scholarly journals Sustainability of conservation agriculture adoption and the role lead farmers play in Zimbabwe

2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Joe Stevens ◽  
Nyathi ◽  
Salomons
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Extension Services ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
A Minor ◽  
Agriculture Extension

Conservation Agriculture (CA) has been promoted widely in Zimbabwe through several organizations, including government and non-governmental organizations, to help address food insecurity. The sustainability of donor led interventions has been questioned as they are of limited duration, and some research has reported that farmers stop practicing CA when a project ends. However, agriculture extension services are reported crucial in adopting new agriculture technologies; hence, continued access to services is crucial for the sustainable uptake of CA. The use of farmer-led extension approaches has been used to reach more farmers at low cost to promote CA and for sustainability. The study evaluates the sustainability of CA practices as well as lead farmers roles after the end of Christian Care project activities. The findings reveal continued adoption of CA principles, albeit on a small scale. We conclude that CA has become part of the traditional farming system and recommend labour-saving technologies for the uptake of CA on a greater scale. Government extension support has also continued, although lead farmers played a minor role in these extension activities. Lead farmers alone cannot sustainably provide extension services without institutional support. The recommendation is that public extension systems work closely with lead farmers in communities to efficiently reach farmers and ensure better coordination between NGOs and government extension activities.

scholarly journals Developing small-scale bamboo enterprises for livelihoods and environmental restoration in Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 306-322
Author(s):  
M. Boissière ◽  
S. Atmadja ◽  
S. Benmakhlouf ◽  
M. Beyessa ◽  
H. Kassa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Business Training ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Regional State ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Oxytenanthera Abyssinica ◽  
Management Approaches ◽  
Financing Market ◽  
Land Use Rights

We document the perceptions, practices and policy options in managing lowland bamboo [Oxytenanthera abyssinica] in Benishangul Gumuz Regional State (BGRS) in Ethiopia, particularly to enable small-scale enterprises (SSE) to become more active in this field. This region hosts the largest extent of natural bamboo forests in Ethiopia. There is a recent push to realize bamboo's economic and environmental potential in Ethiopia, which puts SSEs as crucial actors. There is little or scattered published information on local perceptions and practices surrounding natural bamboo forest management and options for realizing bamboo's potential from a subnational/local perspective in Africa, including in Ethiopia. In 2018, we conducted a literature review, spatial analysis, participatory mapping, and interviewed experts working in governmental and non-governmental organizations and local stakeholders in BGRS. We find some consensus of the environmental importance of bamboo. In contrast, there is some debate at the subnational level about the economic importance of bamboo, leading to decisions favouring other land uses. Bamboo forests in this region suffer neglect, as they are perceived to be 'owned by no one and used by everyone' and will continue to be there without management. Lack of market-driven opportunities, bamboo-specific training among foresters, data on economic contributions of bamboo, and regulations or guidelines to support existing laws have prevented effective management of the bamboo resource. There are multiple bamboo management approaches that open economic opportunities for SSEs in the region. There needs to be more clarity on how to secure land use rights over bamboo forests, accessible financing, market linkages, business training, and low-tech/low-cost technologies to encourage the development of bamboo SSEs.

MECHANIZATION OF POTATO GRADING ON SMALL-SCALE FARMS: A CASE STUDY FROM PERU

2005 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. P. BUTLER ◽  
T. BERNET ◽  
K. MANRIQUE
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Market Integration ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Agricultural Products ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Critical Aspect ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Important Cash Crop

Potatoes are an important cash crop for small-scale producers worldwide. The move away from subsistence to commercialized farming, combined with the rapid growth in demand for processed agricultural products in developing countries, implies that small-scale farmers and researchers alike must begin to respond to these market changes and consider post-harvest treatment as a critical aspect of the potato farming system. This paper presents and assesses a low cost potato-grading machine that was designed explicitly to enable small-scale potato growers to sort tubers by size for supply to commercial processors. The results of ten experiments reveal that the machine achieves an accuracy of sort similar to commercially available graders. The machine, which uses parallel conical rollers, has the capacity to grade different tuber shapes and to adjust sorting classes, making it suitable for locations with high potato diversity. Its relatively low cost suggests that an improved and adapted version of this machine might enhance market integration of small-scale potato producers not only in Peru, but in other developing countries as well.

