Prediction of agroforestry adoption among farming communities of Kashmir valley, India: A logistic regression approach

The study investigated the socioeconomic and psychological variables that influence the agroforestry adoption in farming communities of Kashmir. The data were collected from 142 households of 5 villages selected in Baramulla and Kupwara districts utilizing multi-stage random sampling. The results revealed that regarding agroforestry adoption majority (52.11%) of the respondents belonged to medium category followed by low (27.47%) and high (20.42%) categories. The socioeconomic variables specified that the rural people are in underprivileged condition while they are in prosperous condition regarding psychological variables. The correlation analysis (r) indicated that among explanatory variables, education, social participation, family composition, size of land holding, main occupation, housing status, farm power, farm implements, livestock possession, wealth status, gross annual income, knowledge about agrforestry, attitude towards agroforestry and level of aspiration had shown positively significant correlation with the agroforestry adoption, while, the age had a non-significant correlation. All the explanatory variables jointly accounted 90.80 % (R2= 0.908) variation on the agroforestry adoption and among these, nine variables viz., education, size of land holding, main occupation, farm power, livestock possession, wealth status, knowledge about agrforestry, attitude towards agroforestry and level of aspiration were statistically significant (p < 0.05) in influencing the agroforestry adoption. The study recommends that recognition and exploitation of explanatory variables that predict agroforestry adoption, needs due consideration among policy makers, researchers and extension providers as prominent strategy for agroforestry promotion and development

Perceptions, attitudes and preferences in agroforestry among rural societies of Kashmir, India

People’s perceptions, attitudes and preferences in agroforestry have become fundamental elements of sustainable agroforestry management. The study examined the multiplicities and dimensions of people’s perceptions about agroforestry values, attitudes towards agroforestry benefits and resources preferences in agroforestry and their socioeconomic determinants in rural societies of Kashmir. The data were collected from 142 households of 5 villages selected employing multi-stage random sampling. Descriptive and analytical statistics were used for the data analysis. Results indicated that the material values (rank 1st to 3rd) of agroforestry were perceived as the most important while the perception of the non-material values (rank 4th to 10th) were adjudged moderately important. People’s attitudes towards the tangible benefits (rank 1st to 3rd) of agroforestry were highly favourable whereas attitudes towards intangible benefits (rank 4th to 10th) were indifferent. The rural people expressed higher preferences for fuel wood, fodder, vegetable, fruit, and timber (rank 1st to 5th) while moderate or low preferences for medicine, cottage industry/ handicrafts, fiber/ floss, oilseeds and animals/ birds/ insects etc. (rank 6th to 10th). F statistics (p < 0.05) showed significant differences between the material and non-material values, tangible and non-tangible benefits and resources groups. Correlation co-efficients (r) confirmed the importance of socioeconomic attributes in influencing people’s perceptions, attitudes and preferences in agroforestry. The findings will help to refine and enrich the knowledge-base to provide an effective framework for decisions and policy making to sustain and maintain agroforestry health and services. The integration of people’s socio-psychological conditions in sustainable agroforestry management will be effective strategy commensurating the current development and future challenges

Correlation of p53 Expression with Different Histological Grades in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients from Northern India

In the present study, out of the total 100 patients studied, 75 patients (75%) were males and majority of patients were in 50-75 age group and complained of dysphagia. It was found that the most common site of incidence of oral cancer in tobacco and betel quid chewers was buccal mucosa. The aim of this study is to further examine the relationship between p53 expression with different histological grades in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSSC) patients from north India. It was found that there was no p53 expression in normal tissues while in oral SCC patients with tobacco and betel quid chewing habit, the percentage of positive cases as well as p53 positivity showed an increase with increasing grade of SCC. The expression of p53 was significantly associated with histological grade in oral cancer in tobacco and betel quid chewers. In case of p53 expression, statistically significant difference in p53 positivity was observed only on comparing well differentiated SCC with poorly differentiated SCC. The expression of p53 was not similar in different sites of oral cavity but was more frequently seen in gingivia, floor of mouth, tongue, and buccal mucosa

