Purpose This article evaluates the effectiveness of the innovation platform (IP) at Terbol Station in strengthening Lebanon's wheat seed sector, with particular attention to stakeholder dynamics, incentive structures and governance gaps in a fragile agricultural context. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 16 seed producers after identifying and mapping the key stakeholders in the seed sector. A combination of descriptive statistical analysis, perception analysis, Kendall's W-test and the Chi-squared distribution tests were applied to assess farmer priorities across six thematic groups related to IP performance. Findings The findings show strong farmer agreement on the importance of IP groups, especially incentives and joint planning for improving performance. Farmers view the wheat seed sector as unprofitable and call for greater financial and institutional support. The study recommends government and Ministry of Agriculture action through tailored governance policies, alongside stronger regulation and improved extension services to enhance wheat seed production, distribution and use in Lebanon. Originality/value The study finds that IPs in Lebanese agriculture are still poorly developed, mainly due to institutional fragility and weak governance. It adds rare empirical, stakeholder-based evidence from Lebanon's seed sector within the F2R initiative in the CWANA region. The findings emphasize farmers' central role in shaping practical action plans and highlight the need for coordinated Ministry of Agriculture interventions as key to improving sector recovery and sustainability.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between bankers' perspectives and their intention to engage in green and climate financing activities after the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. In particular, it examines how do bankers' perspectives on deep ecological awareness, the normative structure of social pressure and environmental innovative technology affect their intentions toward green financing activities? Design/methodology/approach As a genuinely interdisciplinary theme, the idea of bounded rationality has gained substantial popularity in the social sciences, especially in green finance and technology. Based on this understanding, a theoretical framework grounded in the theory of bounded rational planned behavior was established to address the objectives of the present paper. Data were collected from bankers employed by selected commercial banks in Bangladesh following a random sampling procedure and analyzed using the partial least square structural equation modeling technique. Findings The findings show that all of the predictors appear to be robust in predicting the green financing intention of the sampled bankers in Bangladesh. The mediating variables also have significant effects. Practical implications Bankers' deep ecological awareness appeared to be a highly significant predictor of their attitudes toward bounded rational intention based on deep ecological awareness. Similarly, the social normative structure also appears to be a robust antecedent of subjective norms, which influence respondents’ bounded rational intention toward green and climate (G&C) financing. Social implications G&C financing practices can help reduce carbon emissions and other pollutants, thereby improving overall environmental sustainability and ecological conditions. Originality/value Few studies have focused on the G&C financing perspective in Bangladesh. This research is one of the empirical studies that will certainly add value for clients, institutions and policymakers in financing and banking sectors.
Purpose Heterogeneous catalysts derived from peels of banana, plantain and banana-plantain were utilized to catalyze the transesterification of papaya seed oil (PSO) in papaya seed oil methyl ester (PSOME) production. Design/methodology/approach Each of the fruit peels was subjected to a calcination temperature of 700°C:4 h to produce calcined banana peel ash (CBPA), calcined plantain peel ash (CPPA), in addition to calcined banana-plantain peel ash (CBPPA) while transforming potassium species in the peels into active K2O catalysts. The catalyst constituents were ascertained using scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray, X-ray diffraction and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis. Temperature, catalyst dosage, methanol/oil molar ratio and time effects on PSOME yield while utilizing the various bio-derived catalysts were investigated. Findings The CBPA, CPPA and CBPPA catalysts were found to have large surface areas and pore diameters of 870.8 m2/g: 2.123 nm, 547.372 m2/g: 2.133 nm and 697.422 m2/g: 2.131 nm, respectively. Each of the catalysts exhibited high catalytic ability in PSO methanolysis resulting in over 97% PSOME conversion at the optimal settings of 60°C, 2.5 wt. % catalyst dosage and 9:1 molar ratio at a reduced reaction time of 1 h and mixing rate of 600 rpm. The CBPA-catalyzed PSO transesterification depicted the highest catalytic capability with a fatty-acid-methyl-ester (FAME) yield of 100%. The catalysts' efficacy in the PSO transesterification is a function of the potassium content and the surface area. The PSOME physicochemical properties were within the specified biodiesel standard. Originality/value Thus a route for an ecologically and economically sustainable fuel could be established with bio-derived catalysts.
Purpose This study analyzes the structure of intersectoral linkages and resource-income interactions within the Tunisian economy, with a focus on the implications for sustainability in water, energy, food and related sectors. Design/methodology/approach A detailed Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) for Tunisia is constructed to calibrate an extended input–output (IO) model. By integrating institutional income and expenditure flows into the production system, the SAM enables a more comprehensive representation of economic interdependencies. Linkage indexes derived from the extended model are compared with those from the traditional Leontief formulation to assess how institutional accounts reshape measured economic relationships. Findings The results demonstrate that integrating institutional income and expenditure flows into production structures substantially alters measured inter-commodity relationships. This expanded approach yields more nuanced insights into key commodities and their interactions, with significant relevance to public economic policy. Practical implications The findings emphasize the importance of understanding both production structures and economic linkages in the context of household socioeconomic conditions. The study provides guidance for policymakers seeking to promote efficient resource allocation, circular economy principles and inclusive socioeconomic development, thereby supporting Tunisia's strategy for sustainable growth. Originality/value By comparing traditional and extended IO models with SAM-based approaches, the research presents novel evidence regarding the economic and institutional interdependencies that underpin sustainable resource management in Tunisia.
Purpose Extreme temperature fluctuations from climate change negatively affect the growth of medicinal and economic plants. In arid regions, these changes disrupt biochemical processes necessary for metabolic activities, impacting osmotic balance and protein levels, which influence thermostability. This study investigates the water output and metabolic responses of broad leaf plants in Arabian deserts. Design/methodology/approach Samples of broad succulent and non-succulent leaves from some native species were collected from different areas between latitudes N 25° and N 30° in the Egyptian deserts to assess their responses in water output and primary metabolites to temperature variations under controlled conditions. Findings Results indicate that increased temperatures above 45°C lead to excessive water output and metabolic changes in plants. Notably, Hyoscyamus muticus, along with Calotropis procera, showcases a capacity to endure extreme temperatures, contrasting with Cynanchum acutum, which shows poor resilience to heat stress. Investigations reveal significant correlations among parameters in plant species at latitude 27°, particularly in the Assiut region, influenced by extreme climatic conditions. Originality/value In agricultural projects, the succulent leaf characteristics of introduced species and native plants play a crucial role in managing climate changes by absorbing high insolation, even under extreme temperature conditions.
