LEARNING TO EXPORT: BUILDING FARMERS' CAPABILITIES THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS IN KENYA'S FLOWER INDUSTRY

N° ISBN - 978-2-7380-1284-5International audienceThe participation of the smallholder farmers (growing summer flowers) has been minimal and on the decline and in sharp contrast to the overall upward growth in volume, value and acreage of cut flowers in Kenya – largely from large scale growers. In order to improve the participation of smallholder farmers, the government of Kenya is promoting ‘farmer – exporter' partnerships to enable smallholder farmers access export markets as well as access inputs and knowledge for growing and exporting cut flowers. This paper uses data from a recent case study conducted in 2008/2009 to explore the role of ‘farmer – exporter' partnerships in building the capabilities of smallholder farmers. It argues that for sustainability, these partnerships should focus beyond the market access problem and embrace the broader goal of building the capabilities of smallholder farmers to innovate and respond to their ever changing contexts. The study is underpinned by the innovation systems literature but also draws from value chain analysis and supply chain management concepts and uses a mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods in examining the role of partnerships in building capabilities. The study finds that whereas the partnerships have achieved the market access objective, smallholder farmers are “lockedin” in performing routine production functions but “locked-out” of value addition activities that are likely to undermine exporters' interests. The terms of contracts further entrench this “lock in – lock out” relationship

Partnerships for learning and innovation in agri-export industries: A case study of farmer-exporter partnerships in Kenya's flower industry

This study examines the role of partnerships, institutions and governance arrangements in building cut flower farmers' innovation capabilities. It interrogates whether partnerships between farmers (both small scale and large scale) with exporters contribute to building the farmers' capabilities; how the institutional (contractual versus non-contractual) and governance patterns (captive versus relational) influence the ability of such partnerships to enhance farmers' capabilities and the role of other actors (research institutes, universities, regulatory agencies, input suppliers and NGOs) in supporting these partnerships and contributing to building farmer capabilities. This focus was motivated by the declining performance of small scale farmers in Kenya and the fact that small scale farmers appear to be excluded from high value cut flower export business. Whereas this exclusion is often explained in terms of limited access to capital; infrastructure and stringent market standards and regulations, this thesis takes the view that (besides these factors) exclusion of small scale farmers results from choices that different actors make about enhancing farmers' capabilities to innovate, as well as the policy and institutional environment that underpins and reinforces such choices. The study follows largely a case study approach and employs different methods including structured surveys; in-depth interviews and ethnography. Our findings show that even though farmers' production capabilities have benefitted from their partnerships with exporters, value addition capabilities have only improved modestly and remain a key challenge to small scale farmers. Similarly, marketing is dependent on knowledge and information passed on by the exporters. Secondly, the findings further show that interactions between farmers and R&D actors are undermined largely by the structural, cultural and operational procedures of the R&D institutes and universities. Lastly, the study finds that institutions, power dynamics and governance patterns are the key determinants influencing the opportunities for interactions, learning and innovation within these partnerships

Micronutrient deficiencies in African soils and the human nutritional nexus: opportunities with staple crops

A synthesis of available agronomic datasets and peer-reviewed scientific literature was conducted to: (1) assess the status of micronutrients in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) arable soils, (2) improve the understanding of the relations between soil quality/management and crop nutritional quality and (3) evaluate the potential profitability of application of secondary and micronutrients to key food crops in SSA, namely maize (Zea mays L.), beans (Phaseolus spp. and Vicia faba L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and rice (Oryza sativa L.). We found that there is evidence of widespread but varying micronutrient deficiencies in SSA arable soils and that simultaneous deficiencies of multiple elements (co-occurrence) are prevalent. Zinc (Zn) predominates the list of micronutrients that are deficient in SSA arable soils. Boron (B), iron (Fe), molybdenum (Mo) and copper (Cu) deficiencies are also common. Micronutrient fertilization/agronomic biofortification increases micronutrient concentrations in edible plant organs, and it was profitable to apply fertilizers containing micronutrient elements in 60–80% of the cases. However, both the plant nutritional quality and profit had large variations. Possible causes of this variation may be differences in crop species and cultivars, fertilizer type and application methods, climate and initial soil conditions, and soil chemistry effects on nutrient availability for crop uptake. Therefore, micronutrient use efficiency can be improved by adapting the rates and types of fertilizers to site-specific soil and management conditions. To make region-wide nutritional changes using agronomic biofortification, major policy interventions are needed

