Ethnozoological study of the wild pig (Sus spp.) hunting among Sundanese in Upper Citarum Watershed area, West Java, Indonesia

Mulyanto D, Abdoellah OS, Iskandar J, Gunawan B. 2021. Ethnozoological study of the wild pig (Sus spp.) hunting among Sundanese in Upper Citarum Watershed area, West Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 22: 4930-4939. In the past, wild pigs had a high population in the rural ecosystem of West Java. However, the population of wild pigs, particularly Javan warty pig, decreases due to forest destructions and intensive hunting. This study aimed to elucidate the local knowledge on wild pigs, the mode of hunting, and diverse aspects of wild pig hunting. We conducted qualitative methods with ethnozoological approach, including participant observation and in-depth interview. The results showed that based on the local people the wild pig can be divided into four “races”, while based on zoology, two species of wild pig are documented in Java. During hunts all members get specific key roles. Thus, hunting success is increased by division of labor. Hunting wild pigs played an important role in socio-economic and cultural function for the village community. Due to intensive hunting of wild pigs, the population of these animals, particularly the Javan warty pig are decreased, and consequently the socio-economy of this animal in rural ecosystem may decrease ot even disappear.

What Is Rural Adversity, How Does It Affect Wellbeing and What Are the Implications for Action?

A growing body of literature recognises the profound impact of adversity on mental health outcomes for people living in rural and remote areas. With the cumulative effects of persistent drought, record-breaking bushfires, limited access to quality health services, the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing economic and social challenges, there is much to understand about the impact of adversity on mental health and wellbeing in rural populations. In this conceptual paper, we aim to review and adapt our existing understanding of rural adversity. We undertook a wide-ranging review of the literature, sought insights from multiple disciplines and critically developed our findings with an expert disciplinary group from across Australia. We propose that rural adversity be understood using a rural ecosystem lens to develop greater clarity around the dimensions and experiences of adversity, and to help identify the opportunities for interventions. We put forward a dynamic conceptual model of the impact of rural adversity on mental health and wellbeing, and close with a discussion of the implications for policy and practice. Whilst this paper has been written from an Australian perspective, it has implications for rural communities internationally.

Responsible and sustainable farm business: Contextual duality as the moderating influence on entrepreneurial orientation

Tackling poverty and injustices, protecting the environment and ensuring equality, all underpin ideas of being a responsible business. There are many arbitrators of what constitutes a responsible business and rethinking the United Kingdom’s farm business, post BREXIT, post COVID-19 and in relation to the entrepreneurial orientation (EO) of farmers is timely and essential to tackle crisis, uncertainty and sustain a healthy rural ecosystem. This is an ethnographic study into contextual dualities. Data from one case farm are presented, and findings are triangulated through a grounded thematic data analysis of five in-depth interviews with other farms from the same community. An empirically informed framework is constructed explaining how, through duality, EO is moderated across six themes. The contributions to policy and practice are intertwined. Through identification of moderators of (and for) duality, the rural ecosystem can be better managed through effective policy design and responsible practice at grass roots. Accelerated professionalisation in the agricultural industry involves combining the rich, irreplaceable knowledge of older generations with shaping the values and behaviours of new generations. By synthesising EO with farmer mentality, we theorise and inform how to re-educate future generations in responsible and sustainable farm businesses.

Traditional ecological knowledge of the bird traders on bird species bird naming, and bird market chain: A case study in bird market Pasty Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Iskandar J, Iskandar BS, Mulyanto D, Alfian RL, Partasasmita R. 2020. Traditional ecological knowledge of the bird traders on bird species bird naming, and bird market chain: A case study in bird market Pasty Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 2586-2602. The bird-keeping in Indonesian society has been popular for a long time. Because the demand for birds has increased in an urban area, plenty of bird species are predominantly traded in urban bird markets. Bird market is a place for selling and buying various birds. The rise of bird trade in the bird markets in many regions of Indonesia has provided social and economic benefits for many people. But in addition to providing many benefits, the plentiful bird trade in bird markets that are not well managed is very worrying about the extinction of various bird species in rural ecosystems. This paper aimed to elucidate the Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) of bird traders on bird species traded, bird naming and folk classification of bird species, and market chain system based on a case study in bird market of Pasty, Yogyakarta. The method used in this study was a qualitative method with the ethnoornithological approach. The results of the study showed that it was documented 106 bird species representing 40 families traded in the Pasty bird market. The common local names and folk bird classification are culturally based on bird vocalization, special colors, morphological characteristics, special habitats, involvement in bird song contests, flying racing competitions, selling prices, and wilderness. Most wild and semi-bird species are traded in the Pasty bird market are predominantly supplied from a rural ecosystem.

Energy Balance of Rural Ecosystems In India

India is predominantly an agricultural and rural country. Across the country, the villages vary in geographical location, area, human and livestock population, availability of resources, agricultural practices, livelihood patterns etc. This study presents an estimation of net energy balance resulting from primary production vis-a-vis energy consumption through various components in a "Rural Ecosystem". Seven sites located in different agroclimatic regions of India were studied. An end use energy accounting "Rural Energy Balance Model" is developed for input-output analysis of various energy flows of production, consumption, import and export through various components of crop, trees outside forest plantations, livestock, rural households, industry or trade within the village system boundary. An integrated approach using field, ancillary, GIS and high resolution IRS-P6 Resourcesat-2 LISS IV data is adopted for generation of various model inputs. The primary and secondary field data collection of various energy uses at household and village level were carried out using structured schedules and questionnaires. High resolution multi-temporal Resourcesat-2 LISS IV data (2013–14) was used for generating landuse/landcover maps and estimation of above-ground Trees Outside Forests phytomass. The model inputs were converted to energy equivalents using country-specific energy conversion factors. A comprehensive geotagged database of sampled households and available resources at each study site was also developed in ArcGIS framework. Across the study sites, the estimated net energy balance ranged from −18.8 Terra Joules (TJ) in a high energy consuming Hodka village, Gujarat to 224.7 TJ in an agriculture, aquaculture and plantation intensive Kollaparru village, Andhra Pradesh. The results indicate that the net energy balance of a Rural Ecosystem is largely driven by primary production through crops and natural vegetation. This study provides a significant insight to policy relevant recommendations for Energy Sustainable Rural India.