Local Traditional Practices Research Articles

Optimizing Agronomic Management Practices for Enhanced Radiation Capture and Improved Radiation Use Efficiency in Winter Wheat.

Increased aboveground biomass is contingent on enhanced photosynthetically active radiation intercepted by the canopy (IPAR), improved radiation use efficiency (RUE), or both. We investigated whether and how optimized agronomic management practices promote IPAR and RUE. Four integrated agronomic management treatments, i.e., local traditional practice (LP), improved local traditional practice (ILP), high-yield agronomic management (HY), and improved high-yield agronomic management (IHY), were compared over two wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) growing seasons. The average grain yield obtained with IHY was 96% relative to that of HY and was 7% and 23% higher than that with ILP and LP, respectively. Both HY and IHY consistently supported large values of the leaf area index and IPAR fraction, thereby increasing total IPAR. Treatment HY showed increased pre-anthesis RUE, manifested as a higher specific leaf nitrogen content and whole-plant N nutrition index at anthesis. The highest pre-anthesis aboveground biomass was obtained with HY due to the highest pre-anthesis IPAR and RUE. Along with a higher canopy apparent photosynthetic rate, IHY produced higher post-anthesis aboveground biomass due to its higher post-anthesis IPAR and RUE. Treatment IHY had a slightly lower total IPAR but a similar total RUE and harvest index, thus producing a slightly lower grain yield relative to HY. These results demonstrate that the optimized agronomic management practice used under IHY effectively enhances radiation capture and improves radiation utilization. Additionally, the net profit for IHY was higher than that for HY, ILP, and LP by 8%, 11%, and 88%, respectively. Considering the high grain yield, high RUE and high economic benefits, we recommend IHY as the agronomic management practice in the target region, although further study of improvements in pre-anthesis RUE is required.

Exploring the benefits of wild plants in dietary nutrition: investigating perspectives, choices, health impacts and sustainable practices

BackgroundThis ethnobotanical study in Dunyapur, District Lodhran, Pakistan, focuses on traditional medicinal knowledge, exploring 41 plants across 28 families. The research involves 496 informants from diverse backgrounds, including farmers, herbalists, housewives, teachers, and shopkeepers. The prevalence of herbs (68%) aligns with their accessibility and rapid regrowth, shaping the local medicinal landscape. The study investigates socio-demographic features, emphasizing the importance of considering the community's diverse perspectives.MethodsThe research employs quantitative ethnobotanical data analysis, introducing various indices like PPV, FUV, FIV, RFC, UV, and RI. The analysis of plant growth habits underscores the dominance of herbs, and the method of preparation evaluation identifies decoction as the most common (23%). Leaves (27%) are the most utilized plant part, and Resedaceae stands out with the highest FUV (0.38). FIV highlights the ecological and cultural significance of Poaceae, Boraginaceae, Fabaceae, and Solanaceae.ResultsThe RFC values range from 0.016 to 0.032, with Cucumis melo having the highest value (0.032), indicating its frequent citation and cultural significance. The study reveals specific plants like Melia azedarach, Peganum harmala and Salvadora oleoides with high PR values for skin issues, reflecting their widespread acceptance and effectiveness. Oligomeris linifolia emerges with the highest UV (0.38), emphasizing its greater significance in local traditional practices. Leptadenia pyrotechnica records the highest RI (9.85), underlining its exceptional importance in the community's traditional pharmacopeia.ConclusionThe findings offer a holistic understanding of ethnobotanical knowledge in Dunyapur, emphasizing the role of local contexts and ecological factors in shaping traditional plant uses. The study contributes valuable insights into the diverse practices within the community, laying the foundation for sustainable integration of traditional knowledge into broader healthcare frameworks.

Keta Lagoon: Uncovering Suppressed Heritage Practices for Sustainable Wetland Management

Current efforts to integrate heritage practices in the sustainable management of wetlands in postcolonial nation-states assume that these practices have always existed in the forms they are now. The colonial order, whether deliberately or otherwise, suppressed many local traditional practices. The postcolonial authority’s adoption of Western science invariably continued the suppression, albeit in a more liberal form. In the Ramsar Convention, natural scientists were assigned the role of conserving wetlands ‘‘for the benefit of humankind in a way compatible with the maintenance of natural properties of the ecosystem.’’ This became known as the wise use principle. This article highlights the history of the Keta wetlands and proposes an integration of key knowledge holders into management plans for a wise use of wetlands in postcolonial states. The colonial and postcolonial regimes made the knowledge holders invisible. Modern imaginaries – Western legal institutions, Western science and Christianity – were privileged over local heritage practices. It therefore requires historical and heritage expertise to uncover local sustainable knowledge for integration into the Ramsar management plan, hence a wise use of wetlands in postcolonial states.

