Community-led total sanitation(CLTS)implementation in West Mamprusi Municipal Assembly in Ghana.What do communities think eleven years on?

Objective Access to improved sanitation is a fundamental human right and an important aspect of Public Health.However,an estimated thousands of people in Ghana especially,the West Mamprusi Municipal Assembly(WMMA)still have no access to adequate toilet facilities.This has brought untold health repercussions to the inhabitants,the community,and the environment at large.To address this menace,the community-led total sanitation(CLTS)was implemented.This study aimed to assess communities’perspectives on the implementation of CLTS and to understand the factors influencing its success and failures.Methods A mixed-method approach involving sequential qualitative and quantitative methods was employed in this study.Participants for the quantitative study were randomly selected and surveyed using questionnaires.The qualitative study employed focus group discussion involving purposively sampled participants including assembly members,opinion leaders,and assembly staff.Results The CLTS program in WMMA realized an apparent use of construction and proper use of household latrines leading to a reduction of open defecation free(ODF)and two communities achieving sanitized status in the history of the study area,enabling the training of latrine artisans and natural leaders to facilitate the CLTS expansion and sustainability,improved sanitation and hygiene,strengthened the enforcement of community rules and regulations and many others.Conclusion The CLTS program has received more widespread acceptance in the study area than the previous government policy of constructing public toilets,which was greeted with massive failures due to poor implementation.To ensure that gains achieved through CLTS implementation are sustained longer,it is recommended that chiefs and opinion leaders should be involved in the CLTS programs to ensure checks and enforcement.The entrenchment of bylaws and more education to address enduring myths and misconceptions will sustain the program.Subsidies in the form of sanitation loans for latrine construction materials by the government and supporting non-governmental organizations(NGOs)will be paramount in sustaining ODF.

Prediction of the joint impacts of sea level rise and land development on distribution patterns of mangrove communities

Mangrove distribution along shorelines shows distinct zonation patterns;thus,different communities may face various influences from sea level rise(SLR)and land use.However,long-term change predictions are usually based only on the total extent of mangroves.Few studies have revealed how SLR and land development such as agriculture,aquaculture,and urbanization jointly affect different intertidal mangrove communities.This study proposed a novel framework combining SLAMM(Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model)and the CLUE-S(Conversion of Land Use and its Effect at Small regional extent)model to assess the potential impacts on upper and lower intertidal mangrove communities.Maoweihai in Guangxi,China,was selected as the study area and the potential impacts from the squeeze effect and mangrove expansion potential were evaluated.We established three scenarios combining SLR and land use patterns to predict mangrove coverage projections by 2070.The results showed that,under a single SLR driver,the upper intertidal mangroves would be more adaptive to rapid SLR than the lower intertidal mangroves.However,under the combined influence of the two drivers,the upper intertidal mangroves would experience larger squeeze effects than the lower intertidal mangroves,with up to 80.5%of suitable habitat lost.Moreover,the expansion potential of upper intertidal mangroves would be considerably more limited than that of lower intertidal mangroves.The length of the expandable habitat patch boundary of upper intertidal mangroves only reached 1.4–1.8 km,while that of the lower intertidal mangroves reached up to99.2–111.2 km.Further,we found that aquaculture ponds and cropland are the top two land development types that could occupy suitable habitat and restrict the mangrove expansion potential.Our results highlight that timely improvement of land use policies to create available landward accommodation space for mangrove migration is essential to maintain the coverage and diversity of mangrove communities under SLR.The proposed method can be a helpful tool for adaptive mangrove conservation and management under climate change.

