Effects of Silvicultural Alternatives on Model-Based Financial Evaluation of Teak (<i>Tectona grandis</i>L.) Farm Forestry Management for Small-Scale Farmers in Northeast Thailand

Teak (Tectona grandis L.) plantation management is said to be profitable, but small-scale farmers with teak plantations need to find appropriate and effective choices for plantation management because of their small plots. There have been few studies on how combinations of site quality, rotation and plant spacing affect financial evaluations of teak plantation management quantitatively. In this study, we introduced the yield table for teak plantations in Northeast Thailand, and investigated the effects of site quality with rotation (15-year and 20-year) and spacing (2 m × 4 m and 4 m × 4 m) on the financial evaluation of teak plantation management using discounted cash flow analysis. The equivalent annual incomes (EAI) and benefit/cost ratios (BCR) were negative and <1, respectively, at site indexes (SI) of 14 and 18, but increased ~2 - 3 times as SI rose from 22 (site of medium quality) to 26 and 26 to 30. The 20-year rotation was generally preferable to the 15-year one, especially at SI 22. At SI 30, 2 m × 4 m was more profitable than 4 m × 4 m for both rotations, but at SI 22, 20-year rotation with 4 m × 4 m was the most profitable, followed by 20-year with 2 m × 4 m.

Erratum to “Effects of Silvicultural Alternatives on Model-Based Financial Evaluation of Teak (Tectona grandis L.) Farm Forestry Management for Small-Scale Farmers in Northeast Thailand” [Open Journal of Forestry, 4 (2014) 558-569]

The original online version of this article (Noda, I. et al. (2014). Effects of Silvicultural Alternatives on Model-Based Financial Evaluation of Teak (Tectona grandis L.) Farm Forestry Management for Small-Scale Farmers in Northeast Thailand. Open Journal of Forestry, 4, 558-569. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojf.2014.45060) was published in October. The author wishes to correct Table 5.

The Impacts and Causes of Land Fragmentation on Farm Productivity: Case Review of East African Countries

This report provides an overall assessment of land fragmentation problems in East Africa. Many parts of East Africa have become highly fragmented, putting development systems and activities in these areas at risk of complete collapse. Land fragmentation occurs when land gets converted for agriculture, industrialization, or urbanization, invaded by non-local plants, or enclosed for individual use and by subdividing farmlands into subsequent smaller units called parcels with varying average farm sizes. Fragmentation results from inappropriate agricultural development processes and ineffective land use planning that fails to recognize how farmland is used, and the importance of its interconnected areas. Insecurity of tenure and resource rights are key factors in making this possible. Land fragmentation is one of the key reasons why the ability of most resources in East Africa becomes scarcer, and those remaining become “privatized” by more powerful community members—keen to maintain their access to them. Such individualistic attitudes are new and disadvantage the poorest even further by affecting the traditional customary safety nets and agricultural outputs. Neither the government nor customary governance systems effectively protect resource access for the poorest. This review summary report identifies the key causes, measures, and implications, government interventions, and the common remedies to land fragmentation problems in the East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania including neighboring Ethiopia, and the Sudan. The findings indicated from 2005 to 2015, the population kept increasing for all the named countries in East Africa with Rwanda and Uganda having a substantial increase in population density. The study review further explores the trend in the performance of agriculture by average farm sizes within the intervals of five years by highlighting their strong linkages and found that the average farm size has declined drastically, especially for Kenya. This can only mean that small farms kept becoming smaller and smaller and that there were more small-scale farmers. The results further depicted that the major and commonly cultivated food crops among the East African countries include maize, sorghum, rice, cassava, sweet potatoes, bananas, Irish potatoes, beans, peas, etc., with maize yields (Mt/ha) in 2003 for Uganda being the highest (1.79 Mt/ha) and the lowest in Rwanda (0.77 Mt/ha) respectively. Therefore, from the review results, recommendations are being made as to how the negative impacts of land fragmentation on agricultural productivity can be reduced or mitigated. One way is by community sensitization and awareness about the importance of land consolidation and its proposition on farm productivity.

