Degradation Of Natural Resources Research Articles

Contribution of Millets in food and nutritional security to human being: Current status and future perspectives

Globally food and nutrition insecurity remain a serious challenge however the situation is more sever to the groups of people living under marginal and disadvantaged society. The causes of food and nutrition insecurity are multifaceted and complex, and influenced by a range of factors including high poverty, natural resource degradation, climate change, low level of market development, uncertain food support, and inadequate policy and institutional support. Considering the acute shortage of food and nutrition facing by global population, strengthening food and nutritional security is crucial in order to feed the ever-growing world population. One of the promising approaches of promoting millets, which requires low external inputs, a novel candidate for nutrients and adapted to thrive in harsh and dry environment. These crops play an important role in global food and nutrition security, and may have potential to contribute to sustainable food systems under changing climatic conditions. Keeping in view the importance of the millets in diversifying diet as well as a source of rich nutrition, we conducted an analysis by reviewing the research articles/reports/books as well as online databases to identify the prospects of millets crops crucial for continuous supply of food and nutrition, traditionally managed genetic resources for future crop improvement and making agricultural system resilient under changing climatic conditions. Evidences suggested from the meta-analysis that as a product of generations of agricultural landrace, there are range of millet crops are rich in nutrients, resilient, and adapted to location specific agricultural environments. Such millet crops in the existing cropping systems could support diverse food systems and nutrient suppliers and represent a broad gene pool to improving crops with suitable genetic interventions in the future. The study advocates for advancement in genomics coupled with molecular breeding for improving the genetic potential of millet crops and open avenues for developing sustainable food systems. The study also emphasis on developing strategies and roadmap for future research engagement and a policy interface to facilitate conservation and management of traditional landraces and associated indigenous knowledge of cultivation and consumption while adopting sustainable production of millet crops under marginal environmental conditions.

Baseline socioeconomic characterization and resource use of the community in the Mefakiya watershed

Baseline characterization is used during the project to show progress toward the goal and objectives and after the project to measure the amount of change. The main objective of the study was to investigate the socio-economic characterization and natural resource use in the Mefakiya learning watershed. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Quantitative data were collected using a structured questionnaire through face-to-face interviews with households at the intervention site. Sixty representative households were selected randomly and interviewed. Constraints and potentials were identified via focus group discussions. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data. The majority of the sample households (90%) were male-headed. Agriculture (crop and livestock production) is the principal (98.3%) occupation of the sample households in the Mefakiya watershed. Maize, finger millet, and teff, the major crops cultivated in the watershed, are produced by 98, 92, and 68% of the households, respectively. The study area is characterized by high natural resource degradation that is interconnected in nature. Therefore, an integrated approach is more important and necessary for the sustainable use of watershed resources and further development in all aspects of the watershed in the study area.

Sustainability concern in Indian agriculture: needs science-led innovation and structural reforms

Agriculture in India is facing several challenges which together are manifested into the sustainability issues. The broad contours of the agricultural production system in the country have been defined by the need to achieve food security which calls for close attention to rice–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping system of the Indo Gangetic Plains (IGP) whose sustainability is under threat. Degradation of natural resources, severe biotic and abi otic stresses specially drought, floods, pest infestations with accompanying impacts on biodiversity and agricultural productivity are the major constraints to agricultural development. Further, climate change has gained significant global attention over the past decade due to concerns of deleterious long-term impacts on agriculture, water sup ply, human welfare, regional and political stability. All the related issues need to be addressed on priority, with par ticular emphasis on soil-carbon through a holistic approach. As the strategy brings focus on income of farmers, the agricultural technology needs to move from “Production oriented-Green Revolution” to “Farmer’s Income oriented Revolution” and environmentally sustainable farming. Therefore, for long-term sustainability in agriculture, 4 pil lars/ components (good agricultural practices, climate-change mitigation and adaptation, diversification of high value crops and biodiversity management) needs to be addressed properly, more importantly good agricultural practices (GAP). The GAPs are based on the principles of risk prevention, risk analysis, sustainable agriculture, and integrated crop management (ICM), which are of utmost importance in present time. The GAPs for agricultural sustainability are reduced tillage, conservation agriculture, resource-conservation technologies (RCTs), erosion control measures, diversified cropping system, micro-irrigation, balanced fertilization, manuring, watershed man agement, organic farming, and integrated farming systems etc. Now that the vision is to impart income security to the farmers of the country, diversification of the system across all the sub-sectors of agriculture assumes impor tance which is, indeed a de-risking mechanism capable of negotiating both endogenous and exogenous risks as sociated with the system. The effective and efficient management of agro-biodiversity is also essential through management of genebanks, science-led innovations; livelihood, food and nutrition security though crop diversifica tion, use of lesser-known crops and wild relatives in crop improvement; dealing appropriately with quarantine, bio safety and bio-security.

