scholarly journals Social Innovation for Sustainable Urban Developmental Transitions in Sub-Saharan Africa: Leveraging Economic Ecosystems and the Entrepreneurial State

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7360
Author(s):  
Camaren Peter
Keyword(s):  
Urban Development ◽  
Informal Sector ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Local Economic Development ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Sustainable Urban Development ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Development Interventions ◽  
Sub Saharan

This study theorizes social innovation-based transitions to sustainable urban development from the perspective of the African urban condition, highlighting that large infrastructure and service provision deficits, poverty, inequality, heavy import dependence and the prevalence of dual formal–informal sector systems are key factors to account for in a just, sustainable urban African developmental transition. It identifies an opportunity space that can be leveraged for urban and broader transitions to sustainability on the continent by leveraging “economic ecosystems” for local scale social innovation-based development interventions. It theorizes that multi-level transitions to sustainability can be engendered by adopting an entrepreneurial state led approach at local scales by using economic ecosystems as the framework to (1) stimulate social innovation-based entrepreneurship that meets local and local–regional demands through decentralized, low cost, small-scale infrastructures, technologies and services, (2) leverage social innovation-based economic ecosystems for catalyzing multi-scalar transitions to sustainability, (3) recast the role of the entrepreneurial state, specifically in relation to social innovation and sustainable urban development (SUD) in Africa and (4) bridge formal–informal sector dualism. This framing prioritizes local economic development over centralized, state-led interventions that involve grand-scale masterplans, wholly new satellite cities and bulk infrastructure deployments in conceptualizing sustainable urban development transitions in Africa.

Development of a Low-Cost Solar-Powered Water Supply System for Small-Scale Drip Irrigation Farms in Sub-Saharan Africa: Dosing Tank and Bell Siphon Perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 144 (7) ◽  
pp. 05018003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Oppong Danso ◽  
Thomas Atta-Darkwa ◽  
Finn Plauborg ◽  
Edward Benjamin Sabi ◽  
Yvonne Kugblenu-Darrah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Supply ◽  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Supply System ◽  
Water Supply System ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Solar Powered

scholarly journals Enhancing Cabbage (Brassica oleraceae Var capitata) Yields and Quality Through Microclimate Modification and Physiological Improvement Using Agronet Covers

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Everlyne M. Muleke ◽  
Mwanarusi Saidi ◽  
Francis M. Itulya ◽  
Thibaud Martin ◽  
Mathieu Ngouajio
Keyword(s):  
Pore Diameter ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Fine Mesh ◽  
Brassica Oleraceae ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Adverse Environmental Conditions

<p>Adverse environmental conditions have contributed to perpetual poor cabbage (<em>Brassica oleraceae var. capitata</em>) yields in sub-Saharan Africa. Elsewhere, net covers have been reported to provide a low-cost technology with the potential of modifying the microclimate around a crop for better performance. Two experiments were therefore conducted over a span of two seasons to determine the effects of agronet covers on microclimate modification and subsequent cabbage yield and quality. The treatments comprised cabbage plants grown under either fine mesh (0.4 mm pore diameter) or large mesh (0.9 mm pore diameter) agronet covers maintained permanently closed, or opened thrice weekly from 9 am to 3 pm and a control treatment where cabbage was grown in the open field. Net covering generally modified the microclimate by raising temperatures, relative humidity and volumetric water content but lowering photosynthetic active radiation and diurnal temperature range compared to control. The use of agronet covers resulted in better cabbage performance. The large mesh (0.9 mm) enhanced leaf stomatal conductance and chlorophyll content, and improved fresh and dry weight as well as head quality. Results of this study present the use of agronet covers as a potentially effective technology for use by small-scale farmers in protected cabbage culture in sub-Saharan Africa.</p>

scholarly journals Upravljanje urbanim razvojem brzorastućega afričkog grada: primjer Gaboronea, Bocvana

Geoadria ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Branko Cavrić ◽  
Marco Keiner
Keyword(s):  
Urban Development ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Capital City ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Sustainable Urban Development ◽  
Population Increase ◽  
Urban Migration ◽  
Garden City ◽  
City Development ◽  
Sub Saharan

