Human action recognition using spatial-temporal analysis.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.In the past few decades’ human action recognition (HAR) from video has gained a lot of attention in the computer vision domain. The analysis of human activities in videos span a variety of applications including security and surveillance, entertainment, and the monitoring of the elderly. The task of recognizing human actions in any scenario is a difficult and complex one which is characterized by challenges such as self-occlusion, noisy backgrounds and variations in illumination. However, literature provides various techniques and approaches for action recognition which deal with these challenges. This dissertation focuses on a holistic approach to the human action recognition problem with specific emphasis on spatial-temporal analysis. Spatial-temporal analysis is achieved by using the Motion History Image (MHI) approach to solve the human action recognition problem. Three variants of MHI are investigated, these are: Original MHI, Modified MHI and Timed MHI. An MHI is a single image describing a silhouettes motion over a period of time. Brighter pixels in the resultant MHI show the most recent movement/motion. One of the key problems of MHI is that it is not easy to know the conditions needed to obtain an MHI silhouette that will result in a high recognition rate for action recognition. These conditions are often neglected and thus pose a problem for human action recognition systems as they could affect their overall performance. Two methods are proposed to solve the human action recognition problem and to show the conditions needed to obtain high recognition rates using the MHI approach. The first uses the concept of MHI with the Bag of Visual Words (BOVW) approach to recognize human actions. The second approach combines MHI with Local Binary Patterns (LBP). The Weizmann and KTH datasets are then used to validate the proposed methods. Results from experiments show promising recognition rates when compared to some existing methods. The BOVW approach used in combination with the three variants of MHI achieved the highest recognition rates compared to the LBP method. The original MHI method resulted in the highest recognition rate of 87% on the Weizmann dataset and an 81.6% recognition rate is achieved on the KTH dataset using the Modified MHI approach

Assessing the Impact of Community Gardens in Mitigating Household Food Insecurity and Addressing Climate Change Challenges: A Case Study of Ward 18, Umdoni Municipality, South Africa

South Africa, while nationally acknowledged as food secure, grapples with persistent household food insecurity, particularly in rural areas. Addressing this issue, the implementation of community gardens has gained traction. This mixed methods study focuses on the impact of community gardens on food security at the household level, exemplified by the community gardens in ward 18 of Umdoni Municipality. These gardens not only provide sustenance but also generate supplementary income through surplus crop sales. However, climate change threatens food systems and vulnerable livelihoods, necessitating assessment. A survey of 120 community garden participants was conducted, employing questionnaires and focused group discussions to gauge perspectives on crop production and food security. The survey revealed that 58.3% of participants did not receive sufficient food from community gardens, while 41.7% reported adequate supply. Only 15.8% achieved food security, with the majority (40%) experiencing moderate food insecurity. Challenges cited encompassed shifting rainfall patterns, temperature fluctuations, heightened disease, and pest pressures, and altered planting seasons. Intriguingly, despite their establishment, community gardens appeared ineffective in substantially improving household food security. These findings underscore the need for enhancing productivity and climate resilience within community gardens. Future research could illuminate strategies to bolster garden productivity and mitigate climate change impacts

An Interdisciplinary Collaboration of the Writing Centre Support and the Nursing Department on the Development of Academic Research Writing

This qualitative study explores the interdisciplinary collaboration between the Writing Centre (WrC) and the nursing department at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) in developing undergraduate (UG) nursing students' academic research writing skills. Guided by the Social Learning Theory, the study aims to evaluate the role of the WrC support in enhancing nursing students' research writing proficiency. Semi-structured interviews in a focus group discussion with WrC tutors were conducted, and thematic analysis was employed to identify common themes and patterns related to the WrC's role in supporting academic research writing. The findings reveal the WrC's best practices in assisting UG nursing students, including creating a supportive and collaborative learning environment that addresses individual students' unique learning styles and research writing needs. The study also provides insights into the challenges faced by WrC tutors and the strategies they employ to overcome them. Furthermore, the benefits of WrC support for students' academic success are highlighted. The study underscores the importance of academic writing in higher education and the critical role of interdisciplinary collaboration in developing students' research writing skills, particularly in the nursing discipline. The findings contribute to the understanding of effective interventions for improving academic writing and supporting student success in higher education

Practices and Spaces (Location): Reflecting on the Contribution of Writing Centres for Decolonisation in Higher Education

