Your search found 84 records
1 Magidi, J.; van Koppen, Barbara; Nhamo, L.; Mpandeli, S.; Slotow, R.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe. 2021. Informing equitable water and food policies through accurate spatial information on irrigated areas in smallholder farming systems. Water, 13(24):3627. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/w13243627]
Smallholders ; Farming systems ; Irrigated farming ; Water policies ; Food policies ; Food security ; Water security ; Spatial distribution ; Rainfed farming ; Irrigated land ; Cultivated land ; Catchment areas ; Crop production ; Farmers ; Sustainable development ; Datasets ; Normalized difference vegetation index / South Africa / Usuthu Sub-Catchment / Crocodile Sub-Catchment / Sabie Sub-Catchment / Komati Sub-Catchment
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050853)
(5.03 MB) (5.03 MB)
Accurate information on irrigated areas’ spatial distribution and extent are crucial in enhancing agricultural water productivity, water resources management, and formulating strategic policies that enhance water and food security and ecologically sustainable development. However, data are typically limited for smallholder irrigated areas, which is key to achieving social equity and equal distribution of financial resources. This study addressed this gap by delineating disaggregated smallholder and commercial irrigated areas through the random forest algorithm, a non-parametric machine learning classifier. Location within or outside former apartheid “homelands” was taken as a proxy for smallholder, and commercial irrigation. Being in a medium rainfall area, the huge irrigation potential of the Inkomati-Usuthu Water Management Area (UWMA) is already well developed for commercial crop production outside former homelands. However, information about the spatial distribution and extent of irrigated areas within former homelands, which is largely informal, was missing. Therefore, we first classified cultivated lands in 2019 and 2020 as a baseline, from where the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was used to distinguish irrigated from rainfed, focusing on the dry winter period when crops are predominately irrigated. The mapping accuracy of 84.9% improved the efficacy in defining the actual spatial extent of current irrigated areas at both smallholder and commercial spatial scales. The proportion of irrigated areas was high for both commercial (92.5%) and smallholder (96.2%) irrigation. Moreover, smallholder irrigation increased by over 19% between 2019 and 2020, compared to slightly over 7% in the commercial sector. Such information is critical for policy formulation regarding equitable and inclusive water allocation, irrigation expansion, land reform, and food and water security in smallholder farming systems.
2 Brewer, K.; Clulow, A.; Sibanda, M.; Gokool, S.; Naiken, V.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe. 2022. Predicting the chlorophyll content of maize over phenotyping as a proxy for crop health in smallholder farming systems. Remote Sensing, 14(3):518. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14030518]
Maize ; Chlorophylls ; Plant health ; Forecasting ; Smallholders ; Farming systems ; Precision agriculture ; Machine learning ; Unmanned aerial vehicles / South Africa / KwaZulu-Natal / Swayimani
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050903)
(6.76 MB) (6.76 MB)
Smallholder farmers depend on healthy and productive crop yields to sustain their socio-economic status and ensure livelihood security. Advances in South African precision agriculture in the form of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) provide spatially explicit near-real-time information that can be used to assess crop dynamics and inform smallholder farmers. The use of UAVs with remote-sensing techniques allows for the acquisition of high spatial resolution data at various spatio-temporal planes, which is particularly useful at the scale of fields and farms. Specifically, crop chlorophyll content is assessed as it is one of the best known and reliable indicators of crop health, due to its biophysical pigment and biochemical processes that indicate plant productivity. In this regard, the study evaluated the utility of multispectral UAV imagery using the random forest machine learning algorithm to estimate the chlorophyll content of maize through the various growth stages. The results showed that the near-infrared and red-edge wavelength bands and vegetation indices derived from these wavelengths were essential for estimating chlorophyll content during the phenotyping of maize. Furthermore, the random forest model optimally estimated the chlorophyll content of maize over the various phenological stages. Particularly, maize chlorophyll was best predicted during the early reproductive, late vegetative, and early vegetative growth stages to RMSE accuracies of 40.4 µmol/m-2 , 39 µmol/m-2 , and 61.6 µmol/m-2 , respectively. The least accurate chlorophyll content results were predicted during the mid-reproductive and late reproductive growth stages to RMSE accuracies of 66.6 µmol/m-2 and 69.6 µmol/m-2 , respectively, as a consequence of a hailstorm. A resultant chlorophyll variation map of the maize growth stages captured the spatial heterogeneity of chlorophyll within the maize field. Therefore, the study’s findings demonstrate that the use of remotely sensed UAV imagery with a robust machine algorithm is a critical tool to support the decision-making and management in smallholder farms.
