Foreign direct investment (FDI) has been touted in literature and by numerous studies on the topic as one of the main drivers of economic growth globally. Its benefits transcend from host to home countries, introducing related benefits that would not be realised without FDI. In sub-Saharan Africa, FDI is further regarded as one of the main avenues to alleviate resource deficits on the continent. Moreover, FDI is considered critical in mitigating socio-economic challenges experienced in many parts of the sub-continent. However, the continent lags behind the rest of the world in both outward FDI (OFDI) and inward FDI. Furthermore, intra-Africa FDI is also the lowest intra-regional FDI in the world. Various studies have been conducted on how MNCs strategise for their FDI initiatives and how the host country attributes render nations either attractive or otherwise to FDI. However, most of the studies have been premised on the developed world, mainly neglecting the unique characteristics of the continent. Africa has become a potentially attractive FDI destination for MNCs, as it has achieved consistently higher economic growth rates when compared to the rest of the world in the past few decades. However, the relatively few studies on the business environment, compounded by the often-negative media publication about the continent have rendered Africa a treacherous investment destination for MNCs. Democratic South Africa is a relatively new country in Africa. However, it is an important economic force on the continent due to superior resources and expertise formulated in the country over centuries. South African-originated MNCs currently form the bulk of MNC activity on the continent. However, SA MNCs have reported mixed fortunes in their OFDI endeavours in the rest of the sub-continent with many disinvestments, especially over the past two decades. These business closures continue up to the present day. This primary purpose of this study was to add to the existing literature on OFDI to ascertain scientific solutions to mitigate inappropriate business strategies being adopted by SA MNCs on the rest of the continent, especially those MNCs that invest in agribusiness. The study is unique in that it investigates the firm, host industry and overall host country attributes of OFDI in agribusiness. Furthermore, the study focused on the four regions of sub-Saharan Africa (East, West, Central and Southern Africa) to ensure that the regional dynamics of the continent are considered. The study also considered the effects of the different historical legal and business processes of the continent by factoring in anglophone, francophone and lusophone countries in the study. The formulation of this study and incorporation of these specifics therefore rendered this study different from existing studies. Furthermore, agribusiness is one of the most important industries in Africa, employing most of its populace, given the unique agrarian nature of the continent. However, there are negligible studies on FDI in agribusiness on the continent. To bridge this academic lacuna, the current study primarily focused on this sector that is critical to most African economies. The research, therefore, fills these gaps in the existing literature. The period under study was from 2000 to 2018. With the usage of annual data sourced from reliable sources in a robust panel regression approach, the findings of the study are as follows. Firm heterogeneity plays a critical role in the success of FDI initiatives. The study found that the asset base of an MNC was pertinent for the success of OFDI. Firms that relied on debt funding encountered challenges in OFDI processes. The research also found that profitability remained the main priority of MNCs, given that profitability and FDI share significant positive relationships. Interestingly, the findings established that MNCs that had a long history in their home countries struggled with OFDI, attributable to their limited ability to adapt their tried and tested home processes to new, unique markets on the rest of the continent. The findings on the agribusiness sector of host countries revealed that countries with progressive policies in agribusiness attracted additional and better FDI. For instance, investments in agri-infrastructure were beneficial to those host countries, showing that countries that prioritised agribusiness reaped the benefits, especially in the long term. Furthermore, there was clear evidence that FDI had a mutually beneficial relationship with crop and livestock production as well as value addition in agribusiness. There were mixed and useful findings regarding the impact of climate, food security and arable land as they relate to agribusiness FDI. Finally, the study supported the importance of institutional sturdiness on FDI. Although the study corroborated the direct relationship between FDI and economic growth, the findings revealed varied effects of the FDI relationship with unemployment, political stability and infrastructural development. The research findings inferred the importance of policy interventions to ensure that FDI initiatives are optimised to realise food security and growth in order to alleviate poverty and other social challenges experienced in the continent. / Business Management / D. Com. (Business Management)

