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Youth involvement in formulation of the United Nations’ sustainable development goals: case of Zimbabwe
No full textThis research focuses on youth involvement in the formulation of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals: A case of Zimbabwe. The research examined various efforts by government, The United Nation’s Agencies and Civil society organisations on and offline, to involve young people in the SDG formulation process in Zimbabwe, the obstacles, strengths and weaknesses of approaches employed. It also provides recommendations to improve engagements of young people in policy shaping and practice in Zimbabwe, Africa and the world. The study will proffer lessons learnt from engaging young people in the SDG formulation process, the socio-cultural, economic and political challenges that inhibit involvement of young people in policy formulation and recommendations to tackle these challenges to increase youth participation in the implementation and monitoring off the SDGs. The study revealed that young people’s participation in the process was at varying levels, depending on their socio, cultural, economic and political circumstances. Purposive sampling was employed with use of semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions to collect data
An assessment of climate change adaptation strategies for Chirumanzu district
No full textThe aim of the study was to look at the effectiveness of climate change adaptation strategies in Chirumanzu District. The study took into cognizance the fact that climate change has affected the livelihoods of communities and sought to find out how communities have adapted to climate change. Qualitative approach was used as it gave vivid descriptions of climate change impacts, community response and adaptation. Interviews, focus group discussions and observations were the tools implored in gathering data from respondents which was analyzed using the sustainable livelihood approach. The study showed that there is evidence of climate change in the district and community based adaptation is the dominant strategy. Adaptation strategies in the district were successful in curbing the impacts of climate change on agriculture which is a major source of livelihood in the community. The study recommended that various actors be implored if effective adaptation programming is to take place
Challenges facing community home based caregivers of people living with HIV/AIDS: case of Hope Humana Care program in Mabvuku
No full textThe researcher sought to study on the Challenges facing Community Home Based Care Givers of people living with HIV/AIDS. The research was well furnished with a couple of theories, relevant literature by other authors and previous studies that supported the research. The participants were sampled using purposive sampling. The research comprised of Hope Humana staff, Hope Humana Voluntary Caregivers and the HIV/AIDS affected individuals who made up a total of thirty two respondents who had an unequal representation of males and females. Interviews and a focus group discussion which constituted questions that were meant to highlight the challenges facing caregivers of the HIV/AIDS infected people were used. Data was analysed using qualitative descriptive methods and was presented in the form of discussion. Major findings were that caregivers of the chronically ill have been neglected in so many ways by their parent Organisations and even the Government which as a result strains them as they cope with the caregiving stresses. The study also revealed that the most common sources of stress included lack of support, financial burdens, inadequate caregiving material to do the caregiving duties, workload and lack of counselling. Recommendations to the mother project were given in order to curb the challenges faced by the caregivers of people living with HIV/AIDS. The recommendations include frequent trainings and counselling, formation of support groups, provision of caregiving materials as well as incentives for motivation
Bi/multilingual voices and audiences? code-switching in Zimbabwean popular drama, Studio 263
No full textCode-switching is an observed common discourse linguistic behaviour in Zimbabwean popular dramas. The motives and effects of the use of code-switching in such communicative contexts is however an understudied area. This article examines the communicative impact/effects on the audience, of code-switching as a communication strategy in Studio 263, one of Zimbabwe's popular dramas (soap operas). Observing that code-switching has become part and parcel of Zimbabwean everyday discourses — a situation chiefly resulting from the Zimbabwean linguistic situation characterised by bi/multilingual societies — the analysis
explores the rhetorical and communicative potential of code-switching as a communication strategy within the communicative contexts that popular dramas represent and in a bi/multilingual society. The Zimbabwean language situation promotes the use of the English language in all formal communicative events while the 'indigenous' languages (Shona and Ndebele) do not enjoy similar privileges. Because English is a second language to the majority of the residents of Zimbabweans, this has resulted in the proliferation of bi/multilingual communities. This article critiques the justification of the use of codeswitching in Studio 263 as well as its use as a tool for communicating to a 'larger' audience
Antibacterial properties of wild edible and non-edible mushrooms found in Zimbabwe
No full textMushrooms have been used extensively in traditional medicine as antimicrobial, antiviral and antitumor
agents. Infectious diseases remain a major threat to human health, due to global antimicrobial
resistance. This has led to an increase in the search for new and potent antimicrobial substances. The
aim of the present study was to investigate the antimicrobial activity of the aqueous (cold and hot) and
organic solvents (methanol, ethanol and acetone) extracts of ten mushroom species collected from the
woodlands in Zimbabwe against common local bacterial isolates Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi,
Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae using agar disc diffusion method. The crude
extracts of the mushrooms exhibited antibacterial properties to all the bacteria tested. Extracts obtained
from ethanol were the most effective tested against bacteria (36.5%), followed by methanol (30.8%) and
acetone (30.8%). Aqueous extracts exhibited the lowest effect on bacterial growth inhibition (1.9%),
despite including the extract with the highest inhibitory activity (14 mm). The acetone extract of
Cantharellus symoensii had the second highest inhibitory value of 11.5 mm followed by the methanol
extract from Cantharellus miomboensis and the ethanol extracts of Ganoderma lucidum and C.
