Central Highlands Region Research Articles

Assessment of the current status and potential of environmental resources for the development of organic agriculture in the Central Highlands region, Vietnam

Assessment of the current status and potential of environmental resources for the development of organic agriculture in the Central Highlands region, Vietnam

Genetic polymorphism of merozoite surface protein 1 and merozoite surface protein 2 in the Vietnam Plasmodium falciparum population

BackgroundPlasmodium falciparum merozoite surface proteins 1 (PfMSP1) and 2 (PfMSP2) are potential candidates for malaria vaccine development. However, the genetic diversity of these genes in the global P. falciparum population presents a significant challenge in developing an effective vaccine. Hence, understanding the genetic diversity and evolutionary trends in the global P. falciparum population is crucial.MethodsThis study analyzed the genetic variations and evolutionary changes of pfmsp1 and pfmsp2 in P. falciparum isolates from the Central Highland and South-Central regions of Vietnam. DNASTAR and MEGA7 programs were utilized for analyses. The polymorphic nature of global pfmsp1 and pfmsp2 was also investigated.ResultsA total of 337 sequences of pfmsp1 and 289 sequences of pfmsp2 were obtained. The pfmsp1 and pfmsp2 from Vietnam revealed a higher degree of genetic homogeneity compared to those from other malaria-endemic countries. Remarkably, the allele diversity patterns of Vietnam pfmsp1 and pfmsp2 differed significantly from those of neighboring countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Declines in allele diversity and polymorphic patterns of Vietnam pfmsp1 and pfmsp2 were observed.ConclusionsThe Vietnam P. falciparum population might be genetically isolated from the parasite populations in other neighboring GMS countries, likely due to geographical barriers and distinct evolutionary pressures. Furthermore, bottleneck effects or selective sweeps may have contributed to the genetic homogeneity of Vietnam pfmsp1 and pfmsp2.

RESULTS OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELDWORK IN THE DISTRICTS OF DAK SONG AND DAK MIL, DAK NONG PROVINCE, IN 2018

This study investigates the archaeological potential of Dak Nong Province, Vietnam, as revealed by fieldwork in the Dak Song and Dak Mil districts. We conducted field surveys at various sites, resulting in the discovery of a rich prehistoric heritage in the region, despite challenges posed by complex natural conditions. While artifact distribution and concentration vary across sites, we identified significant concentrations in areas near lakes, rivers, and streams. We find that at locations such as Village 9A, volcanic Lake Dak Mil, and Tay Son Village, traces of concentration are faint. In contrast, at sites such as Dak Peur Border Gate and Tan Lap Village, there are traces of a dense population and long occupation by prehistoric people. The prehistoric inhabitants of Dak Mil and Dak Song districts often lived along lakes, rivers, and streams that did not dry up in the dry season; they lived in a large area and were highly mobile. Our preliminary research highlights the value of Dak Nong Province in studying the early stages of prehistory and cultural development in the Central Highlands region of Vietnam. This also underscores the importance of preserving and promoting archaeological heritage in Dak Mil and Dak Song districts.

The state of food safety and hygiene in bottled water production facilities in the five provinces of the Central Highlands region in 2023

A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from March 2023 to December 2023 to assess the implementation of food safety regulations in bottled water production facilities across the five provinces of the Central Highlands region (Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Lam Dong) in 2023. The study evaluated food safety conditions, practices of direct production personnel, and collected bottled water samples for testing five bacterial indicators according to QCVN 6-1:2010/BYT. The results showed that the majority of facilities did not meet the criteria of physical infrastructure conditions at 74.7% (56/75), equipment and utensil conditions at 74.7% (56/75), conditions of direct production personnel at 44.0% (33/75), personal hygiene practices at 65.3% (49/75), and bottle cleaning practices at 72% (54/75). The rate of microbial contamination in bottled water products was 70.7% (53/75), of which the main contamination was Pseudomonas aeruginosa 45.3% (34/75), total Coliforms 42.7% (32/75), Clostridia 6.7% (5/75) and Streptococci feacal 2.0% (2/75). Some factors related to bacterial contamination in bottled water products are the condition of facilities, practicing personal hygiene, and practicing bottle hygiene.

