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Distribution and use of cash income from basket and mat crafting: Implications for rural livelihoods in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

- Adam, Y O, Shackleton, Charlie M

  • Authors: Adam, Y O , Shackleton, Charlie M
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: To be catalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/180434 , vital:43388 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1080/14728028.2016.1186576"
  • Description: The objective of this paper was to investigate the extent to which baskets and mats local trade contributes to rural livelihoods of the crafters’ household and community downstream income. Primary data were collected through structured interviews with 83 crafters from Noqhekwana village in Port St. Johns municipality using snowball sampling in May, 2015. The survey was supplemented by secondary data and direct observations. The findings show that crafting contributed 35% of crafter’s household total income. The received income is spent on expenses in the household and downstream actors depending on the crafter’s priorities. Lack of organization between crafters, access to sufficient raw material, and low prices were identified as major challenges involved in the production and trade of the products.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

Understanding foraging practices in Lagos metropolis to redesign urban greenspaces in support of human-nature interactions

- Adeyemi, Opeyemi, Shackleton, Charlie M

  • Authors: Adeyemi, Opeyemi , Shackleton, Charlie M
  • Date: 2023
  • Subjects: To be catalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/401353 , vital:69728 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2022.127805"
  • Description: Enhancing knowledge of urban foraging across different urban landscapes is an urgent matter given that about two-thirds of the world’s population is projected to live in urban areas by 2050, whilst 50 % of Africa’s population is expected to live in cities by 2030. This study was conducted in Lagos metropolis which is the economic hub of Africa’s most populous country. Data was collected using an in-person, semi-structured questionnaire from 347 persons who were 18 years or older to identify foragers and non-foragers, their sociodemographic profiles, and their foraging practices. Results revealed that about two out of three persons sampled forage to some degree. The collection happened more in domestic gardens (34 %) and streets (27 %) than in other foraging sites (such as unused lands, institutional grounds and lakes and riparian fringes). A total of 35 species were reportedly foraged within the metropolis, mostly for food (71 %) and medicine (26 %). Mango (Mangifera indica), pawpaw (Carica papaya), tropical almond (Terminalia catappa), fish (various species), bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea) were the most gathered species. The distance travelled to foraging wild species ranged from 5 m to 25 km. The primary motivation for foraging was the acquisition of fresh and natural materials. However, some felt that foraging was a stressful activity. The unavailability of foraging sites and species was the major constraint to foraging in this megacity. Hence, efforts to increase the edible components of public green spaces and to provide free access could potentially allow more people to forage and make current foraging more secure. We suggest that making provisions for foraging in urban planning goals could contribute to the sustainable development of cities in Africa and elsewhere.
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  • Date Issued: 2023

The landscape of childhood: play and place as tools to understanding children’s enviromental use and perceptions

- Alexander, Jamie K, Cocks, Michelle L, Shackleton, Charlie M

  • Authors: Alexander, Jamie K , Cocks, Michelle L , Shackleton, Charlie M
  • Date: 2015
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/141165 , vital:37949 , DOI: 10.1007/s10745-015-9755-z
  • Description: Research has shown that children are the greatest users of natural areas and that childhood experiences strongly shape adults’ environmental values. This project was designed to ascertain children’s environmental uses and perceptions in two rural villages in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, utilising children’s use of the environment for play and their sense of place as key focus areas. Several factors influenced children’s environmental use, including safety fears, increased consumption of western media and environmental restrictions imposed by the state, revealing how South Africa’s high level of violence against women and children contributes to gendered environmental use and knowledge, and bringing about concern for children’s cultural identity in an increasingly westernised world.
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  • Date Issued: 2015

Paper recycling patterns and potential interventions in the education sector: A case study of paper streams at Rhodes University, South Africa

