This research explored the application of a resilience assessment (RA) template in an Ontario community to facilitate sustainable community planning. Research and application of sustainable community planning that incorporates management of social and ecological resilience is relatively young territory that requires improved understanding and extension. The research goals were to critically examine the performance of the process used to perform the RA. This inquiry was considered a knowledge-generating evaluation that combined applied research and evaluation research to contribute to theoretical understanding and action. The RA template was field-tested using a single in-depth case study - the Town of Huntsville, Ontario. A mixture of qualitative methods was used to pilot and evaluate the RA, including: key informant interviews, online group discussions, focus groups, and secondary literature review. The process used to perform the RA was evaluated against four criteria that focused on the adequacy of data collection, participant diversity, participant empowerment, and utility for other communities. This research illuminated obstacles and shortcomings within the Resilience Alliance 2010 RA workbook and offered recommendations to improve the utility of the RA for communities and participants. The RA template tested in this thesis could be adapted for application in other communities, including small urban and rural communities and larger municipalities. The RA template would benefit from additional case study research.

This research explored the application of a resilience assessment (RA) template in an Ontario community to facilitate sustainable community planning. Research and application of sustainable community planning that incorporates management of social and ecological resilience is relatively young territory that requires improved understanding and extension. The research goals were to critically examine the performance of the process used to perform the RA. This inquiry was considered a knowledge-generating evaluation that combined applied research and evaluation research to contribute to theoretical understanding and action. The RA template was field-tested using a single in-depth case study - the Town of Huntsville, Ontario. A mixture of qualitative methods was used to pilot and evaluate the RA, including: key informant interviews, online group discussions, focus groups, and secondary literature review. The process used to perform the RA was evaluated against four criteria that focused on the adequacy of data collection, participant diversity, participant empowerment, and utility for other communities. This research illuminated obstacles and shortcomings within the Resilience Alliance 2010 RA workbook and offered recommendations to improve the utility of the RA for communities and participants. The RA template tested in this thesis could be adapted for application in other communities, including small urban and rural communities and larger municipalities. The RA template would benefit from additional case study research.

The past decades witnessed that neither the private sector nor the government could provide an adequate socio-economic safety net for the poorest of the poor in the Third World. The community-based self-help approaches were hence widely used as alternative means to help the poor and marginalised to cope with livelihood shocks. This study examined the extent to which indigenous iddirs (local neighbourhood associations) and the externally-funded self-help groups (SHGs) could transform social capital into entrepreneurship thereby enhancing sustainable livelihoods. The study was conducted in three Southern Nation and Nationalities and People’s Region (SNNPR) rural districts, namely, Shebedeno, Wonago and Humbo. Mixed (quantitative and qualitative) methods were used to collect field data. Accordingly, closed and openended questionnaires and interview schedules were developed in English and then translated into Amharic (the national language). Instruments were field tested for validity and thereafter adjusted. A total of 220 (166 male and 54 female) people participated in the study. Data were entered into an Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) database, and analysed by using basic descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were transcribed and analysed using Microsoft Office tools. The findings indicate that the SHGs’ members were relatively better educated than the rest of the population and some of them used this opportunity to pursue employment in government and the private sector. With regard to poverty status, iddirs members were poorer than those of SHGs (15.5% of the iddirs members reported that they are destitute compared to others in the community, as opposed to 3.3% of SHGs members). The study reveals that the livelihoods of some members of iddirs and SHG (particularly the latter) improved as a result of their involvement in these institutions although, at this point, the impact is insignificant. With regard to socio-economic decision making, more SHG members were involved in participatory decision making. However, iddirs leaders were still the dominant decision makers. The SHG level of participatory decision making could be the result of capacity building efforts by the promoting organisation, particularly, the Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church (EKHC). The study also shows that some of the iddirs and SHGs members were involved in informal rural entrepreneurial activities. However, their involvement did not indicate the utilisation of micro loan taken from the iddirs and SHGs for business purposes (97% of the iddirs and SHGs respondents utilised microcredit loans for consumption and other related purposes). On the other hand, the empirical evidence reveals that the amount of loan that iddirs and SHGs respondents received was very small. The general practice is giving small loans particularly to SHG members with repayments expected to begin as quickly and frequently as possible. Transforming social capital into entrepreneurship requires a cooperative approach, i.e. the involvement of development actors so as to enhance communities’ endeavour to achieve their livelihood objectives. Despite the wide prevalence of social capital in Ethiopia, this study indicates that its effective utilisation in community empowerment and sustainable livelihoods remains a challenge. Social capital is found to have a limited role in social entrepreneurship development and promotion not because it does not have potential, but because of the limited role of promoting organisations. The study shows lack of strong linkage between iddirs and promoting organisation (NGOs and Government). The study thus underlines the need for improving network and links with iddirs and SHGs and promoting organisations so as to create an enabling environment for sustainable livelihoods in the three rural districts under scrutiny. / Development Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Development Studies)

