Socio-economic Role Research Articles

On the origins of American Criollo pigs: A common genetic background with a lasting Iberian signature.

American Criollo pigs are thought to descend mainly from those imported from the Iberian Peninsula starting in the late 15th century. Criollo pigs subsequently expanded throughout the Americas, adapting to very diverse environments, and possibly receiving influences from other origins. With the intensification of agriculture in the mid-20th century, cosmopolitan breeds largely replaced Criollo pigs, and the few remaining are mostly maintained by rural communities in marginal areas where they still play an important socio-economic and cultural role. In this study, we used 24 microsatellite markers in samples from 1715 pigs representing 46 breeds with worldwide distribution, including 17 American Criollo breeds, with the major focus of investigating their genetic diversity, structure and breed relationships. We also included representatives of the Iberian, Local British, Hungarian, Chinese and Commercial breeds, as well as Wild Boar, in order to investigate their possible influence in the genetic composition of Criollos. Our results show that, when compared with the other breeds, Criollo pigs present higher levels of genetic diversity, both in terms of allelic diversity and expected heterozygosity. The various analyses indicate that breed differentiation overall explains nearly 21% of the total genetic diversity. Criollo breeds showed their own identity and shared a common genetic background, tending to cluster together in various analyses, even though they differ from each other. A close relationship of Criollos with Iberian breeds was revealed by all the different analyses, and the contribution of Iberian breeds, particularly of the Celtic breeds, is still present in various Criollo breeds. No influence of Chinese breeds was detected on Criollos, but a few were influenced by Commercial breeds or by wild pigs. Our results confirm the uniqueness of American Criollo pigs and the role that Iberian breeds have played in their development.

Evidence for local, regional and interregional exchange networks on Failaka: Some remarks on late Islamic pottery from Kharaib al‐Dasht

AbstractThe site of Kharaib al‐Dasht, located on the northern coast of Failaka, is a late Islamic settlement with an extensive fishing infrastructure. It has been excavated since 2013 by the Kuwaiti‐Polish Archaeological Mission. The ceramic assemblage collected so far exceeds 18,000 fragments. The sherds underwent technological and typological analyses, which demonstrated a wide diversity of local common kitchen wares, consistent with the needs of households specialised in fishing. A considerable percentage of imported vessels was brought to Failaka from the Arabian Gulf and Persia, though Far Eastern luxury tableware was also attested. This paper demonstrates the socioeconomic role of Kharaib al‐Dasht in the context of trade exchange on the microregional (Kuwait) and macroregional (the Gulf, South and Eastern Asia) scales in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Ethnomedicinal and traditional phytotherapeutic plants used in Bouhachem Natural Regional Park (Rif of Morocco): Case of Bni-Leit and Al-Oued districts

Context: The flora of the Bouhachem Regional Natural Park has been studied by many botanists and ecologists, but the analysis of the medicinal and economic values of these plants is still weak and poorly documented. Within the framework of this study, further investigations will be carried out into the value of indigenous medicinal plants and the documentation of their ethnopharmacological knowledge. In addition, due to their important socio-economic role as a second source of income after agriculture, the evaluation of the commercial activity of aromatic and medicinal plants (AMP) will also be taken into account. Aims: To evaluate the ethnobotanical and commercialized medicinal plants in north region of Morocco in which traditional medicine is widespread. Methods: The uses of medicinal plants in traditional phytotherapy were researched through 700 question cards, in Bni-Leit and Al-Oued districts, which are a part of the Naturel Regional Park of Bouhachem. A series of ethnobotanical, economic and sociocultural surveys/interviews were conducted among the local population in the study area, between March 2014 and July 2016. Results: This Ethnobotanical study identified 101 medicinal plant species belonging to 46 families, of which the most abundant are Lamiaceae (FUV: 1.87). This study also revealed that the leaves are the most used parts of the plant (26%) and that the most remedies are prepared as decoction (27%). Digestive disorders rank first among the diseases treated by these plants with a rate of 21%. Conclusions: The present study shows that the traditional use of medicinal plants still persists and constitutes a very rich heritage in the northern of Morocco. Therefore, this important indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants would be exploited in pharmaceutical research. It reveals that urgent action is needed to promote a sustainable and best practices to reduce the increasing scale of exploitation of AMPs for commercial use and to draw the attention of Park managers to the preservation of these plants from genetic erosion by a rational management.

