Browsing by Author "Johnston, Peter"

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    Assessing the effectiveness of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process as a protective measure for indigenous plant species within the Sandveld area, from a conservation perspective
    (2022) Dyers, Grant Kevern; Johnston, Peter
    The Cape Floristic Region is a world-renowned hotspot for biodiversity. Due to its ecological importance, there is a need to protect and conserve an area such as the Sandveld area, which falls within the Cape Floristic Region, for the current and future generations to be able to not only benefit from these natural resources but also bask in the glorious sights of these indigenous plants. As a result of the increased demand for rooibos, potatoes, and other produce, many land users are illegally clearing indigenous vegetation within the Sandveld. In the potato sector, the soil pathogens and escalating input costs involved with maintaining centre pivots, pressure land users to clear new lands to safeguard crops, expand yields and sustain the economic sustainability of the farms (Western Cape Government, 2018a). Additionally, in the rooibos sector, the price of tea ultimately drives the demand and supply, when prices are elevated, these offer strong incentives for land users to enlarge their sow to capitalise on the favourable market condition (Western Cape Government, 2018a). This frequently leads to the clearance of new lands without obtaining the prerequired environmental authorisations required for clearing new lands, containing indigenous vegetation. As a result of the intensified agricultural expansion within the area, displays a prime example of the negative effects of non-compliance with environmental legislation and not obtaining the required authorisation before commencing with the clearance of indigenous vegetation. This study unpacks the negative impacts associated with agricultural expansion and its associated clearance of indigenous vegetation within the area. The study further explores the notion of evaluating the effectiveness of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process as a protective measure for indigenous plant species within the Sandveld area, from a conservation perspective. In addition to the above-mentioned, the study aims to determine whether there are any legal alternatives to the EIA process, for agricultural expansion that impacts the clearance of indigenous vegetation. In determining the above objectives of the study, the study has found that the EIA process is failing the Sandveld area, as a protective measure for indigenous vegetation, from a conservation perspective. It found that it is not predominately the law that is failing the area, but rather the human elements associated with pre-application, assessment process and post- application (approval of Environmental Authorisation). This further highlights that there is a need for improved enforcement and a paradigm shift in the way that the applications and reports are submitted, fueling speculation that specialists and EAPs are being paid by the applicant of the proposed development. The study further discusses the legal alternative to the EIA process, which can assist in the protection of the indigenous vegetation within the Sandveld and CFR, known as the Sandveld Environmental Management Framework (EMF). The EMF allows for the implementation of Farm Level Management Plans; however, these are site-specific and have limitations. After discussing the Sandveld EMF, via a Microsoft Teams call on 2 August 2022, with the DEA&DP officials who drafted the Sandveld EMF document; it was established that the incorporation of landscape approach principles into the Sandveld EMF was never the intention of the document. However, whilst unpacking the document requirements in the discussion, it was raised that many of the landscape approach principles are unintentionally addressed by the process of implementing the Sandveld EMF. Much of the Sandveld EMF mirror valuable principles of the Strategic Environmental Assessment and the ecosystem approach (De Villiers & Hill, 2008). As the study took place during the global pandemic of COVID-19, and face-to-face interviews were not permitted, the study could only be done using a small sample size of 25 interviewees, all of which has some involvement in the protection and conservation of the Western Cape, South Africa indigenous vegetation. These interviewees range from government officials enforcing environmental legislation to environmental assessment practitioners in the field. The interviews were done in the form of electronic questionnaires, tailored to obtain useful information needed for the study.
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    Barriers and enablers to uptake and implementation of system of rice intensification: a case study of Mwea irrigation scheme in Kenya
    (2016) Gicheru, Mercy Njeri; Johnston, Peter; Baudoin, Marie-Ange
    It already seems preposterous to be able to sufficiently meet global food demand of the expected nine billion people by 2050 while at the same time maintain our emissions levels below 2ᵒC by the end of the century. This is more so for a continent such as Africa where much of this population is expected to arise from considering the fact that the continent is ranked to have the highest proportion of food insecure population. In order to overcome this challenge, we will need a total revolution of our agricultural production systems to systems that not only focus on increasing food production but also build our resilience to climate change. An example of one such practice is System of Rice Intensification (SRI) which is acclaimed to increase rice production while at the same time reducing the pressure on scarce water resources, minimizing agricultural greenhouse gases emissions and improving the farmers' households' adaptive capacity to climate change impacts by increasing their income. However, despite the success attributed to SRI, its uptake across Sub Saharan Africa is arguably low. This is puzzling considering the high proportion of food insecurity in the region and the region's susceptibility to damage from increased severity and frequency of climate extreme events such as droughts and floods due to its geographical positioning and the limited adaptive capacity of its people. In this work, the researcher sought to understand the barriers and enablers to the adoption of the System of Rice intensification in Mwea irrigation scheme (MIS) in Kenya. The findings show that most barriers to the uptake of SRI in MIS occur during the dissemination of SRI. Further critical barriers to the uptake of SRI in MIS were identified as follows: lack of formal SRI training, high costs of rice production, failure to involve key stakeholder institutions such as SACCOs while marketing SRI and farmer's age. Moreover, the study also depicted that most barriers to SRI adoption were intertwined, thus focusing on a single barrier would be myopic. Furthermore, enablers to the uptake of SRI in MIS are tied to the benefits of SRI pre-empted by lead farmers. This correlation implies that the benefits of SRI are key motivators for SRI adoption. Other enablers include training. However, informal training on SRI through social networks which play a crucial role at disseminating climate adaptation activities amongst small scale farmers, is marked with a lot of inconsistencies which makes it a barrier for SRI uptake. In this regard, we advise that SRI trainers clearly highlight the activities involved in SRI and their resultant benefits during initial SRI information dissemination.
