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PubMed2001

[Combined construction of rainwater catchment techniques with methane pool and greenhouse].

A combined structure of rainwater catchment, methane pool and reformed greenhouse was constructed to improve water use efficiency. The results showed that the combination of rainwater catchment, reserving techniques and water saving measures was efficient to resolve the problem of water deficiency in the semi-arid region with precipitation of 250-550 mm. The combined structure of water catchment engineering, greenhouse and methane pool redistributed light, temperature, water and heat to develop higher benefits economic crops, and improved water use efficiency, which made it possible to develop high yield, and best quality agriculture in this region. Through optimizing the ecological factor in greenhouse, the water use was reduced by 50%-70%, and the soil temperature and night temperature were raised. This combined construction also improved productivity in greenhouse, and efficiently controlled plant diseases and insect pests. Methane pool provided CO2 and part energy source. The shady area back of the greenhouse was exploited by growing shady crops and epiphyte, which contributed to exchange energy and CO2 between light and shady house. This model could be used as water catchment agricultural development model in the region, and some other new approaches to water catchment agriculture in semi-arid region were discussed in this paper.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2006

Docosahexaenoic acid in neural signaling systems.

Docosahexaenoic acid has been conserved in neural signalling systems in the cephalopods, fish, amphibian, reptiles, birds, mammals, primates and humans. This extreme conservation, despite wide genomic changes over 500 million years, testifies to a uniqueness of this molecule in the brain. The brain selectively incorporates docosahexaenoic acid and its rate of incorporation into the developing brain has been shown to be greater than ten times more efficient than its synthesis from the omega 3 fatty acids of land plant origin. Data has now been published demonstrating a significant influence of dietary omega 3 fatty acids on neural gene expression. As docosahexaenoic acid is the only omega 3 fatty acid in the brain, it is likely that it is the ligand involved. The selective uptake, requirement for function and stimulation of gene expression would have conferred an advantage to a primate which separated from the chimpanzees in the forests and woodlands and sought a different ecological niche. In view of the paucity of docosahexaenoic acid in the land food chain it is likely that the advantage would have been gained from a lacustrine or marine coastal habitat with access to food rich in docosahexaenoic acid and the accessory micronutrients, such as iodine, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium, of importance in brain development and protection against peroxidation. Land agricultural development has, in recent time, come to dominate the human food chain. The decline in use and availability of aquatic resources is not considered important by Langdon (2006) as he considers the resource was not needed for human evolution and can be replaced from the terrestrial food chain. This notion is not supported by the biochemistry nor the molecular biology. He misses the point that the shoreline hypothesis is not just dependent on docosahexaenoic acid but also on the other accessory nutrients specifically required by the brain. Moreover he neglects the basic principle of Darwinian evolution. The well documented greater efficiency of preformed docosahexaenoic acid for brain incorporation during development would have conferred a distinct survival advantage over those without it. All terrestrial mammals lost brain capacity in relation to advancing increase in body size. The rise in mental ill health and brain disorders, to replace all other costs in the European list of burdens of ill health, (Andlin Sobocki et al., 2005) raises interesting questions as to its association with the reduced availability and consumption of marine and fresh water products. The threat posed by the continued rise in brain disorders also raises questions of importance to present and future food and agricultural policies.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Economic-demographic simulation models: a review of their usefulness for policy analysis.

"This paper assesses the usefulness of economic-demographic simulation models for policy analysis, emphasizing in particular the relevance of the current state of the art for agricultural development planners. A critical review of eight models defines the range of questions that can be answered with particular models, evaluating the reasonableness of their specifications and the probable quality of their performance. Suggestions concerning further research are also provided."

Agriculture↗
PubMed1997

Agronomic problems related to provitamin A carotenoid-rich plants.

OBJECTIVES: Review how agricultural systems might be changed to increase the vitamin A density of diets in developing countries to provide sustainable solutions to vitamin A deficiency globally. DESIGN: Develop agricultural systems that not only assure calorie adequacy for people, but also address vitamin A density in diets. SETTINGS: Agricultural systems could be modified in some developing nations in ways that would provide adequate dietary amounts of provitamin A carotenoids from plant food sources. SUBJECTS: Infants and children of low-income families are most at risk of developing vitamin A deficiency in developing countries. INTERVENTIONS: Cropping systems could be modified to include more vegetable and fruit crops containing higher bioavailable amounts of provitamin A carotenoids in some countries. Additionally, cultural practices could be modified through education, agricultural extension and/or social marketing to insure that the bioavailable provitamin A carotenoid levels in food crops are optimized. Staple food crops could be improved as sources of provitamin A carotenoids by traditional plant breeding and/or by genetic engineering efforts. RESULTS: Currently, many techniques are available to increase the vitamin A content of diets through sustainable food-based approaches. Agricultural approaches should be examined closely to finding sustainable food-based system solutions to vitamin A deficiency globally. CONCLUSIONS: The world community should strive to find food-based system approaches to eliminating vitamin A deficiency. Modifying agricultural systems in ways that will not only maximizing food production, but also insure nutritional adequacy of vitamin A is a desirable goal for many developing countries.

