Perspectives on Reducing the National Milk Deficit and Accelerating the Transition to a Sustainable Dairy Value Chain in Zimbabwe

The Zimbabwean dairy industry is massively underperforming, as evidenced by a reduction in milk yield from 262 million liters in 1990 to <37 million liters in 2009 and a steady but slow increase to 82 million liters in 2021. The current demand for milk in Zimbabwe stands at 130 million liters, and there is a national capacity for processing 400 million liters per annum. This study used literature, stakeholder inputs and expert knowledge to provide a perspective on practical options to reduce the national milk deficit and, simultaneously, accelerate the transition to a sustainable dairy value chain in Zimbabwe. Following a discussion on the key barriers and constraints to developing the milk value chain, we explored opportunities to improve the performance of the underperforming smallholder and medium-scale dairy farmers. Specifically, we discussed innovative management, creative policy instruments and alternative technological options to maximize milk production in Zimbabwe. We also highlight the need for an inclusive and creatively organized dairy value chain to optimize stakeholder linkages and improve information flow and equity. Examples of crucial investments and incentive structures for upgrading the existing value chain and monitoring greenhouse gas emissions and carbon uptake are discussed. Furthermore, the socio-economic effects (i.e., profitability, women empowerment and employment creation), milk quality, safety and traceability issues linked to a better organized and performing dairy value chain are highlighted.

Discourses of Childlessness in Bangladesh

This chapter explores the discourses around medical and alternative treatments that emerged in the accounts of 11 middle-class Bengali women who sought treatment for their childlessness. Fertility has been considered a prime problem for Bangladesh since the 1980s, and policy documents still focus on fertility reduction, along with reducing maternal mortality. Yet, no recent policy documents considered childlessness as a problem. This investigation informs of the links between biomedical power and childlessness as they are emerging in urban Bangladesh. The sections of this chapter discuss the concepts of biopower and agency, illustrate the different trajectories interviewees pursued in dealing with childlessness, focus on the issue of the so-called perfect age for assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments, and explore interviewees’ stories of their experiences of IVF. The concluding section discusses these women’s accounts of the beliefs according to which they actively decide their technological options.

Identifying the market scenarios for supercritical CO2 power cycles

The technology management methods and the “technology foresight” allow organizations and stakeholders in a particular market/sector to create an advantage out of technological breakthroughs, sustain and expand technological competitiveness, and identify and evaluate new technological options. Several concepts are used, depending mainly on the actual status of an evaluated technology. In order to identify the status of the supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) power generation technologies, an extensive “technology exploration” task was performed by creating a technology profile through collecting a database. This allowed for creating technological forecasts “scenario approach” for the sCO2 power cycles. In this paper, the sCO2 power technology is explored, evaluated in relation to current commercial competitive power generation technologies, and forecasted to give an insight into future trends of the novel sCO2 power cycle in the future market. The outcome is the analysis of qualitative and quantitative data of the sCO2 technology for short- to long-term forecasts, which could help identify the economic and market value of the sCO2 power cycle. Three possible market scenarios were identified and combined with a survey distributed among experts to assess different market penetration levels of the sCO2 technology.

Spanish riders law and the right to be informed about the algorithm

The Spanish Government has introduced a regulation which establishes: i) the presumption of employment in digital delivery platforms, and ii) the right of workers’ representatives to be informed about the parameters, rules and instructions on which the algorithms that may have an impact on working conditions are based. This article describes the new law and analyses the novelty of this regulation and its expected impact. The main conclusion is that with this law the Spanish legislator is seeking to clarify that the new technological options – digital algorithms and platforms – are simply the means of performing an economic activity and therefore people who render services within their scope should be considered as employees.

Buildings Energy Efficiency and Innovative Energy Systems

The use of energy in buildings is at the crossroads between comfort and productivity requirements, passive and active technological options, and health and environmental consequences [...]

Extraction of Cannabinoids from Cannabis sativa L. (Hemp)—Review

Cannabis plant has long been execrated by law in different nations due to the psychoactive properties of only a few cannabinoids. Recent scientific advances coupled with growing public awareness of cannabinoids as a medical commodity drove legislation change and brought about a historic transition where the demand rose over ten-fold in less than five years. On the other hand, the technology required for cannabis processing and the extraction of the most valuable chemical compounds from the cannabis flower remains the bottleneck of processing technology. This paper sheds light on the downstream processing steps and principles involved in producing cannabinoids from Cannabis sativa L. (Hemp) biomass. By categorizing the extraction technology into seed and trichome, we examined and critiqued different pretreatment methods and technological options available for large-scale extraction in both categories. Solvent extraction methods being the main focus, the critical decision-making parameters in each stage, and the applicable current technologies in the field, were discussed. We further examined the factors affecting the cannabinoid transformation that changes the medical functionality of the final cannabinoid products. Based on the current trends, the extraction technologies are continuously being revised and enhanced, yet they still fail to keep up with market demands.