International Research Center Research Articles

“Green” business in agricultural sector of Kazakhstan: socio-economic and environmental stability

The goal is to show the advantages and opportunities of “green” business in agriculture. One of the main directions of implementation of the Action Plan for the implementation of the Concept of transition of the Republic of Kazakhstan to “green” economy for 2021-2030 is to solve the problems of ensuring food security, increasing soil fertility, using innovative, resource-saving technologies, combating the destruction of biodiversity, etc. Methods - the article analyzed statistical data series, studied the scientific works of domestic and foreign researchers. Results - the main elements of organizing “green” activities in agricultural sector are identified and factors contributing to the expansion of the scope of ecological farming, “green” technologies, development of research projects, and creation of jobs for development of sustainable agricultural production are considered as condition for the supply of high-quality and healthy food products, maintaining a balance of renewable and non-renewable resources, minimizing harm to ecosystems. Promising directions for functioning of agribusiness during transformation to “green” economy are outlined. Conclusions - regions need to develop strategy that will improve the state of the environment and improve the level and quality of life of the population. The main principle of “green” entrepreneurship is expanding zones of organic agricultural production and increasing export of environmentally friendly products, stimulating the influx of investments, introducing certification, labeling and marketing strategies, cooperation with international organizations and research centers. For these purposes, effective and efficient public policy measures are required. Using integrated approach based on digital economy will reduce costs, increase investment attractiveness, reduce production costs and attract agricultural producers to agribusiness.

Analysis of perceived competitive forces influencing tree tomato value chains in Rwanda

The globalization of economies has added many new challenges to global agriculture. Agriculture not only needs to compete in foreign markets but also in domestic markets. The production and export of tree tomatoes remain extremely weak in Rwanda despite horticulture sector-specific economic policies in favour of the production and export of horticultural crops by the government of Rwanda. The goal of this study was to analyse the competitive performance of Rwanda's tree tomato value chain to shape the tree tomato industry in Rwanda for the benefit of smallholder farmers and the Rwandan Economy. One hundred twenty (120) respondents were surveyed for this study using a semi-structured questionnaire and focus group discussions. Participants were stratified into groups as traders (80), institutional consumers (12), and household consumers (28) all from Bugesera, Nyabihu, Rubavu districts and Kigali markets (Nyabugogo, Nyarugenge and Kimironko). Key enablers (International Centre for Research in Agroforestry, Rwanda Agricultural Board, National Agricultural Export Board, and Ministry of Commerce and Financial institutions) provided useful information related to the tree tomato value chain in Rwanda. The findings of this study show that factors that hamper the tree tomato value chain competitiveness in Rwanda are related to bargaining power. Overall 63% of respondents who were tree tomato suppliers and 58.43% of respondents who were tree tomato buyers agreed that the bargaining power of suppliers and buyers hamper the competitiveness of the value chain. The study found that 70% of traders and 57% of consumers and institutional consumers preferred the tree tomato. Therefore, tree tomato is highly linked to consumers, traders, and institutions than banana which is the 38th fruit highly scored. The severity of the threat to the tree tomato industry is new entrants into the tree tomato industry, the intensity of rivalry in existing key competitors, and the severity of the threat of substitutes. The strategies proposed to improve on the competitiveness of the tree tomato industry comprise of improving collaboration of tree tomato chain actors. This study found that 75.69% of the sampled key actors agree that the highest criteria to be considered are the product quality, and 64.74% of the sampled key actors settled on product quality as the least criteria. Key words: tree tomato, smallholder farmers, consumers, traders, competitiveness, value chain, Rwanda

