Impacts of farmer field schools on productivity of vegetable farming in Indonesia

This study assesses the impact of farmer field schools (FFS) on the productivity of vegetable farming in vegetable‐producing areas of East Java and Bali, Indonesia. The FFS have equipped over 3,000 vegetable farmers with integrated crop management knowledge applicable to chilies and tomatoes. The FFS are expected to enhance farmers’ capacity such that they can increase production. This study employs a difference‐in‐differences (DiD) method to overcome selection bias. A survey of 250 FFS‐graduated farmers and 250 non‐FFS farmers were purposively randomly selected from the overall community of farmers. Focus group discussion was used to support the survey. The results indicate that FFS were successful for enhancing farmers’ capability in vegetable farming. Farmers who participated in FFS have higher productivity than those who did not. Farmers also could adapt and adopt the knowledge gained from FFS as they underwent a process of learning by doing. The impacts of the increase in farmers’ capacity can be more evident if weaknesses during the FFS preparation and implementation can be overcome, to ensure more participation, flexibility to fit different conditions/needs and continuous learning.     

A double‐edged sword: Realities of artisanal and small‐scale mining for rural people in the Alaotra region of Madagascar

A growing number of people are entering the artisanal and small‐scale mining (ASM) sector worldwide. In Madagascar, millions of individuals depend on this informal activity. Through a case study in the Alaotra‐Mangoro region of Madagascar, our research aimed to understand the “bottom‐up” dynamics and ripple effects of the sector, by looking at the realities for rural communities where inhabitants are both directly and indirectly affected by ASM. We were interested in community members' and miners' perceptions of the socio‐economic and environmental impacts of ASM, and in identifying the factors attracting people living in one of the country's agricultural hubs to this activity. Our results show a wide diversity of push and pull factors leading people to enter the sector. Although many positive impacts of ASM exist for miners and communities within the vicinity of mines, most miner participants considered themselves worse off since starting to mine, highlighting the high risk and low probability of return of ASM. ASM's potential for local and national development will remain squandered if its negative impacts continue to go unmanaged. Accounting for local contexts and the ripple effects of ASM will be crucial in achieving safety and security for miners, and to tap into the benefits it may offer communities while minimising environmental damage.     

Effects of repeated pesticide exposure on the peripheral and central nervous systems

This study was designed to compare organic farmers (comparison group) and pesticide-using farmers (pesticide group) in terms of neurobehavioral performance and sensorimotor function. The subjects were recruited in October 2004 from Chungnam Province and the neighboring Jeolla Province in western South Korea. Psychological assessment was carried out using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, the Mini-Mental State Examination, and the Bender Gestalt test. Neuroselective sensory nerve conduction threshold was measured at both left and right middle fingers by using an electrodiagnostic device to determine current perception thresholds (CPTs). Three independent CPT measurements were obtained from each test site by using sinusoidal stimuli at three frequencies. CPT testing showed no difference between the two groups. No significant differences were found in the large myelinated (2000?Hz stimulation; cutaneous touch, pressure), small myelinated (250?Hz stimulation; mechanoreceptive, pressure, temperature, fast pain) and small unmyelinated (5?Hz stimulation; polymodal nociceptive, temperature, slow pain, postganglionic sympathetic) C-fibers. Furthermore, there was no difference found between the pesticide and comparison groups in psychological variables, including intelligence quotient, orientation, memory, calculation, similarities, visual sensitivity, and psychomotor speed. In conclusion, chronic pesticide exposure has no apparent effect on either the peripheral or central nervous system in Korean farmers.     

洱海北部2种典型种植制度下农田氮污染负荷研究

洱海北部区域农村面源污染是富营养化初期湖泊——洱海氮磷负荷的主要来源.以洱海北部2种典型种植制度下的农田为研究对象,采用现场调查与采样分析相结合的方法,定量分析氮的输入通量(农作物施肥、大气降水降尘、灌水和生物固氮)及输出通量(农田收获物和生物脱氮),并计算其对水环境产生的氮污染负荷净排放量(包括农田地表径流和地下渗透流).结果表明,在水稻-蚕豆种植制度下,农田为环境友好型,基本不向水环境排放氮负荷,净排放量为-30.73 kg·hm-2·a-1,主要氮输入通量为生物固氮(占43.3％),其次为有机肥(占35.O％),且输出通量主要为农作物吸收(占98.5％).在水稻-大蒜种植制度下,农田为环境污染型,净排放量为306.75 kg·hm-2·a-1,主要氮输入通量为肥料(占84.7％),其中化肥占62.1％,而输出通量中水环境排放占45.4％.水稻-大蒜种植制度亟需采取合理施肥和提高肥料利用率等农田污染防治对策.     

Facilitating resilient rural-to-urban sustainable agriculture and rural communities

ABSTRACT

This article contributes to efforts to validate a common set of parameters and principles of sustainable agriculture. Comparisons between alternative forms of sustainable agriculture and rural-to-urban community resilience are investigated. Conclusions are drawn between multiple sustainable/alternative agriculture systems and evaluated. A set of common baseline parameters and principles is proposed as a method of evolving a common structural framework for strengthening sustainability of agriculture and rural contexts. Concepts of rural-to-urban community sustainability are proposed, supporting sustainable agriculture contexts as rural and urban. In the twenty-first century, agriculture is becoming more diversified and less typified as a rural occupation. Urban agriculture is expanding as the need for fresh, affordable, accessible agriculture produce increases in urban areas. Evidence supports symbiotic relationships between sustainable agriculture and rural/urban communities, although some claim this relationship has not been clearly defined.

