Biodegradable wastes cause high emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) if not properly treated. The emissions can be reduced by the development of an effective waste management strategy. Waste-to-energy technologies, such as anaerobic digestion (AD) can be utilised for this purpose. Biomass energy from wastes is of particular interest to Cyprus that has to meet legal commitments for reducing its GHG emissions by 5% compared to 2005 levels and increase the contribution of renewable energy sources to 13% by 2020. This research project is making a significant contribution to this effort. The research considered the quantities and distribution of biodegradable waste in Cyprus and developed the necessary methodologies and tools for their estimation and determination of the potential for energy production through AD. The study identified that the predominant biodegradable wastes in Cyprus are the biodegradable fraction of municipal solid waste (MSW), sewage sludge, solid and liquid agricultural residues and solid and liquid wastes from the food and drinks industries. According to the estimated amount of solid and liquid biomass from these waste streams, at least 4,200 TJ of energy can be produced through AD, which represents 4% of the national energy demand. Livestock production is a very important source of waste due to the high potential of biogas production with the aid of AD. The produced energy can satisfy the needs of a farm, reduce the consumption of fuel and provide renewable energy to the national grid. Simple methodologies were developed and implemented for the estimation of energy consumption of the farm and the respective GHG emissions. It was found that in Cyprus the annual energy consumption per animal is lower than most other countries, due to favourable weather conditions which reduce the energy needs for heating. The emissions from energy use in livestock production contribute 16% to the total agricultural energy emissions. Literature review on AD, confirmed the complexity of the process, due to the many microorganisms involved. To estimate the potential of biogas production from animal waste through AD, three methods were developed based on the accepted relations that exist between Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), volatile solids (VS), waste digested and biogas production. The results show that livestock production could cover the complete agricultural energy demand and make a considerable contribution to the renewable energy targets of Cyprus. Due to the identified importance that AD could have for Cyprus and to overcome deficiencies of existing models, the software FARMS was developed. The tool can be used by any farmer, consultant or policy maker for the estimation of the potential of biogas production, associated costs, reduction in GHG emissions and comparison of scenarios for waste management. Furthermore, the validation of the tool is presented. This was done through comparison against data collected from existing AD plants and through testing by potential users.

Landscapes, as well as being physical spaces, are imagined and invested with meaning. The way they are thought about influences what is done to them. Conservation and development programmes in Zimbabwe's south-east 'lowveld' have been rooted in a particular conceptualisation of landscape - as wilderness. This derives from the experiences and priorities of colonial settlers and has had two facets. On the one hand the landscape came to be constituted as one of adventure, mystique and danger - a fearful place that 'pioneers' sought to tame into a productive landscape through cattle ranching or irrigation. On the other hand it has been viewed as a pristine natural landscape that must be preserved, rehabilitated or consciously manufactured. In both these manifestations African people were written out of the landscape. Their uses, perceptions and experiences of this landscape have been ignored in policies deriving from this 'wilderness vision'. Dryland agriculture in the low veld has been regularly dismissed as inappropriate, rather than a key livelihood strategy. Irrigation developments have been biased towards large-scale initiatives in the commercial sector. Livestock management strategies, other than those recommended for commercial ranching, have been discouraged. Wildlife utilisation schemes have delivered minimal returns to communities and imposed coercive regulations on resource use, deepening antagonism over land; but conservation initiatives such as a transfrontier national park are going ahead - bolstered by economic imperatives, global environmental agendas and donor priorities. Land reform has failed to take account of the way the landscape is bound up with identity through its embodiment of ancestral spirits and function as a repository of social memories. The turbulent dynamics around the ongoing farm invasions in Zimbabwe may open space for previously silenced constructions of landscape to influence policy. An awareness of the flexible and multiple nature of livelihood strategies and further debate on the restitution of ancestral lands would go a long way towards improving livelihoods in the lowveld.

