Investment opportunity in improved fish smoker (IFS) as food security for artisanal women fish processors (AWOFPS) in Nigeria: a case study of Kainji Lake area

The Improved Fish Smoker (IFS) was designed and constructed by NIFFR in collaboration with GTZ in 1997. After the on-station trials, five fishing villages with pronounced fishing activities were selected for the demonstration. The IFS and the traditional Smoking Kiln were compared in one of the fishing villages using Gross Margin analysis (GM) and productivity index to determine the profitability and productivity of the two kilns. It was found that the average income of IFS users at fully capacity was N5, 555.50 per day in a year N1.3 million would be realized. Conversely, the average income of the users of Traditional Smoking Kiln (TSK) was N649.00 per day and about N152, 150.50 would be realized in a year. From this estimate, it is evident that the IFS are more profitable than the TSK. Productivity index of the two kilns also revealed that the productivity of IFS is higher than the TSK. Thus, using the IFS would enhance the income of artisanal women Fish Processors (AWOFPS) and ensure food security for the household

Optimal Investment in Energy Efficiency under Uncertainty

41 p.

The Equivalency Principle for Discounting the Value of Natural Assets: An Application to an Investment Project in the Basque Coast

25 p.

Weighting social preferences in participatory multi-criteria evaluations: a case study on sustainable natural resource management

28 p.

Financial Futures Markets and Their Impact on the Real Economy in Middle and Low Income Countries

This project analyses the influence of the futures market on middle and low income countries. In it, I attempt to show that investments made by large investment funds in this market, as well as by certain pension plans, bring major consequences whose effects are more evident in less developed countries. The cornerstones of the work are as follows; to attempt to see the existing relationship between the commodity futures market and its underlying assets; analysing products such as wheat, rice and corn in-depth, because these are the most basic foodstuffs at a global level; to determine how an increase in trading in these markets can affect the lives of people in the poorest countries; to analyse investor concern regarding the consequences that their investments may have. Throughout the project we will see how large speculators use production forecasting models to determine the shortage of a commodity in order to take a position in the futures market to profit from it. In addition we will see how an increase in trading in this market causes an increase in the price of the underlying asset in the spot market. As for investor concern, I can say it is negligible, but the idea of running pension plans or investment funds that follow some social criteria has been welcomed by those interviewed, which makes me think that different legislation is possible. This legislation will only come into existence if it is demanded by the people. A fact that now becomes complicated because without a minimum financial basis, they cannot even know how the large investment funds trade with hunger in the world. The day when most people understand how large speculators profit from famine will be the day to put pressure on governments to begin to put limits on speculation. This makes financial awareness necessary in order to achieve a curb in excessive speculation.

O livro didático de alfabetização na era do letramento: uma análise crítica

Essa pesquisa insere-se em um contexto de muitas discussões acerca da qualidade da educação no Brasil, motivadas principalmente pelos maus resultados atingidos pelo país em exames internacionais. Os constantes debates têm dado margem, inclusive, a movimentos que, culpando os PCNs pelo fracasso generalizado na alfabetização, clamam pela volta de um ensino tradicional. De fato, apesar das imensas contribuições trazidas pelos estudos que embasam os PCNs, apenas a sua institucionalização não garantiu a ocorrência de mudanças efetivas na educação. Principalmente no campo da alfabetização, interpretações equivocadas levaram, por exemplo, ao desencadeamento de um processo de desmetodização do ensino, caracterizado pela exclusão total, nos últimos anos, das questões de ordem metodológica das pautas de discussões. Tal fenômeno, denominado por Soares (2004) de desinvenção da alfabetização, e também abordado por outros pesquisadores (cf. MORAIS, 2006; FRADE, 2003; CARVALHO, 2007), obviamente, acabou se refletindo nos novos livros didáticos, avaliados e recomendados pelo MEC. O problema é que os novos livros parecem não estar satisfazendo às necessidades dos docentes. Estudos recentes têm revelado tanto uma insatisfação desses profissionais em relação a tais materiais quanto a manutenção de práticas didáticas preconizadas pelos métodos tradicionais (Cf. BRITO et al., 2007; SILVA 2008; e MORAIS E ALBURQUERQUE, 2008). Considerando-se que: (a) hoje já se reconhece que os processos de alfabetização e letramento são complementares e indissociáveis (SOARES, 2004); (b) na realidade brasileira os livros didáticos ainda são recursos centrais no trabalho em sala de aula; (c) as obras são avaliadas a partir de rígidos critérios, alinhados às mais recentes teorias; e (d), a disponibilização gratuita desses materiais demanda um alto investimento do governo, o objetivo deste estudo foi analisar criticamente um dos livros didáticos de alfabetização do PNLD/2010 (L.E.R., Leitura, escrita e reflexão 1 ano, FTD), na tentativa de levantar pistas sobre os possíveis motivos dessa não-adesão dos docentes aos novos livros. Para tanto, foi realizada uma análise documental crítica, de abordagem qualitativa, que observou na obra os seguintes aspectos: o espaço dedicado ao ensino do sistema de escrita alfabética; a existência de articulação desse trabalho com o de letramento; a coerência entre a orientação pedagógica declarada e as atividades propostas; e a clareza e objetividade das instruções e sugestões fornecidas ao docente. As análises realizadas mostram, entre os dados mais relevantes, que o livro estudado ainda dedica um espaço muito reduzido às atividades de ensino do sistema de escrita e não apresenta uma articulação satisfatória entre essas atividades e àquelas voltadas ao letramento, corroborando dados de outros estudos, aqui já mencionados. Esses resultados podem ser indicativos de que os critérios estipulados para a avaliação desses livros precisariam ser revistos de forma que atendessem mais equilibradamente tanto aos objetivos da alfabetização e do letramento quanto às necessidades da prática docente. Para um maior aprofundamento deste estudo considero que, futuramente, seus dados podem ser complementados por análises dos próprios docentes sobre o livro estudado, ou até mesmo por pesquisas sobre seu uso efetivo em sala de aula

