Wisemen Chingombe - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Wisemen Chingombe

Research paper thumbnail of Flow regime of the Pote River in Zimbabwe

Research paper thumbnail of Spatial and temporal trends in rainfall and runoff relationship in the upper Mazowe catchment, 1971-1996

Research paper thumbnail of How much do students and the general public know about the association between El Niño and rainfall in Zimbabwe

Research paper thumbnail of Monitoring changes in land-use and land-cover to ascertain the nature, causes and extent of degradation in the savannahs of Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa

International Journal of Environmental Studies, 2021

ABSTRACT Multi-date Landsat images were used to ascertain the nature, causes and extent of degrad... more ABSTRACT Multi-date Landsat images were used to ascertain the nature, causes and extent of degradation in the savannahs of Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa by comparing changes in land-use and land-cover in one commercial farm and two communal areas over a period of 30 years between 1984 and 2014. Results revealed a persistent increase in bush encroachment, persistent decrease in grassland in all areas, and abandonment of arable farming in communal areas. The paper concludes by providing strategies to change the adverse effects of these changes.

Research paper thumbnail of Geoheritage and the potential of Geotourism in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, South Africa

African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 2016

The aim of this paper is to explore the potential of geological heritage (geoheritage) in the Gol... more The aim of this paper is to explore the potential of geological heritage (geoheritage) in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, which is an important milestone towards geotourism development. Drawing on focus group discussions with the Golden Gate community members, key informant interviews, personal observations and a questionnaire administered to a random sample of one hundred visitors to the park, it was established that the Golden Gate montane community would significantly benefit from the geoheritage in the park provided urgent conservation measures are proposed and implemented. The research further established that rather than the park concentrating on the promotion of conservation and marketing of mountain biodiversity, the montane community would potentially benefit from conserving the available geo heritage in the park which is an important milestone towards geotourism development. The research concludes that there is a serious need of developing a comprehensive marketin...

Research paper thumbnail of Inventorying regionally relevant geomorphosites with best tourism potential in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa

African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 2019

Inventorying or evaluation of geomorphosites, sometimes demands the elaboration of tools which ar... more Inventorying or evaluation of geomorphosites, sometimes demands the elaboration of tools which are not supported by an articulated method of inventory and assessment, in other instances, some cards developed together with such methods do not take up the criteria used in the assessment. Besides, not all methods used contain such tools. Thus, we identified the need for a new method of assessment that materializes in the development of a synthetic sheet tool that captures the criteria and rates noted in the evaluative process. The originality of the method emerges from the separation of the structural and functional values of geomorphosites, for which new or improved criteria and ranking are used. Restrictive attributes are evaluated to obtain a complete view upon the possibilities of conservation and exploitation of the geomorphosite. All scores obtained by a geomorphosite are reflected in the inventory tool. This tool also includes general information about the landform, a brief desc...

Research paper thumbnail of What is in a grave? Conflict between the Golden Gate Highlands National Park management and park inhabitants

This paper discusses the importance of graves which have become a source of conflict between the ... more This paper discusses the importance of graves which have become a source of conflict between the Golden Gate Highlands National Park (GGHNP) management and people residing in the park. The park management is currently in the process of relocating people who were historically living in the park before its proclamation as a national park. There is massive resistance from the park inhabitants, who vehemently argue that they cannot leave the graves of their relatives and ancestors. The GGHNP is one example of a national park in the world where humans have settled together with wildlife in the park. Living together as parks and people is a stimulant for competition on resource use and conflict on land use, land claims and economic benefits generated from the park. Drawing on focus group discussions, key informant interviews and personal observations, the conflict on graves involves an intense debate which is surrounded by conflicting values and perspectives. Because of this, it is not ea...

