https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/14511 2026-08-03T11:22:19Z 2026-08-03T11:22:19Z Nyasulu, Alifeyo Mjuma Kamara, Richard Douglas Kamara https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32817 2026-07-30T12:58:46Z 2026-05-31T00:00:00Z

The impact of Government Policy on the performance of agricultural extension services in the Groundnut value chain in Kasungu and Mzimba districts of Malawi Nyasulu, Alifeyo Mjuma; Kamara, Richard Douglas; Kamara Although extension services play a crucial role in agricultural commercialisation and diversification, the capacity of extension workers to support value chain-based and market-oriented production remains underexplored, particularly for crops such as groundnuts. This study assessed the effectiveness of extension services within the groundnut value chain in Kasungu and Mzimba districts, focusing on extension workers' capacity, the impact of extension support, and the challenges encountered. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining farmer surveys with key informant interviews conducted with extension staff. Findings revealed that while extension workers actively support production practices, they often lack the capacity to assist in the more advanced stages of the value chain, such as value addition, processing and marketing. As a result, farmers reported improved productivity due to production-focused extension support, but noted limited impact beyond the harvest phase. The study also found that, despite policies advocating for the pluralistic provision of extension services, government officers are the predominant source of agricultural information, with minimal involvement from NGOs or private-sector actors. This limits farmers’ access to an adequate and diversified extension service. The study, therefore, concludes that although extension services have contributed to increased groundnut productivity, there is a critical need to enhance support in post-harvest handling, value addition, and market access. It provides valuable insights for public policymakers, development partners, and various stakeholders to spearhead the reorientation of extension services from a production-centric model to a holistic value chain approach, including capacity building for extension workers and improved stakeholder coordination across the production-to-consumption continuum.

2026-05-31T00:00:00Z Mabonga, Lilian https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32753 2026-07-18T07:24:23Z 2026-02-01T00:00:00Z

COVID-19 vaccine uptake among pregnant women in Nairobi City County, Kenya Mabonga, Lilian The primary purpose of this research was to assess the COVID-19 vaccine uptake among pregnant women in Nairobi City County, Kenya, between September 2021 and October 2022. The research utilised mixed methods and focused on 10 out of the 17 sub-counties in Nairobi, chosen through scientific selection. Descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentages were used to summarise demographic data. Inferential statistics such as chi-square, Pearson correlation, t-test, and binary logistic regression were used for further analysis. Several factors were identified as positive contributors to COVID-19 vaccine uptake. Nurses were found to be the most influential people in vaccine uptake due to their interactions with their patients at the antenatal clinics. Pregnant women with a high level of satisfaction with how the Ministry of Health communicated policy changes, those with higher income and those with a higher education level were more likely to get vaccinated. Pregnant women who previously had children and had them vaccinated were more open to COVID-19 vaccination. Pregnant women in the age group 18-23 demonstrated higher receptance to the vaccine. Similarly, traditional media (TV, radios, etc.) and trust in peers both positively played a role in shaping the perceptions of pregnant women towards vaccine uptake. Social media was a source of misinformation, and in addition, pregnant women feared stigma from family members and peers if they took the vaccine. Socio-economic challenges, including low income, lack of transport, unemployment and very long queues, discouraged pregnant women from getting vaccinated. Among the unvaccinated, some chose to use alternative measures, including social distancing, wearing of masks and use of herbal medication, which was viewed as a safer option than the vaccine. The research concluded that there was a significant association between being informed about policy changes, satisfaction with the source of information, employment status, influence of healthcare providers (particularly nurses), confidence and media, prior vaccination of children, fear of stigma and sterilisation and COVID-19 vaccine uptake. Limited access to healthcare services, lack of adequate information, low trust level, low level of education, low income, lack of confidence and inadequate information contributed to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among the unvaccinated pregnant women. Misinformation circulating on social media played a significant role in undermining confidence in credible information sources related to the vaccine. The research recommended that training healthcare workers, especially nurses, to deliver consistent and empathetic messaging during antenatal care visits is essential to build trust among pregnant women. The Ministry of Health needs to implement comprehensive community-based campaigns targeting misconceptions and misinformation about COVID-19 vaccination. Government and private institutions should collaborate in improving vaccine accessibility.

