Joseph Francis

Socio-economic factors influencing household dependence on forests and its implication for forest-based climate change interventions§

In most African countries, forest-based climate change intervention initiatives such as nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs) and national adaptation programmes of action (NAPAs) are widely accepted. This is mainly due to the fact that they are relevant in addressing multiple challenges associated with rural development, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, and sustainable forest management. However, there are concerns about the implications of strategic and practical steps taken in this context on forest-dependent communities. Thus, there is need to reconcile local socio-economic vulnerabilities and forest-based climate change intervention initiatives. In the current study, socio-economic factors influencing households’ dependence on forest resources and associated implications on climate change interventions were investigated. Proportionate stratified random sampling was used to select 366 households from forest-based rural communities in Vhembe District of South Africa. A structured questionnaire was administered to household heads in 21 villages. The Pearson’s chi-square test was used to analyse the factors that influence household dependence on forest. The effects of household socio-economic characteristics on households’ forest dependence influencing factor were determined using the binary logit model. Up to 97% of the respondents depended on the forest resources predominantly because of low costs associated with using them. It was observed that socio-economic characteristics of households such as farm husbandry skills, years of residence (53–65) in the community and age of respondents (≤38–65) significantly (P < 0.05) influenced use of the forest resources. Thus, effectiveness and sustainability of forest-based climate change intervention initiatives can be promoted if the socio-economic conditions prevailing within households in areas next to forests are improved.

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of the aqueous leaf extract of Agave sisalana in rats

Agave sisalana is gaining popularity in controlling gastro-intestinal parasites in chickens and treatment of local inflammatory conditions. However, little is known about its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. These properties were determined using the carrageenan, formaldehyde and histamineinduced oedema, as well as formalin, tail flick and acetic acid-induced pain tests. A. sisalana extract was administered per os at 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight of rats. Indomethacin was used as positive control. The 400 mg/kg dose caused 93.4% inflammation inhibition of the carrageenan-induced odema, while 100 mg/kg had 84.9% for the formaldehyde-induced paw oedema. Inflammation inhibition was low (8.1%) for histamine-induced oedema at 400 mg/kg. For tail flick test analgesic activity was low, 55.8 and 0% at 100 and 400 mg/kg, respectively. As for the acetic acid test, analgesic activity was high; 77.2, 81.0, 84.8 and 84.8% for 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg doses, respectively, and for the formalin test it was 66.7 and 100% at 200 mg/kg in phases 1 and 2, respectively. Findings of this study demonstrated that A. sisalana possesses some anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Further investigation is necessary to determine the nutritional composition of A. sisalana that may augment its pharmacological properties.

Assessing vulnerability of rural communities to climate change: A review of implications for forest-based livelihoods in South Africa

The National Research Foundation of South Africa through the innovation doctoral scholarship programme, Grant UID: 82942.

Climate change, household vulnerability and smart agriculture: The case of two South African provinces

The impact of climate-change disasters poses significant challenges for South Africa, especially for vulnerable rural households. In South Africa, the impact of climate change at the local level, especially in rural areas, is not well known. Rural households are generally poor and lack resources to adapt to and mitigate the impact of climate change, but the extent of their vulnerability is largely not understood. This study looked at the micro-level impact of climate change, evaluated household vulnerability and assessed alternative adaptation strategies in rural areas. The results indicate that climate change will hit crop yields hard and that households with less capital are most vulnerable. These households consist of the elderly and households headed by females. Households that receive remittances or extension services or participate in formal savings schemes in villages are less vulnerable. The results suggest that households need to move towards climate-smart agriculture, which combines adaptation, mitigation and productivity growth.

Impact of a biomedical research project on the human capital development of emerging researchers

Various evaluative studies have been carried out to obtain the views of multiple stakeholders involved in community-based biomedical research projects. However, rarely have the viewpoints of postgraduate students and junior faculty involved in such initiatives been explored. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the views of postgraduate students and junior faculty at a rural-based university on the effect of a longitudinal biomedical research project on their acquisition of relevant skills. In-depth interviews and a focus group discussion were conducted. The thematic content analysis technique was used to analyse the qualitative data. Both postgraduate student and junior faculty groups indicated that they had acquired considerable research skills and knowledge; gained experience; were exposed to practical reality; and strengthened their interpersonal skills and general personal development. However, some respondents highlighted that they still believed that training in data analysis and exposure to new laboratory techniques would have strengthened their individual capabilities to conduct cutting-edge research. The results of this study highlight the need for community-based biomedical researchers to equip members of their teams with the skills and knowledge that will help them achieve their academic and career goals.

