Mountainous Province Research Articles

Landslide hazard mapping in Chefchaouen, Morocco: AHP-GIS integration

ABSTRACT Chefchaouen province, located in northern Morocco, is prone to landslides because of its geological features, climate change, and human activities. We investigated landslide dynamics in this mountainous province using a multi-criteria spatial approach and GIS, applying the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). Our findings identified 1267.877 km2 as low-risk, 1695.334 km2 as moderate-risk, and 904.2071 km2 as high-risk, mainly in the northern and northwestern regions. Forests were the most susceptible at 13.83%, followed by agricultural and bare lands, with water bodies least affected. Contributing factors include deforestation, wildfires, and agricultural practices. Our results highlight the need for targeted risk mitigation and continuous land use monitoring. Strategies like slope stabilisation and reforestation can improve landslide prediction and prevention, enhancing community resilience in Chefchaouen. This study’s innovative approach and insights into landslide prediction and prevention provide valuable knowledge to the field.

LIVELIHOOD SUPPORT FOR TRAFFICKING WOMEN RETURNED IN THE PERIOD OF 2019-2023 (Case study in Ha Giang province)

Ha Giang is a mountainous border province in the North of Vietnam, with a strategic location in terms of politics, economy, national defense and security of our country, to be home to many ethnic minorities. In recent years, with the attention and investment of the Party and State, along with the drastic efforts of the Border Guard, police, functional forces and local authorities, the illegal human trafficking across the border has been prevented and achieved many results. However, besides that, this buying and selling situation in the border area of ​​the province is still quite complicated. Among the victims of buying and selling, the majority are ethnic minority women. When trafficked back, victims face many difficulties in reintegrating into the community such as: psychological crisis, discrimination, lack of jobs, lack of production capital... Therefore, supporting victims of human trafficking to reintegrate into the community so that they have jobs, income, livelihood support, economic development and stable lives is extremely necessary

The future of the Chimborazo paper sector: Strategic Management, development and road infrastructure

Introduction: Chimborazo, a mountainous province in Ecuador, stood out as a major potato producer. Its climatic and geographical conditions favored the cultivation of this tuber, which not only fed the local population but also boosted the regional economy. However, the quality of the road infrastructure posed a significant obstacle to the sector's development. Methods: The research aimed to explore the situation of potato production in Chimborazo, highlighting its potential and the challenges it faced, particularly regarding road infrastructure. The methodology applied consisted of reviewing information from official sources such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the National Institute of Agricultural Research, and the Provincial Government of Chimborazo. Results: The research determined that potato production in Chimborazo presented high potential, driven by favorable agroecological conditions and market demand. However, this potential was limited by poor road infrastructure, which led to harvest losses, increased transportation costs, and restricted marketing opportunities. Conclusions: It was concluded that investment in road infrastructure, including roads, bridges, drainage, and adequate signage, was essential to strengthen Chimborazo's potato sector. This would reduce losses, optimize transportation logistics, and expand market access possibilities

Addressing poverty and inequality in the mountains of Pakistan

This paper examines poverty and inequality in Pakistan's mountains, using nationally representative data. Our analysis reveals that, despite a slight decline in poverty rates, overall rates remain alarmingly high, with significant variations across provinces and regions. Rural and mountain areas exhibit higher poverty rates (31% in rural areas, 13% in urban areas in 2015/16) compared to urban centers. The national incidence of multidimensional poverty in 2014/15 was 41%, surpassing monetary poverty rates. Notably, rural areas (47%) experienced significantly higher multidimensional poverty than urban centers (12%), with Balochistan’s mountainous province recording the highest rates (63%). The four provinces display significant heterogeneity in multidimensional poverty, with district-level variations ranging from 10 to 90% in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The majority of districts with high poverty incidence are situated in mountainous regions, where people face multidimensional challenges in accessing basic facilities such as health and education, cooking fuel, and housing. To address this issue, Pakistan needs to prioritize mountain areas and implement targeted programs aimed at improving access to basic services, addressing gender inequalities, and promoting sustainable development.

