scholarly journals A scoping review of interventions for crop postharvest loss reduction in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (10) ◽  
pp. 821-835 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanya Stathers ◽  
Deirdre Holcroft ◽  
Lisa Kitinoja ◽  
Brighton M. Mvumi ◽  
Alicia English ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Asia ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Policy Formulation ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Systematic Assessment ◽  
Open Access Database ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Postharvest Loss ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Reducing postharvest losses (PHLs) of food crops is a critical component of sustainably increasing agricultural productivity. Many PHL reduction interventions have been tested, but synthesized information to support evidence-based investments and policy is scarce. In this study, PHL reduction interventions for 22 crops across 57 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia from the 1970s to 2019 were systematically reviewed. Screening of the 12,907 studies identified resulted in a collection of 334 studies, which were used to synthesize the evidence and construct an online open-access database, searchable by crop, country, postharvest activity and intervention type. Storage technology interventions mainly targeting farmers dominated (83% of the studies). Maize was the most studied crop (25%). India had the most studies (32%), while 25 countries had no studies. This analysis indicates an urgent need for a systematic assessment of interventions across the entire value chain over multiple seasons and sites, targeting stakeholders beyond farmers. The lack of studies on training, finance, infrastructure, policy and market interventions highlights the need for interventions beyond technologies or handling practice changes. Additionally, more studies are needed connecting the impact of PHL reductions to social, economic and environmental outcomes related to Sustainable Development Goals. This analysis provides decision makers with data for informed policy formulation and prioritization of investments in PHL reduction.

scholarly journals RESOURCE CURSE AND THE EITI MEMBERSHIP EFFECT ON THE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND CORRUPTION IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: PART I - A THEORETICAL REVIEW

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-28
Author(s):  
Andries Francois Geldenhuys ◽  
Oluseye Samuel Ajuwon ◽  
Michael Graham
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Resource Curse ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Resource Governance ◽  
Growth Outcomes ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Rich Countries ◽  
Resource Sector ◽  
The Impact

This study reviews the theoretical literature concerning the resource curse as it pertains to the impact of natural resources upon economic growth and corruption in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and how the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) membership can be of help. The EITI is an international standard promoting open and transparent resource governance through disclosure mechanisms in the resource value chain. Corruption has been associated with less-than-average economic growth in resource-rich countries. This research concludes that the theoretical review found that through the dissemination of disclosures in the natural resource sector, the EITI can potentially reduce the prevalence of corruption in implementing countries in SSA and it can address negative economic growth outcomes associated with resource abundance. However, there is not much evidence empirically needed to suggest this.

scholarly journals Revisiting the Relationship between Poverty and Environmental Sustainability in Sub-Saharan African Countries using Dynamic Econometric Models

Economy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 16-25
Author(s):  
Owusu Samuel Mensah ◽  
Chen Jianlin ◽  
Fu Chuambo ◽  
Hu Qio
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Econometric Models ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Impact

Sustainable development remains an important issue in the quest to achieve a safe and a better world. The expansion of the 8 millennium development goals into the 17 sustainable development goals is a testament of the conscious desire to improve the human environment to ensure better quality of life for its citizens. This study assembles a collection of four sophisticated econometric models to determine the impact of poverty and other variables on two indicators of environmental sustainability. Beside, economic development, the study confirmed the negative impact of poverty on both indicators of sustainable development. The results prove that poverty in sub-Saharan Africa is a threat to environmental quality and its consequential challenges. The call to promote environmentally responsible behaviours should not be focused on developed countries alone. Poverty is also associated with high levels of pollution and poor countries including countries in sub-Saharan Africa contributes must equally restrategise for effective environmental goals. The study further discloses that poverty is one of the strongest factors that affect environmental sustainability. This observation is not a contradiction to the well-established fact that prosperity or economic growth is a major precursor of unsustainable environment. On the contrary the evidence in this paper amplifies a consequence of a social crisis if they fester at both ends. In one breath, whereas economic growth or economic prosperity can compromise the quality of the environment. In conclusion, this result implies that African countries in their pursuit of economic growth, education and effective healthcare to ameliorate poverty must incorporate other aggressive strategies to hasten poverty reduction.

