Africa Institute of South Africa

This article articulates the theory and design of the Crowdsourcing Wage Pledge, an action research initiative exploring how academic users of paid crowdsourcing can contribute to improving the working conditions of online crowdworkers. ‘Crowdwork’ describes remote information work comprising short tasks – for example, surveys, transcription, translation, data cleaning – organized through online platforms (for example, Amazon Mechanical Turk, Clickworker, Scale API) and typically remunerated under a self-employed piecework model. The digital labour platforms mediating this work are important in a growing range of sectors, having become, for example, key nodes in the global supply chains for artificial intelligence products, including self-driving cars and chatbots (for example, ChatGPT). Academics also use crowdsourcing – social scientists, for example, to recruit study participants, and computer scientists to outsource data-cleaning work. While crowdwork creates new income opportunities with, sometimes, greater time flexibility and lower barriers to entry than traditional employment, crowdworkers typically earn less than traditional employees doing similar work, often below minimum wage, and face other decent work deficits, including arbitrary nonpayment and termination and misclassification. While some jurisdictions are developing laws to address these challenges, these typically focus on in-person platform work (for example, delivery). Crowdwork, however, is often cross-jurisdictional and therefore presents challenges for national regulation. The Crowdsourcing Wage Pledge is a voluntary regulatory initiative aiming to recruit academic users of crowdsourcing into adopting best practices identified by previous research. It is informed both by past practical efforts to improve crowdwork working conditions and by theory from political science, human-computer interaction, and industrial relations.

Despite advancements in science and technology, floods prediction and preparedness remain challenging due to uncertainties in forecasting atmospheric and hydrologic processes, limited real-time data, and communication barriers. The Integrating Prediction of Precipitation and Hydrology for Early Actions (InPRHA) project, a five-year initiative under the WMO’s World Weather Research Programme, is the first to bring together meteorology, hydrology, and social sciences within a steering committee to address these challenges. Building on knowledge from the HiWeather project, InPRHA focuses on multi-hazard flood forecasting across the entire warning value chain from minutes to days, in a rapidly changing world. A key emphasis is understanding flood predictability and how uncertainties cascade through forecasting systems and are perceived, communicated, and acted upon by diverse stakeholders. This includes bridging research and operations, examining socio-economic, cultural, and environmental challenges that influence risk perception and response. We propose key scientific questions across seven themes that address critical gaps in integrating predictions along the flood warning value chain. Addressing these gaps requires collaboration across disciplines and agencies. The project is structured into four work packages: DEFINE (identifying challenges), CONSTRUCT (gathering case studies), EXPERIMENT (scientific evaluations), and ENGAGE (community collaboration). Research will span rural, urban, and underdeveloped regions as well as countries with established warning systems, ensuring broad applicability. We invite scientists and practitioners from meteorology, hydrology, hydraulics, impacts, communication, human behavior and economics to collaborate. By integrating disciplines and fostering transdisciplinary research, InPRHA aims to advance the science and practice of flood forecasting and early warnings to better protect vulnerable communities at risk.

Objectives To analyse the past 30-year trends in mortality and morbidity of interpersonal violence against children, its demographic distribution and correlation with specific risk factors. Design Ecological study at the country and regional level. Setting 46 countries and 4 subregions of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA): Central, Eastern, Southern and Western. Participants Children aged 0–19 years old. Primary and secondary outcome measures Trends in mortality rates and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) attributed to interpersonal violence injuries in children; correlation between socio-demographic index (SDI)/alcohol consumption per capita and child interpersonal violence. Results Deaths and DALYs per 100 000 population from child violence-related injuries in SSA declined from 4.0 (95% uncertainty interval (UI): 3.3–4.9) to 3.1 (95% UI: 2.3 to 3.9) and 334.9 (95% UI: 276.4 to 407.7) to 260.3 (95% UI: 197.9 to 321.9) respectively from 1990 to 2019 (reductions of 22.5% and 22.3%). Southern SSA had the highest deaths/DALYs rates for each type of physical violence (sharp object/firearm/other) and Central SSA for sexual violence. Alcohol consumption correlated significantly with deaths and DALYs, but SDI showed a non-significant correlation. Conclusions Rates of child interpersonal violence deaths and DALYs decreased from 2009 to 2019 in SSA, driven by remarkable decreases in the Southern subregion. Understanding the determinants of these downward trends and implementation of policies targeting known risk factors like alcohol consumption may pave the way for enhanced child safety protection. Further curbing the disparities between countries and subregions necessitates long-term commitment to evidence-based action plans.