3 Mudau, F. N.; Chimonyo, V. G. P.; Modi, A. T.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe. 2022. Neglected and underutilised crops: a systematic review of their potential as food and herbal medicinal crops in South Africa. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12:809866. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2021.809866]
Medicinal plants ; Food crops ; Underutilized species ; Food security ; Nutrition security ; Nutraceuticals ; Pharmaceuticals ; Sustainability ; Diets ; Food supplements ; Capacity development / South Africa
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050904)
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2021.809866/pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050904.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050904.pdf
(1.93 MB) (1.93 MB)
The African continent harbours many native species with nutraceutical and pharmaceutical potential. This study reviewed underutilised crops in South Africa to determine their potential as food and herbal medicinal crops. Over 5,000 species have been identified and earmarked for their medical attributes in formal and informal setups. Researchers, plant breeders and policymakers have mostly ignored the development potential of these crops. Consequently, their value chains are poorly developed. In South Africa, there is a wide range of neglected and underutilised crops, which were historically popular and used by communities; however, over the years, they have lost their status within farming systems and been relegated to the status of neglected and underutilised. Recently, driven by the need to transition to more sustainable and resilient food systems, there has been renewed interest in their potential as food and herbal medicinal crops to establish new value chains that include vulnerable groups. They are now gaining global attention, and their conservation and sustainable utilisation are now being prioritized. The review confirmed that several of these crops possess nutraceutical and pharmaceutical properties, highlighting their potential for development as food and herbal medicines. However, current production levels are too low to meet the requirements for industrial development; research and development should focus on all aspects of their value chain, from crop improvement to utilisation. A transdisciplinary approach involving a wide range of actors is needed to develop the identified neglected and underutilised crops’ potential as food and herbal medicinal crops and support the development of new and inclusive value chains.
4 Phoobane, P.; Masinde, M.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe. 2022. Predicting infectious diseases: a bibliometric review on Africa. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(3):1893. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031893]
Infectious diseases ; Prediction ; Bibliometric analysis ; Machine learning ; Artificial intelligence ; Malaria ; COVID-19 ; Ebola virus disease ; Collaboration ; Models / Africa
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050967)
(35.50 MB) (35.5 MB)
Africa has a long history of novel and re-emerging infectious disease outbreaks. This reality has attracted the attention of researchers interested in the general research theme of predicting infectious diseases. However, a knowledge mapping analysis of literature to reveal the research trends, gaps, and hotspots in predicting Africa’s infectious diseases using bibliometric tools has not been conducted. A bibliometric analysis of 247 published papers on predicting infectious diseases in Africa, published in the Web of Science core collection databases, is presented in this study. The results indicate that the severe outbreaks of infectious diseases in Africa have increased scientific publications during the past decade. The results also reveal that African researchers are highly underrepresented in these publications and that the United States of America (USA) is the most productive and collaborative country. The relevant hotspots in this research field include malaria, models, classification, associations, COVID-19, and cost-effectiveness. Furthermore, weather-based prediction using meteorological factors is an emerging theme, and very few studies have used the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technologies. Therefore, there is a need to explore 4IR predicting tools such as machine learning and consider integrated approaches that are pivotal to developing robust prediction systems for infectious diseases, especially in Africa. This review paper provides a useful resource for researchers, practitioners, and research funding agencies interested in the research theme—the prediction of infectious diseases in Africa—by capturing the current research hotspots and trends.
5 Cho, M. A.; Onisimo, M.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe. 2023. Using participatory GIS and collaborative management approaches to enhance local actors’ participation in rangeland management: the case of Vulindlela, South Africa. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 66(6):1189-1208. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2021.2017269]
Rangelands ; Participatory approaches ; Geographical information systems ; Collaboration ; Planning ; Stakeholders ; Pastoralists ; Local knowledge ; Empowerment / South Africa / Vulindlela
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050968)
(1.35 MB)
Participatory Geographic Information Systems (PGIS) is an empowering tool for the enhancement of local communities’ participation in the planning and management of natural resources. The inadequate involvement of local stakeholders in rangeland planning and management has been of great concern. Discussions on the role of PGIS and collaborative management approaches in promoting local involvement in rangeland management has not been clearly understood due to the scarcity of literature. This paper assessed how local participation in rangeland management can be enhanced using a combined collaborative management framework and PGIS approach. The objective was achieved through a focus group discussion, local ecological knowledge mapping and key informant interviews. The combined PGIS and collaborative management approach enabled the empowerment of local actors through knowledge enhancement, encouraged the practice of rangeland governance and the transfer of responsibility to local actors. This study provides a conceptual contribution toward the improvement of local actors’ participation in rangeland management.
