Diversity of medicinal plants and anthropogenic threats in the Samburu Central Sub-County of Kenya

Background: Traditional herbal medicine has been a constant source of substances for curing and preventing a variety of ailments. Biodiversity of medicinal plants and effects of human activities on availability of traditional herbal medicine have continuously received just a cursory treatment. This study sought to determine the biodiversity of medicinal plants and evaluate the effects of human activities on availability of traditional herbal medicine among the Samburu pastoral community in Kenya. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire survey was addressed to 195 randomly stratified household respondents in four villages in Samburu Central Sub-county. Transect walks were carried out in the four villages to determine the diversity of the medicinal plants. Voucher specimens of the medicinal plant species were deposited at Kenyatta University Herbarium. Results: The species richness comprised of 19 medicinal plants, majority of which grew in the wild but were threatened by human activities. 56% of the households reported that fire incidences highly affected availability of traditional herbal medicine, 50% reported that grazing of livestock moderately affected availability of traditional herbal medicine, 46% reported that building and construction activities moderately affected availability, while 43% and 40% reported that firewood collection and growing of crops respectively lowly affected availability of traditional herbal medicine among the Samburu people. Conclusion: Most of the Samburu people use traditional herbal medicine. However, majority of the medicinal plants are threatened by anthropogenic factors. This has led to the continued decline of traditional herbal medicine. There is, therefore need to adopt management strategies that enhance the conservation of these valuable natural resources

Unsettling boundaries in making a space for research

In engaging in research we draw upon and develop meanings and concepts that help to frame what we do, how we do it and the meaning we make of it. In the process of framing, we exclude other possibilities from our research practices. To do research then is to engage in the fashioning of conceptual boundaries. This article explores the dilemmas of boundary-making in the context of a research project aimed at exploring the border literacy practices of students in UK further education, those boundary crossing practices which relate to the everyday and more formal demands of the curriculum. This discussion is related to wider debates in the social sciences on the significance of boundaries and borders and their powerful effects on identities and actions

Towards a collaborative research: A case study on linking science to farmers' perceptions and knowledge on Arabica coffee pests and diseases and its management

The scientific community has recognized the importance of integrating farmer's perceptions and knowledge (FPK) for the development of sustainable pest and disease management strategies. However, the knowledge gap between indigenous and scientific knowledge still contributes to misidentification of plant health constraints and poor adoption of management solutions. This is particularly the case in the context of smallholder farming in developing countries. In this paper, we present a case study on coffee production in Uganda, a sector depending mostly on smallholder farming facing a simultaneous and increasing number of socio-ecological pressures. The objectives of this study were (i) to examine and relate FPK on Arabica Coffee Pests and Diseases (CPaD) to altitude and the vegetation structure of the production systems; (ii) to contrast results with perceptions from experts and (iii) to compare results with field observations, in order to identify constraints for improving the information flow between scientists and farmers. Data were acquired by means of interviews and workshops. One hundred and fifty farmer households managing coffee either at sun exposure, under shade trees or inter-cropped with bananas and spread across an altitudinal gradient were selected. Field sampling of the two most important CPaD was conducted on a subset of 34 plots. The study revealed the following findings: (i) Perceptions on CPaD with respect to their distribution across altitudes and perceived impact are partially concordant among farmers, experts and field observations (ii) There are discrepancies among farmers and experts regarding management practices and the development of CPaD issues of the previous years. (iii) Field observations comparing CPaD in different altitudes and production systems indicate ambiguity of the role of shade trees. According to the locality-specific variability in CPaD pressure as well as in FPK, the importance of developing spatially variable and relevant CPaD control practices is proposed. (Résumé d'auteur

The educational landscape of the digital age: Communication practices pushing (us) forward