The Covid-19 pandemic that erupted in 2020 has impacted most livelihoods and increased poverty levels worldwide. This thesis considers the impact which the Corona pandemic has had on Ukrainian seasonal migrant workers’ livelihoods in Poland. The societal travel restrictions’ short-term effects on the seasonal livelihoods are investigated along with the subsequent short-term coping strategies used by the seasonal migrant workers. The study draws on primary data from 10 semi-structured, digital interviews conducted with Ukrainian seasonal migrant workers from different sectors who worked in Poland during the pandemic period. Through the Sustainable Livelihood Framework, the cases were individually considered whilst also comparing within the sample groups from the sectors agriculture, construction, domestic services, culinary, and warehouse work. The findings of the study show that the seasonal migration livelihood strategy was resilient, lowered vulnerability, and allowed for sustainable livelihood outcomes despite the Corona pandemic. Travel restrictions and other institutional processes enabled or disabled the seasonal workers. Despite the Corona pandemic, the seasonal migration livelihood strategy was used as a short-, medium- and long-term strategy to alleviate poverty. The study increases the multidimensional understanding of the pandemic effects on Ukrainian seasonal workers in Poland. Therefore, this research provides an understanding of poverty alleviation, seasonal migration livelihood strategies, and resilience in a pandemic context.

Poverty and the environment are closely linked, as people use environmental resources to support livelihoods. Illegal stone quarrying evident in Lusaka, Zambia is symbolic of the use of environmental resources by the poor. Stone crushing provides income yet it is characterized by land degradation, large-scale excavation and dumping of waste materials. This study provides an analytical account of stone crushing as a livelihood in Lusaka and makes recommendations for improving the livelihoods of stone crushers to become sustainable. Using a livelihoods approach, a qualitative study collected data from various role players in Lusaka. Assets (physical, natural, human, social and political capital) for stone crushers were assessed, revealing that stone crushers lack livelihood assets, key options and are exposed to various shocks due to seasonal shifts. Increasing access to key livelihood assets, reducing vulnerability, improving infrastructure, access to justice and tackling social exclusion and gender inequality will enhance their livelihoods. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

The purpose of the study was to investigate how farmers in Quang Bing Province, Vietnam have been making the transition from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture. This process began in 1986 when the Vietnam economy changed from central planning to a market orientation. The research strategy was based on case study analysis of two communes in each of three agro-ecological zones, defined as coastal, plains and mountains. Within each commune there were six embedded household case studies, i.e 36 in total. Case studies were selected purposively to capture diversity of agro-ecological zones, market access and communications, wealth and income status, and ethnic communities. Households were interviewed twice; first in either late 2006 or early 2007, and again in late 2008. The study was approached using a constructivist paradigm and a lens of livelihood analysis, focusing on resources, institutions, interventions and the dynamics of change. Particular attention was given to the development of markets (inputs, outputs, land, labour and credit) and supply chain factors. Separate measures of commercialisation were constructed based on outputs and inputs, and at the level of both individual activities and the overall household. Investigations were informed by existing theory, but no hypotheses were tested. Instead, the research focused on emergent patterns and insights, and the enrichment and modification of existing theory. A review of literature indicated that the transition from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture in Vietnam was different from other countries on account of the specific combination of low technology agriculture, typical of much of developing Asia, combined with the transformation from a centrally planned economy to a market orientation as occurred in Central and Eastern European countries. At commune level, the key determinants of commercialisation were strong physical connections to markets, with good road access being paramount. Once all weather road access for motorised vehicles was available, then rapid commercialisation occurred. Supply chains typically developed faster for outputs than inputs. New technologies that increased the yield of basic food crops, and facilitated by Government and NGO programs, led to the release of land resources no longer required for meeting food security needs. Households retained their production of food crops that provided food security, and added additional cash earning activities. At the level of individual households, the commercialisation process was led by entrepreneurial families who perceived opportunities relating to profitable activities, and combined this with hard work. Often these opportunities were linked to what they had observed or learnt elsewhere. Once first movers took up a new technology, others observed and followed. There were many enabling factors, such as access to land, access to capital, and access to credit. However, none of these could be considered a determinant, in that the absence of any one factor did not by itself preclude successful commercialisation. Absence of an active male worker was a major constraint to commercialisation, as was lack of necessary crop and livestock skills. There was evidence that income disparities were increasing between the wealthy and the poor. Output commerciality across all households averaged 88 % in 2008 and was higher for wealthy households (95 %) than poor households (83 %). All households still produced their own food crops, but these crops had low market values and hence had a low impact on the output commerciality index. Output commerciality measured in percentage terms obscured that wealthy families had net incomes almost 13 times greater than poor households. A major theoretical insight was that key commercialisation factors are multiple and context dependent. Accordingly, there is a need in any investigation for a holistic approach, based on a livelihood framework that incorporates the complexities associated with the development of markets, as well as giving consideration to the range of interventions and institutional policies that impact on livelihood development.

