A spatio-temporal, landscape perspective on acacia dealbata invasions and broader land-use and cover changes in the Northern Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Gouws, Aidan John
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Acacia -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Biological invasions -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Plant invasions -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Acacia -- Biological control -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Eastern Cape (South Africa) -- Rural conditions
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/62373 , vital:28161
- Description: Biological invasions are a wicked, social-ecological problem, interacting with numerous components within and across a range of spatio-temporal scales, with the potential to disturb broader socio-economic and ecological systems. Acacia dealbata is an invasive shrub in South Africa, widely naturalised across the grassland biome. Although the deployment of a biocontrol agent on A. dealbata is apparently justified considering its highly invasive and ecologically destructive nature, it should proceed with caution due to the integration of the species into the livelihoods of rural communities. This study sought to understand the nature and extent of the A. dealbata invasion in the northern Eastern Cape. Research was conducted in nine villages in rural Matatiele, Mount Fletcher and Maclear, selected for the pervasiveness of A. dealbata around these villages. A time-series of aerial photographs were systematically classified according to designated A. dealbata and land-use/land cover (LULC) categories in ArcGIS to track changes in the extent and rate of spread of A. dealbata, while standard vegetation surveying techniques were used to determine the current abundance and productivity of A. dealbata in selected areas. A high degree of spatial variability characterised the extent, density and biomass of A. dealbata, as well as the annual rate of spread and biomass production. The growth, productivity and spread of A. dealbata were significantly positive, and relatively few biophysical conditions correlated with the invasion. This was indicative of the broad range of invaded and potentially invasible habitats, suggesting that the extent and abundance of A. dealbata will likely continue to increase, barring deliberate intervention. Broader changes in LULC were also apparent, multidirectional and spatio- temporally variable. Despite a net increase in A. dealbata, the invasion was found to be highly dynamic, with various LULC transitioning to A. dealbata, but in turn A. dealbata transitioning to other LULC. Indeed, biological invasions are dynamic, context-specific phenomena, shaped by the heterogeneity of landscapes. Management interventions to limit or control A. dealbata should therefore consider the spatio-temporal dynamics of invaded landscapes, as well as the local-scale abundance, productivity and biophysical conditions of the area, while taking into consideration the livelihood requirements of the local communities.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Gouws, Aidan John
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Acacia -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Biological invasions -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Plant invasions -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Acacia -- Biological control -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Eastern Cape (South Africa) -- Rural conditions
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/62373 , vital:28161
- Description: Biological invasions are a wicked, social-ecological problem, interacting with numerous components within and across a range of spatio-temporal scales, with the potential to disturb broader socio-economic and ecological systems. Acacia dealbata is an invasive shrub in South Africa, widely naturalised across the grassland biome. Although the deployment of a biocontrol agent on A. dealbata is apparently justified considering its highly invasive and ecologically destructive nature, it should proceed with caution due to the integration of the species into the livelihoods of rural communities. This study sought to understand the nature and extent of the A. dealbata invasion in the northern Eastern Cape. Research was conducted in nine villages in rural Matatiele, Mount Fletcher and Maclear, selected for the pervasiveness of A. dealbata around these villages. A time-series of aerial photographs were systematically classified according to designated A. dealbata and land-use/land cover (LULC) categories in ArcGIS to track changes in the extent and rate of spread of A. dealbata, while standard vegetation surveying techniques were used to determine the current abundance and productivity of A. dealbata in selected areas. A high degree of spatial variability characterised the extent, density and biomass of A. dealbata, as well as the annual rate of spread and biomass production. The growth, productivity and spread of A. dealbata were significantly positive, and relatively few biophysical conditions correlated with the invasion. This was indicative of the broad range of invaded and potentially invasible habitats, suggesting that the extent and abundance of A. dealbata will likely continue to increase, barring deliberate intervention. Broader changes in LULC were also apparent, multidirectional and spatio- temporally variable. Despite a net increase in A. dealbata, the invasion was found to be highly dynamic, with various LULC transitioning to A. dealbata, but in turn A. dealbata transitioning to other LULC. Indeed, biological invasions are dynamic, context-specific phenomena, shaped by the heterogeneity of landscapes. Management interventions to limit or control A. dealbata should therefore consider the spatio-temporal dynamics of invaded landscapes, as well as the local-scale abundance, productivity and biophysical conditions of the area, while taking into consideration the livelihood requirements of the local communities.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Assessment of the long-term response to rehabilitation of two wetlands in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Authors: Cowden, Craig
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Wetlands -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal Wetland restoration -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal Wetland management -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal Wetland conservation -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal Wetland ecology -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal Ecosystem management -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/60606 , vital:27802
- Description: Assessing the outputs and outcomes of wetland rehabilitation activities is recognised by the 'Working for Wetlands' programme in South Africa as important, but to date has been limited. An assessment of the ecological outcomes and the structural outputs of the Working for Wetlands rehabilitation implemented in the Killarney and Kruisfontein wetlands, KwaZulu-Natal, in 2005 was undertaken. The assessment of outcomes included an evaluation of the changes in terms of ecological integrity and the supply of ecosystem services, using WET-Health and WET- EcoServices assessment techniques respectively, and vegetation composition. Improvements in hydrological and geomorphic integrity were recorded in both wetlands, resulting in improved ecosystem services delivery. However, investigation of vegetation composition using the Wetland Index Value and Floristic Quality Assessment Index showed that, seven years after rehabilitation, KiNamey's vegetation composition had improved, but Kruisfontein's vegetation was still largely dominated by pioneer species and appeared to be stable, but in a severely transformed state. The response of these wetlands has shown that sites for rehabilitation should be screened before work begins, and wetlands requiring intensive management of vegetation recovery should be assessed in terms of the objectives and the anticipated benefits of the project. The assessment of