Njas-Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences最新文献

{"title":"Xanthomonas Wilt of Banana (BXW) in Central Africa: Opportunities, challenges, and pathways for citizen science and ICT-based control and prevention strategies","authors":"Mariette McCampbell ,&nbsp;Marc Schut ,&nbsp;Inge Van den Bergh ,&nbsp;Boudy van Schagen ,&nbsp;Bernard Vanlauwe ,&nbsp;Guy Blomme ,&nbsp;Svetlana Gaidashova ,&nbsp;Emmanuel Njukwe ,&nbsp;Cees Leeuwis","doi":"10.1016/j.njas.2018.03.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.njas.2018.03.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Xanthomonas Wilt of Banana (BXW) is a complex problem in the African Great Lakes Region that is affecting the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers. Since the first disease reports from Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2001, BXW has been studied widely. The majority of these studies focus on the technological or biophysical dimensions, while aspects and influence of socio-cultural, economic and institutional dimensions only recently started to gain attention. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of the broader BXW problem using a systems perspective, with the aim to add to the understanding about reasons for poor uptake of appropriate disease management practices, and limited ability to prevent rather than control BXW in the region. We comprehensively describe and analyse the various problem dimensions, and determine relations with data, information, knowledge, and connectivity. Building on this, the paper explores and discusses entry-points for the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and citizen science tools to better address BXW in banana production systems.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49751,"journal":{"name":"Njas-Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences","volume":"86 ","pages":"Pages 89-100"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/j.njas.2018.03.002","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49058755","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Applying citizen science for malaria prevention in Rwanda: An integrated conceptual framework","authors":"Domina Asingizwe ,&nbsp;P. Marijn Poortvliet ,&nbsp;Constantianus J.M. Koenraadt ,&nbsp;Arnold J.H. Van Vliet ,&nbsp;Marilyn M. Murindahabi ,&nbsp;Chantal Ingabire ,&nbsp;Leon Mutesa ,&nbsp;Peter H. Feindt","doi":"10.1016/j.njas.2018.06.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.njas.2018.06.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Malaria remains a major threat to public health. Long-Lasting Insecticide-treated Nets (LLINs) and Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) have been widely adopted as important malaria prevention and control interventions and have contributed to significant reduction in malaria incidence. However, recently malaria resurgence has been reported in different countries, including Rwanda, indicating that current attempts to control and eliminate malaria may be failing due to environmental changes and changes in human behaviour. Engaging citizens in malaria prevention and control would help them to identify and prioritize their own health concerns and be able to make appropriate decisions. A citizen science approach to monitor ecological changes by providing timely information is likely to support more effective and consistent use of malaria prevention and control interventions. However, the application of citizen science in malaria prevention and control has lagged behind when comparing with areas of disease diagnosis and treatment. In addition, the determinants of participation in such a citizen science program have not been fully analyzed. This paper presents a conceptual model of likely determinants of participation in connective action (sharing and exchange of malaria-related information), effective and consistent use of malaria preventive and control measures (LLINs and IRS) and collective action (participating in public goods for malaria prevention). The model will guide future research on behavioural and contextual factors and may enhance the effective and consistent use of malaria preventive and control interventions.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49751,"journal":{"name":"Njas-Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences","volume":"86 ","pages":"Pages 111-122"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/j.njas.2018.06.002","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49031428","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diagnosis of management of bacterial wilt and late blight in potato in Ethiopia: A systems thinking perspective","authors":"E. Damtew ,&nbsp;Shiferaw Tafesse ,&nbsp;R. Lie ,&nbsp;B. van Mierlo ,&nbsp;B. Lemaga ,&nbsp;K. Sharma ,&nbsp;P.C. Struik ,&nbsp;C. Leeuwis","doi":"10.1016/j.njas.2018.03.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.njas.2018.03.