The paper examines effects of individual characteristics, household characteristics and impact of having a child in a household on usage of formal savings services in Malawi. The result of the paper suggests that individuals with certain characteristics do increase their chance of having at least one formal savings account and total amount in the saving account. Typically, males and household head have positive correlation. In addition, having a stable income occupation increases individuals’ usage of formal savings services. Lastly, there is negative effect on formal savings account if an individual has a child under 3 in the household. Data used in this paper is collected through field experiment in over 320 villages in Malawi.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 1999. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 137-141).

Thesis (MScFor (Forest and Wood Science))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / This study sought to examine the effects of soil fertility replenishment (SFR) adoption on household security and poverty reduction in smallholder farming households of central and southern Malawi by assessing food security, asset status, and household income generating activities in Kasungu and Machinga Districts during 2007. The results showed that households had been able to significantly increase maize production by an extra 382 kg per year in Kasungu and 242 kg per year in Machinga Districts, which constitutes approximately 35% and 22% of average household maize requirements for the year for each district, respectively. This reduced the critical annual hunger periods from 3.46 months to 2.80 months per year in Kasungu and from 4.31 months to 3.75 months in Machinga. Respondents also reported a significant increase in assets and an increase in income. Despite these positive changes, households were found to still be living in extreme poverty. Selling physical assets was the most common response to shocks and any increase in income was allocated to the purchase of food, household supplies, and other items necessary to immediate survival. This study revealed that while food security is paramount to the sustainable livelihoods of smallholder farmers, livelihood security and poverty reduction depend on more than increased food production. SFR technologies are fulfilling their primary role as a means to food security, but their adoption does not lead to significant livelihood improvements. Achieving lasting impacts requires that initiatives take an integrated approach and address not only household food production, but the multifaceted dynamics of social institutions, markets/economy, and policy. The long-term impacts of the current agroforestry programs in the study areas will emerge only with time. Livelihood improvements will depend on several factors. First, market inefficiencies must be remedied and economic barriers must be broken down. Second, the challenges identified by the respondents, especially access to resources and training, need to be addressed in a participatory way that promotes education and empowerment. As these two issues are tackled, households will become better equipped to manage the complexities that arise from SFR adoption and livelihood diversification. It is recommended that future research and initiatives should focus on identifying and removing economic barriers to markets, addressing farmeridentified challenges such as access to seed, water, and education and training, supporting households in managing multiple livelihood strategies, and continuing research to identify appropriate agroforestry species and technologies.

The study used quantitative content analysis to compare the international news content about Africa and the rest of the world in selected daily and weekly newspapers in Malawi and explored the extent to which economic factors, as represented by the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), influence news flows about Africa into Malawi. The results showed dominance of the categories of war/international conflict and politics. International news agencies were the principal sources of news items for all the four papers. Though there were differences among the newspapers in the amount of space allocated to various categories such differences were minor. The study established that GDP is not a determinant of the amount of coverage a country receives. / Communication Science / M.A. (International Communication)

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Major Professor Not Listed / Different dry bean crop varieties with different colors are produced in Malawi. Yet, little is known about the drivers of consumer preferences for the different dry bean varieties grown based on color. Literature shows that consumers link bean color to taste, cooking time, gravy quality and other desirable characteristics. The main objective of this research was to assess factors that determine consumption of different types of dry beans in Malawi based on color to determine preferences for different consumer segments and hence the potential value of these preferences communicated across the dry bean supply chain, to enhance the probability of success for breeders’ efforts and the bean value chain’s initiatives. The research used survey data that was collected by the Bean Value Chain Research Network in Lilongwe District, Malawi. The sample size of the dataset was 687 households from three different economic strata. The research focused on four dry bean colors: Red, Red Mottled, White and Cream Mottled bean. These were found to be the most prominent colors by sales and stated preference in Malawi. Two econometric approaches were used in the data analysis. A bivariate analysis using Pearson’s chi-square was used to test the significance of the association between bean consumption (dependent variable) and household as well as product characteristics explanatory variables. A logit model was run on each of the four color types to assess the extent to which the explanatory variables influence consumer preferences for alternative colors of dry bean products. Results showed that 40.8% of the respondents consumed red beans, 12.6% consumed red mottled, 14.6% consumed White and 32% consumed Cream mottled beans. In terms of demographic characteristics, respondents’ marital and employment status as well as household size were found to have no significant influence the consumption of all the four colors. Being educated decreased probability of consuming white and cream mottled beans. Household characteristics were also found to influence preferences for color. For example, households in low and middle-income households were shown to have a lower likelihood of consuming white beans. The characteristics of the beans were also important in influencing preferences. For example, medium grain size beans influenced preference for red beans while fast cooking beans negatively affected the consumption of mottled red beans. The results provide insights for bean breeders in their attempts to contribute to increased producer incomes through a careful response to consumer preferences and not just producer demands for agronomic traits.