Agriculture↗
PubMed1994

Agriculture-related anaemias.

Man evolved as a hunter-gatherer, and the invention and spread of agriculture was followed by changes in diet, the environment and population densities which have resulted in globally high prevalences of anaemias due to nutritional deficiencies of iron, folate and (locally) vitamin B12, to infestations by hookworm and schistosomes, to malaria, and to the natural selection for the genes for sickle-cell diseases, beta-thalassaemias, alpha-thalassaemias, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, ovalocytosis and possibly (locally) elliptocytosis. The present explosion of population is driving an expansion of agriculture, especially the cultivation of rice, and this has led often to disastrous increases of transmission of malaria, schistosomiasis and other diseases, to widespread chemical pollution, and to degradation of the environment. Anaemia, as the commonest manifestation of human disease, is a frequent consequence. The urgent need for increased food production is matched by the urgent need for assessment and control of the health impact of agricultural development.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Eradication and surveillance of the tropical bont tick in the Caribbean. An international approach.

The Caribbean Amblyomma program (CAP) is a multidonor funded effort involving several technical organizations and national governments in the eradication of the tropical bont tick. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is the lead technical agency, providing both technical and administrative support to the CAP Regional Coordination Unit (RCU) based in Barbados. All collaborating agencies, donors, and national representatives are members of the Amblyomma Program Council (APC), the overall governing body of the CAP. In addition to FAO, the other organizations involved are the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the European Union (EU), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Several agencies (EU, FAO, IFAD, and USDA) are also major donors. The CAP cooperates with the complementary Plan POSEIDOM Veterinaire Program in the French West Indies. The University of the West Indies (UWI), the International Institute for Biological Control (IIBC), and the Departement d'Elevage et de Medecine Veterinaire des Pays Tropicaux (EM-VT) in Guadeloupe are other collaborators.

Agriculture↗
PubMed1990

Demographic seasonality and development: the effects of agricultural colonialism in Taiwan, 1906-1942.

Nearly all developed countries have experienced dramatic declines in the seasonality of demographic behavior over the last century. This article examines seasonal behavior in the population of Taiwan between 1906 and 1942, during Japanese colonial rule. First, we analyze seasonal demographic cycles and their ties to the cultural calendar and agriculture. Second, we compare seasonality in two regions (Xinzhu and Tainan) that experienced different agricultural development under the colonial regime. Findings demonstrate that demographic seasonality was less pronounced when urban development and colonial agricultural intensification produced more heterogeneous seasonal patterns of labor. We find that changes in agricultural organization, rather than purely a shift to nonagricultural production, may significantly reduce established seasonal timing of demographic behavior.

Agriculture↗
PubMed1992

Property structures, demography and the crisis of the agrarian economy of colonial Bombay Presidency.

Reasons for the relative failure of agricultural development in India during the colonial period are analyzed, and the effects of the scarcity of capital, the absence of suitable technology, and the growth of the population are assessed. "The article explores the manner in which peasant possession of land and other means of subsistence limited productive utilisation of capital and technology, triggered a certain demographic regime and, in turn, disrupted further developmental possibilities." The geographical focus is on the area coinciding with the modern states of Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2005

Introduction: food crops in a changing climate.

Changes in both the mean and the variability of climate, whether naturally forced, or due to human activities, pose a threat to crop production globally. This paper summarizes discussions of this issue at a meeting of the Royal Society in April 2005. Recent advances in understanding the sensitivity of crops to weather, climate and the levels of particular gases in the atmosphere indicate that the impact of these factors on crop yields and quality may be more severe than previously thought. There is increasing information on the importance to crop yields of extremes of temperature and rainfall at key stages of crop development. Agriculture will itself impact on the climate system and a greater understanding of these feedbacks is needed. Complex models are required to perform simulations of climate variability and change, together with predictions of how crops will respond to different climate variables. Variability of climate, such as that associated with El Niño events, has large impacts on crop production. If skilful predictions of the probability of such events occurring can be made a season or more in advance, then agricultural and other societal responses can be made. The development of strategies to adapt to variations in the current climate may also build resilience to changes in future climate. Africa will be the part of the world that is most vulnerable to climate variability and change, but knowledge of how to use climate information and the regional impacts of climate variability and change in Africa is rudimentary. In order to develop appropriate adaptation strategies globally, predictions about changes in the quantity and quality of food crops need to be considered in the context of the entire food chain from production to distribution, access and utilization. Recommendations for future research priorities are given.

