Cultivated meat for sustainable food security and environmental resilience

Green hydrogen in the Netherlands: A systemic assessment of status and barriers

Rising levels of non-performing loans remain a persistent challenge to the sustainability and financial stability of microfinance banks in Nigeria, undermining their core mandate of extending credit to financially excluded households and small businesses. This study, therefore, examines the effects of lending policies on loan performance in deposit-taking microfinance banks in Kwara State, Nigeria. Using cross-sectional primary data obtained from 135 managerial and senior staff across 20 microfinance banks, the study employs an ordered logit regression model for data analysis. Diagnostic tests confirm the reliability of the research instrument and the adequacy of the model specification. The findings reveal that credit management policy and collection policy significantly improve loan performance by reducing the likelihood of loans becoming doubtful or loss while increasing the probability of performing loans. In contrast, interest rate policy exerts a strong negative effect on loan performance, as higher lending rates significantly increase loan losses and reduce the probability of loan repayment. Credit appraisal policy does not exhibit a statistically significant direct effect on loan performance. The study concludes that effective post-disbursement loan management and prudent interest rate policies are more critical to loan performance in microfinance banks than pre-loan screening alone. Therefore, the study recommends that microfinance banks should integrate appraisal processes with post-disbursement monitoring and borrower support mechanisms, rather than relying solely on pre-loan screening.

This paper provides guidance to researchers designing rigorous impact evaluations in education aiming to produce evidence that generalizes to a policy-relevant target population, but who must exclude certain types of districts, schools, teachers, or students from the sample to make the study feasible. This guidance includes how to define the broadest population of potential policy interest before considering whether and how to narrow the study’s target population based on substantive or policy considerations. The guidance also identifies segments of this population from the study that may be excluded for pragmatic reasons, and it explains how to assess the generalizability implications of those exclusions. The paper illustrates each element of this guidance using examples of randomized controlled trials or regression discontinuity designs that aim to measure impacts of educational policies or interventions. The ultimate purpose of the paper is to improve the generalizability of rigorous impact evaluations and make the potential limitations of their generalizability more transparent.

The potential for artificial intelligence (AI) to transform healthcare has been of growing academic, policy and professional interest. Various studies have reported on the perceptions of the potential for AI in healthcare. However, fewer studies have examined the lived experiences that healthcare professionals (HCPs) have with the use of AI tools. One area where AI has been implemented is in the auto-contouring of organs-at-risk (OAR) for cancer treatment. In this study, we interviewed 32 HCPs involved in cancer treatment using these AI tools, across five different regional cancer centres in England. In contrast to studies that explore professionals' perceptions of the future possibilities of AI-which often focus on fear and concern-our respondents report very positive experiences. We find that the AI tools offer opportunities to enhance their professional autonomy by re-focusing, on what they consider to be more expert activities. Our findings reveal the enduring value of insights from the sociology of the professions in the age of AI, and evidence the importance of a partial discard of tasks. They also show the relevance for emerging sociologies of AI to appreciate both the particularities of the AI tools in use, and the professions and practices at work.

ABSTRACT Despite growing policy interest in financial tools to support rural households, little is known about which products are most effective, particularly for women. Using a randomized experiment in Burkina Faso and Senegal, we assess gender differences in the take-up and impacts of index-based agricultural insurance and commitment savings. Women are less likely to purchase insurance and more likely to invest in emergency savings. Insurance improves agricultural input use for both genders but has weaker impacts for women due to lower take-up – likely linked to higher basis risk. Savings products labeled for agricultural investment boost men’s outcomes but more strongly restrict women’s consumption than emergency-labeled savings. These findings suggest that gender gaps in financial product impacts stem from differences in both access and constraints, underscoring the need for gender-sensitive design. We recommend testing hybrid instruments that jointly address risks related to weather, health, and caregiving to enhance inclusion and effectiveness.

