We examine the perceived business risks and impacts on performance associated with the Russian aggression in Ukraine in February 2022 among 450 Egyptian small and medium-sized agrifood enterprises. Our analysis identifies six distinct clusters of enterprises based on their perceived risks and three clusters based on the observed impacts of the war. We find a strong association between perceived business risks and observed impacts, suggesting that the risks identified by agrifood SMEs significantly influence their actual business performance. This underscores the importance of understanding and effectively managing perceived risks to mitigate the negative impacts of external shocks, enhance operational resilience, and improve overall performance. Moreover, the results indicate that the consequences of the war extend beyond direct effects on agrifood enterprises, affecting various stages of the agrifood chain. This implies that, in times of crisis, the absence of a well-functioning agrifood SME sector may threaten the sustainability of the entire agrifood value chain. These insights contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the experiences of agrifood SMEs during the early stages of the war, helping policymakers and enterprises prioritize risk management strategies and allocate resources effectively to enhance performance and competitiveness in times of crisis.

Like many other developing countries, urban sprawl is a growing phenomenon in India, which poses socio-economic and environmental challenges that worryingly affect urban sustainability. In this study, a latent class clustering approach was used to investigate perceptions of urban sprawl among 622 urban and peri-urban dwellers in Hyderabad. The empirical results clustered the respondents into three distinct classes based on their perceptions of urban sprawl impacts: ‘undecided respondents’, ‘negative perceivers’, and ‘opportunity perceivers’. The majority of respondents were undecided with no strong views towards the impacts of urban sprawl, which may increase their vulnerability and hinder effective adaptation to the adverse economic, social and environmental effects of urban sprawl. This also provokes concerns about the effectiveness of government interventions to build public awareness of urban development and its impacts on the city. With regard to the role of demographic and socio-economic characteristics in shaping the perception of the respondents, the results revealed that social caste plays a determining role in forming dwellers’ perception. In particular, members of marginalised social castes were more likely to form positive perceptions of the impacts of urban sprawl as urban expansion generates better and stable income that improve their social status. In addition, individuals with higher levels of education were more likely to form negative or positive perceptions, implying that efforts to raise social capital could be a useful means for mitigating the impacts of urban sprawl. Finally, membership in community development organisations was a key factor in dictating membership of the negative perceivers’ class. Overall, our findings suggest that an appropriate policy framework and specific programmes are needed for enhancing dwellers’ perception towards the impacts of urban sprawl, which can enhance the design, acceptance, and implementation of a more sustainable governance of urbanisation and contribute to achieving urban sustainability in developing countries.

Purpose – A better understanding of the determinants of demand through accurate estimates of the elasticityof import demand can help policymakers and exporters improve their market access and competitiveness. This study analyzed the EU’s demand for imported potato from major suppliers between 1994 and 2018, with the aim to evaluate the competitiveness of Egyptian potato.

Design/methodology/approach – This study adopted an import-differentiated framework to investigatedemand relationships among the major potato suppliers to the EU’s. To evaluate the competitiveness of Egyptian potato on the EU market, expenditure and price demand elasticities for various suppliers werecalculated and compared.

Findings – The empirical results indicated that as income allocation of fresh potatoes increases, theinvestigated EU markets import more potatoes from other suppliers compared to imports from Egypt. The results show that EU importers may switch to potato imports from other suppliers as the import price ofEgyptian potatoes increases, which enter the EU markets before domestically produced potatoes are harvested.

Research limitations/implications – Due to data unavailability, the present study relied on yearly data onquantities and prices of EU potato imports. A higher frequency of observations should allow for consideringseasonal effects, and thereby providing a more transparent picture of market dynamics and demand behaviorof EU countries with respect to potato import from various sources of origin.

Originality/value – The study used a system-wide and source differentiated approach to analyze importdemand. In particular, the empirical approach allowed for comparing different demand models (AIDS,Rotterdam, NBR and CBS) to filter out the superior and most suitable model for that data because the suitabilityand performance of a demand model depends rather on data than on universal criteria.

The agricultural sector in Sweden needs to cut GHG emissions and contribute to the climate goal of net-zero emissions by 2045. The GHG reduction goal for agricultural emissions is not quantified, but the Swedish climate policy framework states that ‘the Swedish food production shall increase as much as possible with as little climate impact as possible’ and multiple key actors within the sector of food and agriculture have developed roadmaps or industry specific goals for reducing GHG emissions from the sector. Consequently, requirements of transparent GHG accounting and reporting are increasing within the agricultural sector, both at national and international level. The purpose of the Agrosfär tool is to establish an automatic data driven climate calculator used to calculate GHG emissions from agricultural products and on farm enterprise level. The automation and automatic data collection will save time, increase accuracy of the calculations, and simplify updates of the tool to keep it aligned with the most recent climate data and climate reporting methodology. It will make it possible to continuously carry out follow-ups on climate performance indicators and measure improvements from climate measures taken. A working group consisting of Swedish agricultural life cycle assessment experts have developed the framework of the tool, e.g. setting system boundaries, selecting methodologies and input data. A technical team has developed algorithms, a digital interface and coupled the tool to other existing agricultural databases providing farm specific information on crop and animal production data, soil characteristics, carbon footprints and amounts of purchased inputs etc. The tool and user interface have been developed based on input from farmers through prototyping and in-depth interviews. For general guidelines on methodology the calculation model follows the Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR), the International Dairy Federation (IDF)’s approach for carbon footprint for the dairy sector and FAO Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance guidelines (FAO LEAP). Where standards have diverged or where assumptions have been required the working group has made expert judgements on which method/guideline to follow or what assumptions to make. A first version of the tool, a so called minimal viable product (MVP) has been developed which will be the basis for further development. The MVP contains an animal and crop module and can calculate the carbon footprint of crops, milk and beef. Future development possibilities of the tool and calculation model is described in chapter 7, such as enabling climate calculations on enterprise level, develop modules for more animal production types, deepen the integration between the crop and animal modules, expand sources for automatic data collection, develop a carbon sequestration module and other technical and methodological improvements to ensure alignment with important climate reporting standards. The report will be repeatedly updated as the tool develops, and new versions of the tool are released.

A regulate analysis of the connotation of the word “environment” in the sustainability explains clear circumstances of a being or thing (social, economic, and physical). Moreover, the meaning covers the systematization of the environment upon the physical process. The environment in a broad sense also contains all the natural and artificial factors of the physical, chemical, biological, and social nature in which a human being is a factor motor of community that develops. The importance of maintaining a steady state, the human relationship, and its living environment requires an ability to control the environment in an optimal arrangement of ecological balance. For creating a competent urban zoning, it is necessary to state that green areas in general and grass in special require a delimitation based on a unitary structure of territory structure organized. It has to be created by successive stages (valuable parts), which in the functional aspect consists of areas characteristic of the dominant aspect, the weight of one of the functions, or a greater diversity of the functions, mono-functional multifunctional space [1]. Grasses in the planted area (as a functional urban area) are shaped to serve the specific areas for beauty or recreational purpose. The grasslands have an esthetic function, which can be presented by

• An essential element to highlight architectural objects
• A significant decorative value (by shape or color)

This book has been prepared to embody the major and efficient applications of the different duties and roles of grasses in our life, as well as offered a solid concept for this kind of science. The book aims to illustrate various ideas, methods and how it is treated in the agronomic process for different forms of grasses in human life.

