JSD Vol 3 Nos 1 and 2 September 2006

JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT VOL. 3, NO. 1/2, SEPTEMBER, 2006 PP. 2-10

BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABILITY:  TOWARDS A NEW SOCIAL CONTRACT

 LINDIWE O. K MABUZA

Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, P O Box 395, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa

Email: lmabuza@csir.co.za

 

ABSTRACT

 

The wheels of time are fast changing calling for a need to do things differently, and the business sector is not immune to this.  The role of business in society has been debated for the past decade.  However, this debate seems to have reached new heights following the rise in the power and influence of business with more expectations that business must participate in economic growth and development in the society within which it operates.  This debate is appropriate as big business has been intensifying its role in the developing world appearing to have stepped in where national governments have not succeed appearing to have ‘eclipsed’ but not replaced government as the major financier of development, although it is evident that poverty seems to be growing rather than shrinking.  This paper is encouraging the business sector to increase its involvement in development by embracing a new contract with society.  Business involvement has many advantages including but not limited to: contributions to capital, technology, employment, skills, poverty reduction benefits and the undertaking of non-commercial delivery of public goods, innovation, etc. However, before this can happen successfully, any obstacles need to be addressed.  This paper then makes suggestions for improvements.

 

JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT VOL. 3, NO. 1/2, SEPTEMBER, 2006 PP. 11-13

IMPROVING PRECISION OF AGRICULTURAL FIELD EXPERIMENTS

 

M. ASIF MASOOD¹, YAQOOB MUJAHID², M.I. KHAN³ AND SALEEM ABID¹

¹ Biometrics Programme (SSI) National Agricultural Research Centre, (NARC), Islamabad, Pakistan

² Wheat Programme, National Agricultural Research Centre, (NARC), Islamabad, Pakistan

³ Department of Mathematics and Statistics.  University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

 

 

ABSTRACT

 

Agricultural field experiments in National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Islamabad, Pakistan are usually designed as Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) and analysed through the classical linear model ANOVA approach. Recent developments in several countries have shown that considerable improvement in precision can be attained using methods of analysis which take into account the local spatial variation. Other recent developments have suggested that using incomplete block designs also usually improve precision. We have analysed two research trials on wheat crops at NARC using alpha lattice design. The results showed improvements in the precision level (in terms of decline in the mean square error, coefficient of variation and standard error difference) with relatively improved by 8 to 9 percent.

 

JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT VOL. 3, NO. 1/2, SEPTEMBER, 2006 PP. 14-23

EFFECTS OF IITA/NRCRI IMPROVED GARI PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY ON THE ECONOMY OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS IN SOUTH EASTERN NIGERIA

 

EKWE ¹ K. C. AND I. NWACHUKWU²

¹ National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike Abia State, Nigeria

² Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria

 

ABSTRACT

 

This paper evaluates the effects of an improved gari processing technology jointly developed by International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan and National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike on the economy of farm households in South-eastern Nigeria. Five out of nine States in Southeast agro ecological zone were purposively sampled for the study on basis of being notable for cassava production. Sixty four respondents were randomly selected across agricultural zones of each state which summed up to 320 respondents for the entire area. Data were collected from respondents with structured questionnaires and analyzed with Probit model statistics. Results showed R² value of 0.3041 indicating that 30.41% of variation in effect of the technology on farm household economy was explained by the variables considered in the study. Quantity of gari processed as well as processing gari for market where positively related to use of the improved gari processing technology. It is thus recommended that the great potential of the technology for large tonnage of processed gari should be harnessed for gari enterprise development in rural communities in the study area.

 

JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT VOL. 3, NO. 1/2, SEPTEMBER, 2006 PP. 24-34

INSTITUTIONALISING CORRUPTION THROUGH POLITICS: THE NIGERIA CASE

 

ONAKUSE STEPHEN¹ AND EAMON LENIHAN²

¹ Centre for Sustainable Livelihoods National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland

² Director, Centre for Sustainable Livelihoods, University College, Cork (UCC), Ireland

 

ABSTRACT

 

This paper explores the subject of political corruption in Nigeria. It considers corruption as more of a political problem than of administrative structure problems in Nigeria. It argues that the political landscape is a breeding ground in which corruption thrives. There is a collaborative corruption network between the tiers of government: the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. It argues specifically that corruption is rife within the top ranks of leadership in government and political leaders, whose activities subvert due process, which in turn undermine sustainable development. Therefore, corruption breeds poverty while poverty fortifies the practice of corruption as a means to an end, thus creating a vicious circle.

 

JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT VOL. 3, NO. 1/2, SEPTEMBER, 2006 PP. 35-48

GENDER ROLE IN THE CONSERVATION OF FLORAL BIODIVERSITY IN AZAD JAMMU AND KASHMIR, PAKISTAN

 

TARIQ HASSAN¹, MAQSOOD ANWAR², SAJIDA TAJ³ AND NADEEM AKMAL3 

¹ Training Institute, National Agricultural Research Centre, Park road, Islamabad 45500, Pakistan

² Rangeland Research Program, National Agricultural Research Centre, Park road, Islamabad- 45500, Pakistan

³ Social Sciences Institute, National Agricultural Research Centre, Park road, Islamabad- 45500, Pakistan

 

ABSTRACT

 

A study was conducted in the State of Azad Jammu and Kashmir with the objectives to understand the differences in gender control over the resources, factors leading to loss of biological diversity and gender role in its conservation. A questionnaire designed for this purpose was used for interviewing 91 respondents (47 males, 44 females) in seven villages of district Muzaffarabad. In the study area, average family size turned out to be 9.8 and literacy rate 69% and 43% in males and females, respectively. On an average, almost free grazing three domestic livestock were owned per household. Both the males and females were aware of decline in floral diversity; however, difference of opinion was noted about the kind of plants they use. Gender difference on the causes of biodiversity loss was clear between women (fuel wood cutting, land clearing for agriculture) and men (population pressure). Bo sexes had same awareness level on the use of medicinal plants; however, females put high value to ‘Guchi’, ‘Banafsha’ and ‘Patrees’ while men preferred ‘Guchi’ only. Habitat loss was reported as the major reason for decrease in medicinal plants and wildlife. The study showed that males were more aware than females about biodiversity issues; however, both were inclined towards its conservation. The key areas emerged for the promotion of biodiversity conservation included; imparting conservation education and awareness to the public, improving literacy rate, provision of alternate sources of energy and income, use of indigenous knowledge, sense of ownership among the local communities, etc.

 

JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT VOL. 3, NO. 1/2, SEPTEMBER, 2006 PP. 49-54

ROLES OF WOMEN IN ENSURING SUSTAINABLE HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY

IN AYEDADE AREA OF OSUN STATE, NIGERIA

 

AKINBOYE, O. A¹, AYANWUYI, E.¹ AND OGUNLADE, I.²

1. Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso
2. Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development University of Ilorin, Ilorin

 

ABSTRACT

 

The study focused on the roles of women in ensuring sustainable household food security with the aim of ascertaining the appropriate measures for sustaining and improving food availability at home in the right quantity and quality at all times. Sixty respondents were randomly selected and interviewed using a structured interview schedule. Data obtained was analyzed using both descriptive statistical tools and correlation analysis. About 87% of the sample engaged in trading while 36% were into farming. Most of the respondents (76.7%) have one form of education or the other and over 60% belong to the active working class. Also, it was observed that all the respondents engaged in more than one income generating activity. Furthermore, analysis performed on the roles of women in ensuring household food security reveals that there was no correlation between period of storage of various food items and respondents’ income. It was also found that there was no correlation between amount of food items stored and the income of the respondents.