The role of indigenous knowledge (IK) in adaptation to drought by agropastoral smallholder farmers in Uganda

44-52Majority of agro pastoral smallholder farmers in developing countries are characterised by low pay status, high illiteracy levels and are tied to cultural beliefs and spirits. These drawbacks have led them into using more indigenous knowledge as a way of adapting to droughts. This study explored the contribution of IK in enhancing farmer’s resilience to drought in crop and livestock production systems in semi-arid areas. The objectives were: (i) to examine the agro pastoral farmer’s perceptions of drought indicators and associated impacts and (ii) determinants for the adoption of indigenous knowledge drought adaptation responses. Socio-economic data was collected using oral interviews. The farmers (240) were selected using random sampling procedures and subjected to structured questionnaires and key informant guides. This study highlights that the droughts experienced were perceived to be more severe, recurrent and pervasive but also erratic. The IK drought signs were: flowering of wild plants, blowing of strong winds and appearance of flying and crawling insects. In crop-based systems, droughts reduced yields, caused plant stunted growth, increased incidences of diseases and invasive weed species. In livestock, droughts reduced surface water levels, lowered milk and beef yields, and increased diseases. The farmers reacted to droughts by practicing indigenous agro forestry, mulching, changing planting time, crop rotation and hoeing of trenches to control fires and pests/diseases. They also took their animals to wetlands for foraging and drew water for animals to drink. The uptake of IK drought adaptation practices was related to: household size, personal farming life experience, gender and age of the agro pastoral farmers. Therefore, employing IK drought adaptation responses is an important step towards increasing the resilience of agro pastoral smallholder farmers but also the conservation of IK for forthcoming generations

Morphology, thermal properties and crystallization kinetics of ternary blends of the polylactide and starch biopolymers and nanoclay : the role of nanoclay hydrophobicity

Polylactide/butylated-starch/nanoclay (70/25.5/4.5 wt%) composites were prepared by melt blending with nanoclays of varying hydrophobicity. Electron microscopy studies indicated that the interphase boundary interaction was highest in the clay with intermediate hydrophobicity but decreased with clays of higher or lower hydrophobicity. Conventional and modulated differential scanning calorimetry studies showed that, in the case of composites, the change in the ratio of rigid and mobile amorphous fractions depends on the hydrophobicity of clays used for the preparation of blend composites. The mobile amorphous fraction related to the polylactide phase decreases in the case of intermediate hydrophobic clay compared with less and more hydrophobic clays or neat blend samples. Avrami bulk crystallization analysis and polarized optical microscopic observation demonstrated that hydrophobic clays hindered the crystallization of the PLA phase into the formation of disc-shaped spherulites. On the basis of obtained results, we propose a general understanding on how the morphology and thermal properties of the blend composites are related to the hydrophobicity of the nanoclays.Department of Science and Technology (HGERAOZ) , the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and the University of Johannesburg (086310).http://www.elsevier.com/locate/polymer2016-08-31hb201

Analysis on Equity Issues in Lower Secondary Education in East Uganda

This paper explores the equity issues in lower secondary education with specifi c focus on access and learning achievement in East Uganda. The study employs qualitative and quantitative approaches using school and individual level data. The results reveal that inequalities in both access and achievement are sensitive to school and family related factors including student age, household spending on education, education level of household head, latrine stances to student ratio as well as co-educational, urban and large schools. The qualitative investigation indicates inequality issues are real in the school communities. Though learning opportunities are available to both genders, there are voices of resentment regarding school environmental challenges such as inadequate sanitary facilities, ineffective counseling services, low parental participation in school gender activities as well as minimal protection that all pose danger to not only girl students especially, but also school property. The study finds that school stakeholders should have a sense of responsibility to equip schools with adequate facilities and improve safety as these measures can help to retain students, specifi cally girls, in schools. Collaboration of school managers with women's movements within school communities could show a strong infl uence in motivating girls' participation in schools as these approaches can break the negative gender stereotyping against girls

Does teaching methods and availability of Teaching resources influence pupils’ Performance: evidence from four Districts in Uganda