During the COVID pandemic of 2019, Sweden saw a huge increase in food prices, as many of the country's grocery chains import a large amount of all foods. This research is motivated by the Swedish Parliament's motion "Self-Sufficiency of Food in Sweden" and the need for innovative solutions to enhance Sweden's food supply. This study focuses on alternative urban agriculture methods, with a focus on aeroponics, aquaponics, hydroponics, and vertical farming, and their potential for self-sufficiency in Sweden. This study aims to fill the gap in Swedish research on soilless urban farming methods and contribute to the understanding and acceptance of the alternative methods above. The study seeks to determine whether the yield of alternative cultivation methods is comparable to traditional methods, soil-based and greenhouse-based farming, in terms of resources invested and to identify the alternative method with the highest yield. Resources in this thesis will be defined as the amount of water that is used. Our thesis aims to support businesses and local governance in decision-making regarding implementation of alternative urban farming in Sweden. A literature search was conducted using keywords such as hydroponic, vertical farming and sustainability. Statistical analysis of collected data indicates significant differences in yield and water usage among the collected examples which resulted in vertical hydroponic farming offering the highest yield in terms of space utilization, with significant statistical significance (p < 0.05). Additionally, hydroponic farming requires the least amount of water compared to other methods although this is not a certainty as there was no significant statistical difference between the different methods. The study demonstrates that hydroponic farming can achieve higher yields compared to traditional soil-based farming and other alternative farming methods. The study emphasizes organizational and governmental solutions to improve self-sufficiency at the local and national levels. Alternative urban farming methods offer a sustainable contribution to increasing self-sufficiency while minimizing resource usage.

Med dagens klimatförändringar där extrem torka och extrema översvämningar kommer allt oftare, behöver vi anpassa oss till nya förutsättningar. Matproduktion är något som påverkas men som kanske kommer lite i skymundan i Sverige, då vi är vana att allt alltid finns i affären. Till Sverige importeras stora mängder livsmedel, mycket av detta är sådant vi egentligen har resurser att odla själva. När förutsättningarna förändras i de länder vi idag importerar mat från, kan vi inte längre förlita oss på att det landet längre kommer kunna producera så mycket mat så att det räcker för export. När dessutom befolkningen i världen ökar lavinartat krävs mer mat. Förutom mat krävs också bostäder. Detta är två livsviktiga förnödenheter för människor i Sverige och just därför kanske den egna produktionen av livsmedel behöver öka. Framförallt i Skåne finns många hektar jordbruksmark, dessutom av högsta klass. Men ska det byggas bostäder eller produceras mat som är hållbart på lång sikt? I studien har personer från Malmö kommun, Länsstyrelsen Skåne och byggföretagen Skanska och Peab intervjuats för att undersöka hur skyddet ser ut för den Skånska jordbruksmarken men framför allt hur de värderar den och arbetar i praktiken för att bevara den. De slutsatser som har framkommit av studien är följande: Det finns en variation av intresse och värderingar om jordbruksmarken bör bebyggas eller bevaras för framtida brukande. Det finns en viss lagstiftning men delar av den kan däremot tolkas utifrån aktörens egna intresse vilket kan bli problematiskt. Detta gör dessutom att skyddet inte är så pass starkt som det behöver vara om det ska kunna bevaras för framtida generationer. För att uppnå detta behövs en starkare samordning mellan aktörer men också någon typ av plan eller strategi som tagits fram gemensamt av Länsstyrelsen och kommunen. 

In this work, seven different extracts from pomegranate (Punica granatum L., cv. Hicaznar) peel were prepared by using different solvents (ethanol, methanol, either alone or in combination with acid, acetone and water). The phenolics (punicalagins and ellagic acid), organic acids (citric acid and malic acid) and sugars of pomegranate peel extracts were determined. The highest amounts of punicalagins and ellagic acid were detected by ethanol-acid extract as 13.86% and 17.19% (w/v) respectively, whereas the lowest levels were obtained with acetone and water extracts. Moreover, the methanol-acid (3.19%malic acid) and ethanol-acid (1.13% citric acid) extracts contained the highest levels of organic acids. The antimicrobial activities of extracts were investigated by agar well diffusion method. Methanol-acid and ethanol-acid extracts exhibited the highest antimicrobial effects on all tested microorganisms, giving inhibition zones ranging in size from 17 to 36 mm. Although similar antimicrobial activities were observed by ethanol, methanol, and acetone extracts (up to 24 mm), the lowest antimicrobial activities were attained by water extract (0-15 mm). All extracts were generally more effective against Gram-positive bacteria: Enterococcus facealis, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus than Gram-negative ones: Escherichia coli and Enterobacter aerogenes. It was shown that extracts from pomegranate peels represent a good source of bioactive compounds.

This study explores the question of how soil-less agriculture through hydroponics, aeroponics, and aquaponics can empower smallholder farmers to achieve food sovereignty as portrayed in documentaries. It addresses the power imbalance between large corporations and smallholder farmers in the traditional agriculture industry. Documentary research approach is used to understand the various applications and research aspects of soil-less agriculture from around the world. Real-life examples from different countries where these methods have been successfully implemented in the agriculture industry, ranging from large industrial settings to smallholder farmers in disadvantaged communities, are analyzed. Further, content analysis is done on these documents by constructing a matrix that combines the process of empowerment and the six pillars of food sovereignty to analyze the different forms of empowerment. The study also investigates how the use of soil-less agriculture can build capabilities through enhanced “well-being freedom” and “agency freedom” and empower smallholder farmers to achieve food sovereignty.

"Riksantikvarieämbetets höstmöte 1977, upptakt tillarbetet med regionala kulturminnesvårdsprogram: Två antikvarier på scenen för en dialog om behovet av att uppfatta helheten, att inte se bara fornlämningar eller bara byggnader. Vi måste överbrygga uppdelningen mellan arkeologer och byggnadsvårdare inom kulturminnesvården. Två vackra, tecknade OH-dior i färganvänds som demonstration - en magnifik runsten med litet grässtrån kring foten och en större rödmålad träbyggnad av bergsmansgårdskaraktär med antydan till gräsmatta runt stensockeln. Tillsammans bildar dessa ett kulturlandskap,är budskapet. Två objekt som bildar en miljö ..."

Inom ramen för Tillväxtanalys regeringsuppdrag att beskriva utvecklingen i och inom olika regioner har myndigheten valt att göra en översiktlig studie av pågående forskning kring landsbygders utveckling. Arbetet har genomförts av agronom Leif Berndtsson, Högskolan Väst.

Studien har i huvudsak genomförts genom litteratursökning. Därtill kommer enkät- och intervjusvar från ett antal forskare samt aktörer inom landsbygdsområdet.

I särskild bilaga redovisas 40 forskningsprojekt samt hänvisas till ca 100 papers från konferensen Nordic Rural Future, maj 2010.

