Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Sustainable development – Zambia'

Water resources management is high on the agenda both locally and globally because of its important role in social, economic and environmental development. For example, as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, all United Nations Member States adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015 that covered thematic issues including water, energy, climate, oceans, urbanization, transport, science and technology. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) no.6, which targets universal access to safe and affordable drinking water for all by 2030, is of particular interest in this study. The mining industry contributes to socio-economic development; however, it has also contributed to declining water quality in rivers and lakes in many regions globally. In this study, the status and governance of water resources within the Copperbelt province of Zambia over the period 2000 to 2020 was examined. The study investigated population and economic growth within the region and its correlation with changes in water quality and quantity. The research also focused on understanding the ways copper mining is affecting local water resources. The study also investigated challenges faced by regulators and institutions in the water sector, and considered how these challenges could be addressed. Secondary data was obtained from government institutions within Zambia such as National Water Supply and Sanitation Council (NWASCO), Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA) and Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA), which are the key institutions in the water sector and the environment. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with the three key institutions in the water and pollution control sectors. The results showed that the total population in the Copperbelt province has increased by 20% since 2000 to a total of 1 972 317 in 2010. The population is projected to be 2 669 635 in 2020, representing about 27% increase from 2010. The rural population is projected to be 423 511 in 2020, representing about 11% increase from 2010 while the urban population will be 2 246 124 in 2020 representing about 29% increase from 2010. The majority of this growth has occurred in urban areas, which grew by about 30% from 2000 to a total of 1 595 456 in 2010. Rural population has increased by 8% since 2000 to a total of 376 861. The results also showed increased economic activities driven mainly by copper mining. Water abstraction has generally declined since 2000 mainly due to decrease in mining activities. In 2000, about 1 million m3 /day was abstracted in the Copperbelt province and about 600 000 m3 per day in 2005. The reduction in 2005 could be attributed to reduction in mining activities and institutional changes in the water sector. Water production and consumption from commercial utilities has generally been in decline from 2000 to 2017. This is also the case with water consumption per capita and water production per capita. For example, water consumption per capita per day in 2001 was 203 liters and reduced to 113 liters in 2017, representing a 44% reduction in consumption. The results showed that water consumption from 2004 to 2008 averaged 100 million m3 while the production averaged 160 million m3 per year. NWASCO attributed the general downward trend in water production and consumption in the province to maintenance and rehabilitation of water infrastructure, and investment in new infrastructure, thereby reducing the unaccounted-for water. The other reason could be that new housing developments prefer to use groundwater sources rather than utility water (supplied by water companies). The reduction could also be attributed to the cost of water and that consumers needed to adjust from the background where utility services such as water supply and sanitation were the sole responsibilities of the mines (ZCCM), prior to privatization. In terms of water supply and sanitation coverage, there has been an increased coverage since 2000. In 2001, the population that had access to water supply and sanitation was 81% and 46%, respectively. Therefore, roughly 50% of the population had no access to sanitation. However, in 2017 the population with access to water supply and sanitation was 91% and 75%, respectively. This represented only 25% of the population in serviced areas that had no access to sanitation. Between 2007 and 2008, the sanitation coverage had seen a reduction compared to the year 2006. This was due to institutional changes on the Copperbelt province, and the 2008 economic recession – the mine townships that were previously serviced by an asset holding after privatization of the mines were taken over by other utility companies. Consequently, the service delivery in the province initially dropped, but then started increasing again in 2009.

Climate change and variability are predicted to threaten agricultural production in Southern Africa. For example, Zambia's agriculture remains vulnerable to climate change and variability due to the small-scale farmers' dependence on rain-fed agriculture. Some studies in Zambia have shown the quantitative negative impacts of climate variability on agriculture; however, there is limited knowledge on how farmers perceive the impacts and adapt their agricultural systems. To fill in the knowledge gap mentioned above, the aim of the present study was to evaluate farmers' observations of climate variability impacts and their responses. The study then evaluates the integration of farmers' climate variability observations and adaptation strategies into local district plans. Such integration is deemed critical to ensure agricultural strategies promoted by extension officers are locally relevant and are adopted by the farmers. The study is based on semi-structured interviews and literature review. Thirty-one (31) farmers from Mwembeshi, Chilanga District, Zambia, participated in the study. The findings of the survey indicate that farmers in Mwembeshi are aware of their vulnerability to climate variability impacts. As a result of the observed impacts, they have developed several adaptation strategies. Through this study, extension agents were also interviewed in order find out what adaptation strategies are promoted to the farmers. The findings of the research indicate agricultural extension agents follow national agricultural adaptation strategies (top-down approach). As a result, local agricultural development plans would not specifically integrate/respond to climate variations impacts observed by the farmers. In order to engage local farmer impacts of the climate variability and their adaptation strategies into the local plans, the research suggests a more flexible (or bottom-up) approach to local development planning. Such an approach would allow the integration of local farmer observations of climate variability and their adaptation strategies into district plans. The study also found that extension agents have limited knowledge of climate variability and change, which negatively affects knowledge transfer to farmers on the subject. Therefore, training the extension officers in the subject would most likely increase farmers' knowledge on climate variability and adaptation decision.