6 Goldin, J.; Nhamo, L.; Ncube, B.; Zvimba, J. N.; Petja, B.; Mpandeli, S.; Nomquphu, W.; Hlophe-Ginindza, S.; Greeff-Laubscher, M. R.; Molose, V.; Lottering, S.; Liphadzi, S.; Naidoo, D.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe. 2022. Resilience and sustainability of the water sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sustainability, 14(3):1482. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031482]
Water security ; COVID-19 ; Pandemics ; Resilience ; Sustainability ; Sanitation ; Public health ; Research projects ; Stakeholders ; Case studies / South Africa
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050969)
(5.37 MB) (5.37 MB)
The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented socio-economic changes, ushering in a “new (ab)normal” way of living and human interaction. The water sector was not spared from the effects of the pandemic, a period in which the sector had to adapt rapidly and continue providing innovative water and sanitation solutions. This study unpacks and interrogates approaches, products, and services adopted by the water sector in response to the unprecedented lockdowns, heralding novel terrains, and fundamental paradigm shifts, both at the community and the workplace. The study highlights the wider societal perspective regarding the water and sanitation challenges that grappled society before, during, after, and beyond the pandemic. The premise is to provide plausible transitional pathways towards a new (ab)normal in adopting new models, as evidenced by the dismantling of the normal way of conducting business at the workplace and human interaction in an era inundated with social media, virtual communication, and disruptive technologies, which have transitioned absolutely everything into a virtual way of life. As such, the novel approaches have fast-tracked a transition into the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR), with significant trade-offs to traditional business models and human interactions.
7 Dirwai, T. L.; Senzanje, A.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe. 2022. Development and validation of a model for soil wetting geometry under moistube irrigation. Scientific Reports, 12:2737. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-06763-x]
Irrigation methods ; Subsurface irrigation ; Wetting front ; Geometry ; Models ; Soil hydraulic properties ; Soil water content ; Soil water movement ; Sandy soils ; Clay loam soils ; Silty soils / South Africa / KwaZulu-Natal
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050970)
(2.13 MB) (2.13 MB)
We developed an empirical soil wetting geometry model for silty clay loam and coarse sand soils under a semi-permeable porous wall line source Moistube Irrigation (MTI) lateral irrigation. The model was developed to simulate vertical and lateral soil water movement using the Buckingham pi (p) theorem. This study was premised on a hypothesis that soil hydraulic properties influence soil water movement under MTI. Two independent, but similar experiments, were conducted to calibrate and validate the model using MTI lateral placed at a depth of 0.2 m below the soil surface in a soil bin with a continuous water supply (150 kPa). Soil water content was measured every 5 min for 100 h using MPS-2 sensors. Model calibration showed that soil texture influenced water movement (p< 0.05) and showed a good ft for wetted widths and depths for both soils (nRMSE = 0.5–10%; NSE = 0.50; and d-index = 0.50. The percentage bias (PBIAS) statistic revealed that the models’ under-estimated wetted depth after 24 h by 21.9% and 3.9% for silty clay loam and sandy soil, respectively. Sensitivity analysis revealed agreeable models’ performance values. This implies the model’s applicability for estimating wetted distances for an MTI lateral placed at 0.2 m and MTI operating pressure of 150 kPa. We concluded that the models are prescriptive and should be used to estimate wetting geometries for conditions under which they were developed. Further experimentation under varying scenarios for which MTI would be used, including feld conditions, is needed to further validate the model and establish robustness. MTI wetting geometry informs placement depth for optimal irrigation water usage.
