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論文, Research Article, 特集２ : インクルージョンと共生, 本稿では、高齢者のソーシャル・インクルージョン（社会的包摂）について、食と健康のコホート研究から、特に孤食と共食を中心として論じる。高齢期の孤食は、心理的健康度の低さや摂取食品の多様性の乏しさに関連することが明らかになり、孤食であることは高齢者の健康上のリスク要因の一つであると考えられる。しかしながら、高齢者の独居が避けられない日本社会において、共に食べる場を家庭内にとどめるには限界があり、また、通所介護（デイサービス）などの制度でも包摂されない実態も浮かび上がってきた。2018 年の介護報酬改定を受けて、要支援高齢者（要支援1、2 の認定者）がデイサービスを利用できないという状況が起こっている。高齢者を支援するための社会保障制度は、そのサービスを通じて高齢者に居場所を与える目的もあるが、一方で、地域社会から切り離してしまうという危険性も孕んでいる。そこで本稿では、家族、制度に依存しない、地域における草の根的な共食の事例を紹介し、食を通じた高齢者のソーシャル・インクルージョンの可能性について考察する。, This paper will discuss social inclusion and how it relates to the elderly basedon dietary and health cohort studies, with a particular emphasis on solitary and group meal-taking. Solitary meals eaten by seniors have been found to be associated with poor psychological well-being and a lack of variety in diet, and taking meals alone is thought to be one of several health risk factors among the elderly. However, in Japanese society, in which elderly people often cannot avoid living alone, the places where such people can stay to eat meals with others are limited, and the fact that some designated Seniors Requiring Long-Term Care/Support that are not covered by social support systems—such as day nursing services—can become further isolated has emerged as a concern. The social systems in place to support the elderly serve to provide seniors with places to stay, but also carry the danger of disconnecting them from their communities. As such, this paper will introduce cases of grassroots efforts to support group meal-taking in the community that are not dependent on family or institutions, as well as consider the possibility of social inclusion of the elderly through food.

特集2: フィールド医学 = Special Issue 2: Field Medicine, 本誌公刊にあたっては、京都大学学士山岳会、京都大学「霊長類学・ワイルドライフサイエンス」・リーディング大学院からの助成をうけました。

インド全体では、人口増加や都市部での過密が社会的課題としての位置づけが大きいが、辺境地の一部では人口減少や付随する問題が生じる兆しが現れてきている。本稿では、センサスなどの統計データとインド北部の村落における調査結果をもとに、人口減少を「過疎問題」と捉えて、その特質と今後の展望を述べる。分析で明らかになったことは次のとおりである。第一に、レー・ディストリクトでは人口増加の基調に変化はないが、村落では若年層の減少や男女の不均衡が認められた。第二に、センサスのデータが在村者の実態を反映しておらず、集落によっては過疎と密接な関係のある高齢化が進行しているのに、状況把握が不十分である。第三に、調査対象村落内での耕作放棄地の拡大や家畜飼養頭数の減少が見過ごされており、ディストリクトの統計にはほとんど反映されていない。 India is facing the social problem of increase in population and overcrowding in the city area, whereas depopulation and related issues are arising in some parts of remote area. In this paper, specific characteristics and future prospects of depopulation as “underpopulation problems” are discussed based on the statistical data of census and results of the survey conducted in the village of northern part of India. The analytical outputs are as follows; At first, in the depopulation of younger generation and imbalance of man/woman were found in Leh District while its population is constantly growing. Secondly, statistical data of census didn’t reflect the actual situation of dwelling people in the village, and the cases such as increase of aging population highly related to depopulation, which were typically found in some villages, were not reported properly at grass root level. Thirdly, issues such as expand of the abandoned agricultural land and decrease in the number of rearing animals were ignored in the village where we had researched, and the statistical data of the district did not reflect them. Keywords: rural area, population outflow, age structure, dwelling villager, agricultural production., 特集2: フィールド医学 = Special Issue 2: Field Medicine, 本誌公刊にあたっては、京都大学学士山岳会、京都大学「霊長類学・ワイルドライフサイエンス」・リーディング大学院からの助成をうけました。