En aquest article, s’identificaran alguns models i tendències emergents en la producció de coneixement. Es farà èmfasi especialment en com els individus implicats en els processos de consum i de distribució de la informació expressen diferents nivells de solidaritat i de compromís, i se suggerirà que és crucial que les persones no només coneguin aquests processos, sinó que també estiguin obertes a altres models, oportunitats i possibilitats que, donades les condicions sociotecnològiques i comunicatives actuals, encara s’han de desenvolupar. S’abordarà amb especial interès l’àmbit de l’educació, ja que s’entén que els educadors estan participant de forma compromesa en una profunda renovació pedagògica a través de projectes compartits cimentats en interaccions professionals i personals facilitades per les xarxes. Aquestes interaccions afavoreixen l’emergència de models pedagògics que permeten a professors i a alumnes convertir-se en experts al mateix temps que trenquen amb moltes convencions epistemològiques clàssiques. Aquestes pedagogies generades d’avall cap amunt no només fomenten la creativitat i la col·laboració i se sustenten en l’ús de noves eines digitals, sinó que les promouen i impulsen els interessos de l’alumnat, i per això, tenen el potencial suficient per tornar l’alegria al procés d’aprenentatge. Per acabar, s’argumentarà que els models emergents en la construcció del coneixement a través de les TIC ofereixen nous paisatges culturals i ecologies d’aprenentatge que trastoquen les inscripcions tradicionals de les identitats individuals i les afinitats racials i culturals.This paper identifies trends in the emerging models of knowledge production available in our society. We suggest it is crucial not only to be aware of these emerging models but also to be open to opportunities and possibilities that may still develop. We consider how people may express different levels of solidarity and commitment to these trends and models in their information consumption and distribution processes. We discuss how educators are now engaging in profound pedagogical renewal by expressing deeper levels of solidarity and commitment to knowledge production and educational projects through professional and personal interactions. These interactions are producing pedagogical models that allow both teachers and learners to become knowledgeable while simultaneously breaking away from domain conventions. These bottom-up pedagogies foster creativity, collaboration and the use of new digital tools. They are driven by learner interests and, as such, have the potential to bring the joy back into the learning process. Finally, we argue that emerging models of knowledge construction mediated by ICT provide new cultural landscapes and ecologies of learning that disrupt traditional inscriptions of individual identities and racial-cultural affinities.En este artículo, se identificarán algunos modelos y tendencias emergentes en la producción de conocimiento. Se hará hincapié especialmente en cómo los individuos implicados en los procesos de consumo y de distribución de la información expresan diferentes niveles de solidaridad y de compromiso, y se sugerirá que es crucial que las personas no solo conozcan estos procesos, sino que también estén abiertas a otros modelos, oportunidades y posibilidades que, dadas las condiciones sociotecnológicas y comunicativas actuales, aún deben desarrollarse. Se abordará con especial interés el ámbito de la educación, puesto que se entiende que los educadores están participando de forma comprometida en una profunda renovación pedagógica a través de proyectos compartidos cimentados en interacciones profesionales y personales facilitadas por las redes. Estas interacciones favorecen la emergencia de modelos pedagógicos que permiten a profesores y a alumnos convertirse en expertos al mismo tiempo que rompen con muchas convenciones epistemológicas clásicas. Estas pedagogías generadas de abajo arriba no solo fomentan la creatividad y la colaboración, y se sustentan en el uso de nuevas herramientas digitales, sino que las promueven e impulsan los intereses del alumnado, y por ello, tienen el potencial suficiente para devolverle la alegría al proceso de aprendizaje. Por último, se argumentará que los modelos emergentes en la construcción del conocimiento a través de las TIC ofrecen nuevos paisajes culturales y ecologías de aprendizaje que trastocan las inscripciones tradicionales de las identidades individuales y las afinidades raciales y culturales

Serving Students, Faculty, and Notice: Student Co-operation, Faculty Collaboration, and Institutional Counter-Narration at a Southern Flagship HBCU

The program described in this chapter is just one example of programs that serve students and exemplify the mission of HBCUs, while demonstrating innovation, collaboration, and leadership, that creates an opportunity to counter-narrate pernicious stereotypes about HBCUs. The federally-funded, innovative student services/success program I examine in this chapter – a collaborative, multidepartment, and interdisciplinary program emphasizing cooperative learning at a southern flagship HBCU – challenges these pernicious narratives head on. Raising attention and awareness of the program’s existence is important not only to highlight the university’s attempts to promote student success, but is also another clarion call for HBCUs to do all within their power to promote their own successes at attracting, retaining, and promoting students’ success while finding creative ways to develop faculty and promote interdisciplinarity and collaboration. Doing so benefits all HBCU students regardless of their race, cultural affinities, or level of preparedness for college, and benefits all faculty, be they in the much-vaunted science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields or often lesser-valued, but equally crucial fields in the humanities, education, and the arts