Offshore wind farms are widely considered to become a cornerstone of energy transition for securing energy supply and tackling climate change simultaneously. But recent developments have demonstrated that the siting of offshore wind farms is far from being conflict-free, evoking confrontations with a number of stakeholder interests. Such real-life evidence implies a reductio ad absurdum, as offshore wind farms are generally supposed to be less contested than the ones onshore and therefore more convenient for local communities. By drawing on two case studies in Scotland and Germany (Argyll Array / Baltic 1), this thesis examines various conflicts that emerge from the siting of offshore wind farms and compares their underlying causes as well as their implications and institutional consideration in the planning process. In order to understand the conflicts over offshore wind farms, the research employs the epistemological framework of ‘space-related conflicts’ which turns the attention to conflicting interests, values and practices of affected actors as well as to the significance of structural and spatial conditions. Throughout the thesis, it will be argued that it is not the wind farms per se that are contested, but that the conflicts rather revolve around the places and spaces which are meant to be changed by the siting of offshore wind farms. The findings show that both case studies reflect similar conflicts, where adverse impacts on coastal tourism and environmental impacts turned out to be the key issues for local opponents from the public. However, even though key controversies are comparable, major differences result from the rationales that opponents invoke to substantiate their concerns and more dominantly from the existing planning frameworks which pre-structure the power relations and dynamics of public engagement. The comparative study concludes by suggesting some policy recommendations for future practices of dealing with affected actors. Therefore, the research findings do not just provide a contribution to the theoretical debates about the formation of resistance to renewables, but they also present practical implications relevant to policy-makers.

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There has been growing interest, locally, nationally, and internationally in agricultural knowledge and information systems (AKISs) stemming from their important role in facilitating learning, innovation and the sharing and exchange of knowledge and information. Despite the fact that small-scale farmers and farmers‘ groups are among the key actors in an AKIS, little attention is devoted to their needs. This study aimed to understand the AKISs of small-scale farmers (male, female and the youth) in Kirinyaga district, Kenya. The study investigated small-scale farmers, and in particular farmers‘ groups as key actors in supporting agricultural development and linkages between actors, their information behaviour, sources of information and knowledge, linkages and flows of knowledge and information including the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs). The study also investigated the usage of these resources, barriers to accessing knowledge and information, and existing knowledge and information management practices. The study adopted multiple paradigms and perspectives but was mainly guided by the Social constructivist paradigm and the Soft systems perspective. The theoretical framework was constructed upon an integration of the Sense-making1 theory, Social cognitive theory, Social capital concept, Communities of practice (CoPs), Wilson‘s general model of information seeking behaviour, Meyer‘s information transfer model, Knowledge management theory and the Cynefin framework. The research design was a multiple methods approach that triangulated qualitative, quantitative Sense-Making, Participatory and Soft systems methodologies. Data was collected through interviews with individual farmers belonging or not belonging to a group; key informants; research, training and education institutions; civil society organisations (CSOs); and government departments using semi-structured interview guides unique to each category of informant. Focus group discussions were conducted with farmers‘ groups while questionnaires were sent to information providers. Rapid Appraisal of Agricultural Knowledge Systems, participatory rural appraisal methods, unobtrusive observation of the activities of farmers and other actors in the community and secondary information sources were also used to collect data. The findings of the study showed that rich and deep data was collected through the multiple methods research design, and that no conflict arose from using multiple paradigms in a single multifaceted and multidisciplinary study where specific research questions were addressed. The Sense-Making methodology provided useful approaches to studying the information behaviour and decision making processes of small-scale farmers, and to investigate the feelings, emotions and dreams of farmers in Kirinyaga district. However, the experience of this study showed that using a multiple methods research design could result in a very large study. The findings show that