University of Zambia Online Research Repository
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A study of the factors that affect agribusiness financing in Zambia: a case study of smallholder farmers in Chibombo district.
Get PDFThesis of Master of Business Administration in FinanceLimited access to agricultural financing is a constraint to the development of the Smallholder Farmers (SHFs) of the agriculture sector. The formal financial institutions face a challenge to provide agricultural credit that meets the unique demands of SHFs in the agricultural. Although SHFs face several challenges, lack of capital for investment contribute significantly to reduced production, increased food insecurity, and persistent poverty, especially in rural areas of the country. The research aimed to address three fundamental inquiries: the extent of financial inclusivity, the factors influencing access to finance, and the exploration of alternative financing models. Through a comprehensive study involving data collection, analysis, and interpretation, this research sheds light
on the financial landscape for these farmers. A descriptive research design was employed which led to the adoption of a mixed-methods approach. The target population for investigation was drawn from 48,000 SHFs in Chibombo district. The sample size was 100 to whom semi structured questionnaires
was administered for data collection based on a two-stage sampling procedure (purposive and saturation). The reliability of instrument was accessed using a half- split technique. The data was analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative methods. A multiple logistic regression was conducted to determine the relationship between dependent and independent variable variables. The findings reveal a stark reality of exclusion, with only 19% of SHFs surveyed reported having accessed credit and only 8% of rural SHFs were utilizing formal banking services. These statistics reveals a considerable hurdle in their efforts to secure financial resources for enhancing agricultural activities and livelihoods. The study delved into credit access challenges, both on the demand and supply sides,
and identified variables such as gender, age, and income that impacted credit availability. Logistic regression analysis further explored the influence of these variables on credit access. In response to these challenges, the research proposed innovative financing models tailored to the unique needs of SHFs. These models include mobile money lending, peer-to-peer lending, guarantee schemes, collateral substitutes, and group lending. Each model offers an avenue to empower farmers economically and overcome barriers to financial access. The study recommended that the Government initiatives should focus on improving rural infrastructure, including road networks and transportation systems. Further, incentivize institutions or partnerships that actively participate in
community-based financing initiatives by offering tax breaks or grants to them. Lastly, regulatory bodies should collaborate with financial institutions to develop a regulatory framework that supports and governs mobile money lending to ensure consumer protection and fair competition. In conclusion, this research contributes to the discourse on agriculture financing by providing insights into the financial realities of rural SHFs in Zambia. The proposed models present actionable pathways to uplift these farmers, foster sustainable development, and promote financial literacy. As Zambia seeks to enhance its economic landscape and empower its agricultural sector, the findings of this study offer valuable guidance for shaping policies and interventions that can drive lasting positive
change
The nature of entrepreneurial training in selected agricultural training institutions of the ministry of agriculture and livestock in Zambia.
Get PDFArticleThis study explored the nature of entrepreneurial education in the selected Agriculture Training Institutions
(ATIs) for the Ministry of Agriculture and Live stocks in Zambia. To do this, the study explored
Entrepreneurial Education challenges and opportunities in ATIs, widely acknowledged as a transformative
tool for job creation in the country. The argument is that if entrepreneurship education is properly enhanced
can provide self-reliance in the Zambia’s agriculture sector to attain sustainable socio-economic growth.
The aim of the study was to explore the nature of entrepreneurial education in ATIs curricula; identify
challenges, opportunities and ways to promote innovation and job creation through the provision of
entrepreneurial education in the selected ATIs in Zambia. The study employed a mixed data collection
process through purposive sampling procedures. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically while
Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, graphs and
tables. The findings show that the current ATI curricula and the National Agricultural Policy (NAP) did not
adequately address entrepreneurial education in the agriculture sector because they were loosely developed
and were production oriented. The study recommended inter alia that ATIs should create curricula that
prioritize creativity, and innovation, utilizing blended interactive and reflective teaching methods to support
entrepreneurial education.
Keywords: Entrepreneurial education, Agriculture Training Institutions (ATIs), Ministry of Corruption,
National agriculture policy
Unlocking biochemistry brilliance: unveiling the impact of POGIL vs. interactive lecturing using enzyme kinetics inventory on student learning achievement.