2026-02-01T00:00:00Z Tamapo, Moatlhodi https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32556 2026-07-08T09:29:17Z 0026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Integrating gender-responsive budgeting into public expenditure frameworks: a case study of botswana’s ministry of finance and economic development Tamapo, Moatlhodi Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB) within public expenditure systems is a relatively recent development in Botswana. While the country has made formal commitments to achieve gender equality, particularly under Sustainable Development Goal 5, the extent of GRB's integration and its impact on inclusive fiscal outcomes remain unclear. This study investigated the extent to which GRB has been implemented within the Ministry of Finance in Botswana. The study focused on the Gender and Development (GAD) theoretical framework, which emphasises transforming institutions and power relations to eliminate systemic gender inequality. A qualitative research design was adopted, using a combination of structured questionnaires administered to 50 respondents and semi-structured interviews with 20 key informants from relevant departments within the Ministry. Thematic analysis of the data revealed that while there is growing recognition of gender equality within policy discourse, actual GRB implementation remains superficial. Challenges identified include the lack of gender-disaggregated data, limited technical expertise, weak policy enforcement mechanisms, and insufficient political commitment at the operational level. Furthermore, gender considerations are often treated as add-ons rather than integrated into the core budgeting process. Despite these challenges, the study also found promising opportunities—such as emerging donor support, the presence of gender focal points in some departments, and alignment with international frameworks—that can be leveraged to strengthen GRB in Botswana. The research recommended an integrated GRB framework, strategic reforms including institutional capacity building, the development of gender-sensitive indicators, the integration of GRB into legal frameworks, and the establishment of stronger political and administrative accountability mechanisms. Ukwabiwa Kwezimali Ngokohlobo Lobulili (i-GRB) ngaphakathi kohlelo lokusetshenziswa emphakathini kuyintuthuko esanda kwenzeka e-Botswana. Ngesikhathi izwe lizibophezele ngokusemthethweni ukunqoba ukulingana ngokobulili, ikakhulukazi ngaphansi kwe-Sustainable Development Goal 5, ububanzi bokuxhumana kwe-GRB kanye nomthelela wayo kwimiphumela yezezimali abukacaci. Lolu cwaningo luphenye umthelela we-GRB obekiwe ngaphansi kukangqongqoshe wezezimali e-Botswana. Ucwaningo lugxile kuhlaka lwethiyori yobulili nokuthuthukiswa i-Gender and Development (i-GAD), egcizelela ukuguqulwa kwezikhungo kanye namandla okuphatha ukukhuculula uhlelo lokungalingani ngokobulili. Kusetshenziswe i- qualitative research kusetshenziswa inhlanganisela yemibuzo esatshalaliswe kubabambiqhaza abangu-50 kanye nezinkulumo mpendulwano ezihleliwe ezinezimpimpi eziseqhulwini ezingu-20 ezivela kwiminyango efanele ngaphakathi kwe-Ministry. I-Thematic analysis yedatha iveze ukuba ngenkathi ukunakwa kokulingana kobulili kukhula ngaphansi kwenqubomgomo, ukubekwa kwe-GRB kusayinto engakapheleli. Izingqinamba ezidaluliwe zibandakanya ukungasaphazeka kwe-data, ubuchule bobuchwepheshe obuncane, ukuntengantenga kokubekwa kwenqubomgomo, kanye nokungazibophezeli ngokwanele kwepolitiki emazingeni okusebenza. Ngaphezulu, ukubuyekezwa kobulili buthatha njengokwengezwa kunokuhlanganyela kwinqubo yezezimali. Ngaphandle kwalezi zingqinamba, ucwaningo luphinde lwathola ukuthi kunamathuba athembisayo afana nokwesekwa okukhulayo kwabanikeli, ubukhona bamaphoyinti obulili asobala kweminye yeminyango, kanye nokuhambisana kwezinhlaka zamazwe — lokho kungasetshenziswa ukuqinisa i-GRB e-Botswana. Ucwaningo luqoke uhlaka lwe-GRB oluxubene, izinguquko zamasu ezihlanganisa ukwakhiwa kwamandla ezikhungo, ukuthuthukiswa kwezinkomba ezibheka ubulili, ukuhlanganiswa kwe-GRB kwizinhlelo zomthetho, kanye nokusungulwa kwezinhlelo eziqinile zokubophezela kwezepolitiki nezokuphatha.; Tekanyetsokabo e e Tsibogelang Bong (GRB) mo dithulaganyong tsa ditirisomatlole tsa puso ke tlhabololo ya bošeng jaana mo Botswana. Le fa naga e dirile maitlamo a semmuso a go fitlhelela tekatekano ya bong, segolobogolo ka fa tlase ga Maikaelelo a Tlhabololo e e Tswelelang 5, selekanyo sa kopanyo ya GRB le segatlha sa dipoelo tsa matlole tse di akaretsang ga go ise go tlhaloganyesege. Thutopatlisiso e e batlisisitse gore GRB e tsentswe tirisong go le kana kang mo Lefapheng la Matlole mo Botswana. Thutopatlisiso e ne e lebile letlhomeso la tiori la Bong le Tlhabololo (GAD), le le gatelelang go fetola ditheo le dikamano tsa maatla go fedisa botlhoka tekatekano ga bong jo bo rulagantsweng. Go ne ga amogelwa moralo wa patlisiso wa sekwalitatifi, go dirisiwa motswako wa dipampiri tsa dipotso tse di rulagantsweng tse di neng tsa neelwa baarabi ba le 50 le dipotsotherisano tse di rulagantsweng bontlhabongwe le batlhagisi ba botlhokwa ba le 20 go tswa kwa maphateng a a maleba mo Lefapheng. Tshekatsheko ya morero wa dinewa e senotse gore le fa go na le temogo e e golang ya tekatekano ya bong mo pholising ya puo, tiragatso ya nnete ya GRB e santse e le e e kwa godimo. Dikgwetlho tse di supilweng di akaretsa go tlhoka dinewa tse di kgaogantsweng go ya ka bong, boitseanape jo bo lekanyeditsweng jwa setegeniki, mekgwa e e bokoa ya tiragatso ya pholisi, le maikemisetso a a sa lekanang a sepolotiki mo maemong a tiro. Go feta moo, dintlha tsa bong gantsi di tsewa e le ditlaleletsi go na le go kopanngwa mo thulaganyong ya mmatota ya tekanyetsokabo. Le fa go na le dikgwetlho tse, patlisiso e ne gape ya fitlhela ditšhono tse di solofetsang — tse di jaaka tshegetso ya batlamedi ba ba tlhagelelang, go nna teng ga dintlha tse di tsepameng tsa bong mo mafapheng mangwe, le go tsamaisana le matlhomeso a boditšhabatšhaba — a a ka dirisiwang go nonotsha GRB mo Botswana. Patlisiso e tshitsintse letlhomeso le le kopantsweng la GRB, diphetogo tsa ditogamaano tse di akaretsang kago ya bokgoni jwa ditheo, tlhabololo ya ditshupo tse di tlhokomelang bong, go kopanngwa ga GRB mo matlhomesong a semolao, le go tlhongwa ga mekgwa e e nonofileng ya maikarabelo a sepolotiki le a tsamaiso.

