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Rural communities in parts of Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe rely heavily on mopane worms (imbrasia belina) as a livelihood, particularly during times when the households have limited livelihood options. While mopane worms are a vital source of protein and income for rural communities, climate change and variability are putting the sustainability of this vital natural resource under threat. As such, a critical evaluation of the harvesting methods and the associated dynamics is necessary to establish ways of sustaining this resource. This study thus sought to examine the existing mopane worm harvesting practices and evaluate their viability in the wake of climate change and variability. The study focused on Garanyemba Ward 13 of Gwanda District in south-western Zimbabwe. It assessed the harvesting practices and their impact on the environment and the sustainability of mopane worm populations. A qualitative research approach involving participant observation, focus group discussions, and interviews was employed. The findings show that the harvesting of mopane worms in the area was achieved predominantly through climbing up or shaking the trees, plucking worms from branches, and gathering worms that would otherwise be crawling on the ground. Socio-environmental impacts of the existing methods of harvesting revealed include vegetation damage leading to decreased mopane woodland densities, the emergence of squatter communities during outbreak times and the associated land pollution. The study concludes that the influx of foreign harvesters, which eventually exposed the habitat of mopane worms over-harvesting was attributed to limited institutional control. The study recommends control of harvesters by strick enforcement of regulatory frameworks, adherence to selective harvesting to ensure the preservation of worms for future production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to investigate agroforestry adoption by smallholder farmers in Gutu District, Zimbabwe. Design/Methodology/Approach: The methodology was based on field data collected through household questionnaires, key informant interviews and direct observations. Findings: Major findings reveal that traditional agroforestry was common in the study area. There were no cases of innovative agroforestry other than dwindling remnants from a former trees-with-pasture project. Majority of respondents were willing to adopt innovative agroforestry technologies to improve yields and income. Damage and destruction of plants by pests and animals due to lack of fences emerged as the major challenges to the adoption of agroforestry. Other challenges included seed availability and labour requirements. Possible coping strategies, identified through consulting farmers and other stakeholders, would include local initiatives and support from outside the community. Local and external efforts are required especially to secure inputs and raise awareness, knowledge and skills with respect to specific agroforestry technologies. Practical Implications: The paper presents pointers on the involvement of women in agroforestry and on the cultural significance of indigenous and exotic fruit trees. It provides practical lessons useful to extension or rural development workers in a localised set-up. Originality/Value: The case study gives an insight into the problems faced by peasant farmers and the requirements to make agroforestry successful. Practitioners in southern Africa could learn a great deal about issues relating to smallholder farmers from reading this paper. (Contains 3 tables and 3 figures.)

This study evaluated climate change awareness and adaptation strategies among female farmers in the Lephalale municipal area in the Limpopo province of South Africa. A concurrent mixed method research approach was undertaken. Qualitative data were obtained through five focus group discussions and a semi-structured questionnaire was used to obtain quantitative data from 208 female farmers. The chi-square test of independence analysis showed that the climate change awareness level and the adaptation measures were significantly related to the educational level and geographic location of the female farmers. Moreover, 84% of the respondents considered the national government social grant as a major means of income and not farming. Although 53% of the respondents were not aware of the term 'climate change', the female farmers confirmed having observed variance in temperature and rainfall over the years which they regarded as natural phenomena. Inadequate knowledge of climate change and limited access to credit facilities affected the respondents' capacity to adapt to climate change. The study concluded that climate change awareness level among female farmers influences their adaptation measures against climate change. The study recommends the promotion of farmer-to-farmer extension and intensification of extension services in the study area to enhance the level of awareness of climate change through physical interaction with the farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Implementation of climate-smart livelihood strategies in communities is central to reducing impacts of climate shocks. Although the communities are vulnerable to climate variability, the magnitude of vulnerability depends on the choice of livelihood strategies being implemented. This paper applied a realist synthesis method to evaluate peer-reviewed literature on climate-smart livelihood strategies pursued in southern Africa in general and eastern Zimbabwe in particular. A holistic analysis of all climate variables was applied to adequately assess rural and urban communities' adaptive strategies at micro-level. Accordingly, this review gave a nuanced analysis of vulnerability that frames the context in which communities' livelihoods are affected by the increasing climate variability and extreme events. The review highlighted agriculture that involves forestry, crop and livestock farming as the predominant livelihoods in rural communities while crop farming and petty business dominates the informal economy as the core livelihoods in urban communities. Literature established the transformation of agriculture to climate smart practices that increase productivity and enhance the resilience of livelihoods. However, climate smart agriculture practices are not entirely new concepts. Most communities have always engaged in a variety of unorthodox farming methods to combat the impacts of climate variability and induced food insecurity. Given the right financial, technical and policy support, the communities are capable of constructing climate-smart livelihood strategies that are context specific. Fundamentally, the paper recommends that public and private institutions should develop capabilities to assess the impacts of climate related scenarios on vulnerable social groups to empower them to formulate bankable livelihood projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world-over, there has been a growing call for national governments to acknowledge the role of indigenous knowledge systems in natural resource conservation. This article is based on a study that assessed factors that are associated with utilising indigenous ecological knowledge in the planning and management of biodiversity in Zimbabwean communal lands. Data were collected through both formal and informal interviews, focus group discussions and participatory observations in the seven districts of Masvingo Province in Zimbabwe. The results of the study indicate that dependence on indigenous ecological knowledge is enhanced by prevalence of conservative rural societies; devolution of power to local accountable institutions; the recognition of the integrity and value of local knowledge and practices by the post-colonial government; and advances in human rights and respect thereof. On the contrary, the national conservation policy and legislations that exclude indigenous people; high population growth