Shade net and mulching measures for improving soil and plant water status of fig trees under rainfed conditions

Prolonged drought conditions and soil desiccation have caused extensive damage and reduction in yields of the largest rain-fed fig trees (Ficus carica L. ‘Sabz’) grove located in the semi-arid region of Estahban, Iran. In this experiment, the effect of suspended shade net and two types of water penetration systems covered with organic mulch on plant water status and productivity of the rain-fed fig trees on the foothill slopes with traditional micro-catchment were investigated during 2018–2020. The first experimental factors included -(Ctrl.) without shade net and -(S) covering the tree canopy with 25% shade intensity white suspended shade net; and the second experimental factors included -(Ctrl.) the local traditional practice (25 m2 bare soil micro-catchment only), -(M) application of wheat straw as organic mulch under the tree canopy with two concentrating infiltration pipes and -(MP) application of wheat straw mulch over the soil under the tree canopy with two concentrating infiltration pipes and on the surface of 4 m of overall plowing rows perpendicular to the slope to a depth of 40 cm and a width of 3 m at a distance of 2.5 m upslope of the tree trunk. MP treatment significantly increased and retained the average of soil moisture content by 79.9% in comparison with the local traditional practice. The results showed that S+MP had the greatest effect on inducing the physiological attribute of fig trees such as leaf stomatal conductance (121.1%), leaf transpiration (52.5%), leaf light-saturated net CO2 assimilation (96.6%) and the leaf water potential (30.9%) as the main effective variable in association with increment of commercial fruit yield. This treatment had the highest impacts on the increment of yield (187.7%) and commercial and healthy quality of ‘Sabz' fig dry fruit under severe drought conditions in rain-fed orchards.

Screening and analysis of bioactive compounds of traditional hair shampoo (Chenghi) - A review

Background: Traditional practice(s) in Manipur is one of the oldest in terms of keeping food fresh (preservation/conservation/fermentation) and one such practice is using rice soaked water as a hair shampoo and conditioner. Aim: The current review aims at analysing the traditional practices of Chenghi as an hair shampoo in Manipur. Materials & methods: A survey was initiated to collect information from the local people on the use of Chenghi with various medicinal or non-medicinal plants in Manipur during 2019-2020. The indigenous knowledge of local traditional practice using native plants in Chenghi for hair shampoo purposes was collected through personal interviews and questionnaires from different parts of the state. Further, the information about the plants was collected from the scientific literature and published articles. Possible isolation of microorganisms is also highlighted along with the extraction of bioactive compounds for their antimicrobial activity and other benefits (hair smoothing and as a shampoo) of such compounds. Observations: The present investigation revealed that the use of Chenghi is very common in Manipur. 18 families, 30 genera of the various groups of plants with their types, parts used, mode of Chenghi extraction and, how the Chenghi is used in Manipur (Indo-Burma hotspot), North Eastern corner of India have been successfully investigated. This study indicates that still many people in the studied parts (districts: Imphal west, Kakching, Thoubal, and Bishnupur) of Manipur relied on using Chenghi as a hair shampoo and conditioner. Conclusions: Overall, at this hour, the worry is, that traditional knowledge is in danger of disappearing soon. Documentation for the preparation of Chenghi is also not in the proper manner, and the effectiveness of Chenghi is also not well known. This study may throws light for future research works on the local traditional values and practices, which ultimately can be taken for large scale industrial application and public use.

