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Understanding land-use trade-off decision making using the analytical hierarchy process: Insights from agricultural land managers in Zambia
Get PDFUnderstanding factors that influence trade-offs between agricultural expansion and forest conservation is important in managing competing land-use objectives. This paper applies elements of the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to distinct farming business ownership models in Zambia to gain insights into factors that agricultural land managers take into account when considering land-use trade-off decisions which involve agricultural expansion into natural habitats. Results showed that the market domain was weighted above other domains, followed by the financial domain. When environmental considerations were pitted against other factors such as markets and finance, agricultural land managers were likely to trade off environmental concerns. Furthermore, availability of input subsidies via the agricultural Food Input Support Programme (FISP) influenced the decision to expand, particularly for the small-scale ownership model. This suggests that agricultural policies and strategies aimed at promoting agricultural productivity may require accompanying measures to safeguard forest ecosystems from agricultural expansion. Key differences in the factors influencing expansion decisions were evident among ownership models suggesting that ownership types do have an impact on factors considered. This highlights the need to advance tailored strategies that address differences in priorities and decision making emanating from variations in farming business ownership models
Climate-smart agricultural practices for promoting sustainable agrifood production: Yield impacts and implications for food security
No full textClimate change is increasing the vulnerability of agriculture to climate risks and hindering sustainable agrifood production. This study explored whether and to what extent adopting climate-smart agricultural practices (CAPs) can contribute to food security by improving crop yields. We focussed on five CAPs—minimum tillage, improved rice varieties, farmyard manure, water-saving technology, and biopesticides. Recognising that the adoption of CAPs is potentially endogenous, we employed a conditional mixed process model that simultaneously estimates an ordered probit regression and a linear regression; the former investigates the factors that influence farmers’ decisions to intensify the adoption of CAPs, and the latter shows how intensifying the adoption is associated with crop yield. We analysed data collected from a survey of rice farmers that we conducted in five Chinese provinces (Jiangsu, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, and Sichuan) in January and February of 2022. The results show that intensifying the adoption of CAPs improved rice yield by 94 kg/mu (equivalent to 1,410 kg/ha). We also found that educated farmers, those who experienced a drought during the most recent growing season, and individuals who perceived the rainfall to have changed during the five years preceding the survey were more likely to intensify the adoption of CAPs
Events with/by/for disabled people: Just a bit of fun, or making a difference?
No full textDisabled people have a fundamental human right to leisure that contributes to their wellbeing, to be able to participate in a meaningful way in cultural activities such as arts events. For decades, the arts have been
viewed as a vehicle for empowerment, and arts programmes have been shown to provide long-lasting benefits. Arts events, though, with their temporary nature, have largely escaped scrutiny. This exploratory study used the InterACT Disability Arts Festival held in New Zealand as a case study, seeking to answer the question: "Does an annual arts event designed with/by/for disabled people have the potential to create revolutionary futures?"
Through participant observation, autoethnography and both in-the-moment and in-depth interviews with organisers, participants and volunteers, a picture was gained of the importance of this event in creating 'revolutionary futures'. This presentation will detail the findings within three key themes: determining new paths, making the future less fearsome and allowing more positive outcomes. A conceptual framework for assessing the contribution of events to creating 'revolutionary futures' will be presented
Legume yield and persistence in grass and herb pasture mixtures in Lees Valley, South Island High Country
No full textFour experiments were established to identify productive and persistent dryland pasture mixtures that included legumes to supply nitrogen and a suitable grass and/or herb companion species. There was a Caucasian clover-herbs (plantain and/or chicory) mixture experiment, and three grass-clover mixture experiments: ryegrass cultivars, dryland grass species (brome, cocksfoot, or tall fescue), or timothy +/-herbs (plantain and/or chicory), all sown with white and sub clovers. The site was in Lees Valley, an intermontane basin in North Canterbury (400 m a.s.l.), which experiences long cold winters, has soils of low pH and high aluminium, with low water holding capacity and severe summer soil moisture deficits.
In the first two years of the grass-clover mixtures, the ryegrass and dryland grass-clover pasture mixtures were the most productive with total yields of ~4,400 kg DM/ha. In the dryland grass mixtures, the yield of the brome and cocksfoot grass component increased from Year 1 to 2 (1350 to 2830 kg DM/ha) while tall fescue declined (970 to 800 kg DM/ha). The equivalent timothy grass yields were low averaging ~320 kg DM/ ha/yr.
