Faculty of Humanities (ETDs)

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Subject: search.filters.subject.Climate Change

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    Determinants of Adaptation and Insurance Uptake among Small-Scale Farmers in Kenya
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Segone, Tshepiso; Alence, Rod
    Despite the costs associated with climate-related damage and loss, WII uptake remains low among small-scale, Kenyan farmers. Many of these farmers continue to opt for traditional adaptive and mitigative strategies in the wake of climate-related challenges, despite the many known benefits insurance has for climate resilience. Thus, the study seeks to understand the determinants of insurance uptake, and to measure the relationship between these determinants and agricultural output, using a binary regression model. Overall, the study underscores the complex interplay of socio-economic, cultural, and environmental factors shaping farmers’ adaptation decisions in Kenya and highlights the need for targeted interventions to enhance insurance uptake and promote effective climate strategies
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    The geopolitics of climate change and violent conflicts in Africa: the Nigerian and Kenyan perspectives
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Emupenne, Olanrewaju Ojo; Small, Michelle
    This study empirically examined the correlation between climate change (independent variable) and violent conflict (dependent variable), focusing on East Africa and West Africa. Climate change poses a serious threat to humanity and the ecosystem, particularly in Africa. Also, despite other serious challenges the continent faces, violent conflict remains among the most devastating. Various reasons, including poor leadership, social exclusion, and conflicting goals, are cited as causes of violent conflict in Africa. Recently, a new narrative has emerged suggesting climate change is a potential driver of violent conflicts. This study examines the correlation. So, to investigate this relationship, a survey research design was employed. The study adopted a descriptive research design, and four main research methods were used in the study namely, mixed methods research, comparative case study research, triangulation approach to social research, and convergent synthesis design. Also, the research utilized questionnaires that were directly formulated from the study’s hypotheses and were tested using a parametric regression model. Furthermore, the research employed Key Informant Interviews (KII), and the data gathered were processed using Atlas.ti, a Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Software (CAQDAS). Sampling techniques included purposive, stratified, and random sampling. The study population comprised government officials, environmentalists, academia, farmers, herders, youth leaders, and community leaders. 17 government officials, 7 academia, 6 environmentalists, 15 farmers, and 13 herders randomly selected in Nigeria, and 22 government officials, academia, and environmentalists, 15 farmers and members of farmers cooperatives, and 12 herders and members of livestock associations randomly selected in Kenya participated in the Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) to make a sample size of 110. In addition, 174 government officials, environmentalists, and academics completed the Set A questionnaire in Nigeria, 116 government officials, environmentalists, and academics completed the Set A questionnaire in Kenya, and 423 farmers, herders, youths, and community leaders completed the Set B questionnaire in Nigeria, and 205 respondents do the same in Kenya to make a sample of 918 respondents. In all, a total of 1,028 respondents participated in the study. The study was systematically guided by four research questions and two hypotheses. These research questions are as follows: (1) To what extent does climate change effect features in the geopolitics of peace and security in West Africa and East Africa? (2) Specifically, what is the correlation between climate change and farmer-herder conflicts in the Middle Belt region of Nigeria and farmer-herder conflicts in the Tana River County in Kenya? (3) What is the level of awareness about the effects of climate change among crop farmers, herders, and policymakers in the Northern region of Nigeria and Tana River County of Kenya, and how does the knowledge about the effects of climate change play a role in the different stakeholders’ approach to conflict? (4) What are the policy frameworks in Nigeria and Kenya that create awareness about climate change and mitigate the effects vi of climate change on violent conflict at both national and local levels? The quantitative data obtained were analyzed using SPSS Version 25 and R, while the qualitative data were analyzed using Atlas.ti. Results revealed a positive correlation between climate change and geopolitical dynamics of peace and security in West Africa and East Africa but did not establish causation. While climate change intensified, it contributed to shifts in geopolitical dynamics impacting peace and security. However, establishing causation requires more than observing correlation; it demands demonstrating that changes in the independent variable cause changes in the dependent variable. The findings of the study also revealed varying levels of knowledge and awareness regarding climate change among farmers, herders, and policymakers in Northern Nigeria and Tana River County of Kenya; divergent opinions about available policy frameworks for creating awareness about climate change and mitigating the effects of climate change on violent conflict. Some of the respondents agreed that policies were available, some were of the view that policies were available but not implemented while some expressed the fact that policies were not available. Considering these findings, several policy recommendations were made which include the integration of climate adaptation strategies with conflict prevention efforts, decision- making and policy implementation, creating more awareness programmes, indigenous approach and inclusivity, curbing migration, farmer/herder dialogue, and the establishment of special judicial commission solely for farmers and herders. In a nutshell, the study emphasized the need for nuanced understanding and consideration of multiple factors influencing the geopolitical landscape of Africa
