Hybrid Maize as the Next Step to a Green Revolution, the Importance of the Ecosystem, Frugal Innovation and a Triple Helix Model in Tanzania

Climate change and the resulting increased drought periods contribute to farmers' problems in Tanzania, but their core problem is low agricultural productivity. Between 2011 and 2014, the Swiss Capacity Building Facility(SCBF), a non -governmental organization (NGO) financed by ten private Swiss insurance companies, funded four projects in Tanzania aiming to introduce crop insurances for maize farmers in the Iringa, Mwanza and Arusharegions to help them to move from using traditional maize seeds, which they would save each year, to hybrid seeds sold by commercial companies. These seeds require expenditure on additional inputs, which means thefarmers risk losing the investments if the harvest is lower than expected. The hybrid seed is available, but it requires other actors and instruments to give small-scale farmers access to these innovations. This helps todevelop the necessary ecosystem for Climate Smart Agriculture and Water (CSA&W).To assess the impact of this Weather Index based crop insurance for Tanzanian maize farmers, which intended to mitigate this risk, a survey has been undertaken by the author. In total 200 farmers were interviewed, usingcluster sampling. The objective is to analyze the impact of the crop insurance introduced with the support of SCBF and its effect on household's income and assets and on agricultural productivity. In this paper we alsoanalyze to what extent the ecosystem used to introduce crop insurance was optimal and what the needs of the farmers are concerning this ecosystem. Finally, the question is asked whether this is an example of introducingClimate smart agriculture and water, using frugal innovation in a Triple Helix construction

How Relevant is Flexible Specialisation in Burkina Faso's Informal Sector and the Formal Manufacturing Sector?

Summary To determine whether flexible specialisation can be found in the informal sector or in the formal industrial sector in Burkina Faso, the term is defined in such a manner that its importance can be assessed. It turned out that the 350 informal sector entrepreneurs interviewed in 1991 in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, rarely showed the traits associated with flexible specialisation. They used other mechanisms to survive in the very competitive environment of a very open economy. In a sample of 50 formal sector industrial enterprises studied in the same year, a limited number of cases displayed the characteristics which are associated with flexible specialisation. The economic crisis of the eighties has forced them to work in a different way. The article suggests that the flexible specialisation concept helps to focus research on a number of key issues of industrial development. A number of recommendations are put forward on how flexible specialisation can be promoted. Résumé Dans quelle mesure est?ce que la spécialisation souple est pertinente dans le contexte du secteur informel et du secteur formel de la fabrication à Burkina Faso? Pour déterminer si la spécialisation souple est identifiable dans le secteur informel ou dans le secteur industriel formel à Burkina Faso, le terme est défini de manière à ce que l'on puisse évaluer son importance. Il a été démontré que les 350 entrepreneurs du secteur informel interviewés en 1991 à Ouagadougou, la capitale du Burkina Faso, ne présentaient que rarement de signes classiquement associés avec la spécialisation souple. Ils font appel à d'autres mécanismes pour survivre dans l'environnement ultra?concurrentiel d'une économie très ouverte. Parmi un échantillon de 50 entreprises étudiées dans le secteur industriel formel au cours de la même année, un nombre limité de cas ont présenté les caractéristiques que l'on associe normalement avec la spécialisation souple. La crise économique des années 1980 les a forcées à opérer d'une manière différente. L'article suggère que le concept de la spécialisation souple aiderait à focaliser la recherche sur un nombre déterminé de questions clef dans le développement industriel. Un certain nombre de recommandations sont proposées concernant les moyens de promouvoir la spécialisation souple. Resumen Qué relevancia tiene la especialización flexible en el sector informal y en el sector formal de manufactura en Burkina Faso Para determinar si la especialización flexible se puede encontrar en el sector formal o en el sector informal de Burkina Faso, se define el término en forma que su importancia pueda ser evaluada. Los 350 empresarios del sector informal entrevistados en 1991 en Ouagadougou, la capital de Burkina Faso, raramente mostraron las caracterísiticas asociadas con la especialización flexible. Usaban otros mecanismos de supervivencia en el ambiente extremadamente competitivo de una economía muy abierta. En un muestreo de 50 empresas del sector industrial formal realizado en el mismo año las mencionadas características aparecen en un número limitado de casos. La crisis económica de los años 80 ha forzado a estas empresas a funcionar en forma diferente. El artículo sugiere que el concepto de especialización flexible ayuda a enfocar las investigaciones en un número de aspectos clave del desarrollo industrial. Como corolario, se ofrece una serie de recomendaciones para el estímulo de la especialización flexible

The Existing and Desired Agricultural Ecosystem for Medium Size Farmers in Kenya

Medium-size telephone farmers benefit from and have the potential to support a thriving agricultural ecosystem, making use of it, but also by providing agricultural services and modern technology themselves, training their workers and helping them by subcontracting certain activities to smaller farmers and obtaincontracts to sell large quantities regularly themselves. This paper analyzes the presence of an ecosystem for medium size farmers based on interviews with 50 medium size farmers and indicates the expectations of these farmers with respect to such a system

Van ontwikkelingshulp naar internationale samenwerking

In 1965 kreeg Nederland de eerste minister voor 'ontwikkelingshulp' (Theo Bot). Dat werden later ministers voor ontwikkelingssamenwerking en nu hebben we een minister voor Buitenlandse Handel, ontwikkelingssamenwerking. Dat is de koopman en de dominee in één werd er al gespot. Hier ligt een ontwikkeling in ons denken over armoede en ontwikkelingslanden aan ten grondslag die besproken zal worden. Dat denken is sterk beïnvloed door de snelle ontwikkeling in Azië, de belangrijke rol van de particuliere sector daarin (commercieel en niet-gouvernementeel), kritiek op de traditionele ontwikkelingssamenwerking en recentelijk door de rol van China en India als donoren in het tegenwoordig ook snel groeiende Afrika. Die nieuwe minister van NGO en PVDA huize (mevr. Ploumen) kreeg gelijk ruzie met de minister van economische zaken (Kamp) over de besteding van die één miljard 'bezuinigingen', in een zaak die heel duidelijk het verschil in achtergrond van beide politici verraadt (Financieel Dagblad 6-11-12). De overgang naar internationale samenwerking heeft nogal wat implicatie

Urban management and institutional change: An integrated approach to achieving ecological cities

In this contribution I will deal with the following topics in this order: 1. Urban Management an integrated approach! 2. Reforms to improve the performance of the municipality 3. What is new in Urban Management: the New Public Management 4. Autonomy OK, but what is accountability? 5. What are the issues? Lets analyze it 6. What about the dynamics of cities? 7. How can we finance urban development alternatively? 8. Who is the real urban manager and what are some relevant books on urban management? 9. An illustration: solid waste issues in Africaii 10. How can we achieve ecological cities