the outputs included an evaluation of structural integrity, survival and cost- effectiveness. Limited issues, mostly relating to deviations from the designs during construction, were identified with regards to the structural outputs at each of the wetlands. However, the spreader canals at both Killarney and Kruisfontein wetlands were not functioning as intended and concentrated flows from the spreader canals were evident in both wetlands. The use of spreader canals should therefore be carefully planned and implemented for future wetland rehabilitation projects. Consideration of ZAR per hectare equivalent re-instated/secured provided a useful initial means of determining the cost-effectiveness of the wetland rehabilitation. However, additional factors need to be considered, such as, the nature of the rehabilitation activities, the type and size of the problem being addressed, rehabilitation of priority wetlands, limitations imposed by funders, and risks that need to be addressed by the rehabilitation strategy. Furthermore, the evaluation of the Killarney and Kruisfontein wetlands highlighted the need to revise the Water Research Commission's Wetland Management Series, especially those documents or guidelines relating to rehabilitation planning (WET-RehabPlan), interventions (WET-RehabMethods), and monitoring and evaluation (WET-RehabEvaluate).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Cowden, Craig
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Wetlands -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal Wetland restoration -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal Wetland management -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal Wetland conservation -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal Wetland ecology -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal Ecosystem management -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/60606 , vital:27802
- Description: Assessing the outputs and outcomes of wetland rehabilitation activities is recognised by the 'Working for Wetlands' programme in South Africa as important, but to date has been limited. An assessment of the ecological outcomes and the structural outputs of the Working for Wetlands rehabilitation implemented in the Killarney and Kruisfontein wetlands, KwaZulu-Natal, in 2005 was undertaken. The assessment of outcomes included an evaluation of the changes in terms of ecological integrity and the supply of ecosystem services, using WET-Health and WET- EcoServices assessment techniques respectively, and vegetation composition. Improvements in hydrological and geomorphic integrity were recorded in both wetlands, resulting in improved ecosystem services delivery. However, investigation of vegetation composition using the Wetland Index Value and Floristic Quality Assessment Index showed that, seven years after rehabilitation, KiNamey's vegetation composition had improved, but Kruisfontein's vegetation was still largely dominated by pioneer species and appeared to be stable, but in a severely transformed state. The response of these wetlands has shown that sites for rehabilitation should be screened before work begins, and wetlands requiring intensive management of vegetation recovery should be assessed in terms of the objectives and the anticipated benefits of the project. The assessment of the outputs included an evaluation of structural integrity, survival and cost- effectiveness. Limited issues, mostly relating to deviations from the designs during construction, were identified with regards to the structural outputs at each of the wetlands. However, the spreader canals at both Killarney and Kruisfontein wetlands were not functioning as intended and concentrated flows from the spreader canals were evident in both wetlands. The use of spreader canals should therefore be carefully planned and implemented for future wetland rehabilitation projects. Consideration of ZAR per hectare equivalent re-instated/secured provided a useful initial means of determining the cost-effectiveness of the wetland rehabilitation. However, additional factors need to be considered, such as, the nature of the rehabilitation activities, the type and size of the problem being addressed, rehabilitation of priority wetlands, limitations imposed by funders, and risks that need to be addressed by the rehabilitation strategy. Furthermore, the evaluation of the Killarney and Kruisfontein wetlands highlighted the need to revise the Water Research Commission's Wetland Management Series, especially those documents or guidelines relating to rehabilitation planning (WET-RehabPlan), interventions (WET-RehabMethods), and monitoring and evaluation (WET-RehabEvaluate).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Developing and testing the congruency of selected biological indicators and an existing tool designed to assess wetland health in agricultural settings in the KZN Midlands
- Authors: Kubheka, Patrick Skhumbuzo
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Wetland conservation -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal , Wetland management -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal , Wetland ecology -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal , Ecosystem services -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal , Environmental monitoring -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal , Water quality biological assessment -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/58310 , vital:27211
- Description: Despite the fact that wetlands have been understood to be important for a wide range of ecosystem services, wetlands continue to be degraded globally. There has been a growing need to develop biomonitoring tools that reflect the present ecological state of wetlands, but very few attempts have been made in South Africa to achieve this, and those that have attempted this have generally achieved limited success. This study was conducted to develop and test the congruency of four selected biological indicators (dragonflies, frogs, macroinveterbrates and plants) in relation to the assessment of present ecological state using an existing method in South Africa, "WET-Health". WET-Health assessments rely primarily on transformations to a wetland that result from human impacts in both the catchment and the wetland itself. Using the tool, a health score is obtained that is consistent with the Department of Water Affairs (DWA) current "present ecological state” as applied to river health assessment. The study was conducted in agricultural settings of the Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal based on 13 wetlands. The selected wetlands were scored using WET - Health and grouped in four different ecological condition classes (A, B, C and D). Physical characteristics (wetland area, mean depth), biological characteristics (species cover/abundance, presence and species richness), and chemical characteristics (ammonia, pH, sulphate, nitrogen and phosphate) were also recorded in the selected wetlands. Nineteen different species of dragonfly were recorded in this study. The study demonstrated that dragonflies are a promising bioindicator of wetland present ecological state as the dragonfly index was found to be closely correlated with WET- Health scores. Open water bodies within the selected wetlands were the focus of dragonfly sampling, as male dragonflies are territorial and they will patrol or be found around this habitat. Emergent vegetation dominated by sedges formed the focus of macroinvertebrate sampling in this study because greater numbers of macroinvertebrate families were found in this biotope in comparison to open water areas with no emergent vegetation. A total of 47 macroinvertebrate families were recorded in this study, but SASS5 scores based on macroinvetebrates showed no correlation with WET-Health scores. A total of 10 different frog species were recorded in this study. All the species were common frog species found in most parts of the country. Frog species richness and occurrence showed no correlation with WET- Health scores. A total of twenty samples of two meter radius were measured per wetland and sampled for plant species and estimation of cover-abundance of each species per sample. Over 50 different plant species were recorded in this study, and both species accumulation and species richness showed a degree of correlation with WET-Health scores. All the wetlands in class A had generally higher species accumulation rate and species richness compared to the other wetland classes. In addition to testing the congruency of four selected biological indicators with WET- Health, water quality was measured in all the wetlands. Wetlands in class A were associated with improved water quality as the water passes through the wetland. However, wetlands in class C and D did not show consistently improved water quality between the apex and the toe of these wetlands. In some cases the water quality deteriorated as it passed through wetlands in these two classes.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Kubheka, Patrick Skhumbuzo
