List of Titles

An assessment of the sustainability of the selected NGOs' interventions on poverty alleviation: the case of Mafeteng and Leribe Districts

- Ntobo-Letsie, Hlompho

Authors: Ntobo-Letsie, Hlompho
Date: 2011-11
Subjects: Non-governmental organizations -- Lesotho , Poverty -- Lesotho
Language: English
Type: Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/25777 , vital:64478
Description: The escalating levels of poverty present a serious challenge of vulnerability to most citizens of Lesotho. The government of Lesotho and its Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) partners have been engaged in several programs aimed at alleviating poverty, whose persistence has threatened the current and future generations of the country. This study aimed at assessing the sustainability of NGO`s poverty alleviation programmes established for selected beneficiaries in rural communities. The main participants in this study were beneficiaries of poverty alleviation projects, government officials and NGO project managers. Using a combination of empowerment, sustainable livelihood approach and the sustainable development theoretical frameworks, the study adopted the qualitative research methodology to investigate the pertinent issues. The research design was a case study which helped to direct the researcher in the process of collecting and analyzing data. The study revealed that the sustainability of these projects in poverty alleviation remains questionable due to a number of challenges. These challenges include; lack of participation of the beneficiaries, inadequate funding, natural disasters, lack of commitment of the beneficiaries and lack of government support to the project beneficiaries. Nevertheless, there are commendable efforts made by the NGOs involved to enhance the sustainability of these projects and these include; training the beneficiaries in crop production, marketing, natural resources management and disaster management. In light of the challenges faced by NGOs and participants in alleviating poverty, this study advocates, The three stakeholders are expected to work harmoniously together using communication channels that are open to all of them. That enables them to work with a singleness of purpose to attain the sustainability goals of the project. There is need also for NGOs to reconsider their targeting schemes, and to advance their training, monitoring and evaluation skills of their projects. It also recommended that the beneficiaries must be empowered in order for the sustainability of the projects to be realized. , Thesis (MSoc) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2011
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Date Issued: 2011-11

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An evaluation of stress tolerant open pollinated maize varieties in selected environments of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

- Chimonyo, Vimbayi G P https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9912-9848

Authors: Chimonyo, Vimbayi G P https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9912-9848
Date: 2011-11
Subjects: Crops -- Effect of stress on
Language: English
Type: Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24487 , vital:63045
Description: The use of farmer acceptable, stress tolerant open pollinated maize varieties (OPVs) could be a strategy to help increase maize productivity for resource-poor farmers in the Eastern Cape (EC) Province. The current study investigated the following: a) participatory selection of newly introduced stress tolerant maize OPVs; b) characteristics of maize producing farmers, their production constraints and criteria for variety selections; c) multi-environment yield trials in which genotype and environment interactions (GEI) were investigated, and d) morphological diversity of newly introduced maize varieties. Nine newly introduced maize OPVs were evaluated in this study. These varieties were: ZM 305, ZM 423 ZM 501, ZM 525, Obatanpa, ZM 621, ZM 627, which were from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), BR 993, and Comp 4 which from where the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). Check varieties, Pan 6479 (a hybrid) and three locally grown OPVs (Okavango, Afric 1 and Nelson‘s Choice) were also included. Participatory variety selection (PVS) was conducted during the 2009/10 summer season to evaluate farmer acceptance of these newly introduced OPVs. The most preferred varieties farmers were Okavango, ZM 305 and ZM 501, and these varieties were not significantly different from the highest yielding variety within each site. Therefore, varieties like ZM 305 and ZM 501 could easily be adopted by farmers, and their use could result in yield improvements. To gather information on farmer characteristics, and perceptions on maize production constraints and maize selection criteria, focus group discussions and household surveys were conducted during the 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 seasons, respectively. Results indicated that, elderly farmers dominated the farming communities. Maize production was generally low, with 98percent of the farmers obtaining less than 1.6 t/ha. The most important constraints affecting maize production were extreme weather events (floods and drought), pests and diseases, and poor access to credit. The most preferred traits that made up farmer selection criteria were ear traits such as taste, long cobs, and big kernels. Other traits, such as, prolificacy, early maturity, retainability of seed and dark leaves, were village specific. Yield trials, assessing genotype and environment interactions, were conducted in eight sites during the 2009/10 and 2010/11 seasons. The genotypes exhibited non-significant crossover and non-crossover GEI over the environments. Okavango, the most stable variety, was generally low yielding (4.28 t/ha) than other stable varieties such as ZM 305, ZM 501, ZM 621 and ZM 423. The later varieties had significantly (p<0.05) higher yields of between 4.46 t/ha and 4.97 t/ha. The highest yielding varieties, Pan 6479 (5.29 t/ha) and ZM 525 (4.87 t/ha), showed specific adaptations to high potential environments, while BR 993 (4.07 t/ha) and Afric 1 (4.24 t/ha) were low yielding, unstable and specifically adapted to low potential environments. New varieties, therefore, exhibited both specific and wide adaptation. Qualitative and quantitative traits were evaluated to establish the morphological diversity of the 13 varieties. Ear height, plant height, days to 50percent anthesis and grain yield contributed the most to variety diversity. Cluster Analysis discriminated varieties into four main clusters. The first cluster consisted of four CIMMYT varieties that were short in height and early maturing (ZM 305, ZM 423, ZM 501 and ZM 525), while hybrid Pan 6479 was placed into cluster two. Nelson‘s Choice and Okavango were grouped into the third cluster, while tall and late maturing varieties, ZM 621, ZM 627, Obatanpa, BR 993, Comp 4 and Afric 1, were placed in the fourth cluster. The segregation of the newly introduced varieties into two distinct groups shows that these varieties can be recommended into more than on cropping system and agro-ecology. Differences in village agro-ecologies resulted in farmers selecting varieties differently. This diversity in agro-ecology also brought about variations on farmer perceptions in selection criteria and production constraints. Most of the new varieties were observed to be superior in yield performance when compared to local check OPVs, exhibiting either wide or specific adaptation. The study also demonstrated that, the study of morphological diversity can be used to suggest varieties to different environmental potentials and cropping systems. Multi-evaluation trials were able to give an insight on variety preferences and performance. These new varieties should, therefore, be introduced to selected farmers living in their respective environments on the basis of results obtained. However, varieties still need to be evaluated under farmer-managed conditions to determine whether they actually bring about yield improvement when compared with current varieties being used. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2011
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Date Issued: 2011-11

