Country Case Studies Research Articles

Farming Standards as a Catalyst of Green Agriculture and Food Export: Middle Income European countries Case Study

Farming Standards as a Catalyst of Green Agriculture and Food Export: Middle Income European countries Case Study

Estimating causes of maternal death in data-sparse contexts.

Understanding the underlying causes of maternal death across all regions of the world is essential to inform policies and resource allocation to reduce the mortality burden. However, in many countries there exists very little data on the causes of maternal death, and data that do exist do not capture the entire population at risk. In this article, we present a Bayesian hierarchical multinomial model to estimate maternal cause of death distributions globally, regionally, and for all countries worldwide. The framework combines data from various sources to inform estimates, including data from civil registration and vital systems, smaller-scale surveys and studies, and high-quality data from confidential enquiries and surveillance systems. The framework accounts for varying data quality and coverage, and allows for situations where one or more causes of death are missing. We illustrate the results of the model on three case-study countries that have different data availability situations.

Maritime Pollution in Pakistan and Its Impact on Marine Life: Challenges and Way Forward

Marine pollution is a major threat to marine biodiversity, ecosystems and socio-economic conditions of coastal communities in Pakistan. Driven by industrial, agricultural and plastic pollution, mounting levels of marine pollution are largely resulting in habitat destruction, biodiversity loss and difficulties in conduct of subsistence activities. Lack of waste management system and public awareness further compound the problem. The present study gives a comprehensive analysis of marine pollution, its sources, types and mechanism as well as the damage is does to marine environment. The study also examines existing domestic and international legislation on marine pollution eradication and puts forth recommendations in the form of both short and long terms measures for pollution mitigation in Pakistan. The study also emphasizes the need to sensitize public attention on this pressing issue and advocates awareness campaigns regarding oil spill response preparedness, investment in resilient infrastructure and plastic pollution eradication initiatives. Long term measures stem from analysis of several case studies of island countries. These measures include protection of critical infrastructure, ecosystem conservation as well as increased research and development. Effective implementation of these measures can help Pakistan transition into a sustainable and secure future.

Risk and conditioning factors in the public internal control. Weaknesses in public management concerning the procurement of expenditure files

IMPACT The article provides new insights in the analysis of risks to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public management. Public auditors and internal control professionals in public institutions should be looking for continuous improvement. Transparency, delimitation of competences, contractual procedures, budget management and special payment procedures are identified by the authors as the main areas of management risk faced by public control professionals. The case study country, Spain, like many other EU countries, has a combined internal control model, using an ex-ante control complemented by ex-post control. The main conclusions reached in this article can be applied to other European countries that use similar control models to improve risk management and internal control in their public sectors.

Tipping points and farmer decision-making in European permanent grassland (PG) agricultural systems

Permanent grasslands (PG) provide multifunctional ecosystem services (ES) in Europe and globally, which are threatened by both increased farming intensity and land use change in marginal areas. Farm management decisions can represent critical thresholds, or behavioural “tipping points”, in the agricultural system. Decisions are influenced by a combination of agronomic, policy and social factors. Transformation of PG systems can be facilitated through positive tipping points and relevant policy implementation to ensure sustainable PG systems. The aim of this research was to understand the drivers of decisions regarding land use changes and management towards critical positive and negative tipping points across five biogeographic zones in Europe. Interview methodology assessed farmers’ preferences and priorities regarding the adoption of sustainable PG systems. Participants were selected from five case study countries, each representing a different biogeographic zone in Europe (Continental/Pannonian: Czech Republic, Boreal: Sweden, Mediterranean: Spain, Alpine: Switzerland, and Atlantic: UK). The sample also covered three farming intensity types within these biogeographic zones: high input/intensive conventional farms (≥1.0 LU/ha); low input/extensive conventional farms (<1.0 LU/ha); and certified organic farms. In total, 373 farm interviews were obtained from the case study countries between October 2020 and October 2021. The analysis focuses on drivers of change and considers tipping points across these countries, considering case studies of land use changes (specifically land abandonment) and land management practices (specifically changes in stocking rates). The most common reasons for PG management changes towards either intensification or extensification were economic. Farmers require policy support to increase provision of non-market ES, while rebalancing subsidies can deliver environmental ES at scale through abandonment (e.g., through the creation of specific habitats that support some threatened species). Agri-environment schemes (AES)and subsidies could be more flexible to allow farmers to better adapt grassland management to local production conditions and unpredictable circumstances such as droughts, floods, or market shocks. To maintain PG that delivers more goods and services, financial compensation for ES delivery was perceived to be the most significant support mechanism needed, while easier access to ES provision expertise through extension or consultancy services is considered important factor.

