A photovoice assessment for illuminating the role of inland fisheries to livelihoods and the local challenges experienced through the lens of fishers in a climate-driven lake of Malawi

Small-scale inland capture fisheries provide an important source of nutritious food, employment and income to millions of people in developing countries, particularly in rural environments where limited alternatives exist. However, the sector is one of most under-valued fisheries sectors and is increasingly experiencing environmental change. This study adopts a Sustainable Livelihoods Approach and investigates how important a fluctuating inland fishery is to livelihoods, and how local perceptions on challenges corresponds to global evidence. Through an innovative participatory method; photovoice, the lived experiences and perceptions of fishers are depicted. The findings illuminate the valuable role of the sector to food and nutrition security and the complex nexus with vulnerability to climate change. The study responds to the call for more local level assessments of the impacts of climate change on inland fisheries in data-limited environments, and the value of the sector in underpinning the Sustainable Development Goals. Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-021-01583-1.     

Collecting data in artisanal and small-scale mining communities: Measuring progress towards more sustainable livelihoods

This short note discusses methodological obstacles to the collection of microeconomic data in artisanal and small-scale mining communities. International donor organizations are supporting policy efforts that enhance the contribution to poverty alleviation of this mining subsector. The design and evaluation of such policy interventions require data on income, expenditure, investment, and savings in mining households and communities. These data are difficult to come by. Incomes are variable; migrants may work far from home; miners often work informally and sometimes illegally; mining populations and communities are heterogeneous and transient; and miners have many reasons to distort information. Legalization and organization of miners in cooperatives would facilitate documentation and research. These processes, however, are beyond the control of the typical policy consultant or donor organization. On their part, these parties can adopt an alternative model of research. This model involves the community in project development, data collection, and monitoring. It emphasizes continuity, cultural diversity, trust building and learning. The data thus collected should provide a firm basis for programmes that promote more sustainable livelihoods in artisanal and small-scale mining communities.     

Small-scale variability of metals in soil and composite sampling

Soil pollution data is also strongly scattering at small scale. Sampling of composite samples, therefore, is recommended for pollution assessment. Different statistical methods are available to provide information about the accuracy of the sampling process. Autocorrelation and variogram analysis can be applied to investigate spatial relationships. Analysis of variance is a useful method for homogeneity testing. The main source of the total measurement uncertainty is the uncertainty arising from sampling. The sample mass required for analysis can also be estimated using an analysis of variance. The number of increments to be taken for a composite sample can be estimated by means of simple statistical formulae. Analytical results of composite samples obtained from different fusion procedures of increments can be compared by means of multiple mean comparison. The applicability of statistical methods and their advantages are demonstrated for a case study investigating metals in soil at a very small spatial scale. The paper describes important statistical tools for the quantitative assessment of the sampling process. Detailed results clearly depend on the purpose of sampling, the spatial scale of the object under investigation and the specific case study, and have to be determined for each particular case.     

Informality in mineral resource management in Asia: Raising questions relating to community economies and sustainable development

Informal mining activities provide livelihoods for millions of poor in mineral‐rich developing countries. Yet, they continue to remain one of the least understood areas in mineral resource management. While its poverty reduction potential is acknowledged, the heterogeneous forms of mining that come under its purview are not well discussed. This article aims to draw attention to the politics of definition by briefly introducing the reader to the nomenclature currently used to describe such mining activities. Then the article examines the nature of informality that justifies the name, and then illustrates the claim by documenting a range of informal mining practices in India with cited examples from other Asian countries. It illustrates the variations in social‐economic, technical and legal characteristics, by putting such mining in a community and participatory framework. Finally, the article discusses ways to move towards sustainable development with community participation in mineral‐rich areas of developing countries.     