small-scale farmers need information from diverse sources and on a wide range of topics along the production and marketing value chains, based on their enterprise(s), geographic location and the actors active on the ground. Male and female farmers expressed needs on similar topics but the needs were gender differentiated with variations in the priorities, types of information needed, the weight attached to each topic, and the information seeking behaviour. Most farmers and almost half the groups combined external information and local knowledge in their farming, and information and knowledge was shared orally along social and cultural lines. Most of the groups were legally constituted and had the status of farmers‘ groups; a few were cooperatives. Farmers‘ groups emerged as key actors in the AKIS of the district and provided platforms for learning, innovation, sharing and the exchange of ideas, information and knowledge among their members. The findings show that most groups did not share information with non-group members, which led to information asymmetries between farmers belonging or not belonging to a group. The findings of the study show variations in sources used by male only, female only, youth only and mixed groups. Male only groups relied mostly on private sector sources, while female only, youth only and mixed groups depended more on public extension services. The main sources of market information were local markets, followed by neighbours, other farmers and cooperatives and societies. Extension emerged as the most important source of advice, information and knowledge on farming in general, followed by the private sector and neighbours. Groups mainly obtained information on news, new technologies or farming methods from extension, media and private sector actors, while they obtained most answers to their farming questions from their groups, extension services, neighbours and other farmers. There were variations in the sources used by different types of groups for advice, information or knowledge in general, as well as in sources used by farmers belonging or not belonging to a group in different geographic divisions. There were more than 150 actors in the public, private and CSO sectors, and there were many AKISs in Kirinyaga district, which were location specific and depended on the enterprise(s) produced and the actors that were present on the ground. Most linkages were horizontal and were weak. Farmers‘ groups and social networks provided a unique linkage mechanism to other actors and access to services such as extension, markets and basic needs. This finding suggests the need to strengthen the capacity of farmers‘ groups and encourage farmers to join or form groups. There were variations in the importance, strength and quality of the relationships between actors in different divisions, locations and sub-locations, but the linkages with farmers were generally weak. The Kirinyaga stakeholders‘ forum and a few partnerships of actors facilitated vertical flow of information between actors but the linkages were equally weak. Farmers mainly used oral communication to access and share information and knowledge. While farmers belonging to a group generally used meetings, neighbours and radio, farmers not belonging to a group mostly used radio, neighbours and cellular phones. The findings indicate that farmers preferred to use radio, television and cellular phones for accessing agricultural information but the usage of modern ICTs was low and most of the users were male. Farmers encountered many barriers in accessing and sharing agricultural information and knowledge including insufficient sources in the community; lack of awareness of who the ―knowers‖ in the community were; limited availability of information providers; poor access to and quality of information on production, value addition and markets and prices; high cost of information services; inadequate information resources and few learning opportunities; personal, social and cultural barriers; communication barriers; and illiteracy. To address these barriers and constraints, farmers used diverse sources of external information and local knowledge for decision making, problem solving, innovation and for improving understanding. While most farmers obtained operational, technical and awareness information from major sources, there was little usage of ICT based information systems. There was no bibliographic control of agricultural information resources and there were very few resource centres in the community. Most local knowledge was tacit and was held in people‘s heads and therefore shared orally from elders to the younger generations and through CoPs in the groups. The study concludes that the AKISs in Kirinyaga district were complex, dynamic, and location specific, and although there were diverse and complementary actors, the information and knowledge within the AKIS was not sufficient to meet the needs of small-scale farmers. Public extension services emerged as the key source of information for small-scale farmers and private extension services such as those offered by horticultural exporting companies were a pillar of support for commercial farmers. There were insufficient numbers of information providers, which meant extension officers were not easily accessible. These findings suggest the need to formalise and strengthen linkages between actors, to improve access to agricultural knowledge and information, and to formulate policy and regulatory frameworks that are gender responsive. There is a need for policies that facilitate the collection, processing, storage and dissemination of external agricultural information and the capturing, documenting and sharing of local knowledge. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

