Undendezana
- Authors: Magagula, Mfihlelwa , Composer unknown , Tracey, Hugh
- Date: 1958-03-28
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa Eswatini Zombode f-sq
- Language: Swati
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/248765 , vital:51723 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa , Hugh Tracey Field Tapes, Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa , HTFT564-M16 , Research no. M2D16a
- Description: Children's rhyme unaccompanied.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1958-03-28
Mashdosholwane
- Authors: Magagula, Mfihlelwa , Composer not specified , Dargie, Dave
- Date: 1980
- Subjects: Folk music , Sacred music , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa Eswatini Manzini sq
- Language: Swati
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405845 , vital:70211 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa , Dave Dargie Field Tapes, Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa , DDC106a-04
- Description: A rhyme to accompany a children's game, with nonsense words.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1980
Undendezana
- Authors: Magagula, Mfihlelwa , Composer not specified , Dargie, Dave
- Date: 1980
- Subjects: Folk music , Sacred music , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa Eswatini Manzini sq
- Language: Swati
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/405821 , vital:70208 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa , Dave Dargie Field Tapes, Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa , DDC106a-03
- Description: A children's country jingle with nonsense words.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1980
Mashdosholwane
- Authors: Magagula, Mfihlelwa , Composer unknown , Tracey, Hugh
- Date: 1958-03-28
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa Eswatini Zombode f-sq
- Language: Swati
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/248774 , vital:51724 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa , Hugh Tracey Field Tapes, Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa , HTFT564-M16 , Research no. M2D16b
- Description: Children's rhyme unaccompanied.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1958-03-28
We! Mpati longesheya
- Authors: Mfihlelwa Magagula , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1958
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Folk songs, Swazi , Folk music , Africa Ewatini Zombode f-sq
- Language: Swati
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/152209 , vital:39234 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR068-05
- Description: It is a rhyme to accompany children's games. The words in this song refer to "a woman who lives across the river." The words are nonsense words. Children's rhymes.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1958
We! Mpati longesheya
- Authors: Magagula, Mfihlelwa , Composer unknown , Tracey, Hugh
- Date: 1958-03-28
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Africa Eswatini Pigg's Peak f-sq
- Language: Swati
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/248783 , vital:51725 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa , Hugh Tracey Field Tapes, Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa , HTFT564-M16 , Research no. M2D16c
- Description: Children's rhyme unaccompanied.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1958-03-28
Undendezana
- Authors: Mfihlelwa Magagula , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1958
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Folk songs, Swazi , Folk music , Africa Ewatini Zombode f-sq
- Language: Swati
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/152195 , vital:39232 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR068-03
- Description: This song is a children's country jingle. Children's rhymes.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1958
Mashdosholwane
- Authors: Mfihlelwa Magagula , Hugh Tracey
- Date: 1958
- Subjects: Folk music--Africa , Field recordings , Folk songs, Swazi , Folk music , Africa Ewatini Zombode f-sq
- Language: Swati
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/152204 , vital:39233 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , TR068-04
- Description: It is a rhyme to accompany children's games. The words are nonsense words. Children's rhymes.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1958
Community-based ecotourism for conservation and development in Lesotho: a case of Ha-Kome
- Authors: Maanela, Thabelo Maanela
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Community development -- Lesotho , Natural resources conservation areas -- Lesotho , Ecotourism -- Lesotho
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPhil (Environmental Studies)
- Identifier: vital:11874 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/138 , Community development -- Lesotho , Natural resources conservation areas -- Lesotho , Ecotourism -- Lesotho
