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.

Small-scale fire tests in the underwater tunnel section model with new sidewall smoke extraction

The Shenzhen–Zhongshan Bridge is a 24‐km‐long bridge and tunnel system,including a 6.8-km-long super cross section subsea tunnel.To solve the smoke exhaust problem of a super large cross-section subsea tunnel,the tunnel has a new smoke exhaust system that combines a horizontal smoke exhaust cross section at the top and sidewall smoke exhaust holes.In order to evaluate the potential fire hazards of this type of tunnel,a 1:30 tunnel model was established and 140 smallscale experiments on underwater tunnel fires were conducted.By changing the fire power,fire location,and fan operation mode,different scenarios of submarine immersed tunnel fire were simulated and the related key parameters such as fire smoke diffusion behavior and smoke temperature distribution were studied.On this basis,the optimal smoke control strategy was proposed for different fire scenarios.The research results indicate that the new smoke exhaust system can fully utilize the smoke flow characteristics,significantly improve smoke exhaust efficiency,and increase available evacuation time,thus further enhancing the fire safety of super large cross-section subsea tunnels.

Gas concentration monitoring system for small and medium-sized coal mines based on gas-sensing detection and single-chip control

This paper is aimed at the actual conditions of disaster caused by gas in small and medium-sized coal mines. A new gas concentration monitoring system for coal mines is developed on the basis of gas-sensing detection and single-chip control. The monitoring system uses the tin oxide as the main material of N-type semiconductor gas sensors, be- cause it has good sensitive characteristics for the flammable and explosive gas （ such as methane, carbon monoxide）. The QM-N5-semiconductor gas sensor is adopted to detect the output values of the resistance under the different gas con- centrations. The system, designedly, takes the AT89C51 digital chip as the core of the circuit processing hardware structure to analyze and judge the input values of the resistance, and then achieve the control and alarm for going beyond the limit of gas concentration. The gas concentration monitoring system has man）, advantages including simple in struc- ture, fast response time, stable performance and low cost. Thus, it can be widely used to monitor gas concentration and provide early wamings in small and medium-sized coal mines.

The idea and project of the “Medium－Scale Experiment Field for Earthquake Prediction”──Research on observations and applications of mining earthquake in Mentougou Coal Mine

A brief account of the development of the research on mining earthquakes and the general situation of the Mentougou Coal Mine medium scale experiment field for earthquake prediction and the project of monitor and prediction is given. The differences of waveforms between mining earthquakes and natural earthquakes is discussed. The magnitude frequency distribution of the 79 000 mining earthquakes of over M L1.0 from 1984 to 1995 is summarized . Finally, taking PH and PV, the principal compressive stress components of the focal mechanism of the mining earthquakes, as the criteria, analyses the stress background of the 12 large mining earthquakes.

Experimental investigation and theoretical modeling on scale behaviors of high salinity wastewater in zero liquid discharge process of coal chemical industry

Zero liquid discharge(ZLD)treatment and reuse equipment of high salinity wastewater in coal-chemical industry often occur in various types of blockage problems because of high salt content,affecting the long-term stability of the device.In this study,the effects of solution temperature,steel,reaction time and wall roughness on fouling were investigated.The changes in the contents of fouling and fouling substances were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed by XRD and EDS respectively,and the formation of scale was observed by SEM.The results show that with temperature increasing,Q235 steel is the most difficult to scale.Scaling rate of all salt scales reaches a maximum after 12 h,and the fouling rate decreases significantly from 12 to 48 h.It gradually stabilizes at 48 to 96 h.With the roughness increasing,the thickness of fouling layer increases,and a linear relationship is presented for 1 to 10 h.By comparing actual and simulated wastewater scaling rates,the relationship between actual and simulated wastewater scaling rates is y=ax-0.494.The composition of the scale was analyzed,calcium carbonate is the main product and increases with fouling time.Based on the above-mentioned results combining literatures,the hybrid prediction model with calcium carbonate as the main product is put forward.It is discussed microscopically that calcium carbonate is converted from aragonite and vaterite in a thermodynamically metastable state to calcite in a thermodynamically stable state.

