R4D South Africa

The Future of the Food System: Cases Involving the Private Sector in South Africa

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:05 GMT

Production Year: 2013

Citation: Pereira, L.M. The Future of the Food System: Cases Involving the Private Sector in South Africa. Sustainability (2013) 5 (3) 1234-1255. [DOI: 10.3390/su5031234]

Summary: The food system is facing unprecedented pressure from environmental change exacerbated by the expansion of agri-food corporations that are consolidating their power in the global food chain. Although Africa missed the Green Revolution and the wave of supermarket expansion that hit the West and then spread to Asia and Latin America, this is unlikely to continue. With a large proportion of sub-Saharan African countries’ GDP still heavily reliant on agriculture, global trends in agri-food business are having an increasing impact on African countries. South Africa, a leader in agribusiness on the continent, has a well-established agri-food sector that is facing increasing pressure from various social and environmental sources. This paper uses interview data with corporate executives from South African food businesses to explore how they are adapting to the dual pressures of environmental change and globalisation. It shows that companies now have to adapt to macro-trends both within and outside the formal food sector and how this in turn has repercussions for building sustainable farming systems—both small and large-scale. It concludes with the recognition that building a sustainable food system is a complex process involving a diversity of actors, however changes are already being seen. Businesses have strategically recognised the need to align the economic bottom line with social and environmental factors, but real sustainability will only happen when all stakeholders are included in food governance.

AFCAP Quarterly Report 13, January - March 2012

Wed, 08 May 2013 08:05 GMT

Production Year: 2012

Citation: Afcap Cmg. AFCAP Quarterly Report 13, January - March 2012. (2012) 52 pp.

Summary: This report details the activities undertaken by the African Community Access Programme (AFCAP) Core Management Group (CMG) during the period 1 January to 31 March 2012. This report provides updates regarding CMG performance against the programme logframe, as well as country and financial updates. Under AFCAP there are a range of projects which are reported upon in the body of the report.

‘Labour chains': Analysing the role of Labour Contractors in Global Production Networks

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 08:27 GMT

Production Year: 2013

Citation: Barrientos, S. ‘Labour chains’: Analysing the role of Labour Contractors in Global Production Networks. Journal of Development Studies (2013) 14 pp. [DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2013.780040]

Summary: Third party labour contractors are increasingly prevalent in global production networks (GPNs), and can provide a channel for new forms of unfree labour. Review of case study evidence from South African and UK horticulture suggests this often emerges off-site through labour intermediaries. Analytical approaches to labour in GPNs and value chains are examined. The article argues that labour contracting is driven by the commercial dynamics of global outsourcing. A ‘cascade system’ allows unscrupulous intermediaries to coerce vulnerable workers. We examine strategies of civil society alliances, and regulatory reform, and argue for extending liability of all commercial actors across global boundaries.

A literature review: the role of the private sector in the production of nurses in India, Kenya, South Africa and Thailand

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:36 GMT

Production Year: 2013

Citation: Reynolds, J.; Wisaijohn, T.; Pudpong, N.; Watthayu, N.; Dalliston, A.; Suphanchaimat, R.; Putthasri, W.; Sawaengdee, K. A literature review: the role of the private sector in the production of nurses in India, Kenya, South Africa and Thailand. Human Resources for Health (2013) 11 (1) 14. [DOI: 10.1186/1478-4491-11-14]

Summary: Background: The demand for nurses is growing and has not yet been met in most developing countries, including India, Kenya, South Africa, and Thailand. Efforts to increase the capacity for production of professional nurses, equitable distribution and better retention have been given high strategic priority. This study examines the supply of, demand for, and policy environment of private nurse production in four selected countries.

Methods: A systematic review was undertaken to assess the evidence for the role of private sector involvement in the production of nurses in India, Kenya, South Africa, and Thailand. An electronic database search was performed, and grey literature was also captured from the websites of Human Resources for Health (HRH)-related organizations and networks. The articles were reviewed and selected according to relevancy.