Most African countries rely on food imports and cannot feed their populations. The most vulnerable region to chronic food insecurity is sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where agriculture is mainly rainfed and therefore threatened by climate change and variability. Irrigation is one of the main solutions for stabilizing yields and reinforcing food security, yet it is underdeveloped in most parts of Africa. However, irrigation consumes the largest amount of water than the other sectors; thus, exploring and implementing ways of producing more yield per unit volume of water is necessary. To counter food insecurity and improve agricultural water management, the African Union (AU) developed a framework for irrigation development and agricultural water management (IDAWM) to be adopted in all the member states in the continent. This framework is premised on four development pathways, namely, improved water control and watershed management in rainfed farming, farmer-led irrigation development (FLID), irrigation scheme development and modernization and the use of unconventional water for irrigation. Therefore, this review sought to assess the status, challenges, and opportunities of IDAWM in Rwanda. The systematic review adopted the PRISMA-P (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols). The results indicated that Rwanda has adopted various strategies such as terraces, contour bunds, and water harvesting to address soil erosion and improve water storage. Irrigation is practised in three ways: marshland, hillside, and small-scale irrigation technologies, which are faced with several challenges, such as land use policy and inadequate participation, which hinder progress in FLID. Inadequate private sector involvement hinders investment in the modernization of irrigation schemes in Rwanda. Inadequate sewerage and wastewater treatment infrastructure limits wastewater reuse in irrigation. The bright spots are anchored in sound and progressive agricultural policy, abundant water resources, favourable climatic and ecological conditions and a ready regional market.

Rain-fed and irrigated agriculture are key to economic growth, job creation, food security, and livelihoods across Africa. Agriculture in Mali is mainly rain-fed and thus vulnerable to the country’s fluctuating climate, which undermines crop production and productivity. The PRISMA protocol and SPIDER framework were used to systematically review Mali’s irrigation development and agricultural water management. Mali invested in irrigated agriculture across scales to decouple agriculture from unreliable rainfall, but the potential for expansion still exists. The Malian government also developed several policies to create an enabling environment that promotes agricultural water management (AWM). Farmers employ various agricultural water management practices to control and conserve water and soil. In line with the African Union irrigation development and agricultural water management (AU-IDAWM) framework, there exists operationalization challenges in Mali. These challenges include weak implementation of policies by authorities and lack of awareness among farmers, to mention a few. Farmers lack access to inputs, technology, extension services and credit. The government lacks the financial capacity to rehabilitate irrigation schemes such as Office du Niger, wherein it politically allocated land to foreign large-scale investors without the involvement of the farmers and the management agency, and this may affect the sustainability of irrigated agriculture. Wastewater irrigation suffers from non-recognition, lack of support from all spheres, and risks to human health and the environment. Thus, the government must revamp policy implementation and utilize alternative financing models to rehabilitate irrigation infrastructure, such as private–public partnerships (PPPs). There is a need to minimize political interference in the allocation of agricultural land in the Office du Niger. Subsidies are needed to support farmers with technology and inputs for irrigation and AWM. Farmers, extension workers, and equipment suppliers must be trained to build their capacity. Wastewater irrigation contributes to food supply, income generation, and livelihoods in peri-urban and urban areas. Thus, this practice must be formalized and supported by policies, guidelines, regulations, standards, and technologies for on-site water treatment and safer irrigation practices.

