Fan Li, Dangui Li, Maarten Voors, Shuyi Feng, Weifeng Zhang and Nico Heerink
Soil nutrient management and fertilizer use by farmers are important for sustainable grain production. The authors examined the effect of an experimental agricultural extension…
Abstract
Purpose
Soil nutrient management and fertilizer use by farmers are important for sustainable grain production. The authors examined the effect of an experimental agricultural extension program, the science and technology backyard, in promoting sustainable soil nutrient management in the North China Plain (NCP). The science and technology backyard integrates farmer field schools, field demonstrations, and case-to-case counselling to promote sustainable farming practices among rural smallholders.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted a large-scale household survey of more than 2,000 rural smallholders. The authors used a multivariate regression analysis as the benchmark to assess the effect of the science-and-technology backyard on smallholder soil nutrient management. Furthermore, the authors used coarse exact matching (CEM) methods to control for potential bias due to self-selection and the (endogenous) switching regression approach as the main empirical analysis.
Findings
The results show that the science-and-technology backyard program increased smallholders' wheat yield by approximately 0.23 standard deviation; however, no significant increase in maize yield was observed. Regarding soil nutrient use efficiency, the authors found a significant improvement in smallholders' phosphorus and potassium use efficiencies for both wheat and maize production, and a significant improvement in nitrogen use efficiency for wheat production, but no significant improvement of nitrogen use efficiency for maize production.
Originality/value
This study evaluated a novel participatory agricultural extension model to improve soil nutrient management practices among smallholders. The integration of agronomists' scientific knowledge and smallholders' local contextual experiences could be an effective way to improve farmers' soil nutrient management. This study provides the first quantitative estimates based on rigorous impact assessment methods of this novel extension approach in rural China.
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There are several small territories in the Caribbean that have not yet gained their independence and remain under the control of a metropolitan power. These include the…
Abstract
There are several small territories in the Caribbean that have not yet gained their independence and remain under the control of a metropolitan power. These include the territories governed by the United Kingdom (UK) and the Netherlands. This chapter analyses the way in which education policy and reform are enacted in these quite unusual circumstances – with pressures and influences both from the territories and their respective metropoles. The chapter is constructed around two interlinked parts. The first considers the broader political and economic relationships that exist, and the place that education has within them. Both the UK and the Netherlands use language, such as, “partnership,” “prosperity,” and “renewal” to describe their approach to the territories, including in relation to the education sector. However, both governments have used different mechanisms to facilitate change – the British have a slightly more detached approach, while the Dutch are more hands-on. This has important implications for the way in which education is managed in their territories and the consequences that result – and these issues are explored further in the second part of the chapter. By focusing particularly on the Dutch BES (Bonaire, Saint Eustatius, and Saba) islands and Bermuda (a UK Overseas Territory), the chapter traces the contours of recent education reforms, and evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of the particular approaches taken. The more flexible approach of the UK is perhaps preferable, but here too concerns are raised about neocolonialism and the lack of sensitivity when it comes to local norms and practices.
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Sociology of sport does not exist as a (sub)discipline or course of study in the Netherlands. Scholars who call themselves sport sociologists engage in a variety of research and…
Abstract
Sociology of sport does not exist as a (sub)discipline or course of study in the Netherlands. Scholars who call themselves sport sociologists engage in a variety of research and related publication activities. Many of these might not strictly fit under some understandings of the title “sociology” since they focus on sport management, policy implementation, and change. In this chapter, I describe how sociology of sport research tends to be defined and how that research is used to defend government spending on sport participation. This instrumental approach means the results of Dutch research using critical perspectives are often heard only internationally. I explain how the structure of Dutch academia, which limits the number of associate professors and professors, relies primarily on external funding for research and makes such funding difficult to obtain if it does not fit within a specified perspective, and limits who is able to engage in research and the type of research that is produced. I show how this structure in combination with the emphasis on an instrumental function of sport has largely shaped much of the research and has limited the use of a variety of theoretical frameworks and the development of a robust and coherent body of knowledge about the sociology of sport in the Netherlands.
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– The purpose of this article is to discuss transnational organized crime (TOC) and the relationship to good governance in the Caribbean.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to discuss transnational organized crime (TOC) and the relationship to good governance in the Caribbean.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is exploratory. It follows a path of inductive reasoning, from observation of the eight global cases to a broader general analysis and the development of a theoretical framework or ideal type.