The safety parameters monitoring system for the coal mine based on CAN bus communication and intelligent data acquisition

In this paper,a monitoring and controlling system for the safety in production and environmental parameters of a small and medium-sized coal mine has been developed after analyzing the current domestic coal production and security conditions. The client computer can convert the analog signal about the safety in production and environmental parameters detected from the monitoring terminal into digital signal,and then,send the signal to the coal mine safety monitoring centre. This information can be analyzed,judged,and diagnosed by the monitoring-management-controlling software for helping the manager and technical workers to control the actual underground production and security situations. The system has many advantages including high reliability,better performance of real-time monitoring,faster data communicating and good practicability,and it can effectively prevent the occurrence of safety incidents in coal mines.

Performance Investigation of Three Combined Airfoils Bladed Small Scale Horizontal Axis wind Turbine by BEM and CFD Analysis

The present work is based on the comparative study between “Blade-Element- Momentum” (BEM) analysis and “Computational-Fluid-Dynamics” (CFD) analysis of small-scale horizontal axis wind turbine blade. In this study, the pitch is considered as fixed and rotor speed is variable. Firstly, the aerodynamic characteristics of three different specialized airfoils were analyzed to get optimum design parameters of wind turbine blade. Then BEM was performed with the application of the open source wind turbine design and performance computation software Q-Blade v0.6. After that, CFD simulation was done by Ansys CFX software. Here, k-ω “Shear-Stress-Transport” (SST) model was conducted for three-dimensional visualization of turbine performance. However, the best coefficient of performance was observed at 6o angle of attack. At this angle of attack, in the case of BEM, the highest coefficient of performance was 0.47 whereby CFD analysis, it was 0.43. Both studies showed good performance prediction which was a positive step to accelerate the continuous revolution in wind energy sector.

Review of small-bowel cleansing scales in capsule endoscopy: A panoply of choices

Evaluation of the quality of small-bowel cleansing is required to assess the reliability of findings in capsule endoscopy(CE). Moreover, consensus regarding the need of intestinal preparation for CE remains to be achieved. The presence of multiple grading scales for smallbowel preparation in CE, which are time-consuming and complicated, adds difficulty to the comparison of different small-bowel cleansing regimens and their application in clinical practice. Nowadays, a validated scale universally accepted for grading small-bowel cleansing is lacking. In fact, there are numerous grading systems with very different technical characteristics, namely, the parameters and the portion of the CE video that are analyzed, the objectivity of the analysis, the lesser or greater dependency on the operator, and the validation of the score. The authors performed a review which aims to systematize and summarize currently available smallbowel grading scales in CE.

Weak wide-band signal detection method based on small-scale periodic state of Duffing oscillator

The conventional Duffing oscillator weak signal detection method, which is based on a strong reference signal, has inherent deficiencies. To address these issues, the characteristics of the Duffing oscillator＇s phase trajectory in a small- scale periodic state are analyzed by introducing the theory of stopping oscillation system. Based on this approach, a novel Duffing oscillator weak wide-band signal detection method is proposed. In this novel method, the reference signal is discarded, and the to-be-detected signal is directly used as a driving force. By calculating the cosine function of a phase space angle, a single Duffing oscillator can be used for weak wide-band signal detection instead of an array of uncoupled Duffing oscillators. Simulation results indicate that, compared with the conventional Duffing oscillator detection method, this approach performs better in frequency detection intervals, and reduces the signal-to-noise ratio detection threshold, while improving the real-time performance of the system.

Unstable evolution of railway slope under the rainfall-vibration joint action

Understanding the unstable evolution of railway slopes is the premise for preventing slope failure and ensuring the safe operation of trains.However,as two major factors affecting the stability of railway slopes,few scholars have explored the unstable evolution of railway slopes under the joint action of rainfall-vibration.Based on the model test of sandy soil slope,the unstable evolution process of slope under locomotive vibration,rainfall,and rainfall-vibration joint action conditions was simulated in this paper.By comparing and analyzing the variation trends of soil pressure and water content of slope under these conditions,the change laws of pore pressure under the influence of vibration and rainfall were explored.The main control factors affecting the stability of slope structure under the joint action conditions were further defined.Combined with the slope failure phenomena under these three conditions,the causes of slope instability resulting from each leading factor were clarified.Finally,according to the above conclusions,the unstable evolution of the slope under the rainfall-vibration joint action was determined.The test results show that the unstable evolution process of sandy soil slope,under the rainfall-vibration joint action,can be divided into:rainfall erosion cracking,vibration promotion penetrating,and slope instability sliding three stages.In the process of slope unstable evolution,rainfall and vibration play the roles of inducing and promoting slide respectively.In addition,the deep cracks,which are the premise for the formation of the sliding surface,and the violent irregular fluctuation of soil pressure,which reflects the near penetration of the sliding surface,constitute the instability characteristics of the railway slope together.This paper reveals the unstable evolution of sandy soil slopes under the joint action of rainfall-vibration,hoping to provide the theoretical basis for the early warning and prevention technology of railway slopes.

