Sustainable land management in Mali

This study uses logistic and Poisson regression models to examine the factors influencing the adoption of sustain-able land management(SLM)practices in Mali using two rounds of the nationally representative survey Enquête Agricole de Conjoncture Intégrée aux Conditions de Vie des Ménages.The SLMs considered include the applica-tion of organic fertilizers,the application of inorganic fertilizers,the use of improved seeds,and the practice of intercropping.On average the application of organic fertilizers(39.2%),and inorganic fertilizers(28.7%)are the most frequent SLM practices among Malian farmers,and between 2014 and 2017,we observe a decline in the practice of intercropping.The regression results show that farmers’adoption of different SLMs is significantly associated with biophysical factors(average temperature,climate type,plot size,plot shape,and location),de-mographic factors(age,gender,education,household size),and socioeconomic factors(number of cultivated plots,livelihood diversification,type of crop grown,market access,credit access,economic shocks,and social capital).Our findings suggest that policymakers and agricultural development agencies in Mali need to adopt a multidimensional policy framework to unlock the untapped potential of SLM practices in promoting sustainable agriculture and food security.

Land Use and Forest Dynamics in the Context of Redd+: Pathway to Sustainable Environmental Management*

Reverting to nature as a major arsenals in a universal fight against Climate Change impact and loss of biodiversity, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), views sustainable Land use and Forest (the main crux of the Glasgow declaration 2021) as the way to go. Forest conservation, protection and management in the context of REDD+ would guarantee sustainable ecosystem and mitigate climate change impacts. At National and subnational levels, the Nigerian REDD+ readiness scheme holds out hope for environmental sustainability. This study throws light into the historical background of trends in land use forest change in Nigeria, and places Nigeria on a “red” stage 3 (Low Forest Cover, High Deforestation Rate-LFHD) status while maintaining optimism that with REDD+ properly implemented in Nigeria, Stage 4: Low forest cover, Low Deforestation Rates (LFLD) and Stage 5: Low forest cover, Negative Deforestation Rates (LFND) can be achieved by 2030 and 2050 respectively, if the trio of reforestation, afforestation and natural restoration is practiced as a matter of national policy and subnational implementation within the context of REDD+. Four (4) broad drivers of deforestation and forest degradation were identified as direct, indirect, pre-disposing and planned /unplanned. The paper concludes that a viable pathway to sustainable environmental management is appropriate monitoring and evaluation of land use and forest dynamics in the context of REDD+.

A Game-Theoretic Perspective on Resource Management for Large-Scale UAV Communication Networks

As a result of rapid development in electronics and communication technology,large-scale unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs)are harnessed for various promising applications in a coordinated manner.Although it poses numerous advantages,resource management among various domains in large-scale UAV communication networks is the key challenge to be solved urgently.Specifically,due to the inherent requirements and future development trend,distributed resource management is suitable.In this article,we investigate the resource management problem for large-scale UAV communication networks from game-theoretic perspective which are exactly coincident with the distributed and autonomous manner.By exploring the inherent features,the distinctive challenges are discussed.Then,we explore several gametheoretic models that not only combat the challenges but also have broad application prospects.We provide the basics of each game-theoretic model and discuss the potential applications for resource management in large-scale UAV communication networks.Specifically,mean-field game,graphical game,Stackelberg game,coalition game and potential game are included.After that,we propose two innovative case studies to highlight the feasibility of such novel game-theoretic models.Finally,we give some future research directions to shed light on future opportunities and applications.

Effects of Different Land Use Types on Soil Organic Carbon and Carbon Management Index in Karst Area

[Objective] The aim was to reveal changes of soil organic matter fraction and their corresponding carbon management indexes as affected by different land use types.[Method]Soil organic carbon,active soil organic carbon and soil carbon management index（CMI）of different land use types in Guilin Maocun karst area were studied.Sampling with field investigation and laboratory testing was carried out.Heavy potassium chromate method was adopted to determine soil organic matter.333 mmol/L KMnO4 oxidation method was used to determine active organic carbon.[Result]With active soil organic matter increasing,the differences of CMI between different land use types were bigger.The CMI value of different land uses was shrubforest paddy fielddry farmland.The statistical analysis showed that labile organic matter was related with major soil properties at a significant level.[Conclusion]Labile organic matter could be used to reveal the influence of different land use types on soil organic matter and carbon management index in karst area.