Across the grass-clover mixtures, the average white clover yield was 1800±210 kg DM/ha in Year 1 and represented 43% of total DM, compared with 8% sub clover. In Year 2, the white clover produced 930±90 kg DM/ha, which represented 29% of total annual yield. Sub clover did not re-establish. Grass cultivars/species in the mixture experiments had no effect on white clover yield. White clover yields peaked in October-November of both years with growth rates of ~16 kg DM/ha/d. At the start of the summer dry period, from November onwards, white clover growth rates declined resulting in lower yields.
In the Caucasian-herbs experiment, total yield in Years 1 and 2 was ~2750 kg DM/ha/yr. In both years Caucasian clover yields were lower when grown in herb-based mixtures compared with a monoculture (Year 1: ~400 versus 1800±270 kg DM/ha, Year 2: 920 versus 1750±210 kg DM/ha). Plantain contributed ~1740 kg DM/ha/yr to the total yield.
The persistence and productivity of grass-legume-herb mixtures for dryland pastures are discussed. Cocksfoot was a productive grass in Lees Valley because of its aggressive growth habit and resilience in dryland conditions. Caucasian clover was a productive when grown as a monoculture
The value of recreational physical activity in Aotearoa New Zealand: A scoping review of evidence and implications for social value measurement
No full textInternationally, there is rising interest in measuring the value of sport and physical activity to society. A critical step in valuing the sector is first establishing the relationship between engagement in sport and physical activity and the societal outcomes that ensue. This paper summarises the findings of a literature review carried out as part of a larger study on the Social Return on Investment (SROI) of recreational physical activity in Aotearoa New Zealand. The review aimed to synthesise existing evidence on the relationship between recreational physical activity and wellbeing outcomes for all New Zealanders, including tangata whenua (Māori, who are Aotearoa New Zealand’s Indigenous population). The methodology took the format of a scoping review and included a series of searches for academic and grey literature, including literature concerning Māori that might have been overlooked in a traditional academic search. The findings are grouped into five outcome areas: physical health; subjective wellbeing; individual development; personal behaviour; and social and community development. The review found some compelling evidence which shows examples of the links between sport and physical activity and outcomes in each of these areas for specific population sub-groups. In particular, for Māori, the findings demonstrate a strong impact on social and community development through building social capital and enhancing cultural identity. However, in all outcome areas, there is mixed quality evidence, a small amount of evidence on which to base definitive conclusions, and limited evidence relating to the monetary value of outcomes. The review concludes that there is a need for further research to strengthen the evidence base for social impact measurement, particularly around the impact of sport and physical activity for indigenous populations
Conservation agriculture and sustainable intensification of smallholder farming systems in Pacific countries
No full textThis presentation discusses key outcomes of a recent collaboration in the Pacific region. The project partners included the University of Melbourne, the University of the South Pacific, The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), the Samoa Farmers Association, MORDI Tonga Trust, and Lincoln University. The project aimed at exploring the opportunities for using Conservation Agriculture and Sustainable Intensification (CASI) practices in smallholder farming systems as an adaptive and potentially transformational climate change response in Pacific Island Countries (PICs). The project involved the evaluation of research, technological, social, and policy interventions required for future implementation and scaling of these more regenerative agri-food systems. The study was done for four farming systems in Samoa and Tonga and recommended various synergetic CASI interventions for each system, such as testing the best genetic materials (crops and livestock) with nutrient cycling to improve soil health, incorporating legumes as rotational cover crops during the fallow period, and implementing no-till/minimum till practice with the best crop genetic materials. The study concluded that CASI has the potential to provide substantial and multiple benefits to farming systems in PICs, including increases in productivity, financial, environmental, social and gender outcomes, as well as increased resilience to climate change and reductions in greenhouse gas emissiveness. The project also provided several recommendations for future work, such as directing additional resources to the field validation for implementing CASI in PICs, utilizing new partnerships and networks formed in the project, and closely aligning the learnings of this and further projects with agricultural education and with training providers in the Pacific Islands region
Do we need to worry about the nutrition security of indigenous communities?: Empirical evidence from Northeast India
No full textThe Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region is home to many indigenous communities, each with its own distinctive culture and traditions. Many cultures have evolved around agriculture and food and have rich food heritage and agricultural practices. Despite this, more than 30% of the population suffers from food insecurity, and around 50% face some form of malnutrition, with women and children suffering the most. In this study, we investigate the difference in the food consumption pattern and dietary diversity across rural and urban households of the Ao-Naga Community in Nagaland. Analyzing survey data for 404 female household heads in Mokukchong district, we have three preliminary findings. One, rural households have higher Food Diversity Score (FDS) than urban households with much higher consumption of traditional foods like organs and insects, which are good protein and nutrient sources. Two, household income had more impact on FDS among urban households than their rural counterparts, but there is a positive association between income and consumption of fruits, snacks, and food away from home for both communities. Three, although the meat consumption is higher for urban households in general, there is a positive association between female education and meat consumption in the rural areas. Currently, we are analysing the data to provide policy insights on how indigenous women’s agency can influence the preference for traditional food and thereby address the challenges for food and nutrition security among indigenous communities in Northeast India
Rural contractor staffing – Challenges and solutions
No full textContribution to GDP and communities.