Rapporten utmynnar i ett antal slutsatser och förslag på förbättringar. Några av dem är följande:

Forskningsfältet är mycket brett och svårdefinierat. Ordet landsbygd "avskärmar" en hel del forskning som faktiskt pågår, men där forskarna själva inte ser sig som "landsbygdsforskare" utan mer som ämnesinriktade inom exempelvis genus, jämställdhet, innovation, entreprenörskap el liknande. Det begränsar sökmöjligheterna av pågående forskning.

Det vore önskvärt med ett tydligare landsbygdsfokus inom pågående forskning med inriktning mot klimatförändring och energiomställning. Det saknas t.ex. studier och forskning om vilka effekter och möjligheter en klimatomställning som det kan få för landsbygder och de människor som bor där.

Den nyligen avslutade halvtidsutvärderingen av Landsbygdsprogrammet visar på att det finns behov av ytterligare forskning om hur man kan avläsa och mäta effekter av tillväxtstimulerande insatser. Utvärderarna har t.ex. haft uppenbara problem med att finna metoder för att avläsa effekter såväl inom de mer kvantitativa insatserna inom axel 1 och 2, som i de mer kvalitativa insatserna inom axel 3 och 4.

Det vore vidare positivt med ett tydligare arbete för att föra ut forskningen till mer tillämpade insatser. I dagsläget satsas resurser på att återföra forskningsresultat till befintliga företag eller till nystartande företag via olika arenor som Inkubator, Innovationsbron, mm. Det finns ett behov av insatser för att föra ut mer samhällsinriktad forskning till praktisk tillämpning hos politiker, beslutsfattare, samhällsplanerare, regionutvecklare, m.fl.

Flera forskare pekar på en obalans i tilldelningen av forskningsmedel inom landsbygdsområdet.

Det är en förhoppning att översikten ger underlag för diskussioner och förslag som leder till en ökad förståelse för forskningen om landsbygders utveckling. I kapitlet slutsatser och rekommendationer finns många exempel på ett ökat tvärdisciplinärt synsätt för att stärka forskningsområdet. Detta skall inte tolkas som ett minskat behov av djup ämnesinriktad forskning. Snarare skall det ses som ett behov av att få de olika disciplinerna att öka sina kontaktytor med varandra. Det bör även i sin tur leda till en ökad förståelse och leda till fler insikter om de möjligheter som kan finnas inom landsbygdens områden. En förhoppning är att även forskningsfinansiärer kan se behov av att koppla ihop de vetenskapliga disciplinerna i större utsträckning.

Slutligen ger de exempel som redovisas i rapportens bilaga en positiv bild av att det finns en pågående forskning, som om resultaten sprids, kan vara till nytta för landsbygdsområdet.

The compatible microbial consortia containing fungal and bacterial symbionts acting synergistically are applied to improve plant growth and eco-physiological responses in extreme crop growth conditions. However, the interactive effects of phytohormones-producing endophytic fungal and bacterial symbionts plant growth and stress tolerance under heavy metal stress have been least known. In the current study, the phytohormones-producing endophytic Paecilomyces formosus LHL10 and Sphingomonas sp. LK11 revealed potent growth and tolerance during their initial screening against combined Al and Zn (2.5 mM each) stress. This was followed with their co-inoculation in the Al- and Zn-stressed Glycine max L. plants, showing significantly higher plant growth attributes (shoot/root length, fresh/dry weight, and chlorophyll content) than the plants solely inoculated with LHL10 or LK11 and the non-inoculated (control) plants under metal stresses. Interestingly, under metal stress, the consortia exhibited lower metal uptake and inhibited metal transport in roots. Metal-induced oxidative stresses were modulated in co-inoculated plants through reduced hydrogen peroxide, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant enzymes (catalase and superoxide dismutase) in comparison to the non-inoculated plants. In addition, endophytic co-inoculation enhanced plant macronutrient uptake (P, K, S, and N) and modulated soil enzymatic activities under stress conditions. It significantly downregulated the expression of heavy metal ATPase genes GmHMA13, GmHMA18, GmHMA19, and GmPHA1 and upregulated the expression of an ariadne-like ubiquitin ligase gene GmARI1 under heavy metals stress. Furthermore, the endogenous phytohormonal contents of co-inoculated plants revealed significantly enhanced gibberellins and reduced abscisic acid and jasmonic acid contents, suggesting that this endophytic interaction mitigated the adverse effect of metal stresses in host plants. In conclusion, the co-inoculation of the endophytic fungus LHL10 and bacteria LK11 actively contributed to the tripartite mutualistic symbiosis in G. max under heavy metal stresses; this could be used an excellent strategy for sustainable agriculture in the heavy metal-contaminated fields.

Ända sedan sekelskiftets vaknan­de intresse för svensk folkkultur har Gästrikland stått i skuggan av grannlandskap som Hälsing­land och Dalarna. Fortfarande anses landskapet sakna egen identitet på byggnadstraditionens område - en bedömning som snarast måste tillskrivas bristan­de kunskap hos kulturmiljövår­dare och etnologer. Ett exempel är Gästriklands karakteristiska torkrior som var nära att försvin­na helt innan de till sist upp­märksammades av kulturmiljö­vården. Nu räddas de sista gästri­keriorna i ett projekt initierat av länsstyrelsen. 

Föreliggande rapport presenterar resultatet av utvecklingsprojektet ” Röjning och slåtter med flerarmad slåttermaskin”, som syftar till att internationellt inventera, identifiera och importera ny teknik för maskinell slåtter och röjning för test och utvärdering under Svenska förhållanden. Projektet finansierades av Trafikverket, Svevia och Svenska Byggbranschens Utvecklingsfond (SBUF) inom ramen för verksamhetsnära utvecklingar.

In this study real-time PCR assays, based on the LUX™-technique, were developed for quantification of genes mediating resistance to aminoglycosides [aac(6´′)-Ie + aph(2´′´′)], β-lactams (mecA), and tetracyclines (tetA and tetB), for use in wastewater environments. The developed assays were applied on DNA extracted from three wastewater-associated environments: soil from an overland flow area treating landfill leachates, biofilm from a municipal wastewater treatment plant, and sludge from a hospital wastewater pipeline. The highest concentration of all genes was observed in the hospital pipeline and the lowest in the overland flow system. TetA and aac(6´′)-Ie + aph(2´′´′) could be detected in all environments. The tetB gene was detected in the overland flow area and the hospital wastewater pipeline and mecA was detected in the wastewater treatment plant and the hospital pipeline. The developed LUX™ real-time PCR assays were shown to be fast and reproducible tools for detection and quantification of the four genes encoding antibiotic resistance in wastewater.

The purpose of this thesis is to assess the implications of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) on the agricultural supply chain in Greece by examining the relationships between farmers and their intermediaries, and their interactions during the buying and selling process. More specifically, the focus of the research takes place in Pouri, a small village in central Greece whose economy centers around Apple Farming, where we can observe the exchange of locally grown goods between farmers and intermediaries. The thesis consists of two parts; the first part examines how Greek farmers perceive the process of buying and selling agricultural products and how they respond to problems within their current structure; through observing processes, conducting interviews and collecting narrative stories to identify the issues, we assess whether it would be advantageous for farmers to implement ICTs as part of the solution. The second part consists of a review of the academic literature to examine the same or similar situations in the agricultural supply chain of other global regions and their economic contexts. Lastly, a thorough thematic analysis of the research data provides a better understanding of the issues facing farmers and their needs as they pertain to ICTs, to improve the agricultural supply chain and the entire rural sector.