Population Distribution in Guizhou’s Mountainous Cities: Evolution of Spatial Pattern and Driving Factors

Guizhou is a typical mountainous province and is also one of the lowland regions in China that has attracted a population influx. Here, using population density data from 2000 to 2020 as the basic dataset and the coefficient of variation method and standard deviation ellipse analysis, we investigated the spatial characteristics across different years. The results show: Firstly, Guizhou’s population has a distinct spatial distribution, characterized by a lower population density in the southeast and a higher density in the northwest as well as an increasing polarization of population concentration toward the centers of prefecture-level cities and provincial capitals. Fluctuations in population density resemble a central siphon effect, which is particularly pronounced in the provincial capital and show a significant gravitational pull. Secondly, the coefficient of variation in population density across Guizhou’s counties is spatially divided by Guiyang, showing higher values in the east and lower values in the west. Furthermore, the ellipse of the standard deviation of population density is gradually shrinking, indicating an increasingly concentrated population distribution. Thirdly, the explanatory power of the population and socio-economic systems on the population distribution in Guizhou is significantly greater than that of the natural systems. Population distribution and migration patterns have shifted from purely “economic driven” to coexisting with “economic and comfort-oriented” trends, and there is an urgent need to improve the comfort level of public services as a typical supply, in order to boost Guizhou’s population attraction.

Treatment non-adherence among methadone maintenance patients and associated factors: a multicenter, cross-sectional study in Vietnam

ObjectiveThis multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of treatment non-adherence and its associated factors among methadone maintenance patients in Vietnam.MethodsThis secondary data analysis was conducted using the data from a previous study. Six hundred patients were interviewed face-to-face to collect data on their demographic characteristics and social support. Information about the treatment characteristics and patients’ non-adherence was gathered from medical records and books monitoring their treatment process. Treatment non-adherence was defined as missing at least one methadone dose in the last three months.ResultsThe overall prevalence of non-adherence was 45.7%. The average social support score of patients who completely adhered to treatment was significantly higher than that of those who did not (p < 0.001). In the multivariate logistic regression model, for each one-unit increase in social support (one score), treatment time (a year), and patient’s monthly income (one million Vietnam dongs), the odds of non-adherence decreased by 28% (aOR = 0.72, 95%CI 0.59–0.88, p = 0.002), 15% (aOR = 0.85, 95%CI 0.80–0.91, p < 0.001) and 9% (aOR = 0.91, 95%CI 0.85–0.97, p = 0.004), respectively. Patients living in Son La (a mountainous province) were 1.72 times (95%CI 1.09–2.71) more likely to be non-adherent as compared to those in other areas (p = 0.020). As per univariate analyses, other associated factors could be age, education level, family monthly income, occupation, and opioid relapse (p < 0.001).ConclusionsA high non-adherence rate was found among Vietnamese methadone maintenance patients. Interventions involving social support, occupation, income, and education are needed to improve their treatment adherence.

TBE In Italy

Italy is considered a low-incidence country for tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in Europe.1 Areas at higher risk for TBE within Italy are geographically clustered in the forested and mountainous regions and provinces of the northeastern part of the country, as suggested by TBE case series published over the last decade. 2–4 A national enhanced surveillance system for TBE has been established since 2017.5 Before this, information on the occurrence of TBE cases at the national level in Italy was lacking. Both incidence rates and the geographical distribution of the disease were mostly inferred from endemic areas where surveillance was already in place, and from ad hoc studies and international literature. TBE has been recorded in Italy since 1967, with foci of infections in the northeast (Trento, Belluno and Gorizia) and central (Florence and Latina) provinces.6–9 TBE presence in central Italy has not been confirmed by further studies on ticks and serosurveys conducted afterwards,10,11 nor by human cases, posing concerns about possible misdiagnosis.

Confidence in providing methadone maintenance treatment of primary care providers in Vietnam.

Delivering methadone treatment in community health facilities by primary care providers is a task-shifting strategy to expand access to drug use treatment, especially in rural mountainous areas. This study aims to investigate factors related to confidence in providing methadone treatment among primary care providers in Vietnam to inform good practice development. We conducted a cross-sectional survey with 276 primary care providers who were physicians, physician assistants, nurses, pharmacists or dispensing staff from 67 communes in a mountainous province in Northern Vietnam. Using self-report scales, we measured providers' confidence in providing methadone treatment, beliefs in harm reduction, perceived work-related support, perceived stigma and risk in working with drug-using patients, and empathy towards this population. We used multiple linear regression analyses to explore factors associated with providers' confidence in providing methadone treatment in the whole sample and to compare two groups of providers who did and did not have experience providing methadone. Potential associated factors were measured at facility and provider levels. 114 (41.3%) participants had previously experience in providing methadone treatment. Providers with methadone treatment experiences had higher confidence in and more accurate knowledge of methadone treatment, perceived less stigma of working with drug-using patients, and reported more work-related support than those without experiences. Higher medical education is associated with lower confidence in providing methadone treatment among providers without methadone experiences, but higher confidence among providers with methadone experiences. Better methadone knowledge was associated with greater confidence in providing methadone treatment among inexperienced providers but not among those with experiences. Receiving work-related support was associated with greater confidence in providing treatment in both groups, regardless of their past methadone experiences. In rural provinces where methadone treatment has been expanded to primary care clinics, interventions to improve primary care providers' confidence should benefit professionals with diverse experiences in providing methadone treatment. Continued training and support at work for providers is essential to ensuring quality in decentralized methadone treatment.