The location of writing centres in universities has attracted attention from practitioners and researchers in the field of academic support scholarship. These writing centres, known as spaces where students discuss their writing ideas, have become part of the decoloniality discourse in South African higher education. This study adopts a mixed-method approach and builds upon Grimm's theory of transitional space to examine tutor perspectives on the contribution of writing centres' pedagogical practices and physical location to the decolonisation of education at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) and Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT). The findings reveal that the writing centres in these contexts contribute to the decolonial agenda by employing various approaches such as multilingualism and one-on-one consultations that are sensitive to the African context. However, despite these positive contributions, it is necessary to initiate decolonial discussions that address historical past injustices. The study recommends that the creation of decolonised spaces is a complex process requiring collaborative engagement between writing centres and the university community, including management. Writing centres have an integral role to play in decolonising the university space, particularly in the South African context.

Evaluation of the new venture creation learnership programme offered by the Sector Education Training Authorities in South Africa

MBA thesis“Small, Medium, and Micro-Enterprises (SMMEs) represent an important vehicle to address the challenges of job creation, economic growth, and equity in our country. Throughout the world one finds that SMMEs are playing a critical role in absorbing labour, penetrating new markets and generally expanding economies in creative and innovative ways” (McGrath, 2005; p.6). The study assessed the “New Venture Creation (Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMME)” National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 2 learnership program offered by the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) namely the Services SETA (SSETA) and the Management, Engineering and Related Services (merSETA). The primary purpose of the study is to contribute towards the development of an effective new venture creation training program for entrepreneurs within South Africa (SA). A quantitative approach was therefore best suited to identify the crucial factors affecting the outcome of the above investigation. A 7-point Likert scale was used as the measuring instrument. The captured data was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistic methods. The mode, mean, frequencies, standard deviation, Chi-square, and regression analyses were used. The key findings were that more than 90% of new ventures were created across all industry sectors since the completion of the “New Venture Creation (SMME)” learnership programme for the sample population tested. The Return on Investment (ROI) proved to be very attractive with benefits exceeding the cost of the training within a 12-month period. Overall, the research supported the claim that the “New Venture Creation (SMME)” learnership program is adding value to the development of young entrepreneurs in the sectors covered by the study. The program however does have some areas of concern that need attention, and could restrict the future growth of entrepreneurs if attention is not provided in this regard

The exploration of livelihoods and food security in Limpopo province: insights from small-scale irrigation schemes users.

Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.Three-quarters of the global population living in poverty, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, depend on small-scale agriculture for their income and food security. This thesis addresses the pivotal role of smallholder farmers in the fight against global poverty and hunger, specifically aiming to explore and gain insight into the role of small-scale irrigation schemes on livelihoods and household food security in Limpopo Province. Despite using traditional and unimproved farming techniques, these farmers occupy a significant portion of global farmland, producing the majority of the world's food. However, they often find themselves trapped in a cycle of poverty, rendering them less productive compared to large-scale counterparts. Access to water and land is fundamental to food security, defined as regular access to sufficient high-quality food for healthy living. Water scarcity can trigger famine and undernourishment, particularly in regions relying on local agriculture. Many of Africa's small-scale farmers are women who lack access to production resources. Despite African governments' commitment to allocate at least 10 percent of annual budgets to agriculture research and development, few have met this target. Collaboration with women farmers and their organizations is crucial to amplify their concerns globally as they often form the majority of farmers. This study adopts the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework and people-centred development approaches to examine the livelihoods and food security of women smallholder farmers in three selected irrigation schemes in Limpopo Province. Specific objectives include: (i) to identify and describe the livelihood assets of small-scale irrigation scheme women farmers; (ii) to determine the current household food security status of small-scale irrigation scheme women farmers; and (iii) to analyse the current policies’ impact on livelihoods and food security on smallholder irrigation scheme women farmers. A mixed-methods approach was employed, involving questionnaires, observations, and focus group discussions. Three irrigation schemes were chosen purposefully based on their relevance to the research criteria, long crop production histroy, and willingness to participate. Quantitative data was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), while content analysis was applied to qualitative data. Logistic regression was employed to analyse determinants of household food security status. The study revealed that livelihoods were constructed from assets, influenced by knowledge of agriculture, water management and marketing strategies. Escalating water costs, competition for water resources, and inadequate water management emerged as significant challenges. Using the Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS), the food security assessment indicated that approximately one-third of the sampled farming households experienced food insecurity. The logistic regression model identified gender, age, education, income, and adult males as positive influences on household food security. The study underscores the crucial role of women farmers in these irrigation schemes and highlights the need for proactive political leadership. South Africa's water legislation aligns with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) principles, emphasizing policy coherence and stakeholder engagement, but implementation issues persist, especially in transitioning responsibilities from national to catchment levels. Deteriorating monitoring systems and declining data quality control pose risks to local food security. Crosssectoral consultation is imperative to establish coordinated efforts and ensure long-term, multisectoral water resource management, safeguarding local livelihoods and food security. Keywords: Food Security, land use, water use, smallholder irrigation, gender, Limpopo Provinc

