Climate and Land Degradation

On the occasion of the Seventh session of the Conference of Parties, The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has prepared this brochure which explains the role of different climatic factors in land degradation and WMO's contribution in addressing this important subject. Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, Undergraduate upper division, Graduate or professional, Informal education, General public

Latihan mengajar : Keberkesanannya terhadap pelajar Diploma Kejuruteraan serta Pendidikan di KUiTTHO (Kolej Universiti Teknologi Tun Hussein Onn) menurut persepsi pelajar

Kajian yang dijaiankan adaiah bertajuk "Latihan Mengajar : Kebersanannya Terhadap Pelajar Diploma Kejuruteraan berserta Pendidikan di KUiTTHO (Kolej Universiti Teknologi Tun Hussein Onn Menurut Persepsi Pelajar. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk meiihat sejauhmana keberkesanan program latihan mengajar terhadap pelajar yang telah melaluinya. Borang soalselidik diedarkan untuk mendapatkan maklumat dan seterusnya dianalisis untuk menghasilkan skor min dan peratusan. Hasil kajian menunjukkan kebanyakan responden memberikan reaksi positif terhadap keberkesanan program latihan mengajar. Hasil dari anaiisis kajian juga, pengkaji telah menghasilkan sebuah produk iaitu senarai semak yang boleh digunakan oleh pelajar yang akan menjalani program latihan mengajar supaya pelajar jelas dengan tindakan yang harus mereka ambil sebeium, semasa dan selepas menjalani latihan mengajar. Adaiah diharapkan agar produk ini dapat membantu untuk pelajar, pihak KUiTTHO dan seterusnya institusi tempat latihan mengajar supaya program ini dapat dilaksanakan dengan Iebih sempuma dan seterusnya mencapai objektif program latihan mengajar

DroughtScape- Summer 2014

CONTENTS Director’s report...........................1 Outlook ........................................ 2 Drought & climate summary ........ 2 Drought impacts .........................4 International drought monitoring and planning ...............................8 Visiting scholars.........................10 North American Drought Monitor Forum ........................................ 11 New primary Dust Bowl source .............. 12 New additions to online webinar archive ....................................... 14 Community Capitals Framework Institute ...................................... 1

Quantifying the impact of climate change on drought regimes using the Standardised Precipitation Index

The study presents a methodology to characterise short- or long-term drought events, designed to aid understanding of how climate change may affect future risk. An indicator of drought magnitude, combining parameters of duration, spatial extent and intensity, is presented based on the Standardised Precipitation Index (SPI). The SPI is applied to observed (1955–2003) and projected (2003–2050) precipitation data from the Community Integrated Assessment System (CIAS). Potential consequences of climate change on drought regimes in Australia, Brazil, China, Ethiopia, India, Spain, Portugal and the USA are quantified. Uncertainty is assessed by emulating a range of global circulation models to project climate change. Further uncertainty is addressed through the use of a high-emission scenario and a low stabilisation scenario representing a stringent mitigation policy. Climate change was shown to have a larger effect on the duration and magnitude of long-term droughts, and Australia, Brazil, Spain, Portugal and the USA were highlighted as being particularly vulnerable to multi-year drought events, with the potential for drought magnitude to exceed historical experience. The study highlights the characteristics of drought which may be more sensitive under climate change. For example, on average, short-term droughts in the USA do not become more intense but are projected to increase in duration. Importantly, the stringent mitigation scenario had limited effect on drought regimes in the first half of the twenty-first century, showing that adaptation to drought risk will be vital in these regions

Coping with Drought in Rice Farming in Asia: Insights from a Cross-Country Comparative Study

Drought is a major constraint affecting rice production especially in rainfed areas of Asia. Despite its importance in rice growing areas, the magnitude of economic losses arising from drought, its impact on farm households and farmers' drought coping mechanisms are poorly understood. This paper provides insights into these aspects of drought based on a cross-country comparative analysis of rainfed rice growing areas in China, India and Thailand. The economic cost of drought is found to be substantially higher in eastern India than in the other two countries. Higher probability and greater spatial covariance of drought and less diversified farming systems with rice accounting for a large r share of household income are likely to be the main reasons for this higher cost of drought in eastern India. Farmers deploy various coping mechanisms but such mechanisms are largely unable to prevent a reduction in income and consumption, especially in eastern India. As a result, welfare consequences on poor farmers are substantial with a large number of people falling back into poverty during drought years. The overall implications for technology design and for policy improvements for drought mitigation and drought relief are discussed in the light of the empirical findings of the study.Drought, Economic cost, Coping mechanisms, Poverty, Crop Production/Industries, D1, I3, Q1,

Drought: Economic Consequences and Policies for Mitigation Global Overview

The natural variation in climate around the world means that periods of severe shortfall of rainfall are inevitable, and some times occur on a large geographical scale. Human settlements have adapted to this reality in many different ways, including the development of agricultural systems that feature variously robust aspects in the face of drought. As climates change under the influence of modified atmospheric composition, it seems likely that many parts of the world will face increased incidence of drought and thus more challenging tasks for farm managers, managers of non- farm enterprises that are sensitive to drought, national policy makers and, last but not least, households in rural areas that are close to subsistence levels even in non-drought seasons. The agricultural economics profession must continue to contribute to better dealing with all these challenges.Environmental Economics and Policy,

Agriculture intensifies soil moisture decline in Northern China

Northern China is one of the most densely populated regions in the world. Agricultural activities have intensified since the 1980s to provide food security to the country. However, this intensification has likely contributed to an increasing scarcity in water resources, which may in turn be endangering food security. Based on in-situ measurements of soil moisture collected in agricultural plots during 1983–2012, we find that topsoil (0–50cm) volumetric water content during the growing season has declined significantly (p < 0.01), with a trend of −0.011 to −0.015 m3 m−3 per decade. Observed discharge declines for the three large river basins are consistent with the effects of agricultural intensification, although other factors (e.g. dam constructions) likely have contributed to these trends. Practices like fertilizer application have favoured biomass growth and increased transpiration rates, thus reducing available soil water. In addition, the rapid proliferation of water-expensive crops (e.g., maize) and the expansion of the area dedicated to food production have also contributed to soil drying. Adoption of alternative agricultural practices that can meet the immediate food demand without compromising future water resources seem critical for the sustainability of the food production system