Investigation of the Film Formation in Dynamic Air Spray Painting

To accurately predict the film thickness distribution during dynamic spraying performed with air guns and support accordingly the development of intelligent spray painting,the spray problem was analyzed numerically.In particular,the Eulerian-Eulerian approach was employed to calculate the paint atomization and film deposition process.Different spray heights,spray angles,spray gun movement speeds,spray trajectory curvature radii,and air pressure values were considered.Numerical simulation results indicate that the angle of spray painting significantly affects the velocity of droplets near the spray surface.With an increase in the spraying angle,spraying height and spray gun movement speed,the maximum film thickness decreases to varying degrees,and the uniformity of the film thickness also continuously worsens.When the spray gun moves along an arc trajectory,at smaller arc radii,the film thickness on the inside of the arc is slightly greater than that on the outside,but the impact on the maximum film thickness is minimal.Increasing air pressure expands the coating coverage area,results in finer atomization of paint droplets,and leads to a thinner and a more uniform paint film.However,if the pressure is too high,it can cause paint splattering.Using the orthogonal experimental method,multiple sets of simulation calculations were conducted,and the combined effects of spraying height,spray angle,and spray gun movement speed on the film thickness distribution were comprehensively analyzed to determine optimal configurations.Finally,the reliability of the numerical simulations was validated through dynamic spray painting experiments.

Characterization of Small-Scale Farmers and Assessment of Their Access to Crop Production Information in Selected Counties of Kenya

Small-scale farming accounts for 78% of total agricultural production in Kenya and contributes to 23.5% of the country’s GDP. Their crop production activities are mostly rainfed subsistence with any surplus being sold to bring in some income. Timely decisions on farm practices such as farm preparation and planting are critical determinants of the seasonal outcomes. In Kenya, most small-scale farmers have no reliable source of information that would help them make timely and accurate decisions. County governments have extension officers who are mandated with giving farmers advisory services to farmers but they are not able to reach most farmers due to facilitation constraints. The mode and format of sharing information is also critical since it’s important to ensure that it’s timely, well-understood and usable. This study sought to assess access to geospatial derived and other crop production information by farmers in four selected counties of Kenya. Specific objectives were to determine the profile of small-scale farmers in terms of age, education and farm size;to determine the type of information that is made available to them by County and Sub-County extension officers including the format and mode of provision;and to determine if the information provided was useful in terms of accuracy, timeliness and adequacy. The results indicated that over 80% of the farmers were over 35 years of age and over 56% were male. Majority had attained primary education (34%) or secondary education (29%) and most farmers in all the counties grew maize (71%). Notably, fellow farmers were a source of information (71%) with the frequency of sharing information being mostly seasonal (37%) and when information was available (43%). Over 66% of interviewed farmers indicating that they faced challenges while using provided information. The results from the study are insightful and helpful in determining effective ways of providing farmers with useful information to ensure maximum benefits.

Dual carbon goal and agriculture in China:Exploring key factors influencing farmers’behavior in adopting low carbon technologies

Identifying the factors influencing farmers’adoption of low-carbon technologies(FA)and understanding their impacts are essential for shaping effective agricultural policies amied at emission reduction and carbon sequestration in China.This study employs a meta-analysis of 122 empirical studies,delves into 23 driving factors affecting FA and addresses the inconsistencies present in the existing literature.We systematically examine the effect size,source of heterogeneity,and time-accumulation effect of the driving factors on FA.We find that significant heterogeneity in the factors influencing FA,except for farming experience,sources of heterogeneity from the survey zone,methodology model,technological attributes,report source,financial support,and the sampling year.Additionally,age,farming experience,and adoption cost negatively correlate with FA.In contrast,educational level,health status,technical training,economic and welfare cognition,land contract,soil quality,terrain,information accessibility,demonstration,government promotion,government regulation,government support,agricultural cooperatives member,peer effect,and agricultural income ratio demonstrate a positive correlation.Especially,demonstration and age show a particularly strong correlation.Finally,the effect of demonstration,age,economic and welfare cognition,farming experience,land contract,soil quality,information accessibility,government promotion,and support,as well as agricultural cooperative membership and peer effects on FA,are generally stable but exhibit varying degrees of attenuation over time.The effect of village cadre,family income,farm scale,gender,health status,technical training,and off-farm work on FA show notable temporal shifts and maintain a weak correlation with FA.This study contributes to shaping China’s current low-carbon agriculture policies across various regions.It encourages policymakers to comprehensively consider the stability of key factors,other potential factors,technological attributes,rural socio-economic context,and their interrelations.

