Community owned solutions: identifying local best practices for social-ecological sustainability

Policies and actions that come from higher scale structures, such as international bodies and national governments, are not always compatible with the realities and perspectives of smaller scale units including indigenous communities. Yet, it is at this local social-ecological scale that mechanisms and solutions for dealing with unpredictability and change can be increasingly seen emerging from across the world. Although there is a large body of knowledge specifying the conditions necessary to promote local governance of natural resources, there is a parallel need to develop practical methods for operationalizing the evaluation of local social-ecological systems. In this paper, we report on a systemic, participatory, and visual approach for engaging local communities in an exploration of their own social-ecological system. Working with indigenous communities of the North Rupununi, Guyana, this involved using participatory video and photography within a system viability framework to enable local participants to analyze their own situation by defining indicators of successful strategies that were meaningful to them. Participatory multicriteria analysis was then used to arrive at a short list of best practice strategies. We present six best practices and show how they are intimately linked through the themes of indigenous knowledge, local governance and values, and partnerships and networks. We highlight how developing shared narratives of community owned solutions can help communities to plan governance and management of land and resource systems, while reinforcing sustainable practices by discussing and showcasing them within communities, and by engendering a sense of pride in local solutions.

Jatropha cultivation in Malawi and Mozambique: impact on ecosystem services, local human well-being, and poverty alleviation

Jatropha-based biofuels have undergone a rapid boom-and-bust cycle in southern Africa. Despite strong initial support by governments, donors, and the private sector, there is a lack of empirical studies that compare the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of Jatropha217;s two dominant modes of production: large plantations and smallholder-based projects. We apply a rapid ecosystem services assessment approach to understand the impact of two Jatropha projects that are still operational despite widespread project collapse across southern Africa: a smallholder-based project (BERL, Malawi) and a large plantation (Niqel, Mozambique). Our study focuses on changes in provisioning ecosystem services such as biofuel feedstock, food, and woodland products that can have important effects on human well-being locally. Qualitative information is provided for other regulating and cultural ecosystem services. Although at this stage no impact is tremendously positive or negative, both projects show some signs of viability and local poverty alleviation potential. However, their long-term sustainability is not guaranteed given low yields, uncertain markets, and some prevailing management practices.

From local scenarios to national maps: a participatory framework for envisioning the future of Tanzania

Tackling societal and environmental challenges requires new approaches that connect top-down global oversight with bottom-up subnational knowledge. We present a novel framework for participatory development of spatially explicit scenarios at national scale that model socioeconomic and environmental dynamics by reconciling local stakeholder perspectives and national spatial data. We illustrate results generated by this approach and evaluate its potential to contribute to a greater understanding of the relationship between development pathways and sustainability. Using the lens of land use and land cover changes, and engaging 240 stakeholders representing subnational (seven forest management zones) and the national level, we applied the framework to assess alternative development strategies in the Tanzania mainland to the year 2025, under either a business as usual or a green development scenario. In the business as usual scenario, no productivity gain is expected, cultivated land expands by ~ 2% per year (up to 88,808 km²), with large impacts on woodlands and wetlands. Despite legal protection, encroachment of natural forest occurs along reserve borders. Additional wood demand leads to degradation, i.e., loss of tree cover and biomass, up to 80,426 km² of wooded land. The alternative green economy scenario envisages decreasing degradation and deforestation with increasing productivity (+10%) and implementation of payment for ecosystem service schemes. In this scenario, cropland expands by 44,132 km² and the additional degradation is limited to 35,778 km². This scenario development framework captures perspectives and knowledge across a diverse range of stakeholders and regions. Although further effort is required to extend its applicability, improve users217; equity, and reduce costs the resulting spatial outputs can be used to inform national level planning and policy implementation associated with sustainable development, especially the REDD+ climate mitigation strategy.

Using social network analysis to identify key stakeholders in agricultural biodiversity governance and related land-use decisions at regional and local level

In 2013 the European Commission launched its new green infrastructure strategy to make another attempt to stop and possibly reverse the loss of biodiversity until 2020, by connecting habitats in the wider landscape. This means that conservation would go beyond current practices to include landscapes that are dominated by conventional agriculture, where biodiversity conservation plays a minor role at best. The green infrastructure strategy aims at bottom-up rather than top-down implementation, and suggests including local and regional stakeholders. Therefore, it is important to know which stakeholders influence land-use decisions concerning green infrastructure at the local and regional level. The research presented in this paper served to select stakeholders in preparation for a participatory scenario development process to analyze consequences of different implementation options of the European green infrastructure strategy. We used a mix of qualitative and quantitative social network analysis (SNA) methods to combine actors217; attributes, especially concerning their perceived influence, with structural and relational measures. Further, our analysis provides information on institutional backgrounds and governance settings for green infrastructure and agricultural policy. The investigation started with key informant interviews at the regional level in administrative units responsible for relevant policies and procedures such as regional planners, representatives of federal ministries, and continued at the local level with farmers and other members of the community. The analysis revealed the importance of information flows and regulations but also of social pressure, considerably influencing biodiversity governance with respect to green infrastructure and biodiversity.