I Norden är bruket av fäbodar eller sätrar mycket gammalt. Sannolikt finns ursprunget i en utvidgad familjegrupps behov för sin boskapsskötsel ochsin övriga försörjning. Alla medlemmar i gruppen har där egna eller delade ansvarsområden. Mellan boskapshjorden och familjekollektivet finns ett förhållande där en djurstock med en viss numerär på ett optimalt sätt ger basförsörjning och arbete åt en grupp med viss storlek. Avvägningen mellan vanligtvis getter och får samt kor förutsätter variation, men i stora drag kan man anta att kollektivens storlek har varit konstanta över tiden. Även om konkurrerande grannar har saknats och tillgången på foder för djuren därförvar obegränsad har det inte varit praktiskt möjligt för deras ägare att hantera den areellt omfattande driften från en enda boplats. Markernas produktionsförmåga innebar en annan påtaglig begränsning. För att kunna utnyttja territoriets resurser har därför, från boskapsskötselns begynnelse, någon form av flerfaldig bosättning varit nödvändig i större delen av Norden.

Schistosomiasis is a vector-borne water-based disease caused by Schistosoma blood flukes. It mostly affects people in low-income regions, 90% of reported cases being in developing countries. Schistosoma has a complex lifecycle, alternately infecting mammalian hosts and snails. The snails hosting the parasite are the most viable targets. Selective preparations for reducing the parasite pool in snails and infected water are required as current molluscicides are also nontoxic to other organisms, including fish, and thus affect food supplies in infected areas. Plants (e.g. Annona crassiflora Mart., A. muricata L., and A. montana Macfad.) are attractive potential sources as alternative molluscicides and novel entity to treat the disease owned to their diverse biologically potent compounds including; saponins, alkaloids, terpenoids, and tannins. Additionally, they can be locally cultivated, providing income for farmers and reducing treatment costs. Here, we review plants, plant extracts and isolated compounds that have shown activities against the host snails or Schistosoma in various parts of its life cycle. Plants have a lot of potential and will continue to contribute feasible, effective medicines and/or pesticides; more research is warranted to fully explore their future applications.

Future agricultural systems should increase productivity and sustainability of food production and supply. For this, integrated and efficient capture, management, sharing, and use of agricultural and environmental data from multiple sources is essential. However, there are challenges to understand and efficiently use different types of agricultural and environmental data from multiple sources, which differ in format and time interval. In this regard, the role of emerging technologies is considered to be significant for integrated data gathering, analyses and efficient use. In this study, a concept was developed to facilitate the full integration of digital technologies to enhance future smart and sustainable agricultural systems. The concept has been developed based on the results of a literature review and diverse experiences and expertise which enabled the identification of stat-of-the-art smart technologies, challenges and knowledge gaps. The features of the proposed solution include: data collection methodologies using smart digital tools; platforms for data handling and sharing; application of Artificial Intelligent for data integration and analysis; edge and cloud computing; application of Blockchain, decision support system; and a governance and data security system. The study identified the potential positive implications i.e. the implementation of the concept could increase data value, farm productivity, effectiveness in monitoring of farm operations and decision making, and provide innovative farm business models. The concept could contribute to an overall increase in the competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience of the agricultural sector as well as digital transformation in agriculture and rural areas. This study also provided future research direction in relation to the proposed concept. The results will benefit researchers, practitioners, developers of smart tools, and policy makers supporting the transition to smarter and more sustainable agriculture systems.

About half of Sweden’s cultivated lands are estimated to be using artificial subsurface drainage. Earlier studies have shown that several of these drainage systems are obsolete and ill-equipped to handle the present climate conditions. Sweden has used a drain depth of 1.2 meters for the drainage systems as a guideline value, although studies have suggested it is necessary to be re-evaluated. Poorly dimensioned drainage systems in combination with an expected increase in precipitation due to climate change puts Sweden into challenges to adapt current drainage systems for the future. A well-drained soil is a crucial fundament to minimize nitrogen-losses and maximize crop yields to sustain a growing population.

The aim was to model two different types of soils’ drainage systems with the hydrology model DRAINMOD and adapt these for today’s and the future’s climate.

DRAINMOD simulates the hydrology of a soil for long periods of climatological records. The model predicts water table, soil water regime, drainage, run-off and crop yields associated with a certain drainage system design. Several different drainage depths and spaces for each of the two soils were analysed and evaluated. For the field located in the county of Östergötland, a drainage depth of 1.2 m and spacing of 25–50 m were sufficient to minimize drainage losses and maximize crop yield. Furthermore, a depth of 0.9 m and spacings of 20–50 m would be sufficient for the second field located in the county of Skåne.

Meat quality is a broad concept that can include e.g. retail product, ethical traits and eating quality. This report mainly focuses on the eating quality, i.e. the sensory properties, of the meat. Studies have shown that tenderness and taste is the most important eating quality traits in meat. The tenderness and taste are partly influenced by the amount of intramuscular fat (marbling) in the meat. Swedish carcasses of cattle and lamb is mainly classified according to the EUROP-system, which classifies the carcasses’ shape and external fat deposition. There is also a Swedish standard for classification of marbling in beef, which is optional for the abattoirs to use. These parameters are only possible to influence when the animal is alive. The marbling of the meat is affected by e.g. breed, sex, age and feeding regime. In general, animals with lower growth rates have a greater potential to produce marbled meat. Also, an intense feeding regime has been shown to have a positive impact on the marbling grade. Marbling is a moderately heritable trait in cattle, which means that genetic progress can be achieved by selecting for marbling within a breed. To measure meat quality on live animals can provide valuable information in the aim to improve meat quality in Swedish beef.

This review presents techniques that have been evaluated in the application to measure carcass meat quality traits on live cattle and lambs. The techniques covered in the report are ultrasound, bioelectrical impedance (BIA), computed tomography, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), 3D-imaging and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Studies have shown that marbling in cattle can be measured with similar accuracy by ultrasound and BIA, and there is also potential to develop NMR for measurement of marbling in shallow muscles. Both fat and muscles in cattle can be measured with ultrasound, BIA, computed tomography and there is also potential to develop 3D-imaging for these traits. Fewer studies have focused on lamb meat quality and for marbling, only studies on computed tomography was found. Muscles and fat content in live lambs have been successfully measured by ultrasound, BIA, computed tomography and DXA. At present, ultrasound and 3D-imaging are the techniques considered to have the potential to be practically applicable for measuring carcass meat quality traits in live animals in Sweden.

