Search results
1 – 10 of 14Ildephonse Musafili, Jean Chrysostome Ngabitsinze, Fidèle Niyitanga and Dave Weatherspoon
Policymakers and stakeholders lack empirical evidence on the effectiveness of community participatory management for agribusiness development and environmental conservation. The…
Abstract
Purpose
Policymakers and stakeholders lack empirical evidence on the effectiveness of community participatory management for agribusiness development and environmental conservation. The purpose of this paper is to assess the management preferences, approaches and practices of farm communities in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park (VNP).
Design/methodology/approach
Primary data collected from 191 farmers were used. A choice experiment on current and potential park management practices and utilization levels was conducted along with a survey on socioeconomic, farm and institutional behavior characteristics.
Findings
Results show that farmers prefer preserving VNP resources for the production of agribusiness crops that are low input and environmental friendly and provide high income to farmers in addition to handcraft production to enhance cultural, plant and wild animal tourism development. Farmers highly value integrated stakeholder participatory decision making about the parks natural resources. High-income farmers prefer to restore traditional cultural heritage park sites for recreation, and ancestral intellectual and cultural property rights.
Research limitations/implications
The sample size limited the analysis to a conditional logit model.
Originality/value
This is the first study to assess the management preferences of farm communities in the VNP area.
Details
Keywords
Graciela Metternicht, Andrea Sabelli and Jason Spensley
This paper aims to present a new framework for climate change vulnerability, impact and adaptation (VIA) assessment. Greater attention has been given in recent years to the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present a new framework for climate change vulnerability, impact and adaptation (VIA) assessment. Greater attention has been given in recent years to the importance of conducting climate change VIA assessment prior to, or as part of, climate change adaptation strategies and projects. A VIA assessment provides decision-makers and project developers with information on the location and causes of vulnerability based on local knowledge and scientific data, so that effective adaptation responses that are targeted and site-specific can be designed. A challenge facing practitioners in this field is the lack of clear methodologies or agreed frameworks on how to conduct a VIA assessment.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents a VIA methodological framework that has been developed through three sub-regional pilot assessments on vulnerability and impacts of climate change, as part of the Regional Gateway for Technology Transfer and Action on Climate Change in Latin America and The Caribbean.
Findings
While it is recognized that methodologies and tools may differ depending on the unique local context of the study area and sector under analysis, there are key components that every assessment needs to consider.
Originality/value
The framework proposed can assist practitioners to deliver outputs from VIAs that are holistic, and provide the most appropriate type of information required for effective, context-specific adaptation responses.
Details
Keywords
Florian Lüdeke‐Freund, David Walmsley, Mirco Plath, Jan Wreesmann and Alexandra‐Maria Klein
This article seeks to address aviation as an emerging biofuel consumer and to discuss sustainability issues and consequences for feedstock production concepts. Biojet fuels have…
Abstract
Purpose
This article seeks to address aviation as an emerging biofuel consumer and to discuss sustainability issues and consequences for feedstock production concepts. Biojet fuels have been identified as a promising, readily deployable alternative to fossil‐based aviation fuels. At the same time they are highly criticised as their production may have negative social and environmental impacts. Therefore, the paper aims to identify major sustainability issues and assessment challenges and relate these to the production of biojet fuel feedstock.
Design/methodology/approach
Two plant oil production concepts are presented that address the sustainability issues discussed. Both concepts are being investigated within the research project “Platform for Sustainable Aviation Fuels”. A literature‐based overview of sustainability issues and assessment challenges is provided. Additionally, conceptual insights into new plant oil production concepts are presented.
Findings
The use of biojet fuels is often hailed as a strategy for the aviation industry to become more sustainable. However, biofuels are not necessarily sustainable and their potential to reduce GHG emissions is highly debated. Several unresolved sustainability issues are identified highlighting the need for improved assessment methods. Moreover, the two concepts presented have the potential to provide sustainably grown feedstock, but further empirical research is needed.
Originality/value
This article addresses researchers and practitioners by providing an overview of sustainability issues and assessment challenges related to biojet fuels. Consequences are identified for two plant oil feedstock concepts: catch cropping in temperate regions and silvopastoral systems in tropical and subtropical regions.
Details
Keywords
This paper aims to address the issue of matching controlled vocabulary on agroforestry from knowledge organization systems (KOS) and incorporating these terms in DITA markup. The…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to address the issue of matching controlled vocabulary on agroforestry from knowledge organization systems (KOS) and incorporating these terms in DITA markup. The paper has been selected for an extended version from MTSR'11.
Design/methodology/approach
After a general description of the steps taken to harmonize controlled vocabulary on agroforestry, a general discussion of related work enriching documents and matching controlled vocabularies as well as details on managing controlled vocabulary in DITA are provided.
