Centres of excellence in conservation agriculture: developing African institutions for sustainable agricultural development.

2022 ◽  
pp. 402-415
Author(s):  
Saidi Mkomwa ◽  
Simon Lugandu ◽  
Ngari Macharia ◽  
Alexandra Bot ◽  
Weldone Mutai
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Centres Of Excellence

Abstract Conservation Agriculture (CA) is an important component in addressing food insecurity, biodiversity degradation and water scarcity challenges. Its adoption in Africa has lagged behind other continents. One major area of need to enable the acceleration of the adoption of CA in Africa relates to building the necessary cross-sectoral institutional and human capacity across the education-research-extension-enterprise axis along the value chain. This study was conducted in order to contribute to the discussions about the need to create sustainable institutions: specifically, Conservation Agriculture Centres of Excellence (CA-CoEs) in Africa. The CA-CoEs model includes a stakeholder team, a shared facility or an entity that provides leadership, best practices, research, support and/or training in CA, with linkages to service providers along the value chain. This literature-based research involved systematic identification, collection, analysis and documentation of data to identify and address the unique roles these CA-CoEs play in the promotion and adoption of CA and their level of performance. It employed a CA quality assurance self-assessment tool to measure the performance of the CA-CoEs against predetermined performance descriptors. Although the CA-CoEs are facilitating and catalysing adoption of CA, their capacity in providing the CA-related programmes, training and research is not optimal. CA-CoE quality assurance of services can be helpful in identification and design of measures for addressing the challenges faced. To be impactful, CA-CoEs need well-coordinated, participatory and demand-driven CA-based agricultural practices, information services and knowledge for farmers and other stakeholders such as non-governmental organizations (NGOs), CA service providers and CA equipment manufacturers.

A Scoping Review of Human Trafficking Screening and Response

2021 ◽  
pp. 152483802110572
Author(s):  
Rebecca J. Macy ◽  
L. B. Klein ◽  
Corey A. Shuck ◽  
Cynthia Fraga Rizo ◽  
Tonya B. Van Deinse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Trafficking ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Work Conditions ◽  
Screening Tools ◽  
Specific Response ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Scoping Reviews ◽  
The U.S

Service providers are increasingly asked to identify individuals who are experiencing trafficking and to connect them with resources and support. Nonetheless, identification is complicated by the reality that those who are experiencing trafficking may rarely self-identify, and providers may fail to identify individuals who are experiencing trafficking due to lack of guidance on how to screen for trafficking capably and sensitively. With the aim of guiding practice, we undertook a scoping review to search for and synthesize trafficking screening tools and response protocols. Following the PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR), we located 22 screening tools contained in 26 sources. We included any documents that described or tested human trafficking screening tools, screening or identification protocols, response protocols, or guidelines that were published in any year. All documents were abstracted using a standardized form. Key findings showed that most tools were developed by practice-based and non-governmental organizations located in the U.S. and were administered in the U.S. Few screening tools have been rigorously evaluated. The common types of screening questions and prompts included (a) work conditions; (b) living conditions; (c) physical health; (d) travel, immigration, and movement; (e) appearance and presentation; (f) mental health, trauma, and substance abuse; (g) associations and possessions; and (h) arrests and prior involvement with law enforcement. We were not able to locate specific response protocols that provided step-by-step guidance. Nonetheless, the review revealed available practice-based and research-based evidence to help inform guidance concerning how screening and identification of human trafficking may be administered.

scholarly journals Earthquake forecasting model for Nepal to improve prevention

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 700-701
Author(s):  
Brijesh Sathian ◽  
Edwin R Van Teijlingen
Keyword(s):  
Government Policy ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Earthquake Forecasting ◽  
Forecasting Model ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
International Agencies ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Current Scenario ◽  
Per Se

There is an urgent need of earthquake forecasting model for Nepal in this current scenario. It can be developed by the scientists of Nepal with the help of experienced international scientists. This will help the Nepalese to take timely and necessary precautions. We would argue that above all we need to use earthquake prediction knowledge to improve the disaster prepardness in local communities, service providers (hospitals, Non-Governmental Organizations, police, etc.), government policy-makers and international agencies. On the whole, both seismology and public health are most successful when focusing on  prevention not on prediction per se. J Epidemiol. 2017;7(4); 700-701.

