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Steigende Unsicherheitswahrnehmungen im höheren Alter korrespondieren kaum mit der objektiven Kriminalitätsrate oder dem Risiko, Opfer einer Straftat zu werden. Vielmehr beeinflussen das Gefühl der eigenen Verletzbarkeit, die Wahrnehmungen im Wohnquartier und die Beziehungen zur Nachbarschaft das subjektive Sicherheitsempfinden Älterer in besonderem Maße. Für die Soziale Arbeit eröffnet sich damit ein neues Themenfeld, denn das individuelle Sicherheitsempfinden wirkt sich unweigerlich auf die eigene Lebensqualität und auf die Teilhabechancen im Alter aus. Fachkräfte der Sozialen Arbeit können dabei kriminalpräventive und fachliche Methoden kombinieren, um sozialraumorientierte und zielgruppenadäquate Maßnahmen zur Verbesserung der Sicherheitslage älterer Menschen in die Praxis zu integrieren.
Dieses Praxishandbuch verbindet kriminologisches Grundlagenwissen zur objektiven und subjektiven Sicherheit älterer Menschen mit praxisorientierten Handlungsansätzen der Sozialen Arbeit. Es richtet sich an Fachkräfte der Sozialen Arbeit, Multiplikatorinnen und Multiplikatoren im Gemeinwesen sowie Akteure der Kriminalprävention.
Die 10. Jahrestagung des Förderkreises Rückversicherung fand am 7. Juli 2017 in Niederkassel bei Köln statt. Etwa 80 Repräsentanten der in dem Förderkreis mitwirkenden (Rück-) Versicherungsunternehmen sowie eingeladene Gäste nahmen daran teil. Im Rahmen der Jahrestagung wurde zum dritten Mal der Researchers‘ Corner durchgeführt, in dessen Verlauf neun der in der Kölner Forschungsstelle Rückversicherung beschäftigten Wissenschaftlichen Mitarbeiter je einen Kurzvortrag zu dem individuellen Forschungsprojekt hielten. Des Weiteren führte von Prof. Materne Interviews mit den Herren Lorenz Kielwein und Frank Baumann. Kielwein berichtete über die Anwendung der mathematischen Systemtheorie auf Change Management Prozesse und Baumann aus der Erfahrung seiner 30-jährigen Tätigkeit bei der Gothaer. In drei Sessions wurden jeweils parallel drei Kurzvorträge mit Poster gehalten und im Anschluss diskutiert. Die Heterogenität der vorgetragenen Themenschwerpunkte der Mitarbeiter spiegelt die Verzahnung der Forschungstheorie mit der Praxistätigkeit wider. In den Sessions haben folgende Vortragende in deutscher und englischer Sprache gesprochen:
Runde 1
a) Fabian Pütz (M.Sc.)
Alternative Capital und Basisrisiko in der Standardformel (non-life) von Solvency II
b) Manuel Dietmann (M.Sc.)
SFCR: Erkenntnisse zur erstmaligen Veröffentlichung
c) Jan Böggemann (B.Sc.)
Optimierung des Einkaufs fakultativer Rückversicherung eines Industrieversicherers
Runde 2
a) Robert Joniec (M.Sc.)
Actuarial Swap
b) Lucas Kaiser (M.Sc.)
Auswirkung verschiedener Determinanten auf das Rating von Rückversicherungs-unternehmen
c) Lihong Wang (M.Sc., FCII)
Chinese Automobile Vehicle Recall Insurance
Runde 3
a) Sebastian Hoos (M.Sc., FCII)
Kritische Analyse der Praxisanwendung der Ereignisdefinition
b) Fabian Lassen (B.A.)
Beschäftigte in der Rückversicherungsindustrie - Deutschland und USA
c) Kai-Olaf Knocks (M.A., FCII)
Autonomes Fahren - Evolution oder Revolution ?
Dazu ist die Arbeit eines weiteren Mitarbeiters gekommen, der leider aus logistischen Gründen sein
Forschungsprojekt an einem Poster aushängen, jedoch keinen Kurzvortrag halten konnte.
Posterbeitrag
d) Wolfgang Koch (B.A.)
Public Private Partnership in Schwellen- und Entwicklungsländern
Unser Dank gilt den Fördermittelgebern, die diese Veranstaltung erst ermöglichen und den Wissenschaftlern die Forschung zu ermöglichen.
