Metric Tons Research Articles

EFFECTS OF EXCESS AIR AND COAL SULFUR CONTENT IN PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT OF 660 MW SUPERCRITICAL BOILERS IN TERMS OF ACID DEW POINT TEMPERATURE

The objective of this study was to select an appropriate fuel having different sulfur contents in various coal fuels and optimize the excess air in order to reduce dry flue gas loss, avoid equipment damage due to sulfur dew point corrosion, and reduce maintenance and equipment installation costs. A tri-sector rotary air preheater was employed to exchange heat between dry flue gases and preheat the air (both primary and secondary air). The results showed that coal with 0.6165% sulfur (fuel 2) caused acid dew point temperatures (ADPTs) of 122.38°C and 124.947°C with 15% and 20% excess air, respectively, in a rotary air preheater set at a 30.5° angle, whereas coal with 1.627% sulfur (fuel 1) caused ADPTs of 131.299°C and 133.602°C with 15% and 20% excess air, respectively, in a rotary air preheater set at a 35.99° angle. The experimental results indicate that the use of fuel 2 coal consumption can reduce carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) emission by nearly 4 metric tons (MT)/hour, which is equivalent to a reduction of CO<sub>2</sub> emission of 3.8 MT/hour.

Economic Evaluation of Pesticide Use Externalities in the Cotton Zones of Punjab, Pakistan

At the inception of Pakistan in 1947, there was practically no plant protection service in the country and economic soundness of plant protection measures was not even realized for a long time. The use of chemicals as preventive measures to reduce losses by insects and diseases was almost non-existent during 1960s. However, the “grow more” pressure rendered the traditional methods insufficient, to control the ever increasing pest problem from 1970s onwards. Consumption of pesticides in Pakistan has increased from 665 metric tonnes (MT) in 1980 (when subsidy was withdrawn) to 69897 MT in 2002. This colossal increase in pesticide consumption has not led necessarily to an increase in the yield of crops, as demonstrated by Poswal and Williamson (1998) and Ahmad and Poswal (2000). This indiscriminate use of pesticides has destroyed the bio-control agents in the agro-ecosystems and the populations of natural enemies of the insects and pests have declined up to 90 percent during the last decade (of the past century) especially, in cotton growing areas of the country [Hasnain (1999)].

Preliminary Study on Food Loss Analysis in the Apple Value Chain: The Case of Kesrwan-Mount Lebanon

Studies are done on different crops worldwide to gather data allowing on one hand policy makers to implement food loss reduction strategies, and on the other hand researchers to calculate and monitor the food loss. This article identifies and quantifies the losses in the Lebanese apples at the cold storage level in Kesrwan-Mount Lebanon and recognises the main causes of those losses. A preliminary diagnosis based on key informant interviews was followed by assessing a sample of 29 Metric Tons (MT) of apples handled by 14 traders in three cold storage facilities. The sorted apples were assessed for the type of damage and its causes. The graded apples as assessed by traders were measured. A survey was also conducted with farmers, traders, and managers of cold storage facilities. The results identified the actors, the postharvest practices, three distinct postharvest systems and cost-profit values based on the usage of cold storage and the different marketing channels. Results showed that 5% of the stored apples were lost, only grade 1 (41%) and grade 2 (26%) could get a good price while the rest (28%) could hardly cover the cost of production. Hence, improving the production and postharvest systems would lead to higher quantities of good quality apples and meet high-end markets.