Characterization and Identification of Major Constraints and Potentials of Kiltu Sorsa Watershed, in Guji Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Ethiopia is a country seriously affected by different natural resource degradation that included soil, vegetation, biodiversity and water degradation and climate deterioration. The study was conducted at Adola Rede District of Guji Zone, in Southern Ethiopia. The objectives of the study were to document baseline information on socioeconomic aspects and to document major biophysical and socio-economic constraints and potentials of the study watershed. The survey data were collected using key informant interview, focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews and guided field observations. A total of 60 respondents were selected for semi-structured interviews by means of simple random sampling methods. The majority (65%) of the respondent households were practiced physical and biological soil and water conservation activities. However, about 35% of the sampled households were not practiced soil and water conservation activities due to lack of awareness, lack of materials and labor. In the study watershed five major constraints such as land and soil related constraints, production related constraints, institutional and infrastructure related constraints, livestock related constraints and socio-economic related constraints were identified. However, suitable agro-ecology, availability of labor force, youth and women associations and informal institutions were the major identified potentials in the study watershed. Therefore, by using the potentials/opportunities of the study watershed and through providing quality extension services and training on soil and water conservation practices it is possible to enhance farmers participation and technical limitations. Moreover, for sustainable watershed management of the study area different soil and water conservation structures are very significant in various land use system of the study watershed through active participation of the local communities.

A Simulation Study on a Premixed-charge Compression Ignition Mode-based Engine Using a Blend of Biodiesel/Diesel Fuel under a Split Injection Strategy

Environmental pollution from transportation means and natural resource degradation are the top concern globally. According to statistics, NOx and PM emissions from vehicles account for 70% of total emissions in urban areas. Therefore, finding solutions to reduce NOx and PM emissions is necessary. Changing the engine's internal combustion method is considered promising and influential among the known solutions. One of the research directions is a combustion engine using the Premixed Charge Compression Ignition (PCCI) method combined with biofuels to improve the mixture formation and combustion process, reducing NOx and PM emissions. Therefore, this study presents the mechanism of the formation of PM and NOx emissions in the traditional combustion and the low-temperature combustion process of internal combustion engines. Besides, the theoretical basis of flame spread during combustion is also introduced. The key feature of this research is that it has modeled the combustion process in diesel engines under the PCCI modes. This was accomplished using blends of waste cooking oil (WCO)-based biodiesel and diesel fuel, as well as the ANSYS Fluent software. The results showed that PCCI combustion using B20 fuel can significantly reduce NOx and PM emissions, although HC and CO emissions tend to increase, and thermal efficiency tends to decrease. In further studies, different modes of the PCCI combustion process should be thoroughly examined so that this process can be implemented in practice to reduce pollutant emissions.

Role of integrated pest management in agriculture

Agriculture in India has a pivotal role in promoting food security, livelihoods and sustainable development, especially for the rural poor. However, it is increasingly affected by issues such as degradation of natural resources, increased frequency of extreme weather events and change in rainfall patterns that are linked to climate change. The population is also growing fast, affecting the demand for food and other agricultural products. Due to these factors and given the limited availability of agricultural land, the burden on the farming sector has increased manifold. The various crop plants are greatly affected by multifarious types of pests which not only result in reduced productivity figures but also distress the farmers as they get less revenue due to crop losses to these pests. Pest attack coupled with disease breakout sometimes results in suicidal situations as has been witnessed in our country. As such strong measures have to be taken up for bringing the pest attack to halt forthwith and reduce the incidence of pests. According to estimates by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), East Asia (including China) and South Asia together account for more than half of pesticide use in developing countries in the world. Moreover, farmers often apply large quantities of highly toxic pesticide or even use banned or spurious ones, instead of less toxic alternatives. In order to overcome these negative effects Integrated Pest Management (IPM) offers an alternative that is safer for human and environmental health. Integrated pest management (IPM), also known as integrated pest control (IPC) is a broad-based approach that integrates practices for economic control of pests. IPM is the best combination of cultural, biological and chemical measures to manage diseases, insects, weeds and other pests. As the global population is on the rise the demand of growing world population for food and fiber require farmers to produce more crops on existing farm land. IPM is a big part of the solution. Increasingly it is being adopted in both developed and developing countries for long-term, sustainable agriculture that achieves adequate, safe and quality food production. IPM does not, however, consist of any absolute or rigid criteria. As it is a flexible system that makes good use of local resources and the latest research, technology, knowledge and experience. The main of the IPM aims to suppress pest populations below the economic injury level (EIL).