Der Rückversicherungsmarkt steht derzeit vor großen Herausforderungen und starken Veränderungen. Die Kölner Forschungsstelle Rückversicherung analysiert die aktuellen Entwicklungen des Rückversicherungsmarktes und begleitet diese gegebenenfalls durch orschungsprojekte. Dabei verbindet die Kölner Forschungsstelle Rückversicherung ihre orschungsaktivitäten mit der Rückversicherungspraxis. Dabei wird ein bidirektionaler Wissenstransfer zwischen Theorie und Praxis betrieben. Die Organisation und Durchführung des jährlichen Kölner Rückversicherungs-Symposiums und der Jahrestagung des Förderkreises Rückversicherung gehören ebenfalls zu den Aufgaben der Forschungsstelle. Die Inhalte dieser beiden Veranstaltungen sowie die bearbeiteten orschungsprojekte fließen in die Lehre an dem Institut für Versicherungswesen ein und omplettieren so die praxisorientierte Ausbildung in dem Bereich der Rückversicherung. In der Kölner Forschungsstelle Rückversicherung sind derzeit sieben forschende und
zwei koordinierende Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter beschäftigt. Dabei werden sämtliche Sach- und Personalkosten vollständig aus Drittmitteln des Förderkreises Rückversicherung finanziert.
Dem Förderkreis Rückversicherung, der Hochschulleitung und -verwaltung sowie den Mitarbeitern der Kölner Forschungsstelle Rückversicherung gilt unser Dank für alle Unterstützung der Forschungsprojekte und Veranstaltungen im vergangenen Jahr.
Die Blockchain ist nicht nur im Bereich der Finanzwelt angekommen, auch andere Branchen versuchen sich an ihrer Anwendung. In diesem Artikel werden Konzepte und Modelle von Blockchain-Anwendungen außerhalb des Finanzbereichs vorgestellt, indem die zugehörigen Veröffentlichungen referiert und diskutiert werden. Die Anwendungsbereiche variieren aktuell über den Schutz persönlicher Daten bis zur Sicherung und Überwachung von Nahrungsmittelproduktionsketten.
Im Rahmen dieser Bachelorarbeit an der Technischen Hochschule Köln, deren Bearbeitungszeit vom 20.1.2017 bis 24.3.2017 ist, wird durch ein technisches Experiment geprüft, ob diverse Technologien zur 3D-Erfassung und Rekonstruktion geeignet sind Gebäudeinnenräume so zu erkunden, dass die Gefahrenabwehr dadurch einen höheren Nutzen hat, als es bei einer persönlichen oder autonomen Videoerkundung der Fall ist. Dies soll vor allem dann helfen, wenn Gebäude nicht mehr betreten werden sollten, wie es beispielsweise der Fall ist, wenn das Gebäude durch Erdbebenschäden einsturzgefährdet oder mit Gasen kontaminiert ist. 3D-Modelle einer Umgebung haben u.a. den Vorteil, dass problemlos neue Blickwinkel eingenommen, Maße ermittelt und Planungen für Rettungseinsätze oder Evakuierungen effizienter durchgeführt werden können, ohne Bildmaterial aufwendig zu sichten. Zudem können die Ergebnisse für spätere Evaluationen und Trainings genutzt werden. Um diese Geeignetheit festzustellen werden Beurteilungskriterien erarbeitet, die ein potentielles System erfüllen muss. Diese Kriterien sind: Günstig in der Beschaffung, Zeit bis zu einer 3D-Darstellung, leichte Bedienbarkeit, Qualität bzw. Informationsgewinnung aus der Darstellung (Erkennung von Zugängen und Personen), Lieferung von Zusatzinformationen (beispielsweise Maßangaben) und ob das System Online oder Offline funktionsfähig ist. Um diese Kriterien beurteilen zu können, werden Systeme der drei Haupttechnologien in der 3D-Erfassung (Laserscanner GeoSLAM ZEB-REVO, RGB-D-Kamera Microsoft Kinect und FARO Freestyle3D, Fotogrammetrie mit der Software Agisoft PhotoScan) in einem Versuch überprüft. Dabei wird das Labor für Großschadensereignisse der Technischen Hochschule Köln, der angrenzende Flur und das angrenzende Treppenhaus gescannt bzw. erfasst und rekonstruiert, wobei die nötigen Daten ermittelt werden. Dabei stellt sich heraus, dass der FARO Freestyle3D mit seiner RGB-D-Technologie und der Software FARO Scene als einziges System alle Kriterien erfüllt und somit für den Zweck der Erkundung in diesem Kontext geeignet ist. Der Microsoft Kinect Sensor mit der Software FARO Scene hat, durch Fehler in der Rekonstruktion, Schwächen in der Darstellungsqualität. Dies gilt auch für die Kombination aus GeoS-LAM ZEB-REVO/CloudCompare, da hiermit kein Farbscan erstellt werden kann und somit eine Erkennung von Objekten (z.B. geschlossene Türen) erschwert wird. Die Fotogrammetrie dauert mit einer Berechnungsdauer von ca. 38 Stunden zu lange, um in Notfallsituationen einen Nutzen zu bieten und liefert außerdem falsche Maßangaben.