Cholinesterase Activity as an Indicator of Health Risks among Kou Valley Farmers

Introduction: Pesticides are currently an essential component of agricultural production techniques for controlling pests and weeds. In Burkina Faso, non-compliance with good practice in the use of pesticides poses a real health problem for the population. This study examines the health risks associated with pesticide management in rice-growing areas. Material and Methods: A field survey was conducted in Bama, involving farmers, focusing on their socio-demographic characteristics, pesticide usage, and health effects. Cholinesterase levels were measured in subsample of farmers using a portable device. Data were analysed using Microsoft Excel, calculating means and percentages for various practices. Health consultations, protection methods, and pesticide management were studied. Erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase activity was compared before and after treatment. Data were categorised into classes based on inhibition levels, and correlation analyses determined relationships between variables such as age, years of experience, and cholinesterase activity. Results: The results indicate that rice cultivation is mainly carried out by a fairly young population, with nearly 63% being under the age of 50. Common poor practices in pesticide use include improper storage and reuse of leftover pesticides. Seven types of pesticides were identified, including organophosphates such as glyphosate, which was used in 26.7% of cases. This organophosphate has resulted in class B poisoning, causing a 30% - 50% reduction in erythrocyte cholinesterase activity. The health effects of pesticide use are felt by agricultural farmers through various symptoms of poisoning. Conclusion: To reduce the occurrence of pesticide poisoning, it is essential to launch information and awareness campaigns among the population and farmers to promote safe practices in pesticide use in Bama, Burkina Faso.

Local Criteria Used by Farmers to Evaluate the Agronomic Performance and the Fertilizing Capacity of Cowpea Varieties: Diversity, Variability and Proximal Relation with Agronomic Measurements in Contrasted Sahelian Locations

When contributing to participatory research, farmers usually appreciate the performance of cowpea varieties using qualitative scores. The score they attribute to each variety are based on local knowledge. The specific criteria they individually use to attribute a score are not well described. The objectives of this work were to: 1) identify and describe exhaustively the local criteria used by farmers to measure the agronomic performance of cowpea;2) assess the variability and statistical structure of these farmer criteria across local contexts;3) and analyze the association between these farmer criteria and the classical agronomic measurement. To achieve these objectives, an augmented block design was implemented across fifteen locations in the regions of Maradi, Dosso and Tillabéri, representing a diversity of local contexts. From a set of 36 cowpea varieties, fifteen varieties were sown per location, including five varieties (controls) common to all locations. In each location, two replicates were sown in randomized Fisher’s blocks. After agronomic measurement and participatory evaluation (scoring of varieties by farmers), a group survey (focus group) was conducted in each location to identify the criteria considered by farmers to found their discretional scoring of varieties during the participatory evaluation. The analysis of the data identified, across locations, thirteen criteria defined by farmers to characterize the agronomic performance of cowpea. Some of these criteria were different according to location. Farmers ranked the three varieties with the best performance for each agronomical trait (Top 3 varieties). A comparison of the farmer ranking with the ranking based on agronomic measurements revealed similarity and complementary between both methods. This study highlighted the importance of considering both local and scientific knowledge in local varietal evaluations.

Navigating Market Choices: Understanding Carrot Market Outlet Selection among Smallholder Farmers in Kenya