- Description: This study evaluates the potential for community-based ecotourism as conservation and development strategy in Kome village, which is an unprotected area. The study adopts the ecotourism concept to illustrate how communitybased ecotourism can be a tool for conservation and development in poor rural communities. Adopting the intensive case study design, the study investigates the major challenges for community-based ecotourism in Kome village. Findings reveal that Kome community derives low socio-economic benefits including limited earnings, low employment, poor benefits sharing and lack of entrepreneurships. Kome has a potential to offer better community-based ecotourism products due to diverse tourist attractions ranging from historical, cultural activities to natural scenery. The study suggests and recommends formation of a partnership between the Kome community, private, public sector and the NGOs as a strategy for development. The study concludes that ecotourism can be an appropriate option for conservation and development for Kome village.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
A longitudinal investigation into employability : student transition and experiences from tertiary education into the labour market
- Authors: Harry, Tinashe Timothy
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Employability Graduate students Labor market
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/11053 , vital:37015
- Description: Orientation: Several policies have been formulated by the government to redress the inequalities of apartheid. However, the policies have not yielded any positive results as many graduates from Historically Disadvantaged Institutes (HDIs) continue to struggle in the open labour market as compared to graduates from Historically Advantaged Institutes (HAIs). This has been mainly attributed to the legacy of apartheid in several previous studies. As a result, most of these previously disadvantaged individuals (mostly Black Africans) struggle to make the transition from higher education into the world of work. Research Purpose: This study thus explores the journeys of these Black African students from HDIs to understand the transition and experiences from tertiary education into the labour market. Further, the research sought to understand how these transitions and experiences manifest in a context of high unemployment. Finally, the resolution tactics used by students in such a context are given attention. Research approach, design and method: A longitudinal qualitative approach was deemed appropriate for the study as the aim was to understand the changes that occurred over time. The data was collected over a two-year period. A narrative inquiry was utilized as it allowed the participants to share their perceptions without limitations. A total of 30 participants partook in the study. The participants were selected using a purposive sampling to ensure the right participants were involved in the study. The main criteria for selection to participate was that the participants had to be enrolled with a HDI. Main findings: The narratives of the participants led to the formulation of six main themes that were regarded as affecting the transitions and experiences of the Black graduates from HDIs; namely, (1) socio-economic background, (2) education system, (3) labour market experiences, (4) geographical location, (5) social capital and (6) student resolutions to the challenges of employability. A previously disadvantaged background resulted in the participants being recipients of poor education quality, no social networks or information to navigate the labour market and limited access to the labour market due to secluded residential areas. Subsequently, most participants were unable to take responsibility of enhancing their own employability. Contribution: It is not the sole responsibility of the higher education institutes to produce employable graduates, but it's a process that should also involve government, students and employers. As long as the social inequality remains an issue in the country all the efforts to improve employability and transition into the open labour market will be in vain. Furthermore, employers must work together with higher education institutes by offering programs such as internships and career expos to enhance the employability of the graduates. A Graduate Transition Model (GTM) is suggested based on the findings of this research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Agreement and coordination in XiTsonga, SeSotho and IsiXhosa: an optimality theoretic perspective
- Authors: Mitchley, Hazel
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/3423 , vital:20491
- Description: This thesis provides a unified Optimality Theoretic analysis of subject-verb agreement with coordinated preverbal subjects in three Southern Bantu languages: Xitsonga (S53), Sesotho (S33), and isiXhosa (S41). This analysis is then used to formulate a typology of agreement resolution strategies and the contexts which trigger them. Although some accounts in the Bantu literature suggest that agreement with coordinate structures is avoided by speakers (e.g. Schadeberg 1992, Voeltz 1971) especially when conjuncts are from different noun classes, I show that there is ample evidence to the contrary, and that the subject marker used is dependent on several factors, including (i) the [-HUMAN] specification on the conjuncts, (ii) whether the conjuncts are singular or plural, (iii) whether or not the conjuncts