In the past 20 years, Cuba has emerged as a world leader in urban agriculture and sustainable development, having shifted its policies and practices toward local, organic food production and self-sufficiency. This collective case study explored small-scale, unwaged urban agriculture and household livelihoods in Havana, Cuba. Data were collected from three case households through participant observation, in-depth interviews, and photos. Two of the families produce fruits, vegetables and animal products, and the third produces organic fertilizers. For these families, agricultural production requires time and labour, but produces multiple material and non-material benefits at the individual, household, and community level. The findings demand a more nuanced view of household livelihoods and agency in the Cuban context, and the notion of agriculture as work vs. leisure. As global concerns about resource depletion and social justice in food systems increase, much can be learned from families and countries that have successfully implemented alternatives.

A sustainable global program to reduce mercury use in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) will require the demonstration of credible, continuous progress to secure political support and financing, and ultimately achieve success. Focused progress measurement has been lacking to date for ASGM at the global level. This research analyses information on appropriate options to measure mercury reduction progress in ASGM. Research methods included a case study of Mongolia, supplemented with information analyzed from semi-structured interviews related to ASGM and other applicable evaluation approaches. The study concludes by proposing the development of a framework approach for measuring progress and by offering guiding principles and recommendations. Recommendations for the framework approach include: on-going and enhanced support to an information database; simplified evaluation metrics for the ASGM Partnership; tracking the level of political commitment of national governments as an indicator of progress; and promoting common reporting metrics across global programming.

This thesis investigates small-scale community-based shrimp aquaculture (CBSA) in northwestern Sri Lanka. The objectives are to explore: (1) community-based shrimp aquaculture; (2) commons institutions and application of commons rules; and (3) policy implications (i.e., as an alternative to large-scale operations in ensuring sustainability). Data were gathered from three communities in northwestern Sri Lanka, through participant observations; semi-structured interviews; focus group discussions; and key informant interviews. Presence of small-scale community-based institutions is evident. Arguably, commons in this context are social-ecological systems, including the interconnected natural water body. Main characteristics of the existing resource governance system are multi-level commons institutional structure; zonal crop calendar system; collaborative/participatory management approach; and better management practices. A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis proves the viability of existing CBSA. This thesis recognizes CBSA as an alternative approach to large-scale aquaculture operations to ensure sustainability in the long run.

A group of students from the Peace and Development master program at Linnaeus University in Växjö have conducted a field study on agriculture in Ribaue district, Nampula, Mozambique. This study took place over a period of five weeks starting from the beginning of April. The purpose of the research was to perform a socio-economic study to gain a better understanding of the conditions under which the population of Ribaue live, the majority of which are small-scale farmers. Also, how they manage to access resources in order to improve their livelihoods and how small-scale farmers are striving to reach a lifestyle that is more sustainable. This study concentrates on the potential introduction of the Green Revolution Strategy, which is linked to food security and combating poverty, in Mozambique. It asks the question: under what conditions can it be possible for a Green Revolution Strategy to be developed and implemented in the district of Ribaue in Nampula, and which are the necessary prerequisites for a successful implementation of such a strategy? We have, through interviews, observations and participation in various activities, discovered the main issues that need to be addressed in the district. The Green Revolution Strategy exists in theory on the national level but has not yet been fully implemented in practice. Very few producers in Ribaue have heard of the concept ‘Green Revolution’, however, certain parts of its content were known to farmers, such as improved seeds and fertilizers. Furthermore, the gender conditions are still in favor of men, although some significant progress has been made. Better access to education and credit, improved infrastructure, and more effective spread of information and communication are some of the prerequisites that need to be addressed in Ribaue and they are presented in this study.