本稿は, 高所プロジェクトの提唱してきた「糖尿病アクセル仮説」の一部について検証した科学論文 (Glucose intolerance associated with hypoxia in people living at high altitudes in the Tibetan highland. BMJ open 2016) のレビューである。耐糖能障害がライフスタイルと低酸素血症といかに関連するかを, 中国からインドにわたるチベット高原 (2900-4800m) の1258人の住民において研究された。社会経済的要因, 高度3500m 以上在住, および低酸素血症が, 高所住民の耐糖能異常の増加に大きく関与していることが報告された。低酸素血症, 多血症, 耐糖能異常の3者には密接な関係があり, 加齢とライフスタイル変化がその関係を促進している (糖尿病アクセル仮説) ことが検証された。, The association between glucose intolerance and high altitudes (2900-4900m) was clarified in Tibetan highlanders. The hypothesis was verified that dwelling at high altitudes have vulnerability to diabetes accelerated by lifestyle change or aging. 1258 subjects (40-87 years) were examined; farmers in Domkhar (2900-3800m), nomads in Haiyan, Ryuho, and Changthang (3000-4800m), and urban dwellers in Leh and Jiegu (3300-3700m). The prevalence of glucose intolerance was higher in urban dwellers and in farmers compared with nomads. Dwelling at a higher altitude was significantly associated with fasting hyperglycemia (odds ratios for >4500 and 3500-3999m were 3. 59 and 2. 07 vs 1.0, 特集2: 総合地球環境学研究所「高所プロジェクト」特集 = Special Issue 2: The High Altitude Project in Research Institute for Humanity and Nature

世界各地経済のグローバル化が進行する一方, 街には小規模な商店が今も存立している。効率や利潤の向上を追求すれば規模拡大は不可避であるが, 事業主体の中にはその方向性を望んでいない場合もある。本報告では, ラダーク地方のレーにおいてドムカル出身者が起業した小規模事業体11社に焦点を当て, 背景にある村落住民の推移とともに現状と将来展望を描き出すこととした。2010年と2015年の住民リストを比較したところ, 人口減少は下村, 高齢化は中村が最も進行度合いが著しかった。2015年にドムカル在村者は半数を割り込み, 特に中村では平均年齢が約51歳と上村を10歳上回る水準になっていた。ビジネスの従事者の大部分はドライバーや旅行ガイドなど従属的な立場であったが, 自らの意思で起業したリーダー的な人材も認めた。彼らは集落ごとの組織などを通じて交流を維持し, 将来的な帰村意識が高いことが明らかになった。, In globalization of the world economy, small scale businesses still exist in towns all over the world. It may be unavoidable trend to seek expansion of business scale to maximize profit efficiency but some of business operators are not willing to go in this direction. In this report, we focused on 11 persons who moved out from Domkhar, a rural village, and operated the small scale business in Leh, a central town of Ladakh region. This report tried to reveal the transitions, current situations, and future prospects of the villagers. In comparison of the demographic pyramids in Domkhar between 2010 and 2015, remarkable depopulation and aging were observed at Gongma area and Do area in Domkhar, respectively. More than half of persons who were registered as residents of Domkhar actually lived outside of Domkhar. In particular, the mean age of the residents of Barma area exceeded 51 years, which was about 10 years higher than that of Gongma. Most of the dwellers in Leh were working as drivers or travel guides but some started their own business. Such entrepreneurs had the role as leaders and maintained organizations which exchange the various information in the hamlets. Most of them had strong intentions to return to Domkhar in the future., 特集2: 総合地球環境学研究所「高所プロジェクト」特集 = Special Issue 2: The High Altitude Project in Research Institute for Humanity and Nature