Automatización y mejoras del proceso archivos de carga del sistema de recaudaciones de la empresa BBVA Banco Continental utilizando las mejores prácticas del modelo de desarrollo iterativo e incremental

Publicación a texto completo no autorizada por el autorEl Banco BBVA Banco Continental en el año 2013 empieza a recibir reclamos por parte de sus clientes recaudadores ya que estos no podían realizar sus pagos por medio de los canales de atención del Banco BBVA Continental. Cuando se realizó el análisis del origen del problema se identificó que el proceso de archivos de carga del sistema de recaudaciones se realizaba de forma manual por un operador de procesos. El operador de turno quién recibe a diario, vía correo electrónico, los archivos de carga de recaudaciones enviados por las empresas recaudadoras del banco, los descarga a una PC de escritorio e inmediatamente usando la herramienta Seagull FTP transfiere el archivo a la plataforma Mainframe para luego ser tomado por los procesos que realizan la carga en el sistema. Por esta razón se realiza un sistema para automatizar y mejorar el proceso de archivos de carga del sistema de recaudaciones utilizando las mejores prácticas del modelo de desarrollo iterativo e incremental.Trabajo de suficiencia profesiona

Soil health and ecosystem services: Lessons from sub-Sahara Africa (SSA)

Management practices to improve soil health influence several ecosystem services including regulation of water flows, changes in soil biodiversity and greenhouse gases that are important at local, regional and global levels. Unfortunately, the primary focus in soil health management over the years has been increasing crop productivity and to some extent the associated economics and use efficiencies of inputs. There are now efforts to study the inter-relationship of associated ecosystem effects of soil health management considering that sustainable intensification cannot occur without conscious recognition of these associated non-provisioning ecosystem services. This review documents the current knowledge of ecosystem services for key management practices based on experiences from agricultural lands in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA). Here, practicing conservation agriculture (CA) and Integrated Soil fertility management (ISFM) have overall positive benefits on increasing infiltration (> 44), reducing runoff (> 30%) and soil erosion (> 33%) and increases soil biodiversity. While ISFM and Agroforestry increase provisioning of fuelwood, fodder and food, the effect of CA on the provisioning of food is unclear. Also, considering long-term perspectives, none of the studied soil health promoting practices are increasing soil organic carbon (SOC). Annual contributions to greenhouse gases are generally low (< 3 kg N2O ha−1) with few exceptions. Nitrogen leaching vary widely, from 0.2 to over 200 kg N ha−1 and are sometimes inconsistent with N inputs. This summary of key considerations for evaluating practices from multiple perspectives including provisioning, regulating, supporting and cultural ecosystem services is important to inform future soil health policy and research initiatives in SSA

Empowering people's organizations in community-based forest management in the Philippines: The community organizing role of NGOs

Underlying community based forest management is the belief that communities are in the best position to manage and protect forests if they participate in decision-making on the sustainable use of forest resources. For several decades the development approach in the Philippines has been to empower People's Organizations (PO) through the use of community organizers employed by development oriented NGOs. Lack of attention to community organizing and social preparation, however, has been identified as a factors hindering forest protection. In less developed countries the effective reach of government is limited. The relationship between NGOs and POs therefore acts as a dual span bridge to the community relying on the development and training skills of NGO staff and on the ability of the PO to mobilize its membership to perform on-ground works. Analysis of case studies of the use of community organizing at Mt Makiling and Mt Banahaw has demonstrated that the capacity for communities to be involved in community forestry is a prerequisite to effective participation

Analyzing Students with Special Needs' Sense of Humor in Emerald School South Jakarta

