The impact of uptake of selected agricultural technologies on rice farmers’ income distribution in Ghana

Background Government of Ghana’s effort to reduce income inequality consistently poses a major challenge to public policy formulation. The promotion and dissemination of agricultural technologies as a pathway out of income inequality in rural Ghana have received widespread support. Yet, knowledge about the impact of agricultural technologies on rural income inequality remains low. The objective of the study is to evaluate the link between the uptake of improved rice technologies and income distribution in the study area. Methods This paper uses a survey data from 917 smallholder rice producers in selected communities in Ghana. The study employs the Bourguignon, Fournier, and Gurgand (BFG) selection bias correction model, a two-stage model, to empirically analyse the role of agricultural technologies in rural income distribution. Results The empirical result shows that education, farm size, land ownership, participation in relevant extension training programmes enhance adoption, but gender (female) inhibits uptake of the selected technologies. The empirical result further shows that the uptake of the improved rice seed and fertilizer increases rice farmers’ net revenue significantly. The result further indicates that farmers’ choice of the selected agricultural technologies decreases the sample population income inequality, indicating the uptake of the technologies has an equalizing effect on rice farmers’ income distribution. Conclusion The study concludes that the use of the selected technologies has potential to fight rural poverty in Ghana. The findings have implications for National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) agenda of redistribution of wealth in Ghana.

Burkina Faso: Jihadist landscape will become murkier

Significance These included the death of 53 gendarmes at Inata in November and an ambush that killed over 40 government-affiliated vigilantes near Ouahigouya in December. Public anger is producing protests and backlash that have put President Roch Marc Christian Kabore’s administration under intense pressure, including possible coup plotting exposed by arrests this week. Impacts Local dialogue efforts with jihadists may be inhibited by harder-line government policies. Kabore’s administration will struggle to define and pursue its ‘national reconciliation’ project. Burkina Faso’s 2021-25 national development plan may deliver modest improvements in growth prospects. Burkina Faso will have longer-term problems operationalising military cooperation with neighbours.

TOWARDS A SYNERGY BETWEEN DANCE PEDAGOGY AND PRAXIS FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The initial objective of dance education was to development the art form and harness it’s potentials for societal development. That dance education in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions of learning is largely seen as an isolated and purely academic exercise with little or no relevance to the real sector is hardly in contention as several studies attest to that reality. What is of concern is how to make it more relevant to the present milieu. Against universal trends, major developments in dance in Nigeria are driven by forces independent of academic influences. Various reasons have been advanced by scholars (Ikideh, 1987; Adeyemi, 2010; Onyemuchara, 2017; etc.) Onyemuchara, for instance, contends that the paucity of practice-based curriculum is the bane. Drawing from related disciplinary paradigms, this paper explores the possibility of synergizing the efforts of both the academic and professional/industry dance practitioners to make dance more relevant to national development.

Determinants of Rural Women’s Nutrition Security Status in Northwest Ethiopia

Background: Nutrition security of women is one of the most vital foundations for overall development and wellbeing of society. Since understanding the factors that influence the nutrition security of women is very important for implementing appropriate interventions, this study was conducted to determine the determinants of the nutrition security status of rural women in Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: Survey data were collected from 197 rural women randomly selected using a two-stage sampling method (Cluster sampling in the first stage and Stratified random sampling in the second stage). Data in the two outcomes (nutritionally secured whose BMI ≥ 18.5, and nutritionally insecure whose BMI < 18.5 kg/m2) were analyzed using Binary Logit regression model to determine the significance of the determinants on women’s nutrition security status. Results: The study showed that 72.6% of the women in the study area were nutritionally insecure. Results of the statistical analysis revealed that family size (negative effect), and women’s daily feed frequency, the consumption of milk, fruits and vegetables, and animal products, and women empowerment (all positive effect) were the significant determinants of the nutrition security status of rural women. The weight, the height, and the BMI of nutritionally insecure women (44 kg, 1.45 m, and 15.8 kg/m2, respectively) were significantly lower than those of nutritionally secured women (50.8 kg, 1.55 m, and 21.1 kg/m2, respectively). Conclusions: This is the first study on the determinants of rural women’s nutrition security status using social and demographic data collected at the grass root level and analyzed using an advanced econometric model. The findings of the study show the need for government and other stakeholders’ interventions to increase access to nutritious food products and to provide trainings on feeding culture and dietary diversity to women. The findings of this study can help the Government of Ethiopia to achieve its National Development Priorities in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of UN, particularly Goals 2, 3 and 5.

Roles of Geospatial Technologies in Hydrographic Practice

Any seafarer or mariner that uses the sea knows that navigation without correct charts is impossible and hazardous because nautical charts are the most essential and indispensable tools for vessels to sail safely at sea. For vessels to safely sail at sea, the seas and the oceans ought to be charted and this falls within the domain of hydrography. However, the seas cannot be charted effectively in the absence of the deployment of human resources and adequate tools like satellite and aerial imagery, survey boats and other equipment that will facilitate the hydrographic operations. The acquisition of data and information about the sea depths, nature of sea bed, waterways, navigational hazards and navigational objects among others, basically falls within the sphere of hydrography which is primarily known as survey at sea. The paper offers a review of geospatial technologies in hydrographic practice for enhanced safety of navigation at sea. The review is important to both the mariners, shipping industry and the government in order to explore the potentials provided by Geographic Information System, Remote Sensing, cloud GIS, big data GIS and Global Positioning System to enhance the practice of hydrography. The data and materials used for the review were obtained from literature in the internet and other published works. The paper looked at hydrography as a profession, roles of geospatial technologies in hydrographic practice, benefits of hydrography to national development and finally, the weaknesses of geospatial technologies in hydrographic practice were equally examined.