POSSIBLE SOLUTION FOR THE GLOBAL PROBLEM OF THE HIGH COST OF MEDICINES

A new range of threats arose at the beginning of the 21st century, and the current global and national security systems could not respond effectively. Climate change threatens human health and well-being. Extreme weather events, food and water shortages, and the growth of infectious diseases increase the burden on healthcare systems. Progress in international health partnerships in 2022 has stalled and, in some cases, is reversing. The constant increase in the cost of medical services and medicines has a negative impact on the effectiveness of the functioning of national healthcare systems. Out-of-pocket healthcare costs cause financial hardship for more than 930 million people and push about 90 million into extreme poverty each year. If current trends continue, the World Health Organization predicts that by 2030, up to 5 billion people will be unable to access or afford health services. For further advancement in global health security and to ensure better health for all in a changing world, reducing the cost and guaranteeing access for indigent patients to innovative medicines for treating a wide range of life-threatening diseases is essential. To minimize the cost and ensure access to medicines, it is proposed to create international research centers for developing innovative medicines without patent protection with centralized funding and appropriate planning for high-level interdisciplinary fundamental and applied research based on the needs of healthcare systems worldwide.

Attributes of Filipino Seafarers: Will They Enhance Global Competitiveness Among Filipino Officers?

In the 17th century, Filipino seafarers were the primary choice of foreign shipowners. They were hired to complement the galleons. The global survey of Seafarers International Research Center (SIRC) 2002 showed 28.1% deployment with 9% as senior officers and 19% as junior officers while 72% were ratings. The SIRC 2002 survey showed that Filipino seafarers occupy the No. 1 spot in global deployment. However, the recent survey conducted by the Baltic International Maritime Council (BIMCO/ICS) 2021 results showed officers from the Indo-Pacific occupy the top spot among senior officers and China was the top spot for junior officers. Nineteen years after 2002 the deployment position has changed with officers from the Indo-Pacific and China in the top spot. A study of attributes among Filipino officers who are currently in the employ of foreign shipowners will serve as the basis for an intervention program to increase the deployment of Filipino officers. The study when implemented will remedy the gap in the deployment. Research instruments were distributed to Filipino officers in Luzon and Visayan regions. The respondents of this study chosen using the simple random method were Filipino Management and Operational level officers who were employed by international shipping companies. Hard copies of the questionnaires were administered to the respondents in the Philippines while soft copies were sent to officers on board. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools such as frequency, mean, and standard deviation. Significant differences among variables were determined through, a t-test of Independent Samples and One-way ANOVA. Results revealed that of the five attributes, two were found significant. The attributes of analytical and critical thinking and lifelong learners were found significant. To enhance global competitiveness study should be done to validate the result of this study and the impact of the intervention program.

Féeton (B-L gauge boson) dark matter for the 511-keV gamma-ray excess and the prediction of low-energy neutrino flux* *Supported by the Talent Scientific Start-Up Project of China, the Natural Science Foundation of China (12175134, 12375101, 12090060, 12090064, 12247141), the SJTU Double First Class start-up fund(WF220442604), and the World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI Initiative), MEXT, Japan

The féeton is the gauge boson of the gauge theory. If the gauge coupling constant is extremely small, the féeton becomes a candidate for dark matter. We show that its decay to a pair of an electron and a positron explains the observed Galactic 511-keV gamma-ray excess in a consistent manner. This féeton dark matter decays mainly into pairs neutrino and anti-neutrino. Future low-energy experiments with improved directional capability will enable capturing these neutrino signals. The seesaw-motivated parameter space predicts a relatively short féeton lifetime that is comparable to the current cosmological constraint.

Reconfiguration of Agrifood Supply Chain Management in Latin America during COVID-19: A Brief Literature Review

This study aims to analyze the changes in the agrifood supply chain (AFSC) configurations in Latin America (LATAM) imposed by the markets as an effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper analyzes the results of mobility trends, production rates, logistics performance, and the strategies developed by managers and decision makers of the organizations of the agro-industrial sector for supply chain configurations during the early stages of the pandemic in a food-exporting region that contributes 14% of the world’s production of agricultural and fishery products. Through a literature review of reports and scientific articles on the behavior of the pandemic published by international organizations, research centers, and researchers around the AFSC in LATAM, the impacts on logistical disruptions, configuration strategies, and disruptive technologies applied in Latin American agrifood supply chains during the lockdown are identified. As a result of this reconfiguration of the AFSC, the development of short supply chains and the digitalization of supply based on electronic commerce were the most used strategies during COVID-19 in LATAM. The results of this study show that Mexico, Chile, and Brazil maintained a prominent position as leaders in the different logistics indicators for the AFSC by developing strategies that include short supply chains and the digitalization of supplies based on electronic commerce. Finally, this study also highlights the imminent need to address new research and theories on the reconfiguration of the AFSC, which allows expanding analytical capabilities in organizations to face future risks and challenges that will enable the reconfiguration of the supply chain in the face of catastrophic scenarios such as COVID-19.

