The past decades have shown an increase in recourse to international legal bodies to address disputes over land distribution, uses and rehabilitation. This raises the question as to whether and to... Show moreThe past decades have shown an increase in recourse to international legal bodies to address disputes over land distribution, uses and rehabilitation. This raises the question as to whether and to what extent international law offers a coherent framework for addressing land as part of environmental peacebuilding. Since land issues have played a role in most armed conflicts that occurred over the past decades, addressing such issues in peace processes is essential for the resolution of these conflicts and for maintaining the peace that has been so hard won. This chapter therefore first examines how international law impacts on decisions with respect to land uses, distribution and rehabilitation in peace processes. This chapter then explores whether and how the notion of environmental peacebuilding can be instrumental in mainstreaming international legal responses for the purpose of achieving a sustainable peace. Show less
Rural, tropical coastal communities are experiencing sustained, often increasing food insecurity, poverty, and global change impacts. These challenges have stimulated a rise in projects aiming to... Show moreRural, tropical coastal communities are experiencing sustained, often increasing food insecurity, poverty, and global change impacts. These challenges have stimulated a rise in projects aiming to enhance and diversify local livelihoods. The ability of these projects to achieve broad-scale benefits is limited by approaches that do not account for feedbacks among sectors and across marine and terrestrial environments. To address these limitations, we present an applied research agenda to support an integrated approach to livelihood project planning and management. This agenda explicitly examines interactions among natural resources, industries, and livelihoods and is based on three foundational activities: (1) a governance review and assessment, (2) strategic partnership formation, and (3) a diagnostic approach supported by science and shared outcomes. We add structure to the established logic in our field by broadening the sectoral and spatial scope of livelihoods projects, so they can better contribute to interrelated UN Sustainable Development Goals. Show less
This thesis focuses on the social dimensions of crane and wetland conservation in rural landscapes in Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The focus is predominantly on the Grey Crowned Crane although one... Show moreThis thesis focuses on the social dimensions of crane and wetland conservation in rural landscapes in Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The focus is predominantly on the Grey Crowned Crane although one chapter is dedicated to social dimensions of Wattled Crane conservation. Chapter 2 provides an overview of how social factors influence wetland management decision-making, drawing linkages between human actions and ecological changes associated with crane habitat loss. Chapter 3 outlines major human actions that impact Wattled Cranes and their habitats, elaborating the underlying social causations behind the actions. Chapter 4 draws lessons on the effectiveness of community-led conservation approaches through an evaluation of a community-led project in Kenya. Chapter 5 presents results of an evaluation of the institutional development process and the ensuing environmental conservation impacts at three sites where conservation projects were initiated in 2002 in Uganda. Chapter 6 synthesises key findings, addressing the question of what works for cranes and wetland conservation in rural landscapes in East and Southern Africa. The thesis contributes to an improved understanding of interactions between cranes and rural communities and provides insights into strategic approaches for addressing the decline of cranes within their range in East and Southern Africa. Show less
This study has examined traditional coping systems, emerging adaptation strategies and barriers to the adoption of these strategies. Structured questionnaires on coping and adaptation strategies... Show moreThis study has examined traditional coping systems, emerging adaptation strategies and barriers to the adoption of these strategies. Structured questionnaires on coping and adaptation strategies were conducted among Nyangatom households, expounded by focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Correlations between times series (1987–2016) on rainfall, temperature and the local perceptions on CC were examined. The time series analysis confirmed pastoralists' perception that the frequency of extreme drought has increased since 1987. The Nyangatom responded by temporal migration and herd diversification. Other responses include flood cultivation and enhancing alliance formation with other ethnic groups. Multi-nominal logistic regression analyses indicated that age of household head (−), livestock ownership (+), crop productivity (+), off-farm income (+) and access to climate information (+) proved to be key determinants with a statistically significant (negative or positive) effect on adoption. Other factors that hindered climate change adaption include intermittent conflicts with neighbouring ethnic groups and limited access to alternative livelihood options. Interventions to facilitate transition towards sustainable, adaptation-based communities need to incorporate deliberate, longer-term, risk-reducing strategies, including rangeland management, water harvesting and small scale-irrigation schemes. Improved education access, extension services, and a conducive pastoral policy environment will help to enhance the Nyangatom adaptive capacity. Show less
This dissertation is a response to an academic and popular discussion that painted a bleak picture of the African state and by extension the endeavour of development cooperation. It focuses on the... Show moreThis dissertation is a response to an academic and popular discussion that painted a bleak picture of the African state and by extension the endeavour of development cooperation. It focuses on the Zambian health sector and the people who create it through their words and deeds. For health workers and their families the sector appears to be an avenue for upward mobility. For politicians it is a platform to further their political careers, while providing access to the resources needed to expand the presence of the state and ensure regime survival. The formal goals of providing quality health care to ordinary citizens appear to be of secondary importance. This insight into the Zambian health sector presents an African state as a dynamic human system undergoing its own historical development. It is different from what policy makers had promised or planned, or how other countries have evolved, but it is not necessarily a story of state failure or collapse. Show less
Sustainable economic development is essential for hundreds of millions of poor households in rural areas. This book represents a merger of environmental science and rural development economics. It... Show moreSustainable economic development is essential for hundreds of millions of poor households in rural areas. This book represents a merger of environmental science and rural development economics. It elucidates the linkage between rational choice theory and theories on land use change. It builds a quantitative framework to connect the environmental method of Material Flow Analysis to basic issues of rural development such as agricultural intensification and food security. And finally, it develops a unique measuring rod of wealth and poverty called Freely Disposable Time, which integrates time and cash flows of households. With this indicator, we can quantify the much-cherished concepts of freedoms and development capacity. Along the way, the book provides critical discussions on ‘standard’ Material Flow Analysis, systems versus actor-based approaches, and the oversupply of inductive studies in land use and development science. Empirical data are drawn from the Philippines, Vietnam, India, Laos and the Netherlands, in a comparative perspective. Show less