Research paper thumbnail of Rural geotourism as an option for development in Phuthaditjhaba: Golden Gate National Park area, South Africa

Geotourism is a dynamic and competitive industry taking a clear and certain form in its developme... more Geotourism is a dynamic and competitive industry taking a clear and certain form in its development. One of the Geotourism products which is growing under the umbrella of rural tourism is the recently named notion of 'Rural Geotourism'. Studies of tourist motivations have improved understanding of travel motivations and in segmenting the markets, thus allowing tourism marketers to allocate scarce tourism resources more efficiently. Segmentation is often viewed as a very powerful and useful instrument to market goods and services to targeted markets and targeted groups. Segmentation techniques based on motivations provide insights that destination marketers could use in developing and promoting their tourism destinations more effectively. This paper identifies the main drivers for travellers to participate in rural geotourist activities in different times of the year. The main purpose of this study is to characterise rural geotourists' motivations undertaking their rural ...

Research paper thumbnail of From the Cyclone Idai disaster to the COVID-19 pandemic: An account of inadvertent social capital enhancement in Eastern Chimanimani, Zimbabwe

Jàmbá Journal of Disaster Risk Studies

Research paper thumbnail of Land Use and Land Cover Changes at Hova Farm in Bindura District, Zimbabwe

Land use and land cover (LULC) change analyses are critical for the sustainable planning and mana... more Land use and land cover (LULC) change analyses are critical for the sustainable planning and management of natural resources in the face of rapid population growth across the globe. It is believed that LULC changes cause severe environmental challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, alteration to the physical and chemical properties of the soil as well as the destruction of the ozone layer. The main objective of the study was to assess the LULC changes at Hova Farm from 1992 to 2011 using geospatial technologies. Three Landsat images for 1992, 2001, and EMT+ for 2011 were used. The Landsat images had a resolution of 30m by 30m. Five LULC classes of woodland, wooded grassland, cultivated land, bushland and water body were created using the supervised classification maximum likelihood in ENVI 5.0. Field observation and measurements were also used to validate remotely sensed data. The accuracy assessment for the classified maps for 1992, 2001 and 2011 was 88.74%,...

Research paper thumbnail of Addressing socio-economic challenges of science teacher training through virtual and open distance learning in Zimbabwe

The paper studied challenges of recent economic melt-down in Zimbabwe on the enrolment of student... more The paper studied challenges of recent economic melt-down in Zimbabwe on the enrolment of students of science teaching, and the measures instituted by Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE) Virtual and Open Distance Learning (VODL) was therefore instituted in August 2010 to make science teacher training economically affordable and socially convenient are examined in this work. Meagre economic resources and tight social obligations placed the commitment to science teacher training at the bottom of family priorities. The study assessed key VODL documents, carried out key informant interviews and questionnaire surveys were undertaken at seven centres in Zimbabwe. While the introduction of the complementary block release realised a slim increase, the more versatile VODL strategy doubled within one year. VODL proved to be more affordable using the instalment payment method than the earlier two while combining minimum inconvenience of one month relocation with face-to-face interac...

Research paper thumbnail of Inventorying regionally relevant geomorphosites with best tourism potential in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa

Inventorying or evaluation of geomorphosites, sometimes demands the elaboration of tools which ar... more Inventorying or evaluation of geomorphosites, sometimes demands the elaboration of tools which are not supported by an articulated method of inventory and assessment, in other instances, some cards developed together with such methods do not take up the criteria used in the assessment. Besides, not all methods used contain such tools. Thus, we identified the need for a new method of assessment that materializes in the development of a synthetic sheet tool that captures the criteria and rates noted in the evaluative process. The originality of the method emerges from the separation of the structural and functional values of geomorphosites, for which new or improved criteria and ranking are used. Restrictive attributes are evaluated to obtain a complete view upon the possibilities of conservation and exploitation of the geomorphosite. All scores obtained by a geomorphosite are reflected in the inventory tool. This tool also includes general information about the landform, a brief desc...

Research paper thumbnail of What is in a grave? Conflict between the Golden Gate Highlands National Park management and park inhabitants

This paper discusses the importance of graves which have become a source of conflict between the ... more This paper discusses the importance of graves which have become a source of conflict between the Golden Gate Highlands National Park (GGHNP) management and people residing in the park. The park management is currently in the process of relocating people who were historically living in the park before its proclamation as a national park. There is massive resistance from the park inhabitants, who vehemently argue that they cannot leave the graves of their relatives and ancestors. The GGHNP is one example of a national park in the world where humans have settled together with wildlife in the park. Living together as parks and people is a stimulant for competition on resource use and conflict on land use, land claims and economic benefits generated from the park. Drawing on focus group discussions, key informant interviews and personal observations, the conflict on graves involves an intense debate which is surrounded by conflicting values and perspectives. Because of this, it is not ea...