Abstract As many democracies face aging populations, concerns about how to serve senior citizens’ policy interests become increasingly important. Despite seniors forming a growing share of the electorate, they often receive limited legislative attention as a group. How does an aging electorate influence the representation of seniors, and how does this influence vary across different electoral contexts? We argue that the high turnout rates and consistent political preferences of seniors reduce their electoral impact in competitive districts. Therefore, we expect lawmakers’ responsiveness to the relative size of the senior population to vary depending on electoral competitiveness. We test our hypothesis using the case of South Korea, one of the most rapidly aging societies globally. Analyzing over 20,000 bills from the 21st National Assembly in South Korea, we find that a larger senior population is not consistently associated with senior-related legislation. Legislators in competitive districts are less likely to sponsor such legislation, prioritizing bills with broader voter appeal. In contrast, those in safer districts are more responsive to aging constituents. These findings suggest that demographic size alone does not ensure political influence; the electoral context plays a decisive role in shaping substantive representation in aging democracies.

The aim of the article is to study the factors that influence the bank short-term and long-term interest rates. The relevance : in modern conditions the interest rate policy is considered not only as a way to ensure bank efficiency and financial stability, but also as a tool to stimulate economic activity. The purpose of the study is to identify the factors that determine the short-term and long-term interest rates and, on this basis, to determine economic and/or regulatory measures to improve the bank interest rate policy for the purposes of national economy. The scientific novelty includes the identification of the factors that determine the banking interest rate policy in the short-term and longterm aspects. The research methodology is based on statistical modeling using the vector autoregressive distributed lag model. The statistical database includes the Russian banking sector financial indicators and a significant range of macroeconomic variables. Results . The authors identified the factors of bank loans interest rates. The key parameters include macroeconomic variables: the money market interest rate and the structural liquidity deficit of the banking sector. The impact of macroeconomic parameters differs with respect to long-term and short-term rates, as nominal GDP is significant only for long-term interest rates. Loan portfolio quality indicators do not affect interest rates. Based on the study's findings, the authors proposed directions to develop the current banking regulation: to set regulatory alignment between the credit risk premium and the loan loss reserve requirement; to limit the corporate floating rates lending; to introduce an additional credit instrument of the Bank of Russia —a secured loan to systemically important banks for a one year.

ABSTRACT This study employs a threshold effect model to analyze the relationship between interest rate policies and inflation risk in emerging markets. Using a panel of 275 observations from 25 countries between 2010 and 2020, we identify a U-shaped relationship between inflation and interest rates, with a threshold of 10.99%. When interest rates lie below this threshold, an increase helps curb inflation; above it, a reduction in interest rates may also alleviate inflationary pressures for emerging economies under specific macroeconomic conditions. Based on these findings, we extend the standard real money demand function to a quadratic form to better capture the observed nonlinear dynamics. Furthermore, we propose that emerging economies should consider three key constraints when implementing interest rate cuts to manage inflation risk: sluggish economic growth, high prevailing interest rates, and income elasticity of money demand. This research goes beyond merely controlling inflation’s symptoms and contributes to the design of policies that mitigate its fundamental risks for emerging economies.

The interaction between monetary policy and investment plays a fundamental role in shaping economic stability and growth, particularly in emerging economies. In Morocco, monetary authorities primarily utilize interest rate adjustments to influence macroeconomic conditions and stimulate investment. However, the effectiveness of monetary policy transmission remains a key concern due to financial market constraints, structural rigidities, and external shocks. Understanding the dynamics of this transmission mechanism is crucial for designing policies that foster sustainable economic development. This study employs an econometric approach using a Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) to analyze the long-term and short-term effects of monetary policy on investment, inflation, and economic growth. The dataset comprises quarterly time-series data from 2015 to 2024, covering Morocco’s key macroeconomic indicators, including the policy interest rate, investment-to-GDP ratio, inflation, and real GDP growth. The empirical findings reveal two long-term equilibrium relationships, confirming that monetary policy exerts a significant influence on investment and inflation. The error correction mechanism (ECM) suggests that investment reacts more rapidly to monetary shocks, while GDP and inflation adjust gradually. The Impulse Response Functions (IRFs) indicate that an increase in the policy rate initially curbs inflation but dampens investment, highlighting the trade-offs in monetary policy decisions. Additionally, the variance decomposition analysis confirms that inflation is primarily driven by interest rate movements, while investment is more closely linked to GDP fluctuations. These results provide critical insights for policymakers at Bank Al-Maghrib, emphasizing the need for a balanced monetary stance that supports investment without compromising inflation stability. The study also underscores the importance of financial sector deepening to enhance the effectiveness of monetary policy transmission in Morocco.