Application of Global Burden of Animal Diseases methods at country level: experiences of the Ethiopia case study.

Animals play a central role in human livelihoods and welfare. Animal diseases have a great impact on the benefits humans derive from animals and can also pose a risk to human health. Better control of animal diseases generates wider societal benefits, including reducing the climate and ecological impacts of livestock and improving animal welfare. To better understand the scale of investment justified for the control and prevention of animal disease, the wide-ranging impacts of disease on animal production and health must be measured. The Global Burden of Animal Diseases (GBADs) programme is quantifying animal disease burden from the local to global levels. The GBADs programme includes country case studies for national- and local-level analysis. Ethiopia is the first case study country in which GBADs methods have been applied. GBADs'Ethiopia case study consists of three activity areas: i) stakeholder engagement; ii) livestock disease burden estimation, including data collection, analytics, evidence generation and communication; and iii) capacity building in animal health economics. At the start of the case study, various stakeholder communication platforms were used to familiarise stakeholders with GBADs and engage their support in various ways, including data access, and, through this engagement, to ensure the programme tools and outputs were relevant and useful to their needs. Existing data were retrieved from multiple sources and used to estimate disease burden. This process involved multiple steps, including estimation of biomass and economic value, the Animal Health Loss Envelope (farm-level disease burden), wider economic impacts and attribution of the disease burden to different levels of causes. This was carried out for major livestock species (cattle, sheep, goats and poultry) in Ethiopia. Capacity building on animal health economics was carried out for GBADs end users to increase competence in utilising animal health economic evidence, including GBADs outputs. This article documents experiences of the implementation of these activities in the GBADs Ethiopia case study.

A Pan-Asian Energy Transition? The New Rationale for Decarbonization Policies in the World’s Largest Energy Exporting Countries: A Case Study of Qatar and Other GCC Countries

Climate change has become a major agenda item in international relations and in national energy policy-making circles around the world. This review studies the surprising evolution of the energy policy, and more particularly the energy transition, currently happening in the Arabian Gulf region, which features some of the world’s largest exporters of oil and gas. Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and other neighboring energy exporters plan to export blue and green hydrogen across Asia as well as towards Europe in the years and decades to come. Although poorly known and understood abroad, this recent strategy does not threaten the current exports of oil and gas (still needed for a few decades) but prepares the evolution of their national energy industries toward the future decarbonized energy demand of their main customers in East and South Asia, and beyond. The world’s largest exporter of Liquefied Natural Gas, Qatar, has established industrial policies and projects to upscale CCUS, which can enable blue hydrogen production, as well as natural carbon sinks domestically via afforestation projects.

UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF V2G TECHNOLOGY ON GRID STABILITY DURING PEAK HOURS IN INDIA

India has set an ambitious goal of becoming Net Zero in carbon emissions by 2070. To achieve this goal there are significant steps being taken especially in the power and electric vehicle sector. A revolution that involves symbiosis of both the sectors, is the integration of V2G (Vehicle to Grid) technology in India. This paper gives an overview of power sector and electric vehicles market in India followed by need, benefits, and infrastructure required for bringing V2G in India. It also includes theinsights froman interview with the founder of SHERU, a start-up which provides cloud energy storage and is working closely with the related concepts. The methodology to calculate crude oil saving, C02 emission, journey cost, public charging and home charging is also discussed. The paper looks into the case studies of few developed countries that have been using V2G and emphasizes on how this technology can help to achieve sustainability goals.

