Understanding the Hygiene Needs of People Living with HIV and AIDs in Southern African Developing Community (SADC) Countries

This paper seeks to draw attention to the significance of integrating hygiene practices to HIV and AIDs programs in Southern African Developing Countries (SADC)—a region severely burdened by the disease. Integrating hygiene, in particular the habit of handwashing with soap and water, can reduce mortality rates and improve the livelihoods of people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA)—akin to Florence Nightingale’s moment (1850s). The paper uses survey data attained from PLWHA (South Africa) as case point to provide empirical views by PLWHA regarding their views and perceptions about hygiene practices and significance. Key observations are that: PLWHA lack sufficient knowledge on handwashing practices and apparently ignorant about their exposure and extent of vulnerability to opportunistic infections. This paper concludes by making a call for integration of hygiene (especially handwashing with soap and water) as part and parcel of HIV and AIDS programs as this will positively impact livelihoods of PLWHA in SADC. The paper ends continuous monitoring of WASH programs across SADC new 90-90-90 water-sanitation-hygiene indicator scoreboard necessary for continuous monitoring of WASH programs across SADC and equally other developing countries

Malawi’s Experience with Weather Index Insurance as Agricultural Risk Mitigation Strategy Against Extreme Drought Events 1

Malawi continues to face unprecedented challenges imposed by extreme weather events—drought in particular. Because the economy is heavily dependent on climate-sensitive agriculture, Malawi is highly vulnerable to extreme drought events. Faced with a growing number of extreme drought events, the government of Malawi is determined to implement weather index insurance as part and parcel of its nationwide disaster risk mitigation strategy. This study seeks to interrogate and highlight the obstacles that have hampered successful implementation and development of weather index insurance in Malawi beyond the pilot phase. The study draws on a few examples to demonstrate other countries’ successful experience with weather index insurance as a drought risk mitigation tool. The study concludes by highlighting important lessons that could help the government of Malawi to re-think the next phase of development of weather index insurance program as an effective risk protection strategy against extreme drought events

Catastrophic Drought Insurance based on the Remotely Sensed Normalized Difference Vegetation Index for Smallholder Farmers in Zimbabwe

Index insurance, which indemnifies agricultural producers based on an objectively observable variable that is highly correlated with production losses but which cannot be influenced by the producer, can provide adequate protection against catastrophic droughts without suffering from the moral hazard and adverse selection problems that typically cause conventional agricultural insurance programs to fail. Using historical maize and cotton yield data from nine districts in Zimbabwe, we find that catastrophic drought insurance contracts based on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) can be constructed whose indemnities exhibit higher correlations with yield losses compared to the conventional rainfall index. In addition the NDVI contracts can be offered within the 5–10 per cent premium range considered reasonably affordable to many poor smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe.Crop Production/Industries, Risk and Uncertainty,

Measuring willingness-to-pay for water and sanitation by people living with HIV and AIDs in South Africa

The ill-provision of water and sanitation services poses the greatest risk to people living with HIV and AIDS in South Africa – a majority of whom reside in slum settlements. People living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) die after succumbing to opportunistic infections, especially water-borne diseases (e.g., diarrhoea, cholera). This study was based on 485 individuals with HIV and AIDs drawn from three types of settlements (rural, peri-urban and urban slums) and sampled from three selected provincial districts of Khayelitsha (Western Cape), Ukhahlamba (Eastern Cape) and Groblersdal (Limpopo). The results show PLWHA having higher willingness-to-pay (WTP) for sanitation at ZAR448.40/month compared to water (ZAR428.60). Those living in urban slum settlements show the highest WTP for sanitation (ZAR552.70), followed by the ones in rural areas (ZAR500.24)

Catastrophic Drought Insurance based on the Remotely Sensed Normalized Difference Vegetation Index for Smallholder Farmers in Zimbabwe

Index insurance, which indemnifies agricultural producers based on an objectively observable variable that is highly correlated with production losses but which cannot be influenced by the producer, can provide adequate protection against catastrophic droughts without suffering from the moral hazard and adverse selection problems that typically cause conventional agricultural insurance programs to fail. Using historical maize and cotton yield data from nine districts in Zimbabwe, we find that catastrophic drought insurance contracts based on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) can be constructed whose indemnities exhibit higher correlations with yield losses compared to the conventional rainfall index. In addition the NDVI contracts can be offered within the 5–10 per cent premium range considered reasonably affordable to many poor smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe