The assumptions underlying the relationships between microfinance and women’s empowerment are typically rooted in a financial paradigm, wherein the prevailing belief is that increases in economic resources necessarily lead to increases in women’s empowerment. This results in a conceptual erasure of the multi-dimensionality of empowerment and disregards the influences that microfinance has on women that extend beyond the economic sphere. This study explored how 6 women in Mali perceive and experience empowerment in relation to their participation in a microfinance program using photovoice. Photovoice is a qualitative methodology wherein participants document, reflect on, and represent their community and experiences using a specific photographic technique. The photographic collection that the women generated, along with their narratives and oral testimonies, suggest that empowerment is a complex construct that includes, yet extends beyond the financial paradigm. The findings of this indicate that microfinance has positively and negatively impacted various dimensions of the women’s perceived empowerment. At the conclusion of the project, the women participated in a forum and initiated policy changes at the microfinance institution with which they are affiliated.

The montane forests of Africa represent some of the Earth's most diverse and threatened ecosystems. In particular, those in West Africa have received comparatively little attention from scientists in terms of understanding the ecology and biodiversity of their species. This thesis wishes to understand genetic and ecological factors that underpin the long-term survival of selected tree species (Cordia millenii, Entandrophragma angolense, Lovoa trichilioides) in the montane forests of the Mambilla Plateau, Nigeria. The results obtained here provide a strong foundation for future work that wishes to preserve the diverse forests of this region.