scholarly journals Eliminating malaria by 2040 among agricultural households in Africa: potential impact on health, labor productivity, education and gender equality

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derek W. Willis ◽  
Nick Hamon
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Agricultural Households ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Malaria Eradication ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Impact

Background: Ambitious goals have been set to eradicate malaria by the year 2040. Given the high poverty levels and the intense levels of malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa, suppressing malaria in rural agricultural communities in these regions will be one of the greatest challenges to achieving malaria eradication. This study has two objectives. The first is to estimate how eradicating malaria by 2040 would affect agricultural households in sub-Saharan Africa. The second is to identify where additional research is needed to develop better estimates of how eradicating malaria by 2040 would affect those households. Methods: Using agricultural census data and malaria morbidity data, we developed estimates of the number of malaria cases in 2018 among agricultural households with fewer than 10 hectares of land for 35 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. By combining these estimates with additional evidence from the literature, we analyzed how achieving malaria eradication by 2040 would affect indicators related to four Sustainable Development Goals: health, poverty, education and gender equality. Results: Our analysis found that achieving malaria eradication by 2040 would prevent approximately 841 million cases of malaria and thereby decrease the number of lost workdays among agricultural households by approximately 3.2 billion days. Eradicating malaria by 2040 would also increase the number of school days attended by children by 1.5 billion days while also reducing the number of caregiving days provided by women for malaria cases by approximately 1.1 billion days. Conclusions: This article analyzes the impact of eradicating malaria among agricultural households in sub-Saharan Africa using indicators related to four of the Sustainable Development Goals. Enhanced data collection efforts related to these four indicators would facilitate more rigorous estimates of how eradicating malaria would affect these indicators over the next two decades.

scholarly journals The effect of ground rent and unexpired lease term on property values in Ghana

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 504-524 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kwasi Gyau Baffour Awuah ◽  
Frank Gyamfi-Yeboah
Keyword(s):  
Property Values ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Policy Formulation ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Residential Property ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Residential Properties ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Value Determination ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Although several factors influence property value determination depending on the market, relevant studies in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) often fail to analyse the impact of factors, such as unexpired term of leasehold interest and ground rent, which are also germane to market transactions and value determination. This study aims to examine the effect of unexpired term of leasehold interests and ground rent on the valuation of residential properties in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire instrument was used to collect the views of a sample of professional real estate valuers on the relevance of these and other factors that affect value. In addition, the valuers were tasked to value a residential property located in Accra, Ghana. Ordinary least squares and quantile regression models were thereafter used to analyse the data to determine the effect of the subject variables on value. Findings The study finds a significant relationship between valuers’ views on the relevance of unexpired term of leasehold interest and the value placed on residential properties. Further, the respondents who viewed ground rent as an important factor in estimating values placed significantly lower values than those who viewed it as less important. Research limitations/implications The findings suggest that the respondents may have split opinion on the existing anecdotal evidence that market participants ignore the unexpired term of leasehold interest, an issue that should be settled in theory. The findings also highlight the diversity of opinion on some of the fundamental factors that affect value and the need to build consensus to prevent excessive variation in value estimates among valuers. Originality/value The study makes a significant contribution in terms of extending the existing literature by analysing the impact of unexpired term of leasehold interests and ground rent on residential property values based on empirical data, issue(s) which have often been ignored by existing studies. Findings from the study also provide insights into additional possible causes of valuation errors in Ghana and SSA, which are useful for policy formulation and practice.

scholarly journals Smallholder Farmer Perceptions of Postharvest Loss and Its Determinants in Fijian Tomato Value Chains

Horticulturae ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 74
Author(s):  
Salesh Kumar ◽  
Steven J. R. Underhill
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Direct Determination ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Smallholder Farmer ◽  
Postharvest Handling ◽  
Postharvest Loss ◽  
On Farm ◽  
The Impact

