The paper presents the results of the research on oil spill detection using machine learning methods such as Support Vector Machine (SVM) for classification of infrared images and Logistic regression for water quality parameters. This paper focuses on real time detection of oil spills using infrared images and water quality data obtained by RPA equipped with multi-sensor payload. The developed Naïve Bayes (NB), SVM and Logistic regression classification models for prediction of oil spill have been successfully tested in real experiment conditions. All developed classification models were tuned using grid search method and main tuning parameters to determine the optimal parameters. The proposed complex algorithm for identification of oil spills using infrared images and water quality parameters is evaluated by experiments in real environment conditions. The proposed algorithm is based on the binary SVM and NB classification of infrared images and the classification of water quality parameters using the machine learning method logistic regression allows to rapidly and with high accuracy identify any oil pollution of water. Proposed complex algorithm achieves higher accuracy and efficiency; moreover, the developed machine learning models will further reduce the probability of human error and save man-hours of work.

Stable isotope ratios of water (δ2H and δ18O) are important indicators which describe hydrological processes in the environment. These parameters allow to analyse structure, status, migration of pollutants and processes of the groundwater system. Groundwater from dug wells is widely used as a drinking water source highlighting the importance of investigation of water quality and its possible flows and sources. Despite available centralized water systems, there are still wide territories where dug wells are the main source of drinking water supply. Dug wells are recharged from shallow groundwaters which makes them more vulnerable to anthropogenic contamination. Therefore, quality monitoring and estimation of anthropogenic influences are of importance. Quality requirements of drinking water do not provide measurements of stable isotope ratios in drinking water, but the combination of those elements can be valuable for the characterization of impacts on groundwater quality. The aim of this study was to survey 64 dug wells in Eastern Latvia and analyse water quality together with measurements of stable isotope ratios. Measurements were performed twice, i.e., autumn and spring to track water sources in wells and describe the extent of possible impacts. This approach can indicate the magnitude of local factor impacts on drinking water quality. Surveyed wells provide high differences in analysed parameters, for example, nitrate concentrations in autumn varies from 0.44 to 108.26 mg LE−1. Also, other detected parameters are variable; therefore, tracking water flow with stable isotope values gives better insight into the water quality of the studied region.

Universities play an important role in providing a wide range of services and connecting all stakeholders, such as employers, alumni, and other community members to prepare students for future employment, establish networking with labour market representatives, assist them in integrating into the labour market, and develop students’ as potential specialists’ employability skills, thereby fostering their career development in the university educational environment. The aim of this study is to analyse the career related theories and propose a career development model for economics and business-focused universities. The following research methods were used: desk study, analysis and evaluation of scientific literature (theoretical research method); reflection of personal experience (empirical research method). The theoretical research emphasised modern career-related theories and resulted in a proposal for a career development model for a university. A mandatory course that formally prepares students as prospective specialists for employment and internship, exposure to the labour market via internship, networking events, and mental support provided by qualified psychologists, university teachers as part of an academic advising programme and alumni organized in the form of an alumni mentorship programme, are the main pillars of the proposed career development model.

Individuals’ emotional well-being is determined by several factors, including the ability to cope with daily stress and the ability to cope with various daily challenges. Ability of the management to provide favourable psychoemotional and psychosocial conditions within their team is particularly important. However, managers do not always have the knowledge and skills to lead their teams. For the development of the methodology, a study of the scientific literature on topical issue like healthy workplace was performed. The empirical part of the study is based on the results of the survey conducted Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Sweden within the Nordplus project ‘Dealing with anxiety during a pandemic to enhance adult well-being’ on the impact of COVID-19, as well as the training that would be necessary for the managers of companies or organizations to promote emotional wellbeing in the workplace. The comparative study was conducted from the perspective of both employees and managers. The results show that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on workplace and the well-being of employees was not strong for the respondents, depending mainly on the job position, the size of the organization and country. Managers and employees consider various psychological trainings essential.

Forest landscape restoration (FLR) in the tropics is often undertaken by smallholders and communities whose livelihoods rely on agriculture and forestry. While digital technologies can improve efficiency in FLR efforts, socio-technical barriers often impede the participation of these key actors in the restoration process. The main barriers are lack of technical infrastructure, access to digital tools and services, lack of ease of use for non-tech-savvy farmers, and lack of design targeted for low-literate and marginal groups. Moreover, precisely because of the transformative momentum of digitalization, there is a risk for smallholders to enter the digital divide and power asymmetry gap. The platform has been piloted in Kenya and Cameroon and tracks and monitors activities along the entire restoration chain, from seed collection to on-farm tree planting and monitoring of management activities and payouts to farmers. GeoTree offers participatory functionalities, including interactive forms, polls, geospatial features and maps, and community-driven data collection, which can be integrated into community channels. While other digital tools focus on monitoring tree planting for the purpose of carbon offsetting, GeoTree addresses the digital barriers facing smallholders and communities and enables them to participate fully in FLR efforts. GeoTree leverages blockchain technology to provide an integrated planting management process. The system allows gathering ground-level data with offline encryption and supporting low-internet environments and tracing the restoration process to provide transparency, facilitate real-time monitoring, evaluation, and verification, and support mobilization of sponsors.

