The challenge of integrated water resource management for improved rural livelihoods: Managing risk, mitigating drought and improving water productivity in the water scarce Limpopo Basin

The Challenge of Integrated Water Resource Management for Improved Rural Livelihoods: Managing Risk, Mitigating Drought and Improving Water Productivity in the Water Scarce Limpopo Basin: Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is a systems approach to water management, based on the principle of managing the full water cycle. It is required, not only to balance water for food and nature, but also to unlock paths to sustainable development. A global hotspot area in terms of water for food and improved livelihoods is in the poverty stricken rural areas of water scarce semi-arid tropics, such as in the Limpopo basin. The improvement in resilience that the IWRM approach can impart to rural livelihood systems has been shown by a series of case studies in the Limpopo Basin

An expose of the state of cycling in South African cities: insights from the city of Johannesburg

Papers presented virtually at the 41st International Southern African Transport Conference on 10-13 July 2023.Over the past years, cycling has received increased attention around the world due to its environmental, economic, social, and health benefits. Cities such as Johannesburg have started to promote cycling as a smart and green mode of transport and are adopting policies to encourage cycling as a daily mode of transport. In this study, the state of infrastructure, and the promotion of accessibility and mobility for cycling in the City of Johannesburg were investigated. Interviews were held with various experts in transportation in the City of Johannesburg. Records from Strava Metro derived spatial patterns, and trends and GPS tracked the spatial and temporal coverage of cycling activities. The ArcGIS Pro was used to spatially analyse the geographical location information. Geospatial modelling Environment applications jointly with map algebra and spatial analyst functions were used to calculate the descriptive statistics of cycling patterns and trends. The results indicate that the locations with no cycling infrastructure have limited to no cycling activities. In the inner city area, the existing cycling lanes are cold zones for cycling and as a result, motorised transport modes are currently using the cycling lanes. Spatial observations reveal an increase in the number of cycling activities in townships. The results of this study could be beneficial to policymakers in identifying the main barriers and motivators for the public to promote cycling. The study concludes that the City of Johannesburg has many opportunities to improve infrastructure for nonmotorised transport, following the recommended coherent efforts of planning for sustainable and stimulant non-motorised transport

Implementing the millennium development food security goals – Challenges of the southern African context

The Millennium Development Goals’ target to halve the proportion of people who suffer from hunger is extremely important in southern Africa, where food security has become increasingly problematic over the last 20 years. One “quick-win” proposal is replenishment of soil nutrients for smallholder farmers, through free or subsidised chemical fertilisers. Other proposals include appropriate irrigation technology, improved inputs and interventions targeted at women. Analysis of over 10 years of agro-hydrological and agro-economic studies from southern African show that a different approach is required to interventions proposed. There are sustainability problems with free chemical fertiliser due to transport costs and ancillary costs. Furthermore, recent studies in Zimbabwe and Mozambique show that significant increases in yield can only be obtained when soil fertility management is combined with good crop husbandry, e.g. timely planting and weeding. Ongoing replenishment of fertility would be dependent on a continued free or subsidised fertiliser supply, and transport system. Increasing access to irrigation will help, but is not the only solution and cannot reach even a majority of farmers. It has been determined that short dryspells are often the major cause of low yields in sub-Saharan Africa. Soil–water conservation approaches, e.g. winter weeding and conservation tillage, can reduce risk and increase yield..

Survival of HIV Infected Children Born to Mothers Enrolled in a PMTCT Program in a Resource Poor Setting *

ABSTRACT Background: Pediatric HIV is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The substantial expansion in PMTCT has generated information on rates of transmission and associated factors, but there are limited studies on disease progression and mortality in vertically infected children, especially from resource poor settings. Methods: A birth cohort study was initiated in 2002 to focus on the role of a single dose of nevirapine in HIV transmission before Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) was readily available. The enrolment of women and subsequent follow up of the children occurred at 3 peri urban clinics around Harare. Findings: 479 women were HIV infected. From these, 93 (19%) children became HIV infected, 182 (38.0%) uninfected and 204 (43%) lost to follow up before HIV diagnosis. Of the HIV infected children, 40 (43%) died before the fifth birthday, 26 (28%) were lost to follow up and 27 (29%) were alive five years after maternal enrolment prior to availability of cART. Conclusion: In this setting, there was unacceptable high mortality from HIV infected children and loss to follow up prior to availability of HAART. A small proportion of HIV vertically infected children is surviving in resource poor settings without antiretroviral therapy