scholarly journals Is Co-Management Still Feasible to Advance the Sustainability of Small-Scale African Inland Fisheries? Assessing Stakeholders’ Perspectives in Zambia

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (24) ◽  
pp. 13986
Author(s):  
Sydney Kapembwa ◽  
Jόn G. Pétursson ◽  
Alan J. Gardiner

Co-management has been promoted as an alternative approach to the governance of small-scale inland fisheries resources and has been implemented in many African countries. It has, however, not proven to be a simple solution to improve their governance; hence, most African inland fisheries are still experiencing unsustainable overexploitation of their resources. As such, there is a need for reassessing the application of governance strategies for co-management that should strive to strengthen the participation of stakeholders, primarily the local fishers, as they are fundamental in the governance of fisheries resources. Therefore, this study set out to explore the prospects of a co-management governance approach at a Lake Itezhi-Tezhi small-scale fishery in Zambia. Focus group discussions with fishers and semi-structured interviews with other stakeholders were used to collect data. This study revealed that the stakeholders perceive co-management as a feasible approach to governance of the Lake Itezhi-Tezhi fishery. However, the feasibility of the co-management arrangement would be dependent mostly on the stakeholders’ ability to address most of the ‘key conditions’ criteria highlighted in the study. This study also identified the need to establish a fisheries policy to provide guidelines for the co-management, coming with decentralisation of power and authority to the local fishers.

Land ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abebaw Andarge Gedefaw ◽  
Clement Atzberger ◽  
Walter Seher ◽  
Reinfried Mansberger

In many African countries and especially in the highlands of Ethiopia—the investigation site of this paper—agricultural land is highly fragmented. Small and scattered parcels impede a necessary increase in agricultural efficiency. Land consolidation is a proper tool to solve inefficiencies in agricultural production, as it enables consolidating plots based on the consent of landholders. Its major benefits are that individual farms get larger, more compact, contiguous parcels, resulting in lower cultivation efforts. This paper investigates the determinants influencing the willingness of landholder farmers to participate in voluntary land consolidation processes. The study was conducted in Gozamin District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia. The study was mainly based on survey data collected from 343 randomly selected landholder farmers. In addition, structured interviews and focus group discussions with farmers were held. The collected data were analyzed quantitatively mainly by using a logistic regression model and qualitatively by using focus group discussions and expert panels. According to the results, landholder farmers are predominantly willing to participate in voluntary land consolidation (66.8%), while a substantive fraction of farmers express unease with voluntary land consolidation. The study highlighted the following four determinants to be significant in influencing the willingness of farmers for voluntary land consolidation: (1) the exchange should preferably happen with parcels of neighbors, (2) land consolidation should lead to better arranged parcels, (3) nearness of plots to the farmstead, and (4) an expected improvement in productivity. Interestingly, the majority of farmers believes that land consolidation could reduce land use conflicts. The study provides evidence that policymakers should consider these socio-economic, legal, cultural, infrastructural, and land-related factors when designing and implementing voluntary land consolidation policies and programs.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-201
Author(s):  
M. A. Islam ◽  
A.A. Wani ◽  
G.M. Bhat ◽  
A.A. Gatoo ◽  
Murtaza Shah ◽  
...  

Critical analyses of the perceptions on SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) have become a fundamental element of multi-criteria decision making for developing wicker handicraft entrepreneurship. The study examined the effectiveness and prioritization of entrepreneur's perceptions towards SWOT categories and factors and provided insights for developing wicker handicraft entrepreneurship in Pulwama district of Kashmir. Data were collected through structured interviews and focus group discussions of 100 wicker handicraft entrepreneurs of 20 villages selected by multi-stage random sampling. Simple descriptive statistics were used for the data analysis. Results showed that the factors like income generation (19.30%) and employment generation (19.00%) were viewed as most important strengths while labour intensive and less remunerative livelihood (18.80%) and seasonal subsistence (18.70%) were identified as main weaknesses. Further, poverty alleviation (20.70%), preservation of traditional art craft (19.00%) and improvement in public-private relations (17.50%) were adjudged as strong opportunities whereas limited marketing facilities (20.70%), lack of co-operative societies (18.90%) and harassment by officials in withies collection (16.50%) were seen as chief threats. The challenges (weaknesses and threats) (50.40%) for wicker handicraft entrepreneurship outweighed the prospects (strengths and opportunities) (49.60%) while the internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) (54.80%) prevailed over the external factors (opportunities and threats) (54.20%). F statistics (p<0.05) indicated significant differences between the internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) and external factors (opportunities and threats). The results projected the basis to the policymakers to prioritize and address the prominent challenges and reinforce the prospects for conceptualizing, formulating and implementing the strategies for strengthening the wicker handicraft entrepreneurship.


