This book brings together experts from within and outside Africa to discuss the current status of biotechnology in southern Africa, the conceptual framework for multistakeholder dialogues, the political and ethical issues surrounding biotechnology, food safety and consumer issues, biosafety, intellectual property rights, and trade involving genetically modified foods.

To make innovations work commercially among the target group requires institutional approach that can anticipate and predict users' urgent needs through participation. Conversely, to make innovations work technically requires a pile of junk and good imagination according to Thomas Edison. Biotechnology no doubt is a significant innovation that can enable farmers in developing countries increase productivity and manage their products. Nevertheless, biotech application is surrounded with many controversial debates. These controversies have affected its perception among farmers and consumers alike. Using a mixed method approach, empirical data were gathered from farmers and extension agents in six geopolitical divisions of Nigeria to determine factors capable of ensuring sustainable biotech adoption. Results revealed that the probability of biotech adoption is dependent on a cause and effect relationship.

This volume discusses the significance of human rights approaches to food and the way it relates to gender considerations, addressing links between hunger and the HIV/AIDS pandemic, agricultural productivity and the environment.

1. How can financial markets and biotechnology help the rural poor? / Ralph D. Christy [und weitere] -- 2. Financial development and growth : what role can foreign capital play? / Eswar Prasad [und weitere] -- 3. The securitization of microloans / Vicki L. Bogan -- 4. A vision for scaling microfinance : more than dollars and smarts / Deborah Burand -- 5. Innovations in index insurance for the poor in low-income countries / Jerry Skees -- 6. Overcoming poverty through improved agricultural technology / Robert W. Herdt -- 7. Agricultural biotechnology in Latin America : economic benefits, regional capacity, and policy options / Greg Traxler -- 8. Biotechnology, agriculture, and food security in Southern Africa : strategic policy challenges and opportunities / Steven Were Omamo and Klaus von Grebmer -- 9. Developing country options under TRIPS : choices to maximize biotech transfer / William Lesser and Deepthi Kolady -- 10. What matters to African firms? The relevance of perceptions data / Alan Gelb [und weiteren] -- 11. Making the most out of FDI in Africa / Norbert L.W. Wilson and Malick Diarrasouba

The UN's Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) for 'Zero Hunger' has refocused attention on hunger and malnutrition as major challenges for the 21st century and as essential desired goals for human development. This volume provides key insights on how these challenges for food security can be addressed globally and in a number of countries that face these challenges most acutely.According to the World Food Summit, food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. The implication is that lack of food security would overlap with hunger — both overt and hidden — and undernutrition and would have spillover effects onto the health of and labor market performance of those affected by such insecurity. This range of issues have guided the choice of contributions to this volume. Several manifestations of these topics are covered for a number of countries in Asia and Africa.

Does the state still frame debates about new technology? Can policy-makers ensure the benefits of health developments through genomics while still satisfying the expectations of society and the economic imperatives? In this critique of the new governance agenda for research and innovation in life sciences, the authors discuss the world-wide policy decisions needed, with particular reference to genomics. They suggest the many facets of policy and could be treated as a government-governance continuum, where different aspects of genomics may sit at different points, and co-exist. Their findings offer valuable insights for the future and will help promote a global solution to this problem.

In this collection, Timothy Doyle and Melissa Risely bring together an international group of environmentalists, political scientists, and international relations scholars to address key issues vital to determining the human and environmental security of the Indian Ocean Region. Addressing topics that include agrifood production systems, the geopolitics of water resources along the Mekong River basin, oil production, transportation, waste disposal, and climate change, the contributors highlight the importance of regional collaboration and offer policy and management strategies for cooperative, multinational problem solving.

21st Century Homestead: Urban Agriculture contains everything you need to stay up to date on urban agriculture