ABSTRACT Against the backdrop of the global financial system grappling with the challenge of coordinating macroprudential regulation and monetary policy, the intricate relationship between liquidity regulation of commercial banks and the efficiency of monetary policy transmission requires systematic investigation. In the context of China’s ongoing deepening of financial supply-side and interest rate marketization reforms, clarifying the interaction mechanism and structural differentiation between liquidity regulation and monetary policy transmission can help optimize policy coordination effectiveness. Therefore, this paper employs a partially adjusted dynamic panel model to study the impact of liquidity regulation on the efficiency of China’s monetary policy transmission. Based on the semi-annual data of 36 listed commercial banks from 2018 to 2024, we examine the interest rate channel and the credit channel, and identify nonlinear effects through the interaction term between the policy interest rate and liquidity regulation indicators. Additionally, the bank’s capital adequacy ratio is included to capture the heterogeneity of regulatory responses.

This paper applies the IMF’s Integrated Policy Framework (IPF) to the Czech Republic with the aim of contributing to the use of scenario analysis at the Czech National Bank (CNB). The paper identifies some shallowness of FX markets as the main relevant friction under the IPF. Moreover, while inflation expectations are generally well anchored, they can nevertheless deviate from the inflation target for extended periods. Using an extended version of the QIPF model, the paper broadens the scope of analysis beyond traditional external shock scenarios, to also include domestic fiscal policy shocks and central bank balance sheet normalization. The paper finds that (i) in the event of a global risk-off outflow shock, the CNB can improve macro stabilization through a combined use of reserves and interest rate policy, (ii) refocusing fiscal stimulus towards more productive uses greatly reduces the degree of monetary policy tightening needed to stabilize inflation at target, and (iii) balance sheet normalization is optimally implemented in a preannounced and gradual manner, in which potential currency appreciation in principle can be mitigated through a slightly lower policy rate.

The LQ45 index is widely recognized as a key indicator of the Indonesian capital market, representing the performance of large-cap and highly liquid listed firms, while remaining sensitive to prevailing macroeconomic conditions. This study analyzes the influence of inflation, the policy interest rate, the USD/IDR exchange rate, and overall market performance measured by IHSG returns on LQ45 stock returns over both short-run and long-run horizons. Monthly data spanning January 2009 to August 2025 are utilized, drawn from the Indonesia Stock Exchange, Bank Indonesia, and official statistical sources. The empirical analysis employs an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach, which is appropriate for examining relationships among variables with different orders of integration. The Bounds Test results provide evidence of a long-term equilibrium relationship between LQ45 returns and the selected macroeconomic variables. Long-run estimates indicate that inflation and IHSG returns have a positive and statistically significant effect on LQ45 returns, whereas the policy interest rate and exchange rate do not exhibit significant influences. In the short run, exchange rate fluctuations exert a significant negative impact on LQ45 returns, while the policy interest rate remains statistically insignificant. Diagnostic tests confirm the structural stability of the model based on the CUSUM and CUSUMSQ criteria, and heteroskedasticity concerns are addressed through the use of robust standard errors. This study extends existing literature by incorporating IHSG returns as a market-wide control variable and employing a long monthly dataset covering multiple monetary policy regimes. These findings imply that monetary authorities and capital market regulators should pay close attention to inflation dynamics and aggregate market conditions (IHSG) when formulating financial stability policies. Meanwhile, investors may consider these indicators as key determinants in their investment decisions regarding LQ45 constituents