Towards Inclusive Development: Situating the Socio-Economic Wellbeing and Environmental Issues of an Indigenous Cultural Community in the Philippines

The Municipality of Carranglan is a rural community where agriculture is the main source of livelihood. The Kalanguya Ancestral Domain (KAD) is also located in the area, and it provides a home for the Kalanguya indigenous cultural community. They have fled to the area for a variety of reasons. Despite its rural setting, Carranglan is regarded as a first-class municipality and the largest municipality in Nueva Ecija. This study described and documented the socio-economic profile, and existing issues and problems the Kalanguya Indigenous Peoples (IPs) experienced in their milieu, especially in terms of environmental protection. Recognizing and valuing their perspectives is vital for inclusive development. This study also situated the current status and conditions of the IPs, who generally live below the poverty line and face a range of plights and challenges. As part of safeguarding indigenous rights and interests, this study was undertaken after series of consultations with community elders and leaders. Key informant interviews, household surveys, semi-structured interviews, focused-group discussion (FGD), and direct observations were used to elicit information. Many of the respondents are elementary undergraduates which show that the community had lacked access to education. The following are the primary socioeconomic issues confronting IPs: insufficient access to potable water, suboptimal agricultural productivity, meager monthly income, and a dearth of supplementary and alternative livelihood opportunities. Forest fires, landslides, encroachment of illegal loggers, and concerns about wildlife resources are some of the current environmental issues they have encountered. The local population was supportive of plans and actions targeted at improving the environment. This reveals that the IPs possess unique indigenous forest expertise that enables them to properly manage natural resources.

Cultural Relevance for Rural Community Development in China: A Case Study in Bai, Jingpo and Huyaodai Communities of Yunnan Province

A three-year study over the Bai, Jingpo and Huayaodai communities in Yunnan Province reveals that the community development is significantly influenced in various ways by such cultural factors as the concepts of development; concepts and traditions of inter-community relationships, consumption, mar- riage and gender; patterns of decision-making and production, resource and income allocation; as well as the role of information dissemination systems, religion and ritual. Based on the analysis over the interactive relevance between each factor and community development, some strategies and methods for dealing with such a cultural relevance in development projects are recommended.

Role of Wind-Sand Disturbance in the Formation and Development of Tamarix taklamakanensis Community

Formation, development and degeneration of Tamarix taklamakanensis M.T. Liu community may be affected by wind-sand disturbance. On the basis of field survey and experiments that took eight years from 1994, it was found that the plant community was formed in wet and low-lying land, developed in sand burying land, and died out in the land with strong wind erosion and severe sand burying. In the initial stage of the community formation, the low-lying land that was formed by wind erosion provided a suitable habitat for seed germination and plant rooting, but salt stress from ground water reduced seedling survival rate. In the developing stage of the community, sand burying stimulated vigorous growth of the shrubs. In the degenerative stage of the community, the wind erosion and sand burying resulted in dying out of the shrubs. It is therefore concluded that wind-sand disturbance has a positive role in the formation and development of the community, and is in a close association with the process of the community degeneration. Taking the habitat of T taklamakanensis into account, it may be appropriate to note that, under the conditions of frequent disturbance and severe stress, desert pioneer species are adaptable and able to survive. This might be a supplement to the CSR strategy.

Conflicts and Countermeasures between Haba Snow Mountain Nature Reserve and Development of Peripheral Communities

Using research approaches such as questionnaire investigation, interview, and Participatory Rural Appraisal (PAR), the relationship between Haba Snow Mountain Nature Reserve and peripheral communities was studied. The results showed that there are lots of conflicts between Haba Snow Mountain Nature Reserve and peripheral communities. On the one hand, conservation of natural environment brings inconvenience to the development of peripheral communities, such as limiting the use of resources, constraining space of development, resulting in economic losses, reducing tourist income, and low compensation. On the other hand, peripheral communities' development threats conservation of the natural environment, for instance, illegal deforestation, illegal mining, over-harvesting, over-grazing and non-ecotourism. Therefore, effective suggestions were given as "scientific planning of functional areas, enhancing economic compensation, devoting more in ecotourism development, and realizing the cooperation of communities".