Meatquality, i.e. sensory quality, includes traits such as tenderness and texture,flavour and juiciness. Tenderness and flavour are considered to be the mostimportant meat quality traits and are related to the amount of marbling of themeat, i.e. the amount of intramuscular fat. The marbling of the meat isaffected by e.g. sex, age, breed, genetic disposition and feeding regime.Marbling is moderately heritable in cattle, which mean that genetic progresscan be achieved by selecting for marbling within a breed. In Sweden, a standardfor beef marbling scoring has been developed, which is optional for theslaughterhouses to use. However, few slaughterhouses have implemented themarbling scoring system in their payment model to farmers, which means thatthere are no apparent financial incentives for meat producers to produceanimals of high eating quality. The possibility to predict the marbling score in live animals mayincrease the interest for eating quality traits of beef in Sweden and improve productionplanning, the prediction of time for slaughter and breeding. Ultrasound isalready an established method for estimating beef carcass characteristics andis used e.g. in the USA and Canada.

The study aimed to evaluate ultrasound as amethod to measure carcass meat quality traits on live cattle in Sweden. Data of94 cattle was included in the study. The animals were scanned with ultrasoundbefore slaughter and ultrasound and carcass measurements of marbling, backfatthickness and muscle depth were then compared. The results showed a relativelylow correlation between marbling score by ultrasound and marbling assessedvisually on the carcass, but it was within the range of results from previousstudies. However, the distribution of data was limited with few animals withhigh marbling scores, which means that a correlation analysis may not bereliable. Therefore, the marbling score was also analysed as a categoricalvariable with Fisher’s exact test, and the results showed a significantrelationship between marbling grade before and after slaughter. The ultrasound measurements made a correct classifying in around half of the cases. The results also showed a lower correlation for measurement of backfat compared toprevious studies (r= 0,51 at the 12/13^th rib and r=0,43 at the 10/11^thrib), while the results for measurement of muscle depth was moderatelycorrelated to the carcass measurement.  Theresults can most likely be improved by better knowledge and understanding ofthe ultrasound technique and handling skills of both ultrasound hardware andsoftware. Furthermore, the results for marbling can probably be improved by arecalibration of the software to meet Swedish conditions, as the ultrasound measurementsgenerally seems to underestimate the marbling score. There is potential to useultrasound to measure marbling and meat quality traits on Swedish cattle, butthere is a need of more data material and better knowledge and experience toshow more reliable results.

An experimental, collective docudrama about food and nutrition supported by SIANI. Shot in city regions of Venezuela and Sweden. A collective docudrama by David Hallberg in collaboration with the Swedish Red Cross University College and Swedish International Agricultural Network Initiative, Venezuela. 

The overall aim of the group is to examine how shortages of food and water lead to vulnerability to ill-health, abuse, and exploitation at the local level.

Vårdträdet är ett landskapselement som har sitt kulturella ursprung i hedniska tider av träddyrkan. Dessa träd har förts från heliga lundar in till gårdsplanerna där de har planterats för att sedan tjäna som symbol för gårdens lycka eller olycka beroende på trädets hälsa och hur behandlingen av trädet utförts. I moderna tider tenderar vi att istället för en tro på ödet och sökandet efter omen för att sia om framtiden, resonera med hjälp av logik och rationalitet för att tolka vår omgivning. Hur dessa sätt att tänka står i kontrast till varandra har varit utgångspunkten för denna studien. Vårdträdet har tjänat som symbol för detta då landskapselementet fortfarande existerar på den skånska landsbygdens gårdstomter precis som det gjort i hundratals år. Hur kulturen, och resonerandet kring träden i fråga ser ut idag i jämförelse med då är dock den intressanta frågan och syftet med studien har varit att få en djupare förståelse för detta. Genom detta kan ett bidrag ges till diskussionen kring varför platser ser ut som de gör. Frågeställningen för studien har därför blivit "Vilka faktorer i då- och nutid ligger bakom skapandet av landskapselementet vårdträd?" Undersökningsmetoden som valts för detta har till en början varit att studera frågelistor från Lunds universitets Folklivsarkiv. Vidare har djupintervjuer genomförts tillsammans med människor som har ett vårdträd växande i anslutning till gården de bor på. På detta sätt har en historisk inblick skapats om vårdträden som sedan kan ställas i kontrast emot dagens människors tänkande om samma sorts träd. Resultaten visar på att vissa kulturella fenomen lever kvar medan andra har förändrats. Vårdträden anses idag liksom då, som kulturarvsobjekt som "tillhör gården". Träden används också fortfarande som socialiseringsplats samt som solskydd och i viss mån som offerplats av gröt på julen samt att trädet får växa fritt. Hur kulturen dock skiljer sig visar sig i hur rädslan vid trädets behandling ej existerar i samma grad längre. Vårdträden respekteras då liksom nu, men tron om bestraffning och otur vid "illa" behandling av vårdträdet är ej lika starkt manifesterat i de intervjuades tankar som det tenderade att vara enligt frågelistorna. Då vårdträden i traditionell mening ej rördes över huvud taget, gallras träden idag utan större eftertanke. Vad likheterna gällande synen på träden som kulturarvssymbol beror på, kan vara att träden p.g.a. sina höga åldrar genom denna konstant tillskrivs ett historiskt värde genom berättelser som hela tiden tillskrivs trädet desto äldre det blir. Därför har vårdträdet då liksom nu många gånger tjänat som släktklenod för gårdens invånare där minnen från alla livets skeden är knutna. Skiljaktigheterna kan bero på hur dagens rationella och logiska tänkande skiljer sig från folktrons ej ifrågasättande och okritiska synsätt. På grund av detta tenderar personerna att vifta bort de historiska föreställningarna och behandla sina vårdträd som de vill. Dock lever möjligen vårdträdskulturen kvar även som ett "mekaniskt" handlande, dvs att planteringen i sig, att träden ej rörs och att "ta i trä" är handlingar som utförs av automatisk karaktär utan att reflektera över deras historiska innebörd. Oavsett vad, fortsätter i alla fall vårdträdet vara ett inslag på den skånska landsbygden.

For a number of applications, gluten protein polymer structures are of the highest importance in determining end-use properties. The present article focuses on gluten protein structures in the wheat grain, genotype- and environment-related changes, protein structures in various applications, and their impact on quality. Protein structures in mature wheat grain or flour are strongly related to end-use properties, although influenced by genetic and environment interactions. Nitrogen availability during wheat development and genetically determined plant development rhythm are the most important parameters determining the gluten protein polymer structure, although temperature during plant development interacts with the impact of the mentioned parameters. Glutenin subunits are the main proteins incorporated in the gluten protein polymer in extracted wheat flour. During dough mixing, gliadins are also incorporated through disulfide-sulfhydryl exchange reactions. Gluten protein polymer size and complexity in the mature grain and changes during dough formation are important for breadmaking quality. When using the gluten proteins to produce plastics, additional proteins are incorporated in the polymer through disulfide-sulfhydryl exchange, sulfhydryl oxidation, β-eliminations with lanthionine formation, and isopeptide formation. In promising materials, the protein polymer structure is changed toward β-sheet structures of both intermolecular and extended type and a hexagonal close-packed structure is found. Increased understanding of gluten protein polymer structures is extremely important to improve functionality and end-use quality of wheat- and gluten-based products.

