In The Gambia, as in many other African countries, rural areas rarely profit from the turnover earned in the country's tourism sector. In academic and political literature, however, rural tourism is ...frequently identified as a diversification strategy that may trigger local economic development in remote communities. To promote rural tourism development, further knowledge is required to understand why tourists are motivated to engage in distinct tourism market segments. In this study, survey data was collected from 450 tourists in The Gambia using a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was constructed to identify the key characteristics and motivations of tourists so that the significant market segments could be categorized and the (latent) tourist demand for rural tourism activities could be gauged. This study identified four distinct segments of tourists in The Gambia: heritage & nature seekers, multi-experiences seekers, multi-experiences & beach seekers, and sun & beach seekers. Drawing on our key findings, we conclude by identifying a development path that could diversify Gambia's tourism sector. The development path would also include event-based rural tourism initiatives that align with the motivations of the identified market segments and may additionally benefit rural communities by reducing economic leakage rates.
•We conduct a survey of 430 tourists in The Gambia to find out about market potential for rural tourism.•We employ a combined factor-clustering method to extract distinct market segments for tourism activities in The Gambia.•We find four distinct market segments.•There is high (latent) market potential for rural tourism businesses in The Gambia.•We sketch out a ‘development path’ on how an event-based rural tourism can actually be implemented.
More than a quarter of earth's land surface is used for grazing domestic livestock. Livestock grazing is generally assumed to negatively affect wildlife, however, a number of studies have found ...positive impacts as well. We conducted an evidence-based review of the existing literature using a series of livestock- and wildlife-related search words to systematically query Google Scholar and Web of Science. A total of 807 sources were included in the final list, including 646 primary sources which reported original data. The majority of studies were conducted in North America (338) or Europe (123), with many fewer from Africa (57), Australia (54), Central/South America (43), or Asia (31). Most studies examined birds (330) and mammals (262), with fewer including reptiles (91) or amphibians (58). We extracted further information from studies that included mammals on positive, negative, and neutral effects of livestock grazing on mammals. We found that livestock change vegetation structure and cover in ways important to small mammals, while ungulates may be affected more by interference competition and changes in forage quantity and quality. Community-level total abundance of small mammals typically declines with grazing. Species richness of small mammals either declines or stays the same, as many studies found a change in species composition from ungrazed to grazed sites while the number of species remained similar. Individual species responses of small mammals vary. Voles, harvest mice, cotton rats, and shrews show consistently negative responses to grazing while deer mice, kangaroo rats, ground squirrels, and lagomorphs show positive or variable responses. In general, species adapted to open habitats are often positively affected by grazing, while species needing denser cover are negatively affected. Studies of wild ungulates are more variable in methodology and quality than those for small mammals. We found more negative (n = 86) than positive (n = 34) ungulate responses overall, however, most studies have been on browsers and mixed feeders, namely deer and elk, and there is little available data for other groups. Although data is limited, several of the grazing species in Africa may show a trend toward positive responses, suggesting possible facilitation. For a number of species, responses varied by season. We find a strong need for additional research on ungulates of varying diets and body sizes, especially in the developing world, and across longer time scales to examine possible tradeoffs between competition and facilitation from livestock.
The paper analyzes the current state of plastic value chains in Africa and the potential of digital innovations adopted by African entrepreneurs to contributing to a circular plastic economy. We ...provide an overview of plastic waste trade to African countries and an assessment of existing digital solutions that can support the transition to a circular plastic economy. The findings show that various digital innovations are being applied by entrepreneurs including web-based solutions, mobile apps and 3D printing. The case studies also show that multinational companies, especially consumer facing brands, are major players in the national plastic value chains in African countries, acting as seed funders for start-ups as well as buyers of recycled plastics. Current initiatives that are underway are positive signs that changes are in progress to address the environmental and social impacts of plastics value chains in Africa. However, to achieve a transition to sustainable circular value chains, changes at policy level will be required to enable scaling-up of local start-up businesses, address regulatory barriers to digital solutions, create markets for recycled plastic materials and implement extended producer responsibility regulations.
Abstract
We study how the allocation of resources impacts localised crime rates. Recent studies on the effects of Chinese aid in Africa have increased rapidly, and this paper contributes by showing ...the mechanism by which aid increases crime. Using a geo‐referenced dataset of subnational allocation of Chinese projects, geographically matched with 145 701 respondents of four rounds of Afrobarometer surveys from 36 African countries, we use a difference‐in‐difference‐in‐difference (DDD) approach and an instrumental variable (IV) identification strategy to account for endogeneity and capture the effect of living near projects under implementation before or after a survey against those with no projects. We find that Chinese aid projects significantly increased crime rates in the immediate locations where the projects were implemented. The main channel of effect is the increased local economic activities leading to the availability of employable opportunities. There is a similar but smaller magnitude of the effect regarding projects funded by other donor agencies.