There are over 7,000 rural contracting companies in New Zealand providing a range of services, including cultivation, harvesting, forage-making, shearing, fencing, ditch cleaning, hedge trimming, and fertiliser and chemical application, and as such are an important part of the rural economy. Not only do they contribute nearly as much to GDP as the forestry industry, but their contribution is also growing by around 6% per year.
Rural contractors make a significant contribution to the entire agriculture industry, as they are usually more efficient than the farmer at what they do. This greater efficiency varies based on business, service type, region and farm types., Efficiency is driven by specialised equipment and skill sets, economies of scale, highly trained staff, advanced knowledge, use of the latest technology and operational excellence. Of these, operational excellence is the most prominent characteristic of these businesses
Docosahexaenoic acid promotes Cd excretion by restoring the abundance of Parabacteroides in Cd-exposed mice
No full textAs a common harmful pollutant, cadmium (Cd) can easily enter the human body through the food chain, posing a major threat to human health. Gut microbiota play a key role in Cd absorption. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is thought to have a potential role in the treatment of Cd poisoning. This study investigated the therapeutic effect and mechanism of DHA in Cd-exposed mice from the perspective of the gut microbiota. The results showed that DHA significantly increased the Cd content in feces and decreased the Cd accumulation in the organs of mice. The gut microbiota results showed that DHA significantly restored the abundance of Parabacteroides in the gut microbiota of Cd-exposed mice. Parabacteroides distasonis (P. distasonis), a representative strain of the Parabacteroides, also showed Cd- and toxicity-reduction capabilities. P. distasonis significantly restored the gut damage caused by Cd exposure. At the same time, P. distasonis reduced the Cd content in the liver, spleen, lung, kidneys, gut, and blood to varying degrees and significantly increased the Cd content in feces. The succinic acid produced by P. distasonis plays an important role in promoting Cd excretion in Cd-exposed mice. Therefore, these results suggest that P. distasonis may have a potential role in DHA-mediated Cd excretion in Cd-exposed mice
Effect of altering milking interval when milking 3 times in 2 days on milk and component yields in pasture-based dairy systems
No full textDairy farmers face challenges attracting and retaining staff, partly due to the difficulty meeting the desires of the modern workforce. These include flexible work hours and regular time off. The task of milking fundamentally affects the ability of dairy farmers to meet these desires. Milking contributes to a large proportion of the hours spent working on dairy farms. The number of milkings (milking frequency) and their timing (milking interval) within a day influence the number of hours spent milking and what time in the day they occur. Milking 3 times in 2 d (3-in-2) reduces the amount of time spent milking compared with milking twice a day (TAD), without reducing milk yield as much as milking once a day (OAD). However, long intervals between 3-in-2 milkings can still lead to a long workday if farmers are expected to work between milkings. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of milking interval within a 3-in-2 milking frequency on milk yield and composition at 2 stages of lactation and compare these with OAD and TAD milking. Cows (n = 200) were milked in 5 groups of 40 at 3 intervals of 3-in-2: 8–20–20 h, 10–19–19 h, and 12–18–18 h, along with 24 h (OAD), and 10 and 14 h (TAD), for 6 wk at early lactation (mean 24 d in milk ± 7 d, SD) and again at mid lactation (mean 136 d in milk ± 18 d). Milk yields were recorded at each milking and milk samples collected weekly to determine composition. At both early and mid lactation there were no significant differences in milk, fat, protein, or lactose yields between the three 3-in-2 intervals. Cows milked 3-in-2 produced 8% less milk than cows milked TAD and 14% more than cows milked OAD, with smaller differences observed at mid lactation between TAD and 3-in-2. For a 3-in-2 milking frequency, a shorter milking interval can be implemented on the days when cows are milked twice. This may allow farmers to shorten the working day when using 3-in-2, without compromising milk or component yields