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    Impacts of climate change on wine grape farming in the Western Cape: Implications for adaptation
    (2011) Slater, Shane; Johnston, Peter
    Research indicates that climate change can be expected to result in a warming and drying effect in the Western Cape's most highly productive wine grape growing regions by the 2040s. This could pose serious challenges to the yield and quality of wine grapes produced in the region, as it negatively affects the Mediterranean-like conditions that are desirable for wine grape production. Farmers will need to address this issue by exploring adaptation methods to lessen the impacts of climate change. The research sought to integrate farmer perceptions of climate change with scientific literature on adaptation, in order to suggest the most feasible adaptation strategies for 10 sample wine farms. This is expected to contribute an understanding of the vulnerability of wine farmers to climate change and find ways to increase their adaptive capacity. Analysis of weather trends from weather station data indicate that the Western Cape seems to be heading towards a generally warmer climate, therefore affecting the ability to produce quality wine grapes, particularly white grapes which are less heat-tolerant. The research found that although wine farmers are aware of weather patterns, climate and its impacts on viticulture, their willingness to engage in adaptive strategies differed. Particularly, those who had already experienced severe negative impacts on wine production ( as a result of extreme weather) were more willing to currently explore adaptation options.
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    Investigating the relationships between wheat-specific rainfall characteristics, large-scale modes of climate variability and wheat yields in the Swartland region, South Africa
    (2014) Kloppers,Pierre-Louis; Johnston, Peter; Tadross, Mark
    Wheat producers in the South Western Cape (SWC) of South Africa need to cope with biophysical and socio-economic systems exposing farmers to a multidimensional decision- making environment. The rain fed wheat production in the Swartland region is highly susceptible to the interannual variability of winter rainfall. Producers, therefore, need relevant climatic information to identify ways to improve profitability and to make sound economic decisions. Seasonal forecasting has the potential to provide wheat producers with invaluable information regarding the climatic conditions. However, due to the complex nature of the atmospheric dynamics associated with winter rainfall in South Africa, seasonal forecasting models have been found to have very little skill in predicting the variability of winter rainfall. Such a shortfall has created a gap for which this study has attempted to bridge. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between wheat-specific rainfall characteristics, large-scale modes of climate variability and wheat yields in the Swartland region to assess whether these relationships could provide useful climatic information to the wheat farmers. Six wheat-specific rainfall characteristics (total rainfall ; number of wet days ; number of ‘good’ rainfall events; number of heavy rainfall events; percentage ‘good’ rainfall ; and the number of dry dekads ) on various time scales (winter; seasonal; monthly and dekadal) were correlated against wheat yield records over a 17 year period from 1994 to 2010. From this analysis, the distribution and timing of the rainfall throughout the wheat growing season (April to September) emerged as an important determinant of wheat yield. An accurate statistical wheat prediction model was created using farmer stipulated rainfall- wheat yield thresholds. Three teleconnections (El Niño-Southern Oscillation [ENSO], Antarctic Oscillation [AAO] and South Atlantic sea surface temperatures [SSTs]) represented by eight climate indices (Nino 3.4 Index, Ocean Nino Index [ONI], Southern Oscillation Index [SOI], AAO index, Southern Annular Mode Index [SAM], South Atlantic Dipole Index [SADI], South Western Atlantic SST Index [SWAI] and South Central Atlantic SST Index [SCAI]), were correlated against wheat yield data over a 17 year period from 1994 to 2010. The relationships between the three teleconnections and wheat yield in the Swartland were established. Teleconnection-wheat yield correlations were found to be limited, with regards to the application of this information to farmers, due to the lack of a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of how the three teleconnections influence the local climate and, therefore, the wheat yield in the Swartland. The eight climate indices, representing the three teleconnections, were correlated against the six wheat-specific rainfall characteristic indices from each of the three study areas over the period from 1980 to 2012. The state of ENSO during the first half of the year was shown to be correlated with rainfall characteristics during both the first (April to July) and second (July to September) halves of the wheat growing season; however, these correlations differ ed in their sign. Correlations suggested a negative phase of AAO was associated with above normal rainfall throughout the year across the Swartland region. Sea surface temperatures in the central South Atlantic during March to October showed significant negative correlations with rainfall during the latter half of the wheat growing season (July to October) across the Swartland region. This study presented evidence supporting the plausibility and validity for the use of the state of large-scale modes of variability in the prediction of wheat-specific rainfall characteristics and aggregated yields in the Swartland region. This has the potential to provide useful information to wheat farmers in the Swartland to aid in their decision making process
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    Preparing for the future: assessing the vulnerability of small-scale farmers in Bushbuckridge
    (2012) Waagsaether, Katinka Lund; Johnston, Peter; Ziervogel, Gina
    The focal aim of this thesis is to assess whether the current coping and adaptation mechanisms of small-scale farmers in the South African Province of Mpumalanga are sufficient for dealing with projected climate change.