8 Leakey, R. R. B.; Tientcheu Avana, M.-L.; Awazi, N. P.; Assogbadjo, A. E.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe; Hendre, P. S.; Degrande, A.; Hlahla, S.; Manda, L. 2022. The future of food: domestication and commercialization of indigenous food crops in Africa over the third decade (2012–2021). Sustainability, 14(4):2355. (Special issue: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Mainstreaming Underutilized Crops) [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/su14042355]
Food crops ; Indigenous organisms ; Domestication ; Commercialization ; Agroforestry ; Tree crops ; Genetic improvement ; Medicinal properties ; Ethnobotany ; Nutritional value ; Nonwood forest products ; Vegetative propagation ; Trade ; Marketing ; Cultivation ; Natural resources management ; Food security ; Livelihoods ; Policies ; Poverty alleviation ; Rural development ; Drylands ; Lowland ; Highlands / North Africa / West Africa / East Africa / Southern Africa / Central Africa / Sahel
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050971)
(1.62 MB) (1.62 MB)
This paper follows the transition from ethnobotany to a deeper scientific understanding of the food and medicinal properties of African agroforestry tree products as inputs into the start of domestication activities. It progresses on to the integration of these indigenous trees as new crops within diversified farming systems for multiple social, economic and environmental benefits. From its advent in the 1990s, the domestication of indigenous food and non-food tree species has become a global programme with a strong African focus. This review of progress in the third decade is restricted to progress in Africa, where multi-disciplinary research on over 59 species has been reported in 759 research papers in 318 science publications by scientists from over 833 research teams in 70 countries around the world (532 in Africa). The review spans 23 research topics presenting the recent research literature for tree species of high priority across the continent, as well as that in each of the four main ecological regions: the humid zone of West and Central Africa; the Sahel and North Africa; the East African highlands and drylands; and the woody savannas of Southern Africa. The main areas of growth have been the nutritional/medicinal value of non-timber forest products; the evaluation of the state of natural resources and their importance to local people; and the characterization of useful traits. However, the testing of putative cultivars; the implementation of participatory principles; the protection of traditional knowledge and intellectual property rights; and the selection of elite trees and ideotypes remain under-researched. To the probable detriment of the upscaling and impact in tropical agriculture, there has been, at the international level, a move away from decentralized, community-based tree domestication towards a laboratory-based, centralized approach. However, the rapid uptake of research by university departments and national agricultural research centres in Africa indicates a recognition of the importance of the indigenous crops for both the livelihoods of rural communities and the revitalization and enhanced outputs from agriculture in Africa, especially in West Africa. Thus, on a continental scale, there has been an uptake of research with policy relevance for the integration of indigenous trees in agroecosystems and their importance for the attainment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. To progress this in the fourth decade, there will need to be a dedicated Centre in Africa to test and develop cultivars of indigenous crops. Finally, this review underpins a holistic approach to mitigating climate change, as well as other big global issues such as hunger, poverty and loss of wildlife habitat by reaping the benefits, or ‘profits’, from investment in the five forms of Capital, described as ‘land maxing’. However, policy and decision makers are not yet recognizing the potential for holistic and transformational adoption of these new indigenous food crop opportunities for African agriculture. Is ‘political will’ the missing sixth capital for sustainable development?
9 Groner, V. P.; Nicholas, O.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe; Slotow, R.; Akcakaya, H. R.; Mace, G. M.; Pearson, R. G. 2022. Climate change, land cover change, and overharvesting threaten a widely used medicinal plant in South Africa. Ecological Applications, 32(4):e2545. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2545]
Climate change ; Land cover change ; Medicinal plants ; Resource depletion ; Ecosystem services ; Species ; Habitat loss ; Conservation ; Biodiversity ; Models / South Africa
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051023)
https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/eap.2545
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051023.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051023.pdf
(0.83 MB) (846 KB)
Medicinal plants contribute substantially to the well-being of people in large parts of the world, providing traditional medicine and supporting livelihoods from trading plant parts, which is especially significant for women in low-income communities. However, the availability of wild medicinal plants is increasingly threatened; for example, the Natal Lily (Clivia miniata), which is one of the most widely traded plants in informal medicine markets in South Africa, lost over 40% of individuals over the last 90 years. Understanding the species’ response to individual and multiple pressures is essential for prioritizing and planning conservation actions. To gain this understanding, we simulated the future range and abundance of C. miniata by coupling Species Distribution Models with a metapopulation model (RAMAS-GIS). We contrasted scenarios of climate change (RCP2.6 vs. RCP8.5), land cover change (intensification vs. expansion), and harvesting (only juveniles vs. all life stages). All our scenarios pointed to continuing declines in suitable habitat and abundance by the 2050s. When acting independently, climate change, land cover change, and harvesting each reduced the projected abundance substantially, with land cover change causing the most pronounced declines. Harvesting individuals from all life stages affected the projected metapopulation size more negatively than extracting only juveniles. When the three pressures acted together, declines of suitable habitat and abundance accelerated but uncertainties were too large to identify whether pressures acted synergistically, additively, or antagonistically. Our results suggest that conservation should prioritize the protection of suitable habitat and ensure sustainable harvesting to support a viable metapopulation under realistic levels of climate change. Inadequate management of C. miniata populations in the wild will likely have negative consequences for the well-being of people relying on this ecosystem service, and we expect there may be comparable consequences relating to other medicinal plants in different parts of the world.
