ABSTRACT Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an important source of protein, minerals and food for the majority of the poor population in sub-Saharan Africa. However, its contribution to grain yield and micronutrient level is constrained by moisture stress and low available soil phosphorus. A study was carried out to determine the effects of bean genotypes, P fertilizer and moisture regimes on bean (P. vulgaris L.) grain yield and tissue concentration of Zn and Fe in three bean genotypes a...
Abstract The Iona Skeleton Coast Trans-Frontier Conservation Area (TFCA), straddling the border between Angola and Namibia, has suffered through decades of civil war and poaching. While this history has been detrimental to the community of large mammals in the TFCA, data collected on the mammal populations are insufficient to enable effective management. Survey methods such as aerial counts and community-based monitoring have various shortcomings. Therefore camera trapping, which has become ...
Abstract Land cover refers to the observed vegetation, structures, or other features that cover the land such as closed forests, open forest, woodland, grasslands, bushland, and settlements. Land cover change is one of the serious threats to the forests and woodlands of Namibia, and it is mainly triggered by forest resource utilization and conversion to agriculture by local communities. As one of the mechanisms to control land cover change, Namibia introduced the Community Forests (CF) progra...
Abstract Human existence generates massive amount of waste. These wastes are usually dumped at disposal sites especially in developing countries due to lack of landfills. As a result of continuous waste dumping, soils in disposal sites have become sinks of toxic heavy metals. Oshakati disposal site is open and all waste from the town irrespective of the source get dumped at the site. The scoping assessment which was done at the site in 2018 found high levels of heavy metals way above the stan...
ABSTRACT Farmer irrigation practices have contributed to reduction of irrigable area from 14.6ha to 9.6 ha at Mutorahuku irrigation scheme due to water loss and shortages in the scheme. A study carried out at the scheme showed that farmer irrigation practices also contribute much to water loss and shortages. Infield canal tail end losses were measured with a collecting bucket and a stop watch. Using the t test results showed that there is a significant difference between the observed and expe...
Abstract A study to investigate the prevalence and associated risk factors was done in Murehwa district; Zimbabwe. The research was aimed at determining the prevalence of the disease and also determining the associated risk factors as determinants of the disease. The study was done by using questioners to randomly selected farmers who had reported the disease to the Veterinary Services. A total of 378 cattle were examined in the dry and the wet season. Statistical analysis was performed using...
Abstract Title: Investigating the Potential of Moringa Oleifera for Agribusiness Development and Rural Youths’ Self-Employment in Livingstone Rural Areas Moringa oleifera is a nutritious vegetable tree with a variety of potential uses as almost every part of the tree can be used. Moringa oleifera is very useful as an alley crop in the agro-forestry industry. It is useful not only for human beings but also for animals and also in various industrial applications. Besides Moringa oleifera bein...
Contents Table of figures ....................................................................................................................................... 6 Table of tables ........................................................................................................................................ 9 List of acronyms .................................................................................................................................... 10 Acknowledgements ...........
ABSTRACT Fire is an ecological disturbance that may kill or topkill woody plants and control the biomass of woody species in disturbance prone areas, thus maintaining the co-existence of trees and grasses in savanna ecosystems. Relatively recently, savannas have been altered worldwide by a phenomenon known as bush encroachment, which is the suppression of grasses by woody species due to the increase in woody biomass. Terminalia sericea is a woody encroaching species which occurs in woodland s...
ABSTRACT Wheat is the second most important staple food crop in Zimbabwe after maize. However, because of lack of irrigation infrastructure and high cost of production the country is not meeting national demand and is relying on imports thereby losing a lot of foreign currency. Currently winter irrigated wheat production constitutes more than 90% of the local production. The country’s water reserves are also drying up due to low rainfall being received, meaning we cannot increase irrigated ...
ABSTRACT Climate change has resulted in several effects which include floods, droughts and shifts in marginal agriculture systems leading to a reduction in agriculture output which has led to food insecurity in the country. Following some analysis, adaptation has been suggested as the way to combat the effects of climate change, but however, these adaptation strategies are area specific and affected by different factors thus the researcher sought to analyse the factors affecting climate chang...
Abstract The distribution of the world’s flora and fauna is shaped by different environmental factors. Such factors operate either locally, regionally or globally to influence species distribution. Studies of vegetation-environment relationship are very crucial especially under current and future changes in climate. The Kalahari basin also known as ‘thurstland’ offers an excellent basis for these studies at a sub-continental scale due to its variability and uncertainty of rainfall, high...
Abstract Natural regeneration is an important component of forest dynamics, therefore the knowledge of the forest and requirements of different species are vital for proper planning of sustainable forest management. It is also important to understand how abiotic and biotic factors affect forest regeneration. This study looked at the effect of browsing, plant competition and fire on the regeneration of woody species in Onkumbula community forest in northern Namibia. The study was divided into ...
ABSTRACT Fasciolosis is a zoonotic disease of economic importance caused fasciola speciesand intermediate host Lymnaeid natalensis. The research aims to bring awareness to the farmers on the economic effects of fasciolosis in the beef production as well as its economic effects to the public health .A study to investigate the prevalence of fasciolosis and its associated risk factors was carried out at Koala park abattoir in Chiredzi district Zimbabwe. A total of 20553 cattle were delivered at ...
Abstract A study was conducted to compare conception rate between groups of 71 Tuli and 86 Afrikaner heifers and cows bred using artificial insemination technology and natural service method at Matopos Research Institute. Data on female ID number (ear tag), last calving date, parity, the breed of animal, breeding method (inseminated vs. natural mating) and pregnancy status were recorded. Binary logistic regression and cross tabulations were used for statistical analysis. Breeding method, bree...