12 research outputs found
Microsoft Word - 21_ICM2000.doc
No full textAbstract Global concern to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development is placing emphasis on activities at the local level. This is the same approach used by the Community Action Project (CAP), a component of the Government of Zimbabwe's Poverty Alleviation Action Programme that gives grants to poor rural communities for investment in social and economic infrastructure and improved natural resources management activities. The objective of the project is to build the capacity of poor rural communities to improve their wellbeing in a sustainable manner. Amongst the projects eligible for funding under CAP is the construction or rehabilitation of buildings such as classroom blocks, rural health centres, staff housing, market shelter, children's day centres and community halls. This paper reviews the process for planning, construction, operation and maintenance of such buildings by poor rural communities. The review is based on experiences from CAP funded projects, Lund University's International Construction Management 2000 course, literature review, Agenda 21 on sustainable construction and international experience from other countries. The proposed construction of a rural health centre by a poor rural community in Zimbabwe is used as a case study. Strengths and weaknesses of the process are discussed, and recommendations are made for the improvement of the International Construction Management course at Lund University and the buildings construction and maintenance process for projects supported by CAP, and lessons drawn for other developing countries
CAADP at 10 - Water is a Missing Link in the Southern African Development Community
No full textWater has a low profile in Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) processes in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), presenting an opportunity to develop stronger ties between the agriculture and water sectors in the region
Book Review: For Better Or Worse? Women And ZANLA In Zimbabwe’s Liberation Struggle
No full textBook Title: For Better Or Worse? Women And ZANLA In Zimbabwe’s Liberation Struggle (2000)Book Author: Josephine Nhongo-SimbanegaviHarare, Weaver Press, 168 pp
Submicron matrices embedded in a polymeric caplet for extended intravaginal delivery of Zidovudine
No full textThis study was derived from the Master’s dissertation of first author, Felix Mashingaidze, submitted 24 March 2014.In this study, an intravaginal delivery system able to deliver an anti-HIV-1 agent for the purpose of potentially reducing HIV-1 transmission acting over an extended duration was successfully formulated. This delivery system was a composite polymeric caplet comprising zidovudine-loaded polyethylene glycol enclatherated pectin-mucin submicron matrices embedded within a poly (D,L-lactide), magnesium stearate, Kollidon® SR, and Carbopol® 974P NF-based polymeric caplet matrix. A three-factor and three-level Box-Behnken statistical design was utilized to optimize the polymeric caplet. The optimized directly compressed composite polymeric caplet hardness was 22.1 ± 0.3 N and the matrix resilience was 62.4 ± 0.6%. The swelling- and diffusion-controlled fractional zidovudine (AZT) release from the optimized caplet was 0.74 ± 0.01 in simulated vaginal fluid (SVF), which increased to 0.81 ± 0.21 in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) simulating seminal fluid, over 30 days. Caplet matrix swelling was directly related to the percentage Carbopol 974P NF composition. An intravaginal system for AZT delivery was tested in the pig model over 28 days. X-ray analysis depicted delivery system swelling with matrix contrast fading over time as vaginal fluid permeated the matrix core. Plasma, vaginal fluid swab eluates, and tissue AZT concentrations were measured by gradient ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)-tandem photodiode array detection. Vaginal tissue and vaginal fluid swab eluate AZT concentrations remained above effective levels over 28 days and were higher than plasma AZT concentrations, availing a system with reduced systemic toxicity and more effective inhibition of viral replication at the site of entry.The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, South Africa (CSIR SA), the South African National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.https://link.springer.com/journal/122482018-11-04hj2017Chemistr
Stakeholder-driven transformative adaptation is needed for climate-smart nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa - author correction
No full textImproving nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa under increasing climate risks and population growth requires a strong and contextualized evidence base. Yet, to date, few studies have assessed climate-smart agriculture and
nutrition security simultaneously. Here we use an integrated assessment framework (iFEED) to explore stakeholder-driven scenarios of food system transformation towards climate-smart nutrition security in Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia. iFEED translates climate–food–emissions
modelling into policy-relevant information using model output implication statements. Results show that diversifying agricultural production towards more micronutrient-rich foods is necessary to achieve an adequate population-level nutrient supply by mid-century. Agricultural areas must expand unless unprecedented rapid yield improvements are achieved. While these transformations are challenging to accomplish and often
associated with increased greenhouse gas emissions, the alternative for a nutrition-secure future is to rely increasingly on imports, which would outsource emissions and be economically and politically challenging given the large import increases required
MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION AND DIVERSITY ANALYSIS OF SELECTED MAIZE INBRED LINES USING SINGLE NUCLEOTIDE POLYMORPHISM MARKERS
No full textThe level of genetic diversity among the available breeding materials determines the potential success of a breeding program. In this study, 92 maize inbred lines were genotyped with 3047 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers using a Kompetitive Allele-Specific Polymerase chain reaction (KASPTM) genotyping protocol. The objectives were to determine the level and pattern of genetic diversity and define potential heterotic groups of maize inbred lines developed by the Agricultural Research Council maize program of South Africa. More than 91% of the SNPs used were polymorphic with mean polymorphic information content (PIC) of 0.36. Gene diversity ranged from 0.35 to 0.37, with a mean of 0.36. Cluster analysis revealed the presence of three distinct subpopulations. Analysis of molecular variance revealed low but highly significant (pThe presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the pdf file of the accepted manuscript may differ slightly from what is displayed on the item page. The information in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript reflects the original submission by the author
Stakeholder-driven transformative adaptation is needed for climate-smart nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa.
