Location
Grahamstown
6140
We are a small department dedicated to advancing inter- and trans-disciplinary science and learning aimed at understanding and managing complex human-environmental/social-ecological systems, with a focus on Africa.
We are interested in human-environment interactions and in the governance and sustainable management of complex social-ecological systems. We recognise that we are living in a globalising and rapidly changing world characterised by numerous interconnected environmental and social challenges. We undertake research on the ecological and socio-economic dimensions of these challenges, with the goal of contributing towards more resilient, equitable and sustainable pathways into the future. The nexus between human well-being, livelihoods, vulnerability, ecosystem services and change is central in all our work. Key areas of research include:
- Livelihoods, vulnerability and biodiversity
- Ecosystem services and societal benefits
- Non-timber forest products use, trade and management
- Landscape change and land degradation
- Co-management and governance of protected areas
- Community based natural resource management
- Social learning for change
- Climate change adaptation
- Urbanisation, urban greening and forestry
- Ecosystem restoration and carbon sequestration
- Invasive plants – uses, impacts and management
- Food security, especially in relation to ecosystem services provision and wild food
Members:
Resources
Displaying 1 - 5 of 17Learning from the decline of smallholder agricultural projects in the Kat River Valley, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Local level, collective small-scale farming projects in the Kat River Valley, like elsewhere, have proven difficult to sustain. Various factors from macro-level policies to local level social and political dynamics were found to hinder or block the success of such projects. Some of the most challenging factors relate to history and path dependency, prevailing neoliberal agricultural policies and discourses, narrow markets, internal conflicts, lack of local capacity and unclear and insecure land tenure.
Understanding social-ecological changes in Fairbairn village, Eastern Cape
Rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa are faced with multiple interconnected challenges such as population growth, environmental change, economic recession and climatic changes, amongst others. Such challenges can play a key role in determining vulnerability and food security, particularly for natural resource productdependent societies that have limited livelihood sources. Studies that consider understanding how society and ecosystems simultaneously interact and respond to new and exacerbated drivers are increasingly needed.
The role of field and garden cultivation for food security under a changing climate: The case of Fairbairn and Ntloko villages, Eastern Cape
Climate change poses a very real threat to millions of Africans, especially those who rely on the natural world for their livelihoods. The increasing variability of climate and rainfall patterns are said to have dire consequences on agricultural production which is the main livelihood activity of rural dwellers across the continent.
Land acquisition for and local livelihood implications of biofuel development in Zimbabwe
In recent years,proponents of 'green and clean fuel' have argued that the costs of overreliance on fossil fuels could be reduced through transition to biofuels such as bio-ethanol. Global biofuel discourses suggest that any transition to biofuel invariably results in significant benefits, including energy independence, job creation, development of agro-industrial centres at local level and high revenue generations for the state with minimum negative impacts on the environment.
Addressing local level food insecurity amongst small-holder communities in transition
Whilst most interpret food insecurity to mean an insufficient quantity of food (as measured by the number of calories consumed), the widely accepted FAO definition considers four dimensions of food security, namely quantity, quality or diversity, access and use. Provision of enough calories on a daily basis is not sufficient if the diet lacks diversity and appropriate balance to provide the full range of minerals and vitamins necessary for proper health,or if the food available is culturally unacceptable.