Climate Change and Gender in Africa: A Review of Impact and Gender-Responsive Solutions

Climate change affects livelihoods and wellbeing. Women and men may experience the impacts of climate change differently. But climate change and its associated impacts affect women negatively. A review was done on peer-reviewed literature related to the impact of climate change on gender in Africa. While there is an abundance of credible scientific evidence on the impacts of climate change, there is a dearth of reliable disaggregated data and evidence on the impact of climate change on women. The review shows that climate change affects women more negatively compared to men in five impact areas: (i) agricultural production; (ii) food and nutrition security; (iii) health; (iv) water and energy; (v) climate-related disaster, migration, and conflict. The lack of gender-disaggregated data undermines efforts to design gender-responsive interventions to enable women to cope with and adapt to climate change impacts. While there is no consensus on what constitutes gender-responsive solutions to climate vulnerability and risk, the paper provides some priority action areas to stimulate debate and hopefully consensus for a starting point for deeper engagement of women’s participation and motivating investments in creating frameworks for accountability for measurable gender-differentiated outcomes. Efforts to design and deploy gender-responsive solutions to climate change impact must take a holistic, asset-based approach, which meaningfully seeks to identify dominant causal mechanisms and develops context policy and institutional options to address interlocking asset or capital dis-endowments

Biological diversity and resilience: lessons from the recovery of cichlid species in Lake Victoria

A fundamental feature of the Anthropocene is the inexorable erosion of the self-repairing capacity or adaptive renewal of natural systems because of natural perturbation, exploitation, or management failure. The concept of resilience offers a systematic framework for understanding the dynamics and variables that govern response dynamics of ecosystems. Resilience of haplochromine cichlids is assessed using limnological and biodiversity changes in Lake Victoria, the world’s second largest freshwater lake, over the last five decades. The review explores the resurgence of the haplochromine cichlids using Holling’s adaptive renewal cycle and attempts to illustrate how resilience-based management approaches might learn from an inadvertent management experiment. The introduction in the 1980s of the Nile perch (Lates niloticus), a fecund and voracious predator of the endemic phytoplankton feeding haplochromine cichlids, anthropogenic eutrophication, and deep water hypoxia have combined in a synergistic way to increase the vulnerability of the lake ecosystem to perturbations that were hitherto absorbed. However, the upsurge in commercial Nile perch fishing appears to be enabling the resurgence of the haplochromine cichlids. The resurgence of haplochromine cichlids is haracterized by phenotypic plasticity, ecological and life history traits and demonstrates the critical role of response diversity in the maintenance of systems resilience. Resilience of the haplochromine cichlids resides in the requisite functional response diversity and habitat diversity that provide the resources for renewal and regeneration. This paper concludes that management of Nile perch fisheries and control of nutrient loading into Lake Victoria could halt or reverse eutrophication, hence offer the best promise for a diverse, productive, and resilient social-ecological system

The Uganda Youth Survey Report

Uganda is the most youthful country in East Africa. The median age is estimated at about 16 years, and about 80 % of the population is below the age of 35 years. Uganda’s youth, defined as individuals between the ages of 18 and 35, will determine and shape the country’s future. With that in mind, the East African Institute of the Aga Khan University commissioned a survey to understand the values, attitudes, concerns and aspirations of this critical segment of the population. We interviewed 1,854 respondents aged 18–35 years from across the country, including both urban and rural areas. The survey reveals a number of important and sometimes surprising insights, and offers reasons both for optimism, deep concern and the need for urgent action. There is a strong esprit de corps among the youth, with 35% identifying first as youth. They value faith, hard work and family. The youth are entrepreneurial, with the majority aspiring to start their own business, rather than pursue careers in law, teaching, medicine or engineering. Although agriculture is one of the leading sectors in Uganda accounting for 23% of the GDP, 30% of total exports and 65% of raw materials for local industries only 12% of the youth want to become farmers. The study reveals that while youth are suffering from and concerned about unemployment, they are willing to be part of the solution by creating jobs through entrepreneurship. The study also reveals that many hold beliefs that make them vulnerable to corruption and political manipulation and that risk undermining democracy and good governance. While the findings may seem contradictory – hopeful and depressing – there is an opportunity to focus on developing and channeling the strongly held positive values of faith, family, hard work. The strongly held values of faith, family, hard work and entrepreneurship must be leveraged to address the crisis integrity as well as the challenge of unemployment among the youth. Overall, Uganda youth are positive and optimistic about the future and are confident that it will be more prosperous, offering more jobs and better access to health and education. What would it take to deliver opportunity and shared prosperity for the youth

