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1 – 8 of 8Yanrong Li, Jinxia Wang, Jikun Huang, Bihm Adhikari and Liangzhi You
The purpose of this paper is to examine the status of the supply reliability of groundwater irrigation, and discuss how it is affected by climate change and tubewell…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the status of the supply reliability of groundwater irrigation, and discuss how it is affected by climate change and tubewell density in rural China.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is based on a nine-province village survey and secondary climate data. A Tobit model (or censored regression model) was used to estimate the determinants of supply reliability of groundwater irrigation.
Findings
Results show that the supply reliability of groundwater irrigation was 89 percent on average in the past three years. The non-linear relationship in the econometric results revealed that the 30-year annual temperature significantly influenced the supply reliability of groundwater irrigation. When the temperature rises above the turning point (6.30°C), it shifts from a positive to a negative relationship with the supply reliability of groundwater irrigation. The 30-year annual temperature in eight of the nine provinces (i.e. except for Jilin Province) was higher than the turning point. If the temperature increases by 20°C in the future, other factors being constant, the supply reliability of groundwater irrigation will decline by 20 percent. However, if precipitation increases by 10 percent, the supply reliability of groundwater irrigation could improve by 3 percent, while reducing precipitation by 10 percent will lower the supply reliability of groundwater irrigation by 3 percent. Increasing the density of tubewells considerably improves the supply reliability of groundwater irrigation. However, although increasing the density of tubewells may yield enough groundwater for irrigation, this one-sided approach raises sustainability concerns.
Research limitations/implications
Although increasing the density of tubewells may ensure that enough groundwater is available for irrigation, such a conclusion is one sided, and sustainability concerns should be raised in assessing this method of creating supply reliability.
Originality/value
This paper improves the understanding of the impact of climate variables on agriculture irrigation and water supply reliability in the micro scale, and provides a scientific basis for relevant policy making.
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Discusses the problems resulting from Bangladesh’s dependence on agriculture in the light of regular flooding, lack of opportunity for employment in other areas…
Abstract
Discusses the problems resulting from Bangladesh’s dependence on agriculture in the light of regular flooding, lack of opportunity for employment in other areas, increasing poverty, and unequal distribution of income. In order to alleviate these problems the Gram Bangla model has been devised with emphasis on community education, training, health care, water supply, sanitation, income generation, tree plantation and conservation (with special regard to fuel for cooking), disaster mitigation, cultural activities, research, awareness generation, and local government institutions. It is hoped that this model can be extended to alleviating similar problems in other under‐developed countries.
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Examines the agro‐ecological and socio‐political systems of the Bengal basin of the Ganges floodplain (now mostly in Bangladesh region) from the precolonial period (before…
Abstract
Examines the agro‐ecological and socio‐political systems of the Bengal basin of the Ganges floodplain (now mostly in Bangladesh region) from the precolonial period (before 1757), through the colonial period (1757 to 1947), the development projects of the 1960s (the Green Revolution), up to the present day. Concludes by looking at the possibility of future economic growth employing sustainable development and environmental economics.
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This paper aims to describe how social capital is mobilized in the mediation of periurban water insecurity induced by urbanization and climate change. Investing in social…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to describe how social capital is mobilized in the mediation of periurban water insecurity induced by urbanization and climate change. Investing in social capital through the process of creating mechanisms for civic engagement is an important means of building resilience of periurban communities.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper draws on ethnographic and action research. The main sources of data were direct observation of water appropriation and access and semi-structured interviews. Convenience, snowball and theoretical sampling were used.
Findings
The residents of periurban Gurgaon have lost access to water on account of urbanization and climate change. In this context, they mobilize social relationships to collectively improve their access to water. Norms of cooperation and kinship play an important role in the mediation of water insecurity. Creating social capital by building platforms for civic engagement helped to improve their water security.
Originality/value
While there has been much interest in issues of periurban water insecurity, the role of social capital in the mediation of water insecurity has received scant attention. At the same time, while scholars have been interested in the role of social capital in adapting to the impacts of climate change, it has scarcely been studied in a periurban context. This paper seeks to bridge this research gap.
