The conundrum of conservation agriculture and livelihoods in Southern Africa

Low crop productivity, food insecurity, hunger and malnutrition; inadequate farming knowledge and skills, implements and inputs are characteristic of smallholder agriculture in Southern Africa. Many researchers argue that conservation agriculture can guarantee higher crop productivity, food security, improved livelihoods and environmental protection, better than the unsustainable traditional systems of slash and burn practices. In this paper, we present the results of a meta-analysis of over 40 academic publications to review conservation agriculture’s role in influencing desired livelihood outcomes in Southern Africa. We conclude that the effectiveness of conservation agriculture towards better livelihood outcomes in Southern Africa remains debatable, especially when supportive government policies are lacking

Made in Southern Africa

CCC_Africa_report1.pdf: 586 downloads, before Oct. 1, 2020

Astrophysics in Southern Africa

The government of South Africa has identified astronomy as a field in which their country has a strategic advantage and is consequently investing very significantly in astronomical infrastructure. South Africa now operates a 10-m class optical telescope, the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), and is one of two countries short listed to host the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), an ambitious international project to construct a radio telescope with a sensitivity one hundred times that of any existing telescope. The challenge now is to produce an indigenous community of users for these facilities, particularly from among the black population which was severely disadvantaged under the apartheid regime. In this paper I briefly describe the observing facilities in Southern Africa before going on to discuss the various collaborations that are allowing us to use astronomy as a tool for development, and at the same time to train a new generation of astronomers who will be well grounded in the science and linked to their colleagues internationally.Comment: Paper given at the 2007 meeting of the National Society of Black Physicists; 10 pages, 2 photographs. To appear in American Institute of Physics Conference Proceeding

Review of Universal Salt Iodation in East Central and Southern Africa (ACSA)