Includes bibliographical references.
Many climate change studies project that occurrence of droughts (due to dry years) in Southern Africa will increase; this raises concerns over Zambia's electricity system. Currently, over 99% of Zambia's electricity is supplied by hydropower, which is vulnerable to droughts. With Zambia targeting to be a middle income industrialised country by 2030, it isimportant that the impacts of droughts on the electricity system are understood, and how the system's adaptive capacity can be improved. This is imperative if the system were to enhance economic development. The main focus of this research therefore, was to develop an understanding of how Zambia's electricity system would evolve in different economic and climatic scenarios. A comprehensive electricity model for Zambia was developed after reviewing literature on Zambia's electricity sector and energy planning in a developing country context. A Scenario planning approach was used to model and analyse the electricity system that would be required to meet demand in two climatic scenarios (average and dry year river-flows) and for different economic growth scenarios. The results showed that the supply system has to be increased in order to support economic development. In a dry year scenario, the availability of the hydro technologies reduces significantly and this leads to a considerable increase in the average generation cost of the system. The introduction of renewable energy and coal technologies into the system lessens the impacts of droughts. Carbon emitting technologies such as coal and oil are still viable supply options even with a carbon price of $50 per tonne. Only low and base-case growth scenarios need an explicit diversification policy since least cost policy in the high growth scenario (the middle income growth trajectory) leads to a diverse supply system. Implementing a diversification policy in the high growth scenario increases average generating cost without improving the system's adaptive capacity. The most cost effective way of increasing the system's adaptive capacity is by importing electricity and gradually increasing share of renewable and coal technologies in the system. Further research on how electricity trade in Southern Africa could be enhanced, should be done.

This research reports on two action research case studies of participatory materials development in two rural community contexts in Zambia, namely Chiawa and Nalusanga. It aims to explore and articulate the relationships between community-based environmental education and participatory materials development in the WWF Zambia Education Project context; clarify participatory materials development processes by identifying the roles of different ‘actors’ in these processes and identify and analyse the contextual and other factors that may influence development and use of environmental education materials in rural communities. These aims were explored by means of a number of action research cycles of inquiry in the two communities. The study also articulates the significance of considering ambivalent globalising influences such as international conferences, debates, overseas development aid, national policies and how these shape and influence materials development work in a local context. In order to gain more insight into the local contexts, I developed contextual profiles on the two communities. These capture the contextual factors that influenced the participatory materials development processes. They include issues such as language, ethnicity, literacy, power relations and the local social economy, amongst others. Although this study has been predominately guided by the socially critical orientation to research and education, I have drawn on aspects of other research orientations. I have also explored some of the emerging critiques of the socially critical orientation. The findings of this study reveal the different roles participants can play in participatory materials development; participatory materials development processes as a learning process; the dynamics of participation in an African context; the role of language and literacy in materials development; the need for open-ended process models of learning amongst adult learners and the importance of merging expert and local knowledge in participatory materials development. This study opens up possibilities for further exploration of participatory materials development processes within the WWF ZEP context and beyond.

Mining-induced resettlements, and local impacts from mining activities, are often associated with a variety of negative outcomes. At the same time, there is a notable growth of ethical guidelines for businesses and an increasing incorporation of international best practices within corporate operations. A resettlement of displaced villages within the Kalumbila area in Zambia was carried out by a multinational mining corporation, which reportedly invested heavily into the creation of an ethically sound resettlement procedure. Yet, a number of issues connected to this resettlement have been continuously reported after its implementation. This study has aimed to investigate two main themes relating to the  resettlement in Kalumbila. First, a comparative examination was done in order to explore differences and similarities in terms of social sustainability between two different resettlement communities in the area. Second, the current status of social sustainability was explored within the two resettlements by applying an analytical framework for strategic social sustainability. The methods consisted mainly of primary research through interviews in the studied area, but was also complemented with qualitative text analysis when suitable. The findings indicated both similarities and differences between the two resettlements in terms of social sustainability-related issues, which were identified through the application of universal social sustainability principles. Policy recommendations were also derived by conducting a backcasting procedure in the analysis of the findings. The study found that there is a presence of the mining company in almost every issue identified within this study. This presence has both positive and negative characteristics. It was concluded that future studies should keep this nuanced view in mind, as well as the complex interrelations in the studied system. As such, it was argued that policy implementors ought to investigate targeted issues with suitable analytical tools before taking any action in order to not create new problems elsewhere within the social system.