Get PDFThis study investigates the effectiveness of the Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) method compared to interactive lecturing in undergraduate biochemistry education from two private medical colleges of Punjab. The study based on quantitative assessments, including pre-tests, knowledge acquisition evaluations, and knowledge retention assessments, were conducted. Students were divided into two groups: the control group experienced interactive lecturing, while the intervention group was taught using the POGIL method. Results revealed significantly higher mean scores for knowledge acquisition in the POGIL group (M=9.18, SD=1.23) compared to the interactive lecturing group (M=7.82, SD=0.99) (p=0.05). Additionally, the POGIL group demonstrated superior long-term knowledge retention, with mean scores of M=8.89 (SD=1.23), compared to the interactive group's M=7.67 (SD=0.99) (p=0.05). These findings underscore the enhanced effectiveness of the POGIL method in fostering both knowledge acquisition and retention in enzyme biochemistry among undergraduate medical students, suggesting its potential for integration into biochemistry medical curricula
Performance evaluation of internet protocol security (IPSec) over multiprotocol label switching (MPLS).
Get PDFThesis of Master of Engineering in Information and Communication Technology Security.For nearly two (2) decades, Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) has provided Wide Area Network (WAN) solutions for enterprises and large organizations to manage their multiple networks in different locations. Real time networks have been affected negatively by high latency due to inefficient WAN technologies and security solutions. The popularity of Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS) continues to increase with Internet and Data Service providers (ISP) in Zambia. MPLS provides network efficiency through traffic engineering and Quality of Service, however, by default, it does not provide any mechanism for authentication and encryption of the data as it travels through the public network provided by Internet service providers. In order to resolve the security concerns in MPLS, this study has deployed the Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) over MPLS in order to provide additional layer of security to data during transmission. The method used to conduct this research is experiments. The research is conducted in a live environment where the service provider network implements MPLS and IPsec is deployed on Customer edge routers. Three (3) Customer Edge routers over the ISPs MPLS public network were deployed in different locations and configured with policy based IPsec. Data was collected before IPsec deployment and after IPsec deployment in order to analyze the performance metrics such as packet lengths, round trip times, authentication and encryption. The study captured and analyzed 15,362,356 packets. It has been established that using MPLS
provides minimal security to data through the use of labels. This label feature both separates traffic streams and provides efficient use of network resources as IP addresses are not used to route traffic in the MPLS environment. It is worth noting that implementing IPsec over MPLS improves the security of the network and data. The study has shown that IPsec and MPLS are better together because the security risks associated with transmitting data over MPLS are resolved by IPsec. IPsec provides data privacy and security per connection for network traffic crossing the perimeter. Further, the authentication of peers and data provides the mechanism of identification and verifying the IPsec peers and validating the authenticity of the data send against the one received
SCHOOL OF NATURAL SCIENCES EXAMINATION PAST PAPERS: 2022/2023 UNDER GRADUATE
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Occupational health and safety information management system based on district health information system.
Get PDFThesis of Master of Science in Computer ScienceThere is a significant gap in research on occupational health and safety in Africa. This study addresses this need by investigating the potential of District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) to develop health information systems that cater specifically to the requirements of occupational health and safety, filling a critical knowledge gap in the region. Data from Health Information Systems are extremely important; nevertheless, the majority of developing countries' methods for collecting, collating, compiling, analysing, and reporting health data are insufficient, erroneous, and tardy, rendering the data worthless for decision making. This study investigates how different user perceptions affect the health and safety behaviours at work. The purpose is to carry out a baseline study with the intention of investigating the difficulties encountered by NEPAD (the New Partnership for Africa's Development) in terms of exchanging occupational health data with regional partners. A questionnaire was sent out to a random sample of people who interact with occupational health and safety data as part of a descriptive research study. This study surveyed 210 individuals who work with occupational health and safety data, representing various departments such as Workers' Compensation, OSHD, OHSI, and MSD. Of the 140 questionnaires sent out, 130 were completed and included in the analysis, yielding a response rate of 93%. This high response rate was considered a success, as it closely matched the target sample size for the research. Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) was used to do descriptive and correlation analysis on the data to investigate whether users of the Occupational Health Information Management System believed that the software would improve their performance and efficiency in carrying out their tasks. According to the findings of the study, factors such as Effort Expectancy, Performance Expectancy, and Social Influence have a significant impact on behavioural Intentions to use occupation health information management systems. A prototype was developed and deployed for users to interact with and later gave feedback that showed improved performance and efficiency in conducting their tasks.
Keywords: Health Information Systems, Occupational Health and Safety, Occupational Health Information Management System, District Health Information System, DHIS
Fractionation method adaptation for methylene diphosphonate (MDP) radiopharmaceutical kit used in the diagnosis of infectious diseases Lusaka, Zambia.
