Strengthening capacity for sustainable livelihoods and food security through urban agriculture among HIV and AIDS affected households in Nakuru,Kenya

The promotion and support of urban agriculture (UA) has the potential to contribute to efforts to address pressing challenges of poverty, under nutrition and sustainability among vulnerable populations in the growing cities of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This may be especially relevant for HIV/AIDS-affected individuals in SSA whose agricultural livelihoods are severely disrupted by the devastating effects of the disease on physical productivity and nutritional well-being. This paper outlines the process involved in the conception, design and implementation of a project to strengthen technical, environmental, financial and social capacity for UA among HIV-affected households in Nakuru, Kenya. Key lessons learned are also discussed. The first has been the value of multi-stakeholder partnerships, representing a broad range of relevant experience, knowledge and perspectives in order to address the complex set of issues facing agriculture for social purposes in urban settings. A second is the key role of self-help group organizations, and the securing of institutional commitments to support farming by vulnerable persons affected by HIV-AIDS is also apparent. Finally, the usefulness of evaluative tools using mixed methods to monitor progress towards goals and identify supports and barriers to success are highlighted.     

‘You really are a great big sister’ – parasocial relationships,credibility, and the moderating role of audience comments in influencer marketing

ABSTRACT

This study examines the moderating role of audience comments in influencer marketing. A YouTube vlog entry by a social media influencer featuring the endorsement of a brand was studied, and an experimental design featuring two conditions related to audience comments was created. The results indicate that a parasocial relationship with the influencer builds the perceived credibility of the influencer, while comments by other audience members moderate the effect. Influencer credibility positively affects brand trust and purchase intention. The findings enhance the understanding of the role of an active audience in influencer marketing.     

Organizing anarchy: The food security–biodiversity–climate crisis and the genesis of rural land use planning in the developing world

Shortfalls in global food production, coupled with the growing visibility of climate change's disruptive effects, have underlined for many observers the importance of devoting rural lands to their ‘optimal’ use, where they can make maximal contributions to the global imperatives of feeding the human population and maintaining vital environmental services. In this context observers have endorsed rural land use planning as a way to insure that, at least in theory, lands get devoted to their best uses. In practice, land use planning in the developing world has resembled ‘organized anarchy’. Small landholders with insecure land tenure, overseas investors seeking large land deals, NGOs representing indigenous peoples, government officials, and staff from international environmental NGOs and multilateral organizations have come together in strategic action fields to struggle over and sometimes negotiate land use plans for contested landscapes. These plans represent a strategic, spatially explicit response to the climate change–biodiversity–food security crisis.     

Milk sales and dietary diversity among the Maasai

In Maasai culture, responsibilities are traditionally divided between genders. Men are in charge of grazing and managing the livestock herds. Women take care of the family, administer food supplies, and are responsible for milking. For them, balancing home consumption of milk (for the family and for the calves), milk sale, and food purchase is a major task. In this article, we first investigate how different milk sales groups vary regarding the use of different food items and the respective quantities consumed by the enkaji, i.e., a Maasai subhousehold. Then, we address the commercialization decision and assess the effect of milk sales on the enkaji's food item use and food consumption. Using the data of Maasai enkajijik in the milk catchment area of a milk collection center in Ngerengere, Tanzania, we estimate the effects by employing propensity score matching procedures. Our findings suggest that milk sellers, especially those selling to the milk collection center, have a more diverse diet. In terms of per person consumption, the groups are markedly similar. Therefore, we conclude that income generated by milk sales is invested in diet diversification rather than in increasing the quantity of food consumed, hence the enkajijik appear not to make use of caloric terms of trade.     

薪酬外部不公平性与非效率投资--基于社会比较理论的解释和经验证据

在高管薪酬体制扭曲现实背景和社会比较理论视角下,引入心理学和行为学研究成果,关注薪酬外部不公平性对高管心理感知及行为选择影响。研究发现,薪酬外部不公平易引发高管“黑嫉妒”心理,导致其寻求替代性补偿激励而增加非效率投资。这一现象在民营企业更为突出,主要是因国有企业报酬体系异化所致。宏观经济形势和公司所在地区对薪酬外部不公平性与非效率投资之间关系有显著调节作用。研究还发现受自我期望值、归因模式及注意力基础等因素影响,高管对薪酬外部公平性问题的心理感知存在显著性别差异,女性高管治理有助于缓解男性高管主导的“黑嫉妒”心理和抑制非效率投资。     

东北老工业基地大城市社会空间的问题及治理

立足于东北老工业基地的宏观视角,分析了大城市社会空间发展演化的主要特征,并对当前社会空间发展存在的问题进行了深刻的剖析,从重构途径、政府职能、城市规划等角度,提出了治理大城市社会空间的对策。     

军地一体化应急物流保障形势分析

通过阐述军地一体化应急物流的内涵,从指挥体系不完善、应急物流成本高、供需不平衡等方面分析了军地一体化应急物流保障的必要性,从军地物流保障的优势、国外应用和国内政策等方面分析了军地一体化应急物流保障可行性。     

水泥稳定碎石的作用原理及在公路施工中的应用

水泥稳定碎石作为路面基层,具有早期强度高,雨季对施工影响相对较小,施工机械化程度较高等特点,这些都有利于保证进度和质量,因此被越来越广泛地应用到市政道路工程中去。为此,本文针对城市道路半刚性基层采用水泥稳定碎石的技术研究进行简要分析,以供参考。     

浅析新时期高校学生公寓安全问题新趋势及解决对策

学生公寓是大学生生活学习的主要场所。近年来,学生公寓中呈现的安全问题也日趋多样化、复杂化。文章就目前新时期高校所呈现的公寓安全问题新趋势进行了剖析,提出了相应的解决对策。     

关于工会在企业文化建设中发挥作用的探索

企业文化是企业生存发展的灵魂,是成就企业百年基业的根本力量。21世纪是一个不断学习创新的知识经济时代,谁拥有文化优势,谁就拥有竞争优势和发展优势。深入研究企业文化的缔造历程,对工会如何适应新时期的形势发展,充分发挥工会在企业文化建设中的优势与作用,具有十分重要的意义。