Environmental conservation in many parts of Africa has for a long time been a centralized matter in which resource management was dominated by the application of the fortress conservation model which posits a sharp divide between people’s livelihoods and conservation. This highly centralised approach confined environmental decision making to bureaucratic circles and excluded local actors who live within or around conservation areas from participating in the resource governance process. In addition, environmental conservation was concentrated in areas designated as protected areas while human dominated landscapes were assumed to be of marginal ecological value. Over the past three decades, however, the rise of sustainable development as a new construct for environment and resource management has seen the emergence of new conservation strategies that challenge the dominance of the fortress conservation model. In Zambia, in contrast to the exclusionary discourse associated with fortress conservation, the embracing of policies derived from the sustainable development discourse has resulted in the adoption of new conservation strategies that emphasise local actors’ participation in resource management and extend conservation policy and practice to agricultural environments. In this regard, this thesis examines the changing nature of environmental conservation in Africa, using the case of Zambia. In particular, the research questions the way in which the new strategies are being contextualized and translated into practice at the local level. It examines the extent to which the new strategies represent the realities and interests of local actors who interact with environmental resources on a day-to-day basis. Drawing on political ecology and livelihoods’ perspectives, the research uses two local level studies from Chongwe district of Zambia to examine this shift in the direction of natural resource policy and practice. By combining insights from political ecology and livelihoods thinking, it links a critical review of conservation discourse and policy with field level studies and thus provides an enhanced understanding of processes of society-environment interactions. While the findings show a definitive shift in policy rhetoric from fortress conservation to sustainable development, the translation of sustainable development initiatives into practice is fraught with both conceptual and practical difficulties, such that the initiatives are far from representing the realities and interests of local actors.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
The whole purpose of this research was to determine an appropriate approach to development in Zambia by the Reformed Church in Zambia (RCZ) under the theme: ‘A Biblical Framework for Sustainable Development in the Reformed Church in Zambia – The story of George Compound in Lusaka.’ George Compound located on the West of Matero Township, poverty manifests itself in many ways such as lack of good food, poor shelter, high illiteracy levels, lack of good road network, poor health, high crime rate, high levels of unemployment especially the youth who now spend most time drinking beer, high levels of prostitution, and poor sanitation. Holistic ministry has for some time now remained a great challenge for the church, the trend that was never the case with the early church as it took the issue of development seriously and effectively met needs of the poor and vulnerable people of that time. However, with time the church has either consciously or unconsciously allowed to be dictated by the Greek dualism theory (separating the spiritual from physical) in how to go about with ministry. This separation has taken such a long time that it has now become accepted by the church and secular world that the role of the church for humanity was only to concentrate on matters concerning spirituality, while leaving the social part to secular organisations. This is an affront to God who created humanity in His own image and likeness (Gen. 1: 26 – 29; 2: 7) and mandated to rule on His behalf; added to that it is in itself a distortion of Scriptures. Otherwise from the Biblical perspective humanity constitutes both the soul and body, thereby providing no justification for separating needs of the soul from those of the body because human life is a unit. The Scriptures have also revealed that at the time of creation, a living relationship was established between God and humanity, which includes the entire creation. The relationship between God and humanity is known as the vertical relationship (this involves worshipping God); while the relationship between humanity and the rest of the creation is known as the horizontal relationship (this involves caring for God’s creation). It is on record in the Scriptures that the good creation that was created by the good God was spoilt with the fall of humanity. It is the fall of humanity that has led to the unfortunate separation of responsibilities between the church and the secular world. It is in this context that the research wrestled with the question of how the RCZ could apply a Biblical framework for sustainable development in the country, but with particular attention to the story of George Compound in Lusaka. The researcher has argued that meaningful development will only take place when the church takes its strategic position in development and does it from the Biblical perspective that addresses humanity holistically. Development done from the Biblical perspective acknowledges God as the creator, sustainer and destiny of the whole creation and at the same time places humanity at the centre of it as the main objective. The hypothesis is based on the fact that poverty will be alleviated once the RCZ in the first place comes to terms with the reality of poverty and its impact on human life in the country, and then using its mandate to get involved in national development to transform people’s wellbeing. It is interesting that when missionaries from the Dutch Reformed Church Mission (DRCM) of the Orange Free State in South Africa started mission work in the Eastern Province of Northern Rhodesia then, they adopted a comprehensive approach to ministry and that enabled them to address both the spiritual and social needs of people. The DRCM missionaries passed on this understanding of development to the RCZ, but then one wonders why the RCZ after autonomy (self-governing) in 1966, gradually and without realising began to change its focus of doing ministry by concentrating so much on building people’s spiritual lives and neglecting their social needs. This research is challenging the RCZ to revisit its mandate for ministry which should lead to adopting the Biblical understanding for development. This kind of development is holistic in nature and results in transforming people’s living standards that are currently in deplorable condition. The research further suggests that for development to take place the RCZ needs to work towards transforming the world view of its members about poverty and development. This approach will invaluably help people gain better understanding on the actual causes and effects of poverty and what must be done to alleviate it, before reaching out in the communities.