10 Sobratee, N.; Davids, R.; Chinzila, C. B.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe; Scheelbeek, P.; Modi, A. T.; Dangour, A. D.; Slotow, R. 2022. Visioning a food system for an equitable transition towards sustainable diets—a South African perspective. Sustainability, 14(6):3280. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/su14063280]
Healthy diets ; Agrifood systems ; Sustainable Development Goals ; Communities ; Marginalization ; Policies ; Stakeholders ; Smallholders ; Farmers ; Socioeconomic aspects ; Strategies / South Africa
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051024)
(5.99 MB) (5.99 MB)
The global goal to end hunger requires the interpretation of problems and change across multiple domains to create the scope for collaboration, learning, and impactful research. We facilitated a workshop aimed at understanding how stakeholders problematize sustainable diet transition (SDT) among a previously marginalized social group. Using the systems thinking approach, three sub-systems, namely access to dietary diversity, sustainable beneficiation of natural capital, and ‘food choice for well-being’, highlighted the main forces governing the current context, and future interventions of the project. Moreover, when viewed as co-evolving processes within the multi-level perspective, our identified microlevel leverage points—multi-faceted literacy, youth empowerment, deliberative policymaking, and promotion of sustainable diet aspirations—can be linked and developed through existing national macro-level strategies. Thus, co-designing to problematize transformational SDT, centered on an interdisciplinary outlook and informational governance, could streamline research implementation outcomes to re-structure socio-technical sectors and reconnect people to nature-based solutions. Such legitimate aspirations could be relevant in countries bearing complex socio-political legacies and bridge the local–global goals coherently. This work provides a collaborative framework required to develop impact-driven activities needed to inform evidence-based policies on sustainable diets.
11 Taguta, C.; Senzanje, A.; Kiala, Z.; Malota, M.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe. 2022. Water-energy-food nexus tools in theory and practice: a systematic review. Frontiers in Water, 4:837316. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2022.837316]
Water resources ; Energy ; Food production ; Nexus ; Decision making ; Tools ; Models ; Geographical information systems ; Spatial analysis ; Case studies
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051025)
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2022.837316/pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051025.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051025.pdf
(4.70 MB) (4.70 MB)
Sector-based resource management approaches partly contribute to the insecurities in water, energy and food sectors and resources. These approaches fail to acknowledge and capture the interlinkages between these connected resources, a key strength in the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus approach. However, the multi-centric, multidimensional, and spatiotemporally dynamic WEF nexus is complex and uncertain, thus requiring dedicated tools that can unpack it. Various sources have blamed the slow uptake and practical implementation of the WEF nexus on the unavailability of appropriate tools and models. To confirm those claims with evidence, literature on WEF nexus tools was searched from Scopus and Web of Science and systematically reviewed using the PRISMA protocol. It was found that the WEF nexus tools are being developed increasingly, with a current cumulative number of at least 46 tools and models. However, their majority (61%) is unreachable to the intended users. Some available tools are in code format, which can undermine their applicability by users without programming skills. A good majority (70%) lack key capabilities such as geospatial features and transferability in spatial scale and geographic scope. Only 30% of the tools are applicable at local scales. In contrast, some tools are restricted in geographic scope and scale of application, for example, ANEMI 3 and WEF models for large and household scales, respectively. Most (61%) of the tools lack wide application in actual case studies; this was partly attributed to the tools not being readily available. Thus, efforts should be made to disseminate and ensure end-users’ uptake and application of developed tools. Alternatively, the user-friendly tools should be developed on-demand as requested and inspired by potential clients. Developers should consider utility, transferability and scalability across uses and users when improving existing tools and developing new tools so that they are adaptable, only requiring new, specific location-adapted inputs and data. Where and when it is necessary to capture spatial dynamics of the WEF nexus, tools should be geographic information system (GIS)-enabled for automatic WEF nexus location selection, geospatial mapping, and visualization. Such GIS-enabled WEF nexus tools can provide a bird’s eye view of hotspots and champions of WEF nexus practices.
12 Geza, W.; Ngidi, M. S. C.; Slotow, R.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe. 2022. The dynamics of youth employment and empowerment in agriculture and rural development in South Africa: a scoping review. Sustainability, 14(9):5041. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/su14095041]
Youth employment ; Participation ; Empowerment ; Agriculture ; Rural development ; Unemployment ; Inclusion ; Strategies / South Africa
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051085)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/9/5041/pdf?version=1650619803
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051085.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051085.pdf
(2.12 MB) (2.12 MB)
Over the years, South Africa has made significant investments aimed at transforming the agricultural sector to deliver on rural economic development and job creation. These investments have had varying levels of success; still, what is worrying is the high youth unemployment rate which is amongst the highest globally. We conducted a scoping review using the PRISMA-P guidelines to identify the challenges youth face in accessing sustainable employment in the agriculture sector. Peer-reviewed studies were retrieved from online databases (Web of Science, Cab Direct, and Science Direct) for 1994–2021. The findings showed that youth are still facing significant challenges in the demand and supply side of the labour market and lack of inclusivity in policy formulation and implementation, limiting their involvement in agriculture and rural development initiatives. Policies and strategies responding to these challenges exist, and the spectrum of support services provided are primarily focused on entrepreneurship. Yet, the implementation of programs and initiatives has not been successful. This could be attributed to the obstacles persisting in the sociopolitical environment in SA, causing additional barriers to program implementation. Therefore, to enhance youth involvement in agriculture and rural development, there is a need to connect more rural youth to support services, local employment programmes, and youth inclusion in policy formulation processes. Additionally, the focus of policy and programs should be broadened to cater to different youth knowledge and skill profiles.