From global advocacy to local resistance. Benin's experience of competency-based school curriculum

In the vein of the "Education for All" campaign to promote access to education, a wave of curriculum revision along the competency-based approach has swept francophone countries in sub-Sahara Africa, thus Benin. The current study documents local actors' various interactions with the curricular reform in the course of its implementation. Secondary data supplemented with qualitative research techniques such as semi-structured interviews with teachers, and focus group discussions with parents enable to relate the patterns of change, the challenges and resistance to change. The actors spectrum generated illustrates advocacy on one hand and resistance on the other. Advocacy of local actors reflects the global optimistic discourse on education and resistance is favoured by disappointing policy outcomes as well as contextual constraints. (DIPF/Orig.)

Setting the agenda for dental education in Scotland: a priority setting exercise including multiple stakehiolders

Introduction The Scottish Oral Health Research Collaboration identified dental education research (DER) as a key strand of their strategy,(1) leading to the formation of the Dental Education Research Group. The starting point for this group was to understand various stakeholders’ perceptions of research priorities, yet no existing studies were found. The aim of the current study was to identify DER priorities for Scotland in the next 3-5 years. Methods The study utilised a similar methodology to that of Dennis et al,(2) in medical education. Data were collected sequentially using two online questionnaires with multiple dental stakeholders represented at undergraduate and postgraduate levels across urban and rural Scotland. 85 participants completed questionnaire 1 (qualitative) and 649 participants completed questionnaire 2 (quantitative). Qualitative and quantitative data analysis approaches were used. Results Of the 24 priorities identified, the top priorities were: role of assessments in identifying competence; undergraduate curriculum prepares for practice; and promoting teamwork within the dental team. Following factor analysis, the priorities loaded on four factors: teamwork and professionalism, measuring and enhancing performance, personal and professional development challenges, and curriculum integration and innovation. The top barriers were lack of time, funding, staff motivation, valuing of DER, and resources/ infrastructure. Discussion There were many similarities between the identified priorities for dental and medical education research2, but also some notable differences, which will be discussed. Overwhelmingly, the identified priorities in dentistry related to fitness for practice and robust assessment practices. Take home message Priority setting exercises with multiple stakeholders are an important first step in developing a national research strategy. References 1. Bagg J, Macpherson L, Mossey P, Rennie J, Saunders B, Taylor M (2010) Strategy for Oral Health Research in Scotland. Edinburgh: The Scottish Government. 2. Dennis A A, Cleland J A, Johnston P, Ker JS, Lough, M Rees CE (2014) Exploring stakeholders’ views of medical education research priorities: a national study. Medical Education, 48(11): 1078-1091.

Le potentiel des coopératives d'épargne et de crédit comme acteur de développement local en zone urbaine ; de la planification stratégique à la pérennité des actions. Étude de cas : Querétaro, Mexique