Previously, strategy formulation for large-scale eradication of tsetse in southern Africawas dominated by straightforward technical considerations. The current shift to localised control of tsetse-transmitted bovine trypanosomosis has changed the emphasis from the vector to the disease. Nagana remains the main reason for intervening but control methods will differ according to the local situation and interventions will be restricted to those areas where the disease is present. As a result, the technical criteria to be considered will differ substantially from those considered in the planning for large-scale eradication. First, a clear picture of the extent and magnitude of the bovine trypanosomosis problem is required. Second, the selection ofthe most efficient intervention methods will vary according to the local epidemiological situation. Hence, the different epidemiological situations need to be identified and the effectiveness of available control methods needs to be evaluated in each of the situations. Finally, the long-term sustainability of an intervention will depend, to a large extent, upon the socio-economic impact of the disease and perceived benefits accruing from its control. Tsetse-transmitted bovine trypanosomosis occurs in large areas of Malawi, Zambia,Zimbabwe and Namibia. The epidemiology of the disease differs substantially between areas. On the plateau of eastern Zambia, for example, cattle are kept in a tsetse infested area. Because of the encroachment of people and cattle into the tsetse infested area and the concomitant reduction in the number of game animals, tsetse have become highly dependent on cattle as their source of food. As a result, the distribution and density of tsetse is determined largely by the distribution and changes in the distribution or grazing pattern of cattle. Trypanosoma congolense is the main.trypanosome species in tsetse and cattle. The prevalence of congolense-type trypanosomal infections in tsetse undergoes little variations between months and is affected mainly by the average age of the tsetse population. The incidence of bovine trypanosomosis is significantly correlated with the density of the tsetse population.Bovine trypanosomosis is also prevalent in areas where cattle are kept adjacent to a tsetse-infested zone or where tsetse occasionally invade a tsetse-free area. In Malawi,for example, the main foci of bovine trypanosomosis are located adjacent to tsetse infested national parks, game reserves or forest reserves. Bovine trypanosomosis also occurs far outside the known tsetse foci because of the seasonal movement of tsetse,along rivers or because of, often small, undetected tsetse foci. Such foci have been detected in Malawi and in Zimbabwe. In most of the areas, bovine trypanosomosis is caused by T congolense. However, the prevalence of T vivax infections is high in areas where tsetse take a large proportion of feeds on game animals. Please read the full abstract in the section 00 front of this document.
Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2000.
Veterinary Tropical Diseases
unrestricted

Aid is an important topic in development sector current discussions are polarised thereby creating a need for further research. This essay assesses the role that Malawi and Zambia plays in realising its development outcomes including in the area of health. There is a need to appreciate the variables that contribute to the inability of most countries in sub-Saharan Africa to finance their domestic expenditure related to healthcare. In this situation, foreign aid which has received marked interest by scholars over the past decade and is used to supplement incomes of developing countries like Malawi and Zambia. Debate on the effectiveness of aid is polarised, while highly concerned scholars see aid as ineffective and a contributor to the poor performance of economies in developing countries, others see it as essential in the achievement of development outcomes. This thesis explores the extent to which development assistance contributes to dependency in Malawi and Zambia. It further examines the link between aid and the Malawian and Zambian health sectors. The study similarly considers the role of development assistance for health in realising outcomes related to maternal health in line with SDG 3.1. By identifying two countries in sub-Saharan Africa, this essay underscores the similarities between Malawi and Zambia analysed through a historical context, health systems structures, child and maternal mortality rates and health programme models. The essay concludesthat social, political and economic barriers present challenges in financing healthcare in Malawi and Zambia. Aid contributes to dependency in the study countries.