Get PDFThesis of Doctor of Philosophy in Infectious Diseases.The global emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) highlights the urgent need for accurate diagnostic tools to combat infectious diseases effectively. Radiopharmaceuticals, such as the metastable state of Technetium-99m Methylene Diphosphonate (99mTc-MDP), are recognized as reliable diagnostic methods; however, challenges related to their storage persist especially in developing countries like Zambia because storage facilities are quite costly and maintenance is challenging particularly during power outages. While the literature has revealed that MDP aliquots kept at frozen and refrigerated conditions remain of good quality, this research explored the viability of MDP aliquots made from four different kinds of normal saline. The research enquired into the potential of ambientstored MDP radiopharmaceuticals to overcome the hurdles associated with cold-chain maintenance and storage infrastructure limitations. By addressing these challenges, the study aimed to contribute valuable insights that could pave way to a more sustainable and accessible deployment of nuclear medicine technologies, thereby improving diagnostic capabilities and patient outcomes in resource-challenged environments. The research was conducted at the University Teaching Adult Hospital (Nuclear Hot Laboratory) in Lusaka, Zambia from October 2022 to February 2023. A mixed methodology design was applied and data was collected from both the laboratory and biodistribution tests. In all, 80 MDP aliquots made with different types of normal saline were tested and biodistribution studies were done on staphylococcus aureus infected rat models. Data analysis using Stata 14 revealed that the Radiochemical Purity (RCP) for ambiently-stored MDP aliquots ranged from 98 to 99%, exceeding the World Health Organization’s expected required minimum of 90%. Furthermore, the efficacy of the radiolabeled MDP fractions using biodistribution animal models demonstrated accurate localization. The study concluded that MDP aliquots stored at ambient temperature demonstrated exceptional RCP and favorable biodistribution patterns, effectively localizing in regions of interest in infected rat models. This suggests potential application for ambient-stored MDP in low-resource countries facing challenges in maintaining cold chain storage, particularly during power outages
“Projecting the effects of non-pharmaceutical interventions and vaccination on COVID-19 control in Lusaka using a mathematical model”.
Get PDFThesis of Master’s of Science degree in One Health Analytical Epidemiology.The COVID-19 epidemic in Zambia has had significant social and economic impact on the health sector and wellbeing of the population. Hence it is vital to investigate the effect of various Interventions that were implemented to control the spread of the pandemic. Non-pharmaceutical
interventions (NPIs) were introduced to help contain the spread of COVID- 19 pandemic in the absence of pharmaceutical interventions. Since then, COVID-19 vaccines have been developed and are readily available globally. Projecting the combined impact of vaccine uptake and NPIs in the control of the COVID 19 pandemic is crucial to support evidence-based policy making. The Vensim Personal Learning Edition (PLE) simulation software was used to create a modified Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Recovered (SEIR) mathematical model to show the simultaneous effects of vaccination combined with NPIs such as social distance, hand hygiene and cough etiquette which we termed as behaviour change, and also vaccination with face
masking only against COVID-19 in Lusaka. Behaviour change and face masking were simulated at different percentages compliance together with varying vaccine uptake levels of low, moderate and high. Twelve different scenarios for groups of people who practice behaviour change or combined (NPIs) with vaccination and twelve scenarios for face masking with vaccination were modelled. Results from the simulation showed a reduction in the number of both cumulative cases and deaths from the interventions put in place as compared to scenarios without intervention. Furthermore, the basic reproduction number (R0) which was initially set at 2.64 in the model and was reduced to 2.37 in the scenario set at 10% behaviour change with low vaccination rate and 2.34 in the scenario set at 10% behaviour change with high vaccination rate as well as 0.61 in the scenario set at 80% behaviour change with low vaccination rate and 0.55 in the scenario set at 80% behaviour change with high vaccination rate. In the masking with vaccination scenarios, reproduction number was reduced to 2.45 in the scenario set at 10% masking with low vaccination rate and 2.29 in the scenario set at 10% masking with high vaccination rate as well as 1.25 in the scenario set at 80% masking with low vaccination rate and 1.24 in the scenario set at
80% masking with high vaccination rate. These findings highlight the importance of continued adherence to NPIs even when the population is being vaccinated, particularly under scenarios of lower vaccination rates which are influenced by vaccine efficacy, distribution and community hesitancy
Exploring the effect of caregivers’ training on preschoolers’ literacy and numeracy learning outcomes in Machinga district – Malawi.