symoensii with values 11.0, 10.67 and 10.0 mm, respectively. Cantharellus heinemannianus and C.
symoensii had the highest effect on inhibition of bacteria as indicated by the different extracts showing
high inhibitory properties ranging from 8-14 mm [15.4% (8) each] followed by G. lucidum [13.5% (7)],
while Boletus edulis, Coprinus sp. and Trametes strumosa had the least [5.8% (3) each]. The positive
results of screening local mushrooms for antibacterial activity forms the basis for further phytochemical
studies and development of antimicrobial agents against common human bacterial and fungal
infections
Trophy Hunting and Sustainability: Temporal Dynamics in Trophy Quality and Harvesting Patterns of Wild Herbivores in a Tropical Semi-Arid Savanna Ecosystem
No full textThe selective nature of trophy hunting may cause changes in desirable phenotypic traits in harvested species. A decline in trophy size of preferred species may reduce hunting destination competitiveness thus compromising the sustainability of trophy hunting as a conservation
tool. We explored the trophy quality and trends in harvesting patterns (i.e., 2004–2015) of Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer), African elephant (Loxodonta africana), greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) and sable (Hippotragus niger) in Matetsi Safari Area, northwest Zimbabwe. We used long-term data on horn and tusk size, age, quota size allocation and offtake levels of selected species. To analyse the effect of year, area and age on
the trophy size, quota size and offtake levels, we used linear mixed models. One sample t-test was used to compare observed trophy size with Safari Club International (SCI) minimum score. Trophy sizes for Cape buffalo and African elephant were below the SCI minimum
score. Greater kudu trophy sizes were within the minimum score threshold whereas sable trophy sizes were above the SCI minimum score between 2004 and 2015. Age at harvest
for Cape buffalo, kudu and sable increased whilst that of elephant remained constant between 2004 and 2015. Quota size allocated for buffalo and the corresponding offtake levels declined over time. Offtake levels of African elephant and Greater kudu declined whilst the quota size did not change between 2004 and 2015. The quota size for sable increased whilst the offtake levels fluctuated without changing for the period 2004–2015. The trophy
size and harvesting patterns in these species pose a conservation and management dilemma on the sustainability of trophy hunting in this area. We recommend: (1) temporal and spatial rotational resting of hunting areas to create refuge to improve trophy quality and maintenance of genetic diversity, and (2) introduction of variable trophy fee pricing system based on trophy size
An assessment of the motives for the purchase of organic food in Harare
No full textThe remarkable growth in the purchase and consumption of
organic food is widely acknowledged by many practitioners and academics in
both developed and developing countries, yet in the Zimbabwean context, there
seems to be a paucity of research in this field. To address this identified
research gap, the current study attempts to examine the motivational factors
for the purchase and consumption of organic food in Zimbabwe. An exploratory
factor analysis was used to determine the underlying motivational factors from
data that were collected from a sample of 200 consumers in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The findings indicate that consumers purchase organic food because of six
major reasons: is good for their health, assists environmental sustainability,
ensuring values and principles, the naturalness of food, some consumers
perceive that some selected organic food products are cheap and help improve
one’s ability to cope with stress. In this regard, an understanding of the
motivational factors for the purchase of organic food is of crucial importance to
marketers as they are able to craft strategies to meet the needs of organic
products consumers
Pulsing hydrology and topography determine the structure and spatial distribution of Cubitermes mounds in a savanna ecosystem.