Nicht näher betrachtet wird in dieser Arbeit die (autonome) Erkundung durch Roboter oder Drohnen, die die Geräte transportieren können, Strom- und Datenübertragungsproblematiken, andere ergänzende Sensortechniken und die Erkundung in dunkler Umgebung.
Das vorliegende Paper fasst die Erkenntnisse zum Einsatz von Online-Marketing für B2B Unternehmen zusammen.
Es basiert auf der Bachelorarbeit von Frau Lena-Marie Mikat, die von September 2017 bis Januar 2018 von Prof. Dr. Monika Engelen betreut wurde. Neben einer Recherche der grundlegenden Theorie wurden die Online-Präsenzen der 25 größten B2B-Unternehmen des Oberbergischen Kreises analysiert.
Der Kerninhalt dieses Papers ist wie B2B Unternehmen von Online-Marketing anwen-den können. Dabei liegt der Fokus auf die Websitegestaltung für B2B-Unternehmen mit Tipps zur strategischen Planung und operativen Gestaltung.
Amboseli-Tsavo Ecosystem is a unique landscape in Kenya’s semi-arid rangelands to the border of Tanzania. It is characterized by high abundances of wildlife which frequently disperses between three National Parks, namely Amboseli, Tsavo West and Chyulu Hills. Due to an increased population and a land-use change from prior nomadic pastoralism to sedentary farming activities, the land became highly fragmented and transformed into a human-dominated area. Increasingly wildlife migration routes are becoming blocked, leading to isolation of the National Parks and multiplied human-wildlife conflicts. The African elephant (Loxodonta africana) is sadly famous as the most common conflict animal causing damage to properties, cropland and injuring or killing livestock and, in the worst case, people. However, elephants are at the same time a flagship species and represent the backbone for tourism activities around Amboseli. Therefore, the elephant is both a very valuable and problematic asset in the area. Unfortunately, wildlife conservation practices over the last decades, favoring animals over humans, have led to a negative perception of wildlife among the population in the ecosystem which challenges appropriate conservation mechanisms.
To maintain the tourism attraction of viewing elephants and to minimise the conflicts between local communities and animals, migration routes should remain open. The concept of landscape connectivity ensures biodiversity conservation, particularly for far-distance migration animals such as elephants. The elephant was therefore chosen as a keystone species in this study on which the analysis is based.
Using a least-cost path analysis (LCP) in ArcGIS, “cheapest” travel routes of Loxodonta africana between the three National Parks were identified. Factors included were selected and weighted by information gathered in expert interviews. Satellite imagery were classified using ESA SNAP toolbox to obtain vegetation covers and waterbodies for two different seasons (dry and wet), aiming to illustrate the temporal variability of potential connectivity paths. Additionally, key informant interviews and interviews of Group Ranch members around Amboseli National Park were conducted to gather information regarding the current state of management in the ecosystem and perceptions about wildlife management. A subsequent SWOT Analysis on three optimum routes obtained through LCP, takes the social-political factors and information obtained into account to discuss the different options for their conflict solving potential.
