The aim of this research was to identify the impacts and adaptation options of climate variability and change on agricultural crop production in Vhembe District Municipality. The study will contribute to the expansion of existing literature on climate change impacts on agricultural sector. The following two main objectives were formulated for the purpose of this study:  To determine the level of awareness of small-scale maize farmers about climate change impacts and threats in Vhembe District Municipality (VDM),  To compare the level of production scales between the farmers who are aware and the farmers who are not aware of climate change impacts and its threats. The study area was the Vhembe District Municipality; a representative sample of 150 farmers (aged 18 – 65+ years, 46 percent males and 54 percent females) participated in the study. Vhembe District Municipality is one of poorest municipalities in Limpopo due to lack of infrastructure development, and as a result of that, there is an increase of socio-economic problems such as food prices increase, unemployment, scarcity of food, and lack of local markets. The study further covers the municipality’s farming enterprises, systems, categories, infrastructure as well as other constraints that may be facing the emerging farmer in the District. The study highlighted the lack of climate change information, reduction of livestock production and crop yields of the farmers in the Vhembe District. The literature studies show climate variability and change adaptation strategies such as planting different varieties, crop diversification, different planting dates and shortening of growing periods. This study draws on lessons learned, experiences, and other existing research on climate change impact and adaptation across the globe. It was concluded during the research that change in climate was already perceived by farmers in the Vhembe District and the study also presented perceived adaptation strategies used by farmers in the Vhembe District. The study concludes that there is lack of local market, and low level of farmers’ awareness about the impact of climate change on the crop production in the Vhembe district. This low level of awareness translates into a low level of crop production which results in increased socio-economic problems, low income, increased unemployment, increased crops diseases and reduced crop yields. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)

A contradiction between the Ethiopian law of investment and environmental law is prevalent since law of investment promotes development while environmental law protects the environment. The thesis investigates the general legal issue: How do the investment and environmental laws of Ethiopia promote large-scale agricultural development without adversely affecting the environment? In the research, comparative legal research methodology is employed: comparison is made between the internationally accepted principles of large-scale agricultural investment and Ethiopian laws; the laws and experiences of Brazil and South Africa are showed that law of sustainable large-scale agricultural investment is vital to promote agricultural development and protect the environment. International law on investment and environment are also considered. International legal principles of solving the contradiction between environmental law and investment law are analysed. Legal and document analysis of Ethiopian laws, policies and government documents have been made. Interviews have been made, data through questionnaires have been collected and analysed, and 12 large-scale agricultural investment farms have been observed and critically analysed. The thesis identified that law of large-scale agricultural investment promotes development while Ethiopian environmental law protects the environment. The law has a role in promoting large-scale agricultural development by recognising the right to development and providing incentives and creating conducive environment. Thus, the law should be used to promote both the right to development and environmental protection. The nexus between investment law and environmental law should be strengthening. It is identified that the law of sustainable large-scale agricultural development could protect the environment while promoting large-scale agricultural development. The thesis identified the Ethiopian law and the practices do not promote sustainable large-scale agricultural development. Thus, it is recommended that precautionary principle, like EIA should be made a requirement for large-scale agricultural investment, implementing efficiently and effectively the large-scale agricultural law principles, and laws to achieve sustainable large-scale agriculture. / Public, Constitutional and International Law / LL. D.

