Perceptions of rural households about the role and effect of biogas production on rural household income in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality
- Authors: Ngcobo, Lindiwe
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Biomass energy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Renewable energy sources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Sustainable living -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/4694 , vital:28494
- Description: Rural development efforts to reduce poverty and enhance food security and generally improve livelihoods in developing countries continue to be constrained by high energy cost. For that reason, renewable energy has been identified as a possible panacea to fill this gap. Renewable energy is cheaper, more accessible and environmentally sustainable and promotes inclusivity. Biogas is a renewable energy that is readily available and easy to use by poor rural households. The use of biogas digesters among households in rural areas of developing countries is a well-known technology. The potential for biogas in these areas has been demonstrated and a strong economic case has been made. However, its adoption and use have been lower than expectations possibly as result of non-economic considerations, including social issues about which rural people hold different perceptions. Perceptions of rural households are important because they influence the behaviour to a large extent. Since limited access to affordable energy in rural areas has encouraged government and private organisations to initiate biogas projects to overcome the challenge, it is important to ascertain the factors that affect attitudes towards the technology. The present study sought to explore perceptions of rural households about biogas production towards rural household income in the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality. Specifically, this research investigated the state of biogas project being implemented by the University of Fort Hare’s Institute of Technology (FHIT), the perceptions of respondents towards biogas production and determine the contribution of biogas consumption to rural income. The study also aimed to identify the factors affecting the adoption of biogas production in the study area. The study was carried out in Melani village in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa and employed survey data obtained from 48 households who were enumerated to identify their perceptions on biogas production, with special emphasis on the role and effect contributed to rural income of Melani village. The study employed a cross-sectional research design and purposive sampling technique was used in data collection. Data were collected and captured in Excel and then analysed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) Version 24 Descriptive statistics was used to examine socio-economic characteristics of households and state of biogas production in the area, Bivariate correlation analysis was used to determine the relationships among the key elements of perceptions of household towards biogas adoption, binary logistic model was used to estimate factors influencing adoption of biogas technology by households. The results show that women were dominant for both adopters and non-adopters of biogas. The majority of households were young with mean age of 40 years while for non-adopters were 65 years old on average. The results showed high levels of literacy amongst household adopters. Majority of the households for both adopters and non-adopters of biogas technology were married and unemployed and household size ranged from one to five persons, with social grants being dominant source of income. The bivariate correlation analysis suggests a positive effect of green pepper production and livestock ownership on biogas technology adoption. Age and level of education were negatively correlated with adoption of biogas. The cross tabulation analysis suggests that water scarcity, lack of knowledge about biogas technology, cattle ownership, lack of maintenance and repairing, flooded biogas digesters during rainy season are negatively associated with the uptake of biogas technology. The empirical results from binary logistic model suggest that land size was the key determinant of adoption behaviour towards biogas technology while age of the household head, source of income and level of education may have a negative influence on adoption of biogas technology. Based on the findings highlighted above, the study recommends strategies to encourage households to adopt biogas technology.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Ngcobo, Lindiwe
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Biomass energy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Renewable energy sources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Sustainable living -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/4694 , vital:28494
- Description: Rural development efforts to reduce poverty and enhance food security and generally improve livelihoods in developing countries continue to be constrained by high energy cost. For that reason, renewable energy has been identified as a possible panacea to fill this gap. Renewable energy is cheaper, more accessible and environmentally sustainable and promotes inclusivity. Biogas is a renewable energy that is readily available and easy to use by poor rural households. The use of biogas digesters among households in rural areas of developing countries is a well-known technology. The potential for biogas in these areas has been demonstrated and a strong economic case has been made. However, its adoption and use have been lower than expectations possibly as result of non-economic considerations, including social issues about which rural people hold different perceptions. Perceptions of rural households are important because they influence the behaviour to a large extent. Since limited access to affordable energy in rural areas has encouraged government and private organisations to initiate biogas projects to overcome the challenge, it is important to ascertain the factors that affect attitudes towards the technology. The present study sought to explore perceptions of rural households about biogas production towards rural household income in the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality. Specifically, this research investigated the state of biogas project being implemented by the University of Fort Hare’s Institute of Technology (FHIT), the perceptions of respondents towards biogas production and determine the contribution of biogas consumption to rural income. The study also aimed to identify the factors affecting the adoption of biogas production in the study area. The study was carried out in Melani village in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa and employed survey data obtained from 48 households who were enumerated to identify their perceptions on biogas production, with special emphasis on the role and effect contributed to rural income of Melani village. The study employed a cross-sectional research design and purposive sampling technique was used in data collection. Data were collected and captured in Excel and then analysed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) Version 24 Descriptive statistics was used to examine socio-economic characteristics of households and state of biogas production in the area, Bivariate correlation analysis was used to determine the relationships among the key elements of perceptions of household towards biogas adoption, binary logistic model was used to estimate factors influencing adoption of biogas technology by households. The