Many development organisations are initiating programs in Sub-Saharan Africa bringing information technology to community centres, schools, universities, and government institutions. In the United States and more particularly Silicon Valley, California, people are convinced of the benefits of the Internet. An organisation started in this context, Schools Online, has initiated programs in over 31 countries and spent millions of dollars in the South. The study focuses on Schools Online's history, structure, and vision while researching its activities in a rural school in the town of Jinja, Uganda, in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is recommended that Schools Online listens and learns from its beneficiaries when planning an information technology project. / Development Studies / M. A. (Development Studies)

Text in English / In line with the World Summit on the Information Society and with the expectation that this would enable them to advance their development and improve the lives of the population, almost all the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries had developed national information and communications technologies (ICT) policies. The purpose of this doctoral research was to investigate the theoretical underpinning(s) of the national ICT policies of the SADC countries in order to develop a theoretical framework for building an information society for development. The research employed a grounded theory design, utilising the NVivo11 software as a tool to support the analysis of the national ICT policies for the selected 12 of the 15 SADC countries, as well as the interviews of five knowledgeable informants. Content analysis and open-ended interviews were the research methods applied sequentially to develop the Capacitating Theory for Building the Information Society for Development (CaTBIS-4D) for SADC countries, which is the core of the theoretical framework that this thesis proposes. The research found that building an information society continues to remain relevant for SADC countries, and its achievement is dependent on capacitating human, infrastructure and financial factors. Significantly, the research concluded that the perceived failure of the information society project within the SADC countries is due to the arcaneness or obscurity of the recognition that development and the information society mutually reinforce upon each other such that the improvement of one contributes to the advancement in the other. Based on the research findings and conclusions, this research proposes a framework that contends that to build an information society for development, it is necessary/ crucial to capacitate the human, infrastructure and financial factors by focusing on identified economic sectors and social categories within an effective governing and implementation monitoring environment. The research recommends that as the national ICT policies within SADC countries are updated and implemented, the framework proposed in this research be utilised as a basis. Furthermore, the research recommends that the broadest range of local role-players should participate in the information society development project to ensure its endurance and relevance. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

Many development organisations are initiating programs in Sub-Saharan Africa bringing information technology to community centres, schools, universities, and government institutions. In the United States and more particularly Silicon Valley, California, people are convinced of the benefits of the Internet. An organisation started in this context, Schools Online, has initiated programs in over 31 countries and spent millions of dollars in the South. The study focuses on Schools Online's history, structure, and vision while researching its activities in a rural school in the town of Jinja, Uganda, in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is recommended that Schools Online listens and learns from its beneficiaries when planning an information technology project. / Development Studies / M. A. (Development Studies)