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Wetland conservation -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal , Wetland management -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal , Wetland ecology -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal , Ecosystem services -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal , Environmental monitoring -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal , Water quality biological assessment -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/58310 , vital:27211
- Description: Despite the fact that wetlands have been understood to be important for a wide range of ecosystem services, wetlands continue to be degraded globally. There has been a growing need to develop biomonitoring tools that reflect the present ecological state of wetlands, but very few attempts have been made in South Africa to achieve this, and those that have attempted this have generally achieved limited success. This study was conducted to develop and test the congruency of four selected biological indicators (dragonflies, frogs, macroinveterbrates and plants) in relation to the assessment of present ecological state using an existing method in South Africa, "WET-Health". WET-Health assessments rely primarily on transformations to a wetland that result from human impacts in both the catchment and the wetland itself. Using the tool, a health score is obtained that is consistent with the Department of Water Affairs (DWA) current "present ecological state” as applied to river health assessment. The study was conducted in agricultural settings of the Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal based on 13 wetlands. The selected wetlands were scored using WET - Health and grouped in four different ecological condition classes (A, B, C and D). Physical characteristics (wetland area, mean depth), biological characteristics (species cover/abundance, presence and species richness), and chemical characteristics (ammonia, pH, sulphate, nitrogen and phosphate) were also recorded in the selected wetlands. Nineteen different species of dragonfly were recorded in this study. The study demonstrated that dragonflies are a promising bioindicator of wetland present ecological state as the dragonfly index was found to be closely correlated with WET- Health scores. Open water bodies within the selected wetlands were the focus of dragonfly sampling, as male dragonflies are territorial and they will patrol or be found around this habitat. Emergent vegetation dominated by sedges formed the focus of macroinvertebrate sampling in this study because greater numbers of macroinvertebrate families were found in this biotope in comparison to open water areas with no emergent vegetation. A total of 47 macroinvertebrate families were recorded in this study, but SASS5 scores based on macroinvetebrates showed no correlation with WET-Health scores. A total of 10 different frog species were recorded in this study. All the species were common frog species found in most parts of the country. Frog species richness and occurrence showed no correlation with WET- Health scores. A total of twenty samples of two meter radius were measured per wetland and sampled for plant species and estimation of cover-abundance of each species per sample. Over 50 different plant species were recorded in this study, and both species accumulation and species richness showed a degree of correlation with WET-Health scores. All the wetlands in class A had generally higher species accumulation rate and species richness compared to the other wetland classes. In addition to testing the congruency of four selected biological indicators with WET- Health, water quality was measured in all the wetlands. Wetlands in class A were associated with improved water quality as the water passes through the wetland. However, wetlands in class C and D did not show consistently improved water quality between the apex and the toe of these wetlands. In some cases the water quality deteriorated as it passed through wetlands in these two classes.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Stewardship and collaboration in multifunctional landscapes: a transdisciplinary enquiry
- Authors: Cockburn, Jessica Jane
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Environmental management -- South Africa , Sustainable development -- South Africa , Ecosystem management -- South Africa , Social ecology -- South Africa , Interdisciplinary research
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/61267 , vital:27998
- Description: Social-ecological sustainability challenges, from the local to the global level, are of increasing concern. Stewardship has been proposed as a means of dealing with these challenges, but how can it be achieved in practice? In South Africa, the concept is put into practice by practitioners working with local stewards to facilitate more sustainable and equitable management of ecosystem services across landscapes. This landscape approach requires collaboration between multiple stakeholders, as social-ecological processes function beyond the boundaries of individual farms or villages. The aim of this research was to investigate the practice of stewardship and collaboration in multifunctional landscapes in South Africa through a transdisciplinary enquiry. This was achieved using a methodological framework based on critical complexity, transdisciplinarity, and critical realism. This framework was applied through an inductive, mixed methods research design which involved stewardship practitioners, stewards, and other stakeholders in the research. Practitioners' understandings of the stewardship concept vary, yet they coalesce around the idea of responsible use and care of nature. Accordingly, the primary role of stewards is to interact with nature responsibly and carefully, balancing the use of ecosystem services for their own benefit with broader social- ecological interests and needs. Although the biodiversity stewardship tool dominates stewardship practice in South Africa, more integrated social-ecological initiatives are also emerging, often hand-in-hand with this approach. Practitioners working in these initiatives face multiple interacting and mutually reinforcing enablers and barriers that facilitate or hinder collaboration for stewardship. Individual and social-relational enablers are pivotal to long-term sustainability of initiatives, whilst deep-seated inequalities and mistrust are significant barriers to collaboration. Despite such challenges, practitioners are succeeding in fostering collaboration by operating as hubs in the landscape. They are actively building new relationships and networks among diverse stakeholders to address shared sustainability challenges. This results in a patchwork of collaborative stewardship activity across the landscape, suggesting that stewardship and collaboration are fundamentally relational processes and that pluralistic approaches to sustainability are needed in multifunctional landscapes. Moreover, by re-focusing stewardship on stewards, practitioners are finding innovative ways to enable farmers to appreciate and practice stewardship, addressing the conflict between agriculture and conservation. Drawing on these findings, a critical realist analysis revealed