The Tanzania Youth Survey Report

Tanzania is a youthful country. The median age was estimated at about 17 years in 2014, and about 70% of the population is aged between 15 and 35 years3 Tanzania’s youth, defined as individuals between the ages of 18 and 35, will determine and shape the country’s future. With that in mind, the East African Institute of the Aga Khan University commissioned a survey to understand the values, attitudes, concerns and aspirations of this critical segment of the population. About 1,940 male and female respondents aged 18–35 years were interviewed. The survey revealed important insights, and offers reasons both for optimism, deep concern and the need for urgent action. There is a strong esprit de corps among the youth, with 58% identifying first as youth. The youth valued faith, hard work and family. The survey reveled that the youth were entrepreneurial, with 50% aspiring to start their own business Although agriculture is one of the leading sectors in Tanzania, accounting for 24% of the GDP, 30% of total exports and 65% of raw materials for local industries only 20% of the youth said they would go into farming. The study showed that while youth were suffering from and concerned about unemployment, they are willing to be part of the solution by creating jobs through entrepreneurship. The study also reveals that while the youth hold positive values, they are vulnerable to corruption and political manipulation, which could undermine good governance and Tanzania’s nascent democracy. While the findings may seem contradictory – hopeful and worrying – there is an opportunity to focus on harnessing and directing the strongly held positive values of faith, family, hard work and entrepreneurship to address the crisis integrity as well as the challenge of unemployment among the youth. Overall, Tanzanian youth are positive and optimistic about the future and are confident that it will be more prosperous, offering more jobs and better access to health and education

Improved land management in the Lake Victoria Basin: Final report on the TransVic project

This report addresses the challenges of land management in the Lake Victoria basin of East Africa. In 1999 the World Agroforestry Centre launched a major effort to identify, diagnose and reverse degradation in the Lake Victoria basin, focusing primarily on the Kenyan part of the basin. Dubbed “TransVic,” this project was supported by a number of donor agencies and collaborators, with particularly strong support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). Field activities in the Kenyan part of the basin were undertaken with Kenya’s National Agriculture and Livestock Extension Programme. This report summarizes the major achievements of TransVic from 1999 to the end of 2004. The project greatly improved understanding of land degradation processes, costs and hotspots, the linkages between poverty, degradation and water resource management, and the possibilities for and constraints to solving those problems through various technical and institutional approaches. The research and development agenda for the region is now able to concentrate on the investments in land and water resources that can curtail degradation and help restore these degraded resources

