Biosecurity measures are essential for protecting pig health, however, these practices are not always utilized by smallholder farmers in Cambodia. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and practices, in terms of pi...Biosecurity measures are essential for protecting pig health, however, these practices are not always utilized by smallholder farmers in Cambodia. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and practices, in terms of pig biosecurity measures, of individual stakeholders involved in pig production in rural and peri-urban households in Cambodia. A survey tool was developed and administered using Kobotoolbox, an online electronic survey tool. Surveys were conducted in the provinces of Kampong Thom, Siem Reap, and Battambang during December 2017 to September 2018. There were 225 pig farmers, 43 village animal health workers (VAHWs), 3-district veterinarians (DVs), and 81 feed store owners enrolled in the study. Results showed that several biosecurity guidelines are not followed or well understood by farmers. Specific concerning practices included using natural boars, sharing pig equipment (e.g. scales), feeding kitchen waste, managing other livestock, handling manure, and not restricting access by visitors (VAHWs or DVs, boar owners, pig buyers, neighbors, and meat sellers). Thus, education of pig smallholder farmers and VAHWs on pig biosecurity is needed for improving pig health and production, economic value, and livelihood of smallholder farmers in Cambodia.展开更多
Farmer workers are a new powerful workforce that has sprung up amid China＇s reform and door opening and in the process of the country＇s industrialization and urbanization. They have made great contributions to urban...Farmer workers are a new powerful workforce that has sprung up amid China＇s reform and door opening and in the process of the country＇s industrialization and urbanization. They have made great contributions to urban prosperity, rural development and their country＇s modernization. At present, however, farmer workers face numerous difficulties and problems in income, work safety, social security, vocational training, the schooling of their children and living conditions. To safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of farmer workers, the State Council in March 2006 issued Ideas of the State Council on Solving Farmer Workers-related Problems. In the document, the State Council promises to strengthen and improve leadership over work regarding farmer workers and prioritize the solving of farmer workers-related problems.展开更多
Taking the Han's Cattle and Lamb Fattening Cooperative Organization in Gonghe County of Qinghai Province as an example,the geographic situation,establishment process and operation situation of the cooperative orga...Taking the Han's Cattle and Lamb Fattening Cooperative Organization in Gonghe County of Qinghai Province as an example,the geographic situation,establishment process and operation situation of the cooperative organization are expounded.And then the social effect of returning migrant workers who start their own business is analyzed.In the first place,starting their own business has promoted the rapid development of economy at county level;in the second place,it has promoted the adjustment of agricultural structure;in the third place,it is conducive to reallocating resources.The problems in the development of Han's Cattle and Lamb Fattening Cooperative Organization are analyzed from four aspects covering weakening of village' cadres,multiple ethnic groups,difficulties in expanding scale cooperation and inadequate funds.Three countermeasures which are conducive to creating favorable external environment for migrant workers to start their own businesses,takes the ethnic factors into consideration and implements scale operation,so as to solve the new problems in the process of developing rural farmers' cooperative organization and provide the evidence for formulating relevant policies.展开更多
Objective:To carry out the genetic characterization and evolutionary analysis of three avian orthoavulavirus 1(AOAV-1)isolates from poultry workers with respiratory symptoms.Methods:Using Illumina Mi Seq,whole-genome ...Objective:To carry out the genetic characterization and evolutionary analysis of three avian orthoavulavirus 1(AOAV-1)isolates from poultry workers with respiratory symptoms.Methods:Using Illumina Mi Seq,whole-genome sequencing was carried out to assess the evolutionary dynamics of three AOAV-1 isolates.A phylogenetic and comparative analysis of all coding genes was done using bioinformatics tools.Results:Phylogenetic analysis and genetic distance estimation suggested a close relationship among human-and avian-originated velogenic strains of genotypeⅩⅢ,sub-genotypeⅩⅢ.2.1.Several substitutions in the significant structural and biological motifs were exclusively identified in the human-originated strains.Conclusions:To our knowledge,this is the first report of a velogenic AOAV-1 isolate from natural infection of the human upper respiratory tract.Our findings highlight the evolution and zoonotic potential of velogenic AOAV-1 in a disease endemic setting.展开更多