Plant-derived smoke has been known to play an important role in distribution and growth of vegetation. Using a proficiently designed furnace, we extracted smoke from the leaves of four plant viz. Helianthus annuus,Aloe vera,Ginkgo biloba, and Cymbopogon jwarancusa. Smoke dilutions obtained from these plants were obtained in different concentrations to identify potential lettuce growth promoting smoke solution. Results revealed that smoke obtained from G. biloba significantly enhanced the lettuce seed germination. This solution was then partitioned into ethyl acetate, dichloromethane, n-hexane, chloroform and ether fractions. Ethyl acetate fraction was found to be potent to enhance seed germination. This fraction was subjected to column chromatography and spectroscopic techniques to obtain compound 1. This compound was identified as hydroquinone using 1D and 2D NMR techniques. At low concentrations (5, 10, and 20 ppm), compound 1 enhanced the lettuce seed germination; however, higher concentrations inhibited its growth as compared to control.

Since Boswellia sacra (Burseraceae) was studied in the 19th century, it has been known for its economic and cultural values. It is cultivated mainly in the southwest regions of Oman and some regions of Yemen, and is a natural source of frankincense, "Luban" in Arabic, around the world. Frankincense, the aromatic resin of B. sacra, is used widely both for traditional purposes and for the treatment of various ailments; e.g., dental infections, tumors, dysentery, vomiting, and fevers. Recently, many reports provided evidence for the potential biological activities of B. sacra, its synonym Boswellia carteri, and their constituent chemical compounds. These activities include cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-diabetes, immunomodulatory, and anticoagulant effects. B. sacra was also tested for effects against gastric, hepatic, neurological, and skin disorders in vitro and in vivo. Clinical trials revealed good effects against carcinomas and gliomas, as well as against bladder and brain tumors. Its uses as a plant-based agent in nanotechnology displayed promising results. More efforts should be directed to further investigate these safe, plant-based bio-preservatives, and best practices should be outlined to protect these trees from extinction.

Total food production has increased at rates sufficient to ensure the provision of calories to the global community, but the need to also increase production of nutrients essential to human diet is now recognized. However, little has been done to contextualize agricultural production in terms of future nutrient demands and environmental limitations to production. To address this knowledge gap, we assessed changes in land use requirements to achieve both historical production adequacy and future needs given projected population change. Changes in land use requirements were assessed for calories, protein, zinc, iron, calcium, vitamin A and vitamin C, here termed components of nutrition (CN). This was done with reference to historical agricultural areas, and also land suitability for agriculture. We found that achievement of global production adequacy for all CNs masked local challenges. While counties such as China and the USA have been able to improve production of all CNs, other countries have had less success. Future projected increases in population will further limit production of sufficient CNs, with African states being the most constrained. In these states, at present yield levels and with the current composition of production systems, land area requirements would be greater than the present and even the potential agricultural area. This highlights the need for more diversified production systems which consider the production of all CNs.

In the equestrian sports we agree that the communication between horse and rider forms the core of good riding. This communication is therefore often the main focus of for instance a dressage training session. However, in-depth analyses of how the communication between horse and rider is used as an educational resource in training are scarce. Here, theories and methods from communication and learning science are brought together to show how trainers and riders together address this communication during intermediate level dressage training. The results presented are based on a qualitative, mixed methods study, combining interactional analyses of 15 hrs of video recordings of dressage trainings and phenomenographic analysis of interviews with the participants. Analyses of the interviews show the complexity of these learning situations: the foci of the training sessions vary depending on the riders’ and the horses’ condition and the goals set up by the human participants as well as on the experience of the horse and the rider. Regardless of the didactical focus (on training the rider, training the rider to train the horse or training the horse) and the scope of the training session, the analyses of the video recordings show how all trainers orient towards the horse-rider interaction in essentially the same three ways. The trainers give verbal instructions aimed at modifying the horse-rider communication, they use their own bodies as models and they intervene physically by for instance altering the posture of the rider, the position of parts of the rider’s body or showing the correct degree of pressure to be applied in a certain situation (and combinations of the above). However, trainers do not always set the agenda for the discussions. When given the opportunity, many riders participate actively the discussions. During the presentation, extracts from the video material will be used as illustrations of these findings. By enlightening the complex interaction between the participants as well as the interaction’s intrinsic connections to the goals of the training, it becomes possible to discuss (and further develop) the communication in the horse-rider-trainer triad within both the equestrian and the scientific communities.

Despite technological progress and efficiency in the agricultural sector there is a need for labor. Meanwhile it has been shown that newly arrived refugees have skills and experience in agriculture that are not taken advantage of but they have difficulty accessing the farming industry. Our purpose was to examine and understand the conditions existing in the Swedish Agricultural business and to be able to develop an employment strategy involving newly arrived refugees. In order to achieve that purpose we interviewed five newly arrived refugees, three farmers, three project managers and two representatives from the Employment Service. The result shows that there are several parts involved that are significant to enable an employment strategy in acricultural business by utilizing the skills of newly arrived refugees. Due to the different situations, conditions and purposes of these parts it is found to be a comlex process. The result shows a number of different obstacles and opportunities on both an individual, organizational and societal level which are important and should be considered in the design of such an employment strategy. 

In Kenya the government is promoting diversification of crops to embrace high value crops and drought resistant crop varieties in efforts to reduce poverty in rural areas. Sugar beet is one of the crops considered as an option in this context and it is therefore important to increase knowledge about the potentials in the country for cultivating this crop. Sugar beet trials conducted in Nyandarua and Butere Mumias Districts of Kenya have shown that the crop yields are comparable to those obtained in traditional sugar-beet cultivation regions of Europe. Since sugar beet yield is affected by climate and soils, the results of Nyandarua and Butere Mumias sugar beet trials are not adequate to propose that comparable yields can be obtained elsewhere in the country and other tropical regions. Physical land evaluations assessing the potentials and constraints for sugar beet production are therefore essential. The objectives of this study was to develop a Tropical Sugar Beet Land Evaluation Scheme (TSBLES) that can aid assessment of the suitability of different areas in the tropics for sugar beet cultivation; and to test this scheme for an assessment of suitable sugar beet zones and land areas in Kenya. The development of the scheme was based on various literature sources and expert judgment on sugar beet requirements, and a Tropical Sugar Beet yield prediction Model. The TSBLES accounts for physical conditions of land i.e. climatic, edaphic and topographic conditions. According to the assessment results 27% of the land area in Kenya is suitable for sugar beet cultivation. Of this area, 5% is highly suitable, another 5% is moderately suitable and 17% is marginally suitable. Most of the highly suitable land area is concentrated in Rift Valley, Central and Nyanza provinces. The Rift Valley has the highest share of the suitable land area.

Pilotprojektet ”Dendro-databas” är ett samarbetsprojekt mellan det Nationella laboratoriet för vedanatomi och dendrokronologi vid Lunds universitet och SEAD-projektet vid Miljöarkeo-4logiska laboratoriet, Umeå universitet. Tillsammans arbetar man med utvecklingen av en da-tabas för dendrokronologiska data som kommer att hanteras och förmedlas via SEAD:s data-basverktyg. I detta arbete ingår både systemutveckling för att anpassa SEAD:s struktur för nya datamängder och inmatning av omfattande testdataserier.