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    Climate change and food security: Exploring factors of food production in Mozambique and Zimbabwe (2001-2019)
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Ramos, Dominic Carlos; Small, Michelle
    Climate change has emerged as a severe security threat which has worsened poverty, inequality and more importantly sustainable development throughout the global south. Southern African countries have been especially susceptible to climate change with severe weather patterns such as drought, land degradation, flooding and severe tropical cyclones that disproportionately affect poor communities. The effects of the impact of climate change on development and poor communities is observed with stubbornly high levels of food insecurity throughout Sub-Saharan Africa and by extension Southern Africa. Changing climates have forced farmers to undertake drastic measures to produce food for themselves and their communities with limited external support. In Mozambique and Zimbabwe alone around 3.5 million and 1.5 million subsistence and smallholder farmers respectively, are responsible for more than 70% of total food production (FAO 2011, World Bank 2019, INE 2014). This study explores the impact of climate variation and climate change on food production and food accessibility throughout Mozambique and Zimbabwe through a person-centred human security approach . The study further complements the challenges of food security by assessing the response of small-holder farmers in adapting and reacting to climate change. This study relied substantially on secondary sources such as regional reports, bulletins and journal articles alongside publications from NGOs, government departments and international organisations. The data was analysed through thematic and content analysis. The findings suggest that Mozambique and Zimbabwe remain highly vulnerable to climate change negatively affecting food insecure communities. Furthermore, while small-holder farmers have desperately undertaken various methods of adaptation they are unable to cope with extreme weather patterns. The findings underscore the necessity for interventions aimed at enabling farmers and vulnerable communities to adapt to climate change or, at the very least, mitigate its effects. This is crucial for preventing recurrent food and humanitarian crises.
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    Understanding the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa’s Evolving Policies on the Role of Renewable Energy in South Africa’s Mineral Energy Complex
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024-01-31) Monaisa, Chere; Pillay, Devan
    The concept of the just transition is widely regarded as organised labour’s response to the negative impact of climate change. It is used as a mechanism to reconcile the movement’s mandate to provide workers with decent jobs and the need to protect the environment. NUMSA is an example of a union that, during 2011-12, responded to the impact of climate change by developing its own policies and directly challenging government’s renewable energy policies. The union’s vision for South Africa is a socially owned renewable energy sector made up of a mix of energy parastatals, cooperatives, municipal-owned entities, and other forms of community energy enterprises. South Africa is heavily reliant on coal for its electricity generation. The government, the private sector, civil society, and organised labour mostly agree that there is a need to transition away from coal to renewable energy. Initially, the transition to renewable energy was framed as a choice between ‘jobs and environment’ and ‘jobs versus environment’. NUMSA’s vision of socially owned renewable energy displayed characteristics of active labour environmentalism that called for the transformative ‘jobs and environment with just transition’ despite its location in the fossil fuel sector. However, a series of events and decisions by a top leadership that is viewed as authoritarian and unenthusiastic about eco-socialism, has resulted in NUMSA adopting strategies in recent years that are, at best, seen as reactive and narrowly protecting workers – even though they purport to support a just transition to renewable energy. At worst, the union has been accused of anti-environmentalism and protecting coal and electricity workers regardless of the impact on the environment. It was this apparent shift and criticism of NUMSA that necessitated an analysis of its opposition to the closure of coal fired power stations to make way for renewable energy independent power producers. The findings point to a union that relies on its pioneering decarbonization policies to shield itself from legitimate criticism from labour climate activists and progressive environmental groups of its actual practice.