Data collection for assessment of the natural capital at the regional level: case study of LTSER Trnava region

ContextThe landscape provides not only a living space for all life forms, including humans, but also a spatial base and set of resources for the implementation of individual human activities. Inappropriate implementation of human activities, disrespecting the properties of the landscape's natural resources, causes the degradation of natural resources and, consequently, the human living.ObjectivesThe aim of this paper is to develop new methodological procedures and algorithms for effective assessment of natural capital based on the geosystem approach.MethodsEach territorial unit (geosystem) represents a unique combination of natural assets that create a certain potential for the development of individual activities and eco-stabilization functions. In this study, we developed a new approach and algorithms to assess the natural capital of landscapes for sustainable use. This involves selecting indicators and their functional interpretation, as well as collecting available spatial data and statistics for GIS analysis, synthesis, and modeling.ResultsThe methodological procedure consists of the determination of indicators for natural capital assessment, the determination of their functional values and weighting coefficients, the determination of the suitability of the geosystem for the implementation of individual activities based on the value of natural capital, and the determination of restrictions and limiting factors. The set of data on landscape assets can be categorized into abiotic, land cover and biotic, and socio-economic indicators, which can either support human activities or limit them. Options for sustainable use of natural capital were split into two groups of potential activities: (I) natural capital for landscape planning activities and (II) specific activities or functions (e.g., natural capital for energy use, recreation, regulation services). The modeling of eco-stabilizing natural capital in Trnava LTSER pointed to low spatial ecological stability, mainly in the central part of the district.DiscussionDiscussion pointed to strength, novelty and opportunities of implementing methodological approach to natural capital assessment.ConclusionsAs an output of this methodological approach, a comprehensive digital spatial database of landscape-ecological data for the assessment of natural capital and the suitability of its use for socio-economic activities has been created in Slovakia. The database represents a set of consistent spatial information on natural capital assets and other indicators, including land cover and socio-ecological indicators. The methodological approach can be applicable to any territory on the basis of a modification.

Forest fire vulnerability in Nepal's Chure region: Investigating the influencing factors using generalized linear model

The Chure region, among the world's youngest mountains, stands out as highly susceptible to natural calamities, particularly forest fires. The region has consistently experienced forest fire incidents, resulting in the degradation of valuable natural and anthropogenic resources. Despite its vulnerability, there have been limited studies to understand the relationship of various causative factors for the recurring fire problem. Hence, to comprehend the influencing factors for the recurring forest fire problem and its extent, we utilized generalized linear modeling under binary logistic regression to combine the dependent variable of satellite detected fire points and various independent variables. We conducted a variance inflation factor (VIF) test and correlation matrix to identify the 14 suitable variables for the study. The analysis revealed that forest fires occurred mostly during the three pre-monsoon periods and had a significant positive relation with the area under forest, rangeland, bare-grounds, and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) (P < 0.05). Consequently, our model showed that the probability of fire incidents decreases with elevation, precipitation, and population density (P < 0.05). Among the significant variables, the forest areas emerges as the most influencing factor, followed by precipitation, elevation, area of rangeland, population density, NDVI, and the area of bare ground. The validation of the model was done through the area under the curve (AUC = 0.92) and accuracy (ACC = 0.89) assessments, which showed the model performed excellently in terms of predictive capabilities. The modeling result and the forest fire susceptible map provide valuable insights into the forest fire vulnerability in the region, offering baseline information about forest fires that will be helpful for line agencies to prepare management strategies to further prevent the deterioration of the region.