Urban Farmers Handbook

In 2008, more than half of the global population, 3.3 billion lived in cities, making our kind, for the first time, Homo urbanus – an urban species. By 2030, 5 billion people will live in cities. Urbanization has its challenges, especially in the developing world. Hunger and malnutrition are marching on our cities. A recent study showed that 44 percent of households in Nairobi were under nourished. In May 2012, the Ministry of Special Programs, distributed 4,800 bags of rice and soya and another 400 tins of cooking oil to poor households Nairobi, where it was estimated that 65% were food insecure. But urbanism also presents a unique opportunity and the developing world is seizing it. In Kenya, the government and residents of Nairobi have passed a law that promotes and regulates agriculture. For the first time in the 115 years since Nairobi was founded as a railway beachhead, agriculture is now recognized as a legitimate land use, just like residential use. This handbook is really about creating an excitement among urban residents on the possibility of providing sufficient food for their families and their community. Examples from other cities, such as Havana and Vancouver are inspiring and demonstrate that urban farmers can nourish cities and make decent living. This handbook draws from and celebrates the courage and obstinate persistence of Francis Wachira, one of Kenya’s most successful urban farmers. Francis a pioneer, leader, a mentor and role model embodies the spirit and promise of a new dawn of urbanization, one that recognizes the vital role of food urban farmers. We all can and must learn from Francis’ leadership.https://ecommons.aku.edu/books/1061/thumbnail.jp

Fiesta e interculturalidad. El rito religioso en Licto

En este libro se analiza la fiesta del Padre Eterno, manifestación religiosa de gran significación para la comunidad indígena de Gueseche, parroquia de Licto, en la provincia ecuatoriana de Chimborazo. Se concentra en la historia y evolución del rito, y en las consecuencias de su práctica en la familia, en la comunidad y en la vida cotidiana. La pregunta central del estudio es: ¿cómo se expresan las negociaciones culturales, las resignificaciones, la resistencia, la construcción de la identidad y las luchas libertarias a través del rito religioso? El autor reconstruye la fiesta desde la memoria colectiva. Por medio de entrevistas, relatos, antiguos documentos, fotografías y de la convivencia, la observación y la escucha, emergen elementos simbólicos que descubren al lector la compleja riqueza del imaginario de esta co munidad rural. Analiza la mitificación y mercantilización de la fiesta, las cambiantes interpretaciones y resignificaciones que son consecuencia de la realidad globalizante. Describe el simbolismo de los rituales profano-sacrales como intentos de conservación de la identidad y, al mismo tiempo, de resistencia contra la homogeneización de la cultura que pretende la globalización. La investigación concluye que la praxis religiosa tiene que ser intercultural y liberadora, y que debe abrirse más allá de las barreras culturales, sociales y económicas para refundar la esperanza en los cambios que se viven y en los venideros, y para aportar la construcción de una sociedad plural

Preferred breast cancer message sources and frames amongst western Kenyan women

This descriptive study set out to verify the Kenyan women’s knowledge of the  various risk factors associated with breast cancer, their preferred framing of the  breast cancer messages and their preferred channels for receiving those messages. Three hundred and ninety-three (393) women aged 20-64 years from the Kisumu County of Western Kenya were interviewed using a  semi-structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics. Findings revealed that (a) information deficiencies in  relation to breast cancer is a factor that needs to be addressed, (b) gain, loss and mixed frames are used and (c) the most  preferred sources of information were radio and health facility personnel and, to a low extent the internet and television. The study recommends that it is prudent for the women to voluntarily seek the right information for them to make informed decisions  regarding preventive breast cancer measures. Further, cancer risk communicators need to develop  frames that revolve around symptoms and risk factors, and use the most preferred channels side by side to reinforce strengths associated with each. Internet and  television among the rural women are of low use, calling for the collaborated efforts amongst development partners including the women to boost the level of their usage.Keywords: framing messages, communication channels, breast cancer screening measure

