Agricultural rewilding with livestock: Lessons for implementation in Europe

10.G. Skills building seminar: Skill-mix innovations and implementation in Europe: outcomes and lessons for implementation

10.G. Skills building seminar: Skill-mix innovations and implementation in Europe: outcomes and lessons for implementation

Marine ecosystem-based management in the Southern Cone of South America: Stakeholder perceptions and lessons for implementation

Shenggen FanInternational Food Policy Research Institute and Institute of AgriculturalEconomics of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesLinxiu ZhangCenter for Chinese Agricultural Policy of the Chinese Academy of SciencesXiaobo ZhangInternational Food Policy Research InstituteI. IntroductionChina is one of the few countries in the developing world that has madeprogress in reducing its total number of poor over the past 25 years.

A salient theme in D. Gale Johnson’s work is the importance of agricultural development for general prosperity and for economic diversification (e.g., Johnson 2000). Johnson has also noted that most of the world’s poor are engaged in farming, so that a key focus of development policy is to raise the incomes of farmers. From a global perspective, increasing the productivity of agriculture, given the fixity of land, is necessary for both poverty reduction and the development of the nonagricultural sector. At the level of the world, agricultural productivity gains, poverty reduction, and the growth of the nonfarm sector are complements. However, the question remains whether these observations imply that every poor country should focus its public resources on agricultural development in order to raise the incomes of people now engaged in farming and whether such a policy is necessary for obtaining economic diversity. In this article, we use the experience of India over the past 30 years to address the issue of whether agricultural technical change actually leads to economic diversification and income growth within the rural sector in the context of an open-economy country in which there are cross-area trade and capital flows. We focus in particular on the rural sector because this is the sector in which linkages between agricultural and nonagricultural sectors are thought to be the strongest. We exploit the fact that India has maintained a policy of openness with respect to agricultural technology over this period, permitting and actively supporting agricultural development, and has moved to a reformed regime in which goods are traded and capital is more mobile in the 1990s. Evidence on the relationship between agricultural growth and nonfarm

A region's weather and climate patterns are impacted by climate change over an extended period of time. Rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, rising sea levels and other modifications to meteorological conditions are some of these changes. Numerous facets of existence, including the environment, economy, and human communities, may be significantly impacted by climate change. Significant repercussions of climate change are possible, particularly in the agricultural sector. The production of food crops may be impacted by these changes because agricultural goods are dependent on local climate and weather. Pests and plant diseases may also become more prevalent due to climate change. Accordingly, higher temperatures and changed precipitation patterns can foster the growth of pests and illnesses, which will lower agricultural yields. Investigating how climate change affects agricultural products in Sheberghan City, Jawzjan Province, is the goal of this study. A questionnaire was used in fieldwork to perform this study. Six communities inside Sheberghan City—Toka, Qowchin, Jalalabad, Seshanba, Nokar Abad, and Afghan Tapa—were given 100 questionnaires in all. Four different types of questionnaires were produced and designed for the survey portion of this study. Of the 100 responders, 26 worked as farmers, 37 as gardeners, 8 as teachers, and 29 as traders in agricultural products. Using the SPSS26 program, the research was analyzed. The results showed that agricultural goods are significantly impacted by climate change, highlighting the significance of agriculture and agricultural products in the economy. The research findings indicate that the utilization of contemporary technology, such as smart irrigation systems and smart systems, can be one of the elements in growing agricultural products, and that the development of climate-adaptive agricultural methods can boost agricultural products. Farmers' interest can also be raised by government encouragement and assistance. The general conclusion that can be drawn from looking at the aforementioned elements is that agricultural products have been impacted by climate change and the creation of farmers' techniques for adapting to it.