results show that women were dominant for both adopters and non-adopters of biogas. The majority of households were young with mean age of 40 years while for non-adopters were 65 years old on average. The results showed high levels of literacy amongst household adopters. Majority of the households for both adopters and non-adopters of biogas technology were married and unemployed and household size ranged from one to five persons, with social grants being dominant source of income. The bivariate correlation analysis suggests a positive effect of green pepper production and livestock ownership on biogas technology adoption. Age and level of education were negatively correlated with adoption of biogas. The cross tabulation analysis suggests that water scarcity, lack of knowledge about biogas technology, cattle ownership, lack of maintenance and repairing, flooded biogas digesters during rainy season are negatively associated with the uptake of biogas technology. The empirical results from binary logistic model suggest that land size was the key determinant of adoption behaviour towards biogas technology while age of the household head, source of income and level of education may have a negative influence on adoption of biogas technology. Based on the findings highlighted above, the study recommends strategies to encourage households to adopt biogas technology.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Invasion status and potential impacts of bluegill Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque, 1819 in the Kariega River, Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Ndaleni, Phumza Malibongwe
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/7586 , vital:21276
- Description: The impact of alien invasive species is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity globally. All of the major drainages of South Africa are invaded by non-native fishes, yet little information is available on their impact. This thesis focusses on providing a better understanding of the potential impacts of bluegill Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque, 1819, a species introduced into South Africa from the USA in 1938. The study assesses the distribution, establishment success and feeding ecology of L. macrochirus in an invaded South African River system in order to better understand and document its potential impacts. Specifically; this thesis (1) assesses the distribution and relative abundance of L. macrochirus in the Kariega System of the Eastern Cape, (2) determines the diet of the species in one of the major impoundments of the system, and (3) uses an experimental comparative functional response approach to assess whether this species has heightened predatory capabilities when compared with fishes with which it cooccurs. Ninety-six sites in the Kariega River system were sampled from the headwaters down to the estuary. Small native fish species (Enteromius anoplus and Enteromius pallidus) occurred mostly in the upper reaches, while in the middle and lower reaches, the centrarchid alien largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides and bluegill L. mocrochirus dominated. There was overlap between the centrarchids and introduced banded tilapia Tilapia sparrmanii and southern mouthbrooder Pseudocrenilabrus philander, but never with small-bodied native species. The stomach contents of L. macrochirus were examined during winter and summer and prey were identified to family level. Crustaceans and insects were an important component in their diet, but in summer fish eggs were common. Comparisons of bluegill diet with published literature indicated that there was potential for competition with largemouth bass, banded tilapia and southern mouthbrooder. Feeding experiments were conducted to compare the functional responses of these four species using a common prey item. Banded tilapia had significantly lower attack rates than the other species with no significant difference observed in other species. Bluegill has a similar impact to that of banded tilapia and southern mouthbrooder, but lower than that of largemouth bass. Results of the present study highlight that L. macrochirus introduced into dams will likely result in both upstream and downstream invasion of river systems. It is likely that this species does not, however, have as much of a predatory impact as M. salmoides in that its predatory capacity is relatively reduced and more comparable to South African native cichlids. These results are discussed within the context of invasion success/failure in other regions of southern Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Ndaleni, Phumza Malibongwe
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/7586 , vital:21276
- Description: The impact of alien invasive species is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity globally. All of the major drainages of South Africa are invaded by non-native fishes, yet little information is available on their impact. This thesis focusses on providing a better understanding of the potential impacts of bluegill Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque, 1819, a species introduced into South Africa from the USA in 1938. The study assesses the distribution, establishment success and feeding ecology of L. macrochirus in an invaded South African River system in order to better understand and document its potential impacts. Specifically; this thesis (1) assesses the distribution and relative abundance of L. macrochirus in the Kariega System of the Eastern Cape, (2) determines the diet of the species in one of the major impoundments of the system, and (3) uses an experimental comparative functional response approach to assess whether this species has heightened predatory capabilities when compared with fishes with which it cooccurs. Ninety-six sites in the Kariega River system were sampled from the headwaters down to the estuary. Small native fish species (Enteromius anoplus and Enteromius pallidus) occurred mostly in the upper reaches, while in the middle and lower reaches, the centrarchid alien largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides and bluegill L. mocrochirus dominated. There was overlap between the centrarchids and introduced banded tilapia Tilapia sparrmanii and southern mouthbrooder Pseudocrenilabrus philander, but never with small-bodied native species. The stomach contents of L. macrochirus were examined during winter and summer and prey were identified to family level. Crustaceans and insects were an important component in their diet, but in summer fish eggs were common. Comparisons of bluegill diet with published literature indicated that there was potential for competition with largemouth bass, banded tilapia and southern mouthbrooder. Feeding experiments were conducted to compare the functional responses of these four species using a common prey item. Banded tilapia had significantly lower attack rates than the other species with no significant difference observed in other species. Bluegill has a similar impact to that of banded tilapia and southern mouthbrooder, but lower than that of largemouth bass. Results of the present study highlight that L. macrochirus introduced into dams will likely result in both upstream and downstream invasion of river systems. It is likely that this species does not, however, have as much of a predatory impact as M. salmoides in that its predatory capacity is relatively reduced and more comparable to South African native cichlids. These results are discussed within the context of invasion success/failure in other regions of southern Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
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