JDSInternational Seminar
2016・Part II, III

Sustainability Policy & PracticePart II : December 12 and 13, 2016
Part III : January 16 and 17, 2017
Room C501, Natural Science Building C

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www.envr. tsukuba.ac.jp/~jds

Environal ScienceentmJapanese Grant Aid for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) Program
Master's Program in Environmental Sciences
Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences
University of Tsukuba

Part II Monday, December 12

PROGRAM
9:30-9:45

Opening Remark

9:45-11:30

Special Lecture I
Dr. Mario T. Tabucanon

Visiting Professor & Senior Research Fellow at the United Nations University Institutefor the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS), Tokyo, Japan
Emeritus Professor at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand.
“Leadership for Sustainability”

11:30-13:00

Lunch Break

13:00-14:00

Presentation by JDS Fellows I
1. AZM Farhan Daud
“Impacts of Constructing Roads and Small Bridges on Chittagon Hill Tribes”

2. Aisha Karpaeva“The Mining Sector Capacity Improvement in the Kyrgyz Republic throughBuilding Effective Cooperation among Governments, Mining Companies andLocal Communities”

3. Shagdarsuren Chantsalnurmaa“A Study on Possibilities of Green Purchasing as a Solution to the Environmental Pollutions in Ulaanbaatar City”

4. Tran Thi Loi“Resource Perception, Livelihood Choices in the Context of Changes in the
Fisheries and the Economy: A Case Study of Xuan Thuy National Park, Vietnam”

14:00-14:30

Coffee Break

14:30-15:45

Presentation by JDS Fellows II
5. Md. Rezaul Karim“Municipal Solid Waste Management through Public-Private-Community Participation in Mymensingh Municipality, Bangladesh”

6. Than Naing Win““The Analysis of Environmental Impacts of the Current Municipal Solid Waste”Management System in Mandalay City, Myanmar”

7. Tin Min Htoo
“The Life Cycle Assessment of the Municipal Solid Waste Management System
in Yangon City, Myanmar”

8. Vu Van Nam“Municipal Solid Waste Management in Hanoi: Toward the Application of Life
Cycle Assessment”

18:00-20:00

Welcome Reception at “The Soup Factory” building 1 A

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Tuesday, December 13

PROGRAM
9:00-10:30

Special Lecture II
Dr. Maurits W. Ertsen

Associate Professor, The Water Resources Management group of Delft University of Technology“Material inheritances. The past in the present”

10:30-10:45

Coffee Break

10:45-11:30

Presentation by JDS Fellows III
9. Begum Swapna“Comprehensive Evaluation of the BRT Project from Gazipur to Airport at Dhaka: With Focus on Environmental Impacts”

10. D.A. Anura Kumara Amaradewa“The Sector-specific Estimation of Greenhouse Gas Emission using Environmentally Extended Input-Output Analysis for Sri Lanka”

11. Gan-Ochir Davaajargal“The Evaluation of the Cost and Benefit of Adopted Air pollution Strategies in
the Ger Area, Ulaanbaatar City, Mongolia”

11:30-13:00

Lunch Break

13:00-13:45

Presentation by JDS Fellows IV
12. Siri Karunaratne“The Benefit Analysis of Integrated Municipal Solid Waste Management forLand Use Planning in Sri Lanka”

13. Chu Minh Thu“Evaluating Some Drought Indices for Agricultural Drought Monitoring in Gia Lai
Province, Vietnam”

14. Le Viet Minh

“A Study on Drought Management and Climate Change Adaptation for the Ben
Tre Province in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam”

13:45-14:00

Lunch Break

14:00-15:35

Presentation by JDS Fellows V
15. Jerome Edem Abiemo“The Environmental Implications of the Increase Use of Pesticides among
Smallholder Rice Farmers: A Case Study of the Aveyime Community, Ghana”

16. Rakhat Baibolotov“Rural Development Through the Use of Organic Fertilizer in Agricultural Production of the Kyrgyz Republic”

