scholarly journals Prospects of raising baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) to fruiting in two years

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth Fafa Egbadzor ◽  
Jones Akuaku

Baobab is a very important plant with several uses, serving as food security crop and has the potential to raise income of farmers. However, the plant is undomesticated. We have the objective of domesticating the plant and promote its cultivation and utilization. Seeds were treated with sulphuric acid for early germination and grafted with matured scions suspected to be fruiting for several years. Twenty-two of the seedlings were transplanted on the field at Ho Technical University campus. Unfortunately, only four survived bushfire and destruction by stray animals. Surprisingly, one of the four surviving trees anthesis within twenty-eight months after seed treatment (twenty months after transplanting). This is the earliest ever reported anthesis of baobab. With better agronomic practices such as supplementary irrigation, insect pest control, manuring and protection from stray animals, baobab could start fruiting within two years of planting. This would alleviate fear of long maturity period and motivate farmers to go into baobab plantation. This would help diversify agriculture in many African countries, increase income and food security and contribute towards the attainment of the sustainable development goals of the United Nations.

Author(s):  
Mamudu A. Akudugu ◽  
Katherine K. Millar ◽  
Salifu Mubarik

Over the past few decades, there have been major advances in crop productivity across the world, which has been made possible through a combination of productivity enhancing technological innovations. Beyond this achievement however, most parts of Africa are still battling with low crop productivity resulting in food shortages and food insecurity. The yields of many staple crops are still far below their agronomic potentials with output increases being attributed largely to area expansion. This paper examines the implications of the current trends of crop/plant productivity for food security and rural livelihood development in Africa using Ghana as a case study. The paper argues that crop production in Africa is becoming a less viable and unattractive livelihood activity with farmers diversifying out of agriculture into non-agricultural activities such as illegal small-scale mining, which have negative consequences on the ability of African countries to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).


Author(s):  
John Mubangizi

That National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) play an important role in the protection and promotion of human rights is a well-known fact. This has been widely acknowledged by the United Nations (UN). Also well-known is the fact that several African countries have enacted new constitutions during the last two to three decades. One of the most salient features of those new constitutions is that they establish NHRIs, among other things. Given their unique role and mandate, these NHRIs can and do play an important role in the realisation of the sustainable development goals contained in the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Adopting a case study approach, this article explores the role NHRIs have played in the promotion and protection of human rights in selected African countries and implications for sustainable development in those countries. The main argument is that there are several lessons African countries can learn from each other on how their NHRIs can more meaningfully play that role. Accordingly, best practice and comparative lessons are identified and it is recommended that NHRIs can contribute to sustainable development more meaningfully if they can make themselves more relevant, credible, legitimate, efficient and effective.


2018 ◽  
pp. 16-31
Author(s):  
Tatyana Denisova

For the first time in Russian African studies, the author examines the current state of agriculture, challenges and prospects for food security in Ghana, which belongs to the group of African countries that have made the most progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are a collection of 17 global goals adopted by UN member states in 2015 with a view of achieving them by 2030. The SDGs include: ending poverty in all its forms everywhere (Goal 1); ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture (2); ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages (3), etc. These goals are considered fundamental because the achievement of a number of other SDGs – for example, ensuring quality education (4), achieving gender equality (5), ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns (12), etc. – largely depends on their implementation. Ghana was commended by the world community for the significant reduction in poverty, hunger and malnutrition between 2000 and 2014, i.e. for the relatively successful implementation of the first of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs, 2000–2015) – the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger. However, SDGs require more careful study and planning of implementation measures. In order to achieve the SDGs, the Government of Ghana has adopted a number of programs, plans and projects, the successful implementation of which often stumbles upon the lack of funding and lack of coordination between state bodies, private and public organizations, foreign partners – donors and creditors, etc., which are involved in the processes of socioeconomic development of Ghana. The author determines the reasons for the lack of food security in Ghana, gives an assessment of the state of the agricultural sector, the effective development of which is a prerequisite for the reduction of poverty and hunger, primarily due to the engagement of a significant share (45%) of the economically active population in this sector. The study shows that the limited growth in food production is largely due to the absence of domestic markets and necessary roads, means of transportation, irrigation and storage infrastructure, as well as insufficient investment in the agricultural sector, rather than to a shortage of fertile land or labor.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liane Dalla Gasperina ◽  
Janaina Mazutti ◽  
Luciana Londero Brandli ◽  
Roberto dos Santos Rabello

