The wounded healer during COVID-19: unraveling the violence against healthcare workers in Nepal

On 27th May 2021, a nurse was working in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Bheri Hospital, Nepal when she was startled by a commotion. A hand grabbed her neck and choked her just as she looked behind. “She’s the one responsible,” said the perpetrator, whose brother had succumbed to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), as his henchmen thrashed other staff on duty. Luckily a relative of another patient rescued the nurse from the vice of the attacker. The staff fled to the duty room. Huddled in the duty room, they wailed for their safety as the perpetrators banged at the door. They then ran into the toilet inside the duty room just as the duty room’s door was broken open. As the door of the toilet could not keep them from the offenders, three nurses and a doctor jumped off the second floor, fearing for their lives. Fortunately, they landed on the sand and ran to safety. Two patients died because of lack of care amidst the chaos.1,

Climate-smart practices for improvement of crop yields in mid-hills of Nepal

Farming in Nepal mostly represents the hill farming system with the dominance of small-holder farmers. In recent days, farmers in the country are impacted by climate change. Events of surface runoff, landslides, and soil erosions, along with changes in rainfall pattern and intensity have elevated a decline in crop productivity and soil fertility. Considering the situation, a pilot project on Resilient Mountain Village was implemented in Kavrepalanchowk district of Nepal from 2014–2016 with a participatory approach to demonstrate climate-smart practices. These practices include the application of locally prepared bio-fertilizer (named as “jholmal”), green manuring in rice (Oryza sativa L.) and mulching in bitter-gourd (Momordica charantia L.) to determine crop yields compared to farmers’ business as usual practice. The results showed that there was a significant effect of jholmal in rice production during 2015–2016 when compared to farmers\u27 business as usual practice. Likewise, green manuring also showed a significant difference in rice yield compared to farmers’ usual practice in 2015–2016. Bitter-gourd yields were significantly higher in mulching treatment compared to the farmers’ business as usual practice in 2015 and 2016. Rice yield increased by at least 10.1% and 8.1% while using jholmal and green manuring, respectively, whereas bitter-gourd yield increased by 18.1% with mulching practices. Our findings show that farmers have adopted these practices and minimized the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, thus moving forward to producing safer food using a climate-friendly approach

Climate-smart practices for improvement of crop yields in mid-hills of Nepal

Farming in Nepal mostly represents the hill farming system with the dominance of small-holder farmers. In recent days, farmers in the country are impacted by climate change. Events of surface runoff, landslides, and soil erosions, along with changes in rainfall pattern and intensity have elevated a decline in crop productivity and soil fertility. Considering the situation, a pilot project on Resilient Mountain Village was implemented in Kavrepalanchowk district of Nepal from 2014–2016 with a participatory approach to demonstrate climate-smart practices. These practices include the application of locally prepared bio-fertilizer (named as “jholmal”), green manuring in rice (Oryza sativa L.) and mulching in bitter-gourd (Momordica charantia L.) to determine crop yields compared to farmers’ business as usual practice. The results showed that there was a significant effect of jholmal in rice production during 2015–2016 when compared to farmers\u27 business as usual practice. Likewise, green manuring also showed a significant difference in rice yield compared to farmers’ usual practice in 2015–2016. Bitter-gourd yields were significantly higher in mulching treatment compared to the farmers’ business as usual practice in 2015 and 2016. Rice yield increased by at least 10.1% and 8.1% while using jholmal and green manuring, respectively, whereas bitter-gourd yield increased by 18.1% with mulching practices. Our findings show that farmers have adopted these practices and minimized the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, thus moving forward to producing safer food using a climate-friendly approach

Assessing the Viability of Growing Agave Tequilana as a Biofuel Feedstock in Queensland, Australia

This study assessed farmer's perceptions about cultivating Agave tequilana for bio-ethanol production in Australia and its economic viability. This plant has been growing in Ayr, a trial site in Queensland, Australia. This study found both farmers and stakeholders are ready to accept Agave tequilana as a potential biofuel crop because farmers can use their marginalised land, where they require less water and nutrients. Commercial farming of Agave tequilana could be supported in Queensland by existing sugar mills, infrastructure and technologies to minimise the cost associated with transport and processing. An economic model has been developed with a sensitivity analysis to assess the net present value of bioethanol production over a 40 year period. Keywords: Agave tequilana, bioethanol production, Ayr, Queensland JEL Classifications: Q42, Q48, R1

Food System and Water–Energy–Biodiversity Nexus in Nepal: A Review

Water, energy, and biodiversity are essential components for building a sustainable food system in a developing country like Nepal. Green Revolution technologies and the package of practices largely ignored the role of ecosystem services, leaving a large population of small farmers’ food- and nutrition-insecure. Biodiversity, especially, agrobiodiversity is in decline and this vital cross-cutting element is less discussed and interlinked in nexus literature. The interlinking food system with water–energy–biodiversity nexus, therefore, is essential to achieve a resilient food system. It ensures the vital structures and functions of the ecosystem on which it is dependent are well protected in the face of increasing socio-economic and climatic stress. This paper reviews the food system of Nepal through the lens of the food–water–energy–biodiversity (FWEB) nexus to develop a more robust food system framework. From this approach, food system foresight can benefit from different nature-based solutions such as agro-ecosystem-based adaptation and mitigation and climate-resilient agro-ecological production system. We found that the FWEB nexus-based approach is more relevant in the context of Nepal where food and nutrition insecurity prevails among almost half of the population. Improvement in the food system requires the building of synergy and complementary among the components of FWEB nexus. Hence, we proposed a modified framework of food system foresight for developing resilience in a food system, which can be achieved with an integrated and resilient nexus that gives more emphasis to agro-ecological system-based solutions to make the food system more climate resilient. This framework can be useful in addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) numbers 1, 2, 3, 6, 13, and 15 and can also be used as a tool for food system planning based on a broader nexus