Problems in Rural Land Management Right Confirmation Pilots and the Countermeasures

The affirmation registration and certification of land contracted management right are the essential conditions for the effective promotion of land management right circulation and the development of agricultural moderate scale management. However, the following problems are found in the process of the pilot work： insufficient propaganda work, inconsistent recognition of affirmation registration work, low enthusiasm of grass-roots work; lack of unified regulations, each company working on their own; requiring large amount of manpower and resources for rural land contracted management rights, and severe shortage of national and municipal inputs; incomplete land ownership information and lack of marks between land plots, leading to resolving difficulty of the disputes; urgent need of strengthening subsequent work, untimely adjustment of related policies. Therefore, it needs to intensify propaganda, so that farmers can know the land right confirmation registration and certifi- cation, and recognize its importance; unify the introduction of job specification and results storage standard, making it convenient for the unified use of the results unified; set up special funds, and make experiments first in the areas with better economic conditions; establish arbitral institutions for land ownership disputes; earnestly make great effort to the supporting and subsequent work for right confirmation registration, and give full play to the role of land registration results.

Do Land Characteristics Affect Farmers' Soil Fertility Management?

Soil fertility management （SFM） has important implications for sustaining agricultural development and food self-sufifciency. Better understanding the determinants of farmers’ SFM can be a great help to the adoption of effective SFM practices. Based on a dataset of 315 plots collected from a typical rice growing area of South China, this study applied statistical method and econometric models to examine the impacts of land characteristics on farmers’ SFM practices at plot scale. Main results showed that in general land characteristics affected SFM behaviors. Securer land tenure arrangements facilitated effective practices of SFM through more diversiifed and more soil-friendly cropping pattern choices. Plot size signiifcantly reduced the intensities of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer application. Given other factors, 1 ha increase in plot size might reduce 3.0 kg ha-1 P2O5 and 1.8 kg ha-1 K2O. Plots far from the homestead were paid less attention in terms of both chemical fertilizers and manure applications. Besides, plots with better quality were put more efforts on management by applying more nitrogen and manure, and by planting green manure crops. Signiifcant differences existed in SFM practices between the surveyed villages with different socio-economic conditions. The ifndings are expected to provide important references to the policy-making incentive for improving soil quality and crop productivity.

Land degradation and management of red beds in China:Two case studies

Red beds cover approximately 9.5%of China,and are home to approximately 144 million people.In total,83%of these lands are distributed in humid regions making it an important part of research on red bed soil erosion in China in these areas.This paper presents the main types of land degradation in red bed landscapes and the status of current soil erosion in a typical red bed basin,the Nanxiong Basin located in the north of Guangdong Province,China,and establishes the connection between management strategies and regional economic development in humid red bed regions of China.The soil erosive modulus was calculated in the Nanxiong Basin by using RUSLE(The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation).The results of overlapping analyses demonstrated that appropriate measures,such as the Return Farmland to Forests initiative,should be taken at the junction of central red bed areas and mountainous areas in order to mitigate current soil erosion.Two examples are presented to demonstrate this:the tourism development in Mt.Danxiashan,a noted scenic mountainous area near Nanxiong Basin,and the land degradation mitigation in the Nanxiong Basin.Both examples promote local economic growth while simultaneously protecting the environment.A‘stakeholder'strategy is pursued at Mt.Danxiashan,which can help residents to understand their positive effects on the environment as well as increase their income.The second example,in Nanxiong City,showcases how local farmers became stakeholders by implementing contract responsibility and self-support systems for economic forests and terraced land in the 1980s.

Evaluation of Sustainable Land Management and Diagnosis of Obstacle at County Scale in Sichuan Basin:Taking Lezhi County as Example

This paper established sustainable land resources evaluating indicators fit for hilly area in Sichuan Basin, Southwest of China, and evaluated the case of sustainable land management of Lezhi County from 1990 to 2001. The result showed that the land resource sustainable utilization ability in Lezhi County is belong to Second level （better sustainable）. Secondly, this paper diagnosed some years obstacles of sustainable land management of Lezhi County from base period to goal period and compared the obstacles factors in the indicators system. There were 16 indexes orderly become major affect factor to land sustainable utilization of Lezhi county in indicator system, of which there are 8 obstacles indexes exist both in 1990 and 2001. The value of obstacles degree of five indicators exceeded 5 in 1990, but in 2001, only two indicators＇ values were more than 5.

