Being a Born-free. Violence, Youth and Agency in Zimbabwe

This research report presents the findings of case study research with youth in six locations in Zimbabwe, carried out within the Power, Violence, Citizenship and Agency (PVCA) programme. It shows how young people experience growing up as citizens in a country known for its repressive regime, and highlights the differences for young men and young women. Young people consider political violence as one of many forms of violence and other challenges they face in life. Election periods bring increased risk, when youth feel targeted. After the turbulence of elections has waned, surveillance by state security agents persists, affecting how young people use the public sphere. Between elections, forms of structural violence pose more challenges to youth than physical, political violence: patronage along party or ethnic lines is a major barrier to finding jobs, and generational differences deny young people a voice. High unemployment levels can result in youth participating in violence orchestrated by political actors. This research shows also that family and peers have a strong influence on how young people choose to engage in the public sphere and respond to the polarised political environment. Youth empowerment strategies thus need to go beyond economic empowerment. This report argues that a shift in vision is required so that government, aid agencies and civil society recognise the importance of active citizenship among youth and make it a priority area for interventions. Programmes should build the citizen capabilities of young people and improve relations between them, their parents and communities, and public authority

Mapping adaptation of barley to droughted environments

Identifying barley genomic regions influencing the response of yield and its components to water deficits will aid in our understanding of the genetics of drought tolerance and the development of more drought tolerant cultivars. We assembled a population of 192 genotypes that represented landraces, old, and contemporary cultivars sampling key regions around the Mediterranean basin and the rest of Europe. The population was genotyped with a stratified set of 50 genomic and EST derived molecular markers, 49 of which were Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs), which revealed an underlying population sub-structure that corresponded closely to the geographic regions in which the genotypes were grown. A more dense whole genome scan was generated by using Diversity Array Technology (DArT®) to generate 1130 biallelic markers for the population. The population was grown at two contrasting sites in each of seven Mediterranean countries for harvest 2004 and 2005 and grain yield data collected. Mean yield levels ranged from 0.3 to 6.2 t/ha, with highly significant genetic variation in low-yielding environments. Associations of yield with barley genomic regions were then detected by combining the DArT marker data with the yield data in mixed model analyses for the individual trials, followed by multiple regression of yield on markers to identify a multi-locus subset of significant markers/QTLs. QTLs exhibiting a pre-defined consistency across environments were detected in bins 4, 6, 6 and 7 on barley chromosomes 3H, 4H, 5H and 7H respectivel

Mixed model association scans of multi-environmental trial data reveal major loci controlling yield and yield related traits in Hordeum vulgare in Mediterranean environments

An association panel consisting of 185 accessions representative of the barley germplasm cultivated in the Mediterranean basin was used to localise quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling grain yield and yield related traits. The germplasm set was genotyped with 1,536 SNP markers and tested for associations with phenotypic data gathered over 2 years for a total of 24 year × location combinations under a broad range of environmental conditions. Analysis of multi-environmental trial (MET) data by fitting a mixed model with kinship estimates detected from two to seven QTL for the major components of yield including 1000 kernel weight, grains per spike and spikes per m2, as well as heading date, harvest index and plant height. Several of the associations involved SNPs tightly linked to known major genes determining spike morphology in barley (vrs1 and int-c). Similarly, the largest QTL for heading date co-locates with SNPs linked with eam6, a major locus for heading date in barley for autumn sown conditions. Co-localization of several QTL related to yield components traits suggest that major developmental loci may be linked to most of the associations. This study highlights the potential of association genetics to identify genetic variants controlling complex traits

Genetic studies of extra-early provitamin-A maize inbred lines and their hybrids in multiple environments

Open Access Article; Published online: 25 Sept 2019Vitamin A deficiency, drought, low soil nitrogen (low N) and Striga hermonthica parasitism of maize (Zea mays L.) cause malnutrition and food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa. The objectives of this study were to determine combining abilities of extra-early provitamin A (PVA) lines, classify them into heterotic groups (HGs), identify testers, and determine yield stability of hybrids under contrasting environments in two trials. In trial 1, 20 extra-early PVA lines were inter-mated in a diallel mating scheme to obtain 190 F1 hybrids. The 190 F1 hybrids plus six checks were tested under Striga infestation, drought, and stress-free environments in Nigeria from 2015 to 2017. In trial 2, 35 extra-early yellow hybrids were evaluated under low-N, Striga-infested and stress-free environments in 2018. Provitamin A concentrations of 23.98 and 22.56 μg g-1 were obtained for TZEEIOR 202 and TZEEIOR 205. TZEEIOR 197 × TZEEIOR 205 (20.1 μg g-1) and TZEEIOR 202 × TZEEIOR 205 (22.7 μg g-1) contained about double the PVA level of the commercial check, TZEEI 58 × TZEE-Y Pop STR C5 (11.4 μgg-1). Both general (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining ability variances were statistically significant for most agronomic traits, although GCA was much larger than SCA effects, indicating that additive genetic effects primarily controlled the inheritance of those traits. TZEEIOR 97 and TZEEIOR 197 were identified as inbred testers. TZEEIOR 197 × TZEEIOR205 (20.1 μg g-1) was identified as a single-cross tester as well as the most stable and highest-yielding hybrid across environments. TZEEIOR 202 and TZEEIOR 205 should be invaluable resources for breeding for high PVA. PVA level was independent of hybrid yield potential, indicating that selection of superior hybrids with elevated PVA levels should be feasible

“We sleep 10cm apart so there is no social distancing”: COVID-19 preparedness in a Zimbabwean prison complex.

Purpose: Prisons in Africa face unprecedented challenges during COVID-19. In July 2020, the first prison system case of COVID-19 was notified in Zimbabwe. Subsequently, the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services released their COVID-19 operational plan. Design/methodology/approach: A multi-method situation assessment of COVID-19 preparedness was conducted across three Zimbabwean prisons. The WHO Checklist to evaluate preparedness, prevention and control of COVID-19 in prisons was administered to frontline health managers. Information garnered was further explored during site observation and in multi-stakeholder key informant interviews with policy makers, prison health directorate, frontline health care professionals, officers in charge and non-governmental organisations (n = 26); focus group discussions with correctional officers (n = 18) and male/female prisoners (n = 36). Data was triangulated and analysed using content thematic analysis. Findings: Outdated infrastructure, severe congestion, interrupted water supply and inadequate hygiene and sanitation were conducive to ill health and spread of disease. Health professionals had been well trained regarding COVID-19 disease control measures. COVID-19 awareness among prisoners was generally adequate. There was no routine COVID-19 testing in place, beyond thermo scanning. Access to healthcare was good, but standards were hindered by inadequate medicines and personnel protective equipment supply. Isolation measures were compromised by accommodation capacity issues. Flow of prison entries constituted a transmission risk. Social distancing was impossible during meals and at night. Originality: This unique situation assessment of Zimbabwean prisons’ preparedness and approach to tackling COVID-19 acknowledges state and prison efforts to protect prisoners and staff, despite infrastructural constraints and inadequate resourcing from government