Lake Winnipeg is under examined, yet a very interesting lake. This 10th largest lake in the world supports a small-scale fishery, which today is pre-dominantly for walleye. Currently, the fishery is very strong. Historically, however, it has been characterized by fluctuations in both catches and returns. The end of the 1960s and the beginning of the 1970s was a turning point for the fishing industry. At that time, the fishery experienced declining catches and diminishing returns. In order to reverse the trend, the Provincial Government of Manitoba introduced a quota system while the Federal Government established the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation (FFMC) to handle the marketing of freshwater fish. Today, the fishery on Lake Winnipeg has been at a record level of production and these two institutions play a significant role in the fishery. To gain an insight into fishers’ social context in the Gimli area, a social well-being analysis was applied following design of the ESRC Wellbeing in Developing Countries Research Group adapted by Sarah Coulthard and colleagues. The social well-being analytical tool shed light on three domains of fisher’s life; material well-being, subjective well-being and relational well-being. Together, these domains give an insight into how satisfied fishers are with their current social environment. The analysis of fishers’ social experience in the Gimli area shows that current policy seems to be working equally well in the areas of relational and subjective well-being. In fact, the quota system and the FFMC still have great impact on the fishers, not only from an economic view but also for their subjective values and relational well-being.

This thesis investigates small-scale community-based shrimp aquaculture (CBSA) in northwestern Sri Lanka. The objectives are to explore: (1) community-based shrimp aquaculture; (2) commons institutions and application of commons rules; and (3) policy implications (i.e., as an alternative to large-scale operations in ensuring sustainability). Data were gathered from three communities in northwestern Sri Lanka, through participant observations; semi-structured interviews; focus group discussions; and key informant interviews. Presence of small-scale community-based institutions is evident. Arguably, commons in this context are social-ecological systems, including the interconnected natural water body. Main characteristics of the existing resource governance system are multi-level commons institutional structure; zonal crop calendar system; collaborative/participatory management approach; and better management practices. A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis proves the viability of existing CBSA. This thesis recognizes CBSA as an alternative approach to large-scale aquaculture operations to ensure sustainability in the long run.

Thesis (doctoral)--Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 2004. / Appendix includes reprints of four papers and manuscripts co-authored with others. Also issued electronically via World Wide Web in PDF format.

Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The growing contribution of wind energy to utility grids has sparked interest in small-scale wind turbines and thus a growing global cumulative installed capacity. Small-scale wind turbines find use in the saving of cost of electricity or for the carbon footprint reduction of small farms and small-holdings, as well as the electrification of rural communities. A goal of any wind turbine is to produce power at as low of a cost per unit energy as possible. Thus, a generator with a high power density and high efficiency is essential. The reluctance synchronous machine (RSM) is a strong competitor in this regard. Additionally, the RSM is a robust brushless topology that has good properties of manufacturability. However, studies published on the use of RSMs as generators in wind turbines is limited. This study serves to explore the performance and controllability of an RSM as a generator in a small-scale 9:2 kW wind turbine. For maximum power capture, it is desirable to have a wind turbine vary its rotor speed. However, there is a limit to the power that the generator may produce and so techniques are employed to reduce the captured power when operating above the rated wind speed. A turbine controller is developed that employs a speed-controlled maximum power point tracking (MPPT) technique for maximum power capture and soft-stalling of the blades to reduce power capture at excessive wind speeds. The RSM is modelled along with a turbine simulation model, complete with a wind source generator, to evaluate the performance of the system. Speed-controlled MPPT is known to sacrifice torque smoothness for fast tracking performance. To mitigate these harsh effects on the drivetrain, the speed reference of the generator is filtered to provide an average response to the optimal speed reference. This is shown to reduce the frequent and excessive speed, torque, and electrical power variations though optimal performance is not possible. However, any reduction on drivetrain fatigue that will maximise operation time of the turbine is considered an important gain. The RSM proves to have qualities that are applicable to wind turbine applications with its high efficiency, good manufacturability properties, low cost, and high robustness. Its higher power density over induction machines is also favourable though power electronics are required for optimal operation of the machine. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die groeiende bydrae van wind energie te nut roosters het aanleiding gegee tot belangstelling in kleinskaalse wind turbines en dus 'n groeiende w^ereldwye kumulatiewe geïnstalleerde kapasiteit. Kleinskaalse wind turbines vind ook gebruik in die besparing van koste van elektrisiteit, of vir die koolstofvoetspoor vermindering van klein plase en klein-hoewes, sowel as die elektrifisering van landelike gemeenskappe. Een van die doelwitte van enige wind turbine is om krag te produseer teen so laag van 'n koste per eenheid energie as moontlik. Dus, 'n kragopwekker met 'n hoë krag digtheid en hoë doeltreffendheid is noodsaaklik. Die reluktansie sinchroonmajien (RSM) is 'n sterk mededinger in hierdie verband. Daarbenewens is die RSM 'n robuuste borsellose topologie wat goeie eienskappe van vervaardigbaarheid het. Maar studies oor die gebruik van RSMs as kragopwekkers gepubliseer in die wind turbines is beperk. Hierdie studie dien om die prestasie te ondersoek en die beheerbaarheid van 'n RSM as 'n a kragopwekker in 'n klein-skaal 9:2 kW wind turbine te verken. Vir maksimum krag vang is dit wenslik dat die wind turbine sy rotor spoed wissel. Maar daar is 'n beperking op die krag wat die kragopwekker kan produseer en daarom work tegnieke gebruik om die gevange krag te verminder wanneer daar bo die gegradeerde wind spoed gewerk word. 'n Turbine beheerder word ontwikkel wat werk om 'n spoedbeheer maksimum kragpunt dop tegniek vir maksimum krag vang en die sagtestaking van die lemme krag vang deur oormatige wind spoed te verminder. Die RSM is gemodeleer saam met 'n turbine simulasie model kompleet met 'n wind bron kragopwekker om die prestasie van die stelsel te evalueer. Spoedbeheerde maksimum kragpunt dop is bekend om wringkrag gladheid vir 'n vinnige dop prestasie te offer. Om hierdie harde gevolge op die kragoorbringstelsel te versag is die spoed verwysing van die kragopwekker gefiltreer om 'n gemiddelde reaksie op die optimale spoed verwysing te verskaf. Dit word getoon om gereelde en hoë spoed, wringkrag en elektriese krag variases te verminder al is optimale prestasie nie moontlik nie. Enige afname van aandrystelsel moegheid wat operasie tyd van die turbine maksimeer word beskou as 'n belangrike gewin. Die RSM bewys eienskappe wat van toepassing is op die turbine aansoeke na aanleiding met sy hoë doeltreffendheid, goeie vervaardigbaarheid eienskappe, lae koste end ' hoë robuustheid. Sy hoër krag digtheid oor induksiemasjien is ook gunstig al is drywingselektronika nodig vir optimale werking van die masjien.

This project explores the relationships between people, environment, and possibility through two of the world's smallest materials: agricultural seeds and mushroom cultures. While often seen as products of nature, seeds and cultures also embody complex social, historical, political and economic realities as they come into contact with human hands. Through fieldwork on small-scale farms in southern Illinois, including farm tours, agricultural trainings and interviews, as well as an analysis of seed descriptions in a popular heirloom seed catalog, this thesis explores how produce seeds and mushroom cultures become things that are known through place and practice. Planting a seed or inoculating a culture is not a simple action, but one imbued with intention, hope and even revolution.

This study delves into the local food system of Eugene, Oregon to focus on this community’s small-scale growers and their distribution strategies. The various distribution strategies open to small-scale local growers each require their own kind of work. In determining how to allocate their time and energy, growers consider these activities alongside the benefits that each distribution strategy offers. Certain distribution arrangements with smaller bulk buyers like restaurants and community grocery stores, which I term “direct wholesale” arrangements, offer the benefit of providing long-term, close relationships. These arrangements provide value that more than compensates for the work of establishing and maintaining these arrangements in the first place. In this context, these close-ties developed through “direct wholesale” provide the best platform for the viability of a small-scale, local farm in Eugene, Oregon.