both carry the same noun class feature, and (iv) the order of the conjuncts. This thesis shows that there are various agreement resolution strategies which can beused: 1) agreement with the [+HUMAN] feature on the conjuncts, 2) agreement with the[-HUMAN] feature on the conjuncts, 3) agreement with the noun class feature on both conjuncts, 4) agreement with the noun class feature on the conjunct closest to the verb, and 5) agreement with the noun class feature on the conjunct furthest from the verb. Not all of these strategies are used by all languages, nor are these strategies interchangeable in the languages which do use them – instead, multiple factors conspire to trigger the use of a specific agreement strategy within a specific agreement featural context. I show that these effects can be captured using Optimality Theory (Prince and Smolensky 2004). The analysis makes use of seven constraints: RES#, MAX[+H], MAX[-H], DEP[-H], MAXNC, DEPNC, and AGREECLOSEST. The hierarchical ranking of these constraints not only accounts for the confinement of particular strategies to specific agreement featural contexts within a language, but also accounts for the cross-linguistic differences in the use of these strategies. I end off by examining the typological implications which follow from the OT analysis provided in this thesis.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Constructions of nationhood in secession debates related to Mthwakazi Liberation Front in Bulawayo's Chronicle and Newsday newspapers in 2011
- Authors: Ndlovu, Mphathisi
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Newspapers , Bulawayo , Matabeleland , Zimbabwe , Chronicle , Newsday , Secession , Devolution , Nationhood , Ndebele , Ethnic identity , Mthwakazi Liberation Front , Mthwakazi Liberation Front -- Zimbabwe , Mass media and nationalism -- Research -- Zimbabwe , Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) -- Newspapers , Matabeleland (Zimbabwe) -- History -- Autonomy and independence movements , Matabeleland (Zimbabwe) -- Social conditions , Zimbabwe -- Social conditions
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3415 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001846
- Description: This study investigates the constructions of nationhood in two Bulawayo newspapers, the Chronicle and Newsday. Against the backdrop of the emergence of a secessionist movement, Mthwakazi Liberation Front (MLF), this research examines the discourses of nationhood in the secessionist debates raging in these two newspapers. This study is premised on a view that nationhood constructions cannot be understood outside the broader context in which these newspapers are embedded. Accordingly, it traces the roots and resurgence of Matabeleland separatist politics, exploring the political-historical forces that have shaped a distinctive Ndebele identity that poses a threat to the one, indivisible Zimbabwean national identity. Further, the study situates Matabeleland separatist politics within the broader African secessionist discourse challenging the post-colonial nation-building project on the continent. Informed by Hall’s (1992, 1996) constructivist approach to identity, it considers national identities as fragmented, multiple and constantly evolving. Thus, this study is framed within Hall’s (1997) constructivist approach to representation, as it examines the constructions of nationhood in and through language. The study uses qualitative research methods, as it examines the meanings of nationhood in key media texts. Informed by Foucault’s discourse theory, this research employs critical discourse analysis (CDA) to analyse 12 articles from the two newspapers. The findings confirm that the representations of nationhood in the two newspapers are influenced by their position within the socio-political context. The state-owned Chronicle legitimates the unitary state discourse advocated by ZANU PF. On the other hand, Newsday’s representations are informed by the discourses of the opposition political parties and civil society that challenge the dominant nation-building project. Thus, within this paper, secession and devolution emerge as alternative imaginaries that contest the authoritarian discourse of nationhood
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Comparing and contrasting liberal, communitarian and feminist approaches to resolving tensions between customary and constitutional law: the case of polygamy in Swaziland
- Authors: Manson, Katherine Elizabeth
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Human rights -- Swaziland Constitutional law -- Swaziland Customary law -- Swaziland Culture and law -- Swaziland Women's rights -- Swaziland Sex discrimination against women -- Swaziland Polygamy -- Swaziland Liberalism Communitarianism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2801 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003011