Bangweulu Wetlands is a 6000 km² public-private-partnership conservation area in northeastern Zambia, lying on the south-eastern margins of the Bangweulu Swamps, Congo River system. The area is important for wildlife conservation, tourism and as a fishing ground for the local inhabitants. This study provides a baseline of the fish and fisheries of this area. The conservation area is situated on the transition zone between woodland, floodplain and swamp. A total of 42 fish species representing 12 taxonomic families were collected. The fish fauna of the area was characterised by a diversity of small cyprinids (14 species), cichlids (9 species), clariid catfishes (4 species) and mormyrids (4 species). Species such as Clarias gariepinus, C. ngamensis, Marcusenius macrolepidotus, Tilapia rendali, T. sparrmanii and several small Barbus species were shared with adjacent floodplain systems such as the upper Zambezi and Kafue rivers. Fishing was undertaken by fishing groups consisting of a fisherman and his family, or a group of men fishing together. Access to the fishing grounds was controlled by traditional fishing leaders, who collected tribute from fishermen. Fishing groups utilised fixed, distinct fishing areas determined by ancestry. The most important time for fishing was during the drawdown phase of the floodplains, from March until June. During the dry season fewer groups were engaged in fishing, with many having returned to farming activities. The main fishing methods of the floodplain fishery were basket traps and mosquito-mesh funnel nets set into earth fish barriers (fish weirs) constructed on the plains, various mesh sizes of gillnets, hook longlines and seine nets. The use of fish spears, drag baskets and piscicides was of lesser importance. Most fishing gears were constructed of a variety of natural and modern, manufactured materials. The fishery was multi-species and 23 fish species were recorded from in catch. The three most important species in the catches were C. gariepinus, T. rendalli and M. macrolepidotus. Together these contributed 67% by weight to the catch. Catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) for the different gears was 0.4 ± 0.3 kg.trap.night⁻¹ for basket traps, 2.7 ± 4.6 kg.net.night⁻¹ for funnel nets, 0.3 ± 0.5 kg.50 m net.night⁻¹ for gill nets, 3.5 ± 6.3 kg.100 hooks.night⁻¹ for longlines, 1.79 ± 1.11 kg.haul⁻¹ for mosquito-mesh seine nets and 6.87 ± 6.27 kg.haul⁻¹ for larger-mesh seine nets. The weight of average daily landings of fishing groups, using a variety of gears was 7.8 ± 7.4 kg. Fishermen were able to maintain the same catch rate between dry and wet seasons, with no significant differences (p < 0.05) in daily landings between seasons. Yield per fisherman for a seven month season, which required 2-3 relocations due to falling water level, was 1.64 t based on catch assessment, and 1.9 t from a socio-economic survey. A tentative yield per area estimate for the area was 2I7 kg.ha⁻¹ over the three month shallow-floodplain fishing season. Most fish landed in the fishery were processed into sundried or smoke-dried products. These were used for 1) home consumption, 2) trade with village farmers (from up to 70 km inland of the fishing grounds) in exchange for staple starch meal, and 3) sold to urban fish traders, reaching markets as distant as Lubumbashi in Democratic Republic of Congo. Fish traders toured fishing camps to buy fish, supporting auxiliary industries such as transport and accommodation services. The price for dried fish at source was 3.14 ± 1.34 USDlkg and the market price reported for the Zambian Copperbelt was 6.14 ± 2.54 USD/kg. Typical returns on investment in fish trading were estimated as 68-77%. The fishery was considered to be biologically and socially sustainable. By harvesting a seasonally transient assemblage of species with high productivity and biological turnover rates and with life histories adapted to high mortality, fishermen were able to maintain a stable and viable livelihood. Management recommendations for the area were that a fisheries management plan be developed that would seek to strengthen the traditional system of rights-allocation, address problems between fishing and tourism activities, and enhance communication between fisheries and conservation stakeholders. To do this it was recommended that: 1) conservation authorities recognise the importance of the fishery, 2) no changes to current effort levels and fishing methods were necessary, 3) points 1 and 2 above be used to improve communication and trust between conservation authorities and fishermen, 4) customary resource-access mechanisms be understood and strengthened so that local inhabitants' rights to the resource are protected, 5) fishermen help formulate and accept conservation and tourism rules, 6) tourists and guides be made aware of the function of the fishery, 7) a fisheries management forum of key community, government and conservation stakeholders be formed to shape and implement the fisheries management plan, 8) locally-adapted bylaws be created to legitimise crucial floodplain gears currently considered illegal (e.g. mosquito-net gears, fish weirs), 9) no intervention to formalise fish trading be made, and 10) a trained person with a fisheries background be hired oversee the implementation of the recommendations.

