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With or Without Community Participation: A Lesson from Joint Forest Management in the Eastern Arc Mountains, Tanzania
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 4, August 2017
Pages:
102-110
Received:
6 May 2017
Accepted:
16 May 2017
Published:
5 July 2017
Abstract: Participation is now a dominant conservation narrative in Tanzania as the government is advocating partnership with local communities through Joint Forest Management (JFM). However, conservationists claim that participation does not lead to sustainable conservation and that there is a gap between rhetoric and practice. We assessed stocking and disturbance levels in forests with JFM and compared them with those without. The comparison was done for selected forests within Eastern Arc Mountains in Tanzania with similar ecological characteristics. Systematic forest inventory was employed and 152 circular plots were sampled. Stocking was higher in forests with JFM than forests without for both montane and lowland forests. The difference was statistically significant across all the vegetation types except in woodland (p= 0.9049). However, forest reserves under JFM were more disturbed than those without. Even though, the disturbances were sustainable and ecologically good as they were below the mean annual increment and therefore considered beneficial to the forest in terms of stimulating regeneration of the harvested tree species. The most harvested tree species in montane forest was Ocotea usambarensis while in the lowland forests were Cedrela odorata, Milicia excelsa, Combretum molle and Albizia petersiana. Lack of incentives, benefit sharing mechanisms and market demands led to weak enforcement of set regulations. As a result, JFM have failed to stop illegal harvesting and these forests have become focal points for disturbances. Therefore, there is a need for taking corrective measures before scaling up of JFM in other parts of the country.
Abstract: Participation is now a dominant conservation narrative in Tanzania as the government is advocating partnership with local communities through Joint Forest Management (JFM). However, conservationists claim that participation does not lead to sustainable conservation and that there is a gap between rhetoric and practice. We assessed stocking and dist...
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Effect of Planting Pattern and Weeding Frequency on Weed Infestation, Yield Components and Yield of Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) WALP.] in Wollo, Northern Ethiopia
Getachew Mekonnen,
J. J. Sharma,
Lisanework Negatu,
Tamado Tana
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 4, August 2017
Pages:
111-122
Received:
16 January 2017
Accepted:
13 March 2017
Published:
10 July 2017
Abstract: Weed competition is one of the most important production constraints causing up to 91.6% reduction in potential yield of cowpea. Therefore, an experiment was conducted at Sirinka and at Jari, northern Ethiopia, during the 2014 main cropping season: to evaluate the effect of planting pattern and frequency of weeding on weeds, yield components and yield of cowpea. There were 18 treatments comprising combination of three planting patterns (S1: 60 cm x 10 cm, S2: 45 cm x 15 cm, S3: 45 cm x 10 cm) and six weeding frequencies viz. one hand weeding and hoeing at 2 weeks after crop emergence (WAE), one hand weeding and hoeing at 3 WAE, one hand weeding and hoeing at 4 WAE, two hand weeding and hoeing at 2 and 5 WAE, weed free check, and weedy check. The treatments were arranged in factorial combination in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Results showed significantly lower total weed dry weight at Sirinka than at Jari. The highest weed control efficacy was recorded in two hand weeding and hoeing at 2 and 5 WAE of cowpea at Sirinka. The plants in weedy check plots at Jari attained maximum height which was significantly higher than all the other treatments. Significantly highest number of pods per plant was recorded in weed free check under 60 cm x 10 cm spacing at Jari. Number of seeds per pod was highest in weed free check at 45 cm x 10 cm spacing at Sirinka. The interaction of weeding frequency and location had significant effect on cowpea dry biomass yield. The highest total dry biomass (12413 kg ha-1) was obtained in one hand weeding and hoeing at 4 WAE at Jari while the highest grain yield (4508 kg ha-1) was recorded from complete weed free under 60 cm x 10 cm spacing at Sirinka. The harvest index ranged from 18.2% in weedy check at Jari to 39.1% in weed free check at Sirinka. The results indicated that the use of 60 cm x 10 cm planting pattern in combination with hand weeding and hoeing at 3 WAE at Sirinka and hand weeding and hoeing at 4 WAE at Jari proved to be the most feasible practice.
Abstract: Weed competition is one of the most important production constraints causing up to 91.6% reduction in potential yield of cowpea. Therefore, an experiment was conducted at Sirinka and at Jari, northern Ethiopia, during the 2014 main cropping season: to evaluate the effect of planting pattern and frequency of weeding on weeds, yield components and yi...
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Effects of Urban Forestry on the Local Climate in Cotonou, Benin Republic
Oscar Teka,
Codjo Euloge Togbe,
Rosos Djikpo,
Romeo Chabi,
Bruno Djossa
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 4, August 2017
Pages:
123-129
Received:
12 May 2017
Accepted:
24 May 2017
Published:
10 July 2017
Abstract: The effect of urban green on meteorological parameters such as temperature and relative humidity was assessed on one major city street in Cotonou called “Boulevard de Missèbo-Zongo” (BMZ). Tree inventory and field measurement of meteorological parameters were performed on the roadside and central median of the BMZ. Dendrometric data collected were the number of tree species, the number of tree individuals per species, the diameter of trees at breast height, the tree heights, the tree crown shape, shade form on the ground when the sun is at Zenith; while the meteorological data were the air temperature and the relative humidity inside and outside of urban green at 1.5, 2 and 3 meters height measured from 7am to 6pm at one hour interval. Data were analyzed using Mixed Generalized Linear Model under R 3.3.1 software. Results showed that street alignment trees were poorly diversified and dominated by Khaya senegalensis. This species appeared to be highly pruned and threatened because of its numerous medicinal virtues. Moreover it was found that air temperature and relative humidity were influenced by the time and the place of measurement. The coolness effect of urban green was evidenced by the decrease in temperature under alignment trees compared with that recorded on roadside free of trees. These results suggested that urban green could be adopted as adaptation strategy to address the issue of global warming in the city.
