Joint protected area management: a proposal for the management of Sanctuaries and National Parks in India

SUMMARY

With the aim of evaluating the biotic pressure on a protected area, Kuldiha Sanctuary in Orissa, India was taken as a case study. In the 19 villages lying within a 1 km radius of the Sanctuary, there are 9814 people with 19% literacy. Tribals constitute 73.3% of the population. Some 7507 head loaders collect firewood from the Sanctuary every day. In addition, 37 297 cattle enter the forest for grazing. Consequently alienating the people depending on the Sanctuary in the management and conservation of wild flora and fauna is not only futile but also detrimental to the socio-cultural-economic fabric of the ecosystem of the people. In this study, involvement of the local community in the protection and management of the Sanctuary and National Park is proposed and methods of implementation, funding and a legal framework are discussed.     

草原生态补奖政策对农牧民牲畜养殖规模的影响——基于生计分化的调节效应分析

实现对牲畜养殖规模的有效管控是草原生态补奖政策成败的关键。在农牧民生计分化日益加深的背景下,探讨草原生态补奖政策与生计分化对农牧民牲畜养殖规模的影响,对于完善草原生态补奖政策,实现草原生态保护与农牧民生计转换的有机结合具有重要的现实意义。本文阐释了草原生态补奖政策影响农牧民牲畜养殖规模的机理,并引入生计分化变量,基于实地调研获取的317份农牧交错区农牧民微观数据,运用最小二乘回归和分位数回归实证分析了草原生态补奖政策对农牧民牲畜养殖规模的影响以及生计分化在草原生态补奖政策影响农牧民牲畜养殖规模中的调节效应。研究结果表明:①补奖金额与牲畜养殖规模之间存在稳健的“倒U型”关系,表明补奖政策在短期内对牲畜数量的增加具有积极的促进作用,但随着补奖金额的增加,促进作用将逐渐减弱,最终趋于抑制。②根据非农牧收入占比和生计对牧业生产依赖程度的差异可将农牧民分为牧业为主型、农业为主型、均衡型、高兼型和深兼型五种类型农牧民。③农牧民生计分化对牲畜养殖规模的扩大具有抑制作用,且在草原生态补奖政策与牲畜养殖规模二者关系中具有调节作用。即在“倒U型”曲线的左侧,生计分化能够弱化草原生态补奖政策对牲畜养殖规模扩大的促进作用;在“倒U型”曲线的右侧,生计分化能够促使补奖金额对牲畜养殖规模的负向影响趋于放缓,有助于避免因补奖金额的增加引致牲畜养殖数量的锐减。根据以上结论,建议政府应进一步提高补奖标准以增强补奖弥补损失的有效性,重视发挥农牧民生计分化在牲畜养殖规模调控中的作用。     

Human serum paraoxonase gene polymorphisms and association with chronic symptoms of pesticide toxicity in Indian farmers

The association between PON1 (serum paraoxonase) genotype and symptoms of pesticide toxicity was examined in a total of 268 farm workers in Andhra Pradesh, India. Approximately 140 of the farm workers who did not report at least two of the symptoms of chronic toxicity, such as abdominal pain, nausea, dizziness, headache, drowsiness, fatigue, tremors of fingers, numbness, or limb weakness were categorized as controls. The remaining 128 farmers showed 2 or more of the above symptoms. All the farm workers were genotyped for polymorphisms of PON1 gene at amino acid positions 55 (exon 3) and 192 (exon 6). A decrease in the percentage of high-activity genotypes at both L55M and Q192R was observed in the farm workers reporting symptoms of pesticide toxicity. When combined genotype distribution at both exons was analyzed, a marked increase in the percentage of low-activity genotypes LLQQ, LMQQ, MMQQ, and MMQR was also observed in symptomatic farmers compared to controls. Age, working years, smoking, duration of exposure, and alcoholism were not statistically significant when compared to symptoms of chronic toxicity. Our findings suggest that L55M and Q192R gene polymorphisms influence the variable susceptibility of farmers to pesticide; and thus may be considered a useful biomarker of genetic susceptibility in assessing an individual's risk of pesticide exposures.     

现代农业快速发展背景下的农业生产废弃物管理对策探析——政府与农户的动态博弈

随着农业集约化、规模化发展,农业生产废弃物的管理问题凸显。循环农业、低碳农业的发展,在一定程度上激励了农户对农业生产废弃物资源化管理,取得了一定的成绩,但是也存在一定的问题,严重制约了农业生产废弃物资源化管理。文章通过构建政府与农户的动态博弈模型,分析补贴政策对农户提高农业生产废弃物资源化管理效率的作用,并基于政府与农户的动态博弈分析提出了促进农业生产废弃物管理效率提升及其可持续发展的建议,即：（1）根据不同的资源化管理方式的差异制定并实施差别补贴政策;（2）实行区域差别补贴标准;（3）延长补贴期限,实行分年度对农户进行不同数量的补贴;（4）培养农户管理意识,加强农户技能培训。     