Cyclin D1 expression of different histological grades in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients from northern India

Cyclin D1 expression was positive in 35 cases of oral cancer with a Cyclin D1 positivity of 22.16±22.18. The percent-age of positive cases as well as Cyclin D1 positivity showed an increase as the grade of differentiation advanced. No significant association was found between Cyclin D1 positivity and degree of differentiation of tumors (p=0.138). A significant difference in Cyclin D1 positivity was observed (p=0.043) comparing well differentiated (16.61±17.89) and poorly differentiated (37.0±32.51) tumors, as well as between well differentiated (16.61±17.89) and moderately differentiate tumors (24.38±21.93; p=0.002). Similarly, significant difference in Cyclin D1 positivity was observed comparing moderately differentiated (24.38±21.93) and poorly differentiated tumors (37.0±32.51; p=0.043). Cyclin D1 expression was more frequently seen in hard palate (75%), buccal mucosa (67%) and lip (60%) while expression of Cyclin D1 was less frequent in sites like gingiva (0%), tongue (40%) and floor of mouth (43%). There was no association between Cyclin D1 expression and primary site of oral cancer (p=0.528) in tobacco and betel quid chewers of northern India

Diagnostic SWOT appraisal of the wicker handicraft entrepreneurship development in Kashmir, India

Critical analyses of the perceptions on SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) have become a fundamental element of multi-criteria decision making for developing wicker handicraft entrepreneurship. The study examined the effectiveness and prioritization of entrepreneur's perceptions towards SWOT categories and factors and provided insights for developing wicker handicraft entrepreneurship in Pulwama district of Kashmir. Data were collected through structured interviews and focus group discussions of 100 wicker handicraft entrepreneurs of 20 villages selected by multi-stage random sampling. Simple descriptive statistics were used for the data analysis. Results showed that the factors like income generation (19.30%) and employment generation (19.00%) were viewed as most important strengths while labour intensive and less remunerative livelihood (18.80%) and seasonal subsistence (18.70%) were identified as main weaknesses. Further, poverty alleviation (20.70%), preservation of traditional art craft (19.00%) and improvement in public-private relations (17.50%) were adjudged as strong opportunities whereas limited marketing facilities (20.70%), lack of co-operative societies (18.90%) and harassment by officials in withies collection (16.50%) were seen as chief threats. The challenges (weaknesses and threats) (50.40%) for wicker handicraft entrepreneurship outweighed the prospects (strengths and opportunities) (49.60%) while the internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) (54.80%) prevailed over the external factors (opportunities and threats) (54.20%). F statistics (p<0.05) indicated significant differences between the internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) and external factors (opportunities and threats). The results projected the basis to the policymakers to prioritize and address the prominent challenges and reinforce the prospects for conceptualizing, formulating and implementing the strategies for strengthening the wicker handicraft entrepreneurship

Assessment of Training Needs on Entrepreneurship Development for NTFR Stakeholders in Gurez Valley of Kashmir

Entrepreneurship on non-timber forest resources (NTFR) is an important source of sustainable livelihoods and income diversification in the Gurez valley of Kashmir. In order to increase the efficiency of NTFR stakeholders, training is indispensable. This study attempts to assess the training needs, suitable training programme and socioeconomic profile of the NTFR stakeholders. Multistage random sampling procedure was used to select 337 households from 18 sample villages for field survey. Data were collected through personal interviews administering structured interview schedule and analysed using simple descriptive statistics. Results indicated that majority of the NTFR stakeholders were belonged to low socioeconomic status class as reflected by their household characteristics. Among the ten selected major thematic areas the ‘commercialization of NTFR’ (WMS, 3.00; priority percentage, 12.87%) was ranked 1st while ‘conservation of NTFR through JFM’ (WMS= 1.68; priority percentage, 7.21%) was ranked 10th. The short duration trainings (1-7 days) (WMS, 3.00) was ranked 1st among the delivery methods followed by the medium duration trainings (8-14 days) (WMS, 2.84; rank 2nd) and the long duration trainings (3-4 weeks) (WMS, 2.79; rank 3rd). The findings suggested that the trainings on NTFR entrepreneurship of stakeholders is the crucial intervention for livelihood diversification, socioeconomic development and forest conservation; hence, need-based trainings must be planned and imparted to the individuals for improving the entrepreneurial productivity, performance and efficiency. To achieve the desired change in the NTFR entrepreneurship, the training needs identified in this study must be given due consideration during designing the training curriculum