Poverty and the environment are closely linked, as people use environmental resources to support livelihoods. Illegal stone quarrying evident in Lusaka, Zambia is symbolic of the use of environmental resources by the poor. Stone crushing provides income yet it is characterized by land degradation, large-scale excavation and dumping of waste materials. This study provides an analytical account of stone crushing as a livelihood in Lusaka and makes recommendations for improving the livelihoods of stone crushers to become sustainable. Using a livelihoods approach, a qualitative study collected data from various role players in Lusaka. Assets (physical, natural, human, social and political capital) for stone crushers were assessed, revealing that stone crushers lack livelihood assets, key options and are exposed to various shocks due to seasonal shifts. Increasing access to key livelihood assets, reducing vulnerability, improving infrastructure, access to justice and tackling social exclusion and gender inequality will enhance their livelihoods. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

Inadequate attention has been paid to the complexity of rural livelihoods and the dimensions of poverty. Although progress has been achieved in poverty reduction in many countries over the years, statistics indicate that there is still much to be done. Nearly half of the population of South Africa is poor. Sustainable Livelihood Approaches see poverty reduction as achievable through diversification of livelihood strategies. Communities can benefit from the development of tourism through employment, financial gains, infrastructure creation and cultural revitalisation. While fees charged for tourism activities have the potential to contribute to locals, they are rarely controlled by them. The aim of this study was to formulate a Sustainable Livelihood Framework for Tourism (SLFT) along the African Ivory Route. The study involved fourteen villages near Fundudzi, Mtomeni and Nthubu camps which were purposively selected as they represented the three main ethnic groups in the province. Mixed method research design was used and included qualitative and quantitative approaches. A 10% sample was selected from the total number of households. Questionnaires, focus group and key informant interviews were used to collect data. The data was analysed and presented in tables, graphs and maps. The perceptions of the communities towards the African Ivory Route were both positive and negative. The benefits included, improved network, community empowerment and development of infrastructure. The constraints included, conflicts, mistrust, political interference and power struggle among the various institutions. The study concluded that the African Ivory Route has not achieved sustainable livelihoods outcomes for the concerned communities. The recommendation was that frameworks for maximising benefits from tourism were necessary to directly support community development. Communities, Institutions, Tourists and Environment (CITE) framework was conceptualised to assess the best way for attaining positive sustainable livelihoods outcomes. / Geography / Ph. D. (Geography)

PhD (Geography) / Department of Geography and Geo- Information Sciences / One of the major challenges facing all categories of farmers globally is climate change. African smallholder farmers are the most vulnerable to changes in climate. In most parts of South Africa, empirical evidence indicates the level to which climate change has impacted negatively on agricultural production. Rising temperatures, prolonged drought and decreasing rainfall have affected local farmers’ livelihood and crop production. In the Vhembe District of South Africa’s Limpopo Province, smallholder farming predominates and its vulnerability to climate change has increased for the past decades. This study, therefore, assesses the impact of climate change and adaptation strategies on smallholder farming systems in the Vhembe District To achieve this aim, qualitative and quantitative research methodologies were employed. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 224 smallholder farmers to elicit data on perceptions; climate change impacts, adaptation and IKS based strategies to deal with climatic shocks. Focus group discussions (FGDs), semi-structured interviews with the extension officers elicited thematic data that complemented the interview survey. Climate data were obtained from the South Africa Weather Service (SAWS) for the period 1980 to 2015. Smallholder farmers’ perceptions about climate change were validated by an analysis of climatic trends from 1980-2015. A thematic analysis of qualitative data and the Multi Nominal Logit (MNL) regression model was used based on socio-economic and biophysical attributes such as access to climate knowledge, gender, farm size, education level, and farmers’ experience, decreasing rainfall and increasing temperature as farmers’ determinants of their adaptation options to climate change. Furthermore, farmers’ perceptions tallied well with climatic trends that showed flood and drought cycles. Most of the smallholder farmers were aware of climate change and its impacts over the past decades. The study further indicated that, due to the marked climate change over this period, farmers have adopted different coping strategies at on-farm and off-farm levels. In terms of adaptation, the major adaptive strategies used by smallholder farmers included the use of drought-tolerant seeds; planting of short-seasoned crops; crop diversification; changing planting dates; irrigation and migrating to urban areas. The study recommends a framework that would include water conservation (rainfall harvesting); investment in irrigation schemes and other smart technologies that integrate indigenous knowledge systems and modern scientific knowledge to enhance crop production. / NRF