Sustainable development in the agriculture of the future will lead to innovative production, providing the possibility of obtaining better quality agricultural products. In turn, these innovative agricultural products will fit into new social lifestyles. Therefore, in this study, the authors asked the following research questions: (i) How do respondents perceive innovative agricultural production and innovative products in the area of food economy?; (ii) what is the relationship between selected lifestyle elements and the perception of innovative agricultural production and products? The research tool was a survey questionnaire. The diagnostic study was conducted using the CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interview) technique. The study was partial and non-probabilistic in nature. Participation in the study was voluntary and anonymous, and completion of the form could be interrupted at any time. The target group were adults aged ≥ 18 years. They were residents of south-eastern Poland, from the Podkarpackie and Lublin provinces. The study was of a correlational nature, as it sought relationships between the elements studied, without the possibility of influencing the level of individual variables. A five-point Likert scale with a neutral value was used for the assessment. Spearman correlation analysis (rS) was performed to find the relationship between the items. This type of correlation was chosen because the variables subjected to calculations were on an ordinal scale. The Kruskal–Wallis H test was also calculated to determine the effect of independent variables (lifestyle elements) on dependent variables (perception of innovative production and food products). The Mann–Whitney U test was utilized to calculate and identify differences between groups (sex and place of residence). Statistical significance was assessed at the level of α = 0.05. To illustrate these differences more clearly, categorized graphs of the average ratings of the items studied were also drawn up. The research results indicate a different approach from men and women to the issues studied. The place of residence and the approach of the respondents from south-eastern Poland to the studied lifestyle elements influenced their perception of sustainable agricultural production and innovative features of agricultural products. The examined lifestyle elements demonstrated a varied impact on the perception of innovative production and innovative food products.

Development strategies increasingly emphasize agricultural development, employment, and equity; it is therefore important to examine the role of education in light of these new emphases. The purpose of this paper is to synthesize the conclusions of a number of studies of the effect of a farmer's educational level and exposure to extension services on his productivity. Eighteen studies conducted in low-income countries provided 37 sets of farm data that allow a statistical estimation of the effect of education. The overall conclusion of this paper is that farm productivity increases as a result of a farmer's completing at least 4 additional years of elementary education rather than none. Also, the effects of education were much more likely to be positive in modernizing agricultural environments than in traditional ones.

PurposeThis study aims to investigate how climate change and political economy factors interact to influence agricultural productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It aims to determine whether climate change and political economy act as a blessing or a curse on agricultural productivity. This study also examines how temperature, rainfall, CO2 emissions and governance affect the agricultural sector.Design/methodology/approachData from FAO and World Bank datasets were used, and GMM models were applied to assess the impact of climate change and politico-economic factors on agricultural productivity in SSA.FindingsResults show an interaction between the change in climate and agricultural productivity in SSA as complex. Within the short-term, increased temperatures and precipitation moderately improve yields but have a long-term negative impact. The outcomes suggest that increasing temperature by 1% produces a 0.388 reduction in yield, while increased CO2 levels by 1% result in a 0.53 reduction. These results really highlight the efforts of nationally determined contributions in trying to reduce temperature increases and associated emissions. Furthermore, political stability enhances productivity by 0.512 for every 1% increase in the variable. Economic growth and fertilizer use are positively linked to yield, but trade openness negatively affects domestic production.Research limitations/implicationsThis study’s primary limitation is the exclusion of some SSA countries due to unavailable data for key variables, potentially limiting the generalizability of the findings. In addition, while the study identifies significant short- and long-run effects, it does not account for nonclimatic factors such as policy changes or technological innovations that could influence agricultural productivity. Future research could incorporate a broader set of countries and variables, as well as explore the role of technological adaptation and governance in enhancing agricultural resilience to climate change.Practical implicationsEmpowering water management, promoting climate-smart agriculture and drought-resistant crops are crucial to raise agricultural productivity in SSA. Transition to a green economy through carbon credit mechanisms and reforestation is also critical. In addition, effective governance, secure land rights and infrastructural development will create a conducive investment environment, leading to long-term agricultural development and resilience.Social implicationsClimate change and political economy dynamics significantly shape agricultural productivity in SSA. Shifts in temperature, rainfall variability and rising CO2 emissions, combined with governance quality, influence food security, rural livelihoods and economic stability. The findings highlight the dual potential of these forces: they may exacerbate vulnerability or, with sound governance and adaptation, serve as catalysts for resilience and sustainable development in SSA’s agriculture.Originality/valueThe empirical evidence set by this research into the influence of climate change on agricultural productivity in SSA adds to the literature that exists on how climatic and political variables combine in the agricultural sector of the region. Its results are of high importance for policies related to adaptation to the climate; notably those about devising strategies that shall enhance agricultural resilience against the shifting climatic condition.

The QuADRANT project: Enhancing quality and safety in radiological procedures through clinical audit.

