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Item Open Access Adaptation strategies for climate change-induced household food and nutrition insecurity in smallholder maize farming within Thulamela Local Municipality, South Africa(2017-09-18) Mahlawule, Khanyisa Dorris; Francis, J.; Manjoro, D.See the attached abstract belowItem Embargo Adaptive Strategies to Mitigate Water Scarcity Among Smallholder Cattle Farmers in Vulnerable Areas of the Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality(2024-09-06) Mahlo, Dollen; Manjoro, M.; Oloo, G. B.; Mkhwanazi, M. V.The rapid increase in demand for livestock and livestock products, driven by factors such as population growth, urbanization, and rising incomes, is projected to escalate significantly by 2050. The estimates indicate the utilization of over 60 billion livestock for meat, egg, and dairy production. This surge in demand poses substantial challenges, particularly in the context of climate change impacts on water resources. Smallholder livestock farmers, who are integral to meeting this demand, are disproportionately affected by climate change-induced water scarcity. Despite their significant contribution to the agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP), these farmers face daily depletion of water reserves, indicating severe water scarcity. Climate variability further exacerbates this situation, with animal water consumption expected to triple. This study aimed to examine the adaptive strategies employed by smallholder livestock farmers in vulnerable areas of the Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality to mitigate water scarcity. A convergent parallel mixed methods design was utilized, wherein both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed concurrently. Purposive sampling was used to select participants, primarily through face-to-face interviews. Secondary data was obtained from literature, journal manuscripts, policy documents, and municipal reports. Quantitative data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27, while thematic content analysis was performed using Atlas.ti version 8. The findings revealed several adaptive strategies employed by farmers to address water scarcity, including changes in water sources and collaborations with government agencies such as the Department of Water and Sanitation. Challenges such as cattle mortality due to water scarcity were also identified, highlighting the need for additional adaptive measures to ensure sustainable cattle farming. The study underscores the necessity of enhancing adaptive strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of water scarcity on smallholder livestock farming in the context of increasing climate variability.Item Open Access Adoption of survival strategies by agro-small and medium enterprises in the challenging rural environment in Zimbabwe(2014-12-11) Shoko, Dumisani; Oloo, D.; Francis, J.Item Embargo Analysis of community-based organisations effectiveness in promoting grassroots educational services in Greater Tzaneen Municipality, South Africa(2024-09-06) Malatji, Carlifonia; Mathaulula, M. A.; Oloo, E.; Ndlovu, W.Community-based organisations (CBOs) play an integral role in promoting educational services, particularly to disadvantaged communities in rural areas. However, debatably, their effectiveness in delivering educational services is rarely known. Thus, the current study was undertaken to analyse the effectiveness of community-based organisations in providing educational services to the grassroots communities of Mosiphane village in Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality, South Africa. An exploratory sequential mixed method design was adopted in the study where qualitative data were collected first, and confirmatory quantitative data were collected last. Qualitative data were collected through focus group discussions and key informant interviews using open-ended questionnaires, while quantitative data were collected through face-to-face interviews using closed-ended questionnaires. Thematic content analysis with the aid of Atlas ti version 8 was used to analyse qualitative data, whereas the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27 was used to analyse quantitative data. The findings identified several approaches used by the CBO to facilitate grassroots educational services. Parental involvement, outreach programmes, and community involvement were the most common approaches used by Mosiphane community-based organisations. Lack of monitoring and evaluation systems, ineffective resource management and inadequate funding affected the community-based organisations in providing educational services in the study area. To address these community-based organisation establishing and implementing monitoring and evaluation systems, improving resource management, advocating for increased funding, and fostering collaborations, capacity building, and community engagement to enhance their effectiveness in promoting grassroots educational services. The findings of this study are crucial in providing actionable insights for policymakers, educators, and community stakeholders to enhance the effectiveness of grassroots educational initiatives.Item Open Access Analysis of stakeholder participation in the comprehensive rural development programme : the case of Muyexe In Limpopo Province, South Africa(2015-02-11) Obadire, Olusegun Samson; Mudau, J.; Safro-Mensah, P.; Zuwarimwe, J.Item Open Access Analysis of the dynamics of government-supported smallholder baby vegetable enterprises for an integrated high-value development framework(2023-10-05) Dlamini, Del'site Daisy Masika; Zuwarimwe, J.; Francis, J.; Mchau, G.R. A.The government of Eswatini embraces the integration of smallholder farmers into high-value crop production as a vehicle for inclusive green growth. However, the outcome of the sector remains low and hampers its contribution towards this goal. The study assessed the levels of technical, allocative and economic efficiencies within the production processes. The study further analysed the levels of financial literacy among smallholder farmers. The challenges encountered by farmers were also characterised and strategies towards the integration of smallholder farmers into high-value crop production were suggested. A cross-sectional design that employed sequential mixed-methods approach was adopted and purposive sampling was applied to the selected a group of farmers from the Manzini and Hhohho regions. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire, key informant interviews and focus group discussions. The data were analysed through the SFA, discriminant and thematic analyses methods. Triangulation enabled synthesis of results for the proposed integration framework. Farm characteristics showed that age, gender, education, and labour cause variation in the group. Efficiency analysis showed that technical, allocative, and economic efficiencies were 52%, 53% and 29%, respectively. There were 88% respondents with below 50% economic efficiency, indicating low profit rates for sustainable production. High harvesting labour costs, overuse of fertiliser with unoptimized land size were significant sources of inefficiency among farms. The enterprises were largely affected by production and marketing risks. Low product quality and delayed cash inflows affect liquidity of farms, while weather variability and unavailability of labour during harvesting induced crop losses that undermined farmers’ economic returns. Growers use non-saving financial services and have unsatisfactory financial literacy that led to poor financial performance. The non-saving culture encouraged the use of costly capital to finance production processes. Proposed is a three-pillar framework for the integration of smallholder farmers into high-value vegetable production. The pillars include building capacity for improved technical and allocative efficiencies, strengthening sector risk management plan, and enhancing farmer financial literacy. Skills development and creation of innovation can be ameliorated through the promotion of youth engagement in agribusiness and improvement of extension services to create demand for agricultural financial services. This is imperative for improved farmers’ production capacity and increased marketed share, thereby, promoting rural development through profitable high value crop production.Item Open Access Application of the Hope Theory in Understanding the Extent of Secondary School Learners’ Vulnerability to Substance Abuse in Selected Rural Areas of Mpumalanga Province(2023-05-19) Bhila, Portia Florence; Manjoro, M.; Francis, J.The number of secondary school learners abusing alcohol in South Africa and other developing countries is increasing. Alcohol and drug abuse causes poor educational outcomes and increases criminal behaviour. Failure to address substance abuse entrenches young people in a state of despair. An exploratory research design was adopted when conducting a study at Osizweni Secondary School in Govan Mbeki Municipality, Mpumalanga. The study was undertaken to provide answers to the following objectives: (a) to assess the extent of vulnerability of secondary school learners to alcohol abuse; (b) to determine the causes and effects of alcohol abuse among secondary school learners; and to apply the Hope Theory to counter the use of alcohol in secondary school learners. Applying the purposive sampling technique, the study population was categorised into four clusters: learners in grades (8-10), teachers, parents, and School Management Team. Convenient sampling was used for teachers, school management, and parents or guardians; 23 respondents were selected using convenient sampling. Focus group discussions and key informant interviews were carried out using a semi-structured interview guide with open-ended questions. Qualitative data gathered was analysed using Atlas-ti version 8. Learners were aware of substance use, including those who abused this within their school premises. Learners with high hopes coped well with stress. With futuristic optimism, high-hope learners developed more pathways and higher agency than those with low-hope. These results highlight the need for training teachers such that they acquire skills for instilling hope in learners. Basic principles of the Hope Theory can be adopted and implemented. However, there is a need to complement this with specific strategies and formal school-based hope-building programmes. The use of the Hope Theory in the current study can potentially reinforce hope in learners and thus help enhance the achievement of better education outcomes.”Item Open Access Approaches to measuring resilience and their applicability to small retail business resilience(Business Perspectives, 2018-07-18) Kativhu, Simbarashe; Mwale, Marizvikuru; Francis, JosephThe resilience concept has attracted interest across many fields in the recent years. The interdisciplinary nature of the concept has led to the existence of numerous definitions, interpretations and measurement approaches. For this reason, there is no acceptable universal understanding of resilience across disciplines. Even though the concept is conceptualized differently in the small retail business field, scholars seem to commonly relate resilience to the ability of business to adapt to disruptions that threaten existence. However, resilience measuring has been a highly contested aspect in the sector. As such, neither key resilience attributes nor universally applicable criteria for resilience measuring exist in the small retail sector. At the same time, small retail businesses are increasingly exposed to direct and indirect threats that jeopardize their resilience prowess. Therefore, it is vital to develop approaches for assessing resilience levels and monitor changes over time. This paper critically examines current approaches to developing resilience measurement tools. Thereafter, it proposes the most applicable approach for