Edaphoclimatic zoning of the melon crop

The melon culture is one of the Brazilian horticultural crops, due to its productive potential and socio-economic role. It is recommended for the State of Goiás and the Federal District for it is easy to plant and having need of zoning of climatic conditions and thus, being able to perform their sowing. The present work used the Sarazon program to perform the water balance of the melon crop, for the 2nd, 4th and 6th five-day sowing dates in August, September and October and in relation to the water reserves in the soil of 50 mm and 75 mm. The data were spatialized using the SPRING 4.3 program. It was observed that the producers are performing in practice what can be demonstrated in theory that the period October 16–20 is the most indicated for sowing in soils of 50 mm of water reserve and October 6–10 the beginning of sowing in soil of 75 mm of water reserve for the cultivation of melon and have adequate profitability.

Future Climate Change Impacts on European Viticulture: A Review on Recent Scientific Advances

Climate change is a continuous spatiotemporal reality, possibly endangering the viability of the grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) in the future. Europe emerges as an especially responsive area where the grapevine is largely recognised as one of the most important crops, playing a key environmental and socio-economic role. The mounting evidence on significant impacts of climate change on viticulture urges the scientific community in investigating the potential evolution of these impacts in the upcoming decades. In this review work, a first attempt for the compilation of selected scientific research on this subject, during a relatively recent time frame (2010–2020), is implemented. For this purpose, a thorough investigation through multiple search queries was conducted and further screened by focusing exclusively on the predicted productivity parameters (phenology timing, product quality and yield) and cultivation area alteration. Main findings on the potential impacts of future climate change are described as changes in grapevine phenological timing, alterations in grape and wine composition, heterogeneous effects on grapevine yield, the expansion into areas that were previously unsuitable for grapevine cultivation and significant geographical displacements in traditional growing areas. These compiled findings may facilitate and delineate the implementation of effective adaptation and mitigation strategies, ultimately potentiating the future sustainability of European viticulture.

Pan-European meteorological and snow indicators of climate change impact on ski tourism

Ski tourism plays a major socio-economic role in the snowy and mountainous areas of Europe such as the Alps, the Pyrenees, Nordic Europe, Eastern Europe, Anatolia, etc. Past and future climate change has an impact on the operating conditions of ski resorts, due to their reliance on natural snowfall and favorable conditions for snowmaking. However, there is currently a lack of assessment of past and future operating conditions of ski resorts at the pan-European scale in the context of climate change. The presented work aims at filling this gap, as part of the ”European Tourism” Sectoral Information System (SIS) of the Copernicus Climate Change Services (C3S). The Mountain Tourism Meteorological and Snow Indicators (MTMSI) were co-designed with representatives of the ski tourism industry, including consulting companies. They were derived from statistically adjusted EURO-CORDEX climate projections (multiple GCM/RCM pairs for RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) using the UERRA 5.5 km resolution surface reanalysis as a reference, used as input to the snow cover model Crocus, with and without accounting for snow management (grooming, snowmaking). Results are generated for 100 m elevation bands for NUTS-3 geographical areas spanning all areas relevant to ski tourism in Europe. This article introduces the underpinning elements for the generation of this product, and illustrates results at the pan-European scale as well as for smaller scale case studies. A dedicated visualization app allows for easy navigation into the multiple dimensions of this dataset, thereby fulfilling the needs of a broad range of users.

The Achievement Gap between Schools and Relationship between Achievement and Socioeconomic Status in Turkey

Nowadays, the performances of education systems are monitored through national and international large-scale studies. In these studies, besides the academic performance of the countries, their status regarding equality in education is also considered. In large-scale studies the relationship between the socioeconomic status and academic achievement and the achievement gap between schools are emphasized. The achievement gap between schools is considered a chronic problem of Turkey, and socioeconomic differences are also considered to be one of the elements of this problem. In this study, the achievement gap between schools and the relationship between socioeconomic status and academic achievement in Turkey were examined through data regarding the last three cycles of TIMSS. For this purpose, multilevel regression analysis was used. The findings showed that although the mean score of Turkey increased between the 2011 and 2019 cycles, the relationship between socioeconomic characteristics and achievement remained at a similar level, with a partial decrease in 2019. These results show that despite the significant increase in Turkey's TIMSS performance in the last cycles, the share of socioeconomic levels on this performance does not increase simultaneously. Another result showed that the achievement gap between schools increased in the last cycle at both grades. Although the relationship between socioeconomic status and achievement does not increase, the widening of the achievement gap between schools may indicate that within-school factors might have stronger relations with achievement. Results revealed that the performance of Turkey in TIMSS increased significantly at 8th grade, and the relationship between socioeconomic status and achievement decreased partially; however, the alleviation of the achievement gap between schools remained a development area for Turkey. Although the relationship between socioeconomic status and academic achievement decreased in the 2019 cycle, the current socioeconomic status role increased the importance of compensating students' socioeconomic disadvantages through educational support programs.