The prevalence of hypertension in 2800 people in Ladakh was studied cross-sectionally from 2007 to 2011. We found 37.0% crude prevalence rate in the total subjects. The associated factors with hypertension were aging, overweight, dwelling at higher altitude, engagement in modernized sedentary occupation, and rural-to-urban migration. There was the interaction of both altitude and lifestyle change for the effect of hypertension., 特集2: 総合地球環境学研究所「高所プロジェクト」特集 = Special Issue 2: The High Altitude Project in Research Institute for Humanity and Nature

The prevalence of hypertension in 2800 people in Ladakh was studied cross-sectionally from 2007 to 2011. We found 37.0% crude prevalence rate in the total subjects. The associated factors with hypertension were aging, overweight, dwelling at higher altitude, engagement in modernized sedentary occupation, and rural-to-urban migration. There was the interaction of both altitude and lifestyle change for the effect of hypertension., 特集2: 総合地球環境学研究所「高所プロジェクト」特集 = Special Issue 2: The High Altitude Project in Research Institute for Humanity and Nature

地域開発では, 地方の役割が重視される潮流が広がりつつある中で, インドでは以前から「パンチャーヤト(Panchayat)」と呼ばれる農村部の自治制度導入が進められてきた. 地方自治の基礎単位である村落を基点として, 自主的なNGOも含めて様々な活動が展開されている. 本稿では, 北部ラダーク地方の1 村と北東部アルナーチャル・プラデーシュ州の2 村を対象に, パンチャーヤトやNGOの実態を運営側の人からの聞き取りを通じて地域活動の運用状況や課題を調べた. その結果, 地域活動の基盤が元からあった上で知識や経験の豊富な人物がパンチャーヤトの選挙でえらばれると, 地域開発に関する取り組みが適切に運用される可能性が高まることが判明した. また, パンチャーヤトの機能が弱くても, 外部の支援を受けながら村落での生活や生産活動を改善するだけの人材がそろえば, 自主的な地域開発が進められる場合があることもわかった., The role of local area is important for rural development, India government introduced the devolution policy called "Panchayat raj system" in rural area for many years. Various activities are conducted by independent NGO based on the village which is fundamental element of local self-government. In this paper, hearing survey implemented toward the operators of panchayat and NGO in order to know the actual situation and prospect at three villages in Ladakh region and Arunachal Pradesh State. As a result, it is possible to operate adequately of rural development in case selected the persons who have much knowledge and experience of local activities by selected by Panchayat raj election. Even though loosing substance of Panchayat raj, independent rural development progressed with human resources supported by external body in order to improve their life and productivity

山地における農業形態は垂直的な環境変化を利用した農・林・牧の複合形態であることが報告されてきたが, 近年は社会経済状況の変化によって垂直性に基づく土地利用形態も変化しつつある. 本研究では, インド北西部ラダークの村落を事例に詳細な土地所有や農業経営に関する資料に基づいて農業形態の変化に関する考察をおこなった. ラダークの村落では, 就労や就学を目的として, 若者世代の中心都市レーへの移住が著しく進んでおり, それによって村落の過疎化が生じていた. また, 低地インドから安価で移入される穀物によって主食であったオオムギ栽培の意義は低下しており, オオムギ栽培を軸とした垂直的な農林牧複合経営も衰退しつつあった. これらの変化に対してインダス川支流の下流部に位置する村落では, 中心都市レーや軍キャンプに販売するための野菜や果樹の集約的な生産をおこなうことによって, 農業から現金収入を得る形態を構築しつつあった. 一方で, 上流部に位置する村落では栽培できる作物や樹種が限られるなかで新たな発展の方向性を模索する途上であった. 人びとは, 新たな社会経済状況のなかで新たな農業や土地利用の形態を模索しているが, そういった場面でも垂直的に変化する自然環境は大きな制約要因となっており, 発展の方向性に大きな影響を及ぼしていた., Agriculture in mountainous regions has been described as a complex combination of crop farming, forestry, and animal husbandry, utilizing the diversified environment along with the altitude. Although such concept of verticality has formed the human landscape of mountainous regions, which has significantly transformed in recent years owing to socio-economic changes. This study examines the meaning of verticality in the current mountain societies based on a Ladakhi village in northern India, using detailed agrarian data and field maps. In the village, most young villagers have been migrating to urban areas to take off-farm jobs or pursue higher education, causing a labor shortage in the village's agriculture. Additionally, cheap food products are being imported from the lower plains as government rations, shifting the principal food from barley to rice and wheat. These changes have decreased the significance of barley cultivation and collapsed the complex altitudinal structure of agriculture. On the other hands, ecological factors such as verticality have persistently constrained the option of agrarian management, causing diversified agrarian forms in the various locations within the same watershed. In considering current socio-economic issues in the mountain villages such as poverty reduction and rural development, a focus on verticality is persistently necessary for understanding life in the mountain societies.

