Empowering farmers? Collaborative research at Sokoine University of Agriculture,Tanzania

This article presents experiences with collaborative and on-farm research based on the implementation of a four-year Programme for Agricultural and Natural Resources Transformation for Improved Livelihoods (PANTIL) at Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) in Morogoro, Tanzania. It outlines the basic elements in the implementation of a programme aimed to be demand-based, and discusses the challenges encountered in combining collaborative research with the empowerment of farmers. Finally, the article draws out some lessons with implications for the future organisation of collaborative and on-farm agricultural research.     

Twenty reasons why local knowledge will remain relevant to development

Local knowledge has continued to gain popularity among development practitioners in the last four decades. However, the future of local knowledge seems hazy to some academics and researchers, perhaps due to the methodological challenges in operationalising local knowledge in development research. Rather than appropriate its full potential for sustainable (global) progress, renditions on the relevance of local knowledge in development research agenda have largely become rhetoric. Nonetheless, this viewpoint outlines 20 pertinent reasons in support of the relevance of local knowledge and why it has a future in development theory and practice.     

Dating of Iron Gall Ink Using the Dissolution‐Diffusion Method

In many criminal and civil cases, some questioned documents are written with iron gall ink. Determining the date when an iron gall ink entry was written can be important to assess the authenticity of a document. A dissolution‐diffusion method was successfully employed to draw aging curves of iron gall ink entries stored in controlled conditions over 40 months. Calibration curves were created to indicate the relationship between the average dissolution‐diffusion rate of ink components and the age of ink entries stored under natural aging conditions. As preliminary findings of this study, the mixed solution of dimethyl formamide (DMF) and anhydrous ethanol was suitable to dissolve the dye of iron gall ink strokes made at different time. It was also determined that brands of iron gall inks, types of paper, and thickness of iron gall ink strokes had varying impacts on estimating the dates of iron gall ink strokes.     

Offshore gas intermediary companies in Eurasia

Gazprom's utilization of offshore registration – or the moving of money across national boundaries for reasons other than of direct business benefit – has resulted in the creation of a web of subsidiary companies with opaque leadership and financial arrangements. Some of these subsidiary companies operate as intermediaries in the natural gas trade among the former Soviet states. Given that the gas trade within Eurasia has a long history of fixed contracts that move gas through a network of pipelines, why were intermediaries created, and why register them offshore? Using a critical reading of stateness as a space for transnational networks, and supported by mind-mapping software, we analysed the structure and operations of offshore gas intermediary companies between Russia and Central Asia dating from the break-up of the Soviet Union. We conclude that there were several purposes for using intermediary gas companies, from navigating trade among the newly independent states, to asset stripping, monopolizing markets, and obfuscating finance and ownership. However, the usefulness of intermediary companies to Gazprom may have expired, as a confluence of increased competition among suppliers, diversification of export routes, and economic stagnation has led to exporters and importers calling for their end.     

Resource powers? Minerals,energy and the rise of the BRICS

The rise of new economic powers has seen increasing attention focused on the international role of the BRICS countries. Importantly, a common feature uniting the BRICS is that they are all resource-rich, and many analysts (and some BRICS governments) have argued that natural resources are one of the key factors propelling the rise of the group. This article explores the BRICS’ emerging status as ‘resource powers’, examining how resource wealth underpins their economic development and foreign policy strategies, and thus contributes to their growing influence in international affairs. It is argued that through the use of nationalistic mining and energy policies, the BRICS governments have exploited natural resources for both domestic economic and international diplomatic objectives. However, there are several challenges and emerging risks facing the BRICS’ resource strategies, which mean that resource wealth is making a positive – though inherently limited – contribution to the growing international status of the group.     

关于职工董事、职工监事的身份问题

职工董事、职工监事的身份应当是劳动力产权的代表 ,劳动力产权问题是工会理论与实践的出发点 ,职工以劳动力产权代表的身份进入董事会、监事会 ,有利于确定职工的主体地位和独特的权益。明确和实现职工的主体地位和独特的权益 ,也是我国社会主义本质的要求。因此 ,“国有独资和国有控股公司的董事会、监事会都要有职工代表参加 ,这不是一般的方法问题 ,而是建立有中国特色的现代企业制度的根本原则问题。”     

俄罗斯远东与东北亚地区在自然资源开发领域中的合作

俄罗斯远东地区的自然资源极为丰富、而东北亚及亚太地区一些国家的自然资源则较为贫乏;远东地区同东北亚地区又有着地缘上的优势。这些条件为双方在自然资源领域的合作奠定了基础。目前,远东地区与东北亚地区的合作以开发自然资源为主,具体表现为以下几种形式:国际贸易、贷款协议、外资企业、科技合作。     

罗马自然法思想探析

罗马自然法思想的最早渊源可溯及古希腊哲学.罗马法中所包含的自然法思想对罗马法的发展和完善起着举足轻重的作用.罗马自然法思想对人类的贡献主要表现为它为人类提供了一种价值观念.罗马自然法思想对我国法治建设的启示为①法律的价值分为实然价值和应然价值;②法治不仅是手段,更重要的是目的.     

论和谐社会建设对人民警察的要求

构建和谐社会是我国社会主义初级阶段的重要任务。建设社会主义和谐社会,人民警察必须树立和谐发展的正确理念;坚持稳定压倒一切的方针,努力创造和谐、稳定的执政环境;按照和谐社会的要求不断推进公安工作的改进和创新。