Small-scale biogas plants in Vietnam: How are affected by policy issues?

Both developed and developing countries are working towards creating an emission free planet. Vietnam, as one of the highest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, has implemented several policies to curtail this phenomenon. Most of these policies are geared towards the development of renewable energy technologies such as biogas. The country’s policy on environmental protection, clean energy, climate change, and rural development has been based on small-scale biogas programs and projects. However, how are these small-scale biogas plants affected by arising policy issues? To answer this question, an intensive literature review was conducted and accompanied by a consultation with biogas experts with a focus on Vietnam. The data collected were analysed using the policy cycle analytical approach. The results showed that several policy instruments, such as the price of other conventional fuels and feed-in-tariffs, affect small-scale biogas plants. Furthermore, thousands of small-scale biogas plants have been installed due to good policies such as the Vietnam National Biogas Program. Finally, funding remains the biggest barrier to biogas policy amendments and implementation; the several biogas programs implemented over the decade could have yielded more positive impact if financial barriers like co-financing by the beneficiaries were set up more appropriately. In addition, new policies in the future will favour mid- to large-scale biogas plants rather than small-scale biogas plants. This policy implication threatens the sustainability of small-scale biogas plants; therefore, policy makers must be adroit in addressing policy issues that affect biogas production in Vietnam

What are the organizational and economic principles of organic farming in the context of sustainable development? Case of Ukraine

The development of organic agriculture is a long-term global trend; with different local factors that affect the development rate. Ukraine is one of the largest food suppliers in the world and this also applies to organic production. The evaluation of organic production at Skvyra Organic Research Station was conducted in 2015-2020 on 40 ha land; focusing on the economic performance of the enterprise and the specialization of production. The systematic approach and dialectical method of cognition were used to identify the key factors in the development of organic farming. The purpose of the study is an organizational and economic analysis of a state enterprise that is making a gradual transition from intensive to organic production, in order to determine the main principles that stimulate the development of organic production, and to overcome the challenges faced by the enterprise on the way to the introduction of organic production. The results indicate that the enterprise is profitable but does not operate up to its potential. The key issues were identified in the lack of focus on marketable crops, efficiency of labour, crop production, and management. The enterprise is negatively affected by the current legal framework and insufficient financial stability. The enterprises income consists of selling crops (i.e. cereals, legumes) and service-to-business (i.e. laboratory testing), with no state funding. Further results show the relation of the production and specialization with climatic, natural, biological and socio-economic factors. To improve the organisational and economic framework for the development of organic production, Ukrainian enterprises should focus on cost-effective products. Furthermore, competition between agricultural enterprises should support deeper specialization and production of competitive products, contributing to the profitability and economic stability of producer

Invasion of Parthenocissus quinquefolia (L.) Planch in the forest-steppe of Ukraine

Research needs of adaptation mechanisms of invasive alien species arises in connection with the naturalization of species of the genus Parthenocissus Planch in forest ecosystems of Ukraine. The results showed that P. quinquefolia has a wide range of values of edaphic and climatic factors. The populations of P. quinquefolia differ according to the degree of anthropogenic transformation of the ecotope, the ecological conditions formed, and the allocation of coenotics. The biomorphological characteristics of the species variability are shown on the gradient of anthropogenic transformation. Diagnostic parameters of P. quinquefolia under the conditions of anthropogenic transformation are the number of crotches of the tendrils and the length of the tendrils. The number of flowers per plant is characterized by the highest level of variation and belongs to the V class of variability. The smallest plasticity is characterized by the diameter of the stem. Vitality analysis indicated that cenopopulations of P. quinquefolia belong to the equilibria or prosperous population types, regardless of the intensity of the anthropogenic factor

Solid-State Fermentation of Soybean Meal with Edible Mushroom Mycelium to Improve Its Nutritional, Antioxidant Capacities and Physicochemical Properties

