Climate Change Adaptation and Vulnerability: A Case of Rain Dependent Small-Holder Farmers in Selected Districts in Zambia

Food crop production by small-holder farmers in Africa is particularly vulnerable to climate change, given high dependence on rainfall coupled with limited adaptive capacity. In Zambia, smallholder farmers contribute about 79% of national stable food requirements particularly maize. This paper attempted to establish levels of food security in each of the three agro-ecological zones of Zambia, and evaluated the current adaptive measures of rain dependent small-holder farmers against climate change risks. The challenges farmers are facing in adapting to the change risks were identified and livelihood vulnerability assessed. The findings indicate that rain dependent small-holder farmers in Zambia are highly vulnerable to weather related shocks which impact greatly on their food production;and that the levels of vulnerability vary across gender and per agro-ecological zone. After the evaluation of scenarios including staple food crop yields (maize), the authors conclude that most rain-fed small-holder farmers in Zambia (about 70%) are facing considerable hardships in adapting to the changing climate, which in turn, undermines their contribution to food security. While efforts by government have been made to assist farmers towards climate change adaptation, there still remains many challenges to achieve the desired outcomes. Most farmers (66%) are unable to afford certain alternatives, such as those of agro-forestry or conservation. Difficulties in accessing markets, poor road infrastructure, fluctuating market prices, high costs and late deliveries of farming in-puts were found to be among the major challenges that farmers are facing in Zambia. There are also no systematic early warning systems in place against natural hazards and disasters. This makes farming a difficult undertaking in Zambia.

Effect of Gamma Irradiation and Selection with Fungus Filtrate(Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn)on the in Vitro Culture of Common Bean(Phaseolus vulgaris)

The present investigation was undertaken to study the effect of gamma irradiation (dose from 10 to 100 Gy) and in vitro selection with fungus filtrate as selecting agent (concentration from 20% to 100%) on the susceptibility of the common bean to Rhizoctonia solani. The best results were found with a dose of 20 Gy or a concentration of 20% of fungus filtrate applied separately. These conditions were used to evaluate the combined effect of both approaches in a second experiment. The combined effect of irradiation and then selection adversely affected growth (height and roots) and survival of the in vitro plants. It may not be necessary to combine the variation generated by irradiation with the selection technique. For future assays we propose the application of: 1) gamma radiation, thereby inducing not only mutants with pathogen resistance, but also with other agronomic traits of interest. Later in the subculture MV4 potential fungus-resistant mutants will be evaluated in the field;or 2) selection pressure using fungus filtrate during three subcultures, which may be sufficient to induce the variation necessary to obtain in vitro plants resistant to fungus.

Local-Scale Governance： A Review of the Zambian Approach to Fisheries Management

Despite Zambia＇s recent policies for optimizing sustainable management of fisheries, their success has been modest in practice. Artisanal and industrial fleets have led to decline in fish catches in the presence of currently prescribed management possibilities. Among other factors, excessive fishing and unsustainable fishing methods attributed to common property and free access to the resources are key. The country adopted co-management approach to fisheries management in the 1990s with a view to improve the fisheries stocks through community enforcement of fishery management regulations. Neither the success of co-management has been easy to measure nor its results appreciated. In view of overfishing, it is required to continue providing a range of empirical evidence of area-specific co-management interventions as basis for designing realistic and innovative solutions for the nation. This implies that new policies and institutions need to be developed by research to understand fisheries systems and better promote sustainable trajectories. The following review recommendation to central government is a coherent approach that uses and crystallizes the multiple interests and skills of co-management stakeholders. Most stakeholder groups have been involved in an ad hoc fashion through workshops, public meetings and consultative processes mainly organized by Department of Fisheries. Stakeholders should be involved from the design of the process to each step in the process, including the ongoing monitoring and evaluation. A form of memorandum of understanding is suggested. This will formally set out a process that acknowledges each stakeholder＇s interests and provide forums to facilitate discussion, consultation and monitoring of management activities.

Planning for the Solid Waste Management of Central Park in New Capital Development of Afghanistan

Kabul New City is a new capital development and a modern city development of Afghanistan covering total area of 740 km2. In 2009 Afghan cabinet approved developing New Capital to fulfill the requirement of growing population. For sustainable development, it has been planned to have a green belt and central park about 1298 hectares within the city. It is having positive impact on human health along with the economic, social and environmental benefits. Hence, for sustaining the urban parks, their proper maintenance is a foremost problem. The solid waste management is duly considered in planning stage of development, otherwise, it would encounter major challenges during operation and maintenance of Park. The projected waste generation in KNC park area is required to be assessed, therefore, surveys of Bagh-e-Babur in existing Kabul are carried out for the visitors’ projection and solid waste generation. The highest visitors and waste were estimated in declining order of summer, spring, fall, and winter. Kabul New City Central Park results speculate that the total visitors’ projection is going to be 6,745,313 per year generating about 337 metric tons wastes/year (0.05 kg/visitor/day). 10 Vehicles of capacity 8 m3 are required to collect waste from central park towards the Transfer Station while 4 vehicles of 23 m3 are required for collection of waste from TS to Landfill. Moreover, 700 containers of 240 liters are required in the park. Furthermore, different sites were indicated in map for composting area where after the development it would be considered.

Food Security in Nepal:An Overview from Policy Perspective

More than 20 countries including Nepal have the right to food enshrined in their constitutions.The article 36 of the constitution of Nepal-2015 broadly enlivens the essence of all the past,present and future policies of Nepal related to food security,food sovereignty,and food rights.The article and the essence of the constitution are in perfect synergy with the United Nations sustainable development goals-2015.Nepal’s policies on food,when implemented,are sufficient to guide the agricultural development to end hunger,achieve food security,improve nutrition,and promote sustainability.The challenge has been to learn a lesson from the past and focus on the implementation of the numerous guiding policies to achieve the goals of the constitution.