- Amutenya, N, Shackleton, Charlie M, Whittington-Jones, Kevin J

  • Authors: Amutenya, N , Shackleton, Charlie M , Whittington-Jones, Kevin J
  • Date: 2009
  • Subjects: To be catalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181180 , vital:43705 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2008.12.001"
  • Description: This paper considers the use of paper by academics and student computer laboratories at Rhodes University as a basis for identifying areas to reduce the amounts used and increase rates of recycling. A sample of 50 academic staff monitored the volume and purpose of the paper they used over 5 months, and the procurement officers in all the academic departments were interviewed regarding the total amount of paper used per academic department. Mean use was 34 ± 20 new sheets of paper per working day, of which 3% were trashed, 15% were kept for later use (as scrap or printed on the opposite side) and 79% were given out as notes to students, filed as records or posted out as mail to other departments or institutions. There was a significant relationship between number of students served by a department and the overall demand for paper, as well the number of staff per department and the number of recycling bins. The university could save approximately US$ 7000 per year for every 10% reduction in current use of paper (12,784 reams/year). Reduction in paper usage could be achieved through an increase in re-use of paper, printing handouts for students on both sides of each sheet of paper and by investing in printers that are capable of printing on both sides of a sheet of paper. Double-sided printers are only 20–25% more expensive than single-sided ones, but will potentially reduce paper usage by half. A 40% reduction would save the university approximately US $ 20,000 per year in direct costs, and more in reduced waste streams, as well as help promote the environmental image of the university. On a per unit basis, the higher costs for a double-sided printer in offices would be repaid in 9 months or less through reduced paper use.
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  • Date Issued: 2009

The potential influence of commercial plant nurseries in shaping the urban forest in South Africa

- Arnoldi, Marco, Shackleton, Charlie M

  • Authors: Arnoldi, Marco , Shackleton, Charlie M
  • Date: 2021
  • Subjects: To be catalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/398408 , vital:69409 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127254"
  • Description: A substantial portion of urban green infrastructure is under private tenure in residents’ and business/corporate gardens. Therefore, the ways that urban residents manage their gardens can influence the type, quantity and quality of ecosystem services and disservices in urban areas. Plant nurseries are a major source of trees for urban residents, and so the types of trees and species that nurseries stock influence the composition of private gardens. Consequently, this study aimed to examine the roles that plant nurseries play in shaping the urban forest in South Africa. To do so, an online and direct questionnaire was used to gather data from 30 nurseries across 19 urban centres in South Africa. The main questions included species selection criteria, customer tree inquiries, best-selling tree species, attitudes towards increasing urban tree cover and diversity and whether they think climate change will affect the selection of species to stock. The results show that there is a strong preference for indigenous trees, which were also most commonly listed as best-sellers. Non-native species that were commonly sold were ones that provided provisioning services, particularly edible fruits. Drought tolerance influenced selection criteria and customer demand. Vachellia spp. and Olea europaea were commonly inquired about and most commonly listed amongst the best-sellers. Nursery owners valued the importance of increasing tree cover and diversity in urban areas, listing many perceived benefits for doing so. We conclude that there is a clear preference for indigenous tree species by customers and nursery owners, which in time could increase the proportion and cover of native species.
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  • Date Issued: 2021

Valuing South Africa's savannas: Methodological Issues

- Ballance, A, Shackleton, Charlie M, Shackleton, Sheona E, Geach, B S, Crookes, D, De Wit, M, Evans, J, von Maltitz, G, Willis, C B, Kelatwang, S, Havemann, J

  • Authors: Ballance, A , Shackleton, Charlie M , Shackleton, Sheona E , Geach, B S , Crookes, D , De Wit, M , Evans, J , von Maltitz, G , Willis, C B , Kelatwang, S , Havemann, J
  • Date: 2001
  • Subjects: To be catalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/182262 , vital:43816 , xlink:href="https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC33860"
  • Description: Natural resource valuation techniques have been applied in recent years to savannas and savanna resources in South and southern Africa. Results from these studies have been used to demonstrate the importance of savannas, and to assist in resource-use planning. Because these studies have been conducted to meet different research objectives a large number of disparities exist between studies. This makes comparison of results difficult and identification of underlying drivers of value is problematic. This paper discusses issues which can lead to differences in estimates of resource value, and makes recommendations for future studies to reduce incompatibilities. In particular, this paper recommends that future studies make full descriptions of the objectives of the study, the background characteristics of the study area (including the social, political, economic, cultural, and biophysical characteristics), the methods used, and assumptions made. In this way, the values reported from case studies may be used in other research and decision-making exercises.
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  • Date Issued: 2001

The Southern African Program on Ecosystem Change and Society: an emergent community of practice