underlying generative mechanisms that help to explain the challenges encountered in collaborative efforts toward stewardship. These mechanisms included, amongst others: individual stewards' values, societal constraints on the ability of stewards to express care, conflict between agriculture and conservation due to dominant agricultural approaches and neoliberal economic policies, and the divided and unequal nature of South African society. Operationalising transdisciplinary research enabled meaningful engagement with practitioner partners, allowing for novel insights and unexpected findings to emerge from practice-based knowledge. Putting transdisciplinarity into practice revealed the dynamic and multi-faceted role that researchers can play in transdisciplinary research, highlighting the importance of relational knowledge and competencies. Existing support systems and incentives within universities need to be re-configured to enable postgraduate students to conduct engaged science in service of society. , Kuyanda ukuxhalatyiswa yimiceli mngeni yobudlewlane obuhlala buhleli bezentlalo nendalo, ekuhlaleni nakwihlabathi. Kuphakanyiswe umbono wobugosa-bumeli (ubuphathi bendalo, stewardship) ukuze kuhlangatyezwane nale miceli mngeni, kodwa iza kwenziwa njani le nto? EMzantsi Afrika le ngcamango iye yabekwa entsebenzweni ngabo banezakhono no bugcisa besebenza namagosa-bameli asekuhlaleni, benceda ekulawulweni ngendlela ehlala ihleli nelinganayo iinkonzo zobudlelwane nendalo kuyo yonke imihlaba. Le ndlela yokusebenzisa le mihlaba ifuna intsebenziswano phakathi kwabo bonke ababandakanyekayo, njengoko ubudlelwane bentlalo nendalo busebenza ngaphaya kwemida yomfama ngamnye okanye iilali. Injongo yoluhlolisiso ibikukuphanda ngoqheliselo lobugosa-bumeli nentsebenziswano yeemihlaba esebenza ngendlela ezininzi eMzantsi Afrika kubuzwa kumasebe olwazi ohlukeneyo olwazi(transdisciplinarity). Oku kwathi kwaphunyezwa ngenkqubo ehlola izinto ezahlukahlukeneyo kwimigangatho eyahlukeneyo, isekelwe kwingcamango enzulu kunoko kubonakala kuqondakalayo, kumasebe olwazi ohlukeneyo, nakulwazi lwesayensi nentlalo. Le nkqubo yenziwa kusetyenziswa inkqubo yokuqokelela ulwazi luze luhlalutywe, iintlobo ezahlukeneyo zokwenza uhlolisiso, ezazibandakandakanya abanezakhono zobugosa-bumeli, amagosa-bameli nabanye ababandakanyekileyo kolu hlolisiso. Ingcamango zabanezakhono zobubugosa-bumeli ziyohluka, kanti iingcamango zinye ngokuphathelele ukusetyenziswa nokukhathelela indalo yemvelo. Phofu ke, indima esisiseko yamagosa-bameli kukuphembelelana ngokufanelekileyo nangenkathalo nendalo, bethelekisa ukusebenzisa iinkonzo zobudlelwane nendalo ukuze zincede bona, kunye nomdla neemfuno eziphangaleleyo zobudlelwane bendalo nentlalo. Nakubeni isixhobo Sobugosa-Bumeli Bendalo Eyahlukeneyo Yezityalo Nezilwanyana (Biodiversity Stewardship) isesona sitshotsha phambili kuqheliselo lobugosa-bumeli eMzantsi Afrika, zikhona nezinye izixhobo ezivelayo eziqukwayo kwiphulo lobudlelwane bendalo nentlalo, ezisoloko zisebenza kakuhle neli lokuqala. Abanezakhono nabasebenza kula maphulo bajamelene neendidi zokuphembelelana, iingxaki ezahlukeneyo, izisombululo nezithinteli ezinceda okanye zonakalise intebenziswano yobugosa-bumeli. Isisombululo ngasinye nezo zayanyaniswa nentlalo zibaluleke gqitha kumaphulo azakuhlala ehleli, nakubeni ukungalingani okuzinze nzulu nokungathembani iyimiqobo ebelulekileyo kwintsebenziswano. Nangona ikhona le micelimngeni, abanezakhono bayaphumelela ekukhuliseni intsebenziswano ngokuthi basebenze kwiindawo ezithile kwimihlaba. Bakha unxulumano olutsha noqhagamishelwano nababandakanyekileyo ngokwahluka kwabo ukuze kusingathwe nemiceli mngeni yokugcina ubudlelwane bendalo nentlalo buhlale buhleli. Oku kuye kwaphumela kwintsebenziswano yobugosa-bumeli ethe yakho pha na pha kule mihlaba, nto leyo ebonisa ukuba ubugosa- bumeli nentsebenziswano ngokusisiseko yinkqubo enxulumeneyo, kwaye iindlela ezininzi zokwenza ubudlelwane bendalo nentlalo buhlale buhleli ziyimfuneko kwimihlaba ekwenziwa izinto ezininzi kuyo. Ngapha koko, ngokuthi kuphindwe kunikelwe ingqalelo kubugosa-bumeli isiya kumagosa bameli, abanezakhono bafumana iindlela ezintsha zokunceda amafama axabise aze aqhelisele ubugosa-bumeli, ngolu hlobo kusingathwa ingxabano phakathi kwezolimo nolondolozo lwendalo. Xa sifunda koku, ukucamngca nzulu ngako kutyhile enye indlela eye yanceda ekucaciseni imiceli mngeni ekuhlangatyezwane nayo kwimigudu yentsebenziswano yobugosa-bumeli. Ezi ndlela zibandakanya, phakathi kwezinye: indlela aziphatha ngayo amagosa-bameli, iingcinezelo yabahlali ekubeni amagosa-bameli abonakalise inkathalo, ukungavisisani phakathi kwezolimo nolondolozo lwendalo ngenxa yendlela ezongamelayo nezisetyenziswayo zolimo, nemigaqo-nkqubo yezoqoqosho elawulwa bucala, nokwahlukana, ukungalingani kwabantu baseMzantsi Afrika. Ukusebenzisa uhlolisiso lwamasebe olwazi ohlukeneyo kubangele ukufuthelana okunentsingiselo namaqabane abo banezakhono, oku kuvulele iingcamango ezinzulu nokufumana izinto ebezingalindelekanga kulwazi olusekelwe kuqheliselo. Ukubeka ulwazi lwamasebe ahlukeneyo entsebenzweni kutyhile iindima ezahlukeneyo okanye ezininzi ezidlalwa ngabahlolisisi kuhlolisiso lolwazi lwamasebe ohlukeneyo, kubalaseliswa ukubaluleka kolwazi olunxulunyaniswayo nozimiselo. Iinkqubo zenkxaso nezinye izinto ezincedayo ezikhoyo kwiyunivesiti kufuneka ziphinde zakhiwe ukuze zincede abafundi abenza uhlolisiso balwenze benomfutho wesayensi enceda abahlali.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Cockburn, Jessica Jane
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Environmental management -- South Africa , Sustainable development -- South Africa , Ecosystem management -- South Africa , Social ecology -- South Africa , Interdisciplinary research
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/61267 , vital:27998
- Description: Social-ecological sustainability challenges, from the local to the global level, are of increasing concern. Stewardship has been proposed as a means of dealing with these challenges, but how can it be achieved in practice? In South Africa, the concept is put into practice by practitioners working with local stewards to facilitate more sustainable and equitable management of ecosystem services across landscapes. This landscape approach requires collaboration between multiple stakeholders, as social-ecological processes function beyond the boundaries of individual farms or villages. The aim of this research was to investigate the practice of stewardship and collaboration in multifunctional landscapes in South Africa through a transdisciplinary enquiry. This was achieved using a methodological framework based on critical complexity, transdisciplinarity, and critical realism. This framework was applied through an inductive, mixed methods research design which involved stewardship practitioners, stewards, and other stakeholders in the research. Practitioners' understandings of the stewardship concept vary, yet they coalesce around the idea of responsible use and care of nature. Accordingly, the primary role of stewards is to interact with nature responsibly and carefully, balancing the use of ecosystem services for their own benefit with broader social- ecological interests and needs. Although the biodiversity stewardship tool dominates stewardship practice in South Africa, more integrated social-ecological initiatives are also emerging, often hand-in-hand with this approach. Practitioners working in these initiatives face multiple interacting and mutually reinforcing enablers and barriers that facilitate or hinder collaboration for stewardship. Individual and social-relational enablers are pivotal to long-term sustainability of initiatives, whilst deep-seated inequalities and mistrust are significant barriers to collaboration. Despite such challenges, practitioners are succeeding in fostering collaboration by operating as hubs in the landscape. They are actively building new relationships and networks among diverse stakeholders to address shared sustainability challenges. This results in a patchwork of collaborative stewardship activity across the landscape, suggesting that stewardship and collaboration are fundamentally relational processes and that