Effects of Land Management Practices on Soil Water in Southwestern Mountainous Area, China

The effects of selected land management practices （cross-sloping tillage, ridge culture, organic manure, and straw mulch） on soil water conservation in a southwestern mountainous area, China, were studied during November 2002 to November 2004. The experimental field is divided into three parts based on soil layer depths, 0-60 cm （part Ⅰ）, 0-40 cm （part Ⅱ）, and 0- 20 cm （part Ⅲ）, and they all had the same slope azimuth （SE）, slope （10°）, and slope type （linear）. The experimental plots were subjected to the following treatments： cross-sloping tillage （CST）; cross-sloping tillage with organic manure （CST/ OM）; cross-sloping tillage with straw mulch （CST/SM）; contour ridge culture （CRC）; contour ridge culture with organic manure （CRC/OM）; and contour ridge culture with straw mulch （CRC/SM）, to identify the effects of management practices on soil water. Water contents were determined for soil samples collected, using a 2.2 cm diameter manual probe. Soil water was monitored once every five days from Nov. 20, 2002 to Nov. 20, 2004. The results indicated that, in the study stages, an integration of rainfall, evaporative losses, and crop transcription controlled the basic tendencies of profile （mean） soil water, while land management practices, to a certain extent, only modified its amount, distribution, and routing. Moreover, these modifications also mainly focused on the first 20 cm depth of topsoil layer. When each management practice was compared with control treatment, season changes of profile （mean） soil water were pronounced, while interannual changes among them were not significant. More comparisons indicated that, in the study stages, contour ridge culture had better effects than cross-sloping tillage. And under the same tillage, the combination of organic manure could achieve more than straw mulch. These management practices should be recommended considering the effectiveness of soil and water management techniques in the southwestern mountainous area, China.

Research on the Circulation Problems of Contractual Management Right of Rural Land

Based on the judicial explanation of the contractual management right of land, the thesis elaborates the definition of main body of contractual management right of rural land; right of possession, use right, usufruct of contractual management right of land; autonomy of production and operation; disposition of the products; expropriation and occupation compensation authority of contractual land respectively, in order to demonstrate the connotation of land contractual management. The thesis also analyzes perspicaciously the phenomenon of non-agricultural-use land and proclaiming phenomenon of contractual management right of land. We should establish normalized rural land property rights register system to perfect contractual management right of land. Proclaiming of agriculture land right also should adopt registration effectiveness so as to guarantee the legality of transference of agricultural land to non-agricultural land in terms of system. We should perfect rural land circulation in terms of normalizing land circulation laws and normalizing contractual farmers fees: in terms of the movable agricultural land right, we should further perfect the types and content of circulation and lessen non-legal form restrictions of circulation; in terms of contractual fees, we should normalize contractual fees of land in order to preclude the contradiction between the contractees and contractors arising from blank space of laws.

Stakeholder orientated sustainable land management:The Ruhr Area as a role model for urban areas

The concept of sustainable land management(SLM)can help create a balance between the different demands of economy,society and nature.SLM means to actively develop land based on a knowledgebased procedure.It should aim on long term enhancements.The basis of SLM is the interests and the goals of the stakeholders.It is the result of a bargaining process between different institutions by creating win-win-situations or adequate conflict solutions to reach a consensus.The Ruhr Area is Germany’s biggest metropolitan area.Land management regarding economic,social and environmental issues,which has a long tradition in this area,goes back to 1920.Being the centre of the heavy industry in Germany for more than 150 years,the Ruhr Area today is a green metropolis.The ecological,social and economical change of this industrial region can serve as a role model for SLM in urban areas all over the world.

Global pattern and change of cropland soil organic carbon during 1901-2010: Roles of climate, atmospheric chemistry, land use and management

Soil organic carbon(SOC)in croplands is a key property of soil quality for ensuring food security and agricultural sustainability,and also plays a central role in the global carbon(C)budget.When managed sustainably,soils may play a critical role in mitigating climate change by sequestering C and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.However,the magnitude and spatio-temporal patterns of global cropland SOC are far from well constrained due to high land surface heterogeneity,complicated mechanisms,and multiple influencing factors.Here,we use a process-based agroecosystem model(DLEM-Ag)in combination with diverse spatially-explicit gridded environmental data to quantify the long-term trend of SOC storage in global cropland area during 1901-2010 and identify the relative impacts of climate change,elevated CO2,nitrogen deposition,land cover change,and land management practices such as nitrogen fertilizer use and irrigation.Model results show that the total SOC and SOC density in the 2000s increased by 125%and 48.8%,respectively,compared to the early 20th century.This SOC increase was primarily attributed to cropland expansion and nitrogen fertilizer use.Factorial analysis suggests that climate change reduced approximately 3.2%(or 2,166 Tg C)of the total SOC over the past 110 years.Our results indicate that croplands have a large potential to sequester C through implementing better land use management practices,which may partially offset SOC loss caused by climate change.