Does blockchain adoption engender environmental sustainability? The mediating role of customer integration

PurposeDue to the rapid increase in environmental degradation and depletion of natural resources, there has been a recent shift in global focus from economic concerns to environmental ones. The purpose of this research is to examine the relevant literature on the use of blockchain technology to promote environmental sustainability through customer integration.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed framework is based on the theoretical lens of systems theory (ST) and knowledge-based view (KBV) theory, and is developed by conducting a systematic literature review of 51 articles, (16) from 2022, (17) from 2021, (10) 2020, (5) 2019, (2) 2018 and (1) from 2017 on blockchain technology (BCT), environmental supply chain performance (ESCP) and customer integration.FindingsThree main propositions are formulated and demonstrated using the developed framework, which shows that BCT has the potential to revolutionize the supply chain from an environmental sustainability perspective through facilitating waste management, reduction of energy consumption and reduction of carbon emissions/pollution. The technology will not only enhance the environmental sustainability but also facilitate customer integration through resolving transparency issues, protecting data/enhancing security, database decentralization, promoting trust and immutability.Originality/valueThe effects of blockchain on supply chain performance has been studied in the past; however, no studies were found which shed light on how BCT can affect ESCP through the mediation of customer integration.

Farmer managed natural regeneration to reconstitute agroforestry parklands in Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso is facing an accelerated degradation of natural resources, exacerbated by natural phenomena and human activities which, coupled with the impact of climate change and poverty, have caused food insecurity in the arid province of Passoré. To address these challenges, farmers have been implementing initiatives rooted in local knowledge and traditional practices. The practice of interest is farmer managed natural regeneration (FMNR), an ancestral agroforestry practice that protects and tends to spontaneous tree growth in agricultural fields. A qualitative study conducted in the province of Passoré revealed farmers’ reasons for adopting FMNR. As a low-cost practice that requires few technical or financial resources, farmers are attracted to its affordability. FMNR also enables farmers to circumvent customary prohibitions regarding tree planting, and navigate land ownership dynamics, as it involves tending to spontaneous growth rather than deliberate planting. Since FMNR does not involve tree planting, it does not imply land ownership claims, making it inclusive for migrants and women who have limited land rights. By introducing indigenous species such as Piliostigma reticulatum (bangandé) FMNR helps meet energy needs called for by women, and improves the density of plant cover, restoring clearings while improving livelihoods. FMNR has been instrumental in empowering women by providing commercial opportunities in the non-timber forest product (NTFP) sector, enabling them to earn an independent income, strengthening their autonomy within the household. FMNR has thus become integral to farming systems in Passoré due to its many tangible agronomic, environmental and socioeconomic benefits, offering solutions to land degradation, exclusion from tree planting projects, food insecurity and gender inequality. Broader dissemination of its potential for rapid restoration of forest resources at low cost is, therefore, recommended to help other regions of Burkina Faso overcome their challenges of degradation and climate change.

Agriculture and Climate Change: A Socio-Economic Dynamics of Climate-Smart Practices in Oubritenga Province, Burkina Faso

The issue of farmers&amp;apos; resilience to climate and natural resource degradation remains a major concern in Sahelian countries, including Burkina Faso. The aim of this study is to analyze the dynamics of farming practices in the province of Oubritenga in Burkina Faso, highlighting similarities and differences in climate-smart practices. To do this, a mixed method (qualitative and quantitative) was used, combining surveys, individual interviews and focus groups. The results indicate that these practices were disseminated and adopted in Oubritenga province well before the 1980s, and that they have evolved in terms of adoption rates and improvements in recent years through research. The practices mentioned include sustainable land management (SLM), water and soil conservation practices/soil defense and restoration (WSC/SDR). Rural households are responding by adopting and reinforcing climate-smart farming practices that are considered more sustainable in the face of climate shock, soil degradation and greenhouse gas mitigation. It should be noted that other agricultural practices and techniques have been disseminated and adopted over time, in connection with mechanization and the promotion of technical production itineraries. This is a body of endogenous knowledge that coexists with technical production itineraries aimed at respecting the balance between nature and the well-being of living beings by integrating a sustainable land and environmental management system.