PRESENT STATUS, PROSPECTS AND CONSERVATION OF HILSA, Tenualosa ilisha (CLUPEIFORMES: CLUPEIDAE) FISHERY IN BANGLADESH

Belonging to the family Clupeidae, hilsa shad Tenualosa ilisha (Hamilton, 1822) is an important fish species in the South and Southeast Asia, especially in Bangladesh. Due to its unique nature, the fish has gained national and international demands for its nutritional values, taste qualities, special aroma and high delicacy, and provides livelihoods to the millions of fishers directly or indirectly along the coastal and riverine stretches in its range of natural distribution. It is considered as the national and most important commercial fish species of Bangladesh and contributes significantly to the national economy. In this study, an attempt is made in evaluating the data currently available on hilsa to determine the impact of the current management approaches and improvement strategies of this important fishery. Hilsa is found primarily in marine and estuarine environments, but it has been declining gradually over the last 30 years, reaching a low point in 1991-1992 and continuing until 2002-2003. Recognizing the declining trend of hilsa, the government took action to increase production by implementing regulations on jatka (juvenile) catch and restrictions on brood hilsa catch during the breeding season. As a result, total hilsa catch increased from 2.55 million MT (metric ton) in 2003-04 to 3.94 million MT in 2015-2016. Under the Protection and Conservation of Fish Act of 1950, Hilsa production peaked in 2016-2017, with a total of 4.96 lakh metric tons. Hilsa management techniques contribute 12.9% of all fish produced, while in Bangladesh, the rate of increase in hilsa production is 25.69%. The annual increase of total hilsa production climbed from 3.5% to 9.0% after 2015 as a result of the government's general management activities, payments for ecosystem service (PES) and the environmental management strategies, resulting in annual total hilsa production of 5.50 lakh MT in 2019–2020. A number of recommendations for effective management of the hilsa fisheries that might be implemented into the national policy are elicited in order to improve the situation because the current hilsa management plan has an impact on the conservation of this important fishery to a greater extent in commensurate with its national and international demands.

Stock Assessment of Sin Croaker Johnius dussumieri (Cuvier, 1830) Fishery by Different Production Model Approach from Tamil Nadu, Southeast Coast of India

The present study aims to analyze the exploitation status of the sin croaker Johnius dussumieri (Cuvier, 1830) fishery from Tamil Nadu, India waters. Annual catch and effort data were reconstructed from 2001 to 2020 and analyzed with different surplus production models using Catch and Effort Data Analysis (CEDA), Catch-based MSY (CMSY) and the Bayesian state-space implementation of the Schaefer production Model (BSM). The result of biological reference points such as maximum sustainable yield (MSY), relative stock size (B/BMSY) and relative exploitation rate (F/FMSY) from CEDA was 1,746 metric tonnes (MT), 0.93 and 1.11 respectively. However, CMSY and BSM models estimated MSY, B/BMSY and F/FMSY at 1,650 MT, 0.74 and 1.28 respectively. Hence, it can be inferred that the sin croaker fishery of Tamil Nadu, which was healthy during its initial stage distorted to overfishing status. Therefore, the present study recommends a reduction in fishing efforts and the implementation of conservation measures for better management and sustainable exploitation of the fishery.

Investigations into the pre-cooling rates of apples in controlled atmosphere storage chambers

The objective of the present investigation was to model the rate of cooling of apples in a fruit storage unit using forced air pre-cooling. Apples of Royal, Red, Rich-a-red and Golden Delicious varieties were procured from Shimla and Royal Delicious from the Kinnaur region of Himachal Pradesh, India. Apples were transported in refrigerated and non-refrigerated vehicles. After grading and sorting on a fully automatic machine, the apples were subjected to a cooling process. Apples were placed in perforated plastic crates and stacked in a controlled atmosphere chamber of 720 m3 capacity. Temperature profiles of apples were recorded with a programmable logic controller connected to sensors. The effect of variety, initial apple temperature, and fruit quantity per chamber on the cooling rate were investigated. Initial fruit temperature significantly affected the cooling time. The apple variety did not significantly affect the cooling time, except that slow cooling was observed for golden delicious in the last cooling stage. Varied masses of apples resulted in a proportionate increase in cooling time. Cooling times were 132, 113, 78, and 65 hours for a mass of 165, 150, 140, and 130 Metric Tons (MT), respectively. Correlation coefficients ranged from 0.970 to 0.979 for different varieties. The rate of cooling with apple mass was modeled with linear, exponential, and polynomial and found to best fit with the exponential model with R2 values of 0.99, 0.96, 0.95, 0.966 for 165, 150, 140, and 130 MT, respectively. The time taken to cool 150 MT of apples was 97, 114, and 147 hours from an initial temperature of 35.2, 28.4, and 15.6oC, respectively. The drop rate was exponential, with R2 values in the range of 0.936 to 0.973.