rates; urbanisation and associated disintegration of traditional family ties; loss of faith and confidence in traditional institutions among the traditional societies; broken symbolic ties with the environment; and globalisation were among factors identified as militating against the use of local knowledge in conservation. The study recommends that the national government of Zimbabwe should revive and strengthen local institutions that empower indigenous peoples legally, epistemically and politically, and restore their long-term stewardship towards local natural resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stakeholder engagement has become an important aspect of sustainable natural resources management. This study analysed a landscape performance assessment by local and ‘external’ stakeholders in a transfrontier conservation area in Southern Africa. The landscape was divided into three agro-ecological zones and focus group discussions were facilitated for stakeholders to evaluate the landscape based on four ecoagriculture dimensions (production, conservation, livelihoods and institutions). The conservation dimension showed the best performance and the overall score for the landscape was 2.97, implying a fairly good performance. Perceptions and ratings did not significantly differ by age, gender or stakeholder groups. We conclude that despite their low levels of formal education and training, communal farmers can assess the performance of local landscapes in a consistent way. This study provides information about the degree to which the landscape under focus conformed to the main ecoagriculture goals and can guide development planning and extension service provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In pre-colonial Africa, local communities lived in harmony with nature and used indigenous knowledge systems and traditional authorities to manage biodiversity. The introduction of European colonial regimes in Africa eroded the traditional institutional framework and capacity for sustainable natural resource management. The post-independence governments tended to perpetuate the status quo. This study analyzed the contemporary traditional governance systems for biodiversity management and assessed the effectiveness of traditional institutions and methods in protecting the ecosystem. Key informant interviews, questionnaire surveys, focus group discussions, and indepth document interrogations corroborated and yielded valuable data that sustained the discourse. The study revealed that traditional governance systems in Zimbabwe have been significantly weakened by both colonial and postindependence governments that consolidated and centralized power. Traditional authority is marginalized in the governance of mainstream natural resources despite the fact that indigenes' culture imbues the conservation of natural resources. The study underscored the dire need for traditional authority to be restored and enhanced; the need for roles of traditional leaders and local people be clearly defined; the need for responsibilities and accountability of all actors to be emphasized; and the need for institutional capacities to be strengthened to ensure sustainable biodiversity management and livelihoods for the local communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Our biogeographic analysis suggests that the genus Encephalartos may have diverged around 9 Ma from southern Africa and then colonized the region through dispersal. • The east-central-west African clade might have diverged from the southern African clade through vicariance. • The eastern rift system in eastern Africa and the West African Dahomey Gap may act as geographical barriers driving the vicariance observed. • Although there was rapid species accumulation 2.6 Ma, the shift in diversification may not be as dramatic as initially thought. Of the 10 known genera of cycads, the genus Encephalartos is one of the two endemic genera to Africa. Although a number of studies have explored the taxonomic relationships within the genus as well as its diversification history, we still have limited understanding of its historical biogeography. In the present study, using five gene markers, we first reconstructed a complete phylogeny of the genus and its historical biogeography based on S-DIVA model. We then fitted the COMET model to the phylogeny to test for significant shifts in evolutionary events that may have driven the current diversity in the genus. Overall, our phylogeny is well supported and reveals two major clades following species geographic origins, one southern African clade and one east-central-west African clade. Our biogeographic analysis suggests that the genus may have diverged around 9 Ma from southern Africa (100% probability) and then colonized the region through dispersal. Although the origin of the east-central-west African clade is uncertain (50% probability), the clade may have diverged from the southern African clade through vicariance. We suggest that the eastern rift system in eastern Africa and the west African Dahomey Gap – a dry corridor that breaks pan-African tropical rainforest into different blocks – are geographical barriers limiting dispersal into the rest of the continent whilst, at the same time, promoting the vicariance signature observed. Although most species accumulated in the last 2.6 My, there were no significant shifts in any of the evolutionary events, suggesting that an overall constant-rate diversification model is best suited for the genus and that the rapid species accumulation during the Pliocene–Pleistocene transition may not be as dramatic as initially thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floods lead to tremendous losses of property, infrastructure, business and increased risk of diseases. Floods are also the most frequent natural disasters, affecting over 2.8 billion people in the world and causing over 200 000 deaths over the past three decades. The World Health Organization categorised the 2012 flood disaster in Nigeria as the worst flood to have hit the country in the past 50 years. This study reviews flood disasters in Nigeria and how they have been managed over the past two decades. The extensive review of the literature is complemented by data obtained from Ajegunle, a community in Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area. Because of its proximity to water bodies, its large population and its small land mass, the Ajegunle community is highly susceptible to floods and outbreaks of waterborne diseases. The study also discusses the institutionalisation and development of disaster management in Nigeria. Further, it critically evaluates the disaster management framework and other current disaster management policies as well as the effectiveness and functions of the disaster management focus areas and government response. The study takes a historic approach to flood disasters, linking disaster management to human health with a special focus on flood-related infectious diseases, isolating waterborne diseases as being predominant. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected to develop an understanding of how the people of Ajegunle are affected by flood disasters. This study reveals poorly managed health reforms and argues that in spite of government's disaster management policies, there is an absence of organised and coordinated institutional structures to plan and respond to flood emergencies. It also revealed that diarrhoea outbreak was the predominant waterborne disease associated with flood disasters. Although Lagos State has been said to have the best flood preparedness plan in Nigeria, it has failed to reduce the yearly flood disasters and their impact on the health of the people. The article suggests a holistic approach by the government to get stakeholders, especially the health sector, more actively involved in disaster management planning., Keywords: disaster management; floods; waterborne diseases; Ajegunle; Lagos; Nigeria., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article.