Urban development in the last four decades has brought a complete change to the urban image of Gaborone. Its original savannah landscape and surrounding green complexion has changed by cumulative impacts of numerous factors involved in creation of a contemporary settlement, from a small village to the capital city of Botswana. The concept of a "garden city" was introduced immediately after the country gained its independence from the British in 1966. Building on the legacy of "garden city", it was assumed that the "new town" will continue to shape and gain recognition as an urban oasis. However, this was not the case and Gaborone became the fastest growing urban laboratory in Sub-Saharan Africa, portraying intensive diffusion and adoption of imported urban models (WARD, 1999). The spectacular population increase from only 7,000 people in 1966 to almost 200,000 in 2001, and urban sprawling were inevitable. This enlargement was fuelled by rural-urban migration owing to the administrative and economic status of Botswana's new capital, as well as, due to intensive urbanization, industrialization and transportation based on individual car use. Even in the latest city development plan (GoB, 2001) less attention has been paid to the role of green networks and areas, and their contribution to many ecological and societal values. Today, Gaborone is facing the challenge of the typical problems of mega-cities, such as environmental degradation, urban sprawl. The research project DIMSUD is dedicated to identify ways toward sustainable urban development, starting with an analysis of challenges, and continuing with the tasks for urban planning and opportunities for sustainable urban development. 

scholarly journals Positioning for success: building capacity in academic competencies for early-career researchers in sub-Saharan Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Merritt ◽  
H. Jack ◽  
W. Mangezi ◽  
D. Chibanda ◽  
M. Abas
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Capacity Building ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Training Experience ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Early Career Researchers ◽  
Academic Competencies ◽  
Sub Saharan

Background. Capacity building is essential in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to address the gap in skills to conduct and implement research. Capacity building must not only include scientific and technical knowledge, but also broader competencies, such as writing, disseminating research and achieving work–life balance. These skills are thought to promote long-term career success for researchers in high-income countries (HICs) but the availability of such training is limited in LMICs. Methods. This paper presents the contextualisation and implementation of the Academic Competencies Series (ACES). ACES is an early-career researcher development programme adapted from a UK university. Through consultation between HIC and LMIC partners, an innovative series of 10 workshops was designed covering themes of self-development, engagement and writing skills. ACES formed part of the African Mental Health Research Initiative (AMARI), a multi-national LMIC-led consortium to recruit, train, support and network early-career mental health researchers from four sub-Saharan African countries. Results. Of the 10 ACES modules, three were HIC-LMIC co-led, four led by HIC facilitators with LMIC training experience and three led by external consultants from HICs. Six workshops were delivered face to face and four by webinar. Course attendance was over 90% and the delivery cost was approximately US$4500 per researcher trained. Challenges of adaptation, attendance and technical issues are described for the first round of workshops. Conclusions. This paper indicates that a skills development series for early-career researchers can be contextualised and implemented in LMIC settings, and is feasible for co-delivery with local partners at relatively low cost.

scholarly journals The BabySaver: Design of a New Device for Neonatal Resuscitation at Birth with Intact Placental Circulation

Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 526
Author(s):  
James Ditai ◽  
Aisling Barry ◽  
Kathy Burgoine ◽  
Anthony K. Mbonye ◽  
Julius N. Wandabwa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Neonatal Resuscitation ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Skilled Birth Attendants ◽  
New Device ◽  
Birth Attendants ◽  
Premature Babies ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The University

The initial bedside care of premature babies with an intact cord has been shown to reduce mortality; there is evidence that resuscitation of term babies with an intact cord may also improve outcomes. This process has been facilitated by the development of bedside resuscitation surfaces. These new devices are unaffordable, however, in most of sub-Saharan Africa, where 42% of the world’s 2.4 million annual newborn deaths occur. This paper describes the rationale and design of BabySaver, an innovative low-cost mobile resuscitation unit, which was developed iteratively over five years in a collaboration between the Sanyu Africa Research Institute (SAfRI) in Uganda and the University of Liverpool in the UK. The final BabySaver design comprises two compartments; a tray to provide a firm resuscitation surface, and a base to store resuscitation equipment. The design was formed while considering contextual factors, using the views of individual women from the community served by the local hospitals, medical staff, and skilled birth attendants in both Uganda and the UK.

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