Farmers’ adoption and effects of three aspects of agricultural information systems in emerging economies: microanalysis of household surveys

Agricultural information systems have the potential to provide various benefits to users, especially farmers. However, it remains uncertain whether the three dimensions of agricultural information systems—system quality, information quality, and service quality—can contribute to farmers’ perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, thus influencing their intention to adopt these systems. We have developed a research framework that combines the Technology Acceptance Model and the Delone and McLean IS Success Model to elucidate the factors shaping farmers’ adoption of agricultural information systems in Vietnam. Field survey data were collected from a sample of 570 farmers in four midlands and mountainous provinces of northern Vietnam. Structural equation modelling was employed for the analysis. The results indicate that the three aspects of agricultural information systems directly enhance farmers’ adoption intentions, or they have a positive correlation with perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, indirectly promoting such adoption intentions. The findings of this study underscore the importance for system developers and policymakers to prioritize the creation of reliable and user-friendly agricultural information systems that can address emerging issues during farmers’ use, thereby supporting their adoption.

PRESERVATION AND PROMOTION OF THE TRADITIONAL FESTIVAL VALUES OF THE THAI PEOPLE IN TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN SON LA PROVINCE

Son La is a mountainous province located in the Northwest of the country, currently inhabited by numerous ethnic minority communities. Among them, the Thai ethnic community constitutes the majority, with a long history of settlement in this region and many traditional cultural values contributing to the distinctiveness of Son La Province's culture. The culture of the Thai ethnic community has become the dominant cultural foundation, encompassing not only the Son La region but also extending throughout the Northwest region. Among these, the traditional festivals of the Thai ethnic group best exemplify the cultural characteristics of each ethnic group and represent potential for sustainable tourism development in Son La Province. This article focuses on introducing some remarkable spring festivals of the Thai ethnic group in Son La Province, assessing the current situation and proposing solutions to preserve and promote the values of traditional festivals in the cultural tourism development of Son La Province

Current Situation of Primary School Teachers’ Integrated STEM Teaching Competence: An Exploratory Study in the Northern Mountainous Provinces of Vietnam

Current Situation of Primary School Teachers’ Integrated STEM Teaching Competence: An Exploratory Study in the Northern Mountainous Provinces of Vietnam

Characteristics of the spatio-temporal evolution of the improved integrated ecological effect index (IEEI) in mountainous province based on remote sensing: a case study in Yunnan province of southwest China

Land use/cover change (LUCC) and the evaluation of its ecological effects are the important and key areas of research on global environmental change and sustainable development. In response to the problems and limitations of various methods of evaluating the ecological effects of LUCC, this article takes Yunnan Province, a mountainous province with a relatively fragile “innate” ecological environment, as the research area. Based on LUCC data from the interpretation of seven phases of remote sensing (RS) images taken in Yunnan, combined with the investigation of soil erosion data by using remote sensing technology, an improved integrated ecological effect index (IEEI) for the LUCC and a method for its evaluation are proposed; this index was applied to calculate the integrated ecological effect index for the LUCC and analyze its spatiotemporal evolution in 129 counties in Yunnan from 1990 to 2020. The spatiotemporal changes, characteristics, and laws of the integrated ecological effects of LUCC in the whole province and counties from 1990 to 2020 were revealed, with the goal of offering a fundamental framework for long-term strategic planning and management in mountainous provinces. Overall, in the past 30 years, the integrated ecological effect of Yunnan Province and various counties has significantly improved. However, the IEEI of the province is not yet very high, and its regional differences are significant. It is urgent to increase the efforts of ecological civilization construction (ECC) throughout the province, adopt practical and effective ecologically-friendly land use ways and ecological environment protection and construction measures according to local conditions, and steadily improve the integrated ecological effect of various regions.

