Measurement of rapid landscape fragmentation in Iskandar Malaysia

Scientific projections have revealed that rapid and capital driven low-density urbanisation grossly undermines local and global environmental sustainability, with these effects set to become even more devastating in the near future. Landscape’s socio-ecological functions and services are bound to be affected by this form of rapid urban-industrial growth. The national planning instruments of countries such as Malaysia do not envisage some of the effects of this form of urbanisation on the landscapes. This study examines the problem of rapid fragmentation of landscape in Iskandar Malaysia as a special economic zone. The study adapted multiple data collection methods and various data analyses. The methods include field-based observations, public perceptions, and expert surveys, while land use and land cover data as well as capital-influx data were also analysed. This process helped the study to effectively measure the multiple dimensions of the study problem. The land use datasets for 2006 and 2010 were analysed using 11 landscape metrics to compute changes in landscape structure characteristics – area, shape, edge, diversity, connectivity, and contiguity. The study findings suggested that between 2006 and 2010, Iskandar Malaysia witnessed rapid changes in its landscape composition and configuration. The sharp increase in built-up areas from 13.5% in 2006 to 26.3% in 2010 has affected social and ecological processes in a number of ways. This capital driven rapid urbanisation has affected agricultural landscapes, mangroves and unprotected forests. Field observations revealed that landscape fragmentation has negatively affected upland ecosystems, landscape aesthetics, public safety, and landscape experiences. Public perceptions on effects of the fragmentation varied with people’s area of residence, age, and gender. The study also engages with broader sustainability discourse by establishing links between fragmentation of landscapes and urban morphology change, increasing carbon emissions, and humanwildlife conflict. Others include road users’ safety, land tenure, gentrification of ecological resources, public health, and environmental human rights issues. Thus, landscape fragmentation analysis is crucial to unravelling the complexities of urbanisation, globalisation, human-land interactions, and science and policy in the new urban age. Finally, the study underscores the need to entrench urban planning practices that reflect on and respect local environmental, cultural and social values of landscapes in order to achieve transformation to sustainable urbanisation in the emerging economies

Employability of Bachelor of Science (Agriculture) Graduates of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University

Employability is a contemporary global concern of developing countries which indirectly affects other categories of countries. Hence, the necessity for institutions turning out graduates to focus on ensuring their products meet market demands. The present study was therefore, centred on employability of Bachelor of Science Agriculture graduates of BSMRAU. Mixed research methods were adopted to conduct a survey on 140 (Master of Science students, Alumni and Service providers) respondents concerning generic skills and job performance. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics such as mean, percent, frequency and range in SPSS software, while qualitative data was analysed through collection of themes with respect to the study objectives. Results revealed that majority of graduates dominantly acquired generic skills related to communication and ICT, interpersonal, teamwork and leadership skills, and self-management and personal development skills from Agricultural Extension and Rural Development offered courses. The employability trend of Bachelor of Science Agriculture graduates was obtained to be high in the early years after graduation and decreases afterwards. Governmental organisations that include research, extension, education and bank absorbed majority of the graduates. Higher level of satisfaction was expressed in teaching-learning, communications skills and process control, while curriculum update and knowledge achievement were low satisfied. Major perceived strength was adherence to academic calendar while less extracurricular activities was the major weakness. Carrying out practical in a practical way and provision of some important laboratory equipment were the key areas suggested for improvement

'Transformations towards sustainability':Emerging approaches, critical reflections, and a research agenda

Over the last two decades researchers have come to understand much about the global challenges confronting human society (e.g. climate change; biodiversity loss; water, energy and food insecurity; poverty and widening social inequality). However, the extent to which research and policy efforts are succeeding in steering human societies towards more sustainable and just futures is unclear. Attention is increasingly turning towards better understanding how to navigate processes of social and institutional transformation to bring about more desirable trajectories of change in various sectors of human society. A major knowledge gap concerns understanding how transformations towards sustainability are conceptualised, understood and analysed. Limited existing scholarship on this topic is fragmented, sometimes overly deterministic, and weak in its capacity to critically analyse transformation processes which are inherently political and contested. This paper aims to advance understanding of transformations towards sustainability, recognising it as both a normative and an analytical concept. We firstly review existing concepts of transformation in global environmental change literature, and the role of governance in relation to it. We then propose a framework for understanding and critically analysing transformations towards sustainability based on the existing ‘Earth System Governance’ framework (Biermann et al., 2009). We then outline a research agenda, and argue that transdisciplinary research approaches and a key role for early career researchers are vital for pursuing this agenda. Finally, we argue that critical reflexivity among global environmental change scholars, both individually and collectively, will be important for developing innovative research on transformations towards sustainability to meaningfully contribute to policy and action over time

Exploring the governance and politics of transformations towards sustainability

AbstractThe notion of ‘transformations towards sustainability’ takes an increasingly central position in global sustainability research and policy discourse in recent years. Governance and politics are central to understanding and analysing transformations towards sustainability. However, despite receiving growing attention in recent years, the governance and politics aspects of transformations remain arguably under-developed in the global sustainability literature. A variety of conceptual approaches have been developed to understand and analyse societal transition or transformation processes, including: socio-technical transitions, social-ecological systems, sustainability pathways, and transformative adaptation. This paper critically surveys these four approaches, and reflects on them through the lens of the Earth System Governance framework (Biermann et al., 2009). This contributes to appreciating existing insights on transformations, and to identifying key research challenges and opportunities. Overall, the paper brings together diverse perspectives, that have so far remained largely fragmented, in order to strengthen the foundation for future research on transformations towards sustainability