A multi-site study on sex differences in cortical thickness in non-demented Parkinson’s disease

Clinical, cognitive, and atrophy characteristics depending on sex have been previously reported in Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, though sex differences in cortical gray matter measures in early drug naïve patients have been described, little is known about differences in cortical thickness (CTh) as the disease advances. Our multi-site sample comprised 211 non-demented PD patients (64.45% males; mean age 65.58 ± 8.44 years old; mean disease duration 6.42 ± 5.11 years) and 86 healthy controls (50% males; mean age 65.49 ± 9.33 years old) with available T1-weighted 3 T MRI data from four international research centers. Sex differences in regional mean CTh estimations were analyzed using generalized linear models. The relation of CTh in regions showing sex differences with age, disease duration, and age of onset was examined through multiple linear regression. PD males showed thinner cortex than PD females in six frontal (bilateral caudal middle frontal, bilateral superior frontal, left precentral and right pars orbitalis), three parietal (bilateral inferior parietal and left supramarginal), and one limbic region (right posterior cingulate). In PD males, lower CTh values in nine out of ten regions were associated with longer disease duration and older age, whereas in PD females, lower CTh was associated with older age but with longer disease duration only in one region. Overall, male patients show a more widespread pattern of reduced CTh compared with female patients. Disease duration seems more relevant to explain reduced CTh in male patients, suggesting worse prognostic over time. Further studies should explore sex-specific cortical atrophy trajectories using large longitudinal multi-site data.

The economic impact of CGIAR-related crop technologies on agricultural productivity in developing countries, 1961–2020

The international agricultural research centers that comprise the CGIAR got their start in the 1960s. They soon made major contributions to crop improvement in developing countries, particular in rice and wheat in Asia. Today, farmers can acquire new technologies from many sources, and evidence of whether the CGIAR continues to play an important role in crop improvement has become dated. This paper brings together an expanded set of evidence on the diffusion and productivity impact of CGIAR crop research through 2020, and breaks out these impacts by crop, region, and over time. By 2016–2020, CGIAR-related crop technologies had been adopted on at least 221 million hectares across Asia, Africa and Latin America, generating economic welfare gains of $47 billion annually. In the 2010s, technology adoption and welfare impacts were increasing by about $600 million annually, almost as much as in the 1990s. In the early days of the “Green Revolution,” these welfare impacts were largely confined to rice and wheat in Asia, but in recent decades have grown to include a larger range of crops and geographies, notably cassava and maize in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although improved crop varieties have been the main technology through which CGIAR crop centers have achieved these impacts, CGIAR-related integrated pest management and natural resource management technologies have also made significant contributions to crop productivity. In addition to raising farm income, productivity gains in staple crops have lowered food prices, thereby benefitting the whole population. This is a key reason why agricultural productivity growth, and food crop productivity growth in particular, has had greater impacts on poverty reduction in low-income countries than comparable productivity growth in other sectors.