Results: The review found that despite very different nurse to population ratios and differing degrees of international migration, there was a nursing shortage in all four countries studied and as such, they were struggling to meet growing demand. In all four countries there was evidence that the private sector was playing an increasing role in nurse production. Policy responses varied from modifying regulation and accreditation schemes in Thailand, to easing regulation to speed up nurse production and recruitment in India. There were concerns about the quality of nurses being produced in private institutions.

Conclusion: The study concludes that strategies must be found to ensure that private nursing graduates serve the public health needs of their populations. There must be policy coherence between producing nurses for export and ensuring sufficient supply to meet domestic needs, in particular in under-served areas. This study points to the need for further research - in particular assessing the contributions made by the private sector to nurse production, and to examine the variance in quality of nurses produced.

Tourism overview: changing end markets and hyper competition

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 14:33 GMT

Production Year: 2013

Citation: Christian, M.; Dev Nathan. Tourism overview: changing end markets and hyper competition. (2013) 41 pp. ISBN 978-1-909336-93-3 [Capturing the Gains Working Paper 2013/26]

Summary: This overview of tourism research conducted by Capturing the Gains covers cases from Asia (China, Indonesia and India), and Africa (Kenya, South Africa and Uganda). The tourism value chain is outlined and changes in the relative roles of different agencies discussed. The paper analyses the changes in the composition of tourists in these countries and the resultant change in relative importance of national and international tour agencies. Our findings suggest that benefits from the growth of tourism are unevenly distributed, with the oligopolistic nature of the tour agencies and hyper-competition among service providers even resulting in some cases of below-cost provision of destination services. These commercial value chain dynamics have led to precarious employment arrangements. There is a synthesis of the nature of employment in tourism, with a large presence of own-account and other forms of informal employment. Ways of dealing with the oligopolistic buyers’ market are discussed, including branding and organization by destination service providers. Methods of improving the gains of women and other workers are also addressed, such as the role of workers’ organization and state-supported social security measures.

Modelling human resources policies with Markov models: an application to the South African nursing labour market

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 16:31 GMT

Production Year: 2012

Citation: Lagarde, M.; Cairns, J. Modelling human resources policies with Markov models: an illustration with the South African nursing labour market. Health Care Management Science (2012) 15 (3) 270-282. [DOI: 10.1007/s10729-011-9184-5]

Summary: A critical challenge facing lower income countries is to attract and retain health workers to work in rural areas. Using data from South Africa, this paper uses statistical approaches to model the movement of nurses between different parts of the labour market over time. The model allows exploration of the potential consequences of policy interventions that could be used to attract nurses to work in rural areas. It shows how interventions that may have positive consequences in the short term, may have more negative effects in the longer term. Such modeling is an important tool for those who are responsible for developing human resource policy.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of human resources policy interventions to address the shortage of nurses in rural South Africa

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 14:58 GMT

Production Year: 2012

Citation: Lagarde, M.; Blaauw, D.; Cairns, J. Cost-effectiveness analysis of human resources policy interventions to address the shortage of nurses in rural South Africa. Social Science and Medicine (2012) 75 (5) 801-806. [DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.05.005]

Summary: Recent policy recommendations have called for increased research efforts to inform the design of cost-effective interventions to address the shortage of health workers in rural areas. This paper takes forward the recent use of Discrete Choice Experiments to assess the effects of potential incentives to attract nurses to rural areas. The analysis relies on data collected in South Africa between August and November 2008. Effectiveness measures derived from Discrete Choice Experiments are combined in a Markov model to derive the long-term effects of policies, and costs are evaluated with secondary data. Measures involving the selection of more nursing students who are more likely to accept positions in rural areas are shown to be the most cost-effective interventions. If such policies could not be implemented, the next best options are to offer preferential access to specialist training to nurses willing to work in rural areas.