Findings
The paper identifies a number of practical and theoretical issues in matching controlled vocabulary from different sources, e.g. the complexity of addressing inconsistencies and incompatibilities between systems, and came across a number of approaches to semantically enrich documents, such as semantic‐document approach, facet classification, and integrating metadata and markup in documents.
Practical implications
Ways of incorporating controlled vocabularies into DITA markup are presented that can be drawn upon to guide future work in this area.
Originality/value
No previous work has reflected on the actual experience used to enrich DITA markup, especially with reference to the agrorestry domain.
Details
Keywords
Robert Cole, Heli Gittins and Norman Dandy
This paper's purpose is to explore the current interest and knowledge that UK consumers hold around agroforestry. Despite the many reported benefits of agroforestry systems…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper's purpose is to explore the current interest and knowledge that UK consumers hold around agroforestry. Despite the many reported benefits of agroforestry systems, uptake in the UK, as well as other temperate nations, has been low. As the consumer has a role to play in the transition of agriculture to methods that are more environmentally friendly it is vital to have an understanding of their perceptions. Yet to date no work has looked at agroforestry from the perspective of the UK consumer.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey was conducted using a convenience sample accessed by floating a link through social media and messaging apps. The survey was also shared to the members of a private Facebook group associated with an organic vegetable box service. A mix of multiple choice and open text boxes were used. The survey received 139 responses.
Findings
Non-parametric tests indicate that this sample of UK consumers would be mostly likely to buy, and willing to pay more for, agroforestry produce; and the sample showed a split group regarding familiarity. Inductive thematic analysis of the qualitative data highlighted some important barriers to the purchase as well as capturing a snapshot of this sample's perceptions.
Originality/value
This paper presents, to the authors knowledge, the first set of data regarding a sample of UK consumers' perspective of agroforestry produce. The findings could bolster producers' confidence in adopting agroforestry practices, but also highlight the need for policymakers to bolster consumer support through parallel means.
Details
Keywords
Rajib Shaw, Huy Nguyen, Umma Habiba and Yukiko Takeuchi
Case studies from many countries indicate that even when rainfall is high drought can still occur. Droughts have been recorded in Bangladesh, where the rainfall is 2,300mm per…
Abstract
Case studies from many countries indicate that even when rainfall is high drought can still occur. Droughts have been recorded in Bangladesh, where the rainfall is 2,300mm per year, and in Luang Prabang, Laos, where the annual rainfall is 3,200mm. Similarly, the highest Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value of 2.78 indicates a possibility of floods in Cambodia. Identification of a threshold SPI value is necessary to pinpoint impending drought. Since SPI values reflect only the rainfall situation and not the existing water availability in reservoirs and canal systems, such a detailed impact-assessment study should also compare the duration of a negative SPI value with that of reduction in the available water from various sources, including groundwater, reservoirs, and canal irrigation systems. So drought occurs not only because of lack of rainfall but also because of bad practices of water usage and water management.
Roger L. Burritt and Stefan Schaltegger
The purpose of this paper is to explore the scope of applications and benefits of sustainability accounting for the production and industrial use of biomass as an energy source…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the scope of applications and benefits of sustainability accounting for the production and industrial use of biomass as an energy source and substitute for fossil‐fuel use. As environmental degradation and unacceptable social impacts not only increase from the production and use of fossil‐fuel based energy, but also from alternative energy sources, the monitoring, controlling and measuring of the (un‐)sustainability of alternative energy production and use emerges as an area in critical need of research.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper presents a review of the issues surrounding the accounting for the (un‐)sustainability of industrial biomass production and use, considering what biomass is, the current and forecast importance of industrial biomass, different approaches to its production, and the subsequent measurement and monitoring of its potential (un‐)sustainability.
Findings
The paper finds that it is insufficient to conclude in general terms, as is often done or assumed in policy documents and statements, that industrial production and use of biomass is sustainable (or unsustainable) and that accounting for biomass must recognise the broader ecological and social system of which the production and use form a part. A further finding of the paper is that from agricultural or industrial production of biomass through to consumption and industrial use of biomass, the accounting issues surrounding biomass production and use are essential to determining its (un‐)sustainability.
Originality/value
The paper provides an overview of the importance of and problems with the production of biomass for industrial use, and related sustainability issues. It discusses possibilities for and limitations of accounting to address these sustainability issues as well as the need for and the challenges in measuring the (un‐)sustainability of biomass production for industrial use and the accounting for sustainability improvements.