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    Small scale farmers utilization and perceptions of Bambara groundnut production in South Africa: a case study in a semi-arid region of Limpopo
    (2017) Cook, David; Pereira, Laura; Johnston, Peter
    World food security will be one of the greatest global challenges in the 21st century and utilisation of an increased range of food crops is generally regarded as being vital to meeting this challenge, including the use of legumes. Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) is an African indigenous legume that shows great potential to improve the food and economic security of small scale farmers living in semi-arid regions of South Africa. This study sought to investigate the potential for Bambara groundnut to enhance the food and economic security of small scale farmers in the Capricorn District of Limpopo Province, South Africa. A total of 43 Bambara groundnut producers were interviewed about Bambara groundnut production and their perceived enablers and barriers of utilizing Bambara groundnut. The study found that the majority of Bambara groundnut producers were old (>65 years of age), female small scale farmers who produced the crop for primarily household use. There were however a small number of farmers who produced Bambara groundnut on a larger scale, mostly to sell. Most farmers perceived that local demand was higher than supply and were able to obtain a high market value for Bambara groundnut. There appeared to be potential economic opportunities for many of the farmers to sell Bambara groundnut. The main reason why most farmers in this study did not sell Bambara groundnut was because the yields they obtained were too low. The main enablers perceived by farmers for Bambara groundnut production were a) The high nutritional value of Bambara groundnut; b) The good taste of the seeds; c) The nitrogen fixation properties of this legume and its ability to improve soil fertility; d) The legume intercrops well with maize; e) Bambara groundnuts high drought resistance; f) Cultural traditions associated with Bambara groundnut; and g) Use as animal feed. The main barriers were a) Low yielding characteristics of Bambara groundnut; b) Lack of available farmland; c) Lack of irrigation; d) Poor land management practices; e) Low soil fertility; and f) The crop's susceptibility to water logging. Overall the farmers were positive about Bambara groundnut production and could potentially benefit from advancements made in this sector of agriculture. The study concludes with recommendations to help improve small scale farmers' production of Bambara groundnut with the aim of improving their food and economic security.
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    The Impacts of Drought on Wheat Yield and Farmers' Livelihood in the Swartland Region of the Western Cape South Africa
    (2022) Adetitun, Busuyi Christian; Johnston, Peter
    Drought-induced crop loss has been a major concern among crop farmers in the Western Cape province of South Africa. This is because the frequency and intensity of drought have increased in recent years, which have led to declines in crop yields and have negative implications on the production of non-irrigated crops such as wheat. This study examined the sensitivity of winter wheat to drought during its growing season in the Swartland region, to assess the drought induced declines in wheat yield. Rainfall, temperature and standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) at 1- to 6-month lags were used to quantitatively assess drought during the period 1994-2018. Using Pearson correlation analysis, a relationship was examined between drought at various timescales and wheat yield for the region for 1994- 2018. Also, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the Swartland wheat farmers to corroborate the findings of this study. The most correlated growth period was the wheat- growing stage (JuneAugust), which shows the period that winter wheat is most sensitive to water deficit. Based on this analysis, the timing and distribution of rainfall during the wheat production season (April to September) was identified as a significant indicator of wheat yield. This revealed that during the reproductive stages, drought may significantly reduce wheat yields. It was found that the majority of the Swartland wheat farmers have a very good understanding of recent climate variability and change in terms of more variable rainfall intensity, higher temperatures and the increased drought occurrence. As a result, farmers adopted some on- farm coping strategies in form of crop and soil management practices. Therefore there is a need to strengthen farmers' coping capacity for better adaptation and resilience to the impacts of droughts to ensure sustainable wheat production. It is recommended that an early warning system that disseminates agro-meteorological information to farmers in real-time will aid successful farming decisions during these times of climate change. Farmers in Swartland could obtain useful information throughthis research to help them make more informed decisions.
