Un día en la vida de los niños y niñas de Ghana.

Programa emitido el 12 de enero de 1996

Las tecnologías multimedia y reforma educativa en África : el caso de Ghana.

El artículo pertenece a una sección monográfica de la revista dedicada a políticas de educación en medios: aportaciones y desafíos mundiales.

Customer satisfaction in the banking industry: a comparative study of Ghana and Spain

La satisfacció és una preocupació crucial pels clients i per les organitzacions, incloent els bancs. L'estudi examina la satisfacció global dels clients dels bancs a Ghana i Espanya. Així s'analitzen aspectes com la relació entre satisfacció global i les dimensions de qualitat dels serveis bancari, així com les pròpies dimensions principals de la qualitat d'aquests serveis. Finalment, les percepcions sobre aquestes dimensions son comparades entre els bancs de Ghana i Espanya. S'han analitzat els clients de 819 bancs de Ghana i Espanya, els resultats van mostrar que els clients espanyols estaven més descontents respecte les dimensions tangibles i empatia metre que els clients de Ghana puntuaven pitjar la dimensió conveniència. En general, els clients de Ghana estaven força més descontents amb els serveis bancaris que els d'Espanya. La fiabilitat, l'empatia i la conveniència son els predictors de satisfacció global en Ghana, mentres que la fiabilitat és la única dimensió que explica la satisfacció global a Espanya.

Trace element geochemistry from the Birrimian metasediments of the Northern Region of Ghana

Trace element distributions in rock, soil and groundwater from of the Birrimian metasediments and granites located in the Northern Region of Ghana are described. High positive correlations are observed between selected major elements and trace metals (e.g. K2O and Rb, Al2O3 and V, Fe2O3 and V, and K2O and Y) in rocks and soils, and attributed to the presence of major source minerals. Ca and Sr were strongly correlated in groundwater, suggesting greater water-rock interaction. Low association of V with Fe is explained by (i) relatively higher mobility of V as against Fe; (ii) low Fe content in the parent rocks and (iii) variable sources of Fe and V.

Free-range village chickens on the Accra plains, Ghana: Their contribution to households

A cross-sectional survey investigating the contribution of free-range village chickens to household economies was carried out in four administrative districts within 60km of Accra. Answers were provided by 101 men and 99 women. Nearly all respondents claimed to keep chickens for meat, with a far smaller percentage claiming to keep them for egg production. Over 80% of respondents kept chickens to supplement their incomes. The proportion of the flock eaten varied between administrative areas (p=0.009 and p=0.027), although this was possibly a consequence of differences in consumption patterns between occupation of the respondent, land area cultivated and flock size. The proportion of chickens sold varied as a result of differences in flock size (p=0.013), the proportion sold increasing with number of birds in the flock. Respondents generally agreed that chickens could be sold without difficulty. A majority of chicken sales were from the farm gate, directly to consumers or traders. Sales were on demand or when the owner needed money. Money from the sale was kept by the owner of the chicken and the money was spent on personal needs. The proportion of the flock sold varied between administrative areas (p=0.025) and occupation of the respondent (p=0.040). Respondents describing animal production as their main occupation tended to have greater reliance on chicken sales for their income. Consideration is given to estimating the offtake from the flock and the financial contribution to the household.

Introducing improved cultivars: Understanding farmers' seed drying and storage practices in central Ghana

Improved upland rice cultivars introduced in Volta Region, Ghana, have been perceived to store poorly compared to farmers' traditional cultivars. A survey was conducted in 2003 in the Hohoc district of this region, where a participatory Varietal Selection programme had started in 1997, to gain insight into fanners' seed production and storage practices that are likely to affect seed quality in storage. Farmers rated keeping quality (p < 0.001), tolerance to storage pests (p < 0.001), seed quality (p < 0.001) and establishment of their local cultivars Kawomo, Viono and Wuwulili as much better than the improved cultivar IDSA 85. Initial seed moisture content ranged from 12.8 to 18% and germination from 0 to 82%. There was a significant relationship between seed moisture content and duration of drying prior to storage (p < 0.001) and storage method (p = 0.015). Germination loss in storage was rapid at high moisture content and slow at low moisture content. Between 60 and 80% of seeds germinated after six Months storage at 12.8% moisture content. The viability equation predicted accurately germination of farmer-saved seed stored under ambient temperature in Ghana. Except for the japonica rice cultivar WAB 126-18-HB, the traditional cultivars Kawomo, Viono and Wuwulili survived better in storage than improved cultivars. There is a need to improve seed quality of improved cultivars if farmers are to benefit from their higher yields and grain quality and to improve storage practices.