- Biggs, Reinette, Reyers, Belinda, Blanchard, Ryan, Clements, Hayley S, Cockburn, Jessica, Cumming, Graeme S, Cundill, Georgina, de Vos, Alta, Dziba, Luthando, Esler, Karen J, Fabricius, Christo, Hamann, Maike, Henriksson, Rebecka, Kotschy, Karen, Lindborg, Regina, Luvuno, Linda, Masterson, Vanessa A, Nel, Jeanne L, O'Farrell, Patrick, Palmer, Carolyn G, Pereira, Laura, Pollard, Sharon, Preiser, Rika, Roux, Dirk J, Scholes, Robert J, Selomane, Odirlwe, Shackleton, Charlie M, Shackleton, Sheona, Sitas, Nadia, Slingsby, Jasper A, Spierenburg, Marja, Tengö, Maria

Social-ecological change: insights from the Southern African Program on Ecosystem Change and Society

- Biggs, Reinette, Clements, Hayley S, Cumming, Graeme S, Cundill, Georgina, de Vos, Alta, Hamann, Maike, Luvuno, Linda, Roux, Dirk J, Selomane, Odirlwe, Blanchard, Ryan, Cockburn, Jessica, Dziba, Luthando, Esler, Karen J, Fabricius, Christo, Henriksson, Rebecka, Kotschy, Karen, Lindborg, Regina, Masterson, Vanessa A, Nel, Jeanne L, O'Farrell, Patrick, Palmer, Carolyn G, Pereira, Laura, Pollard, Sharon, Preiser, Rika, Scholes, Robert J, Shackleton, Charlie M, Shackleton, Sheona, Sitas, Nadia, Slingsby, Jasper A, Spierenburg, Maria, Tengö, Maria, Reyers, Belinda

Cropland abandonment in South African smallholder communal lands: Land cover change (1950–2010) and farmer perceptions of contributing factors

- Blair, Dale, Shackleton, Charlie M, Mograbi, Penelope J

  • Authors: Blair, Dale , Shackleton, Charlie M , Mograbi, Penelope J
  • Date: 2018
  • Subjects: To be catalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/180297 , vital:43351 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3390/land7040121"
  • Description: Despite agricultural land abandonment threatening the food security and the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, it is pervasive globally and in developing countries. Yet land abandonment is an understudied aspect of land use change in social–ecological systems. Here we provide more information on this phenomenon by exploring cropland abandonment during 1950–2010 in four former South African ‘homelands’—part of the ‘Apartheid’ era racially-based land allocation programs—characterized by rural, smallholder farmers. Cropland abandonment 1950–2010 was widespread in all surveyed sites (KwaZulu: 0.08% year−1, Transkei: 0.13% year−1, Lebowa: 0.23% year−1, Venda: 0.28% year−1), with rates peaking between 1970 and 1990, with concomitant increases (up to 0.16% year−1) of woody vegetation cover at the expense of grassland cover. Active and past farmers attributed cropland abandonment to a lack of draught power, rainfall variability and droughts, and a more modernized youth disinclined to living a marginal agrarian lifestyle. We discuss the potential social and ecological implications of abandoned croplands at the local and regional scales, as the deagrarianization trend is unlikely to abate considering the failure of current South African national agricultural incentives.
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  • Date Issued: 2018