Study on the Ecotourism and Community Economic Development of Maolan National Natural Reserve in Guizhou Province

With Maolan National Natural Reserve as the example,the present development of ecotourism and its great significance to community economic development were expounded,the main problems existing in the ecotourist development of Maolan Reserve were exposed,and some suggestions were proposed for speeding up the construction pace of ecotourism,improving the service level and reception capacity,expanding the coverage of people receiving benefits from tourist economy,strengthening the development of tourist products,elongating the industrial chain of tourist economy and establishing feedback mechanism so as to promote the community economic development.

Study on Tourism Development and Community Participation in Villages of the Minorities ——With the Dong Village in Zhaoxing,Southeast Guizhou Autonomous Prefecture of Miao and Dong Nationalities,China

Based on basic theories of community participation in tourism development,questionnaires were designed for the field investigation in one of the largest Dong Villages in China,the Dong village in Zhaoxing.Community participation in tourism development of the Dong Village was analyzed from the perspectives of residents' participation in decision-making and management,reception and catering services,group performance,making and selling ethnic artworks,protection of village tourist resources and environment.And meanwhile,problems were pointed out as "still maintaining in the early stage of its tourism development,fewer opportunities for its residents participating in tourism development,resource protection being divorced from tourism benefits and so on",on the basis of which corresponding solutions were offered as "expanding the field of participation,improving the level of participation,increasing benefits of local residents;insisting on the principle of "not participating intentionally is the best way of their participation,guaranteeing economic compensation for rural residents;enhancing infrastructure construction;establishing a museum of folk-custom materials;creating a favorable atmosphere of folk cultures;enhancing cooperation with its neighboring villages in tourism development,and creating a "local industrial chain";establishing a research center of cultural tourism development of the Dong Minority.

Characterization of Bacterial Communities Associating with Larval Development of Yesso Scallop(Patinopecten yessoensisis Jay, 1857) by High-Throughput Sequencing

Bacterial community presumably plays an essential role in inhibiting pathogen colonization and maintaining the health of scallop larvae, but limiting data are available for Yesso scallop （Patinopecten yessoensisis Jay, 1857） larval development stages. The aim of this study was to characterize and compare the bacterial communities associating with Yesso scallop larval development at fertilized egg S l, trochophora S2, D-shaped larvae S3, umbo larvae S4, and juvenile scallop S5 stages by Illumina high-throughput sequencing. Genomic DNA was extracted from the larvae and their associating baetera, and a gene segment covering V3-V4 region of 16S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced using an Illumina Miseq sequencer. Overall, 106760 qualified sequences with an average length of 449 bp were obtained. Sequences were compared with those retrieved from 16S rRNA gene databases, and 4 phyla, 7 classes, 15 orders, 21 families, 31 genera were identified. Proteobacteria was predominant phylum, accounting for more than 99%, at all 5 larval development stages. At genus level, Pseudomonas was dominant at stages S1 （80.60%）, S2 （87.77%） and S5 （68.71%）, followed by Photobacterium （17.06%） and Aeromonas （1.64%） at stage S1, Serratia （6.94%）, Stenotrophomonas （3.08%） and Acinetobacter （1.2%） at stage S2, Shewanella （25.95%） and Pseudoalteromonas （4.57%） at stage S5. Moreover, genus Pseudoal- teromonas became dominant at stages S3 （44.85%） and S4 （56.02%）, followed by Photobacterium （29.82%）, Pseudomonas （11.86%）, Aliivibrio （8.60%） and Shewanella （3.39%） at stage S3, Pseudomonas （18.16%）, Aliivibrio （14.29%）, Shewanella （4.11%）, Psychro- monas （4.04%） and Psychrobacter （1.81%） at stage S4. From the results, we concluded that the bacterial community changed sig- nificantly at different development stages of Yesso Scallop larvae.