Smart Farming for Sustainable Rice Production:An Insight into Application,Challenge,and Future Prospect

Rice has a huge impact on socio-economic growth,and ensuring its sustainability and optimal utilization is vital.This review provides an insight into the role of smart farming in enhancing rice productivity.The applications of smart farming in rice production including yield estimation,smart irrigation systems,monitoring disease and growth,and predicting rice quality and classifications are highlighted.The challenges of smart farming in sustainable rice production to enhance the understanding of researchers,policymakers,and stakeholders are discussed.Numerous efforts have been exerted to combat the issues in rice production in order to promote rice sector development.The effective implementation of smart farming in rice production has been facilitated by various technical advancements,particularly the integration of the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence.The future prospects of smart farming in transforming existing rice production practices are also elucidated.Through the utilization of smart farming,the rice industry can attain sustainable and resilient production systems that could mitigate environmental impact and safeguard food security.Thus,the rice industry holds a bright future in transforming current rice production practices into a new outlook in rice smart farming development.

Case Study:Promoting Sustainable Energy Greenhouse Heating Systems to Small-Scale Local Farms

Biomass energy generated from livestock manure,other agricultural by-products and food waste can be an affordable greenhouse-heating energy source for those seeking lower energy costs.Appalachian State University,North Carolina(NC),USA,has built a 6.1 m×9.1 m greenhouse,called the“Nexus”to test the integrated sustainable energy heating system for growing season extension with less energy cost.This is done by using on-farm biomass resources/wastes such as agricultural waste and wood chips to produce energy coupled with solar water heating to store and supplement required thermal inputs.Growing season extension with heated greenhouses increases the availability of local food throughout the year,expands available markets and increases farmers’profits.Nexus includes an above ground 5,680-L water storage tank and an aquaculture pond.It is supported by a small-scale pyrolysis system,an anaerobic digestion system,solar thermal and compost heating.The preliminary result showed that compared to a conventional space heating system,about 30%of energy was saved to keep the greenhouse temperature available for growing by radiation from the water storage tank.The main purpose of this study was to test the proposed greenhouse heating systems developed at Nexus by implementing pilot systems on two local farms.Pyrolysis and solar thermal system in conjunction with heat storage and delivery system for each farm were built and tested in order to demonstrate how to reduce greenhouse energy use.This paper describes the results of the case study,which showed significant energy savings that can promote the resource-limited farmers’interest.

Mobile genetic elements facilitate the transmission of antibiotic resistance genes in multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae from duck farms

Multidrug-resistant(MDR)Enterobacteriaceae critically threaten duck farming and public health.The phenotypes,genotypes,and associated mobile genetic elements(MGEs)of MDR Enterobacteriaceae isolated from 6 duck farms in Zhejiang Province,China,were investigated.A total of 215 isolates were identified as Escherichia coli(64.65%),Klebsiella pneumoniae(12.09%),Proteus mirabilis(10.23%),Salmonella(8.84%),and Enterobacter cloacae(4.19%).Meanwhile,all isolates were resistant to at least two antibiotics.Most isolates carried tet(A)(85.12%),blaTEM(78.60%)and sul1(67.44%)resistance genes.Gene co-occurrence analysis showed that the resistance genes were associated with IS26 and integrons.A conjugative IncFII plasmid pSDM004 containing all the above MGEs was detected in Proteus mirabilis isolate SDM004.This isolate was resistant to 18 antibiotics and carried the blaNDM-5 gene.MGEs,especially plasmids,are the primary antibiotic resistance gene transmission route in duck farms.These findings provide a theoretical basis for the rational use of antibiotics in farms which are substantial for evaluating public health and food safety.

Technical efficiency of cocoa farms at varying elevation levels in Davao City, Philippines: implications to sustainable upland farming systems

Elevation is one of many components that influence agriculture, and this in turn affects the level of both inputs and outputs of farmers. This article focuses on the productivity and technical efficiency of 100 cocoa farms using cross-sectional data from areas ranging from 190 to 1021 m above sea level which were classified as low, medium, and high elevation in Davao City, considered as the chocolate capital of the Philippines. Using stochastic frontier analysis, the results showed that the cost of inputs per ha and the number of cocoa trees per ha significantly increase yield. Farms at high elevations were less technically efficient, as this entails lower temperatures and increased rainfall, and cocoa farming in those areas and conditions can be more challenging, especially with changes in farming practices, terrain, and distance to markets. Other significant variables were age of cocoa farms, married farmers, and age of the farmers. Older farms may be more developed, farmers who are married benefit from their spouses being able to readily contribute as farm labor, and lastly, older farmers' inefficiency may likely stem from nonadaptation of newer farming practices. With an average technical efficiency of 0.61, 0.63, and 0.26 in low, medium, and high elevation areas, respectively, farmers therefore have an incentive to improve farm practices and consider topographical variations found in high elevation areas. Recommendations for the improvement of technical efficiency of cocoa farms are better connectivity to markets, enhancing farm practices, and continuation and improvement of government programs on cocoa with an added emphasis on research. For farmers in high elevation areas, mitigating solutions such as sustainable agriculture practices and ecolabelling are key to improving efficiency and minimizing the potential negative impact on upland farming systems. Moreover, such adaptation measures may also contribute to sustainability of cocoa farming in high elevation areas.