\ud This paper presents a regional position on Universal Salt Iodation (USI) intervention in 14 countries ill the East, Central and Southern Africa( ECSA) region,namely;Botswana,Kenya,Malawi,Mauritius,Mozambique,Namibia,bells,South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe The is a follow-up to a resolution on the need to develop a regional position on USI intervention which was made at the Commonwealth Regional Health Community 25th Health Ministers Conference in Port Louis, Mauritius from November;29,1996. The overall objective was to get views on the implementation of USI intervention in order to identify areas requiring facilitation, harmonization , coordination and collaboration at nation and regional levels in the ECSA. The preparation of paper involved reviewing of USI legislation regulations plans of action, survey reports and workshop papers. To substantiate the literature review, individual interviews were held with USI stakeholders in Malawi, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe from July 10-21, 1997 In respect of the findings, all the CRHC mainland member states are implementing USI intervention as a long term strategy for virtual elimination of the year 2000. The evaluation results of some of the national programmes have shown improvement of indicators of adequacy of iodine in the body. For example there is crease in levels of urinary iodine and reduction of goiter in countries where the intervention has been implemented actively over the past few years. In order to enforce the marketing of iodated salt, more than half of the CRHC member states have legislated USI where those who have not passed legislation yet are promoting USI through extensive advocacy and marketing strategy. These national USI programmes are being augmented by technical, financial and material support from United Nations and multilateral agencies, and the cooperation and compliance of the salt industry in iodating and packaging salt in line with USI legislation of country in the ECSA region. There are obstacles and constraints that impinge on the progress of USI in the entire ECSA region: The national USI legislation and regulations are not harmonized. The role of other sub-sector such as agriculture, trade and industry, and issues related to quality assurance are not spelt out in the regulations. There is still disparity in level of awareness of USI and its importance at all levels. Except Malawi, the rest of CRHC member states have no USI legislation for all salt intended for animal consumption. This is threatening sustenance of USI as there some leakages of uniodated salt from livestock sub-sector to people. Further threat emerges from communities who produce uniodated salt on a small scale for their own consumption and sale in their localities. The export and import duty for iodated and uniodate salt are the same. This does not deter traders and consumers to market and use uniodated salt because its price is either low or similar to the price of iodated salt. The challenge is, therefore, how to place the USI high on the agenda of relevant national and ECSA regional sub-sectors which formulate, implement and coordinate policy in order to strengthen and harmonize the intervention as well as deploying regionally acceptable measures to overcome the constraints. The CRHC should facilitate the harmonization of the USI regulations in the ECSA region including the reduction of the present high iodine levels to the levels (20-40ppm iodine[30-66ppm Potassium iodate]) that are recommended by the WHO. The CRHC should ensure that quality assurance issues are made mandatory in order to promote quality of salt iodations during production and packaging. The CRHC should facilitate development of guidelines regarding the roles of all sub-sectors such as ministries of Agriculture, Health and Trade and Industry, Departments of customs (Revenue Collection Authorities) and Bureaus of Standards in the USI which should issued under the directive of the Southern Africa Development Community and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa trade agreement. The CRHC should facilitate and support promotion of USI through regional networking,development and production of information, education and communication(IEC) material, designation of a regional IDD/USI day establishment of IIDD newsletter. The CRHC should ensure that member states consider making uniodated salt for whatever use a controlled commodity and impose deterrent export and import duty in order to protect, support and promote use of iodated salt for human and animal consumption in the region. The CRHC should facilitate establishment of at least one regional micronutrients reference laboratory and improvement of the national laboratories. The CHRC should strengthen the Department of Food Security and Nutrition of personnel in order to enhance capacity to accomplish the suggested activities listed below along with other planned work in the Department. The CHRC should endeavor to mobilize technical, financial and resources for support of salt iodations in the region especially in countries which are lagging behind and small salt procedure. Facilitating and supporting the evaluation of selected national USI programmes in order to confirm the case for reduction of iodine levels in the ECSA region. Facilitating review and harmonization of USI legislation and relevant Standards Act in the ECSA region. Initiating and supporting the collaboration on the proposed imposition of deterrent export and import duty on uniodated salt in order to protect and promote use of iodated salt. Facilitating and supporting the guide for role vital sub-sector such as Bureaus of Standard, Chamber of Commerce, and Ministries of Trade and Industry, Agriculture, departments of Customs and Excise, in the promotion, supporting, protecting and monitoring USI in the ECSA region. Facilitating network and all aspects of IEC and designation of an IDD day in ECSA. Conducting ECSA regional conferences on USI policy direction and review with consideration of SADC and COMESA trade agreements. Establishing a regional data bank on USI and micronutrient in order to enhance and facilitate regional networking. Establishing a regional micronutrients reference laboratory for improvement of micronutrients laboratory services whilst on one hand, supporting devolution of some the services to the provinces in order to easy congestion in national laboratories. Collecting, documenting and disseminating USI current information and technology in the ECSA member states through newsletter, bulletins and regional workshops. Conducting and supporting training on: Micronutrients, food security and nutrition in order to develop and capacity for execution of intervention and Programme-driven (operational) research on micronutrient, food security and nutrition. \u

Multi-Country Analysis of Effects and Consequences of Child Marriage in Africa

This paper is drawn from the findings and recommendations of the UN Women East and Southern Africa led Multi-Country Analytical Study of Legislation, Policies, Interventions and Cultural Practices on Child Marriage in Africa undertaken in 2018. The study focused on Africa as a continent but with a deeper lens on 10 study countries (Niger, Mali, Nigeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, DRC and Morocco) that are among those with the highest prevalence of child marriage on the continent despite their high-level national commitments to end child marriage. This paper focuses on the findings of the study as they relate to the effects and consequences of child marriage in Africa and in the study countries in particular. Child marriage affects the involved children’s (mostly girls) quality of life in diverse, severe and lasting ways. These effects range from biological (health), to social and economic, all of which impact their lives permanently, especially their reproductive health, human rights and life chances as human beings. From a human rights perspective, child marriage is a violation of the rights of an individual, rooted in gender inequality and an impediment to girls’ social and economic development. In the study countries, the societies where this practice is common, exhibited a low value placed on girls and women, thereby perpetuating this as a norm and continually binding them in a vicious cycle affecting both present and subsequent generations. There is a strong correlation between child marriages, unequal opportunities for women, and low social economic development in those countries with countries that have a high prevalence of the practice. It follows therefore that developing countries have the highest levels of child marriages and that child marriages are most common among the proportion of the population living below the poverty line. The study noted that besides the inherent health risks associated with the practice, child marriages also put the girls at risks of maternal mortality, infection with venereal diseases and HIV as well as affecting their education and wellbeing. Child marriages also subject girls to rape throughout their marriage and increase other forms of gender-based violence such as domestic violence, child labour, loss of freedom isolation for the victims, school drop-out and illiteracy. Keywords: Child marriage, Child bride, prevalence, survivors, hotspots, UN Women, effects and consequences, women and girls, children, culture, religion, society, families, Africa, Niger, Mali, Nigeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, DRC and Morocco DOI: 10.7176/JCSD/50-05 Publication date:July 31st 201