developing performance measures of resilience for use in the small retail business sector. A review of key frameworks for resilience measuring within climate, community, livelihoods, organizational and business sectors was conducted. Frameworks and approaches for resilience measuring that has been in use in the past decade and half were selected. The main focus was on exploring methodological aspects, resilience attributes and variations in the interpretation of the resilience concept within different frameworks. It was revealed that the generic application of frameworks for resilience measuring in the small retail business sector is not appropriate. Thus, there is a need for developing contextualized frameworks to guide resilience measurement in the small retail sector.Item Open Access Assessment of comprehensive agricultural support programme to the smallholder producers of Lejweleputswa District, Free State Province, South Africa(2016-02-01) Manari, Ndishavhelafhi; Maliwichi, L. L.; Pfumayaramba, T. K.Item Open Access An assessment of food consumption patterns of selected households of Mbilwi and Matavhela Villages in Thulamela Municipality, Limpopo Province of South Africa(2017-09-18) Magadze, A. A.; Maliwichi, L. L.; Musyoki, A.; Mbhatsani, H. V.Health and wellbeing of humans is affected by their eating habits, patterns and choice of meals. This research discusses food consumption patterns of selected households of Mbilwi and Matavhela villages in Thulamela Municipality, Limpopo Province of South Africa. The study identified types of food consumed and the nutritional knowledge of households living in the study area. In addition, the study assessed the knowledge of households on how food choices affect their health. Lastly an analysis of socio-economic factors that influence food consumption patterns in households living in Mbilwi and Matavhela villages was investigated. Using purposive sampling, qualitative and quantitative inquiry were used to explore the research objectives. A sample size of 50 and 47 households from each village were selected respectively and the heads of each household were interviewed. Thematic content analysis was used to categorise data into themes, to address and interpret qualitative data. Themes were generated as the units for analysis based on the objectives of the study to enable interpretation of qualitative information. The quantitative data was analysed using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0. The findings indicated that there was no variety in foods consumed by households in both the weekly food consumption pattern and 24-hour food recall. There was also limited nutrition knowledge of the foods consumed in households of both villages. Households usually consumed energy giving foods such as carbohydrates and body building foods such as proteins. There was low consumption of milk and milk products, fruit and vegetable food groups. Various socio-economic factors such as income, living conditions, health, nutrition knowledge, culture, religion and lack of time to prepare food, affected eating habits. Some foods were recommended or condoned based on religious and cultural factors. Most households were unemployed and relied on government grants and remittances from family members working in the metropolitan centres. The findings in this study provide a better understanding of food access, availability and consumption in rural areas which can also assist in the formulation of policies that would improve quality of food consumption in rural areas. This study presented an opportunity that can be filled by institutions working in rural areas to support and strengthen their activities. Information sharing with households on the benefits of balanced diets can contribute to the health and the well-being of the society. The emphasis must be on strengthening backyard vegetable/fruit gardens and community food gardening programmes for household consumption v and sale, to generate income. These programmes can also offer fruit/vegetable preservation skills to households in order to help improve the shelf life of the produce. Policy makers must encourage provision of nutritional knowledge to households through different media and channels such as television, clinics, hospitals, schools, and newspapers.Item Open Access An assessment of post settlement support programme for restitution beneficiaries: experiences from Capricorn District, South Africa(2013-10-01) Kekana, Ephenia Mosadi; Chauke, P. K.; Zuwarimwe, J. B.Item Open Access Assessment of sustainability of livelihoods of households in "Fast Track" resettlement areas of Shamva District in Zimbabwe(2019-05-17) Vhiga, Hope Luke; Francis, J.; Mathaulula, M. A.Two decades after the “Fast Track” land resettlement in Zimbabwe, little is known about the sustainability of livelihoods of households that benefited from the programme. “Fast Track” refers to the accelerated land resettlement which started in 2000 in Zimbabwe. The government of Zimbabwe argues that it introduced it as an intervention strategy to enhance the livelihoods of marginalised indigenous people. However, the nature of the fast track land resettlement has been met with considerable criticism. An exploratory study that sought to assess the sustainability of livelihoods through obtaining the perspectives of men, women and youth in fast track resettlement areas of Shamva District was carried out. Focus group discussions and semi-structured interview guides were used to obtain the perceptions. The attempt to understand the sustainability of livelihoods involved determining the perceived (a) major features of sustainable livelihoods, (b) criteria for assessing sustainability of livelihoods, and (c) livelihood strategies adopted. Data were coded and analysed using Atlas-it version 7.5 software. Dependability of livelihoods, ability to recover from stress, extent to which livelihoods conserved the environment, ease with which livelihoods were interchanged and ability to close the gap