Over the last decade climate-smart agriculture (CSA) has been promoted as a new approach to deal with the impacts of climate change on agriculture while simultaneously trying to mitigate emissions and improve food security. This approach suggests that these multiple goals – adaptation, mitigation and food security - could be achieved simultaneously by adopting specific technologies. At its core, CSA describes agricultural interventions that can 1) sustainably increase agricultural productivity, and hence food security and farm incomes; 2) help adapt and build resilience of agricultural systems to climate change; and 3) reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture (including crops, livestock and fisheries). The main focus of CSA is on smallholder producers, many of whom are already marginalized by existing food production systems, their livelihoods increasingly affected by changes in climate. Unsustainable agricultural practices are common amongst these groups. However, there is an increasing awareness of the need to sustain the natural resource base in order to maintain or increase productivity. Malawi is one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world, with chronic food insecurity affecting large parts of the population, and climate variability increasingly noticeable across the country. Agriculture is practiced predominantly on small holdings, with more than 80% of the population depending on land-based income. In this context, the introduction of climate-smart projects and technologies with the potential to deliver triple wins could improve farmers’ incomes and food security, increase their resilience to climate change impacts, as well as deliver global benefits via climate change mitigation. This dissertation looks at the adoption levels of various, potentially climate-smart agricultural practices by smallholder dairy farmers in Malawi, with the view of establishing the current level of engagement in these practices, and identifying the factors that influence adoption. Results show the importance of the socio-economic and institutional factors in explaining the probability of adopting different agricultural practices. In particular, the findings indicate the importance of well-informed and targeted extension support as one of the major enabling factors for the adoption of improved practices. The findings further show that farmers’ climate change perceptions play a key role in the adoption of climate-smart practices. Overall, the thesis concludes that a number of currently unsustainable dairy farm management practices could be improved upon to achieve double or triple-win benefits within a reasonably short timescale, many of them at low cost. In addition, limited adoption rates of several sustainable practices that are already in place could be improved with the provision of more training, knowledge sharing and extension advice and support on the benefits of these practices. However, the thesis argues that before implementing projects and policies that promise triple wins, a careful evaluation of benefits, including mitigation, adaptation, and food security, and risks must be carried out, as triple wins will not be achievable in many cases due to the local and external constraints including lack of skills and knowledge, and lack of funding. In this respect, whether climate-smart agriculture could become a globally sustainable approach to the climate change problem in agriculture, remains to be seen.

Background: Concerns have been well documented about women either dying or developing severe morbidities from prolonged and obstructed labour. These concerns have noted that maternity care during labour has not been of a sufficient standard to improve the outcome for women giving birth in Malawi. This ‘failure to save’ women remains, despite assertions that obstructed and prolonged labour can be prevented through appropriate decision making during the progress and management of labour. Midwives in Malawi form the majority of maternity healthcare workers and an important aspect of their decision-making role is to assess the progress of labour when caring for women in labour. To date, there has been limited exploration of either midwifery decision making during labour or the contextual factors that influence midwives’ decision making. The aim of this study was to explore how Malawian midwives make decisions during the first stage of labour in a hospital setting and to identify the contextual factors that influence their decision making. Design and Method: Using a qualitative ethnographic research approach, 27 participant observations, 26 follow-up interviews and document reviews comprised the data collection. Nine Malawian nurse-midwives who worked at a tertiary (n=5) and a secondary referral hospital (n=4), with a mixture of qualifications and experiences, participated. Each nurse midwife was observed three times with subsequent follow-up interviews. Interviews were conducted in a vernacular language, audio-taped, transcribed, translated into English and back translated into vernacular language. Qualitative data analysis software, NVivo 10, was used to assist with data management for the analysis. All data was analysed using the principle of theme and category formation. Findings: Three major themes were identified - contextual factors influencing midwifery decision making - the role of cue acquisition - the role of the partograph during care of women in the first stage of labour. Integration of the themes has led to the development of a proposed conceptual model of ‘supporting normality’ during the first stage of labour, which suggests that the midwives strived to make decisions during the care of women in labour with the aim of supporting the normal physiological processes of labour. The first theme illustrates that for Malawian midwives, decision making is a complex and contextually dependent undertaking. In everyday practice, decision making was influenced by multiple and competing factors but the midwives developed strategies to manage and control the context of their practice and facilitate decision making. The role of cue acquisition comprised a six-stage subprocess illustrating the ways in which midwives utilise assessment data to reason and make decisions during the care of women in labour. These processes involved the midwives building a case for each woman’s labour progression by piecing together segments of information they obtained. This process was striking when there was uncertainty in a woman’s progress of labour as they used deductive thinking by cross-checking data obtained across the labour progression span. There was a constant forward and backward moving of thought processes supported by actions that uncovered real case-building evidence for informing decisions about whether to intervene or not. The model further indicates the role of the partograph, which alerted midwives to the presence of progress or non-progress of labour. Although the partograph acted as an adjunct to the midwives’ decision making that could indicate opportunities for early intervention in labour if labour appeared not to be progressing, the midwives were sometimes cautious about its interpretation. This thesis has expanded on current theoretical knowledge of decision making by elaborating on the processes midwives employ to make decisions as they care for women in labour. It also illuminates the impact of contextual factors on decision making, and elucidates various strategies midwives use to advance their professional role. The emerging conceptual model provides implications for future midwifery practice, education and policy both in Malawi and worldwide.

