The Institute for Global Health and Development
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Item Climate justice and the politics of extraction in Africa: the case of Zimbabwe(Taylor and Francis Group, 2025-04-23) Nyamwanza, Admire; Bhatasara, SandraThis practice note links climate justice with the politics of extraction in Africa, using the case of lithium mining in Zimbabwe. The note emanates from a critical review of how current activities in key sectors at the centre of extractive politics in Africa, particularly mining, expose political rhetoric in as far as the move to and benefits of green transition in Africa are concerned. As the global demand for minerals important in climate change mitigation like cobalt and lithium rises, it appears the extraction patterns from colonial times are continuing and local communities directly impacted by extraction of these minerals are not meaningfully benefiting. Concerns have been raised around poor safety standards, unsafe working conditions, unfair displacement measures, environmental damage, and low wages for the workers. The practice note advances recommendations for a just green transition particularly as it involves the mining sector and implications of mining activities in Africa.Item Livelihood resilience and adaptive capacity: A critical conceptual review(AOSIS, 2012-10-16) Nyamwanza, AdmireThe concepts resilience and adaptive capacity have gained currency in ecology, climate change, disaster risk reduction and related development discourse; yet there has been almost an absence of clarity in the understanding, substance, definition as well as applicability of these concepts in livelihoods theory and practice – where they can potentially contribute far-reaching insights vis-à-vis long-term response to livelihoods adversity in different communities. Drawing upon literature from several disciplines utilising these concepts, this article traces the roots and evolvement of the resilience and adaptive capacity concepts and suggests indicators and pillar processes towards their integration into livelihoods thinking. This article therefore mainly contributes towards the conceptualisation and understanding of a focused ‘resilience and adaptive capacity’ construct in livelihoods analysis.Item Bridging Policy and Practice for Livelihood Resilience in Rural Africa: Lessons from the Mid-Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe(Rural Development Institute (RDI), Brandon University, 2015-02-27) Nyamwanza, AdmireBuilding and enhancing livelihood resilience in most rural African communities is becoming a complex policy issue since the principal characteristics of most of these communities in contemporary times have become their increasingly differentiated nature and high socio-economic and environmental uncertainty due to multiple and reinforcing stresses and shocks. A major problem has been the glaring gulf between national policies and realities on the ground with a uniform approach being taken in the interpretation and implementation of general development and livelihoods policies on the ground in most countries. Yet the standard one-size fits-all policy approach is not possible as situations have become increasingly dynamic and conditions continue to differ from community to community. Utilising examples from the mid Zambezi Valley area of Mbire district in Zimbabwe, this paper argues that national policy frameworks should allow ample room for innovation, experimentation and knowledge exchange in local livelihoods. In the same vein, policies and policymakers should exhibit a profound appreciation of the complexity of contemporary, dynamically vulnerable environments and livelihoods therein through increased local stakeholder participation in policy interpretation and implementation as well as in reconceptualising 'sustainability' and viewing it through local lenses.Item Sustainability: a missing dimension in climate change adaptation discourse in Africa?(Taylor and Francis Group, 2018-04-25) Bhatasara, Sandra; Nyamwanza, AdmireThe climate change adaptation field has evolved considerably in recent years. Important contributions have been made, with scholars developing methods for assessing vulnerability in different countries and communities, documenting broad strategies for adaptation and identifying opportunities for and barriers to adaptation as well as ways to enhance adaptive capacity. Issues of sustainability are, however, not readily argued and embraced. Predominantly, our analysis exposes that current adaptation discourse, particularly in Africa, offers a narrow conceptualisation of sustainability. The paper argues for a clear framework of sustainability in adaptation discourse which encompasses awareness to contextual aspects in responding to climate variability and change as well as resilience aspects. The paper also calls for an expansion of the knowledge base around the concept of ‘climate-smart agriculture’ towards effectively incorporating sustainability aspects in climate change adaptation discourse.Item Local institutional adaptation for sustainable water management under increasing climatic variability and change: A case in the mid-Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe(Emerald, 2018-04-01) Nyamwanza, AdmirePurpose The study aims to explore institutional adaptation for sustainable water resources management at the local level in the context of increasing climate-related challenges in Zimbabwe using the case of a semi-arid area in the mid-Zambezi Valley, north of the country. Design/methodology/approach Inspired by the critical institutionalism approach, the study uses qualitative methods (i.e. key informant interviews, semi-structured interviews, community workshops and documentary review) to understand the role of different formal and informal water-related institutions vis-à-vis responding to climate-related challenges in the case study area, and how the identified institutions can improve their efforts in the context of national water and environmental policy and regulation frameworks. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis. Findings The study found that climatic challenges in the case study area, as in most of rural Africa, have raised the stakes in local water management with respect to regulating access to and balancing competing interests in, and demands for, water. It ultimately argues for the embracing of complexity thinking and flexibility in local water management as well as clear coordination of institutions across scales in the face of increasing climate-related challenges. Originality/value The study adds to case studies and evidence-based analyses focused on institutional alternatives for climate adaptation vis-à-vis water resources management in water-stressed rural African communities.Item Climate information services, integrated knowledge systems and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development(BMC, 2018-10-25) Machingura, Fortunate; Nyamwanza, Admire; Hulme, David; Stuart, ElizabethThis commentary explores the role of climate information services in supporting the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. At the centre of the commentary is a discussion of how integrated knowledge systems are critical in the formulation of high quality climate information services towards the successful achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The paper drives home two major points. Firstly, that a climate service built on integrated knowledge systems will be better positioned to match user needs in terms of skill, scale and lead time. Secondly, that integrating diverse knowledge systems for