Climate↗
PubMed1986

Agricultural change and population growth: a brief survey on the case of China in historical perspective.

A historical review of the relationship between agricultural change and population growth in China is presented. "This paper will try to discuss four aspects of agricultural change that are related to population growth. They are: (1) expansion of agricultural frontier, (2) changes in cultivation methods and land use, (3) improvements in agricultural technology, and (4) irrigation and water-control. Each of these aspects [is] treated briefly with temporal and spatial perspectives...." The relevance of the Boserup theory that population pressure leads to agricultural development is considered in the Chinese context. It is found that some evidence supports the theory. (summary in CHI)

Agriculture↗
PubMed2001

Stable nitrogen isotopes in waterfowl feathers reflect agricultural land use in western Canada.

Stable nitrogen and carbon isotope analysis was performed on secondary feathers collected from flightless, mallard ducklings (Anas platyrhynchos) from 17 locations across western Canada. The delta15N values of mallard feathers ranged from +6.1 to +23.7 per thousand (AIR). Mean delta15N feather values from the 17 locations were strongly correlated with the percentage of land under agricultural development. Higher delta15N values in waterfowl feathers collected from agricultural areas possibly reflected the entry of excess fertilizer nitrogen into local water bodies. However, other processes may have also been important. These results provide evidence that nitrogen isotope values in avian feathers may reflect long-term nitrogen additions to surface waters in agricultural areas and may also provide important clues in elucidating the origin of nonpoint source nitrogen inputs.

Agriculture↗
PubMed1987

The stabilising factors of parasitic infections in Nigeria.

The pattern of parasitic infections in Nigeria is discussed taking into consideration the status quo, and factors of change which tend to maintain the present situation rather than improving upon it. These factors include rapid urbanisation and uncontrolled population movement, agricultural developments, socio-economic factors, disease and vector control operations and health care delivery system. This rather deplorable situation calls for increased awareness on the part of everybody such that cognisance is taken of the hazards and remedies of these factors of change in order not to jeopardise our laudable development programmes.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2002

Agricultural sustainability in a sensitive environment--a case analysis of Loess Plateau in China.

Loess Plateau, an arid and semi-arid region in Northwest China, is well-known for its most serious soil erosion in terms of sediment yield each year. Soil erosion, which is intensified by agricultural activities, is the major factor influencing sustainable agriculture development in this region. It reduces productivity by removing nutrients and especially reducing water availability that is essential for crop production in the area. It also brings about off-site costs by demanding more efforts for maintenance of banks and dams along Yellow River through raising the riverbed with sediment. Climate is capricious and extreme weather conditions occur frequently, which impairs normal agricultural production with erosion and also decrease of water availability. Extensive way of farming still dominates on the Loess Plateau, which cannot produce satisfying economic results and needs to be improved or altered. Conventional agricultural production pattern needs to be reconsidered for husbandry has not been granted its due position. Agriculture is the backbone of economy. Poor agricultural production impedes economic development and vice versa, backward economy also influences the advancement of agriculture. Besides a large population, education status of farmers is another threshold that requires being resolved for a sustainable agriculture. Although conventional agriculture has been practiced there for more than 5000 years, now it cannot meet the demand for food and fiber by the increasing population and some of its farming practices are contributing to environmental degradation directly or indirectly and can sustain no longer. Agriculture on Loess Plateau needs to find its own way of sustainability. To work toward a sustainable agriculture, chances and challenges both indwell on Loess Plateau.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2005

Bridging the gaps between agricultural policy, land-use and biodiversity.

The fate of biodiversity is intimately linked to agricultural development. Policy reform is an important driver of changes in agricultural land-use, but there is considerable spatial variation in response to policy and its potential impact on biodiversity. We review the links between policy, land-use and biodiversity and advocate a more integrated approach. Ecologists need to recognize that wildlife-friendly farming is not the only land-use strategy that can be used to conserve biodiversity and to research alternative options such as land sparing. There is also a need for social scientists and ecologists to bring their approaches together, so that land-use change and its consequences can be investigated in a more holistic way.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Growth of India's scheduled caste population, 1971-81: a spatial analysis.

The author analyzes the spatial distribution and the rapid growth rate of India's scheduled caste population since 1971 and finds that "there are wide regional disparities in their rates of population growth. Areas with relatively high growth rates are associated with (i) accelerated process of urbanisation and industrialisation, (ii) expansion in mining activity, and (iii) intensification and commercialisation of agricultural development based on irrigation. By contrast, areas experiencing low rates of growth are associated with (i) continuing high mortality rate, and (ii) net out-migration arising from scarcity of resources, acute poverty and subjection to deprivations...."

Agriculture↗