Power Consumption Analysis of a Prototype Lightweight Autonomous Electric Cargo Robot in Agricultural Field Operation Scenarios

The continuous growth of the urban electric vehicles market and the rapid progress of the electronics industry create positive prospects towards fostering the development of autonomous robotic solutions for covering critical production sectors. Agriculture can be seen as such, as its digital transformation is a promising necessity for protecting the environment, and for tackling the degradation of natural resources and increasing nutritional needs of the population on Earth. Many studies focus on the potential of agricultural robotic vehicles to perform operations of increased intelligence. In parallel, the study of the activity footprint of these vehicles can be the basis for supervising, detecting the malfunctions, scaling up, modeling, or optimizing the related operations. In this regard, this work, employing a prototype lightweight autonomous electric cargo vehicle, outlines a simple and cost-effective mechanism for a detailed robot’s power consumption logging. This process is conducted at a fine time granularity, allowing for detailed tracking. The study also discusses the robot’s energy performance across various typical agricultural field operation scenarios. In addition, a comparative analysis has been conducted to evaluate the performance of two different types of batteries for powering the robot for all the operation scenarios. Even non-expert users can conduct the field operation experiments, while directions are provided for the potential use of the data being collected. Given the linear relationship between the size and the consumption of electric robotic vehicles, the energy performance of the prototype agricultural cargo robot can serve as a basis for various studies in the area.

Preface

4th International Interdisciplinary Conference on Green Development in Tropical Regions (4th IICGDTR) “Governance Challenges of Green Development in Tropical Asia” Virtual Conference The Graduate Program – Universitas Andalas, West Sumatera, Indonesia 7 – 8 July 2021 The 4th International Interdisciplinary Conference on Green Development in Tropical Regions (4th IICGDTR) has successfully held virtually on 7 – 8 July 2021 organized by the Graduate Program, Universitas Andalas, West Sumatera, Indonesia.IICGDTR is the biannual international conference on Green Development in Tropical Region (ICGDTR). This 2021 conference is the 4th interdisciplinary ICGDTR which held virtually due to the covid-19 pandemic, with the theme “Governance Challenges of Green Development in Tropical Asia”. The main objective of this international conference is to enhance the discourse and discussion on various aspects of green development in tropical regions, especially on the issue of governance challenges of green development in tropical regions.Since the early 21st century, conventional development strategies have been questioned by various development analysts, especially those concerned with issues and conflicts surrounding its environmental, human and socio-economic impacts. The debate on issues surrounding degradation of natural resources, forest, coastal, and agricultural land, along with understanding climate change, has led to the new proposition of the green development paradigm. The conceptual understanding of the green development paradigm is concerned with the strategy and planning of all aspects including environmental planning, rural and urban planning, regional development planning, agriculture and industrial development planning.The tropical region of Asia, covering South, Southeast, and part of East Asia, is a region with a large population, rich biodiversity, and also high growth. More importantly, this is a culturally rich region. Tropical Region of Asia (TRA) is the most dynamic region and is in a constant effort to balance its development path. Much of the region’s economic growth is supported by the exploitation of common-pool natural resources, i.e., forest, land, water. Agriculture is still a dominant livelihood strategy with very slow technological adoption. But the region also utilizes its ecosystem services for the tourism sector to diversify livelihood. Rural and urban development is still not balanced but instead is urban biased. Unfortunately, housing and settlement development in urban areas sometimes threatens agricultural land.List of Committee is available in this Pdf.

Identification, Prioritization and Mapping of Major Constraints and Potentials in the Medo Watershed the Case of West Arsi District in Central Rift Valley Area of Ethiopia