Purpose Smart campuses can be seen as the future of higher education efforts, especially for their contributions to sustainability and to encourage innovation. This paper aims to present the benefits of smart practices in a Higher Education Institutions and highlights its connections to the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Design/methodology/approach The methodology is divided into three steps: first, an international search and assessment of smart practices at universities; second, the identification of smart practices in a university campus in southern Brazil; and third, the presentation of the benefits of smart practices and their relationship with the SDGs. Findings The results showed that globally, the area most covered by smart practices in universities is the environment and, specifically, focused on waste reduction. in the context of this case study, the benefits of implementing smart practices mainly reach SDGs 4 and SDG 9, especially due to aspects of teaching technologies for the new classroom models and the optimization of campus infrastructure management. Practical implications The study encourages other universities to implement smart practices in their campuses, to becoming smart campuses while they also collaborate in achieving the SDGs while raising the discussion on the importance of committed actions taken on a university campus with the UN SDGs, to leverage synergies on campus operations at universities. Originality/value This paper presents a set of smart practices that universities are applying both globally and locally (in southern Brazil). In addition, it contributes to sustainability research by showing how smart practices have the potential to promote SDGs in universities, especially through campus operations.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-92
Author(s):  
Tat'yana P. LISKOVETSKAYA ◽  
Radima G. MAL'SAGOVA

Subject. This article discusses the issues related to information support for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and food security indicators. Objectives. The article aims to determine ways to improve Russia's food security policy. Methods. For the study, we used the methods of analysis and synthesis, and statistical techniques. Results. The article describes the stages of the SDGs information support system formation and determines areas to improve the country's food security. Conclusions. The article concludes that further ensuring and improving the country's food security requires taking into account current global influences, namely the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.


2022 ◽  
pp. 32-51
Author(s):  
Alex Nester Jiya ◽  
Ernest Roderick Falinya

The chapter seeks to provide insights on the alternatives for financing sustainable development in the Sub- Saharan Africa (SSA). It has been highlighted in the chapter that the region faces the danger of not attaining the SDGs due to poor political systems, climate change, high population growth and restricted economic growth and development. This comes in the midst of declining and unpredictable Official Development Assistance (ODA) plus other domestic and foreign financing instruments. Despite the constraints, the chapter has explored the potential for the region to attain and maintain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) way beyond 2030. Sub-Saharan Africa has a lot of natural resources and a favorable demographic structure. Furthermore, the region has shown some signs of industrial development of late and increasing regional integration which are key to economic transformation. Finally, the chapter has highlighted some policy recommendations in order for the region to realise its potential and attain the SDGs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (13) ◽  
pp. e260101320895
Author(s):  
Yasmin Gomes Casagranda ◽  
Giana de Vargas Mores ◽  
Eduardo Luís Casarotto ◽  
Leila Dal Moro ◽  
Ana Flávia Siqueira Abrahão ◽  
...  

The alignment of food production systems with the trends and demands of the world population plays an important global role. This study aims to discuss the convergence of trends related to the Brazilian beef cattle supply chain from a food security perspective. Therefore, it includes important reports on the future of this supply chain and its input production, taking on a qualitative approach to consider trends in animal health, genetics, nutrition, forage, and farm machinery in terms of the development of Brazilian agriculture and the future of food and agribusiness. From a managerial point of view, it was possible to provide information capable of leading to a sustainable understanding. Thus, a content analysis of the documents was carried out, coding them through the Sustainable Development Goals and categorizing them by taking into account the 2030 Agenda’s five Ps (people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnerships). Along this line, the discussion highlights the themes of poverty and climate change, emphasizing them with regard to the categorization social aspects – the P of people). Future trends will require a workforce prepared to deal with the additional limitations that can arise with the use of new technologies as productivity increases.


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