pluralistic approaches to sustainability are needed in multifunctional landscapes. Moreover, by re-focusing stewardship on stewards, practitioners are finding innovative ways to enable farmers to appreciate and practice stewardship, addressing the conflict between agriculture and conservation. Drawing on these findings, a critical realist analysis revealed underlying generative mechanisms that help to explain the challenges encountered in collaborative efforts toward stewardship. These mechanisms included, amongst others: individual stewards' values, societal constraints on the ability of stewards to express care, conflict between agriculture and conservation due to dominant agricultural approaches and neoliberal economic policies, and the divided and unequal nature of South African society. Operationalising transdisciplinary research enabled meaningful engagement with practitioner partners, allowing for novel insights and unexpected findings to emerge from practice-based knowledge. Putting transdisciplinarity into practice revealed the dynamic and multi-faceted role that researchers can play in transdisciplinary research, highlighting the importance of relational knowledge and competencies. Existing support systems and incentives within universities need to be re-configured to enable postgraduate students to conduct engaged science in service of society. , Kuyanda ukuxhalatyiswa yimiceli mngeni yobudlewlane obuhlala buhleli bezentlalo nendalo, ekuhlaleni nakwihlabathi. Kuphakanyiswe umbono wobugosa-bumeli (ubuphathi bendalo, stewardship) ukuze kuhlangatyezwane nale miceli mngeni, kodwa iza kwenziwa njani le nto? EMzantsi Afrika le ngcamango iye yabekwa entsebenzweni ngabo banezakhono no bugcisa besebenza namagosa-bameli asekuhlaleni, benceda ekulawulweni ngendlela ehlala ihleli nelinganayo iinkonzo zobudlelwane nendalo kuyo yonke imihlaba. Le ndlela yokusebenzisa le mihlaba ifuna intsebenziswano phakathi kwabo bonke ababandakanyekayo, njengoko ubudlelwane bentlalo nendalo busebenza ngaphaya kwemida yomfama ngamnye okanye iilali. Injongo yoluhlolisiso ibikukuphanda ngoqheliselo lobugosa-bumeli nentsebenziswano yeemihlaba esebenza ngendlela ezininzi eMzantsi Afrika kubuzwa kumasebe olwazi ohlukeneyo olwazi(transdisciplinarity). Oku kwathi kwaphunyezwa ngenkqubo ehlola izinto ezahlukahlukeneyo kwimigangatho eyahlukeneyo, isekelwe kwingcamango enzulu kunoko kubonakala kuqondakalayo, kumasebe olwazi ohlukeneyo, nakulwazi lwesayensi nentlalo. Le nkqubo yenziwa kusetyenziswa inkqubo yokuqokelela ulwazi luze luhlalutywe, iintlobo ezahlukeneyo zokwenza uhlolisiso, ezazibandakandakanya abanezakhono zobugosa-bumeli, amagosa-bameli nabanye ababandakanyekileyo kolu hlolisiso. Ingcamango zabanezakhono zobubugosa-bumeli ziyohluka, kanti iingcamango zinye ngokuphathelele ukusetyenziswa nokukhathelela indalo yemvelo. Phofu ke, indima esisiseko yamagosa-bameli kukuphembelelana ngokufanelekileyo nangenkathalo nendalo, bethelekisa ukusebenzisa iinkonzo zobudlelwane nendalo ukuze zincede bona, kunye nomdla neemfuno eziphangaleleyo zobudlelwane bendalo nentlalo. Nakubeni isixhobo Sobugosa-Bumeli Bendalo Eyahlukeneyo Yezityalo Nezilwanyana (Biodiversity Stewardship) isesona sitshotsha phambili kuqheliselo lobugosa-bumeli eMzantsi Afrika, zikhona nezinye izixhobo ezivelayo eziqukwayo kwiphulo lobudlelwane bendalo nentlalo, ezisoloko zisebenza kakuhle neli lokuqala. Abanezakhono nabasebenza kula maphulo bajamelene neendidi zokuphembelelana, iingxaki ezahlukeneyo, izisombululo nezithinteli ezinceda okanye zonakalise intebenziswano yobugosa-bumeli. Isisombululo ngasinye nezo zayanyaniswa nentlalo zibaluleke gqitha kumaphulo azakuhlala ehleli, nakubeni ukungalingani okuzinze nzulu nokungathembani iyimiqobo ebelulekileyo kwintsebenziswano. Nangona ikhona le micelimngeni, abanezakhono bayaphumelela ekukhuliseni intsebenziswano ngokuthi basebenze kwiindawo ezithile kwimihlaba. Bakha unxulumano olutsha noqhagamishelwano nababandakanyekileyo ngokwahluka kwabo ukuze kusingathwe nemiceli mngeni yokugcina ubudlelwane bendalo nentlalo buhlale buhleli. Oku kuye kwaphumela kwintsebenziswano yobugosa-bumeli ethe yakho pha na pha kule mihlaba, nto leyo ebonisa ukuba ubugosa- bumeli nentsebenziswano ngokusisiseko yinkqubo enxulumeneyo, kwaye iindlela ezininzi zokwenza ubudlelwane bendalo nentlalo buhlale buhleli ziyimfuneko kwimihlaba ekwenziwa izinto ezininzi kuyo. Ngapha koko, ngokuthi kuphindwe kunikelwe ingqalelo kubugosa-bumeli isiya kumagosa bameli, abanezakhono bafumana iindlela ezintsha zokunceda amafama axabise aze aqhelisele ubugosa-bumeli, ngolu hlobo kusingathwa ingxabano phakathi kwezolimo nolondolozo lwendalo. Xa sifunda koku, ukucamngca nzulu ngako kutyhile enye indlela eye yanceda ekucaciseni imiceli mngeni ekuhlangatyezwane nayo kwimigudu yentsebenziswano yobugosa-bumeli. Ezi ndlela zibandakanya, phakathi kwezinye: indlela aziphatha ngayo amagosa-bameli, iingcinezelo yabahlali ekubeni amagosa-bameli abonakalise inkathalo, ukungavisisani phakathi kwezolimo nolondolozo lwendalo ngenxa yendlela ezongamelayo nezisetyenziswayo zolimo, nemigaqo-nkqubo yezoqoqosho elawulwa bucala, nokwahlukana, ukungalingani kwabantu baseMzantsi Afrika. Ukusebenzisa uhlolisiso lwamasebe olwazi ohlukeneyo kubangele ukufuthelana okunentsingiselo namaqabane abo banezakhono, oku kuvulele iingcamango ezinzulu nokufumana izinto ebezingalindelekanga kulwazi olusekelwe kuqheliselo. Ukubeka ulwazi lwamasebe ahlukeneyo entsebenzweni kutyhile iindima ezahlukeneyo okanye ezininzi ezidlalwa ngabahlolisisi kuhlolisiso lolwazi lwamasebe ohlukeneyo, kubalaseliswa ukubaluleka kolwazi olunxulunyaniswayo nozimiselo. Iinkqubo zenkxaso nezinye izinto ezincedayo ezikhoyo kwiyunivesiti kufuneka ziphinde zakhiwe ukuze zincede abafundi abenza uhlolisiso balwenze benomfutho wesayensi enceda abahlali.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
The missing ingredient: rethinking the drought disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation nexus in Chirumhanzu District, Zimbabwe
- Authors: Grey, Mashoko Stephen
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Climatic changes -- Zimbabwe -- Chirumanzu District , Climatic changes -- Government policy -- Zimbabwe -- Chirumanzu District , Climatic changes -- Economic aspects -- Zimbabwe -- Chirumanzu District , Natural disasters -- Risk assessment -- Zimbabwe -- Chirumanzu District , Drought management -- Zimbabwe -- Chirumanzu District , Hazard mitigation -- Zimbabwe -- Chirumanzu District
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/58298 , vital:27207
- Description: Two of the main challenges facing communities and governments in developing countries are the reduction of risks of hydro-meteorological hazards and adaptation to climate change. As climate variability and change impacts are becoming more visible in the form of disasters, and are negatively affecting climate sensitive livelihoods and eroding communities' ability to fully recover, leading to increased vulnerability to subsequent climate risks. The unpredictability of current weather systems, therefore, makes it very difficult for poor governments and households to deal with adverse impacts of climate change. Furthermore, the fragmented approach to DRR and CCA with regards to practice, policy and organisational frameworks for dealing with climate risks is resulting in coordination challenges for the government departments. This study aimed to explore how local households and communities perceive and are experiencing and coping with climate change and drought, and what that means for integrating hydro-meteorological disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. The study was carried out in Chirumhanzu district and the methods used for data collection included: 217 household surveys; six focus group discussions; participatory learning actions methods; key informant's interviews and document review. The majority of households owned low value material assets and had low levels of livelihood capitals and this exposed them to the impacts of climate variability and successive droughts. This low adaptive capacity largely affected their ability to engage effective drought risk reduction and adaptation strategies for their livelihood activities in