An Overview Of Sukuk Issuance And Their Contribution In Economic Empowerment

As one of the most popular financial instruments under Islamic finance, Sukuk can easily create and ensure economic empowerment if properly mobilized and structured. That is what the Islamic finance theory has shown; Sukuk has a considerable ability to playing a notable role in curbing poverty and creating a proper environment for vulnerable populations, thus, enabling them to shift from being a social burden to a development booster. Sukuk offers viable alternative funding sources to deliver and provide critical infrastructures. Concretely, governments cannot fully fulfill their socio-economic role and create the appropriate necessary environment for economic activity. This situation implies, theoretically, that Sukuk can be used to fulfill governments‘ needs and supply the needed funds to create a good environment and a better livelihood. However, their use as an effective means of economic empowerment is still shyly expanding and widening. This paper studies to what extent does Sukuk issuance serve the objectives of Islamic finance and insures its empowering and financial equality and support goals, through a theoretical overview regarding the scope of their use as an economic empowerment tool and an overview of the multiple experiences of Southeast Asian countries (Malaysia and Indonesia) and international financial institutions in using Sukuk for this role. We will present an overview of actual international cases in which Sukuk has been successfully mobilized to accomplish economic empowerment. Then we will face the impact of these experiences on the effect in combing poverty and empowering vulnerable populations that are awaited from Sukuk issuances. Our study will be completed by an investigation of the various barriers and key challenges impeding and obstructing a larger issuance, capable of bringing more enhanced empowering effect and of setting Sukuk and Islamic finance in general in its natural position: leading the economy for better achievements and bettering the livelihoods of the population.

Identification and restoration of the traditional watermills in Lipjan

AbstractWatermills in Kosovo have been for centuries a characteristic element of river valley landscapes and have played a very important socio-economic role in the country. Although nowadays some preserved and functioning watermills exist, most of them are abandoned, destroyed, and many with very few remains to trace. This research aims to identify and describe the current state of the watermills in the western part of the Lipjan Municipality, as well as to mark them on a geographic information system map. This study examines the possibility of restoring these mills to their original function or adapting them to a new function. The study sampled one of the identified mills, analyzed its characteristics, and the possibility of restoration and preservation for tourism and cultural heritage purposes.

Keynes and Smith, Opponents or Allies? Part II: Smith, and Keynes-Smith Parallels

ABSTRACT In investigating Keynes–Smith relationships, this paper discusses Smith and the parallels between the mature contributions of these two philosopher-economists. It begins by carefully examining Smith’s economic theory and policy, summarising his core argument in a clarifying syllogism, and exploring his invisible hand remarks. It then turns to the largely unexplored parallels between their major economic works. In theoretical terms, their core arguments have similar structures and analytical characteristics. In policy terms, both proposed new institution-based systems serving individual and social interests, considerable socio-economic restructuring and non-minimalist roles for the state. The paper concludes with a syllogism summarising Keynes’s parallel position, and comparative comments on some recent analyses of Smith’s thought.

Zoonotic diseases and the COVID-19 pandemic: Economic impacts on Somaliland's livestock exports to Saudi Arabia

The livestock sector plays an important socioeconomic role in the Somaliland economy, particularly through revenues from exports. The partial ban on livestock imports from Somalia imposed by Saudi Arabia due to animal health concerns has resulted in significant negative economic impacts for the government and the value chain actors involved. In previous years, the ban was lifted during the Hajj season to meet the increased demand for sheep and goats. However, given the current COVID-19 pandemic, the Saudi government decided to suspend Umrah visits in 2020 and only allowed a very restricted number of persons to attend the Hajj pilgrimage, thus obviating the need for livestock imports. This study quantified the economic losses associated the current partial livestock ban (started in November 2016) on Somali imports and the added impacts associated with COVID. We estimate that the cumulative losses for the Somaliland livestock sector and the government are US$ 770 million over a five-year period. The additional losses imposed by the COVID pandemic, which restricted participation during the Hajj season, were estimated at US$ 42 million. Livestock producers, who are mainly pastoralists, are the most affected stakeholder group, incurring around 54% of the total losses. Our study highlights the multifaceted, and often overlooked, socio-economic and socio-cultural impacts faced by the livestock sector and general economy in the wake of public health restrictions.

