This study investigates the evolution of monetary policy in Ghana and explores the potential of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), specifically the e-Cedi, as a tool to enhance financial inclusion and modernize the country’s financial system. Ghana’s monetary policy framework has undergone significant transformations since the establishment of the Bank of Ghana in 1957, with notable achievements in stabilizing the economy and managing inflation. However, large segments of the population, particularly in rural areas, remain unbanked or underbanked, highlighting the limitations of traditional monetary tools. The introduction of the e-Cedi presents an opportunity to bridge these gaps by providing secure, efficient, and accessible financial services to underserved communities. The study employs a qualitative research design, integrating historical analysis, case studies, and thematic analysis to assess the potential benefits and challenges of CBDCs in Ghana. Key findings indicate that while the e-Cedi could significantly enhance financial inclusion, challenges related to technological infrastructure, cybersecurity, and public trust must be addressed. The study concludes that a balanced approach, which prioritizes digital infrastructure development, strong cybersecurity measures, and collaboration with financial institutions, is essential for maximizing the potential of CBDCs in Ghana. Recommendations for future research include a deeper exploration of the impact of CBDCs on financial stability and further analysis of rural adoption barriers.
The food insecurity and inadequate management of family farm production is a problem that per-sists today in all corners of the world. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze the socioeconomic and agricultural production management factors associated with food insecurity in rural households in the Machángara river basin in the province Azuay, Ecuador. The information was collected through a survey applied to households that were part of a stratified random sample. Based on this information, the Latin American and Caribbean Household Food Security Measurement Scale (ELCSA) was constructed to estimate food insecurity as a function of socioeconomic factors and agricultural production management, through the application of a Binomial Logit model and an Ordinal Logit model, in the STATA® 16 program. The results show that head house a married head of household, living in an informal house, having a latrine, producing medicinal or ornamental plants, and the relationship between expenses and income are significant variables that increase the probability of being food insecure. In this way, this research provides timely information to help public policy makers employ effective strategies to benefit rural household that are food vulnerable.
Soundscape tourism has become one type of tourism, and its trend is emerging in most areas with hilly, forested, and natural landscapes, such as Bantul Indonesia, becoming a mainstay for region development and its community. This article explores four human manufactured soundscape tourism destinations in Bantul, Indonesia, examining the interrelationships between each tourism stakeholder and pinpointed development from a socio-economic perspective. We adopt a cross-case study approach, drawing main sources from government statistics, regulations, social media narratives, and online news. Using the NVivo 12 Plus software, we coded and annotated the research source. Our research revealed that in four case studies, tourism soundscapes emerged as the primary tourist attractions, with other attractions only marginally contributed. Presenting music or acoustic stages enabled tourism industry to reap benefits, particularly for local community and regional income. However, it is important to emphasize sustainability issues, thus, the continuous increased in music soundscape in nature has led to the formation of collaborations among tourism actors, with local communities “Pokdarwis” posed as the principal driving force behind destination development. This study demonstrates that human-manufactured soundscapes have the potential to increase visitor numbers and outperform natural soundscapes in natural destinations.
The objective is to determine the impact of economic growth on the externalities of infrastructure investments for the Peruvian case for the periods from 2000 to 2022. The methodologies used are descriptive, explanatory and correlational, analyzing qualitative and mainly quantitative methods. Econometric software was used, and correlations of variables were created for each proposed hypothesis. The estimated model shows that all the independent variables have a significant t-statistic greater than 2 and a probability of less than 5%, which indicates that they are significant and explains the model. The R2 is 98.02% which indicates that there is a high level of explanation by the independent variables to the LOG(RGDP). The results of the estimated models demonstrate the existence of a positive and significant relationship of investments in infrastructure and externalities on the growth of the non-deterministic component of real GDP, therefore, in a practical way, private and public investment has a positive effect on the non-deterministic growth of real GDP.
A The meaning of life is the purpose that defines a person’s existence based on a set of fundamental objectives that give meaning to life or not. Furthermore, not all individuals have a meaning in life, and it may be absent at some point or stage of life. Objective: To analyze Peruvian older adults’ socioeconomic factors and the meaning of life. Method: A descriptive, comparative, quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted. One thousand older adults were intentionally selected through quotas of 100 older adults in 10 localities in Arequipa, Peru. They were administered a survey validated with high levels of reliability on the meaning of life and socioeconomic factors. Results: A moderate level of meaning in life was found. Most older adults believe that increasing age decreases the purpose of living, and existential emptiness grows. Conclusions: Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) were found between the meaning of life and the following socioeconomic factors: retirement, religion, educational level, cohabitation, marital status, income, and occupation. It is understood that older adults who scored higher on these factors indicate having meaning in life because they still fulfill the role of providers for the family economy, being util to their families compared to the majority who scored low, which indicates an absence of meaning of life leading to an increase existential void.
This study investigates the impacts of converting agricultural land into agrotourism areas on environmental, socio-cultural, and economic perspectives within Batukliang District, Central Lombok Regency, Indonesia. With a case study approach, this qualitative descriptive research employed interviews with three target groups: local farmers, residents, and tourism actors. The findings revealed seven key points identified as influences affecting the socio-cultural aspects of land change, including community impact, cultural preservation, cultural identity loss, community dynamics change, local cultural commercialization, cultural heritage loss, and traditional livelihoods. The results also unveiled nine financial impacts, 8 of which were associated with economic implications such as economic challenges, risk management, brand building, costs and investments, market access, increased revenue, and income diversity, which contribute positively to local economic development. The study concluded that integrating community involvement empowerment strategies, income diversification, sustainable farming promotion, and land-use regulation is crucial for developing a successful sustainable agrotourism destination.
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