The image of agriculture in two Ciskeian communities
- Authors: Webb, Nigel L
- Date: 1980
- Subjects: Urban agriculture -- Eastern Cape , Land use, Urban -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Urban agriculture
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:4791 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001891
- Description: Agriculture is a complex cultural institution. This is particularly the case when studying subsistence conditions in a tribal system, because aspects requiring investigation include social, religious, political and economic factors (Dalton, 1967). These factors represent an extremely broad sphere of inquiry and the large number of relevant aspects has been the cause of problems plaguing attempts to develop subsistence agriculture (Grigg, 1973). The purpose of this study is to outline an environmental perception approach to agriculture and explore the contribution that the approach could make to agricultural improvement. As such it represents a pilot study which attempts to introduce behavioural science research into agricultural development. Foster (et all (1965) outline three research foci in this respect; the socio-cultural-psychological system of the recipient people (farmers), the system of the innovating organization, and the interaction of the two. This study deals with the first focus outlined by Foster, and aims to make a statement about the image that two semi-subsistence communities have of their agricultural system. In other words, how their agricultural system appears to them.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Webb, Nigel L
- Date: 1980
- Subjects: Urban agriculture -- Eastern Cape , Land use, Urban -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Urban agriculture
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:4791 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001891
- Description: Agriculture is a complex cultural institution. This is particularly the case when studying subsistence conditions in a tribal system, because aspects requiring investigation include social, religious, political and economic factors (Dalton, 1967). These factors represent an extremely broad sphere of inquiry and the large number of relevant aspects has been the cause of problems plaguing attempts to develop subsistence agriculture (Grigg, 1973). The purpose of this study is to outline an environmental perception approach to agriculture and explore the contribution that the approach could make to agricultural improvement. As such it represents a pilot study which attempts to introduce behavioural science research into agricultural development. Foster (et all (1965) outline three research foci in this respect; the socio-cultural-psychological system of the recipient people (farmers), the system of the innovating organization, and the interaction of the two. This study deals with the first focus outlined by Foster, and aims to make a statement about the image that two semi-subsistence communities have of their agricultural system. In other words, how their agricultural system appears to them.
- Full Text:
A comparison of the performance of selected conceptual models of the rainfall-runoff process in semi-arid catchments near Grahamstown
- Authors: Roberts, Peter J T
- Date: 1979
- Subjects: Runoff , Rainfall , South Africa , Grahamstown
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:4798 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001898
- Description: A comparison of the performance of selected conceptual models of the rainfall-runoff process forms the central theme of this study and the comparison was conducted with three major objectives in mind. The first objective was to develop a conceptual model that could be used by practising hydrologists for the refinement and extension of historical streamflow records. The major requirements of the model were that it should be simple in structure and easy to operate and yet be flexible in terms of complexity of structure and input requirements as well as producing output at a level of accuracy that is competitive with that of the more complex models presently available. A comparison of the performance of the required model with that of other models formed an integral part of the development process. The second objective of the comparative study was to contribute to current knowledge of the criteria used in the selection of a suitable model for a particular application. There are, at present, no reliable guidelines to assist the hydrologist in selecting a suitable model from the wide range of models available and a comparative study would indicate the merits of various forms of model structure. The third objective is associated with the problems that arise when no streamflow data are available for model calibration. One approach is to calibrate the model in a nearby gauged catchment that the hydrologist regards as being 'hydrologically similar' and transferring the model parameter values to the ungauged catchment. Little is known about the feasibility of this parameter transfer process or about the choice of a model for such an application. The third objective was to test the feasibility of the parameter transfer process and to make use of the comparison of model performance to determine the model characteristics that are most suitable for the purpose
- Full Text:
- Authors: Roberts, Peter J T
- Date: 1979
- Subjects: Runoff , Rainfall , South Africa , Grahamstown
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:4798 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001898
- Description: A comparison of the performance of selected conceptual models of the rainfall-runoff process forms the central theme of this study and the comparison was conducted with three major objectives in mind. The first objective was to develop a conceptual model that could be used by practising hydrologists for the refinement and extension of historical streamflow records. The major requirements of the model were that it should be simple in structure and easy to operate and yet be flexible in terms of complexity of structure and input requirements as well as producing output at a level of accuracy that is competitive with that of the more complex models presently available. A comparison of the performance of the required model with that of other models formed an integral part of the development process. The second objective of the comparative study was to contribute to current knowledge of the criteria used in the selection of a suitable model for a particular application. There are, at present, no reliable guidelines to assist the hydrologist in selecting a suitable model from the wide range of models available and a comparative study would indicate the merits of various forms of model structure. The third objective is associated with the problems that arise when no streamflow data are available for model calibration. One approach is to calibrate the model in a nearby gauged catchment that the hydrologist regards as being 'hydrologically similar' and transferring the model parameter values to the ungauged catchment. Little is known about the feasibility of this parameter transfer process or about the choice of a model for such an application. The third objective was to test the feasibility of the parameter transfer process and to make use of the comparison of model performance to determine the model characteristics that are most suitable for the purpose
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A comparison of the performance of three conceptual mathematical models of the rainfall-runoff process in the Mareetsane Catchment
- Authors: Stickells Peter S
- Date: 1979
- Subjects: Rain and rainfall Mathematical models South Africa Runoff
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4793 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001893
- Description: The objective of the thesis is to make a critical assessment of the performance of three relatively simple deterministic models of the rainfall-runoff process. The need to evaluate and compare deterministic models arises because of the large number of models which are available in the literature. A number of the available models would appear to be equally suitable for a given situation whereas many models are found to be valid only under the specific range of conditions for which they were developed. Therefore there is a need for guidelines to allow the most judicious selection of a model for a particular set of circumstances. The models used in the study will be tested in a semi-arid catchment to determine their applicability under ephemeral flow conditions
- Full Text:
- Authors: Stickells Peter S
- Date: 1979
- Subjects: Rain and rainfall Mathematical models South Africa Runoff
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4793 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001893
- Description: The objective of the thesis is to make a critical assessment of the performance of three relatively simple deterministic models of the rainfall-runoff process. The need to evaluate and compare deterministic models arises because of the large number of models which are available in the literature. A number of the available models would appear to be equally suitable for a given situation whereas many models are found to be valid only under the specific range of conditions for which they were developed. Therefore there is a need for guidelines to allow the most judicious selection of a model for a particular set of circumstances. The models used in the study will be tested in a semi-arid catchment to determine their applicability under ephemeral flow conditions
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