Assessment of Harmonic Mitigation in V/f Drive of Induction Motor Using an ANN-Based Hybrid Power Filter for a Wheat Flour Mill

Voltage/frequency (V/f) drive of a three-phase induction motor plays a crucial role in a flour mill for energy saving. Wheat consumption in India is increasing day by day, which reached 105,000 metric ton (MT) in 2021. India’s high wheat consumption and production increase flour mills. Thus, energy efficiency in a flour mill is a must in the present situation. Hence, V/f drives are widely used in flour mills. Apart from the advantages of V/f drive, electronic circuits in a drive induce harmonics in a power system. Power quality plays a vital role in a modern power system. Harmonics by V/f drive increase the current consumption, causing increased losses, cable overheating, and motor overheating, which necessitates a filter for harmonic mitigation. In this paper, an artificial neural network controller-based hybrid power filter is proposed for harmonic mitigation. A hybrid power filter (HPF) is presented to overcome the problems and achieve the active and passive power filter’s benefits. Harmonic mitigation of the proposed hybrid power filter is compared with the passive and active filter-based drives. This paper analyzes harmonic mitigation for three-phase induction motors with V/f drive installed in a 300-ton/day wheat flour mill’s purifier fan. The performance of the suggested system is analyzed under various speeds in the aspects of harmonic mitigation, reduction in current consumption, and energy saving using various filters. The entire system is developed and analyzed using MATLAB/Simulink. Energy saving is increased by around 10.97 kWh per year by HPF by means of reducing harmonics and current consumption compared to an active power filter, while it is increased by around 28.16 kWh/year compared to a passive power filter. Along with the harmonic mitigation, energy saving is also validated for various filters under various speeds.

Review on usage of steel slag for roads

India is the 3rd largest producer of steel with a capacity of 101 Metric Ton (MT), and this capacity is expected to grow up to 125-150 MT by 2025. The iron and steel industries generate millions of tons of various types of slag. These slags are generated during iron making and steel making processes, and are residue from these processes made of minerals like silica, alumina, and titanium from iron sand, as well as combinations of calcium and magnesium oxides. 2-4 tons of waste are generated for each ton of steel produced in different forms such as solids, liquids, and gas. The disposal of such slags is a major challenge for the steelmaking industry. With a growing availability of huge quantities of such slag materials, there is currently great focus on research to develop slag processing technologies that enable re-use of such slags in various infrastructure construction projects. The properties of the slags are very similar to the properties of natural aggregates in terms of both physical and chemical composition, and they have immense potential for extensive use in road construction and infrastructure projects as an alternative to natural aggregates. Rapid infrastructure development has led to a scarcity of natural aggregates as the demand is too high for them. These slags from the iron and steel industry are processed to make them suitable for use as natural aggregates replacements, contributing to sustainability in the construction industry. These slags can be used as an alternative to natural aggregates in sub-base, base and asphalt layers, and in concrete aggregates instead of being dumped as industrial waste near the plants. Standards, codal requirements, and suitable specifications need to be established for the large-scale use of slag continuously in construction, as well as for the implementation of large-scale recycling and re-use of slag from these industries, which can solve environmental issues in handling such industrial wastes.

Impact on awareness of E-waste and its hazards in society

Many deadly environmental pollutions are polluting our earth today, due to which we are facing problems like climate change and health problems, another reason for this is also the change in technology and marketing trends, as well as our need to buy new items. This includes the tendency of many electronic devices to become obsolete and obsolete due to changes in time and technology, and most of these electrical and electronic equipment's (EEE) are discarded due to the end of their lives or non-working conditions. In such a scenario, it becomes a big question that what will happen to these old and unusable devices after all? In spite of this, we buy new electronic equipment, e-waste is one of the main problems of increasing waste as well as the most recent cause of environmental pollution this electronic waste. This waste is commonly known as "e-waste". In the year 2019, the world generated 53.6 metric tons (MT) of e-waste - an average of 7.3 kg per person. E-waste generation is projected to increase to 74.7 million tons in 2030 and 110 million tons in 2050 (GEMReport 2020) unless we revise our habits and practices of buying new equipment. In such a situation, the 3R policy will have to be adopted personally, so that we can reuse, recycle and reduce electrical and electronic equipment.The purpose of this research paper is to study how to make the public aware of the impact of e-waste on the environment and health, as well as to understand the relevant public knowledge and to effectively address the concern about e-waste. To help in creating awareness programs for This study focuses on the impact of awareness on e-waste and related problems.