Research paper thumbnail of QwaQwa community perceptions on the proposed dinosaur museum in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, South Africa

African Journal for Physical, Health Education, Recreation and Dance, 2013

Various stakeholders, especially local communities, play a pivotal role and contribute immensely ... more Various stakeholders, especially local communities, play a pivotal role and contribute immensely to the establishment, management and sustainability of heritage institutions within their geographic jurisdiction. Drawing on focus group discussions, key informant interviews and a semi structured questionnaire administered to a random sample of 500 people, this article discusses community perceptions on the proposed dinosaur museum in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park (GGHNP) and issues surrounding community engagement. The results show that 70 percent of the interviewees believed the GGHNP had no beneficial connection to the local community and were doubtful whether the proposed dinosaur museum in the park would be part of the local community. Findings further indicate that the location of the proposed museum is a contentious issue. Focus group participants emphatically stated that they were not keen to visit the proposed museum if it is set up in the park which they see as a pl...

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of land-cover - land-use on water quality within the kuils - Eerste River Catchment

Research paper thumbnail of Unpacking Climate Change Adaptation Strategies: An Account of Smallholder Farmer Experiences in Chimanimani District, Zimbabwe

This article reports on a study that analysed a myriad of adaptation practices adopted by smallho... more This article reports on a study that analysed a myriad of adaptation practices adopted by smallholder farmers in Chimanimani District, Zimbabwe. Using a predominantly qualitative design, some in-depth interviews were conducted with purposefully selected key respondents. Focus group discussions with 8 to 12 smallholder farmers per group were conducted in each of the district’s 22 wards. These were corroborated by the guided observation method. The data was analysed using thematic content analysis, where broad strands of responses were synthesised and condensed into narrow themes that made them easier to interpret. Accordingly, smallholder farmers opted for drought tolerant crop and animal species, indigenous seed preservation techniques, aquaculture and conservation farming. The off-farm practices included craftwork, bee-keeping, artesian mining and trade. The sustainable livelihoods framework (SLF) was used as an analytical lens to appraise the sustainability of smallholder farmers’...

Research paper thumbnail of Craft Industry Impacts on the Environmental and a Community's Social Welfare: Masvingo-Ngundu Highway in Zimbabwe

The objective of study was to determine the effects of craft industry on the environment along th... more The objective of study was to determine the effects of craft industry on the environment along the Ngundu-Masvingo Highway in Zimbabwe. A questionnaire survey of 130 crafts persons from 14 craft centers in Chivi Communal Area (CCA) was used to collect data. A craft center checklist fieldwork and an environmental accounting exercise for Afzelia quanzensis over 12 months were also used as research instruments. The study showed that Craft Industry is an essential rural livelihood strategy as it enables carvers to meet their basic economic needs and acquire some property. It also helps to reduce the impacts of drought and poverty. It is however, ineffective as an economic empowerment strategy and environmentally incompatible. Economic viability and ecological sustainability need to be balanced. Although carvers are aware of the environmental impacts, they showed also that they had no viable option. Poverty alleviation in the rural area sounds to be the first appropriate and profound sol...

Research paper thumbnail of Rural geotourism as an option for development in Phuthaditjhaba : Golden Gate National Park area , South Africa

Geotourism is a dynamic and competitive industry taking a clear and certain form in its developme... more Geotourism is a dynamic and competitive industry taking a clear and certain form in its development. One of the Geotourism products which is growing under the umbrella of rural tourism is the recently named notion of ‘Rural Geotourism’. Studies of tourist motivations have improved understanding of travel motivations and in segmenting the markets, thus allowing tourism marketers to allocate scarce tourism resources more efficiently. Segmentation is often viewed as a very powerful and useful instrument to market goods and services to targeted markets and targeted groups. Segmentation techniques based on motivations provide insights that destination marketers could use in developing and promoting their tourism destinations more effectively. This paper identifies the main drivers for travellers to participate in rural geotourist activities in different times of the year. The main purpose of this study is to characterise rural geotourists’ motivations undertaking their rural geotourism e...