CBAS: An International Platform of Digital Technologies Facilitating Sustainable Development Goals

The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) launched the Big Earth Data Science Engineering Program (CASEarth) in 2018, which laid the foundation for the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS). Building on CASEarth’s achievements, CBAS integrates advanced digital technologies to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through five key missions: (1) developing SDG data infrastructure and information products via its SDG Big Data Platform, utilizing advanced computing, cloud services, and AI; (2) developing and launching a series of SDG satellites, including SDGSAT-1, which provides crucial Earth observation data through its Open Science Program; (3) providing new knowledge for SDG monitoring and evaluation through annual reports (Big Earth Data in Support of the Sustainable Development Goals, published since 2019) and guiding the development of big data-driven technical solutions and theoretical systems; (4) establishing a think tank for science, technology, and innovation, promoting SDGs through initiatives like the annual International Forum on Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (FBAS) and the CBAS Fellowship Program; and (5) providing capacity development for SDGs in developing countries through international collaborations, such as the Digital Belt and Road Program (DBAR), which offers professional education and training in big data. Future CBAS efforts will focus on expanding data access, enhancing AI capabilities for SDG indicator monitoring, and strengthening international partnerships to address data gaps and ensure equitable access to technology and expertise for achieving global sustainability.

Activist Scholarship and Borderland Feminism: Resisting Coloniality in Liminal Internationalization

Abstract: Using an international research center initiative, the purpose of this article is to illustrate how activist research can be fertile ground for academic theorization and provide a framework for those interested in activist scholarship, especially for women faculty of Latin American origins in U.S. institutions. I elaborate on how activist scholarship can resist coloniality through an example of critical internationalization work in higher education using borderland feminism as a lens. In doing so, I show the interconnections between borderland feminism, coloniality, and liminal internationalization. Finally, based on this theoretical development, I applied Davis et al.´s interpretive criteria (2019) to my activist scholarship in liminal internationalization.

A future for digital public goods for monitoring SDG indicators

Digital public goods (DPGs), if implemented with effective policies, can facilitate the realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, there are ongoing deliberations on how to define DPGs and assure that society can extract the maximum benefit from the growing number of digital resources. The International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS) sees DPGs as an important mechanism to facilitate information-driven policy and decision-making processes for the SDGs. This article presents the results of a CBAS survey of 51 respondents from around the world spanning multiple scientific fields, who shared their expert opinions on DPGs and their thoughts about challenges related to their practical implementation in supporting the SDGs. Based on the survey results, the paper presents core principles in a proposed strategy, including establishment of international standards, adherence to open science and open data principles, and scalability in monitoring SDG indicators. A community-driven strategy to develop DPGs is proposed to accelerate DPG production in service of the SDGs while adhering to the core principles identified in the survey.

Introduction to Editor in Chief

Prof. Maria Daglia obtained her PhD degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology at the University of Pavia (Italy), and is currently a full professor of food chemistry at the University of Naples Federico II, Italy and visiting professor at the International Research Center for Food Nutrition and Safety, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang China.

Decolonizing Botany: Indonesia, UNESCO, and the Making of a Global Science.

Decolonization created new opportunities for international scientific research collaboration. In Indonesia this began in the late 1940s, as Indonesian scientists and officials sought to remake the formerly colonial botanical gardens in the city of Bogor into an international research center. Indonesia sponsored the Flora Malesiana project, a flora of all of island Southeast Asia. This project was formally centered in Bogor, Indonesia, with participation from tropical botanists from around the world. The international orientation of Indonesian science led to the establishment of one of UNESCO's Field Science Co-operation Offices in Jakarta, and to a period of close collaboration between Indonesian botanists and UNESCO. This paper examines the importance of UNESCO's Humid Tropics research program, which initiallyprovided further opportunities for Indonesian botanists to participate in international scientific networks. The paper concludes by showing that the Humid Tropics program led to the slow erosion of Indonesian agency and authority over tropical botany, and the assertion of Western control and management over tropical botany research.

The search for new models for organizing regional agricultural research in the post-colonial era: Rice in West Africa

ABSTRACT The West African Rice Development Association (WARDA), created in 1971 as a regional network of rice research stations and governed by member countries, was unique within the system of international agricultural research centers that emerged in the post-colonial era. This paper reviews the actors, the actors, their motives, and the political and organizational debates involves in establishing WARDA. In particular, it traces the roles and interests of the former colonial powers, especially the French, the newly independent countries of the region, international organizations, and US foreign assistance and philanthropic agencies. Although all agreed that rice research was a priority for regional cooperation, the design of WARDA stimulated debates around centralization, governance, and funding of international research that continue until today.