Agroforestry can leverage the co-benefits of climate change adaptation and mitigation while conserving biodiversity and restoring degraded and deforested lands.The preference of relevant stakeholders regarding agrofor...Agroforestry can leverage the co-benefits of climate change adaptation and mitigation while conserving biodiversity and restoring degraded and deforested lands.The preference of relevant stakeholders regarding agroforestry practices enhances sustainable land management through strategic decision-making in Seychelles and other island states.A suitable approach for assessing stakeholders'preferences of agroforestry is the implementation of the strengths,weaknesses,opportunities,and threats(SWOT)approach in combination with the analytic hierarchy process(AHP)method.The entry point of this study is an extensive literature review process,during which 28 SWOT factors were identified.These SWOT factors were deliberated on during a half-day workshop with agricultural experts who agreed on 20 SWOT factors that reflect the local realities of the Seychelles through a consensus approach.Using the SWOT-AHP approach,focus group discussions were conducted to examine the perceptions of researchers and extension workers about the adoption of agroforestry in Seychelles.The results indicated that the positive aspects of smallholder agroforestry outweigh the negative aspects.For example,increased agricultural production,control runoff and soil erosion receive the highest scores among the strength factors perceived by researchers and extension workers,respectively.The willingness of international organizations to fund agroforestry-related projects and the existence of native tree species on farmlands have the highest scores among the opportunity factors.The lack of education,information,and communication between the government and farmers,and the small land size and crop competition have the highest scores among the weakness factors.Lastly,change in government policies on land use has the highest score among the threat factors by researchers,whereas the most significant threat is climate change and variability for the extension workers.The provision for a 30-year land lease agreement in the National Agroforestry Policy of Seychelles is viewed by both groups as an incentive that could potentially drive the adoption and acceptability of agroforestry.Furthermore,better coordination of various efforts to promote agroforestry and more substantial extension services for farmers,especially the role of technologies for optimal production on small plots of land,can enhance climate resilience in Seychelles and other small island developing states.展开更多
文摘Biosecurity measures are essential for protecting pig health, however, these practices are not always utilized by smallholder farmers in Cambodia. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and practices, in terms of pig biosecurity measures, of individual stakeholders involved in pig production in rural and peri-urban households in Cambodia. A survey tool was developed and administered using Kobotoolbox, an online electronic survey tool. Surveys were conducted in the provinces of Kampong Thom, Siem Reap, and Battambang during December 2017 to September 2018. There were 225 pig farmers, 43 village animal health workers (VAHWs), 3-district veterinarians (DVs), and 81 feed store owners enrolled in the study. Results showed that several biosecurity guidelines are not followed or well understood by farmers. Specific concerning practices included using natural boars, sharing pig equipment (e.g. scales), feeding kitchen waste, managing other livestock, handling manure, and not restricting access by visitors (VAHWs or DVs, boar owners, pig buyers, neighbors, and meat sellers). Thus, education of pig smallholder farmers and VAHWs on pig biosecurity is needed for improving pig health and production, economic value, and livelihood of smallholder farmers in Cambodia.
文摘Farmer workers are a new powerful workforce that has sprung up amid China＇s reform and door opening and in the process of the country＇s industrialization and urbanization. They have made great contributions to urban prosperity, rural development and their country＇s modernization. At present, however, farmer workers face numerous difficulties and problems in income, work safety, social security, vocational training, the schooling of their children and living conditions. To safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of farmer workers, the State Council in March 2006 issued Ideas of the State Council on Solving Farmer Workers-related Problems. In the document, the State Council promises to strengthen and improve leadership over work regarding farmer workers and prioritize the solving of farmer workers-related problems.