The Fiji Islands, like many small Pacific island nations, are thought to incur high rates of postharvest loss. Little work has been undertaken to quantify the amount of loss within Pacific horticultural value chains, or identify the key determinants. This study sought to quantify postharvest loss within Fijian smallholder tomato value chains and to examine the relative importance of current on-farm practices as possible contributors to this loss. A semi-structured survey of 115 smallholder tomato farmers in Sigatoka Valley and eastern Viti Levu was undertaken, covering socio-economic and demographic parameters, production and postharvest handling practice, and postharvest loss based on farmer recall. On-farm postharvest loss for smallholder farmer tomato value chains was between 26.1% in Sigatoka Valley and 27.6% in eastern Viti Levu. This finding was consistent with quantification of postharvest loss in Fijian tomato chains by direct determination, but is relatively high when compared to smallholder tomato value chain loss in Sub-Saharan Africa. When Fijian tomato value chains were segregated according to specific postharvest handling practice, the contributors to postharvest loss were often associated with on-farm decision-making. Those value chains that only harvested once a week, or in the early morning (before 7 am) or mid-day onwards, stored harvest product in the field for more than three hours, did not sort or grade prior to on-farm ripening, or used packing sheds that had relatively open designs, all had consistently higher levels of postharvest loss. The prevalence of specific postharvest handling practice in both locations is further reported. While this study highlights the impact of current on-farm postharvest handling practices on tomato value chain loss, what remain unclear are the underlying drivers associated with current postharvest handling behaviour and the decision-making that shapes quality and logistic control activities.

scholarly journals Dementia Risk and Prevention in Low and Middle-income Country Settings – Focus on Tanzania Mainland

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Kakilla
Keyword(s):  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
General View ◽  
Service Access ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Aged People ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Impact

As a result of an increasing population of aged people in sub-Saharan Africa, dementia is predicted to surge up to 90% by 2030. This review is set to assess the prevalence of dementia, for 65+ aged population in sub-Saharan states and particularly in Tanzania. Subsequently, the review will identify the possible risks factors – age, gender, level of education, cardiovascular problems, diabetes and mild cognitive impairment – and will lay out the challenges of reducing the dementia burden in Tanzania. Additionally, the review explores the current approaches in solving dementia disorders, including a general view of the public understanding of dementia. Also, the review recognises the gaps in government funding to mental health, a barrier to service access and the need for further research on Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Lastly, the review links the sustainable development goals (SDGs) addressed and appreciate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the fight against dementia.

scholarly journals Financial sustainability of a public-private partnership for an agricultural development project in Sub-Saharan Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 64 (No. 9) ◽  
pp. 389-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morea Donato ◽  
Balzarini Marino
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Security Policy ◽  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Financial Analysis ◽  
Public Private Partnership ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Private Partnership ◽  
Know How ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Impact

Land, water, sun, infrastructure, capital and know-how are needed for any agricultural development. Sub-Saharan Africa has immense natural resources, though often not immediately available altogether in the same place, but is generally short of the other inputs. That is why a public-private partnership can be an effective approach to deal the projects with modern agricultural development: public partner provides land, most of the infrastructure and finance; private partners provide the intensive farming practice, processing know-how and part of the equity. Financial analysis of lower and higher capital demanding scenarios and testing of the impact of changes in the critical drivers of costs and revenues shown that a combination of staple crops and cash crops can be found to balance national food security policy targets and financial appeal for private partners in a mutually satisfactory venture capital. The effect of environmental and infrastructural constraints was also considered, showing how likely-to-happen threats on the side of the implementation of the project may turn into challenging opportunity to climb the agribusiness value chain upward.

Political institutions and developmental governance in sub-Saharan Africa

2004 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rod Alence
Keyword(s):  
Political Institutions ◽  
Institutional Economics ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
Policy Formulation ◽  
New Institutional Economics ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Democratic Institutions ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Impact

This article addresses the question of whether, or under what conditions, democratic institutions contribute to ‘developmental governance’ in sub-Saharan Africa, in forms such as coherent policy formulation, effective public administration, and limited corruption. While few dispute the desirability for Africa of democracy and good governance in theory, many remain sceptical about whether the two necessarily go together in practice. Using a simple framework informed by the new institutional economics, I analyse the impact of political institutions on governance quality in a sample of 38 sub-Saharan African countries. The main finding is that a combination of democratic contestation and institutional restraints on governments' discretionary authority substantially improves developmental governance. Judged against liberal democratic ideals, Africa's emerging democracies have many shortcomings. Yet the article shows that democratic institutions systematically enhance African states' performance as agents of development.

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