Scientific research, technological development, and commercialisation are processes through which new technologies continually emerge and enter markets. Nanotechnology is an example of an emergent technology (or rather a suite of technologies) which promises to open up a universe of possibilities for the development of new products and processes. Advocates of the technology argue that nanotechnology has the potential to spur economic development while at the same time offering partial solutions to many of the grand challenges of our times such as alleviating hunger, providing new energy sources, reducing climate change, curing diseases, etc. However, alongside these optimistic views, there are also fears and apprehensions concerning the safe and ethical development of nanotechnologies, including the need to address potential negative impacts on the natural environment and human health and safety. The food and food packaging area has shown itself to be a particularly sensitive sector in this respect where the potential for nanoparticles to enter the human body has enhanced the sensitivity of the industry to public concern. The past has shown that any changes or modifications made to food have resulted in public backlash (e.g. GM foods). Due to this some parts of the food and packaging industry remain cautious about making transparent their use of nanotechnologies in their products and processes. However, simultaneously pressure is mounting from regulatory agencies, and from some activists, to pursue the safe and 'responsible' development of nanotechnologies (whatever that may be) as an ethical obligation. The use of nanotechnologies in food and food packaging has become increasingly complex because of its introduction at various points in the food chain, giving rise to debates as to "who is responsible". As a contribution to the debate on what constitutes the 'responsible' governance of new/emergent technologies, this thesis investigates the governance of nanotechnologies and the idea of 'responsibility' and 'responsible innovation' through the lens of perspectives of different actors within the nanotech food chain. A qualitative research methodology was used where semi-structured interviews were conducted with a heterogeneous group of actors with a particular focus on the food and food packaging sectors. Research in comparative national settings (Canada and India) was conducted on the grounds that regulation of nanotechnologies differs significantly across OECD and non-OECD countries, and where the global debate on nanotechnologies is organised and dominated by OECD countries. Findings from this thesis showed that the set of critical elements, such as health and safety, that are put forward by such OECD countries like Canada for the 'responsible' development of nanotechnologies are not the same as that found in India and are seen to differ. In India, meeting the grand challenges of society such as food security, clean drinking water and alleviating poverty take precedent over other elements, where science, technology (such as nanotechnologies) and innovation are harnessed by entrepreneurs, and small and large firms to solve these national problems. However, while I began the study with the intention of comparing two national territories with different regulatory settings, the study also found a case of collaborative Canada-India transnational research network where 'responsibility' is influenced through certain funding criteria set by the more dominant partner, Canada. This suggests the return of public intervention by dominant OECD countries in pro-actively shaping R&D processes that are influencing the 'responsible' development of nano-products in such emerging markets, where there is a potential for future trade associations.

This diploma thesis introduces the positive influence of ecological agriculture on the quality of environment as well as human health. Support of organic farming depends both on state support, but also on each individual consumer, through his demand for organic food. The aim of the thesis is to evaluate the demand for the organic production of the mountain farm Abertamy and to suggest appropriate marketing strategy. The analysis is realized by marketing minds research of consumers in the Karlovy Vary region. For this purpose, the interviewing technique is used. Finally, based on the given hypothesis and SWOT analysis of companys data, acquired by own investigation, the marketing strategy and its implementation are proposed to the farm.

<p>Rising levels of food insecurity is currently one of the most pressing issues in global politics. While the United Nations (UN) system has traditionally been responsible for addressing world hunger, the World Trade Organization (WTO) has emerged as a major site of global food security governance. As a result, the UN system and WTO now share authority over the global governance of food security. There are major tensions between these two regimes, with WTO trade rules making agriculture and food increasingly subject to market forces, while, in sharp contrast, the UN advances a human rights approach to food and a greater role for states and deeper constraints on the market. The WTO’s expanding authority over food security has prompted a counter-movement by the UN system, with UN institutions actively seeking to shape WTO trade rules in an attempt to limit the negative impacts of trade liberalization on world food security. This study develops a theory of international organizations as semi-autonomous actors that influence outcomes at competing institutional sites of global governance. This theoretical model, and its supporting empirical investigation, provide a novel contribution to the International Relations and International Political Economy literature on the role of state and non-state actors in contesting global governance. In particular, this study demonstrates that international organizations: act behind the scenes and in hidden ways in inter-state negotiations; perceive and adapt to new hierarchical configurations of power at the global level; and, engage in transnational political action that is motivated by moral and ethical concerns.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Der Statusbericht 2013 bietet einen Überblick zur wirtschaftlichen Bedeutung sowie volkswirtschaftlichen Einordnung der Land- und Ernährungswirtschaft in Sachsen. Die Bruttowertschöpfung der Land- und Forstwirtschaft stieg 2012 auf 1.103 Mio. €. Zusammen mit dem Ernährungsgewerbe wurde eine Bruttowertschöpfung von rd. 2,1 Mrd. € erzielt. Das ist ein Anteil von 2,4 % an der gesamten Wertschöpfung Sachsens. Darüber hinaus bestehen zahlreiche Verflechtungen zwischen der Landwirtschaft und deren vor- und nachgelagerten Bereichen. Zusammengefasst unter der Bezeichnung Agrarbusiness konnten mind. 78.500 Beschäftigte (d. h. jeder 25. sächsische Arbeitsplatz) diesem Bereich zugeordnet werden und damit mehr als doppelt so viel wie den Wirtschaftszweigen Maschinenbau (38.440 Erwerbstätige) und Fahrzeugbau (27.583 Erwerbstätige).

