Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) play a critical role in equipping Filipino secondary learners with practical skills for employment and entrepreneurship. However, in geographically isolated and resource constrained divisions such as Catanduanes, variations in instructional capacity and material support continue to affect program implementation. Despite strong national policy support for skills-based education, uneven delivery at the school level highlights the need for localized, teacher centered evaluations. This study examined teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the TLE program, and the challenges encountered in its implementation in the Division of Catanduanes, with emphasis on how these vary across teacher specialization, teaching experience, and training exposure. Using a descriptive comparative research design, data were collected from 139 senior high school TLE teachers selected through stratified random sampling. A researcher developed questionnaire with high reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.986) measured program effectiveness in terms of curriculum relevance, teaching strategies, and resource availability, as well as implementation challenges across the same domains. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and one-way ANOVA were employed for data analysis. Results revealed that the TLE program was generally perceived as highly effective, particularly in curriculum alignment and instructional strategies, while resource availability emerged as the most serious implementation challenge. Significant differences in perceived effectiveness and challenges were found across specialization, teaching experience, and number of trainings attended, underscoring the influence of professional competence and development on program outcomes. Based on the findings, a targeted teacher capability building program was proposed to strengthen instructional quality and address persistent resource constraints. The study provides empirical evidence to inform localized policy interventions and professional development initiatives aimed at enhancing the sustainability and effectiveness of skills-oriented education in provincial contexts.

Rapid growth in the consumption of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages has become a major public health concern in Vietnam. This study assesses the potential impacts of excise taxation on the consumption and welfare distribution of alcoholic beverages (beer and liquor) and non-alcoholic beverages, using nationally representative data from the 2018 Vietnam Household Living Standards Survey (VHLSS) and a quality-adjusted Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System (QUAIDS). We estimate price and expenditure elasticities and simulate alternative excise tax scenarios. The results indicate that demand for beverages in Vietnam is price responsive. A simulated 20% excise tax on non-alcoholic beverages is associated with a reduction in consumption of approximately 31%, while a 20% increase in alcohol excise taxes is associated with reductions of about 29.7% for liquor and 26.6% for beer. These effects are strongest among low-income households, reflecting greater price sensitivity. The simulated tax burden remains modest—equivalent to around 0.46% of total household expenditure for non-alcoholic beverages and 3.9% for alcoholic beverages—while generating additional fiscal revenue. These findings suggest that excise taxation on beverages, particularly when designed to target harmful products such as sugar-sweetened beverages, can contribute to reduced discretionary beverage consumption and support fiscal sustainability. Integrating tax reforms with complementary measures, including nutrition education and non-communicable disease prevention, may further enhance equity and effectiveness.

Romania joined the UNESCO Convention in 1990. The fortified church of Biertan was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1993, followed by six additional Transylvanian fortified church villages in 1999. An interesting feature of this heritage landscape is that settlements with different demographic and development trajectories share the same World Heritage designation. In our research, we collected demographic and tourism data from these seven municipalities. Subsequently, a standard questionnaire was sent to municipal decision-makers (mayors) in 2023 to map tourism development in their municipalities. The communication activities of the municipalities were analysed using a content analysis method, which was observation-based and based only on online content. In our experience, there is no common strategy to turn this heritage into a tourist attraction; each of the seven municipalities has faced this challenge separately. The main result of the research was to explore how heritage tourism works in municipalities with different demographic, linguistic-cultural heritage and with different levels of management.

Abstract Zimbabwe’s tropical dry forests have experienced persistent deforestation with measurable climatic consequences. We assemble a harmonised national dataset that integrates Landsat forest-cover change, ERA5 near surface meteorology, and MODIS Terra NDVI for 2001–2024, and develop a spatio statistical pipeline that aligns gridded series to districts and provinces, constructs baseline anomalies, and estimates deforestation sensitivities using monthly two way fixed effects and annual mixed effects. We derive a biophysical exposure proxy from vegetation and surface energy components, and we propagate this choice transparently through all figures and tables. The monthly panel identifies a robust thermal signature, with positive temperature anomalies per unit exposure, and a coherent re partitioning of surface energy from latent to sensible heat consistent with suppressed evapotranspiration and enhanced turbulent heating. Annual mixed effects confirm a strong energy balance signal and show a positive association with precipitation anomalies in the national aggregate, while spatial diagnostics reject spatial randomness and reveal pronounced clustering for hydrological sensitivity at the province scale. We translate district level sensitivities into scenario maps for user specified exposure changes, enabling direct policy interpretation at administrative scales. The contribution is methodological and applied: a reproducible end to end pipeline that couples hierarchical and panel estimators with spatial diagnostics and scenario translation, and empirical evidence that clarifies where and how the climatic footprint of deforestation manifests across Zimbabwe’s heterogeneous regions.

In Ethiopia’s Gambella Region, agro-pastoralist households rely on both crop farming and livestock, often adopting mobile settlement patterns in response to environmental and economic challenges. While mobility affects land use, labor allocation, and agricultural output, its influence on crop diversification has been little studied. This research investigates the effect of mobile settlement on crop diversification among 384 households using a mixed-methods approach, including surveys, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. The Simpson Diversification Index and Endogenous Switching Regression were applied to quantify and analyze crop diversification patterns. Findings showed that overall crop diversification is limited among agro-pastoralists influenced by socio-economic and environmental factors. Moreover, mobile settlement reduced crop diversification by 0.34 units among mobile households and by 0.45 units among non-mobile households. The study concludes that mobile settlement negatively impacts crop diversification, potentially undermining household resilience and food security. To improve diversification, it is recommended to enhance irrigation infrastructure, strengthen extension and training services, expand market access, provide financial support schemes, and implement local resource management strategies.