On the one hand, recommendations resulting from this study identify possible elephant migration routes that should be maintained by using a participatory conservation approach to secure landscape connectivity in long-term. On the other hand, management recommendations include a design for improved relationships between Group Ranch members and the responsible governmental institutions by equally distributing benefits, implementing financial benefits and establishing a functioning and adequate compensation scheme. By ensuring peoples’ active participation in conservation and wildlife management, a more positive attitude towards wildlife might be induced, which will positively influence the wildlife conflict in long run.
Researchers are always looking for innovative ways to collect the environmental data and ease the process of data collection on the field. Advancement in sensor technologies and drones has led to easy technological access to design custom solutions even with basic electronics and technical knowledge. This paper documents, construction and working of “ITT Smart Sense”, which is a low power, easy to use and cost effective environment monitoring system using wireless sensor network that runs autonomously on battery power for an extended period of time. Along with that, a UAV based platform, titled “ITT Smart Sense Fly”, focused on environmental monitoring and scientific research and is tailored to the needs of researchers has been proposed in this paper. This platform is comprised of an autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)/Drone with a camera sensor, an autopilot mobile app for mission planning and other required Photogrammetry tools. The drone navigates over the area of interest based on a pre-programmed flight plan and captures a series of photographs using the on-board camera. The collected image data set is processed to create orthomosaics, high resolution maps and 3D point cloud. The proposed solutions were demonstrated with three distinct case studies.
Carbon Sequestration under different land uses and soils in the State of Quintana Roo, Mexico
(2017)
Rising in global temperature is evidently related to atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) concentrations; this has become an environmental problem. The use of renewable energy, the development of eco-friendly merchandise and the enforcement of biomass management have been proposed to mitigate the issue. In the ecosphere, the pedosphere stores 1,500 to 2,500 PgC, which is four times more than the carbon stored in biomass; hence, it is very important to carry out soil carbon studies because of more long-term stability of such storage. In the study, soil carbon quantification was applied to the entire state of Quintana Roo, using a purpose oriented sampling, to observe the dynamic between land uses and soils, relating all relevant characteristics and properties of the landscape. To study the carbon content stored in soils, total carbon was estimated through loss-on-ignition, organic carbon by Walkley-Black method and inorganic carbon by calcium carbonate determination. The result portrays that the coastal dune vegetation-Arenosol (1,256 Mg C ha-1) is the combination with the highest soil carbon density, while Leptosol is the soil type with the highest storage capacity (852 MtC). Consequently, the soil carbon storage not only relates to soil properties but also associates with the surface area occupied by the specific soil type. In addition, the characteristics of the landscape play an important role in the storage of soil carbon. Due to that, soil carbon storage can be explained by biogeomorphoedaphic factors.
Ghana’s timber industries have traditionally focussed on certifying international demand (exports) to the detriment of domestic wood consumption. The legal wood supply to the domestic market has become insufficient to satisfy the growing needs of the local population. This research aims at gaining greater insight into the sources of wood supply to Ghana’s domestic wood markets focusing on the contribution of legal wood by the mainstream timber companies.
The study used random and purposive sampling techniques for selecting the respondents in the domestic wood market, wood producers as well as consumers. Additionally, the views of the respondents were sought through well semi-structured questionnaires. On the other hand, views from key informants, mostly experts, and regulators in Ghana’s wood industry were solicited through interviews.
The result indicates that the formal timber processors supply 73% of their processed lumber to the export market and 27% to the domestic market. The destination of the 27% is both the domestic market and other lumber demanded sectors especially large scale construction and furniture companies. The carving industry on other hand obtains wood directly from the farmers and not necessary from the domestic wood market. At the domestic timber market, dealers receive lumber supply from both formal (16. 7%) and informal (83.3%) sources.
The domestic wood sector provides livelihood support to both wood dealers, consumers as well as artisans. About 70% of respondents (wood dealers) used in the survey have no other source of livelihood for existence except wood business.
Owing to the immense contribution of the domestic wood market to the country’s economy and developmental agenda, a calls for policy review especially 20% supply of formal processed lumber to the domestic market is timely. Additionally, looking at the various interventions to curtail illegal chain saw and the continued market demand, the study believes more regulated measures will better help the nation to grasped huge revenue lost as a result of illegalities to embark on vigorous afforestation programs to sustain the domestic wood market.
