Public Libraries as Enablers of Sustainable Development

Stakeholders of development are engaging in the United Nations' call for global sustainable development. Consequently, this chapter examines how public libraries as development agents are enabling or powering sustainable development through the three dimensions of economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Based on these three factors of sustainable development, objectives were raised to guide the study. The study, which is a conceptual review of literature, employed three major databases in library and information science (Emerald Insights, Taylor & Francis Online, and Library & Information Science Source) to search for literature complimented by Google Scholar. Results of the search were filtered by year (2011 to 2021), language (English), and source types (peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers, short communications, and reports). The study therefore showed strong nexus between public libraries and the dimensions of sustainable development, which are economic, social, and environmental sustainability.

Déterminants Socio-Économiques De L’adoption Des Technologies Agro Écologiques De Productions Agricoles Dans Le Département De Mayahi Au Niger

Cette étude conduite dans le département de Mayahi, au Niger oriental, a pour objectif, d’identifier les facteurs influençant l’adoption des pratiques culturales de production du mil et du niébé et aussi celle de l’utilisation du bloc multi-nutritionnel. Ainsi, cent-vingt (120) chefs d’exploitation choisis aléatoirement ont été enquêtés sur l’utilisation des technologies de production diffusées au cours des trois dernières années. La régression logistique a permis de déterminer les corrélations entre les contextes et l’adoption des technologies. Ainsi, l’implication des producteurs dans les démonstrations a influencé positivement sur l’adoption des techniques d’application du compost (P<0,001), l’utilisation des variétés améliorées de mil et de niébé (P<0,05), des extraits aqueux des graines de Neem (P<0,001) et de la technologie de stockage hermétique des récoltes (P<0,001). Cependant, la proximité des villages du marché hebdomadaire a eu une corrélation négative avec l’utilisation du compost (P<0,05) ; alors que la proximité du village aux zones urbaines a influencé positivement l’achat des blocs multi nutritionnels densifiés et la pratique du défrichement amélioré (P<0,001). Par ailleurs, l’accès au crédit a influencé positivement sur l’achat des blocs multi nutritionnels densifiés (P<0,05) ; le contact avec les services de vulgarisation agricole public a été corrélé par l’utilisation de la technologie de lutte contre la chenille mineuse de l’épi du mil (P<0,05). Ces résultats peuvent contribuer à orienter les acteurs de développement rural à mieux planifier les activités de diffusion et de promotion des nouvelles pratiques agronomiques. The objective of this study is to identify the determinants of production technology’s adoption of millet and cowpea as well as the densified multi-nutritional block in the department of Mayahi. One hundred and twenty (120) randomly selected farm managers were surveyed on the use of production technologies released over the past three years. Logistic regression was used to determine that were between contexts and technology adoption. Results showed that producers’ participation in the demonstration, the adoption of compost application techniques, the use of improved varieties of millet and cowpea, aqueous extracts and neem seeds, and hermetic crop storage technology positively influenced. Similarly, results reveal that the proximity of villages to the weekly market had a negative correlation with the use of compost and the location of the village next to urban areas positively influenced the purchase of densified multi-nutritional blocks. R ults also indicate that the practice of improved land clearing and access to credit positively influenced the purchase of densifieal blocks; while contact with public agricultural extension services was correlated with the use of millet ear leaf miner control technology. These findings could help to guide rural development agents to better plan activities for the dissemination and promotion of new agronomic practices

Cluster based Oat-vetch mixtures for forage production in Dodola district of West Arsi Zone, Ethiopia

The present activity was conducted at Keta Berenda kebele of Dodola district of West Arsi Zone of Oromia in 2019 cropping season with the objectives to evaluate cluster-based pre-scaling up fodder oat mixture with vetch, collect farmers’ opinion on the performance of the technology, improve farmers’ knowledge and skill of application of the improved technology through training and increase local capacity for future scaling-up. Keta Berenda kebele was purposively selected from the district based on the livestock population potential and accessibility. Thirty-one farmers (24 males and 7 females) who had the willingness to accept and disseminate the technology and possess adequate land for forage production were selected in cluster form and established as 1 FREGs in collaboration with development agents of the Kebele. Fourteen trial farmers were nominated from the members for forage establishment. The technology was established on a land size of 2.945 ha with all recommended agronomic practices. The training was given for 20 farmers and 3 development agents on; forage production, management, and utilization practices. 8.01 t ha-1 biomass yields were obtained from an oat-vetch mixture. Hence, the technology should be further promoted on a wide scale to address the feed shortage scarcity of the study area.

Factors affecting loan repayment rate among smallholder farmers got loans from the Amhara Credit and Saving Institution: In the case of Habru District, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia

The aim of this paper was to examine factors affecting loan repayment rate among smallholder farmers in the Habru District, Ethiopia, who had taken loans from the Amhara Credit and Saving Institution. In this study, both primary and secondary sources were used. The study employed a combination of multi-stage purposive and stratified sampling techniques in the selection of 384 borrowers from smallholder farmers in the study area. The Tobit model result found that a total of 10 out of the total 15 explanatory variables involved in the model were found to be statistically significant. According to the result demographic factors (age and household size), socio-economic factors (educational level, land size, livestock size, nonfarm income, purpose of borrowing), and institutional factors (road distance, contact with development agents, training received on loan use) were among the factors that influenced loan repayment rate of smallholder borrowers in the study area. Education level, land size, livestock size in tropical livestock unit, nonfarm income, purpose of borrowing, contact with agricultural extension agents, and training received on loan use were found to determine loan repayment rate of borrowers positively and significantly, while age, family size, and road distance were found to negatively and significantly determine loan repayment rate in the study area. Therefore, the overall results of this study underlined the great importance of the significant factors to profoundly achieve high repayment rate on borrowed funds from the Amhara Credit and Saving Institution in the studied area.