L'Amérique latine se caractérise comme une région ayant la pire répartition de la richesse et le Mexique n'y fait pas exception. Malgré que la dernière décennie lui ait apporté la stabilisation économique et la libéralisation des échanges commerciaux, l'écart entre les riches et les pauvres continue de croître. Pour certains experts, la cause principale de cette situation réside dans les effets de la mondialisation. Bien qu'ils contribuent à déstabiliser les économies locales, d'autres éléments présents au Mexique menacent autant le développement durable des communautés mexicaines. Notons la fragilité des démocraties, la faiblesse des institutions financières, les histoires de corruption et de trafic de drogue, l'exclusion sociale et la dégradation de l'environnement. Plusieurs programmes de développement socioéconomiques ont été mis en place par différents gouvernements mexicains. Que ce soit, des programmes en matière de santé et d'éducation, des programmes alimentaires et agricoles ou de construction d'infrastructures, ils visent essentiellement à réduire la pauvreté en milieux ruraux. Les problèmes sociaux en zones urbaines ne font pas partie des priorités actuelles de l'agenda politique du gouvernement fédéral. Les communautés urbaines doivent donc se tourner vers d'autres moyens pour assurer leur développement et, la micro-finance est l'une des solutions qui a depuis longtemps fait ses preuves en matière de mobilisation des populations hasardeuses. En effet, elle permet aux populations exclues des systèmes financiers traditionnels d'avoir un plus grand contrôle de leur avenir par l'auto emploi et par le développement endogène de leur communauté. Elle introduit donc une dynamique d'autonomie et vise des changements économiques et sociaux à long terme. Par contre, une des plus grandes erreurs commises est pourtant de prétendre que la micro-finance est le remède de toutes les calamités. Les besoins des populations moins nanties en zones urbaines ne se limitent pas aux besoins de financement. Les pauvres ont également besoin de logements salubres, d'eau potable, d'électricité, de soins de santé, d'écoles et d'infrastructure, ce en quoi tout être humain est en droit de posséder. De plus, le développement durable n'est pas qu'une question de solution aux problèmes de pauvreté, il concerne également tous les citadins. Lorsque l'on parle de qualité de vie, on parle également d'emplois disponibles, de revitalisation de quartiers, d'aménagement d'espaces verts, de construction de centres sportifs et culturels, pour en nommer que quelques-uns. En l'absence de volonté ou de moyens politiques en la matière, la coopérative d'épargne et de crédit peut-elle être un levier de développement local pour une communauté urbaine mexicaine? C'est la question à laquelle je me suis attardée ces derniers mois, en analysant le contexte socio-économique de la ville de Querétaro au Mexique. Pour ce faire, j'ai exécuté d'abord une intervention dans une importante coopérative d'épargne et de crédit et je me suis ensuite documentée à travers des entrevues formelles et informelles, des observations, des conférences diverses et la littérature locale et internationale. Après avoir présenté, dans le premier chapitre, le contexte socio-politico-économique du Mexique et en particulier celui de la municipalité de Querétaro, je décris, au chapitre 2, les différents problèmes que vivent au quotidien les citadins. Le chapitre 3 est consacré à l'environnement et aux ressources qu'offrent les coopératives mexicaines d'épargne et de crédit: leur importance, les principes, la législation, les forces et les faiblesses, les menaces et les opportunités, etc. Le chapitre suivant définit le développement local en zone urbaine, ses principes, le processus qui l'accompagne, les acteurs impliqués et la finalité. Enfin le chapitre 5 nous amène au coeur même de la réflexion, c'est-à-dire évaluer si la coopérative d'épargne et de crédit possède le potentiel nécessaire pour être un acteur important de développement local en zones urbaines mexicaines.

La inclusi?n de las desigualdades de g?nero en la agenda p?blica municipal: un estudio de caso a partir de la pol?tica de equidad de g?nero del 2010 en Santiago de Cali

Las pol?ticas p?blicas de g?nero son el resultado de largos procesos sociales y pol?ticos, que dan cuenta de un desarrollo paulatino, tanto de la institucionalidad como de los movimientos feministas y de mujeres. El desarrollo institucional y legal que sustenta estos procesos, ha abierto campo a nivel departamental y municipal, para que se emprendan acciones encaminadas a fortalecer la formulaci?n de pol?ticas en el ?mbito local. En Cali, este proceso toma fuerza en el a?o 2006, cuando la Secretaria de desarrollo territorial y bienestar social, en alianza con el Centro de estudios de g?nero de la Universidad del Valle, emprenden un proyecto encaminado a mejorar las posibilidades de participaci?n e incidencia pol?tica de las mujeres, en los escenarios de toma de decisiones locales, con el fin de construir los lineamientos de pol?tica p?blica de equidad de g?nero en el municipio. En este sentido el presente ejercicio de investigaci?n pretende describir como fue el proceso de formulaci?n de la pol?tica p?blica para las mujeres en el municipio de Santiago de Cali, enfoc?ndose en la participaci?n de las organizaciones de mujeres en su concertaci?n.

Relações escola-famílias e construção complexa de identidades: análise de um projeto desenvolvido no âmbito de um contrato local de desenvolvimento social

Comunicação apresentada no V Encontro do CIED – Escola e Comunidade, nos dias 18 e 19 de novembro de 2011, na Escola Superior de Educação de Lisboa, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, organizado pelo CIED, com o apoio da Escola Superior de Educação de Lisboa

Physicochemical Stability of Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) Nanocapsules Containing the Local Anesthetic Bupivacaine

This paper describes the preparation of poly(DL-lactide-co-glicolide) (PLGA) nanocapsules as a drug carrier system for the local anesthetic bupivacaine. The system was characterized and its stability investigated. The results showed a size distribution with a polydispersity index of 0.12, an average diameter of 148 nm, a zeta potential of -43.5 mV and an entrapment efficiency of 75.8%. The physicochemical properties of polymeric nanocapsule suspensions (average diameter, polydispersity, zeta potential and drug association efficiency) were evaluated as a function of time to determine the formulation stability. The formulation did not display major changes in these properties over the time, and it was considered stable up to 120 days of storage at room temperature. The results reported here which refer to the initial characterization of these new formulations for the local anesthetic bupivacaine show a promising potential for future in vivo studies.