Myanmar’s agrifood system has proven surprisingly resilient in the face of multiple crises—COVID 19, the military coup, economic mismanagement, global price instability, and widespread conflict—with respect to production and exports. Household welfare has not been resilient, however. High rates of inflation, especially food price inflation, have resulted in dietary degradation across all house hold groups, especially those dependent on casual wage labor. Among household members, young children experience the highest rates of inadequate dietary quality. Expanded social protection to improve access to better-quality diets for vulnerable households and individuals is therefore needed. Beyond the current political crisis, increased public and private investment in a more efficient and dynamic agrifood system should be a high priority. This will help drive down poverty rates and ensure access to healthy diets in the near term, while laying the foundation for sustained growth and struc tural transformation of the economy.

The current situation of global food and nutrition security is increasingly worrisome, and it is unfortunate that progress in eliminating hunger, food insecurity, and multiple forms of malnutrition has been hindered or even reversed by recent global events. It is estimated that globally, 702 million to 828 million people (8.9 to 10.5 percent) suffered from hunger in 2021, with 150 million added during the COVID-19 pandemic. Approximately 2.3 billion people are in a state of moderate or severe food insecurity, with 11.7 percent facing severe food insecurity. Nearly 3.1 billion people could not afford a healthy diet, which is an increase of 112 million from the last year. The causes of food insecurity are multifaceted, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the crisis in Ukraine,and climate change. Simultaneously, income levels have been adversely affected, and prices have risen, reducing people’s ability to purchase food and making it unaffordable. Therefore, it is imperative for governments and other stakeholders to act collectively to improve the state of global food and nutritional health. Many countries, including China, have begun to pay more attention to the issue of agrifood systems and are proposing a transition to the multidimensional goals of nutrition and health, green and low-carbon, efficiency, resilience, and inclusiveness. At the international level, a series of high-level international conferences and action plans, such as the UN Food Systems Summit, the Nutrition for Growth Summit, and UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in 2021 and COP27 in 2022, have demonstrated the importance and urgency of promoting the transformation of agrifood systems. These conferences advocated for countries to work together to transform the way food is produced and consumed to build healthier, sustainable, and equitable food systems. At the domestic level, China has always regarded food security as a top priority for national development. In 2022, the total annual national grain output reached 686.53 million tons and has remained stable for eight consecutive years at more than 650 million tons. In 2022, the Chinese government emphasized the need to “establish a big food concept” and “strengthen the foundation of food security in all aspects” from the perspective of putting people first and better meeting their increasingly diversified food consumption needs. In light of the various risks and challenges posed by the contemporary era, safeguarding food security necessitates a shift from a narrow focus on food production to a more comprehensive consideration of the entire food supply chain. This entails promoting the development of a diversified food supply system and expanding the focus from mere quantity to encompassing multiple objectives related to the “quantity, structure, and quality” of food. Such an approach will serve to bolster the foundations of food security on all fronts.

Food rescue has emerged as a promising approach to address the interrelated issues of food insecurity and food waste. According to the food waste hierarchy, the next best strategy after food waste prevention is to donate surplus food for human consumption. However, while some countries have well-established networks of charities and government support to promote surplus food donation and food rescue in most developing countries is often less structured and smaller in scale. To gain insights into the current landscape of food rescue, this study thoroughly examined existing food rescue operations and systems, mainly from the UK, Singapore, Malaysia, India, and the Philippines. The study also analysed several countries' food rescue policy environments to understand how an enabling environment can be created. A particular focus was set on food safety being a critical consideration when rescuing and donating surplus food. Simplified food safety guidelines, staff training, and adequate storage and transportation facilities are crucial to food safety. Effective partnerships between food rescue organizations, food businesses, government agencies, and other stakeholders are also critical to the success of food rescue efforts. The study found a need to develop such partnerships in developing countries, where they may be less established than in the Global North. To facilitate the development of an enabling environment for food rescue in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the study developed a set of templates, including relevant food safety guidelines, partnership contracts, and policy templates. These resources can serve as valuable tools for stakeholders in LMICs to promote and enhance food rescue efforts that can help address food insecurity and reduce food waste.

In April 2021, the Sri Lankan Government banned imports of agrochemicals, including chemical fertilizers, to make Sri Lanka the first fully organic and chemical fertilizer-free country globally. The ban was justified by human and environmental health concerns, such as many cases of kidney failure in the central parts of Sri Lanka. While previous policies had envisioned a stepwise transition, the sudden ban jolted the agriculture sector. However, it was aligned with the emerging national economic crisis with drastically declining foreign exchange reserves that restricted the import of commodities, including fertilizer for distribution at subsidized prices. The ban was also opportune because fertilizer prices peaked on international markets in 2022. Without any transitional time, the thrust for organic fertilizers failed to satisfy demand or obtain the required crop nutrients resulting in severe agricultural losses. After the first data on decreasing yields were revealed, the government lifted the chemical fertilizer ban on December 1, 2021, but it was too late as the cropping season had arrived. Without financial reserves to import fertilizer, the donor community was urged to assist. This paper addresses: (1) justification of the ban, (2) the feasibility of transitioning to organic fertilizers based on the available biomass to replace chemical fertilizers; and (3) the related cost implications. The scenarios focus on irrigated paddy rice and the plantation sector that underpin the national economy. Undervalued nutrient sources are also considered as well as the constraints to and implications of such a transition beyond Sri Lanka’s frontiers.