Assessment of Rangelands Around Molepolole Village of Botswana to Ascertain Its Potential to Support Free Range Beef Cattle Despite Its Long Term Use as a Grazing Area

In Botswana, cattle rearing can either be in farms or in communal grazing areas. In communal grazing areas, carrying capacities are never adhered to, hence degradation sometimes occurs. This negatively impact on the livestock industry since cattle are mainly free ranging. This therefore calls for periodic checks of grass species to determine whether grazing areas still have potentials to sustain livestock production. A study was done to take stock of grass species and bush encroachment status around the biggest village of Botswana, known as Molepolole. The survey looked at species composition, distribution and production. The survey was done by using line transects, quadrats and plots in the northern and western direction of the village. In each quadrat, grass species were identified, counted by species, height measured and biomass determined by clipping. In plots, woody plants were counted for all species. The survey revealed that despite heavy grazing and periodic droughts the grazing area still has some grass species of good grazing value and the area is being threatened to being encroached by woody species. Thus there is still a potential for use of the area for grazing but at lower stocking rate. However, it was noted that the area needs some restoration by controlling bush encroachment and reintroduction of good grass species

Changes in Herbaceous Species Composition in the Absence of Disturbance in a Cenchrus biflorus

A-nine year study was carried out to investigate changes in herbaceous species composition in an area invaded by Cenchrus biflorus Roxb, an exotic invader grass species. The study ensued termination of livestock and human activities in the area when residents of the area were relocated to another area. Vegetation characteristics from the disturbed sites (previous occupied areas) and undisturbed sites (previously unoccupied areas) were determined. The results show that C. biflorus has high tolerance to disturbance. It comprised the larger proportion of grasses in disturbed sites at the inception of the study. However, it decreased in abundance with time in disturbed areas and was absent in the undisturbed areas, suggesting that its ability to invade undisturbed sites is limited. Perennial species successfully reestablished on the third year after termination of disturbance. The study reveals that C. biflorus invasion in the Kalahari ecosystem can be controlled by termination of disturbances

Interactions between woody plants, elephants and other browsers in the Chobe Riverfront, Botswana

This thesis examines the interaction between woody plants, elephants and other browsers in a semi-arid savanna in northern Botswana, southern Africa. Particularly I studied how woody plants respond to herbivory, how browsers respond to previously browsed trees, and how the browsers share food resources. Browsing pressure by twig biting ungulates showed a unimodal relationship with shoot vigour (first PCA axis scores generated from four shoot variables) of 14 tree species, which may be caused by low quantity and quality of food on trees with low vigour, and too large shoot diameters on the most vigorously growing tree species. Browsing pressure by elephants showed no relation with shoot vigour of plant species. Elephants, giraffe, impala and kudu largely used different food resources in terms of browse species and height levels selected. There was little resource-use overlap (Schoener’s index) between the herbivore species. Elephants (ca. 3000 kg) predominantly browsed other woody species than those browsed by giraffe (ca. 1000 kg), impala (ca. 50 kg) and kudu (ca. 200 kg). Differences in body size could not explain this difference in food choice, as giraffe, impala and kudu browse the same tree species independent of considerable difference in body size. The differences in food selectivity may instead be explained by difference in digestive systems. Elephants are hindgut fermenters whereas the others are foregut fermenters (ruminants). Trees that were strongly affected by elephant browsing had more shoots at low height levels than individuals without elephant impact. Impala and kudu preferred to browse from trees previously browsed by elephant rather than from trees without any elephant impact. This indicates that elephants facilitate the foraging by these two species. Elephants themselves are known to rebrowse previously impacted trees, and were found to recognize and preferentially browse trees that had been subject to simulated browsing three years earlier and since then protected from large herbivores. The study did not find evidence that elephants compete with and deplete food for other browsers. Results in this thesis do not justify manipulation of elephant population and distribution as a means to increase populations of the other animal species investigated in this thesis. Instead it seems that elephants may act to facilitate browsing by other investigated animal species

