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.     

发现式学习与新课程改革

布鲁纳在20世纪60年代以结构主义理论为基础领导了美国的课程改革运动.虽然此次课程改革以失败而告终,但是发现式学习方法及其教学方法的提出却受到了广泛的关注.布鲁纳也曾就发现式学习进行了专门的论述.本文从发现式学习法的特点、作用出发来探求我国目前正在进行的第八轮新课程改革,试图为我国新课程改革中学习、教学方法的改革提供一个新的视角.     

COMPARISON OF STOCHASTIC AND DETERMINISTIC DYNAMIC PROGRAMMING FOR RESERVOIR OPERATING RULE GENERATION1

ABSTRACT: Two dynamic programming models — one deterministic and one stochastic — that may be used to generate reservoir operating rules are compared. The deterministic model (DPR) consists of an algorithm that cycles through three components: a dynamic program, a regression analysis, and a simulation. In this model, the correlation between the general operating rules, defined by the regression analysis and evaluated in the simulation, and the optimal deterministic operation defined by the dynamic program is increased through an iterative process. The stochastic dynamic program (SDP) describes streamflows with a discrete lag-one Markov process. To test the usefulness of both models in generating reservoir operating rules, real-time reservoir operation simulation models are constructed for three hydrologically different sites. The rules generated by DPR and SDP are then applied in the operation simulation model and their performance is evaluated. For the test cases, the DPR generated rules are more effective in the operation of medium to very large reservoirs and the SDP generated rules are more effective for the operation of small reservoirs.     

北方湖库沉积物重金属区域特征及生态风险评价

以白洋淀、衡水湖、于桥水库、松花湖、大伙房水库和小兴凯湖沉积作为研究对象,通过对北方六湖库沉积物中Cu、Zn、Pb、Cr、Ni等重金属元素进行分析,并与国内外其他水域重金属污染情况进行多因素比较,探讨了六湖库主要重金属污染源的差异性,区域分布特征以及与国内外其他水域污染的相似性和区别.结果表明,六湖库沉积物重金属污染处于中等偏下水平.六湖库之间主要重金属污染源存在差别.沉积物重金属含量未出现明显上升的趋势.其中Zn、Pb存在富集现象,但Pb含量与历史数据相比出现下降,Zn的含量与其他地区相比整体偏高.大伙房水库沉积物重金属污染较重,Cu、Zn、Pb、Cr、Ni含量平均值分别为56.28,142.3,17.44,97.9,44.44mg/kg.小兴凯湖沉积物重金属含量最低,Cu、Zn、Pb、Cr、Ni含量平均值分别为2.41,63.90,13.37,56.36,26.09mg/kg.六湖库综合风险评价结果为大伙房水库>于桥水库>白洋淀>衡水湖>松花湖>小兴凯湖,重金属整体潜在生态风险指数为低.     

水源水库贫营养好氧反硝化菌群脱氮特性研究

为削减微污染水库中氮素的浓度,通过对西安市李家河水库沉积物进行定向富集驯化,筛选出以Pseudomonas菌为主、具有高效好氧反硝化特性的混合菌群-A1.摇床实验表明,贫营养好氧反硝化菌群A1在15h时硝酸盐氮去除率可达93.39%,硝酸盐氮平均去除速率为0.2073mg/（L·h）;总氮去除率为52.11%,总氮平均去除速率为0.1153mg/（L·h）,无亚硝酸盐积累.氮平衡分析表明,约45%的初始氮被去除转化为气体产物.响应面法（RSM）结果表明,C/N比9.96,温度22.67℃,pH8.01,转速91r/min,溶解氧8.55mg/L是去除总氮（TN）的最优条件.     

离子色谱分析中的几个问题探讨

在掌握离子色谱技术最新发展动态的基础上,对离子色谱的新进展、前处理新技术、常用的改善分离度方法、若干注意事项、常遇到的问题等进行了分析探讨,以期用离子色谱技术更多更好地解决实际问题.     

大顶子山航电枢纽工程建库后上游水质总量控制研究

松花江大顶子山枢纽工程建设后,库区内水体流线及扩散规律的变化将影响库区内水质,受沿江排污影响,其规划目标的水环境容量将发生改变,因此对建库后上游水质总量控制进行研究很有意义.     

辽宁省白石水库环境工程地质问题综述

白石水库位于辽宁省北票市上园乡附近的大凌河干流上,是大凌河流域第一期开发的控制性骨干工程，水库建成后，将产生许多环境工程地质问题。从库坝区的地质背景出发，对水库渗漏、库岸再造与泥沙淤积、淹没与浸没、水库诱发地震、坝下冲刷坑稳定性等主要环境工程地质问题进行了综合评述。     

浅析新农村建设中主要环境问题及对策措施

对新农村建设中主要存在的生活污染、农业生产活动污染和农村第三产业带来的污染等一系列环境问题进行了分析。要实现新农村建设和环境保护的“共赢”,新农村建设和农村环境保护建设就要同步规划、同步实施、同步发展,推进新农村走上生产发展、生活富裕、生态良好的文明发展道路。     

贵州赤水宝元-元厚地区油气遥感信息分析

本文通过对赤水宝元－元厚地区地质背景的分析，研究影响油气遥感无价值信息的主要因素，确定排除油气遥感无价值信息的基本原则，从而决定油气遥感有用信息，并作出地质解释，说明油气遥感直接勘探是一种快速、经济、有效的方法。