Capital Penetration and the Peasantry in Southern and Eastern Africa


Book Description

This book examines the impact of neoliberalism on peasant agriculture as a key livelihood strategy in Southern and Eastern Africa, against the background of the current development crisis and the crossroads that Southern and Eastern Africa faces. It systematically analyses how the neoliberal architecture has deepened extroverted production for capitalist accumulation and how this has been to the detriment of the rural labour force and small scale and communal landowners. Apart from examining how neoliberalism has triggered land alienations, the book further argues that such policies have also impacted negatively on food security in a number of ways. The book presents empirical evidence through twelve case studies, emerging from in-depth original fieldwork carried out in seven countries in the Southern and Eastern African region. This book is a must-read for scholars of economics,sociology, anthropology, history, agrarian studies and political science, as well as practitioners and policy-makers, interested in a better understanding of the impact of the agrarian neoliberal restructuring on the peasantry in Southern Africa.




Pilot Digital Villages Initiative in Africa


Book Description

The Digital Villages Initiative (DVI) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is a corporate programme aiming to combat hunger, poverty and inequality by fostering digital rural transformation. This is being carried out through the establishment of, or support to 1 000 smart rural villages supplied with the digital services needed for agrifood systems and rural transformation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The DVI supports the FAO Strategic Framework 2022–2031, which responds to key global challenges, including those engendered by COVID-19, “a global crisis, which highlighted the critical mandate of FAO to ensure functioning and sustainable agrifood systems that allow for sufficient production and consumption of food” (FAO, 2021). The programme is being implemented in various regions of the world, including Africa. In sub-Africa, it is led by the Regional Office for Africa (RAF) of FAO and is being deployed on a pilot basis in a few countries. Lessons learned will be shared while opportunities for scaling up/replication in other countries will be explored. A call for expressions of interest was made to identify which countries were interested in participating in the initiative. Seven countries responded positively and have been preselected to be part of the initial pilot: Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Somalia.




Portuguese-speaking Small Island Developing States


Book Description

This book assesses the dynamics, challenges and achievements of the development processes of three Portuguese-speaking Small Island Developing States (PSSIDS) - Cabo Verde, São Tome and Príncipe, and Timor-Leste. Important lessons are drawn from those processes, which are relevant for policymakers, as well as for their bilateral and multilateral development partners, including international organizations such as United Nations or the Community of Portuguese Language Countries. To that end, the book includes contributions to the academic literature about SIDS, an area of research that has been significantly overlooked. The conclusions would be of interest to readers as a lead up to the fiftieth anniversary of their independence.




Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition in Europe and Central Asia 2020


Book Description

This report consists of two main sections: 1) a situation analysis of Sustainable Development Goal 2 Target 2.1 (to end hunger and ensure access to food by all) and Target 2.2 (to end all forms of malnutrition) and analyses of the diets of children and of current food consumption patterns relative to dietary guidelines; and 2) a special look at the cost and affordability of healthy diets in Europe and Central Asia. The new estimates confirm that the prevalence of hunger at chronic or severe levels is relatively low in the ECA region. However, the prevalence of food insecurity at moderate or severe levels can be quite high. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to add people to the ranks of the food insecure. The ECA region is making progress overall in reducing malnutrition, but it is not on track regarding childhood overweight, adult obesity, anaemia and exclusive breastfeeding. Healthy diets protect against the effects of malnutrition, in all its forms, and promote better health.This report shows that healthy diets cost, on average, five times more than diets that meet only dietary energy needs, making them unaffordable for many people throughout the region. To increase the affordability of healthy diets, the costs of nutritious foods must be lowered. This report also shows that hidden costs are much lower with healthy diets than with current consumption patterns, meaning that adopting healthy diet alternatives could lead to large cost savings.




The Changing Role of National Development Banks in Africa


Book Description

This book examines the changing role of national development banks (NDBs) in Africa. It presents a comprehensive overview of NDBs in Africa, examining their key characteristics, theoretical underpinnings, and growing importance to African economies. The book fully examines the role of NDBs and their potential to support development goals, address gaps in finance left by underdeveloped capital markets, and mobilize resources from the public and private sectors to encourage new long-term investments. Chapters cover the historical background and theoretical rationale for NDBs; the contemporary role of NDBs including their role in sustainable development, climate finance initiatives, and infrastructure development; funding sources, business models, monitoring and impact evaluation; and corporate governance, risk management and regulation. Case studies are also included to demonstrate the individual contributions of NDBs to several national economies. The book contributes to the limited literature in this area by providing a detailed resource on NDBs for scholars, students, policymakers and regulators working in the areas of development finance and banking.




UNESCO Science Report


Book Description




Sustainable Urban Agriculture


Book Description

In the vibrant discourse of urbanization and climate change, Sustainable Urban Agriculture: New Frontiers investigates emerging needs, rising challenges, and opportunities to support urban agriculture. Navigating the dynamic interplay of urbanization and environmental challenges, the book introduces two pivotal agendas for urban sustainability—the "green" agenda, focusing on environmental health, and the "brown" agenda, emphasizing human well-being and social justice. The book embraces a global perspective by confronting geographical biases and advocating for context-specific understanding and early interventions in small and medium cities. This transformative journey guides readers through uncharted territories, fostering profound awareness of urban agriculture's role in shaping a sustainable and resilient future in agriculture. Features Presents information on socio-ecological resilience, shaping a sustainable urban future Unveils practical implications, traversing frontiers where urban cultivation extends beyond crops, cultivating a thriving urban ecosystem Discusses diverse urban agriculture practices, from traditional methods to cutting-edge technologies Providing readers with an understanding of the multifaceted layers inherent in urban agriculture, this volume in the NextGen Agriculture: Novel Concepts and Innovative Strategies series is essential for academics, students, practitioners, and experts in urban agriculture and planning, horticulture, landscape architecture, and plant sciences.




Economic Outlook for Southeast Asia, China and India 2024 Developing amid Disaster Risks


Book Description

The Economic Outlook for Southeast Asia, China and India is a regular publication on regional economic growth and development in Emerging Asia – Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam, as well as China and India. It comprises three parts: a regional economic monitor, a thematic chapter addressing a major issue facing the region, and a series of country notes.




Research and Innovation Forum 2020


Book Description

This book features research presented and discussed during the Research & Innovation Forum (Rii Forum) 2020. As such, this book offers a unique insight into emerging topics, issues and developments pertinent to the fields of technology, innovation and education and their social impact. Papers included in this book apply inter- and multi-disciplinary approaches to query such issues as technology-enhanced teaching and learning, smart cities, information systems, cognitive computing and social networking. What brings these threads of the discussion together is the question of how advances in computer science – which are otherwise largely incomprehensible to researchers from other fields – can be effectively translated and capitalized on so as to make them beneficial for society as a whole. In this context, Rii Forum and Rii Forum proceedings offer an essential venue where diverse stakeholders, including academics, the think tank sector and decision-makers, can engage in a meaningful dialogue with a view to improving the applicability of advances in computer science.