The fast transition of India from a water-stressed to a water-scarce country has provided additional impetus for the search for interventions and decision support systems (DSSs) for solutions to problems arising from a mismatch between demand and supply and competing demands of economic and environmental sectors. Agriculture is the largest user of freshwater and increasing water productivity in agriculture is a national challenge requiring urgent attention. Globally, DSSs have gained immense popularity in various domains and, more recently, in agriculture and water resources management but are still limited in developing countries like India. This chapter presents a comprehensive compilation and stocktake of the DSSs developed at various scales in India and specific to the Ganges Basin, aimed at serving as a foundation for future work in this direction. After the criteria-based screening of the literature and reports, each selected DSS was analysed in the context of the aspects covered, key criteria, and the parameters such as relevance, applicability, focus, and scale of application. To reinforce the recommendations, KIIs were held with selected experts and stakeholders. A matrix approach was employed to compile and review the DSS with broader segregation under (i) crop and farm-based decision support systems, (ii) DSS based on artificial intelligence, enhanced machine learning, fuzzy multi-criteria decision making, and knowledge systems, (iii) DSS for real-time operation of micro-irrigation systems, (iv) DSS for management of tanks and reservoirs for water-deficit regions, and (v) DSS for improving water productivity under canal commands and conjunctive management of surface and groundwater resources. The selected DSSs were then analysed for focus, key findings, relevance, applicability, and scale of application of the DSS.

An estimated 80% of Africa’s population depends on agriculture; hence, efficient agricultural water management (AWM) is crucial for enhancing agricultural and water productivity and building climate resilience across different farming scales to ensure food security. Approximately 90% of sub-Saharan Africa’s agriculture is rain-fed, and the bulk of the farmers are classified as smallholder farmers, constituting 70% of the continent’s population. Climate change (CC) and climate variability (CV) have increasingly imposed yield penalties on Africa’s irrigated and non-irrigated farming sectors. This has put significant pressure on the African farmer to produce more on less water. As such, the African Union (AU), through the AU-Irrigation Development and Agricultural Water Management (AU-IDAWM) framework, proposed four IDAWM pathways as potential countermeasures to yield penalties. Despite inroads made to equip the African farmer with extension services, a dearth of information related to performance challenges faced in the continent’s irrigation fraternity exists. This information is vital as a feedback loop to identify opportunities, challenges, and potential investment gaps to boost irrigation development in the continent. Therefore, using a South African case study, this research sought to assess the existing knowledge, gaps, challenges, and opportunities related to irrigation development and agricultural water management. PRISMA-P protocols guided the study. The SPIDER (Sample, Phenomenon of Interest, Design, Evaluation, and Research type) framework informed the eligibility criteria, which we used to formulate the inclusion–exclusion criteria. The different AU-IDAWM exhibited varied developments in infrastructural and governance structures. The AWM practices exhibited overlaps than variances under the rain-fed, FLID, and modernisation pathways.

The advent of in vitro models such as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) and patient derived (disease) organoids is supporting the development of population and patient specific model systems reflecting human physiology and disease. However, there remains a significant underrepresentation of non-European, especially African model systems. The development of such models should be enthusiastically embraced by Sub-Saharan African countries (SSAC) and middle-income countries (LIMC) to direct their own research focused on the improvement of health of their own populations at a sustainable cost within their respective funding environments. Great care needs to be taken to develop national frameworks to direct, sustainably fund and support such efforts in a way that maximises the output of such models for the investment required. Here, we highlight how advanced culture models can play a role in vitalising local healthcare research by focusing on locally relevant health care questions using appropriate cell culture models. We also provide a potential national platform example that could maximise such output at the lowest cost. This framework presents an opportunity for SSAC and LMIC to base their healthcare research on locally relevant models to ensure that developed health care initiatives and interventions are best suited for the populations they serve and thus represent a reset in global health care research at large.