Combined effects of biomaterial amendments and rainwater harvesting on soil moisture, structure and apple roots in a rainfed apple orchard on the Loess Plateau, China

Adequate soil moisture and good soil structure are critical to sustainable productivity of rain-fed apple (Malus pumila Mill) orchards on China’s Loess Plateau. Droughts, poor soil structure, low soil fertility, and a lack of synchronization between plant water demand and rainfall results in low rainfall use efficiency in gentle slope orchards of this area. This study combined soil biomaterial amendment and rainwater harvesting (BARH), and evaluated the effect of BARH on soil moisture content (SMC), soil water storage (SWS), soil saturated hydraulic conductivity, soil structure, and apple roots in a field experiment in rainfed apple orchard on the Loess Plateau from 2016 to 2018. Three treatments: (1) the BARH treatment, combination of biomaterial amendment and rainwater harvesting (2) the RH treatment, rainwater harvesting measure only and (3) the control (CK) treatment, which is the local traditional practice. Compared with the CK treatment, the BARH and RH treatment significantly (P < 0.05) improved SMC by 31.08% and 18.83%, respectively, and SWS by 102.19 mm and 35.30 mm, respectively, within 0–300 cm during the apple growing season (from April to October) over three years. There were notable and significant increases in SMC in the 0–160 cm soil layer. SWC in the autumn improved due to heavy rainfall and lower water consumption by the apple trees. This alleviated the critical water requirements of early spring apple trees for the following year, and therefore, less rainfall was required. The BARH treatment had a soil bulk density (BD) that was 3.52% lower (P < 0.05) within 0–60 cm soil depth, 83.93% higher saturated soil conductivity (Ksat), and 4.9% higher sand-size soil macroaggregates (0.02–2 mm) within 0–40 cm soil depth, compared to the CK treatment over three years. 70% of the root systems were concentrated in the 0–160 cm soil layer in all treatments which was highly correlated with SMC. Root dry weight density (RWD) under BARH and RH treatments increased by 33.35% and 7.52% within 0–300 cm of the soil in comparison to the CK treatment, respectively. Likewise, the root length density (RLD) under BARH and RH treatments increased by 52.16% and 21.34% within the 0–300 cm soil layer compared to the CK treatment, respectively. Therefore, the combination of biomaterial amendment and rainwater harvesting is an effective cultivation measure for sustainable development of rainfed apple orchards on the Loess Plateau.

Rainforest conservation in Mexico’s lowland Maya area: Integrating local meanings of conservation and land-use dynamics

In several tropical forested areas in which biodiversity conservation and indigenous cultures are interwoven, current conservation policies do not consider how the indigenous communities understand the concept of conservation that is promoted and implemented by conservation programs led by external actors, nor do they consider local traditional practices of resource management. To move towards more inclusive conservation policies that take these two aspects into account, research is required in indigenous settings that can inform policy makers. The present study, carried out in the lowland Maya area of Mexico, aims to investigate local meanings of rainforest conservation and dynamics of land use in two Maya common property holdings or ‘ejidos’ (Noh cah and X-Maben). The study used a Social-Ecological Systems approach comprising: (i) the Maya communities and their local meanings of conservation as a Social Subsystem, assessed through social surveys, and (ii) the rainforest of each studied ejido - which was regarded as an Ecological Subsystem and assessed through satellite images (from 2000 to 2012). In the former, interviewees were asked: “when you hear the phrase ‘conservation of the rainforest’ what do you think is being said?” They were also asked if there were local words in Maya or Spanish that were similar in meaning to the aforementioned phrase. The results relating to the meanings of conservation demonstrate that Maya people, who rely on the rainforest for multiple livelihoods, understand two types of meanings for looking after the rainforest; one promoted by governmental conservation programs, and the other called Kanan K’áax, a Maya phrase that represents their customary or community-based rainforest conservation. Differences between these two models of conservation encompass differences with respect to scale, gender and the Maya people’s own cultural practices. The results of the local dynamics of land use demonstrate that the landscapes of both study sites are dominated by mature rainforest (ranging from 73.9–82.7%), and are therefore in a good state of conservation, and that their agricultural frontiers have not expanded. Our empirical results are valuable in terms of informing the scientific community about the state of rainforest conservation in the Maya Zone, and providing policy makers (from the Maya area and elsewhere) with information to devise new, more inclusive conservation policies that take full account of the indigenous cultural practices of rainforest management.