Algal bloom, hypoxia, and mass fish kill events in the backwaters of Puducherry, Southeast coast of India

The Chunnambar backwater of Puducherry experienced changes in water quality over a period. The most significant impact was the sudden mass fish kill event coincided with the Pseudo-nitzschia bloom. On 25th September 2019, a mass fish kill event was reported, i.e. about a 0.25 metric ton (MT) floating on the water surface. On 29th September 2019, a much larger (∼1 MT) than the earlier incident had occurred. Sampling was carried out to assess the causes thereof. The results indicate that high organic matter and bacterial loads accumulated in the water and sediment due to the closure of the river mouth for an extended period. High ammonia (61.4 µM) and phosphate (6.2 µM) levels attributed to eutrophic conditions in the water column and hypoxemia due to low dissolved oxygen (1.62 mg/L at St.1 and 2.4 mg/L at St.5) and algal bloom were the proximate cause of these sudden fish kills. We recommend periodic dredging to facilitate proper water exchange between the backwater and the sea.

Hydrogen production potential from agricultural biomass in Punjab province of Pakistan

Depleting resources and popping environmental concerns instigate the development of sustainable and clean energy solutions. Amongst others, Hydrogen (H2) is an imperious alternative due to the lowest emissions, higher calorific value, and usability. It has great relevance in Pakistan due to sequester Agricultural biomass potential that can be used as feedstock for H2 production. So, this study estimates the H2 production potential from agricultural biomass (rice, sugarcane, cotton, wheat, and maize) of Punjab, Pakistan. In doing so, simulations are performed using Aspen Plus under various conditions to derive an optimal value of H2 output. The results indicate significant heterogeneity across districts and crop residues types. Therefore, the Geographic Information System (GIS) is used to draw the spatial distribution of optimal H2 production across crops and districts. The simulated results reveal that Punjab province has the potential to produce 2619.90 × 103 Metric tons (MT)/year H2, and the highest potential derives from sugarcane trash (1012.77 × 103 MT/year), followed by maize straw (433.67 × 103 MT/year). The estimated H2 potential (2.62 million MT/year) can be used in industries, transportation, and urea production as a sustainable alternative in Pakistan.

Comparison of batch and fed-batch solid-state anaerobic digestion of on-farm organic residues: Reactor performance and economic evaluation

Batch and fed-batch solid-state anaerobic digestion (SS-AD) of on-farm organic residues including cattle manure, cornstalk, and tomato residues (1:1:1.5, wet basis) were compared under mesophilic condition (35 ± 1 °C). Comparing to batch SS-AD, inoculum was needed in fed-batch was reduced by 60%, but increased cumulative methane yield by 45%. However, the overall daily methane yields in fed-batch SS-AD were 35% lower than that of batch SS-AD. The overall volatile solids (VS) reduction were obtained in fed-batch SS-AD was 12% higher than that in batch SS-AD. Furthermore, the effect of particle size of cornstalk on methane yield of fed-batch SS-AD was investigated. The highest cumulative methane yield of 283.3 L/kg VS feed was achieved in fed-batch SS-AD with cornstalk particle size of 40 mm. However, difference in cumulative methane yields caused by cornstalk particle size of 60 mm, 40 mm, and 10 mm in fed-batch SS-AD was not significant. Economic analysis was conducted to evaluate the economic performance of commercial-scale SS-AD (1,000 m 3 ) under batch, fed-batch, and combine fed-batch and batch system with the annual capacities of 6,400 metric tons (MT), 2,400 MT, and 4,800 MT, respectively. Batch SS-AD system has the highest net present value (NPV, 6.35 million US$) and internal rate of return (IRR, 24.7%) concerning economic analysis. However, batch SS-AD only achieved a slightly higher NPV and IRR compared to the combination of fed-batch and batch SS-AD system. Thus, it is more economical to start reactor with fed-batch SS-AD and later change to batch SS-AD under analysis conditions. • 60% less inoculum was needed in fed-batch solid state anaerobic digestion (FBSS-AD). • 45% higher methane yield was obtained in fed-batch SS-AD. • Effect of cornstalk particle size in FBSS-AD on cumulative CH 4 was not significant. • The highest NPV and IRR was achieved in scenario with batch SS-AD. • Combine fed-batch and batch system for SS-AD was financially attractive.

