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Identifying value chain trade-offs from fruit and vegetable aggregation services in Bangladesh using a system dynamics approach
No full textSignificant progress has been made in cereal production in Bangladesh due to an agricultural policy environment that prioritizes the productivity of staple crops over fruit and vegetables (F&V). However, many smallholder farmers remain poorly connected to markets, which may lead to a limited supply response of F&V that can reduce opportunities for sufficient intake in neglected, consumer-facing, smaller retail markets. To address this issue, aggregation schemes have been conceived that collect and transport F&Vs on behalf of multiple farmers. Given the volume of horticultural produce produced and the reliance on developed transport infrastructure, aggregation schemes tend to supply wholesale and urban markets rather than underdeveloped rural and isolated markets. To this end, we investigated how a particular aggregation intervention ('Loop') could potentially improve the distribution of F&V to smaller markets whilst improving farmer benefits. We used an innovative system dynamics modeling approach based on Loop's aggregation services in Jashore, Bangladesh, and to identify the potential trade-offs between consumer outcomes in retail markets and farmer benefits. We find that combining aggregation with a quota at the smaller market, transport subsidy, and current price growth does not result in trade-offs between consumer purchases and farmers'- benefits. However, combining aggregation with current price growth can increase demand without losing farmers'benefits. The findings emphasize that standalone and multiple market-oriented interventions generate broader win-win benefits to promote inclusive food systems
Dimensions of visitor resilience to natural hazards in conservation areas of New Zealand
No full textConservation areas of New Zealand present diverse recreation opportunities to visitors, many of which involve exposure to a range of natural hazards. Using a social-ecological systems approach, this paper outlines the dimensions contributing to visitor resilience to natural hazards in conservation settings (the conservation-recreation SES), based on an online survey of domestic visitors to conservation areas, supplemented by interviews with this cohort. Interviews were also conducted with key stakeholders aligned to New Zealand’s public conservation areas. Findings reveal that a range of factors influence the resilience of visitors to conservation areas in New Zealand. One major theme was the challenges associated with managing recreation and tourism assets for visitors with different levels of experience and ability. Dimensions of resilience related to individual characteristics of the visitors including attitudes towards personal responsibility for safety, and a willingness and preparedness to adapt plans. These findings have implications for policy and practice for both conservation area managers and tourism providers
Light aerobic exercise supplemented with a weighted vest improves pulmonary function, triglyceride levels and physical performance in older adults
No full textIntroduction: Aging is associated with progressive changes and unavoidable processes characterized by functional, biochemical, and structural deterioration of the human body. Specifically, pulmonary function which is strongly related with morbidity and mortality, decreases with age . Importantly, regular exercise is well-recognized as at strategy for delaying the risk of age-associated diseases. However, a high proportion of the older population may not achieve sufficient exercise particularly at an intensity that is sufficient to result in positive adaptation. Therefore, this study aimed to find a more practical way of increasing exercise intensity by adding weighted vests to light exercise on the pulmonary function, triglyceride levels and physical performance in elderly participants.
Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 36 female participants aged 60 to 79 years. The participants were randomly assigned to either a control (CON; n=17 received 40-minute light aerobic exercise program 3 days per week for 8 weeks), or a weighted vest group (WV; n=19 completed the same exercise program with participants wearing a vest filled with sand equivalent to 5% (first 2 weeks) then 10% (last 6 weeks) of their body weight). Outcome variables including pulmonary function, physical performance and lipid profile were assessed before and after the 8 week experi-mental period.
Results: As a result of the training, the WV participants showed a significant increase in FEV1/FVC (3.51 ± 4.51 %, P = 0.012) and Vt (0.24 ± 0.28 L, P = 0.012), but these increases were not significant between groups. Compared to the CON group, the WV group showed significant increased in VE (CON; 0.82 ± 2.16, WV; 4.36 ± 2.31 L/min, P = 0.003) and MVV (CON; -6.59 ± 4.67, WV; 4.17 ± 5.54 L/min, P = 0.000). Only the WV showed significant reductions in triglyceride (-40.25 ± 47.95 mg/dL, P = 0.004) from baseline. While performance in the timed up and go test and the single leg to stand test increased in both groups, there was no significant difference between groups. However, compared to the CON group the WV group increased their performance in the 6-min walk test (CON; 4.77 ± 39.17, WV; 89.48 ± 68.90 m, P = 0.000).
