Information System for Sustainable Land Development(INSTANT) is a framework to empower local stakeholders in managing,processing, and visualizing spatial and non-spatial data of land resources insupport of sustainable development planning. INSTANT is equipped with aweb-based tools which enable a fast, easy and informative data and informationmanagement by local stakeholders to provide accurate, valid, transparent andupdated data and information regarding land, land use and land resources.
Tag: data
Service provision by agri-cooperatives engaged in high value markets
Environmental variation is a major predictor of global trait turnover in mammals
An appendage-bearing coelomycete Pseudotruncatella arezzoensis gen. and sp. nov. (Amphisphaeriales genera incertae sedis) from Italy, with notes on Monochaetinula
Data in brief on inter-row rainwater harvest and fertilizer application on yield of maize and pigeon-pea cropping systems in sub humid tropics
Data in this article presents rainfall variability in the season and between seasons, yield of maize (Zea mays cv. TMV1) and pigeon-pea (Cajanus cajan cv. Babati White) under sole crop and intercropping. Yield of maize and pigeon-pea is analyzed under inter-row rainwater harvesting practices and fertilizer application in the field. Sole cropping and intercropping biological and/or economic yield are used to determine land use efficiency through land equivalent ratio. Comparisons between sites and seasons are done using a T-test.
Data for the evaluation of irrigation development interventions in Northern Ethiopia
This data article provides the datasets that are used in the holistic ex-ante impact evaluation of an irrigation dam construction project in Northern Ethiopia [1]. We used an expert knowledge elicitation approach as a means of acquiring the data. The data shared here captures all the parameters considered important in the impact pathway (i.e. the expected benefits, costs, and risks) of the decision to construct an irrigation dam. The dataset is disaggregated for two impact pathway models: one complementing the dam construction with catchment restoration and the other without catchment restoration. Both models are scripted in the R programming language. The data can be used to examine how the construction of an irrigation dam affects the incomes as well as the food and nutritional status of farmers that are affected by the intervention.
Future Climate Projections in Africa: Where Are We Headed?
This paper offers an overview of how climate change is already affecting farmers across eastern and southern Africa, and how it will continue to affect them in the future. The rising temperatures and increased rainfall variability associated with climate change are undermining the livelihoods and food security of Africa’s farmers, most of whom work at a subsistence level and also face problems of poverty, inadequate infrastructure and poor governance. To address these problems, governments and development organizations have promoted climate-smart agriculture (CSA). These projects, however, have been constrained by inadequate data and predictions regarding future climate change. In particular, farmers in Africa need better projections of the climate hazards for specific regions. Historical weather data at the local level contains many gaps, and the continuing collection of such data could be much improved. Strengthening the database of observed weather is critical to understanding the changes that have occurred already, to project future changes, and to plan appropriately to address them. Once collected and analyzed, climate data must be communicated in ways that help decision-makers understand climate impacts. Good tools are available—such as ClimateWizard.org and Servir ClimateServ—but practitioners at the local level must have the access and training to use them. Even in places where projections are uncertain, steps can be taken now to implement CSA practices and make farmers more resilient in the face of climate change.
Shortcuts for Biodiversity Conservation Planning: The Effectiveness of Surrogates
Biodiversity is not completely known anywhere, so conservation planning is always based on surrogates for which data are available and, hence, assumed effective for the conservation of unknown biodiversity. We review the literature on the effectiveness of surrogates for conservation planning based on complementary representation. We apply a standardized approach based on a Species Accumulation Index of surrogate effectiveness to compare results from 575 tests in 27 studies. Overall, we find positive, but relatively weak, surrogacy power. Cross-taxon surrogates are substantially more effective than surrogates based on environmental data. Within cross-taxon tests, surrogacy was higher for tests within the same realm (terrestrial, marine, freshwater). Surrogacy was higher when extrapolated (rather than field) data were used. Our results suggest that practical conservation planning based on data for well-known taxonomic groups can cautiously proceed under the assumption that it captures species in less well-known taxa, at least within the same realm.
Additions to Brown Spored Coelomycetous Taxa in Massarinae, Pleosporales: Introducing Phragmocamarosporium gen. nov. and Suttonomyces gen. nov.
Three collections of coelomycetes producing brown spores have been subjected to morphological and molecular data analyses. Two of them have phragmosporous conidia and are morphologically similar to Camarosporium hederae which has the distinct morphology of Camarosporium sensu stricto. The other collection with muriform conidia is morphologically similar to Camarosporium sensu stricto but has paraphyses. Based on morphology and molecular data analyses of combined LSU and SSU rDNA sequences, two new genera are introduced viz. Phragmocamarosporium (in Lentitheciaceae) and Suttonomyces (in Massarinaceae).
Institutional challenges to climate change adaptation: A case study on policy action gaps in Uganda
Despite the considerable progress made in the last decade towards building governance systems for climate change adaptation in Africa, implementation still limits positive responses. This study applies an iterative process of field assessments and literature reviews across multiple governance levels and spatial scales to identify constraints to effective formulation and implementation of climate change related policies and strategies in Uganda. Data was collected through sex-segregated participatory vulnerability assessments with farming communities in Rakai district, policy document reviews, and interviews with policy actors at national and district levels. Findings reveal that the key challenges to effective policy implementation are diverse and cut across the policy development and implementation cycle. Policies are mainly developed by central government agencies; other actors are insufficiently involved while local communities are excluded. There is also a communication disconnect between national, district, and community levels. Coupled with limited technical capacity and finances, political interference, and absence of functional implementation structures across these levels, climate change adaptation becomes constrained. We propose strategies that enhance linkages between levels and actors, which will improve policy formulation, implementation and ultimately adaptation by smallholders. © 2017 International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)