- Description: Tensions between the individual rights and freedoms found in constitutional bills of rights and the traditionally prescribed social roles and positions articulated in African customary law systems have often been characterised as tensions between communitarian and liberal philosophies. In particular, the notion of gender equality, which is often a feature of the protections offered by constitutional bills of rights, is seen to be in direct opposition to the overtly patriarchal character of many African customs and traditions. This thesis looks specifically at polygamy, long and widely considered in the West to be an oppressive practice premised on the assumed inferiority of women. The analysis considers the implications of polygamy in a particular cultural context, that of the Kingdom of Swaziland, where the newly instituted constitution is often seen to be incompatible with many aspects of Swazi customary law. Here, the tension between the constitutional commitment to gender equality and the persistence of polygamy as a seemingly discriminatory cultural practice forms a lens through which to view the debate as a whole. The theoretical analysis is supplemented by empirical research sourced from local media archives and in-depth interviews conducted with twelve Swazi women, both unmarried and married in polygamous relationships. Communitarian and liberal approaches to resolving this tension are compared, contrasted and finally critiqued from a feminist standpoint. The feminist critique of both communitarianism and liberalism implies that neither ideology promises much for women and affirms the relatively recent feminist suggestion that the key to resolving tensions between constitutional and customary law in general, and to uplifting the social/legal status of women in particular lies in the enhancement of women’s democratic participation and the improvement of women’s decision-making powers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
An investigation into the psychological impact of unemployment and coping mechanisms amongst graduates in Pietermaritzburg
- Authors: Nkasa, Nonjabulo Fortunate
- Date: 2022-12
- Subjects: Unemployment -- Social aspects , Mental health
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60209 , vital:63539
- Description: Graduates expect to find employment after completing their tertiary qualifications, but they often face various challenges in finding employment. These challenges may be due to a variety of factors such as the type of qualification, structural changes in the economy, lack of experience, or the lack of relevant social networks. This has the potential to affect a graduate’s psychological well-being. The current study explored the psychological impact of unemployment in 100 unemployed graduates between 21 and 35 years of age in Pietermaritzburg. The study was quantitative and used two questionnaires, the GHQ-12 and a self-designed questionnaire, to collect data. Purposive sampling was used to obtain research participants. The Excel spreadsheet and a statistical software package called JASP (2020, version 0.12) was used to analyse data. The findings revealed that unemployment had a negative impact on the participants’ psychological well-being. Participants experienced feelings of high anxiety and depression, and felt stigmatised. Participants also felt shame and experienced lower self-esteem. Unemployment had a financial impact on participants, including financial dependency on family and friends. Some participants blamed themselves, the government system, and the education system for their unemployment. Participants reported to have a positive attitude towards employment, including remaining optimistic about their chances of finding employment. Participants used adaptive coping mechanisms, such as keeping a positive attitude, and maladaptive coping mechanisms, such as hiding their feelings. Further research needs to focus on psychological services that could assist unemployed graduates to find employment through building and maintaining their self-esteem and confidence which are key factors when initially seeking and obtaining work. Unemployment and its impact on psychological well-being has been shown to be to be a complex subject that requires intervention from different parties such as employers and health-care workers, as well as the education system. Keywords: Coping, graduates, psychological impact and unemployment , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-12
An assessment of the performance appraisal system utilised for junior and middle level management within the South African National Defence Force
- Authors: Terblanche, Graham Martin
- Date: 2004
- Subjects: Middle managers -- Rating of -- South Africa , South Africa. National Defence Force Officials and employees Rating of
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:10884 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/148 , Middle managers -- Rating of -- South Africa , South Africa. National Defence Force Officials and employees Rating of