13 Tomita, A.; Ncama, B. P.; Moodley, Y.; Davids, R.; Burns, J. K.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe; Modi, A. T.; Slotow, R. 2022. Community disaster exposure and first onset of depression: a panel analysis of nationally representative South African data, 2008–2017. PLOS Climate, 1(4):e0000024. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pclm.0000024]
Communities ; Exposure ; Disaster risk reduction ; Mental health ; Depression ; Socioeconomic aspects ; Models / Africa South of Sahara / South Africa
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051086)
https://journals.plos.org/climate/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pclm.0000024&type=printable
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051086.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051086.pdf
(0.89 MB) (914 KB)
Sub-Saharan Africa faces unprecedented disasters, with climate change expected to exacerbate the frequency and severity of unpredictable and stressful catastrophic events. Unlike developed nations, reconstruction in developing nations is hindered by resource constraints, with certain communities potentially experiencing multiple and enduring effects of disasters. Despite the potential danger of such cumulative community disaster exposure on mental health (e.g. depression), large-scale population-level evidence for the region is limited. We investigated the association between exposure to cumulative disaster and the first onset of depression in a nationally representative survey in South Africa. We used panel data from the South African National Income Dynamics Study (SA-NIDS) from 2008–2017, consisting of 17,255 adult study participants who were depression free at baseline. Risk of first depression onset between individuals exposed and unexposed to community disaster was measured, accounting for multiple disaster exposure over time by fitting generalized estimating equation (GEE) regression models. Data on the geographic location of disasters were obtained from the South African government gazette, and mapped with the government delineated SA-NIDS households’ locations. Of the sampled individuals, 2,986 were exposed to disaster during the study duration (17.3%). Increased cumulative community disaster was significantly associated with the likelihood of depression onset (adjusted relative risk [aRR] = 1.20, p<0.01, 95% CI: 1.09–1.33), even after controlling for socio-demographic factors. In sub-group analyses, greater likelihood of depression onset was found among females [but not in men] (aRR = 1.23, p<0.01, 95% CI: 1.09–1.38), Black African [but not in other population group] (aRR = 1.21, p<0.01, 95% CI: 1.09–1.36), lower education attainment group [but not in tertiary and above educational attainment group] (aRR = 1.20, p<0.01, 95% CI: 1.08–1.33), and lower income attainment group [but not in the top income quartile group] (aRR = 1.24, p<0.01, 95% CI: 1.11–1.38), due to cumulative community disaster. Although cumulative community disaster exposure was significantly associated with the first onset of depression, its negative impact may be more pronounced among individuals considered chronically socially vulnerable (i.e. the groups above) in South Africa. Given that many individuals in South Africa rely on social, food parcel relief, and health services from government/public sector, timely access to community-based supportive intervention is needed for disaster survivors, prioritizing socially vulnerable groups to help mitigate problems associated with mental health challenges.
14 Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe; Hlahla, S.; Chimonyo, V. G. P.; Henriksson, R.; Chibarabada, T. P.; Murugani, V. G.; Groner, V. P.; Tadele, Z.; Sobratee, N.; Slotow, R.; Modi, A. T.; Baudron, F.; Chivenge, P. 2022. Diversity and diversification: ecosystem services derived from underutilized crops and their co-benefits for sustainable agricultural landscapes and resilient food systems in Africa. Frontiers in Agronomy, 4:859223. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fagro.2022.859223]
Biodiversity ; Ecosystem services ; Underutilized species ; Crops ; Diversification ; Sustainable agriculture ; Food security ; Nutrition security ; Poverty alleviation ; Sustainable livelihoods ; Agricultural landscape ; Food systems ; Resilience ; Gender equality ; Role of women ; Income ; Socioeconomic development ; Sustainable Development Goals ; Climate change ; Ecological factors ; Habitats ; Cultural services ; Policies ; Systematic reviews / Africa
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051093)
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2022.859223/pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051093.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051093.pdf
(2.48 MB) (2.48 MB)
There are growing calls to adopt more sustainable forms of agriculture that balance the need to increase production with environmental, human health, and wellbeing concerns. Part of this conversation has included a debate on promoting and mainstreaming neglected and underutilized crop species (NUS) because they represent a more ecologically friendly type of agriculture. We conducted a systematic review to determine the ecosystem services derived from NUS and assess their potential to promote functional ecological diversity, food and nutritional security, and transition to more equitable, inclusive, sustainable and resilient agricultural landscapes and food systems in Africa. Our literature search yielded 35 articles for further analysis. The review showed that NUS provide various provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting ecosystem services and several environmental and health co-benefits, dietary diversity, income, sustainable livelihood outcomes, and economic empowerment, especially for women. Importantly, NUS address the three pillars of sustainable development- ecological, social, and economic. Thus, NUS may provide a sustainable, fit-for-purpose transformative ecosystem-based adaptation solution for Africa to transition to more sustainable, healthy, equitable, and resilient agricultural landscapes and food systems.