Research paper thumbnail of Land Use and Land Cover Changes at Hova Farm in Bindura District, Zimbabwe

Journal of Sustainable Development, 2021

Land use and land cover (LULC) change analyses are critical for the sustainable planning and mana... more Land use and land cover (LULC) change analyses are critical for the sustainable planning and management of natural resources in the face of rapid population growth across the globe. It is believed that LULC changes cause severe environmental challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, alteration to the physical and chemical properties of the soil as well as the destruction of the ozone layer. The main objective of the study was to assess the LULC changes at Hova Farm from 1992 to 2011 using geospatial technologies. Three Landsat images for 1992, 2001, and EMT+ for 2011 were used. The Landsat images had a resolution of 30m by 30m. Five LULC classes of woodland, wooded grassland, cultivated land, bushland and water body were created using the supervised classification maximum likelihood in ENVI 5.0. Field observation and measurements were also used to validate remotely sensed data. The accuracy assessment for the classified maps for 1992, 2001 and 2011 was 88.74%,...

Research paper thumbnail of Addressing socio-economic challenges of science teacher training through virtual and open distance learning in Zimbabwe

The paper studied challenges of recent economic melt-down in Zimbabwe on the enrolment of student... more The paper studied challenges of recent economic melt-down in Zimbabwe on the enrolment of students of science teaching, and the measures instituted by Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE) Virtual and Open Distance Learning (VODL) was therefore instituted in August 2010 to make science teacher training economically affordable and socially convenient are examined in this work. Meagre economic resources and tight social obligations placed the commitment to science teacher training at the bottom of family priorities. The study assessed key VODL documents, carried out key informant interviews and questionnaire surveys were undertaken at seven centres in Zimbabwe. While the introduction of the complementary block release realised a slim increase, the more versatile VODL strategy doubled within one year. VODL proved to be more affordable using the instalment payment method than the earlier two while combining minimum inconvenience of one month relocation with face-to-face interac...

Research paper thumbnail of Flow regime of the Pote River in Zimbabwe

Research paper thumbnail of Spatial and temporal trends in rainfall and runoff relationship in the upper Mazowe catchment, 1971-1996

Research paper thumbnail of How much do students and the general public know about the association between El Niño and rainfall in Zimbabwe

Research paper thumbnail of Monitoring changes in land-use and land-cover to ascertain the nature, causes and extent of degradation in the savannahs of Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa

International Journal of Environmental Studies, 2021

ABSTRACT Multi-date Landsat images were used to ascertain the nature, causes and extent of degrad... more ABSTRACT Multi-date Landsat images were used to ascertain the nature, causes and extent of degradation in the savannahs of Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa by comparing changes in land-use and land-cover in one commercial farm and two communal areas over a period of 30 years between 1984 and 2014. Results revealed a persistent increase in bush encroachment, persistent decrease in grassland in all areas, and abandonment of arable farming in communal areas. The paper concludes by providing strategies to change the adverse effects of these changes.

Research paper thumbnail of Geoheritage and the potential of Geotourism in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, South Africa

African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 2016

The aim of this paper is to explore the potential of geological heritage (geoheritage) in the Gol... more The aim of this paper is to explore the potential of geological heritage (geoheritage) in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, which is an important milestone towards geotourism development. Drawing on focus group discussions with the Golden Gate community members, key informant interviews, personal observations and a questionnaire administered to a random sample of one hundred visitors to the park, it was established that the Golden Gate montane community would significantly benefit from the geoheritage in the park provided urgent conservation measures are proposed and implemented. The research further established that rather than the park concentrating on the promotion of conservation and marketing of mountain biodiversity, the montane community would potentially benefit from conserving the available geo heritage in the park which is an important milestone towards geotourism development. The research concludes that there is a serious need of developing a comprehensive marketin...