Assessing the viability of growing Agave Tequilana for biofuel production in Australia

Governments around the world have been introducing policies to support the use of biofuels since the 1990s due to its positive influence in climate change mitigation, air quality, fuel supply security and poverty reduction through rural and regional iindustry growth. In Australia, liquid fuel is in high demand and this demand is increasing every year. To meet the current fuel demand and to address climate change impacts, it is important for Australia to invest in green and clean energy. Biofuels are one of the options for clean and green energy that could help to reduce the demand for fossil fuels. Not only developed countries but also developing countries are interested in reducing dependence on imported fossil fuel and promoting economic development, poverty reductions and improving access to commercial energy through biofuel policies. However, the major challenge for the biofuel industry is to find the right feedstock that does not compete with human feedstock and can grow in marginal land. One of such feedstock that is studied in this research is Agave tequilana.Overcoming many of the constraints to establish Agave tequilana as a potential feedstock in Australia requires an understanding of the complex technical, economical and systemic challenges associated with farming, processing and extracting ethanol. The aim of this research is to study the viability of growing Agave tequilana as a potential biofuel feedstock in Australia. The study also explores and highlights the economics of growing this crop, with the idea of comparing the costs and benefits of growing Agave tequilana with that of sugarcane. Agave tequilana has been selected for this study because of the existence of a trial site at Ayr, Queensland and because of a similar climate and rainfall pattern to that of the western central highlands of Mexico where Agave is traditionally grown for the production of tequila. In this study, the viability of growing Agave tequilana for producing ethanol in Ayr, Queensland has been assessed using a case study approach and financial cost and Green House Gas (GHG) saving have been estimated using life cycle cost analysis. Likewise, Agave tequilana and sugarcane agronomic practices have been compared and ibofuel policies have been highlighted using secondary sources to support the establishment of non-food crops such as Agave tequilana in Australia and elsewhere.Ayr, Queensland is predominantly a sugarcane growing area where sugarcane farmers occupy 88% of the total agricultural land available. The remaining 12% has been set aside for other crops and cattle grazing or alternatively, some land may remain unused. In this study, farmers expressed that there is very limited land in Ayr available for Agave tequilana to be commercially viable until the sugarcane growing land or cattle grazing land is converted into Agave fields. However, it appears that both farmers and stakeholders are ready to accept Agave tequilana as a potential biofuel crop, if it is to be established on marginal lands in the sugarcane belt of Queensland, rather than in the Burdekin region which is predominately a sugarcane growing area.The study also found that only 33% respondents were acquainted with this crop, and that a smaller group were aware of the potential of the crop to produce biofuel. Farmers indicated they would wait until the first trial outcomes are finalised and more research and development is undertaken on this crop before deciding to invest. Since this crop takes at least five years to provide a financial return compared to existing crops in the region, most of the respondents expect higher returns of 20-25% at the end of harvesting time and would prefer interim payment. Farmers may also require initial assistance from the government such as subsidised farm machinery, subsidised fuel and interest free loans before deciding to invest. Life cycle stages of Agave tequilana have been derived taking sugarcane as a base crop. At the first trial site, more than 65% of the cost of farming Agave tequilana in Australia occurred in the first year of plantation, and allowed the conclusion that existing tools and machineries are able to be modified and used in farming Agave tequilana in Australia. The tequilaindustry provides a model for biofuel production from Agave tequilana. In Australia, the cost of producing ethanol from Agave tequilana is estimated to be around A$0.52 per litre, excluding government subsidies. The total cost of constructing ethanol pl nt capacity of 90ML/Year in Australia at present is estimated at A$113.5 million.The level of support provided to the biofuel industry by the Australian government is relatively less significant compared to other advanced countries such as USA and EU. However, the support provided by both the federal and state level programs has provided significant amounts of support to the biofuel industry in Australia. In future, if Agave tequilana is to be selected as a potential non-food crop biofuel feedstock, the government and the private sector need to explore the financial opportunities in marginal and semi marginal regions of Australia for supplementing the viability of producing ethanol with new technology. It is also necessary to explore the business case to modify the existing sugar processing mills to produce ethanol from Agave tequilana from its juice and bagasse.</p

Hepatitis B virus induced cytoplasmic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-mediated vasculitis causing subarachnoid hemorrhage, acute transverse myelitis, and nephropathy: a case report

Abstract Background Transverse myelitis, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and nephropathy are established but rare complications of hepatitis B virus infection that can potentially be triggered by an antibody-mediated vasculitis as a result of a viral infection. The following is a case report detailing a patient presenting with all three of the above presentations who is cytoplasmic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-positive and a chronic carrier of hepatitis B. Case presentation A 33-year-old Nepalese man presented to our hospital with headache, swelling of his body, paraplegia, and back pain that developed over a period of 10 days. Laboratory studies showed proteinuria and elevated levels of serum urea and creatinine. Viral serology was suggestive of chronic inactive hepatitis B carrier state. A computed tomography scan of his head revealed features suggestive of subarachnoid hemorrhage. Magnetic resonance imaging of his dorsal spine showed diffuse T2 high signal intensity within his spinal cord extending from second to 12th thoracic vertebral level which was suggestive of transverse myelitis. The origin of these symptoms was attributed to immune complex-mediated vasculitis after serum analysis for cytoplasmic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody came out positive. He was managed with steroids administered orally and intravenously and entecavir administered orally. Conclusion This case highlights the possibility of a hepatitis B virus-induced vasculitis as the cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage, transverse myelitis, and nephropathy