Transient Stability Preventive Control of Wind Farm Connected Power System Considering the Uncertainty

To address uncertainty as well as transient stability constraints simultaneously in the preventive control of windfarm systems, a novel three-stage optimization strategy is established in this paper. In the first stage, the probabilisticmulti-objective particle swarm optimization based on the point estimate method is employed to cope with thestochastic factors. The transient security region of the system is accurately ensured by the interior point methodin the second stage. Finally, the verification of the final optimal objectives and satisfied constraints are enforcedin the last stage. Furthermore, the proposed strategy is a general framework that can combine other optimizationalgorithms. The proposed methodology is tested on the modified WSCC 9-bus system and the New England 39-bussystem. The results verify the feasibility of the method.

Development of an Integrated Tool for Small-Scale Maize Farming in Uganda

About 62% of the maize produced in developing countries is cultivated manually owing to limited access to appropriate technology. Available technologies perform a single operation, necessitating farmers to buy multiple implements, which is expensive. In this study, an ox-drawn tool integrating a plough, planter and cultivator for small-scale maize farming was developed and its performance evaluated. Planting and cultivating units were designed and fabricated for assembly onto an existing standard ox-plough beam. The integrated tool was tested in the field to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of cultivation and planting of maize. Results showed that the planting unit had an average seed rate of 35.4 kg/ha with a seed damage of 4% and an effective field capacity of 0.15 ha/h at a field efficiency of 87.3%. The cultivating unit had an effective field capacity of 0.1 ha/h and a weeding efficiency of 86%. The efficiency, effectiveness and reliability for field operations are superior to manual operations currently used by farmers and are comparable to single-unit prototypes developed in other countries. This demonstrates the technical feasibility of integrating planting and cultivation units onto an existing mould board plough instead of buying multiple tools.

GNN Representation Learning and Multi-Objective Variable Neighborhood Search Algorithm for Wind Farm Layout Optimization

With the increasing demand for electrical services,wind farm layout optimization has been one of the biggest challenges that we have to deal with.Despite the promising performance of the heuristic algorithm on the route network design problem,the expressive capability and search performance of the algorithm on multi-objective problems remain unexplored.In this paper,the wind farm layout optimization problem is defined.Then,a multi-objective algorithm based on Graph Neural Network(GNN)and Variable Neighborhood Search(VNS)algorithm is proposed.GNN provides the basis representations for the following search algorithm so that the expressiveness and search accuracy of the algorithm can be improved.The multi-objective VNS algorithm is put forward by combining it with the multi-objective optimization algorithm to solve the problem with multiple objectives.The proposed algorithm is applied to the 18-node simulation example to evaluate the feasibility and practicality of the developed optimization strategy.The experiment on the simulation example shows that the proposed algorithm yields a reduction of 6.1% in Point of Common Coupling(PCC)over the current state-of-the-art algorithm,which means that the proposed algorithm designs a layout that improves the quality of the power supply by 6.1%at the same cost.The ablation experiments show that the proposed algorithm improves the power quality by more than 8.6% and 7.8% compared to both the original VNS algorithm and the multi-objective VNS algorithm.

Case Study:Productive Performance and Prediction of Operating Income of Small-Scale Contract Farming of Swine in Lampang,Thailand

The objective of this study was to examine productive performance and predict factors affecting operating income of small-scale contract farming of swine(SCFS)in Lampang,Thailand.Ten SCFSs were selected by purposive sampling as primary data sources for two consecutive fattening cycles during the year 2015-2017.Data indicated that the SCFS was feeder pig finishing system which herd size(HS)averaged 502 head/farm.The animals consumed approximate 1.59 kg of feed/head/d.The average daily gain(ADG)was 675.22 g/d and feed conversion ratio(FCR)was 2.42.The mean of fattening time(FT)averaged 158 d/cycle.The culling rate(CR)and mortality rate(MR)were 0.17%and 2.50%,respectively.The predicted operating income(POI)was estimated by multiple linear regressions.The equation was:POI=2,700.912+0.027HS–7.119CR–18.225MR+16.885ABW+806.466FI–4.142ADG–420.281FCR–9.719FT(ABW=average body weight;FI=feed intake)with r=0.899,r2=0.808,p-value=0.009.According to stepwise procedure,the potential equation was:POI=323.664FI–9.769MR–22.635 with r=0.837,r2=0.701,p-value=0.000.This predicted equation would benefit as a monitoring index for SCFS to manage their expected operating income and proper farm management to be further profitable and sustainable.

