Maximizing the impact of mining investment in water infrastructure for local communities

Mining activities requiring the development of new or expansion of existing water infrastructure provide an opportunity to benefit local communities with limited access to clean water. Mining companies have commonly assisted water service provision to communities as part of their mining concession or through corporate social responsibility programs. In addition to the water infrastructure provided to local communities, the accompanying capacity building, infrastructure governance, and the consultation process all have notable impacts not only on the sustainability of the water infrastructure, but also the level of benefit to communities. Using recent Australian Government funded water and sanitation interventions along the Nacala Economic Corridor (Mozambique) as a case study, we provide an examination of how mining companies can most effectively ensure the delivery of sustainable water infrastructure to local communities

Co-production of high-protein feed and bio-oil for poultry protein productivity and fuel switching in Mozambique: Avoiding transesterification and food insecurity

This chapter explores the next steps of expanding village poultry productivity in Mozambique post control of communicable diseases by assessing co-production of edible oils and high protein poultry feeds. The production of oil was analysed from the perspective of a suitable non-fossil fuel without the need for transesterification to produce biodiesel. A range of feedstock issues were considered for co-producing vegetable oil as a fuel and high protein animal feed. Technical considerations of the direct use of straight vegetable oil (SVO) in diesel engines and oil conversion to biodiesel are discussed, and we identify more suitable options for additional mechanisation options for smallholder farmers. Potential synergies with private-public partnerships between smallholders, food production companies, and education institutions to assist introduction of new mechanisation options were investigated. The research findings indicate the lack of access to training and equipment, and also education and experience of refining bio-oil derivatives, and the parallel high demand for human and animal food/feed presented a high prospectivity of producing SVO for use in suitable engines. The chapter concludes with a strategy to maximise the potential benefits of SVO production and use within agricultural communities

Using baseline surveys to inform interventions and follow-up surveys: a case-study using the Nampula Province Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Program

The Nampula Province Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Program is a partnership among the Government of Mozambique, UNICEF, and the Australian Government focused on achieving the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals for water and sanitation in Mozambique and concentrated on five small towns in Nampula Province. Before implementation of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions in these towns, a baseline survey was carried out in 2012. We show how such a survey can be used to characterize the state of the three WASH sub-themes (water, sanitation, hygiene) pre-intervention, suggest possible new emphases of or modifications to proposed interventions, and inform the design of follow-up surveys to best gauge the impact of the interventions

Critical elements in implementing fundamental change in public environmental policy: Western Australia’s mine closure and rehabilitation securities reform

Development of public policy is a key role of government. Following the framework for Australian governments to uphold when developing public policy alone will not guarantee good policy development. This research critically explores the policy development process of the Department of Mines and Petroleum in Western Australia for mine closure and rehabilitation securities reform, where significant costs for mining companies, and large environmental and community legacies were at stake. Fundamental change from use of individual bonds to a central Mining Rehabilitation Fund resulted; offering financial advantage for mining companies and government alike, and a mechanism for rehabilitation of historically abandoned mines. Critical elements in the policy development process were: (1) openness in clearly articulating the policy problem at the outset, (2) retaining focus on the policy scope relevant to the jurisdictional level, (3) use of trusted experts especially for contentious aspects of the reform agenda, (4) commitment to stakeholder engagement throughout, and (5) acknowledging and managing uncertainties through transparent and consultative data gathering processes. Attention to these matters enabled an innovative and effective mine closure and rehabilitation policy solution to be implemented by the Government of Western Australia that is unique in Australia, and perhaps the world

A PV-battery-powered 12V gas membrane with wood desiccants for postharvest hermetic grain storage

Around half of agricultural production in sub-Saharan Africa is 'lost' or 'wasted' due to lack of an available market, poor handling at postharvest (methods and technology), and through poor road access. Effective postharvest processing is critical to ensure small producers best access local markets in nearby villages. This chapter explores small portable (renewable energy-powered, oil-less) compressors and high-pressure gas membrane technology as technical zero-emission alternatives to selectively purge seed and grain storage systems. The gas membrane uses inert and non-toxic gasses (including nitrogen) which are effective in preventing production loss to pests (fungus, insects, and others) by use of physical and environmental barriers only (i.e., no chemical fumigants) to reduce conducive conditions (especially moisture). Furthermore, the use of simple dry wood desiccants may be also a cost-effective solution for moisture management in sealed seed and grain storage. This chapter demonstrates that while proprietary gas membrane technology is expensive for sub-Saharan African smallholders, commercial arrangements (including generic drug provision at cost) may create a viable tool and foster food security by improved storage for various production conditions under variable climate

Puzzled: Navigating extractive policy information jigsaws for best practice and transparency