small-scale farming and livestock rearing. Vulnerability to climate risks was exacerbated by seasonal weather forecasts, which were deemed by some households to be unreliable, inaccurate and not easily understood, while others used of indigenous knowledge. Successive droughts affected households' access to food and cash income for other household demands. Other non-climatic factors that contributed to adverse drought impacts at the household level were an emphasis on reactive humanitarian aid approach and the poor economy in Zimbabwe. Additionally, the policy framework for dealing with climate change and drought hazards is fragmented and weak; and is housed in different government departments making it difficult to coordinate and implement. To improve climate risk management, there is need for the government to appreciate that drought risk reduction and climate change adaptation are all about reducing vulnerability. Understanding this, might assist in improving government focus on addressing the underlying causes of vulnerability and mainstreaming DRR and CCA into development processes through addressing specific and generic adaptive capacities. The thesis argues that as long as rural households are involved in climate sensitive livelihood activities and not getting meaningful intervention to diversity and/or better intensify their livelihood activities, they will continue to be vulnerable to successive climate risks. This fragmented approach to dealing with climate risks, is not yielding any successful results with regards to building resilience, risk reduction or adaptation of rural households.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Grey, Mashoko Stephen
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Climatic changes -- Zimbabwe -- Chirumanzu District , Climatic changes -- Government policy -- Zimbabwe -- Chirumanzu District , Climatic changes -- Economic aspects -- Zimbabwe -- Chirumanzu District , Natural disasters -- Risk assessment -- Zimbabwe -- Chirumanzu District , Drought management -- Zimbabwe -- Chirumanzu District , Hazard mitigation -- Zimbabwe -- Chirumanzu District
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/58298 , vital:27207
- Description: Two of the main challenges facing communities and governments in developing countries are the reduction of risks of hydro-meteorological hazards and adaptation to climate change. As climate variability and change impacts are becoming more visible in the form of disasters, and are negatively affecting climate sensitive livelihoods and eroding communities' ability to fully recover, leading to increased vulnerability to subsequent climate risks. The unpredictability of current weather systems, therefore, makes it very difficult for poor governments and households to deal with adverse impacts of climate change. Furthermore, the fragmented approach to DRR and CCA with regards to practice, policy and organisational frameworks for dealing with climate risks is resulting in coordination challenges for the government departments. This study aimed to explore how local households and communities perceive and are experiencing and coping with climate change and drought, and what that means for integrating hydro-meteorological disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. The study was carried out in Chirumhanzu district and the methods used for data collection included: 217 household surveys; six focus group discussions; participatory learning actions methods; key informant's interviews and document review. The majority of households owned low value material assets and had low levels of livelihood capitals and this exposed them to the impacts of climate variability and successive droughts. This low adaptive capacity largely affected their ability to engage effective drought risk reduction and adaptation strategies for their livelihood activities in small-scale farming and livestock rearing. Vulnerability to climate risks was exacerbated by seasonal weather forecasts, which were deemed by some households to be unreliable, inaccurate and not easily understood, while others used of indigenous knowledge. Successive droughts affected households' access to food and cash income for other household demands. Other non-climatic factors that contributed to adverse drought impacts at the household level were an emphasis on reactive humanitarian aid approach and the poor economy in Zimbabwe. Additionally, the policy framework for dealing with climate change and drought hazards is fragmented and weak; and is housed in different government departments making it difficult to coordinate and implement. To improve climate risk management, there is need for the government to appreciate that drought risk reduction and climate change adaptation are all about reducing vulnerability. Understanding this, might assist in improving government focus on addressing the underlying causes of vulnerability and mainstreaming DRR and CCA into development processes through addressing specific and generic adaptive capacities. The thesis argues that as long as rural households are involved in climate sensitive livelihood activities and not getting meaningful intervention to diversity and/or better intensify their livelihood activities, they will continue to be vulnerable to successive climate risks. This fragmented approach to dealing with climate risks, is not yielding any successful results with regards to building resilience, risk reduction or adaptation of rural households.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
The potential significance of refugia in safeguarding Non-Timber Forest products under Harvesting
- Authors: Mjoli, Nwabisa
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Non-timber forest products -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nature conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Ecosystem management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/60596 , vital:27801
- Description: Many rural households living in and adjacent to forests in South Africa harvest a variety of NonTimber Forest Products (NTFPs) such as wild fruits, fibre, fuelwood, seeds, medicine and bush meat for domestic use, sale and maintaining cultural values. To promote the continued availability of these NTFPs it is important that NTFPs are well maintained and that harvest offtake is sustainable, because if it is not, then the important livelihood function that they fulfil will be jeopardized over time. The role of refugia in conserving pockets of threatened species from overharvesting has rarely been considered. Building on Shackleton et al. (2015), six applications of the concept are considered: size refugia, spatial refugia, cultural/spiritual refugia and physical/habitat refugia. I examined the prevalence and type of refugia for NTFPs at three coastal sites in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. This was done via several community focus group discussions at each site. Here I report on the role of refugia in offering some safeguard to NTFPs by assessing harvested and non-harvested sites of refugia as well as individual plant species by measuring population density, harvest damage and size class profile. Respondents from the focus group discussions perceived a general decline in the abundance of common, widely used species over the past five decades. Decreasing rainfall and distant farming activities was reported consistently by the majority of the respondents. The most common form of refugia was spatial refugia, followed by cultural/spiritual refugia and physical/habitat refugia. Only six species were identified to be in refugia, namely Cyperus congestus, Cyperus textillis, Millettia grandis, Olea europaea subsp. africana, Phoenix reclinata, and Ptaeroxylon obliquum. Population inventories revealed that regeneration and population densities of some NTFP species in the non-refuge site were adversely affected by harvesting. Populations in refuge sites generally had the largest size classes indicating a regeneration potential but likely to impact regeneration over time if pressures are maintained. Therefore, if refuge sites keep larger individuals, NTFP populations can be maintained. Few studies have critically analyzed the concept of refugia in relation to how NTFPs can be safeguarded and the practical implication of the refuge concept needs to be considered in conservation and strategies and population models.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Mjoli, Nwabisa