effective climate information services in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development will present an auspicious platform for ‘leaving no one behind’ in contributing ideas towards the achievement of the targets outlined under the 17 SDGs, contributing to the inclusive approach at the centre of Agenda 2030. The commentary also advances the idea that climate information services built upon integrated knowledge systems present opportunities for more adequately addressing the needs of the global poor, including informing agricultural decision-making in rural communities to reduce malnutrition, facilitate disaster preparedness, and tackle human diseases linked to climate change - from cardiovascular deaths and respiratory illnesses, to altered transmission of infectious diseases.Item Harnessing diverse knowledge and belief systems to adapt to climate change in semi-arid rural Africa(Elsevier, 2019-05-14) Spear, Dian; Selato, Janet C.; Mosime, Bonolo; Nyamwanza, AdmireFarmers in semi-arid regions have historically coped using long established practices such as place-based climate forecasting using observations. However, this is becoming less reliable with climatic changes. Meteorological forecasting based on numerical prediction provides an alternative that is also now widely available to enable adaptation. However, this climate information has constraints including uncertainty and a broad spatial and temporal scale. The use of these two sources of forecast information is also affected by farmer perceptions of its advantages and disadvantages as well as beliefs and social norms. This study uses the case of Bobirwa subdistrict in Botswana to investigate the role of traditional norms and religious beliefs in the use of place-based and national meteorological forecast information to inform adaptation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 82 farmers from 8 different communities. We found that whilst some farmers use national meteorological information, others use place-based forecast information only and some combine the two. We also found that certain religious beliefs and traditional norms prevent the use of national meteorological forecast information by some farmers. An integrated climate information system that is credible and accessible to farmers from different belief systems will provide opportunity for farmers to use this climate information to adapt better to climate variability and change.Item Understanding the current state of collaboration in the production and dissemination of adaptation knowledge in Namibia(Springer, 2020-02) Ofoegbu, Chidiebere; New, Mark; Nyamwanza, Admire; Spear, DianAdaptation to climate change is challenging in terms of managing knowledge flow among diverse actors. This paper examines the roles of key actors in Namibia in the production and dissemination of climate adaptation knowledge. The intention was to identify opportunities for enhancing collaboration among actors to facilitate knowledge flow and uptake in adaptation action. The Omusati Region was used as a case study in understanding the chain of interactions among actors from local/district to the national level vis-à-vis the production and dissemination of adaptation knowledge in Namibia. The researchers conducted key informant interviews with representatives of key organizations in the Namibian adaptation network operating in the Omusati Region. The selection of the organizations of interviewed respondents was based on a previous climate change adaptation stakeholder and influence network mapping exercise in the region. Results indicate that adaptation knowledge generation by organizations happens mainly in the context of other developmental services. Furthermore, most organizations generate their adaptation knowledge internally through their directorates of research and also through cooperation with other organizations. However, there is little or no collaboration between organizations with respect to dissemination of adaptation knowledge to intended targets. The study, therefore, recommends a more concerted effort towards improving collaboration between organizations, and with local communities in the dissemination of adaptation knowledge as a way of enhancing knowledge uptake. This will have practical implications for the improvement in the rate of knowledge uptake in adaptation actions, particularly at the local level. In this regard, the use of workshop and field day meetings show the best prospect for improving collaboration between organizations in knowledge dissemination.Item Farm Production Diversification and Dietary Diversity among Subsistence Farming Households: Panel Data Evidence from South Africa(MDPI, 2021-09-15) Sinyolo, Sikhulumile; Murendo, Conrad; Nyamwanza, Admire; Sinyolo, Sithembile Amanda; Ndinda, Catherine; Nwosu, Chijioke OsinachiImproving the production of a variety of foods by subsistence farmers has been identified as a key strategy for improving dietary diversity. However, there is limited evidence in South Africa on how one’s own production is linked to dietary diversity. This study relies on nationally representative panel data to investigate the extent to which farm production diversity is correlated with dietary diversity. The data indicated a moderate level of household dietary diversity that has been on a declining trend between 2008 and 2017. The farm households produced three food groups (meat, cereals, and vegetables), suggesting more reliance on food purchases than own production. The study found a positive relationship between own production diversification and dietary diversity and that dietary diversity varied by demographics and socio-economic characteristics of households. However, production diversity was not significantly associated with the consumption of micronutrient-rich foods such as fruits or vegetables. Higher levels of education, income per capita, food expenditure, and geographic location were some of the key drivers of dietary diversity among subsistence households. The findings suggest that encouraging subsistence farming households to produce various crop and animal species can be an effective strategy to improve dietary diversity among poor households in South Africa.Item Narratives of climate adaptation and linkages to psychosocial and nutritional health in a Zimbabwean rural community(Elsevier, 2025-02-04) Bhatasara, Sandra; Nwosu, Chijoke; Macheka, Lesley; Nyamwanza, AdmireIn the face of unprecedented climate change, adaptation has emerged as important for communities and nations to deal with the devastating effects of the phenomenon. It is inevitable that communities must adapt, although evidence in several regions, including Zimbabwe also point towards maladaptation. A plethora of studies have been developed to understand adaptation practices and processes, including the impacts of various adaptive strategies. However, this approach has been limited to particular fields such as livelihoods studies, with clear evidence in Zimbabwe that heath issues vis-à-vis adaptation outcomes have not been taken into consideration at policy, development and research levels. Our study is therefore breaking new research frontiers by exploring the nexus between adaptation strategies and psychosocial and nutritional health outcomes. As an important learning research process into a field where virtually no literature exists in the country, the results are both complex and intriguing. This qualitative study shows positive nutrition benefits such as improved dietary diversity and boost in self –esteem and, improved stress level over food availability as psychosocial health benefits.