Comparing the process of converting land use purposes between socio-economic regions in Vietnam from 2007 to 2020

Abstract Reporting land use changes over time is important for evaluating land resource management. This study applied GIS technology to determine land use fluctuations for the entire mainland territory in Vietnam. In particular, the research focused on two main issues: (1) spatial fluctuations of some main land groups in Vietnam, and(2) the rate of land use change in socio-economic regions in the two periods 2007–2016 and 2016–2020. Research results showed that the Forests land group showed a growth of over 14% and spatial fluctuations took place in all regions, except for two regions with little change in this land group: Red River Delta (RRD) and Mekong River Delta (MRD). Meanwhile, crops decreased by over 16% from 2007–2020 and appeared heavily in the Northern Midlands and Mountains (NMR), North Central and Central Coast regions (NCR), and Central Highlands region (CHR). Urban land group increased by 3% during 2007–2020. The speed of land use conversion also showed different results between economic regions and inthe two research periods. The results showed that the recent research period witnessed a higher rate of land use conversion in the regions compared to the period 2007–2016. In particular, the NMR region showed that the conversion rate was the largest in both stages.

The impacts of climate change on meteorological drought in the Central Highlands region of Vietnam

ABSTRACT This study aimed to analyse the characteristics of drought under the impacts of climate change in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The standardized precipitation indices at 3-, 6-, 9- and 12-month time scales were calculated based on the average monthly precipitation at 11 meteorological stations between 1985–2014. The drought characteristics were analysed based on the modified Mann-Kendall test, Theil-Sen methods and the theory of runs. Analysing the impact of climate change on drought events, four CMIP6 GCM models, namely, CNRM-CM6-1-HR, MRI-ESM2-0, BCC-CSM2-MR and MIROC6, under the SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios were used to obtain the average monthly precipitation for the period 2031-2060 to compute the SPI3, SPI6, SPI9 and SPI12. The results indicate that the drought frequency under the SSP5-8.5 scenario ranges from moderate to severe. The BCC-CSM2-MR, CNRM-CM6-1-HR and MIROC6 models showed an increase in drought frequency from 2 to 4% for SPI3 and SPI6 and from 4 to 6% for SPI9 and SPI12. Under the SSP2-4.5 scenario, the frequency of severe droughts also increases by 2-4% compared with that in the 1985-2014 baseline periods for SPI6, SPI9 and SPI12. Consequently, moderate to severe drought episodes are predicted to occur more frequently in the research area.

Potential distribution of malaria vectors in Central Vietnam: A MaxEnt modeling approach.

In Central Vietnam, Anopheles dirus and Anopheles minimus are the primary malaria vector species. These Anopheles spp.' distribution and prevalence are determined by environmental, climatic, and socioeconomic conditions. This study aimed to predict the potential distribution of these two Anopheles spp. in this region. This study was conducted in 15 Central Vietnamese provinces. From 2014 to 2018, we utilized An. dirus and An. minimus presence records. Proxy data from the Google Earth Engine platform for the study area, encompassing environmental, climatic, and socioeconomic factors. MaxEnt software predicted the potential environmental, climatic, and socioeconomic suitability of these two Anopheles spp. in Central Vietnam. The test area under the curve values for An. dirus and An. minimus MaxEnt models averaged 0.801 and 0.806, respectively, showing excellent performance. Minimum air temperature had the greatest impact on the distribution of both species. A negative correlation between precipitation and normalized difference water index influences the occurrence of An. dirus. In the temperature range of 13-19.5°C, An. minimus is most likely to be present, with nighttime light detrimentally influencing its distribution. The Central Highlands region is inhabited by both species, with some presence in North-Central and South-Central Coastal areas. The importance of temperature in determining the presence of both species is emphasized by our findings, with subtle differences in the temperature-related factors shaping their distributions. The results highlight the need for focused malaria vector control and surveillance initiatives in the study area.