Author(s):  
Edgar Muhoyi ◽  
Josue Mbonigaba

AbstractSmall-scale irrigation schemes (SSIS) have been considered a solution to viability challenges in drought-stricken farming areas in developing countries. However, the schemes face severe constraints. In this paper, relevant constraints are identified and ranked in terms of how serious the limitations are from the perspective of stakeholders in drought-prone areas of the Chipinge District in Zimbabwe. Information for the study was gained through a questionnaire and focus group discussions with small-scale irrigation farmers as well as key informant interviews with government irrigation officials, irrigation managers and members of the local community leadership. The information was garnered between August and December in 2017 with the analysis conducted using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis, guided by the Theory of Constraints and classified in the political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal (PESTEL) framework. Results indicated that SSIS are important in the drought-prone areas of the Chipinge District regarding food security and income generation. However, technical issues bedevilling the schemes are considered to be the most challenging limitations. The most important constraints—ranked in descending order of gravity—are technical, economic, social, environmental, legal and political challenges. Based on these findings, the research strongly recommends modernising small-scale irrigation schemes’ infrastructure, among other issues, as a priority in Zimbabwe's drought-prone areas.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bridget Bwalya Umar

This study utilized 120 semi-structured interviews with smallholder farming households and two focus group discussions; as well as several key informant interviews with experts to explore the promotion and uptake of conservation agriculture (CA) in Mufulira, Zambia. Results reveal that ridges and flat culture continued to be the preferred tillage systems (97 per cent and 55 per cent respectively) despite the farmers having been trained in the use of a minimum tillage technique. None of the interviewed farmers perceived CA as a solution to any of their agricultural related problems. The NGO promoting CA in the district had framed it as suited for and claimed to target labour constrained HIV/AIDS affected households. Conversely, farmers complained that CA was challenging for them due to its high labour demands (23 per cent); poor harvests (18 per cent) and was unsuited to the rainfall patterns of the area (10 per cent). Local agricultural experts contested the promotion of basins in Mufulira. The framing of CA as a solution to labour constraints did not seem to hold in the study area. This effectively limited the contestation spaces available to the public officials with dissenting views on the suitability of basin CA in the district.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Jones ◽  
Nyoman Anita Damayanti ◽  
Nicola Wiseman ◽  
Neil Harris

Five focus group discussions (FGDs) with 61 pregnant women were conducted in June and July 2019 at primary health care (PHC) services within five urban areas of Surabaya, Indonesia. In addition, five semi-structured interviews with five midwives were carried out to explore the experiences of pregnant women accessing Antenatal Care (ANC) and the factors shaping uptake of ANC services. Data were audio-recorded, transcribed, and translated into English, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings from focus group discussions suggested that fears of negative diagnosis before initial ANC appointment and personal beliefs and myths surrounding pregnancy may delay uptake of ANC. Further, the influence of husbands, family, and friends and long waiting times with overcrowding leading to limited seating shaped timely access and return visits. In addition, feeling comfortable with the quality of the service and receiving a friendly service from the practitioners assisted women in feeling comfortable to return. Finally, midwives acknowledged feeling afraid of being referred to a hospital if deemed a high-risk pregnancy-shaped return ANC visits. The findings highlighted several factors needing to be addressed to increase the promptness of first ANC visits and ensure return visits to achieve great ANC coverage.


Author(s):  
Toni Ariwijaya ◽  
Lale Fatma Yulia Ningsih

The composition of university population has prompted researchers to examine the barriers of learning non-traditional students, typically 24 years old or older, encounter in their pursuit of a college education. The purpose of this study is to examine the live realities of six selected female adult learners in Universitas Islam Al-Azhar Mataram, Indonesia, as the institution provides programs for adult learners. Specifically, the study focuses on three types of barriers; situational, institutional and dispositional. In doing so, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions had been conducted for two academic calendars. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim and individual transcriptions were checked for clarity. The findings of this study reveal that cultural and personal aspects were strongly correlated with academic and non-academic struggles. Meanwhile, it is suggested that, for female adult learners to successfully overcoming the barriers, there is a need from college institutions to create more avenues of support.