Organic farming is an explicitly value-based movement working towards a set of goals. The standards of organic farming serve the purpose of telling organic producers what they need to do, to be certified organic, but they are also as a means to steer them towards the goals of organic production. Both standards and goals are dynamic and subject to change. While goals can be broad and idealistic, standards need to be technically and economically feasible, measurable and possible to inspect. Some authors claim that the use of a regulation in organic farming accelerates the process towards conventionalisation while others see standards as a prerequisite for the success of organic farming. This paper analyses some of the conflicts inherent in the organic goals and the gaps that appear between goals and standards in organic farming in Sweden. For example, the goal of minimising use of fossil fuels is at odds with some of the other goals of organic farming. A way to accommodate the gaps is to develop intermediate goals that can be closer connected to the standards than the overall goals.

This Thesis is carried out remotely at the company Moving Floor AB. The task is tofurther develop their gate for calves that meets the company's requirementsspecification table. This project illuminates a series of problems that can be avoided infurther work, while at the same time giving the company ideas and proposals withdifferent solutions for the food trough. The project mostly focuses on developing thecompany's food trough that belongs to their gate but will also come up with proposalsfor new design regarding their gate. A market survey is carried out on competitors whooffer captive gates as well as calf products. A study visit is made to a customer to hearthe customer's views and opinions regarding the gate. Swedish standards forAgriculture regarding captive gate and how the calves should be handled will beexamined, as well as articles about calves. The work will not at all go into detailregarding the manufacturing method or manufacturer.

Weather is one of the key factors controlling crop growth and development. To support decision making, it is essential to know how often extreme weather events have affected crop production and the weather indices that cause them. We used long-term experiment data at four locations in Sweden to evaluate the effects of extreme weather on four major cereal crops: winter wheat, spring wheat, barley and oats. Yield reductions during 1965-2010 differed between crops and locations; with greater variation for spring cereals than winter wheat. For about 2-8 years and 1-2 years, out of the 45 years, yield reductions were 30% and 50%, respectively. For these years the total precipitation during early growth and/or harvest time deviated more than 30% from normal more often, than for years with yield reductions less than 30% (or higher yields). However, such deviations in precipitation were common for the whole 46 year period, and using these weather indices as single predictors of yield reductions would fail in the majority of years.

The Decorated Farms of Hälsingland in transition - a study of a World Heritage process in Hälsingland

On July 1st, 2012 seven agricultural properties in Gävleborg County in the province of Hälsingland, in Sweden were approved and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list under the collective name “Decorated Farms of Hälsingland” (hälsingegårdarna). The thesis describes and discusses the processes and negotiations that arose in connection with a number of events and actors who showed an interest in these properties and other cultural environments being nominated for the UNESCO World Heritage list. Adding natural or cultural objects to the World Heritage list often involves long-term cooperation between actors who in different ways exhibit interest and involvement in such a process.

The efforts to nominate hälsingegårdarna to the World Heritage list began in the mid-1990s with support from different project including restoration activities, information campaigns and exhibitions. With the process, the farms and the brand Hälsingegårdarna were expected to fulfil a variety of features, including branding and as a symbol for the whole region.

The thesis describes and analyses two parallel processes in the work with hälsingegårdarna. One is a regional support process initiated by the Regional Council of Gävleborg aimed at preparing, marketing and promote the prospective World Heritage nomination in connection with development perspectives. Within the framework of a project which was entitled “Hälsingegårdarna – Kulturarv och Utveckling” (Hälsingegårdarna: Cultural Heritage and Development) the work with a local anchoring process took place. The other process was a bureaucratic one which included work with the nomination process, written documentation and the selection of which farms to include. This work was guided by formal regulations in the Swedish administrative system and UNESCO processing forms and ideals.

The empirical data shows that the definitions, use, and management of this cultural capital took place within the context of specific social orders and bargaining games in which questions of definition of rights and interpretative prerogative were important. The analytical processing is based on a theoretical framework where concepts such as symbolic capital and social fields are key tools. These concepts are derived from theories developed by the sociologist Pierre Bourdieu.

The World Heritage work within Gävleborg County has been driven mainly from two different positions of strength. On the one hand, a developmentoriented position where stakeholders in the tourism sector with the aid of a World heritage site attempted to increase their financial revenues. Some actors in this position also had a regional political agenda with ambitions to reverse a negative trend of emigration, rising unemployment and falling property values.

On the other hand, there was a position oriented towards preservation in which cultural values were a claim to form a symbolic capital not subject to demands for utility or financial returns from various social actors.

The two positions created a variety of discourses articulating both cultural resources and economic development, and were played out in negotiations around the hälsingegårdarna and their world heritage status.

The social fields in which players seek positions are in many respects shaped around a hierarchical management structure that defines regulations and legislation in the areas of cultural environment and world heritage. Various formal regulations in the preservation of international cultural environments created space for negotiations and various struggles between participating actors. An example is when the arguments for conservation, management and use of cultural heritage sites are adapted to a broader development discourse in which cultural values are assumed to be converted into financial resources for competing interests in an open market.

The World Heritage issue in Gävleborg shows that a regional and comprehensive cultural or natural phenomenon, nominated for the World Heritage list, may spawn disagreements which are not necessarily accentuated in relation to the UNESCO requirements demanding local support. One incentive for concealing conflicts and local tensions is concern among stakeholders that open conflicts may lead to a questioning of the nomination.

In the World Heritage process, we can also detect signs of a dichotomy between a centre and a periphery, between urban life and rural and local economic needs. The work on hälsingegårdarna was by many actors described as a topdown project and this has, therefore, also led to conflicts. In other words, the initiative, nomination work and the local anchoring process have mainly been prompted by regional authorities, and local and private interests have been invited to participate in the processes as recipients of planning, resource allocations and decisions.

These circumstances provide scope for questions about how power relations are associated with cooperation and common goals in relation to the region’s development. The interplay between the various actors in the development project “Hälsingegårdarna – kulturarv och utveckling” can also be seen as an interaction between actors at various levels of society. In projects funded by regional development funds, different actors often have given roles and positions. Officials and politicians manage resources, administer and take crucial decisions while individuals and non-profit organizations often take on the role of the executive party. Such a project-culture involves a test of positions, creating a playing field in which stakeholders are struggling for resources, recognition and interpretative prerogatives.

Hälsingegårdarna and their World Heritage status were also highlighted on the basis of an overall regional strategic discourse on values. This deals with questions about growth and development, inter alia by encouraging strong business life in the region. Increasing number of businesses and job opportunities in the so-called cultural branches of business and in this way appearing attractive to different kinds of establishment is an important goal. In such a perspective, hälsingegårdarna and the World Heritage fit in well, because these phenomena are closely linked to culture, business and tourist enterprises. They are even linked to themes where knowledge is important, such as in architecture, ethnology, art history and building.

Although the hälsingegårdarna are local in the sense that they are located in one place and provide livelihood opportunities in local society, local needs tend to given less emphasis, when these farms become part of a regional development strategy. The impact of such a move will have additional strength when, with support from UNESCO, the entire process becomes part of a globalized economy. When hälsingegårdarna are constructed as a “strategic resource” at regional, national and global levels, positions are defined in novel ways.