E-Government Strategy in Turkey

2012 ◽  
pp. 351-373
Author(s):  
Ronan de Kervenoael ◽  
Ipek Kocoglu
Keyword(s):  
Market Orientation ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Smart Phones ◽  
Data Services ◽  
Government Services ◽  
Interactive Applications ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Gain Access

Market orientation strategies are now expected to be integrated and enacted by firms and governments alike. While private services will surely continue to take the lead in mobile strategy orientation, others such as government and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are also becoming prominent Mobile Players (m-Players). Enhanced data services through smart phones are raising expectations that governments will finally deliver services that are in line with a consumer ICT lifestyle. To date, it is not certain which form of technological standards will take the lead, e.g. enhanced m-services or traditional Internet-based applications. Yet, with the introduction of interactive applications and fully transactional services via 3G smart phones, the currently untapped segment of the population (without computers) have the potential to gain access to government services at a low cost.

The problem of prevention

2021 ◽  
pp. 29-58
Author(s):  
Christopher Dye
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Testable Hypothesis ◽  
High Efficacy ◽  
Healthy Living ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Information Trust ◽  
Imminent Threat

Most people aspire to healthy living but staying healthy and preventing illness carry a cost—counted in money, time, effort, information, trust, and willpower. The principles of prevention can be framed as a conditional, testable hypothesis: prevention is more likely to be favoured when individuals or populations can choose, given the constraints presented in any setting, a low-cost, high-efficacy method of averting a large, probable, imminent threat to health. The decisions that people make about health depend, not only on quantified options, risks, hazards, and timing, but also on the incentives, motives, powers, and values of everyone who has a stake in the outcome—individuals, governments, non-governmental organizations, businesses, and others. Data presented in this chapter suggest that more money and effort are invested in prevention today than is commonly thought, but the enormous, persistent, avoidable burden of ill health is a reason to seek ways of investing still more.

Sustainable agricultural mechanization and commercialization for widespread adoption of conservation agriculture systems in Africa.

2022 ◽  
pp. 382-401
Author(s):  
Josef Kienzle ◽  
Brian Sims ◽  
Weldone Mutai
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Agricultural Technologies ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Agricultural Mechanization ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Public And Private Sector

Abstract To confront the situations of climate crisis, natural resource degradation and rising populations, farmers need access to modern sustainable agricultural technologies, especially Conservation Agriculture (CA) and sustainable agricultural mechanization (SAM). Without such access, the UN's SDGs will not be met in their entirety. The implications of mechanizing CA are discussed for both smallholder and larger-scale farmers. Constraints, issues and options are reviewed and the need for commercial, private sector, CA mechanization service provision for smallholders is identified. The Framework for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization for Africa (SAMA) is a key pillar for achieving Aspiration 1 (a prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development) of the African Union's (AU) Agenda 2063; and SDG 2 (ending hunger and achieving food security). The move towards commercialization of smallholder agriculture in Africa is seen as an inevitable reality in the medium term. It is also a necessary prerequisite for the adoption of SAM, which is being actively promoted in Africa, both at the level of the AU and by national governments, research centres, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private-sector agricultural machinery companies. The policy dimensions of promoting SAM are discussed from the public and private-sector perspectives. A forward look identifies novel business models for sustainable mechanization services, an increasing application of information technology (IT) and the (longer term) potential for drones and robotics. The conclusion is that CA and SAM are essential ways forward to answer Africa's needs for sustainable food production while engaging young entrepreneurs in the provision of mechanization services using IT, digital tools and precision equipment.

scholarly journals Large Area Forest Yield Estimation with Pushbroom Digital Aerial Photogrammetry

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Strunk ◽  
Petteri Packalen ◽  
Peter Gould ◽  
Demetrios Gatziolis ◽  
Caleb Maki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Precision ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Digital Terrain Model ◽  
Performance Estimation ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Terrain Model ◽  
Federal Organizations ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Aerial Photogrammetry ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations

Low-cost methods to measure forest structure are needed to consistently and repeatedly inventory forest conditions over large areas. In this study we investigate low-cost pushbroom Digital Aerial Photography (DAP) to aid in the estimation of forest volume over large areas in Washington State (USA). We also examine the effects of plot location precision (low versus high) and Digital Terrain Model (DTM) resolution (1 m versus 10 m) on estimation performance. Estimation with DAP and post-stratification with high-precision plot locations and a 1 m DTM was 4 times as efficient (precision per number of plots) as estimation without remote sensing and 3 times as efficient when using low-precision plot locations and a 10 m DTM. These findings can contribute significantly to efforts to consistently estimate and map forest yield across entire states (or equivalent) or even nations. The broad-scale, high-resolution, and high-precision information provided by pushbroom DAP facilitates used by a wide variety of user types such a towns and cities, small private timber owners, fire prevention groups, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), counties, and state and federal organizations.