Mussidia nigrivenella Ragonot (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), an important pest of maize, cotton and Phaseolus bean in West Africa, has never been described as a crop pest from East and southern Africa (ESA). It was hypothesized that in ESA it was either kept under control by natural enemies or that there exist several populations of M. nigrivenella with different host plant ranges. Another possibility is the mis-identification of the Mussidia species in ESA. Studies were conducted in Kenya between 2005 and 2007 to assess the species diversity and host plant range of Mussidia spp. and spatial distribution studies were done on selected host plants. Later, based on the results of host plant range, surveys were conducted between 2006 and 2007 in mid-altitude coastal Kenya to establish a catalogue of parasitoids associated with Mussidia spp. The suitability of stem borers found in Kenya for development of Trichogrammatoidea sp. nr lutea Girault (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatoidea) and the factors affecting the bionomics of Mussidia sp. in the laboratory were examined. Eight plant species were found to host two Mussidia spp. and six putative morphospecies, which occur sympatrically in the coastal region. The two Mussidia spp. were Mussidia fiorii Ceconni and de Joannis and M. nr nigrivenella. Only one Mussidia sp., M.Jiorii, was found attacking one host plant species in the mid-altitude regions. In general, the host plant range was much narrower than in West Africa. Mussidia nr nigrivenella and Mussidia "madagascariensis" larval distribution was aggregated on Canavalia cathartica Thouars. (Fabaceae) and Strychnos madagascariensis Poir. (Loganiaceae), respectively, while the distribution of M. fiorii adults on Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. (Bignoniaceae) was regular. Eight parasitoid species were recovered from Mussidia spp. eggs and larvae and include the trichogrammatid egg parasitoid Trichogrammatoidea sp. nr lutea Girault, a braconid egg-larval parasitoid, Phanerotoma sp., the bethylid Goniozus sp. and the braconid Apanteles sp. Moreover, the ichneumonid larval parasitoid Syzeuctus sp. was obtained from M. fiorii, while the tachinid Leskia sp. was obtained from M, "madagascariensis". Trichogrammatoidea sp. nr lutea, the only parasitoid species which was successfully reared in the laboratory, successfully attacked and developed on eggs of six lepidopteran hosts indicating its potential to exploit other alternate lepidopteran pests of maize in West Africa. Like the parasitoid species, only one Mussidia sp., M.fiorii, was successfully reared in the laboratory and it developed on maize seed-, Canavalia enseiformes L. DC (Fabaceae) seed- and maize leaf-based diets while it could not develop on Mucuna pruriens L. DC (Fabaceae) seed- and C. cathartica seed-based diets. The lower developmental thresholds for M. fiorii eggs, larvae, pupae and egg to adult were found to be 12.8±0.25°C, 14.4±0.27°C, 11.0±0.03°C and 13.5i0.2rc, respectively, while the thermal constants were 82.0±1.61, 384.6±9.43, 144.9±6.84 and 588.2±10.81 degree days, respectively. Adults started emerging during the last hour of photophase and peak emergence was observed in the 2nd hour of scotophase. Mating activity largely took place between the 4th and 5th hour of scotophase. It can be concluded that there exist several Mussidia spp. in Africa that vary in their host plant range. Overall, mortality caused by parasitoids was negligible hence they were unlikely to explain the population dynamics of the Mussidia spp. in Kenya. The fact that Trichogrammatoidea sp. nr lutea successfully attacks and develops in six lepidopteran hosts, including two Mussidia spp. indicates its potential for use as a biological agent against M. nigrivenella in West Africa. Mussidia fiorii was able to develop on diets based on maize and C. enseiformes. The knowledge on dietary and thermal requirements would optimize mass production of the host and natural enemies. The present study revealed again a serious bottleneck for biocontrol worldwide, namely the proper identification of the pest and natural enemy species as a result of an ever dwindling number of taxonomists. We therefore suggest that molecular (DNA) techniques should be used in addition to detailed morphological examination. In view of the fact that natural control will not be effective in case of accidental introduction of the West African M. nigrivenella into Kenya, we suggest stringent precautions during movement of grains especially maize between the West Africa region and Kenya. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Environmental Sciences and Management))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Mussidia nigrivenella Ragonot (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), an important pest of maize, cotton and Phaseolus bean in West Africa, has never been described as a crop pest from East and southern Africa (ESA). It was hypothesized that in ESA it was either kept under control by natural enemies or that there exist several populations of M. nigrivenella with different host plant ranges. Another possibility is the mis-identification of the Mussidia species in ESA. Studies were conducted in Kenya between 2005 and 2007 to assess the species diversity and host plant range of Mussidia spp. and spatial distribution studies were done on selected host plants. Later, based on the results of host plant range, surveys were conducted between 2006 and 2007 in mid-altitude coastal Kenya to establish a catalogue of parasitoids associated with Mussidia spp. The suitability of stem borers found in Kenya for development of Trichogrammatoidea sp. nr lutea Girault (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatoidea) and the factors affecting the bionomics of Mussidia sp. in the laboratory were examined. Eight plant species were found to host two Mussidia spp. and six putative morphospecies, which occur sympatrically in the coastal region. The two Mussidia spp. were Mussidia fiorii Ceconni and de Joannis and M. nr nigrivenella. Only one Mussidia sp., M.Jiorii, was found attacking one host plant species in the mid-altitude regions. In general, the host plant range was much narrower than in West Africa. Mussidia nr nigrivenella and Mussidia "madagascariensis" larval distribution was aggregated on Canavalia cathartica Thouars. (Fabaceae) and Strychnos madagascariensis Poir. (Loganiaceae), respectively, while the distribution of M. fiorii adults on Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. (Bignoniaceae) was regular. Eight parasitoid species were recovered from Mussidia spp. eggs and larvae and include the trichogrammatid egg parasitoid Trichogrammatoidea sp. nr lutea Girault, a braconid egg-larval parasitoid, Phanerotoma sp., the bethylid Goniozus sp. and the braconid Apanteles sp. Moreover, the ichneumonid larval parasitoid Syzeuctus sp. was obtained from M. fiorii, while the tachinid Leskia sp. was obtained from M, "madagascariensis". Trichogrammatoidea sp. nr lutea, the only parasitoid species which was successfully reared in the laboratory, successfully attacked and developed on eggs of six lepidopteran hosts indicating its potential to exploit other alternate lepidopteran pests of maize in West Africa. Like the parasitoid species, only one Mussidia sp., M.fiorii, was successfully reared in the laboratory and it developed on maize seed-, Canavalia enseiformes L. DC (Fabaceae) seed- and maize leaf-based diets while it could not develop on Mucuna pruriens L. DC (Fabaceae) seed- and C. cathartica seed-based diets. The lower developmental thresholds for M. fiorii eggs, larvae, pupae and egg to adult were found to be 12.8±0.25°C, 14.4±0.27°C, 11.0±0.03°C and 13.5i0.2rc, respectively, while the thermal constants were 82.0±1.61, 384.6±9.43, 144.9±6.84 and 588.2±10.81 degree days, respectively. Adults started emerging during the last hour of photophase and peak emergence was observed in the 2nd hour of scotophase. Mating activity largely took place between the 4th and 5th hour of scotophase. It can be concluded that there exist several Mussidia spp. in Africa that vary in their host plant range. Overall, mortality caused by parasitoids was negligible hence they were unlikely to explain the population dynamics of the Mussidia spp. in Kenya. The fact that Trichogrammatoidea sp. nr lutea successfully attacks and develops in six lepidopteran hosts, including two Mussidia spp. indicates its potential for use as a biological agent against M. nigrivenella in West Africa. Mussidia fiorii was able to develop on diets based on maize and C. enseiformes. The knowledge on dietary and thermal requirements would optimize mass production of the host and natural enemies. The present study revealed again a serious bottleneck for biocontrol worldwide, namely the proper identification of the pest and natural enemy species as a result of an ever dwindling number of taxonomists. We therefore suggest that molecular (DNA) techniques should be used in addition to detailed morphological examination. In view of the fact that natural control will not be effective in case of accidental introduction of the West African M. nigrivenella into Kenya, we suggest stringent precautions during movement of grains especially maize between the West Africa region and Kenya. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Environmental Sciences and Management))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