This research delves into the hurdles and strategies aimed at augmenting the market involvement of smallholder carrot farmers in Nakuru County, Kenya. Employing a Multinomial Logit (MNL) model, it scrutinizes the factors influencing the selection of marketing outlets among carrot farmers. The findings unveil that a significant majority (81%) of surveyed farmers actively participate in diverse market outlets, encompassing the farm gate, cleaning point, local market, external market, and export market. Notably, pivotal buyers include aggregators, brokers, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers, with transactions predominantly occurring at the farm level. Additionally, the analysis discerns substantial influences of socio-economic characteristics, experiential factors, and geographical proximity on farmers’ choices of market outlets. Specifically, gender, age, land size, farming experience, and distance to markets emerge as critical determinants. Moreover, the study delves into the examination of market margins along the carrot value chain, shedding light on the potential profitability of carrot farming in the region. Remarkably, higher average gross margins are identified in export and external markets, signaling lucrative prospects for farmers targeting these segments. However, disparities in profit distribution between farmers and traders underscore the necessity for interventions to ensure equitable value distribution throughout the value chain. These findings underscore the imperative for tailored interventions to tackle challenges and foster inclusive agricultural development. Strategies such as farmer organizations, contracting, and vertical integration are advocated to enhance market access and profitability for smallholder carrot farmers. Thus, this study enriches our comprehension of the dynamics within carrot value chains and provides valuable insights for policymakers and development practitioners aiming to uplift rural livelihoods and bolster food security.

Climatic and non-climatic factors driving the livelihood vulnerability of smallholder farmers in Ahafo Ano North District,Ghana

Smallholder farmers in Ahafo Ano North District,Ghana,face multiple climatic and non-climatic issues.This study assessed the factors contributing to the livelihood vulnerability of smallholder farmers in this district by household surveys with 200 respondents and focus group discussions(FGDs)with 10 respondents.The Mann–Kendall trend test was used to assess mean annual rainfall and temperature trends from 2002 to 2022.The relative importance index(RII)value was used to rank the climatic and non-climatic factors perceived by respondents.The socioeconomic characteristics affecting smallholder farmers’perceptions of climatic and non-climatic factors were evaluated by the binary logistic regression model.Results showed that mean annual rainfall decreased(P>0.05)but mean annual temperature significantly increased(P<0.05)from 2002 to 2022 in the district.The key climatic factors perceived by smallholder farmers were extreme heat or increasing temperature(RII=0.498),erratic rainfall(RII=0.485),and increased windstorms(RII=0.475).The critical non-climatic factors were high cost of farm inputs(RII=0.485),high cost of healthcare(RII=0.435),and poor condition of roads to farms(RII=0.415).Smallholder farmers’perceptions of climatic and non-climatic factors were significantly affected by their socioeconomic characteristics(P<0.05).This study concluded that these factors negatively impact the livelihoods and well-being of smallholder farmers and socioeconomic characteristics influence their perceptions of these factors.Therefore,to enhance the resilience of smallholder farmers to climate change,it is necessary to adopt a comprehensive and context-specific approach that accounts for climatic and non-climatic factors.

Researching the Impact of the Quality of Village Governance on Farmers’Well-Being:From the Perspectives of Income and Occupational Differentiation

The goal of village governance is to improve the well-being of farmers,so this study aims to measure the impact the quality of village governance on the well-being of farmers.It also examines the heterogeneity of this impact across different farmer groups from the perspectives of income levels and occupational differentiation.To this end,this study developed an indicator system based on survey data collected from 1,442 farmers in the Sichuan,Shaanxi,and Gansu provinces,as well as the Ningxia Hui autonomous region.Multiple linear regression models were then used to analyze this data,and the findings revealed that improvements in the quality of village governance significantly increased the well-being of farmers.Specifically,primary-level empowerment and capacity building were shown to contribute the most to the enhancement of the farmers’well-being,followed by social inclusion,and social cohesion was found to have only a minimal effect.In terms of income levels,improving the quality of village governance benefited middle-income farmers the most,followed by low-income farmers,and it had the least effect on high-income farmers.In terms of occupations,full-time farmers gained the most from improvements in the quality of village governance,followed by off-farm farmers,with part-time farmers benefiting the least.Based on these findings,this study suggests that policymakers should improve the quality of village governance to enhance the well-being of farmers,focusing on the impact that level of income and occupational differentiation have on village governance.