Opportunities and Challenges for the Development of China's Community Gardens

Since the 1970s,community gardens have played an important role in promoting the development of sustainable communities and improving urban environments in the United States. Despite the popularity of spontaneous urban farming activities in China,community gardens have not caught on as an ecologically and socially sustainable urban development strategy. Based on a comparison of community garden development in China and the U.S.,the authors of this article fi nd that the development of community gardens in China will require close collaboration between city planning officials,real estate agencies,urban citizens,and landscape architects.

Research on the Harmonious Development of New Rural Communities under the Perspective of Balancing Urban and Rural Areas

On the basis of offering a definition of New Rural Communities (NRCs), the paper analyzes the values of New Rural Communities and argues that the construction of NRCs is able to contribute to the enhancement of the comprehensive agricultural production capability as well as the development of social productivity. Meanwhile the incomes of the rural residents can be boosted, which denotes the realization of a harmonious society where the achievements of China's reform and development are shared by each citizen. Moreover, the construction of NRCs facilitates the economization of land use and thus improves the overall living standard of the residents, while helping to cut the administrative cost and promote democracy at the primary level. This paper also points out various problems arising during the construction of NRCS in China: blindly following suit in accordance with the modes of the urban communities; lack of funds, which leads to the absence of the supporting mechanisms of NRCs; vague positioning and the ensuing shortage of impetus for continued development. Finally, the paper raises the corresponding measures and suggestions: first, based on reality, make overall planning and scientific arrangement; second, the government should play the dominant role while respecting the principal position of the rural residents and introducing the market mechanism; third, increase science and technology input and attach equal importance to economic and social benefits; fourth, broaden fund-raising channels while completing the supervision mechanism.

Factors Affecting Community-Based Tourism Development and Environmental Protection: Practical Study in Vietnam

Community-based tourism (CBT) is considered as one of the typical types of tourism towards sustainable development with three important goals such as bringing back economic benefits, protecting natural environment and preserving indigenous cultural values. Therefore, this paper analyzes the factors that affect community ecotourism development associated with environmental protection in emerging economies, including Vietnam, by the method of key and community tourism potential value assessment with 721 sample surveys. In this paper, we have applied to assess the key factors of tourism in Vietnam and other key points to have more comprehensive solutions to promote the development of community-based tourism with environmental protection. The article has used guest-based approach and method of assessing the key success factors. The results of researching factors to develop community tourist (impacting tourist community needs of tourists) by running Logit function have shown the great influence of factors such as: environmental protection (influence factor +3.585780, with a statistical significance of 99%), security and safety (+3.024816—statistical significance 99%) followed by infrastructure conditions & facilities for the community based tourism, the level of information etc… for your community based tourism needs. From the research results, we propose the following policy groups: 1) Developing guidelines for CBT, the first step as a basis for the development of community based tourism laws later;2) Policies related to the implementation of planning, development of key community tourist areas and destinations;3) Policies related to the development of community-based tourism associated with the protection of natural and cultural environments;4) Policies related to tourism management;coordinating monitoring of community tourism resource points;policies related to the local community in community tourism development;5) Policies related to human resource development;promotion work;developing community based tourism products.

The spatial coupling characteristics between the construction of Qingzang National Park Cluster and the sustainable development of local communities

The development of Qingzang national park cluster is part of China’s efforts to establish a major ecological civi-lization project in the Qingzang Plateau,in line with global sustainable development goals.Based on preliminary scientific investigation and research in the Qingzang Plateau,the construction of the park cluster will include 21 national parks.To mitigate the conflict between conservation of the national park cluster and the develop-ment of local communities,this study proposes an analysis framework to identify the spatial coupling features between the national park cluster and sustainable development of communities.Four elements were selected to construct the analysis framework,including natural conditions,geographic location,cultural background,and national policies.This framework was applied to the 457 township communities within the 21 national parks.Results show the weak influence of the construction of the national park cluster for approximately 304 township communities,without significant spatial coupling traits,while the remaining 153 communities demonstrated significant spatial coupling features.These latter townships had developed four types of spatial coupling with na-tional parks,including eco-migrants,transportation hubs,characteristic cultures,and border development,which account for 17.4%,35.3%,19.8%,and 27.5%of the 153 townships respectively.A composite type with more than one spatial coupling feature was also found for 14 communities within the 153 townships.This provides a reference for policy making towards four major types of interactive modes between townships and the national park construction for the sustainable development of Qingzang Plateau.