Watching, Blaming, Silencing, Intervening: Exploring the Role of the Community in Preventing Domestic Violence in India

2011 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 22-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sreeparna Ghosh
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Violence Against Women ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Physical Violence ◽  
National Level ◽  
State Level ◽  
Family Welfare ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
The United Nations

On a warm October day in 2005, I attended a state level conference on preventing violence against women in Mumbai. The speakers included state (Maharashtra) and national level administrative officials, representatives of the United Nations and the United Nations Population Funds (UNFPA), social workers and members of several NGOs. One of the speakers, a high-ranking bureaucrat in the Ministry of Family Welfare, in a fiery speech condemning all forms of violence against women, urged service providers to follow a "zero tolerance policy." In other words, no form of violence against women should be tolerated. She recommended that women be urged to resist and leave their husbands if they are being subjected to physical violence. As is customary, everyone praised her commitment to women's causes. However a few of the members of non-governmental organizations were skeptical about her approach, and though careful not to voice their objections in public, privately criticized her approach for its impracticality and lack of understanding of poor women's needs.

scholarly journals Farmers’ Adoption of Climate Smart Practices for Increased Productivity in Nigeria

2021 ◽  
pp. 495-508
Author(s):  
B. E. Fawole ◽  
S. A. Aderinoye-Abdulwahab
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Agricultural Practice ◽  
Management Skills ◽  
Rural Farmers ◽  
The Face ◽  
Smart Agriculture ◽  
Agricultural Yield

AbstractIn a bid to reinforce the efforts of agricultural professionals within the domain of climate change studies and with particular emphasis on rural farmers in Nigeria, this chapter explores the mechanics for adoption of climate smart agricultural practices among rural farmers for an increased agricultural productivity. Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) is paramount to the success of farming activities today in the face of the menace of the impact of climate change. Climate Smart Agricultural Practice (CSAP) is one of the major keys that agricultural development approaches aimed at; to sustainably increase productivity and resilience, while also reducing the effects; as well as removing emissions of greenhouse gases. It is pertinent to note that most of the CSAPs adopted by the rural farmers in this study are conservation agriculture, use of organic manure, crop diversification, use of wetland (Fadama), planting of drought tolerant crops, relocation from climate risk zones, prayers for God’s intervention, and improvement on farmers’ management skills. This study divulged and showcased the import of CSAP in boosting agricultural yield and also highlights the bottlenecks inhibiting agricultural farming practices such as lack of practical understanding of the approach, inadequate data and information, lack of suitable tools at local and national levels, supportive and enabling policy frameworks, and socioeconomic constraints at the farm level. The study concluded by recommending an aggressive awareness and mobilization campaign to boost the adoption of CSAPs in Nigeria.

scholarly journals COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on livestock production: A review

2021 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 70-78
Author(s):  
T. S. Olugbemi ◽  
E. A. Salihu
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Livestock Production ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Livestock Sector ◽  
Réglementation Gouvernementale ◽  
Livestock Products ◽  
Processing And Storage