This viewpoint article was written in response to our attempt to explore mechanisms that promote financial 'transparency' in the minerals and energy extractive. We controversially forward our opinion that the trajectory of existing transparency mechanisms is likely to generate an obfuscating mass of disclosed information-not 'transparency'. Using a jigsaw analogy, we make a distinction between 'disclosure' and achieving the more challenging 'transparency': it is both being able to have the pieces (disclosure), and put them together to see the big picture. It is just as important to identify missing pieces of the puzzle to prevent selective disclosure. We critically analyze extractive financial policy, and provide an example where a 'best practice' mining securities policy has markedly advanced transparency in a major mining state. The policy substantially reduces government financial risk of a mining company default at no additional cost; reduces costs to industry around ten-fold; incentivises ongoing site rehabilitation; creates a fund for historical abandonments; and; sustains an impressive publically available information instrument of disturbed footprints and associated rehabilitation for every tenement at high precision on an annual basis. Yet it still remains deficient in terms of transparency in particular aspects, of which we clarify and discuss

Using natural resource wealth to improve access to water and sanitation in Mozambique: A 2012 Australian Development Research Awards Scheme Project—Final Report, October 2015

The project “Using Natural Resource Wealth to Improve Access to Water and Sanitation in Mozambique” was funded by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through its 2012 Australian Development Research Awards Scheme programme. The project ran from May 2013 to October 2015 and sought to build the case for long-term investment in the water and sanitation sector in Mozambique. In particular, it considered the opportunities afforded by mining activity and associated revenue to address significant gaps in water supply and sanitation (WSS)

Enhancements in mine closure planning in Western Australia and possible applications for Africa

It is now well established, for example by the International Council of Mining and Metals, that mine closure planning should be considered from the outset of mining planning and approval, and that this should involve relevant stakeholders to agree upon post-mining land-uses. This has been precipitated by situations where governments have been left with clean up obligations following mine closure. Recent innovations in legislation and regulations for mine closure planning in Western Australia are being evaluated for potential adaptation and application to five African countries. Western Australia has a sophisticated mining sector with respect to regulation and regulator capacity, and the purpose of this research is to showcase the Western Australian approach, and invite discussion on possible applications elsewhere. Whilst our Australian Government funded research specifically targets South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia, we are keen to explore implications for other countries where mine closure remains an abiding issue. A key observation from the cooperative governance approach employed in Western Australia between various agencies responsible for mining and environmental regulation and operators is central to the effectiveness of mine closure planning. Early consideration forces both the regulators and operators alike to justify their respective closure requirements; the details of which are reflected in approval conditions for the mining operation. This brings the mine planning phase to a head regarding the likely feasibility of planned closure and post-mining land-use activities. In this manner, the likelihood of legacy problems associated with unexpected abandonment or premature mine closure is minimised, relative to former practices where the mine planning process was essentially left unresolved. In short, the closure requirements become more realistic with this early, consultative and progressing comprehensive mine-closure planning framework in place, with potential scope for adaptive management and numerous creative options for positive post-mining legacies woven into the local socio-economic fabric

The effect of a domestic violence interclerkship on the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of third-year medical students

PURPOSE: To determine whether participation in an intensive domestic violence interclerkship (DVI) improved the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of two successive cohorts of students at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. METHOD: The authors measured the knowledge, attitudes, and skills pertaining to domestic violence of third-year students in the classes of 1997 and 1998 using a validated written examination administered before, immediately after, and six months after participation in a 3.5-day or two-day DVI, respectively; they compared the scores using paired t-tests. Nine months after the DVI, the students\u27 domestic violence screening skills were measured by a performance-based assessment (OSCE); using unpaired t-tests, the authors compared the OSCE scores with those of a previous third-year class that had not participated in a DVI. Immediately after the OSCE, the students reported their levels of confidence in domestic violence screening and their satisfaction with the domestic violence curriculum; using chi-square analysis, those self-reports were compared with those of the class with no DVI. RESULTS: The students who participated in the DVIs immediately and significantly improved their knowledge, attitudes, and skills (p \u3c .001), and fully or partially sustained those improvements six months later (p \u3c .001). Nine months after the DVI, the students performed domestic violence screening more effectively (p \u3c .001), expressed greater comfort with domestic violence screening (p \u3c .001), and felt better-prepared by the curriculum to address domestic violence issues (p \u3c .001) than did the students with no DVI. CONCLUSION: Participation in a short, focused DVI curriculum produced sustainable improvements in knowledge, attitudes, and skills that were successfully applied by third-year medical students to effective domestic violence screening. Interclerkships are an effective way to fit into the clinical curriculum those subjects that transcend the traditional biomedical domain and intersect all areas of medical practice

Mariene parken : duurzaam in zee

Rapport bevat de bijdragen: State-of-the-art van voedselproductiesystemen; Gesloten productiesystemen: Atlantis 2020; Luwteparken: nieuwe functiecombinaties in kalm wate