17. Ernest Ohene Nkansah“Comprehensive Evaluation of Biochar Application in Rice Production in Ghana”

18. Adwoa Oforiwa Antwi“Weights and Measures at the Local Market in Ghana”

15:35-15:40

Closing Remarks2

December 12・Lecture I

Leadership for Sustainability
Dr. Mario T. Tabucanon

Visiting Professor, Senior Research Fellow

The United Nations University(UNU-IAS), Tokyo, Japan, and Technology (AIT), Thailand

Abstract
Leadership for sustainability is about bringing the present state of development into the desired future state,
which is to have a world where needs of the present generation are met without compromising those of
future generations. In order to transform this ideal vision into tangible reality, strong leadership is essential topromote and effectuate change and mobilize people towards achieving the shared goal. Whereas sustainability
conditions are reflected in international multilateral agreements, intergovernmental platforms and declarations
on sustainable development. Leadership for sustainable development is founded in the harmony amongst thehuman dimensions of sustainability – mind, body, soul. Developing leadership abilities and skills entails soundunderstanding of the fundamental domains of leadership – personal (ability to make right decisions), relational(ability to relate with multiple stakeholders), and contextual (ability to view things in a holistic systems way)
- and their interconnections. It is also important to emphasize the roles of rational decision making and policy
making, which are pre-requisites for effective implementation of plans that reflect the values and aspirations ofsocieties in the context of sustainable development. Creation of sustainable societies requires leadership that isconversant in sustainable development topics. Current education systems may not be sufficient in bringing up
leaders with competencies to resolve sustainability challenges. Higher education requires transformation in order
to effectively integrate the vision of sustainability in education curricula whereby building a culture of change
and reform. Networking is a strategic tool to effectuate that transformation. The network of higher education
institutions known the Promotion of Sustainability in Postgraduate Education and Research Network (ProSPER.
Net) will be highlighted as an instrument for developing a new generation of leaders through transforming higher
education.
ProfileAt UNU-IAS, he serves as Asia-Pacific Regional Adviser to the Regional Centres of Expertise (RCEs) on
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and oversees the academic alliance known as the Promotion of
Sustainability in Postgraduate Education and Research Network (ProSPER.Net). He leads the annual offering of
the ASEAN+3 Leadership Programme on Sustainable Production and Consumption. He is head of the “Persistent
Organic Pollutants (POPs) Monitoring and Management in the Asian Region” project at UNU-IAS. At AIT,
where he served in the faculty for more than three decades (1978-2010), he assumed senior leadership positions- division chairman (1986-89), dean (1995-99 & 2005), vice president (academic, 1998-99), provost (19992005) and president (2005). He is founding president of the International Society of Environmental and Rural
Development, and International Adviser to the Executive Board of the Sirindhorn International Environmental
Park Foundation under the patronage of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
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December 13・Lecture II
Material Inheritances: The Past in the Present
Dr. Maurits W. Ertsen
Associate professor
Delft University of Technology
The Netherlands

Abstract“When in Rome, act as the Romans do” is a well-known proverb. Less well-known, perhaps, is that we also act
like Romans in other locations, and in other times. Rome is still everywhere. Take London, where moving in thecity center means moving along Roman roads. In this paper, which builds from one of my current book project,
I will explore this issue of continuity in our built environment in more detail to show how our material andcultural environments are closely linked to our past. Furthermore, I argue that although we have enough desires
to transform our own environment, we are actually constrained in doing so by the same environment that wewant to change. My initial argument will be based on examples from the Netherlands: a zoo, a botanical garden,
a museum of ethnology and irrigation systems. All four are both material and cultural environments. What theseenvironments have in common as well is that they are creations from the Dutch empire in the Netherlands East
Indies – modern Indonesia.
In the second part of the paper, I argue that many of the material remains in the Dutch coastal landscape– canals, sluices, harbours, etcetera – represent ‘morality’ in two ways. First, when the historical landscapesthat included these remains were developed, the artefacts (or technologies) co-shaped the relationship between
humans and their world. In these emerging landscapes, artefacts (and the material in general) helped to shape
relations between different social groups. The material expressions of moral decisions of access and control
continued to be present in the landscape and are appreciated today as heritage, the second way morality relates
to coastal landscapes: which landscape elements are considered worth preserving and which are not? Througha reconstruction of selected water management infrastructure in the area of Delfland (one of the oldest water
boards in the Netherlands), I will show how development of water infrastructure shaped social relations (whocould access certain land or control certain infrastructure) as much as the physical landscape itself.