Modelling and Analysis of a Solid Waste Composter for Urban Houses

Disposal of waste is an important issue faced by sanitation agencies, especially in India, where the volume of waste generated has been increasing rapidly over the last few years. According to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, as of January 2020, 147,613 metric tonnes (MT) of solid waste is generated per day in the country. Part of the waste that is expunged on a daily basis from homes, is food and other kitchen waste, which are biodegradable or compostable. In rural areas, such waste is disposed of in landfills, such that they get decomposed to form compost that is used as manure for crops. But this is not feasible in large cities where empty land, as well as the time required for waste to get converted into compost, is in short supply. Composting is a proven method to reduce the volume of waste, to almost 15-20% of its original amount. Therefore, this work is focused on designing an electric composter that could decompose waste artificially, and is compact, efficient, odourless, and easy to operate. This product can thus manage biodegradable waste at the source of its generation, and effectively supplant the wastebasket in a kitchen by occupying no greater space than the latter. The yield of compost would also provide nutritive natural fertilizer to homes wherein kitchen gardens or terrace farms have been set up, as well as promote the creation of the same wherever space is available. In this paper, the important parameters involved in the design of composter, including geometry parameters and the ones of operational significance such as speed and number of blades of agitator and bin temperature, have been discussed thoroughly, along with providing an understanding of the processes and considerations necessitated.

An analysis of select swine feed ingredients and pork products imported into the United States from African swine fever virus affected countries.

The potential for feed ingredients to serve as a vehicle for African swine fever virus (ASFV) introduction to the United States remains a significant concern. It is therefore imperative that channels through which high-risk livestock feeds and feed ingredients are imported into the United States from ASFV-positive countries are identified and considered into the USDA's ASF National Response Framework. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the use of a novel analytical tool to categorically quantify pork products and potential high-risk feed ingredients that have entered the United States from ASFV-positive countries over a 5-year period (2016-2020). Data for this study were obtained at the United States International Trade Commission Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) website (www.hs.usitc.gov), a publicly available website that provides transaction information on specific trade commodities between the United States and its international trading partners. A total of 29 high-risk pork products or feed ingredients with the potential to be fed to pigs were analysed. High risk products and ingredients were defined as those that previous research has shown to facilitate extended viral survivability, and includes products such as soybean oilcake, distillers grains, pet food, and pork sausage casings. Data were exported into Microsoft Excel and organized into pivot tables to describe the quantity of each product by country of origin and Port of Entry (POE). The analysis focused on the 60 ASFV-positive countries as currently reported by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). In 2020, a total of 486,902 metric tons (MT) of these high-risk products were imported into the United States from a total of 19 of the 60 foreign countries currently listed as ASFV positive by the OIE. A majority of imported animal feed ingredients came from India in 2020 (85.8%; 392,243 MT), whereas the majority of pork products and by-products were imported from Poland (21,191 MT, 70.6%). Soybean oilcake from India entered the United States through a total of 15 ports of entry (POEs) in 2020. Of these POEs, a total of five POEs received greater than 91% of all of soy oilcake originating from India, including Baltimore, MD (37.7%); San Francisco, CA (30.1%); Seattle, WA (12.7%); New Orleans, LA (5.9%); and Detroit, MI (5.1%). When examining trends over a 5-year period, a few noteworthy findings include the dramatic rise in soybean oilcake imported from India when compared to China, and a dramatic decrease in the total volume of pork sausage casings imported from China into the United States. To support the risk management of feed imports, our novel approach focuses on seaport of highest risk and quantity of product received. Data provided in this report represent an initial listing of suspect pork products and feed ingredients entering the United States, much of which is destined for animal feed. Specific detailed examples are provided in order to demonstrate the tool's flexible interface, which can be quickly modified to zero-in on specific feed ingredients, countries, or POEs depending on what the user's question may be. To the authors' knowledge, the use of and application of such a tool has not been previously utilized to support ongoing risk mitigation efforts. Potential outlets for future use of the analytical tool will include a more user-friendly and interactive interface providing an inclusive analysis of global livestock feed ingredient sourcing.