Understanding taphonomic processes is essential for reconstructing past environmental dynamics and interpreting mixed sites, where successive occupations by different biological agents have occurred and, in many cases, have been modified by post-depositional processes. Such is the case in the western part of Buena Pinta Cave (Pinilla del Valle, Madrid). In this study, three Units with different taphonomic histories were analysed. Unit 32 A contains fossil remains that were incorporated by low-energy water currents during the cave's opening. Unit 23 shows an accumulation of bone remains that were resedimented and reworked by a high-energy current, which illustrates how post-depositional processes can create an assemblage with asynchronous taphocoenoses embedded in the same geological event. Finally, Unit 2/3 contains a bone assemblage that was primarily produced by hyenas, although it may also have been used sporadically by Neanderthals and other small carnivores. These findings provide a reference for comparison and evaluation of other archaeo-palaeontological sites with similar problems in caves and mixed sites.

The COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented crisis characterised by widespread disruption and significant loss of life. Governments worldwide responded with a myriad of containment measures aimed at curbing the spread of this deadly virus. In South Africa, a nation accommodating migrants from diverse backgrounds, COVID-19 mitigation protocols were authorised but met with criticism not limited to local citizens. Cross-border migrants decried these measures as manifestations of medical xenophobia and 'migrantcide', engendering reluctance among many, particularly migrants, to seek medical treatment from public healthcare facilities. This article delves into the perspectives and beliefs of Congolese and Somali asylum seekers and refugees living in South Africa, with a particular emphasis on their perceptions of COVID-19 within an immigration landscape often fraught with hostility. The central argument posits that animosity and state negligence in a time of socioeconomic difficulty exacerbated migrants' misconceptions regarding COVID-19, contributing to their hesitancy in using South African public healthcare facilities during the pandemic. The profound deficit in trust between refugees and healthcare practitioners, stemming from inadequate communication channels, further exacerbates existing tensions and mistrust. Based on extensive fieldwork conducted in 2021 among Congolese and Somali communities in Yeoville and Mayfair—two suburbs of Johannesburg, South Africa populated by migrants—this paper explores the various meanings, perceptions and beliefs surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. It examines how these factors contributed to rising anxiety and fear, as well as the diverse responses adopted to address the deadly disease. The hesitancy of migrant groups to seek medical assistance from public healthcare facilities led them to explore alternative means of managing COVID-19 symptoms. While some of these approaches occasionally yielded positive outcomes, they often fell short of achieving the desired results, potentially resulting in an increased number of infections and fatalities that remained untested and unreported.

Located in the upper valley of the Lozoya River, Cueva del Camino (Madrid, Spain) is one of the richest Early Pleistocene paleontological sites in the Iberian Peninsula. The results of the work carried out over the last three decades have led to the interpretation of the site as a hyena den with intermittent human presence. The faunal assemblage of layer 05 of Cueva del Camino dates to about 90 ka (MIS 5c) and includes small, medium, and large mammals. The presence of lithic industry and Neanderthal remains provide valuable insights into the strategies of past human groups in their access to animal resources. This study aims to determine the ecological conditions and availability of meat resources in the large mammal paleocommunity of Cueva del Camino by estimating carrying capacity (CC) and meat availability (TAB) in the upper valley of the Lozoya River. The estimates show a predominance of species with extreme body masses (either very small or very large) for CC, while TAB is mostly concentrated in small species. To evaluate and contextualize these estimates, the results were compared with other Pleistocene paleoecosystems of the Iberian Peninsula and with modern ecosystems. The upper valley of the Lozoya River reflects similar conditions to some Pleistocene faunal assemblages in Sierra de Atapuerca, such as Gran Dolina and Galería, and to the Serengeti National Park in the case of modern ecosystems. Based on density estimates and population size, the upper valley of the Lozoya River closely resembles populations of contemporary hunter-gatherer groups, and its conditions may have been sufficient to support a Neanderthal group of approximately 34 individuals.