Activist Scholarship and Borderland Feminism: Resisting Coloniality in Liminal Internationalization

Using an international research center initiative, the purpose of this article is to illustrate how activist research can be fertile ground for academic theorization and provide a framework for those interested in activist scholarship, especially for women faculty of Latin American origins in U.S. institutions. I elaborate on how activist scholarship can resist coloniality through an example of critical internationalization work in higher education using borderland feminism as a lens. In doing so, I show the interconnections between borderland feminism, coloniality, and liminal internationalization. Finally, based on this theoretical development, I applied Davis et al.´s interpretive criteria (2019) to my activist scholarship in liminal internationalization.

Catalytic Activity of LnCo0.5Ni0.5O3-Δ (Ln = La, Pr, Nd) "Positrodes" on Ceramic Protonic Electrolytes

Proton-conducting solid-oxide electrolyzers and fuel cells represent viable, intermediate-temperature green energy conversion and storage technologies. Interest in this class of materials as electrolytes stems from their high ionic conductivity and inherent advantages in the gas flow configuration over traditional solid oxide cells in which the electrolyte is an oxygen ion conductor. However, their commercial viability has been hindered, in part, by the development of corresponding single-phase electrode components with mixed proton-electron conductivity and effective catalytic activity toward oxygen reduction and evolution reactions (ORR/OER). This paper investigates the origin of catalytic activity in LnCo0.5Ni0.5O3-δ (Ln=La, Pr and Nd) perovskites positrodes (positive electrode) by low energy-ion scattering (LEIS) and DFT studies. LEIS results reveal that La, Pr, and Pr cations dominate the outer atomic layer, with profound implications for catalytic activity. Whereas First principle calculations were performed using the plane-wave DFT method and hybrid HSE06 functional suggest, the catalytic activity and electronic properties depend on the valence shell structure of the Ln-site cation and their redox properties.AcknowledgmentsThe authors gratefully acknowledge financial support through JSPS KAKENHI Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C), No. 19K05672, NEDO (International collaboration work in the field of clean energy) JPNP20005, the International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research (I2CNER) sponsored by the World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI),

Development, hotspots and trend directions of marine ecological compensation in China: A bibliometric-based assessment

Marine ecological compensation plays a critical role in harmonizing marine ecology protection and resource utilization, serving as the key to establishing marine ecological civilization. This study constructs a knowledge framework for China's marine ecological compensation based on current research. Utilizing the China National Knowledge Infrastructure database as the main data source and employing CiteSpace software to visualize knowledge map, it showcases the hotspots and frontiers in the field of China's marine ecological compensation research over the past two decades. In additional, the study innovatively adds international literature on this topic in the Web of Science database for comparative analysis to grasp the new trends in China's marine ecological compensation research. The results show that: China's marine ecological compensation research started later than international research, with fewer publications, and a clear policy-oriented focus in the literature output. High-frequency cited literature reflect the interdisciplinary nature of marine ecological compensation research. The research hotspots in China's marine ecological compensation primarily revolve around damage assessment, standard quantification, and regional practices. In contrast, international research centers more on aspects like "Willingness to pay", "Contingent valuation", and "Blue carbon". Since 2016, the keywords that have emerged with greater intensity in China's marine ecological compensation research include "island tourism", "ecological damage", "legal path", etc. During the precipitation period of China's marine ecological compensation research, diversified compensation standards, pre-compensation methods, island ecological compensation, and performance evaluation have emerged as research focus. During the same period, marine ecosystems with carbon sequestration potential received great attention from international literature.