Identification of Microorganisms in Poultry Farms in N’djamena and the Border Areas of Hadjer-Lamis and Chari-Baguirmi Chad

Introduction: On the outskirts of Ndjamena, semi-industrial poultry farming and traditional poultry farming are practised informally on almost all poultry farms in Chad. This type of poultry farming is faced with real health problems attributable to a lack of monitoring of the vaccination schedule, inadequate compliance with biosecurity measures and poor application of the Ichikawa rule based on the 5 M’s. Objective: The aim of this article is to identify the microorganisms responsible for contamination of poultry farms in the study area. Method: The study was carried out from 28/04/2022 to 31/01/2023 on the basis of 300 samples taken from feed, drinking water, droppings and scrapings from poultry housing surfaces in the 30 farms that served as a framework for our research. Sampling was of the simple random type, and farms were selected on the basis of the farmers’ consent. The data were recorded on pre-established survey forms. Our study was cross-sectional, descriptive and prospective. Bacteria were isolated using the reference method NF EN ISO 6579 for Salmonella spp. and cultured on the specific medium eosin methylene blue (EMB) for Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas and Citrobacter freundii. Results: The following results emerged from this study: Escherichia coli (5.33%), Pseudomonas (1.33%), Citrobacter freundii (12%) and Salmonella paratyphi (21.68%). Conclusion: Of the 300 samples analysed, 121 (40.33%) were contaminated with pathogens. This high level of contamination is a health problem. The study shows that biosecurity is less satisfactory on the farms visited. Nevertheless, farms with a very satisfactory level of biosafety ensure food safety and variety for the population.

Multiple Antimicrobial Resistance of Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli from Small-Scaled Poultry Farms and Retail Chicken

为农业目的使用的抗菌素贡献了抗菌素抵抗的细菌的增加的流行。这研究的目标是调查流行和生产 ESBL E 的抗菌剂抵抗。在 small-scaled 家禽农场和零卖鸡肉的 coli。有教养的 E。coli 孤立为 bla CTX-M , bla SHV , 和 bla TEM 基因。从 120 取样排汇物，零卖的鸡，土壤和鸡喂的鸡肉的各个，生产 ESBL E。coli 孤立分别地在 75.9% ， 63.6% ， 39.2% ，和 13.3% 样品被检测。最小的禁止的集中(MIC ) 价值显示了那生产 ESBL E。coli 是抵抗到氨比西林(MIC 32 g/mL ) ， gentamicin (MIC 16 g/mL ) ， cefotaxime (MIC 4 g/mL ) 和 ceftriaxone (MIC 4 g/mL ) 分别地。为 imipenem 的全部的抵抗也在 1.0% 点被观察(MIC 4 g/mL ) 并且任何一个 isolates 都不对 ceftazidime (MIC 16 g/mL ) 抵抗。生产 ESBL E。从鸡排汇物和零卖鸡肉的 coli 带了 bla SHV 以 6.8% 和 5.7% 的率的基因，分别地并且 bla CTX-M 基因也在零卖鸡肉在 2.9% 点被揭示。而且，生产 ESBL E。从土壤孤立的 coli 怀有 bla SHV 和 bla CTX-M 在 5% 点的基因。任何一个都没 feed 样品产出 ESBL 基因。23 个抵抗模式为多抵抗的生产 ESBL E 被观察。coli。这研究加亮多抗菌剂的流行抵抗生产 ESBL E。在 small-scaledpoultry 农场和零卖鸡肉的 coli，因此考察家禽管理的需要练习最小化出现。

An analytical model for estimating rock strength parameters from small-scale drilling data

The small-scale drilling technique can be a fast and reliable method to estimate rock strength parameters. It needs to link the operational drilling parameters and strength properties of rock. The parameters such as bit geometry, bit movement, contact frictions and crushed zone affect the estimated parameters.An analytical model considering operational drilling data and effective parameters can be used for these purposes. In this research, an analytical model was developed based on limit equilibrium of forces in a Tshaped drag bit considering the effective parameters such as bit geometry, crushed zone and contact frictions in drilling process. Based on the model, a method was used to estimate rock strength parameters such as cohesion, internal friction angle and uniaxial compressive strength of different rock types from operational drilling data. Some drilling tests were conducted by a portable and powerful drilling machine which was developed for this work. The obtained results for strength properties of different rock types from the drilling experiments based on the proposed model are in good agreement with the results of standard tests. Experimental results show that the contact friction between the cutting face and rock is close to that between bit end wearing face and rock due to the same bit material. In this case,the strength parameters, especially internal friction angle and cohesion, are estimated only by using a blunt bit drilling data and the bit bluntness does not affect the estimated results.

