Modelling of potential food policy interventions in Fiji and Tonga and their impacts on noncommunicable disease mortality

Background: To compare the likely costs and benefits of a range of potential policy interventions in Fiji and Tonga targeted at diet-related noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), in order to support more evidence-based decision-making.Method: A relatively simple and quick macro-simulation methodology was developed. Logic models were developed by local stakeholders and used to identify costs and dietary impacts of policy changes. Costs were confined to government costs, and excluded cost offsets. The best available evidence was combined with local data to model impacts on deaths from noncommunicable diseases over the lifetime of the target population. Given that the modelling necessarily entailed assumptions to compensate for gaps in data and evidence, use was made of probabilistic uncertainty analysis.Results: Costs of implementing policy changes were generally low, with the exception of some requiring additional long-term staffing or construction activities. The most effective policy options in Fiji and Tonga targeted access to local produce and high-fat meats respectively, and were estimated to avert approximately 3% of diet-related NCD deaths in each population. Many policies had substantially lower benefits. Cost-effectiveness was higher for the low-cost policies. Similar policies produced markedly different results in the two countries.Conclusion: Despite the crudeness of the method, the consistent modelling approach used across all the options, allowed reasonable comparisons to be made between the potential policy costs and impacts. This type of modelling can be used to support more evidence-based and informed decision-making about policy interventions and facilitate greater use of policy to achieve a reduction in NCDs.<br /

Evidence-informed process to identify policies that will promote a healthy food environment in the Pacific Islands

Objective: To implement a systematic evidence-informed process to enable Fiji and Tonga to identify the most feasible and targeted policy interventions which would have most impact on diet-related non-communicable diseases.Design: A multisectoral stakeholder group of policy advisers was formed in each country. They used participatory approaches to identify the problem policies and gaps contributing to an unhealthy food environment. Potential solutions to these problems were then identified, and were assessed by them for feasibility, effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and side-effects. Data were gathered on the food and policy environment to support the assessments. A shortlist of preferred policy interventions for action was then developed.Results: Sixty to eighty policy problems were identified in each country, affecting areas such as trade, agriculture, fisheries and pricing. Up to 100 specific potential policy solutions were then developed in each country. Assessment of the policies highlighted relevant problem areas including poor feasibility, limited effectiveness or cost-effectiveness and serious side-effects. A shortlist of twenty to twenty-three preferred new policy options for action in each country was identified.Conclusions: Policy environments in these two countries were not conducive to supporting healthy eating. Substantial areas of potential action are possible, but some represent better choices. It is important for countries to consider the impact of non-health policies on diets.<br /

Effects of Grazing Management on Sediment and Phosphorus Losses in Run-off (A Progress Report)

In 2001 and 2002, pastures at the ISU Rhodes Research and Demonstration Farm were grazed to determine the effects of stocking treatment on nutrient and sediment loss from pastureland. Treatments included an ungrazed control (UG), summer hay harvest with winter stockpiled grazing (HS), continuous stocking to a residual height of 2 inches (2C), rotational stocking to a residual height of 2 inches (2R), and rotational stocking to a residual height of 4 inches (4R). At three times in 2001 (late spring, mid-summer, and fall) and four times in 2002 (early spring, late spring, mid-summer, and fall), rainfall simulations were conducted at 6 sites within each paddock and 6 sites in a buffer zone down slope from each paddock. Run-off was collected and analyzed for total sediment, total phosphorus, and dissolved phosphorus. Simultaneous to each rainfall simulation, ground cover, penetration resistance, surface roughness, slope, contents of phosphorus and moisture of the soil, and the sward height and mass of forage were measured. In years 1 (late spring 2001 through early spring 2002) and 2 (late spring 2002 through fall 2002), mean concentrations of sediment in runoff did not differ between ungrazed or grazed paddocks. Mean concentrations of total P in the run-off were greater (P \u3c .05) in paddocks grazed to 2 inches by continuous or rotational stocking than in paddocks that were ungrazed, grazed to 4 inches by rotational stocking or harvested as hay and grazed as stockpiled forage. In year 1, mean losses of sediment, total P, and soluble P were greater (P \u3c .1) from paddocks grazed to 2 inches by continuous or rotational stocking than other treatments. In year 2, mean losses of sediment and total P in paddocks grazed to 2 inches by continuous stocking and mean losses of soluble P from paddocks grazed to 2 inches by rotational stocking were greater (P \u3c .05) than the other treatments

Effects of Grazing Management on Pasture Production and Phosphorus Content of Forage (A Progress Report)

In spring 2001, pastures were grazed at the ISU Rhodes Research and Demonstration Farm to determine the effects of grazing management on pasture productivity and phosphorus (P) content of forage. Treatments included an ungrazed control, summer hay harvest with winter stockpiled grazing, continuous stocking to a residual height of 2 inches, rotational stocking to a residual height of 2 inches, and rotational stocking to a residual height of 4 inches. Forage production was greatest in June and July, decreased in August, and had a slight rebound in September and October before going dormant in November. Phosphorus concentration of forage was at a maximum in May at 0.27% and decreased to 0.11% in November. Ungrazed paddocks had no net uptake of P during the grazing season, while forage harvest stimulated P uptake. Forage growth and P uptake in buffers were unaffected by pasture management strategies that occurred upslope

Impacts of Cattle Grazing Management on Sediment and Phosphorus Loads in Surface Waters