ProfileMaurits Ertsen is associate professor within the Water Resources Management group of Delft University ofTechnology, the Netherlands. Maurits is president of the International Water History Association (IWHA) and,alongside Heather Hoag from the University of San Francisco, main editor of Water History, the official journalof the IWHA.

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Presentations by JDS Fellows

December 12

13:30-14:30
Impacts of Constructing Roads and Small Bridges on Chittagon Hill Tribes
AZM Farhan Daud
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to identify the impacts of developments on the indigenous peoples of theChittagong Hill Tracts. It also seeks to find out the policies to minimize those impacts. It argues that a newform of encroachment to Indigenous space has marginalized Native political power and traditional cultures.
The Chittagong Hill Tracts have been the traditional territories of twelve indigenous tribes since the earlyseventeenth century. They have maintained their distinctive ethnicity, political practice and culture. In the 1950s,
the Bengali people, the majority ethnic group in present-day Bangladesh, migrated into Hill Tribes’ territories.
This mass migration caused the conflicts over land between Hill Tribes and the Pakistani Government. The
conflicts became worse when the government claimed to have acquired indigenous people’s ancestral lands
for development works such as the construction of dams, roads and bridges. In these processes, it ignored theterritorial uses of Native peoples and their spiritual and cultural connections with their lands. The ensuing
involuntary resettlement and eviction meant affected the Native peoples who received little compensation for thelands they lost. As a result of developments, land use patterns changed, destroying forest and hill ecosystems,andthus depriving them further of their livelihoods. In the process of constructing highways and bridges, theBangladesh Roads and Highways Department has also destroyed hills, reclamed water bodies, cut rare trees, andpolluted air and rivers. It has focibly moved the indigenous people from their homelands.
Keywords: Chittagon Hill Tracts, Indigenous peoples

The Mining Sector Capacity Improvement in the Kyrgyz Republic throughBuilding Effective Cooperation among Governments, Mining Companies andLocal Communities
Aisha Karpaeva
Abstract

The mining industry is the basis of industrial production in the Kyrgyz Republic and it has great importancein the development of the economy. It is become one of the priorities for the Republic. The development ofmineral resources occurs mainly in remote mountainous areas. In recent years, the Kyrgyz Republic has faced
the big problem of conflicts between mining companies and local communities, which affected not only the
local economy but also the socio-economic development of the entire country. Currently there is no effective
cooperation mechanism among government agencies, mining companies and local communities. State and local
governments do not have clear directives about how to solve these problems. The government has recently failed
mediation as it tended to support mining companies. This research aims at identifying the nature of conflicts
between local communities and mining companies, by drawing on the positive experience of other countries
in solving these problems. It also seeks to find out weaknesses in the leagal system of the Kyrgyz Republic inestablishing effective cooperation among parties. Also, I try to recommend mechanisms to improve the efficiency
of cooperation among government agencies, companies and local communities.
Keywords: Mining conflict resolution, environmental conflict, local community

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Presentations by JDS Fellows

December 12

A Study on Possibilities of Green Purchasing as a Solution to the Environmental
Pollutions in Ulaanbaatar City
Shagdarsuren Chantsalnurmaa
Abstract
Over the years Ulaanbaatar City has experienced significant population increase that has resulted into socioeconomic problems and environmental deterioration. The soil in 50% of city’s territory is polluted by chemical
toxic substances and heavy metals discharged from vehicles, power plants and household coal burning forheating in ger areas. It is also contaminated with untreated industrial and household wastewater. The level ofunderground water pollution increased by 4 to 10 times since 2000. The level of air pollution has become 35
times higher than the permitted level of air quality standard set by the WHO. Pollution of the urban environment
by solid waste has increased. As these problems have become more serious than ever, the Government ofMongolia has adopted green development principles. It also approved strategies for green development, suchas “Green Development Policy” in June 2014, and “Green Development Policy Action Plan” in January
2016. Under these policy guidelines, there is need to clarify the possibile options for citizens to practice green
purchasing and development. This research aims to examine the feasibility and applicability of green purchasingin Ulaanbaatar City.
Keywords: Green purchasing, green development, Ulaanbaatar City