Abstract A 6.5‐year‐old, spayed, female dog presented in acute respiratory distress. On admission, the dog exhibited dyspnoea, bradycardia, cyanosis and gastrointestinal signs, requiring immediate intubation and mechanical ventilation. Diagnostic evaluation revealed reduced butyrylcholinesterase activity, non‐cardiogenic pulmonary oedema, elevated muscle enzymes and thin adrenal glands on ultrasound. Magnetic resonance imaging showed hyperintensity in the masticatory muscles, and biopsy confirmed lymphocytic myositis. Endocrine testing demonstrated hypoadrenocorticism and hypothyroidism with thyroglobulin autoantibodies. Treatment included ventilation, antibiotics, corticosteroids, levothyroxine and supportive care, leading to temporary clinical improvement and discharge. Six days later, the dog deteriorated and was euthanased. Postmortem examination revealed gastro‐oesophageal ulcers with perforation, atrophic adrenal and thyroid glands, and muscle atrophy consistent with polymyositis, confirming multiple autoimmune syndrome involving hypoadrenocorticism, hypothyroidism and polymyositis. This case highlights the rare occurrence of multiple autoimmune syndrome in dogs, the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in critically ill patients, and the importance of a systemic, multidisciplinary approach when managing complex autoimmune syndromes.

This study assessed feeding practices, egg production performance, egg quality, and production constraints of exotic chicken breeds (Sasso and Bovans Brown) reared under traditional management systems in Misrak Silte District, Central Ethiopia. Purposive and random sampling was used to select study kebeles and 316 households. Data were collected on household characteristics, husbandry practices, egg production performance, and egg quality traits, and 160 eggs were sampled for quality evaluation. Results showed that 87.7% of respondents provided supplementary feed, mainly household food leftovers (70.8%) and grain leftovers (17.5%). Most respondents (60.76%) housed chickens only at night. The average age at first lay (days) for Sasso chickens in the midland and lowland was 170.35 ± 14.54 and 149.06 ± 8.21, respectively, while Bovans Brown recorded 180.69 ± 12.17 and 168.22 ± 8.73. Annual egg production (eggs/hen/year) was higher in the midland than the lowland for both breeds (p < 0.05), with Sasso producing 167.9 ± 8.48 and 149.6 ± 6.92 eggs and Bovans Brown producing 145.2 ± 4.04 and 136.6 ± 4.73 eggs, respectively. Agroecology significantly affected (p < 0.05) both external and internal egg quality traits, and higher values for most quality parameters were recorded in the midland agroecology than in the lowland. Disease, feed shortage, predator attacks, and lack of capital were the major constraints in both agroecologies. In conclusion, productive performance and egg quality traits of exotic chickens under traditional management were significantly influenced by breed and agroecology, with Sasso chickens and the midland agroecology showing superior performance.

Both the agricultural production space and agricultural production in Poland are characterized by significant diversity. Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) instruments are a key political element shaping agriculture. The aim of this study was to assess the spatial diversity of Agri-Environmental Program (AEP) implementation during the 2007-2013 programming period, which was implemented in Poland from 2008 to 2014. The study covered 130,618 farms implementing the Agri-Environmental Program (AEP) and was conducted at the level of 314 rural districts (powiats). Data on AEP used in the study came from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MRiRW) – the Managing Authority of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013. In addition, the study utilized data from the Central Statistical Office (GUS). The surveyed farms differed in terms of their natural and organizational production conditions, as well as the area of AEP commitments implemented. This was confirmed by the identification of three cluster groups for the analyzed districts. The first cluster included counties located mostly in the northern and western voivodeships. The second cluster consisted primarily of counties in central, eastern, and partially southern Poland. The third cluster included counties located primarily in the southeastern part of the country.

A widespread and underreported zoonosis, anthrax is a severe infectious disease of significant public health concern for humans, livestock, and wildlife. In this study, we used historical data from 1991 to 2020 from northern Vietnam and a simulation model to investigate the effects of different vaccination strategies on livestock outbreaks. We developed a novel approach combining semi-synthetic data generation and a sliding windows model fitting routine to estimate disease transmission parameters from surveillance data and address the temporal mismatch between pathogen transmission dynamics and disease reporting. Results showed that vaccination leads to a significant reduction in buffalo mortality, with reactive and increasing vaccination campaigns having the largest impact in reducing outbreak size. Reactive and decreasing vaccination campaigns initially controlled outbreaks, but mortality increased as soon as vaccination ceased, highlighting the need for sustained, long-term vaccination. In scenarios where populations had high natural immunity, the impact of vaccination was less pronounced, though still evident, suggesting that prioritizing vaccination efforts for more susceptible populations may provide a greater return on investment in outbreak prevention and control. Simulation models can offer valuable insights into vaccination and control strategies, providing tools to compare and evaluate potential outbreak scenarios. Our findings underscore the value of mathematical and simulation approaches to overcome data challenges and underreporting in global disease management for anthrax and other neglected diseases. We highlight the importance of continued investment in surveillance and modeling efforts, while providing a practical approach to optimize the use of existing data in Vietnam and similar settings.