No full textPublished Article,Spatial patterns are important to understanding factors that shape many ecological processes in natural plant and
animal communities. However, the spatial patterns of Cubitermes mounds remain poorly understood despite
their importance in many ecological processes in savanna ecosystems.We assessed the structural characteristics
and spatial patterns of Cubitermes mounds in 25 × 25mplots along a catena sequence i.e. upper, middle and bottom
in a seasonal savanna wetland. A density of 1317 mounds ha−1 was estimated for this savanna system.
Mound density decreased whereas mound size increased down the catena, and mounds were absent in the
floor region of the catena due to prolonged inundation. Spatial analysis showed that mounds were randomly distributed
in the upper section of the catena and either random or clustered in the middle and bottom sections.
True segregation between large and small mounds only occurred in the upper section of the catena; otherwise
small mounds were either randomly distributed or clustered in relation to large mounds in the middle and bottomsections
of the catena. With increase in spatial scale, however, mounds were independent indicating the absence
of interaction between mounds. In the bottom region of the catena, mounds were independent at small
spatial scales but positively correlated with increase in spatial scales a result consistent with low mound density
and mutual stimulation, respectively. In conclusion, along the catena sequence, mound size and spatial distribution
are a function of competition in the upper regions, whereas in the bottom regions these characteristics appear
to be regulated by inundation. The study highlights the importance of hydrology, topography and
competition for the structure and spatial patterning of Cubitermes mounds, and consequently for the spatial heterogeneity
of ecological processes in savanna ecosystems
Timing and location of reproduction in African waterfowl: an overview of >100 years of nest records
No full textOpen Access Article,The timing and location of reproduction are fundamental elements of reproductive
success for all organisms. Understanding why animals choose to reproduce
at particular times and in particular places is also important for our
understanding of other aspects of organismal ecology, such as their habitat
requirements, movement strategies, and biogeography. Although breeding patterns
in waterfowl are relatively well documented, most studies are from northern
temperate regions and the influences of location and time of year on
breeding in Afrotropical ducks (Anatidae) are poorly understood. We outline
six alternative (but not mutually exclusive) hypotheses that might explain where
and when Afrotropical ducks choose to breed. To explore these hypotheses, we
assembled and analyzed a new database of c. 22,000 breeding records for 16
Afrotropical ducks and one introduced Palearctic species (the Mallard Anas
platyrhynchos). The full database is available on line as an appendix to this article.
We identified five distinct breeding strategies as well as two outliers. Peak
breeding for 9 of 16 indigenous duck species occurs during the dry season. We
found no evidence for spatial synchrony or spatial autocorrelation in breeding,
suggesting a high level of flexibility in waterfowl responses to prevailing conditions
in any given year. More intensive analyses of alternative hypotheses are
needed, but our initial analysis suggests that the timing of breeding for the
majority of Afrotropical ducks is driven by a combination of resource availability
and predation risk
Use of mistletoes by the Grey Go-away-bird (Corythaixoides concolor, Musophagidae) in a semi-arid savannah, south-west Zimbabwe
No full textMistletoes are preferred nesting sites for many bird species in a range of habitats. However, no studies have examined the use of mistletoes by nesting birds in the semi-arid savannah. We studied nesting in mistletoe and its role in determining nesting success in the Grey Go-away-bird in south-west Zimbabwe. We modelled the effects of mistletoe, mistletoe abundance, nest microclimate, concealment and nest height on daily survival rates (DSR) using program MARK. A constant survival model was best fitted for the Grey Go-away-bird suggesting a constant nest survival rate across the nesting period. Mistletoe nests had lower DSR than nests placed elsewhere in the canopy. Mistletoe abundance and nest height had a positive association with DSR whereas visibility distance, microclimate and concealment were negatively associated with DSR. Overall, survival for nests in mistletoe was 22.1% compared with 90.5% for nests in other substrates over the 50-day nesting period. In conclusion, the low nest survival in mistletoe suggests either that the factors used to select mistletoe asnest sites by these birds are poor predictors of nest success or that nesting in mistletoe may be maladaptiv