Urban morphology dynamics and environmental change in Kano, Nigeria

In recent years, a critical understanding of human-nature interactions has become central to studies exploring the dynamics of urban morphology and the sustainability of growing cities in the developing world. Accordingly, numerous scholars have employed the coupled human and natural systems (CHANS) framework as a tool for understanding how cities are evolving in times of profound global change. Focusing on the case of Kano, northern Nigeria's largest city, this paper explores the potential of the CHANS framework in the analysis and interpretation of the human-nature interface in cities of the global south. Drawing on the qualitative analysis of graphic information and classical and contemporary literature, the centuries-old spatial morphology of Kano is traced and analysed. In the process, the paper highlights how change in the roles of traditional institutions of urban land administration have triggered the degeneration of the city's resilient indigenous urban morphology. Field investigations and the analysis of a variety of 19th, 20th and, 21st century images reveal significant change in the city's traditional building materials, roofing styles, street forms, distribution of ponds, and green and open spaces. Population pressure on urban land has also been a major driving force behind the unfolding changes. One catastrophic outcome of these changes has been the exacerbation of recurrent floods. In drawing attention to wider lessons for urban planners in other developing country contexts, the paper stresses the need to analyse any notable spatial and non-spatial events in cities in relation to the changing dynamics of urban morphology

Intersection of landscape, anthropocene and fourth paradigm

This review explores landscape science in the proposed age of the Anthropocene and Fourth Paradigm. Both the Anthropocene and the Fourth Paradigm put landscape science to task, due to the severity of landscape challenges. The article aims to link the concepts of the Anthropocene, the Fourth Paradigm and landscape sustainability in the 21st century. Different sources of publications and information were used to analyse, synthesise and explain the state of landscape research. We searched Thomson Reuters Web of Knowledge, Scopus, and Google Scholar for contents on this article's key themes - globalisation, urbanisation, the Anthropocene and the Fourth Paradigm. We argue that globalisation and urbanisation are the key driving forces behind landscape change. These driving forces represent the scales of human impact on landscapes. Landscape science plays a major role in the age of data revolution and unprecedented landscape change. The review suggests that landscape scientists and landscape societies should chart a new course for landscape research to exploit the benefits of data to advance landscape sustainability

The Changed City of Mecca: Understanding its Transition to Deep Globalisation

Pilgrimage to Mecca is an obligation for Muslims with ability to do so. Muslims also look at the Qibla (direction to Mecca) for their daily prayers (salat). The influence of Mecca is far and wide to the extent that many buildings in Muslim cities and towns are designed to align with the Qibla. The number of Muslims going to hajj has increased significantly and this makes Saudi authorities to undertake expansion of the Masjidil Haram – the Grand Mosque. However, such expansion projects and associated changes to the urban fabric of Mecca could not resist the forces of globalisation and modernisation trending in the Gulf region. The impacts of fast evolving modernisation, urbanisation and globalisation on small but culturally important Gulf cities such as Mecca is least investigated. This chapter analyses historical changes to the architecture and urban spaces in and around the city of Mecca. Pictures dated between 1880 and 2016 were used to identify patterns of modernisation and globalisation in Mecca. The changing morphology and architectural forms and concepts bereft Mecca of its many historic sites, decline in its all-encompassing spatio-spiritual appeal to pilgrims and possibly the emergence of spaces that most likely favour the richest and powerful. Thus, modernisation and globalisation are creating polarisation of the poor and the rich experiences in what supposes to be a landscape that exudes spirituality, equanimity and sense of sameness between races and sexes. The phenomenal expansions and renovations of Mecca’s Grand Mosque has in some ways undermined its standing as Ummul Qura (the Mother of all towns) in the sight of Muslims

Socio-ecological systems and biodiversity conservation in African city: Insights from Kano Emir's Palace gardens

Urban biodiversity management in most African countries is at a peripheral stage. At the same time, African urban areas substantially remain poorly planned and intensively growing. This study explores the socio-ecological system as an alternative approach to explore African indigenous urban biodiversity management. For this purpose, we mixed conventional scientific investigation methods to explain the biodiversity conservation in the ancient gardens of the Kano palace in northern Nigeria. This multidisciplinary approach has successfully unveiled a harmonious relationship of humans and ecosystems in the context of African cultural values and heritage systems. The paper reveals that the palace gardens offer an avenue for intersection of a wide range of ecological and cultural activities. These include biodiversity conservation, recreation, security and surveillance, climate hazards proofing, and sacred dimensions. The findings of this study show that it is possible to address challenges confronting Africa's urban biodiversity through the combination of scientific and indigenous systems. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media New York

Socioeconomic Determinants Influencing the Willingness of Agriculture Undergraduates to Participate in Agripreneurship in Northwest Nigeria

The study analyzed the socioeconomic determinants influencing the willingness of the agriculture undergraduates to participate in agripreneurship in Northwest, Nigeria. The study employed a questionnaire to obtain primary data. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 150 respondents from the universities under study. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. Results show that a majority of the participants were male (68.7%), single (90%), within 21-25 years of age (52.6%), and had no any other tangible occupation (57.3%) besides study. Willingness to participate in agripreneurship was found to be positive among the respondents but not as primary occupation. Family economic status (ranked first) was the major socioeconomic determinants influencing the willingness of agriculture undergraduates to participate in agripreneurship. Examination of the relationship between selected socioeconomic determinants and willingness to participate in agripreneurship revealed a positive significant relationship with gender, community background, family background, family economic status, as well as with ethnicity. This clearly suggests that a number of socioeconomic determinants have considerable influence over willingness of agriculture undergraduates to participate in agripreneurship. The study, then, carries the implication that university agriculture training should be streamlined with today’s realities so as to stimulate the willingness for agripreneurship