In the period 1999-2007, more than half a million Burkinabe returned to Burkina Faso due to the persecution of immigrant labourers in neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire. Ultranationalist debates about the criteria for Ivorian citizenship had intensified during the 1990s and led to the scapegoating of immigrants in a political rhetoric centred on notions of autochthony and xenophobia. Having been actively encouraged to immigrate by the Ivorian state for generations, Burkinabe migrant labourers were now forced to leave their homes and livelihoods behind and return to a country they had left in their youth or, as second-generation immigrants in Côte d’Ivoire, had never seen. Based on 12 months of ethnographic fieldwork in Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire, the thesis explores the narratives and everyday practices of returning labour migrants in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso’s second-largest city, in order to understand the subjective experiences of displacement that the forced return to Burkina Faso engendered. The analysis questions the appropriateness of the very notion of “return” in this context and suggests that people’s senses of home are multiplex and tend to rely more on the ability to pursue active processes of emplacement in everyday life than on abstract notions of belonging, e.g. relating to citizenship or ethnicity. The study analyses intergenerational interactions within and across migrant families in the city and on transformations of intra-familial relations in the context of forced displace-ment. A particular emphasis is placed on the experiences of young adults who were born and raised in Côte d’Ivoire and arrived in Burkina Faso for the first time during the Ivorian crisis. These young men and women were received with scepticism in Burkina Faso because of their perceived “Ivorian” upbringing, language, and behaviour and were forced to face new forms of stigmatisation and exclusion. At the same time, young migrants were able to exploit their labelling as outsiders and turn their difference into an advantage in the competition for scarce employment opportunities and social connections.

In the period 1999-2007, more than half a million Burkinabe returned to Burkina Faso due to the persecution of immigrant labourers in neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire. Ultranationalist debates about the criteria for Ivorian citizenship had intensified during the 1990s and led to the scapegoating of immigrants in a political rhetoric centred on notions of autochthony and xenophobia. Having been actively encouraged to immigrate by the Ivorian state for generations, Burkinabe migrant labourers were now forced to leave their homes and livelihoods behind and return to a country they had left in their youth or, as second-generation immigrants in Côte d’Ivoire, had never seen. Based on 12 months of ethnographic fieldwork in Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire, the thesis explores the narratives and everyday practices of returning labour migrants in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso’s second-largest city, in order to understand the subjective experiences of displacement that the forced return to Burkina Faso engendered. The analysis questions the appropriateness of the very notion of “return” in this context and suggests that people’s senses of home are multiplex and tend to rely more on the ability to pursue active processes of emplacement in everyday life than on abstract notions of belonging, e.g. relating to citizenship or ethnicity. The study analyses intergenerational interactions within and across migrant families in the city and on transformations of intra-familial relations in the context of forced displace-ment. A particular emphasis is placed on the experiences of young adults who were born and raised in Côte d’Ivoire and arrived in Burkina Faso for the first time during the Ivorian crisis. These young men and women were received with scepticism in Burkina Faso because of their perceived “Ivorian” upbringing, language, and behaviour and were forced to face new forms of stigmatisation and exclusion. At the same time, young migrants were able to exploit their labelling as outsiders and turn their difference into an advantage in the competition for scarce employment opportunities and social connections.

Iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) deficiencies affect an estimated 3 billion people worldwide and are linked with cognitive and physical impairments, maternal and child mortality rates, and decreased adult work activity. To combat this "hidden" hunger, plant breeders in Mali are working to increase sorghum grain Fe and Zn concentrations. The objective of this study was to investigate soil and mold influences that affect Fe and Zn uptake and accumulation in sorghum grain. In southern Mali, soils from participatory sorghum variety trials and areas of different parent material and proximity to Shea (Vitellaria paradoxa) trees were analyzed for diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable Zn and related soil properties, and sorghum grain was analyzed for Zn concentration. An inoculation trial was also performed at College Station, TX to determine if sorghum grain infected by the mold Curvularia lunata significantly increased grain Fe concentrations. DTPA-extractable Zn concentration was highly variable with high concentrations found in soils under Shea tree canopies with high pH and organic carbon and derived from mafic, high Zn-content parent material. However, these high concentrations did not significantly affect grain Zn concentrations in sorghum grown outside of the canopy. Groundnut grown underneath the canopy is likely to be affected and warrants further investigation. In many cases, soil DTPA-extractable Zn concentrations were at deficient levels, thus hampering its correlation to sorghum grain Zn concentration and potentially limiting the expression of genetic Zn biofortification. Knowledge of soil DTPA-extractable Zn concentrations or basic soil properties such as pH, organic carbon, and soil parent material may aid in the location of suitable available Zn fields and overall biofortification efforts. Grain Fe concentration was not significantly related to Curvularia lunata percent recovery or grain mold rating, but instead showed a relatively high variance by panicle, digestion batch, and grain subsample. Additional work is needed to address these sources of Fe variation so as to determine better if mold affects grain Fe concentrations.

Thesis (M.M.A.S)--US Army Command and General Staff College, 2006. / Title from title screen (viewed on Apr. 9, 2008). Includes bibliographical references (p. 68-71).

Thesis (M.P.H.)--University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, 2007. / Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 46-01, page: 0341. Adviser: Asha Kapadia. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (D. Miss.)--Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 1994. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 147-150).