In 2001 (yr 1), 2002 (yr 2), and 2003 (yr 3), three blocks of five 1-ac paddocks were grazed by beef cows on hills at the Iowa State University Rhodes Research and Demonstration Farm to determine the effects of grazing management on phosphorus (P) and sediment runoff from pastureland. Grazing management treatments included an ungrazed control (UG), summer hay harvest with winter stockpiled grazing (HS), grazing by continuous stocking to a residual sward height of 2 in. (2C), rotational stocking to a residual sward height of 2 in. (2R), and rotational stocking to a residual sward height of 4 in (4R). At four times (late spring, mid-summer, early autumn, and early the subsequent spring) in each year, rainfall simulations were conducted at 6 sites within each paddock. Rainfall simulators dripped at a rate of 2.8 in./hr over a 5.4-ft2 area for a period of 1.5 hours. Runoff was collected and analyzed for total sediment, total P, and total soluble P. Simultaneous to each rainfall simulation, ground cover, penetration resistance, surface roughness, slope, the contents of P and moisture of the soil, sward height and forage mass were measured. Sediment flow was not affected by forage management practice. There was no difference between UG, HS, 4R in the amount of total P or soluble P lost in runoff, but greater amounts of total and soluble P were lost from 2C and 2R than from the other management practices (P\u3c0.05). A greater amount of sediment was lost from the pastures during the late spring period than during other parts of the year (P\u3c0.05). Losses of sediment, total P, and soluble P from pastures can be controlled by suitable grazing management practices

Breaking barriers, Building bridges: Collaborative forest landscape restoration handbook

Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges: Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Handbook explores the various barriers to landscape-scale, collaborative forest restoration and the innovative ways to bridge those barriers. The handbook, which is published by the ERI, features a foreword by Dr. W. Wallace Covington, chapters about collaboration, ecological economics, planning and NEPA development, multi-party monitoring, implementation, and adaptive management all within the context of landscape-scale forest restoration projects across the American West. It also chronicles pioneering ventures in large-scale, collaborative forest restoration and the emerging process that stakeholders, agencies, environmental groups, Native American tribes, and others have begun under the auspices of the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program and other collaborative efforts. While the process is an evolving one, people with diverse interests continue to work collectively under a shared goal: to restore health and resiliency to the nation's forested landscapes, while protecting people, communities, and enhancing local and regional economies

Livestock grazing and vegetative filter strip buffer effects on runoff sediment, nitrate, and phosphorus losses

Livestock grazing in the Midwestern United States can result in significant levels of runoff sediment and nutrient losses to surface water resources. Some of these contaminants can increase stream eutrophication and are suspected of contributing to hypoxic conditions in the Gulf of Mexico. This research quantified effects of livestock grazing management practices and vegetative filter strip buffers on runoff depth and mass losses of total solids, nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N), and ortho-phosphorus (PO4-P) under natural hydrologic conditions. Runoff data were collected from 12 rainfall events during 2001 to 2003 at an Iowa State University research farm in central Iowa, United States. Three vegetative buffers (paddock area:vegetative buffer area ratios of 1:0.2, 1:0.1, and 1:0 no buffer [control]) and three grazing management practices (continuous, rotational, and no grazing [control]) comprised nine treatment combinations (vegetative buffer ratio/grazing management practice) replicated in three 1.35 ha (3.34 ac) plot areas. The total 4.05 ha (10.02 ac) study area also included nine 0.4 ha (1.0 ac) paddocks and 27 vegetative buffer runoff collection units distributed in a randomized complete block design. The study site was established on uneven terrain with a maximum of 15% slopes and consisted of approximately 100% cool-season smooth bromegrass. Average paddock and vegetative buffer plant tiller densities estimated during the 2003 project season were approximately 62 million and 93 million tillers ha−1 (153 million and 230 million tillers ac−1), respectively. Runoff sample collection pipe leakage discovered and corrected during 2001 possibly reduced runoff depth and affected runoff contaminant mass losses data values. Consequently, 2001 runoff analysis results were limited to treatment comparisons within the 2001 season and were not compared with 2002 and 2003 data. Analysis results from 2001 showed no significant differences in average losses of runoff, total solids, NO3-N, and PO4-P among the nine vegetative buffer/grazing practice treatment combinations. Results from 2002 indicated significantly higher losses of runoff and total solids from 1:0 no buffer/rotational grazing and 1:0 no buffer/continuous grazing treatment combination plots, respectively, compared among other 2002 season treatment combinations. The 2003 results showed significantly higher runoff and total solids losses from 1:0 no buffer/no grazing treatment combination plots compared among all 2003 treatment combinations and from 1:0.1 vegetative buffer/no grazing treatment combination plots compared among all 2003 treatment combinations and with respective 2002 treatment combinations. However, the 2003 results indicated effective vegetative buffer performance with significantly lower runoff, total solids, and NO3-N losses from the larger 1:0.2 buffer area compared among the smaller 1:0.1 buffer area and 1:0 no buffer treatment combinations. The 2003 results also indicated a highly significant increase in losses of NO3-N from 1:0.1 buffer/no grazing treatment combination plots compared among other 2003 season treatment combinations and with respective 2002 treatment combinations. Overall results from this study suggest a shift from significantly higher 2002 season plot losses of continuous and rotational grazing treatment combinations to significantly higher 2003 season losses of no grazing treatment combinations. We speculate this shift to significantly higher runoff and contaminant losses from no grazing treatment combination plots during 2003 reflects the variability inherent to a complex and dynamic soil-water environment of livestock grazing areas. However, we also hypothesize the environmental conditions that largely consisted of a dense perennial cool-season grass type, high-relief landscape, and relatively high total rainfall depth may not necessarily include livestock grazing activities