing the number of rail passengers in Poland. The subjects of observation were 62 cities with poviat rights. The main factors influencing demand are the number of connections and the speed of trains. Therefore, we developed an original indicator – weighted number of connections, which takes into account the number of rail connections and the speed of trains. The article can be divided into two main parts: an assessment of the diversification of transport offer and transport demand in spatial terms, and an evaluation of the relationship between the variables. Poland has a large spatial diversity in terms of public rail transport offer and passenger traffic. There are three levels of city hierarchy according to the passenger number indicator: [1] Warsaw, [2] the largest agglomerations [3] other regional cities. Transport offer was found to have a statistically significant impact on transport demand.

Elucidating Pathways and Discourses Linking Cocoa Cultivation to Deforestation, Reforestation, and Tree Cover Change in Nicaragua and Peru

Cocoa cultivation is labeled as a driver of both deforestation and reforestation, yet the extent of the phenomena varies at farm and landscape level and as a response to national and local contexts. In this study, we documented the main pathways and contexts behind cocoa cultivation in two sites with different histories of cocoa cultivation. We combined official statistics, land-use trajectory, satellite imagery, and the Q-analysis to explore the discourses of country experts in Nicaragua and Peru. The Q-statements were based on an analysis of a set of legal, institutional, social, and technical guidelines that the cocoa cultivation/sector influences or is influenced by. Based on the responses of national experts to 31 statements we found four discourses linking cocoa cultivation and reforestation and deforestation in each country-case study. The enabling and limiting conditions driving tree cover change were a combination of landscape configuration, governance, management/commercialization models, and farmer's knowledge. Overall, between 60 and 64% of the variance was explained by four discourse factors in each country. In Nicaragua, the conditions associated with reforestation were the cocoa-agroforestry model promoted by local organizations/NGOs, the existence of incentives, degree of technical knowledge, access to safe market, and availability of improved genetic material. The circumstances associated with deforestation were the age of the farmers, fluctuation of cocoa beans prices, low productivity of cocoa plantations, and weak legal environmental frameworks. Whereas, in Peru, the main factors connecting cocoa cultivation to reforestation were access to market, degree of experimentation in cocoa, the economic weight of cocoa on family's income, certification processes, the existence of incentives, and the level of organization/association of cocoa farmers. The elements linking cocoa farming to deforestation were the influence of stakeholders in the cocoa value chain, weak legal environmental frameworks, fluctuation of cocoa prices, the existence of private investors, and insecure land tenure rights. This article demonstrated the utility of discourse analysis, through its application to two contrasting country case-studies, to elucidate the conditions that might minimize the deforestation footprint of cocoa cultivation and maximize its role as an agent for reforestation/restoration in the agricultural landscape of cocoa-growing areas in Latin America.

Reforming state budgeting in the vortex of policy conditionality, political instability and technical support flux

Purpose Greece had to undertake several reforms under intense policy conditionality pressures – stemming from the three financial support programs agreed between the Greek Government and the Troika – and political instability. Within this context, this study aims to analyze the role of politicians and technical assistance staff in the administrative reform of the Greek state budget. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts the approach of an extreme country-case study which is analyzed through a theoretical framework with insights from the resource dependency theory and the concept of policy conditionality. The theoretical framework is supported by documents of the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission, including the technical Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and their progress reports and is informed by the outcome of interviews with General Accounting Office executives. Findings While the budget reform eventually met the MoU requirements, the frequent changes at the government level, the constant renegotiations with the Troika that initiated changes to the plan and the instability of the technical assistance teams formed to support the reform contributed to important implementation delays. Originality/value The study contributes to the research agenda on accounting reforms during periods of financial crises by providing evidence on the role of politicians’ level of ownership and technical assistance staff contribution.

How disease control and animal health services can impact antimicrobial resistance. A retrospective country case study of Sweden

Data and experiences in Sweden show that it is possible to combine high productivity in animal production with the restricted use of antibiotics. The major key factors that explain Sweden’s success in preventing AMR are: Swedish veterinary practitioners were aware of the risk of AMR as early as the 1950s, and the need for prudent use of antibiotics was already being discussed in the 1960s. Early establishment of health services and health controls to prevent, control and, when possible, eradicate endemic diseases reduced the need for antibiotics. Access to data on antibiotic sales and AMR made it possible to focus on areas of concern. State veterinary leadership provided legal structures and strategies for cooperation between stakeholders and facilitated the establishment of coordinated animal health services that are industry-led, but supported by the State.

A Deeper Look Into Political Instability and Economic Growth: Case Study and Empirical Analysis on a Selection of Countries

The purpose of the study is to investigate the nature of the relationship between political instability and economic growth in a selection of countries witnessing political instability including Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Sudan, Brazil, Turkey and Indonesia, during the era (1994-2019). Research methods include country case study analysis of macroeconomic indicators and an empirical analysis, to determine whether political instability plays a significant and important role in the different dimensions of economic growth measured by the Human Development Index, Gross Domestic Product GDP, and gross fixed capital formation. Findings prove a significant negative relationship between political instability and economic growth statistically and economically. Recommendations highlight the importance of transmission channels that enforce the significant negative relationship between political instability and economic development.

Country Case Study. Who Owns a Video Game in Spain?

<p>How is a video game legally protected? In Spain there is no specific regulation that shields the creation of a video game. This absence implies that we have to conceive a video game as a mosaic of separate pieces and treat them as different works, in order to grant it comprehensive protection. Thus, on the one hand, it is necessary to process and register the computer program (software) that supports the video game. On the other, the same must be done with the visual part (audiovisual work). This Article deals with the protection of the software and the graphic part, as well as the catalog of rights inherent to both. There are many “gray areas” presented by the abundant casuistry, which is a challenge from the legal point of view. Due to the above, given that the legislation on the subject is insufficient to answer all the questions, it is necessary to resort to the jurisprudence of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), in order to clarify and delimit the scope of the different ways of protecting a video game, since, according to what has been pointed out, there is no glimpse of a proposal to standardize this matter on the near horizon.</p>