The aim of the thesis is to evaluate control activities of selected supervisory authorities in a sphere of consumer protection and to find the opinions and attitudes of selected business entities on supervisory authorities' activities. The thesis includes a questionnaire survey among consumers and controlled in-depth interviews both with business entities and with supervisory authorities. The questionnaire survey confirms or rejects hypotheses of the thesis. Controlled in-depth interviews with selected supervisory authorities focused on their controlling activities. Managed in-depth interviews with business entities aimed to find out their views and attitudes towards supervisory authorities, as well as to identify a scope and a process of controls carried out by supervisory authorities. The thesis further outline how the selected supervisory authorities could evaluate their work with consumers. Changes are mainly concerned with informing consumers of suitable and unsuitable business premises.

Der Statusbericht 2013 bietet einen Überblick zur wirtschaftlichen Bedeutung sowie volkswirtschaftlichen Einordnung der Land- und Ernährungswirtschaft in Sachsen. Die Bruttowertschöpfung der Land- und Forstwirtschaft stieg 2012 auf 1.103 Mio. €. Zusammen mit dem Ernährungsgewerbe wurde eine Bruttowertschöpfung von rd. 2,1 Mrd. € erzielt. Das ist ein Anteil von 2,4 % an der gesamten Wertschöpfung Sachsens. Darüber hinaus bestehen zahlreiche Verflechtungen zwischen der Landwirtschaft und deren vor- und nachgelagerten Bereichen. Zusammengefasst unter der Bezeichnung Agrarbusiness konnten mind. 78.500 Beschäftigte (d. h. jeder 25. sächsische Arbeitsplatz) diesem Bereich zugeordnet werden und damit mehr als doppelt so viel wie den Wirtschaftszweigen Maschinenbau (38.440 Erwerbstätige) und Fahrzeugbau (27.583 Erwerbstätige).

Increasingly unpredictable, extreme and erratic rainfall with higher temperatures threatens to undermine the adaptive capacity of food systems and ecological resilience of smallholder landscapes. Despite growing concern, land managers still lack quantitative techniques to collect empirical data about the potential impact of climatic variability and change. This thesis aims to assess how ecosystem services and function and how this links with biodiversity and human wellbeing in smallholder agro-ecosystems in a changing climate. To this end, rather than relying on scenarios or probabilistic modelling, space was used as a proxy for time to compare states in disparate climatic conditions. Furthermore, an integrated methodological framework to assess ecosystem services at the field and landscape level was developed and operationalised, the results of which can be modelled with measures of wellbeing. Various multidisciplinary analytical tools were utilised, including ecological and socio-economic surveys, biological assessments, participatory open enquiry, and documenting ethnobotanical knowledge. The study was located within monsoon rice farms in the Terai Plains of Nepal, and dry season vegetable farms in Northern Ghana. Sites were selected that are climatically and culturally diverse to enable comparative analysis, with application to broad areas of adaptive planning. The linkages that bring about biophysical and human changes are complex and operate through social, political, economic and demographic drivers, making attribution extremely challenging. Nevertheless, it was demonstrated that within hotter and drier conditions in Ghana long-tongued pollinators and granivores, important for decomposition processes and pollination services, are more abundant in farms. Results further indicated that in cooler and drier conditions in Nepal, the taxonomic diversity of indigenous and close relative plant species growing in and around farms, important for the provisioning of ecosystem services, decreases. All other things equal, in both Nepal and Ghana findings indicate that overall human wellbeing may be adversely effected in hotter conditions, with a potentially significantly lower yields, fewer months of the year in which food is available, higher exposure to natural hazards and crop loss, unemployment, and psychological anxiety. Yet, surveys indicate smallholders continue to maintain a fair diversity of species in and around farms, which may allow them to secure basic necessities from provisioning ecosystem services. Moreover, farmers may employ adaptive strategies such as pooling labour and food sharing more frequently, and may have greater access to communication, technology, and infrastructure. Novel methodological and empirical contributions of this research offer predictive insights that could inform innovations in climate-smart agricultural practice and planning.