Ongoing conversion of forests in Sumatra to agricultural lands might affect the biodiversity of soil fauna, such as termites, and emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2). To assess the impact of such forest conversions, this study was conducted in Jambi, Sumatra in an undisturbed forest (FR), a disturbed forest (DF), a one year old rubber plantation (RB1), a twenty year old rubber plantation (RB20) and an oil palm plantation (OP). The plantations belonged to smallholders and were not usually fertilized. The effect of fertilizer was assessed by applying N fertilizer and taking a series of intensive measurements. The N2O, CH4 and CO2 fluxes were measured using static chamber methods and termite species richness was assessed using a standard semi quantitative transect method. Forest conversion to smallholder plantations did not significantly affect the N2O, CH4 and CO2 fluxes, but the diversity and relative abundance of termites was decreased. this implies that the ecosystem services regulated by termites might decline. The application of N fertilizer at the conventional rate (141 kg N ha-1 y-1), with an emission factor of 3.1 % in the oil palm plantation, increased N2O emissions to twice as high as that in the undisturbed forest. The annual N2O and CH4 fluxes from termites amounted to 0.14, 0.21, 0.88, 2.47 and -0.56 kg ha-1 y-1 N2O-N and 0.85, 1.65, 3.80, 0.97 and 2.30 kg ha-1 y-1 CH4-C in the FR, DF, RB1, RB20 and OP, respectively. Further research is needed to understand the interannual variability of the N2O, CH4 and CO2 fluxes from soils and termites. Understanding the key drivers and underlying processes which regulate them would help to control the biodiversity loss and the change of N2O, CH4 and CO2 fluxes from soils and termites.

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Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:22:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2012-02-02Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:27:35Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 jamas_e_me_jabo.pdf: 805923 bytes, checksum: 26721af8b657e15c0ddf4f45bd2b70b1 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / A aqüicultura apresenta crescimento em todo mundo, sendo a criação intensiva de tilápia uma atividade em expansão. No processo de filetagem da tilápia é gerada grande quantidade de subprodutos, sendo que a produção de surimi surge como alternativa de aproveitamento destes resíduos. A tecnologia do surimi permite agregar valor funcional, nutricional e comercial para elaboração de produtos reestruturados. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo contribuir com a sustentabilidade da indústria de filetagem de tilápia pela produção de um alimento para consumo humano (Hambúrguer), bem como pela utilização de resíduos do processamento (água de lavagem). Os resultados obtidos indicaram que foi possível elaborar produto reestruturado (hambúrguer), com teor de umidade desejável utilizando processamento manual para a obtenção do mesmo. A composição centesimal obtida para os hambúrgueres ficou dentro dos valores determinados para outras espécies, podendo ser considerado produtos de boa qualidade nutricional. As micrografias dos hambúrgueres apresentaram orifícios de ar característicos de produtos reestruturados, e algumas fibras musculares isoladas. O estudo comprovou que a lavagem e a adição de amido de mandioca ao músculo da tilápia transformam a proteína original em um tecido flexível e modelável, proporcionando a utilização do surimi na elaboração de diversos tipos de produtos. O resíduo do processamento (água de lavagem do surimi) possui proteínas que ao serem hidrolisadas podem ser utilizadas na alimentação. Estudos futuros são necessários para a utilização dos hidrolisados para o uso industrial / Aquaculture has been growing worldwide, and the intensive farming of tilapia an expanding activity. In the process of filleting tilapia is generated large quantity of by-products, and the production of surimi appears as an alternative use of these residues. The technology allows surimi add value is bringing added value functional, nutritional and commercial development of restrutured products. This study aimed to contribute to the sustainability of tilapia filleting industry for the production of a foodstuff (Hamburger), and the use of processing waste (wash water). The results of this study indicated that it was possible to develop restructured products (hamburger) with desirable moisture content using manual processing to achieve the same. The chemical composition obtained for the burgers is within the range determined for other species, can be considered products of good nutritional quality. The micrographs of the burgers had air holes characteristic of restructured products, and some isolated muscle fibers. The study found that washing and addition of cassava starch to the muscle of tilapia transform the original protein in a tissue flexible, allowing the use of surimi in the preparation of different types of products. The waste processing (surimi wash water) has to be hydrolyzed proteins that can be used in foodstuffs. Further studies are needed to use hydrolysates for industrial use