Resource Perception, Livelihood Choices in the Context of Changes in the
Fisheries and the Economy: A Case Study of Xuan Thuy National Park,
VietnamTran Thi Loi
Abstract
The wetland in Xuan Thuy National Park was designated in 1989 as the 50th Ramsar site in the world andthe first Ramsar site in Southeast Asia. Vietnam has rich biodiversity with 150 vascular plant species, 111
aquatic plant species, 219 bird species, and more than 500 species of benthos and zooplankton (e.g., shrimp,
fish, crab, oysters). Aquatic biodiversity directly or indirectly provides food for more than 46,000 local people
living in the buffer zone. About 50% of them depend on wetland resources. However, their income from theseresources has decreased because of degradation of aquatic resources. Xuan Thuy National Park now exemplifies
negative changes such as the degradation of natural resources, unsustainable livelihood practices among
local communities, and the limited capacity of human resources. My study examines how environmental andeconomic changes affect local livelihoods in Xuan Thuy National Park. The research is based on the surveyof 50 households in one buffer zone village conducted from February to March 2016. It also attempted tounderstand local people’s perceptions about wetland resources.
Keywords: Xuan Thuy National Park, wetland, Ramsar Convention

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Presentations by JDS Fellows

December 12

14:45-16:00
Municipal Solid Waste Management through Public-Private-Community
Participation in Mymensingh Municipality, Bangladesh
Md. Rezaul Karim
Abstract
In Bangladesh, the informal sector collects, recycles, and disposes waste in traditional ways. Some final waste
disposal sites are in open space without processing and precautionary measures to protect the environment.
More than 522 towns and cities in the country generate thousands of tons of waste from domestic, industrial,commercial, health care facilities, and farms. People believe that waste management is a responsibility of local
government bodies. Over the past few years, Bangladesh has experimented with new technical options andadministrative processes to improve the effectiveness of waste management. This paper explores the role of themunicipality in solid waste collection, recycling and disposal. It also attempts to find the potential economic
benefits, especially job creation, from waste management. It focuses on the public-private partnership forsustainable waste management. Primary and secondary data will be collected to find appropriate strategies forenhancing awareness among communities on waste management. It will also contribute to the modification ofexisting policies on waste management and employment generation in Mymensingh Municipality.
Keywords: Public-Private Partnership, employment, solid waste management

The Analysis of Environmental Impacts of the Current Municipal Solid Waste
Management System in Mandalay City, Myanmar
Than Naing Win
Abstract
Along with its economic growth, rapid urbanization, and population growth in the last several years, Mandalay
City has experienced a rapid increase in municipal solid waste (MSW). However, it does not yet have adequate
waste collection, treatment and disposal systems. This situation has caused serious environmental and healthproblems. The latest data suggests that the City generates 339,450 tons of solid waste, of which 80% is collectedby the Mandalay City Development Committee (MCDC), and 5% by the informal sector. All the waste collectedby MCDC is taken to the final disposal landfill sites, which are very basic without gas collection and liners forleachate collection. In this study, the five potential environmental impact scenarios are analyzed by using life
cycle assessment (ISO-14040). The scenario design is based on suitable alternative waste management options
considering recycling, biological treatment, thermal treatment and the sanitary landfill gas collection system. The
study also includes cost analysis and suitability analysis for the selection of optimum treatment location by using
ArcGIS software. The preliminary results show that the current situation generates 473,767 tons of CO2 eq. andthe implementation of the proposed scenarios will significantly reduce this and other emissions.
Keywords: Municipal solid waste management, life cycle assessment, alternative waste management options,suitability analysis

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Presentations by JDS Fellows

December 12

The Life Cycle Assessment of the Municipal Solid Waste Management System
in Yangon City, Myanmar

Tin Min Htoo

Abstract
Yangon City is the largest economic center of Myanmar with about 6 million people in 2016. Current municipal
solid waste management in the City mostly relies on open dumping with many negative environmental impacts.
The City needs to address the new effective municipal solid waste management system. A scenario analysis
by life cycle assessment is used to find the environmental performance of different possible systems focusing
on the waste-to-energy policy. The current management system is the baseline scenario and system boundary
is collection, recycling, biological treatment, incineration plant and landfill. After analyzing the environmental
impacts of the scenarios, the waste-to-energy policy is reviewed by cost-benefit analysis.
Keywords: Municipal solid waste management, waste-to-energy policy, scenario analysis, life cycle assessment,
cost-benefit analysis

