Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development (JESD)

Knowledge Acquisition on Africa through African and Gender Studies Curriculum

2023-12-12T08:51:12-08:00

This paper seeks to improve the discourse of African Studies by taking a retrospection of an introductory course at a public tertiary institution in Ghana (West Africa). African Studies and Gender Studies are interdisciplinary academic fields that promote African-centred knowledge and gender perspectives. Students gain knowledge of African reality, become conscious of gender- and Africa-related stereotypes, and are equipped to confront these preconceptions. This paper aims to investigate the course’s outcomes and understand how students perceive African and Gender Studies curriculum. A mixed methods research approach was adopted to gather data from 50 Black/African students at a public university who took an African Studies course during the 2022–2023 academic year. The data were subjected to thematic analysis. The study discovered that students were able to relate the course to themselves from Afrocentric and gender viewpoints which will enable them to contribute the knowledge and skills that they learned to the development agenda’s goal of the creation of a sustainable Africa. Moreover, it made it easier for them to connect with their classmates since it taught them to treat everyone fairly and reject sexism. Students also benefitted from the course delivery methods such as group activities, multimedia, and art performances that provided room for greater idea exchange, engagement, discussion, and conceptual clarity. They ultimately provide students with the opportunity to gain practical knowledge about the African continent and the African people, and hence, there is a need for pedagogical modification that places emphasis on practical components.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND VULNERABILITY AND RESILIENCE OF MANUFACTURING SUPPLY CHAINS IN NIGERIA

2024-07-19T00:05:37-07:00

Climate change is a pressing global issue with far-reaching implications for various sectors, including manufacturing supply chains. Given the Nigeria diverse geographic and socioeconomic landscape, understanding the presence or absence of cross-sectional dependence within the manufacturing sector will be crucial for implementing effective policy measures and business strategies. Hence, the main objective of this study it to investigate the impact of climate change on manufacturing supply chains in Nigeria using the survey research design. The sample comprised 320 employees and other stakeholders in the manufacturing industry selected through the stratified sampling technique. Instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire. Two hypotheses were formulated and tested by means of simple linear regression analysis at the .05 level of significance. Results revealed that climate change has a significant impact on the vulnerability of manufacturing supply chains (β = 0.263, t = 13.268, p <.05) and climate change has a significant impact on the resilience of manufacturing supply chains in Nigeria (β = -0.227, t = -11.469, p < .05). Based on these findings, it was concluded that climate change significantly impacts the vulnerability and resilience of manufacturing supply chains in Nigeria, with a positive relationship to vulnerability and a negative relationship to resilience. It was subsequently recommended, among others, that the management of manufacturing supply chains in Nigeria should proactively develop and implement climate change adaptation strategies such as conducting vulnerability assessments to identify specific risks and vulnerabilities posed by climate change.

ASSESSMENT OF NIGERIAN PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS’ PRO-ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AND PRACTICES

2024-06-16T16:29:50-07:00

In Nigeria, evidence on primary school pupils pro-environmental concern and practices are limited, with such information we would be helpful in provision of interventions. Thus, we assessed primary school pupils pro-environmental concern and practices. Eight hundred and thirty-two (832) Nigerian primary school pupils were administered with a questionnaire. Three demographic variables gender, age, class, and school type were tested as possible relationship and difference of environmental practices. Results of revealed that most of the respondents have moderate concern for environmental issues. There were significant differences in pupil environmental concerns by gender, age, and school ownership. However, no significant difference was found in their’ pro-environmental practice. There was significant difference in pro-environmental practice among the classes. It was found that environmental concern positively correlated with pro-environmental practices. Based on the findings some practical recommendations were given.

Assessing levels of selected heavy metal contamination and its related health risks in mango (Mangifera indica) fruits from roadsides in southeastern Ghana.

2024-11-12T15:59:12-08:00

Fruits are rich in vitamins and minerals which form a vital part of the human diet. However, these fruits may contain toxic metals of varied range of concentrations. Heavy metal contamination of food crops such as mangoes (Mangnifera indica) threatens human health. An assessment was carried out on heavy metal contamination and the related health risks in mango fruits from Southeastern Ghana. Samples of mango fruits (n = 65) were measured for iron, manganese, copper, lead, chromium, nickel, and cobalt concentrations in relation to maximum allowable limits. Standard acid digestion method was employed for metal extraction for analysis using AA240FS Varian Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The results showed that seven heavy metals were detected in all mango fruits collected from the streets and a market. The concentration levels of these heavy metals ranged from Fe (0.800-5.352) mgkg^-1, Mn (0.082-0.499) mgkg^-1, Cu (0.190-0.527) mgkg^-1, Pb (0.008-0.107) mgkg^-1, Cr (0.002-0.056) mgkg^-1, Ni (0.035-0.545) mgkg^-1 and Co (0.001-0.044) mgkg^-1. The measured concentrations of these heavy metals are lower than the permissible limits set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). The hazard index (HI) range for adults (0.0345-0.5840) and children (0.1526-0.6948) did not exceed 1 and therefore poses no health and cancer risks to consumers. The study concludes that mango fruits sold at the study locations are suitable for consumption. Despite these findings, there is a need for periodic biomonitoring of heavy metals in mango fruits sold in Ghana to safeguard their quality and public health.

SOCIETAL INFLUENCE ON THE DESIRE FOR LARGER BODY SIZE IN A LOW INCOME COMMUNITY, ACCRA, GHANA

2024-05-30T16:42:02-07:00

Purpose: This study examined community’s ideal body size and underlying reasons that influence preference for the ideal body size among resource poor urban dwellers in Accra, Ghana.

Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional qualitative data from eight focus group discussions (FGDs) and fourteen individual interviews (IIs). Silhouette figure ratings were used to assess ideal body size at a community level. The data were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using a thematic approach in Atlas ti.7 software.

Findings: Larger body size or fatness was reported as the most cherished body size in the study communities. To attain the community’s cherished body size, females in particular subscribed to the use of non-prescribed medication to be accepted by peers, attract sexual partners and to avoid mockery and social stigma.

Conclusion & Recommendation: The findings suggest that societal veneration of larger body size influences social acceptability and unhealthy weight management practices. These actions of the community members may contribute to the risk of obesity in the Ghana and thus call for periodic community education on healthy body weight and the adverse effects of non-prescribed medications.