Market profiles and trade in medicinal plants in the Lowveld, South Africa

- Botha, Jenny, Witkowski, Ed T F, Shackleton, Charlie M

  • Authors: Botha, Jenny , Witkowski, Ed T F , Shackleton, Charlie M
  • Date: 2004
  • Subjects: Kruger National Park
  • Language: English
  • Type: Article
  • Identifier: vital:6625 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006817
  • Description: Rising demand for medicinal plants has led to increased pressure on wild plant populations. This, combined with shrinking habitats, means that many species in South Africa are now facing local extinction. In 1997, a study was initiated to determine the extent of trade in medicinal plants in the South African Lowveld (the low lying plains to the east of the Drakensberg escarpment), and to investigate socio-economic factors influencing trade and resource management. Trade was not as extensive in the Lowveld as in major urban markets such as Durban or the Witwatersrand (Johannesburg and surrounding towns), either in terms of the quantity, number or range of species sold, or the numbers of people relying on the trade for an income. In markets assessed in Mpumalanga Province, 176 species were identified (71% of the vernacular names encountered in the market place), representing 69 plant families. In Limpopo, 70 different species were identified (84% of the vernacular names encountered in the market place), representing 40 families. Imports were significant in Mpumalanga (33% of the plants on offer), mainly from Mozambique. A detrended correspondence analysis showed substantial differences between species traded in Mpumalanga and those sold in Limpopo. There was little variation in the species stocked by vendors in Mpumalanga, regardless of the season, the attributes of the seller, or whether business was carried out in urban or rural areas. In contrast, there was considerable variation in the stock inventories of the Limpopo traders. Despite the lower levels of local trade, increased harvesting pressure is being experienced regionally, to meet demand in metropolitan centres such as the Witwatersrand. This study showed considerable local variation and complexities in the harvesting and marketing of medicinal plants, with both a national and an international dimension. This dual spatial scale presents both opportunities and challenges in the management of these plants, which need to be addressed simultaneously, particularly with respect to research requirements and development of predictive models and capacity. Cooperation in conservation strategies and policies is required at regional, national and international levels, while ensuring that management initiatives take into account local market conditions and the socio-economic realities facing both consumers and those who depend on the trade for their livelihoods.
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  • Date Issued: 2004

Socio-economic differentiation in the trade of wildlife species for traditional medicines in the Lowveld, South Africa: Implications for resource management initiatives

- Botha, Jenny, Witkowski, Ed T F, Shackleton, Charlie M, Fairbanks, Dean H K

  • Authors: Botha, Jenny , Witkowski, Ed T F , Shackleton, Charlie M , Fairbanks, Dean H K
  • Date: 2004
  • Subjects: To be catalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/183071 , vital:43909 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1080/13504500409469832"
  • Description: Surveys of trade in wildlife products utilised in traditional medicine were conducted between 1997 and 1999 on the western boundary of the Kruger National Park, South Africa. Although the extent of trade and numbers of people operating in this sector were lower than other regions of South Africa, this study again highlighted the value of indigenous wildlife products to subsistence economies. Apart from cultural diversity, socioeconomic differentiation occurred at a number of levels. (i) There were socio-economic differences between the traders and vendors. (ii) Gender differences were apparent, with women earning significantly less than men and having to undergo more social challenges in their operation in the market place. (iii) Operational differences were noted between the vendors and traders, as well as between the street and pension day vendors. (iv) Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) highlighted the socio-economic differentiation at the household level, emphasizing in particular one of the most vulnerable groups, the elderly. The potential influence of this socio-economic differentiation needs to be considered during the development of Community-Based Conservation programmes, if the dual aims of conserving biodiversity and improving the lives and livelihoods of those who traditionally rely on medicinal plants are to be met.
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  • Date Issued: 2004

An inventory of medicinal plants traded on the western boundary of the Kruger National Park, South Africa

- Botha, Jenny, Witkowski, Ed T F, Shackleton, Charlie M

  • Authors: Botha, Jenny , Witkowski, Ed T F , Shackleton, Charlie M
  • Date: 2001
  • Subjects: To be catalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181662 , vital:43756 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.4102/koedoe.v44i2.172"
  • Description: The World Health Organisation estimates that traditional medicine still plays a vital role in the lives of 70-80 of the populations of developing countries. Approximately 20 000 tons of medicinal plants are estimated to be traded in South Africa annually, resulting in considerable pressure on the wild populations from which these plants are harvested. In 1997, a study was initiated to assess the extent of trade in medicinal plants on the western boundary of the Kruger National Park, and to determine local perceptions of the availability and values of these plants. This paper presents an inventory of the species traded, including vendors' and traders' perceptions of current availability of species and consumer demand, as well as price/kg. In Mpumalanga, 176 species were identified (71 of the vernacular names encountered in the market place), representing 69 families. In Northern Province, 70 different species were identified (84 of the vernacular names recorded in the markets), representing 40 families. Perceptions of availability of a species varied considerably, often within the same markets. Perceptions of demand tended to be more consistent, although these also sometimes varied. Although monitoring markets is an efficient means of assessing the conservation status of medicinal plants, it is important to select appropriate parameters. Markets often differ from one another, and an understanding of local conditions is crucial. For example, in the medicinal markets on the western boundary of the Kruger National Park, price/kg and market perceptions of availability of species were highly variable and would thus not provide a consistent monitoring parameter. Perceptions of demand provide an indication of current and potential pressure on a species, particularly when combined with the monitoring of species traded, and the introduction of substitutes in the market place. The size of plant parts traded could also provide useful monitoring data. It is important to identify the plants utilised locally first hand where possible, due to the variation of vernacular names from one area to another.
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  • Date Issued: 2001

