Conducting ethanobotanical surveys: an example from Ghana on plants used for the protection of stored cereals and pulses (NRI Bulletin 77)

A survey was undertaken in the Ashanti Region of Ghana to assess the use of plant materials with insecticidal and repellent properties on local farms. Emphasis was placed on plant materials used to protect stores containing cereals and pulses. A total of 27 plant species were recorded as having protective qualities against storage pests of cereals and pulses. The species Chromolaena odorata (L.) [siam weed], Azadirachta indica A. Juss [neem] and Capsicum annuum L. [chilli pepper] were the most commonly used to protect stored food. In addition to plants used to protect stored products, bio-activity against insect pests was reported in approximately 95 plant species. The most frequently mentioned plant species were Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. [bamboo], Citrus spp. [lime, lemon and orange], Datura innoxia Mill., Manihot esculenta Crantz [cassava] and Piper umbellatum L. The survey found that 26% of the farmers interviewed used botanicals in some form for stored product protection; however, only a small percentage (7%) relied on them exclusively to protect their harvest from storage pests. Smoking of maize stores was the most common method of control in most districts (28%), with the exception of the major maize-growing districts (Ejura and Mampong), where the majority of farmers used conventional insecticides for the control of stored product pests

Towards sustainable urban development: the social acceptability of high-rise buildings in a Ghanaian city

Over the years, many city managers, policy makers and academics alike have turned to high-rise buildings as pathway to sustainable urban development. However, the sustainability of such types of development in various geographical contexts, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, is a subject less explored. Amidst the promotion of high-rise development in a rapidly urbanizing metropolis in Ghana, Kumasi, the research empirically examined the social acceptability of high-rise residential facilities and the institutional capacity for their effective management. By conducting face-to-face interviews with sampled households, and critical public service providers in the metropolis, the study uncovered that, contrary to the evidence from many Asian cities, there is generally low social acceptability of high-rise developments, and a weak institutional capacity for effective service delivery. The research concludes that, whilst it is tempting to embrace high-rise buildings as sustainable development pathway, it is crucial they are pursued with much circumspection. In addition to their design being tailored to the local needs of the people for whom they are built, the promotion of high-rise development should recognize the importance of effective service delivery, and general social acceptability

The Effect of SiC Content on the Tribocorrosion Performance of SPS Produced Al-SiC Nanocomposites.

The research data includes the chronopotentiometry graph of the composites during tribocorrosion testing. The graph depicts the surface states of the composites during the interplay of wear and corrosion. From the respective images of the graphs, the galvanic coupling setups between the worn and worn areas can be deduced from the sudden shift of potentials as soon as the load was applied. After which the composites showed another shift to the more anodic region owing the role played by the reinforcement amongst others such supporting effect and increase of the hardness property of the composites. Furthermore, the SEM analysis of the wear track of the composites after tribocorrosion testing clearly shows the severe delamination and pull out of parts of the formed layer of the unreinforced aluminium matrix compared to that of the composites. On the composites, the formation of reaction products comprising of the reinforcement and the matrix led to the reduction of the coefficient of friction of the composites compared to that of the unreinforced alloy. It was also observed that the counter body used also deteriorated during the testing and led to the contamination of the wear track in all the samples tested

Conducting ethnobotanical surveys An example from Ghana on plants used for the protection of stored cereals and pulses

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