The purpose of this thesis is to examine the projected future changes in the global and Sub-Saharan Africa climate. These changes are expected to have varying effects depending on the region of the globe being examined. Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to be one of the most vulnerable regions in the future because of the already-variable and unpredictable climate. Population growth and lack of financial and informational resources further exacerbates the climate problems, making it even more difficult for African farmers to respond to their changing environment. In order to respond to these climate changes within an already dry and nutrient-lacking environment, farmers must be given the necessary adaptation information and aid from outside investors. However, without the proper information available to investors, regarding future expectations about precipitation, temperature, extreme weather events, soil nutrients, and available adaptation strategies, investors cannot efficiently allocate capital or other forms of aid. Therefore, I stress the importance of developing accurate climate models on a regional scale that investors can use to better allocate aid. Each region is affected in very different ways by the climate as a result of local topographical factors and global factors, such as the Intertropical Convergence Zone. Therefore, tools, such as models and simulations must be able to take these factors into account in order to accurately project future changes. This thesis examines a wide range of existing literature in the area of climate change and food security on both a global and regional scale. I investigate the current and future climate of Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as the farming culture, in order to provide an in-depth understanding of the various factors that are interacting. Although many steps have been made to develop models and provide aid to Sub-Saharan Africa farmers, the lack of food security is only expected to become worse as the environment becomes harsher on food crops. Therefore, in order to respond to the expanding population and harsher farming environment, farming adaptations must continue to be intensified.

Entrepreneurship education has emerged as an alternative to traditional models of sustainable development in Sub-Sahara Africa. Traditional development models focus on economic reforms. In contrast, Amartya Sen’s capabilities approach to development emphasizes the importance of entitlements, choice, freedom, and addressing social and institutional conditions that facilitate development. This is a case study on a similar program, the Mandela Washington Fellowship (MWF) for Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), in the business and entrepreneurship track. The objective is to examine the impact of MWF on participants in developing entrepreneurial and leadership skills, which has the potential to contribute to the overall growth and development of their communities. This research assesses the effectiveness of entrepreneurship and leadership education programs in successfully developing practical skills among participants. Further goal is to examine the links between sustainable development, entrepreneurship and leadership training programs, in the context of Sen’s capabilities approach to development in Sub-Sahara Africa.

There is ample academic evidence indicating high levels of HIV stigma among BSSA communities. The research suggests that disadvantaged and marginalised social groups like the BSSA communities experience high levels of HIV and sexually transmitted infections. There is a significant amount of quantitative research in the public domain on HIV and stigma. Quantitative research has shown that BSSA communities present late with HIV and sexually transmitted infections often owing to HIV stigma. Currently there is limited published qualitative information on the factors influencing HIV stigma and sexual health seeking behaviour among BSSA communities, particularly from the perspective of the communities themselves. This research study explored beliefs and perceptions in the construction of HIV stigma and sexual health seeking behaviour among Black sub-Sahara African (BSSA) communities in one city in the UK. The Silences Framework, which sits within aspects of feminism, criticalist and ethnicity-based approaches, provided the theoretical underpinning for this study. An exploratory qualitative study methodology was used to identify and explore the key factors influencing the construction of HIV stigma and sexual health seeking behaviour among BSSA communities. Five focus groups and fifteen one-to-one semi-structured follow-up interviews were conducted to collect the data. The institution of Marriage, Religion, Reported HIV statistics, Politics and Immigration, HIV as a Sensitive subject, sexual health professionals Cultural competence, gender stereotyping, Sexual Orientation and Social Media emerged as key pillars underpinning the social scripts associated with the construction of HIV stigma and sexual health seeking behaviour. The experiences emanating from the pillars of HIV stigma, identified in this study, showed the impact of social, political and personal contexts associated with specific sexual scripts among the participants impacting on the construction of HIV stigma and sexual health seeking behaviour. The 'silences' contained in the socially determined scripts were important in understanding the phenomenon under investigation. The findings from this study were reviewed in light of current sexual health policies and strategies to consider how sexual health professionals and services can best meet the health care needs of BSSA communities. This thesis contributes to current knowledge of HIV stigma and ethnicity, by concluding that the construction of HIV stigma and sexual health seeking behaviour among BSSA communities takes place during different contexts of socialization, in a bid to conform to the perceived expectations of society which may be real or imagined. Furthermore, conformity is also influenced by commonly shared and personal appraisal of socially determined relevant issues. These contexts form the bases on which sexual scripts are given meaning and HIV stigma is constructed alongside a socially sanctioned pattern of sexual health seeking behaviour. This study makes an additional contribution in that it is the first time that The Silences Framework has been used to research HIV and stigma among BSSA communities. This research study compliments the currently available pool of quantitative data linking issues of HIV stigma and ethnicity in the United Kingdom. The findings from this exploratory qualitative research study reveal a wide range of critical issues to encourage further qualitative research in the area, while indicating new issues to consider in developing UK based interventions to address HIV stigma and sexual health seeking behaviour among BSSA communities.