Small-Scale Tomato Cultivators’ Perception on Pesticides Usage and Practices in Buea Cameroon

It has been shown that farmers with limited knowledge of the use and safe handling of pesticides may suffer exposure which results in adverse health effects. In Buea, Cameroon, small-scale tomato farmers commonly use pesticides for pest control. Information was obtained from these tomato farmers to determine the extent and types of their pesticide use, their knowledge of pesticide use and effectiveness, and their perception of potential harm resulting from pesticide use. A standardized questionnaire, interviews, field observations and an analytical ranking game were used to describe the pesticide use of 93 tomato farmers. Many farmers (47.6%) used pyrethiod and organophosphorus insecticides and identified these chemicals as the most effective in pesticide control;these are WHO Class II pesticides which are the most hazardous to humans. Most farmers (83.8%) used knapsack sprayers to apply pesticides, with 76.3% using no or partial personal protective equipment (PPE). It was notable that 55.5% of farmers expressed no concern regarding the wind direction (pesticide drift) during spraying. The results showed a significant association between the method of pesticides application and farm size (P < 0.001). Most farmers (85.0%) reported at least one symptom of acute pesticide poisoning following spraying. This study revealed that the tomato farmers have a high exposure to pesticides secondary to inadequate knowledge of the safe and judicious use of pesticides. Strategies that provide training on the appropriate use of pesticides, how to reduce exposure to and health risks of pesticides and alternative options of pest management and control are required. The study also raised concerns that further control of the sale and distribution of pesticides may be indicated.

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.

Shock-induced fracture of dolomite rock in small-scale blast tests

This paper attempts to study dolomite failure using small-scale blast tests.The experimental setup consisted of a cylindrical specimen with a central borehole fitted with a detonation cord inside a copper pipe.The specimen was confined using lead material.During the test,acceleration histories were recorded using sensors placed on the lead confinement.The results showed that heterogeneity and initial cracks significantly influenced the observed failure and cracking patterns.The tests were numerically represented using the previously validated Johnson-HolmquistⅡ(JH-2)constitutive model.The properties of the detonation cord were first determined and verified in a special test with a lead specimen to compare the deformation in the test with that of numerical simulation.Then,the small-scale blast test was simulated,and the failure of the dolomite was compared with the test observations.Comparisons of acceleration histories,scabbing failure,and number of radial cracks and crack density confirmed the overall repeatability of the actual testing data.It is likely that the proposed model can be further used for numerical studies of blasting of dolomite rock.

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.

Processes of small-scale tidal flat accretion and salt marsh changes on the plain coast of Jiangsu Province,China

Large-scaled reclamation modifies the coastal environment dramatically while accelerating the disappearance of salt marshes,which causes the degradation of the coastal ecosystem and the biodiversity function.In this study,we explored the changes of tidal flat and salt marsh coverage in a small-scale tidal flat with an area of ~160 000 m^2 in the plain coast of Jiangsu Province,China.Human activities（e.g.,the construction of dikes） are a crucial contributor that benefits for the tidal flat accretions and the following changes of salt marsh coverage.Located in the front of the man-made ＂concave coastline＂,the study area is suitable for sediment accretion after the dike construction in the end of 2006.On the basis of the annual tidal surface elevation survey from 2007 to 2012,the sedimentation rates in the human influenced tidal flat varied from a few centimeters per year to 23 cm/a.The study area experienced a rapid accretion in the tidal flat and the expansion of the salt marsh,with the formation of a longshore bar,and a subsequent decline of the salt marsh.Breaking waves during the flooding tide brought much sediment from the adjacent tidal flat to the study area,which caused burial and degeneration of the salt marsh.The vertical grain size changes within a 66 cm long core in the study area also demonstrated the above changes in the tidal environment.This study indicates that the responses of small-scale tidal flat changes to reclamation are significant,and the rational reclamation would benefit for the new salt marsh formation in front of the dikes.Further research about the evolution of small scale tidal flat as well as the spatial planning of the polder dike should be strengthened for the purpose to maintain a healthier coastal environment.