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Indranil De and Tirthankar Nag
The study attempts to look into the poverty and deprivation in slums across various social and religious groups and its bearing on the children. It not only analyses…
Abstract
Purpose
The study attempts to look into the poverty and deprivation in slums across various social and religious groups and its bearing on the children. It not only analyses income poverty but also looks at derivation of access to basic services including water, sanitation and drainage. The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast the income and non-income deprivation of childbearing and non-childbearing households.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on a survey of 541 sample households selected from 23 slums of Kolkata, India. The authors have adopted a mixture of cluster sampling and systematic sampling technique. The slums of Kolkata have been segregated into three regions and further segregated by overlaying the population and average monthly income of slums. Slums have been selected randomly from these stratums. Households have been selected from the slums by systematic sampling method.
Findings
The Muslim and backward caste households are more deprived with respect to income and access to basic services as compared to Hindu general (upper) caste. Deprivations with respect to income and basic services are more pronounced for households having child than for households not having child. Childbearing households are less likely to receive better water supply, sanitation and drainage services as compared to others due to their religious and residential identities. Slum children get affected by the complex political economy of basic service delivery. The study also finds that electoral competition has positive and political clientelism has negative impact on access to basic services.
Research limitations/implications
The study is based on results obtained from survey in one city of India. Hence, these results cannot be generalized for India or for the developing countries taken together. Further studies across cities of developing countries are required to arrive at any generalized conclusion.
Practical implications
The study suggests that public policies should attempt to disentangle minorities and children from the local political economy. Otherwise, deprivation and disparity even across low income households living in slums would persist. Deprivation of child bearing households would lead to a deteriorating future for the slum children.
Social implications
This paper have pave the path for new generation public policy for the urban poor and minorities.
Originality/value
This paper highlights the incidence of deprivation of minorities and childbearing households vis-à-vis other households in the slums. It contributes to the overall understanding on urban poverty.
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Anjani Kumar, Gaurav Tripathi and P. K. Joshi
New varieties of paddy are constantly being developed in India in order to sustain yield gains in the face of biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, the authors…
Abstract
Purpose
New varieties of paddy are constantly being developed in India in order to sustain yield gains in the face of biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, the authors attempt to identify the drivers for adoption of new varieties of paddy in India; the authors also estimate the impact on yield of the adoption of new paddy varieties.
Design/methodology/approach
Survey data consisted of the reported information from approximately 20,000 paddy farmers in India. The study employs Cragg's double-hurdle model to study the probability and intensity of adoption of new varieties; we use regression discontinuity design to estimate the change in yield due to adoption of new varieties.
Findings
The authors’ findings indicate that the adoption of new varieties of paddy in India varies significantly within and between regions; further, the adoption of new varieties is affected by a number of socioeconomic and demographic factors; the authors also find that the adoption of new varieties increases yield significantly.
Research limitations/implications
These are observational data and not based on the experiments. The authors relied on farmers' memory to recall the information.
Originality/value
The authors suggest the formulation of strategic policies that can cater to the needs of regions and states that are lagging behind in the adoption of new paddy varieties.
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Tulsi Jayakumar, Krishnakoli Das and Neelesh Srivastava
This paper aims to understand how non-governmental organisations (NGOs) can use design thinking (DT) as a strategic tool to improve organisational and societal outcomes.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to understand how non-governmental organisations (NGOs) can use design thinking (DT) as a strategic tool to improve organisational and societal outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper applies a case study design. Building on in-depth interviews with senior management, beneficiaries (villagers), the village headman and children in Karaliya village (Rajasthan), as also from secondary sources, the paper presents a model of using DT for NGOs.
Findings
This paper presents evidence of how Jal Bhagirathi Foundation, an Indian NGO working in the most water-distressed and densely populated arid zone of the Thar Desert, used a user-centric, DT approach to solve the water-scarcity problem in villages in the Marwar region. In doing so, several interconnected societal problems were also addressed, including those of sanitation, education – especially of the girl child – poverty and migration.
Practical implications
DT has been increasingly used by “for-profit” business organisations to derive competitive advantage. NGOs have lagged in the use of DT as a strategic tool to drive enhanced organisational and societal outcomes. Such NGOs can strategise to adopt a DT approach.
Originality/value
A literature search revealed that while the term “NGO” threw up 36,571 results, “NGOs and strategic management” had only 363 results, and “the use of design thinking in NGOs” had 0 results. This paper contributes to the limited research in the field of strategic management in the NGO space by looking at DT as an important strategic tool for NGOs.
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