Get PDFThesis of Master of Education in Early Childhood Development, Care and EducationThis research investigated the effect of trained caregivers on the literacy and numeracy learning outcomes of preschoolers’. The purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of caregivers' training on the literacy and numeracy learning outcomes of preschoolers in Machinga District -Malawi. The objectives were to assess the effectiveness of trained caregivers in improving literacy and numeracy learning outcomes of 5years old children in CBCCs, to establish how ECD caregivers employ strategies that have a significant impact on preschoolers’ literacy and numeracy skills from the training program and to explore influence of strategies employed by caregivers that support literacy and numeracy learning outcome in preschoolers. The research employed mixed-methods approach to comprehensively explore the impact of caregiver training on preschoolers’ literacy and numeracy learning outcomes. Sequential exploratory design was used. Quantitative data was collected through quasi experiment whereby children in Community Based Childcare Centres (CBCCs) which are public preschools in Malawi with trained caregivers were assessed through administering of an assessment test using International Development and Early Learning Assessment tool (IDELA) while children of the same age in CBCCs with untrained caregivers was a control of the study. The standardized tests measured literacy and numeracy proficiency.A sample size of 70 children aged five years who have been at the CBCC for not less than one year, 5 caregivers and five parents drawn from 3 CBCCs with all trained caregivers and 3 CBCCs with untrained caregivers to control using purposive, random and stratified sampling. The data was statistically analyzed to determine if there is a significant difference in numeracy and literacy learning outcomes between the two groups of children. Classroom observation of how Early Childhood Development (ECD) caregivers interact with children, pedagogy used and the environment was done using Measuring of Early Learning Environment (MELE) tool. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare variances across the means and regression analysis was employed to establish how some confounding variables may impact literacy and numeracy learning outcomes in children.
On the other hand, qualitative data was gathered through semi-structured interviews and observational guide from caregivers and parents on how caregivers interact with children respectively. The qualitative component provides valuable insights into the specific practices and strategies employed by trained caregivers, as well as the experiences of caregivers and parents. The findings from the research are that mean score of expressive language was 73.26% in CBCCs with trained caregivers which is slightly high than mean score in CBCCs with untrained caregivers at 66.81. Similarly receptive language with a mean score of 68.03 which is higher than 41.23. A mean of 68.19, Standard deviation of 16.392. In CBCCs with untrained caregivers scored a mean of 55.87, standard deviation of 26.678. This suggest that children in CBCCs with trained caregivers scores better than children in CBCCs with untrained caregivers hence caregiver training effect on literacy and numeracy learning outcomes. The study provides actionable insights of recommendations including having standardized ECD trainings, reinforcing play based learning and resourcing the CBCCs. The findings of the study are expected to contribute significantly to the field of early childhood education care and development by shedding light on the effectiveness of caregiver training program in improving preschool children's literacy and numeracy skills. This study holds the potential to inform policymakers, educators, and caregivers about evidence-based practices that can positively impact early literacy and numeracy learning outcomes
Exploring experiences of special education trainee teachers on braille reading skills: a study of a private University in Tanzania.
Get PDFThesis Master of Education in Special EducationThis study examined the experience of Special Education Trainee Teachers in Braille reading skills, with particular focus on factors contributing to the lag of Braille reading skills to Special Education Trainee Teachers at private teacher training university in Tanzania. The study addressed the following four objectives, namely;(i); Explore special education trainee teachers experience in Braille reading skills (ii); strategies and support systems lecturers use in teaching Braille reading to trainee special teachers (iii); challenges special education Trainee Teachers experience in learning Braille Reading and (iv); assessing the extent to which Braille literacy has been integrated into special education teacher trainee curriculum. Embedded design using quantitative and qualitative techniques was employed. Questionnaires, semi-structured interview and observation checklist were used to collect data from respondents. The sample consisted of 40 respondents drawn from one private University distributed as: 35 third year special education trainee teachers and 5 lecturers. Respondents were selected using simple random and purposive sampling technique. The data was analysed using descriptive calculations whereby, percentage and frequency was obtained and presented on tables and qualitative data were analysed in form of themes direct quotation was analysed. The study revealed a significant challenge with mastering Braille reading skills, attributed to three main factors: lack of specific strategies, motivation from university learning materials, and insufficient Braille literacy integration into the curriculum. The result particularly showed that about 54.29% of responses indicated that, there was no specific strategy lecturers uses when teaching, 82.85% of the findings shows that there were a lot of challenges Special Education Trainee Teachers encounter when learning different Braille reading skills and 74.3% of responses shows that to low extent Braille literacy skills has been integrated into the curriculum. However, the test results revealed that 54.28% of the Special Education Trainee Teachers failed to master overall reading skills like word sign, contracted and uncontracted Braille unfamiliar words when reading comprehension skills test. This failure is said to be the result the major three mentioned factors. The findings suggest improvements in pre-service training, teaching materials, and curriculum through using the updated and specific strategies to import knowledge among trainee teacher also motivation and session to be practical and physical based for the student’s teacher.
Key words: Braille reading, experiences, Braille literacy, Special Education Trainee Teachers