The novel COVID-19 pandemic came with its swindling effect on all sectors of the economy and the livestock sector is not spared. Its impact on livestock production and value chain in Nigeria as in many other countries of the world cannot be overemphasized and can be best understood from the decline in agricultural and other related economic activities, which were brought to almost a total halt during the pandemic. The lockdown policy instituted by various governments affected local and national food production as farmers could not go to their farmlands. Livestock and related products production and prices were impaired. The lockdown also affected the transportation of livestock, livestock products and livestock feed from farms and industries to the market, and across inter-state borders. COVID-19 threatens many sectors of the economy, resulting in hunger especially in developing countries, reduces animal products' consumption, livestock, livestock farmers and livestock value chain actors suffered a great deal with farmers making less gain resulting from reduced consumption of animal products, and many others lost their jobs from reduced production. There is need for creation of channels for adequate marketing of livestock and products, provision of processing and storage facilities, government, Non Governmental Organizations and individuals should invest in livestock production and research through grants and sponsorships to sustain the industry. Measures should be put in place to facilitate farmer's participation in government regulations on enforcing biosecurity, health standards, disease monitoring, and surveillance practices.     La nouvelle pandémie COVID-19 est venue avec son effet d'escroquerie sur tous les secteurs de l'économie et le secteur de bétail n'est pas épargné. Son impact sur la production animale et la chaîne de valeur au Nigéria comme dans de nombreux autres pays du monde ne peut être surestimé et peut être mieux compris à partir du déclin des activités agricoles et autres activités économiques connexes, qui ont été pratiquement arrêtées pendant la pandémie. La politique de verrouillage instituée par divers gouvernements a affecté la production alimentaire locale et nationale car les agriculteurs ne pouvaient pas accéder à leurs terres agricoles. La production et les prix du bétail et des produits connexes ont été dégradés. Le verrouillage a également affecté le transport du bétail, des produits de l'élevage et des aliments du bétail depuis les fermes et les industries jusqu'au marché, et à travers les frontières interétatiques. Le COVID-19 menace de nombreux secteurs de l'économie, entraînant la faim en particulier dans les pays en développement, réduit la consommation de produits animaux, le bétail, les éleveurs et les acteurs de la chaîne de valeur de l'élevage ont beaucoup souffert, les agriculteurs réalisant moins de gains résultant de la réduction de la consommation de produits animaux, et de nombreux autres ont perdu leur emploi en raison de la réduction de la production. Il est nécessaire de créer des canaux pour une commercialisation adéquate du bétail et des produits, la fourniture d'installations de transformation et de stockage, le gouvernement, les organisations non gouvernementales et les particuliers devraient investir dans la production animale et la recherche par le biais de subventions et de parrainages pour soutenir l'industrie. Des mesures devraient être mises en place pour faciliter la participation des agriculteurs à la réglementation gouvernementale sur l'application de la biosécurité, les normes sanitaires, le suivi des maladies et les pratiques de surveillance.

scholarly journals QUALITY ASSURANCE IN DEPARTMENTAL HEIs: THE INFLUENCE OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

2021 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 182-191
Author(s):  
Natalia Salnikova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Public Information ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Internal Quality ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations

The development of the quality of higher education is a priority for the modern state policy of Ukraine. To implement the quality standards of higher education adopted in the European Higher Education Area, Ukrainian departmental universities are adapting the European experience, forming an internal quality assurance system. Departmental universities have been establishing an internal system of quality assurance since 2016. At this stage, the relevant provisions on the level of the universities have been developed to regulate the distribution of powers between different departments of the HEI. Another direction of quality assurance is cooperation with external stakeholders, in particular public organizations of various levels. Based on the analysis of examples of interaction between departmental higher education institutions of Ukraine and international non-governmental organizations available on the websites of relevant institutions, a conclusion was made about the discrete nature of cooperation and the lack of public information about the cooperation. According to information on the sites the universities and international NGOs cooperate in the form of joint public events of academic character, they organise training, conferences and round tables. International non-governmental organizations have great potential to ensure the quality of specialized higher education, in particular, in the joint development and revision of educational programs with universities, educational activities involving international experts, conducting international seminars and workshops, joint projects. Moreover, non-governmental organizations can provide educational services of non-formal education; to carry out projects addressed to local communities in partnership with higher education institutions. The author considers non-governmental organizations to be an important mechanism for articulating public interests and requests of citizens and local communities which is critically important for the departmental universities. To realize this potential of cooperation, it is necessary to establish additional documents (regulations, concepts), which will detail the mechanism of cooperation between the departmental university and the non-governmental organization

scholarly journals Agricultural Certification Programs Implemented inTurkey and the Extent of their Contributions to Environmental Sustainability

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehmet Hasdemir ◽  
Füsun Zehra Özkan
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Iso 14001 ◽  
Agriculture Sector ◽  
Certification Programs ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
International Regulations ◽  
Negative Impacts

The negative impacts of global-scale developments and consumption habits on the environment are increasing each day. In this context, studies are conducted worldwide by many institutions and non-governmental organizations to support environmental policies. Additionally, certification programs are being executed by conformity assessment bodies to mitigate the impacts of production processes on the environment. These management systems or certification programs are either used on a voluntary basis or made mandatory by company policy, national or international regulations. The certification programs were firstly started to be used in industry and service sectors and are currently being used in agriculture sector. The certification programs used in agriculture sector aim to ensure an environmentally-friendly agricultural production process and improve consumer trust and satisfaction. This study aims to address the extent to which implementation of ISO/IEC 17065 Standard based organic and good agricultural practices and GLOBALG.A.P. certification programs and ISO 14001 Management System Standard have contributed to environmental sustainability in Turkey.

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