Municipal Solid Waste Management in Hanoi: Toward the Application of Life
Cycle Assessment
Vu Van Nam
Abstract
Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam, is the largest city in the country. It is the home of 7.1 million residents.
The urbanization in Hanoi has been accompanied by economic and population growth, which have in turn put
pressure on the municipal solid waste (MSW) management system. In 2011, Hanoi generated 2,800,310 tons of
MSW annually, and collected abount 2,016,223 tons, accounting for about 72% of the total waste generation.
About 8% of the waste is collected by the informal sector. Waste composting and combusting account for 2% and5.4% respectively. The rest of waste (84%) is dumped at the simple disposal sites in the City and its neighboring
places without leachate and gas collection. In order to optimize benefits and minimize the environmental impactsof MSW, this paper focuses on recycling, composting, incineration and sanitary landfills. The study provides
some recommendations for an integrated MSW management system in Hanoi. In doing so, the paper examines
viable scenarios. By using the concept of life cycle assessment, the paper analyzes the potential environmental
and social economic benefits of the system. By using ArcGIS, it attempts to find out the suitable location for
waste treatent and final disposal sites.
Keywords: Municipal solid waste, composting, sanitary landfill, life cycle assessment, ArcGIS

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Presentations by JDS Fellows

December 13

10:45-11:30
Comprehensive Evaluation of the BRT Project from Gazipur to Airport at
Dhaka: With Focus on Environmental Impacts

Begum Swapna

Abstract
Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, is one of congested cities in the world. The rapidly rising population andmotor vehicle ownership along with increasingly complex land use patterns have worsened traffic congestion.
The transport sector in Dhaka is comprised of many different modes of travel, both motorized and nonmotorized, often using the same road space. This has resulted in a high level of operational disorder, significantly
limiting the efficiency and effectiveness of the existing transport system. Moreover, this situation has increased
cost, air pollution and psychological strain, posing a serious risk to the City’s sustainability of its environment.
The projected trip generation per day for the next 20 year period is 159.63 million, which is about eight times
higher than the current trip generation per day [STP]. Therefore, my research aims to introduce a well-organized,
properly scheduled mass transit system (BRT) minimizing the existing problems.
Keywords: Traffic congestion, BRT, STP

The Sector-specific Estimation of Greenhouse Gas Emission using
Environmentally Extended Input-Output Analysis for Sri Lanka

D.A. Anura Kumara Amaradewa

Abstract
The ultimate goal of the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change was the development of a low green house emission
strategy to cope with impacts of global warming. To develop such a strategy, it is imperative to identify andanalyze the structural relationship between industrial energy usage and sectorial green house gas emission suchas CO2. This study attempts to construct the Environmentally Extended Input-Output (I-O) table for Sri Lanka
by using Input-Output tables from 2000 to 2005. It further estimates the induced emission of carbon untill 2015,
based on the simulation of energy consumption in the domestic sector in Sri Lanka. Additionally, it attempts toanalyze three pollutants generated by the consumption of fossil fuels: CO2, SOx, and NOx. Furthermore, thisstudy intends to analyze social and environmental benefits of newly launched the “Soorya Bala Sangramaya”
project, which is intended to mount solar power panels on rooftops for one million families in Sri Lanka.
Keywords: Environmentally Extended Input-Output, green house emission

9

Presentations by JDS Fellows

December 13

The Evaluation of the Cost and Benefit of Adopted Air pollution Strategies in
the Ger Area, Ulaanbaatar City, Mongolia