Disputes over Circulation of Rural Land Contractual Management Right and Control Countermeasures

On the basis of current situations of disputes over rural land contractual management right,this paper analyzes causes of disputes from four aspects. It states that controlling disputes,regulating and strengthening land circulation in accordance with laws are core works of new socialist countryside construction and rural reform. Finally,it presents five control countermeasures,including improving laws and regulations on circulation of rural land contractual management right,strengthening popularization and guidance of relevant laws and regulations,government departments administering in accordance with laws,stressing management of land contractual management right circulation contract,and establishing and perfecting land circulation intermediaries to realize market-oriented circulation.

Forces Driving Changes in Cultivated Land and Management Countermeasures in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area,China

The Three Gorges project accelerates economic development in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area.This paper aimed to investigate the distribution,changes and features of cultivated land in this area,analyze the forces driving the changes in cultivated land area,and propose the countermeasures for cultivated land management.Transition matrix was used to analyze the features of cultivated land changes,and quantitative analysis and qualitative analysis were adopted to research the driving forces according to the features of cultivated land changes.Cultivated land in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area mainly lay to the northwest of the Yangtze River,especially the upper reaches.The areas of cultivated land increased from 1996 to 1999,then decreased from 2000 to 2006,and finally increased again from 2007 to 2009.The important forces driving changes in cultivated land included government policies,employment and food security,increasing construction land,agriculture structure adjustment,land rearrangement,inundation.During cultivated land management,firstly,it is necessary to insist on the principle of cultivated land protection,standardize land exploitation and strictly restrict the transformation of cultivated land into non-farming land.Secondly,land rearrangement must be implemented,which can not only increase the area of the cultivated land,but also improve the quality of the cultivated land.Thirdly,it is feasible to intensify eco-agriculture construction to increase the quantity and quality of cultivated land.Fourthly,it is helpful to improve the traditional agriculture production methods to promote cultivated land quality.Lastly,it is important to propagandize cultivated land protection and realize the enormous pressure of cultivated land shortage,making more people obligated to protect cultivated land.

Testing of Decision Making Tools for Village Land Use Planning and Natural Resources Management in Kilimanjaro Region

This paper focuses on participatory testing of decision making tools (DMTs) at village level to assist in development of land use plans (LUPs) for sustainable land management (SLM) in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania. Data were collected using conditional surveys through key informant interviews with the project’s district stakeholders in each district, focused group discussions with selected villagers and participatory mapping of natural resources. Soil health, land degradation, carbon stock, and hydrological conditions were assessed in the seven pilot villages in all seven districts using DMTs as part of testing and validation. Results indicated soils of poor to medium health, and land degradation as portrayed by gullies and wind erosion in lowlands and better in uplands. Carbon and forest disturbance status could not be assessed using one-year data but hydrological analysis revealed that water resources were relatively good in uplands and poor in the lowlands. Challenges with regard to land use include increased gully erosion, decreased stream flow, reduced vegetation cover due to shifting from coffee with tree sheds to annual crops farming, cultivation near water sources, and overgrazing. Empowering the community with decision making tools at village level is essential to ensure that village land uses are planned in a participatory manner for sustainable land and natural resources management in Kilimanjaro and other regions in Tanzania.

Transdisciplinary research for supporting the integration of ecosystem services into land and water management in the Tarim River Basin,Xinjiang,China