between rich and poor members of society were the perceived features of sustainable livelihoods. Criteria for assessing the sustainability of livelihoods included the ability of livelihoods to contribute to development, provide a stable flow of income, promotion of social development, potential for growth and ability to conserve the environment. Petty trading, agricultural intensification, self-employment and community savings were the main livelihood strategies pursued in the fast track resettlement areas of Shamva District. Inherent challenges that inhibited the sustainability of livelihoods were cited as lack of infrastructure, poor markets for agricultural products and poor communication. The use of participatory research was crucial in co-creation of knowledge with the resettled farmers. The information generated is useful for crafting empowerment strategies in the fast track resettled farming communities.Item Open Access Assessment of the determinants of access to land for development in Mutale Local Municipality of Limpopo Province(2017-09-18) Makhubele, Brilliant; Francis, J.; Oloo, G. B.The study was carried out to assess the community-perceived determinants of access to land for development in Mutale Local Municipality. It was conducted in the Makuya and Mutele Traditional Authority areas of the former Mutale Local Municipality. All the views relating to access to land for housing, agriculture and business development expressed during the Vhembe District Land Development Summits and Forum meetings held in 2008, 2010 and 2014 were consolidated. Using this information, a questionnaire comprising entirely closed-ended answers requiring responses on a Likert-type scale of 1 (strongly agree) to 5 (strongly disagree) was prepared. The questionnaire was administered through focus group discussions in community workshops during which youth (male and female), women, men and community leaders were the respondents. Open-ended questions were also administered focusing on the factors hindering or enabling access to land, and solutions that the community perceived needed to be taken. Mean and mode for each response were calculated. Chi-Square tests for association were conducted to determine whether there was any association in the responses obtained from the traditional authority areas. Kruskal Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were conducted to determine the level of agreement of perceptions respondents with Vhembe district land development summits resolutions among youth, adults and community leaders. There were no statistically significant differences (P > 0.05) in perception of issues relating to access to land for housing, agriculture and business development of land development. Thus, the issues are real and should form a solid basis for planning interventions that might unlock access to land for different types of uses. Moreover, improving transparency and deepening community participation and consultation over classification and sale of unoccupied land could minimise the likelihood of potential land conflict.Item Open Access An assessment of the sustainability of agricultural flagship projects for farmers in Sekhukhune District, Limpopo(2016-09) Shilajoe, Selina Tshepiso; Maliwichi, L. L.; Musyoki, A.See the attached abstract belowItem Open Access An assessment of the sustainability of poverty eradication projects in rural communities of Capricorn District Municipality: Limpopo Province, in South Africa(2010-09-07) Masipa, Makgoshi Priscilla; Oni, S. A.; Maliwichi, L. L.See the attached abstract belowItem Embargo Attributes of Ideal Grassroots Community Leaders for Sustainable Rural Development: The Case of Ward Committees in Vhembe District Municipality of South Africa(2024-09-06) Nemathithi, Awelani Jeannette; Francis, J.; Kone, L. R.; Lavhelani, N. P.Most municipalities in South Africa have been struggling to put in place functioning Ward Committees across the country. It is crucial to have an effective Ward Committee that can facilitate processes that lead to the improved well-being of the residents of the local community. The study explored the attributes of ideal grassroots community leaders for sustainable development, focusing on the case of ward committees in Ha-Mashau area. The specific objectives were to determine the community-preferred qualities of persons eligible to serve in ward committees and to determine whether age and gender of community members influence their perceptions. An exploratory sequential mixed method design was adopted for this study. Purposive sampling and stratified random sampling were applied to draw a sample of 57 and 120 participants from the residents of Ha-Mashau community for Phase 1 and Phase 2 respectively. Focus group discussions (FGDs) and a Likert-type scale questionnaire were used to collect data. Thematic content analysis, Descriptive statistics, Man Whitney & Kruskal Wallis tests from (SPSS) were run for analysis. The findings revealed several crucial attributes of ideal grassroots community leaders, including strong communication skills, a genuine commitment to community development, a strong personality, fair educational background, and accessibility to the community. Age influenced community members' perceptions of the need (1) to consider women for ward committee membership, (2) for aspiring leaders to be empathic, and (3) for leaders to show love and respect for the people. Furthermore, adult community members prefer ward committee members who are “dedicated to community development work” than their youthful counterparts. These findings contribute to the existing literature on grassroots leadership and offer practical insights for policymakers, development practitioners and community members aiming to foster sustainable development in similar contexts. It is recommended that policymakers and practitioners consider the importance of the identified attributes and their contribution to sustainable development when implementing programs aiming to enhance leadership