College of Basic and Applied Sciences

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Author: search.filters.author.et al.Start date: 2020

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    Who is marginalized in energy justice? Amplifying community leader perspectives of energy transitions in Ghana
    (Energy Research & Social Science, 2021) Baker, E.; Atarah, S.A.; Afful-Dadzie, A.; et al.
    There is a divide in energy access studies, between technologically-focused modeling papers in engineering and economics, and energy justice frameworks and principles grounded in social sciences. Quantitative computational models are necessary when analyzing energy, and more specifically electricity, systems, as they are technologically complex systems that can diverge from intuitive patterns. To assure energy justice, these models must be reflective of, and informative to, a wide range of stakeholders, including households and communities alongside utilities, governments, and others. Yet, moving from a qualitative understanding of preferences to quantitative modeling is challenging. In this perspective piece, we pilot the use of the value-focused thinking framework to inform stakeholder engagement. The result is a strategic objective hierarchy that highlights the tradeoffs and the social, economic, and technological factors that need to be measured in models. We apply the process in Ghana, using a survey, stakeholder workshops, and follow-up interviews to uncover key tradeoffs and stakeholder-derived objectives. We discuss three key areas that have been rarely, if ever, well-represented in energy models: (1) the relationship between the dynamics of electricity end-use and the technology and economic structure of the system; (2) explicit tradeoffs between electricity access, cost, and reliability as defined by stakeholders; and (3) the definition of new objectives, such as minimizing hazards related to theft. We conclude that this model of engagement provides an opportunity to tie together rigorous qualitative analysis and stakeholder engagement with crucial quantitative models of the electricity system.
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    Genetic Improvement for Development of a Climate Resilient Food Legume Crops: Relevance of Cowpea Breeding Approach in Improvement of Food Legume Crops for Future
    (CRC Press, 2023) Ofori, K.; Ngalamu, T.; Galla, J.O.; et al.
    ABSTRACT Global population increment coupled with the adverse effects of climate change pose horrendous possibilities for food shortage and hunger. Nevertheless, climate change embedded in several biotic and abiotic stresses affects food crops' productivity, despite breeding accomplishments. Consequently, there is urgent need for mapping out sustainable and environmentally friendly food crops as well as their efficient and appropriate improvement and production systems. This will enable genetic improvement for climate resilient, high-yielding, and nutritionally valuable food crops. Food legume crops, which represent the most valuable food source globally after cereals, are ideal for meeting the global food demand; thus, improving their productivity becomes crucial. Conversely, understanding and documenting limitations of food legume yield is a step toward a defined breeding goal. Having in-depth knowledge about the genetics of drought and heat, and deployment of molecular platforms, will enhance prospects of developing food legume varieties with improved agronomic traits. This accomplishment will be reflected in the output of any programmed and systematic improvement programs: development and release of high-yielding and early maturing food legume varieties that are tolerant and resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses. Hence, this chapter will constitute a repository for legume breeders interested in developing climate-resilient food legume varieties capable of adapting to marginal environments and giving appreciable yield in the face of climatic stressors: drought and heat stress. It could be concluded that co-occurrence of drought and heat stress during both vegetative and reproductive developmental phases of food legume crops would lead to impeded tissue development, loss of organelle functions, production of non-viable pollen, abortion of ovaries, and oxidative stress in the leaves. These will result in failure to fertilize and poor quality and quantity of assimilates produced and stored. Thus, the key to improvement for climate resilience is better understanding of pathways associated with yield, resistance, and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses.