Analysis of adoption of conservation agriculture practices in southern Africa: mixed-methods approach

Adane Tufa Hambulo Ngoma Paswel Marenya Christian Thierfelder (2023, [Artículo])

In southern Africa, conservation agriculture (CA) has been promoted to address low agricultural productivity, food insecurity, and land degradation. However, despite significant experimental evidence on the agronomic and economic benefits of CA and large scale investments by the donor community and national governments, adoption rates among smallholders remain below expectation. The main objective of this research project was thus to investigate why previous efforts and investments to scale CA technologies and practices in southern Africa have not led to widespread adoption. The paper applies a multivariate probit model and other methods to survey data from 4,373 households and 278 focus groups to identify the drivers and barriers of CA adoption in Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The results show that declining soil fertility is a major constraint to maize production in Zambia and Malawi, and drought/heat is more pronounced in Zimbabwe. We also find gaps between (a) awareness and adoption, (b) training and adoption, and (c) demonstration and adoption rates of CA practices in all three countries. The gaps are much bigger between awareness and adoption and much smaller between hosting demonstration and adoption, suggesting that much of the awareness of CA practices has not translated to greater adoption. Training and demonstrations are better conduits to enhance adoption than mere awareness creation. Therefore, demonstrating the applications and benefits of CA practices is critical for promoting CA practices in all countries. Besides, greater adoption of CA practices requires enhancing farmers’ access to inputs, addressing drudgery associated with CA implementation, enhancing farmers’ technical know-how, and enacting and enforcing community bylaws regarding livestock grazing and wildfires. The paper concludes by discussing the implications for policy and investments in CA promotion.

Adoption Focus Group Discussion CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE CLIMATE CHANGE

Danzas veracruzanas como grafías de la memoria. Recuerdos de indios, moros, negros y cristianos

GUADALUPE SANCHEZ ALVAREZ (2023, [Capítulo de libro])

Las danzas tradicionales, como las de los pueblos originarios del estado de Veracruz en México, son invaluables discursos históricos de la memoria. A través de ellas y su constante repetición, las comunidades y pueblos practicantes transmiten valores y consolidan sus identidades. Es por lo que se constituyen como complejos sistemas interculturales mantenedores de conocimiento, atributos por los cuales, necesitan ser replanteadas para un análisis en profundidad que vaya más allá de las formas prototípicas acostumbradas. Por lo anterior, en este trabajo se propone examinarlas desde el enfoque historiográfico, no sin antes repensarlas grafías no escriturarias, resultado de la sistematización historiográfica.

Traditional dances, such as those of peoples from the state of Veracruz in Mexico, are invaluable historical discourses of memory. Through them and their constant repetition, practicing communities and peoples transmit values and consolidate their identities. Therefore, they are constituted as complex intercultural systems maintaining knowledge, attributes by which, they need to be rethinker for an in-depth analysis that goes beyond the usual proto-typical forms. Therefore, in this work it is proposed to examine them from the historiographic approach, not without first rethink them nonwriting spellings, the result of historiographic systematization.

Danzas prehispánicas, enfoque historiográfico, memoria, identidad, Veracruz. Pre-Hispanic Dances, historiographical approach, memory, identity. Moros y Cristianos (Dance)--Mexico. Veracruz (Veracruz-Llave, Mexico) Group identity. Historiography. Danza indígena -- México. Veracruz (Veracruz) Identidad colectiva. Historiografía. GT4014.A2 CIENCIAS SOCIALES SOCIOLOGÍA SOCIOLOGÍA CULTURAL FOLKLORE

Genetic diversity and population structure of African sorghum (sorghum bicolor L. moench) accessions assessed through single nucleotide polymorphisms markers

Hussein Shimelis Baloua Nébié Chris Ojiewo Abhishek Rathore (2023, [Artículo])

Heterotic Grouping Breeding Population Development Marker-Assisted Cultivar Development CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA POPULATION STRUCTURE GENE FLOW SINGLE NUCLEOTIDE POLYMORPHISMS SORGHUM BICOLOR BREEDING PROGRAMMES

Establishment of heterotic groups for hybrid wheat breeding

Yunbi Xu (2022, [Artículo])

Genomic Prediction CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CLIMATE CHANGE CROPS FORECASTING PLANTS COMBINING ABILITY HETEROSIS HETEROTIC GROUPS MALE INFERTILITY PLANT HEIGHT WHEAT

Heterosis and heterotic patterns of maize germplasm revealed by a multiple-hybrid population under well-watered and drought-stressed conditions

Liu Xiaogang Yunbi Xu (2022, [Artículo])

Heterotic Pattern CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA DROUGHT STRESS GENETIC DISTANCE HETEROSIS MAIZE HETEROTIC GROUPS

Women, economic resilience, gender norms in a time of climate change: what do we know?