While the interest and involvement in history and the heritage of places and their environments has increased, values in relation to such heritages and their history will also become integrated into policy areas linked to regional development. Hence, when the World Heritage issue appeared in Gävleborg, many actors considered this to be an opportunity to link this to various conceptions of development.

This study of the process of hälsingegårdarna and their world heritage nomination shows how local mobilization can be developed in conjunction with a World Heritage nomination, where individual and organized actors at local and regional levels encounter a management culture which promotes and monitors bureaucratic and formal aspects of world heritage.

The region of Gävleborg is slowly abandoning a resource-based industrial economy, adapting to an experience economy where supply and demand for cultural services increases. Many actors in Gävleborg consider the nomination process as a tool to adapt to this structural transformation. At the same time, there have been signals from national cultural policymakers regarding restrictions on new environments and objects to be nominated for World Heritage status. Hälsingegårdarna have come to be seen as an important tool for organizing the region’s development interests as well as a contested symbol in the interaction between the actors involved, where each farm has its own unique career as a private residence, a production unit or as part of the tourist industry.

The results point out that the farms of Hälsingland and the World Heritage nomination evolve into a strong driving force in organizing regional interests and regional competition. The distribution of influence and power between different networks and actors was in many respects a matter of asserting the right to define what the process was all about and about identities in the social field. The study highlights the importance of social and cultural capital in encounters and negotiations at different levels of society, from local festivals and exhibitions to meetings between representatives from the provincial government, the regional museum and outside experts.

Purpose - The status of icewine as a luxury item is largely undisputed in popular perception. Despite this, icewine has received very little attention in the management literature. This paper aims to close this gap by developing a theoretical framework to segment the luxury wine and spirits market with a focus on icewine. Design/methodology/approach - This paper is conceptual in nature. The authors adapt Berthon et al.'s (2009) aesthetics and ontology (AO) framework for luxury brands to provide a theoretical lens for segmenting the luxury wine and spirits market into four distinct segments. Findings - The main contribution of this paper is a theoretical framework for segmenting the market for luxury wines and spirits into four distinct segments: cabinet collectors, cellar collectors, connoisseurs and carousers. The authors then apply their framework to the icewine category and outline considerations for the marketing mix of icewine producers. Practical implications - The AO framework for luxury wines and spirits is beneficial for icewine producers to help differentiate their current and future market segments. In addition, this paper outlines practical implications for icewine maker's marketing mix that could enhance their competitive position today and in the future. Originality/ value - This is the first paper examining icewine in the context of luxury marketing.

Ecological sanitation offers both sanitation and fertilizer through recycling of nutrients. Human fertilizer provides a close to free addition of nutrients in household farming and may, therefore, decrease the downward risk of fertilizer adoption. We study an ecological sanitation investment program in southern Mali, where just over 150 beneficiaries got a urine diverting dry toilet installed. Our results suggest that the average household in our study is able to produce amounts of N, P, and K equivalent to around a fourth of its yearly expenditures on artificial fertilizers, corresponding to a yearly addition of nutrients or a yearly reduction in fertilizer expenditures to a value of about 50 Euro. However, the quantity and quality of N, P, and K actually retained is found to be only a fraction of this potential amount. Using propensity score matching methods, we find an increase in maize yields among beneficiary households, but no effect on the yields of other crops. Moreover, households substitute artificial fertilizer with human fertilizer at 10-15% of the average household use of artificial fertilizers. Thus, the substitution may worsen an already bad soil nutrient balance. Higher retention levels are needed for solutions to prove financially viable.

This study explores how participants suffering from stress-related mental disorders describe their perception, interaction, and lived experience of garden smellscape during their nature-based rehabilitation. Natural elements, and especially nature smells, have been found to have a profound effect on stress reduction, suggesting an interesting link between odor in nature and stress reduction. The study was conducted as a longitudinal case-study, running over a period of 5 years, investigating participants’ perceptions of a garden smellscape, after completing a 12-weeks nature-based rehabilitation in Alnarp Rehabilitation Garden, Sweden. All participants were treated for stress-related mental disorders. Data were collected through retrospective semi-structured individual interviews and analyzed according to interpretative phenomenological analysis. The results revealed in what way nature odor (odor in nature) evoked associations, emotions, and physical reactions and provide examples of how nature scents function as a catalyst for sensory awareness and memories. Findings supported the understanding that experiencing the smell of plants, especially pelargonium, may facilitate stress reduction and support mental recovery in a real-life context. The results of the study can be used for several purposes; thus, they are relevant for actors within the development of nature-based therapy, as well as stakeholders within the horticultural industry. 

Hallonris, brännässla och rallarros, tre trogna bundsförvanter som in­vaderar en övergiven fäbodvall. I Ljusdals kommun finns ca 180 till namn och läge kända fäbodvallar. Endast två-tre av dem är i bruk. Glädjande nog har allt fler vallägare i Hälsingland blivit intresserade av att rusta upp sina vallar - inspirera­de av de upprustningar som pågår i länsstyrelsens och länsarbetsnämn­dens regi. 

Measuring sustainability at farm level is a priority for both research and policy and requires sustainability indicators to track progress. Indicators make the sustainability concept more concrete and guide farm level decisions, playing a decisive role in determining food system impacts on societies and the environment. Data availability is often a limiting factor when choosing indicators, but not enough attention is paid to the role of data in indicator construction and assessment results. This paper assessed the critical role of data in indicator construction and the potential limitations that current data availability imposes on farm-level sustainability assessments, using the example of dairy farms in Sweden. To do so we used a five-step approach consisting of a literature review, an inventory of data sources, an expert consultation, a matching and gap analysis, and a critical assessment. We found that 20 indicators categorized under 12 out of 20 sustainability themes had measurement issues due to missing scope, temporary data, or additional data requirements. At least some indicators were measurable within all themes in the social and economic dimensions while all indicators for pesticides, non-renewable energy, and soil quality in the environmental dimension had measurement issues. In the critical assessment, we argue that for some indicators, there are trade-offs between data availability and issues of comprehensibility and analytical validity. Furthermore, we found that no single data source could be used to measure all themes; which means that merging of different data sets is needed for a broader on-farm sustainability assessment. Our findings are relevant for the discussion on sustainability indicators and will inform future programs aimed at collecting sustainability data at farm level, which should consider the broad data needs identified and the potential to merge data to enable holistic sustainability assessments.

This article highlights the outcomes of the implementation of the New Culinary Country program implemented in to facilitate and speed up the emergence of the new rurality in Sweden. Based on results from focus groups and one group interview conducted in eight landscapes/counties during 2013 and a state initiated evaluation of the NCCP, the study answers the following questions: What does the NCCP mean in terms of governance? How is power distributed and if possible, which are the consequences of this new governance regime? Which are the main challenges and opportunities of and for the NCCP? The results show that the NCCP has led to a higher degree of regional coordination of actions and resources at regional level. Cooperation and coordination in turn have proved to be the main factors behind the most successful experiences.