0026-01-01T00:00:00Z Owiti, Hellen Okoth Mala https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32488 2026-05-27T12:47:01Z 2026-04-01T00:00:00Z

Civil society organisations’ engagement in advancing adolescent sexual and reproductive health rights in Kenya: a case of Siaya county Owiti, Hellen Okoth Mala This study examines the extent to which civil society organisations (CSOs) contribute to adolescent girls’ reproductive justice in Kenya, focusing on Siaya County. Despite a robust constitutional and policy framework supporting adolescent sexual and reproductive health rights, significant implementation gaps persist, limiting girls’ reproductive autonomy and access to comprehensive services. Grounded in reproductive justice theory, the study adopts a qualitative descriptive design. Seventeen purposively selected CSOs implementing adolescent sexual and reproductive health programmes were engaged through in-depth interviews. Data were analysed thematically to explore programming strategies, perceived barriers to reproductive justice, and factors shaping policy implementation. Findings reveal that while CSOs employ diverse interventions—such as menstrual health management, gender-based violence prevention, community outreach, and policy advocacy—these largely reflect neoliberal approaches focused on individual behaviour change rather than structural transformation. Key barriers include entrenched sociocultural norms, religious resistance to comprehensive sexuality education, gendered power relations limiting adolescent agency, and restricted access to contraceptives and youth-friendly services. Policy implementation is further undermined by weak political commitment, poor coordination across governance levels, and inadequate funding at county level. Operational constraints, including donor dependency and short-term funding cycles, further limit CSO impact. From a reproductive justice perspective, current interventions insufficiently address the rights to have children, not have children, and parent in safe environments. The study highlights how intersecting inequalities compound marginalisation and calls for a shift toward rights-based, structurally oriented approaches to adolescent reproductive health.; Lolu cwaningo luhlola izinga izinhlangano zomphakathi (ama-CSO) ezinikela ngayo ebulungiswa bokuzala kwamantombazane asakhula e-Kenya, egxile eSifundazweni sase-Siaya. Naphezu kohlaka oluqinile lomthethosisekelo kanye nenqubomgomo olusekela amalungelo ezempilo ezocansi kanye nokuzala kwentsha, amagebe abalulekile okuqaliswa ayaqhubeka, anciphisa ukuzimela kokuzala kwamantombazane kanye nokufinyelela ezinsizeni ezibanzi. Ngokusekelwe kuthiyori yobulungiswa bokuzala, ucwaningo lwamukela umklamo ochazayo wekhwalithi. Ama-CSO ayishumi nesikhombisa akhethwe ngenhloso asebenzisa izinhlelo zezempilo zocansi kanye nokuzala kwentsha aye ahlanganyela ngezingxoxo ezijulile. Idatha yahlaziywa ngokwengqikithi ukuze kuhlolwe amasu ohlelo, izithiyo ezibonwayo ebulungiswa bokuzala, kanye nezici ezakha ukuqaliswa kwenqubomgomo. Okutholakele kuveza ukuthi nakuba ama-CSO asebenzisa ukungenelela okuhlukahlukene—njengokulawula impilo yokuya esikhathini, ukuvimbela udlame olusekelwe ebulilini, ukufinyelela emphakathini, kanye nokumela inqubomgomo—lokhu ngokuyinhloko kubonisa izindlela ze-neoliberal ezigxile