Harvesting impacts on commonly used medicinal tree species (Catha edulis and Rapanea melanophloeos) under different land management regimes in the Mpumalanga Lowveld, South Africa

- Botha, Jenny, Witkowski, Ed T F, Shackleton, Charlie M

  • Authors: Botha, Jenny , Witkowski, Ed T F , Shackleton, Charlie M
  • Date: 2004
  • Subjects: To be catalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181379 , vital:43728 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.4102/koedoe.v47i2.77"
  • Description: Harvesting of products from plants in the wild is widespread throughout southern Africa. Particularly important products are plant parts used in traditional medicine. However, the impacts of harvesting practices are rarely quantified, with as yet insufficient generic rules across species and life forms. This limits the predictive ability to monitor and manage the affected populations. This paper examines the harvesting impact on two popular woody medicinal species used throughout sub-Saharan Africa, namely Catha edulis (Vahl) Forssk. ex Endl. (bushman’s tea) and Rapanea melanophloeos (L.) Mez. (Cape beech). In both species, basal diameters, heights, and the number of size classes in the harvested populations were lower than in unharvested. Densities of harvested populations were higher in both species, including densities of young plants, but the frequency of individuals in larger size classes was lower. The populations of both species being harvested for medicinal products appeared to be withstanding the current levels of harvesting, but the population structure of C. edulis populations being harvested for poles on the roadside and near human settlements had been substantially altered. Despite the resilience of the two species to harvesting for medicinal products, loss of habitat or changes in land use pose a threat to a number of the assessed populations.
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  • Date Issued: 2004

A comparison of anthropogenic and elephant disturbance on Acacia xanthophloea (fever tree) populations in the Lowveld, South Africa

- Botha, Jenny, Witkowski, Ed T F, Shackleton, Charlie M

  • Authors: Botha, Jenny , Witkowski, Ed T F , Shackleton, Charlie M
  • Date: 2002
  • Subjects: To be catalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181629 , vital:43753 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.4102/koedoe.v45i1.10"
  • Description: Acacia xanthophloea (the ‘fever tree’) is a popular medicinal species that is traded widely in South Africa. Although it occurs throughout southern Africa, there is increasing pressure on its riverine and marshy habitats. This study compares the impact of harvesting on an A. xanthophloea population located on private land near Komatipoort, Mpumalanga, with two protected populations situated within the Kruger National Park. The densities of the harvested and protected populations were similar (84±8 trees/ha and 85±20 trees/ha, respectively). There were fluctuations in the quotients between frequencies of trees in successive diameter classes, which is common in savanna where high levels of fire, mega-herbivore and anthropogenic disturbance are experienced. The extent of stem damage (stripping of bark and breakage) by elephants in the protected area was significantly higher than the extent of harvesting on private land, although the degree of damage was relatively low, with only 7 % of the populations having been damaged at rates >26 %. The degree of harvesting on private land was relatively low, with the majority of trees having been harvested at rates of less than 10 % of the stem below 2 m. Despite this, ringbarking had occurred (4 %). The basal diameters and heights were significantly lower in the protected population than in the harvested one, suggesting that over time elephant impact was the more severe disturbance. Acacia xanthophloea exhibited high resilience to disturbance, with all the elephant damaged trees and harvested individuals surviving. However, the mean bark thickness measured in local markets (6.3±1.4 mm) was significantly lower than that measured in either the harvested (12.4±1.0 mm) or the KNP (10.3±0.8 mm) populations. As harvesters tend to select the largest individuals in a population to maximise their financial returns, this could mean that smaller individuals are being harvested, and/or bark is not being given sufficient time to grow back after harvesting. Acacia xanthophloea outside protected areas thus need to be monitored and the management improved, preferably in conjunction with the resource users. In addition, traditional healers, those selling medicinal plants and other members of the community need to continue to be encouraged to cultivate this fast growing species.
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  • Date Issued: 2002

Factors influencing prices of medicinal plants traded in the Lowveld, South Africa

