Salinas. Paisaje de silencio = Salt flats. A silent landscape

RESUMEN: La serie fotográfica Salinas. Paisajes de silencio presentada en el Seminario internacional Paisajes de la sal (UPM 2019) se inserta en un proyecto de investigación estética que busca retratar espacios pensados, diseñados para/desde el silencio dentro de los límites de Andalucía. Este conjunto de paisajes evocadores y cautos, estimula una percepción ajena a ciertos estereotipos culturales y estéticos vinculados, fundamentalmente, a la tradición urbana. En la búsqueda intuitiva de estos espacios imprecisos, las salinas se convierten en objetivo clave por su fórmula paisajística natural, artesanal y su plástica cambiante. Las imágenes generan una ficción, un lugar idealizado y necesario donde la naturaleza es protagonista y la presencia humana relegada. Siguiendo un juego de sinestesias, una serie de objetos interactúan con el medio, evocando un sonido, un sabor, un estado, una historia y una luz. La serie está realizada por completo en las salinas de Bonanza de Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Cádiz). ABSTRACT:The photographic serie Salt flats. A silent landscape was presented in the International Seminary Cultural Landscapes of Artisan Salt (UPM 2019) as part of an artistic research proyect about a range of scenaries and territories whitin the limits of Andalusia that embodies the aestehtic values of silence. These evocative and guarded landscapes bring a perspective that differs from the stereotyped views of the local traditions and cultural identity. The beauty of the salt flats soon became an inspiration and a main focus of the work. The mix of natural landscape, artisanal production and the changing appearance of plastic elements generates a fiction and an idealistic vision of a silent landscape, a particular concept of photography that emphazises the beauty of nature and relegates the human presence to a second place. A number of objects related to the popular culture and the artisanal production of salt interact with the enviroment and the artistic intentionality is build around a shared body of synesthesia: a sound, a light, a taste, a story, an emotion... The photographic serie was made in the historic salt flats of Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Cádiz).

Congo’s cobalt monopoly plans face challenges

Subject Congo's artisanal cobalt sector. Significance Authorities in February released new details of plans to establish a state monopoly on the purchase of artisanal production of cobalt, a key ingredient in rechargeable batteries. The ambitious plans could allow the government to take on a role as a ‘swing producer’, influencing prices and enhancing revenues. However, this may prove challenging to realise. Impacts Even if coupled with certification measures, international companies may still shy away from buying artisanal supply. The monopoly will raise artisanal miners’ expectations of fair pricing and guaranteed offtake, which, if not met, could provoke anger. Large-scale cobalt miners and traders may fear unfair competition and poorly timed management of stockpiles by the new company.

Organic Cachaça Production Strategy as Sociomaterial Practice

The main aim of this study is to investigate the effects of sociomateriality in the strategy for artisanal production of organic cachaça—a well-known Brazilian beverage—by means of the case study method. In addition to enabling reconstruction of the trajectory of the studied organisation and its insertion in the institutional context, this method was suitable for investigating sociomaterial practices, enabling identification of the effects of agency (material, biological and human) on the strategy for artisanal production of organic cachaça. The field research conducted was grounded on the postulates of the realist-constructivist ontology and the theory of strategy as practice, in combination with the sociomateriality approach. It was observed that the strategy for artisanal production of cachaça involves a sociomaterial entanglement and reciprocal agencies that encompass equipment, natural resources, knowledge, experience, learning, traditional knowledge, living beings and chemical elements. This study helps redefine the manner of thinking about and conducting studies on strategy as sociomaterial practices, especially by focusing on the interactivity between the social dimension of this practice and the material and technological framework that supports it.

Alexandria Kom el-Dikka. Excavations and preservation work in the 2018 season

The 2018 season saw a continuation of research on Roman housing and urbanism in Alexandria. Excavations were focused in the central area of the Kom el-Dikka site, where some early to mid-Roman structures (2nd–3rd centuries AD) were explored. The uncovered part of the building seems to combine domestic and commercial functions. A couple of shops opening onto the street were identified. Evidence of artisanal production of glass beads was also recognised in the post-occupation phase. Post-processing of the finds (pottery, glass vessels, painted wall plaster and coins) was continued. The paper also brings an overview of the preservation program, which was limited this season to maintenance conservation of structures seriously threatened by unfavourable climatic conditions (mainly Baths and auditoria).