Power, the Hidden Factor in Development Cooperation. An Example of Community Forestry in Cameroon

This paper is concomitant with our comparative study analysis of the interests and power of the stake-holders involved in Community Forestry (CF) in six countries. The study hypothesises that, “governance processes and outcomes in CF depend mostly on interests of the powerful external stakeholders”. For this paper which is on CF in Cameroon, the study hypothesizes that, “Power is a hidden factor in Development cooperation”. Based on political theories, the paper uses the “actor-centered power” (ACP) concept of the Community Forestry Working Group (CFWG) in G?ttingen, Germany, the post-development theory and empirical findings, to back up the assertations made in the study through the analysis of thirteen different CFs in the South West region (SWR) of Cameroon. It analyzes the empirically applicable ACP concept, that consists of three elements: trust, incentives and coercion and at the same time connects these elements with the post-development theory. The elements were derived from the basic assumptions on power made by Max Weber in political sciences and Max Krott in forest policy. The study confirms the existence of powerful internal and external stakeholders that influence CF in Cameroon and aims to empower important but marginalised communities. It concludes that, CF as a development instrument to alleviate poverty and increase livelihood while sustainably managing the forest has actually not brought significant or meaningful development to the targeted sector of the

Role of Community Health Practitioners in National Development: The Nigeria Situation

This is a review paper that brings to focus, concepts of Community Health Practice that connect Community Health Practitioners’ Roles to National development in view of its composite index improvement measure of social welfare services provision among others for the citizens of a country over time, with particular emphasis on medical care component of such index aimed at reduction in diseases and poverty in the population. The objective of the review work is to determine the extent to which Community Health Practice, particularly by Community Health Practitioners is capable of ensuring National Development in democratic governance or otherwise, in the context of our country, Nigeria. The methodology applied was traditional review of published literatures concerning the subject and findings of operational research of programme implemented by Community Health Practitioners at the Primary Health Care facilities and household level in the communities. This paper emphasizes on Primary Health Care services delivery contribution to National Development, since it is the level where Community Health Practitioners are mainly commissioned to render their services. Home-Based Care Strategy for Integrated Maternal, Newborn and Child Health piloted in three (3) local government areas (Ahoada West, Etche and Oyigbo) in Rivers State, Nigeria, in 2012 and implemented by Community Health Practitioners, aimed at reducing maternal, newborn and child morbidity and mortality by 20% by 2015 in line with the United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5, had been shown to achieve an average of 26% improvement in utilization of maternal and newborn health services, an average of 27% overall reduction in maternal malnutrition status, an average of 14% overall improvement in under 5 years malnutrition status among others in 2013 on comparing with baseline indicators. Nigeria also attained 80% coverage in routine immunization in most vaccine preventable diseases except Tetanus Toxiod (TT) 2 (54%) in 2013 to achieve herd immunity of the community to prevent transmission of disease pathogen to cause a disease. Community Health Practitioners are the frontline Primary Health Care Professionals charged with the responsibility of implementation of immunization programmes in Nigeria and therefore contributing significantly to the prevention and control of targeted vaccine preventable diseases in Nigeria Health System. Our findings on factors militating against Community Health Practitioners’ Roles in National Development as elicited in this paper may form basis for empirical studies to determine the level of significance of each of these factors. In conclusion, it is when the Community Health parameters are adequately addressed that we can ensure sustainable National Development and we can say we have succeeded in our various strategic agenda of government at whatever level that makes up the complex whole. This brings to fore, the importance of the roles of Community Health Practitioners in health care delivery to National Development in the context of our country, Nigeria.