Improving participatory varietal selection processes: participatory varietal selection and the role of informal seed diffusion mechanisms for upland rice in Ghana

This paper considers the process of Participatory Varietal Selection (PVS) and presents approaches and ideas based on PVS activities conducted on upland rice throughout Ghana between 1997 and 2003. In particular the role of informal seed systems in PVS is investigated and implications for PVS design are identified. PVS programmes were conducted in two main agroecological zones, Forest and Savannah, with 1,578 and 1,143 mm of annual rainfall, respectively, and between 40 and 100 varieties tested at each site. In the Savannah zone IR12979-24-1 was officially released and in the Forest zone IDSA 85 was widely accepted by farmers. Two surveys were conducted in an area of the Forest zone to study mechanisms of spread. Here small amounts (1-2 kg) of seed of selected varieties had been given to 94 farmers. In 2002, 37% of 2,289 farmers in communities surveyed had already grown a PVS variety and had obtained seed via informal mechanisms from other farmers, i.e. through gift, exchange or purchase. A modified approach for PVS is presented which enables important issues identified in the paper to be accommodated. These issues include: utilising existing seed spread mechanisms; facilitating formal release of acceptable varieties; assessing post-harvest traits, and; the need for PVS to be an ongoing and sustainable process.

Participatory Farm Management methods for assessing the suitability of potential innovations. A case study on green manuring options for tomato producers in Ghana

This paper examines the potential of using Participatory Farm Management methods to examine the suitability of a technology with farmers prior to on-farm trials. A study examining the suitability of green manuring as a technology for use with wet season tomato producers in Ghana is described. Findings from this case-study demonstrate that Participatory Budgeting can be used by farmers and researchers to analyse current cultivation practices, identify the options for including green manures into the system and explore the direct and wider resource implications of the technology. Scored-Causal Diagrams can be used to identify farmers' perceptions of the relative importance of the problem that the technology seeks to address. The use of the methods in this examine evaluation process appears to have the potential to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the adaptive research process. This ensures that technologies subsequently examined in trials ate relevant to farmers' interests, existing systems and resources, thereby increasing the chances of farmer adoption. It is concluded that this process has potential for use-with other technologies and in other farming systems. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Are alternative livelihood projects alleviating poverty in mining communities? Experiences from Ghana

This paper critiques the approach being taken in Ghana to implement Alternative Livelihood (AL) projects in mining communities. The rapid insurgence of illegal artisanal gold mining has forced policymakers to think more creatively about ways in which to deal with mounting unemployment in the country's rural areas. Most of the economic activities being promoted, however, have proved highly unpopular with target groups. The adopted policy approaches reflect how little in tune the organisations championing AL activities are with the mindsets and ambitions of rural populations.

Improving awareness of mercury pollution in small-scale gold mining communities: Challenges and ways forward in rural Ghana

This paper critiques the approach taken by the Ghanaian Government to address mercury pollution in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector. Unmonitored releases of mercury-used in the gold-amalgamation process-have caused numerous environmental complications throughout rural Ghana. Certain policy, technological and educational initiatives taken to address the mounting problem, however, have proved marginally effective at best, having been designed and implemented without careful analysis of mine community dynamics, the organization of activities, operators' needs and local geological conditions. Marked improvements can only be achieved in this area through increased government-initiated dialogue with the now-ostracized illegal galamsey mining community; introducing simple, cost-effective techniques for the reduction of mercury emissions; and effecting government-sponsored participatory training exercises as mediums for communicating information about appropriate technologies and the environment. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gold mining in Ghana's forest reserves: a report on the current debate

This paper examines the debate surrounding a recent decision made by the Ghanaian government to permit gold exploration - and potentially, mining - in 'protected' forest reserves. In 2001, four mining companies were awarded mineral exploration concessions in forested regions of the country, and have since put forward applications to mine for gold. Notwithstanding the sharp divide in opinion on the issue, the continued uncertainty surrounding the implications of the proposed activities makes further research on the ground imperative in the short term. Work aiming to elicit indigenous perspectives on the projects, as well as research that facilitates dialogue between and/or among stakeholder parties, should be prioritized.