生活習慣病と診断された者の身体活動量として1 日の歩数を測定し, 彼らの生活実態を探ることを目的とした. 40歳以上のドムカルの住民(ラダーキー)のうち, 高血圧, 耐糖能異常のいずれかに該当した23名(平均年齢61歳, 男性13名 女性10 名)の歩数を1-3 日間にわたって測定した. 年齢と歩数には負の相関が見られ(r =-0.71, p, Objective of the study is to investigate the daily activities of people with hypertension or diabetes using a pedometer to count daily walking steps in one day. We measured walking steps during 1-3days in 23 subjects aged 40 years or over (mean age: 61years old, male/female:13/10) diagnosed as cases of hypertension or impaired glucose tolerance in Domkhar village. There was a significant negative correlation between age and walking steps (r =-0.71, p

世界各地の条件不利地域において農林地の管理放棄が進む中で, 大局的な状況把握とともに各地域における実態の解明が求められる. 本稿では, インド北部のラダーク地方ドムカル村を対象に, 聞き取りによって農林地の利用状況や耕作放棄地の実態を調べた. 統計解析の結果によると放棄地の少ないゴンマの方がドに比べると耕作地の筆数が有意に多いことが判明した. ゴンマに比べて気候的に恵まれたバルマとドでは植林や果樹の植裁が多くの世帯で行われており, レーにおける一定の需要が推察された. 営農体系の変化によってドの世帯がバルマやゴンマに保有する農地での作業がなくなっていることから, 耕作放棄地の比率はドが最も大きいことが明らかになった. 今後の課題は, 保有農地の面積と栽培作物との関係, 果樹や植林の賦存量と立地状況, 耕作放棄地の地理的な特徴や家屋との位置関係の把握である., This paper investigated agricultural and tree plantation land use and the amount of abandoned cultivated land through an interview survey conducted in Domkhar village, in Ladakh, northern India. The area of cultivated land in the upper village, Gongma, was significantly greater than in the lower village, Do, because the lower village had changed the agricultural system. Tree plantations and fruit growing were implemented at Barma, the middle village, and Do, rather than at Gongma, because of the good weather conditions, and this was thought to be supported by the market needs of Leh. The proportion of abandoned cultivated land at Do was greater than that at Barma and Gongma because each household in Do cultivated marginal areas at higher altitude. A future task is to resolve the relationships among agricultural land area and cultivated crops, stock, and the location of plantation and fruit trees and the geographic condition of abandoned cultivated land and its distance from houses.