Research on the Identification of Typical Terrain Patterns in Yunnan Province Based on the K-Means Technology

Wire icing is a prevalent challenge in both industrial and scientific domains, and it is widely acknowledged that terrain and water vapor are significant contributing factors in the formation of wire icing. Consequently, the identification of terrains that are prone to inducing water vapor uplift serves as the scientific foundation for predicting ice accumulation on power lines. Yunnan Province, a mountainous province in China, features a large elevation difference. In winter, this region is prone to wire, pole and tower icing, which can affect power transmission and cause economic and property losses. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct research on the identification of typical terrain patterns in this region. In previous terrain studies, more attention has been focused on slope and aspect, watershed analysis and terrain profile analysis. When the purpose of the terrain identification is to analyze which terrains are more prone to collecting water vapor, we hope to obtain slightly larger terrain blocks and analyze the water vapor sources for different terrains in order to identify typical terrains that are conducive to icing formation. A new technology for identifying terrain patterns based on the K-means clustering method is proposed in this study to explore the typical terrain in Yunnan province. Additionally, the influences of different terrain patterns on water vapor movement are also analyzed. The results indicate that the typical terrains in Yunnan are “Valley-Air Channel”, “Topographic Uplifting”, “Ravine”, “Mountain Pass” and “Alpine Divide” patterns. The results show that the identified typical terrain is consistent with observations from satellite images, which verifies the effectiveness of this identification method. Among these five typical terrains, the “Valley-Air Channel”, the “Topographic Uplifting” and the “Mountain Pass” terrains are prone to collecting water vapor and forming ice cover. The “Alpine Divide” terrain is also prone to accumulating water vapor on both sides to form ice cover. The identified typical terrain demonstrates that typical terrain patterns near water bodies are more prone to the occurrence of wire, pole and tower icing because these areas are abundant in water vapor, and the extensive water vapor is easily condensed under the effects of terrain uplifting and cooling. In these key areas, existing wires and towers, as well as those to be constructed in the future, deserve our special attention.

Protestantism among the Hmong People in the Mountainous Region of Contemporary Northern Vietnam

Since the 1980s, there has been a considerable change in the religious life of the Hmong ethnic communities from the mountainous provinces of northern Vietnam—specifically, their conversion to Protestantism. Protestantism was introduced into the communities under a modified model known as Vàng Trứ/Vàng Chứ through the endeavors of the Far East Broadcasting Company. From 1993 to 2004, the number of Protestant followers among these communities increased sharply. Today, the mountainous northern area of Vietnam is home to 300,000 Hmong Protestants of various denominations. This study, based on textual analysis, participant observations, in-depth interviews, and field trips, seeks to explore the Hmong conversion to Protestantism. The focus is on issues relating to the growth of Protestantism and Protestant influence on the Hmong people from 1987 (widely understood to be the beginning of Protestantism in the Hmong community) to the present day.

KHÓ KHĂN TRONG HOẠT ĐỘNG SƯ PHẠM CỦA GIÁO VIÊN TRUNG HỌC CƠ SỞ CÁC TỈNH TRUNG DU VÀ MIỀN NÚI PHÍA BẮC

The study aims to provide an understanding of the difficulties and difficulties in the pedagogical activities of middle school teachers by presenting the results of a survey of difficulties in the pedagogical activities of middle school teachers (secondary school) of the Northern Midlands and Mountainous provinces. The research used the main method of questionnaire survey from 409 subjects combined with several other methods (interviews, conversations, observations) to survey 15 manifestations of difficulties divided into four groups: Difficulties in implementing component activities of pedagogical activities; Difficulties coming from teachers themselves meeting the requirements of pedagogical activities; Difficulties related to the conditions for carrying out pedagogical activities; Difficulty in implementing the requirements of management levels and the demands of society. The results show that teachers have the most difficulties related to group 3, difficulties related to the conditions for performing pedagogical activities (average score 4.01), teachers with the least difficulties belong to group 2, the difficulty comes from teachers themselves meeting the requirements of pedagogical activities (average score 3.37). From those results, the study analyzes, evaluates, and explains the causes of the obtained results to help readers gain insight into the research problem

Does joining online groups increase farmers' incomes in the mountainous areas of northern Vietnam? The role of information