Improved Scatter Search Algorithm for Multi-skilled Personnel Scheduling of Ship Block Painting

This paper focuses on the optimization method for multi-skilled painting personnel scheduling.The budget working time analysis is carried out considering the influence of operating area,difficulty of spraying area,multi-skilled workers,and worker’s efficiency,then a mathematical model is established to minimize the completion time. The constraints of task priority,paint preparation,pump management,and neighbor avoidance in the ship block painting production are considered. Based on this model,an improved scatter search(ISS)algorithm is designed,and the hybrid approximate dynamic programming(ADP)algorithm is used to improve search efficiency. In addition,the two solution combination methods of path-relinking and task sequence combination are used to enhance the search breadth and depth. The numerical experimental results show that ISS has a significant advantage in solving efficiency compared with the solver in small scale instances;Compared with the scatter search algorithm and genetic algorithm,ISS can stably improve the solution quality. Verified by the production example,ISS effectively shortens the total completion time of the production,which is suitable for scheduling problems in the actual painting production of the shipyard.

Pathway and Countermeasure of Farmers Livelihood Transformation in the Ecological Development Area of Northern Guangdong Province from the Perspective of Ecological Protection

[Objectives]To explore pathways and countermeasures for transforming farmers livelihoods in the way of reducing their dependence on land while promoting sustainable development and alleviating ecological degradation.[Methods]A combination of field research,literature review,and policy analysis was employed to identify key factors affecting farmers livelihoods and potential strategies for transformation.[Results]The study found that developing ecological agriculture and modern agriculture,promoting agricultural transformation and upgrading,cultivating alternative industries,strengthening ecological engineering construction,and establishing diversified ecological compensation methods and supporting policies are effective strategies for transforming farmers livelihoods.[Conclusions]Implementing these strategies can help alleviate the contradiction between ecological protection and farmers livelihood development,promoting coordinated development of both.This approach not only benefits farmers but also contributes to sustainable environmental management and biodiversity conservation.

Cattle Production and Lumpy Skin Disease of Smallholder Farmers in Svay Rieng Province

The cattle production in Romeas Haek district,Svay Rieng province,was developed remarkably,since there were some households raising cattle in large number,more than 20 heads.The grazing method of cattle was tethering and free grassing in the commune grass,since the natural grass and rice straw were the main source of cattle feed,however some of them supplemented their cattle with crop-byproducts,planting grass or concentrated feed.For the majority,BCS(Body Condition Scoring)of the cattle in those areas was 3 accounting for 52%-73.33%,but it was found the thin cattle has low BCS of 2 accounting for 11.11%to 40.00%and also fat cattle has BCS of 4 up to 27.78%.However,the average BCS varied with village which ranged from 2.68 to 3.17,but is not different in term of commune and sex of cattle.Besides facing with shortage of feed,the experience with diseases was also another concern,since 85.71%to 95.83%of the households faced this problem last year.Among the clinical signs found,lumpy skin was 100%,i.e.no one escaped from this problem,thus making them aware of vaccinating their cattle against some diseases such as FMD(Foot and Mouth Disease),HS(Hemorrhagic Septicemia)and LSD(Lumpy Skin Disease),but mostly vaccination was used against FMD.Because the LSD has occurred in these areas since 2020,then the seroprevalence was found in high positive up to 72.62%by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay(ELISA)test.This positive rate was also varying by villages,ranging from 53.3%to 94.44%.But there was no association between positive cattle with commune,BCS,sex and age of cattle.In conclusion,the cattle production in Romeas Haek district,Svay Rieng province had developed markedly,however the shortage of feed and disease occurrence are the main challenges for farmer cattle producers,especially LSD outbreak last year.However,most of the farmers have been aware of the benefit of vaccination and had vaccinated their cattle against those main disease,such as FMD,HS and LSD.

The Study of “Imitation” Aesthetics in Ancient Painting Theory-Taking the Chinese and Western Sources as an Example

The theory of“imitation”in painting occupies a leading position in western art,which originated from the theory of“imitation”in ancient Greece,and has become one of the art theories affecting the world through the continuous development of later generations.Through the exploration of the source of“imitation”in China and the West,there are some comments on the meaning of“imitation”in Chinese classical painting theory,such as“transfer model writing”and“image form”,which is obvious differences from the west.Traditional Chinese painting is a combination of careful observation of natural things and subjective emotions to express their own aesthetic feelings,and ultimately form a vivid artistic conception.Modern imitation is borrowed from Western imitation.In fact,imitation in traditional painting has its own meaning,which contains Chinese aesthetic thought.“Imitation”aesthetics is unique in traditional Chinese painting and is the most important form of painting art.