Woodlot farming by smallholder farmers in Ganderbal district of Kashmir, India

Forest degradation and deforestation are serious threats to resource conservation, subsistence livelihoods and rural income diversification. Woodlot farming on farms has been established as a potential option to increase forest resources from agricultural landscapes and remove human pressure from forests. The study investigated the land-use and landholding pattern, woodlots types and species preference and extent of spatial distribution, land allocation and growing stock of woodlots in the Ganderbal district of Kashmir. Multistage random sampling technique was employed to select 349 farm woodlots from 12 sample villages. Secondary sources were used to collect village-level data on land-use and landholding pattern. Primary data concerning the trees were collected through farm woodlot inventories. The data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics. Results revealed that the total land area in the sample villages is 888.60 ha; 521.60 ha (58.70%) is cultivated land, which is mostly (80.78%) occupied by 1244 marginal farmers. The prevalent woodlots established were plantations of Populus, Salix, Robinia or mixed species. The farm woodlots (61.59 ha) contributed 11.81% of cultivated land and 6.93% of the total geographical area. The average growing stocks of woodlots were estimated to be 204.05 m3/ha for Populus, 191.77 m3/ha for Salix, 109.51 m3/ha for Robinia and 62.31 m3/ha for Mixed. The findings suggested that woodlot farming is the key alternative for forest resource production, livelihood resilience and socioeconomic improvement; hence, the policy must be implicated towards the promotion of woodlot farming by re-orienting the land use through farmer’s motivation and technical, financial and farming input assistance

Prelude: the future of structural bamboo

Prelude demonstrates the possibilities for engineered bamboo in structural applications. Our pavilion is composed of a spiral pathway that cantilevers from the base and embodies the function of the Muziekgebouw through a lightweight design that mirrors a musical prelude in structure, concept and form. Inspired by Guastavino´s masonry vaults, the structure evokes the image of a spiral staircase originally constructed from thin tiles, transformed in a novel material with properties distinct from structural masonry. With a growing need for the development of sustainable materials, engineered bamboo combines the benefits of a natural fibre composite with the advantages of a laminated material. Highly renewable, large diameter bamboo used for structural applications is harvested every 4-5 years. Once harvested, the raw material can be processed into strips, which are then laminated into a board product. The processing reduces inherent geometric and mechanical variability of the natural material that currently limit the application of bamboo products. Currently promoted as a decorative material, Prelude is an example of the potential use of engineered bamboo beyond surface applications in architecture

Physicochemical Properties of Nanomaterials: Implication in Associated Toxic Manifestations

Nanotechnology has emerged as one of the leading fields of the science having tremendous application in diverse disciplines. As nanomaterials are increasingly becoming part of everyday consumer products, it is imperative to assess their impact on living organisms and on the environment. Physicochemical characteristics of nanoparticles and engineered nanomaterials including size, shape, chemical composition, physiochemical stability, crystal structure, surface area, surface energy, and surface roughness generally influence the toxic manifestations of these nanomaterials. This compels the research fraternity to evaluate the role of these properties in determining associated toxicity issues. Reckoning with this fact, in this paper, issues pertaining to the physicochemical properties of nanomaterials as it relates to the toxicity of the nanomaterials are discussed.</jats:p