基金Supported by Major Policy Research Project of China Association for Science and Technology(009ZCYJ20-A)
文摘Taking the Han's Cattle and Lamb Fattening Cooperative Organization in Gonghe County of Qinghai Province as an example,the geographic situation,establishment process and operation situation of the cooperative organization are expounded.And then the social effect of returning migrant workers who start their own business is analyzed.In the first place,starting their own business has promoted the rapid development of economy at county level;in the second place,it has promoted the adjustment of agricultural structure;in the third place,it is conducive to reallocating resources.The problems in the development of Han's Cattle and Lamb Fattening Cooperative Organization are analyzed from four aspects covering weakening of village' cadres,multiple ethnic groups,difficulties in expanding scale cooperation and inadequate funds.Three countermeasures which are conducive to creating favorable external environment for migrant workers to start their own businesses,takes the ethnic factors into consideration and implements scale operation,so as to solve the new problems in the process of developing rural farmers' cooperative organization and provide the evidence for formulating relevant policies.
基金supported by the startup research grant of the Pennsylvania State University(S.V.K.)
文摘Objective:To carry out the genetic characterization and evolutionary analysis of three avian orthoavulavirus 1(AOAV-1)isolates from poultry workers with respiratory symptoms.Methods:Using Illumina Mi Seq,whole-genome sequencing was carried out to assess the evolutionary dynamics of three AOAV-1 isolates.A phylogenetic and comparative analysis of all coding genes was done using bioinformatics tools.Results:Phylogenetic analysis and genetic distance estimation suggested a close relationship among human-and avian-originated velogenic strains of genotypeⅩⅢ,sub-genotypeⅩⅢ.2.1.Several substitutions in the significant structural and biological motifs were exclusively identified in the human-originated strains.Conclusions:To our knowledge,this is the first report of a velogenic AOAV-1 isolate from natural infection of the human upper respiratory tract.Our findings highlight the evolution and zoonotic potential of velogenic AOAV-1 in a disease endemic setting.
基金The United Nations Development Programme(UNDP)Small Grants Program supported this work through the project“Exploring Innovative Opportunities for Promoting Synergies between Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in Seychelles”(SEY/SGP/OP6/Y5/CORE/YCC/2019/25),under the youth and climate change portfolio implemented by the University of Seychelles。
文摘Agroforestry can leverage the co-benefits of climate change adaptation and mitigation while conserving biodiversity and restoring degraded and deforested lands.The preference of relevant stakeholders regarding agroforestry practices enhances sustainable land management through strategic decision-making in Seychelles and other island states.A suitable approach for assessing stakeholders'preferences of agroforestry is the implementation of the strengths,weaknesses,opportunities,and threats(SWOT)approach in combination with the analytic hierarchy process(AHP)method.The entry point of this study is an extensive literature review process,during which 28 SWOT factors were identified.These SWOT factors were deliberated on during a half-day workshop with agricultural experts who agreed on 20 SWOT factors that reflect the local realities of the Seychelles through a consensus approach.Using the SWOT-AHP approach,focus group discussions were conducted to examine the perceptions of researchers and extension workers about the adoption of agroforestry in Seychelles.The results indicated that the positive aspects of smallholder agroforestry outweigh the negative aspects.For example,increased agricultural production,control runoff and soil erosion receive the highest scores among the strength factors perceived by researchers and extension workers,respectively.The willingness of international organizations to fund agroforestry-related projects and the existence of native tree species on farmlands have the highest scores among the opportunity factors.The lack of education,information,and communication between the government and farmers,and the small land size and crop competition have the highest scores among the weakness factors.Lastly,change in government policies on land use has the highest score among the threat factors by researchers,whereas the most significant threat is climate change and variability for the extension workers.The provision for a 30-year land lease agreement in the National Agroforestry Policy of Seychelles is viewed by both groups as an incentive that could potentially drive the adoption and acceptability of agroforestry.Furthermore,better coordination of various efforts to promote agroforestry and more substantial extension services for farmers,especially the role of technologies for optimal production on small plots of land,can enhance climate resilience in Seychelles and other small island developing states.