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Non-timber forest products -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nature conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Ecosystem management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/60596 , vital:27801
- Description: Many rural households living in and adjacent to forests in South Africa harvest a variety of NonTimber Forest Products (NTFPs) such as wild fruits, fibre, fuelwood, seeds, medicine and bush meat for domestic use, sale and maintaining cultural values. To promote the continued availability of these NTFPs it is important that NTFPs are well maintained and that harvest offtake is sustainable, because if it is not, then the important livelihood function that they fulfil will be jeopardized over time. The role of refugia in conserving pockets of threatened species from overharvesting has rarely been considered. Building on Shackleton et al. (2015), six applications of the concept are considered: size refugia, spatial refugia, cultural/spiritual refugia and physical/habitat refugia. I examined the prevalence and type of refugia for NTFPs at three coastal sites in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. This was done via several community focus group discussions at each site. Here I report on the role of refugia in offering some safeguard to NTFPs by assessing harvested and non-harvested sites of refugia as well as individual plant species by measuring population density, harvest damage and size class profile. Respondents from the focus group discussions perceived a general decline in the abundance of common, widely used species over the past five decades. Decreasing rainfall and distant farming activities was reported consistently by the majority of the respondents. The most common form of refugia was spatial refugia, followed by cultural/spiritual refugia and physical/habitat refugia. Only six species were identified to be in refugia, namely Cyperus congestus, Cyperus textillis, Millettia grandis, Olea europaea subsp. africana, Phoenix reclinata, and Ptaeroxylon obliquum. Population inventories revealed that regeneration and population densities of some NTFP species in the non-refuge site were adversely affected by harvesting. Populations in refuge sites generally had the largest size classes indicating a regeneration potential but likely to impact regeneration over time if pressures are maintained. Therefore, if refuge sites keep larger individuals, NTFP populations can be maintained. Few studies have critically analyzed the concept of refugia in relation to how NTFPs can be safeguarded and the practical implication of the refuge concept needs to be considered in conservation and strategies and population models.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
The role of field and garden cultivation for food security under a changing climate: the case of Fairbairn and Ntloko villages, Eastern Cape
- Authors: Brooks, Haydn
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Climatic changes -- Economic aspects -- Eastern Cape (South Africa) , Climatic changes -- Social aspects -- South Africa , Food -- Economic aspects -- South Africa , Food security -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/58013 , vital:27019
- Description: The world is becoming more complex due to the increasing occurrence of social-ecological change. This is particularly evident in the developing world, especially on the African continent, where existing vulnerabilities (i.e. endemic poverty, weak governance, overpopulation and HIV/AIDS) are being exacerbated by the impact of climate change. Climate change poses a very real threat to millions of Africans, especially those who rely on the natural world for their livelihoods. The increasing variability of climate and rainfall patterns are said to have dire consequences on agricultural production which is the main livelihood activity of rural dwellers across the continent. The impacts of such change and variability include, changes in the frequency and intensity of droughts, flooding and heavy storms, leading to worsening soil conditions, desertification as well as disease and pest out-breaks which will likely result in reduced crop and livestock yields. A reduction in agricultural production will likely have a negative effect on the food security of millions of people. This study was conducted in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, in two rural villages, Fairbairn and Ntloko located in the former Ciskei homeland, with the purpose of exploring the nexus between climate change, cultivation and food security. This study combined social-ecological thinking with that of political ecology to create a robust lens, in which to analyse the complex interactions between humans and the environment. A mixed methods approach was used to gather the data which consisted of a household survey, using a structured questionnaire as well as semi-structured interviews with various respondents. Quantitative data were analysed using Excel and Statistica 13, whilst coding was used for qualitative data. The main aim of the study was to explore the extent and characteristics of cultivation in the two study sites, the role of household food production in food security as well as the challenges that local cultivator’s face with regards to climate change. In recent decades, there has been a decline in rural agricultural production with many fields that were previously cultivated, lying vacant and unused. However, as this study found, cultivation is still important as over 50% of sampled households cultivated a small area within the homestead. This was mainly done to supplement household food expenditure in order to save cash incomes. The results also found that although participants had perceived negative changes in climate and rainfall (amount, onset, duration), it was not considered the most important challenge for own production. Rather, lack of fencing and capital were seen as major hindrances to efficient own production. Understanding the complexity of own production and food security under a changing climate can help form better and more resilient policies and strategies for rural development, in addition to strengthening future livelihoods of rural people in an ever changing world.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Brooks, Haydn
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Climatic changes -- Economic aspects -- Eastern Cape (South Africa) , Climatic changes -- Social aspects -- South Africa , Food -- Economic aspects -- South Africa , Food security -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/58013 , vital:27019
- Description: The world is becoming more complex due to the increasing occurrence of social-ecological change. This is particularly evident in the developing world, especially on the African continent, where existing vulnerabilities (i.e. endemic poverty, weak governance, overpopulation and HIV/AIDS) are being exacerbated by the impact of climate change. Climate change poses a very real threat to millions of Africans, especially those who rely on the natural world for their livelihoods. The increasing variability of climate and rainfall patterns are said to have dire consequences on agricultural production which is the main livelihood activity of rural dwellers across the continent. The impacts of such change and variability include, changes in the frequency and intensity of droughts, flooding and heavy storms, leading to worsening soil conditions, desertification as well as disease and pest out-breaks which will likely result in reduced crop and livestock yields. A reduction in agricultural production will likely have a negative effect on the food security of millions of people. This study was conducted in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, in two rural villages, Fairbairn and Ntloko located in the former Ciskei homeland, with the purpose of