Schools are traditionally established as the main meeting platforms for awareness, education, training and capacity building in the local communities, and as such, are highly regarded and respected. They are situated and integrated in nearly all local communities. They are thus perfectly suited to reach, draw on and provide capacity building to the communities. Zambia recently introduced a new curriculum aspect named localised curriculum, which makes up 20% of the curriculum. This curriculum area encourages schools to address issues of sustainable development that are locally relevant through this curriculum component, but it is not clear what kind of learning emerges from this curriculum aspect. The study looked at the shift in pedagogical discourse since the introduction of the localised curriculum. Using case study methodology and observation of a number of classroom activities in the Keemba District near Monze in Zambia, I observed social learning interactions taking place in the implementation of the localised curriculum. In particular, I was interested in how the different aspects of the localised curriculum enabled social learning, at different levels. What is important in this research is that it focused not so much on what people should know, or be able to do, but rather, drawing on some of the questions raised by Wals (2007), I considered questions of how people learn, and how social learning emerges in school-community interactions in the localised curriculum. The main research question was to investigate: How does localised curriculum enable social learning in response to environmental issues in Zambian schools? This research drew on a number of associated research projects that were carried out in southern Africa and beyond. In his research, Namafe (2008) states that he saw a great need to institutionalise increased participation of Zambian Basic Schools and their local communities in sustainable development of the country in order to alleviate poverty and achieve equitable development. Hogan (2008, p. 122 ) researching in a different context, argues that contextualisation of the curriculum allowed for indigenous knowledge to come in to the classroom, stating that ‘Weakening of the frames provided the opportunity of closer relationships to give space for knowledge other than teacher selected knowledge or book knowledge to enter the classroom.’ In this study I found that: - Teaching localised curriculum allowed for contextualisation and integration of environment and natural resource management issues - Localising the curriculum contributed to curriculum relevancy: teaching localised curriculum helped learners, teachers and community to develop concern for quality of life and contributed to an understanding of sustainable development - Localised curriculum allowed for frame awareness, frame deconstruction and reframing to take place: this allowed teachers to use methods which promoted active pupil participation and interaction, encouraging learners to be reflexive thinkers rather than just using rote memory - Participation of teachers, community and learners in the implementation of the localised curriculum: The involvement of community members to teach topics of the localised curriculum was useful and articulated processes of inter–epistemological dialogue between traditional or every day and scientific or institutional knowledge - The localised curriculum implementation involved various roles and was influenced by various factors. Of key interest to this study was the fact that neither parents, learners nor teachers saw the localised curriculum as an opportunity for problem solving, but rather emphasised the learning of practical life skills relevant to the community. This differed from the curriculum manuals, and reduced the environmental education potential and also social learning opportunities.