Year-round plastic film mulch to increase wheat yield and economic returns while reducing environmental risk in dryland of the Loess Plateau

In the coming decades, humanity will face great challenges in ensuring food and environmental security while reducing poverty through increasing economic profits. Plastic film mulch is an effective management practice for ensuring food security by improving crop productivity per unit area. However, its effects on environmental and economic benefits have not been well evaluated. Here, a location-fixed field experiment was performed to determine the effect of year-round plastic film mulch (YPM, mulching soil surface with plastic film during the growing season and fallow season of winter wheat) on wheat yield, environment (nitrate-N leaching and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions), and economic returns. Compared with farmer practice (the local traditional practice), adoption of YPM increased the mean yield by 11%, which is attributed to the fact that YPM increased soil water storage at wheat sowing and soil temperature during wheat growing season by a mean of 7% and 0.6 °C, respectively. The increased grains induced a 12% increase in net economic returns. The YPM decreased the soil nitrate-N leaching by 51%, which was explained by decreasing soil nitrate-N residue caused by the increased yield. The YPM also reduced GHG emissions intensity by an average of 12%. As a result, YPM was a better choice for increasing yield and economic returns while reducing environmental risk. In the future, we should develop better mulching systems to further improve food, environmental benefits, and economic returns in dryland farming production.

Yield and water use responses of winter wheat to irrigation and nitrogen application in the North China Plain

With increasing water shortage resources and extravagant nitrogen application, there is an urgent need to optimize irrigation regimes and nitrogen management for winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the North China Plain (NCP). A 4-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of three irrigation levels (W1, irrigation once at jointing stage; W2, irrigation once at jointing and once at heading stage; W3, irrigation once at jointing, once at heading, and once at filling stage; 60 mm each irrigation) and four N fertilizer rates (N0, 0; N1, 100 kg N ha−1; N2, 200 kg N ha−1; N3, 300 kg N ha−1) on wheat yield, water use efficiency, fertilizer agronomic efficiency, and economic benefits. The results showed that wheat yield under W2 condition was similar to that under W3, and greater than that under W1 at the same nitrogen level. Yield with the N1 treatment was higher than that with the N0 treatment, but not significantly different from that obtained with the N2 and N3 treatments. The W2N1 treatment resulted in the highest water use and fertilizer agronomic efficiencies. Compared with local traditional practice (W3N3), the net income and output-input ratio of W2N1 were greater by 12.3 and 19.5%, respectively. These findings suggest that two irrigation events of 60 mm each coupled with application of 100 kg N ha−1 is sufficient to provide a high wheat yield during drought growing seasons in the NCP.

Extraction and identification of α-amylase inhibitor peptides from Nephelium lappacheum and Nephelium mutabile seed protein using gastro-digestive enzymes

The potential of N. lappacheum and N. mutabile seed as a source of α-amylase inhibitor peptides was explored based on the local traditional practice of using the seed. Different gastro-digestive enzymes (i.e. pepsin or chymotrypsin) or a sequential digestion were used to extract the peptides. The effects of digestion time and enzyme to substrate (E:S) ratio on the α-amylase inhibitory activity were investigated. Results showed that chymotrypsin was effective in producing the inhibitor peptides from rambutan seed protein at E:S ratio 1:20 for 1 h, whereas pepsin was more effective for pulasan seed protein under the same condition. A total of 20 and 31 novel inhibitor peptides were identified, respectively. These peptides could bind with the subsites of α-amylase (i.e. Trp58, Trp59, Tyr62, Asp96, Arg195, Asp197, Glu233, His299, Asp300, and His305) and formed a sliding barrier that preventing the formation of enzyme/substrate intermediate leading to lower α-amylase activity.

Participatory assessment of soil erosion severity and performance of mitigation measures using stakeholder workshops in Koga catchment, Ethiopia