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates both the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) that was signed into US law in May 2000 and the subsequent US Farm Bill, signed in May 2002. AGOA is a temporary, non-negotiated, non-reciprocal law by the USA to allow dutyfree and quota-free access to almost all products produced in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Many people in SSA are dependant on agriculture to provide employment and livelihood. In the agricultural sector The Farm Bill is a unilateral law by the USA granting enormous subsidies to its farmers for a wide variety of products. It is the purpose of this study to investigate both these laws and to determine whether or not the Farm Bill undermines the objectives of AGOA. AGOA was studied and the real reasons for US interest in SSA determined. The main reason found for the inception of AGOA was US interest in the oil resources of SSA as well as other commodities like precious metals and textiles. The USA is also interested in SSA to find new markets for its own products as it can produce far more food and fibre than it can utilise in its domestic market. The study investigated the potential benefits of AGOA for SSA as well as the real benefits that were realised in the first two and a half years since its inception. It was found in the study that the real benefits were far less than the potential benefits and several reasons are offered for this phenomenon. The trade data between the USA and SSA was analysed to determine the effect of AGOA on trade and the major products traded. It was found that by far the largest product group was in the petroleum sector. The Farm Bill was investigated to determine the provisions of the Bill, the products involved and the conditions for subsidy payments. The payments include direct payments, counter-cyclical payments and marketing loan gains or loan deficiency payments. The detail of the calculation methods for the payments and a sample calculation of the subsidies are given, other provisions of the Farm Bill that apply to specific commodities like sugar and dairy products are also listed as these are important commodities for SSA. The Farm Bill was investigated in terms of AGOA and it was found in the study that the Farm Bill does indeed undermine the objectives of AGOA by reducing commodity prices. Both AGOA and the Farm Bill were further investigated in the context of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to determine their consistency with the rules of the WTO. It was found that AGOA is consistent with the WTO rules, but the subsidies of the Farm Bill are trade distorting and therefore not consistent with these rules. There is a WTO limit set for the US support programmes and it is expected that the payments would exceed the limit during times of low commodity prices. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie studie word beide die 'African Growth and Opportunity Act' (AGOA) wat in Mei 2000 deel van die Amerikaanse wetgewing geword het sowel as die daaropvolgende 'US Farm Bill' wat in Mei 2002 goedgekeur is, ondersoek. AGOA is 'n tydelike, eensydige, nie-wederkerige wet deur Amerika wat tariefvrye en kwotavrye toegang tot die Amerikaanse mark toelaat vir bykans alle produkte wat in Afrika Suid van die Sahara (SSA) geproduseer word. Baie mense in SSA is afhanklik van landbou vir werk om vir hulle families te kan sorg. Dit is juis in die landbousektor waar Amerika die 'Farm Bill' as eensydige wet goedgekeur het wat enorme landbousubsidies vir 'n wye reeks produkte aan sy boere toeken. Die doel van die studie is om beide hierdie wette te ondersoek en vas te stel of die 'Farm Bill' die doelwitte van AGOA ondermyn, al dan nie. AGOA is eerste ondersoek en die werklike redes vir Amerika se belangstelling in SSA is bepaal. Daar is bevind dat die hoofrede vir die ontstaan van AGOA die strategiese belangstelling van Amerika in SSA se olie en ander kommoditeite soos edelmetale en tekstiele is. Amerika stel ook belang in SSA om nuwe markte te vind vir sy eie produkte omdat Amerika baie meer voedsel en vesel kan produseer as wat sy plaaslike mark kan absorbeer. Die studie het die potensiele voordele van AGOA vir SSA asook die werklike voordele wat in die eerste twee en 'n half jaar gerealiseer het, ondersoek. Die studie het getoon dat die werklike voordele baie minder as die potensiele voordele was en verskeie redes word vir die verskynsel aangevoer. Die handelsdata tussen Amerika en SSA is ondersoek om die effek van AGOA op handel asook die hoofhandelsprodukte vas te stel. Die data het getoon dat by verre die grootste produkgroep wat verhandel is, olie en verwante petroleumprodukte is. Die 'Farm Bill' is ondersoek om die bepalings van die wet vas te stel, watter produkte betrokke is en onder watter voorwaardes subsidiebetalings van toepassing is. Hierdie betalings sluit direkte betalings aan boere, wederkerige betalings en bemarkingslenings in. Die detail van die berekeningsmetodes van die verskillende dele van die subsidies asook 'n voorbeeld-berekening word getoon. Ander bepalings van die wetgewing wat van toepassing is op spesifieke kommoditeite soos suiker en suiwel word ook gelys omdat hierdie produkte baie belangrik vir SSA is. Die 'Farm Bill' is ook met betrekking tot AGOA ondersoek en daar is getoon dat die 'Farm Bill' inderdaad die doelwitte van AGOA ondermyn deur die pryse van kommoditeite te laat daal. Beide AGOA en die 'Farm Bill' is verder ondersoek in die konteks van die Wereldhandelsorganisasie (WHO) om vas te stel of elkeen van hierdie wette voldoen aan die handelsreels van die WHO. Daar is bevind dat AGOA wel voldoen aan die WHO reels, maar dat die subsidies van die 'Farm Bill' handel verwring en daarom nie voldoen aan die vereistes van die WHO nie. Daar bestaan 'n WHO-beperking vir Amerika op die hoeveelheid ondersteuning wat aan die boere toegestaan mag word en daar word verwag dat die beperking oorskry kan word in tye van lae kommoditeitspryse.