Abstract: The effect of urban green on meteorological parameters such as temperature and relative humidity was assessed on one major city street in Cotonou called “Boulevard de Missèbo-Zongo” (BMZ). Tree inventory and field measurement of meteorological parameters were performed on the roadside and central median of the BMZ. Dendrometric data collected were ...
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Illegal Plant Genetic Resource Trafficking in the Border Villages of Kafta Humera Wereda, Tigray Regional State, Ethiopia
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 4, August 2017
Pages:
130-137
Received:
3 May 2017
Accepted:
24 May 2017
Published:
31 July 2017
Abstract: A survey to identify illegal plant genetic resource trafficking was made from Febrary 2017 to March 2017 in Kafta Humera wereda, Tigray regional state, northern Ethiopia. Semi- structured interviews, structured questionnaires; focus group discussion and document analysis were used for data collection. A total of seventy one informants from local security, local community federal policies and custom and revenue officers were interviewed. Snowball sampling was used to select the local community and local security while the rest informant was purposely selected. Microsoft excel spreadsheet and Spss version 20 was used to analyze data. The Leave of Rhamnus prinoides together with its fruits, and fruits of Adansonia didgitata are the frequently exported plant and plant derivatives through illegal route. These plant biogenetic resources are exported to Sudan and Eritrea both by illegally and legally coverage. The awareness of the informants participated in the interview on illegal biogenetic resource trafficking varies from site to site and from sector to sector. The main illegal route whereby illegal traffickers use to export plant and plant derivative are Maytselot, Menkerker, Awezruf, endaaboy Tewelde garden and Haji Abdugarden. Most of the traffickers are unemployed youth that live in and around the border. The existing gap in community awareness needs awareness raising and alternative job opportunities creations. The link between different stakeholders also needs solidarity to accomplish consistent controlling mechanism.
Abstract: A survey to identify illegal plant genetic resource trafficking was made from Febrary 2017 to March 2017 in Kafta Humera wereda, Tigray regional state, northern Ethiopia. Semi- structured interviews, structured questionnaires; focus group discussion and document analysis were used for data collection. A total of seventy one informants from local se...
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Recognition on the Food Security Strategy in China from the Perspective of Industrial Chain
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 4, August 2017
Pages:
138-144
Received:
1 August 2017
Published:
2 August 2017
Abstract: Chinese agricultural production is facing with “ceiling” effect of high price and “floor” effect of high cost. The new food security strategy is an important principle to firmly grasp the initiative of food security in “China’s New Normal”. From the industrial chain perspective, the food security in our country is facing with overproduction, inefficient supply, serious consumption and other problems, which is also a concentration of structural contradictions in the supply-side. Therefore, in order to deal with “elements constraint”, “quality constraint”, “benefit constraint”, and “right constraint” faced by China's food security in the current and future periods, China should strive to strengthen the expansion of potential and innovation-driven, optimize the structure and regional distribution, stock adjustment and incremental optimization and take the initiative to participate in food industry international cooperation. With building food security industry chain development model, the grain industry can be effectively promoted and a higher level of national food security system can be established.
Abstract: Chinese agricultural production is facing with “ceiling” effect of high price and “floor” effect of high cost. The new food security strategy is an important principle to firmly grasp the initiative of food security in “China’s New Normal”. From the industrial chain perspective, the food security in our country is facing with overproduction, ineffi...
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The Characteristics of Soil Organic Nitrogen Using Efficiency in Different Sugarbeet Genotypes
Jian-Chao Zhou,
Qiu-Hong Wang,
Xiao-Chun Wang
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 4, August 2017
Pages:
145-148
Received:
7 August 2017
Published:
7 August 2017
Abstract: The research into variation of soil organic nitrogen use efficiency and absorption efficiency with different sugarbeet genotypes provides a theoretical basis for the selection, cultivation and breeding of high-quality genotypes. In view of this, pot and field split-plot experiments have been conducted on 100 sugar beet genotypes under chamber and field conditions. The results were as follows: in growth chamber pot experiments, whole plant and root organic nitrogen use efficiency varied significantly among genotypes; higher soil organic nitrogen use efficiency at seedling stage preceded higher absorption capacity and organic nitrogen use efficiency during the following three growth stages; higher transformation quantity and soil organic N use efficiency predicted higher root-shoot ratio at harvest stage.
Abstract: The research into variation of soil organic nitrogen use efficiency and absorption efficiency with different sugarbeet genotypes provides a theoretical basis for the selection, cultivation and breeding of high-quality genotypes. In view of this, pot and field split-plot experiments have been conducted on 100 sugar beet genotypes under chamber and f...
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