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    The role of indigenous and local knowledge on climate adaptation for smallholder farmers in Chiredzi, Zimbabwe
    (2024) Zvobgo, Luckson; Johnston, Peter; Trisos, Christopher; Simpson, Nicholas
    Increasing smallholder farmers' resilience to the impacts of climate change requires informed decision-making that utilises locally validated information sources, including Indigenous knowledge (IK) and local knowledge (LK). Smallholder farmers across multiple regions of the world rely on IK and LK forecasts for climate decision making. This knowledge provides a rich foundation for locally led adaptation by smallholder farmers because of its contextual embeddedness within microclimatic conditions. Recent peer-reviewed literature on IK and LK in Africa was analysed to assess the role of IK and LK in adaptation in the water sector, showing that adaptation responses with IK and LK had higher evidence of risk reduction, but only 10% of African governments included IK and LK in adaptation planning in their intended Nationally Determined Contributions. A cross-sectional survey was used to establish the role of IK and LK in adaptation for smallholder farmers in the Chiredzi District, Zimbabwe. Data were collected from 210 smallholder farmers between 2021-2022, through face-to-face interviews. The analysis of observed climate data for Chiredzi between 1972-2022 corroborated the survey data. A framework was developed and applied to assess smallholder farmers' vulnerability in relation to their use of IK and LK. The results demonstrate that IK and LK are important in reducing the vulnerability of smallholder farmers by increasing the implementation of crop adaptation responses. These include the use of indigenous, drought-resistant seed crop varieties and using IK and LK weather and seasonal climate forecasts for informed decision making on appropriate crop varieties and timing of planting to reduce crop exposure to climate risk. Farmers using IK and LK forecasts implemented adaptation responses three times more than those relying on other sources of climate forecasts. Twenty-three decision types from the IK and LK forecasts that contributed to on-farm adaptation responses were identified, including crop variety selection (e.g., drought-resistant crops), cropping area management (e.g., water conservation measures), and agricultural calendar planning and management (e.g., zero tillage, dry planting, or irrigation). A further framework was developed and applied to assess the effectiveness of IK- and LK informed adaptation responses. IK and LK adaptation responses showed limited, positive, and promising signs of effectiveness. Eight (44%) of the 18 responses showed high and medium evidence of effectiveness in reducing climate risk by reducing exposure and vulnerability components of climate risk. The IK and LK seasonal forecasts were most reliable for near- term forecasts. These findings led to the development of a conceptual framework that facilitates the inclusion of IK and LK in planned adaptation. This study broadens the understanding of how IK and LK contribute to the adaptation cycle of the global goal on adaptation of the 2015 Paris Agreement, demonstrating the value of IK and LK to the global climate agenda. The findings of this study are important for interventions that target increasing effectiveness of adaptation responses, thereby reducing smallholder farmers' vulnerability and exposure to climate change. Greater recognition of and attention to IK and LK is needed across national climate adaptation planning in Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans for its potential to be realised
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    The uptake and utility of seasonal forecasting products for commercial maize farmers in South Africa
    (2008) Johnston, Peter; Hewitson, Bruce
    Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 178-191).
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    What drives farmers to make top-down or bottom-up adaptation to climate change and fluctuations? A comparative study on 3 cases of apple farming in Japan and South Africa
    (Public Library of Science, 2015) Fujisawa, Mariko; Kobayashi, Kazuhiko; Johnston, Peter; New, Mark
    Agriculture is one of the most vulnerable sectors to climate change. Farmers have been exposed to multiple stressors including climate change, and they have managed to adapt to those risks. The adaptation actions undertaken by farmers and their decision making are, however, only poorly understood. By studying adaptation practices undertaken by apple farmers in three regions: Nagano and Kazuno in Japan and Elgin in South Africa, we categorize the adaptation actions into two types: farmer initiated bottom-up adaptation and institution led top-down adaptation. We found that the driver which differentiates the type of adaptation likely adopted was strongly related to the farmers' characteristics, particularly their dependence on the institutions, e.g. the farmers' cooperative, in selling their products. The farmers who rely on the farmers' cooperative for their sales are likely to adopt the institution-led adaptation, whereas the farmers who have established their own sales channels tend to start innovative actions by bottom-up. We further argue that even though the two types have contrasting features, the combinations of the both types of adaptations could lead to more successful adaptation particularly in agriculture. This study also emphasizes that more farm-level studies for various crops and regions are warranted to provide substantial feedbacks to adaptation policy.