Ecosystem Service Trade-Offs in Peri-Urban Landscapes: Drivers, Governance Obstacles and Improvements

Trade-offs in ecosystem services (ESs) manifest when the enhancement of one service leads to the diminishment of another. These trade-offs pose a notable challenge, impacting the sustainability of particular socioecological system peri-urban landscapes (PULs). This issue arises from the dynamic processes associated with peri-urbanization, which threaten natural ecosystems and their services in peri-urban areas. Additionally, the escalating demand for ecosystem services in PULs contributes to these trade-offs. Policymaking and planning concerning ES trade-offs in PULs should prioritize promoting a balance between conflicting services and fostering synergies among them. However, it is noteworthy that ES trade-offs in PULs are not given high priority in policy and planning agendas. Knowledge regarding policy development and planning for ES trade-offs in PULs often remains concealed within specific country and regional case studies. Consequently, this research seeks to characterize the ES trade-offs in selected PUL case studies, with the objective of identifying potential commonalities among them. Furthermore, this study aims to identify (i) the factors driving ES trade-offs, (ii) challenges related to how policymaking and planning address ES trade-offs in PULs, and (iii) recommendations for enhancing governance practices to better manage peri-urban ES trade-offs. We designed a semi-quantitative survey and collected information about 24 case studies located across the world. The answers from this survey were analyzed using principal component analysis. The results showed that the most common trade-offs occurred between “cultural and provisioning” and “regulating and provisioning” ESs. It was found that urban development is the primary driver behind the emergence of the examined trade-offs. To address this issue at the governance level, this study recommends establishing mechanisms to facilitate collaboration among stakeholders. This should be accompanied by robust dissemination efforts and the promotion of awareness among actors regarding the fundamental concepts of ESs and PULs.

Transformation of regional positioning as a consequence of changes in the US-centricity of the world economy in globalization: The case study of Asian countries

Subject. This article discusses the weakening of the role of the United States in the development of the world economic system and the strengthening of the influence of Asian countries on global processes. Objectives. The article aims to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the transformation of the processes of globalization of the world economy, the formation of a multipolar world order, as well as to assess the parallel processes of regionalization. Methods. For the study, I used the methods of logical and statistical analyses. Conclusions. The crisis of American centricity has intensified under the influence of the sanctions policy of Western countries. The countries of South and Southeast Asia continue to strengthen their positions on the world stage.

Global biomass maps can increase the precision of (sub)national aboveground biomass estimates: A comparison across tropical countries

Countries within the tropics face ongoing challenges in completing or updating their national forest inventories (NFIs), critical for estimating aboveground biomass (AGB) and for forest-related greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting. While previous studies have explored the integration of map information with local reference data to fill in data gaps, limited attention has been given to the specific challenges presented by the clustered plot designs frequently employed by NFIs when combined with remote sensing-based biomass map units. This research addresses these complexities by conducting four country case-studies, encompassing a variety of NFI characteristics within a range of AGB densities. Examining four country case-studies (Peru, Guyana, Tanzania, Mozambique), we assess the potential of European Space Agency's Climate Change Initiative (CCI) global biomass maps to increase precision in (sub)national AGB estimates. We compare a baseline approach using NFI field-based data with a model-assisted scenario incorporating a locally calibrated CCI biomass map as auxiliary information.The original CCI biomass maps systematically underestimate AGB in three of the four countries at both the country and stratum level, with particularly weak agreement at finer map resolution. However, after calibration with country-specific NFI data, stratum and country-level AGB estimates from the model-assisted scenario align well with those obtained solely from field-based data and official country reports. Introducing maps as a source of auxiliary information fairly increased the precision of stratum and country-wise AGB estimates, offering greater confidence in estimating AGB for GHG reporting purposes.Considering the challenges tropical countries face with implementing their NFIs, it is sensible to explore the potential benefits of biomass maps for climate change reporting mechanisms across biomes. While country-specific NFI design assumptions guided our model-assisted inference strategies, this study also uncovers transferable insights from the application of global biomass maps with NFI data, providing valuable lessons for climate research and policy communities.