Evolution of Small Scale Density Perturbations of Plasma and Charged Aerosol Particles in Polar Mesospheric Summer Echoes (PMSE) Layers

Time evolution of ionospheric D-region plasmas including the perturbations of electrons and charged aerosol particles is investigated under the conditions of polar mesosphere summer echoes （PMSE）. It is shown that the time scale of decay of the electron density is in the order of an hour under typical PMSE conditions, in the majority of cases, the electron density is anticorrelated to the ion density, except that the radius of aerosol particles is greater than 50 nm. Also, the evolutions under varied parameters, such as the amplitude and width of perturbation, the aerosol particle radius, and the altitude of the PMSE occurrence are investigated. The obtained results are useful for interpreting the experimental observations.

Study on the Roles of FWUA in Construction, Management and Maintenance of Small-Scale Irrigation and Water Conservancy

In recent years, China has been frequented by floods and droughts which has greatly evoked much concern from the Central Government about rural water conservancy construction. Irrigation is closely related to the "three rural" issues and concerns about the vital interests of farmers. To achieve a virtuous circle of agricultural water supply, it is necessary and urgent to establish Farmer Water User Association (FWUA) to participate in the construction, management and maintenance of small-scale irrigation system. Based on the survey on nationwide "Small-scale irrigation conditions", the roles of FWUA in the construction, management and maintenance of small-scale water conservancy have studied in this study.

Establishment of Small Centralized Collection Processing Service System of Scattered Farming Waste

In order to advance pollution control and promote agricultural source pollution reduction of Jiangsu Province, based on the practical expe- rience of Lijia Livestock and Poultry Manure Processing Center in Wujin District, Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province, new ways of controlling small scattered livestock and poultry breeding pollution, with characteristics of ＂ unified collection, centralized processing, social services, and compre- hensive utilization＂, were discussed through establishing the collection processing service system, innovating operation system and mechanism, and transforming the mode of government supervision and management.

Study of Urban and Rural Construction Land Change Based on Small Scale in Dafang

This paper is to examine the urban and rural construction land data of Dafang between basic year and final year based on country scale and spatial econometrics,and analyze its spatial pattern and change feature. According to the results,the construction lands in all the villages of Dafang County showed strong spatial autocorrelation and significant spatial cluster. After the analysis of local Moran's I,the construction lands in 381 villages of 36 counties presented strong activity. The original small-scale villages were gradually enlarging,which will not only gradually benefit local development,but also be in accordance with the strategy of " one city,one district,eight parks".

Heavy Metal Pollution in Soil and Water in Some Selected Towns in Dunkwa-on-Offin District in the Central Region of Ghana as a Result of Small Scale Gold Mining

Illegal small scale gold mining popularly called “Galamsey” in our local communities is on the increase. This has led to concerns about the level of environmental pollution resulting from these mining activities. This work was conducted to determine the level of heavy metal contamination in the environment due to the activities of the small scale miners. This paper discusses the concentrations of some selected heavy metals—Hg, Pb, and Cu which were measured in 14 sampling sites in Dunkwa-on-Offin in the Central Region of Ghana, known for these activities. The heavy metal concentrations have been investigated for soil and water samples in the selected towns and compared with the relevant guidelines of the Environmental Protection Agency. The concentration of heavy metals was measured by using AAS. In most locations, the concentration for the investigated heavy metals far exceeded the concentration admitted by the guidelines. The mean concentration of Lead was 95.13 mg/Kg for soil and 190.27 mg/L in water;Copper was 63.26 mg/Kg in soil and 75.92 mg/L in water while Mercury was 140.87 ug/Kg in soil and 211.31 mg/L in water. The mean recorded concentrations in the sensitive areas exceeded greatly. Hence the levels of heavy metal contamination have spread beyond control.

