The vulnerabilities of agricultural land and food production to future water scarcity

Rapidly increasing populations coupled with increased food demand requires either an expansion of agriculturalland or sufficient production gains from current resources. However, in a changing world, reduced wateravailability might undermine improvements in crop and grass productivity and may disproportionately affectdifferent parts of the world. Using multi-model studies, the potential trends, risks and uncertainties to land useand land availability that may arise from reductions in water availability are examined here. In addition, theimpacts of different policy interventions on pressures from emerging risks are examined.Results indicate that globally, approximately 11% and 10% of current crop- and grass-lands could be vul-nerable to reduction in water availability and may lose some productive capacity, with Africa and the MiddleEast, China, Europe and Asia particularly at risk. While uncertainties remain, reduction in agricultural land areaassociated with dietary changes (reduction of food waste and decreased meat consumption) offers the greatestbuffer against land loss and food insecurity

Clinical Leadership Development Workshops for Licensed Practical Nurses in Supported Living in Alberta: An Exploratory Qualitative study

Aim: This study had three aims: 1) to develop and deliver a clinical leadership development (CLD) workshop for licensed practical nurses (LPNs) who work in supported living (SL) contexts; 2) to explore LPN participants’ experiences, as well as the influence of the workshop on their attitudes, knowledge, and skills; and 3) to explore the feasibility of implementing a work-based CLD workshop for LPNs working in SL in Alberta. Background: Effective clinical leaders create an efficient and caring work environment, resulting in quality care for patients that attend to both their physical (e.g., safety) and psychological (e.g., autonomy) needs. In SL in Alberta, nursing care is primarily undertaken by LPNs, who work with both registered nurses (RN) and health care aides (HCA) in delivering quality care to older adults. As a result, LPNs are required to undertake clinical leadership (CL) roles that they are often under-prepared for. CL requires the development of a new set of skills for LPNs. To date, few resources have been devoted to developing educational programs to teach these skills, particularly in relation to work-based learning. This program addressed the issue of improving LPNs’ CL skills by developing and delivering a work-based CLD workshop. Design: An exploratory qualitative design was used, incorporating multiple data collection methods, including individual and focus group interviews, a demographic questionnaire, and a knowledge questionnaire. Interview data were analyzed using thematic description and the knowledge questionnaire data were statistically analyzed using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Result: The themes were captured in the findings: exploring and raising awareness of the LPNs role as a clinical leader; a sense of empowerment for LPNs in their role as clinical leader; the influence of the CLD workshop on teamwork and communication; and feasibility’s facilitators and challenges. The data affirmed the need for developing a program to help LPNs improve their CL skills, and understand and undertake their CL roles and responsibilities. The effectiveness of the CLD workshop was demonstrated through the LPN participants’ increased confidence, autonomy, and perceived control over decision-making. Following the workshop, the participants expressed a sense of empowerment, which resulted in changed attitudes about their capacity and their role. Conclusion: This study has shown the importance of LPNs understanding their role as a clinical leader, developing effective communication skills, and establishing a working relationship with and among their staff; it has also shown the significance of empowering LPNs. Limitations of the study included challenges arranging and scheduling the necessary time for LPNs to attend CLD workshop, availability and sustainability of the CL training for new staff, and refresher training for the existing staff

Examining the response of world wheat prices to climatic and market dynamics

Includes bibliographical references.2015 Fall.World wheat prices have fluctuated in recent years. Many factors affect wheat prices including; climate change, yields, oil prices, lagged prices and imports. In addition to gradually and consistently increasing global wheat demand, these market drivers are posited to impact world market equilibrium prices. To investigate how these factors differentially influence wheat prices, an economic analysis was conducted using a uniquely compiled data set of significant wheat producing areas and linear regression models. Key variables from five major wheat exporter countries/regions were compiled for the 1980 to 2013 time frame. The findings shared here update and support previous studies' conclusions and show that imports, oil price, and the previous years' price have a significant relationship with changes in the world wheat price. It is also found that the precipitation levels in the United States, and more broadly, reported yields in Canada, Former Soviet Union (FSU) and the United States, all have a significant correlation with world wheat prices

Investigation of mechanisms involved in germination enhancement of wheat (Triticum aestivum) by cold plasma: Effects on seed surface chemistry and characteristics

Recent reports indicate that atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) treatment of seeds can enhance their germination, however, the mechanisms of action are not yet entirely clear. In the present work, we report on the effects of plasma treatment on wheat seed germination and seedling growth. Additionally, changes in the surface chemistry and characteristics of the wheat seeds exposed to plasma were investigated. Treatments of 30–60 s significantly enhanced the germination rate and showed positive effects on seedling growth. ACP resulted in changes of seed surface and chemical characteristics including water uptake and contact angle values. Changes in seed pH and total titratable acidity, as well as nitrites, nitrates, and malondialdehyde concentrations were also recorded