This thesis is aimed for finding a solution for non-gaming application of Virtual Reality technology in data visualization and analysis. Starting by reconstructing the concept of Virtual Reality, the paper then describes the principles, concepts and techniques of designing a Virtual Reality application. In the last part of the thesis, a detailed description of how a prototype implemented is presented to provide a preview of how data visualization and analysis and Virtual Reality technology can be combined together in order to enable users to perceive and comprehend data in a possibly better way.
LA FERDINANDA (in der Mitte des Ozeans...), ein 1981 von Rebecca Horn
bemaltes Glasobjekt ist aufgrund seines Erhaltungszustandes nicht mehr
ausstellungsfähig. Aufbauend auf Untersuchungen zu künstlerischem Kontext,
verwendeten Materialien, Werkprozess und Erhaltungszustand wurde ein
Restaurierungskonzept entwickelt. Den Schwerpunkt der Arbeit stellt die
Konsolidierung des schwach gebundenen Farbauftrages auf dem Glasträger dar.
Hierfür wurden umfangreiche Versuchsreihen angelegt und bewertet. Die besten
Ergebnisse konnten mit einem Konsolidierungsmittel auf Basis des
siliciumorganischen ORMOCER-G in Mischung mit Paraloid B72 erzielt werden.
Die Applikation erfolgte mit einem Dosiergerät.
Mitarbeitermotivation in Start-Ups - Theoretischer Rahmen und praktische Handlungsempfehlungen
(2017)
Das vorliegende Paper fasst die Erkenntnisse zu Möglichkeiten der Mitarbeitermotivation in Start-Ups zusammen.
Es basiert auf der Bachelorarbeit von Herrn William Bork, die von Mai bis Juli 2017 von Prof. Dr. Monika Engelen betreut wurde. Neben einer Recherche der grundlegenden Theorie wurden die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse durch explorative Interviews mit Start-Ups ergänzt.
Der Kerninhalt dieses Papers ist sowohl das Verständnis für die Bedeutung von Arbeitsmotivation zu verdeutlichen als auch konkrete Ansätze zur positiven Beeinflussung der Arbeitsmotivation für Start-Ups aufzuzeigen.
Das vorliegende Paper fasst die Erkenntnisse zum Einsatz von Social Media für Start-Ups zusammen.
Es basiert auf der Bachelorarbeit von Frau Alexandra Schütz, die von Mai bis Juli 2017 von Prof. Dr. Monika Engelen betreut wurde. Neben einer Recherche der grundlegenden Theorie wurden die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse durch explorative Interviews mit Start-Ups ergänzt.
Der Kerninhalt dieses Papers ist die Anwendung von Social Media Marketing insbesondere für Start-Ups mit Tipps zur strategischen Planung und operativen Gestaltung von Social Media Beiträgen.
For sustainable climate, an exponential growth in renewable heating and cooling is compulsory to reduce consumption of the fossil fuels for production of heat. An essential step from European Commission as an introduction of the strategy for renewable heat has
given a platform to the solar thermal market to tap the highest possible potential. To grab the opportunity given, capacity of the production is to be increased as well as reduction in cost of solar thermal product is to be achieved by any suitable alternate means. Polymer
based hybrid collector, named as OPVT collector, is the innovation from Fraunhofer Institute of Solar Energy Systems to break the road blocks for the solar thermal market. A polymer solar cell and a polymer solar thermal collector, both, technologies have tendency
of high initial investments and extremely low running cost in business. The aims of this study were to develop a calculation tool for determination of production cost of different OPVT collector concepts and evaluate their potential with reference to market size. The tool was expected to be uniform for all possible concepts of OPVT collector and flexible in
usage during the early stage of technological development. In this study, “Microsoft Excel” software based calculation tool is developed for estimation of production cost for different concepts. A Car washing station for water based OPVT collector and a bus station for air based OPVT collector are found be most suitable for start-up of the business. The analysis of results has highlighted that the minimum cost of OPVT collector can be referenced as its material cost. The OPVT collector business has huge potential and
possibility of early break-even point in the
production. As production costs are sensitive to
material costs, input values to the tool must be accurate. Presence of dominance of the material cost
is due to high cost of OPV. In industry, OPV is still being considered as the technological product instead the commodity product. This market potential study for
OPVT collector technology has been the important step in giving the confidence to solar thermal, polymer and plastic processing industries for business investment.