Dinámicas de las familias vinculadas a la mesa de participación de víctimas del conflicto armado adscritas a la subdirección local para la integración social de Usme-Sumapaz

Tesis (Trabajador(a) Social).-- Universidad de La Salle. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y sociales. Programa de Trabajo Social, 2013

Efeito da embalagem, periodo e local de armazenamento na qualidade de sementes do sorgo.

Sementes de sorgo (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) cv. EA-955 foram condicionadas em latas de metal vedadas, sacos de pano e de polipropileno e armazenadas sob condicoes naturais, em quatro localidades do Estado do Ceara: Fortaleza, Quixada, Morada Nova e Ubajara, com o objetivo de determinar a influencia da embalagem do local e do periodo de armazenamento sobre a qua qualidade fisiologica. Mensalmente, foi determinado o teor de umidade das smentes, e a cada dois meses a qualidade das sementes era avaliada por meio de testes de germinacao, vigor (comprimento da raiz) e peso seco de plantulas. Utilizou-se um delineamento no esquema fatorial, no qual os fatores eram cinco periodos de armazenamento (0, 2, 4, 6 e 8 meses) e tres tipos de embalagem (lata, pano, polipropileno), com quatro repeticoes. Durante o periodo de armazenamento, observou-se ser a lata de metal a embalagem que melhor preserva a qualidade das sementes. No que se refere aos locais, constatou-se que as smentes armazenadas um Ubajara mostraram melhor qualidade do que as sementes estocadas nas outras localidades.

Agenda U.

Noticias de la Universidad de Cuenca

Agenda U.

Noticias de la Universidad de Cuenca

El peso de la información de los gobiernos en la prensa española de referencia nacional y local. Análisis de casos de los diarios El País, El Mundo, Sur y Málaga Hoy (2010)

En una etapa especialmente convulsa para la prensa escrita y su modelo de negocio por los efectos de la crisis y el impacto de las nuevas tecnologías, la presente tesis indaga sobre algunas consecuencias que se observan en el comportamiento de los diarios de calidad. El punto de partida medirá la influencia en la determinación de la agenda informativa de cuatro diarios de pago las informaciones que suministran los gobiernos central, autonómico y locales. Los resultados servirán para profundizar en las rutinas profesionales, el uso de las fuentes en relación a las noticias fabricadas por los gabinetes de comunicación y, en general, la calidad de los contenidos que se difunden. Elementos sobre los que gravita la credibilidad. El trabajo pretende contrastar con datos algunas de las percepciones negativas que envuelven e ejercicio de periodismo en España, analizar las posibles causas que se encuentran detrás de ese deterioro y reflejar el sentir de los profesionales y académicos que analizan y afrontan en estos últimos años la evolución de los también denominados periódicos de referencia. Para el desarrollo de esta tesis se ha realizado un análisis cuantitativo de las informaciones publicadas en las secciones más significativas de El País y El Mundo, los dos periódicos de referencia de mayor difusión de España y Sur y Málaga Hoy, diario líder de la provincia de Málaga y uno de los últimos rotativos en papel que han nacido en España. Con la elección se busca estudiar analogías y diferencias en los comportamientos entre rotativos de ámbito nacional y provincial, en los que respecta a la difusión a través de sus páginas de noticias procedentes de la Comunicación de la Administración. La muestra utilizada para el trabajo de campo fueron las noticias publicadas por los cuatro periódicos durante una semana a lo largo de los doce meses del año 2010, en un muestreo aleatorio sistemático. Los resultados se han complementado con un análisis cualitativo en 2015, mediante la fórmula de panel de expertos, con un cuestionario idéntico y una selección vía muestreo opinático, con 28 participantes. Prácticamente la mitad de ellos son directores de periódicos. El resto de los participantes, decanos de media docena de facultades de Ciencias de la Información y la Comunicación de España y académicos estudiosos sobre la materia. Como conclusiones, el análisis cuantitativo revela el excesivo peso de la presencia de los gobiernos en las informaciones principales de secciones como España y Andalucía, así como la facilidad de los gabinetes de prensa de la Administración para condicionar la agenda. El estudio cuantitativo refleja la convicción de la gran mayoría de los participantes de que se da un abuso de información oficial que impacta sobre la credibilidad. Bibliografía. Canel, M.J. Comunicación Política. 2006. Diezhandino, M.P. El periodista en la encrucijada.2012. Cerezuelo B. Periodistas, empresas e instituciones. 2006. Díaz Nosty, B. El déficit mediático. 2005. Vázquez, M.A. Periodismo de declaraciones 2005. Tuchman, G. La producción de la noticia. 1983