Perception-based analysis of climate change effect on forest-based livelihood: The case of Vhembe District in South Africa

Forests are vulnerable to climate change and are also major sources of livelihood for many rural households in Africa. This study examines rural people’s perceptions of climate change impacts on forest-based livelihoods using rural communities of Vhembe District in South Africa as a case study. The study was based on the principles of perceived impact-based assessment, and sustainable livelihoods framework. Using the stratified proportionate random sampling procedure in combination with weighted Enumeration Area for the selected communities, 366 households were chosen and interviewed. Data analysis involved computing frequencies and conducting the Chi-square, binomial tests and binary logistic regression analysis. The respondents identified erratic rainfall, extreme temperature, extreme drought and flooding as key climatic events in their community. But not all identified key climatic events were perceived to constitute risk to forest products and forest-based livelihood. Only extreme drought was indicated to constitute risk to availability of forest products. In addition, the binary logistic regression showed a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the perceived risk of climate change to the availability of essential forest products across the three municipalities. Hence the need for forest development initiatives that target vulnerable forest products per community as a means of enhancing resilience of forest-based livelihood to climate change impacts in rural community development in South Africa.

Perceived Solutions to Constraints to Small-scale Food Vending in a Growing Town in Limpopo Province of South Africa

Abstract The purpose of this study was to identify the constraints small-scale food vendors in Thohoyandou town of Thulamela Municipality in South Africa faced. A mixed qualitative and quantitative research approach was used. Key informant interviews and focus group discussions were carried out in phase 1 of the study. Using the data collected in this phase, a structured questionnaire was developed and administered to 126 food vendors. Small-scale food vendors faced a wide range of challenges that included infrastructure and basic services, legal and policy frameworks. It was suggested that the constraint, could be solved in the following ways: “municipal officials must desist from forcing vendors from stalls,” “provision of sanitation facilities,” “allocating selling stalls,” and “formalising food vending through issuing operator licences,” Furthermore, the need for Thulamela Municipality to consider and adopt various ways of supporting small-scale food vending as part of its overall local economic development strategy was emphasised.

Pillars of Resilience of Traditional Leadership in Vhembe District of Limpopo Province

Abstract In this paper, it is reported that traditional leaders in Vhembe District Municipality of South Africa have over the years successfully responded and coped with apartheid and democratic systems. This was observed through a study of 14 villages in nine purposively and proportionally sampled Traditional Leadership Councils. A mixed method exploratory and descriptive study was carried out. Thirteen views on how traditional leadership demonstrated their resilience in combating pressure resulting from changes in government over the years were identified. The most common views were that “the institution is planned by God” and “they are closer to the people than their elected counterparts”. There were no statistically significant differences in perceptions due to age, gender and position of authority (P = 0.05). These results revealed that there was considerable understanding of the roles and belief in the importance of traditional leadership in rural community development.

An improved model for provision of rural community-based health rehabilitation services in Vhembe District, Limpopo Province of South Africa

Background In 1991, Riakona Community Rehabilitation Programme initiated community-based rehabilitation (CBR) in the Vhembe District of Limpopo Province. Subsequently, the South African government adopted the programme. Aim The aim of the study was to suggest an improvement in the model of providing CBR services. Setting The study was conducted in six rehabilitation centres located in hospitals in the Vhembe District in Limpopo Province of South Africa. Method A mixed-mode research design with qualitative and quantitative elements was used to conduct the study. Content analysis, the chi-square test for Goodness of Fit and the Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney non-parametric tests were conducted. Results The key determinants of client satisfaction with the services that the community rehabilitation workers rendered included provision of assistive devices and the adoption of a holistic approach to their work. Overall, satisfaction per domain for each one of the five domains of satisfaction scored less than 90%. More than 80% of clients were satisfied with empathy (83%) and assurance (80%) domains. Tangibles, reliability and responsiveness domains had scores of 78%, 72% and 67%, respectively. These results, together with the reasoning map of conceptual framework description, were used as the building blocks of the CBR model. Conclusion The improved CBR model is useful for putting the programme into practice. This is particularly so for the CBR managers in the districts of the Limpopo Province.

Poverty Rates in a Rural District of Zimbabwe: A Case Study of the Guruve District

Abstract Over the past 20 years, poverty rates in Zimbabwe have worsened. However, the absence of official up-to-date statistics makes it difficult to measure accurately the current status of poverty in the country. The objective of this paper was to provide empirical estimates of this phenomenon in Guruve, a predominantly rural district located in the Mashonaland Central Province. Income Poverty, Human Development Index (HDI) andHuman Poverty Index (HPI) were adopted as measures of poverty following the Government of Zimbabwe (GOZ) approach used in the 2003 Poverty Assessment Study Survey (PASS). Compared to the 2003 study, respective improvements in the District’s Income Poverty, HPI and HDI did not result in reduced poverty rates. The high poverty rates observed in this paper implied that the chances of Guruve District meeting the Millennium Development Goal of halving poverty rates by 2015 were almost negligible.