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study sets out to analyse the trade performance of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to determine the lessons that can be learnt from it strengths and weaknesses with the purpose to assist future trade negotiations - and specifically the current free trade negotiations between the United States of America (USA) and the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU). A short overview of AGOA's content is given with specific reference to the many rules and regulations governing the arrangement. AGOA's trade performance over the past four years is analysed by country and sector to determine the main recipients of its benefits with specific attention to the performance of SACU countries. AGOA's strengths and opportunities are discussed by looking at the impact that AGOA had on investment and job creation in Southern Africa. The study takes a closer look at new markets that benefited from AGOA and how well SACU made use of the non-reciprocal nature of AGOA by looking at the trade balance with the USA. The weaknesses of AGOA are analysed by looking at its nature - the fact that it is a nonnegotiated arrangement with benefits that can be terminated at any point. The failure of AGOA to address non-tariff barriers is discussed by looking at the impact of subsidies, quotas, threat of anti-dumping actions and its restrictive rules and regulations. The unsustainability of the substantial growth that the clothing and textile industries experienced under AGOA is considered by looking at the Multi-Fibre Agreement and the impact that its termination had up to now on especially SACU countries. The analysis of AGOA's trade performance highlighted the fact that only a few countries and products benefited from AGOA. The study deliberates AGOA's failure to liberalise Southern Africa's exports. The knowledge gained by analysing AGOA, its trade performance with specifically SACU, and its strengths and weaknesses are applied by looking at the current US free trade proposal with SACU. The study looks at the motivations for the free trade agreement from both a US and SACU point of view and continues to analyse the content of the proposed agreement. The analysis includes the various problem areas within the proposed agreement as well as the potential benefits that such an agreement can bring about. The study concludes with a summary of the lessons learnt from AGOA and how they apply to the proposed US free trade agreement as well as future trade negotiations. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie poog om die resultate van die "African Growth and Opportunity Act" (AGOA) oor die afgelope vier jaar te ontleed met die doel om die sterk en swakpunte van die handelsverdrag te beklemtoon as basis vir toekomstige handelsooreenkomste. Daar word spesifiek verwys na die handelsooreenkoms wat tans beding word tussen die Verenigde State van Amerika (VSA) en die "South African Customs Union" (SACU). Die studie gee 'n kort opsomming van die inhoud van AGOA met spesifieke verwysing na die verskeie reëls en regulasies wat die ooreenkoms onderskryf. Die resultate van die afgelope vier jaar word ontleed per land en sektor om vas te stel watter lande en produkte die meeste voordeel getrek het onder AGOA. Weereens word daar spesifiek na SACU se resultate verwys. AGOA se sterkpunte word bespreek deur na die impak te kyk op investering en werkskepping in Suider Afrika. Die studie kyk na nuwe marksgeleenthede wat voordeel getrek het onder AGOA. Daar word ook gekyk hoe goed SACU van die nie-wederkerige natuur van AGOA gebruik gemaak het deur te verwys na die handelsbalans tussen SACU en die VSA. Die swakpunte van AGOA word bespreek deur te kyk na AGOA se inherente kenmerke, byvoorbeeld dat die "ooreenkoms" nie onderhandel is nie en dat voordele te enige tyd opgeskort mag word. Daar word ook gekyk na AGOA se gebrek om nie-tarief gedrewe handelsstruikelblokke in die vorm van subsidies, kwotas, die bedreiging van aksies teen handelsstorting en die impak van die vele reëls en regulasies aan te spreek. Die onvolhoubaarheid van groei binne die tekstiel en kledingsbedryf (wat merkbare sukses onder AGOA bereik het) as gevolg van die terminasie