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Potato is one of the most important food crops for smallholder farmers in the Ethiopian highlands. Diseases, particularly bacterial wilt (caused by <em>Ralstonia solanacearum</em>) and late blight (caused by <em>Phytophthora infestans</em>), are among the major constraints of potato production, despite continuous efforts to control them. Bacterial wilt and late blight are complex problems with multiple technical and institutional features, involving multiple actors with different perceptions and understanding, not only of the problem but also of possible solutions. Appreciating such complexity, this study adopted a systems thinking perspective. It aimed to explore actors’ understanding of the complex problem situation and its implication for the management of the diseases at a collective level. Using a multi-stakeholder workshop and in-depth interviews, a qualitative study was conducted with actors that are directly or indirectly involved in the management of the two diseases. Results showed that actors essentially overlooked key systemic problems in the management of the two diseases. This is mainly reflected in actors’ tendency to give event-level responses, shift responsibilities and engage in a mutual blaming to the problem of bacterial wilt and late blight. Lack of a preventive disease management culture, limited recognition of interdependencies among activities of actors, power inequalities, and top-down and linear approaches in information and knowledge sharing are identified as key structural problems that are underrated by the actors. We contend that the most appropriate way forward towards the management of both diseases is designing and implementing management strategies that, on the one hand, are preventive of disease epidemics, and, on the other hand, foster horizontal information sharing, learning and collective action among the local actors in the system. Digital platforms, particularly mobile-based technologies, can play a role in catalyzing new forms of information sharing, broader learning, and collaboration among farmers and local actors.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49751,"journal":{"name":"Njas-Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences","volume":"86 ","pages":"Pages 12-24"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/j.njas.2018.03.003","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41673488","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"WITHDRAWN: Governance arrangements and adaptive decision-making in rice farming systems in Northern Ghana","authors":"A. Nyamekye, A. Dewulf, E. Slobbe, K. Termeer, C. Pinto","doi":"10.1016/j.njas.2018.07.001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.njas.2018.07.001","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49751,"journal":{"name":"Njas-Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/j.njas.2018.07.001","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41622787","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Recognizing farmers’ practices and constraints for intensifying rice production at Riparian Wetlands in Indonesia","authors":"Benyamin Lakitan ,&nbsp;Buyung Hadi ,&nbsp;Siti Herlinda ,&nbsp;Erna Siaga ,&nbsp;Laily I. Widuri ,&nbsp;Kartika Kartika ,&nbsp;Lindi Lindiana ,&nbsp;Yunin Yunindyawati ,&nbsp;Mei Meihana","doi":"10.1016/j.njas.2018.05.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.njas.2018.05.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Despite its large acreage, riparian wetland has been underutilized in Indonesia. Intensity of agricultural activities on this wetland was very low mainly due to two unfavorable extremes, i.e. unpredictable occurrence of flooding during rainy season and drought during dry season. Relevant, affordable, and acceptable technologies are required as solution to this problems. The technologies should be developed based on actual needs, preferences, and absorptive capacity of smallholder farmers, to ensure adoption. Objective of this study was to explore needs, preferences, and absorptive capacity of smallholder farmers through direct observation on their farming practices and dialogs on constraints in intensifying food production at riparian wetlands in Indonesia. The study was conducted at five villages in riparian wetland ecosystem in South Sumatera, Indonesia, from January to June 2016. This qualitative research was conducted in two stages: started with no-preconception Grounded Theory procedure; then, followed by questionnaire-guided survey. Results of this study indicated that intensive observation on farmer’s practices and dialogs on constraints in intensifying food production could reveal needs, preferences, and absorptive capacity of smallholder farmers. Observed farmers’ practices include land preparation and soil quality improvement, seedling preparation, transplanting, cropping management, and harvesting. Dialogs disclosed that unmanageable constraint but urgently needed by smallholder farmers in intensifying food production was technology solution for uncertain and uncontrollable natural flooding and drought occurrence at riparian wetlands. Government intervention is expected for constructing infrastructure for water management at riparian wetlands, i.e. polder system.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49751,"journal":{"name":"Njas-Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences","volume":"85 ","pages":"Pages 10-20"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/j.njas.2018.05.004","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72726745","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Scaling up of sweetpotato vine multiplication technologies in Phalombe and Chikwawa districts in Malawi: A gender analysis","authors":"Netsayi N. Mudege ,&nbsp;Robert O.M. Mwanga ,&nbsp;Norita Mdege ,&nbsp;Tafadzwa Chevo ,&nbsp;Putri E. Abidin","doi":"10.1016/j.njas.2018.05.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.njas.2018.05.