Farmer–herder conflicts and water governance in a semi-arid region of Africa
Sedentary farmers in the Volta Basin are endangering the activity of transhumant herders relying on grazing ranges between 9° and 11°N. Despite mutual benefits, farmers try to deny them access to water and thereby the possibility to graze their stock on crop residues. This new behaviour is changing the geographical distribution of traditional activities and risks endangering herding activity, a leading economic resource in these regions. Meeting livestock watering requirements is thus a matter of local conflict resolution and good governance. Countries should be encouraged to adopt legislation to maintain or even promote the mobility of herding activities.
Pastoralisme et migration. Les Peul de Barani et de Dokui (Haute-Volta)
Les pasteurs peul de l'ouest de la Haute-Volta sont devenus des guerriers au XIXe siecle. De nouvelles donnees socio-politiques issues de la colonisation les ont renvoyes a leur condition de bergers. Leur diagnostic vis-a-vis de la nature s'en est trouve change. Un nouveau comportement fonde sur la mobilite est alors apparu comme la recherche d'un equilibre population-ressources perpetuellement remis en question.
Linear Programming in the Allocation of Milk Resources for Cheese Making
Abstract To use linear programming, the cheese making process can be modeled as a resource conversion process. The relationship between input milk resources and output products can be analyzed using mass balance assumptions. The variables used in the linear programming model will represent the pounds of each milk resource chosen to formulate a vat of cheese milk. Additional variables will be used to represent the pounds of cream to be removed from a milk resource that has the potential to have cream removed. Three objectives that could be considered are 1) maximize net returns, 2) maximize cheese yield, or 3) minimize cost. A hypothetical example is used to illustrate how the cheese making process can be modeled. This linear programming model depends on formulas that relate ratio of casein to fat of milk to the fat on the dry basis of the cheese. Sensitivity analysis is performed to determine at what cost a milk resource not in the optimal formulation will replace a milk resource currently in the optimal formulation. The linear programming model can be an effective management tool in the allocation of milk resources for cheese making.