Royal University of Agriculture, Cambodia

About: Royal University of Agriculture, Cambodia is a(n) education organization based out in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It is known for research contribution in the topic(s): Agriculture & Private sector. The organization has 13 authors who have published 11 publication(s) receiving 89 citation(s).

All-lignocellulosic fiberboard from corn biomass and cellulose nanofibers

Abstract: In general, fiberboards are made of lignocellulosic fibers with synthetic adhesive to connect between fibers. Synthetic adhesives are usually non-biodegradable constituents and they cause health and environmental troubles. The present study aims to develop fiberboards from corn thermomechanical fibers reinforced with cellulose nanofibers. In this work, corn stalk biomass was used to produce high yield thermomechanical pulp (TMP) that was converted into binderless fiberboards. Cellulose nanofibers (CNF) were also added as reinforcing agent. The mechanical and physical properties of the resulting fiberboards were characterized and compared with commercial high density fiberboard (HDF) containing synthetic adhesives. Fiberboards with 0.5 wt% CNF showed modulus of rupture of 43 MPa, similar to that of commercial HDF. The highest mechanical performance was reached for fiberboards at 2 wt% of CNF, with modulus of rupture of 52 MPa. CNF was found to increase the resistance of the new all-lignocellulosic fiberboards when compared to the products made only with corn stalk fiber, and also when compared with commercial HDF.

The social and other impacts of a cattle/crop innovation in Cambodia

Abstract: Agricultural innovations can create assets in poor rural communities but there are few studies of the wider, especially social, impact of such innovations. Farm families, previously engaged in “cut and carry” of wild forage, created time savings by their adoption of forage banks to feed cattle. What they did with this time was not known and this is the focus of this exploratory study as a result of the introduction of a “forage crop based production system” (FCP) in Cambodia. Based on interviews in two villages of farmers themselves and of teachers, the study confirmed that adopter farmers achieved considerable time savings, compared to non-adopters, resulting in agricultural, economic and cultural outcomes. Farmers reported better cattle production and grew cash crops while others developed local services. However, perhaps the major outcome was social, that is, their primary and secondary children’s schooling. Parents reported children experienced time savings converted into considerably better attendance and less lateness. Teachers reportedly agreed and added better attitudes and progress. The results were achieved through a greater understanding of the farmer’s relationship with project grass and legume growth and cattle management particularly during periods of feed deficit. Suggestions for further research are made.

Rooted water collectives: Towards an analytical framework

Abstract: This paper presents an analytical framework to identify and understand grassroots water governance practices, which we call ‘rooted water collectives’ (RWC). RWCs can be multi-scalar organizations that engage in common property resources management or multi-scalar social movements that advocate for common property resources governance. The framework, which we open for discussion, scrutinizes (1) the extent to which ‘rooted water collectives’ are ‘grounded’ in the sense they address locally perceived water control problems and resort to water-context embedded meaning, values, identities, belonging and vernacular knowledge; (2) their internal decision-making dynamics; and (3) their effectiveness in achieving impact at multiple scales. It also considers five contextual factors that enable and constrain RWC development. RWC can be deployed as a conceptual lens, but also as an empirical manifestation constituting the object and subject of research. It differs from wide-spread top-down-implemented participatory water management approaches and common property resources management research, in the importance it gives to politics, advocacy and multi-scale social movements. The framework is illustrated with a cursory analysis of four cases: irrigators' federations in Peru; the ‘new water culture’ movement in Spain; collective irrigation in oases in North Africa; and loosely structured networks of irrigation water users in Cambodia.

Émergence de la notion de service environnemental et des dispositifs de rémunération des fournisseurs: le cas du Cambodge

Abstract: La definition des politiques environnementales dans les pays en developpement est affectee par la globalisation des questions soulevees ainsi que l’evolution des logiques d’intervention des pouvoirs publics. Longtemps basee sur une approche reglementaire et coercitive, la politique environnementale tend aujourd’hui a promouvoir les instruments davantage incitatifs dits de marche.Le present article a pour objectif d’illustrer cette tendance au Cambodge a partir de donnees de terrain provenant d’enquetes realisees au cours de l’annee 2010 aupres d’un echantillon d'acteurs locaux : decideurs politiques, responsables d’ONG et bailleurs de fonds. L’objectif est de rendre compte de l’emergence du couple de notions service ecosystemique (ES) et paiement pour services environnementaux (PSE) dans les politiques de conservation mises en place dans le pays (domaine de la biodiversite, de la sequestration du carbone principalement) ainsi que de l’influence internationale dans ce processus. Le papier montre que les strategies initiales de conservation, basees sur des approches reglementaires notamment avec la mise en place d’aires protegees, ont eu un succes mitige notamment pour reduire la deforestation. Dans les annees recentes, la notion de SE a ete rapidement diffusee au sein des administrations gouvernementales (administration forestiere, ministere de l’Environnement). Nombre de projets de conservation conduits par des ONG internationales (comme CI, WCS) ont egalement cherche a faire reconnaitre la valeur des ecosystemes proteges en experimentant des dispositifs de paiement aux communautes paysannes/forestieres reposant sur le respect de pratiques favorables a la conservation des habitats fragiles. Le cadre legal cambodgien ne reconnait pas encore, pour autant, la notion de PSE (basee sur le principe beneficiaire payeur) et des freins importants subsistent au developpement de tels mecanismes a grande echelle.

Potential Host Range of the Larval Endoparasitoid Cotesia vestalis (=plutellae) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Abstract: Many parasitoid wasps are highly specialized in nature, attacking only one or a few species of hosts. Host range is often determined by a range of biological and ecological characteristics of the host including diet, growth potential, immunity, and phylogeny. The solitary koinobiont endoparasitoid wasp, Cotesia vestalis, mainly parasitizes diamondback moth (DBM) larvae in the field, although it has been reported that to possess a relatively wide lepidopteran host range. To better understand the biology of C vestalis as a potential biological control of hosts other than the DBM, it is necessary to determine suitability for potential hosts. In this study, the potential host range of the wasp and its developmental capacity in each host larva were examined under laboratory conditions using 27 lepidopteran species from 10 families. The wasp was able to parasitize 15 of the 27 species successfully. Some host species were not able to exclude C vestalis via their internal physiological defenses. When parasitization was unsuccessful, most hosts killed the parasitoid at the egg stage or early first-instar stage using encapsulation, but some host species disturbed the development of the parasitoid at various stages. No phylogenetic relationships were found among suitable and unsuitable hosts, revealing that host range in some endoparasitoids is not constrained by relatedness among hosts based on immunity.