15 Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe; Senzanje, A.; Modi, A.; Jewitt, G.; Massawe, F. (Eds.) 2022. Water - energy - food nexus narratives and resource securities: a global south perspective. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. 332p. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/C2020-0-03951-4]
Water resources ; Energy resources ; Food security ; Nexus ; Sustainable Development Goals ; Goal 2 Zero hunger ; Goal 6 Clean water and sanitation ; Goal 7 Affordable and clean energy ; Transboundary waters ; Catchment areas ; Public health ; Environmental health ; Ecosystems ; Financing ; Smallholders ; Farmers ; Capacity development ; SADC countries ; Spatial data ; Modelling ; Case studies / Southern Africa / Middle East / North Africa / Latin America / South Asia / South East Asia / United Republic of Tanzania / Malawi / Zimbabwe / Malaysia / Jordan / Morocco / Argentina / Brazil / Songwe River Basin / Tugwi-Mukosi Dam
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy SF Record No: H051168)
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16 Mpandeli, S.; Nhamo, L.; Senzanje, A.; Jewitt, G.; Modi, A.; Massawe, F.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe. 2022. The water-energy-food nexus: its transition into a transformative approach. In Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe; Senzanje, A.; Modi, A.; Jewitt, G.; Massawe, F. (Eds.). Water - energy - food nexus narratives and resource securities: a global south perspective. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. pp.1-13. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-91223-5.00004-6]
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051169)
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Water, energy, and food are vital resources for human wellbeing. Yet, they are under increased pressure to meet demand from a growing population at a time of worsening insecurity due to depletion and degradation of reserves. These challenges prompted the formulation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015. All the 17 SDGs are connected. They recognize that developments in one sector will impact other sectors and that any proposed development must balance socioeconomic and environmental sustainability. Also, as the three resources are the most impacted by climate change, they provide a close link between adaptation, climate system, human society, and the environment. The intricate interlinkages between water, energy, and food resources with the related relationships with socioeconomic development, healthy ecosystems, human development, and sustainable development caused the rapid growth of the water–energy–food (WEF) nexus concept since the United Nations General Assembly of September 2015. Although the concept existed before 2015, its progression increased after the World Economic Forum of 2011 after a presentation by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) in anticipation of the SDGs. This chapter discusses the evolution of the WEF nexus before and after 2015. The emphasis is on the importance of the concept in establishing the interconnectedness of resources and as a guide for coherent policy decisions that lead to sustainable development.
17 Kiala, Z.; Jewitt, G.; Senzanje, A.; Mutanga, O.; Dube, T.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe. 2022. EO-WEF: a earth observations for water, energy, and food nexus geotool for spatial data visualization and generation. In Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe; Senzanje, A.; Modi, A.; Jewitt, G.; Massawe, F. (Eds.). Water - energy - food nexus narratives and resource securities: a global south perspective. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. pp.33-48. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-91223-5.00011-3]
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051170)
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WEF (water–energy–food) nexus analyses have become a rapidly growing field since the Conference on Water, Energy and Food Security Nexus–Solutions for the Green Economy in Bonn in 2011. They have the potential to help stakeholders and policymakers to better understand the interlinkages between the different components of a nexus system and lead to solutions that are socially and environmentally beneficial. However, assembling wide-scope nexus has been challenged by issues such as proprietary considerations and data evolution over time, among others. Earth observations (EOs) have a huge offering of data sets that can provide data for most of the components of a nexus at a relatively low cost and various temporal and spatial resolutions. Furthermore, the advent of cloud computing has made possible the processing of massive information. This chapter introduces the Earth Observation for WEF nexus (EO-WEF), a multisectorial information system to visualize customizable data and generate time series data at any location. Google Earth Engine, a cloud computing platform that includes data archives of regularly updated EO and scientific data sets for a period of more than 40 years, powers this application. The capability of EO-WEF in generating spatial data was tested in the Songwe River Basin case study. Overall, the EO-WEF application provides data for key variables of a nexus that can be supplemented by other kinds of data that cannot be captured by EOs.