Identifying indigenous practices for cultivation of wild saprophytic mushrooms: responding to the need for sustainable utilization of natural resources

Background Due to increasing pressure on natural resources, subsistence agriculture communities in Uganda and Sub-Saharan Africa are experiencing increasingly restricted access to diminishing natural resources that are a critical requirement of their livelihoods. Previously, common-pool resources like forests and grasslands have been either gazetted for conservation or leased for agriculture, the latter in particular for large-scale sugarcane production. Satisfying the increasing consumer demand for grassland or forestry products like wild mushrooms as food or medicine, requires innovative ethno-biological and industry development strategies to improve production capacity, while easing the pressure on diminishing natural resources and averting ecosystems degradation. Methods This case study addresses traditional knowledge systems for artisanal mycoculture to identify cultivation practices that enhance sustainable utilization of natural resources. Multi-scalar stakeholder engagement across government and community sectors identified artisanal mushroom producers across five districts in Uganda. Focus groups and semi-structured interviews characterized artisanal production methods and identified locally used substrates for cultivation of different mushroom species. Results Artisanal practices were characterized for the cultivation of six wild saprophytic mushroom species including Volvariella speciosa (akasukusuku), two Termitomyces sp. (obunegyere and another locally unnamed species), Agaricus sp. (ensyabire) and Agrocybe sp. (emponzira), and one exotic Pleurotus sp. (oyster) that are used as food or medicine. The substrates used for each species differed according to the mushroom’s mode of decomposition, those being the following: tertiary decomposers such as those growing under rotting tree stumps or logs from forestry activity like the Agrocybe sp. known as emponzira which grows in forests, thickets, or near homesteads where big logs of hardwood have been left to rot. Also pieces of firewood are chipped off whenever need arises thus providing fuel; secondary decomposers growing on naturally composted grass associated with termites like the Termitomyces sp. known as obunegyere growing in protected sites in gardens, composted cattle manure for Agaricus sp. known as ensyabire in the kraal area where cattle manure is plenty, composted maize cobs for a locally unnamed Agaricus sp. on heaped cobs placed near homesteads; and primary decomposers growing on waste sorghum from brewing the traditional alcoholic drink, muramba for Pleurotus sp. (oyster), and banana and spear grass residue from banana juice processing like the Volvariella speciosa known as akasukusuku because it is associated with the banana plantation locally known in the Luganda language as olusuku and is usually heaped under ficus trees. Management practices also varied based on mode of decomposition and other ecological requirements such as the following: zero tillage and minimal disturbance in areas where obunegyere grow, heaping banana and spear grass residues under the cool ficus trees which also keep them away from banana stump that may cause infestation with nematodes and insects. Even within the generic practices accessibility by the users is critical for example placing logs near homes where children can use them to play, they can be used as fire wood and to even get off-season mushroom as household waste water can make the mushrooms grow. Conclusions Our description of artisanal mycoculture methods that respond to conservation and utilization pressures, demonstrates the value of addressing traditional knowledge to improve ethno-biology and mycoculture industry practice. Traditional communities engage in multiple technological and organizational innovations and practices for sustainability and in the case of mushroom production to conserve the environment and culture, ensure variety, food and nutrition security, and income. The results of this study present opportunities to preserve ecosystem quality while developing an artisanal mycoculture system. They have also identified aspects of artisanal mycoculture that most urgently require further ethno-biological study and industry development. Future research and industry development can utilize the result of this study to boost artisanal production of wild saprophytic mushrooms in Sub-Saharan countries, for food or medicinal consumption, and environment conservation. Further development of production efficiencies in context with sustainable natural resource management is recommended.

Mechanization of the 18ct Gold Ring Manufacturing Process

The process of manufacturing handcrafted 18ct gold wedding rings is a method widely used by small scale and self-employed manufacturers, this manufacturing method has low investment in labor, equipment, tools and physical space, but this method becomes a both outdated when improvements are needed, in this case the alliance manufacturing process through micro-casting and machining is considered to be one of the efficient ways to produce on a medium scale and requires a slightly larger investment in equipment, and tools that eliminate some processes. idle, generating a higher production volume and a superior finish compared to the artisanal production method.