The primary aim of my research was to identify the impacts and adaptation options of climate variability and change on agricultural production in Limpopo province. The following objectives were identified: To understand the impacts of climate variability and change on agricultural production in Limpopo province , To assess the impacts of climate variability and change on agricultural production in Limpopo province and To identify adaptation measures that reduces the impacts of climate variability and change on agricultural production in Limpopo province. A representative sample of 300 farmers aged 16- 65+ years (46 percent males and 54 percent females) participated in the study. The study involved Sekhukhune and Capricorn districts, with 56 percent farmers in Capricorn and 44 percent in Sekhukhune district. The following 11 local municipalities were visited: Elias Motsoaledi, Makhuduthamaga, Fetakgomo, Ephraim Mogale, Tubatse, Lepelle Nkumpi, Blouberg, Aganang, Polokwane, and Molemole. The Limpopo province is one of the poorest provinces in the country, characterized by high unemployment rate, poverty and lack of access to a range of resources that frustrate majority of people ability to secure their livelihoods. In this study the province's economic, biological and physical environment were highlighted. The study further covers the province, s farming enterprises, systems, categories, infrastructure as well as other constraints that maybe facing the emerging farmer in the province. It is assumed that the majority of farmers in both the Capricorn and Sekhukhune districts are using different coping and adaptation strategies in order to increase their crop yields. Literature studies show that climate variability and change adaptation strategies vary from area to area due to agro ecological zones and the harshness of the effects of climate variability and change. It has also been noted that climate change is fast pushing the poorest and most marginalized communities beyond their capacity to respond. This study draws on lessons learned, experiences, and other existing research on climate change impacts and adaptation across the globe. It sets out what is needed to enable people living in poverty to adapt to climate change, and a range of interventions that are available across climate - sensitive sectors. The study has provided a literature review of the impact of climate change on the agricultural sector. In fact, it has documented some of the likely impacts of climate change based on International, continental, regional, national and provincial agricultural sector. The study highlighted the impact of climate change also on various climate - sensitive sectors including understanding water resources, forestry, natural ecosystem human health, infrastructure and coastal zones. This research also confirmed that being a full time farmer, gender, information on climate change, information received through extension services and adaptation to climate change are some of the important determinants of agricultural production, food scarcity and unemployment. A worrying situation is reviewed globally in this study and it can be concluded that climate variability and change is affecting every sector in society and it needs urgent attention. Statistics was used to determine climate variability and change impact on agricultural production. Results indicate that farmers are aware that Limpopo province is getting warmer and drier with increased frequency of droughts, changes in the timing of rains, observed trends oftemperature and precipitation. The study also presented perceived adaptation strategies used by farmers in Limpopo province. Some of their perceived adaptation strategies included: (a) Soil management strategies, (b) Water management strategies and (c) Others like use of subsidies and use of insurance. Other important adaptation options being used by farmers were also discussed in this study including different adaptation measures against colds, heat, frost, abnormal wind, hail, lack of extension support, nematodes, insecticides, worms, temperature and rainfall. The results of this study are potentially valuable to the agricultural sector considering the threats that climate change poses across climate sensitive sectors. / Environmental Sciences / D. Phil. (Environmental Management)

The pressing global demand to transform to a low-carbon business community, which is required by the urgency of mitigating climate change, significantly alters the operating procedures for carbon emitters and carbon revenue generators alike. Although agricultural activities are not considered as heavy carbon emission source, the increased public focus on climate change has catapulted the exploitation of sustainable agricultural land management mitigating strategies as intervention by the sector. Additionally, the focus on market-based mechanism to address climate change, which has led to the evolution of cap-and-trade schemes, makes the agricultural sector become a source of low-cost carbon offsets. However, the fact that cap-and-trade schemes in the agricultural sector are voluntary has resulted into not only very diverse farming practices but also diverse accounting practices. The consequences of the diversity practices are that, the impacts on financial performance and position are not comparable. Therefore, the overall objective of this study was to investigate the recognition, measurement and disclosure for cap-and-trade schemes in the agricultural sectors This study was conducted through literature reviews and empirical test. A qualitative research approach utilising constructivist methodology was employed. Primary data was collected in Kenya by administering three sets of semi-structured questionnaires to drafters of financial statements, loan officers and financial consultants. Secondary data involved content analysis of financial statements and reports of listed entities across the globe. It was established that proper accounting for cap-and-trade schemes adaptation activities is critical to the success of an entity’s environmental portfolio. Additionally, a model for valuing an organisation's carbon capture potential as suggested by this study enables entities to better report the impact of the adaptation activities on the financial performance and financial position. The outcome of this study enables entities to integrate the carbon capture potential on an entity sustainability reporting framework. / Colleges of Economic and Management Sciences / D. Phil. (Accounting Science)