Despite recent advances in the global electrification rates, increasing from 76% in 1990 to 85% in 2012, the United Nations goal of universal access to electricity by 2030 is still far from achieved, with an estimated 1.1 billion people still without access to electricity. Over half of these live in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a majority in rural areas and extreme poverty. Major challenges are inert with the current electrification path of centralized grid extension, leaving these people without power in decades to come. Microgrids, a decentralized power system consisting of solar power generation, energy storage and distribution technology, has been hailed as the only option to provide life improving and productivity inducing power for rural communities in Africa. However, despite recent hype and development in the sector, the diffusion of microgrids is still incremental due to a lack of viable large-scale operation, required for profitability. This is explained by targeting customers in remote rural areas with low ability to pay, and the task of delivering expensive technology and complex operations needed to manage and operate the grids. No industry blueprint or research on how to operate microgrids at scale or profitably exists. This thesis explores one blueprint, with the promise to increase profitability and allow for a more sustainable scaling. Local Capacity building is a decentralized approach by developing capacity directly in the local communities, through recruiting, skills development and training of people to be employed to operate and manage their local microgrids. The results consist of a framework outlining what local capacity building is, through research propositions that define the key components capturing the complete system of local capacity building is for scaling a microgrid business, along with the challenges and opportunities associated with scaling a business using local capacity building. It has been developed iteratively by application of an action research approach conducted on a small-scale Zambian Microgrid company facing radical growth. The researcher was immersed in the context, at the heart of this change, and in a participatory and interventionist fashion turning every stone to explore what local capacity building is, resulting in a robust study anchored in the field. Because of the contextually embedded nature of the data, this also means that the results are local. It is up to the reader to assess the applicability of the results in another context. The extensive results span multiple areas of the business, capturing the complexity of local capacity building, and contribute to knowledge on a holistic level on what local capacity building is. This blueprint was deemed viable to further develop in the small-scale Zambian microgrid company, specifically because of its potential to lower operating expenses and offer a more sustainable way to scale, and in extension diffuse microgrids in Africa.
Trots en positiv utveckling i tillgång till el globalt, ökandes från 76% år 1990, till 85% år 2012, så är Förenta Nationernas mål om universell tillgång till el till år 2030, långt ifrån att bli uppfyllt. 1.1 miljarder människor estimeras vara utan tillgång till el globalt, där över hälften av dessa bor i Sub-Saharanska Afrika, med majoriteten levandes på landsbygden och i extrem fattigdom. Stora utmaningar finns med innevarande elektrifierings strategin, som handlar om centraliserad elproduktion och distribution genom ett centralt elnät, detta kommer att lämna dessa människor utan el under lång tid framöver. Mikronät, ett decentraliserat energisystem, som kan producera och distribuera el, har lyfts fram som det bästa alternativet för att försörja livsförbättrande och produktivitetsökande elektricitet för samhällen på landsbygden i Afrika. Dock, trots nylig hype och utveckling i mikronät sektorn, så är spridningen av mikronät fortfarande inkrementell, beroende av en brist på genomförbarheten av att driva mikronät verksamheten i stor skala, vilket krävs för lönsamhet. Detta förklaras av den fundamentala utmaningen i att inrikta sig mot kunder i avlägsna områden, med en låg förmåga att betala, kombinerat med leveransen av dyr teknologi, och de komplex operativa strukturerna som krävs. Det finns ingen forskning eller blåkopia i industrin som visar hur man skulle kunna bedriva mikronäts verksamhets i stor skala, eller på ett lönsamt vis. Denna forskning undersöker en möjlig sådan blåkopia, med löftet att öka lönsamheten och möjliggöra en mer hållbar spridning. Utveckling av lokal kapacitet, är ett decentraliserat tillvägagångssätt för att utveckla kapacitet direkt i dessa avlägsna samhällen, genom rekrytering, färdighetsutveckling och utbildning av människor för att bli anställda för att sköta deras lokala mikronät. Resultaten i studien består av ett ramverk som visar vad utveckling av lokal kapacitet innebär, genom forskningsförslag som definierar vilka nyckelkomponenter som krävs för att skala upp en mikronäts verksamhet, tillsammans med utmaningar och möjligheter för att göra detta. Ramverket har utvecklats iterativt genom applicering av Action Research, utförd i ett småskaligt mikronät företag i Zambia som står inför en radikal expansion. Forskaren var fördjupad i företagskontexten, i hjärtat av förändringen, och på ett ingripande och deltagande sätt vänt på varenda sten för att utforska vad utveckling av lokal kapacitet är. Detta resulterade i en robust studie, förankrad i verkligheten. På grund av den kontextuellt inbäddade naturen av datan, så betyder detta även att resultaten är lokala. Det är upp till läsaren att bedöma till vilken grad resultaten kan appliceras i en annan kontext. De omfattande resultaten spänner över många olika områden i företaget, och lyckas fånga komplexiteten i vad utveckling av lokal kapacitet är. Blåkopian som utvecklades, bedömdes värdefull att utveckla vidare i företaget där studien gjorde, specifikt för dess potential att minska de operativa kostnaderna och erbjuda ett mer hållbart sätt att skala verksamheten, och i förlängningen, erbjuda ett mer hållbart sätt att sprida tillgång till el i Afrika.