Faidherbia albida (Delile) Tree Dieback Effects on Crop Production in the Parkland Agroforests of Southwestern Niger

Faidherbiaalbida is an agroforestry tree species playing important agroecological and socioeconomic roles in arid and semiarid zones in Africa. For many years, anthropogenic and abiotic stresses were considered as the main threats for the species in West African parkland agroforests. Considerable dieback has recently occurred in F. albida trees of parkland agroforests in central southwestern Niger, and the causes are unknown. The objectives of this study are to (i) investigate the magnitude of dieback of F. albida trees and (ii) assess local community perceptions of the effects of F. albida dieback on crop production. The health status and phenology of 213 F. albida trees were observed in the area where the dieback is occurring. Similarly, a sample of 144 people, 86% of which were farmers, was surveyed. Dieback incidence of F. albida trees was 19%, with mortality of 6%. Large-diameter trees had greater dieback than small-diameter trees. The most affected parts of the tree were the branches at 54% and the trunks at 39%. The populations noted a 33–55% reduction in the yields of major crops. This dieback of F. albida trees poses a serious threat to the survival of rural communities. Further studies can be conducted to identify the cause or cause of the dieback to guide the suitable agroforestry parkland management strategies.

The Islamic Port of al-Balīd (Oman), between Land and Sea: Place of Trade, Exchange, Diversity, and Coexistence

Abstract The site of al-Balīd (Southern Oman), identified as the ancient Ẓafār, was a major port city in the Islamic period. Its strategic position and its history, strongly interdependent with that of neighbouring regions, gave it an important socio-economic role. The abundant ceramics and the rich and diverse archaeological materials recovered at the site prove that al-Balīd has always maintained relationships with people living inland and, at the same time, that it was intensively involved in the Indian Ocean trade. The pottery also reflects the coexistence of different traditions, various social classes, and several communities at al-Balīd.

Food security and safety mismatch in low-income settings: Evidence from milk produced by smallholders in semiarid Paraíba, Northeastern Brazil

Small-scale dairy production plays a relevant socioeconomic role contributing to improve food security in low income rural settings, such as semiarid Brazil. Milk is mainly supplied to local communities, either distributed by government programs to schools and day-care units, or commercialized privately to final consumers or cheesemakers. However, there is a lack of information about the potential public health hazards associated with milk. The aim of this study was to investigate antimicrobial resistance phenotypes, the presence of enterotoxin-encoding genes and genotypic relatedness of Staphylococcus spp. from raw milk samples in the semi-arid Paraiba. High antimicrobial resistant rates were observed for beta-lactams, including penicillin, ampicillin and ceftazidime. Although 14% of the isolates were phenotypically resistant to oxacillin, mecA gene was not detected among S. aureus. Almost 50% of the isolates harbored at least one enterotoxin-encoding gene. Higher genotypic relatedness was observed among staphylococci from closely-related farms, suggesting geographic spread of certain strains. In order to prevent potential microbiological risks related to milk consumption in the region, continuous efforts towards the improvement of raw milk quality are encouraged, including good production practices, such as those related to milk refrigeration on the farms and efficient pasteurization.

Analysis of acceptance and factors affecting the consumption of goat's milk in Morocco

Goat farming in Morocco is considered a strategic production sector. This activity is of paramount importance. Goat farming plays an important socio-economic role for farmers and women in rural areas; for instance, goats livestock reached 5,731,000 head in 2018, and 44,618 tons of goat milk was produced in the same year. However, a small quantity of this milk is practically consumed in a liquid form, and then the major part of this product is transformed into cheese. To encourage goat's milk consumption, a questionnaire is used to highlight the consumers' circumstances and factors that affect the consumption of this type of milk in Morocco. Its taste and smell take 16.62% of the reasons why it is not consumed, which can hinder the success of goats' milk in the market. The fat content reduction can reduce this goaty flavour, according to the previous studies. For this, we are trying to measure the degree of acceptance of semi-skimmed goat milk by comparing it with whole goat milk and cow milk using a consumer test. The non-availability of goat's milk and the lack of information on the nutritional and therapeutic benefits of this product represented 78.91% of non-consumers. The consumption of goat meat is the only parameter that significantly affects the consumption of this product were 82.30% of goat's milk consumers were goat meat consumers. The results have shown that despite the reduction in fat content to 50%, this milk remained less accepted over cow's milk and whole goat milk.