Radikal bebas dan spesies reaktif dipercaya secara luas berkontribusi pada pengembangan beberapa penyakit dengan menyebabkan stres oksidatif dan akhirnya oksidatif..Vernonia amygdalina (Astereacea) ...adalah semak atau pohon kecil tingginya antara 1 dan 5 m tumbuh di seluruh tropis Afrika. Tanaman ini umumnya dikenal sebagai daun pahit, dibudidayakan dengan baik dan merupakan tanaman yang banyak ditemukan di pasar umum di beberapa Negara. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui aktivitas antioksidan fraksi heksan dari ekstrak etanol daun afrika (Vernonia amygdalina Del.). Metode yang digunakan pada penelitian ini adalah metode DPPH (1,1-Diphenyl-2-Picrylhydrazyl). Hasil skrining fitokimia menunjukan bahwa ekstrak etanol daun afrika mengandung senyawa metabolit sekunder golongan alkaloid, flavonoid, tanin, steroid/ triterpenoid dan saponin. Aktivitas antioksidan ekstrak fraksi n-heksan tergolong sangat lemah dengan nilai IC50 adalah 371,98 ppm.
The long-term forecasting of energy supply and demand is of prime importance in Africa due to the steady increase in energy requirements, the non-availability of sufficient resources, the high ...dependence on fossil-fuels to meet these requirements, and the global concerns over the energy-induced environmental issues. This paper is concerned with modelling possible future paths for Africa's energy future and the related emissions. Future energy demand is forecasted based on socio-economic variables such as gross domestic product, income per capita, population, and urbanisation.
The Long-range Energy Alternative Planning System (LEAP) modelling framework is employed to analyse and project energy demand and the related emissions under alternative strategies for the period of 2010–2040. Results of scenarios including business-as-usual (BAU) policies, moderate energy access and accelerate energy access policies, renewable energies promotion and energy efficiency policies and their environmental implications are provided.
The study provides some policy insights and identifies synergies and trade-offs relating to the potential for energy policies to promote universal energy access, enable a transition to renewable energy, and mitigate climate change for a sustainable development.
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•Possible future paths for Africa's energy future and the related emissions are modelled.•Scenarios using an adaptation of Schwartz's scenario approach, under LEAP are developed.•Under the current energy policies, the universal access to modern energy will not be met by 2030.•Policies to accelerate the changes in energy structure are required for sustainable development.•Investing in Energy efficient strategies has emerged as one of the best solution.
The future of electrification of Africa lies within off-grid generation via renewable energy (RE). Although many RE projects have started across the Sub-Sahara, especially public projects are seldom ...successful. This study engages directly (ethnographically) with the local communities benefitting or expected to benefit from the projects, the implementing organizations and government.
Despite the differences in culture and understanding, the reasons for failure of the projects are found to be similar across the different countries: (i) political agenda, (ii) process of awarding projects, (iii) stakeholder co-operation, (iv) planning & implementation, (v) maintenance and (vi) public acceptance & inclusion.
•We investigate causes of failure of renewable energy projects in Sub-Saharan Africa based on empirical data.•We analyse 29 projects from ten different Sub-Saharan African countries.•Our approach is ethnographical in the sense that we physically observe (and interview) the stakeholders.
...despite the role of financial development in curbing the activities in the shadow economy, the scope and precise direction of causality in this relationship have not been sufficiently explored in ...the literature especially for African countries where policy is usually clumsy and there are not enough impetus for financial development. ...the objectives of our study is three-fold. ...we provided the 1 https://blogs.afdb.org/afdb-championing-inclusive-growth-across-africa/post/recognizing-africas-infor mal-sector-11645 rationale for the interactive impact of institutional quality, following the weak institutional framework of most of the countries in the region. ...despite the controversies in empirical literature on shadow economy, one fact is clear; that most activities in the shadow economy would have been taxed if they were detected and captured in official records. ...since the earlier 1990s, several studies have been conducted to understand the nature and determinants of the shadow economy and its interaction with financial development in promoting or impeding economic growth. A similar study by Gharleghi and Jahanshashi (2020) found that financial sector reforms helped to reduce the size of the shadow economy in 29 countries, for the period 1975 - 2015. ...a study by Berdiev
•Barriers to green supply chains redesign (GSCR) are identified.•Relationships among identified barriers in the cashew industry are explored.•Grey DEMATEL is used to evaluate cause-effect ...relationships of barriers.•Increased collaboration in a supply chain is crucial for GSCR.•Support of government and industry organizations are vital to address barriers.
Cashew consumption has been increasing globally, but environmental issues through the whole cashew supply chain, from production, processing and transportation, have been raised. Thus, green supply chain redesign has been put forward but implementation of related practices faces many barriers. Using the case of the Africa cashew industry, which produces over half of global raw cashew nuts but only process less than 10% to kernel, this paper systematically identifies these barriers considering stakeholders through the whole cashew supply chain. Based on evaluation of four experts, results by grey Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory reveal that successful green supply chain redesign implementation needs two elementary efforts by kernel distributors. One is increased collaboration with multi-tier suppliers (producer organizations and processors) and the other is to get strategic support from industry bodies, non-governmental organizations and development agencies. Additionally, in the short-term, kernel distributors need to overcome three key operational barriers, lack of internal top-level management commitment, lack of integrated management information and traceability systems, and uncertainty of economic benefits. Furthermore, barriers such as difficulties to assess environmental sustainability performance and lack of consumer demand for green cashew should be addressed in the long-term. This study contributes to identify barriers to the successful implementation of green supply chain redesign from perspectives of both the focal enterprise and the whole supply chain. A robust multi-criteria decision making method further reveals the most important and fundamental barriers which can offer decision support for kernel distributors and policymakers in the cashew industry.
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