Landslide Susceptibility Modelling of Central Highland Part of Chaliyar River Basin, Kerala, India with Integrated Algorithms of Frequency Ratio and Shannon Entropy

An integrated landslide susceptibility analysis is carried out for the central highland region of the Chaliyar River Basin in Kerala, India using bivariate statistical methods, namely the Frequency Ratio (FR) and Shannon Entropy (SE). The study addresses the complex nature of landslides, influenced by natural as well as anthropogenic factors, with specific focus on assessing the landslide likelihood of the study area. The methodology involves a systematic approach of collecting the inventory data, identifying various landslide causative factors and developing their corresponding thematic maps, spatial analysis of landslide occurrence and causative factors using GIS software and generation of Landslide Susceptibility Model (LSM) employing FR and SE algorithm, followed by model validation. Various causative factors considered for the study include slope angle, slope aspect, slope curvature, elevation, lithology, drainage density, landuse and landcover (LULC), Topographic Wetness Index (TWI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The FR and SE algorithm enable the spatial classification of the study area into four landslide susceptibility categories namely Low, Moderate, High, and Very High. Validation of both the LSMs was carried out using Landslide Density Index (LDI) and Area Under the Curve (AUC) methods. LDI demonstrate a positive fit for both the models, which is indicative of reliability of the susceptibility predictions of the study area. A slightly higher AUC value of SE model is an indication of a high accuracy rate of SE model over FR model. This research brings out a robust methodology for predicting and identifying the landslide risks of the study area.The outcomes of this study will help in developing effective strategies to manage the landslide hazards in geologically vulnerable areas. Keywords: Landslide Susceptibility, Landslide Conditioning Factors, Frequency Ratio, Shannon Entropy, Landslide Density Index(LDI), Area Under the Curve (AUC)

Culinary continuity in central Japan across the transition to agriculture

Rice and millet arrived in Western Japan from Korea around 3,000 years ago and spread eastwards across the archipelago in the next 700 years. However, the extent to which agriculture transformed traditional Jōmon hunter-gatherer-fisher communities is debated. Central Japan is a key area of study as remodelling of radiocarbon dates shows a slowdown in the dispersal rate of rice agriculture in this area. Here, we examine and compare the use of pottery by Final Jōmon and Early to Middle Yayoi communities in the Tōkai and the Central Highland regions of central Japan, using lipid residue analysis. Although the identification of specific biomarkers for rice remains elusive, an increase in the ratio of E/H C18 APAAs with the arrival of rice and millet indicates a potential change in plant processing and consumption. We were also able to identify biomarkers for broomcorn millet (miliacin) in both Final Jōmon and Yayoi pottery. However, evidence for millet consumption is sparse and in all cases was likely mixed with wild hunted and foraged foods. We conclude therefore that, despite the introduction of rice and millet agriculture in central Japan, pre-existing diets and culinary habits of Jōmon hunter-gatherers remain important.

Knowledge of ethnic minorities in the central highlands region of Vietnam – viewed from development resources

Over the last few decades, when researching ethnic minority communities, researchers have increasingly focused on the local knowledge assets that the community has amassed through productive labour and life organisation. The Central Highlands is a multi-ethnic area that still retains various and distinct sources of traditional knowledge, which play a crucial role in the community's long-term development. Based on the materials gathered, the paper primarily examines the function of indigenous knowledge as a development resource in the Central Highlands region.

Knowledge, attitude and practice on diphtheria prevention of mothers with children aged 6 - 48 months in Dak To district - Kon Tum province

