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The socio‐economic struggles in Africa are partly attributed to the low productivity of the agricultural sector. The Sustainable Development Goals Centre for Africa (SDGC/A) and the African Development Bank Group (AfDBG) both agree that the continent needs sustainable interventions to boost agricultural productivity, employment, and income. In this regard, mycelium composite production can present one potential solution. The added value to agricultural waste used to produce mycelium composites can generate additional revenue for farmers, serving as an incentive to increase agricultural productivity. Furthermore, the establishment of mycelium composite start‐ups can increase employment and income, especially for women and the youth. Mycelium composites can also aid in mitigating environmental and health challenges caused by some of the current waste management practices in Africa. This review offers valuable insights into the potential use of mycelium composites as a sustainable alternative for Africa. It explores the potential use of locally accessible resources, the potential applications for the composites in Africa, and the potential challenges that may arise with this technology. It further assesses the potential contribution of this technology to sustainable development in Africa in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations (UN). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degree of crystallinity in cellulose significantly affects the physical, mechanical, and chemical properties of cellulosic materials, their processing, and their final application. Measuring the crystalline structures of cellulose is a challenging task due to inadequate consistency among the variety of analytical techniques available and the lack of absolute crystalline and amorphous standards. Our article reviews the primary methods for estimating the crystallinity of cellulose, namely, X-ray diffraction (XRD), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Raman and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, sum-frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy (SFG), as well as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and evolving biochemical methods using cellulose binding molecules (CBMs). The techniques are compared to better interrogate not only the requirements of each method, but also their differences, synergies, and limitations. The article highlights fundamental principles to guide the general community to initiate studies of the crystallinity of cellulosic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role that resource extraction, particularly mining and oil palm plantation, has played in enabling a form of racism in West Papua is presented. The history of mining projects in West Papua, and how this has displaced indigenous populations, is covered. This development of mining reserves and oil palm plantations at the expense and the destruction of indigenous life is discussed. This process has relied on a dehumanisation of indigenous people, and an ignorance of their agency in determining their own needs. The effects of resource extraction, on cultural sustainability, and its supplantation with industrial colonialism is presented as a form of racism; concepts of 'industrial racism' and 'industrial colonisation' are introduced within this context. It is demonstrated that this racism has been both explicitly and implicitly supported by Western and Global South governments, highlighting the need for a voice for indigenous groups in self-determination. The more recent reparations to help achieve self-determination, even in this modern context of understanding, are shown to have a colonial approach. The view that matters have improved, through various awards for sustainability, is presented and critiqued, demonstrating the conflict between that view and that of the indigenous within a colonial power structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]