African-born residents of the United States have a higher incidence of HIV than African Americans. Factors such as lifestyle, habits, behavior practices, and activities may predispose African-born residents to behave sexually in ways that place them at risk of becoming infected with HIV. This study used a qualitative narrative approach to understand the lived experiences first generation Sub-Saharan African-born men who are U.S. residents to analyze the behaviors that expose them to HIV. To analyze data, the study used the health-belief model as the conceptual framework and NVivo for data analysis to assist in identifying, categorizing, and analyzing common themes and grouping unstructured data. The study used a purposive convenience sampling of 14 first generation Sub-Saharan African-born men who are U.S. residents residing in the states of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania and discovered that they engage in sexual risk taking behaviors which include: having multiple sexual partners, preferring heterosexual relationships without a condom, have limited knowledge of HIV prevalence in the United States, and preferring to have sex with both African born females and American born women who are thought to be healthy. Their tendency to visit strip clubs, visit sex houses, and to abuse alcohol was also apparent in the study. Social change implications include adding new relevant knowledge in the understanding of how HIV spreads among Sub-Saharan African-born male U.S. residents by discovering the risk behaviors in which Sub-Saharan African men engage to expose themselves to contracting HIV disease. This knowledge can influence future health education efforts and target culture specific behaviors.

京都大学 / 新制・論文博士 / 博士(地球環境学) / 乙第13493号 / 論地環博第16号 / 新制||地環||44(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院地球環境学舎地球環境学専攻 / (主査)教授 舟川 晋也, 教授 西前 出, 准教授 真常 仁志, 教授 樋口 浩和 / 学位規則第4条第2項該当 / Doctor of Global Environmental Studies / Kyoto University / DFAM

Malaria significantly contributes to morbidity and mortality rates in Zambia. The currently accepted malaria treatment is artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT); it is more than 97% effective when the regimen is strictly adhered to. However, the mean ACT adherence rate in sub-Saharan Africa is only approximately 38-48%. Poor pharmacoadherence remains a significant barrier to malaria control and elimination. The purpose of this study was to determine if adherence rates to a six-dose ACT antimalarial treatment differ between patients in Zambia who received short message service (SMS) reminders and those who did not. An experimental, randomized, controlled trial was conducted to collect data from a sample of 96 adult patients with malaria who presented to Fisenge Clinic in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia. Participants were randomly assigned to a control or intervention group. The intervention group received SMS messages to remind them to take their medication according to the regimen. An electronic pillbox was used to measure pharmacoadherence for both groups, and patients were classified as probably adherent or probably non-adherent. Data were analyzed using Chi-square for association between the SMS intervention and pharmacoadherence, and logistic regression used for predictors of adherence. No significant association was found between SMS reminders and pharmacoadherence among malaria patients being treated with ACT when evaluated with respect to those who received the SMS reminders and those who did not (x2=0.19, df=1, p=0.67). Binary logistic regression indicated that there were no variables associated with adherence (p > 0.05). Findings from this study contribute to the research regarding the use of mobile phones to promote adherence. This is the first study of its kind using SMS directly to the patient for ACT adherence in sub-Saharan Africa known to the author. It is possible that the use of the electronic pillbox and/or the novelty of participating in a research study contributed to higher levels of adherence than previously found in this geographical area. While data suggested that there was no association between SMS and adherence, further research is needed to explore the value of this intervention.

Maternal morbidity and mortality are prevalent issues worldwide that profoundly affects low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in Africa. Estimates vary, but by the end of 2015, at least 300,000 women died in LMICs due to preventable pregnancy and childbirth conditions. Pregnant women die from complications that could be detected and managed if they were able to receive early access to necessary health interventions. Mobile technology is increasingly common across the globe, including LMICs, and incorporating digital health technologies, especially mobile phone (mHealth) programs, can offer a possible solution to morbidity and mortality related to pregnancy. A literature review analyzing the impact of mHealth programs on maternal health was conducted from various online databases. Nineteen articles that were published in the last ten years and contained technology-based interventions used for maternal health were reviewed. Inclusion criteria included countries listed as low-income and middle-income in the 2017 World Bank list of economies. The studies suggest mHealth programs have the potential to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality by increasing knowledge of safe health practices for pregnant women, community health workers, and traditional birth attendants. Mobile health technology also provides crucial information to providers when complications arise and can improve health facility utilization leading to increased deliveries with skilled birth attendants. This reinforces the need for more mHealth initiatives to be implemented in LMICs, addressing the barriers and community characteristics to positively impact and reduce maternal death in these settings.

