Utilization of Colour for Visual Representation of Nature, Form, Space and Time

In nature, everything has a form, occupies a space, and is susceptible to change in a matter of time. Nature, form, space and time could well be classified as theoretical and the problem of intangibility of the said terms is addressed with the application of colour to visually represent them through paintings. Through application of colour, this article pulls the said incorporeities from their abstract realm for visual perception. Methodology of Observation was applied to observe some scenes at the same time, but a particular scene or spot was studied at four different periods of the day namely; morning, afternoon, evening and night. Participatory methodology was utilized to capture the scenes with a camera and, through the application of colour, painted the captured scenes on canvasses. Analyses of the painted scenes were finally made to result in conceptually representing nature, form and space with painted objects. Four of the scenes visually present the four periods or time of the day which are morning, afternoon, evening and night. The analyses have subsequently resulted in visually bringing about the concept of nature, form, space and time. In conclusion, if the intangibilities of nature, form, space and time could be concretized for visual conception, then any theory could be practically materialized. Keywords: colour, visual representation, nature, form, space, time DOI: 10.7176/ADS/94-01 Publication date:July 31st 202

Conceptual Exploration of the Rites of Passage With The Kumasi Central Market

As a concept, the Rites of Passage –a phrase which was coined by the French anthropologist and folklorist Arnold van Gennep, is represented with paintings to depict the stages of life from the time of birth to death. This write-up, conceptually represents the behavioural tendencies at each stage of life with scenes captured from the Kumasi Central Market at the four major periods of the day which are morning, afternoon, evening and night. The captured scenes were selected based on the effect of light on the particular scene, specifically, the brightness of the hues, and its capability of portraying the specific period of the day. To achieve the exact optical effect, the selected scenes were photographically painted on canvasses. Descriptions were made of the scenes and were finally analysed. Thus Observatory, Participatory, Descriptive and Analytical methodologies were utilized to observe and capture snapshots of the scenes from the Kumasi Central Market, then painted the scenes, described them and finally analysed them respectively. The analyses resulted in conceptually portraying the Rites of Passage theory with the paintings. The statement or morals is that in nature, everything passes through the four stages of life and eventually dies. It is therefore concluded that nothing is permanent in life as it goes through several challenges and changes before finally deteriorating and dying or annihilating. Keywords: Conceptual, Exploration, Rites of passage, Kumasi Central Market. DOI: 10.7176/JCSD/66-03 Publication date:August 31st 2021

Making smallholder value chain partnerships inclusive: exploring digital farm monitoring through farmer friendly smartphone platforms

Open Access Journal; Published online: 04 Jun 2020Value chain partnerships face difficulties achieving inclusive relations, often leading to unsustainable collaboration. Improving information flow between actors has been argued to contribute positively to a sense of inclusion in such partnership arrangements. Smallholders however usually lack the capability to use advanced communication technologies such as smartphones which offer a means for elaborate forms of information exchange. This study explores to what extent co-designing smartphone platforms with smallholders for farm monitoring contributes to smallholder ability to communicate, and how this influences smallholder sense of inclusion. The study uses an Action Design Research approach in engaging smallholders in Ghana, through multi-stakeholder and focus group discussions, in a reflexive co-design process. The research finds that co-designing a platform interface was significant in improving farmer ability to comprehend and use smartphone based platforms for communicating farm conditions and their needs with value chain partners. Farmers were however skeptical of making demands based on the platform due to their lack of power and mistrust of other actors. This highlights a need for adjusting the social and political dimensions of partnership interactions, in tandem with the advancement of digital tools, in order to effectively facilitate a sense of inclusiveness in partnerships

Impact Investment in Agriculture in Africa: A Case study of Ethiopia, Sudan, Mali, and Senegal

Climate change is a growing threat to agricultural production in sub-Saharan Africa, leading to rising poverty and malnutrition. Implementing climate smart agricultural practices at scale will require substantial investments from private and public actors. To understand the impacts of recent investments, challenges and perspectives, this study analyzes agricultural value chain investments in four African countries in the Sahel region: Senegal, Mali, Ethiopia, and Sudan. The study identifies priority value chains with potential for CSA investment and characterizes key investment opportunities within these value chains that could be attractive for investors given the country context. Yet, the pathway from potential to actual CSA investment remains fraught with challenges that will require strategic and deliberate measures to counter. The use of grants and concessions through blended finance structures are critical to unlock inclusive and impactful investments. Investment facilitation programs and pipeline development can also contribute to scaling CSA investments in the region

The Role of Taboos in the Protection and Recovery of Sea Turtles

Despite increased efforts from government agencies, scientists, and non-government organizations over the past few decades, anthropogenic sources of sea turtle mortality continue to threaten the survivorship of sea turtle species around the globe. More recent efforts to engage local people with community-based sea turtle conservation programs have been based primarily on economic incentives and less on cultural and social traditions. But there is growing evidence that informal institutions such as, taboos can be extremely effective at promoting wildlife conservation. Ghana is a culturally diverse country where local traditions have shown to improve protection for primates, crocodiles, and many bird species. This study explores the presence of a sea turtle taboo in fishing communities to demonstrate that traditional practices make residents more receptive to sea turtle conservation and more willing to follow government regulations. Fishers in the communities that are aware of the taboo are also more willing to adjust fishing methods to better protect sea turtles. The traditional taboo and national laws appear to be working synergistically to enhance sea turtle conservation in some regions of Ghana. This paper extends the argument that sea turtle conservation strategies succeed when the cultural and social traditions of local communities are integrated with management activities

Digital platforms for smallholder credit access: the mediation of trust for cooperation in maize value chain financing

Published online: 12 July 2018Maize production is of critical importance to smallholder farmers in Ghana. Various factors limit the productivity of smallholder maize farming systems undergirded by the lack of capital for critical investments both at the farm and at national policy levels. Using a value chain approach, this diagnostic study explains how a complex configuration of actor interaction within an institutionally and agro-ecologically challenged value chain leads to the enduring absence of maize farming credit support. We find a cycle of credit rationing resulting from value chain challenges such as agro-ecological uncertainties, inadequate GAPs training, weak farmer groups and market insecurity. This condition is sustained by an interplay between mistrust, insufficient information across the value chain and inadequate control strategies in the maize credit system. We argue that Digital Platforms (DPs) show potential to help overcome some information and communication gaps and related uncertainties that impede traditional value chain credit arrangements. This is promising in terms of aiding awareness and coordinated responsiveness to agro-ecological farm conditions and the development of farming records databases. Thus, DPs could generate new networks and forms of cooperation in the maize value chain in this regard. As a tool for mediating trust in value chain credit cooperation, strategic use of these DP contributions could help initiate an entry point for recalibration of trust perceptions. Significant considerations and improvements are however needed to harness DPs effectively in mediating trust for maize credit provision, not least being farmer digital inclusion in DP implementation, effective intermediation and network governance arrangements and digital contributions towards cost-effective agro-ecological controls in the erratic maize farming context. This approach to trust building should therefore not be viewed as a quick fix but as a process of trial and error, and learning by doing