Understanding communicational behavior among rangelands' stakeholders : application of social network analysis

Understanding communicational behavior of rangelands' stakeholders is fundamental for effective development of rangeland management plans. This study aimed to understand differences between stakeholders' relations among various actors involved in rangeland management using social network analysis (SNA). A survey was conducted on 334 stakeholders (89 extension agents, 110 researchers and 135 executive agents) in the Tehran province, Iran. Results showed that all the three groups of stakeholders are interested in making contact mainly within their own group. Furthermore, while the executive agents have shared the strongest technical and friendship relations with the two other groups, the extension agents established the strongest administrative interactions. The researchers, however, made a poor link especially with the extension agents. The study concluded that SNA could be an efficient tool to assess communicational behavior in rangeland management

Reforming land-tenure systems in South Africa: routes to socio-economic and agricultural sustainability

Given the historical development of land tenure in South Africa, the aim of this article is to examine the best routes to alleviate poverty and retain sustainable agriculture in the country. First, a theoretical framework is presented that relates land tenure to sustainability, and three historical periods (pre-colonial, colonial, and apartheid) are then considered to explain the changes in land tenure and their consequences. The progress and main limitations of post-apartheid land reform to approach agricultural sustainability and alleviate poverty are discussed. Based on the analysis, different possibilities for future land reform are elaborated, followed by some recommendations for future land-reform policies in South Africa

Genetically modified crops : towards agricultural growth, agricultural development or agricultural sustainability ?

This paper presents the main potentials and challenges of the GM crops in approaching agricultural growth, development, and sustainability. Accordingly, the paper will first discuss briefly the differences between agricultural growth, development, and sustainability. Then, the main potentials and challenges of these crops in approaching agricultural growth, development, and sustainability will be discussed. Finally, a conclusion will be drawn to let policy makers understand, based on which circumstances, GM crops may lead to sustainable agriculture