van die "Multi-Fibre Agreement" word bespreek - met spesifieke verwysing na die impak op Suider Afrika. Die analise van AGOA se handelsresultate het uitgewys dat slegs 'n handjie-vol lande en produkte by AGOA baat gevind het. Die studie oorweeg die moontlike redes wat gelei het tot hierdie verskynsel. Die kennis wat opgedoen is deur na AGOA se handelsresultate te kyk, asook sy sterk- en swakpunte te ontleed, word aangewend deur na die huidige VS handelsooreenkoms met SACU the kyk. Die studie oorweeg die motiverings vir so 'n handelsooreenkoms van beide 'n VS en SACU oogpunt en maak ook 'n ontleding van die inhoud van die ooreenkoms. Die ontleding kyk nie net na die verskeie probleme wat na vore kom nie maar ook na die voordele wat SACU te beurt kan val as gevolg van die oorkoms. Die studie sluit af deur 'n opsomming te maak van die lesse wat geleer is deur die ontleding van AGOA en hoe dit van toepassing is op die huidige VS ooreenkoms asook toekomstige ooreenkomste.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the aftermath of the Second World War, the development challenges facing Third World countries - those that were independent, those emerging from colonialism and those still under colonialism - led to the proliferation of bilateral and multilateral development institutions. These institutions were intended to assist the developing countries in terms of the provision of both human (technical) skills and material resources as well as to formulate programmes that would promote co-operation for socio-economic development and transformation. If the enormous development problems facing Africa including poverty, hunger, disease can be alleviated, then multilateral institutions have a major role to play in its scientific and technological development as well as in helping to create the appropriate institutional mechanisms for regional and sub-regional co-operation in science and technology (S&T) in Africa. The United Nations system, including UN-affiliated institutions, has therefore come to represent the best hope of realising the dream of most developing countries in their quest for development, due to its institutional capacity to provide development assistance as well as influence the international development agenda which affects Africa. For example, among the institutions in this study, the World Bank Group remains the biggest donor organisation in terms of the funding of development projects and programmes. UNESCO has a leading role as the UN agency whose mandate relates directly to S&T development and peace. The ECA is the representative body of the UN in Africa and therefore able to influence the direction of development policy and programmes. Similarly, the need to develop also led African countries to establish their own regional and sub-regional institutions for co-operation to draw together both human and material resources. However, the development issues discussed and promoted in the developing world over the years have focused more on national income, terms of trade, market access and in recent times on structural adjustment and poverty reduction strategy programmes. But the most important aspect of the development process - the knowledge capability gap (in terms of S&T) - has been much neglected especially at the regional and sub-regional levels. Therefore, in using regional and sub-regional levels of analyses, the research project looks at the programmes supported by the following institutions: the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the World Bank, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the African Development Bank (AIDB), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Thus the study uses a theorydriven evaluation based on INEXSK (INfrastructure, EXperience and Skills, and Knowledge) approach broadly, to investigate the extent to which these multilateral institutions live up to their stated goals of improving the knowledge base for development in the African continent. An important aspect of the study also entails a historical review of science, technology and institutional co-operation in Africa. Furthermore, an important outcome of the study reveals the lack of functional regional and sub-regional organisational frameworks to promote rigorous scientific and technological research and development in the African continent, except for a few centres and programmes supported by some multilateral and bilateral institutions including NGOs. In spite of many years of structural adjustment the World Bank's lending for S&T has marginalised African countries; while the AIDB support for S&T and regional programmes is woefully inadequate. This is a momentous task it has to address if the NEP AD Initiative is to be successful in the years ahead. To guide future initiatives the study draws on the lessons and experiences of the European Union's and the Association of South East Asian Nations' (ASEAN) regional