2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mufaro Magidi ◽  
Rinie Schenk ◽  
Charlene Erasmus

The culture of gang violence has become deeply entrenched in South Africa. The present study explored the experiences of non-gang school-going adolescents regarding gangs and gangsterism in Hanover Park in the Western Cape. A qualitative exploratory approach was used. Data collection instruments were focus group discussions supported by qualitative semi-structured interviews involving 18 adolescents between the ages of 16 and 18 from two secondary schools in Hanover Park, Cape Town. The data were thematically analysed. The results have shown that the presence of gangs affects the learners’ school attendance, restricts their mobility, increases bullying at school and seriously disrupts family and community life.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (02) ◽  
pp. 77-86
Author(s):  
Anisah Aninditya Rahmaputri ◽  
Dianti Endang Kusumawardhani

Teachers have an important role in educating students well. One way that teachers can do to be able to increase motivation and school engagement is by providing social support to students. This study aims to find out the overview of perceived social support from teachers by high school “X” students in South Tangerang. The research method is descriptive qualitative research with data collection techniques through focus group discussions and structured interviews. The results of data retrieval show that the perceived social support from some teachers by high school "X" students is quite satisfying for students but not from every teachers. This means it can still be improved again. This is because not all teachers are considered good enough at providing social support to students. The total number of teachers are 17 people and for students are 67. It should be able to be improved in communication skills so that they can provide better social support to students. Keywords : Adolescent, School, Social support. Abstrak Guru memiliki peran penting dalam mendidik siswa dengan baik. Salah satu cara yang dapat guru lakukan untuk dapat meningkatkan motivasi serta keaktivan siswa di sekolah adalah dengan memberikan dukungan sosial kepada siswa. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mencari tahu gambaran dukungan sosial dari guru yang dirasakan oleh siswa SMA “X” di Tangerang Selatan. Metode penelitian berupa penelitian kualitatif deskriptif dengan teknik pengambilan data melalui focus group discussion dan wawancara terstruktur. Hasil pengambilan data menunjukkan bahwa gambaran dukungan sosial dari guru yang dirasakan oleh siswa SMA “X” cukup memuaskan bagi siswa tetapi masih dapat ditingkatkan lagi. Hal ini dikarenakan belum semua guru dianggap sudah bagus dalam memberikan dukungan sosial kepada siswa. Total guru yang berjumlah 17 orang untuk siswa sebanyak 67 orang seharusnya dapat ditingkatkan dalam kemampuan komunikasi sehingga mampu memberikan dukungan sosial kepada siswa dengan lebih baik lagi.


Author(s):  
Evelyn Aguirre ◽  
Solomon Faller

The usefulness of teachers’ mentoring program cannot be underestimated. Some universities and colleges in the Philippines have been implementing this kind of program with different approaches, content, and scope. The extent of mentoring programs to improve teaching careers has been studied here and abroad. Results remain inconclusive. This case study with a phenomenological peg has explored the lived experiences of neophyte teachers through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Their experiences in the first years of teaching were characterized by uncertainties, anxieties, struggles, and difficulties emanating from their lack of expertise on various aspects related to teaching practice, lack of knowledge about the culture and context of the university in which they were teaching, and lack of knowledge about the learners. With these specific inadequacies identified and the novice teachers’ implicit desire to be mentored, cues for a viable neophyte teacher’s mentoring program are drawn in the context of a teacher-training university.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 14-20
Author(s):  
Audrey Muyuni ◽  
Austin M. Cheyeka

The study sought to investigate the reasons that led to youth conversion from mainstream to Pentecostal churches in Emmasdale and in the neighbourhood of Matero. The study was guided by Horton’s intellectualist theory of conversion in Africa. It used a case study design. The method of data collection included semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and questionnaire. Findings of the study were that, there was automatic conversion taking place among the youths in mainstream churches to Pentecostalism. This was evident in all respondents in mega Pentecostal Church who had a mainstream background. Church leaders in mainstream churches were aware of youth converting to Pentecostal churches by accepting back the youths who had converted to a Pentecostal Church but had later made up their minds to go back. The study further revealed that non-Pentecostal parents supported and encouraged their children who converted to a mega Pentecostal Church owing to incentives such as; scholarships, employment and supportive programmes provided to their children. The study recommends that: sermon presentation should be revised in some mainstream churches. Explaining scriptures should not be exegetical only but linking scriptures to real life struggles of the youth. The church leaders in mainstream churches must formulate programmes that are more practical and youth oriented like charismatic prayer service, provision of scholarship, employment and positions of responsibilities through different ministries within the mainstream churches. Non-Pentecostal parents should not be too sceptical about children who associate themselves with Pentecostalism but encourage them to genuinely convert to this brand of Christianity.


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