Farmers’ Knowledge and Awareness towards the Use of Agrochemicals in Vegetable Cultivation, Fako Cameroon

Agrochemicals are contemporary, omnipresent tool used in vegetable cultivation. Farmers’ knowledge and awareness of the proper usage of agrochemicals are critical for mitigating the negative effects on human health. This cross-sectional study was aimed at assessing the usage knowledge, risk awareness of toxicological and chemical classes, proper handling and use practices for agrochemicals homologated for use in vegetable farming, and the occurrence of health-related symptoms as a result of exposure among these farmers. The study included 93 vegetable growers from agricultural hotspot towns in Fako, southwest Cameroon. The field study, ran from November 2021 to December 2023, using a questionnaire to collect information on farmers demographic, and their knowledge of pesticide classes, and the related risk of associated with the handling of agrochemicals. Results show that all vegetable farmers, particularly those engaged in agribusiness, employ pesticide inputs to maximize production. Six pesticides, two fertilizer types, and one unknown substance were identified. While 23 active compounds were found, the most utilized were abamectin, emamectin (10.46%), dimethoate (9.30%,) and ethoprophos (8.13%). Two active chemicals, dimethoate and methalaxyl, are illegal yet remain in circulation. Toxicological classes I and II, with the greatest harmful effect on human health, were the most commonly utilized (64.27%). Thirty-nine percent of farmers never use personal protection equipment when working with agrochemicals, demonstrating a significant gap in knowledge and awareness of agrochemicals and their various applications and handling procedures in the field. The government should implement an intensive specialized educational program for on-field farmers with incentives in order to promote sustainable agriculture methods that ensure environmental and human safety.

Analysis of Color and Artistic Conception in Painting Art

The charm of painting,as a bright pearl in the treasure house of culture,lies in its visual language constructed through colors and lines,which conveys the artist’s unique perception of life and profound emotions.Color,as the most intuitive and expressive language in painting,is not only a simple reproduction of material colors but also a projection of the artist’s inner world.Artistic conception,as a core concept in traditional Chinese painting theory,refers to the emotional atmosphere and spiritual mood embedded in paintings.The purpose of this paper is to discuss the interaction between color and mood in painting art,to analyze the techniques of using color in different painting styles and their influence on the creation of mood,and to provide new perspectives and methods for the creation of paintings.

Analysis of Viewing Paintings from the Perspective of Iconography

Distinguished from purely formalistic research methods,iconography pursues the interpretation of the hidden historical and humanistic connotations behind artworks,and is a discipline that combines visual text and content analysis methods.Combining the three stages of iconography proposed by Panofsky,the paper studies Shizeng Chen’s Viewing Paintings from the perspective of iconography,summarizing the formation and change of the images and contents of the artworks in the cultural system and civilization at that time,as well as their implied ideology,and analyzing the hidden spirit of the times and the historical significance behind them,so as to expound their iconographic significance.Through an in-depth discussion at three levels:pre-pictorial iconographic description,iconographic analysis,and iconographic interpretation,the facts and surface contents reproduced in the images,the traditional level of literary,artistic,and cultural knowledge,as well as the interpretation of the potential meanings are revealed.

Color Expression and Mood Creation in Imagery Oil Painting

Oil painting is a traditional Western painting form.With the introduction of China and the influence of China’s traditional painting and aesthetics,the painting style became more distinctive,expanding a new development direction of oil painting,and thus imagery oil painting came into being.Color,as the most important element in imagery oil painting,mainly plays the role of mood creation and emotional expression.Many creators are good at injecting their thoughts and emotions into the paintings through color matching,so as to enhance the artistic expression of the paintings.This paper analyzes the color expression characteristics of imagery oil painting and explores the color expression techniques in imagery oil painting and mood creation of imagery oil painting from several aspects.