The Role of Lubrication in the Cold Heading of Mild Steel

1975 ◽  
Vol 97 (2) ◽  
pp. 144-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Tevaarwerk ◽  
A. Plumtree ◽  
R. Sowerby
Keyword(s):  
Mild Steel ◽  
Coefficient Of Friction ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Steel Wire ◽  
Solid Lubricants ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Total Force ◽  
Liquid Lubricant ◽  
The Coefficient Of Friction ◽  
A Minor

This work provides information leading to the evaluation of the coefficient of friction for various lubricants during the first blow of a double blow heading operation on AISI 1018 steel wire. A Waterbury-Farrel cold heading machine was instrumented so that the total force and frictional force could be evaluated during the first blow operation. The lubricants investigated fell into four main groups: 1) Lubricants, physically or chemically bonded to the wire; this group included zinc phosphate, 2) Lubricants listed in 1) used together with a petroleum based polar oil, SAE 30 [780 SUS at 80° F (167 × 10−6 m2/s at 27° C)], 3) Liquid lubricants of various viscosities employed with the bare wire, 4) Solid lubricants mixed with a non-polar mineral oil [65 SUS at 80° F (12 × 10−6 m2/s at 27° C)], again used with bare wire. The calculated coefficient of friction was used to indicate the efficiency of the respective lubricants. Liquid lubricants either alone on bare wire or with bonded lubricants proved to be the most successful in reducing the calculated μ value; additives appeared to play a minor role. The results indicate that a low cost liquid lubricant used on bare wire has both economic and operational advantages when cold heading mild steel wire.

scholarly journals Balearic Islands boat seine fisheries: the transparent goby fishery an example of co-management

2017 ◽  
Vol 74 (7) ◽  
pp. 2053-2058 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatriz Morales-Nin ◽  
Antoni María Grau ◽  
Juan Salvador Aguilar ◽  
María del Mar Gil ◽  
Elena Pastor
Keyword(s):  
Local Community ◽  
Management Plan ◽  
Balearic Islands ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Management Process ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
By Catch ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Sand And Gravel

Abstract An economically important, small-scale fishery operates during the winter months in Mallorca. Using a special surrounding net that is hauled over the sand and gravel bottoms of bays at depths reaching 30 m, it primarily targets Aphia minuta and Pseudaphya ferreri, but other goby species and juveniles of the Pagellus spp are also caught. Similar fisheries are operated on the Spanish coast and in Italy. This fishery is run with specific licenses, equipment controls, and closed seasons (based on species availability). In cooperation with local fishermen, the administration has in recent years established a daily quota for sustaining the sales prices 22of the species caught. A management plan was set up in 2013 in accordance with European Union rules to ensure the sustainability of the fishery. Its sustainable quotas have been set at 30 kg/day/boat for A. minuta and 50 kg/day/boat for P. ferreri, and the by-catch cannot exceed 10% of the total catch. Landings are permitted in 11 fixed ports and only 35 boats can fish with the regulated nets from December 15 to April 30. A co-management committee was created with the participation of the public administration, fishermen’s associations, researchers, and certain non-governmental organizations. The co-management process was revised and fishermen’s opinions were obtained in a successful enquiry that was answered by the majority of the operating fleet, and their views on the management rules will be considered in future regulations. The co-management of the small-scale boat seine fishery in the Balearic Islands is thus an ongoing collaborative and communicative process in a local community that continues to evolve over time. Although the fishermen are represented by their port guilds, communication efforts are necessary in the near future to ensure the success of the co-management process.

Towards Regional and Economic Development

2001 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thore Thomassen ◽  
Peter Beckus ◽  
Ieva Serapinaite
Keyword(s):  
Da Vinci ◽  
Regional Cooperation ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Leonardo Da Vinci ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Bilateral Agreement ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Research Programmes ◽  
Training Research ◽  
Further Development

Networking is an effective strategy for both economic and regional development, as the results of project management at the trans-regional level demonstrate. Cooperation between the Western Norway Training Partnership (WNTP) and Erfurt Technology Centre (TZE) shows that international teamwork is productive and that project administration is relatively low-cost. Both partners have carried out various projects within the European Commission's COMETT, Leonardo Da Vinci and Fifth Framework Research programmes. Seven years of cooperation between WNTP and TZE have resulted not only in increased awareness about both regions in political, academic and business circles, but also in the establishment of the Trade House, to increase exports, as well as the completion of a Bilateral Agreement of Regional Cooperation for further development of activities and contacts. Inter-regional and inter-sectoral links with local authorities, financial funds, research institutes, innovation centres and non-governmental organizations have been established to explore further possibilities for cooperation in training, research, business and culture. In this paper, the partners share experiences, analyse implications and discuss strategies that bring mutual benefits.

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.

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