There is a growing need for both science and practice domains to collaboratively and systematically seek knowledge-based strategies for sustainable development. In recent years, transdisciplinary research has emerged as a new approach that enables joint problem solving among scientists and stakeholders in various fields. In this paper, we aim to introduce transdisciplinary research for supporting the integration of the concept of eco- system services into land and water management in the Tarim River Basin, Xinjiang, Northwest China. While a large number of ecosystem service studies have helped to raise the awareness for the value of nature in China, a number of challenges remain, including an improved understanding of the relationships between ecosystem structure, functions and services, and the interaction of the various ecosystem services. A meaningful valuation of ecosystem services also requires the consideration of their strong spatial heterogeneity. In addition, ways to introduce the con- cept of ecosystem services into decision-making in China need to be explored. Thus, successful integration of the concept of ecosystem services into actual land and water management requires a broad knowledge base that only a number of scientific disciplines and stakeholders can provide jointly, via a transdisciplinary research process. We regard transdisciplinary research as a recursive process to support adaptive management that includes joint knowledge generation and integration among scientists and stakeholders. System, target, and transformation knowledge are generated and integrated during the process of （1） problem （re）definition, （2） problem analysis and strategy development, and （3） evaluation of the impact of the derived strategy. Methods to support transdisciplinary research comprise participatory modelling （actor-based modelling and Bayesian Networks modelling） and partici- patory scenario development. Actor-based modelling is a semi-quantitative method that is based on the analysis of problem perspectives of individual stakeholders as depicted in perception graphs. With Bayesian Networks, com- plex problem fields are modelled probabilistically in a simplified manner, using both quantitative data and qualitative expert judgments. These participatory methods serve to integrate diverse scientific and stakeholder knowledge and to support the generation of actually implementable management strategies for sustainable development. For the purpose of integrating ecosystem services in land and water management in the Tarim River Basin through trans- disciplinary research, collaboration among scientists and institutional stakeholders from different sectors including water, agriculture, forestry, and nature conservation is required. The challenge is to adapt methods of transdisci- plinary research to socio-cultural conditions in China, particularly regarding ways of communication and deci- sion-making.

A Probe into the Mortgage Rates of Land Contract Management Rights Based on Unified Annual Output Value

The mortgage of land contract management rights has launched a pilot project in Ningxia,Hubei,Henan,Guizhou,Chongqing and other provinces,municipalities and autonomous regions,which provides a good solution to the problem of funds for rural development and plays a huge role in promoting local rural economic development.In the mortgage financing of land contract management rights implemented in various regions,how to determine a scientific,accurate and reasonable mortgage rate of land contract management rights becomes a difficulty troubling the mortgage financing of land.On the basis of unified annual output value of land,this article uses survey method,income capitalization method,and comparison method to analyze the value of land contract management rights,and finally determine the mortgage rates of land contract management rights.

Relationships Between River Water Quality and Landscape Factors in Haihe River Basin, China: Implications for Environmental Management

River water plays a key role in human health, and in social and economic development, and is often affected by both natural factors and human activities. An in-depth understanding of the role of these factors can help in developing an effective catchment management strategy to protect precious water resources. This study analyzed river water quality, patterns of terrestrial and riparian ecosystems, intensity of agricultural activities, industrial structure, and spatial distribution of pollutant emissions in the Haihe River Basin in China for the year of 2010, identifying the variables that have the greatest impact on river water quality. The area percentage of farmland in study area, the percentage of natural vegetation cover in the 1000-m riparian zone, rural population density, industrial Gross Domestic Product(GDP)/km^2, and industrial amino nitrogen emissions were all significantly correlated with river water quality(P < 0.05). Farming had the largest impact on river water quality, explaining 43.0% of the water quality variance, followed by the coverage of natural vegetation in the 1000-m riparian zone, which explained 36.2% of the water quality variance. Industrial amino nitrogen emissions intensity and rural population density explained 31.6% and 31.4% of the water quality variance, respectively, while industrial GDP/km^2 explained 26.6%. Together, these five indicators explained 67.3% of the total variance in water quality. Consequently, water environmental management of the Haihe River Basin should focus on adjusting agricultural activities, conserving riparian vegetation, and reducing industrial pollutant emissions by optimizing industrial structure. The results demonstrate how human activities drive the spatial pattern changes of river water quality, and they can provide reference for developing land use guidelines and for prioritizing management practices to maintain stream water quality in a large river basin.

The Land Management Pattern in " Green Heart" Area——A Case Study of Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Urban Agglomeration

By analyzing the status quo of land resources in " green heart" area of Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan urban agglomeration,and problems existing in land management,this article puts forward some countermeasures and proposals as follows:establish new land management mechanism in " green heart" area;based on land planning," green heart" overall planning and policies and regulations,manage land and promote the protection of urban ecological environment.

Study on Transfer Problem of Contract and Management Right of Agricultural Land in Anhui Province

The status quo and significance of contract and management right transfer of rural land are analyzed,and major problems existed in contract and management right transfer of rural land in Anhui Province are studied,containing unsound transfer market,insufficient flow demand motion,single transfer form,non-standard register,right determination and certificate issuing. On this basis,several policies and suggestions are proposed,such as combining practical use with suitable use of land right determination and certificate issuing,establishing multilayer rural social security system and expanding land management range.