Farmers possess a wealth of knowledge regarding soil erosion and soil and water conservation (SWC), and there is a great demand to access it. However, there has been little effort to systematically document farmers' experiences and perceptions of SWC measures. Sustainable Land Management (SLM) has largely evolved through local traditional practices rather than adoption based on scientific evidence. This research aimed to assess soil erosion and performance of different SWC measures from the farmers' perspective by documenting their perceptions and experiences in Koga catchment, Ethiopia. To this aim, workshops were organised in three sub-catchments differing in slopes and SWC measures. Workshops included group discussions and field monitoring of erosion indicators and systematically describing the status of soil erosion, soil fertility and yield to assess the performance of SWC measures. Results show that farmers are aware of the harmful effects of ongoing soil erosion and of the impacts of mitigation measures on their farms. Sheet erosion was found to be the most widespread form of erosion while rill damage was critical on plots cultivated to cereals on steep slopes. The average rill erosion rates were 24.2 and 47.3 t/ha/y in treated and untreated farmlands, respectively. SWC reduced rill erosion on average by more than 48%. However, the impacts of SWC measures varied significantly between sub-watersheds, and farmers believed that SWC measures did not prevent erosion completely. Comparatively, graded stone-faced soil bunds revealed maximum desired impacts and were most appreciated by farmers, whereas level bunds caused water logging. Most traditional ditches were highly graded and begun incising and affected production of cereals. Despite the semi-quantitative nature of the methodology, using farmers' perceptions and experiences to document land degradation and the impacts of SWC measures is crucial as they are the daily users of the land and therefore directly affecting the success or failure of SWC measures.

Hybrid Universities in Malaysia

Are Asian universities different from those in Western countries? Premised on the hypothesis that Asian universities are different because of hybridization between Western academic models and local traditional cultures, this paper investigates the hybrid characteristics in Malaysian universities resulting from interaction between contemporary external influences and local traditional practices. At the system level, the interaction between external ideology of neoliberalism and local ethnic-based politics has resulted in ethnized neoliberalism in the higher education system. Hybrid characteristics at the institutional level have been operationalized into the domains of governance and management, programmes and curriculum, teaching and learning, and research and service. Based on three types of universities in Malaysia – mainstream, Islamic and Chinese community-based – we argue that Malaysian universities are hybrid universities because many of the policies and practices are distinctively different from the Western academic models. Indigenization of the Western models had taken place resulting in unique form of university governance and management, Islamization of curriculum and the Asian cultural ethos of the campus in Malaysian universities.

Integrating local knowledge for climate change adaptation in Yucatán, Mexico

Abstract The importance of local knowledge and traditional practices is now recognized by disaster risk reduction specialists, particularly in the aftermath of the tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004. However, these frequently used practices by local populations are not yet recognized by all actors involved in disaster prevention. This research seeks to identify local traditional practices which are connected to hydro-meteorological phenomena and climate change in the coastal areas of the Yucatan Peninsula in the Rio Lagartos Biosphere Reserve. The identification process requires observation, documentation, validation and categorization of local traditional knowledge. The traditional practices (mainly by fishermen as well as some farmers) examined specifically among the coastal populations relate to their habitat, natural resources, and fishing practices. Recognizing and valuing traditional knowledge will help improve resilience to the impact of disasters and the effects of climate change among coastal populations.

High fire temperature changes soil aggregate stability in slash-and-burn agricultural systems

Fire is a key controlling factor in ecosystem dynamics worldwide, especially, in tropical areas under slash-and-burn agricultural systems. Farmers use fire as a tool to clean the land, and benefit from nutrient enrichment from ash-soil heating. However, fire can cause some detrimental effects on soil systems, such as organic carbon depletion, increased soil erodibility, and changes to aggregate stability. In this study, an experimental fire was applied to a plot of land following the local traditional practice of slash-and-burn. The fire temperature was monitored in the field, and its effect on soil aggregate stability was assessed. The fire temperature on soil surface was measured in four trenches, and it ranged from 355 to 660 °C (average 484 ± 142 °C). The fire temperature did not affect soil organic matter content. However, aggregate stability increased by 10 % in comparison to unburned soil. Moreover, the geometric mean diameter of burned soil was 20 % higher than that of unburned soil. In conclusion, high fire temperature changes soil aggregate stability in slash-and-burn agricultural systems.