Gan-Ochir Davaajargal

Abstract
Ulaanbaatar is the coldest capital city in the world. In winter, most residents use raw coal for heating andcooking, leading to the emissions of huge amounts of air pollutants into the atmosphere. As a result, Ulaanbaatar
City’s air quality is 2-3 times higher than national and World Health Organization’s standard values. Recently,
the central and City governments have implementing different types of projects in partnership with donororganizations to reducing the level of air pollution, but results are not promising. My study focuses on the costbenefit analysis and socio-economic analysis of air pollution abatement options in Ulaanbaatar City’s “ger” area.
It will also estimate and compare the cost-benefit ratios of current projects, to identify the most cost effective
project. Both primary and secondary data will be sourced. The results from the study will contribute to policies
and decision-making, concerning future air pollution reduction strategies. It will also help increase publicawareness on air pollution in Ulaanbaatar City.
Keywords: Air pollution, cost benefit analysis, ger area

13:00-13:45
The Benefit Analysis of Integrated Municipal Solid Waste Management forLand Use Planning in Sri Lanka

Siri Karunaratne

Abstract
The rapid increase in solid waste generation has posed a formidable challenge in developing countries. Sri Lanka
has taken many steps to overcome this challenge by assigning the responsibility of solid waste management tolocal bodies in 1987, and the national policy on solid waste management in 2007. However, the implementationof these initiatives has been inadequate and the health and environmental problems associated with improper
waste management have become critical. By 2015, the total generation of municipal solid waste had reached 2,400
tons per day in the country. This study addresses this problem by analyzing the current situation and introducing
alternative viable scenarios based on the integrated solid waste management. A case study area, Kandy City, wasselected based on its rapidly increasing population, waste generation and its location on the central highlands.
Kandy is the third highest solid waste generator in Sri Lanka. The total amount of solid waste reached 177 tons
per day in 2015, of which 66% was derived from commercial activities and 34% from household activities.
About 78.3% of the total waste is organic. The study examines the potential environmental and socio-economic
benefits of viable alternative scenarios by emphasizing on organic waste recovery through composting andbiogasification. The study also identifies optimal location for both waste treatment and final disposal sites on thebasis of GIS data.
Keywords: waste generation, solid waste management, composting, biogasification, optimal location

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Presentations by JDS Fellows

December 13

Evaluating Some Drought Indices for Agricultural Drought Monitoring in Gia
Lai Province, Vietnam

Chu Minh Thu

Abstract
Drought is a natural disaster that frequently attacks Vietnam. The moisture deficiencies in drought years oftencause damage to agricultural production. Thus, drought monitoring plays an important role in mitigating the
agricultural damage. However, very few studies on droughts have been conducted for Vietnam. Gia Lai Province
is located in the Central Highland of Vietnam. This drought-afflicted area is important for coffee production. This
study examines drought in this area by using some drought indices. It also investigates the relationship between
some drought indices and crop yield residuals of Gia Lai Province for the period between 2000 and 2010. This
investigation can help determine the appropriate index for monitoring agricultural drought. Three drought indiceswere selected: the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), the Byram-Keetch Drought Index (BKDI), and the
Crop Drought Index (CDI). SPI is a precipitation-based index. BKDI is a temperature-precipitation based index.
CDI is an index based on evapotranspiration and soil moisture. These indices were computed monthly and every
10 days during the growing season by using meteorological data collected in three stations in the study area.
Crop yield residuals are calculated by departures of crop yield from trend of crop yield. Spring paddy and coffee
were considered to examine the drought indices. The results show that CDI matched the drought events better
than SPI and KBDI. In term of the correlation between crop yield residual and these indices, CDI also performed
the better value than SPI and KBDI. The results also prove that CDI in the development stage can be used todetect agricultural drought in the study area due to the highest relationship with crop yield residual.
Keywords: Agricultural drought, drought monitoring, drought index, crop yield

A Study on Drought Management and Climate Change Adaptation for the Ben
Tre Province in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Le Viet Minh

Abstract
The Mekong Delta is known as a rice basket of Vietnam. It plays a vital role in food security of the country. The
Delta has faced climate change impacts such as sea level rise. It has also been affected by upstream development
activities such as hydropower development and water diversion. Consequently, the drought has happened more
frequently and severely in the dry season since 1998, specifically in 2004, 2010, 2013 and 2016. Moreover, its
combination with saline water intrusion has posed the largest challenge for the Mekong Delta. So, the objectiveof this study is to seek for the holistic and appropriate drought management by using the meteo-hyrologicaland socio-economic data. The approach methods applied are the deviation and composite (multiple regression
analysis) for the relevant drought indices such as the Standardize Precipitation Index (SPI), Streamflow Drought
Index (SDI), Water Level Index (WLI), and Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI). The
expected result identifies the suitable drought index and multi-indicators for the drought monitoring in the
Mekong Delta.
Keywords: Climate change, sea level rise and salinity intrusion, drought monitoring and drought indices11