Towards a Converged Post-Covid Journalism Training in Africa: A Case Study of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Eswatini

ABSTRACT Our study on the experiences of selected African journalism educators during the Covid-19 pandemic period offer valuable insights into the future of journalism education in Africa, where convergent learning holds prospects in an increasingly digitised world. A convergent teaching and learning approach, combining face-to-face and online teaching, is crucial for the delivery of quality journalism training during periods of macro shocks in Africa. This qualitative study used three country case studies of Zimbabwe, South Africa and Eswatini to understand the reconfigurations accompanying convergence in teaching and learning and offering prospects for the future. Our findings show that the most affected learning aspects were courses involving practical learning as well as the internship component that requires students to be seconded to media houses of choice to develop a practical feel for the newsroom. We learnt that journalism’s practical components make it hard for instructors to conduct convergent learning because of resource constraints and limited literacy in some technology. However, and far from the discourse of scarcity and impoverishment, educators displayed high levels of creativity, adaptability and agency beyond the structuring influence of deprivation, presenting prospects for convergence in teaching and learning in post-Covid Africa.

Integration of digital technologies in anti-corruption initiatives in Botswana: lessons from Georgia, Ukraine and South Africa

Purpose This paper aims to explore the potential role of digitalization in reshaping Botswana's assets and liabilities declaration system. Digitalization presents opportunities to not only improve efficiencies in how services are delivered and citizens are engaged but also to integrate innovative ways to combat wicked problems such as illicit enrichment and conflicts of interest in the public service. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative paper adopts an exploratory research design to investigate how digital technologies can be used to enhance anti-corruption reforms in a developing country context. Primary data, focusing on the shortcomings and successes of Botswana’s asset declaration system, were collected from interviews with key policy actors in Botswana’s anti-corruption landscape, whereas secondary data were drawn from documents such as official reports, news and social media reports and available literature on the topics of digitalization and anti-corruption reforms. A comparative case study approach is used, highlighting successes and challenges in the use of electronic disclosure systems in Georgia, Ukraine and South Africa. Findings The analysis provides insights into the potential benefits and challenges associated with the integration of digital technologies in the asset and liability declaration process. The integration of digital technologies in the anti-corruption efforts of Georgia, Ukraine and South Africa has contributed to the development of robust electronic declaration systems. However, political resistance, costs, technical capacity and verification processes are identified as some of the core challenges confronting agencies tasked with implementing asset declaration systems. Research limitations/implications The political and socio-economic contexts in the country case studies presented are distinct, as are the challenges posed by corruption. Although Botswana can gain insights from the implementation experiences of Georgia, Ukraine and South Africa, policymakers and implementers need to take into account these subtleties and their potential influence on the success or failure of a similar system. The research has implications for policy and practice by proposing an alternative approach to the implementation of Botswana’s asset declaration system. This will be of interest to policymakers, anti-corruption activists and scholars. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, prior research has not studied the relationship between digitalization and anti-corruption reforms in Botswana. This paper contributes to the dearth of knowledge regarding the role of digitalization as a driver of anti-corruption reforms. The paper informs policy decisions related to the implementation of digital transformation initiatives in line with Botswana’s anti-corruption and digital transformation agendas.

The wellbeing economy in practice: sustainable and inclusive growth? Or a post-growth breakthrough?

A wellbeing economy (WE) has gained a wide range of adherents in recent years, although the meanings they give to it vary. One point with conflicting understandings is whether a WE is a post-growth economy. Many environmentalists and other growth critics have long called for a move beyond the pursuit of economic growth as a societal priority and an embrace of an ethic of sufficiency. Some WE proponents highlight not only the WE’s post-growth character but also its ability to bring post-growth ideas into the political mainstream, pointing, for example, to the Wellbeing Economy Governments (WEGo), a partnership of governments with shared ambitions of creating a WE. Does increasing support for a WE represent the long-sought breakthrough for a post-growth, sufficiency-oriented environmental approach? If not, how can efforts to implement a WE be taken further in a post-growth direction? These questions are examined through case studies of countries participating in WEGo, using an analysis of government documents and other sources to determine whether they have adopted a post-growth orientation. Expanding on previous analysis of the three founding WEGo members, this article examines three more recent cases: Finland and Wales, which are both WEGo members, and Canada, which has participated in WEGo gatherings. It confirms previous findings that WEGo nations have taken only limited steps in a post-growth direction, with emerging WE practice amounting at most to a “weak post-growth approach.” However, while previous studies have emphasized conclusions applying broadly to all WEGos, this article identifies greater variation among WE cases. One case, Wales, stands out for moving further in a post-growth direction, including significant sufficiency-oriented policies such as limits on road building, although a commitment to economic growth remains evident. Building on the findings, the article concludes with some options that WEGo nations and others could take to strengthen the WE’s post-growth character.