“We Make the Voice of These People Heard”: Trajectories of Socioeconomic Mobility among Congolese Pastors in Kampala, Uganda

This article focuses on religious entrepreneurship in a context of displacement, specifically among Congolese refugees in Kampala, where becoming a pastor is one of the few opportunities available for social mobility. I analyze the social trajectories of two Congolese pastors. However different they may be from each other, they highlight ideas of success and prosperity that encourage us to rethink the socioeconomic role of Pentecostalism in Africa, analyzing the entanglements between the religious and the economic spheres from a multidimensional and a relational perspective. The article shows that entrepreneurial trajectories are instruments of mobility, but at the same time they need to be understood in terms of social becoming, the success of the two Congolese pastors being judged by the moral value that other people grant them and in relation to their role within the Congolese community.

Education in Madrassa: Understanding the Motivation and Prospects of Passed out Students in Abbottabad, Pakistan

Religious institutions have become a highly debated field especially after the incident of 9/11. A section of scholars held madrassa students responsible for growing unemployment and despair in the society. Besides the formal education in Pakistan hundreds of thousands of students are also studying in madrassas. The curricula being taught in madrassas is out dated and nonconforming with the contemporary needs of the society. The study analyzed the motivation behind student enrollments in the madrassas and socio economic role of the passed out students of madrassa. Primary data was collected from 143 respondents consisting of enrolled and passed out students, teachers and administration staff of madrassas through questionnaires followed up with in depth interviews and focus group discussion. The study revealed that high number of students (58% male &52 female) joined madrassa due to the poverty. Overall 70% parents were found to be illiterate or less educated (illiterate 15%, & below matric 55%) whereas 78% students belonged from large and overburdened families. On the other hand, the unemployment ratio was found to low (10%) in male students and surprisingly high in female students (65%) due to various cultural factors. However, the employed respondents (85% male and 13% female) were found to be receiving very low income depicting a negligible economic role of the passed-out students of madrassa. On contrary the social and political role of the madrassa was reveled surprisingly significant.

Utilization of Sea Transportation to Increase the Growth of Tourism Sector

Transportation facilities on land, sea and air play a vital socio-economic role in the for trans-regional distribution and logistics. Distribution of goodsand people will become easier and faster if the existing transportation facilities are functioning properly, allowing for the integration of Indonesia’s far-flung regions. Transportation infrastructure is particularly important to support the country’s burgeoning tourism industry – a vital influence on and contributor to local economies.
 Keywords: Transportation, Tourism, Facilities

Os Direitos Humanos como primado de um sentido holístico de Educação para o Desenvolvimento em contexto de multiculturalidade

A história e as culturas africanas não são conhecidas pelos antigos países colonizadores europeus, nem pelos países que têm uma elevada taxa de afrodescendentes na sua população, devido ao tráfico negreiro, que, no Brasil, terminou com a “Lei Eusébio de Queirós”, de 4 de Fevereiro de 1850. Actualmente, o papel socioeconómico e cultural dos negros no desenvolvimento das antigas sociedades escravocratas, não é relatado nas historiografias oficiais desses países e permanece o discurso da “raça”, como justificação da escravatura e do próprio tráfico de escravos. A globalização fez crescer as desigualdades que existiam entre os países ricos e os países pobres, assim como as desigualdades no interior de cada sociedade, com uma elevada perda de valores necessários ao primado da paz, da democracia, do Estado de direito, da justiça social e dos direitos humanos. As novas gerações terão de ser formadas, no contexto de um sentido amplo de educação para a solidariedade e para o desenvolvimento, que torne possível o progresso económico e o bem-estar social, a partir do respeito ao direito de ser diferente em cada sociedade.

A Socio-Economic Proposed Theoretical Framework for Responding to The Covid-19 Outbreak

One of the significant impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak was the need for physical distancing. Physical distancing causes changes in the order of human life within a relatively short amount of time. Physical distancing also directly causes various socio-economic problems, especially for small-medium enterprise (SME) businesses. The background of this research is the absence of a theoretical framework related to the socio-economic impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak based on previous quantitative research publications. This research aims to develop a theoretical framework on the socio-economic constructs for response to a Covid-19. This research uses the literature review method. The research publication data used for the literature review comes from the Scopus database until May 1, 2020, with restrictions to only quantitative research publication documents. The publication of quantitative research as research data is only derived from the business subject and uses quantitative data processing tools based on structural equation modelling (SEM) variance and covariance. From the research results, a theoretical framework was developed on the role of socio-economic moderation on the effect of internal resources on organizational performance and the role of socio-economics as an antecedent of environmental behaviour. The proposed theoretical framework has the potential to be empirically tested in a future-related socio-economic response to a Covid-19 outbreak.