The current research examines the perceptions of ESL teachers towards translanguaging as a pedagogical practice in secondary school classrooms in District Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Although institutional policies have required English as the only language of instruction, translanguaging, or the strategic and intentional use of the first language (L1) of learners in addition to the target language, has become a common instructional practice among ESL teachers in multilingual settings. Since a significant percentage of Pakistani school students show low levels of English language proficiency and often feel anxious when learning a second language, it is of significant pedagogical and policy interest to learn how teachers perceive and use translanguaging. The research design was a quantitative descriptive study, where the data were gathered using a purposive sample of 50 English language teachers in secondary schools (25 males and 25 females) who were non-native English speakers and had over five years of professional teaching experience. The main data collection tool was a close-ended Likert-scale questionnaire. The results indicate that the perceptions of teachers towards translanguaging are mostly positive: 96% of the participants agreed or strongly agreed that L1 use helps students with low English proficiency, and 72% strongly agreed that translanguaging enhances positive teacher-student relationships. Moreover, 57% of the respondents said that they used both Urdu and English as the medium of instruction, and only 16% said they used English only. The findings also show that teachers consider translanguaging especially significant in explaining grammatical rules, with 88% of them agreeing or strongly agreeing that it should be used to explain grammatical rules. In general, the research finds that translanguaging is an effective, contextually sensitive, and affectively supportive pedagogical practice in Pakistani ESL classrooms, and that national language education policy should be revised to represent the multilingual realities of classroom practice more accurately.

The research-informed approach is attracting increasing interest in European and national education policy, as well as in local education policy in Catalonia (Spain). Previous studies have revealed that it is associated with multiple benefits for improving equity and inclusion. This is particularly relevant in the case of vulnerable children: teachers’ use of research can facilitate more inclusive practices, benefiting the learning outcomes of such children. In the present paper, we analyse teachers’ perceptions of the importance of evidence-informed practices according to the level of complexity of the schools where they work. In doing so, we applied an ad-hoc survey to 314 early childhood, primary and secondary teachers working in high-, medium- and low-complexity schools in Catalonia. The measure of school complexity, as defined by the Catalan administration, classifies schools and distributes resources according to socioeconomic and administrative complexity indicators. Descriptive and comparative analyses were conducted. The findings revealed that although teachers acknowledge the value of educational research, its use is shaped by organisational conditions and the broader school context. Low-complexity schools provide more favourable environments for the systematic use of evidence, highlighting both an opportunity and a challenge to enhance these conditions in more complex settings. Nevertheless, differences across schools by complexity level are generally subtle, with only a few statistically significant variations. Time for training and regular practice evaluation emerge as key factors for implementing teachers’ evidence-informed practice across all school types.

The growing emphasis on sustainability-oriented innovation has intensified interest in analyzing how external influences can affect internal strategic orientations and encourage the integration of environmental and digital considerations into organizational dynamics. Wine tourism, as a form of experiential stakeholder engagement, provides a valuable context for investigating the mechanisms through which firms absorb socially embedded expectations and translate them into sustainability-oriented organizational practices. The main objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between wine tourism and digital green technology orientation, as well as the mediating effect of the variables green human resource management and corporate social responsibility strategy in this relationship. Primary data were collected from 203 Spanish wineries and analyzed using the PLS-SEM technique. The findings reveal that wine tourism exerts a positive and significant effect on digital green technology orientation, both directly and indirectly, through the mediating roles of green human resource management and corporate social responsibility strategy. These findings emphasize that tourism-based engagement fosters external visibility and stakeholder interaction, while shaping internal capabilities and strategic orientations toward sustainability-driven digital innovation. This investigation has interesting theoretical, managerial, and policy implications, since integrates stakeholder engagement with internal organizational mechanisms as drivers of ecological technological orientation, underscores the value of aligning tourism practices with human resources and responsible strategies to foster digital green technology efforts, and shows the need for coordinated efforts linking tourism development, digital infrastructure, and organizational capacity building, offering an empirical framework for understanding how wine tourism catalyzes the internal adoption of green digital technologies.