The challenges experienced by small-scale fishing communities of Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe

Small-scale fisheries play a significant role in enhancing livelihoods, creating employment and contributing to food security especially in developing countries. Rural fishing communities are highly dependent on natural resources, which are climate sensitive. Many research efforts have been made to understand the impacts of climate change on fisheries and fishing economies. However, little attention has been given to understand the challenges experienced by small-scale fishing communities in developing countries in Africa. This article assesses non-climate change and climate change-induced challenges according to the experiences of the gillnet small-scale fishers of Sanyathi fishing basin of Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe. The study used a qualitative research design, and data were collected using semi-structured in-depth interviews with fishers. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse interview transcripts. The study results showed that declining fish catches is one of the major challenges experienced by fishers. The main themes that emanated as the challenges faced by fishers are food insecurity, wildlife attacks, lack of access to information systems, lack of fishing equipment, the existence of the predator crayfish, poor lake co-management and shrinking fishing boundaries. Overall, the study found that fish production is negatively affected by several political, economic and environmental factors; therefore, development through the public and private organisations should incorporate small-scale fishers in policy formulation to positively enhance livelihoods and food security

The challenges experienced by small-scale fishing communities of Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe

Small-scale fisheries play a significant role in enhancing livelihoods, creating employment and contributing to food security especially in developing countries. Rural fishing communities are highly dependent on natural resources, which are climate sensitive. Many research efforts have been made to understand the impacts of climate change on fisheries and fishing economies. However, little attention has been given to understand the challenges experienced by small-scale fishing communities in developing countries in Africa. This article assesses non-climate change and climate change-induced challenges according to the experiences of the gillnet small-scale fishers of Sanyathi fishing basin of Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe. The study used a qualitative research design, and data were collected using semi-structured in-depth interviews with fishers. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse interview transcripts. The study results showed that declining fish catches is one of the major challenges experienced by fishers. The main themes that emanated as the challenges faced by fishers are food insecurity, wildlife attacks, lack of access to information systems, lack of fishing equipment, the existence of the predator crayfish, poor lake co-management and shrinking fishing boundaries. Overall, the study found that fish production is negatively affected by several political, economic and environmental factors; therefore, development through the public and private organisations should incorporate small-scale fishers in policy formulation to positively enhance livelihoods and food security.</jats:p

The Impacts of Climate Change on the Livelihood and Food Security of Small-Scale Fishers in Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe

Small-scale fisheries play a significant role as a source of employment, livelihood strategy and contributor to food security. However, changes in climatic variables alter the productivity and distribution of marine and freshwater fish species, negatively affecting the livelihoods of fishery-dependent communities. This study seeks to identify small-scale fishers’ livelihoods and examine the impacts of climate change on livelihoods and food security of small-scale fishing households. The study was conducted in Sanyathi fishing basin in Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe. The Sustainable Livelihood Approach framework of the Department for International Development was used to define the small-scale fishers’ livelihood assets and activities. The study employed a mixed-method approach for data collection. A pretested, semi-structured questionnaire, focus group discussions and observations were used to collect data from the small-scale fishers. The data collected were subjected to descriptive and bivariate analysis. The present results indicate that fishing is the community’s primary livelihood activity. More than 62% of fishermen stated that fishing revenue is declining, owing to declining fish catches. Of participants, 98% recognised food purchases as the primary source of food. Therefore, 78% of the small-scale fishers perceive their households to be food insecure due to declining incomes from fisheries. These findings show the need for policymakers and development agencies to formulate strategies that specifically target fishing communities whose livelihoods rely on natural ecosystems.</jats:p