This article investigates sustainable agriculture from two perspectives. We ask ‘what are common parameters and principles of the various forms of sustainable agriculture,’ and ‘why urban-to-rural context.’ Organic agriculture parameters and principles are proposed as a conceptual framework toward establishing baseline parameters and principles for sustainable agriculture. Best management parameters of urban and rural sustainable agriculture in the United States and the United Kingdom are examined for their potential to develop a strengthening framework of parameters and principles of agriculture and rural-to-urban sustainability. These results are compared and evaluated for their effectiveness in redefining current sustainable agriculture practices, and their value in strengthening sustainable agriculture symbiosis with rural-to-urban community systems.     

水作和旱作对叶菜吸收镉的影响差异研究

采用盆栽试验,以适宜水旱2种模式栽培的空心菜（Ipomoea aquatica）为对象,研究了水作和旱作两种栽培模式对Cd污染土壤上空心菜吸收积累Cd的差异及其影响因素。结果表明,水作和旱作对空心菜生物量和Cd质量分数影响显著。水作条件下,空心菜地上部和根系生物量分别比旱作处理增加了16.3%和190.6%,而地上部和根系Cd质量分数则较旱作处理降低了52.2%和49.3%。水作和旱作对土壤pH和DTPA-Cd质量分数也有不同影响,其中种植空心菜的处理土壤pH较旱作处理增加了0.99个单位,土壤DTPA-Cd质量分数降低了40.0%,不种空心菜的处理土壤pH较旱作处理增加了1.48个单位,土壤DTPA-Cd质量分数降低了30.4%。逐步回归分析发现,空心菜地上部Cd质量分数受土壤DTPA-Cd质量分数和土壤pH影响最大。因此,在Cd污染土壤上,通过旱作改水作可降低空心菜可食部分Cd质量分数,是一种环境友好、价格低廉的土壤重金属污染的调控措施。     

Field-breeding birds on organic and conventional arable farms in the Netherlands

In this study territory densities of field-breeding farmland birds were compared on pairwise-selected organic and conventional arable farms for two years. Differences in territory densities between the two farm types were explained examining the effects of three factors on territory densities: (1) non-crop habitats, (2) crop types and (3) within-crop factors. In both years, densities of most species did not differ between organic and conventional farms. Only skylark and lapwing were more abundant on organic farms, but only skylarks showed a consistent pattern over both years. Differences in crop types grown between the two systems were the only explaining factor for differences in densities of skylark. For lapwing, the difference was only partly due to differences in crop type, but differences in within-crop factors (probably as a result of crop management) were likely to have had an effect as well. There were no significant differences in abundance of non-crop habitats between the two farming systems, so this could not explain differences in territory densities.     

中国生猪耗粮系数时空演变特征

当代中国,生猪饲料粮的生产与消费已经逐渐成为影响我国粮食安全保障的重要问题。耗粮系数是合理测算饲料粮需求量的核心,厘清其时空演变特征对准确测算饲料粮数量具有重要意义。通过着重测算2000—2018年中国不同规模饲养生猪耗粮系数,探讨其时空演变特征及可能原因,得到以下主要结论：（1）近年来我国生猪耗粮系数呈现出明显的上升趋势,由2000年的2.39上升至2018年的2.76,年均增长0.023。（2）不同规模饲养生猪耗粮系数的差距逐渐缩小,主要受到饲养过程中使用的精饲料占比变化趋同的影响。（3）大规模饲养生猪的粮食转化效率和时间效率均高于其他规模。（4）散养生猪的耗粮系数在空间上呈现“南北高,中部低”,其他规模则呈现“北高南低,中部高东西低”的格局。从提高粮食利用效率的角度,我国生猪养殖宜继续推动大规模饲养。     

退耕还林还草对土地利用变化影响程度研究——以延安生态建设示范区为例

文章在分析延安生态建设示范区2000-2003年间各土地利用类型的数量变化和空间特征的基础上,引入退耕指数、退耕影响系数等指标研究退耕还林草对示范区土地利用结构变化的影响。结果显示,示范区已退耕坡耕地36.07%,平均每年退耕12.02%,全区的退耕影响系数高达4.76,该结果表明大规模的退耕还林草活动对区域土地利用变化的影响很大,它推动了土地利用结构的优化。分乡镇的研究显示,退耕对示范区各乡镇土地利用变化的影响存在一定的差异,除2个乡镇的退耕影响系数远远低于全区平均水平外,其他7个乡镇都高于全区平均水平。     

九孔鲍肠道及其养殖水体中异养细菌抗药性研究

为了解鲍鱼养殖环境中异养细菌的抗药性,对自广东汕尾粤顺鲍鱼养殖场九孔鲍养殖环境及其肠道中的异养细菌进行了分离鉴定,并对所分离鉴定的菌株进行了四环素等16种抗生素的抗药性试验、结果表明,鲍鱼养殖水体的异养细菌主要由鞘氨醇单胞Sphingomonas paucimobilis、巴斯德氏菌属Pasteurella sp、莫拉氏菌属Moraxella sp、假单胞菌属Pseudomonas sp、弧菌属Vibrio minicus等9种组成;鲍鱼消化道异养细菌类群菌株则由鞘氨醇单胞菌属Sphingomonas sp、气单胞菌属Aeromonas sp、黄杆菌属Flavobdcterium sp等7种组成。抗药性试验揭示,大多数异养菌菌株对四环素、青霉素G、卡那霉素、丁胺卡那霉素和新生霉素均产生了抗药性,而对氟哌酸、红霉素、氯霉素以及环丙沙星等的抗药性则相对较弱。