不同生计方式农户的碳足迹研究——以黑河流域中游张掖市为例

大气中二氧化碳浓度的增加导致全球变暖,已经是不争的事实。虽然碳排放量大部分来自发达城市,但是由于中国农村人口占全国的一半以上,因此农户的碳排放对全球气候变化的影响也不容忽视。论文将二氧化碳的质量作为碳足迹的单位,以黑河流域中游张掖市为例,基于入户调查资料,测算了当地农户碳足迹,运用单因素分析法和Gini 系数分析了不同生计方式农户碳足迹的结构特点,并且运用最小二乘法分析了影响农户碳足迹的因素。得出以下结论：①张掖市农户碳足迹总量为1.63×10⁹ kgCO₂,人均碳足迹为2.14×10³ kgCO₂;②从碳足迹类型来看,农户的碳足迹主要来自于能源消费,其次是房屋建设,食物生产加工和交通运输所占比例最小;③从碳足迹内部结构来看,张掖市不同生计方式农户的碳足迹有较大差异,非农户的碳足迹最大,其次是兼业户,纯农户的最小;④从碳足迹占有量的公平性看,碳足迹占有量偏差最大的为交通运输,Gini系数为0.51,其次是能源利用,Gini系数为0.41,食物生产加工碳足迹占有量比较合理,Gini系数为0.35,房屋建设的碳足迹占有量高度平均,Gini系数仅为0.12;⑤人口数量、收入水平和非农化是影响碳足迹的主要因素,随着人口数量增大、收入水平的提高和非农化程度的加深,农户碳足迹在不断增加。     

Technology,managerial, and policy initiatives for improving environmental performance in small-scale gold mining industry

This paper reviews a series of strategies for improving environmental performance in the small-scale gold mining industry. Although conditions vary regionally, few regulations and policies exist specifically for small-scale gold mining activity. Furthermore, because environmental awareness is low in most developing countries, sites typically feature rudimentary technologies and poor management practices. A combination of policy-, managerial- and technology-related initiatives is needed to facilitate environmental improvement in the industry. Following a broad overview of these initiatives, a recommended strategy is put forth for governments keen on improving the environmental conditions of resident small-scale gold mines.     

Private micro-hydro power and associated investments in Nepal: the Barpak village case and broader issues

This article examines a number of issues connected with the development of small-scale hydroelectric power and related investments in Nepal. The micro-hydro investment scheme in Barpak village serves as a case study, and the article also presents a number of related issues discussed against the background of the evolution of micro-hydro power in Nepal. The article outlines the success of micro-hydro development, modest in relation to its enormous potential, the realization of which depends on whether a number of challenges and constraints can be overcome. The article closes with suggestions on implementing sustainable micro-hydro development in rural areas, based on the Barpak experience and the authors' other recent studies of rural energy issues in Nepal.     

The common property resource problem and the fisheries of Barbados and Jamaica

Common property resources (CPR) tend to be particularly susceptible to depletion and degredation. This creates problems for sustainable development and for resource stewardship in general since many of the key global resources are common property. The article explores the different definitions of CPR and the traps associated with the harvesting of CPR without understanding the social, economic, and environmental costs related to their exploitation. The commons problem may be approached in terms of a private property solution, the allocation of individual quotas to fishermen, or a communal property solution in which communities of fishermen basically manage their own fisheries. The offshore fishery of Barbados lends itself to the private property solution, and the inshore fishery of Jamaica, to the communal property solution.Drawing from case studies of Jamaica and Barbados fisheries, four principles of CPR use are proposed: (a) the solution of the CPR problem starts with the control of access to the resource, (b) increasing production from a CPR depends on the conservation of the resource base, (c) the sustainable utilization of a CPR is closely connected to the use of technology appropriate for the harvest, and (d) local-level management improves prospects for the sustainable use of a CPR. The case studies illustrate that there may be local, national, and international levels of interest over the resource. Hence, the successful management of such resources as Barbados and Jamaica fisheries requires that conflicting demands for the resources be taken into account, perhaps using a cooperative management approach.     

A study of farmers' flood perceptions based on the entropy method: an application from Jianghan Plain,China

Using survey data from 280 farmers in Jianghan Plain, China, this paper establishes an evaluation index system for three dimensions of farmers' flood perceptions and then uses the entropy method to estimate their overall flood perception. Farmers' flood perceptions exhibit the following characteristics: (i) their flood‐occurrence, flood‐prevention, and overall flood perceptions gradually increase with age, whereas their flood‐effects perception gradually decreases; (ii) their flood‐occurrence and flood‐effects perceptions gradually increase with a higher level of education, whereas their flood‐prevention perception gradually decreases and their overall flood perception shows nonlinear change; (iii) flood‐occurrence, flood‐effects, and overall flood perceptions are higher among farmers who serve in public offices than among those who do not do so; (iv) the flood‐occurrence, flood‐effects, and overall flood perceptions of farmers who work off‐farm are higher than those of farmers who work solely on‐farm, contrary to the flood‐prevention perception; and (v) the flood‐effects and flood‐prevention perceptions of male farmers are lower than those of female farmers, but the flood‐occurrence and overall flood perceptions of male farmers are higher than those of female farmers.     

Water scarcity and rioting: Disaggregated evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa

It is often purported that unusually dry weather conditions provoke small-scale social conflict—riots—by intensifying the competition for water. The present paper explores this hypothesis, using data from Sub-Saharan Africa. We rely on monthly data at the cell level (0.5×0.5 degrees), an approach that is tailored to the short-lived and local nature of the phenomenon. Using a drought index to proxy for weather shocks, we find that a one-standard-deviation fall in the index (signaling drier conditions) raises the likelihood of riots in a given cell and month by 8.3%. We further observe that the effect of unusually dry weather conditions is substantially larger in cells with a lower availability of water resources (such as rivers and lakes), a finding that supports the significance of the competition-for-water mechanism.