Research paper thumbnail of Inventorying regionally relevant geomorphosites with best tourism potential in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa

African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 2019

Inventorying or evaluation of geomorphosites, sometimes demands the elaboration of tools which ar... more Inventorying or evaluation of geomorphosites, sometimes demands the elaboration of tools which are not supported by an articulated method of inventory and assessment, in other instances, some cards developed together with such methods do not take up the criteria used in the assessment. Besides, not all methods used contain such tools. Thus, we identified the need for a new method of assessment that materializes in the development of a synthetic sheet tool that captures the criteria and rates noted in the evaluative process. The originality of the method emerges from the separation of the structural and functional values of geomorphosites, for which new or improved criteria and ranking are used. Restrictive attributes are evaluated to obtain a complete view upon the possibilities of conservation and exploitation of the geomorphosite. All scores obtained by a geomorphosite are reflected in the inventory tool. This tool also includes general information about the landform, a brief desc...

Research paper thumbnail of What is in a grave? Conflict between the Golden Gate Highlands National Park management and park inhabitants

This paper discusses the importance of graves which have become a source of conflict between the ... more This paper discusses the importance of graves which have become a source of conflict between the Golden Gate Highlands National Park (GGHNP) management and people residing in the park. The park management is currently in the process of relocating people who were historically living in the park before its proclamation as a national park. There is massive resistance from the park inhabitants, who vehemently argue that they cannot leave the graves of their relatives and ancestors. The GGHNP is one example of a national park in the world where humans have settled together with wildlife in the park. Living together as parks and people is a stimulant for competition on resource use and conflict on land use, land claims and economic benefits generated from the park. Drawing on focus group discussions, key informant interviews and personal observations, the conflict on graves involves an intense debate which is surrounded by conflicting values and perspectives. Because of this, it is not ea...

Research paper thumbnail of Rural geotourism as an option for development in Phuthaditjhaba: Golden Gate National Park area, South Africa

Geotourism is a dynamic and competitive industry taking a clear and certain form in its developme... more Geotourism is a dynamic and competitive industry taking a clear and certain form in its development. One of the Geotourism products which is growing under the umbrella of rural tourism is the recently named notion of 'Rural Geotourism'. Studies of tourist motivations have improved understanding of travel motivations and in segmenting the markets, thus allowing tourism marketers to allocate scarce tourism resources more efficiently. Segmentation is often viewed as a very powerful and useful instrument to market goods and services to targeted markets and targeted groups. Segmentation techniques based on motivations provide insights that destination marketers could use in developing and promoting their tourism destinations more effectively. This paper identifies the main drivers for travellers to participate in rural geotourist activities in different times of the year. The main purpose of this study is to characterise rural geotourists' motivations undertaking their rural ...

Research paper thumbnail of From the Cyclone Idai disaster to the COVID-19 pandemic: An account of inadvertent social capital enhancement in Eastern Chimanimani, Zimbabwe

Jàmbá Journal of Disaster Risk Studies

Research paper thumbnail of Land Use and Land Cover Changes at Hova Farm in Bindura District, Zimbabwe

Land use and land cover (LULC) change analyses are critical for the sustainable planning and mana... more Land use and land cover (LULC) change analyses are critical for the sustainable planning and management of natural resources in the face of rapid population growth across the globe. It is believed that LULC changes cause severe environmental challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, alteration to the physical and chemical properties of the soil as well as the destruction of the ozone layer. The main objective of the study was to assess the LULC changes at Hova Farm from 1992 to 2011 using geospatial technologies. Three Landsat images for 1992, 2001, and EMT+ for 2011 were used. The Landsat images had a resolution of 30m by 30m. Five LULC classes of woodland, wooded grassland, cultivated land, bushland and water body were created using the supervised classification maximum likelihood in ENVI 5.0. Field observation and measurements were also used to validate remotely sensed data. The accuracy assessment for the classified maps for 1992, 2001 and 2011 was 88.74%,...