Modes of market entry and strategies for selected South African companies doing business in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Thesis (MBA)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.This research identifies modes of market entry as well as strategies embarked on by South African companies that are currently doing business in the DRC. Data collection was performed through one–on–one interviews with executives of the South African companies that are in the different sectors of business in the DRC. Research has found that the mode adopted for entry was related to the degree to which the company has committed its resources, across all sectors involved. The DRC is potentially one of the richest countries in Africa, with rich mineral resources, timber (75% of the country is forested) and extensive energy resources, however it is one of the poorest, with real GDP per capita falling from $380 in 1960 to$167 by 2010. The top–ranked countries in Africa are South Africa (29), Mauritius (32), and Namibia (42). Guinea–Bissau (173) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (175) rank lowest in the region. The Democratic Republic of Congo also ranks lowest in the world. Doing business in Africa became easier in 2005–2006 because reformers simplified business regulations, strengthened property rights, eased tax burdens, increased access to credit, and reduced the cost of exporting and importing. “Such progress is sorely needed. African countries would greatly benefit from new enterprises and jobs, which can come with more business–friendly regulations,” said Michael Klein, World Bank–IFC vice president for finance and private sector development and IFC chief economist. “Big improvements are possible. If an African country adopts the region’s best practices in the 10 areas covered by Doing Business, it would rank eleventh globally.” Operational challenges in the DRC were found to be the same as what all emerging countries are experiencing in the continent, such as: lack of skills, corruption and lack of law enforcement, poor infrastructure, exchange rate volatility, successful informal sector, and crime and anti–South Africa sentiments. These challenges lead to higher costs of doing business in the DRC for South African companies. This research further gives a proposal for a model that South African companies can Modes of market entry and strategies for selected South African Companies doing business in the DRC consider as part of their strategic planning process when internationalising their business into the DRC.Master

Plant-based traditional foods and beverages of Gumare Village, Botswana

Abstract The consumption of traditional and indigenous foods and beverages varies across different ethnic communities and is often influenced by geographical location. However, the diversity of edible plants is rapidly declining due to climate change, leading to a loss of knowledge about useful plants used by different communities before the plant itself becomes extinct. This research investigated the edible plant types and investigated the processing steps of plant-based traditional foods/dishes and beverages of Gumare village, located in the catchment area of the Okavango Delta in the northwest of Botswana. Questionnaire interviews and focus group discussions (FGD) were used to collect data. The study identified 52 wild and 19 domesticated edible plants used in the preparation of traditional foods/dishes and beverages of Gumare village. Maize, sorghum, millets, beans, melon, watermelon, pumpkin, bottle gourd and sweet potato are widely used domesticated crops. The wild edible plants are either directly used after minor processing or as recipes in traditional dishes and/or as an inoculum in the fermentation, as a substrate in traditional beverages and some as medicinal plants. However, some taboos and food safety challenges were observed in the use of certain plants. The study highlighted a decline in the use of traditional foods/dishes and beverages, particularly among the young generation. The youth indicated that they have a low interest in gathering traditional foods and beverages due to the time-consuming nature during harvesting and the labour-intensive processing. In addition, they indicated the dangers of attacks by wild animals from veld by reptiles (for example snakes and pythons) and alligators (crocodiles) from rivers during the harvesting of raw materials used in traditional foods and dishes. For the communities, the diverse edible wild plants documented are a source of nutrients and bioactive compounds such as dietary fibers, phenolics, terpenes, essential oils, carotenoids, and alkaloids that help to combat malnutrition and for use as traditional medicines to support health and wellness. In conclusion, the significant diversity of wild edible plants and domesticated crops in Gumare village, likely due to its location in the catchment area of the Okavango Delta, plays a crucial role in diet diversification and can contribute to food and nutrition security. However, for most wild edible plants of Botswana, information on their nutrient and bioactive compounds are still limited. This study provides baseline information for further chemical investigation and development of resources in the formulation of functional foods and nutraceuticals. Graphical Abstrac