寒冷で乾燥した気候のインド北部のラダーク地方では, 河川沿いの融雪水灌漑農地を中心とした山間オアシス景観が形成されてきた. ところが, 若年層の都市部への流出などによって農地の林地への転換と放棄が進行しつつある. 本稿では, 森林資源賦存量と利用量のバランスを村落レベルで把握する前段階として, まずは樹木調査によって林分構造解明と資源量推計を試みた. 植栽と萌芽枝の伐採手法によって樹種ごとに樹形が異なること, 萌芽枝数と胸高断面積合計は同じ樹種でも利用の有無によって相関関係に高低が出ること, 設定した林分では特定の樹種の材積量が相対的に大きいことが明らかになった., The Ladakh Highlands in northern India are characterized by a cold and arid climate, and consist of irrigation agricultural field by melted snow along the river valley. These lands have been converted to plantation area as the younger population moved to more urban regions. The purpose of this study is to examine the forest stand structure and estimate forest resources prior to investigating the balance of forest resources and its usage at the village level. Tree shape differed depending on methods of coppice felling. The correlation between the number of coppices and extent of basal areas depended on usage frequency. Dominant trees varied in stand volume based on altitude.

ヒマラヤ・チベット高所のグローバリゼーションの浸透の異なる地域を比較することによって, 生活習慣病と老化の変容の実態が明らかになってきた. 高所環境適応への長期の歴史との密接な関連の中で, 生活習慣病の変容が, 今まさに起こっていること. また, 最近のグローバル化のライフスタイルの変化による, 健康や老化の変容への影響が非常に大きいことである. さらに, 今後の課題としては, 高所の特徴である低酸素に対する進化的身体的適応が, 生活習慣病の発症や老化の変容に予防的に働くのか, あるいは, 促進しているのか. 高所への文化的適応としての高地文明と, グローバル化による生活の変化の中で, どのように, 老人のQOL の向上につなげていくべきかを追求していく必要がある., Elderly highlanders have had long-term adaptation to the harsh environment of hypoxia and low food resources; however, rapid changes in life styles associated with the progress of global modernization and urbanization might overwhelm high altitude adaptation with lifestyle-related diseases and the change of ageing in elderly highlanders in Himalaya/Tibet. Worthy of study is the question of whether elderly highlanders who have had evolutionary adaptation to hypoxic environments are vulnerable to lifestyle-related diseases associated with globalism.

本論文では、気候変動枠組条約の交渉準備段階から変化してきた森林の位置づけと役割、京都議定書の条文が及ぼす森林管理や温暖化への影響を分析した。IPCCが第1回評価報告書で森林の役割を明記した結果、枠組条約の政府間交渉では北欧諸国が吸収源として主張した。にもかかわらず、科学的な不確実性がまだあったことから、気候変動枠組条約の条文にはバイオマスの一部として森林は扱われた。その後、数値目標を議論するAGBMで、科学的な知見の積み重ねによって吸収源は森林とみなされるようになり、締約国は炭素排出量の計算手法としてネット方式やグロス方式を提示した。森林蓄積の増分が化石燃料起源の炭素排出量に占める比率の高い国は、吸収を差し引くネット方式を支持する傾向にあった。京都議定書の第3条は、政治的な判断で定められ、IPCCでの研究成果は一部しか反映されなかった。新規植林を炭素の吸収源とみなすと、森林における生物多様性が損なわれる可能性があるなどの問題が生じる。条約関係者は、各国の意見の違いを踏まえた上で、科学的知見に基づいたより効果的な温暖化防止策を話し合うことが求められる。, In this paper, we analyzed the changes and roles in forest from the preparatory meeting of Framework Convention on Climate Change, and how Kyoto Protocol effects on forest management and global warming. After IPCC first assessment commented the role of forest, some Scandinavian countries insisted on the sink at the intergovernmental negotiation on Framework Convention. However, forest was thought to be significant sink owing to the accumulated scientific results at the AGBM discussed quantified emission limitation. Parties of the Conference made proposal of net or gross approach as the calculation method for CO2 emissions. Highly forest stock countries could offset CO2 emissions to some extent tended to support net approach subtracted absorption of forest. Article 3 on Kyoto Protocol was decided politically and was reflected a part of scientific results at IPCC. It has the problem that once afforestation regard as the absorption of carbon, it may disturb the biological diversity in the forest. Therefore, to develop effective methods for preventing global warming, further discussion should be conducted based on scientific results, as well as keeping in mind the difference of opinions among countries.

