Understanding poverty, promoting wellbeing and sustainable development : a sample survey of 16 districts of Zimbabwe

The report presents data drawn from the survey (Moving Zimbabwe Forward Wellbeing and Poverty Survey- MZF) and contextualizes findings in relation to other studies, such as the Poverty Assessment Survey Studies (PASS). It provides comprehensive suggestions for both policy and practice to address poverty in Zimbabwe, while identifying poverty traps: lack of education; lack of quality employment, low land and labour productivity, and health issues. HIV/AIDS, malaria, bilharzias, diabetes, hypertension, infant mortality and maternal morbidity undermine productivity and capital accumulation. A comprehensive social protection programme is necessary, including cash transfers, education and health assistance, and cash (or food) for wor

Evaluation of the regional program of analysis and communication on Community - Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) : 1999 - 2002; final report

Consultant's reportProject number related to IDRC support could not be determine

Impact of community-based forest management and joint forest management on forest resource base and local peoples' livelihoods : case studies from Tanzania

Copublished with Centre for Applied Social Sciences, University of ZimbabweCASS/PLAAS occasion paper seriesIn recent years, there has been a move in eastern and southern African countries from centralised and state-driven management of natural resources towards decentralised and people-centred based regimes. In Tanzania, the inception of the 1998 national forest policy has led to institutionalisation of community-based forest management (CBFM) and joint forest management (JFM). A number of years later, it is worth assessing the impact of this policy on the resource base and people’s livelihoods. This paper uses two case studies of forest reserves under participatory forest management to explore this issue. Secondary data was gathered from various studies conducted in those two forest reserves. In addition to the analysis carried out by the various authors, further analysis involving content and structural analysis and synthesis of documented information was done. The results of the study revealed that CBFM at Duru-Haitemba had a positive impact on the resource base and people’s livelihoods – the forest is healthier than before and people are satisfied with the products they collect from the forests. On the other hand, the impact of JFM at Kwizu Forest Reserve has not yet produced desirable results since illegal activities are still rampant and, apparently, forest exploitation has increased instead of decreasing. The reasons behind the success at Duru-Haitemba and relative failure at Kwizu are varied, but are most probably linked to ownership of resources and law enforcement. Clear definition of rights, returns and responsibilities and adequate incentives are important for sustainability of people-centred management of natural resources

Development of a clockwork light source to enable cervical inspection by village health workers

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer can often be prevented by screening and may be curable if identified and treated in its early stages. However, 80% of new cases occur in less-developed countries where cervical cancer screening programmes are small-scale or non-existent. This is a human tragedy of great proportion, with many of those affected being young mothers. There is some evidence that cancerous or precancerous lesions may be detected by visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and field studies indicate that this technique is effective, safe and acceptable to women. However, the provision of a light source for inspection of the cervix presents a major problem in less-developed countries, where candles and torches often provide the only means of illumination. Our objective was to develop a light source based on clockwork technology, that required no batteries or external power source. METHODS: We adapted the design of a commercially available clockwork torch to provide a light source for cervical inspection. The light source was then tested under laboratory conditions in a comparison with other illumination methods typically used in this application. RESULTS: The light source gave illuminance levels greater than those produced by any other method tested, and also had considerable advantages in terms of ease of use and safety. CONCLUSION: This design is small, compact, effective and safe to use and promises a better and more affordable means of visualising the cervix. Further field trials of VIA are now required which incorporate this light source

Protocol for collaboration between the National Genebank and Community Seed Banks

In recent years, national genebanks of some countries (e.g. Bhutan, Mexico, Nepal, South Africa and Uganda) have started to collaborate with community seed banks on the important task of conservation of crop (and tree) varieties. This collaboration has taken place in informal ways, in the form of participation in meetings and gatherings, seed and food fairs and through a number of joint activities, including the establishment of community seed banks and related (capacity development) activities. As far as is known, no formal agreements have been made/signed to structure, monitor and evaluate the collaboration in a more rigorous manner. Based on interactions among professionals from various countries who support community seed banks, it was decided to develop a generic collaboration protocol that could help shape the collaboration process in countries where this has not yet taken place or to solidify the process in countries where this is already happening. The protocol document includes chapters (articles) on the roles of the national genebank; the roles of community seed banks; principles of collaboration; activities that can be done together and rules and regulations for the collaboration. It benefitted from the inputs of many partners in Kenya, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe and from the long community seed bank working experience of staff of Bioversity International, now the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT

Visual inspection with acetic acid as a cervical cancer test: accuracy validated using latent class analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The purpose of this study was to validate the accuracy of an alternative cervical cancer test – visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) – by addressing possible imperfections in the gold standard through latent class analysis (LCA). The data were originally collected at peri-urban health clinics in Zimbabwe.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Conventional accuracy (sensitivity/specificity) estimates for VIA and two other screening tests using colposcopy/biopsy as the reference standard were compared to LCA estimates based on results from all four tests. For conventional analysis, negative colposcopy was accepted as a negative outcome when biopsy was not available as the reference standard. With LCA, local dependencies between tests were handled through adding direct effect parameters or additional latent classes to the model.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two models yielded good fit to the data, a 2-class model with two adjustments and a 3-class model with one adjustment. The definition of latent disease associated with the latter was more stringent, backed by three of the four tests. Under that model, sensitivity for VIA (abnormal+) was 0.74 compared to 0.78 with conventional analyses. Specificity was 0.639 versus 0.568, respectively. By contrast, the LCA-derived sensitivity for colposcopy/biopsy was 0.63.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>VIA sensitivity and specificity with the 3-class LCA model were within the range of published data and relatively consistent with conventional analyses, thus validating the original assessment of test accuracy. LCA probably yielded more likely estimates of the true accuracy than did conventional analysis with in-country colposcopy/biopsy as the reference standard. Colpscopy with biopsy can be problematic as a study reference standard and LCA offers the possibility of obtaining estimates adjusted for referent imperfections.</p