- Description: The research problem of this study was to assess the extent to which the appraisal system for junior and middle level managers in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) met the requirements and guidelines for performance appraisal as stipulated in the literature. To achieve this objective, the following procedure was followed: · A survey of existing literature, related to performance appraisal, was conducted. The literature study focused on the requirements for an effective performance appraisal system, appraisal methods and appraisal errors. Attention was also focused on who should take responsibility for performance appraisal and the importance of regularly evaluating the performance appraisal system to meet the demands of a changing environment. The second part of the literature study dealt with the guidelines for establishing an effective appraisal system as well as performance management processes and cycles that are critical for the effectiveness of an appraisal system. The theoretical study formed the basis for the development of a survey questionnaire to establish the extent to which junior and middle level managers in the SANDF agreed with the theoretical guidelines. The survey was administered to a randomly selected group of junior and middle level managers who were representative of the South African Army, Airforce and Medical Services. The empirical results indicated that there was concurrence with many of the guidelines in the literature, but that there were areas that could be improved. It became evident that many respondents felt that the current system was not entirely fair and was not adapted to meet the needs of the integrated SANDF. Specifically, results indicated that the system should be re-evaluated to eliminate bias and to enhance the development of clear standards, both on a quantitative and qualitative level. It became clear that training and communication were important to the successful development and utilisation of a performance appraisal system. An effective performance appraisal system that is integrated with the overall performance management system of an organisation will enhance productivity, satisfaction and the attainment of goals.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2004
Petrographic and geochemical characterisation of the hangingwall and the footwall rocks (the Dipeta and R.A.T. stratigraphic units) to the Kinsevere and Nambulwa copper ore deposits of the Lufilian Arc, southern Democratic Republic of Congo
- Authors: Nkulu, Robert Kankomba
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Petrogenesis -- Congo (Democratic Republic) , Analytical geochemistry -- Congo (Democratic Republic) , Copper ores -- Congo (Democratic Republic) , Ore deposits -- Congo (Democratic Republic) , Katangan Sequence , Geological mapping -- Congo (Democratic Republic) , Central African Copperbelt (Congo and Zambia) , Lufilian Arc , Neoproterozoic Katangan R.A.T. (Roches Argilo Talqueuse) Subgroup , Dipeta Subgroup
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/142772 , vital:38115
- Description: The Kinsevere and Nambulwa copper deposits in the Democratic Republic of Congo (D.R.C.) are set in the eastern side of the Neoproterozoic Katanga Supergroup, forming the Lufilian Arc, resulting from a cratonic collision between the Congo and the Kalahari Cratons (ca.620-570_Ma). The Katanga Supergroup was deposited in an extensional rift setting with a sedimentary thickness succession ranging between 7 to 10 km, sub-divided into: − the Roan, the Nguba and the Kundelungu Groups. The stratigraphic column of the Roan Group consists of the R.A.T. (Roche Argilo Talqueuse), the Mines, the Dipeta and the Mwashya Subgroups. Three major deformation phases have been described characterised by complex multiphase tectonics related to a curved superposition of folded, thrust and sheared blocks. The rocks of the R.A.T., Mines and Dipeta Subgroups are recognised as blocks that occur within a stratiform to discordant and diapiritic megabreccia. The blocks were rafted upward with salt tectonics, resulting in the juxtaposition with the hangingwall and the footwall terranes. Therefore, in that context it has been found that the Dipeta may appear overlying the R.A.T. Subgroup through the unconformity decollement surface of heterogeneous breccia. The petrographic observations made of the R.A.T. and Dipeta samples indicates in both units the presence of detrital quartz and feldspar that have been altered and replaced by sericite and muscovite minerals. Gypsum is intimately associated with magnesite, showing an evaporitic environment domain, while magnesite is common as alteration phase both in the R.A.T. and Dipeta Subgroups. Pyrophyllite has been observed in the Dipeta, resulting from reaction of silica with the Kaolinite at low temperature. Accessory detrital minerals include zircon, as well as xenotime intergrown with altered Fe-Ti-oxide hematite, forming complex textures with disseminated Ti-oxides both in R.A.T. and Dipeta units. Major and trace element geochemistry indicates that the Dipeta is more dolomitic and magnesite while the R.A.T. is clay-rich. The Ti2O value of Dipeta and R.A.T samples is relatively low, ranging between 0.36 and 0.69 wt.% respectively, which suggest highly evolved felsic material in the protolith. This is consistent with interpretation based on the Al2O3/TiO2 ratio, which ranges between 18 and 23 for the R.A.T. and Dipeta respectively, indicating an intermediate to felsic granitoids as the protolith of R.A.T. and Dipeta siltstones. The Ti/Zr ratio of R.A.T. and Dipeta samples of less than 10, while, the higher La/Sc ratio of between 2.6 and 5.5 (for the R.A.T. and Dipeta respectively) indicate that both the R.A.T. and Dipeta are active continental and passive margin tectonic setting. Based on the geochemical variation with depth across the R.A.T. and Dipeta and their contact zone, a geochemical fingerprinting suggests that the ratio TiO2/Al2O3 appears to be useful and could be considered as a stratigraphic geochemical maker able to discriminate the R.A.T. and the Dipeta Subgroups during the geological mapping.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Azigbo