Research paper thumbnail of Addressing socio-economic challenges of science teacher training through virtual and open distance learning in Zimbabwe

The paper studied challenges of recent economic melt-down in Zimbabwe on the enrolment of student... more The paper studied challenges of recent economic melt-down in Zimbabwe on the enrolment of students of science teaching, and the measures instituted by Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE) Virtual and Open Distance Learning (VODL) was therefore instituted in August 2010 to make science teacher training economically affordable and socially convenient are examined in this work. Meagre economic resources and tight social obligations placed the commitment to science teacher training at the bottom of family priorities. The study assessed key VODL documents, carried out key informant interviews and questionnaire surveys were undertaken at seven centres in Zimbabwe. While the introduction of the complementary block release realised a slim increase, the more versatile VODL strategy doubled within one year. VODL proved to be more affordable using the instalment payment method than the earlier two while combining minimum inconvenience of one month relocation with face-to-face interac...

Research paper thumbnail of Inventorying regionally relevant geomorphosites with best tourism potential in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa

Inventorying or evaluation of geomorphosites, sometimes demands the elaboration of tools which ar... more Inventorying or evaluation of geomorphosites, sometimes demands the elaboration of tools which are not supported by an articulated method of inventory and assessment, in other instances, some cards developed together with such methods do not take up the criteria used in the assessment. Besides, not all methods used contain such tools. Thus, we identified the need for a new method of assessment that materializes in the development of a synthetic sheet tool that captures the criteria and rates noted in the evaluative process. The originality of the method emerges from the separation of the structural and functional values of geomorphosites, for which new or improved criteria and ranking are used. Restrictive attributes are evaluated to obtain a complete view upon the possibilities of conservation and exploitation of the geomorphosite. All scores obtained by a geomorphosite are reflected in the inventory tool. This tool also includes general information about the landform, a brief desc...

Research paper thumbnail of What is in a grave? Conflict between the Golden Gate Highlands National Park management and park inhabitants

This paper discusses the importance of graves which have become a source of conflict between the ... more This paper discusses the importance of graves which have become a source of conflict between the Golden Gate Highlands National Park (GGHNP) management and people residing in the park. The park management is currently in the process of relocating people who were historically living in the park before its proclamation as a national park. There is massive resistance from the park inhabitants, who vehemently argue that they cannot leave the graves of their relatives and ancestors. The GGHNP is one example of a national park in the world where humans have settled together with wildlife in the park. Living together as parks and people is a stimulant for competition on resource use and conflict on land use, land claims and economic benefits generated from the park. Drawing on focus group discussions, key informant interviews and personal observations, the conflict on graves involves an intense debate which is surrounded by conflicting values and perspectives. Because of this, it is not ea...

Research paper thumbnail of QwaQwa community perceptions on the proposed dinosaur museum in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, South Africa

African Journal for Physical, Health Education, Recreation and Dance, 2013

Various stakeholders, especially local communities, play a pivotal role and contribute immensely ... more Various stakeholders, especially local communities, play a pivotal role and contribute immensely to the establishment, management and sustainability of heritage institutions within their geographic jurisdiction. Drawing on focus group discussions, key informant interviews and a semi structured questionnaire administered to a random sample of 500 people, this article discusses community perceptions on the proposed dinosaur museum in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park (GGHNP) and issues surrounding community engagement. The results show that 70 percent of the interviewees believed the GGHNP had no beneficial connection to the local community and were doubtful whether the proposed dinosaur museum in the park would be part of the local community. Findings further indicate that the location of the proposed museum is a contentious issue. Focus group participants emphatically stated that they were not keen to visit the proposed museum if it is set up in the park which they see as a pl...

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of land-cover - land-use on water quality within the kuils - Eerste River Catchment

Research paper thumbnail of Unpacking Climate Change Adaptation Strategies: An Account of Smallholder Farmer Experiences in Chimanimani District, Zimbabwe

This article reports on a study that analysed a myriad of adaptation practices adopted by smallho... more This article reports on a study that analysed a myriad of adaptation practices adopted by smallholder farmers in Chimanimani District, Zimbabwe. Using a predominantly qualitative design, some in-depth interviews were conducted with purposefully selected key respondents. Focus group discussions with 8 to 12 smallholder farmers per group were conducted in each of the district’s 22 wards. These were corroborated by the guided observation method. The data was analysed using thematic content analysis, where broad strands of responses were synthesised and condensed into narrow themes that made them easier to interpret. Accordingly, smallholder farmers opted for drought tolerant crop and animal species, indigenous seed preservation techniques, aquaculture and conservation farming. The off-farm practices included craftwork, bee-keeping, artesian mining and trade. The sustainable livelihoods framework (SLF) was used as an analytical lens to appraise the sustainability of smallholder farmers’...

