Traditional agriculture in transition: examining the impacts of agricultural modernization on smallholder farming in Ghana under the new Green Revolution

Following the renewed effort at achieving a new green revolution for Africa, emphasis has been placed on modernizing smallholder agriculture through the deployment of improved inputs especially mechanized technologies. In Ghana, the government has in the last decade emphasized the provision of subsidized mechanized ploughing services to farmers alongside a rapidly growing private sector tractor service market. While mechanized technology adoption rates have increased rapidly, the deployment of these technologies has been without critical analysis of the impacts on production patterns and local agrarian systems. This paper examines the distributional impacts of agriculture mechanization on cropping patterns and farm sizes of smallholder farmers in northern Ghana using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques, and semi-structured interviews with smallholder farmers (n=60). Specifically, comparative analysis of the field sizes and cropping patterns of participant farmers prior to and after the adoption of mechanized technologies was conducted. In-depth interviews were used to contextualize the experiences of smallholder farmers toward understanding how mechanization may be impacting traditional agriculture. Our findings reveal a mechanization paradox in which farm sizes are expanding, while cropping patterns are shifting away from traditional staple crops (pearl millet and sorghum bicolor) to market-oriented crops (maize, rice and groundnuts). This transition we argue, has adverse implications on the cultural dimension of food security, the organization of social life, and climate change adaptation. We recommend a retooling of the current agricultural policy focus to ensure context sensitivity for a more robust battle against food insecurity.     

论生态园林及其建设的基本原则

生态园林是城市绿地建设的新思维,也是生态学具体应用的实践.生态园林建设应遵循生态优先、物种多样性保护和重建、因地制宜、处理好种间关系、建立群落自维持机制、重视生态文化内涵等六要素.     

中国工业园区绿色发展政策对比分析及对策研究

为了提升我国工业园区绿色发展水平,对目前我国工业园区发展历程、现状特征进行了分析,对工业园区绿色发展政策进行了梳理和对比,并结合工业园区绿色发展中存在的问题提出了对策建议.研究表明:①我国工业园区经历了快速发展、调整发展和科学发展等阶段,在经济发展、资源与能源优化利用、污染减排等方面成效显著.②我国工业园区绿色发展的相关政策主要体现在国家生态工业示范园区创建、园区循环化改造、国家低碳工业园区试点、绿色园区建设和UNIDO绿色工业园区创建等工作中,这些政策在推动主体、实施路径、侧重方向上各不相同又各有特色,对推动工业园区节能减排绩效明显.③目前,我国工业园区绿色发展存在的问题主要表现在重视程度有待提升、风险防范意识有待加强、创新能力有待提高等方面.为此,提出了我国工业园区绿色发展对策建议:积极践行绿色发展理念,推进园区绿色化、生态化、低碳化建设,实现经济环境双赢;注意环境风险防控,确保环境安全;创新管理机制,强化监督管理.      

基于土壤重金属特征的绿色食品产地环境评价——以重庆(江津)现代农业园区为例

以重庆市江津区现代农业园区内4种农用地类型的653个表层土样为研究对象,测定土壤重金属元素含量.依据绿色食品产地环境相关标准,采用重金属污染指数法对标准中所涉及的Cu、Cr、Cd、Hg、As和Pb共6种重金属元素开展土壤环境质量评价和潜在生态风险评价,并结合用地类型确定绿色农产品生产的适宜性土壤分区.结果表明：除元素Cu、Cr和As外,其他元素的平均含量均高于重庆市土壤背景值;除元素As和Hg外,其他元素的平均含量均高于我国土壤背景值.土壤重金属元素Cu、Cr、Cd、Hg、As和Pb的平均浓度均达到《绿色食品产地环境质量》标准要求,但Cd污染已处于安全警戒线内,应高度警惕和严格监管园区内该元素的污染.水田、旱地和果园的土壤环境均以尚清洁为主,其他园地的土壤环境以轻度污染水平为主.部分水田存在一定程度的Pb污染（轻度）、Hg污染（中度）和Cd污染（中度）,旱地存在一定程度的Hg污染（中度）和Cd污染（中度）,果园和其他园地的土壤存在一定程度的Cd的轻、中度污染.全区符合《绿色食品产地环境质量》标准要求的土壤面积为12.47km²,占农用地总面积的63.64%,旱地、果园、水田和其他园地中符合该标准的面积分别占各自总面积的84.83%、68.07%、56.51%和42.09%.4种用地类型的土壤环境生态风险水平均以低等为主,共占研究区总面积的74.70%.Cd和Hg在园区表层土壤重金属生态风险评估中占有较大的贡献率,应列为优先控制污染元素并对其生态效应开展进一步研究.     

Formulation and Validation of an Empirical Moisture Damage Index

An empirical moisture damage index was developed in order to reduce the subjectivity of the estimation of moisture damage in domestic residences, in relation to occupant health. The database was generated using information gathered from a sample of 164 houses that were examined by civil engineers, and questionnaire data collected from the occupants. The index was formulated to associate with the occupant reported respiratory symptoms by calculating weighted estimates of selected moisture damage attributes using 80% of the sample. The remaining 20% of the sample was used to verify the final index. The index associated strongly with the health symptoms of interest. This index is a tool that may be used as an indicator of moisture damage induced exposure in domestic residences.     

The interaction between physical and social-psychological factors in indoor environmental health

Indoor environmental health is now recognized as an important factor in preventing respiratory health problems in the United States. It is also a concern in Canada due to the amount of time that Canadians spend indoors because of cold weather and the potential for increased time indoors during the summer if theclimate warms. The negative health effects are often labeled assick building syndrome, but diagnosing a building or itsoccupants as sick is complicated by the variety of symptoms, thepresence of chronic versus acute symptoms and social andpsychological (socio-psychological) factors that may reduce theeffectiveness of an engineering solution. As a case study, thecontribution of various factors to indoor environmental health,in three buildings at the University of Toronto, was examinedusing five different methods. The results indicate that theinhabitants of the buildings consider features other than airquality in considering building health such as design,maintenance, funding cuts and socio-psychological factors.     

建立商品房抗震安全监管体系的思考

在城市建设高速发展的今天,商品房日益增多。然而,商品房的抗震设防现状却令人不容乐观。本文通过认真分析商品房抗震安全监管存在的种种问题,提出了相关对策措施,旨在引起人们的重视并加以解决。     

可持续发展概念指导下的化学--绿色化学

阐述了人类文明发展到绿色文明阶段时所产生的化学思想方法与传统化学思想方法的差别,分析了作为绿色文明积极实践者的绿色化学的产生背景以及从原材料、反应历程、分离技术、产品和包装方面与传统方法的差别,指山了今后绿色化学的发展趋势。     

建筑物地基安全性监测

建筑物地基安全性监测是及时掌握建筑在施工和最初使用阶段地基是否出现异常变形的重要方法。本文根据大量工程监测实践，分析了建筑物地基安全性异常的表现形式及产生原因，总结了建筑物安全性监测应注意的几个问题。     

绿色饲料的地位及其生产与研究进展

分析了绿色饲料生产发展趋势及绿色饲料生产已经探索形成的若干有效模式 ,以黄淮海平原青刈黑麦研究为例 ,从青刈黑麦高产栽培技术体系研究、加工技术研究、生产系统评价等方面阐述了青刈黑麦的生产与研究进展 ,为我国绿色饲料产业化建设提供了思路。