18 Masia, S.; Susnik, J.; Jewitt, G.; Kiala, Z.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe. 2022. Transboundary WEF nexus analysis: a case study of the Songwe River Basin. In Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe; Senzanje, A.; Modi, A.; Jewitt, G.; Massawe, F. (Eds.). Water - energy - food nexus narratives and resource securities: a global south perspective. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. pp.91-109. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-91223-5.00003-4]
Transboundary waters ; Food security ; Energy ; Nexus ; River basins ; Case studies / United Republic of Tanzania / Malawi / Songwe River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051171)
(0.63 MB)
Over the past decade, the water, energy, and food (WEF) nexus approach has evolved to become a focus of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) development strategies. However, a lack of empirical evidence, appropriate methods, and qualitative and quantitative tools to implement the WEF nexus approach has been highlighted. This chapter describes the application of the WEF nexus approach in the Songwe River Basin (SRB) located on the border between Malawi and Tanzania as a demonstration of how this lack of evidence and tools is starting to be addressed. The basin is currently facing rapid population growth, which is leading to a considerable increase in resource demand and environmental issues and has been identified as a priority basin for SADC. The SRB Development Programme (SRBDP) includes several projects that collectively aim to improve the environmental and socioeconomic status of the basin. The integrated approach proposed to assess the SRBDP's expected outcomes through a WEF nexus lens is based on the development and application of qualitative and quantitative tools that support decision-makers to assess feasible sustainable development pathways in the basin, and more broadly in the SADC region. This chapter focuses on the qualitative analysis of the WEF nexus system and explains the process of identifying the major sectors and subsectors involved in the SRBDP, the main interlinkages between them, and potential synergies and trade-offs assessing how decisions made in a sector may influence others. The qualitative analysis of the SRB shows that although the projects included in the SRBDP are expected to have positive impacts on the environment and the socioeconomic system of the basin, downsides that may have an impact on human and ecosystem health are also possible. Early identification of such issues can help to limit detrimental impacts in the future. In the analysis, potential Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), objectives, and indicators that may be addressed in the SRB are identified, highlighting the importance of applying the holistic approach to enhance and boost the achievement of SDGs in the basin.
19 Nhamo, L.; Mpandeli, S.; Nhamo, S. P.; Liphadzi, S.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe. 2022. Enhancing sustainable human and environmental health through nexus planning. In Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe; Senzanje, A.; Modi, A.; Jewitt, G.; Massawe, F. (Eds.). Water - energy - food nexus narratives and resource securities: a global south perspective. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. pp.199-222. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-91223-5.00012-5]
Water availability ; Environmental health ; Nutrition ; Nexus ; Planning ; Sustainability ; Indicators ; Public health ; Vulnerability ; Resilience ; Water quality ; Modelling / South Africa
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051172)
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A combination of climate change and accelerated population growth is instigating some of the worst challenges that humankind faces today that include resource depletion and degradation. Both built environment and ecological infrastructure have been modified and are creating novel socioecological interactions posing the risk of novel infectious diseases transmission to humans. The experiences of the COVID-19 exposed the vulnerability of human health from wildlife and the risk of novel socioecological interactions on livelihoods. This chapter enhances the preparedness and improves the resilience against novel pathogens by assessing vulnerability and the available options to reduce risk through the water–health–ecosystem–nutrition nexus. As a transformative, nexus planning provides integrated pathways toward resilience and preparedness to reduce health risks on humans posed by novel pathogens. A systematic review of literature facilitated an understanding of the trends of novel infectious diseases and the available options to improve sanitation, nutrition, and adaptative capacity in the advent of novel socioecological interactions. The aim is to guide policy formulations to achieve Sustainable Development Goals such as 3 (good health and wellbeing), 6 (clean water and sanitation), and 13 (climate action). Risk reduction framing in the health sector through nexus planning provides pathways toward healthy environments and mutual socioecological interactions.
20 Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe; Senzanje, A.; Modi, A.; Jewitt, G.; Massawe, F. 2022. WEF nexus narratives: toward sustainable resource security. In Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe; Senzanje, A.; Modi, A.; Jewitt, G.; Massawe, F. (Eds.). Water - energy - food nexus narratives and resource securities: a global south perspective. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. pp.321-326. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-91223-5.00009-5]
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051173)
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The water–food–energy (WEF) nexus narratives is a collection of expert inputs on the concepts, analytical tools and case studies, and key developments on the importance and applicability of the WEF nexus as a transformative and circular approach. This chapter provides a detailed summary of each chapter, providing the reader with what has been achieved through the WEF nexus application. The chapters provide practical applications of integrated resource management and the pathways toward sustainable development. The main subjects of discussion include data availability, modeling tools, indices development, and metrics and their application across multiple spatiotemporal scales.
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