Soybean meal is a class of by-products obtained from the processing of soybean products. Despite its high nutritional value, the presence of glycoside isoflavones limits human use of soybean meal. This study evaluated the effect of solid-state fermentation (SSF) with different edible mushroom mycelia (Pleurotus ostreatus, Hericium erinaceus, and Flammulina velutipes) on the proximate composition, antioxidant properties, and physicochemical properties of fermented soybean meal powder (SP). The results revealed that fermented SP had a higher nutritional value when compared to SP. P. ostreatus was the most pronounced among the three species. Crude protein content was found to have increased by 9.49%, while the concentration of glutamate and aspartic acid increased by 23.39% and 23.16%, respectively. SSF process significantly increased the total polyphenol content (TPC) and aglycone isoflavone content by 235.9% and 324.12%, respectively, resulting in increased antioxidant activity (evaluated by the DPPH, •OH, ABTS+ assays). Microstructural changes in fermented SP and nutrient degradation and utilization were observed. Thus, fermented SP can be used as a raw material with enhanced nutritional properties to develop new functional foods, such as plant-based foods represented by plant meat. It provides a promising approach for increasing the added value of soybean meal

Modelowanie przepływu ziaren pszenicy podczas siewu w oparciu o model ziarniaka z przesuniętym środkiem ciężkości

Winter wheat is one of the widespread crops in Ukraine. The search for methods to increase the yield and consumer properties of wheat, without compromising environmental safety, is one of the important scientific problems. The principles of precision agriculture point to the proper positioning of the seeds, recommending the method of "upward germination" (positioning the wheat germ vertically). The main objective of this study was to develop a new geometric model of wheat grain with a displaced centre of mass, as well as to conduct the theoretical research and numerical experiments on the orientation of grains using their multiple impact interaction with inclined surfaces. A new model of germ consisting of two different end semispheres and amid-line truncated cone was proposed, with a displaced centre of mass. Taking into account the physical properties of the objects, the concept of arrangement of gravity orientation of seeds in a stream was applied. This concept was based on various ratios of kinetic parameters of bodies with a displaced centre of gravity following an impact. The results showed that the orientation process can be controlled by changing the inclination angles and the length of the walls of the tray orientator within the working velocity range. This must be done before impact interaction of 0.2-0.3 m s -1 when the inclination angles of the impact interaction planes are 24-32°C.Pszenica ozima jest jedną z najpopularniejszych roślin uprawnych na Ukrainie. Poszukiwanie metod zwiększenia plonów i właściwości konsumpcyjnych pszenicy, bez uszczerbku dla bezpieczeństwa środowiska, stanowi zatem ważny problem naukowy. Zasady rolnictwa precyzyjnego podkreślają właściwe rozmieszczenie nasion, zalecając pionowe ustawienie kiełków pszenicy (metoda „kiełkowania w górę”). Głównym celem badań było opracowanie nowego modelu geometrycznego ziarna pszenicy z przesuniętym środkiem ciężkości oraz przeprowadzenie badań teoretycznych i eksperymentów obliczeniowych dotyczących orientacji ziaren. Bazowały one na wielokrotnym zderzaniu z powierzchniami nachylonymi. Zaproponowano nowy model ziarniaka, składający się z dwóch różnych półkul końcowych i amidoliniowego stożka ściętego, z przesuniętym środkiem ciężkości. Zastosowano koncepcję układu orientacji grawitacyjnej nasion, z uwzględnieniem właściwości fizycznych obiektów. Koncepcja ta opierała się na różnych relacjach między parametrami kinetycznymi ciał z przesuniętym środkiem ciężkości po zderzeniu. Wyniki pokazały, że procesem orientacji można sterować poprzez zmianę kątów nachylenia i długości ścianek tacy podajnika w zakresie prędkości roboczych, pod warunkiem, że robi się to przed zderzeniem o wartości 0,2-0,3 m s-1, gdy kąty nachylenia płaszczyzn oddziaływania zderzeniowego wynoszą 24-32°C