scientific and technology co-operation programmes. The study advocates a knowledge-based development paradigm, which is transnational in approach, and it makes specific recommendations for regional and sub-regional programmes and strategies to promote the socio-economic development and transformation of Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: OPSOMMING Ná afloop van die Tweede Wêreldoorlog het Derde Wêreldlande - dié reeds onafhanklik, óf besig om kolonialisme af te skud, óf nog steeds onder 'n koloniale moondheid se bewind - sekere ontwikkelingstruikelblokke en -uitdagings in die gesig gestaar. Dit het gelei tot die totstandkoming van verskeie bilaterale en multilaterale ontwikkelingsinstellings. Die doel met sulke instellings se hulpverlening aan ontwikkelende lande was drieledig: om tegniese vaardighede aan te bied; om materiële hulpmiddele te verskaf; en om programme, wat samewerking vir sosio-ekonomiese ontwikkeling en transformasie sou bevorder, te formuleer. Indien die las van die geweldige ontwikkelingsprobleme in Afrika (insluitend armoede, hongersnood en siektes) verlig sou kon word, het multilaterale instellings 'n belangrike rol om te vervul: om te help met, enersyds, die wetenskaplike en tegnologiese ontwikkeling van die kontinent, en andersyds die ontwikkeling van toepaslike institusionele meganismes vir streek- en sub-streeksamewerking in wetenskap en tegnologie (W&T). As gevolg van die Verenigde Nasies se institusionele kapasiteit om ontwikkelingshulp te verskaf, asook om die internasionale ontwikkelingsagenda te beïnvloed, verteenwoordig dié stelsel die beste hoop van die meeste ontwikkelende lande om hulle ontwikkelingsdrome te verwesenlik. Van die instellings wat by die VN geaffillieer is, en wat in hierdie ondersoek geëvalueer word, is die Wêreldbankgroep, die grootste skenkerorganisasie vir die befondsing van ontwikkelingsprogramme en -projekte. So ook het UNESCO 'n leiersrol as die VN agentskap van wie die mandaat direk betrekking het op die ontwikkeling van W&T. Die EKA is die liggaam wat Afrika verteenwoordig by die VN, en beïnvloed daarom die koers van ontwikkelingsbeleid en -programme. Die noodsaak om die kontinent te ontwikkel het ook gelei daartoe dat Afrikalande hulle eie streek- en sub-streekliggame, wat menslike en materiële hulpbronne bymekaar bring, begin stig het. Die ontwikkelingskwessies wat oor die jare in die ontwikkelende wêreld bespreek en aangemoedig is, het egter meer en meer gefokus op nasionale inkomste, handelsvoorwaardes, toegang tot markte en, in die afgelope tyd, strukturele aanpassings en armoede verligtingstrategie programme. Die belangrikste deel van die ontwikkelingsproses - die vernouing van die kennisgaping in W&T - is gevolglik afgeskeep, veral op streek- en substreekvlak. Hierdie navorsingsprojek analiseer dus, op streek- en sub-streekvlak, ontwikkelingsprogramme wat deur die volgende instansies ondersteun word: die Verenigde Nasies se Opvoedkundige, Wetenskaplike en Kulturele Organisasie (UNESCO), die Wêreldbank, die Verenigde Nasies se Ekonomiese Kommissie vir Afrika (EKA), die Organisasie vir Afrika-eenheid (OAE), die Ontwikkelingsbank van Afrika, die Suider- Afrikaanse Ontwikkelingsgemeenskap en die Ekonomiese Gemeenskap van Wes-Afrikaanse State. Die navorsing gebruik 'n teorie-gedrewe evaluering gebaseer op 'n INEXSK ("INfrastructure, EXperience and Skills, and Knowlege") benadering, om te bepaal in watter mate hierdie multilaterale instellings hulle doelwitte, met betrekking tot die verbetering van die kennisbasis vir ontwikkeling van die Afrika-kontinent, bereik. 'n Historiese oorsig van die wetenskaplike, tegnologiese en institusionele samewerking in Afrika vorm 'n belangrike deel van die navorsingsverslag. Die navorsing dui ook op 'n gebrek aan funksionele organisatoriese raamwerke om op streek en sub-streekvlak streng wetenskaplike en tegnologiese navorsing en ontwikkeling aan te wakker en te bevorder. (Daar is darem 'n paar noemenswaardige uitsonderings van sentra en programme wat deur party van die bilaterale en multilaterale instellings ondersteun word.) Ten spyte van strukturele aanpassings wat oor baie jare plaasgevind het, het die Wêreldbank se lenings vir W&T Afrikalande gemarginaliseer; en die Ontwikkelingsbank van Afrika se ondersteuning vir W&T en streeksprogramme is heeltemal ontoereikend. Daar is 'n geweldige taak wat in die toekoms aangespreek moet word indien die NEPAD inisiatief hoop om suksesvol te wees. Die verslag gebruik die lesse en ervarings van die Europese Unie en die Vereniging van Suid- Asiatiese Lande se streeksamewerkingsprogramme vir wetenskap en tegnologie as rigtingwyser vir toekomstige inisiatiewe. Die verslag beveel 'n transnasionale kennisgebaseerde ontwikkelingsparadigma aan, en maak spesifieke aanbevelings vir streek en sub-streekprogramme en strategieë om die sosio-ekonomiese ontwikkeling en transformasie van Afrika te bevorder.