The Sub-Saharan countries have for a long time struggled with poverty and conflicts which might have proven hostile for investors. The analysis aims to see if there is a significant correlation between foreign direct investments (FDI) and economic growth and which cultural and institutional factors seem to be significant in this correlation. Considered are also other variables and their influence that might explain what motivates and gives incentives for foreign direct investments (FDI) and are used in the construction of a regression analysis. This to see whether there is an effect on the economic growth in relations to FDI. The results show that FDI is of significance to the economic growth in the region and the study shows that corruption seems to be the most significant institutional factor in the correlation with effect on economic growth and the ability to attract FDI.

Only 10 % of the rural population in Sub-Saharan Africa has access to electricity. At the same time the Sub-Saharan countries are close to the equator and get many sun hours a day, leading to a huge potential for solar energy. This report aims to compare different PV system components for use in Sub-Saharan Africa to facilitate EWB for their work in electrification projects in the areas. The PV system will be compared with the following factors: economic, adoptability, scalability, environmental impact and efficiency, weighed in that order. A case simulation was made for a village around Nairobi were 20 households would be supplied with solar power. Both Polycrystalline silicon cells and thin filmed CIGS were simulated were the Poly c-Si cell was both the cost-efficient and scalable choice. Poly c-Si cells was also concluded to be advantageous of the crystalline cells by the chosen factors. Pb-acid batteries are best suited for off grid PV systems in rural areas. Different types of Pb-acid batteries can be used depending on the area’s typology. Off grid solar powered microgrids could be the solutions for an increased socioeconomic wellbeing for communities in rural areas. / Endast 10% av lantbygdens befolkning i Subsahariska Afrika har tillgång till elektricitet. Samtidigt ligger de Subsahariska länderna nära ekvatorn och får många soltimmar per dygn, vilket leder till en stor potential för solenergi. Den här rapporten syftar till att jämföra olika solcellssystems komponenter för användning i östra Afrika för att främja Ingenjörer Utan Gränsers arbete inom elektrifierings projekt i området. Jämförelsen kommer utföras med följande faktorer, ekonomi, anpassningsförmåga, skalning, miljöpåverkan och effektivitet, viktat i den ordningen. En simulation gjordes för en by i området av Nairobi där 20 hushåll skulle få tillgång till solenergi. Både Poly kristallina celler och tunnfilm CIGS simulerades där Poly kristallina celler var både kostnadseffektivast samt det plats effektivaste valet. Polykristallina celler var även konkluderades vara det fördelaktiga valet av de kristallina cellerna utefter de valda faktorerna. Bly-syra batterier var bäst lämpade för själv stående solcellssystem på landsbygden. Olika typer av bly-syra batterier kan användas beroende på områdets typologi. Fristående solcellssystem kan vara en lösning till ett ökat socioekonomisk välmående för samhällen på landsbygden.

<p>In this study a field study on the implementation of the United Nations Convention on Combating Desertification (UNCCD) in Tigray, Ethiopia has been carried out. The objective of this thesis is to study in general the implementa-tion of the UNCCD in Ethiopia. This thesis consequently focuses on how these issues are executed in practice at different levels, thus national, regional, district and community levels. However the focus is on some of the highly prioritised action programs that are presumed to facilitate the implementation of the UNCCD, which are the Action Programs for promoting awareness and participation, Action programs to improve institutional organisation and ca-pacity as well as Action program for empowerment of women. These action programs are studied in how they are presented at the National Action Plan (NAP) and Regional Action Plan (RAP) as well as how they are executed at different levels, i.e. at the Federal, Regional, district and Community levels. For this purpose the region of Tigray is chosen.</p><p>The result of this study shows that the vast majority of the respondents in the study areas indicated an awareness of desertification in regard to land degradation. The implementation of NAP at this stage, hasn’t reach all the regions around the country however, three regions in Ethiopia, thus the Afar, Tigray and Amhara regions have been chosen as pilot projects in attempt to implement the NAP at regional level and preparation are made to implement the con-vention at different community levels. Officially these regions have been chosen to launch pilot projects since they are situated in the dryland areas and they match the definition of the UNCCD for severely affected areas. At the re-gional level several pilot projects mainly conservation activities that involved the community members are launched in different parts of Tigray. Many opportunities to increase awareness of the land degradation and empower people are created in order to combat desertification, however the success of these activities varies from district to district and community to community and is dependent on the authorities’ intention, ambition, determination and interest as well as the relation they posses with the community members in the society.</p>