Impact Measurement of Community Development Using the Development Wheel： A Case of Madhuwani VDC, Lumbini, Nepal （With Reference to Rural Tourism）

Recent trend on ongoing changes has unfolded the truth that people are the actors of environmental and social changes. The decade following the restoration of multi-party democracy witnessed a number of economic reforms and development initiatives. The adoption of a liberal, market-oriented development strategy led by private sector has helped to stimulate investment and growth. Nonetheless, development efforts have been largely unsuccessful in integrating the vulnerable and marginalized groups. The governance system has remained non-functional because deeply rooted processes of exclusion have compounded failures at the institutional level and in implementation process. The impacts of development may be measured by several means. This research is an earnest effort to bring new innovations in impact measurement of social inclusion programs. The rigorous processes of finding changes over a period of time and assessing the changes in a ＂wheel＂ are interesting parts of the people lead development in the twenty-first century. Indicators of the development wheel are designed by development professionals of Nepal and rating is done by local stakeholders of Lumbini themselves. The study is based on exploratory and descriptive research design. It follows sequences of appreciative inquiry and development wheel preparation to compare the changes that are in vogue in Nepal. The changes are quantified in three continua that depict the community development programs implemented from 2003 through 2006. This measurement invites rigorous planning and inputs （man, money and time） but it is quite easy for local stakeholders that where they are （in development） and in which direction the currently available and future resources should be streamlined.

Study the Role of Maritime Energy Management in Achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), in particular, Goal 7, in Oman Maritime Community

Sustainability is a concept for achieving integration and balance in development to preserve and use resources properly by providing new solutions to overcome structural,social and economic misconceptions to prevent further degradation and waste of natural resources and create a better future for human societies.Sustainable development can be defined as a strategy for the correct use of resources,by modifying and redefining consumption patterns and avoiding one-sided development approaches.Therefore,sustainable development is defined as a long-term and unlimited solution for aligning different concepts(social,economic,and environmental),seemingly independent but related and influencing each other.This paper examines the challenges and capacities of the Oman Maritime Community and Maritime Energy Management's role in terms of sustainable development.To analyze this issue,the role of key players in Oman's maritime industry,such as the Oman Fisheries Company and the Oman Shipping Company,has been studied with the five main indicators of sustainable development goals,including people,the planet,peace,welfare,and partnership.

Examining the Impacts of Key Influencers on Community Development

In this research,we aim to identify and investigate the impacts of key influencers on community formations and developments.We assess the impacts of key influencers by analyzing the activities and structure of the social media presence of a local community.Results of our analysis show that key influencers play important roles in connecting the community,transferring information,and improving overall sentiment of the community members.Our findings suggest that community practitioners can apply social network analysis to identify value-added influencers and discover strategies for improving the community and keeping leadership roles.

Effect of Community Interventions on Intelligence Development of Infants

Objective To assess the interventions effect on intelligence of the infants through the community. Methods A total of 309 newborns and their families were recruited in Xuhui district, Shanghai. They were asked to fill out the baseline questionnaires. The newborns＇ intelligence quotients were measured by Developmental Screening Test for Child Under Six, and physical examinations were conducted at the same time. The newborns were randomly assigned to intervention group （156 cases） and control group （153 cases）. The infants and their families were followed up every 6 months. A questionnaire of follow-up was completed by face-to-face interview at the communities and infant intelligence quotients were measured and had their physical check-ups again at the end of the 6th month. Results After 6 months＇ intervention, the means of MI and DQ in the intervention group were respectively 5.96 and 9.80 higher than those in control group after adjustment of the baseline scores. Conclusion Early intelligence education in the community may promote the intelligence development of infants.

Changes and Development of Home and Community Based Elderly Care Service Policies in China

This paper analyzes the current situation of the development of home and community based elderly care service in China,points out the existing problems,and puts forward improvement measures,aiming to deepen the understanding of HCBS and promote the theoretical research and practice of community home-based elderly care service.