Objectives: To assess knowledge, attitudes and practices about diphtheria prevention of mothers of children aged 6 - 48 months in Dak To district, Kon Tum province in 2022 and identify some associated factors with knowledge, attitudes and practices about diphtheria prevention on this target group. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 420 mothers with children from 6 to 48 months old from November 2022 to January 2023. We performed face-to-face interviews with structured questionnaires to investigate mothers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices on diphtheria prevention. Data were analyzed using SPSS (Version 20.0) software. The research has received ethical approval from the University Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University. Results: The percentage of the mothers with good knowledge, good attitudes, and good practices on diphtheria prevention were 78.1%, 79.0%, 35.2%, respectively. The multivariable logistic regression model identified the associated factors with knowledge about diphtheria prevention as follows: residing in region I (OR = 3.58; 95% CI: 1.04 - 12.35), high school education or above (OR = 71.68; 95% CI: 21.27 - 241.64), other occupations than farmers (OR = 9.03; 95% CI: 2.83 - 28.76). Factors related to attitude include: residing in region I (OR = 10.06; 95% CI: 2.22 - 53.07), the Kinh (OR = 11.08; 95%CI: 1.81 - 67.71), and good knowledge (OR = 419.14; 95%CI: 84.27 - 2084.69). Being of the Kinh (OR = 1.92; 95%CI: 1.01 - 3.68), having high school education or above (OR = 6.39; 95%CI: 1.92 - 21.21), others occupations than farmers (OR = 2.56; 95%CI: 1.36 - 4.82), and having good knowledge (OR = 12.96; 95%CI: 2.52 - 66.89) were associated with practice on diphtheria prevention. Conclusion: The percentage of mothers with good knowledge and attitudes about diphtheria prevention is quite high, but the percentage of those having good practice is still low. Therefore, it is necessary to review vaccination rates and proactively develop plans to deploy vaccinations and supplementary vaccinations within the month for unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated individuals. Strengthen communication and health education for people about diphtheria prevention, pay attention to communication in difficult areas are other recommendations. Key words: diphtheria, knowledge, attitude, practice, central highland region of Vietna

Disaster, Societal Responses, and State Legitimacy in Crisis in Vietnam

This article examines the role of celebrity activism in post-disaster politics in the context of state authoritarianism in Vietnam. In late 2020, a chain of violent tropical storms hit Vietnam’s central highland region – host to hundreds of hydropower dams – triggering severe landslides and floods that devastated human lives and local livelihoods. Drawing on data gathered through social media, online platforms, and interviews with non-governmental organisations and private sector actors, this article shows how the rupture of these disaster events facilitated socio-political openings in state–society relations that might otherwise have remained closed. It explores these political contestations, attributions of blame, and the competing recovery efforts that emerged between government actors, celebrities, and citizens. Public debates over the natural and political catalysts of the disaster revealed major structural and governance problems for the state, which allowed voluntary charity work by a celebrity to supplement state functions during the disaster. Considered illegal under state law, the article shows how support from the public and lower tiers of government for private charity work challenged state legitimacy. Under pressure from within and from citizens, the central government had to amend its policies to accommodate voluntary disaster relief – to restore its flagging legitimacy.

Impact of tree planting on household well-being: evidence from the central highlands of Vietnam

Household land use decisions in the tropics have a wide range of outcomes and impacts on economic development, environmental conservation, and social development. This study seeks to contribute to this debate by examining the effects of tree planting on poverty alleviation and welfare improvement in Vietnam. We employ a combination of multinomial endogenous treatment effect and propensity score matching, using survey data collected from 239 households in 11 communes in Vietnam’s Central Highlands region. We find that households engaged in tree planting can increase their income and alleviate poverty compared to non-engaging households. Specifically, long-term cashew plantations provide early harvests and have proven to be a preferred crop for households dealing with immediate livelihood needs. However, short-term acacia timber crops contribute insignificantly to poverty reduction and may be more suitable for households with greater financial resources. The policy implication underscores the importance of interventions tailored to support impoverished households with urgent livelihood needs. Prioritizing immediate necessities is crucial before households can invest in long-term tree planting.