Interaction of Turbulent Coherent Structures and Small Scale Structures

In lhis paper experimental research is carried out for the existence of larqe andsmall scale .structures in turbulent boundary layer and the interactions between these structures. Based on the experimental results ,a new cethod is suggested io (iescribethe coherent strucures in which the interactions between between the coherent and small-scale slructures are considered ,Using this method a new pattern recognition method is and rough wall conditions. The results show that the suggested method is reasonable .

Profitability Analysis of Small Scale Irrigation Technology Adoption to Farmers in Nasho Sector, Rwanda

The study aims to assess the effect of small scale irrigation adoption to farmers in Nasho sector, Kirehe District in Rwanda. The average yield was 12,309.73 Kg/2.62 ha or 4698.73 Kg/ha for adopters with the mean difference between adopters and non adopters ranged from 2819.63 Kg to 4766.59 Kg per unit area of production. For food security status, the average mean quantity of maize consumed at home level was 615.54 Kg with the mean difference ranged from 377.29 Kg to 474.68 Kg. For market participation, the average treatment effect of the treated (ATT) of quantity of maize sold was 11,694.24 Kg while the mean difference ranged from 7165.98 Kg to 9015.60 Kg. The Average Treatment Effect of the Treated market price was 213 Frws/Kg while the mean difference ranged from 44.51 Frws/Kg to 48.3053 Frws/Kg. The Average Treatment Effect of the Treated of farmer’s revenues for the users was 938,772 Frws/ha, however, the mean difference between adopters and non adopters ranged from 1,732,942 Frws to 2,007,039 Frws. The Average Treatment Effect of the Treated of farmer’s net farm income was 1,066,393 Frws while mean difference between users and non users ranged from 803,967 Frws to 854,141 Frws. For profitability analysis, the cost benefit ratio (CBR) was taken into account. The total benefit per unit area was 2,434,509 Frws and total average mean cost of 1,382,313 Frws and CBR = 1.761 > 1. The findings of this study will help the policy makers for deeper sector planning and also, it will facilitate other stakeholders to invest in irrigation technology to improve the livelihoods of Rwandan farmers and other surroundings.

Portable Multi-Inputs Renewable Energy System for Small Scale Remote Application

This paper presents a potable renewable energy system. The portable renewable energy power unit is designed from a need. The need is for first response teams in remote natural disaster situations to have a reliable source of energy to power a small vaccine refrigerator or water purification system and a basic satellite communication system. It is important that such a need is explored as a practical solution has the potential to save the lives of people in remote areas, who would otherwise suffer from a lack of humanitarian aid. Currently diesel generators are the primary source of electricity generation for disaster responders and in most situations work very well and provide a sufficient amount of electricity to meet the power needs. However, in remote areas road infrastructure is often damaged. In this type of situation getting a constant supply of diesel to the area is an expensive or impractical operation. This is where the portable renewable energy power unit bridges the gap and allows a more practical solution to be implemented. The specific aim of the work is to design a compact, stand-alone, product that can be easily transported by people across uneven terrain. It can generate power from wind, solar and hydro energy sources. In this work a new non-isolated multiport DC-DC converter topology for a hybrid energy system in low power applications is proposed. The new topology assimilates multiple renewable energy sources and power up multiple loads with different output levels. A complete Solid works model and FEA analysis, on required components, is completed. The scope of the work encompasses both the electrical and mechanical design of the system.

Development of Coffee Value Chain for Value Added in Small Scale of Farmer

This study is development of the coffee value chain in small scale of farmers on highland in the upper northern region of Thailand with case study of Pamieng community,Muangpan District,Lampang Province,Thailand.The objective is the use of the value chain model for the value added of product(coffee).The results from objective to conduct in the value chain of Pamiang’s coffee bring economic benefits and community based environmental benefits and also show the cost and return of coffee production in the value chain of Pamieng’s coffee which found that the farmers have a way to reduce costs in order to increase returns.The most coffee growing is on highland,therefore it is very important to take care of the entire value chain to deliver the highest value to society and customers.