Are vulnerable farmers more easily influenced?Heterogeneous effects of Internet use on the adoption of integrated pest management

The Internet is believed to bring more technological dividends to vulnerable farmers during the green agriculture transformation.However,this is different from the theory of skill-biased technological change,which emphasizes that individuals with higher levels of human capital and more technological endowments benefit more.This study investigates the effects of Internet use on farmers'adoption of integrated pest management(IPM),theoretically and empirically,based on a dataset containing 1015 farmers in China's Shandong Province.By exploring the perspective of rational inattention,the reasons for the heterogeneity of the effects across farmers with different endowments,i.e.,education and land size,are analyzed.The potential endogeneity issues are addressed using the endogenous switching probit model.The results reveal that:(1)although Internet use significantly positively affects farmers'adoption of IPM,vulnerable farmers do not benefit more from it.Considerable selection bias leads to an overestimation of technological dividends for vulnerable farmers;(2)different sources of technology information lead to the difference in the degree of farmers'rational inattention toward Internet information,which plays a crucial role in the heterogeneous effect of Internet use;and(3)excessive dependence on strong-tie social network information sources entraps vulnerable farmers in information cocoons,hindering their ability to reap the benefits of Internet use fully.Therefore,it is essential to promote services geared towards elderly-oriented Internet agricultural technology information and encourage farmers with strong Internet utilization skills to share technology information with other farmers actively.

Climate change risk,resilience,and adaptation among rural farmers in East Africa:A literature review

This study assesses the literature evidence on climate change risk,resilience,and adaptation measures used among rural farmers in East Africa.A systematic literature review was conducted comprising 30 papers from the Web of Science database published during 2000-2022.The results of the literature review showed that climate change risks have direct impacts on agricultural practices,limit rural farmers’resilience,and exacerbate their food insecurity.The most prominent risks are increasingly shorter wet seasons and heat stress,which lead to droughts and food production losses.Responding to climate risks,farmers in East Africa adopt various adaptation strategies such as mixed-and inter-cropping,conservation tillage,early planting,crop diversification,etc.Also,this review summarizes the determinants of climate change adaptation strategy selection by farmers in East Africa,including age,gender,household size,economic status and household assets,landownership and livestock,education and training,etc.Overall,the choice of adaptation strategies to climate change is strongly determined by the gender of household heads,the results of gender as a determinant of adaptation differ greatly between different case studies.Although female-headed households(FHHs)tend to perceive changes in temperature more readily than male-headed households(MHHs),the latter are generally more likely to adopt different adaptation strategies.Despite the resilience and adaptation measures used by rural farmers in East Africa now,improved weather forecasting and early warning systems are needed as a better direction towards the future.

Farmers’ Practices for the Orchard’s Maintenance and Post-Harvest Treatment of Cocoa in Infiltrated Classified and Unclassified Zone of Méagui (South-West, Côte d’Ivoire)

An important part of Ivorian cocoa production comes from infiltrated classified forests. The objective of this study is to investigate orchard maintenance and post-harvest cocoa treatment practices used by cocoa farmers in infiltrated classified and unclassified areas of Méagui. To do this, 110 producers in two localities of the said zone were individually interviewed from February to April 2022, using a declarative questionnaire. It was found that cocoa orchards in the zone are aging. Nearly 68.55% of producers were heirs and 58.33% of those interviewed were under 46 years of age, with an average age of 43 years. Nearly 84.55% of the producers surveyed mainly use chemical insecticides to control the pests of greatest concern in these localities. Regarding the frequency of insecticide treatments, 11.82% of producers make 1 to 2 applications a year, 29.09% make 3 to 5 applications a year, and 43.64% make at least 6 applications a year. The active substances of the most used products belong to 99% of the Neonicotinoid and Pyrethroid families. Regarding cocoa harvesting and post-harvest operations, 93.64% of the producers carry out a single harvest/month;all do the shelling with mini machetes. Beans are fermented mainly in black plastic tarpaulins or in bags, for a period of 3 to 5 days (65.45%). Drying is done almost entirely (91.82%) on the black plastic tarp. This study shows that cocoa farmers in the areas surveyed do not respect the recommendations issued on phytosanitary practices and post-harvest treatment of cocoa. This non-compliance with the standards of good practices prescribed is particularly more accentuated in the locality located in infiltrated classified zone. It would, therefore, be judicious to revise or redefine the phytosanitary recommendations and carry out sensitization and training-follow-up programs for producers in this important cocoa production area of C?te d’Ivoire.