Cathy Farnworth Anne Rietveld Rachel Voss Angela Meentzen (2023, [Artículo])

This literature delves into 82 research articles, published between 2016 and 2022, to develop a deep understanding of how women manage their lives and livelihoods within their agrifood systems when these systems are being affected, sometimes devastatingly, by climate change. The Findings show that four core gender norms affect the ability of women to achieve economic resilience in the face of climate change operate in agrifood production systems. Each of these gender norms speaks to male privilege: (i) Men are primary decision-makers, (ii) Men are breadwinners, (iii) Men control assets, and (iv) Men are food system actors. These gender norms are widely held and challenge women’s abilities to become economically resilient. These norms are made more powerful still because they fuse with each other and act on multiple levels, and they serve to support other norms which limit women’s scope to act. It is particularly noteworthy that many institutional actors, ranging from community decision-makers to development partners, tend to reinforce rather than challenge gender norms because they do not critically review their own assumptions.

However, the four gender norms cited are not hegemonic. First, there is limited and intriguing evidence that intersectional identities can influence women’s resilience in significant ways. Second, gender norms governing women’s roles and power in agrifood systems are changing in response to climate change and other forces, with implications for how women respond to future climate shocks. Third, paying attention to local realities is important – behaviours do not necessarily substantiate local norms. Fourth, women experience strong support from other women in savings groups, religious organisations, reciprocal labour, and others. Fifth, critical moments, such as climate disasters, offer potentially pivotal moments of change which could permit women unusually high levels of agency to overcome restrictive gender norms without being negatively sanctioned. The article concludes with recommendations for further research.

Economic Resilience Intersectional Identities Women Groups Support CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA ECONOMICS RESILIENCE CLIMATE CHANGE GENDER NORMS AGRIFOOD SYSTEMS WOMEN

La experiencia profesional de quienes asesoran los talleres proyectuales de Diseño de la Comunicación Gráfica, Industrial y Arquitectura

Yoshiaki Ando (2023, [Capítulo de libro])

Un factor determinante para la formación de las y los futuros diseñadores de la comunicación gráfica, industriales y arquitectos en los talleres proyectuales es la experiencia profesional que debe tener quien asesora principalmente los proyectos terminales. El perfil deseable de esta, puede ser de experiencia como empleado, emprendedor o ejercicio libre y es quien refuerza las bases para que el alumnado se enfrente al mercado laboral, debido a que conoce la práctica de las diferentes perspectivas de las y los profesionistas, así como las capacidades que deben aprender en su formación universitaria. Por lo tanto, en el presente y futuro, las disciplinas de la división de CyAD deberán reforzar este criterio dada la importancia de la inserción de los futuros profesionistas al mercado laboral.

A determining factor for the training of future graphic communication designers, industrial designers and architects in project workshops, is the professional experience that those who mainly advise terminal projects must have.The desirable profile of them can be experience as an employee, entrepreneur or professional free exercise, and is who can reinforce the bases so that the students can face the labor market, because they know the practice of the different perspectives of the professionals, as well as the skills they must learn in their university education. Therefore, in the present and in the future, the disciplines of the CyAD division must reinforce this criterion due to the importance of the insertion of future professionals in the labor market.

Taller proyectual, experiencia profesional, mercado laboral, egresados, profesionistas. Project workshop, professional experience, labor market, graduates, professionals. College teachers--Professional relationships. College teaching. Reflective teaching. Group work in education. Maestros universitarios. Talleres pedagógicos. LB1778 HUMANIDADES Y CIENCIAS DE LA CONDUCTA PEDAGOGÍA ORGANIZACIÓN Y PLANIFICACIÓN DE LA EDUCACIÓN