The concentration to characterize the biophysical and socio-economic features in the integrated watersheds is to identify and prioritize production constraints for designing appropriate research and development interventions. The objective of this study was to assess the current biophysical of characteristics of Medo watershed, West Arsi Zone of Oromia, Ethiopia. To do so relevant data and tools were used; ArcGIS, Microsoft Excel sheet and fundamental formulae were applied for the analysis are some. The results of the study indicated that the major land use types in the watershed are agricultural land covering 50%, vegetation (shrubs, forests and, plantations) covering 24% and settlement covering 16% out of the total land use. Slope gradient of Medo watershed ranges from zero to more than 20 and the slope gradient of 2-5 and 5-10 cover the greatest in area coverage representing 201 ha and 170 ha respectively. We can also observe that about 8% out of the total area is subjected to severe erosion. Sandy clay loam was the dominant soil textural classes in the surface soils and Phaeozems, Retinols and Andosols are the dominant soil types, which cover 57%, 36% and 7% of the sub-watershed area for lower, middle, and upper slope positions, respectively. Mean annual rainfall of the area ranges from 960.09 mm at lower part of the watershed to the 1304.93 mm at upper part of the watershed. Accordingly, Medo sub-watershed is laid in majority of at sub humid agro ecological zone. An assessment of the trees within the landscape of watershed showed some remnant natural forests and a wide variety of shrubby vegetation is encountered at all landscapes. About 40 percent of the watershed, is under high to extremely severe soil loss values (&gt;45 ton per hectare per year). The baseline study also identified that those natural resources degradation such as land, and or/ soil fertility, reduction, and recent changes in the areas’ weather condition in line of climate change prevailing in current years are few of the many factors that are contributing to the land and crop productivity reductions in the area. Therefore, prioritizing the identified problem and preparing intervention of different technologies and development plans to solve the problems by taking into consideration the existing opportunities of the watershed.

Legumes and common beans in sustainable diets: nutritional quality, environmental benefits, spread and use in food preparations.

In recent decades, scarcity of available resources, population growth and the widening in the consumption of processed foods and of animal origin have made the current food system unsustainable. High-income countries have shifted towards food consumption patterns which is causing an increasingly process of environmental degradation and depletion of natural resources, with the increased incidence of malnutrition due to excess (obesity and non-communicable disease) and due to chronic food deprivation. An urgent challenge is, therefore, to move towards more healthy and sustainable eating choices and reorientating food production and distribution to obtain a human and planetary health benefit. In this regard, legumes represent a less expensive source of nutrients for low-income countries, and a sustainable healthier option than animal-based proteins in developed countries. Although legumes are the basis of many traditional dishes worldwide, and in recent years they have also been used in the formulation of new food products, their consumption is still scarce. Common beans, which are among the most consumed pulses worldwide, have been the focus of many studies to boost their nutritional properties, to find strategies to facilitate cultivation under biotic/abiotic stress, to increase yield, reduce antinutrients contents and rise the micronutrient level. The versatility of beans could be the key for the increase of their consumption, as it allows to include them in a vast range of food preparations, to create new formulations and to reinvent traditional legume-based recipes with optimal nutritional healthy characteristics.

A spatio-temporal analysis of the magnitude and trend of land use/land cover changes in Gilgel Gibe Catchment, Southwest Ethiopia

Analyzing alterations in land use/land cover is crucial for water Scientists, planners, and decision-makers in watershed management. This examination enables the development of effective solutions to mitigate the adverse impacts resulting from such changes. The focus of this research was analyzing alterations in land use/land cover within the Gilgel Gibe Catchment in 1991 – 2021. LULC data of 1991-2021 were derived from multispectral Landsat images. Data were also gathered using field observations and key informant interview. Data of LULC classes (1991–2021) were generated utilizing supervised classification with maximum likelihood algorithm of ENVI 5.1 and ArcGIS 10.5. Change detection analysis and accuracy assessment were done where accuracy levels all the study periods were > 85 %, and the overall Kappa statistics of the periods were > 0.89. Built-up area and cultivated land of the catchment are increasing with increasing magnitude of change; whereas, while forest cover and grazing land of the catchment are shrinking with declining magnitudes of change, shrubland covers and water body are declining with increasing magnitude of change in the catchment. The net increase in degraded land is a reflection of the increasing degradation of natural resources in the catchment. Swift escalation of population and the subsequent raising demand for farmland and forest and shrub (e.g. fuel-wood and construction) products, decline yield, unemployment and lack of alternative income source, and open access and limited conservation of resources are the principal factors for the dramatic shrinkages of grazing, forest, water body and shrubland resources. Thus, concerned bodies should take rehabilitation measures to restore degraded lands, improve production and yield of farmland by increasing improved farm-inputs and irrigation, and create employment and alternative income sources for the youth, women and the poor so as to ensure sustainable rural livelihoods and to curb the impacts on forest, shrubland and other resources.