- Authors: Gnaore Djimi (vocals, creator) , Gnaore Djimi The Best (album title) , Showbiz
- Date: 2000
- Subjects: Popular music , Popular music--Africa, West , Africa Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan f-iv
- Language: French
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/128902 , vital:36189 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , SDC17-03
- Description: Ivorian popular song in the Polihet style that is based on the traditional sounds, gestures and heritage of Niamboua people who live in the southwest reagion of Cote d'Ivoire. Polihet is performed at funerals, baptisms,weddings with the themes of love, hate, death and peace
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2000
Bidi Djehoua
- Authors: Gnaore Djimi (vocals, creator) , Gnaore Djimi The Best (album title) , Showbiz
- Date: 2000
- Subjects: Popular music , Popular music--Africa, West , Africa Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan f-iv
- Language: French
- Type: sound recordings , field recordings , sound recording-musical
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/129014 , vital:36204 , International Library of African Music, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , SDC17-09
- Description: Ivorian popular song in the Polihet style that is based on the traditional sounds, gestures and heritage of Niamboua people who live in the southwest reagion of Cote d'Ivoire. Polihet is performed at funerals, baptisms,weddings with the themes of love, hate, death and peace
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2000
Investigating the feasibility of using remote sensing in index-based crop insurance for South Africa’s smallholder farming systems
- Authors: Masiza, Wonga https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6224-3812
- Date: 2021-10
- Subjects: Precision farming , Agricultural engineering , Climatic changes
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23000 , vital:54890
- Description: Crop farming in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is largely practiced by resource-poor farmers under rain-fed and unpredictable weather conditions. Since agriculture is the mainstay of SSA’s economy, the lack of improved and adapted agricultural technologies in this region sets back economic development and the fight against poverty. Overcoming this constraint and achieving the sustainable development goal to end poverty, requires innovative tools that can be used for weather risk management. One tool that has been gaining momentum recently is index-based crop insurance (IBCI). Since the launch of the first IBCI program in Africa around 2005, the number of IBCI programs has increased. Unfortunately, these programs are constrained by poor product design, basis risk, and low uptake of contracts. When these issues were first pointed-out in the earliest IBCI programs, many reports suggested satellite remote sensing (RS) as a viable solution. Hence, the first objective of this study was to assess how RS has been used in IBCI, the challenges RS faces, and potential contributions of RS that have not yet been meaningfully exploited. The literature shows that IBCI programs are increasingly adopting RS. RS has improved demarcation of unit areas of insurance and enabled IBCI to reach inaccessible areas that do not have sufficient meteorological infrastructure. However, the literature also shows that IBCI is still tainted by basis risk, which emanates from poor contract designs, the influence of non-weather factors on crop yields, imperfect correlations between satellite-based indices and crop yields, and the lack of historical data for calibration. Although IBCI reports cover vegetation and crop health monitoring, few to none cover crop type and crop area mapping. Furthermore, areas including high-resolution mapping, data fusion, microwave RS, machine learning, and computer vision have not been sufficiently tested in IBCI. The second objective of this study was to assess how RS and machine learning techniques can be used to enhance the mapping of smallholder crop farming landscapes. The findings show that machine learning ensembles and the combination of optical and microwave data can map a smallholder farming landscape with a maximum accuracy of 97.71 percent. The third objective was to identify factors that influence crop yields and crop losses in order to improve IBCI design. Results demonstrated that the pervasive notion that low yields in smallholder farms are related to rainfall is an oversimplification. Factors including fertilizer use, seed variety, soil properties, soil moisture, growing degree-days, management, and socioeconomic conditions are some of the most important factors influencing crop yields and crop losses in smallholder farming systems. This shows why IBCI needs