Bringing together in-depth analysis and critical insights into the potential benefits of improved technology in Africa's development, this work illustrates the central role information and communication technologies can play in the delivery of efficient and effective services by governments and agencies. The potential political rewards of better digital technology are discussed, as is the important role digital networks could play in establishing increased communication and profits among businesses. In exploring these topics, considerations such as financial accountability, private and corporate responsibility, and social considerations are also brought to light.

Plant genetic resources provide a basis for food security, livelihood support and economic development as a major component of biodiversity. The Second Report on the State of the World’s Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture demonstrates the central role plant genetic diversity continues to play in shaping agriculture growth in the face of climate change and other environmental challenges. It is based on information gathered from Country Reports, regional syntheses, thematic studie s and scientific literature, documenting the major achievements made in this sector during the past decade and identifying the critical gaps and needs that should urgently be addressed. The Report provides the decision-makers with a technical basis for updating the Global Plan of Action on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. It also aims to attract the attention of the global community to set priorities for the effective management of plant genet ic resources for the future. Purchase a print copy.

Although the information and communication technology (ICT) industry accounted for only 2 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2007, the explosive increase in data traffic brought about by a rapidly growing user base of more than a billion wireless subscribers is expected to nearly double that number by 2020. It is clear that now is the time to rethink how we design and build our networks. Green Networking and Communications: ICT for Sustainability brings together leading academic and industrial researchers from around the world to discuss emerging developments in energy-efficient networking and communications. It covers the spectrum of research subjects, including methodologies and architectures for energy efficiency, energy-efficient protocols and networks, energy management, smart grid communications, and communication technologies for green solutions. Examines foraging-inspired radio-communication energy management for green multi-radio networks Considers a cross-layer approach to the design of energy-efficient wireless access networks Investigates the interplay between cooperative device-to-device communications and green LTE cellular networks Considers smart grid energy procurement for green LTE cellular networks Details smart grid networking protocols and standards Considering the spectrum of energy-efficient network components and approaches for reducing power consumption, the book is organized into three sections: Energy Efficiency and Management in Wireless Networks, Cellular Networks, and Smart Grids. It addresses many open research challenges regarding energy efficiency for IT and for wireless sensor networks, including mobile and wireless access networks, broadband access networks, home networks, vehicular networks, intelligent future wireless networks, and smart grids. It also examines emerging standards for energy-efficient protocols. Since ICT technologies touch on nearly all sectors of the economy, the concepts presented in this text offer you the opportunity to make a substantial contribution to the reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions.

For many years, entrepreneurship has been considered as one of the most important solutions to the three-pronged challenges, poverty, unemployment and inequality, of most African countries. A recent development that has undoubtedly compounded the challenges that African entrepreneurs face and further impede the economic growth impact is Covid-19. This pandemic has exerted severe damage to economies and businesses globally. For the African setting, the implications of Covid-19 on businesses and individuals would be enormous, as African societies are rarely equipped to absorb unexpected shocks of this magnitude as the social and welfare schemes are far below requirements. This book illuminates entrepreneurship in the African setting, focusing on the prospects, challenges, and the post-Covid-19 pandemic future. It aims to offer a rich repository of information on strategies and techniques for sustaining entrepreneurial activities that can enrich African nations and will be of relevance to academics, researchers, advanced students, entrepreneurs, governments, and government agencies who are interested in understanding issues relating to entrepreneurship development within the African continent.

Recent developments in information and communication technology (ICT) have paved the way for a world of advanced communication, intelligent information processing and ubiquitous access to information and services. The ability to work, communicate, interact, conduct business, and enjoy digital entertainment virtually anywhere is r- idly becoming commonplace due to a multitude of small devices, ranging from mobile phones and PDAs to RFID tags and wearable computers. The increasing number of connected devices and the proliferation of networks provide no indication of a sl- down in this tendency. On the negative side, misuse of this same technology entails serious risks in various aspects, such as privacy violations, advanced electronic crime, cyber terrorism, and even enlargement of the digital divide. In extreme cases it may even threaten basic principles and human rights. The aforementioned issues raise an important question: Is our society ready to adopt the technological advances in ubiq- tous networking, next-generation Internet, and pervasive computing? To what extent will it manage to evolve promptly and efficiently to a next-generation society, ado- ing the forthcoming ICT challenges? The Third International ICST Conference on e-Democracy held in Athens, Greece during September 23–25, 2009 focused on the above issues. Through a compreh- sive list of thematic areas under the title “Next-Generation Society: Technological and Legal issues,” the 2009 conference provided comprehensive reports and stimulated discussions on the technological, ethical, legal, and political challenges ahead of us.