This dissertation explores the plight of vulnerable poor households in Sinazongwe district of Zambia. It determines nature of their vulnerability and identifies commonly used coping strategies. It also identifies different types of livelihood strategies and assets available and accessed by vulnerable poor households to create sustainable livelihoods. Study design used qualitative and participatory paradigms, involving variety of data collection techniques and tools such as key informant interviews and focus group discussions. The study identified several factors impacting on vulnerable poor households, their response strategies and perceived potential sustainable livelihoods. Drought and flash floods destroyed livelihoods of poor households from which they often failed to recover. Vulnerable poor households possessed fewer assets and less diversified sources of income and often lacked back up resources in times of hardship. Livestock rearing, fishing and irrigation-supported gardening were identified as possible sustainable livelihoods for vulnerable poor households in Sinazongwe, to recover and become resilient.
Sociology
M.A. (Development Studies)

This dissertation comprises two components. Component A consists of background to the research and includes the problem statement, aim and objectives. It also includes the literature review, which provides details on the concept of community-based natural resources management (CBNRM) and its benefits as a participatory approach adopted in the management of natural resources. Component B is presented as a research paper that complies with the requirements of the selected journal for purposes of publication shown in appendix I. Relevant information on the purpose of the study and background to the concept of CBNRM from component A is included in component B for purposes of the research paper. It also includes research findings, analysis and conclusions of the study. CBNRM has been identified as a feasible participatory approach to natural resources management based on community needs and priorities. This research reviews the implementation of the Community Environmental Management Programme (CEMP) as a participatory approach adopted by the Zambian Government to address growing environmental concerns, with particular reference to deforestation, as a result of human activities. This study focuses on Luansobe settlement in Mufulira district, one of eight districts in which the CEMP is being implemented as a pilot project. Luansobe is located in the peri-urban area of Mufulira. The majority of the people living in the area are unemployed and live below the poverty datum line. These people are largely dependent on natural resources for their livelihoods. Unfortunately, some of the activities people are engaged in are having adverse impacts on the resources, in particular forest resources. The main sources of livelihoods are charcoal production and subsistence farming, which are contributing greatly to the deforestation of the surrounding Nsato Forest Reserve. The CEMP is intended to set up institutional structures at national, district and community levels to address the problem of deforestation and the related poverty levels. This is under the premise that this situation can be improved with good management and community involvement. The study reviewed literature on the concept of CBNRM with particular reference to co-management as one form of a participatory approach with shared responsibility on the management of natural resources between government and local communities. The significance of community involvement in the use and management of forest resources is highlighted. The factors necessary for the effective implementation of joint management programmes are also highlighted and their importance in achieving conservation, community development and good governance. A case study was reviewed to show the importance of these indicators to the successful implementation of such participatory programmes. A list of indicators was compiled as the basis for the assessment of the implementation of the CEMP. A review of government documents provided background information on the establishment of the CEMP, the need for its implementation in Luansobe and the structures put in place at national, district and community levels to implement the programme. These data were supplemented by information gathered through semi-structured interviews with purposively selected key informants and workshops with local community members. Information obtained showed that the institutional structures implementing the CEMP on the ground are different from those set out in documents and are deficient of communication links among the stakeholders, especially community members. This has had negative effects on the representativeness of decisions made regarding the implementation of the programme and accountability of leaders to community members. This has further affected the implementation of projects under the CEMP intended to improve people's livelihoods through alternative sources of income that promote the sustainable use of forest resources.
Thesis (M.Sc.)- University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

Poverty and the environment are closely linked, as people use environmental resources to support livelihoods. Illegal stone quarrying evident in Lusaka, Zambia is symbolic of the use of environmental resources by the poor. Stone crushing provides income yet it is characterized by land degradation, large-scale excavation and dumping of waste materials. This study provides an analytical account of stone crushing as a livelihood in Lusaka and makes recommendations for improving the livelihoods of stone crushers to become sustainable. Using a livelihoods approach, a qualitative study collected data from various role players in Lusaka. Assets (physical, natural, human, social and political capital) for stone crushers were assessed, revealing that stone crushers lack livelihood assets, key options and are exposed to various shocks due to seasonal shifts. Increasing access to key livelihood assets, reducing vulnerability, improving infrastructure, access to justice and tackling social exclusion and gender inequality will enhance their livelihoods.
Development Studies
M.A. (Development Studies)

This study analyses the possibility of introducing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as an alternative domestic energy source to charcoal in Zambia to mitigate climate change. The study, conducted in Lusaka, used questionnaires, focus group discussions, interviews and literature study to collect data. The study revealed that the introduction of LPG is possible. However, some challenges need to be addressed in order to actualise the change. Lack of knowledge about LPG; non-availability of LPG in most parts of the country; perceived danger of LPG; high prices of LPG and accessories; changing people‟s mind-sets about charcoal; social inequity and lack of government initiative, were the main challenges identified. Social-Ecology and sustainable livelihoods were used as theoretical frameworks to ground the study and analyse the results. The study recommends that government takes the lead to make the change possible and that further research be done on sustainable livelihoods for charcoal producers and traders.
Development Studies
M. A. (Development Studies)