to be part of a comprehensive risk management system that understands and approaches smallholder crop farming as complex by linking insurance with advisories and input supplies. Improved inputs and good farming practices could reduce the influence of non-weather factors on crop losses, and thereby reduce basis risk in weather-based index insurance (WII) contracts. The fourth objective of this study was to assess how well the combination of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and optical indices estimate soil moisture. As stated earlier, soil moisture was found to be one of the most important factors affecting crop yields. Although this method better estimated soil moisture over the first half of the growing season, estimation accuracies were comparable to those found in studies that had used similar datasets (RMSE = 0.043 m3 m-3, MAE = 0.034 m3 m- 3). Further interrogation of interaction effects between the variables used in this study and consideration of other factors that affect SAR backscatter could improve the method. More importantly, incorporating high-resolution satellite-based monitoring of soil moisture into IBCI could potentially reduce basis risk. The fifth objective of this study was to develop an IBCI for smallholder crop farming systems. The proposed IBCI scheme covers maize and derives index thresholds from crop water requirements and satellite-based rainfall estimates. It covers rainfall deficits over the vegetative, mid-season, and late-season stages of maize growth. The key contribution of this system is the derivation of index thresholds from CWR and site-specific rainfall conditions. The widely used approach, which calibrates IBCI by correlating yields and rainfall, exposes contracts to basis risk because, by simply correlating yield and rainfall data, it overlooks the influence of non-weather factors on crop yields and losses. The proposed system must be linked or bundled with non-weather variables that affect crop yields. Effectively, this means that the insurance must be linked or bundled with advisories and input supplies to address the influence of non-weather factors on crop losses. This system also incorporates a crop area-mapping component, which was found to be lacking in many IBCI systems. In conclusion, an IBCI that is based on crop water requirements, which incorporates crop area mapping and links insurance with non-weather crop yield-determining factors, is potentially capable of improving crop insurance for smallholder farming systems. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-10
Assessing the local awareness and perception of invasive alien plants: A case study of Port St Johns Local Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Authors: Somkala, Avela Abongile
- Date: 2021-10
- Subjects: Alien plants , Invasive plants
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/22600 , vital:52595
- Description: Invasive alien plants (IAPs) are introduced species that constitute a self-sustaining population, consistently producing offspring in large numbers and at considerable distances from the parent plants with the potential to spread over a large area. Species invasions are one of the main conservation threats today and have caused modification of ecosystems, particularly in coastal areas. Therefore, Port St Johns Local Municipality (PSJ LM) was an appropriate study site to evaluate the local awareness and perceptions of IAPs. The study investigated the local community’s perceptions of invasive alien plants' uses and ecological impacts. Information about the local awareness and perceptions of invasive alien plant species in PSJ LM was gathered through semi-structured interviews, observation and guided field walks with 120 participants between February and April 2021. The participants included 30 people working on the alien plant eradication project in PSJ LM (Wards 1, 2 and 3) and 90 randomly selected community members. The data collected were entered in Microsoft Excel 2016 programme and analyzed for descriptive statistical patterns using Statistical Package for Social Studies (SPSS) version 22.0. Biological invasion by IAPs was ubiquitously perceived, with participants working on invasive alien plant eradication project in the area exhibiting more scientifically based knowledge on IAPs than ordinary community members. Invasive alien plants in the area appear to have adverse environmental and socio-economic impacts, as the participants are not benefiting from these plant species. Similarly, costs of eradicating these species were also acknowledged. The ability of local community members to identify IAPs is vital in effective management of the spread of these species. A total of seven invasive IAPs were recorded. Evaluating the perceptions of local people towards IAPs provides valuable insights for development planning and future management programmes focusing on biological invasions. The study will provide a basis for an enabling policy and institutional environment that provides a coherent framework for the sustainable management of IAPs in the Eastern Cape Province. , Thesis (MPhil) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2021
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- Date Issued: 2021-10