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:22:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2012-03-29Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:08:09Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 farias_thv_me_jabo.pdf: 422760 bytes, checksum: f8aee5bfbf9efbd029bc37e488240d6c (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Dentre as espécies nativas criadas no Brasil, o pacu, Piaractus mesopotomicus, tem apresentado aumento em produção, impulsionado pela sua rusticidade, rápido crescimento e carne de boa qualidade. Neste contexto, os estudos sobre a aplicação de probióticos na aqüicultura intensificaram-se, visando à diminuição dos problemas sanitários encontrados nas pisciculturas e a substituição do uso de antibióticos, que têm se tornado uma barreira ao comércio internacional. A eficácia dos probíóticos na aqüicultura pode ser afetada por fatores como o tipo de probiótico e níveis de inclusão na dieta, espécie do hospedeiro e manejo. Diante disso, o objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar a influência de diferentes níveis de inclusão do probiótico B.subtilis e B.cereus em dietas experimentais para pacu. Neste experimento foram utilizados 660 juvenis de pacus, com peso médio inicial de 67,0 ± 7,0 g, distribuídos em 20 tanques (500 L) e alimentados com probiótico durante 60 dias com quatro níveis de inclusão de Bacillus subtilis e Bacillus cereus (2,0; 4,0; 8,0 e 16,0 g) na ração experimental. Estes foram adicionados à ração experimental por meio de veículo oleoso. Foram avaliados: taxa de sobrevivência (TS), ganho em peso (GP), consumo alimentar diário (CAD), conversão alimentar aparente (CAA), taxa de crescimento específico (TCE), índices hepatossomático (IH), contagem e quantificação do número de probióticos na ração e no intestino dos peixes, número de eritrócitos, taxa de hemoglobina, hematócrito, índices hematimétricos, contagem total e diferencial de leucócitos, contagem de trombócitos, migração... / Among the native farming species in Brazil, pacu Piaractus mesopotomicus, has showed increase in the production, because your rusticity, growing fast and good quality meat. In this context, studies about the application of probiotics in the aquaculture have increase, with the aim of decrease of the sanitary problems found in the fish farms and the replacement of the antibiotics use that has become a barrier to international trade. The probiotics effectiveness in the aquaculture can be affected by factors how the kind of the probiotic and levels inclusion in the diet, host specie and management. At this, the aim of the research was to evaluate the influence of different levels of inclusion of the probiotic B.subtillis and B.cereus in assay diets for pacu. In this experiment was used 660 juvenile pacu, with average initial weight 67,0 ± 7 g, distributed in 20 tanks (500 L) and fed with probiotic during 60 days with four inclusion levels (2.0 g, 4.0 g, 8.0 g e 16.0 g) in the assay ration. The probiotic were added at ration por by oil vehicle. It were evaluated: survival rate (ST), weight gain (WG), daily food intake (DFI), feed conversion (FC), specific growing rate (SGR), hepatossomatic indices (HI), counting and quantification of the bacteria number in the ration and in gut the of the fish, erythrocytes number, hemoglobin rate, hematocrit, RBC indice, total count and differential of leucocytes, count of trombocytes, in vivo phagocytes migration, respiratory activity of the leucocytes (burst), plasmatic analyses of cortisol, glucose and total proteins. The animals didn’t show improve in the production parameters and there wasn’t difference in the hematological parameters evaluated in the animals fed with probiotic, too. In the evaluation of burst oxidative there wasn’t difference between the treatments, but the... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

This study uses ordered logistic regression models with data collected from eighty-six online surveys completed by small-scale producers in Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Nevada, and Wyoming to assess factors which most contribute to the overall success and profitability of small-scale diversified farms. Results indicate success and profitability may be partially explained by the number of acres owned/leased, use of wholesale outlets, farming as a primary occupation, years of experience, and use of outside business related services. Results may be useful as they indicate producer and operation characteristics that are lead to more profitable and successful operations and thus indicate areas in which a producer may most improve his or her business.