PurposeThis study analyzes whether farmers' incomes increase as they participate in online groups.Design/methodology/approachThe study analyzed interview data from 673 farming households in three mountainous provinces of northern Vietnam, utilizing the propensity score matching (PSM) method.FindingsThe empirical results reveal that farmers participating in online groups, particularly those engaged in 1–3 groups, experience an increase in their income attributed to the three advantages of sharing-accessing-saving (SAS) information. Farming households engaged in online groups earn higher incomes, ranging from equivalent to 25.78 to 26.96 USD, in comparison to those who do not participate. Notably, farmers participating in 1–3 online groups outpace their counterparts in 4–5 groups in terms of income.Research limitations/implicationsThis study exclusively focuses on examining farmers' total income derived from all their agricultural activities and does not quantify the specific impact of online group participation on the income generated by each product. Furthermore, it is important to note that the PSM method has the potential to introduce bias due to unobserved factors, such as social networks and local culture. Consequently, future research should prioritize the segmentation of income from individual agricultural products, distinct from the overall income, to gain a more nuanced understanding of each product’s sensitivity to information exchanged in online groups. Simultaneously, accounting for unobserved factors is crucial to obtain unbiased estimates.Originality/valueThis study represents the inaugural exploration into the comparison of farmers' incomes within a novel context – participation in digital-based groups. Furthermore, it extends the inquiry by delving into the correlation between the number of online groups joined and farmers' income. The empirical findings indicate that farmers may benefit the most by limiting their participation to a select few groups that align with their information needs and analytical abilities.

MARXIST-LENINIST VIEW ON THE COMBINATION OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITH NATIONAL DEFENSE, SECURITY, AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND ITS APPLICATION IN THE NORTHERN BORDER PROVINCES OF VIETNAM IN THE NEW CONTEXT

Combining socio-economic development with national defense, security and foreign affairs is a universal principle in the development of nations that has been generalized into theory by the classics of Marxism. The mountainous provinces in the North of Vietnam, with their special geographical location and important tasks in national defense, security and foreign affairs, require socio-economic development to always be in harmony, adaptability, proactiveness and flexibility on the principle of balancing the needs of both building and protecting the Fatherland.

EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR IMPLEMENTING THE GRADE 1 MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM FOR ETHNIC MINORITY STUDENTS

The paper examines the current state of teaching Grade 1 Mathematics to ethnic minority students in some mountainous provinces of Vietnam. Based on survey results, five proposed strategies are outlined: 1/ Identify the required outcomes for Grade 1 mathematics for ethnic minority students and suggest appropriate teaching plan. 2/ Focus on teaching essential and practical knowledge and skills that are relevant to the students' daily lives. 3/ Mobilize students' experiences and the resources of both the school and the community to help students perceive the relevance, appeal, and benefits of learning mathematics. 4/ Integrate content that enhances Vietnamese language proficiency into mathematics lessons. 5/ Apply multimedia tools in mathematics lessons to help ethnic minority students overcome language barriers.

Motivations for Information Communication Technology (ICT) Use in EFL Teaching: An Exploratory Study of Primary School Teachers in Vietnam

Humans can be driven to behave by the perceived values of the behavior, or a certain force and motivation are assumed to be a factor guiding and energizing people’s behaviors. This study aimed to investigate what motivates primary school teachers in an underprivileged area of Vietnam to integrate ICT into their EFL teaching. Seven participants from different primary schools in Daklak, a mountainous province, were recruited to take part in one-on-one interviews that lasted 30 to 40 minutes. The interview guide was constructed by the researcher and sent to experts for feedback. Interviews were carried out in Vietnamese on the Skype platform. They were videotaped and transcribed afterwards. Relevant parts of the interviews were translated into English. The findings revealed four categories of motivations, including instructor-related motives, learner-related motives, accessibility-related motives and the user-friendliness of ICT. Consequently, the research findings provide valuable insights into how to motivate EFL primary school teachers in underpriviledged areas to integrate ICT into their classroom practices, which are beneficial for educators, policymakers, and curriculum developers.

Factors Affecting the Decision of Orange and Grapefruit Farmers’ Conversion to Organic Farming: The Case of Tuyen Quang Province, Vietnam

Conversion from conventional agriculture production to organic farming methods has become a positive trend in Tuyen Quang, a mountainous northern province in Viet Nam. In the recent years, the local authorities and many households have shown many efforts to convert the production area of oranges and grapefruits into organic farming. Although, the results have not met the expectation, the local government still encourages farmers follow organic production because of its benefits. The study used descriptive statistical methods and conducted interviews with 120 organic and 120 conventional production households. By using logistic regression model, this study pointed out positive factors affecting famers’ organic conversion decision that includes oranges and grapefruits cultivation size, profits from oranges and grapefruits, organic production technical training. Some recommendations are proposed to promote the transition from conventional production to organic agriculture are increasing awareness training on organic agriculture for farmers, planning of organic production areas, enhancing trade promotion and market connection activities in order to increase the consumption of organic products.