The aim of this study was to describe mothers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding malaria in children under five years old. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. A structured questionnaire was administered by face-to-face interviews during data collection. The study population of this research composed of mothers of children under five years old suffering from malaria in Thyolo district. Economic-demographic characteristics that were significantly associated with mothers’ knowledge were age (p=0.018), formal education (p=0.001), income (p=0.005), and type of a house (p=0.002). Sources of malaria information that were significantly associated with mothers’ knowledge included television (p=0.004), radio (p=o.005), and posters (p=o.00019). Treatment-seeking behaviour was significantly associated with education (p=0.017). Treatment prior to hospitalisation was significantly associated with mothers’ education (p=0.0001), number of children that passed away (p=0.015), distance to the health facility (p=0.013), lack of money (p=0.019), and time taken at the hospital to get treatment (p=0.016). Recommendations were made to improve mothers’ malaria knowledge for further research / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

Magister Scientiae - MSc / Although the under-five mortality rate in Malawi has been declining since 1960, it still remains one of the highest in the world. In order to appropriately target interventions to achieve substantial reductions in deaths among children under the age of five years in Malawi, there is an ongoing need for better knowledge of the proportion of cause-specific under-five mortality in the country. The aim of this study was to estimate the direct contribution of HIV/AIDS to the observed level of under-five mortality in Malawi during the period 2000 to 2004. / South Africa

Magister Artium - MA / The aim of the study was focused on investigating how Web 2.0 technologies are being utilised by students and lecturers to accomplish their learning and teaching activities in the Faculty of Information Science and Communications (ISC) at Mzuzu University in Malawi. The study answers the following specific research questions: • What is the current awareness of and familiarity with Web 2.0 technologies amongst students and lecturers in the Faculty of ISC? • For what educational purpose do students and lecturers in the Faculty of ISC use Web 2.0 technologies and which Web 2.0 technologies do they use most? • What do lecturers in the Faculty of ISC perceive as benefits of integrating Web 2.0 technologies in teaching and learning? • What are the factors that influence students and lecturers in the Faculty of ISC to adopt Web 2.0 technologies? The study adopted the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behaviour (DTPB) by Taylor and Todd (1995) which explains the rejection and acceptance of technological innovations such as Web 2.0. The researcher adopted a case study design in which both qualitative and quantitative data were collected to answer the research problem. The study was conducted in three phases; in phase one, a questionnaire was sent to 186 students and 19 lecturers, phase two involved analysing the curricula and phase three involved conducting follow-up interviews with seven lecturers to seek clarification on some concepts and elaboration on themes identified in phases one and two. The findings show that between 69 (50.7%) and 128 (94.1%) students use these Web 2.0 technologies to search for information, to communicate with lecturers, to submit assignments, to communicate with friends on academic work and to share content with fellow students. Most lecturers use these technologies in handing out assignments to students, receiving feedback from students, uploading lecture notes, searching for content, storing lecture notes and carrying out collaborative educational activities. Between 66 (45.8%) and 95 (69.9%) students use Wikipedia, WhatsApp, Google Apps and YouTube and similarly, between 10 (58.8%) and 13 (76.5%) lecturers use Wikipedia, YouTube, Blog, Google Apps and Twitter to accomplish various academic activities. The findings show further that attitude (perceived usefulness, ease of use and compatibility) and perceived behaviour control (self-efficacy, resource facilitating condition and technology facilitating condition) are strong DTPB factors that determine students’ and lecturers’ intention to integrate Web 2.0 technologies in their academic activities. On the other hand, lack of Internet access remains the recurrent key stumbling blocks towards a successful adoption of Web 2.0 technologies in learning and teaching at Mzuzu University (MZUNI). Generally, the study reveals that Web 2.0 and a compendium of Internet technologies have proliferated at Mzuzu University in the Faculty of ISC. Both students and lecturers are aware, to some extent, of the benefits of integrating Web 2.0 in teaching and learning. The researcher has made three main recommendations which include the need for the Faculty of ISC to introduce awareness and training programmes on the new technologies so that students and lecturers are kept up-to-date about the new developments about these technologies, the need for the newly established Directorate of ICT at MZUNI to promote the use of Web 2.0 technologies by conducting work workshops and sourcing funds for students and lecturers to participate in local and international conferences on Web 2.0 and finally, the need for Mzuzu University to install campus–wide Wi-Fi so that students and lecturers can seamlessly access the Internet on every point of the campus using mobile phones or laptops.