Keywords – OPVT collector, production cost, calculation tool, market size
Development of renewable energy projects within photovoltaic energy sector has reached unrestrainable pace in recent years and thus the investors are more vigilantly considering the further business deployment towards this sector. Underpinned with clear support from KfW Development Bank, the company MACS Energy & Water GmbH decided to facilitate future verification of credit lines towards these projects by deploying special eSaveTM software which would include technical and financial appraisals specially designed for their clients. Hereof this thesis comprises the initial phase development of this software within the MS Excel and endeavors to provide a proper guideline for the software engineers included in this task in the company. In order to simplify the explanation process this report sticks to 50 kW power plant project in Prokuplje. It is anticipated that this model would enhance, improve and expedite the feasibility analysis between the cooperatives by delivering the projections of energy yield, payback periods and sensitivity analysis of the loan conditions specified for the target country and PV projects in the same. However, besides this main task this report aims to fulfill all the other necessary prerequisites for accomplishing a good due diligence practice. Therefore the thesis places its focus to Republic of Serbia where exceptional due diligence reports were made, among which the Prokuplje project, and compiles the assessments in terms of legal, environmental and risk into one general framework for PV projects in this country. By doing so, the desktop-based model and results obtained with this user-friendly tool can lean on the full due diligence assessment and provide the reader a clear comprehensive overview of possibility to invest into this renewable energy sector in Republic of Serbia.
Keywords: PV, Due diligence, Serbia, eSaveTM, feasibility, model
This thesis presents the perspective and basis for modeling of retail electricity price components in Germany. Detailed Python models are developed to provide predictions for yearly development of average network charges, EEG, StromNEV-19 and KWK surcharges for the period 2015-2035. For network charges and EEG surcharge, scenario-B (2035) from NEP2015 has been chosen as the model scenario. For KWK surcharge, the 2025 KWK share target, set by KWKG-2016, has been chosen as the model scenario. Individual component model results are validated against available academic literature and institutional reports. Model results for EEG surcharge, indicate an increasing yearly EEG costs till 2024, after which the expiring EEG plants of past will unburden the related high costs and EEG surcharge will drop but still be around 99% of 2015 level in 2035. Model results for network charges indicate a consistently increasing yearly trend owing to high grid investments needed for reaching the target RE share of 57%. KWK model results also indicate a growing KWK surcharge until 2020 which then would remain stagnant at that level onwards. All model results are collected under three consumption categories, namely, households, privileged and nonprivileged industries. The final results indicate that the average German household will face an overall increase of around 3.37 Cents/kWh in retail electricity prices (excluding VAT) till 2028, after which the retail prices will drop a little due to dropping EEG surcharge. The similar but slightly reduced trend can be seen for nonprivileged industrial consumption. The increment effect, however, is only minute for privileged industrial consumption due to high exemptions in EEG & KWK surcharges and reduced individual network charges.
The present thesis research was focused on the assessment of hydrological drought in the Tempisque-Bebedero catchment system in Costa Rica as part of the TropiSeca project framework. The study area is in the province of Guanacaste and has an extension of 5449.94 Km2, the region is characterized by a defined wet and dry season resulting in a marked seasonality in precipitation and streamflow regime which provokes frequent periods of water deficits considered as drought.
The main objective of this research is to conduct an analysis on hydrological drought in the study area through the understanding of the behavior of hydrological cycle and its implications for the rice sector by applying different drought indices such as Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Streamflow Drought Index (SDI). From the values obtained in the calculation of drought indices were studied the temporal distribution and spatial distribution based on the characterization of drought periods in terms of frequency, severity, duration, and seasonality.
For the characterization of meteorological drought in the study area an approach based on area average precipitation was implemented to calculate a regional representative SPI for each sub-basin, in contrast, hydrological drought was assessed using only two streamflow gauges data provided by the ICE from 1973 until 2003.
As result, Tempisque showed longer drought periods in comparison with Bebedero whose mean duration was lower but the number of drought events were more frequent. In terms of spatial distribution, it could be found that the upper basin experienced extreme meteorological drought periods at high time scales tied to a severe streamflow deficit probably justified by its low permeability due to geological characteristics that allow a slow movement of groundwater.