This study collates the current state of knowledge regarding the sense of humor attitude in the social interactions among children with special needs, which aims to explore the current state of knowledge and quality of empirical evidence relating to humor among children with special needs. In the study there were involved 78 students of Emerald School of Cinere in South Jakarta. There were more over 20% students in normal condition and students with special needs were 80%. Research had assessed humor in the classroom and humor expression in different groups including those with autism, down syndrome, and other special needs. This study was designed by using the descriptive qualitative method to analyze, describe, and explain the data. The procedure of data collection was done by observation and filled the questionnaire of the Richmond Humor Assessment Instrument (RHAI). The result of the study showed that there were 47, 08% of favorable criteria, and 52, 92% of unfavorable ones. Based on gender, more boys answered favorable criteria compared to girls. Moreover, boys were dare to express their senses of humor than the girls. The girls showed their shynesses to express their sense of humor. The results of the study showed that the children with special needs in Emerald school had less sense of humor. Furthermore, the role of humor in communication development, social facilitation, creativity, and stigma had all received some limited attention among children with special needs in Emerald School, South Jakarta

Issues in the political economy of agricultural biotechnology

Agricultural biotechnology is typically analyzed critically by means of a political ecological focus on the science and its ecological implications - agbio science as a radical, and 'non-natural', break with 'normal' trajectories for 'new plant science'. Surprisingly, less attention has been paid to a range of key political economic issues, many of which were important in the last big food production technology 'revolution', the Green Revolution. This paper will focus on three areas of political economy. First, we discuss the corporate drivers of agricultural biotechnology, and examine whether these drivers have already set the technology so that it cannot be changed. Second, we investigate the present economics and technology of genetic modification in plants, and its possible future. Third, we examine empirical evidence for alternative visions of the technology

Perancangan Blade dan Pengembangan Prototipe Tangensial Drum Mesin Roasting Kopi

Kopi Arabika yang tumbuh di dataran tinggi beriklim tropis memiliki nilai ekonomi tinggi bila diproses dengan standart kualitas baik. Salah satu pengolahan paska panen yang sangat menentukan terhadap aroma, cita rasa dan homogenitas warna adalah proses roasting. Salah satu bagian terpenting pada mesin roasting adalah drum. Terdapat dua jenis, rotary drum dan tangensial drum. Pengembangan dilakukan pada tangensial drum di mana dinding drum diam sebagai stator dan blade berputar sebagai rotor. Proses perpindahan panas terjadi secara konveksi, sehingga dihasilkan proses peroastingan yang homogen dan merata secara konsisten dibandingkan tipe rotary drum berkonstruksi sederhana. Blade melekat pada dinding drum dan berputar bersama. Perpindahan panas terjadi secara konduksi, labil terhadap hasil akhir sehingga membutuhkan seorang profesional roastery untuk mengoperasikan. Tangensial drum  membutuhkan akurasi dinamik tinggi pada gap antara dinding dengan blade, idealnya 1±0.5 mm di seluruh permukaan. Industri dalam negeri belum mampu menghasilkan drum tipe tangensial secara komersial. Pabrikan terkemuka duniapun hanya menghasilkan mesin roasting tipe tangensial drum berkapasitas besar 10 kg atau lebih dengan peruntukan industri besar berharga jual sangat tinggi. Kebutuhan mesin roasting tangensial berkapasitas relatif kecil yang mudah dioperasikan tanpa membutuhkan seorang roastery profesional sangat diperlukan untuk meningkatkan kesejahteraan masyarakat di sentra-sentra perkebunan kopi. Proses perancangan  dilakukan secara reverse engineering. Detail drawing menggunakan perangkat lunak CAD membantu proses konversi bentang blade dari 3D menjadi penampang potong 2D berbahan plat stainlessteel 304. Pengembangan ini menghasilkan prototipe blade tangensial dengan diameter drum 300 mm dalam dan panjang efektif 350 mm untuk kapasitas 2,5 kg greenbean. Pengujian dilakukan terhadap pengukuran gap dengan 75% sebaran hasil berada dalam rentang yang ditentukan dan performa blade melakukan agitasi biji kopi. Hasil pengujian laju pengeluaran kopi, aroma dan cita rasa yang berimbang serta homogenitas warna menunjukkan hasil baik