This thesis analyses the food crisis in sub-Saharan Africa in the 1980s and 1990s, identifies roots of the problem, and proposes strategies of sustainable development based on self-sufficiency in food production for domestic needs. The main goal of this research has been to devise development strategies centered on development of the food production sector. The thesis strongly suggests that countries of the region should consider developing the food production sector to experience any meaningful development, and to escape a dark future of food shortages and food dependency on developed economies. Investigation into Development Economics, Dependency, Underdevelopment, and Modernization theories has provided a basis to justify that improvement of the food production sector is an urgent necessity for sub-Saharan African countries. The thesis uses a comparative analytical methodology based on a historical study of Kenya from the colonial period to the 1990s. The food crisis is identified as a common problem for many countries in sub-Saharan Africa and its general causes are investigated: ( 1) low output productivity of traditional methods and technology, (2) harsh ecological environment with frequent droughts and soil erosion, (3) neglect of food production in the policies and priorities of governments, ( 4) poor marketing and distribution of foodstuffs, (5) fast population growth. Kenya is then used as a model to confirm the hypothesis that roots of the crisis are strongly linked to the colonial setting of these economies as cash crop and raw material producers. Also, neglect of the food production sector in government policy is matched in the Kenyan case. Kenya's food crisis can be explained by two sets of factors. On the input side of the food production sector, reasons found were ( 1) government emphasis on cash crops to the neglect of food production, and (2) underdeveloped technology and agricultural methods used in food production. On the output side, food shortages are due to ( 1) an inefficient marketing and distribution system, (2) inefficient pricing policies, and (3) fast population growth. A model of five solutions is presented which puts emphasis, on the input side, on (1) a shift of policies from cash crop production to accommodate food crop production as a viable economic development policy, (2) curbing food imports, and (3) boosting domestic food production by empowering women, attracting men to the food production activity, reorganizing production, and improving agricultural technology and methods. On the output side the solutions call for ( 4) reorganizing and improving the distribution, and marketing, and pricing of foodstuffs, and (5) developing rural economies around the food production sector and the agribusiness industry.

Abstract not available. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005.