社会信任、合作能力与农户参与小农水供给行为——基于黄河灌区五省数据的验证

在政府主管的小农水供给模式无法完全满足农业分户经营的需要的现实背景下,农户参与供给是实现小农水供需平衡的有效方式。本文利用黄河灌区宁夏、内蒙古、陕西、河南和山东五个省份1558户微观农户数据,引入农户社会信任和合作能力因子,考虑农户农业收入水平和所处省份差异,采用多群组结构方程模型,探究农户参与小农水供给的行为。首先,运用信度和效度检验对农户参与小农水供给行为量表进行了分析。在此基础上,运用多群组结构方程模型,以农户农业收入水平和所处省份为调节变量,分析农户社会信任和合作能力对其参与小农水供给行为的影响。研究结果表明:农户的社会信任和合作能力显著正向影响农户参与小农水供给的意愿,其中农户的合作能力影响程度较大,农户的社会信任影响程度次之;农户的社会信任、合作能力和参与供给意愿对其参与小农水供给行为有显著正向影响,且影响程度最大的是农户的参与供给意愿,其次是农户的合作能力,最后为农户的社会信任;农户的社会信任对其合作能力有显著正向影响。多群组分析表明,农户的农业收入水平及其所处省份显著调节农户参与小农水的供给行为。其中,农业收入作为调节变量结果显示,农业收入高的农户参与小农水供给的意愿更强烈,参与供给行为水平更高;产生参与供给意愿后,农业收入中等偏上和中等偏下的农户更容易将意愿转化为行为。省份作为调节变量的结果显示,陕西、河南和山东农户的社会信任和合作能力对其参与小农水供给意愿的影响较大,河南和山东农户更容易将参与供给意愿转化为行为;宁夏和内蒙古农户的合作能力对其参与供给行为影响程度较大。根据以上结果,政府应根据不同地区农户的收入水平、社会信任和合作能力等实际情况,充分调动本地的社会资源,引导农户认识到参与小农水供给的重要性和迫切性,提高农户参与小农水供给的意愿和行为水平,促进小农水供需平衡的实现。     

河北省小矿山发展及有序开发的探讨

＂小矿＂是＂小型矿山＂的简称,因其具有规模小、投资少、见效快等特点在发展中国家普遍存在,是各国矿业和农村经济的重要组成部分。但同时,它又因开采技术落后、浪费资源、破坏环境、安全条件差、事故频发等问题而受到国际社会的高度关注。为了贯彻落实＂安全第一,预防为主,综合治理＂的安全生产方针,针对当前我国小矿山生产安全事故频发的状况,首先明确了小矿山的定义,分析了我国及本省小矿山兴起的原因及其快速发展的过程,在此基础上探讨了小矿山开采的优缺点及与当前经济社会发展的不和谐,并提出了河北省小矿山有序开发的措施和建议,旨在保障小矿山开采安全,满足构建和谐社会的需要。该研究对本省及其它地区小矿山有序安全开采具有重要的指导意义。     

Toxic mercury versus appropriate technology: Artisanal gold miners’ retort aversion

Mercury-usage in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) has accelerated in developing countries during the last thirty years resulting in negative environmental and health impacts. As awareness of mercury contamination from ASGM has grown, a number of strategic initiatives have been introduced to reduce the impact of the toxic substance. The adoption of the retort, a device capable of recycling up to 95 per cent of mercury in gold extraction, constitutes a broadly recognized approach. Based on case-study research in Tanzania, this paper examines an ASGM area, which has been targeted by several mercury-reducing efforts. Based on survey data, key informants interviews, and visitor observations, the paper examines the impact of these efforts on mining techniques and residents’ attitudes towards the use of mercury. Despite the seemingly obvious advantages from adopting retorts or other mercury-reducing techniques – economic, environmental, and health-wise – miners continue to use mercury haphazardly, while demonstrating an only limited awareness of the toxicity of the substance. The paper discusses the possible explanations behind this as well as possible ways forward in facilitating the reduction of mercury in ASGM operations.     

利用瓦斯抽采穿层钻孔预测煤层小断层工程实践

小构造附近是瓦斯灾害容易发生的危险地带,探明煤层小构造对煤矿的安全生产至关重要。基于古汉山矿二1煤层瓦斯抽采工程特点,分析利用瓦斯抽采穿层钻孔进行地质构造探测的可行性,根据试验工作面、底抽巷、瓦斯抽采穿层钻孔空间关系,建立煤层小构造预测数学模型及预测方法。结合试验工作面瓦斯抽采穿层钻孔现场施工数据特点,分析钻孔误差及校正方法,绘制煤层底板三维曲面图、煤层底板等高线图、煤层底板趋势面残差图及煤层厚度等值线图。根据煤层底板预测图件,对小构造分布做出了综合判断:在工作面走向通尺360～390 m、倾向上距离运输巷35 m处,可能存在落差1. 5 m、走向N45°W、延伸长度20 m左右的小断层。现场实际揭露地质情况与理论预测结果基本吻合,工作面推进与小构造距离小于20 m时,瓦斯突出危险程度明显增大。     

Strengthening artisanal mining research and policy through baseline census activities

Over the past 10–15 years, several governments have implemented an array of technology, support‐related, sustainable livelihoods (SL) and poverty‐reduction projects for artisanal and small‐scale mining (ASM). In the majority of cases, however, these interventions have failed to facilitate improvements in the industry's productivity and raise the living standards of the sector's subsistence operators. This article argues that a poor understanding of the demographics of target populations has precipitated these outcomes. In order to strengthen policy and assistance in the sector, governments must determine, with greater precision, the number of people operating in ASM regions, their origins and ethnic backgrounds, ages, and educational levels. This can be achieved by carrying out basic and localized census work before promoting ambitious sector‐specific projects aimed at improving working conditions in the industry.