Money talks: moral economies of earning a living in neoliberal East Africa

Neoliberal restructuring has targeted not just the economy, but also polity, society and culture, in the name of creating capitalist market societies. The societal repercussions of neoliberal policy and reform in terms of moral economy remain understudied. This article seeks to address this gap by analysing moral economy characteristics and dynamics in neoliberalised communities, as perceived by traders in Uganda and sex workers in Kenya. The interview data reveal perceived drivers that contributed to a significant moral dominance of money, self-interest, short-termism, opportunism and pragmatism. Equally notable are a perceived (i) close interaction between political–economic and moral–economic dynamics, and (ii) significant impact of the political–economic structure on moral agency. Respondents primarily referred to material factors usually closely linked to neoliberal reform, as key drivers of local moral economies. We thus speak of a neoliberalisation of moral economies, itself part of the wider process of embedding and locking-in market society structures in the two countries. An improved political economy of moral economy can help keep track of this phenomenon

A feasibility study of the use of biodiesel in recreational boats in the UK

The paper presents a feasibility study for applying biodiesel in recreational boats in the United Kingdom for the purpose of rational utilization of energy resources and environmental protection. Biodiesel has been widely used to fuel diesel engines for onshore vehicles, particularly for agriculture machinery. Application of biodiesel for merchant ship propulsion on a large scale has been seen as not an option in the near future due to the lack of availability and supply chains of the fuel. However, there has been interest in the possibility of powering recreational boats with biodiesel in order to pursue marine environmental protection. The study reviews the current status of using biodiesel in recreational boats and analyses the market in the United Kingdom. Results on fuel availability for the sector, economic aspects and environmental benefits are presented

Modelling conventional and organic farming : a literature review

Literature shows a significant development of organic farming in Europe but with considerable differences between countries. These depend on general agricultural policy (the set of regulations and laws), specific policy incentives, and also on differences in consumer behaviour. This paper reviews scientific literature on the evaluation of the technical, economic and environmental aspects of conversion from conventional towards organic production. The methods and results of empirical and normative modelling studies at the farm level, with special regard to farm management and policy, are analysed. Empirical modelling studies show the importance of incentives and agricultural policy, and the usefulness of integrated modelling for determining the effects of different policies on farm management. Normative modelling shows the effects of new policy instruments and technology, and allows the high level of detail needed for what-if analysis. Normative models of conversion to organic farming confirm the importance of incentives and the agricultural policy context.Additional keywords: farm modelling, conversion, empirical modelling, normative modelling, policy, context