Conclusion: Using a combination of light exercise supplemented with a weighted vest may be a practical way of in-creasing exercise intensity sufficiently to improve pulmonary function, physical performance, and triglyceride levels in the elderly
The Severe Weather Recovery Review Panel – A niche planning role
No full textIn the wake of the devastation wreaked on much of the North Island by the 2023 severe weather events, the Government passed the Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Legislation Act 2023 (SWERLA). That Act established a process for Orders-in-Council (OIC) that could override the provisions of planning law to establish a fast-track route to recovery. In this presentation, Hamish will describe the processes for making such an OIC and reflect on his experience as a planner appointed to the Severe Weather Recovery Review Panel as a springboard for a wider discussion on fast-track planning processes
Extraction of tannin, colour and aroma compounds in pinot noir wines as affected by clone selection and whole bunch addition
No full textOur previous study revealed stem inclusion fermentation reduced anthocyanin, and increased tannin and aroma compounds responsible for green notes. This study further investigated the effect of clone selection and whole bunch fermentation on Pinot noir wine composition, with focus on tannin composition. Three treatments were conducted using two clones (AM10/5 and UCD5) in 2021 and 2022: 100% destemmed (DS), 30% whole bunch (WB30), and 60% whole bunch (WB60). WB60 increased stem and skin derived tannins but reduced seed derived tannin proportion in wines. Clone selection had an impact on tannin composition and an even greater impact on tannin concentration, colour, and aroma compounds. AM10/5 produced wines with higher tannin, polymeric pigments and darker colour. AM10/5 wines also had higher concentration of phenylethyl alcohol, but lower concentrations of 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine and ethyl esters, indicating more floral but less fruity and green notes
On-field training
No full textTheory of Training
An athlete’s performance is the result of accumulated training and subsequent recovery sessions. Training is designed to overload the body, mainly through the cardiovascular and muscular system, which then stresses the body. Monitoring an athlete’s stress response to an individual training session is important for checking how an athlete is adapting. But an athlete’s stress response to training can be due to more than just the training programme itself. There are various factors that can influence an athlete’s stress response to training, including personality, genetics, training history, sleep quality and sleep duration, academic pressure, family pressures, and more (Mellalieu, Neil, Hanton, & Fletcher, 2009). To understand the theory of training, it is paramount to understand the concept of stress
Discourse-based approaches to EAP
No full textSince the advent of Communicative Language Teaching, discourse has played a central role in English teaching. Pennycook (1994, p. 38) claims that “it is rare to find people involved in language teaching who are unaware of the significance of discourse for teaching reading, writing, intonation or spoken language, and for the evaluation of students’ communicative competence”. Communicative competences, i.e., grammatical, discourse, sociolinguistic, pragmatic and strategic are also perceived as discourse competences. Celce-Murcia and Olshtain (2000) argue that the main competency within the communicative competence framework is discourse competency, claiming that it is “in and through discourse that all of the other competencies are realized (p. 16).” Therefore, it is evident that discourse should become an integral part of every ESOL syllabus, methodology and assessment (Celce-Murcia & Olshtain, 2005).
This presentation will share a number of discourse-based teaching components, such as authentic learning texts, integration of top-down and bottom-up processing, meaning over form – pragmatics over grammar, background knowledge – schemata and context, and their practical application in the classroom
Planning and off-field training
No full textA considerable amount of planning and logistics goes into the seasonal training plans of modern rugby players. Planning in the preparation of players requires a careful balance of work and recovery sessions and detailed knowledge of players strengths and weaknesses so that ]training can be effective at improving not only the individual players performance but also the team’s performance
Linking farmers to markets through agricultural cooperatives and E-commerce in Asia
No full textMarket participation profoundly impacts farmers’ livelihoods and well-being by boosting household incomes through higher sales volumes and better prices and contributing to food and nutrition security. It also provides access to valuable market information and resources, such as production inputs, which help improve farm productivity
Bridezilla and her floral antics: Understanding narcissistic consumer behaviour in New Zealand’s floristry sector
No full textThis teaching case was developed for a face-to-face class discussion in Marketing in a Horticultural/ Agribusiness context. The case discusses narcissistic consumers, marketing ethics, service and resolving conflict in an applied context of New Zealand’s floristry industry. These topics are uncovered and addressed by Sandra Tamāhine, a floral business owner, mentor and chairperson of the industry group “Women in Floristry New Zealand”. Through a phone call, a Bridezilla problem is brought to Sandra’s attention, which keeps her wondering how to handle entitled Bridezillas or narcissistic consumers, the potential consequences of the incident and the extent of the problem. Over three days, Sandra needs to link these emerging challenges with relevant marketing theories, providing practical advice and recommendations