- Botha, Jenny, Witkowski, Ed T F, Shackleton, Charlie M

  • Authors: Botha, Jenny , Witkowski, Ed T F , Shackleton, Charlie M
  • Date: 2007
  • Subjects: To be catalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181257 , vital:43713 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1080/13504500709469745"
  • Description: There has been limited research into pricing and consumer behaviour in the informal sector, an understanding of which is critical to effective management of extensively traded wildlife resources. This paper explores factors influencing prices of wild-collected medicinal plants traded in the Lowveld, South Africa. Resource management decisions relating to medicinal plants are often based on the high price/kg values of certain species, and the assumption that there is an inverse relationship between the availability of products and prices. Despite the high-utility value of these plants, subsistence consumers have historically paid low prices for products. In this study, price/kg fluctuated widely, as did market players' perceptions of species availability and consumer demand. Unit prices were low, with a few exceptions. There was no relationship between prices and perceptions of species availability. No relationship was found between prices and consumer demand in one study area, although there was a non-significant relationship in the other. The size of products was the main determinant of price. Consumers were prepared to pay higher prices for certain species, e.g.those used to treat children, those considered highly dangerous (culturally) to collect, or those used for anti-social purposes.
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  • Date Issued: 2007

The impact of commercial harvesting on Warburgia salutaris (‘pepper-bark tree’) in Mpumalanga, South Africa

- Botha, Jenny, Witkowski, Ed T F, Shackleton, Charlie M

  • Authors: Botha, Jenny , Witkowski, Ed T F , Shackleton, Charlie M
  • Date: 2004
  • Subjects: To be catalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/181391 , vital:43729 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1023/B:BIOC.0000029333.72945.b0"
  • Description: Commercialisation often increases the difficulty in managing harvested plant populations sustainably. The bark of the popular medicinal species, Warburgia salutaris (Bertol.f.) Chiov. (Canellaceae) (‘pepper-bark tree’), is widely traded throughout southern Africa. The impact of commercial harvesting on this Red Data species was assessed by comparing commercially harvested populations with populations growing on private land or in protected areas (termed ‘protected populations’) in Mpumalanga and Limpopo Province, South Africa. The basal diameters and heights of stems in commercially harvested populations were significantly lower than those of the protected populations. The density of young/small plants was low in all populations. W. salutaris is usually resilient to high levels of bark harvesting. In this study, 75% of heavily harvested stems (>10% of the stem below 2 m) coppiced (resprouted). However, individuals that had been affected by regular fires, or repeatedly harvested, appeared prone to a fungal disease and had high percentage mortality. The populations occurring on private land appeared the most vigorous. Habitat in one protected area had been reduced through the construction of a dam. In another, small W. salutaris populations exhibited a shrubby growth form, probably due to frequent fires. Our current knowledge for this species supports a global IUCN status of EN A4acd. Plant conservation needs to become a higher priority both within and outside protected areas. Commercially harvested populations should be better managed through improved harvesting techniques and monitoring. Cultivation levels urgently need to be increased. Further research should be conducted on factors limiting regeneration, including the most appropriate fire regime.
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  • Date Issued: 2004

Voices of the hungry: A qualitative measure of household food access and food insecurity in South Africa

- Chakona, Gamucharai, Shackleton, Charlie M

  • Authors: Chakona, Gamucharai , Shackleton, Charlie M
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: To be catalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/398443 , vital:69412 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s40066-017-0149-x"
  • Description: South Africa is rated a food secure nation, but large numbers of households within the country have inadequate access to nutrient-rich diverse foods. The study sought to investigate households’ physical and economic access and availability of food, in relation to local context which influences households’ access to and ability to grow food which may affect the dietary quality. We sought to understand self-reported healthy diets, food insecurity from the perspective of people who experienced it, barriers to household food security and perceptions and feelings on food access as well as strategies households use to cope with food shortages and their perceptions on improving household food security.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Minimum dietary diversity scores for women indicate micronutrient adequacy and food insecurity status in South African towns

