Human-wildlife conflict in subsistence and commercial farmers in north-eastern South Africa

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Johannesburg 2016.Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) occurs when wild animals depredate crops and livestock and threaten human safety, which subsequently results in retaliatory or deliberate persecution of wildlife by farmers. The aim of my study was to establish how subsistence and commercial farmers that ranched or cultivated in the same geographic area were affected by and responded to problem animals in selected localities of north-eastern South Africa. I first conducted a global meta-analysis of the scientific literature concerning HWC, which revealed several findings. 1) Local communities contiguous with protected areas worldwide were affected by the highest number of damage-causing wildlife (49 species) compared with subsistence farmers and commercial farmers. 2) Contrary to my prediction, subsistence farmers did not experience the highest number of depredation incidences, instead, commercial farmers were more prone to HWC, possibly due to a greater research focus on commercial agri-pastoral farming. 3) Consistent with the prediction that developing countries could potentially experience regular encounters with wildlife, rural people in Africa and Asia experienced conflict with the broadest diversity of mammals. 4) South Africa offers a regional exemplar of global patterns in HWC. Subsequently, I investigated how subsistence and commercial farmers that operated concurrently in selected localities of north-eastern South Africa were affected by and managed damage-causing wildlife. In addition, I gauged the attitudes and opinions of subsistence and commercial farmers to wildlife and conservation issues, and assessed the attitudes and opinions of conservation practitioners towards people living on protected area boundaries. Finally, I investigated the movement patterns of African wild dog (wild dog) Lycaon pictus in areas where they are lethally persecuted, as a case study of HWC. To achieve these aims, I employed a combination of methods and approaches to acquire information regarding the demographic and physical attributes (such as fencing and use of irrigation) of subsistence and commercial farms, in addition to respondent attitudes and opinions that were collectively important predictors of the scale of HWC. These included semi-structured questionnaire interviews, site inspections on farms and subsistence gardens to verify farm attributes, geographic information system attitude indexes (methods to visualise the spatial distribution of respondent attitudes) and satellite or radio-collared wild dog individuals. Several variables, such as large households (≥ seven occupants per household) and environmental-related challenges (e.g. insect pests, soil erosion, and the absence of electrified fencing) exacerbated HWC, especially regarding carnivores. Maize Zea mays, was the most frequently raided crop (by primates) on both subsistence and commercial farms. Poultry and young livestock were most often depredated throughout the study sites, with caracal Caracal caracal, wild dog and leopard Panthera pardus being the main depredators. My findings supported the prediction that commercial farmers more readily shot and poisoned wildlife compared to subsistence farmers. Commercial farmers most frequently persecuted carnivores, while subsistence farmers mainly persecuted primates. Subsistence and commercial farmers held positive and negative attitudes towards wildlife for different reasons. Collectively, positive attitudes related to ecocentric values (concern for the ecosystem) such as environmental education, tourism and a willingness to learn about non-harmful damage-causing animal control, while negative attitudes pertained to stray wildlife and resource damage, specifically to crop and livestock depredation. Although conservation practitioners held positive attitudes of local human communities (relating to community-conservation oriented values), negative attitudes also existed (pertaining to a disinterest and indifference towards the socio-economic needs of local human communities and poaching). My study of wild dogs showed that although the home range of free-ranging packs intersected with lethal-controlling commercial farmers, one pack in the Waterberg, Limpopo Province, reduced potential encounters with farmers by utilising vegetation thickets as refugia. I concluded that subsistence farmers and commercial farmers were similarly affected by HWC but differed in the type of farming commodity depredated. While commercial farmers may be able to discourage depredation by using fencing and lethal control, such resources are unaffordable or unavailable to subsistence farmers. Instead, they utilised passive methods to deter wildlife (e.g. chasing, guarding fields). The loss of household food to depredation coupled with adverse environmental factors may compromise the food security of poor households. Although tensions between local human communities and conservation authorities exist, the positive attitudes and opinions of subsistence and commercial farmers towards biodiversity, as well as the reported alacrity of conservation authorities for community conservation, may provide the basis for future discussions on joint wildlife management. In the absence of such collaborations, wildlife will continue to experience conflict in farmed areas, or they might adapt by modifying their behaviour, as demonstrated in one wild dog pack.LG201

Intrauterine deaths: challenges faced in developing countries

Background: Reasons for intrauterine deaths differ in studies from different geographical areas. This study was done to determine common reasons for intrauterine deaths in Northern India, representing population from majority of developing world. Methods: Retrospective study was done from Jan 2010 to April 2013, and files and records reviewed to determine reasons and other data of females with intrauterine deaths.Results: Most common reasons for intrauterine deaths were prolonged/ obstructed labour (18.08%) and hyperthermia (16.9%) due to infectious diseases.Conclusion: Most deaths in developing countries are preventable. Awareness of existing health facilities and need to attend them timely, hygiene in newly constructed and under construction areas and political will is the need of the hour

The Rise of ICT for Commerce in Small Product Offerings Case studies from India

The paper makes a case for information and communication technologies (ICT) in small businesses against the broader backdrop of the developing economy of India. ICTs come to India through two routes; the global employment route of IT information companies or the development route of donor-driven services to bridge internal digital divide. Local and context specific ICT based services in small businesses are organic, market-driven and self-sustaining bringing affordable services to hitherto ‘underserved’ and ‘information poor’ contexts. It seems pertinent to ask if ICT as service offerings in small business can sustain and evolve a participatory eco-system resulting in expansion of benefits to the player/entrepreneur and customer/user of technology. From a case-study in urban India we observe that most ICT-based or ICT-empowered businesses, services and products are shaped by two factors 1. The nature of key players driving business 2. Local and evolving customer relevance of the product. The two can combine to produce a third- opportunities that can turn businesses round to a more aggressive consumer oriented service offerings to sustain business and increase ICT infusion into local markets