The East Africa Youth Survey Report

East Africa is a very youthful region. About 80% of the estimated 146 million East Africans (excluding South Sudan), are below the age of 35 years. The median age ranges between 16 and 19 years, with the lowest median ages of 16 years and 17years in Uganda and Tanzania respectively. East Africa’s youth, defined as individuals between the ages of 14 and 35, are a socially and economically significant majority and will determine and shape the region’s future. With this in mind, the East African Institute of the Aga Khan University commissioned a survey to understand the values, attitudes, concerns and aspirations of this critical segment of the population in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania. Between 2014 and 2015 we interviewed 7,010 individuals aged 18–35 years, male and female drawn from rural and urban areas in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. In addition 56 focus group discussions, comprising 6-8 participants were also held to provide nuance and context to the responses obtained through the questionnaires. The survey reveals important and surprising insights, and hence, offers reasons for optimism, deep concern and a fierce urgency for action. The survey revealed a strong sense of esprit de corps and nationalism among East African youth. Rwandan and Kenyan youth were the most nationalistic, with 44% and 40% identifying first as Rwandese and Kenyans respectively. A strong esprit de corps was exhibited among Tanzanian youth, with 58% identifying as youth first. Rwandan youth at 25% exhibited the weakest esprit de corps. East African youth held strong values around faith, work and family. The youth are entrepreneurial, with the majority (50-65%) aspiring to start their own business, rather than pursue traditional careers in law, teaching, medicine or engineering. Although agriculture is one of the leading sectors in the economies of East Africa – accounting for 23-32% of GDP and providing livelihood for over 70% of the population – only 5-20% of the youth were interested in farming as an occupation or a full-time job. Rwandan youth, at 5%, were the least interested in farming or agriculture as a full-time job. The study revealed that while youth were concerned about unemployment, they were willing to be part of the solution through strong orientation to entrepreneurship; the desire and willingness to create and run their own business. The study also showed that the youth held positive values, and believed political participation was a critical civic duty. However, 40% of East African youth would only vote a candidate for political office if they received a bribe. With the exception of Rwanda, there is a veritable crisis of integrity among East African youth. For example, over 50-58% of the youth in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda believed it did not matter how one made money as long as one did not end up in jail. In contrast, only 21% of Rwandan youth held the same view. Similarly, only 10% of Rwandan youth said they would take or give a bribe, compared to 35-44 % in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Overall, East African youth are positive and optimistic and, are confident that the future will bring more prosperity, with more more jobs, better access to health and education. However, with the exception of Rwanda, youth in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda believed their societies will be more corrupt and poorer in values and ethics, and that youth would engage in substance abuse. While the findings may seem contradictory – hopeful and depressing – there is an opportunity to focus on developing and channeling the strongly held positive values of faith, family, hard work and entrepreneurship to inculcate an ethical orientation. The strongly held values and the spirit of enterprise, along with impressive GDP growth must be leveraged to address the challenge of unemployment, especially among university-educated youth

The Kenya Youth Survey Report

Kenya is a very youthful country. The median age is estimated at 19 years, and about 80 percent of Kenya’s population is below 35 years. To a very large extent, Kenya’s youth — defined as individuals between the ages of 18 and 35 — will determine the shape of the country’s future. With that in mind, the East African Institute of the Aga Khan University commissioned a survey to understand the values, attitudes, concerns and aspirations of this critical segment of the population. We interviewed 1,854 respondents ages 18-35 from across the country, including both urban and rural areas. The survey reveals a number of important and sometimes surprising insights, and offers reasons both for optimism, deep concern and the need for urgent action. The youth identify as Kenyans first, faith and tribe. They value family, faith and hard work. They give evidence of being entrepreneurial: the majority would like to start their own business, rather than pursue careers in law, teaching, medicine or engineering. Few (11%) want to become farmers, suggesting that the country’s urbanization is likely to continue apace, intensifying demand and competition for offfarm employment. Moreover, Kenyan youth are largely positive and optimistic about the future and are confident that it will be more prosperous, offering more jobs and better access to health and education. The study also reveals that youth are suffering from and concerned about unemployment. And it shows that many hold beliefs that make them vulnerable to political manipulation and that risk undermining democracy and good governance. Indeed, it is not too much to speak of a crisis of integrity among Kenya’s youth. While the findings may seem contradictory – hopeful and depressing – there is an opportunity to focus on developing and channeling the strongly held positive values of faith, family, hard work and a strong Kenyan identity to address the anomalies in honesty and integrity, while mobilizing public and private sector resources to tackle the most urgent concerns, especially unemployment