Additionally, one of the aims of this thesis was to analyze the existence of correlation between precipitation and streamflow anomalies with rice yield and, to determine the influence of ENSO in climate variability using Sea Surface Temperature indices; in this phase of the research was found that climate patterns in the catchment system exhibited a significant influence by ENSO events with a significance level of 99% (r > 0.7) showing an important dependence of meteorological drought periods presented during the period 1980-2016.
In terms of temporal behavior of rice yield anomalies was revealed moderate correlation coefficients (r < 0.4) in both watersheds due to in most of the cases the response of water deficit did not have significant impact in terms of magnitude as expected; in some periods in which drought period was present categorized as mild-drought, rice yield had a considerable decreasing compared with those in which was categorized as extreme event; these differences can be justified mostly because crop yield depends not only on weather, but also on variety of seed used and its coping capacity to periods of water scarcity, fertilizers, soil moisture, farming techniques, sowing date, temperature, irrigation, use of pesticides etc.
The results of this thesis can be used to motivate future researches in the elaboration of crop models to predict yields based on physiological processes during plant development considering water requirement to take enough measures to mitigate the effects of drought periods. Furthermore, it should be considered to implement a drought monitor system in the area as an important tool of early warning system and as an indicator for the efficient water resources management.
Jordan is deemed as one of the least water-endowed regions in the world. The acute water shortage, accompanied with changing climatic conditions have necessitated the increasing use of treated wastewater (TWW), predominantly in irrigated agriculture sector. This is especially true with the upper Zarqa River. The ample supply of TWW resources can be found there; paradoxically, the practical implementation of TWW reuse is hindered by the enforcement of irrigation water quality standard, compounding pressure on the dwindling groundwater resources. In light of the large potential source of TWW, this study aims to supply knowledge on maximizing the safe reuse of TWW while minimizing the environmental impacts within the local environment of the upper Zarqa River. A SWOT analysis was conducted to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of TWW reuse for agriculture in the local context. In recognition of the projected growth in the treated effluent to more than 135 MCM in the coming ten years, and how it would affect the water use on the study region, several plausible development scenarios were proposed based on expected developments on the ground. Considering the vital role of TWW in sustaining multiple ecosystem services, this study addresses the need to review current standard, encourages managed aquifer recharge with TWW, recommends crops type modification, and enhances knowledge on suitable practices at farm level. Each of these factors is needed in order to deliver a range of ecosystem services to sustain the local rural communities and to advance them in the face of profound challenges, thereby leading to its stability and increased productivity.
In Sierra Leone, at the moment 10 out of the total 14 districts are faced with the problem of large-scale land investments for industrial agriculture (oil palm, sugarcane…). The production is mainly for the local, regional and world market. There are quite many of these investments in the planning stage, while some are extending their operations by taking more land from communities or are already at the production stage. Studies and media reports have claimed a number of negative impacts felt in communities hosting these companies, ranging from loss of land, food insecurity, increase in poverty to loss of livelihoods, environmental degradation as well as social and cultural problems. The goal of this thesis is to examine the impacts of the operations of “Socfin Agriculture Company” on food security of local communities in Malen Chiefdom, Pujehun District of Sierra Leone.
Both quantitative and qualitative research methods are used for data collection, analyses, and interpretation of results. The research uses household income and expenditure to compare household food security before and after the start of the company’s operations. It examines consequences of community’s loss of land to support household food production versus casual wage earn from employment created by the company to meet household food security.
The results show a loss of household’s income sources and a significant decrease in households’ income. Households’ food crop production has reduced accompanied by a complete loss of cash crop farming. Households affected by the operations of the company have lost access to land and other natural resources that support food production. Furthermore, the company employs very few people in comparison to the total population of affected communities. Calculation of total wage earn from employment by the company cannot meet the staple food (rice) needs of the households. Also, households claimed a host of unfilled promises made by the company and national government at the onset of the operations of the company.
In conclusion, household food production is the most significant determinant for household food security, with regards to food availability, accessibility, utilization and stability of supply. Therefore, national government should carefully study and develop a framework that addresses food security of households impacted by the operations of the rapidly growing large-scale land investment companies and ensure a fair share of the local community in the economic development of the country and suggesting ways of improving access rights in the context of tenure.