Natural resource use as a coping and adaptation strategy to floods of vulnerable populations in the Eastern Cape
- Sachikonye, Mwazvita Tapiwa Beatrice
- Authors: Sachikonye, Mwazvita Tapiwa Beatrice
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Flood damage prevention -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Natural resources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Land use -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Human ecology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nature -- Effect of human beings on -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Human beings -- Effect of environment on -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4786 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1018194
- Description: Many of the anticipated increased occurances of natural hazards are not only a consequence of climate change, but rather of rapid and widespread land cover change and the subsequent loss of the buffering capacity provided by healthy ecosystems against natural hazards. Unplanned and unmanaged developments in informal settlements limit government’s ability to mitigate and manage, pointing towards natural resources as being integral for vulnerable communities in developing countries to cope with and mitigate flood disasters. There is a lack of understanding on how natural resources contribute to resilience of vulnerable populations in the Eastern Cape and how they are impacted by these populations before, during and after a flood shock. There also exists a gap in knowledge on how natural resources can mitigate the physical impacts of flooding in South Africa, more so in the Eastern Cape province. Using household questionnaires and GIS techniques, the strategies that households used to recover from the October 2012-February 2013 flood shocks were investigated in informal settlements of three towns (Grahamstown, Port Alfred and Port St Johns). Within the vulnerability paradigm and the sustainable livelihood framework, the study also quantified and evaluated the relative contribution of natural resources to recovery strategies, and lastly, the study investigated how patterns of land use, state of natural vegetation and household topographical location exacerbated or diminished the physical impacts of flooding. This study found that natural resources contributed up to 70 percent to recovery of households from the flood shock, most of this being to reconstruction of housing structures after the flood, less so to economic recovery. It was also found that at a settlement scale the buffering effect of vegetation, although variable amongst settlements, was significant. Settlements that were dominated by dense bush and small trees experienced up to 46 percent less impacts on their property than those surrounded by bare gravel and impervious roofs with degraded environments. The main findings of the research show that natural resources reduce the vulnerability of households in informal settlements to flooding in two significant ways; by physically mitigating against damage to shelters and by also providing an emergency-net function that substitutes financial capital in households. Their inclusion in disaster management has the potential to encourage the sustainable livelihoods of the urban poor in the Eastern Cape
- Full Text:
- Authors: Sachikonye, Mwazvita Tapiwa Beatrice
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Flood damage prevention -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Natural resources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Land use -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Human ecology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nature -- Effect of human beings on -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Human beings -- Effect of environment on -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4786 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1018194
- Description: Many of the anticipated increased occurances of natural hazards are not only a consequence of climate change, but rather of rapid and widespread land cover change and the subsequent loss of the buffering capacity provided by healthy ecosystems against natural hazards. Unplanned and unmanaged developments in informal settlements limit government’s ability to mitigate and manage, pointing towards natural resources as being integral for vulnerable communities in developing countries to cope with and mitigate flood disasters. There is a lack of understanding on how natural resources contribute to resilience of vulnerable populations in the Eastern Cape and how they are impacted by these populations before, during and after a flood shock. There also exists a gap in knowledge on how natural resources can mitigate the physical impacts of flooding in South Africa, more so in the Eastern Cape province. Using household questionnaires and GIS techniques, the strategies that households used to recover from the October 2012-February 2013 flood shocks were investigated in informal settlements of three towns (Grahamstown, Port Alfred and Port St Johns). Within the vulnerability paradigm and the sustainable livelihood framework, the study also quantified and evaluated the relative contribution of natural resources to recovery strategies, and lastly, the study investigated how patterns of land use, state of natural vegetation and household topographical location exacerbated or diminished the physical impacts of flooding. This study found that natural resources contributed up to 70 percent to recovery of households from the flood shock, most of this being to reconstruction of housing structures after the flood, less so to economic recovery. It was also found that at a settlement scale the buffering effect of vegetation, although variable amongst settlements, was significant. Settlements that were dominated by dense bush and small trees experienced up to 46 percent less impacts on their property than those surrounded by bare gravel and impervious roofs with degraded environments. The main findings of the research show that natural resources reduce the vulnerability of households in informal settlements to flooding in two significant ways; by physically mitigating against damage to shelters and by also providing an emergency-net function that substitutes financial capital in households. Their inclusion in disaster management has the potential to encourage the sustainable livelihoods of the urban poor in the Eastern Cape
- Full Text:
The relative contribution of non-timber forest products, agriculture and off-farm sources of income to rural households in Koloni and Guquka, Eastern Cape
- Authors: Mtati, Nosiseko
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Informal sector (Economics) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural poor -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Households -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Forest products -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Non-timber forest products -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Natural resources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Income -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4785 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1018193
- Description: [Partial abstract]: This study was carried out to determine the contribution of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) to household total income, other livelihood sectors were also examined simultaneously. The contribution of agriculture involved livestock and crop production. Wages and government grants were other livelihood sectors that were looked into. This study was important in determining the change in livelihood strategies in the last decade and to quantify the NTFPs used at the two sites. It was carried out in Guquka and Koloni, both part of the central Eastern Cape. Information on direct use value of the NTFPs used, the quantities and local price; crop production outputs and inputs and the costs. Data were collected via a questionnaire.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Mtati, Nosiseko
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Informal sector (Economics) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural poor -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Households -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Forest products -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Non-timber forest products -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Natural resources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Income -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4785 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1018193
- Description: [Partial abstract]: This study was carried out to determine the contribution of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) to household total income, other livelihood sectors were also examined simultaneously. The contribution of agriculture involved livestock and crop production. Wages and government grants were other livelihood sectors that were looked into. This study was important in determining the change in livelihood strategies in the last decade and to quantify the NTFPs used at the two sites. It was carried out in Guquka and Koloni, both part of the central Eastern Cape. Information on direct use value of the NTFPs used, the quantities and local price; crop production outputs and inputs and the costs. Data were collected via a questionnaire.
