Computer Modeling, Analysis and Visualization of Angkor Wat Style Temples in Cambodia

Das archäologische Gebiet von Angkor und die gigantischen Steintempel sind die verbliebenen Hauptquellen zu den fast vergessenen alten Khmer-Zivilistation die einst ihre Blühtezeit zwischen dem 7. und 13. Jahrhundert hatte. Hunderte von Tempeln wurden erbaut, doch mit der Zeit sind sie fast in Vergessenheit geraten, und haben erleidete sehr unter dem tropischen Klima, Kriegen aber auch Plünderungen gelitten. Die meisten von Ihnen liegen nun völlig in Trümmern, und Viele sind teilweise zerstört oder im Einsturzgefahr. Inzwischen wurde Angkor als UNESCO Weltkulturerbe erklärt und ist eines der beliebtesten Tourismus-Ziele, aber auch für Wissenschaftler attraktive die neue Methoden zur Unterstützung der Restaurierung, Bewahrung und Tempel-Rekonstruktion erforschen. Die Buddhistischen und Hinduistischen Tempel von Angkor wurden auf Basis der heiligen Lotusblüte, die in beiden Religionen den Mikrokosmos darstellt, als einem der Grundsymbole erbaut. Sechs Hauptdarstellungsformen des Lotus wurden identifiziert, die in einer bestimmten Weise kombiniert, und fast auf allen Tempelelementen abgebildet sind. 3D Computer-Rekonstruktionen von solchen Tempelelementen sind schwierig und enorm aufwändig. Diese Dissertation befasst sich mit der Analyse architektonischer Funktion und Geometrie der Lotusmotive und dem Versuch die Kombinationsregel der sechs Lotusmotive zu entschlüsseln. Um dies zum Einsatz zu bringen werden, mit Hilfe mathematischer Modelle und bestimmter Algorithmen eine neue modul-basierte Rekonstruktionsmethode und zwei weitere Methoden als Ergänzung speziell für Angkor Temple entwickelt. Das Ergebnis stellt ein in dieser Dissertation entwickeltes Computerprogramm dar, das drei verschiedene Rekonstruktionswerkzeuge umfasst und mit dem hoch detaillierte 3D Modelle einfach und schnell erzeugt werden können. Schließlich werden mehrere 3D Modelle von ausgewählten Tempeln als Endergebnis vorgestellt

Local Engagement in the Agricultural Cooperatives (ACs) Operation in Cambodia

Agricultural Cooperatives (ACs) have empowered farmers to develop resources sustainably. They transfer traditional subsistence agriculture to diversify crops and develop a value chain. This paper aims to analyze local engagement by focusing on the degree of participation, factors influencing local engagement in ACs operations and the constraints of ACs operations to support communities. With a cohort of 421 farmer members in the Kampong Speu and Pursat provinces of Cambodia, household surveys were designed to consider how factors influence local engagement. It was discovered that: (i) local engagement in ACs operations is limited, and management of boards of directors is a critical constraint to motivating local involvement; (ii) local engagement in ACs operations is associated with access to water, benefits from ACs, participation in ACs activities, risk control and ACs management, and ACs operations do not promote access to agricultural inputs; and (iii) ACs operations have faced several constraints, including poor management, inadequate capital accumulation, unavailable loans, loan mismanagement, a lack of skills, high illiteracy levels, small share values, a lack of access to credit facilities, access to the competitive market and a lack of support from extension services. This empirical study, with implications from Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), addresses a gap in the literature by exploring engagement in ACs operations

Climate Change Impacts on Rice Cultivation: A Comparative Study of the Tonle Sap and Mekong River

Climate change is unequivocal. Farmers are increasingly vulnerable to floods and drought. In this article, the negative impact of climate hazards on rice cultivation in the Tonle Sap and Mekong River influenced by climatic variability between 1994 and 2018 are analyzed. A cohort of 536 households from four Cambodian districts participated in household surveys designed to consider how various vulnerability factors interacted across this time series. It was found that: (i) The major climate hazards affecting rice production between 1994 and 2018 were frequent and extreme flood and drought events caused by rainfall variability; (ii) In 2018, extreme flood and drought occurred in the same rice cultivation cycle. The impact caused by each hazard across each region were similar; (iii) An empirical model was used to demonstrate that drought events tend to limit access to irrigation, impact rice production, and result in an increased prevalence of water-borne diseases. Flood events cause reduced rice production, damage to housing, and impede children from accessing education. The impact of drought events on rice production was found to be more severe than flood events; however, each climatic hazard caused physical, economic, social, and environmental vulnerabilities. It is recommended that sufficient human and financial resources are distributed to local authorities to implement adaptation measures that prepare rice farmers for flood and drought events and promote equitable access to water resources

Roles of Agricultural Cooperatives (ACs) in Drought Risk Management among Smallholder Farmers in Pursat and Kampong Speu Provinces, Cambodia

This research aims to investigate the roles of agricultural cooperatives (ACs) in the provinces Pursat and Kampong Speu, Cambodia, with respect to managing the drought risks among smallholder farmers, with particular focus on the following factors: (a) the impacts of drought on socio-economic development and livelihood; (b) the services delivered by AC operations in terms of increasing the five livelihood assets; and (c) the interactions between AC operations, adaptive capacity, and the impacts of drought. Household surveys were conducted among 421 smallholder farmers; in addition, case studies were also conducted with stakeholders in the Bakan district in Pursat Province and the Barsedth district in Kampong Speu Province. The study demonstrates that (i) both climatic and human-made factors contributed toward the impact of drought in the Bakan and Barsedth districts. Furthermore, this hazard affected smallholder farmers. (ii) AC operations increased the smallholder farmers’ access to natural and physical assets. Currently, AC operations are constrained by a lack of willingness and commitment in AC committees, trust building in the communities, and human and financial resources after development projects, which are implemented by non-governmental organizations (NGOs). (iii) Adaptive capacity contributed to the drought impacts and participation in AC activities, but the involvement in AC activities did not contribute to AC operations nor to aiding with the impacts of drought. This empirical research, which was performed via structural education modeling (SEM), fills a gap in the literature by increasing the understanding of the roles of AC operations in the context of drought risk management and their role in increasing access to the five livelihood assets