O Brasil está entre os três maiores consumidores de agrotóxicos no mundo. Atualmente, não há no país nenhum índice agroambiental de uso de agrotóxicos capaz de refletir os seus impactos nos sistemas naturais. Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo geral desenvolver uma metodologia para a criação de um índice destinado ao monitoramento do impacto do uso de agrotóxicos sobre o território paranaense. O estudo também considerou como objetivos específicos: i) propor o desenvolvimento do índice agroambiental para monitoramento do uso de agrotóxicos em bacias hidrográficas; ii) investigar a relação de indicadores que subsidiem o monitoramento de uso de agrotóxicos; iii) geoespacializar os dados na bacia em estudo por meio de mapas temáticos. A pesquisa propôs a criação de um índice baseado em três indicadores agroambientais: a) Indicador 1 - média da quantidade de quilos/litros de agrotóxicos por hectare por ano de área agricultável expresso no receituário agronômico dos produtos formulados receitados; b) Indicador 2 - potencial de periculosidade ambiental dos agrotóxicos e c) Indicador 3 - pluviosidade média anual de cada município para representar um maior ou menor grau de potencial de run-off. A pesquisa foi realizada em duas etapas: a etapa de cálculos e de produção cartográfica (mapas temáticos). Na etapa de cálculos, foi desenvolvida uma metodologia para tabular um grande conjunto de dados do Sistema de Monitoramento do Comércio e Uso de Agrotóxicos do Estado do Paraná - Siagro no intuito de subsidiar os indicadores. Na etapa cartográfica foram produzidos os mapas temáticos coropléticos no sentido de facilitar a visualização da informação geoespacializada. O estudo demonstrou ser possível utilizar o índice para elencar municípios prioritários para a gestão do risco agroambiental dentro de bacias hidrográficas, traduzindo uma grande quantidade de dados no recorte temporal estabelecido. Desta forma, possibilitou diminuir as aproximações na modelagem dos indicadores de uso de agrotóxicos utilizados atualmente no país. Concluiu-se que o índice pode ser utilizado para subsidiar a gestão do risco do uso de agrotóxicos não apenas para o uso em bacias hidrográficas, mas as outras áreas de estudo que tenham interesse nos impactos do uso de agrotóxicos. / Brazil is among the three largest consumers of pesticides in the world. There is currently no agri-environment index for pesticides use in the country capable of reflecting its impacts on natural systems.The general objective of this research was to develop a methodology for the monitoring impact of pesticides use in agriculture on the Paraná State environment. The study also considers the specific objectives: i) to propose the the agro-environmental index for monitoring the use of pesticides in river basins; ii) to investigate the list of indicators that subsidize the monitoring of the use of pesticides; iii) to geospatial data in the basin under study through thematic maps. The research proposed the creation of an index based on three agri- environmental indicators: a) indicator 1 - average amount of kilos/liters of pesticides per hectare of arable area expressed in the agronomic prescription of formulated products; b) indicator 2 - potential environmental hazard of pesticides and c) indicator 3 - annual average rainfall of each municipality to represent a greater or lesser degree of run-off potential. The research was carried out in two stages: the calculations part and cartographic production (thematic maps). In the calculation part, a methodology was developed to tabulate a large dataset derived from Monitoring System of the Trade and Use of Pesticides in the State of Paraná - Siagro, to subsidize the indicators. In the cartographic part, the thematic maps were produced to facilitate the visualization of geospatial information. The study demonstrated that it is possible to use the index to list priority municipalities for agro-environmental risk management within a river basin, translating a large amount of data into the established biennium. In this way, the main contribution of this work is the proposal of error reduction method in the modeling of pesticides indicators of use currently in the country. It was concluded that the index can be used to subsidize the risk management of the use of pesticides not only for use in river basins, but other areas of study that have concern about the impacts of the use of pesticides.

Orientador: Kil Jin Park / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Agricola / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-08T01:25:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Maldonade_IrisRodrigues_M.pdf: 1445906 bytes, checksum: 945b97b2266f7d2e873bccd2181b847e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: A presente pesquisa focaliza as práticas educativas ambientais realizadas no período de 2001 a 2004, em Joaquim Egídio, Distrito da cidade de Campinas-SP. A partir da experiência do trabalho pedagógico do Centro Municipal de Educação Infantil-CEMEI Alexandre Sartori Faria, desse Distrito, seleciona-se os entrevistados pelo envolvimento e inserção que possuem na escola e no Distrito.Utiliza-se da pesquisa etnográfica, com enfoque nos aspectos qualitativos, com uso de técnicas de observação participante, de entrevista e de análise de documentos. A ênfase da entrevista se dá no relato oral dos entrevistados por esta permitir que o entrevistado use de seu conhecimento e de sua história de vida, selecionando os elementos necessários para o desenvolvimento da pesquisa. As entrevistas foram gravadas e transcritas, posteriormente, possibilitando a análise dos dados com o confronto da experiência do CEMEI, sob as categorias: Imaginário Rural e Urbano, Parcerias entre Poder Público e Privado, Relação Escola-Comunidade e Conceito de Educação Ambiental. Conclui-se que a sustentabilidade local é possível quando os membros da comunidade se inserem na vida cotidiana do Distrito, participando dos seus eventos e buscando na própria comunidade, articulações para enfrentar os problemas locais. Através da identificação com o local, as pessoas constroem o sentido de pertencimento que é fundamental para o desenvolvimento sustentável do local. A pesquisa finaliza com alguns apontamentos extraídos da análise dos dados, que podem ser pertinentes enquanto indicadores para possíveis Políticas Públicas a serem implementadas na região / Abstract: The present research studies the environmental educative practice carried through in the period of 2001 the 2004, in Joaquin Egídio, District of the city of Campinas-SP, Brazil. From the experience of the pedagogical work of the Municipal Centre of Infantile Education of this District, CEMEI-Alexander Sartori, the representing pupils of the traders and the agriculturist families were identified and selected for the interview. Ethnical research was used to study it considering the participant comments, document interview and analysis with approach in the qualitative aspects. The interviews had had emphasis in Verbal History for this to allow the interviewed one used its knowledge and its history of life, selecting the necessary elements for the development of the research. The interviews had been recorded and transcribing later, making possible the analysis of the data with the confrontation of the experience of the CEMEI, under the categories: Imaginary Agricultural and Urban, Partnerships between the Public and Private power, Relation School-Community and Concept of Ambient Education. It is concluded that the local maintenance is possible when the members of the community are inserted in the daily life of the District, beginning as participant of feasts up to joining to the community to face the local problems. Once the person identifies to the place, the feeling of belonging to the community is raised, which is essential to the sustainable development of the place. The research finishes with some extracted notes of the analysis of the data that can be pertinent for the Public Politics of the region / Mestrado / Tecnologia Pós-Colheita / Doutor em Engenharia Agrícola