- Chakona, Gamuchirai, Shackleton, Charlie M

  • Authors: Chakona, Gamuchirai , Shackleton, Charlie M
  • Date: 2017
  • Language: English
  • Type: article , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/60930 , vital:27892 , http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu9080812
  • Description: The lack of dietary diversity is a severe problem experienced by most poor households globally. In particular; women of reproductive age (WRA) are at high risk of inadequate intake of micronutrients resulting from diets dominated by starchy staples. The present study considered the diets, dietary diversity, and food security of women aged 15-49 years along the rural-urban continuum in three South African towns situated along an agro-ecological gradient. A 48 h dietary recall was conducted across two seasons with 554 women from rural, peri-urban, and urban locations of Richards Bay, Dundee, and Harrismith. Minimum Dietary Diversity for WRA (MDD-W) were calculated and a dichotomous indicator based on a set of ten food groups was used to determine if women had consumed at least five food groups the previous 48 h to achieve minimum dietary intake for women. The mean (±sd) MDD-W for Richards Bay (3.78 ± 0.07) was significantly higher than at Dundee (3.21 ± 0.08) and Harrismith (3.36 ± 0.07). Food security and MDD-W were significantly higher in urban locations than in peri-urban or rural ones. There was lower dependence on food purchasing in Richards Bay compared to Dundee and Harrismith. The majority of women in Richards Bay practiced subsistence agriculture, produced a surplus for sale, and collected wild foods which improved dietary intake and food security. The peri-urban populations had limited dietary intake and were more food insecure because of high levels of poverty, unemployment, and lack of land. Peri-urban dwellers are therefore more sensitive to changes in incomes and food prices because they lack safety nets to absorb income or price shocks as they purchase more, rather than growing their own food. This compromises dietary diversity as they have limited access to diverse foods.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Voices of the hungry: a qualitative measure of household food access and food insecurity in South Africa

- Chakona, Gamuchirai, Shackleton, Charlie M

  • Authors: Chakona, Gamuchirai , Shackleton, Charlie M
  • Date: 2013
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/67277 , vital:29066 , https://doi.org/10.1186/s40066-017-0149-x
  • Description: publisher version , Background: South Africa is rated a food secure nation, but large numbers of households within the country have inadequate access to nutrient-rich diverse foods. The study sought to investigate households’ physical and economic access and availability of food, in relation to local context which influences households’ access to and ability to grow food which may affect the dietary quality. We sought to understand self-reported healthy diets, food insecurity from the perspective of people who experienced it, barriers to household food security and perceptions and feelings on food access as well as strategies households use to cope with food shortages and their perceptions on improving household food security. Methods: Focus group discussions were conducted along a rural–urban continuum in three South African towns situated along an agro-ecological gradient. Participants were asked about their knowledge of healthy diets, factors influencing their food consumption, their perceptions regarding food insecurity, barriers to food security, coping strategies and solutions to improve access to nutrient-rich foods. Results: A total of 91 people participated in 11 focus groups, with 76% females. The majority of participants aged between 31 and 50 years. Participants were knowledgeable about healthy diets but had limited access to it hence consumed monotonous diets. The perceptions provided insights into the pressing issues of inadequate access to food, food insecurity, coping strategies and ideas on improving food security. The majority of participants reported on experiencing food insecurity and female-headed households, unemployed and orphaned children were most vulnerable. Focus group participants highlighted the complexity of the food system in their communities which relies on own production, collecting from open spaces, donations and to a larger extent purchase, in the context of unemployment, low income, water and land shortages as well as theft. Conclusion: The results provide a significant contribution from a needs assessment perspective from the communities, identify “hidden” constrains in household food access and provide effective future solutions for improving food security in the communities. Government should assist with capacity building, employment creation and providing resources (especially, land and water) for communities to practise agriculture which they all agreed can improve food security.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2013

Food taboos and cultural beliefs influence food choice and dietary preferences among pregnant women in the eastern cape, South Africa

- Chakona, Gamuchirai, Shackleton, Charlie M

  • Authors: Chakona, Gamuchirai , Shackleton, Charlie M
  • Date: 2019
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/177444 , vital:42822 , https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11112668
  • Description: A well-nourished and healthy population is a central tenet of sustainable development. In South Africa, cultural beliefs and food taboos followed by some pregnant women influence their food consumption, which impacts the health of mothers and children during pregnancy and immediately afterwards. We documented food taboos and beliefs amongst pregnant isiXhosa women from five communities in the Kat River Valley, South Africa. A mixed-methods approach was used, which was comprised of questionnaire interviews with 224 women and nine focus group discussions with 94 participants.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2019
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