No full textImproving nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa under increasing climate risks and population growth requires a strong and contextualized evidence base. Yet, to date, few studies have assessed climate-smart agriculture and nutrition security simultaneously. Here we use an integrated assessment framework (iFEED) to explore stakeholder-driven scenarios of food system transformation towards climate-smart nutrition security in Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia. iFEED translates climate-food-emissions modelling into policy-relevant information using model output implication statements. Results show that diversifying agricultural production towards more micronutrient-rich foods is necessary to achieve an adequate population-level nutrient supply by mid-century. Agricultural areas must expand unless unprecedented rapid yield improvements are achieved. While these transformations are challenging to accomplish and often associated with increased greenhouse gas emissions, the alternative for a nutrition-secure future is to rely increasingly on imports, which would outsource emissions and be economically and politically challenging given the large import increases required. [Abstract copyright: © 2024. The Author(s).
Stakeholder-driven transformative adaptation is needed for climate-smart nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa
No full textAbstract Improving nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa under increasing climate risks and population growth requires a strong and contextualized evidence base. Yet, to date, few studies have assessed climate-smart agriculture and nutrition security simultaneously. Here we use an integrated assessment framework (iFEED) to explore stakeholder-driven scenarios of food system transformation towards climate-smart nutrition security in Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia. iFEED translates climate–food–emissions modelling into policy-relevant information using model output implication statements. Results show that diversifying agricultural production towards more micronutrient-rich foods is necessary to achieve an adequate population-level nutrient supply by mid-century. Agricultural areas must expand unless unprecedented rapid yield improvements are achieved. While these transformations are challenging to accomplish and often associated with increased greenhouse gas emissions, the alternative for a nutrition-secure future is to rely increasingly on imports, which would outsource emissions and be economically and politically challenging given the large import increases required
Stakeholder-driven transformative adaptation is needed for climate-smart nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa
No full textImproving nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa under increasing climate risks and population growth requires a strong and contextualized evidence base. Yet, to date, few studies have assessed climate-smart agriculture and nutrition security simultaneously. Here we use an integrated assessment framework (iFEED) to explore stakeholder-driven scenarios of food system transformation towards climate-smart nutrition security in Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia. iFEED translates climate–food–emissions modelling into policy-relevant information using model output implication statements. Results show that diversifying agricultural production towards more micronutrient-rich foods is necessary to achieve an adequate population-level nutrient supply by mid-century. Agricultural areas must expand unless unprecedented rapid yield improvements are achieved. While these transformations are challenging to accomplish and often associated with increased greenhouse gas emissions, the alternative for a nutrition-secure future is to rely increasingly on imports, which would outsource emissions and be economically and politically challenging given the large import increases required
A new integrated assessment framework for climate-smart nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa: the integrated Future Estimator for Emissions and Diets (iFEED)
No full textClimate change will put millions more people in Africa at risk of food and nutrition insecurity by 2050. Integrated assessments of food systems tend to be limited by either heavy reliance on models or a lack of information on food and nutrition security.
Accordingly, we developed a novel integrated assessment framework that combines models with in-country knowledge and expert academic judgement to explore climate-smart and nutrition-secure food system futures: the integrated Future Estimator for Emissions and Diets (iFEED). Here, we describe iFEED and present its application in Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.
The iFEED process begins with a participatory scenario workshop. In-country stakeholders identify two key drivers of food system change, and from these, four possible scenarios are defined. These scenarios provide the underlying narratives of change to the food system. Integrated modelling of climate change, food production and greenhouse gas emissions is then used to explore nutrition security and climate-smart agriculture outcomes for each scenario. Model results are summarised using calibrated statements - quantitative statements of model outcomes and our confidence in them. These include statements about the way in which different trade futures interact with climate change and domestic production in determining nutrition security at the national level.
To understand what the model results mean for food systems, the calibrated statements are expanded upon using implication statements. The implications rely on input from a wide range of academic experts – including agro-ecologists and social scientists. A series of workshops are used to incorporate in-country expertise, identifying any gaps in knowledge and summarising information for country-level recommendations. iFEED stakeholder champions help throughout by providing in-country expertise and disseminating knowledge to policy makers.
iFEED has numerous novel aspects that can be used and developed in future work. It provides information to support evidence-based decisions for a climate-smart and nutrition-secure future. In particular, iFEED: i. employs novel and inclusive reporting of model results and associated in-country food system activities, with comprehensive reporting of uncertainty; ii. includes climate change mitigation alongside adaptation measures; and iii. quantifies future population-level nutrition security, as opposed to simply assessing future production and food security implications