Multi-Country Analysis of Causes and Drivers of Child Marriage in Africa

The research is funded and led by UN Women East and Southern Africa Regional Office. UN Women is the UN Agency dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. As a global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide.  With a vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, UN Women works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. UN Women also coordinates and promotes the UN system’s work in advancing gender equality, and in all deliberations and agreements linked to the 2030 Agenda. The entity works to position gender equality as fundamental to the Sustainable Development Goals, and a more inclusive world. It supports UN Member States as they set global standards for achieving gender equality and works with governments and civil society to design laws, policies, programmes and services needed to ensure that the standards are effectively implemented and truly benefit women and girls worldwide. It works globally to make the vision of the Sustainable Development Goals a reality for women and girls and stands behind women’s equal participation in all aspects of life. It has invested in its commitment to end all forms of violence including child marriage, Female Genital Mutilation and other harmful practices against women and girls across the globe. UN Women envisions a world where societies are free of gender-based discrimination, where women and men have equal opportunities, where the comprehensive economic and social development of women and girls is ensured so that they can lead the change that they want to see, where gender equality and women’s empowerment are achieved, and where women’s rights are upheld in all efforts to further development, human rights, peace and security.   Abstract This paper is drawn from the findings and recommendations of the UN Women East and Southern Africa led Multi-Country Analytical Study of Legislation, Policies, Interventions and Cultural Practices on Child Marriage in Africa undertaken in 2018. The study focused on Africa as a continent but with a deeper lens on 10 study countries (Niger, Mali, Nigeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, DRC and Morocco) that are among those with the highest prevalence of child marriage on the continent despite their high-level national commitments to end child marriage. This paper focuses on the findings of the study, provides analysis, and draws some conclusions about the underlying causes and drivers of child marriage in Africa and in the study countries in particular. The underlying causes of child marriage are common across Africa, and they are anchored in patriarchal societies adhering to discriminatory gender norms that perpetuate gender inequality. This leads to discrimination against women and girls in all spheres of life, including social, cultural, and economic. It forms part of the structural and systemic determinants of the children’s, girls’ and women’s ecology and how they are treated and valued in the society, both in the public and private sphere. Keywords: Child marriage, UN Women, causes and drivers, women and girls, children, culture, religion, society, families, Africa, Niger, Mali, Nigeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, DRC and Morocco DOI: 10.7176/JCSD/49-06 Publication date:June 30th 201

Labor Demonstration

A flyer for a demonstration and march to the South African Consulate in Chicago, Illinois to advocate for freeing South African trade union leaders, political prisoners, and children.https://digitalcommons.colum.edu/cjoccissa/1004/thumbnail.jp

CCISSA Briefing

The Spring 1989 newsletter of the Chicago Committee in Solidarity with Southern Africa (CCISSA).https://digitalcommons.colum.edu/cjoccissa/1001/thumbnail.jp

Application for Permit - Special Event Using the Public Way

The application submitted by the Chicago Committeee in Solidarity with Southern Africa (CCISSA) to the Dpartment of Public Works for the City of Chicago, Illinois to use city streets for the 1989 Soweto Day Walkathon. This document includes a copy of the permit issued to CCISSA by the Department of Public Works for this event.https://digitalcommons.colum.edu/soweto/1009/thumbnail.jp