SimPhy : a simulation game to lessen the impact of phytosanitaries on health and the environment-the case of Merja Zerga in Morocco

Diffuse phytosanitary pollution is a complex phenomenon to manage. Reducing this type of pollution is one of today's key socio-economic and environmental challenges. At the regional level, few approaches enable the actors concerned to implement agricultural management strategies to reduce the use and impact of phytosanitary products. Our research problem focused on the consequences of intensive agriculture and, in particular, how to evaluate the impact of phytosanitary products on human health and the environment. In this article, we present the SimPhy simulation game which places the actors from a given region directly into a situation in which they manage farms whilst under pressure to reduce phytosanitaries (quantity and toxicity). The application focused on the Merja Zerga catchment area in Morocco. The region is dominated by intensive agriculture which is located upstream from a Ramsar-classified wetland area. The SimPhy simulation game is based on a decision support system-type tool. It allows us to anticipate the impact of regulations on farming systems. It also enables us to analyse the consequences of the actors' strategies on farm economies, human health and the quality of ecosystems. Initial results from the SimPhy simulation game enabled the technicians from Agricultural Development Center (CDA) themselves to learn about managing agricultural production systems in a dynamic and interactive fashion. With the simulation game, it was possible to learn about the farmer's ability to adapt to new regulatory constraints, and the involved consequences for toxicity risks for human health and the environment

Analyzing effective factors on urban growth management focusing on remote sensing indices in Karaj, Iran

Although the growth of cities is a positive phenomenon, but the problem is an uncontrolled and unbalanced growth of cities. In order to control this growth, different policies in different countries have suggested. These policies donâ\u80\u99t always have the same content and they can have different effects on the city and its surroundings. Like many developing countries, Iranian cities rapidly growing in terms of population and physically expanding at a high rate. This research investigates the factors that account for urban growth management in Iranian cities. Karaj metropolis has been studied as a case. Karaj has been experiencing significantly higher rates in the total area of urban environments mostly due to its socioeconomic attractions over four decades ago. To evaluate the dimensions of urban growth management in Karaj city, Factor analysis was used in form of classified sampling. Furthermore, in order to describe the variables in the districts of Karaj city, the COPRAS method is used. Finally, differences between urban area and indices of built-up area were analyzed. Results show that five factors effect on urban growth management in Iranian cities; policies and rules factor, physical, economic, social and environmental factors