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This paper adopts a feminist approach to analyse how processes of scaling up of technologies to promote adoption can reinforce or reduce gender inequalities. It focuses on sweetpotato vine multiplication in Phalombe and Chikwawa districts in Malawi, and uses data from focus group discussions and individual interviews with men and women farmers and extension workers. Findings suggest that perception biases towards regarding the farmer as male results in women being overlooked in training, as well as the devaluation of women’s knowledge, which jeopardises their ability to adopt new sweetpotato technologies that are being scaled up/ rolled out. Technologies are often rolled out within institutional contexts where women are in positions subordinate to men, resulting in women not being able to fully and independently adopt them. Sweetpotato technology choices are also influenced by access to resources such as land, irrigation systems and labour. Women often lack these. Sweetpotato vine multiplication may increase women’s workload leading women to dis-adopt. The implications of this research are that scaling up strategies to promote technology adoption by women should go beyond the technology itself to restructuring both the technical and nontechnical aspects of agriculture so that women can fully benefit from improved technologies. From this perspective the physical and institutional context in which the technology is implemented has to be understood and any necessary adjustment made to ensure that both men and women adopt the technology and benefit from it.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49751,"journal":{"name":"Njas-Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences","volume":"85 ","pages":"Pages 1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/j.njas.2018.05.003","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78580046","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Farm diversity and resource use efficiency: Targeting agricultural policy interventions in East Africa farming systems","authors":"Monica K. Kansiime ,&nbsp;Piet van Asten ,&nbsp;Koen Sneyers","doi":"10.1016/j.njas.2017.12.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.njas.2017.12.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This paper aimed to provide empirical evidence on the links between farm diversity and resource use efficiency. Using farm typology and stochastic production frontier approaches, we grouped households into those pursuing similar livelihood strategies and assessed their resource use efficiency. At 60% coefficient of similarity, we identified three distinct farm types – Farm-specialised, Diversified and Off-farm specialised. Significant (p<!--> <!-->&lt;<!--> <!-->0.01) differences across farm types were observed for, the proportion of income from farming, farmed area, and land use patterns, confirming these as good indicators for distinguishing between farm types. Over 50% of surveyed households were categorised as Diversified and Off-farm specialised, and mainly pursued off-farm livelihood strategies. Farm-specialised households pursued mainly farm-based activities and earned higher net incomes compared to other farm types. However, they exhibited technical inefficiency in the use of labour and fertiliser compared to other farm types. Access to extension and commercial orientation showed significant (p<!--> <!-->&lt;<!--> <!-->0.01) positive effect on technical efficiency for Farm-specialised households. Results have implications for policies and programmes aimed at improving agricultural productivity. There is need to focus support on interventions that make a significant contribution to farm efficiency, in particular, extension services and market access. Agricultural programmes are likely to be successful if they are targeted to households reliant on agriculture, while, off-farm households could be oriented towards off-farm agri-enterprises such as processing and marketing.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49751,"journal":{"name":"Njas-Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences","volume":"85 ","pages":"Pages 32-41"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/j.njas.2017.12.001","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85775446","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding grower non-participation in the collective management of carob moth in pomegranate in Iran","authors":"Naser Zamani ,&nbsp;Khadijeh Bazrafkan ,&nbsp;Kambiz Minaei","doi":"10.1016/j.njas.2017.12.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.njas.2017.12.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The management of carob moth is a complex and multidimensional process that is only possible when collective action takes place in the pest-affected areas. The non-participation in carob moth management has led to increasing pest problems which unless managed collectively, they impose a serious limitation on pomegranate production and endanger the future of pomegranate orchards in Arsanjan county, Fars province, Iran. The current study aimed to explore why collective action has not taken place, and grounded theory was found to be the most appropriate method, followed up by a structured survey to gain an in-depth understanding of what is happening and why. Qualitative data collected through interviews were analyzed using Straussian grounded theory procedures and techniques, and quantitative data obtained via questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The analysis indicated that individual farmers’ attempts to manage carob moth had limited benefit. The results revealed that inadequate and unsupportive institutions of all types (cognitive, normative and regulative) kept collective action from occurring. The main factors impeding the participation of the farmers in the management of carob moth were: unsupportive environment for agribusinesses, low income from pomegranate production, negative attitudes towards the government, lack of cooperative culture and prevalence of individualistic behavior, and inadequate knowledge about the pest among the growers. The categories and the relationships found among them assist stakeholders in understanding the root causes behind a lack of collective action in the pest management programs. The results provide powerful lessons for other participation projects and pest control interventions.