Assessing forest cover changes in Dak Lak province (Central Highlands of Vietnam) from multi-temporal Landsat data and machine learning techniques

Dak Lak is a province in the Central Highlands region of Vietnam, with a large area of forests and forestry land. However, the forest cover has changed dramatically in recent times due to the influence of human activities and climate change. This article presents the results of assessing forest cover changes in Dak Lak province from Landsat satellite image data for the period 2000 – 2020. Three Landsat satellite image scenes, including Landsat 5 TM images taken in March 2000 and February 2010 and Landsat 8 OLI image taken in February 2020 are used to classify forest cover. Three common machine learning techniques, including Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Classification and Regression Tree (CART) and the traditional maximum likelihood classification algorithm are used to classify forest cover in the study area, thereby choosing the method with the highest accuracy. The results show that the RF algorithm has the highest accuracy in classifying forest cover from multi-temporal Landsat images by comparing the overall accuracy value and the Kappa coefficient. The obtained results are used to build forest cover change maps in the period 2000 - 2010, 2010 - 2020 and 2000 - 2020. The results received in the study provide information to help managers in monitoring and protecting forest resources.

The Noken System as a Symbol of the Supreme Deliberation of Indigenous Peoples in Papua Anthropological Study of Law and Constitutional Law

An electoral system used specifically for a number of districts in the Central Highlands region of Central Papua and Mountain Papua, Indonesia is called the noken system. The noken system is directly related to traditional leaders/traditional elders/tribal chiefs which of course is related to several reasons for holding noken elections both geographically, human resources, socio-culturally. In the tradition of indigenous Papuans, noken is interpreted in the value of elections by making mutual agreements and establishing intact / support for certain candidates with consensus deliberation. In other words, the noken system is a symbol of the highest deliberation for opinion determination in Papua without secrets and is more concerned with deliberation in tribal communities in Papua. The study of Legal Anthropology focuses on the socio-culture of indigenous Papuans, if in making decisions collectively collegially both in life, and in social relations both ideas, ideas in deliberation become absolute decisions, and are officially declared by their tribal chiefs (bigman), because traditional Papuan / inland communities adhere to traditional politics (bigman). So that noken is a cultural object, a community routine that is interpreted in electoral values by making mutual agreements, voting as a whole/supporting certain candidates with consensus deliberation. Thus, the use of noken means that Papuan indigenous elements are respected and obedient people to participate in elections, and to position noken to respect the entire life of indigenous Papuans. This reality underlies the opinion that noken is part of the local wisdom of indigenous Papuans who should be respected, fostered, maintained, preserved, cared for and maintained in their existence to maintain customary law in indigenous Papuans. The study of Constitutional Law focuses on a regulation to determine the noken election to be valid, with the issuance of Constitutional Court Decree Number 47-48 / PHPU-A-VII / 2009 concerning the Noken System Election in Papua. The Constitutional Court understands and appreciates the cultural values that live in indigenous Papuans that are distinctive in elections with the "Citizen Agreement" system that based on the agreement of the community understand noken as a change in object, namely the form of the KPU ballot box replaced with the form of hanging noken and contains philosophical meanings namely opening, filling and binding in the political practice of elections held on indigenous Papuans

Thực trạng mắc bệnh sốt xuất huyết Dengue và một số yếu tố thời tiết tương quan với số ca mắc bệnh sốt xuất huyết tại thành phố Pleiku, tỉnh Gia Lai giai đoạn 2012 – 2021

The study was conducted to understand the current status of dengue hemorrhagic fever cases and some related weather factors in Pleiku city, Gia Lai province in the period of 2012 - 2021. A cross-sectional study was conducted by using secondary data on all reports on the number of dengue fever cases and vector indicators and of the hydro-meteorological station of the Central Highlands region, monthly average indicators of weather in Pleiku city, Gia Lai province from August 2021 to September 2022. From 2012 to 2021, Pleiku city had 10,031 cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever with an overall incidence rate of 347.48/100,000 people, a higher rate of dengue fever than some other provinces. The incidence of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever is not uniform from year to year, it is cyclical in 3 years and according to the rainy season. Minimum temperature, humidity, and rainfall by month/season correlate positively with incidence From the results, it is recommended to increase monitoring, control, and detection of outbreaks in places with high population density from the time preparing for the rainy season - May every year. It is necessary to raise people's awareness about disease prevention, improve their status and equip them with knowledge to prevent mosquito bites, especially those over 15 years old who need to be equipped with protective clothing to avoid mosquito bites when working. Keywords: Dengue hemorrhagic fever, weather factors, Gia Lai province

Food Insecurity in a Peripheral Area of the Central Highlands Region of Vietnam

ABSTRACT Food insecurity exists when households do not have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences. Food insecurity remains a serious challenge for many households in Vietnam and the situation is even more prevalent among rural smallholders. Therefore, this study aims to assess the food insecurity status according to rural households’ profile and present better intervention strategies for policy makers to reduce food insecurity among rural households in Vietnam.