ekushintsheni kokuziphatha komuntu kunoguquko lwesakhiwo. Izithiyo eziyinhloko zihlanganisa imikhuba yezenhlalo egxilile, ukumelana nenkolo emfundweni egcwele yobulili, ubudlelwano bamandla obulili obukhawulela i-ejensi yentsha, kanye nokufinyelela okukhawulelwe ezintweni zokuvimbela inzalo nezinkonzo ezilungele intsha. Ukuqaliswa kwenqubomgomo kuphinde kubukelwe phansi ukuzibophezela kwezepolitiki okuntekenteke, ukusebenzisana okungalungile kuwo wonke amazinga okuphatha, kanye nokuxhaswa ngezimali okunganele ezingeni lesifunda. Izithiyo zokusebenza, okuhlanganisa ukuncika kumnikeli kanye nemijikelezo yoxhaso yesikhashana, iphinde ibe nomkhawulo umthelela we-CSO. Ngokombono wobulungiswa bokuzala, ukungenelela kwamanje akulungisanga ngokwanele amalungelo okuba nezingane, ukungabi nabantwana, kanye nomzali endaweni ephephile. Ucwaningo lugqamisa ukuthi ukungalingani okuhlanganayo kuhlanganisa kanjani ukucwaswa futhi kudinga ukuthi kuguqukele ezindleleni ezisekelwe emalungelweni, ezigxile kwisakhiwo empilweni yokuzala yentsha.; Phuputso ena e hlahloba hore na mekhatlo ea sechaba (CSOs) e kenya letsoho hakae ho toka ea bana ba banana ba lilemong tsa bocha Kenya, e shebane le Siaya County. Leha ho na le moralo o matla oa molao-motheo le leano le ts'ehetsang litokelo tsa bophelo bo botle ba thobalano le tsa pelehi tsa bacha, likheo tse kholo tsa ts'ebetsong li ntse li tsoela pele, li fokotsa boikemelo ba banana ba ho ba le bana le phihlello ea lits'ebeletso tse felletseng. E ipapisitse le teori ea toka ea ho ba le bana, thuto e nka moralo o hlalosang oa boleng. Li-CSO tse 17 tse khethiloeng ka boomo tse kenyang tšebetsong mananeo a bophelo bo botle ba botona le botšehali ba bacha li ile tsa kenella ka lipuisano tse tebileng. Lintlha li ile tsa hlahlobjoa ka mokhoa o hlophisitsoeng ho hlahloba maano a mananeo, ho nahanoang hore ho na le litšitiso tsa toka ea pelehi, le lintlha tse bopang ts'ebetsong ea maano. Liphuputso li senola hore le hoja li-CSO li sebelisa mekhoa e fapaneng ea ho kenella-e kang tsamaiso ea bophelo bo botle ba ho ilela khoeli, thibelo ea tlhekefetso ea bong, ho buisana le sechaba, le bobuelli ba maano-tsena haholo-holo li bonahatsa mekhoa ea neoliberal e shebaneng le phetoho ea boitšoaro ba motho ka mong ho e-na le phetoho ea sebopeho. Litšitiso tsa mantlha li kenyelletsa litloaelo tse metseng ka metso, ho hanana le thuto e felletseng ea litaba tsa thobalano, likamano tsa botona le botšehali tse thibelang mekhatlo ea bacha, le ho se be le monyetla oa ho fumana lithibela-pelehi le litšebeletso tse thusang bacha. Ts'ebetsong ea maano e boetse e fokolloa ke boitlamo bo fokolang ba lipolotiki, khokahanyo e mpe ho pholletsa le maemo a puso, le khaello ea lichelete e lekaneng boemong ba setereke. Litšitiso tsa ts'ebetso, ho kenyeletsoa ho itšetleha ka bafani le nako e khuts'oane ea lichelete, li fokotsa ts'ebetso ea CSO. Ho ea ka pono ea toka ea pelehi, litšebelisano tsa hajoale ha li sebetsane ka mokhoa o lekaneng litokelo tsa ho ba le bana, ho se be le bana, le motsoali libakeng tse sireletsehileng. Boithuto bona bo totobatsa ka moo ho se lekane ho kopaneng ho kopanyelletsang khaello 'me ho hloka hore ho fetohele mekhoa e thehiloeng ho litokelo, e shebaneng le sebopeho sa bophelo bo botle ba pelehi ba bacha. Text in English with summaries in Zulu and Southern Sotho

2026-04-01T00:00:00Z