Research paper thumbnail of Craft Industry Impacts on the Environmental and a Community's Social Welfare: Masvingo-Ngundu Highway in Zimbabwe

The objective of study was to determine the effects of craft industry on the environment along th... more The objective of study was to determine the effects of craft industry on the environment along the Ngundu-Masvingo Highway in Zimbabwe. A questionnaire survey of 130 crafts persons from 14 craft centers in Chivi Communal Area (CCA) was used to collect data. A craft center checklist fieldwork and an environmental accounting exercise for Afzelia quanzensis over 12 months were also used as research instruments. The study showed that Craft Industry is an essential rural livelihood strategy as it enables carvers to meet their basic economic needs and acquire some property. It also helps to reduce the impacts of drought and poverty. It is however, ineffective as an economic empowerment strategy and environmentally incompatible. Economic viability and ecological sustainability need to be balanced. Although carvers are aware of the environmental impacts, they showed also that they had no viable option. Poverty alleviation in the rural area sounds to be the first appropriate and profound sol...

Research paper thumbnail of Rural geotourism as an option for development in Phuthaditjhaba : Golden Gate National Park area , South Africa

Geotourism is a dynamic and competitive industry taking a clear and certain form in its developme... more Geotourism is a dynamic and competitive industry taking a clear and certain form in its development. One of the Geotourism products which is growing under the umbrella of rural tourism is the recently named notion of ‘Rural Geotourism’. Studies of tourist motivations have improved understanding of travel motivations and in segmenting the markets, thus allowing tourism marketers to allocate scarce tourism resources more efficiently. Segmentation is often viewed as a very powerful and useful instrument to market goods and services to targeted markets and targeted groups. Segmentation techniques based on motivations provide insights that destination marketers could use in developing and promoting their tourism destinations more effectively. This paper identifies the main drivers for travellers to participate in rural geotourist activities in different times of the year. The main purpose of this study is to characterise rural geotourists’ motivations undertaking their rural geotourism e...

Research paper thumbnail of Land Use and Land Cover Changes at Hova Farm in Bindura District, Zimbabwe

Journal of Sustainable Development, 2021

Land use and land cover (LULC) change analyses are critical for the sustainable planning and mana... more Land use and land cover (LULC) change analyses are critical for the sustainable planning and management of natural resources in the face of rapid population growth across the globe. It is believed that LULC changes cause severe environmental challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, alteration to the physical and chemical properties of the soil as well as the destruction of the ozone layer. The main objective of the study was to assess the LULC changes at Hova Farm from 1992 to 2011 using geospatial technologies. Three Landsat images for 1992, 2001, and EMT+ for 2011 were used. The Landsat images had a resolution of 30m by 30m. Five LULC classes of woodland, wooded grassland, cultivated land, bushland and water body were created using the supervised classification maximum likelihood in ENVI 5.0. Field observation and measurements were also used to validate remotely sensed data. The accuracy assessment for the classified maps for 1992, 2001 and 2011 was 88.74%,...

Research paper thumbnail of Addressing socio-economic challenges of science teacher training through virtual and open distance learning in Zimbabwe

The paper studied challenges of recent economic melt-down in Zimbabwe on the enrolment of student... more The paper studied challenges of recent economic melt-down in Zimbabwe on the enrolment of students of science teaching, and the measures instituted by Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE) Virtual and Open Distance Learning (VODL) was therefore instituted in August 2010 to make science teacher training economically affordable and socially convenient are examined in this work. Meagre economic resources and tight social obligations placed the commitment to science teacher training at the bottom of family priorities. The study assessed key VODL documents, carried out key informant interviews and questionnaire surveys were undertaken at seven centres in Zimbabwe. While the introduction of the complementary block release realised a slim increase, the more versatile VODL strategy doubled within one year. VODL proved to be more affordable using the instalment payment method than the earlier two while combining minimum inconvenience of one month relocation with face-to-face interac...