Farmers' Adoption of Soil Conservation Technologies: A Case Study from Osun State,Nigeria

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to determine the attitude of farmers towards erosion and the adoption of appropriate soil conservation technologies (SCTs). For the survey, farmers were selected from the communities Esa Oke, Elwure and Owode-Ede and Akoda in Osun State in Nigeria. In the first three communities farmers did receive training on soil conservation, in the fourth not. About 60 farmers were interviewed to obtain information on personal and socio-economic characteristics, awareness of environmental problems, attitude towards erosion control and experiences with SCTs. Statistical data analyses (analyses of frequencies, correlation, t-test, χ²-test) were made to examine possible relationships among parameters and the influence of factors on adoption.

Most respondents were advanced in years, responsible for large households and characterized by low levels of income and literacy. Soil erosion was seen as a problem confronting agricultural production only to a small extent. The adoption rate of SCTs was low, as only mulching, cover cropping, contour tillage and cut-off drainage were practised and often rejected. Low labour-demand, the availability of common equipment, low costs of application, ease of practice and compatibility with the existing farming system influenced adoption.

The observed positive correlation between level of education, knowledge of appropriate technologies, farming experience and the number of SCTs adopted emphasizes the importance for farmers of education and training. Strengthening agricultural extension agencies for capacity building is an important tool for improving soil conservation in Nigeria.

The paper clarifies with specific examples the causes of the low rates of adoption of available technologies, with a reduced impact of research and of efforts to achieve food security and sustainable production at village level.     

中部地区与东部沿海区域经济合作竞争力比较

本文构建了“环境-能力-潜力”三维一体的中部地区与东部沿海区域经济合作竞争力评价模型,分析了中部与东部沿海合作基础和潜力、一体化势差及问题。研究认为,中部六省在与东部沿海地区的合作中,沿海地区的主要优势在于较高的经济规模和发展水平,以及长期以来优先开发和开放过程中所形成的较高的对外开放与经济自由化程度。中部地区的相对优势则在于发展速度和效率以及较好的科教基础、要素资源储量和较大的内需市场容量。在此基础上提出增强中部地区和东部沿海区域经济合作竞争力的政策建议。     

三岔河流域坡耕地垄向与侵蚀沟分布耦合分析

黑土区坡耕地的侵蚀沟发育发展与耕作措施密切相关,垄向分布对沟蚀的影响机制研究能够为黑土区采取更合理有效的耕种措施提供科学依据。本文以东北典型黑土区的三岔河流域为研究区,基于2013年地理国情普查提供的高精度基础数据获取耕地垄向和侵蚀沟数据,对沟蚀密度和裂度与耕地垄向角之间的关系进行定量分析,并研究了不同垄向下沟蚀与地形的耦合作用。研究结果表明：①研究区坡耕地横坡耕作的趋势非常明显;②研究区耕地沟蚀强度为中度侵蚀;③耕地垄向角与沟蚀密度和裂度显著负相关,即随着垄向角的增大,研究区耕地的平均沟蚀密度和裂度呈线性下降趋势,横坡垄中的侵蚀沟密度和裂度最大,其中垄向角和沟蚀密度的线性拟合效果最好,沟蚀裂度稍差;④不同耕地垄向中的侵蚀沟分布具有明显的地形分异特征：当海拔大于280 m时,各垄向耕作都不能有效地抵御侵蚀沟的产生;当坡度大于15°时,横坡垄中的沟蚀裂度最小,但仍高于缓坡各垄向耕地中的沟蚀裂度;各耕作垄向在阴坡对侵蚀沟面积的影响无明显差异。     

打造以海洋文化为内涵的福州房地产业

针对福州市房地产业发展现状,提出打造以海洋文化为内涵的福州房地产业发展新思路.认为福州有着丰富的海洋文化,应将海洋文化内涵中的经济特质很好地融入福州现代房地产发展中.以进一步促进福州城市的发展.文章从福州海洋文化内涵中的悠久性、开拓性、包容性以及移民文化等方面,结合福州房地产发展进行论述.     