capacity. KeywordsItem Open Access Benefits accruing to residents through rural electrification of Insiza South District in Zimbabwe(2017-05-18) Ndlovu, Crespan; Francis, J.; Oloo, G.In the year 2002, the Zimbabwean government adopted a Rural Electrification Programme (REP) as a developmental strategy designed to improve villagers’ lives. Despite the government’s noble initiative to improve rural areas’ access to electricity, not much is known about the REP’s socio-economic benefits to grassroots communities in the country. Thus, a study was carried out to determine the REP’s socio-economic benefits accruing to villagers in Insiza South District located in Matabeleland South Province of Zimbabwe. Appreciative inquiry was undertaken following a mixed method approach. Data were collected through two sequentially integrated phases. Multistage sampling was applied to select respondents from 15 villages within three administrative wards 5, 7 and 12 of Insiza South District. Out of the 110 respondents who participated in the study, the eight key informants who participated in the first phase were drawn from the institutions that coordinated the REP. One hundred and two residents participated in phase two of data collection carried out through application of focus group discussions (FGDs). Thematic content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data collected in phase 1 of the study. Quantitative data was analysed using the International Business Machines, Statistical Product and Service Solution (IBM, SPSS) version 24 for Windows. More than 68 % of the respondents perceived basic uses (lighting, cooking, and for educational purposes) of electricity as the benefits accruing from the REP. Sixty six percent of respondents viewed modern uses (heating, cooling and air conditioning) of electricity as the benefits accruing from the programme. A much smaller proportion (31 %) of villagers singled out the benefits of electrification to be productive uses such as boiler making, manufacturing and mechanised farming. There were highly significant differences in perception among residents of the wards with respect to basic (P < 0.001) and modern (P < 0.01) uses. However, there were no differences in perception among male and female members of the three wards (P < 0.05). The collective community benefits included improved access to information, enhanced retention and attraction of teachers in rural areas, introduction of computer studies in schools and initiation of entrepreneurial projects such as welding and milling. Residents also benefitted indirectly from the REP through local electrified service centres. It was revealed that almost 91 % the local villagers were still using firewood while about 59 % of the villagers who could afford it had access to solar power. The study highlighted the need for a platform to deliberate on challenges relating to RE and its contribution to economy. The findings are crucial for rural development, policy reviews and academic research.Item Open Access Benefits accruing to rural communities from the mining industry corporate social responsibility projects in Moses Kotane Local Municipality of North West Province(2017-09-18) Bongwe, Azwimpheleli; Francis, J.; Oloo, G. B.Mining industry Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects are designed to improve the quality of life of neighbouring communities. However, it is increasingly argued that few of them actually result in tangible benefits for the communities where they are implemented. Moreover, few empirical studies have been undertaken on this subject. The dearth in research on this subject explains why there is inadequate evidence to draw informed conclusions and decisions. The current study sought to determine the nature of benefits accruing to rural communities from mining companies CSR projects in Moses Kotane Local Municipality of the North West Province. Specifically, the study sought to determine the characteristics of mining companies CSR activities, nature of community-perceived benefits derived from them and assess the perception of surrounding local communities on such initiatives. A case study design was used because of its power of providing detailed factual information on mining CSR activities. The study was carried out following a sequential mixed research method that integrated qualitative and quantitative techniques. Document review, questionnaires and in-depth interviews were used to collect data. A total of 261 respondents randomly selected from households in five villages, 30 purposively sampled key informants who included 18 officials from various institutions and youth, were interviewed. Thematic content analysis was used to draw meaning from the qualitative data. Descriptive statistics and inferential tests were carried out using the Microsoft Excel software. It was revealed that CSR projects were improving water infrastructure, in addition to being used to construct and refurbish schools and clinics. Although the CSR projects were supporting the livelihoods of local households, there was still considerable room for improvement particularly in relation to creating sustainable employment opportunities. Only 8 % of the respondents believed that CSR projects were beneficial to them. Lack of consultation when developing the CSR projects and limited awareness campaigns led to inappropriate initiatives being implemented. This highlighted the need for adopting inclusive approaches in decision making processes starting from planning to implementation.Item Open Access Challenges facing literacy teaching in rural primary school of Hlanganani-North Circuit in Makhado Municipality(2016-02-12) Mashamba, Humbulani Alex; Nethengwe, N. S.; Dondofema,S.; General education -- South Africa -- LimpopoItem Open Access Characteristics of pigs under communal production systems in resource-poor farming areas of Vhembe District in Limpopo Province(2010-09) Mathegu, Khathutshelo Robert; Francis, J; Boateng, A.See the attached abstract below