Enlightenment of Intelligent Construction in the Construction of First-Class University Campus

In September 2017, the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, and the National Development and Reform Commission jointly announced the first batch of “double first-class” construction universities, aiming to improve China’s education level and strengthen the country’s core competitiveness. In addition to first-class teaching and first-class scientific research, first-class universities should also have first-class campuses. The campus of a first-class university should have a complete range of infrastructure, scale, and function to meet the requirements of school-running and scientific research; it should also advocate sustainable development, which includes the concept of energy-saving, smart, and green. The traditional production methods and management models of the construction industry are far from being able to meet the needs of the construction and development of first-class campuses. Digital, intelligent, and informatized construction models are the only way for current campus construction.

IMPLEMENTASI KEBIJAKAN PEMBINAAN KESADARAN BELA NEGARA PADA MAHASISWA BIDIKMISI UNIVERSITAS PEMBANGUNAN NASIONAL “VETERAN” JAWA TIMUR

Fostering awareness of state defense or what is commonly called PKBN is the government's effort to create deterrence to strengthen the defense of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia in the face of all opportunities and threats from within and outside the country. The East Java 'Veteran' National Development University implemented PKBN through extracurricular activities through the Student Activity Unit (UKM) so that a policy of fostering state defense awareness was formed for bidikmisi students at the East Java 'Veteran' National Development University. The purpose of this study was to determine the implementation of state defense awareness policies in bidikmisi students at the 'Veteran' National Development University in East Java. This research is a descriptive qualitative research with research focus based on Edward III's policy implementation model, namely communication, resources, disposition and bureaucratic structure. The results showed that the implementation of the policy of fostering awareness of state defense in Bidikmisi students at the National Veterans Development University of East Java could not be carried out optimally.

Methdology for defining key performance indicators of development institutions as exemplified by the national project “Small and Medium-Sized Business”

Approaches to the methodology for calculating key performance indicators for development institutions as part of their contribution to national development goals achievement has been reviewed. It has been shown that, depending on the methodology used, the value of this indicator can vary by up to 5 units, with each approach being relevant for a particular task. Using the example of an indicator in one of the areas of the national project “Small and Medium-Sized Business” (training activities) as an example, an integrated approach has been proposed to balance solution of the objectives of optimal spending of the federal budget and increasing the public outreach of its results.

Herbal medicine used for the treatment of diarrhea and cough in Kampala city, Uganda

Background Globally, diarrheal and respiratory diseases are among the main causes of mortality and morbidity. In Uganda, cities are facing proliferation of trade in herbal medicines (HM), including those for diarrhea and/or cough. Information on the economic, and the ethnopharmacological aspects of these HM is scarce, deterring the sector from achieving optimal capacity to support national development. We profiled the anti-diarrhea and/or anti-cough HM, and the basic economic aspects of HM trade in Kampala city, to support ethnopharmacological knowledge conservation and strategic planning. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 65 herbalists using semi-structured questionnaires. This was supplemented by an observational survey using a high-resolution digital camera. Data were collected following the guidelines for research on HM, established by Uganda National Drug Authority, and World Health organization. Results Eighty-four plant species from 41 families were documented. Fabaceae and Myricaceae had the highest number of species (9, 10.7% each). Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck was the most commonly cited for cough, with a relative frequency of citation (RFC) of 1.00, and its relative medical importance was not significantly different from the other top 5 species except for Azadirachta indica A.Juss (RFC = 0.87). Entada abyssinica A. Rich (RFC = 0.97) was the most cited for diarrhea. Trees (34, 40.5%) were mostly used, and mainly harvested from wild habitats (55.2%) in 20 districts across Uganda. These HM were mainly sold as powders and concoctions, in markets, shops, pharmacies, and roadside or mobile stalls. The highest prices were Uganda Shillings (UGX) 48,000 ($13.15)/kg for Allium sativum L, and UGX 16,000 ($4.38)/kg for C. limon. All participants used HM trade as a sole source of basic needs; majority (60.0%) earned net monthly profit of UGX. 730,000 ($200) ≤ 1,460,000 ($400). The main hindrances to HM trade were the; disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 65, 100%), and the scarcity of medicinal plants (58, 89.2%). Conclusion There is a rich diversity of medicinal plant species traded in Kampala to treat diarrhea and cough. The HM trade significantly contributes to the livelihoods of the traders in Kampala, as well as the different actors along the HM value chain throughout the country.

Strengthening the Role of Women in Empowering Mosque Functions After the Covid 19 Pandemic with a Social Entrepreneurship Approach

This service aims to increase women's awareness and capacity in managing the function of an economy-based mosque through Zakat, Infak, Shodaqoh, and Waqf (Ziswaf) funds. This departs from the fact in the community around the assisted mosque that in every majlis of women-based religious activities there is an economic sector that is built and developed with a savings and loan cooperative system. especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, the community's need for social institutions like this is very high, this can be seen from the number of borrowers at one of the women's ta'lim majlis which has increased sharply. Therefore, it is important to help increase their role and capacity, in the process of social change and improving people's welfare. Thus, institutionally mosques and mosque congregations as a community of the nation-state can contribute optimally in the national development process. The ability to master mosque empowerment strategies by developing zakat, infaq, shadaqah, and waqaf (ZISWAF) instruments is important to be mastered by mosque welfare officials and women driving economic activity in majlis ta'lim. The method applied in this program is Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) which prioritizes critical dialogue using object/community-based disclosure, to obtain a real perspective in the minds of the target object and at the same time fulfil the paradigmatic alignment as mentioned above. The approach taken in this program is a social entrepreneurship approach, which combines increasing the value of resources economically and streamlining social goals and missions. This approach aims to improve social aspects, as well as implement strategies that are integrated between social and economic aspects.