Strengthening the role of civil society in water sector governance towards climate change adaptation in African cities – Durban, Maputo, Nairobi

Water resources management is one of the most important climate change-related issues on international, national and urban public policy agendas. Income inequality in South Africa, Mozambique, and Kenya is among the largest in the world; in all three countries, equity struggles related to water are growing in social, political and ecological significance, which is both a symptom and a cause of urban vulnerabilities related to climate change. Democratic mediation of these conflicts, and sustainable long-term management of water resources in the face of climate change, requires public participation. But those most affected by water issues such as scarcity and flooding are also those least likely to be able to participate in governance and policy institutions. In particular, members of economically disadvantaged groups – especially women, in general – tend to be gravely impacted by poor water management, but also face great difficulties in participating effectively in governance bodies. This project responded to that particular need, and has developed practical strategies for strengthening urban governments in planning investments in climate change adaptation. The project linked university researchers with community-based NGOs conducting environmental education and organizing participatory workshops in low-income urban areas with pressing climate change and water-related problems; built on proven methods of community-university collaboration to strengthen urban watershed governance; increased equity in public participation processes related to urban climate change adaptation; and fostered progressive local, national and international policy development on climate change-related water management – while training students, university researchers, NGO staff members, and community participants. The major research outcome of the project is its contribution to understanding effective ways of strengthening local governments, NGOs and civil society organizations involved in environmental education and organizing for improved public participation in watershed governance and climate change adaptation in African urban areas.This research was supported by the International Development Research Centre, grant number IDRC GRANT NO. 106002-00

Difficulties for the entrepreneurial small-scale comercial poultry production in developing countries.

Projeto/Plano de Ação: 02.09.70700-01

Role of coat colour in body heat regulation among goats and hairy sheep in tropics.

Abstract: This experirnent was conducted during the hottest and the leanest period of the year in the tropical semi-arid northeast of Brazil to evaluate the relative response of black and white va- rieties (with the colour of skin and of haïr being the same) of goats and hairy sheep to grazing under direct solar radiation. There was a marked increase in midside-skin (MS), oar-skin (ES) and rectal temperatures (R T) and respiratory rate (RR) at 2 P .M. The afternoon increase was more in sheep in MS, RT and RR, but ES increased more in goats. Black animais had uniformly higher MS. White sheep had higher ES but in goats colour had no effect. Right ES was higher in sheep and there was some tendency of higher right ES in general. The black goats respired at much higher rates than the white, but in sheep, colour did not influence RR. Colour of animais did not influence RT. There was signi- ticant day-to-day variation, possibly associated with small fluctuations in environmental temperature, in MS, ES and RR but not in RT. The results indicate that goats appear to be better adapted than hairy sheep and white goats better than black goats under local climatic conditions. [Influência da cor da pelagem na regulação do calor em caprinos e ovinos sem-lã no trópico]. Resumo: Este experimento foi conduzido na região tropical do nordeste Brasileiro para avaliar a resposta relativa ao calor dos caprinos e ovinos sem-lã de pelagem (pele + pêlo) branca e preta em pastejo e expostos diretamente à radiação solar. Houve um aumento marcante nas temperaturas da pele da costela (PC), pele da orelha (PO) e retal (TR) e no rítmo respiratório (RR) às 14h. À tarde, a elevação foi maior em ovinos na PC, TR e no RR, mas PO aumentou mais nos caprinos. Animais pretos tinham, uniformemente, maior PC. Os ovinos brancos exibiram maior PO, mas no caprinos a cor não influenciou. ES direita foi superior em ovinos e houve tendência da PO direita ser, em geral, superior. Caprinos de cor preta apresentaram maior elevação no RR do que os de cor branca, mas nos ovinos a cor não influenciou o RR. Cor da pelagem não teve influência na TR. Houve uma variação diária significante na PC, PO e RR, mas não na TR, possivelmente associado com flutuações na temperatura ambiental. Resultados indicam que caprinos parecem ser melhor adaptados do que ovinos sem-lã e caprinos brancos melhor que caprinos pretos sob as condições climáticas locais

Efeito da genética Pietrain sobre o desempenho de suínos.