Presentations by JDS Fellows

December 13

14:00-15:35
The Environmental Implications of the Increase Use of Pesticides among
Smallholder Rice Farmers: A Case Study of the Aveyime Community, Ghana

Jerome Edem Abiemo

Abstract
In the Aveyime community of southern Ghana, smallholder rice farmers in the past used organic pesticides
for controlling pests and diseases, as well as compost and farm yard manure to help replenish the soil’s lost
nutrients. However, with the advent of chemical pesticides, the majority of farmers have become heavily
dependent on them. They focus only on their private costs and benefits without considering the impact of using
pesticides. This paper investigates the negative environmental impacts of pesticides on rice production. It also
estimates and compares the private and social Benefit-Cost Ratios (BCR) of organic and conventional systemsof rice production. This research is based on field survey and secondary data sources. It is expected that the
study will identify and quantify environmental and health costs related to pesticides usage. Recommendations
from this study will help determine future strategies for pesticide monitoring and policy formulation to promote
environmental sustainability in Ghana.
Keywords: Benefit-cost ratio, conventional system, externalities, pesticides.

Rural Development Through the Use of Organic Fertilizer in Agricultural
Production of the Kyrgyz Republic

Rakhat Baibolotov

Abstract
The Kyrgyz Republic is an agricultural country with 66.3% of the population living in rural areas. Of the working
population, about 39.9% is engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry. Because of insufficient education
about new technologies and methods of cultivation, Kyrgyz farmers have not improved productivity. One of thesolutions to this situation is the use of organic fertilizer such as animal manure and green manure. The purposeof this study is to identify the methods of natural farming that Mr. M. Fukuoka wrote about in The One Straw
Revolution. Fukuoka did not use animal manure but the clover, which is called “green manure.” Thus, I want
to focus on green manure. My main aim is to clarify the effects of green manure on soil properties, especiallythe cycle of N, P, K and develop a low-cost and ecological farming method. For the soil survey and analysis,
three soil samples were taken from study farms at the Agricultural Research Center (Tsukuba) in the National
Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO). Two of these samples used green manures such as oat andvetch. The third sample was taken from the soil without using green manures. Then I analyze the effect of green
manures on soil micromorphology, physico-chemical and biological properties.
Keywords: Natural farming, green manure

12Presentations by JDS Fellows

December 13

Comprehensive Evaluation of Biochar Application in Rice Production in Ghana

Ernest Ohene Nkansah

Abstract
Biochar’s high porosity, negative surface charge, nutrient rich and carbon sequestration potential, makes it an
option for enhancing agricultural yields and reducing global warming. However, the introduction of biochar tofarming faces a lot of challenges and uncertainty. Biochar is defined as a carbonaceous substance created throughpyrolysis of biomass which is produced with the intent to apply to soil for agricultural and environmental
management. This research seeks to access the profitability of biochar in rice production by comparing socialand private cost against their respective benefits in a cost benefit analysis. The result is expected to confirm thecost effectiveness of the new technology in Ghana.
Keywords: Biochar

Weights and Measures at the Local Market in Ghana

Adwoa Oforiwa Antwi

Abstract
In many commercial transactions, agricultural commodities are evaluated on the basis of weights and measures.
However, these transactions at local markets of Ghana revolve around ad hoc volume measures by the useof merchants’ baskets and plastic containers. The importance of a standard weight and measures system is aprerequisite nearly for all aspect of economic growth. Improving weights and measures requires the further
understanding of not only government’s role but also the roles and perceptions of consumers, retailers
and wholesalers. This research employs different scenarios to understand key stakeholders perception andinterpretation about weights and measure of three main vegetables and rice in Berekum Municipality, Ghana.
Keywords: Agriculture, Ghana, market, weight and measures13