Findings
The influence of TOC on governance in the Caribbean is worrying. Normative theories of democracy, public administration and governance no longer apply. Economic growth diminishes, unemployment rises, crime rises.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the understanding of the impact of TOC on good governance especially on Small Island Developing States in the Caribbean.
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Maaike de Waal, Jochem Lesparre, Ryan Espersen and Ruud Stelten
Archaeological predictive maps can be valuable tools for planning officers, spatial developers and archaeologists. In 2012, the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science…
Abstract
Purpose
Archaeological predictive maps can be valuable tools for planning officers, spatial developers and archaeologists. In 2012, the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science asked the St Eustatius Center for Archaeological Research (SECAR) to create archaeological predictive maps for St Eustatius and Saba. The maps were supposed to contribute to more effective management and protection of archaeological sites. The maps were published in 2013 and 2015. The purpose of this paper is to address the question whether the subsequent use of these maps has indeed improved site management and protection.
Design/methodology/approach
The evaluation proceeded by identifying the users and applications of the maps through questionnaires and an internet search engine, along with follow-up interviews with heritage professionals on both islands.
Findings
The use of the predictive maps has not yet contributed to improved management and protection of archaeological sites on St Eustatius and Saba. Suggestions have been made to ameliorate this situation and to ensure the preservation of archaeological heritage for future generations.
Originality/value
The creation of archaeological predictive maps can be an important step towards improving management and protection of archaeological heritage, education and heritage awareness. This is important for St Eustatius and Saba, islands that are characterised by vulnerable archaeological heritage, rapid spatial development and a lack of efficient protection measures. This paper points to the importance of follow-up efforts to ensure effective site management and protection.
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Maarten de Jong and Alfred T. Ho
This study analyzes the scope and magnitude of the budgetary responses of 17 developed countries to the COVID-19 pandemic and examines whether policy responses in March–June, 2020…
Abstract
Purpose
This study analyzes the scope and magnitude of the budgetary responses of 17 developed countries to the COVID-19 pandemic and examines whether policy responses in March–June, 2020 are correlated with economic and fiscal conditions in these countries. It also suggests a few foreseeable economic, budgetary and social challenges and a future research agenda for assessing the pandemic's impact on finance and governance.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses documents from different sources, including the IMF and the OECD, to analyze systematically the COVID-19 budgetary responses of different countries. It also uses data from the IMF and the European CDC to analyze the relationship between budgetary responses and the seriousness of the pandemic in different countries.
Findings
This study shows that budgetary and fiscal responses to the COVID-19 pandemic varied in magnitude but had many similarities in policy types across countries. The magnitude of the response is not significantly correlated with fiscal conditions but is positively correlated with the pandemic caseload and negatively with medium-term expenditure planning, healthcare spending and anticipated unemployment changes. The study concludes by discussing the medium- and long-term concerns of these policies, such as the growing debt concerns, the seeming irrelevancy of fiscal discipline in influencing the pandemic response, the setbacks on anti-poverty and equity enhancing initiatives in developing countries and the hidden social costs as a result of postponing the necessary responses to industrial restructuring and the global climate change problems.
Research limitations/implications
This study offers an initial comparative analysis of COVID-19 budgetary responses among developed nations. It also provides a critical and long-term perspective of these policies. The study suggests what future research may do to analyze the factors that influence the magnitude of COVID-19 responses and the long-term social and political implications of these policies.
Practical implications
It discusses the long-term concerns of COVID-19 budgetary responses and suggests policymakers to have more open and transparent debates about difficult choices. It provides examples of creative solutions in pandemic responses to transition to a future economy and society that can be more sustainable, resilient and equitable. It also urges policymakers to pay more attention to democratic governance challenges.
Social implications
The study highlights a few social concerns about the budgetary responses so far, such as deteriorating pension funding gaps, setbacks on anti-poverty initiatives in developing countries and hidden social costs by postponing the necessary responses to industrial restructuring and global climate change problems. It also discusses how COVID-19 reveals a lot of inequity problems in society that need long-term budgetary investment.
Originality/value
This study offers a systematic comparative analysis of COVID-19 budgetary responses among developed nations. It also provides a critical and long-term perspective of these policies and challenges policymakers and budgeters to think more creatively to address foreseeable economic, budgetary and social challenges.