In globalization of the world economy, small scale businesses still exist in towns all over the world. It may be unavoidable trend to seek expansion of business scale to maximize profit efficiency but some of business operators are not willing to go in this direction. In this report, we focused on 11 persons who moved out from Domkhar, a rural village, and operated the small scale business in Leh, a central town of Ladakh region. This report tried to reveal the transitions, current situations, and future prospects of the villagers. In comparison of the demographic pyramids in Domkhar between 2010 and 2015, remarkable depopulation and aging were observed at Gongma area and Do area in Domkhar, respectively. More than half of persons who were registered as residents of Domkhar actually lived outside of Domkhar. In particular, the mean age of the residents of Barma area exceeded 51 years, which was about 10 years higher than that of Gongma. Most of the dwellers in Leh were working as drivers or travel guides but some started their own business. Such entrepreneurs had the role as leaders and maintained organizations which exchange the various information in the hamlets. Most of them had strong intentions to return to Domkhar in the future.

The association between glucose intolerance and high altitudes (2900-4900m) was clarified in Tibetan highlanders. The hypothesis was verified that dwelling at high altitudes have vulnerability to diabetes accelerated by lifestyle change or aging. 1258 subjects (40-87 years) were examined; farmers in Domkhar (2900-3800m), nomads in Haiyan, Ryuho, and Changthang (3000-4800m), and urban dwellers in Leh and Jiegu (3300-3700m). The prevalence of glucose intolerance was higher in urban dwellers and in farmers compared with nomads. Dwelling at a higher altitude was significantly associated with fasting hyperglycemia (odds ratios for >4500 and 3500-3999m were 3. 59 and 2. 07 vs 1.0 ; <3500m) by multiple logistic regression analysis with adjustment of age, sex, and confounding factors. Further hypoxemia and polycythemia were closely associated with glucose intolerance. Socioeconomic factors, hypoxemia, and the effects of altitudes over 3500m play a major role in the high prevalence of glucose intolerance in highlanders. Tibetan highlanders may be vulnerable to glucose intolerance, with polycythemia as a sign of poor hypoxic adaptation, accelerated by lifestyle change and aging.

バーク堆肥生産拡大の要因と現状を明らかにするために、文献調査、バーク堆肥生産業者への聞き取り調査を行った。元来特用林産物だったバークは、大量に発生することにより多くが廃棄物となった。処分に困ったパルプ・チップ工場、製材工場は別会社を設立してバークを原料に堆肥の生産を開始した。バーク堆肥は比較的良質な国産広葉樹、外材針葉樹バークを原料に主として農業用に生産されていたが、その後緑化に利用されるようになって需要が拡大した。バークは、規模の大きい製材工場、パルプ・チップ工場から発生する外材針葉樹と国産広葉樹のものが多く、国産針葉樹のものはほとんど使われていない。バークに混ぜる発酵資材は、主として安価な鶏ふんが使われていたが、次第に食品汚泥を使うようになってきている。製品は緑化用と農業用が多いが、業者は公共事業の頭打ちから園芸用を増やしており、需要拡大に様々な対応をしながら生産を拡大し、現在に至っている。, This study aims to grasp the present situation of composted bark production, and find out factors of expansion. In addition to the literature survey, interviews were carried out with composted bark producers. Bark was originally special forest product of which, however, most has gone to waste because of its large quantity discharge. Having difficulty in disposing it, paper mills, chip mills and sawmills set up a joint company to produce compost made from bark. In the beginning period, composted bark was mainly for agricultural use, and it has been put to wider use as man-made slope planting. Bark was made from foreign coniferous timber and domestic broad-leaved timber, but domestic coniferous timber was scarcely used. The nitrogen source, to be mixed with bark, was usually chicken manure, but recently food processing wastes is replacing it. Most of production is used for man-made slope planting and agriculture, however producers have increased the products of horticultural composted bark because of the reduction of public enterprise, and has expanded the composted bark production to cope with the increase of its demand.