The study examines Conducive Environment and Human Resources Optimization in Nigeria Tertiary Institutions: A Case Study of Alvan Ikokwu Federal College of Education Owerri, Nigeria. The data for the study were sourced from the staff of Alvan Ikokwu Federal College Education, Owerri in Nigeria whose population is given as 1,000 staff (Academic and Non academic). The study purposively selected a sample size of 373 staff. The main research instrument used in collection of data for this study was structured questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data for this study. The findings of the study reveal that conducive environment of a tertiary institution is extremely important when it comes to maximizing performance/productivity of the human resources. In essence the study found the collaboration on the fact that conducive environment engenders human resources to reach optimization level in tertiary institutions. However, discrimination in recruitment, selection and performance appraisal of staff (academic and non-academic) in tertiary institutions was found prevalent. Equally, environmental challenges such as: inadequate infrastructure, erratic power supply, economic hardship, political instability, harsh government policies and in appropriate socio-cultural factors impact negatively on human resources to perform optimally in Nigeria tertiary institutions. Conclusively, it is evident that conducive environment plays a vital role in motivating staff (academic and non academic) to perform their work optimally in tertiary institutions. The study therefore, recommends a collaborative effort from both the government and the management of tertiary institutions to create economic incentives, stable legal/political, tolerable socio-cultural, friendly infrastructural and superlative physical environments that would allow for the emergence of conducive workplace environment leading to optimal performance of the human resources in tertiary institutions.

Poor indoor air quality has been implicated in the increase in allergic and respiratory diseases seen in industrialized countries in recent decades. Although air pollution in the workplace is well studied, much less is known about the consequences of poor air quality in homes. In an attempt to halt or slow down the increase in allergic and respiratory diseases, the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients Associations (EFA) carried out the EU-funded project entitled 'Towards Healthy Air in Dwellings in Europe' (THADE). The aims were to: compile an overview of evidence-based data about exposure to indoor air pollution and its health effects, particularly in relation to allergies, asthma and other respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; review cost-effective measures and technology to improve indoor air quality; review legislation and guidelines on indoor air pollution; produce maps of pollutants in dwellings; and recommend an integrated strategy that defines appropriate indoor air quality policies for implementation in Europe. This paper summarizes the information about air quality in dwellings and indoor environment-related diseases collected by expert consultants within the framework of THADE and terminates with recommendations for actions aimed at improving air quality in homes. The results of this project confirmed that air pollution in dwellings is a relevant health problem. It is a complex problem that must be addressed at European and international levels, and it involves the medical profession, scientific societies, patients' organizations, lawmakers, architects and the building industry. The complete THADE report is available at http://www.efanet.org/activities/documents/THADEReport.pdf.

Karen MacoursUniversity of California, Berkeley, and Katholieke Universiteit LeuvenJohan F. M. SwinnenEuropean Commission and Katholieke Universiteit LeuvenI. IntroductionEconomic reforms have induced important output and productivity changesin the agricultural sectors of transition countries (TCs). There are, however,large differences between the countries in terms of the direction and themagnitude of these changes. For example, agricultural output increased con-siderably in the East Asian TCs, while there was a large output fall in theCentral and East European countries (CEECs) and the former Soviet Union(FSU) during transition (fig. 1).

PurposeThis paper aims to assess the choice of supermarkets for purchasing fresh agricultural products among urban consumers in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachLikert scale was used to investigate reasons for purchasing agricultural products from supermarkets, while heteroskedastic probit was used to estimate the determinants. Beta regression was used to examine the determinants of the proportion of food expenditure on raw/unprocessed agricultural products.FindingsThe principal reasons for purchasing agricultural products from supermarkets are convenience, a guarantee of assorted products, high-quality products and food safety, constant supply of products, conducive shopping environment, excellent customer service and social influence. The probability of purchasing agricultural products from supermarkets is high for consumers who are either males, young, educated, high-income earners or salaried workers. Consumers residing closer to supermarkets have a greater probability of shopping for agricultural products from same. The proportion of food expenditure on unprocessed agricultural products increases with age but decreases with education and distance to local markets.Originality/valueFew prior studies have investigated supermarket’s surge in developing countries and its connection with consumer food-outlet choice. Unfortunately, little is evident in the extant literature on consumers' choice of supermarkets as purchasing outlets for fresh agricultural products. Hence, this study closes the gap on consumers and fresh agricultural product purchases from supermarkets in Ghana. Results from the study will provide grounding evidence to supermarket owners to adjust their services to meet consumers’ needs and provide relevant information to evolving supermarkets or investors who may venture into the supermarket business on the attributes that influence consumers to use supermarkets as a purchasing outlet.

Solar energy in Andalusia (Spain): present state and prospects for the future