A Truth-Based Epistemological Framework for Supporting Teachers in Integrating Indigenous Knowledge into Science Teaching

Integrating indigenous knowledge (IK) into school science teaching is one way of maximising the socio-cultural relevance of science education for enhanced learners’ performance. The epistemological differences however between the nature of science (NOS) and nature of indigenous knowledge (NOIK) constitute a major challenge for an inclusive IK-science curriculum integration. This article is about the application of a truth-based epistemological framework designed to support teachers to make decisions on how specific pieces of indigenous knowledge (local traditional practices and technologies) may be included in science lessons. First, an attempt was made to develop a truth-based epistemological framework for identifying epistemology(ies) of indigenous knowledge and practices. Second a group of science teachers used the truth-based epistemological framework to examine ways in which some specified IK practices that comprised a coherent set of knowledge themes on health, agriculture and technology could be integrated into the school science curriculum in a valid and legitimate way. The IK practices used in the study were systematically identified and documented by means of personal observations and interviews of key informants in a rural community in Zimbabwe. The main findings of the study showed that the truth-based epistemological framework was useful in providing an epistemological basis for including some IK practices in science teaching and learning. As a tool for pedagogy the framework enabled the science teachers to reconsider and change their valuing of Indigenous knowledge Systems (IKS), more specifically in ways in which local knowledge can validly be incorporated into school science teaching.

Addressing the continuum of maternal and newborn care in Ghana: implications for policy and practice.

Although the past decade has brought global reductions in maternal, infant and child mortality, many low-resource settings have failed to make significant gains relative to their high-income counterparts. In Ghana, nearly 50% of under-five mortality in 2014 could be attributed to deaths during the first 28 days after birth. This article analyses the data across a mixed-methods study of the factors impacting maternal and neonatal care in northern Ghana. The stillbirth and neonatal death study (SANDS) was conducted in 2010 and included both quantitative (N = 20 497) and qualitative data collection (N = 253) to explore the issues associated with the continuum of reproductive health care. Findings were compared against an adaptation of the WHO/UNICEF framework for integrated maternal and newborn care and used to generate concrete recommendations for clinicians, policymakers and programmers across the continuum of care, from pregnancy through delivery and postnatal care. SANDS elucidated epidemiological trends: 40% of neonatal deaths occurred on the first day after birth, and the leading causes of early neonatal mortality were birth asphyxia/injury, infection and complications of prematurity. Qualitative data reflect findings along two axes-community to facility-based care, and pre-pregnancy through the postnatal period. Resulting recommendations include the need to improving clinicians' understanding of and sensitization to local traditional practices, the need for policies to better address quality of care and coordination of training efforts, and the need for comprehensive, integrated programmes that ensure continuity of care from pre-pregnancy through the post-partum period. SANDS illustrates complex medical-social-cultural knowledge, attitudes and practices that span the reproductive period in rural northern Ghana. Data illustrate that not only are the first few days of life critical in infant survival but also there are significant social and cultural barriers to ensuring that mothers and their newborns are cared for in a timely, evidence-based manner.

ОБРАЗОВАНИЕ КАК ФАКТОР ПРОТИВОДЕЙСТВИЯ НАРКОТИЗАЦИИ ОБЫДЕННОГО СОЗНАНИЯ

Nowadays a lot of societies are facing the problem of growing casual drug abuse. This challenge isn’t new to humanity, but it has been modified by the modern world conditions and has acquired new aspects: drug use is no longer a peripheral phenomenon limited to local traditional practices, but a widely accessible means of recreation. The ontological basis of narcotization problem is the experience of being detached from the world that comes from subject-object cognitive frame arising from the corresponding basic language structure. Education has the potential to counter this problem. In order to use this potential it is necessary to realize what causes narcotization as well as the appropriate strategy of solving this problem. The major points of this strategy are: to create and to popularize an alternative lifestyle image; to inform the participants of education systems that the problem is not their unique experience, but a long-standing issue well-known to humanity; to establish obligatory medical control in educational institutions. Authors analyze the basis for addiction development in common mind as well as antinarcotization potential of education. The first part of the article is devoted to common mind specific inner causes of addiction development analysis. The second part of the article describes the “major” and the “minor” narcotization problems and estimates the potential of education as a factor which could counter them. Potential strategies involving educational tools that could solve the “minor” narcotization problem are suggested.