An Islamist disadvantage? Revisiting electoral outcomes for Islamists in the Middle East

In this article, we interrogate the extent to which a so-called Islamist advantage existed prior to the Arab Spring by examining country cases often neglected in the literature on Sunni Islamism. We then assess the extent to which the presumed ‘ft of Islamist fortunes post-Arab Spring exists (a) solely in the Sunni sphere or extends to independent Shiʿi movements, and (b) is present in country cases less commonly studied: Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, and Lebanon. We find overall that there is no difference in advantage or disadvantage between Sunni and Shiʿi Islamists; what matters more than the moment of the Arab Spring for understanding the future of Islamism writ large is inclusion of country case studies that are often neglected, like those of Iraq and Lebanon, which complicate assumptions made about Islamists in electoral politics in the Arab world and add nuance to the argument over the existence of an Islamist advantage.

Interpreting Differences in Questionnaire Scores in the Context of Cultural Location: A Country Case Study of Symptom Check List -90- Revised Data from Albania, Germany and the USA

This paper explores inter-cultural differences using new SCL-90-R data from Albania and referential data from the USA and Germany. The considerable mean score differences are interpreted in terms of historical, cultural, and political factors in Albania may affect psychometric measures creating large intercultural score differences. The SCL-90-R was administered to a representative population sample in Tirana (N = 501). Global, subscale, and item score values from the Albanian sample were compared, where possible, to those from existing American and German samples. The Albanian data showed markedly higher means on the global scale and all subscales than the American and German values and differences at the item level from the German data (item data were not available for the USA). Differences were most marked on subscales of paranoid thinking, anxiety, and hostility. These findings are interpreted in terms of the cultural context of the country. Considerations are given to implications for therapists working with culturally diverse communities. Current mental health and psychotherapy practices do not sufficiently reflect research indicating complex relations between culture and psychopathology. Studies across cultures in new, concurrently collected data using psychometric methods to explore measurement invariance and its violations, are often not feasible. Simpler methods can be used with historical data to show marked differences and enhance intercultural psychotherapy research. Received: 12 March 2024 / Accepted: 23 June 2024 / Published: 02 July 2024

Shaping sustainable energy in a circular economy. Case study of EU and Western Bloc countries 2013-2020

Shaping sustainable energy in a circular economy. Case study of EU and Western Bloc countries 2013-2020

Sustaining the Elimination of Measles, Rubella and Congenital Rubella Syndrome in the Americas, 2019-2023: From Challenges to Opportunities.

This report reviews national data from all Member States on measles, rubella, and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) elimination in the Region of the Americas during 2019-2023. It includes an analysis of compliance with vaccination coverage, surveillance indicators, and measles outbreaks, as well as an analysis of the response capacity of the laboratory network and a country case study that meets all indicators. The sources of information were the integrated epidemiological surveillance system for measles and rubella of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO) and the Joint Reporting Form (eJRF), among others. From 2020 to 2022, regional coverage with first (MMR-1) and second doses (MMR-2) decreased to rates below 90%. The regional suspected case notification rate was maintained above the minimum expected 2.0 suspect cases per 100,000 population, except in 2021. During 2019 to 2023, 18 countries experienced outbreaks, with two of the outbreaks resulting in re-established endemic transmission. In conclusion, two countries in the Americas have not maintained measles elimination, but by the end of 2023 no country showed endemic measles transmission. One of the countries that lost its certification of elimination in 2018 managed to be reverified in 2023; the other is pending reverification. All countries maintained rubella elimination. Despite these challenges, the sustainability of the elimination of these diseases remains a health priority in the Region.