Teacher Mentorship and Support in Kenya: A Desktop Review

Teacher mentorship and support programmes enable teachers to engage in ongoing professional learning and develop required competencies. This exploratory study was designed to provide baseline information on existing teacher mentorship and support programmes in Kenya. The study sought to provide background information towards the implementation of participatory action research on the strengthening in-service teacher training (SITT) project funded by the International Development and Research Centre (IDRC). The study adopted an integrative and holistic approach that involved a review of government policy documents, circulars and reports, articles published in refereed journals and grey material to enable map existing teacher mentorship and support programmes in Kenya. The study sought to; describe the theoretical background of teacher mentorship and to document existing in-service teacher mentorship and support programmes in Kenya. Various in-service teacher mentorship and support programmes exist in Kenya. However, the majority of the programmes were funded and implemented by non-governmental organisations. The existing mentorship programmes were uncoordinated and lacked a follow-up mechanism, thus making them less effective.

THE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN LIMITING THE EFFECTS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON WOMEN

The impacts of hazardous events are not gender-neutral. Women are often at greater risk due to the lack of appropriate and timely information about the imminent risks as a result of the dangerous and striking spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, international organizations must address the impact of natural disasters during the pandemic. The current research aims to highlight the role of international organizations in reducing the pandemic on women, addressing the general framework of the study. Previous studies dealt with the first study (The Labor Organization: Because of the Corona pandemic, the world will lose the equivalent of 195 million full-time jobs, including 5 million in Arab countries) As for the second study (United Nations, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on women), and the third study (The United Nations and the response to address the impact of the Corona virus disease of 2019 (Covid-19) on women and girls), as for the second chapter: the challenges that women face during the spread of the pandemic and the role of organizations International dealt with this chapter First: The World Health Organization and its role in supporting women in facing Covid-19 This topic also dealt with a comprehensive strategy to prevent infection Second: The International Labor Organization and its role in supporting women during the spread of Covid-19 Third: The United Nations and its role in supporting women during the pandemic Fourth: The Global Fund for Women, Fifth: The International Organization of Women for Women, Sixth: The International Agency for the Development of Women, and finally the study dealt with the most important recommendations, the most important of which are: First: Coordinated work between international organizations and governmental institutions on unifying effective efforts to serve women, especially during the pandemic Second: Focusing on serving marginalized women in areas that have witnessed a high incidence of Covid-19 and the need to work on empowering them economically, socially and healthily. This work will be coordinated with important international organizations such as the World Health Organization, the International Labor Organization and others. Third: Concluding international agreements and treaties, in coordination and cooperation with relevant ministries such as the Ministry of Interior, Defense and Human Rights, with international organizations in order to provide full support to women survivors of violence and work on their rehabilitation. Fourth: Coordination and cooperation between international organizations and research centers affiliated with Iraqi universities, especially the Center for Women's Studies, to study the most important obstacles that hinder women's empowerment in poor areas, in which the percentage of women who lack a breadwinner, widows, and divorcees abound

An international study to explore the feasibility of collecting standardised outcome data for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: recommendations for an international clinical research registry.

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a persistent pain condition with low prevalence. Multi-centre collaborative research is needed to attain sufficient sample sizes for meaningful studies. This international observational study: (1) tested the feasibility and acceptability of collecting outcome data using an agreed core measurement set (2) tested and refined an electronic data management system to collect and manage the data. Adults with CRPS, meeting the Budapest diagnostic clinical criteria, were recruited to the study from 7 international research centres. After informed consent, a questionnaire comprising the core set outcome measures was completed: on paper at baseline (T1), and at 3 or 6 months (T2) using a paper or e-version. Participants and clinicians provided feedback on the data collection process. Clinicians completed the CRPS severity score at T1 and optionally, at T2. Ethical approval was obtained at each international centre. Ninety-eight adults were recruited (female n=66; mean age 46.6 years, range 19-89), of whom 32% chose to receive the T2 questionnaire in an electronic format. Fifty-five participants completed both T1 and T2. Eighteen participants and nine clinicians provided feedback on their data collection experience. This study confirmed the questionnaire core outcome data are feasible and practicable to collect in clinical practice. The electronic data management system provided a robust means of collecting and managing the data across an international population. The findings have informed the final data collection tools and processes which will comprise the first international, clinical research registry and data bank for CRPS.