The challenges of ‘participatory’ development in a semi-authoritarian context: the case of an essential oil distillation project in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco

Decentralisation implies that responsibilities for development planning and management are transferred from central governance levels to sub-national levels, including local governments. Decentralisation reforms assume that local people's greater involvement in local decision-making will lead to more sustainable social and environmental development. Participatory rural techniques and approaches have been devised to support decentralisation reforms. This article presents the case of a multi-donor-funded ‘participatory’ essential oil distillation project in the High Atlas of Morocco. The project sought to respond to urgent issues around natural resource conservation, desertification, poverty alleviation, and out-migration of Berber communities towards urban areas. The article addresses the role that institutional partners and local authorities played in the implementation of the project. Based on extensive empirical fieldwork, the findings demonstrate that the approaches utilised by the Moroccan government to involve local communities are not adequately addressing local needs and suggest that there is little desire, nor the necessary capacity, to empower the local communities in the way that would be necessary to achieve effective economic development. Indeed, the project raised high expectations among the villagers but delivered few concrete results, benefiting mostly the local elite. This had a disengaging effect on the local communities. Another explanation for the ‘failure’ of the project is the clash between traditional and modern notions of ‘governance’ that it brought with it and that played out inside the communities. The article argues that participatory approaches should embrace the community's customary norms, thus facilitating the establishment of endemic notions of good local ‘governance’ and negotiating local traditional practices at the community level.

Participatory Evaluation of Monitoring and Modeling of Sustainable Land Management Technologies in Areas Prone to Land Degradation

Examples of sustainable land management (SLM) exist throughout the world. In many cases, SLM has largely evolved through local traditional practices and incremental experimentation rather than being adopted on the basis of scientific evidence. This means that SLM technologies are often only adopted across small areas. The DESIRE (DESertIfication mitigation and REmediation of degraded land) project combined local traditional knowledge on SLM with empirical evaluation of SLM technologies. The purpose of this was to evaluate and select options for dissemination in 16 sites across 12 countries. It involved (i) an initial workshop to evaluate stakeholder priorities (reported elsewhere), (ii) field trials/empirical modeling, and then, (iii) further stakeholder evaluation workshops. This paper focuses on workshops in which stakeholders evaluated the performance of SLM technologies based on the scientific monitoring and modeling results from 15 study sites. It analyses workshop outcomes to evaluate how scientific results affected stakeholders' perceptions of local SLM technologies. It also assessed the potential of this participatory approach in facilitating wider acceptance and implementation of SLM. In several sites, stakeholder preferences for SLM technologies changed as a consequence of empirical measurements and modeling assessments of each technology. Two workshop examples are presented in depth to: (a) explore the scientific results that triggered stakeholders to change their views; and (b) discuss stakeholders' suggestions on how the adoption of SLM technologies could be up-scaled. The overall multi-stakeholder participatory approach taken is then evaluated. It is concluded that to facilitate broad-scale adoption of SLM technologies, de-contextualized, scientific generalisations must be given local context; scientific findings must be viewed alongside traditional beliefs and both scrutinized with equal rigor; and the knowledge of all kinds of experts must be recognised and considered in decision-making about SLM, whether it has been formally codified or not. The approach presented in this paper provided this opportunity and received positive feedback from stakeholders.

Climate change impacts and adaptation strategies in temperate forests in Central Mexico: a participatory approach

Worldwide temperate forests are vulnerable to climate change because climate anomalies may impact tree mortality and forest productivity, as well as the economic and social dynamics of the people that depend on forest services. Evaluation of their vulnerability is a key element for the impact scenarios under climate change and for the design of adaptation strategies. The objective of this study is to analyze the case of forests in central Mexico and the importance of land degradation as a factor that increases vulnerability to warmer than normal temperatures that may result in forest fires. By means of data analyses and participative workshops, current vulnerability factors of temperate forests ecosystem to a warmer climate have been identified and found to be related to local traditional practices, like slash and burn, illegal extraction, deforestation and land use change that have led to loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. However, various stakeholders now admit that some of their practices on the use of forest resources lead to vulnerability to climate anomalies. If current trends in vulnerability continue, and climate change makes drier conditions more frequent, forest extension in the Central Mexico could be severely reduced mainly by wildfires, pests and loss of ecological services. In a number of workshops, stakeholders’ from the forests of Tlaxcala suggested three adaptation measures: i) forest conservation, ii) forest restoration and iii) sustainable forest management. Particular adaptation strategies are considered more appropriate for some communities that expect long term benefits (augmenting water resources, soil erosion mitigation and flood control). Therefore, it is concluded that perception and ancestral knowledge of stakeholders need to be incorporated in the vulnerability analysis in order to have them involved in the adaptation process and to empower them in the implementation of the adaptation strategies.