Projeto/Plano de Ação: 02.09.70700-01

Atributos químicos do solo e produção do feijoeiro com a aplicação de calcário e manganês.

O feijão (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) constitui a base alimentar da população brasileira. Muitos fatores determinam a baixa produtividade do feijoeiro, desde problemas políticos até fatores técnicos, dentre eles a adubação e nutrição. O objetivo foi avaliar os atributos químicos do solo e produção do feijoeiro (cv. Pérola) de acordo com a aplicação de calagem e Mn. O experimento foi realizado em vasos com Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo distrófico típico fase cerrado, em delineamento inteiramente casualizado com três repetições, em esquema fatorial 2 x 6, envolvendo duas doses de uma mistura de CaCO3 e MgCO3, na relação molar 3:1 (de calcário, calculadas) para elevar a saturação por base para 50 % e para 70 % e seis doses de Mn (0, 20, 40, 60, 80 e 100 mg dm-3). Na análise dos resultados, verificouse decréscimo no teor foliar de Mn de acordo com o aumento da saturação por base, não sendo observado o mesmo efeito no solo após o cultivo. O teor de Mn no solo para produção máxima de grãos mostrou-se semelhante para saturação por base de 50 e 70 %; no entanto, a dose do micronutriente aplicada para essa produção foi de 28 mg dm-3 e 57 mg dm-3, respectivamente

GRASS UTILIZATION IN GROWING FINISHING BÍSARO PIGS (85-107 KG). PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS COMPOSITION

The use of different quantities of vegetables, forages or fresh grass as fodder for growing-finishing pigs is an important factor of the northern Portugal traditional system. The increasing development of swine production in outdoor systems, extensive and organic production, turns to upcoming natural diets, in which grass performs a significant part. With regard to this, some investigation has been made concerning the use of fibre-rich feed ingredients in pig nutrition. Metabolic effects of its ingestion are analysed concerning different sights (economical, social, environmental and physiological ones). The aim of this work was to study the effects of grass utilization in the diets on performances of finishing Bísaro pigs. A total of 22 pigs (16 castrated males and 6 females) was housed outdoor and fed ad libitum (37 – 85 kg live weight) with a growing diet and then transferred to an indoor system (with free access to an outdoor area) for 49 days, according to 3 different treatments: 100% concentrate (C), 75% concentrate + ad libitum grass (CE75), 50% concentrate + ad libitum grass (CE50). The grass was supplied and its intake registered on a daily basis. Every 14 days, the pigs were weighted and their back fat (P2 in vivo) measured. After slaughter (average weight of 107 kg LW), yield and ½ left carcass characteristics were controlled. During the outdoor growing phase, the ADG was 513 g/day. During the indoor finishing phase, the increase grass intake was proportional to the reduction of concentrate in the diet. The ADG (g) and the fat deposition (P2 cm) were significantly different (P<0,05) in the 3 treatments (ADG: C=641, CE75=467, CE50=356 and: C=11,4, CE75=+9,5, CE50=+6,2). The empty body weight (kg) was also proportional to the intake of concentrate (C=116,2; CE75=107,7; CE50=102,2). Comparatively to the weight of the body parts, pigs that had higher intake of grass and lower of concentrate showed a higher % of shoulder (P<0,05; C=20,4, CE75=21,7, CE50=22,2) and the pH45min of CE carcasses was significantly higher (P<0,05). As a conclusion, concentrate substitution for grass showed a slower growing rate, thinner carcasses and a high technological quality. Neverthelles variability (CV %) of the productive parameters at the end of this study were higher in the treatments that included grass: live weight (C= 10,5%; C75=10,7%; C50=14,3%), finishing ADG (C=24%; C75=37%, C50=42%), and final fat (C=37%; C75=32%, C50=52%). These values suggest that the utilization of fibrous feeds in growing-finishing swine may be one of the possible explanations of the more heterogeneous products and carcasses found in the traditional or extensive systems, common users of fibrous feeds in the carcass finishing phase

Efeito da genética Pietrain sobre características da carcaça de suínos.

Projeto/Plano de Ação: 02.09.70700-01