Techno-economic analysis of producing xylo-oligosaccharides and cellulose microfibers from lignocellulosic biomass

This study assesses the economic performance of a biorefinery producing xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) from miscanthus by autohydrolysis and purification based on a rigorous model developed in ASPEN Plus. Varied biorefinery capacities (50–250 oven dry metric ton (ODMT)/day) and three XOS content levels (80%, 90%, 95%) are analyzed. The XOS minimum selling price (XOS MSP) is varied between $3,430–$7,500, $4,030–$8,970, and $4,840–$10,640 per metric ton (MT) for 80%, 90%, and 95% content, respectively. The results show that increasing biorefinery capacity can significantly reduce the XOS MSP and higher purity leads to higher XOS MSP due to less yield, and higher capital and operating costs. This study also explores another system configuration to produce high-value byproducts, cellulose microfiber, by utilizing the cellulose to produce microfiber instead of combusting for energy recovery. The XOS MSP of cellulose microfiber case is $2,460–$7,040/MT and thus exhibits potential economic benefits over the other cases.

Production Trends, and Challenges for Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Fisheries Management of Kaptai Lake, the Largest Reservoir in Bangladesh

Kaptai Lake (KL), the largest artificial lake in Bangladesh, supports an important inland open water fishery. Nevertheless, detailed studies on its fish diversity and environmental threats are still limited. Hence, a study was conducted to evaluate the current fish management scenarios, fish production, relative abundance to improve the production and biodiversity of KL. Data were collected from stakeholders through personal observation, focus group discussions, and cross-check interviews from September 2018 to July 2019. The fish production of KL increased from 1,200 metric tons (MT) in 1965–1966 to 10,577 MT in 2018–2019. The output of the lake was dominated by small fish remarkably, Gudusia chapra (Hamilton, 1822), Gonialosa manmina (Hamilton, 1822), and Corica soborna Hamilton, 1822, accounting for 64 % of the total production in 2018–2019. A total of seventy-six fish species were observed under ten orders, including seven exotic fish species. According to the IUCN Bangladesh, 14 % of total species were identified as vulnerable, 11 % as endangered, 3 % as critically endangered, 11 % as near threatened and 51 % as least concern. The study also identified that climate change and various human-driven causes threaten the fish production and biodiversity of this lake. These findings suggest that community-based fisheries management, protection of natural breeding grounds of carps, control of pollution, amendment of existing fishing laws, and collaborative research would be a necessary approach for mitigating the negative environmental impact of this lake. The overall practical knowledge of this investigation could assist in policymaking and further research.

Ethanol as a Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier for Seasonal Microgrid Application: Catalysis, Theory, and Engineering Feasibility

In this work, we describe the benefits and challenges of a green approach to seasonal energy storage using ethanol as a liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC). We evaluate the cycling efficiency of hydrogen release from ethanol (EtOH) to form ethyl acetate (EtOAc) as the spent LOHC and the subsequent regeneration of EtOH from EtOAc catalyzed by a single molecular catalyst, Ru-MACHO, at a moderate pressure of H2, mild reaction temperature, and high selectivity. From experimental and computational studies, we were able to minimize catalyst deactivation, regenerate the active catalyst post reactions, and establish the energy profile of the deactivation pathway relative to the on-cycle pathway catalyzed by Ru-MACHO. Based upon these findings, we performed a reactor design analysis to determine the footprint of an EtOH-based storage system to provide 85 MWh of energy by storing 5 metric tons (MT) of H2. We conclude that the heating and cooling required to maintain H2 partial pressure present a significant engineering challenge for widespread deployment of this system.