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a zoonotic viral disease that causes epidemics and epizootics among humans and livestock, resulting in substantial health and socioeconomic consequences. Currently, there are no RVF vaccines licensed for humans, but several candidates show promise in early-stage development. Existing gaps in RVF epidemiological data and challenges associated with predicting RVF outbreak risk complicate the planning of efficacy studies, making the pathway to licensure for promising candidates unclear. In June 2024, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) convened a two-day workshop in Nairobi, Kenya, to discuss RVF epidemiology, modeling priorities, and specific gaps relevant to human RVF vaccine development. The workshop included representatives from multiple RVF-endemic countries, key global collaborators, and international health organizations. Workshop participants identified five key priorities: (1) Looking beyond outbreaks: There is a need to better characterize the complex One Health epidemiology of RVF and understand interepidemic persistence of the virus; (2) Better data for better models: Epidemiological modeling is crucial for research, prediction, and planning, but it requires accurate and representative data; (3) New, improved and accessible diagnostics and serological assays: These are needed to inform epidemiology and case definitions, without which RVF research will continue to suffer due to paucity of data and challenges in determining infection and exposure; (4) Defining use cases, regulatory pathways, and implementation strategies for human vaccines: Clarity on these topics will facilitate licensure and effective use of RVF vaccines; and (5) People-centered approaches: Community engagement and involvement of social and behavioral scientists are key to the success of human vaccine research and development and implementation, particularly as the virus impacts livestock and livelihoods. Workshop participants welcomed a renewed focus for RVF epidemiology and modeling, and expressed enthusiasm for continued multidisciplinary collaborations to support enabling sciences for human RVF vaccine research and development.

Although the role of religion in sustainable development is ably recognised, the manner in which it has intersected with gender and sustainable development in Africa is not adequately studied. Therefore, this chapter maps up the intersections of religion, gender, and sustainable development in Africa from an interdisciplinary perspective. Contextualised in East and Southern Africa, the chapter shows the volume’s particular focus on SDG Number 5 which seeks to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls by 2030. Other related SDGs, such as 3 and 4, are also addressed. By showcasing the negative and positive roles of religion in sustainable development in East and Southern Africa from a gendered perspective, the chapter demonstrates the various complexities, problems, and solutions in various disciplines that affect humanity with specific reference to the African continent and presents lessons for attaining SDG, 3, 4, and 5 and its related targets.

The purpose of this concluding chapter is to tie together the thrust of the chapters in this book and provide final reflections on the way forward. The chapters navigate how the nexus between religion and gender can be utilized as the backdrop for achieving sustainable development in Africa, focusing on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, which is on attainment of gender equality. The chapter highlights the key arguments advanced by authors of chapters in this book, chief of which is that sustainable development is achievable when women and men become full partners in their homes, communities, and society. Chapters which focus on GBV assert that addressing GBV is critical to a fairer and more sustainable future in African societies and that ending GBV is the responsibility of everyone. The book chapters depict religion as ambivalent in relation to the promotion or otherwise of sustainable development. This chapter concludes by suggesting that for sustainable development to take place, the way forward is for various actors to work together toward eliminating religious and cultural impediments to gender inclusivity and justice, as well as integrating SDG 5 in the implementation of other SDGs.

In the letter to the Ephesians, the author gives an idealized model of how a husband and wife should relate to the Christ-church bond. The husband is given the authority to lead in the marriage setting. With the emergence of women’s activism, this position of men is challenged. Traditionally, in Zimbabwe and Africa, the defining traits of masculinity were conceived as controlling, powerful, dominant, tough, self-reliant, and heterosexual behavior. On the other hand, several indicators of legal, physical, cultural, psychological, religious, and social well-being are developing negatively for men. The purpose of this chapter is to consider Ephesians 5:22–24 in the context of a possible crisis of masculinities and examine its implications for men in light of sustainable development in Zimbabwe. The chapter argues that masculinities may indeed be in crisis. Still, men also do not easily open up to express these experiences because society and culture may harshly turn against men who exhibit emotion and weakness. This chapter is going to be informed by insights from Raewyn Connell’s masculinity theory in interrogating the role of men in marriages and the masculinity crisis in Zimbabwe. Connell’s theory will provide critical feminist analysis of traditional and historical masculinities and acknowledge the changing degrees to which men play their roles in society. Drawn from this research, it can be concluded that masculinities are in crisis, but men are remaining silent because they fear that society will turn against them.