Since depopulation and aging in rural areas had become serious social problems globally, studies on reconstructing rural areas have been developed in various academic fields from sociology to economics. To take up these kind of topics as a researcher, individual contribution is required as well as writing a paper from the result of collecting and analyzing information from local communities in subject area. This paper particularly focuses on reporting life histories of nine locals of Domkhar, a village in Ladakh region of Northern part of India where I had researched for six years, as I got the opportunity to interview with them through participating a project to make a booklet for promoting their local products whilst helping revitalizing their community. According to the interview survey, some facts have been found; first, men age fifty to sixty years old have mostly experienced military related jobs while women in the same age group stayed in the village to be the main forces to run its agro-pastoral industry. Second, most of the villagers supported "Gomparanjon", a hardly approached idea, as recommended landscape of their own village. That means they have not established sense of evaluating their own everyday view, and they have not yet reached to the point to gain the objective landscape on themselves.

The prevalence of hypertension in 2800 people in Ladakh was studied cross-sectionally from 2007 to 2011. We found 37.0% crude prevalence rate in the total subjects. The associated factors with hypertension were aging, overweight, dwelling at higher altitude, engagement in modernized sedentary occupation, and rural-to-urban migration. There was the interaction of both altitude and lifestyle change for the effect of hypertension.

The prevalence of hypertension in 2800 people in Ladakh was studied cross-sectionally from 2007 to 2011. We found 37.0% crude prevalence rate in the total subjects. The associated factors with hypertension were aging, overweight, dwelling at higher altitude, engagement in modernized sedentary occupation, and rural-to-urban migration. There was the interaction of both altitude and lifestyle change for the effect of hypertension.

The role of local area is important for rural development, India government introduced the devolution policy called "Panchayat raj system" in rural area for many years. Various activities are conducted by independent NGO based on the village which is fundamental element of local self-government. In this paper, hearing survey implemented toward the operators of panchayat and NGO in order to know the actual situation and prospect at three villages in Ladakh region and Arunachal Pradesh State. As a result, it is possible to operate adequately of rural development in case selected the persons who have much knowledge and experience of local activities by selected by Panchayat raj election. Even though loosing substance of Panchayat raj, independent rural development progressed with human resources supported by external body in order to improve their life and productivity

Agriculture in mountainous regions has been described as a complex combination of crop farming, forestry, and animal husbandry, utilizing the diversified environment along with the altitude. Although such concept of verticality has formed the human landscape of mountainous regions, which has significantly transformed in recent years owing to socio-economic changes. This study examines the meaning of verticality in the current mountain societies based on a Ladakhi village in northern India, using detailed agrarian data and field maps. In the village, most young villagers have been migrating to urban areas to take off-farm jobs or pursue higher education, causing a labor shortage in the village's agriculture. Additionally, cheap food products are being imported from the lower plains as government rations, shifting the principal food from barley to rice and wheat. These changes have decreased the significance of barley cultivation and collapsed the complex altitudinal structure of agriculture. On the other hands, ecological factors such as verticality have persistently constrained the option of agrarian management, causing diversified agrarian forms in the various locations within the same watershed. In considering current socio-economic issues in the mountain villages such as poverty reduction and rural development, a focus on verticality is persistently necessary for understanding life in the mountain societies.