Socioenvironmental determinants as indicators of plague risk in the central highlands of Madagascar: Experience of Ambositra and Tsiroanomandidy districts.

Human plague cases are reported annually in the central highland regions of Madagascar, where the disease is endemic. The socioenvironmental characteristics and lifestyles of the populations of the central highland localities could be linked to this endemicity. The aim of this study was to determine socioenvironmental determinants that may be associated with plague risk and explain this variation in epidemiological contexts. The current study was based on the distribution of plague cases between 2006 and 2015 that occurred in localities of districts positioned in the central highlands. Household surveys were performed from June to August 2017 using a questionnaire and direct observations on the socioenvironmental aspects of households in selected localities. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to highlight the socioenvironmental parameters associated with plague risk in both districts. A total of 503 households were surveyed, of which 54.9% (276/503) were in Ambositra and 45.1% (227/503) were in Tsiroanomandidy. Multivariate analyses showed that thatched roofs [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 2.63; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.78-3.88] and ground floor houses [AOR: 2.11; 95% CI: 1.3-3.45-] were significantly associated with the vulnerability of a household to plague risk (p value<0.05). Plague risk in two districts of the Malagasy central highlands is associated with human socioenvironmental characteristics. Socioenvironmental characteristics are parameters expressing spatial heterogeneity through the difference in epidemiological expression of the plague in Ambositra and Tsiroanomandidy. These characteristics could be used as indicators of vulnerability to plague risk in plague-endemic areas.

Empowerment Pattern of Farmer In Husoak Village, Hubikiak Districk, Through Strengthening of Farmer Group Resouces

Many farmer groups in the community still need legal institutions, especially in the Central Highlands Region of Papua. Thus, this empowerment activity is carried out to optimize the resources of the members of the farmer groups that have been formed and explain the importance of the existence of a farmer group in the development of farming and livestock owned. The community service initiative employs the Community Based Research (CBR) methodology, specifically using the Forum Group Discussion (FGD) technique for training and mentoring. The results of the implementation of this activity were that the Bisimo Etaikena farmer group was required to have an administrative system starting from farming planning, documentation, or recording of group farming processes and results (both agricultural and livestock cultivation), and the ability to process agricultural products that had to be carried out, to help improve welfare—farmers in a structured manner and not only in obtaining government assistance.

Imagined futures in the context of the energy transition: A case study from the Central Highlands Region of Queensland, Australia

There is a growing recognition that global efforts to decarbonise energy systems pose significant risks to communities with local economies dominated by fossil fuel industries. Proactive and inclusive energy transition planning, sometimes referred to as a “just transition”, can mitigate some of these risks. However, recent studies in Australia have shown that the polarised discourse produced by the political “climate wars” continues to inhibit conversations about the future in some coal producing regions. This case study explores how social group identity dynamics affect local perceptions of the future in Blackwater, a metallurgical coal mining town in Queensland's Bowen Basin. Analysis of interviews suggest that community members see the local coal mining industry changing but not ending within the next two decades, and as such, conversations about the future of coal are neither highly relevant nor polarised. However, a risk remains that premature conversations about a local energy transition that are led by certain outgroups could reignite limiting “conflict ruts”. This paper draws on insights from social psychology and energy transition literature to outline steps that regional development planning processes can begin to integrate when considering the long-term future of communities with dominant fossil fuel industries. This approach focuses on sustaining local security and identity in place by addressing information asymmetries, building a broader “tent” of trusted actors in regional communities, and expanding the range of possibilities that can be imagined for the community's future.