Fish pass design - criteria for the design and approval of fish passes and other structures to facilitate the passage of migratory fish in rivers

Many of British rivers hold stocks of salmon (Salmo salar L.) and sea trout (Salmo trutta L.) and during most of the year some of the adult fish migrate upstream to the head waters where, with the advent of winter, they will eventually spawn. For a variety of reasons, including the generation of power for milling, improving navigation and measuring water flow, man has put obstacles in the way of migratory fish which have added to those already provided by nature in the shape of rapids and waterfalls. While both salmon and sea trout, particularly the former, are capable of spectacular leaps the movement of fish over man-made and natural obstacles can be helped, or even made possible, by the judicious use of fish passes. These are designed to give the fish an easier route over or round an obstacle by allowing it to overcome the water head difference in a series of stages ('pool and traverse' fish pass) or by reducing the water velocity in a sloping channel (Denil fish pass). Salmon and sea trout make their spawning runs at different flow conditions, salmon preferring much higher water flows than sea trout. Hence the design of fish passes requires an understanding of the swimming ability of fish (speed and endurance) and the effect of water temperature on this ability. Also the unique features of each site must be appreciated to enable the pass to be positioned so that its entrance is readily located. As well as salmon and sea trout, rivers often have stocks of coarse fish and eels. Coarse fish migrations are generally local in character and although some obstructions such as weirs may allow downstream passages only, they do not cause a significant problem. Eels, like salmon and sea trout, travel both up and down river during the course of their life histories. However, the climbing power of elvers is legendary and it is not normally necessary to offer them help, while adult silver eels migrate at times of high water flow when downstream movement is comparatively easy: for these reasons neither coarse fish nor eels are considered further. The provision of fish passes is, in many instances, mandatory under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975. This report is intended for those involved in the planning, siting, construction and operation of fish passes and is written to clarify the hydraulic problems for the biologist and the biological problems for the engineer. It is also intended to explain the criteria by which the design of an individual pass is assessed for Ministerial Approval.

Stimulating investment in pearl farming in Solomon Islands: Final report

The overall objective of the project is the reduction of poverty in rural areas of Solomon Islands through creation of livelihoods based on sustainable aquaculture. This fits within the over-arching goals of the WorldFish Center in the Pacific to reduce poverty and hunger in rural communities, and with the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) to stimulate rural development and to develop aquaculture. It has been recognised that the nature of the pearl farming industry means that a high chance of success requires a long term investment from an established pearl farming organisation. This project has been specifically designed to compile the elements of a pre-feasibility study to provide offshore pearl companies with sufficient information to investigate the potential for long-term investment in pearl farming in Solomon Islands. This report also includes the following 6 appendices: Appendix I) Past research and development on black-lip pearl oysters in Solomon Islands; Appendix II) Suitability of habitats in the Solomon Islands and other regions of the Pacific for growth of black-lip and silver-lip pearl oysters; Appendix III) Water temperature and cyclone frequency in the Solomon Islands and other key regions of the Pacific: implications for pearl farming; Appendix IV) Abundance, size structure and quality of silver-lip pearl oysters in Solomon Islands; Appendix V) Solomon Islands: the investment climate for pearl farming; Appendix VI) Pearl farming policy and management guidelines.