Objective of the study is to investigate the daily activities of people with hypertension or diabetes using a pedometer to count daily walking steps in one day. We measured walking steps during 1-3days in 23 subjects aged 40 years or over (mean age: 61years old, male/female:13/10) diagnosed as cases of hypertension or impaired glucose tolerance in Domkhar village. There was a significant negative correlation between age and walking steps (r =-0.71, p<0.001). The average walking steps in one day were 8603 in male and 5821 in female, respectively. It is assumed that lifestyle-related diseases are increasing in Domkhar village due to modern lifestyle change. Traditional lifestyle with simple meals and hard labor activities have changed into modernized one with a increase in taking high calories and a decrease in daily physical activities. Education and promotion of healthy exercise and diet might be recommended for prevention of aggravation in ADL accompanying lifestyle-related diseases.

This paper investigated agricultural and tree plantation land use and the amount of abandoned cultivated land through an interview survey conducted in Domkhar village, in Ladakh, northern India. The area of cultivated land in the upper village, Gongma, was significantly greater than in the lower village, Do, because the lower village had changed the agricultural system. Tree plantations and fruit growing were implemented at Barma, the middle village, and Do, rather than at Gongma, because of the good weather conditions, and this was thought to be supported by the market needs of Leh. The proportion of abandoned cultivated land at Do was greater than that at Barma and Gongma because each household in Do cultivated marginal areas at higher altitude. A future task is to resolve the relationships among agricultural land area and cultivated crops, stock, and the location of plantation and fruit trees and the geographic condition of abandoned cultivated land and its distance from houses.

The Ladakh Highlands in northern India are characterized by a cold and arid climate, and consist of irrigation agricultural field by melted snow along the river valley. These lands have been converted to plantation area as the younger population moved to more urban regions. The purpose of this study is to examine the forest stand structure and estimate forest resources prior to investigating the balance of forest resources and its usage at the village level. Tree shape differed depending on methods of coppice felling. The correlation between the number of coppices and extent of basal areas depended on usage frequency. Dominant trees varied in stand volume based on altitude.

Elderly highlanders have had long-term adaptation to the harsh environment of hypoxia and low food resources; however, rapid changes in life styles associated with the progress of global modernization and urbanization might overwhelm high altitude adaptation with lifestyle-related diseases and the change of ageing in elderly highlanders in Himalaya/Tibet. Worthy of study is the question of whether elderly highlanders who have had evolutionary adaptation to hypoxic environments are vulnerable to lifestyle-related diseases associated with globalism.

In this paper, we analyzed the changes and roles in forest from the preparatory meeting of Framework Convention on Climate Change, and how Kyoto Protocol effects on forest management and global warming. After IPCC first assessment commented the role of forest, some Scandinavian countries insisted on the sink at the intergovernmental negotiation on Framework Convention. However, forest was thought to be significant sink owing to the accumulated scientific results at the AGBM discussed quantified emission limitation. Parties of the Conference made proposal of net or gross approach as the calculation method for CO2 emissions. Highly forest stock countries could offset CO2 emissions to some extent tended to support net approach subtracted absorption of forest. Article 3 on Kyoto Protocol was decided politically and was reflected a part of scientific results at IPCC. It has the problem that once afforestation regard as the absorption of carbon, it may disturb the biological diversity in the forest. Therefore, to develop effective methods for preventing global warming, further discussion should be conducted based on scientific results, as well as keeping in mind the difference of opinions among countries.

This study aims to grasp the present situation of composted bark production, and find out factors of expansion. In addition to the literature survey, interviews were carried out with composted bark producers. Bark was originally special forest product of which, however, most has gone to waste because of its large quantity discharge. Having difficulty in disposing it, paper mills, chip mills and sawmills set up a joint company to produce compost made from bark. In the beginning period, composted bark was mainly for agricultural use, and it has been put to wider use as man-made slope planting. Bark was made from foreign coniferous timber and domestic broad-leaved timber, but domestic coniferous timber was scarcely used. The nitrogen source, to be mixed with bark, was usually chicken manure, but recently food processing wastes is replacing it. Most of production is used for man-made slope planting and agriculture, however producers have increased the products of horticultural composted bark because of the reduction of public enterprise, and has expanded the composted bark production to cope with the increase of its demand.