Unraveling the Paradigm of Household Energy Consumption: Environmental Impacts and the Transition to Energy Efficiency

Amidst global climate change and natural resource degradation challenges, adopting energy-efficient home appliances is becoming increasingly crucial, especially in developing countries like Indonesia. Java Island is the country’s economic and industrial center with the highest domestic energy consumption. This study aims to analyze the influence of knowledge about eco-labels and environmental consciousness, mediated by self-efficacy, on the willingness of consumers in Java to adopt energy-efficient household appliances. This study utilizes the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) theoretical framework. Data were collected from 210 respondents through a survey disseminated through social media, and analysis was conducted using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) method within the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) framework. Results show that eco-label knowledge and environmental consciousness significantly contribute to willingness to purchase energy-efficient appliances, with self-efficacy as an essential mediator. The findings present new insights into sustainable consumer behavior and provide practical recommendations for policymakers and practitioners in formulating effective promotional strategies to increase the adoption of energy-efficient home appliances in Indonesia. As such, this study extends the green consumer behavior literature by exploring the mediating role of self-efficacy in a developing country context.

Innovation Activities to Reduce Food Losses and Food Waste in the Slovak Republic

Due to its dependence on natural resources and weather conditions, agriculture is widely acknowledged as one of the most vulnerable sectors when talking about climate change. Lower yields and productivity, droughts, and water shortages have had an impact on food security globally. The food system using agrochemicals, cattle breeding, processing storage, transportation, and trade contributes even more to global emissions. Incorporating sustainability in the production of diverse and healthy food as a systematic approach to the concept of food security is challenging for the future capacity reduction of ecological systems due to the degradation of natural resources and the rise in social and economic inequality. Regenerative agricultural production that ensures long-term food security and nutrition, as well as processing and trade are therefore essential currently to secure the cooperation of social and economic systems. The main goal of the presented scientific paper is to point out the serious challenge of today related to environmental food losses and food waste in the world and the Slovak Republic in particular.

Green economic model adapting to climate change and disaster prevention in Bach Long Vi island district, Hai Phong city

In recent years, the economic model in Bach Long Vi island district has been maintained on a small scale, spontaneously, and heavily influenced by natural factors. Additionally, the impacts of climate change and the degradation of natural resources and the environment are increasing burdens on local socio-economic development. Therefore, this study aims to examine and build a compatible green economic model to help adapt to climate change and prevent natural disasters in the island district. The authors have researched and built a green economic model with three main activities (fishery logistics, tourism, and aquaculture), helping economic growth, improving people’s quality of life, and minimising the negative impact on the ecological system. The effectiveness of the green economic model is evaluated through a set of criteria with many contents, such as economic efficiency, the ability to create jobs and improve people’s living standards, and the level of renewable energy use, ecological and environmental conservation. In the end, groups of general and specific solutions are proposed to help strengthen the development and implementation of green economic models in the island district, ensuring adaptation to climate change, disaster prevention, and assurance of efficiency and sustainability for the environment, economy, and society.

Hybrid model-based prediction of biomass density in case studies in Turkiye

Growing global concern over natural resource degradation due to urbanisation and population growth emphasizes the critical need for innovative solutions. Addressing this imperative, our study pioneers the integration of cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) methods to investigate crucial changes in vegetation density. In this context, a hybrid model, which harmoniously integrates conventional artificial neural network (ANN) models with the innovative Wavelet-ANN (W-ANN) approach, was employed in two case pilot areas, namely on Alanya in Antalya and Iznik in Bursa, Turkiye, renowned for their distinct ecosystems and land cover patterns. By employing diverse data sources, encompassing satellite-derived metrics such as the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) and Land Surface Temperature (LST) from the MODIS/Terra satellite, alongside atmospheric data, our investigation intricately models temporal vegetation dynamics extending to the year 2030. Remarkably, the W-ANN model demonstrates better predictive performance compared to conventional methodologies. It anticipates a substantial 21.4% reduction in vegetation biomass density for Iznik, achieving a minimal 5.4% error probability. Similarly, for Alanya, the model forecasts a notable 6.6% decrease with a remarkably low 2% error probability, both projections extending to the year 2030. Our study reveals a significant reduction in vegetation biomass density by comparing the projected values of the W-ANN model for 2030 with the observed data from 2018. These findings gain further support from an analysis of the Normalised Difference Built-up Index (NDBI) derived from Landsat satellites, affirming the exceptional efficacy of our innovative AI-driven approach in advancing the understanding of urbanisation's impact on ecosystems.