Peace Education, Human Rights and Democratic Governance Capacity Building Curriculum Development Workshop for the Military and Security Forces in Post-War Sierra Leone

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Measures of collaborative venture performance: An analysis of construct validity

This study presents a methodology to evaluate the construct validity of measures of collaborative venture (CV) performance and applies it to a sample of 69 CVs. After discussing content validity of the different measures, empirical results show that subjective measures of CV performance are reliable and present convergent validity. Results also support their discriminant validity with respect to other measures such as contractual changes, but not to longevity; no conclusive evidence is found with respect to survival.methodology; collaborative venture;

Closing the Gender Gap in African Agriculture in the Face of Climate Change

Gender is not about ‘women and girls’ but about roles, responsibilities, access and control over resources and relations between men and women, boys and girls which are socially ascribed. Women’s meaningful participation in decision-making requires going beyond the presence of more women in institutions and processes. Comprehensive gender analyses at national and local levels are necessary to identify the challenges and opportunities for developing gender-responsive agricultural policies. A Gender Action Plan (GAP) for agriculture with a well-structured and robust M&E system is essential. Strengthening Gender Management Systems in the agriculture sector with regular gender audits can promote greater equity between women and men

Testing Assumptions about Evaluating Strategic Alliance Performance

Researchers have used a variety of measures to evaluate strategic alliance performance. In this paper we use data collected on performance of R&D consortia in the U.S. and of Spain-based equity and non-equity dyadic alliances to investigate empirically five basic assumptions made by strategic alliance researchers. We find that while several assumptions are supported, others are not. Results are consistent across samples. We conclude with recommendations for how to evaluate performance in future research into strategic alliances.strategic alliances; performanca evaluation; equity alliances; consortia;

Origin and genetic diversity of diploid parthenogenetic Artemia in Eurasia

There is wide interest in understanding how genetic diversity is generated and maintained in parthenogenetic lineages, as it will help clarify the debate of the evolution and maintenance of sexual reproduction. There are three mechanisms that can be responsible for the generation of genetic diversity of parthenogenetic lineages: contagious parthenogenesis, repeated hybridization and microorganism infections (e.g. Wolbachia). Brine shrimps of the genus Artemia (Crustacea, Branchiopoda, Anostraca) are a good model system to investigate evolutionary transitions between reproductive systems as they include sexual species and lineages of obligate parthenogenetic populations of different ploidy level, which often co-occur. Diploid parthenogenetic lineages produce occasional fully functional rare males, interspecific hybridization is known to occur, but the mechanisms of origin of asexual lineages are not completely understood. Here we sequenced and analysed fragments of one mitochondrial and two nuclear genes from an extensive set of populations of diploid parthenogenetic Artemia and sexual species from Central and East Asia to investigate the evolutionary origin of diploid parthenogenetic Artemia, and geographic origin of the parental taxa. Our results indicate that there are at least two, possibly three independent and recent maternal origins of parthenogenetic lineages, related to A. urmiana and Artemia sp. from Kazakhstan, but that the nuclear genes are very closely related in all the sexual species and parthenogegetic lineages except for A. sinica, who presumable took no part on the origin of diploid parthenogenetic strains. Our data cannot rule out either hybridization between any of the very closely related Asiatic sexual species or rare events of contagious parthenogenesis via rare males as the contributing mechanisms to the generation of genetic diversity in diploid parthenogenetic Artemia lineages

Enhancing Food Security in a Changing Climate in Africa

Climate and socio-ecological change scenarios are invaluable tools in developing appropriate response options for ensuring food security and human wellbeing in the future: evidence-based approach. Climate change necessitates research on crops, livestock and systems that are resilient to variability and extreme events. Prioritize and mainstream food security and nutrition issues into regional and national climate change adaptation and mitigation programmes and initiatives. Opportunities exist for the development of climate-proof and resilient food systems across Africa through technology diffusion, agronomic practices and innovations that can be optimized and scaled up