Safeguarding Livelihoods in the GaMampa Wetlands in the Limpopo River Basin

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:33 GMT

Production Year: 2013

Citation: Anon. Safeguarding Livelihoods in the GaMampa Wetlands in the Limpopo River Basin. The CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food, Sri Lanka (2013) 4 pp.

Summary: Wetlands play a key role in supporting local livelihoods, but in the Limpopo River basin they are threatened by the encroachment of agriculture. This project examined the capacity of South Africa’s GaMampa wetland to continue delivering ecosystem services under different wetland resource use scenarios. Supported by field surveys, discussions with the community and capacity development activities, the project designed generic guidelines for wetland ecosystem management that can be used to guide government decisions regarding sustainable use and management of wetlands.

By engaging local government officials responsible for natural resource management, the project has helped ensure local concerns are incorporated into program management decisions.

Lessons learnt from the first efficacy trial of a new infant tuberculosis vaccine since BCG

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 15:48 GMT

Production Year: 2013

Citation: Tameris, M.; McShane, H.; McClain, J.B.; Landry, B.; Lockhart, S.; Luabeya, A.K.K.; Geldenhuys, H.; Shea, J.; Hussey, G.; van der Merwe, L.; de Kock, M.; Scriba, T.; Walker, R.; Hanekom, W.; Hatherill, M.; Mahomed, H. Lessons learnt from the first efficacy trial of a new infant tuberculosis vaccine since BCG. Tuberculosis (2013) : [DOI: 10.1016/j.tube.2013.01.003]

Summary: Background: New tuberculosis (TB) vaccines are being developed to combat the global epidemic. A phase IIb trial of a candidate vaccine, MVA85A, was conducted in a high burden setting in South Africa to evaluate proof-of-concept efficacy for prevention of TB in infants.

Objective To describe the study design and implementation lessons from an infant TB vaccine efficacy trial.

Methods: This was a randomised, controlled, double-blind clinical trial comparing the safety and efficacy of MVA85A to Candin control administered to 4–6-month-old, BCG-vaccinated, HIV-negative infants at a rural site in South Africa. Infants were followed up for 15–39 months for incident TB disease based on pre-specified endpoints.

Results: 2797 infants were enrolled over 22 months. Factors adversely affecting recruitment and the solutions that were implemented are discussed. Slow case accrual led to six months extension of trial follow up.

Conclusion: The clinical, regulatory and research environment for modern efficacy trials of new TB vaccines are substantially different to that when BCG vaccine was first evaluated in infants. Future infant TB vaccine trials will need to allocate sufficient resources and optimise operational efficiency. A stringent TB case definition is necessary to maximize specificity, and TB case accrual must be monitored closely.

Mining, housing and welfare in South Africa and Zambia : an historical perspective

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 09:39 GMT

Production Year: 2012

Citation: Macmillan, H. Mining, housing and welfare in South Africa and Zambia: an historical perspective. Journal of Contemporary African Studies (2012) 30 (4) 539-550. [DOI: 10.1080/02589001.2012.736782]

Summary: This paper seeks to place the relationship between mining, housing and welfare in historical perspective in two Southern African countries with long histories of mining activity that continue to have large mining sectors, namely South Africa and Zambia. Mining capitalists and colonial, as well as apartheid, governments tended to resist urban permanence, but they were usually unable to stop it. Economists and social anthropologists, being less conscious than historians of the cyclical nature of mining, have been prone to discount the remarkable tenacity of the Zambian Copperbelt's urban residents in the face of mining downturns. By contrast, very little attention in the literature has been paid to the decline of gold mining in South Africa. In view of the Zambian precedent for urban resilience, it would be unwise to overlook the continuing influence of South African mining on urban settlement in spite of the industry's gradual decline over the last four decades. The patterns of development of new platinum mines in South Africa and new copper mines in Zambia show certain similarities and historical continuities, including a reluctance on the part of mining companies to accept responsibility for the housing and welfare of all their workers and their families.