Sunflower Commercialisation in Singida Region: Pathways for Livelihood Improvement

Sunflower commercialisation in Singida Region, Tanzania has been successful. The successes include increased oilseed production, expanding processing capacity and declining rural poverty. Policies and efforts by development agents to promote sunflower commercialisation have increased the number of actors and service providers. Accumulation from sunflower and other enterprises, including livestock, have not only improved livelihoods, but also contributed to household economic diversity. This paper examines the interactions between activities involved in sunflower production and other livelihood strategies. For example, the paper examines local dynamics in policy and business contexts that have shaped livelihood options available and people’s choices of which option they undertake, and the corresponding outcomes, and reasons for such commercialisation trajectories. The study aims to inform local, regional, and national strategies, to pursue more inclusive and sustainable agriculture development, and widen options and pathways for men and women in Mkalama and Iramba districts of Singida Region.

Goat Breeding in the Katanga Copper Belt (KCB): Constraints, Opportunities and Prospects

DR Congo’s copper belt is south of the dismembered former province of Katanga. The population has grown over the past twenty years due to the resumption of industrial and artisanal mining. This situation has led to an increase in demand for agricultural products including meat. The majority of these products are imported due to insufficient local production. Goat meat is the most consumed of the ruminants and most of these animals are imported from Zambia. Thousands of the goats are slaughtered daily and its meat sold in all markets and especially next to thousands of drinking establishments as appetizers. Unfortunately, this opportunity does not benefit local breeders because of several factors including the low productivity of the local goat, a stray breeding system, insufficiency and lack of space for breeding, contamination of pastures by heavy metals, insecurity, supremacy of the mining code over agricultural law, the dispossession of agricultural land belonging to peasants for the benefit of private farmers … In perspective, the establishment of a collaborative structure between breeders, development agents and technicians, researchers and policy makers in sectors related to goat farming and its environment will provide access to information and improve goat production.

Video Caravan in Engaging Development: Reflexivity, Agency and Bridging Communication

The relation between indigenous people and development agencies is much discussed in anthropology ( Bicker et al., 2004 ; Pottier et al., 2003 ; Sillitoe et al., 2002 ). This relation is more often than not, one of conflict. A conflict that builds from distrust by the people on the development agent and disrespect from the latter on the former. The research on which this article is based addresses this conflict by recording the voice of the Konda Reddis, an indigenous group, through video for development communication. The video recorded peoples’ responses periodically to the key question, ‘is life in the hills or in the resettlement colony better, and why?’ Playing back these videos to the different respondents, including officials responsible for the development programme, in between responses was attempted to help them reflect on what they had said earlier in relation to what others had said, allowing room for them to reflect and respond again. The camera and video recording became the medium of real space and time, bringing the Konda Reddis, development agents and the anthropologist in conversation with each other.

Perfil del personal técnico en gestión del desarrollo local en la Comunidad Valenciana. Un primer estudio exploratorio sobre funciones, necesidades y percepciones de su ejercicio profesional (2019) / / / \ \ \ Profile of technical staff in local development management in the Valencian Community. A first exploratory study on functions, needs and perceptions of their professional practice (2019)

Resumen: El ejercicio profesional en la Comunidad Valenciana, data de mediados de los años 1980. En el año 2001 se crea ADLYPSE. Poco ha cambiado la situación de los ADLs en las últimas décadas. El profesional de desarrollo local y sus funciones es un tema que con el tiempo ha derivado en competencias en empleo y gestión de subvenciones. En la Comunidad Valenciana es un caso que se ha agudizado en la última década. Esto ha derivado en un descontento de los profesionales y en una limitación de otras funciones en las que el profesional de desarrollo local podría participar, para que repercutieran en la diversificación de las actividades socioeconómicas del territorio en el que desempeña su profesión. Se trata de plantear un análisis y proposición de la situación de los Agentes de Empleo y Desarrollo Local vinculados a ADLYPSE, que ha sido el objeto de estudio de nuestra investigación durante 2019. Palabras clave: Desarrollo local, funciones, perfiles profesionales, trabaja en red, diversificación económica, empleo. Abstract: Professional practice in the Valencian Community dates back to the mid-1980s. In 2001 ADLYPSE was created. Little has changed in the situation of the ADLs in two decades. The local development professional and his or her functions is an issue that over time has led to skills in employment and grant management. In the Valencian Community this is a case that has become more acute in the last decade. This has led to dissatisfaction among professionals and a limitation of other functions in which the local development professional could participate in activities that impact on the diversification of socio-economic activities in the territory in which they work. It is a question of proposing an analysis and a proposal of the situation of the Employment and Local Development Agents linked to ADLYPSE, which has been the subject of our research during 2019. Key words: Local development, roles, professional profiles, networking, economic diversification, employment.

Determinants of Participation in Farmers Training Centre Based Extension Training in Ethiopia

The study assessed the determinants of farmers’ participation in farmers training center based trainings and its outcome on maize, haricot bean and coffee productivity. Data were collected from randomly selected 194 households. Outcomes of the FTC based training on maize, haricot bean and coffee productivity was analyzed using t-test whereas binary logistic regression model was used to identify factors determining farmers’ participation in FTC based training. The result showed that education, land size, contact with development agent, access to road, wealth status and livestock holding of the household positively determine households’ decision to participate whereas distance from FTC negatively determines households’ decision to participate. There was positive outcome of the FTC basedtraining on maize, haricot bean and coffee productivity. The study recommends that governmental, public and private sectors should expand access to education, access to road and strength linkage between famers and agricultural development agents. Keywords: Farmers training centers, crop productivity