New Geographies of Disadvantage: Implications for Service Delivery

Shifts are apparent in the spatial distribution of disadvantage in Australia since the 1970s. Not only are new sites of disadvantage emerging (small rural towns, manufacturing centres, coastal welfare regions, some outer suburbs), but research suggests a possible spatial cleavage between best-accessed Melbourne and Sydney, and 'the rest' of the country. At the same time, examples of provision and delivery of services continue to occur locally andregionally that demonstrate lack of attention to the characteristics of the places in which those services are received. The paper calls for spatially conscious public policy in service delivery, and considers the possibilities of this occurring if governments form partnerships with other organisations to provide services for communities.     

Using subsidised seed to catalyse demand-driven bean seed systems in Malawi

Through an innovative public-private partnership, Demeter Agricultural Limited, along with the Malawi National Bean Programme and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture, supplied 2,559 tons of certified bean seed between 2009 and 2012 through the government's Targeted Farm Input Programme. Farmers were satisfied with the variety supplied, timeliness of the operation, pack size, and information provided. Growing numbers also accessed new improved varieties, from 264,661 households in 2009 to 344,200 in 2012. These emerging farmers’ demands and the subsequent DAL responses suggest a base for building sustainable delivery systems. However, decentralised seed-based systems will be needed for promoting varieties suited to micro-ecological niches.     

“龙象并肩”:中印非传统安全合作

非传统安全合作是国际关系领域的新焦点。近年来,越来越多的国际关系学者开始关注日益凸显的非传统安全问题,包括恐怖主义、金融危机、跨国有组织犯罪、传染性疾病、气候变化、移民难民、复合性自然灾害、自然资源枯竭或跨界资源冲突等。非传统安全挑战严重威胁着区域安全,东亚和南亚地区也不例外。审视中国和印度这两个地缘相连的竞争大国之间的关系以及中印双边非传统安全合作,从传统安全角度看,长期以来存在的领土争议是阻碍中印关系发展的核心问题,而从非传统安全角度看,中印之间的合作交流却超过以往。中印之间存在的传统安全问题和非传统安全问题之间的关联,经济安全、能源安全、民族分裂主义与恐怖主义、水资源安全、流行性疾病、海洋安全、生态安全等领域是双方能够实现合作的非传统安全优先领域,而"和合主义"理念范式与"多元共赢"合作模式为中印之间的非传统安全合作提供了重要的理论指导,从而展示出中印共同携手发展的可能与前景。