In river basins with strong seasonal river fluctuation, water storage of various types is required to meet water demands. Water is stored in man-made reservoirs, groundwater aquifers, the soil, natural lakes and wetlands. Ideally, to meet any water demand, these water storage options could be used in an integrated manner. However, integrating suites of water storage options in the management for water, food, energy, and the environment is limited in practice. One of the reasons for this is the lack of knowledge on the volume and temporal dynamics of the different storage types. This study therefore assessed water storage in different storage types and their temporal dynamics using remote sensing and secondary data in the Tana-Beles sub-basin of Ethiopia. The results show that the active total storage volume in the sub-basin varies from 7.3 BCM to 16.2 BCM in dry and wet months, respectively. Lake Tana storage is the largest with 50% of total storage while built reservoirs only account for 2% of the same. Given different competing needs and constraints from each storage options not all the water in the storages can be utilized. Optimizing natural and built storage options in an integrated system can maximize water security gains.

Background: HIV remains a major challenge in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, particularly for young women who face disproportionate risks and barriers to prevention and treatment. Most HIV cure trials, however, occur in high-income countries. Objective: To examine the perspectives of young women diagnosed with acute HIV in a longitudinal study, focusing on their perceptions on ATI -inclusive HIV cure trials and the barriers and facilitators to participation. Materials and Methods: Between October 2022 and February 2024, we conducted closed-ended surveys and in-depth interviews with 20 women aged 19–33 living with HIV, who were willing but ineligible or unable to participate in an HIV cure trial. Results: Many participants reported mental health challenges, including major depression (40%), moderate to severe anxiety (35%), and low self-esteem (35%). While women diagnosed during acute HIV supported pausing antiretroviral treatment (ART) during analytical treatment interruption (ATI ) to advance HIV cure research, concerns about health risks and HIV-related stigma were significant barriers to enrollment. Trust in the research team and close monitoring were seen as positive factors, while fears around sharing of HIV/ATI status and transmission to sex partners complicated decision-making. Participants expressed a need for psychological counseling and access to community resources to manage ATI -related stressors. Conclusions: Understanding women’s perspectives on HIV cure research, especially ATI trials, is vital. Building trust and addressing psychosocial challenges through a healing-centered approach can facilitate trial participation. Socio-behavioral research before and during HIV cure trials will be essential to inform participant-centered protocol design.

Timely and reliable estimates of reference evapotranspiration (ET 0 ) are imperative for robust water resources planning and management. Applying machine learning (ML) algorithms for estimating ET 0 has been evolving, and their applicability in different sectors is still a compelling field of research. In this study, four Gaussian process regression (GPR) algorithms—polynomial kernel (PK), polynomial universal function kernel (PUK), normalized poly kernel (NPK), and radial basis function (RBF)—were compared against widely used random forest (RF) and a simpler locally weighted linear regression (LWLR) algorithm at a humid subtropical region in India. The sensitivity analysis of the input variables was followed by application of the best combination of variables in algorithm testing and training for generating ET 0 . The results were then compared against the Penman–Monteith method at both daily and monthly time steps. The results indicated that ET 0 is least sensitive to wind speed at 2 m height. Additionally, at a daily time step, RF, followed by PUK, generated the best results during both training and testing phases. In contrast, at a monthly time step, using multiple model evaluation matrices, PUK followed by RF performed best. These results demonstrate the application of the ML algorithms is subjected to user‐required time steps. Although this study focused on Northwest India, the findings are relevant to all humid subtropical regions across the world.