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Negotiating identity in an online virtual environment

- Dube, Nompumelelo

Authors: Dube, Nompumelelo
Date: 2011-11
Subjects: Online Identities , Internet , Personal Information Managenment
Language: English
Type: Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23883 , vital:61284
Description: This study investigates ways in which people in an online anonymous virtual environment use language to negotiate and manage their identities. The study is informed by the tenets of social constructionism, a theory that explores the problematic manner in which the self is taken for granted as unchanging (Burr, 1998). One point made by alternative theorists other than social constructionist theorists is the notion of the “essential self”; one tenet of social constructionist theory suggests that the “essential self” of a person remains fluid. The implication is that one ultimately changes as each day passes, for example at the core of one’s personality is an “essential self” that changes with experiences, conflicts and/or age (Tuffin, 2005). From a social constructionist perspective, the self is more fractured and contingent on life’s circumstances. This theory was found to be an appropriate paradigm from which to study anonymous online identities, where individuals were found to create and negotiate certain identities outside of those identities that people often find important to portray to outsiders in the general public. Sixty-seven (67) students from different races participated in this study and online discussions from a course discussion forum, “blackboard”, were monitored. This study found that one’s identity is negotiated in an anonymous virtual environment. Data was collected from these discussions and was analysed using Potter and Wetherell’s (1987) method of discourse analysis. Research findings ultimately found that people use discursive strategies in negotiating and maintaining their identity online, but that distinct racial characteristics were noticeable despite some attempts to mask one’s background. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2011
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Date Issued: 2011-11

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Perceptions of homosexual Xhosa men of ulwaluko (traditional circumcision)

- Ntozini, Anathi (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4471-7383)

Authors: Ntozini, Anathi (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4471-7383)
Date: 2011-11
Subjects: Homosexuality , Initiation Rites , Social Life and Customs
Language: English
Type: Master's theses , text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23894 , vital:61292
Description: The study investigated perceptions of homosexual Xhosa traditionally circumcised men with regards to ulwaluko (Xhosa initiation into manhood). The study employed snowball sampling as a method of data collection. As a result of the assumption that ulwaluko is a terrain of masculinity, initiates were expected to exemplify traditional notions of masculinity. The study found that reasons for going to initiation school differed. Respondents wanted to validate their manhood while some felt forced to undergo the ritual. Dominant family values also played a role in respondent’s decision to undergo initiation. Respondents reported that community members and family members had hoped that ulwaluko would reform or convert those who were homosexual. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2011
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Date Issued: 2011-11

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