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Maarten Vansteenkiste, Nathalie Aelterman, Leen Haerens and Bart Soenens
Given the complexity of societal, technological, and economic challenges encountered by schools and teachers, one may wonder whether and how teachers can still optimally motivate…
Abstract
Given the complexity of societal, technological, and economic challenges encountered by schools and teachers, one may wonder whether and how teachers can still optimally motivate their students. To adopt a motivating role in today’s ever-changing, even stormy, educational landscape, teachers need more than a checklist of motivating practices. They also need a fundamental theoretical perspective that can serve as a general source of inspiration for their everyday classroom practices across various situations and in interaction with different students. Herein, we argue that self-determination theory represents such a valuable perspective. In Part I, we discuss the satisfaction of learners’ psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness as a source of student motivation, engagement, and resilience. We also present a recently developed circular model involving a broad variety of motivating (i.e., need-supportive) and demotivating (i.e., need-thwarting) teaching practices appealing to these three needs. In Part II, we discuss several implications of this circular model, thereby discussing the diverse pathways that lead to student need satisfaction, motivation, and engagement as well as highlighting teachers’ capacity for calibration to deal with uncertainty and change. We conclude that school principals and teachers do well to invest in both students’ and teachers’ psychological need experiences, such that they become skilled in flexibly adjusting themselves to diversity, uncertainty, and change.
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This chapter examines the Netherlands’ challenges in safeguarding its low-lying coastline against rising sea levels and the consequences of coastal defense strategies on marine…
Abstract
This chapter examines the Netherlands’ challenges in safeguarding its low-lying coastline against rising sea levels and the consequences of coastal defense strategies on marine life, particularly in relation to SDG14. Sea-level rise necessitates increased soft coastal defense strategies, affecting seafloor areas and marine biodiversity through sand extraction and sand nourishments. The use of hard structures for coastal defense contributes to the loss of natural coastal habitats, raising biodiversity concerns. The chapter explores the potential benefits of artificial hard surfaces as marine habitats, emphasising the need for careful design to prevent ecological problems caused by invasive species. Strategies for enhancing biodiversity on human-made hard substrate structures, including material variations, hole drilling, and adaptations, are discussed. The ecological impact of marine sand extraction is examined, detailing its effects on benthic fauna, sediment characteristics, primary production, and fish and shrimp populations. Solutions proposed include improved design for mining areas, ecosystem-based rules for extraction sites, and ecologically enriched extraction areas. The ecosystem effects of marine sand nourishments are also analysed, considering the impact on habitat suitability for various species. The chemical effects of anaerobic sediment and recovery challenges are addressed. Mitigation measures, such as strategic nourishment location and timing, adherence to local morphology, and technical solutions, are suggested. The chapter underscores the importance of education in Nature-based Solutions and announces the launch of a new BSc programme in Marine Sciences at Wageningen University & Research, integrating social and ecological knowledge to address challenges in seas, oceans, and coastal regions and support SDG14 goals.
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One in every five of the almost 17 million inhabitants in the Netherlands is a first- or second-generation migrant. The largest immigrant groups with a non-Western background are…
Abstract
One in every five of the almost 17 million inhabitants in the Netherlands is a first- or second-generation migrant. The largest immigrant groups with a non-Western background are Turks Moroccans, Surinamese and Antilleans. Their labour market position is precarious, as is indicated by higher levels of unemployment, larger dependency on temporary (rather than fixed) contracts and lower job levels. Substantial part of the migrants perceives that their weaker position is due to discrimination. Statistical analyses and field experiments show discrimination in hiring and indicate that part of the differential position of migrant workers in the Dutch labour market may be attributed to discrimination as well. At the work floor, migrants experience more discrimination than native Dutch, mostly in the form of hurtful jokes. Research that focuses on more discrimination grounds shows that ethnic background is not the only, nor the most important ground of perceived discrimination. Age and disability are also major grounds of perceived discrimination. Discrimination is a heavily debated topic that polarizes political debate and public opinion. It has shown to have mobilizing powers in politics. The high levels of public attention for the topic not only spurs citizens’ initiatives and governmental policies for combating it but may also facilitate recognition of discriminatory practices resulting in relatively high levels of perceived discrimination within a European context.