This paper explores ways of improving education quality in Universal Primary Education (UPE) schools in Uganda. Following the introduction of UPE in Uganda in 1997, primary school enrolment increased tremendously, leading to a strain on existing teaching resources such as classrooms, teachers’ accommodation, toilets, teachers, chalk, and students’ furniture among others. The inadequacy of teaching resources partly attributes to the low quality of education in UPE schools as reflected in the Primary three and six pupils’ performance in literacy and numeracy. Accordingly, Government responded by increasing supply of teaching resources with the hope of improving the quality of education in UPE schools. The major findings of the paper include: i) Supplying more teaching resources in the current Uganda context should not be the number one priority intervention if the quality of education in public primary school is to be improved. Paradoxically, supply of teaching resources is found to have adverse effects on education quality. This suggests that the supply of teaching resources in these schools seem to be done at the expense of effective teaching. ii) Primary school teachers employ teacher-centred methods of teaching, which are less effective. The study finds that child-centred methods of teaching are more effective for both males and females as regards improvement of education quality. Yet, teachers in UPE schools hardly employ child-centred approaches to teaching, which mainly explains the poor quality of education in UPE schools. iii) There is urgent need for the ministry in charge of education to focus more on teacher supervision to compel teachers to attend to their duties and use child-centred methods of teaching. This calls for increased budget for school inspection and teacher supervision

Public Spending in the Water Sub-sector in Uganda: Evidence from Program Budget Analysis

The main objective of this paper was to conduct Programs Budget Analysis of the water sub-sector in Uganda over the period 1999/00 to 2009/10 in order to gain an understanding of sources of funding and the way funds were allocated to different programs. This sub sector has been identified as one of the sectors that can greatly accelerate the stride towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The Directorate of Water Development has highlighted provision of sustainable safe drinking water supply to 77 percent of the rural population as well as 100 percent to the urban population by the year 2015. This set target is based on management responsibility and ownership by the users, with an 80 percent-90 percent effective use and functionality of facilities”. Using data on expenditure outturns from Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, the study established that with limited resources available, the allocative efficiency has been high as non wage expenditure has overtime attracted the highest allocation as compared to wages. Besides, the development expenditure has seen over reliance mainly on domestic funds with less reliance on fluctuating donor commitments. To sustain provision of safe water in both rural and urban, the water sub-sector should develop human resource capacity to match with the level of infrastructure development and operations and maintenance plans should equally be focused on

Uganda: A Decade of Budget Reform and Poverty Reduction

Uganda’s economy has undergone major fluctuations from a vibrant economy in the 1960s, to suffering severe macroeconomic imbalances in the 1970s and 1980s, to enjoying an economic revival since the late 1980s. A key focus of recent public financial management reforms has been to improve macroeconomic performance and ensure strict budgetary discipline, in particular through the use of a three-year rolling budgetary plan as early as 1992/93. However, problems with the cash budgeting system undermined efforts to improve budget planning, requiring complementary reforms to cash management and commitment control systems. Reforms have also focused on poverty reduction, expenditure efficiency and effectiveness, financial management and accountability, and transparency and openness.

Impact of the school facilities grant on access and learning achievements in the primary education sector in Uganda

Dofiles, ready-for-analysis data used in the analysis published in the Final Report to 3ie on the project, "Impact of the school facilities grant on access and learning achievements in the primary education sector in Uganda" (project code UPW.01.IE-MA). This project was funded as part of the Uganda Policy Window round

Morphology, thermal properties and crystallization kinetics of ternary blends of the polylactide and starch biopolymers and nanoclay: The role of nanoclay hydrophobicity

Polylactide/butylated-starch/nanoclay (70/25.5/4.5 wt%) composites were prepared by melt blending with nanoclays of varying hydrophobicity. Electron microscopy studies indicated that the interphase boundary interaction was highest in the clay with intermediate hydrophobicity but decreased with clays of higher or lower hydrophobicity. Conventional and modulated differential scanning calorimetry studies showed that, in the case of composites, the change in the ratio of rigid and mobile amorphous fractions depends on the hydrophobicity of clays used for the preparation of blend composites. The mobile amorphous fraction related to the polylactide phase decreases in the case of intermediate hydrophobic clay compared with less and more hydrophobic clays or neat blend samples. Avrami bulk crystallization analysis and polarized optical microscopic observation demonstrated that hydrophobic clays hindered the crystallization of the PLA phase into the formation of disc-shaped spherulites. On the basis of obtained results, we propose a general understanding on how the morphology and thermal properties of the blend composites are related to the hydrophobicity of the nanoclays.Department of Science and Technology (HGERAOZ) , the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and the University of Johannesburg (086310).http://www.elsevier.com/locate/polymer2016-08-31hb201