Fetomaternal outcome in cases of oligohydramnios after 28 weeks of pregnancy

Background: Aim of current study was to study the fetomaternal outcome in cases of oligohydramnios admitted in the labour room for delivery.Methods: A prospective hospital based study was conducted at Sharda hospital, school of medical sciences and research, Sharda University, Greater Noida. The study was undertaken over a period of two years from April 2012 to March 2014. Cases of oligohydramnios (AFI ≤5 cm) detected ultrasonographically at the time of admission in labour room were included in the study. The inclusion criteria for the purpose were: 28 completed weeks of gestation with singleton live pregnancy, intact membranes and no foetal anomalies. Data regarding bio-social characteristics, maternal and perinatal outcome were collected and results were analysed. 40 cases (with similar age and parity profile, as study cases) were taken as control.Results: There were 1342 deliveries during the study period. 41 cases were detected to have oligohydramnios. Majority of the cases (80.49%) in the study group belonged to the age group of 20-30 years. Incidence of associated maternal and foetal complications was higher in cases with oligohydramnios. Perinatal mortality was 9.76%. Fetal heart rate abnormalities were observed in 19.51% cases at the time of admission. Low Apgar score was seen in 19.51% neonates and 36.59% neonates were admitted in NICU.Conclusions: Oligohydramnios is being detected more often these days, due to routinely performed obstetric ultrasonography. In the present study, cases with AFI of ≤5 presenting for delivery (after 28 weeks of gestation), were studied. Babies were relatively more prone for complications

The Non-Tailing Sediment Waste Utilization Strategy at PTFI DMLZ Mine

Mining in PT. Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) produces tailing and non-tailing sediment waste. The purpose of the study is examining the financial feasibility analysis of managing non-tailings sediment waste through the conversion program of non-tailings sediment waste into concrete products and formulate the strategies of non-tailing sediment conversion program. Quantitative and qualitative methods are combined in this study. Capital budgeting method are used to examine financial feasibility analysis. IFAS, EFAS matrix and SWOT analysis are used for strategies formulation. Results of capital budgeting analysis have yielded a net present value (NPV) at a 9,4% discount rate of Rp12,1 billion for the conversion program of non-tailing waste, Net B/C result is greater than 1, suggesting that the project is viable from a financial standpoint. Sensitivity analysis has also demonstrated that the parameters with more significant influence on project NPV are concrete price, production cost, and sales volume. The non-tailings sediment conversion program is feasible because it provides greater economic, social, and environmental benefits when compared to non-tailings waste management using the landfilling method. The strategies that can be implemented to run the sediment waste utilization program are Strength- Opportunities strategies as follows: first is use a capital strong to access and apply the best technology, secondly increase the use of ready mix concrete made from non-tailing sediment waste for projects that require low Mpa concrete, the third, working with entities inside and outside PTFI to open the market for non-tailing sedimentary waste concrete products, and fourth utilizing good infrastructure and abundant sediment waste and fiber to diversify precast concrete products. Keywords: aggregates, capital budgeting, financial feasibility analysis, non-tailing waste, strategy, SWO

The mobile internet in the wild and every day: Digital leisure in the slums of urban India

The wild and the everyday point at once to twinned aspects of life and, in this article, to a technological imaginary drawing upon the use of the mobile internet in urban slums of India. The article responds to the rathe

Pengaruh Karakteristik Usaha dan Wirausaha Terhadap Kinerja UMKM Industri Pengolahan Perikanan di Kabupaten Sukabumi

The performance of fisheries processing industry could be known through the production of processed fish and income which obtained by the entrepreneurs. Fisheries processing in Sukabumi Regency as an industry certainly has various factors that influence its performance. The purpose of this research was to analyze the effect of MSMEs and MSME actors characteristics on the performance of MSMEs in Sukabumi Regency. The research was conducted in Sukabumi Regency with the consideration that Sukabumi has superior MSME fishery processing industry products. The data used in the research were obtained from the results of interviews using the questionnaire. The number of samples used was 99 units of MSMEs which were selected by proportional cluster random sampling technique. The research data obtained were analyzed using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) method with the help of SmartPLS 3.2.7 software. The results showed that the characteristics of MSMEs had a positive and significant effect on the performance of MSMEs, and the characteristics of MSME actors consisting of demographic, psychological and cultural characteristics had a positive and significant effect on the performance of MSMEs. Based on these results, a psychological and cultural approach is needed for each program that will be carried out related to improving the performance of MSMEs in the fisheries processing industry in Sukabumi Regency

Root Cause Analysis on Development of Sustainable Fisheries Business in Indonesia

The development of the capture fisheries sector is significant to improve the national economy, but the development of this sector needs to be regulated to create a sustainable business and ecology of capture fisheries. This study aims to examine the development of the sustainable fisheries sector in Indonesia. This research uses descriptive qualitative method by collecting data from literature studies and focus group discussions (FGD). This study was further analyzed using root cause analysis (RCA). Based on these results, the policy recommendation was obtained to realize sustainable fisheries in Indonesia. This policy recommendation also needs to be supported by government support, such as forming a fishery platform that serves as a mediator for stakeholders so that the policy that is created will positively impact the stakeholders from upstream to downstream. Keywords: capture fisheries, strategy, sustainability, root cause analysis (RCA