- Full Text:
The impact of HIV/AIDS on rural children's reliance on natural resources within the Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: McGarry, Dylan Kenneth
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Natural resources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , AIDS (Disease) in children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , HIV infections -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , AIDS (Disease) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Children of AIDS patients -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Wild foods -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food supply -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Children -- Social conditions -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4759 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007149 , Natural resources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , AIDS (Disease) in children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , HIV infections -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , AIDS (Disease) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Children of AIDS patients -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Wild foods -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food supply -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Children -- Social conditions -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The role of natural resources in the lives of rural children impacted by HIV/AIDS remains unexplored. This study highlights wild food use by rural children vulnerable to the impacts of HIV/AIDS as an important and regular activity that supplements their domestic diets. This work found that with an increase in vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, children rely more on wild foods. Through an 18 month project in the Eastern Cape, using a broad quantitative and qualitative school and non-school survey, individual interviews, food diaries, participant observation, interactive photography, and other participatory techniques, a total of 850 children's coping strategies and livelihoods were examined. The quality of children’s domestic diets was, on average, 60% lower than the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) guidelines. However, 62% of the children interviewed were supplementing their diets with wild foods, 30% having over half their diet supplemented with wild foods. Dietary diversity showed a 13% increase when wild food supplementation occurred. While traditionally rural children rely on reciprocal networks during times of crisis, we found that these networks were eroding from the pressures of HIV/AIDS. Begging, for some children, was replaced by wild food collection and a significantly larger proportion of children more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS relied on wild foods more than did less vulnerable children. Considering the heightened nutritional and energy needs of children, combined with the impact of HIV/AIDS on household food access, wild foods represent the last freely attainable food sources available to them. Hunting and collection of wild food is a group activity, which was found to have valuable psychosocial benefits. Commercialisation of wild foods was observed among 38% of the children, with significantly more vulnerable children selling wild foods. The use of wild foods by rural children also had positive influences on the preservation of indigenous ecological knowledge.
- Full Text:
- Authors: McGarry, Dylan Kenneth
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Natural resources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , AIDS (Disease) in children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , HIV infections -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , AIDS (Disease) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Children of AIDS patients -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Wild foods -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food supply -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Children -- Social conditions -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4759 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007149 , Natural resources -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , AIDS (Disease) in children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , HIV infections -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , AIDS (Disease) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Children of AIDS patients -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Wild foods -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food supply -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Children -- Social conditions -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The role of natural resources in the lives of rural children impacted by HIV/AIDS remains unexplored. This study highlights wild food use by rural children vulnerable to the impacts of HIV/AIDS as an important and regular activity that supplements their domestic diets. This work found that with an increase in vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, children rely more on wild foods. Through an 18 month project in the Eastern Cape, using a broad quantitative and qualitative school and non-school survey, individual interviews, food diaries, participant observation, interactive photography, and other participatory techniques, a total of 850 children's coping strategies and livelihoods were examined. The quality of children’s domestic diets was, on average, 60% lower than the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) guidelines. However, 62% of the children interviewed were supplementing their diets with wild foods, 30% having over half their diet supplemented with wild foods. Dietary diversity showed a 13% increase when wild food supplementation occurred. While traditionally rural children rely on reciprocal networks during times of crisis, we found that these networks were eroding from the pressures of HIV/AIDS. Begging, for some children, was replaced by wild food collection and a significantly larger proportion of children more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS relied on wild foods more than did less vulnerable children. Considering the heightened nutritional and energy needs of children, combined with the impact of HIV/AIDS on household food access, wild foods represent the last freely attainable food sources available to them. Hunting and collection of wild food is a group activity, which was found to have valuable psychosocial benefits. Commercialisation of wild foods was observed among 38% of the children, with significantly more vulnerable children selling wild foods. The use of wild foods by rural children also had positive influences on the preservation of indigenous ecological knowledge.
- Full Text:
- «
- ‹
- 1
- ›
- »