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49751,"journal":{"name":"Njas-Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences","volume":"85 ","pages":"Pages 42-49"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/j.njas.2017.12.002","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75630504","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding the emergence of a hybrid knowledge production discourse: The case of the Generation Challenge Programme (GCP) drought tolerant rice research in India","authors":"Soutrik Basu ,&nbsp;Joost Jongerden ,&nbsp;Guido Ruivenkamp","doi":"10.1016/j.njas.2018.03.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.njas.2018.03.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The Generation Challenge Programme (GCP) is an international platform for agrarian knowledge production for a complex scientific problem, namely, Drought. The GCP ushered in a new form of knowledge production that reconciles both the upstream laboratorial research and its downstream delivery at the farmer's field. This paper aims at understanding the knowledge production process of the GCP. More precisely, it explores the following three research questions: how three processes such as research partnership, transdisciplinary and inclusion of end-user in research manifested within the knowledge production process of the GCP drought-tolerant rice research; what type of knowledge production emerged within the GCP drought-tolerant rice research; and what implications can be discerned for agricultural research and development. Through a qualitative case study method, this paper explores empirically the case of GCP drought-tolerant rice research in the Indian context to elucidate the knowledge production process of GCP to sketch a theoretical as well as a practical position on the agrarian knowledge production discourse. This paper argues that a hybrid knowledge production discourse has emerged within the GCP rice research that has elements from different knowledge production paradigms. Further, this paper also illustrates the implications of such hybrid knowledge production discourse for agricultural research and development.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49751,"journal":{"name":"Njas-Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences","volume":"85 ","pages":"Pages 21-31"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/j.njas.2018.03.001","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78960941","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diagnosing institutional logics in partnerships and how they evolve through institutional bricolage: Insights from soybean and cassava value chains in Ghana","authors":"Charity Osei-Amponsah ,&nbsp;Annemarie van Paassen ,&nbsp;Laurens Klerkx","doi":"10.1016/j.njas.2017.10.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.njas.2017.10.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Trade globalisation and climate change pose new challenges for food security in Africa. To unlock smallholder productivity, more understanding is needed of the institutional context and the role of development interventions, such as partnerships, in the food sector. This article proposes institutional logics as a theory and methodology for institutional diagnosis to gain insight into context-embedded negotiation and change processes created by project-based partnership interventions. We analyse the institutional logics of organisations active in the development of two value chains in Ghana to subsequently show how, in partnerships, these logics are negotiated in light of the objectives and interests of the intervention. The main findings are that donors, with their market and professionalisation logics, are quite influential, but many other development actors still adhere to principles of grassroots empowerment and social security. In the evolving partnership process, market logic remains strong, but coupled with institutional logics endorsing farmer empowerment and solidarity with the resource-poor. This is done in a process of bricolage in which field level implementers go against the dominant logic of project initiators: showing that newly introduced development logics are mitigated by an existing local structure fostering other development logics. The broader implication is that new development paradigms may need a considerable transition period to become mainstream. The concepts of institutional logics and bricolage as a diagnostic tool allow researchers to characterise the adherence to and blending of institutional logics by actors. This tool helps to understand the mobilisation strategy of the initiator and to follow the negotiation of logics that takes place amongst partners in partnerships. Detailed insights into the blending of potential partners’ logics, pathways of negotiation processes and the plausible outcomes enable development practitioners to strategically prepare and manage their collaborative interventions.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49751,"journal":{"name":"Njas-Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences","volume":"84 ","pages":"Pages 13-26"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/j.njas.2017.10.005","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74683324","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}