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Developed countries have led the way in the implementation of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), with the main objectives of improving road safety and efficiency. Current ITS solutions are heavily dependent on advanced and expensive technologies, and do not necessarily meet the unique requirements of public transportation in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The informal minibus taxi sector dominates public transport in SSA in general, and in South Africa in particular, and is notoriously dangerous – leading to many fatalities annually. This work presents the design and testing of a sensing and reporting system for public transport in SSA. The system contributes to improving the safety and efficiency of minibus taxis in SSA. The system provides three core functions, namely, reckless driving detection, multiple occupancy detection, and wireless reporting to a visualised online platform. The reckless driving detection system implements a novel model that augments inertial vehicle acceleration data with GPS speed information. The model is based on standards used in road design, and takes into account the relationship between a vehicle’s tyres and the road surface. A lateral acceleration threshold, which is speed dependant, and a longitudinal acceleration threshold are suggested to detect reckless driving. Acceleration data is filtered to remove both high-frequency noise and zero-frequency offset, and compared to the thresholds to detect reckless driving events. The occupancy detection system detects multiple occupants in the minibus taxi using low-cost capacitive sensor electrodes, which utilise the electrical field properties of a human body for presence detection. A simplified mathematical model was created to calculate the expected capacitance on the occupancy sensor electrode, and was compared to the measured capacitance in the minibus taxi. The theoretical and empirical results demonstrate that the capacitance of an occupied seat is more than double that of an unoccupied seat. Occupants were clearly detected in various scenarios, such as different occupant sizes, water on seat, various seated positions on the sensor, etc. The wireless reporting inside the vehicle is implemented using a ZigBee network on an Arduino platform. The extra-vehicle wireless reporting uses the existing SSA cellular network, and the online data visualisation is implemented on Trinity Telecoms’ SMART platform. The complete sensing and reporting system is implemented as a prototype, and tested in South African and Ugandan minibus taxis. The results demonstrate that the system achieves the set goals, and could be used to make transport in SSA safer and more efficient. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ontwikkelde lande neem die voortou met die implementering van Intelligente Vervoer Stelsels (IVS) met die hoof doelwit om padveiligheid en vervoerstelsels se effektiwiteit te verbeter. Huidige stelsels wat ontwikkel is vir IVS is baie afhanklik van duur en gevorderde tegnologieë en bevredig dus nie die huidige vereistes binne die openbare vervoer stelsel van Sub-Sahara Afrika (SSA) nie. Die minibus taxi sektor domineer die openbare vervoer stelsel in SSA en meer spesifiek in Suid-Afrika, en daar is jaarliks duisende ongelukke waarvan baie tot sterftes lei. In hierdie werkstuk word daar ’n stelsel voorgestel wat minibus taxi’s in SSA kan monitor. Die doel van die stelsel is om die openbare vervoerstelsel se effektiwiteit en padveiligheid te verbeter. Die stelsel bestaan uit: roekelose bestuur opsporing, veelvoudigepassasier waarneming (monitor van aantal passasiers in voertuig) en network verslagdoening na ’n aanlyn platform. ’n Nuwe model is ontwikkel om roekelose bestuur op te spoor – deur die voertuig se versnelling en spoed te kombineer in berekenings. Die model se berekenings is ook gebasseer op die verwantskap tussen die voertuig se bande en die padoppervlak. Roekelose bestuur word bespeur deur ’n laterale en longitudinale drempel wat spoed afhanklik is. Versnellingsdata word gefilter om hoë-frekwensie geraas en nul-frekwensie afwykings te verwyder. Gefilterde data word dan met die gepaste drempel vergelyk om te bepaal of die bestuurder ’n roekelose beweging uitgevoer het. Die veelvoudige-passasier waarnemingstelsel is getoets in ’n minibus taxi en bestaan uit ’n lae-koste kapasitiewe sensor stelsel. Die stelsel meet ’n passasier se liggaamlike elektriese lading. ’n Wiskundige uitrukking van die kapasitiewe sensor stelsel is bepaal wat ’n teoretiese kapasitansie waarde gee. Dié waarde is met die gemete kapasitansie op die sensor elektrode vergelyk. Die resultate bevestig dat die ontwikkelde stelsels duidelik ’n sittende passasier kan identifiseer. Verskeie toetse is gedoen om te verseker dat die kapasitiewe stelsel gepas is vir die heterogene minibus taxi omgewing. Draadlose verslagdoening word binne die voertuig uitgevoer met behulp van ’n ZigBee netwerk wat geïmplementeer is op ’n Arduino platform. Die buite-voertuig verslagdoening stelsel gebruik bestaande sellulêre kommunikasie netwerke en die inligting word dan op Trinity Telecoms’ SMART platform visueel vertoon. Die volledige ontwikkelde stelsel is as ’n prototipe geïmplementeer en getoets in Suid-Afrikaanse en Ugandese minibus taxi’s. Die resultate toon aan dat die stelsel die doelwitte bereik en dat dit gebruik kan word om die vervoer stelsel in Suid Afrika veiliger en meer doeltreffend te maak.