Land degradation has been a global agenda. It has been affecting both developed and developing nations (including Ethiopia). The overall objective of the study was to assess the impact of landscape restoration (including area closure) on the environment and farmers‘ livelihood in Hita-Borkena watershed, northeastern Ethiopia. Three Landsat images (1986, 2001 and 2015) were used to detect land cover dynamics. Laboratory analysis of selected soil physico-chemical properties were made to compare the soil properties of closed/restored and open grazing areas. Household questionnaire was administered to investigate environmental problems before and after landscape restoration, the role of area closure and different conservation measures, and the impact of the restoration on farmers‘ livelihood. A total of 255 household heads were selected randomly for the questionnaire survey. This survey was also substantiated by interviewing agricultural experts, observation and reviewing reports prepared by Kalu District Agriculture Office. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyze quantitative data. Besides, qualitative approach was implemented in order to analyze qualitative data. The study found out that forestlands and shrublands shrunk through 1986 – 2015, grasslands expanded mainly due to the implementation of area closure under MERET project since 2001. The study revealed that better organic matter, total nitrogen, clay and silt contents, CEC and total porosity were recorded under area closure than under open grazing land. However, both available P and K were found minimum under the former land use type. This may be due to the reason that such nutrients exist more in unavailable form or it may be because of the fact that large amount of those nutrients are extracted by the restored vegetation. The study showed that rates of soil erosion, overgrazing and illegal cutting of trees were relatively higher before landscape restoration. The respondents also appreciated the positive role of land restoration in improving the fertility of the soils of the study watershed and then the positive impact to their livelihood. Based on the results of the study, it is recommended that similar restoration activities shall be implemented in similar environments in Ethiopia to improve both the environment and farmers‘ livelihood / Geography / Ph. D. (Geography)

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Riparian buffers have well documented capacity to remove nitrate (NO3-) from runoff and subsurface flow paths, but information on field-scale N2O emission from these buffers is lacking. This study monitored N2O fluxes at two agricultural riparian buffers in the White River watershed (Indiana) from December 2009 to May 2011 to assess the impact of landscape and hydrogeomorphologic factors on emission. Soil chemical and biochemical properties were measured and environmental variables (soil temperature and moisture) were monitored in an attempt to identify key drivers of N2O emission. The study sites included a mature riparian forest (WR) and a riparian grass buffer (LWD); adjacent corn fields were also monitored for land-use comparison. With the exception of net N mineralization, most soil properties (particle size, bulk density, pH, denitrification potential, organic carbon, C:N) showed little correlation with N2O emission. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) identified season, land-use (riparian buffer vs. crop field), and site geomorphology as major drivers of N2O emission. At both study sites, N2O emission showed strong seasonal variability; the largest emission peaks in the riparian buffers (up to 1,300 % increase) and crop fields (up to 3,500 % increase) occurred in late spring/early summer as a result of flooding, elevated soil moisture and N-fertilization. Nitrous oxide emission was found to be significantly higher in crop fields than in riparian buffers at both LWD (mean: 1.72 and 0.18 mg N2O-N m-2 d-1) and WR (mean: 0.72 and 1.26 mg N2O-N m-2 d-1, respectively). Significant difference (p=0.02) in N2O emission between the riparian buffers was detected, and this effect was attributed to site geomorphology and the greater potential for flooding at the WR site (no flooding occurred at LWD). More than previously expected, the study results demonstrate that N2O emission in riparian buffers is largely driven by landscape geomorphology and land-stream connection (flood potential).

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)