Details
Keywords
Sue Ogilvy, Danny O'Brien, Rachel Lawrence and Mark Gardner
This paper aims to demonstrate methods that sustainability-conscious brands can use to include their primary producers in the measurement and reporting of the environment and…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to demonstrate methods that sustainability-conscious brands can use to include their primary producers in the measurement and reporting of the environment and sustainability performance of their supply chains. It explores three questions: How can farm businesses provide information required in sustainability reporting? What are the challenges and opportunities experienced in preparing and presenting the information? What future research and policy instruments might be needed to resolve these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
This study identifies and describes methods to provide the farm-level information needed for environmental performance and sustainability reporting frameworks. It demonstrates them by compiling natural capital accounts and environmental performance information for two wool producers in the grassy woodland biome of Eastern Australia; the contrasting history and management of these producers would be expected to result in different environmental performances.
Findings
The authors demonstrated an approach to NC accounting that is suitable for including primary producers in environmental performance reporting of supply chains and that can communicate whether individual producers are sustaining, improving or degrading their NC. Measurements suitable for informing farm management and for the estimation of supply chain performance can simultaneously produce information useful for aggregation to regional and national assessments.
Practical implications
The methods used should assist sustainability-conscious supply chains to more accurately assess the environmental performance of their primary producers and to use these assessments in selective sourcing strategies to improve supply chain performance. Empirical measures of environmental performance and natural capital have the potential to enable evaluation of the effectiveness of sustainability accounting frameworks in inducing businesses to reduce their environmental impacts and improve the condition of the natural capital they depend on.
Social implications
Two significant social implications exist for the inclusion of primary producers in the sustainability and environmental performance reporting of supply chains. Firstly, it presently takes considerable time and expense for producers to prepare this information. Governments and members of the supply chain should acknowledge the value of this information to their organisations and consider sharing some of the cost of its preparation with primary producers. Secondly, the “additionality” requirement commonly present in existing frameworks may perversely exclude already high-performing producers from being recognised. The methods proposed in this paper provide a way to resolve this.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is the first to describe detailed methods of collecting data for natural capital accounting and environmental performance reporting for individual farms and the first to compile the information and present it in a manner coherent with the Kering EP&L and the UN SEEA EA. The authors believe that this will make a significant contribution to the development of fair and standardised ways of measuring individual farm performance and the performance of food, beverage and apparel supply chains.
Details
Keywords
Panagiotis Kapotas and Efpraxia Aithra Maria
The purpose of this paper is to present, from a critical point of view, the current legal framework of livestock grazing in public forests in Greece, to present the implementation…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present, from a critical point of view, the current legal framework of livestock grazing in public forests in Greece, to present the implementation problems that have arisen and to suggest possible solutions.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors are trying to combine and implement some of the rangeland ecology results as a tool to explain the legal status and the reform proposals.
Findings
Livestock grazing is a misunderstood activity when it occurs in forests. In fact, when livestock grazing is controlled and based on the capacity of a forest area, it has been proven that it does not degrade an ecosystem; on the contrary, it contributes to biodiversity and to the prevention of forest fires. The prohibition of grazing for a long period of time, along with the establishment of a legal framework by which the forestry service is required to abide, which does not provide for alternatives or compensatory measures to farmers, has resulted in the creation of extremely unpleasant conditions for farmers.
Originality/value
There are hardly any relevant studies in Greek and international literature specifically focused on the Greek legal status of livestock grazing. The scarce contributions on this topic have been investigated and are incorporated in the justification of the study.
Details
Keywords
Shreyasi Nautiyal and Prachi Pathak
Resilience has evolved as a dynamic process in the entrepreneurship field. The purpose of this paper is to outline a comprehensive structure to analyse the patterns and trends in…
Abstract
Purpose
Resilience has evolved as a dynamic process in the entrepreneurship field. The purpose of this paper is to outline a comprehensive structure to analyse the patterns and trends in the publications of the existing literature at the junction of entrepreneurship and resilience. With the help of bibliometric and network analysis, this study offers insights into the topic that have not been evaluated and assessed by previous reviews.
Design/methodology/approach
A computerised search of 104 papers was performed using the Scopus database, and graphical visualisation of the bibliographic material was developed using VOSviewer software.
Findings
This comprehensive bibliometric mapping helps in the graphical visualisation of publication evolution of the domain along with identifying present research trends and possible future directions. There is not much collaborative research in the field, as most prolific thinkers work in isolation or in pairs. Hence, there are limited publications in top-rated journals. Future researchers need to work collaboratively to produce high-quality papers. Developed nations make a sound contribution to the field. The exact significance of resilience in entrepreneurship is yet to be determined due to a wide variety of themes that reflect the multi-disciplinary nature of the domain.
Originality/value
Uncovering the trends and developments of the field, this study provides a global perspective and potential themes lying at the junction of resilience and entrepreneurship. Hence, this study provides a robust roadmap for future researchers interested in this area.
Details