ABSTRACT Background: Crisis cafes have emerged as a community-based alternative to hospital emergency departments, offering non-clinical, out-of-hours support for people experiencing acute psychological distress. Despite policy interest, little is known about their relational and experiential value from the perspective of service users. Methods: This qualitative evaluation explores the experiences of 81 individuals who accessed the Bexley Crisis Cafe in South East London between 2021 and 2024. Semi-structured interviews were thematically analysed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase approach. Peer advisors with lived experience supported design, ethics, and analysis. Results: Eight interrelated themes were identified: emotional dysregulation, social precarity, relational presence, family relief, temporal vulnerability, contrast with clinical settings, listening as intervention, and continuity through place. Participants described the cafe as an emotionally safe, non-judgemental space that supported self-regulation, alleviated pressure on families, and offered a humane alternative to clinical crisis services. Conclusion; Community-led crisis cafes can enhance integrated mental health systems by providing relational, psychologically safe care grounded in place, peer support, and emotional presence. The Bexley model contributes to emerging policy priorities around prevention, co-production, and neighbourhood-based mental health care, with implications for integrated crisis care policy and service development in the UK and internationally.

Purpose This paper assessed the impact of access to credit and associated productivity variations on rice farmers’ welfare in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach The authors employed a quasi-experimental research design and the conditional mixed process (CMP) approach with micro-level secondary data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) to jointly estimate the determinants of rice farmers’ access to credit, the impact of access to credit on rice productivity and the welfare effect of rice productivity. The joint estimation of these equations and the use of a recursive CMP approach rule out simultaneous feedback within the production cycle and correct for endogeneity while accounting for the mixed (binary and continuous) nature of the dependent variables. Findings The model estimates show that access to credit increases rice productivity, which in turn improves rice farmers’ welfare. Specifically, access to credit positively impacted rice productivity, with an extra 958.270 kg/ha for credit users. In turn, a unit increase in productivity increased rice producers’ welfare by GHC 2.98. Factors influencing access to credit include age, education, marital status, rice output and ownership of mobile phones and bank accounts. While male farmers demonstrated higher productivity, female farmers were associated with superior welfare impacts. Research limitations/implications A study is required to understand how changes in productivity arising from access to credit influence farmers’ assets and wealth. Practical implications Pursuit of policies for improving farmers’ access to agricultural credit can improve farm productivity and rice farmers’ welfare. Originality/value This study incorporates farmer welfare as a function of productivity in the access to credit-productivity model, creating a tri-variate model to understand the farmer welfare effect of rice productivity dynamics in Ghana.

This study aims to investigate the asymmetric effects of changes in international prices of energy and food and the monetary variables, including exchange rates and policy interest rates, on consumer price index (CPI) inflation in Indonesia. This study employs the Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) model for the period July 2005 to December 2023. The findings indicate that increases in global food prices led to a significant rise in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), indicating inflation. The study also provides empirical evidence of the asymmetric effect of changes in international food prices on the CPI. The exchange rate emerged as the variable with the most influence on inflation, with the depreciation and appreciation of the local currency. Lessons from these findings, in implementing monetary policy, authorities need to focus on inflation originating from supply shocks, which are influenced by changes in global energy and food prices and exchange rates.

This study examines the relationship between interest rate liberalization, credit accessibility, and the financial performance of commercial banks in Kenya. Following the repeal of interest rate caps in 2019, Kenyan banks adopted risk-based pricing models, which, while improving profitability, also contributed to increased borrowing costs and a surge in non-performing loans (NPLs). Using time series data from 2010 to 2023, the study employs regression and mediation analysis to investigate whether domestic credit to the private sector mediates the relationship between bank lending interest rates and NPL growth. The findings reveal a strong and statistically significant direct negative relationship between interest rates and NPLs, suggesting that higher lending rates are associated with more prudent lending practices and better loan performance. However, credit to the private sector does not significantly mediate this relationship, indicating that structural barriers such as borrower informality and collateral constraints limit the responsiveness of credit volumes to interest rate movements. The study underscores the importance of maintaining a market-driven interest rate regime while addressing non-price barriers to credit. Policy recommendations include strengthening credit infrastructure, enhancing borrower profiling, and improving sector-specific risk monitoring to support sustainable bank performance and private sector financing.