exploring the nexus between climate change, cultivation and food security. This study combined social-ecological thinking with that of political ecology to create a robust lens, in which to analyse the complex interactions between humans and the environment. A mixed methods approach was used to gather the data which consisted of a household survey, using a structured questionnaire as well as semi-structured interviews with various respondents. Quantitative data were analysed using Excel and Statistica 13, whilst coding was used for qualitative data. The main aim of the study was to explore the extent and characteristics of cultivation in the two study sites, the role of household food production in food security as well as the challenges that local cultivator’s face with regards to climate change. In recent decades, there has been a decline in rural agricultural production with many fields that were previously cultivated, lying vacant and unused. However, as this study found, cultivation is still important as over 50% of sampled households cultivated a small area within the homestead. This was mainly done to supplement household food expenditure in order to save cash incomes. The results also found that although participants had perceived negative changes in climate and rainfall (amount, onset, duration), it was not considered the most important challenge for own production. Rather, lack of fencing and capital were seen as major hindrances to efficient own production. Understanding the complexity of own production and food security under a changing climate can help form better and more resilient policies and strategies for rural development, in addition to strengthening future livelihoods of rural people in an ever changing world.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Understanding the extension capacity needs of the CapeNature Stewardship Programme in the Western Cape Province of South Africa
- Coetzee, Johannes Christiaan
- Authors: Coetzee, Johannes Christiaan
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Conservation projects (Natural resources) , Psychometrics , Adaptive natural resource management , Biodiversity conservation , CapeNature Stewardship Programme
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/63220 , vital:28383
- Description: There is an increasing call for conservation programmes to provide sound evidence of effectiveness, and employing empirical evaluations can assist in the transition to evidence-based conservation practices. The objectives of this research were to develop a logic model for the CapeNature Stewardship Programme which would articulate the programme's theory of operation with respect to its Stewardship Programme landholders. The second major objective was to develop psychometric instruments for assessing the motivations and satisfactions of the programme's stewardship landholders. Both objectives included the aim to provide robust and repeatable instruments for exploring landholder's psychology, and developing a programme's theory of operation to understand the programme and improve with understanding the needs of the landowners. In this regard the processes and methodologies employed represent a major component of this research. A mixed methods approach was utilized, including stakeholder and volunteer surveys, conducted via mailing hardcopies and the internet, together with three focus groups held with the programme's management, extension staff and the stewardship landholders. Analysis of the data thus collected included both qualitative and quantitative approaches, specifically coding and content analysis, together with statistical tests of internal consistency, factor analysis and doubling correspondence analysis. Robust indices for example validity and internal consistency were developed for assessing landholder’s satisfaction with extension and level of satisfaction with the stewardship programme (Babbie 2007). These indices revealed that landholders in the Stewardship Programme are not satisfied with the programme, and exhibit behaviours suggesting they act as advocates for the programme. Demographic data and additional information provided further insights into the programme. The development of a method for articulating the programme's theory of operation is represented, together with four logic models which graphically illustrate this theory. This process and theory allowed for recommendations to be provided for the programme's improvement. A platform for adaptive management and further evaluations of this, and similar programmes, represents a major outcome of this research, understanding the extension capacity needs for the conservation of biodiversity in the CapeNature Stewardship Programme to function as a model for improving the implementation of the programme across the Western Cape, South Africa. This research feeds into an evaluation of CapeNature’s Biodiveristy Stewardship programme and demonstrates the importance of incorporating psychology into conservation interventions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Coetzee, Johannes Christiaan
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Conservation projects (Natural resources) , Psychometrics , Adaptive natural resource management , Biodiversity conservation , CapeNature Stewardship Programme
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/63220 , vital:28383
- Description: There is an increasing call for conservation programmes to provide sound evidence of effectiveness, and employing empirical evaluations can assist in the transition to evidence-based conservation practices. The objectives of this research were to develop a logic model for the CapeNature Stewardship Programme which would articulate the programme's theory of operation with respect to its Stewardship Programme landholders. The second major objective was to develop psychometric instruments for assessing the motivations and satisfactions of the programme's stewardship landholders. Both objectives included the aim to provide robust and repeatable instruments for exploring landholder's psychology, and developing a programme's theory of operation to understand the programme and improve with understanding the needs of the landowners. In this regard the processes and methodologies employed represent a major component of this research. A mixed methods approach was utilized, including stakeholder and volunteer surveys, conducted via mailing hardcopies and the internet, together with three focus groups held with the programme's management, extension staff and the stewardship landholders. Analysis of the data thus collected included both qualitative and quantitative approaches, specifically coding and content analysis, together with statistical tests of internal consistency, factor analysis and doubling correspondence analysis. Robust indices for example validity and internal consistency were developed for assessing landholder’s satisfaction with extension and level of satisfaction with the stewardship programme (Babbie 2007). These indices revealed that landholders in the Stewardship Programme are not satisfied with the programme, and exhibit behaviours suggesting they act as advocates for the programme. Demographic data and additional information provided further insights into the programme. The development of a method for articulating the programme's theory of operation is represented, together with four logic models which graphically illustrate this theory. This process and theory allowed for recommendations to be provided for the programme's improvement. A platform for adaptive management and further evaluations of this, and similar programmes, represents a major outcome of this research, understanding the extension capacity needs for the conservation of biodiversity in the CapeNature Stewardship Programme to function as a model for improving the implementation of the programme across the Western Cape, South Africa. This research feeds into an evaluation of CapeNature’s Biodiveristy Stewardship programme and demonstrates the importance of incorporating psychology into conservation interventions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
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