Mercury pollution in the Chongqing part of the Three Gorges Reservoir area and its remediation and prevention

Mercury pollution in the Three Gorges Reservoir area of P. R. China merits special attention. We investigated into the current situation in the Chongqing part of the Reservoir area, identified the pollution sources and proposed some suggestions for the remediation and prevention of mercury pollution in this area. Atmospheric mercury in Chongqing was mainly from coal burning and releases of mercury-containing products such as various types of lights and fever thermometers. Urban drainage in Chongqing and Changshou, and runoffs from the high mercury background area in the lower reaches of the Wujiang River contributed most of the mercury in the water of the Yangtze River. A majority of the blame should be laid on mercury and gold mining in the Wujiang valley. We suggested foresting sloping lands to relieve soil erosion and prevent mercury-bearing soil from running into rivers, educational activities to discourage use of mercury-containing products and improved infrastructure to collect mercury-containing wastes for reducing mercury releases, more facilities for treating wastewater and solid waste to accommodate increased requirements of discharge, and growing selected perennial plants in mercury-contaminated land to absorb the mercury in soil. We also suggested concerted operation of a dedicated water-quality monitoring system, reinforced legislation and an effective administrative mechanism to ensure lasting efforts are invested in curbing mercury releases and restoring mercury contaminated land and water in the Reservoir area.     

中国东部沿海地区义务教育阶段城乡课堂环境差异

Totally 789 students from 18 schools (9 primary schools and 9 junior high schools) at a medium managed level from Shanghai, Wenzhou, and Aojiang, which are located in the Eastern coastal developed areas of China were investigated with the questionnaire of Hong Kong Classroom Environment Scale in this study. The result indicates that the actual classroom environment in the Eastern coastal developed areas at the present stage of curriculum reform is as follows. (1) The satisfaction of the students is above the average. Teachers’ involvement and support are higher than collaboration, classroom order and the student involvement. (2) There are significant differences between urban and rural areas. The big cities are better than the middle-sized cities, while the latter are better than the counties in the aspects of collaboration, teacher involvement and support. The big cities are better than counties, but the counties are better than the middle-sized cities in the aspects of classroom order and student involvement. (3) The three main types of the actual classroom environment are high, middle and low ones, which distribute in a descending way in big cities, middle-sized cities and counties. (4) Per capita GDP of a region is a main factor affecting classroom environment. __________ Translated from Jiaoyu Xuebao 教育学报(Journal of Educational Studies), 2007, 3(3): 77–85     

硼镧共渗对Ti-6Al-4V钛合金空蚀性能的影响

采用固体渗剂包埋渗法对Ti-6Al-4V钛合金进行硼-稀土共渗处理,并利用超声振动空蚀机研究分析试样在去离子水中的空蚀性能。结果表明,硼-稀土共渗在Ti-6Al-4V合金表面获得均匀致密的表面渗层。表面渗层具有很高的显微硬度,与基体冶金结合,其主要由TiB2、TiB化合物层和B原子固溶于α-Ti的扩散层构成。稀土元素La的添加,提高渗硼效率,使试样表面渗层厚度增加,显微硬度显著提高,材料的抗空蚀性能得到显著改善。     

冀西北黄土丘陵区小流域综合治理和土地利用模式研究

水土流失是冀西北黄土丘陵土地退化和农业经济落后的主要原因之一，而不合理的土地利用结构，粗放耕作，广种薄收等因素又使该区土壤侵蚀日益严重。本文应用遥感方法通过对典型市区涿鹿县石瓮小流域土壤侵蚀的定量分析和土地利用现状的调整及其主要问题的剖析，将水土保持规划和土地利用结构优化有机地结合了起来，充分体现了水土保持的综合治理原则和土地资源合理原则，以及生态效益和经济效益科学统一的原则。初步提出了一套河滩水浇地基本农田带——梁峁缓坡地集约经营梯田果林带——梁峁陡坡地旱作果粮间作带——梁峁顶部缓坡地旱粮作物——土—石过渡区、石质山灌木林和用材林带的以农果为主、多种经营立体布局的小流域综合治理和土地利用模式，在冀西北黄土丘陵区县有推广意义。     

地理空间信息技术与海岸带科学研究

近年来,包括遥感、地理信息系统和全球定位系统在内的地理空间信息技术快速发展,为海岸带科学研究提供了非常有利的技术支撑和发展机遇,也在海岸带生产应用中发挥着越来越重要的作用。文章简要例举了地理空间信息技术在海岸带资源调查、生态环境监测、灾害管理和综合评估方面的应用,探讨了其应用现状与前景。基于目前我国雄厚的地理空间信息技术储备,建议开展地理空间大数据的基础研究,支撑海岸带科学研究的信息化、定量化和系统化,开展业务化和智能化应用,进一步直接体现地理空间信息技术的价值。     

黄土高原的侵蚀历史、黄土特性与水土保持研究

论述了黄土高原的侵蚀历史、黄土特性，并对水土保持工作提出了对策。