Modeling and forecasting of principal minerals production

Although coal reserves are abundant in Pakistan, still share of gas and oil is about 65% in the energy mix. Pakistan, despite being a mineral-enriched country, is facing an alarming situation as its power generation is based on foreign exchange. The mineral sector of Pakistan is dominated by four principal minerals which are gas, oil, gypsum, and coal, while gypsum being a source of reclamation and poverty reduction. There is a strong need to analyze and forecast the production of these four principal minerals to cope up with emerging challenges. Data contains 114 observations from the period of July 2005 to December 2014, measured in terms of metric tonnes (MT). In parametric models, Box-Jenkins (B-J) methodology, a regression model with auto-regressive errors (ARAR), and Holt-Winter (HW) method are used to model. In nonparametric models, univariate singular spectrum analysis (SSA) and multivariate SSA (MSSA) modeling approach are applied. Data is split into train and test data in order to specify a suitable model for forecasting. Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Absolute Percentage Error, and Theil’s U statistic are utilized as the measure of accuracy. For gas and coal, HW model is a suitable model to forecast. For gypsum and oil, Auto-regressive Integrated Moving Average (Box Jenkins ARIMA) and MSSA provide more accurate predictions, respectively. The forecasts for gas and gypsum as compared to 2014 are expected to be approximately 11 % and 45 %, respectively, more in 2020. In 2020, the forecasts of oil are expected to be eight times more than in 2014. The production of coal in 2020 is expected to decrease 12 % than in 2014. There is a strong need to optimize the production of coal by providing incentives for exploration and mining. The stakeholders should make serious efforts to bring the production of coal at an optimum level such as by providing modern equipment and high incentives to promote coal mining and exploration.

The Current Status of Opportunities for Rice Cultivation in Uganda

The purpose of this article is to explore the current status of opportunities in the Ugandan rice sector in order to form informed decisions for future investment and support for the farmers. The Government of Uganda has prioritised rice as a strategic commodity for the national economy. Uganda produces up to 350,000 metric ton (MT) of rice annually, and has set a target to produce 680,000 MT by 2020. A national rice development strategy and a robust rice stakeholder platform have been put in place in order to guide potential investors. Despite the already-existing economic opportunities for the smallholder farmers who participate in producing more than 90% of the rice output in Uganda, productivity still remains low. This is primarily due to the frequent use of low-yielding rice varieties, limited farmer access to the seed of improved varieties and other yield-enhancing inputs, the limited usage of time and labour-saving technologies, and limited knowledge of good agronomic practices. There are three major high rainfall areas in the Northern, Eastern, and Western parts of the country. The mean annual rainfall is estimated at 1,180 mm, and the mean annual temperature is within the range of 18 to 35oC. Nine major varieties of rice, including Namche, Komboka, Kaiso, Wita 9, Basmat 370, IR 64, Supa, Buyu, and NERICA are being cultivated in Uganda. The two Korean rice varieties, such as KAF- 172-67 and KAF-304-287 strains, which were developed through a Korea-Africa Food & Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (KAFACI) project, will also be registered. This will help to increase domestic rice production, stabilize domestic prices, and make rice more affordable for consumers.

Effects of 2017 Early Flash Flooding on Agriculture in Haor Areas of Sunamganj

The Sunamganj district is covered by major Haor systems in the north-eastern region of Bangladesh. Flash flood is the most commonly occurring water related disaster in the Haor areas. During the flash flood it is very common that people lost their primary agricultural productions which are the only source of their livelihood. The present study focuses on the effects of 2017 early flash flooding on rice and fish production of Sunamganj Haor areas. The flood caused enormous damage to agriculture such as rice especially Boro rice and fish production on which the Haor dwellers rely upon for their livelihood. The total affected land of Boro rice cultivation in Haors of Sunamganj was 149,224 hectare and the total amount of damaged rice was 393,855 metric ton (MT). The total number of affected farmers was 315,084. The early flash flood also affects the quality of Haor water which caused the death of fishes. The total amount of damaged fish was 49.75 MT and the loss was 158.70 lakh taka. The total number of affected fishermen was 44,445. This findings could be very useful for the environmental scientists to predict the probable future effects on agricultural production due to early flash flood events in Sunamganj Haors areas.
 Environ. Sci. & Natural Resources, 12(1&2): 117-125, 2019