TEMPORARY REMOVAL: Drivers of Anemia Reduction among Women of Reproductive Age in Senegal: A Country Case Study

BackgroundIn Senegal, anemia prevalence among women of reproductive age (WRA) decreased from 59% in 2005 to 54% in 2017. However, determinants of reduction in disease burden under challenging public health conditions have not been studied. ObjectiveTo conduct a systematic in-depth assessment of the quantitative and qualitative determinants of anemia reduction among WRA in Senegal between 2005 and 2017. MethodsStandard Exemplars in Global Health methodology was used for quantitative analyses using Senegal’s Demographic and Health Surveys. Qualitative analyses included a systematic literature review, program/policy analysis, and interviews with key stakeholders. A final Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition analysis (OBDA) evaluated the relative contribution of direct and indirect factors. ResultsAmong non-pregnant women (NPW), mean hemoglobin (Hb) increased from 11.4 g/dL in 2005 to 11.7 g/dL in 2017 (p<0.0001), corresponding to a 5%-point decline in anemia prevalence (58% to 53%). However, inequities by geographical region, household wealth, women’s educational attainment, urban compared to rural residence, and antenatal care (ANC) during last pregnancy continue to persist. During this time period, several indirect nutrition programs were implemented, with stakeholders acknowledging the importance of these programs, but agreeing there needs to be more consistency, evaluation, and oversight for them to be effective. Our OBDA explained 59% of the observed change in mean Hb, with family planning (25%), malaria prevention programs (17%), use of iron and folic acid (IFA) during last pregnancy (17%), and improvement in women’s empowerment (12%) emerging as drivers of anemia decline, corroborating our qualitative and policy analyses. ConclusionsDespite a reduction in anemia prevalence, anemia remains a severe public health problem in Senegal. To protect the gains achieved to date, as well as accelerate reduction in WRA anemia burden, focused efforts to reduce gender and social disparities, and improve coverage of health services, such as family planning, IFA, and antimalarial programs, are needed.

TEMPORARY REMOVAL: Drivers of Anemia Reduction among Women of Reproductive Age in the Philippines: A Country Case Study

BackgroundAnemia prevalence among women of reproductive age (WRA) in the Philippines was 25% in 2000, decreasing to 13% in 2018. To date, an in-depth assessment of the determinants associated with this decline has not been conducted. ObjectiveTo conduct a systematic in-depth assessment of the quantitative and qualitative determinants of anemia among WRA in the Philippines between 2008 and 2018. MethodsEmploying standard Exemplars methodology, we conducted quantitative analyses using the Philippines’ National Nutrition Survey, the Expanded National Nutrition Survey, and the Philippines National Demographic and Health Surveys. Qualitative analyses included a comprehnsive literature review, program/policy analysis, and interviews with stakeholders to understand country-level enablers and barriers to WRA anemia decline in the Philippines. A final Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition analysis (OBDA) evaluated the relative contribution of direct and indirect factors. ResultsAmong non-pregnant women (NPW), mean hemoglobin (Hb) increased from 12.7 g/dL in 2008 to 13.1 g/dL in 2018 (p<0.01), corresponding to an 11%-point decline in anemia prevalence (23% to 12%). Inequities by geographical region, household wealth, and women’s educational attainment narrowed considerably during this time. Important direct and indirect nutrition programs were introduced during our study period, including universal healthcare and food fortification. Country experts interviewed credited programs focused on alleviating micronutrient deficiencies and poverty, and improvements in women’s health and well-being, for the country's extraordinary success. OBDA explained ∼50% of the observed change in mean Hb among NPW, with family planning (35%), household socio-demographics (29%), and improvement in women’s nutrition (23%) emerging as critical drivers of anemia decline, corroborating our qualitative and policy analyses. ConclusionsTo protect these gains, WRA anemia prevention efforts in the Philippines should continue to focus on universal healthcare access, women’s empowerment, and poverty alleviation.