Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Swaziland. Ministry of Agriculture'

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2015.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The research examines agriculture value chain finance as it has been applied in the Komati Downstream Development Project. It seeks to assess whether the Komati Downstream Development Project has addressed the challenges of access to finance, markets and support services and enabled smallholder farmers in the project area to operate commercially. The Swaziland National Development Strategy of 1999 committed to increase investment in agriculture. The Komati Downstream Development Project was in line with this strategy. However, for smallholder farmers to commercialise they needed to first overcome the constraints they faced, which included access to finance, access to markets and access to both business and technical support. This research will contribute to future developments and decisions involving the increase of financial flows and investment to the agriculture sector in Swaziland and in other developing countries. This is an empirical research study primarily using a qualitative method to answer the research question. The research design included a review of documentary evidence from a desktop study to collect secondary data and a field study through face-to-face interviews to collect primary data. The primary data was gathered through semi-structured interviews. The organisations interviewed included ten farmers’ associations, the outgrower development department, Swaziland Industrial Development Company and Swaziland Water and Agriculture Development Enterprise. Content analysis was used to analyse the results identifying similar themes and patterns from the interview transcripts. Secondary data on the performance of the KDDP farmers with respect to production volumes and quality of produce was collected and analysed to answer the question whether the smallholder farmers had moved from operating at a subsistence level to a commercial one. The research findings show that the agriculture value chain finance approach as applied in KDDP has improved access to markets, access to finance and access to support and services, and, in the process, the smallholder farmers are now operating commercially. The farmers are able to engage with bigger markets for both inputs and outputs in large-scale sugarcane farming. However, notable findings were made with respect to access to finance and support. Most of the farmers reported the need for continued support by Swaziland Water and Agriculture Development Enterprise and training despite the need to wean them off. Regarding access to finance, farmers reported improved access with more financial institutions selling financial products to the farmers and wanting to finance them. However, none of the farmers’ associations interviewed had accessed additional funding from any of the financial institutions following the initial funding they had acquired. The farmers’ associations have instead turned to internal sources of funds. Though these challenges do not change the conclusion, they are of concern and need to be addressed.

Food security and food safety go hand-in-hand, where consumers of meat products demand to know whether the meat products they have bought are safe for human consumption. Livestock traceability systems are now mandatory if one wants to export meat, especially after recent food scares and the risk of eating meat from cattle with Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), more commonly known as mad cow disease. Europe has a beef shortage and imports large quotas of meat from developing countries, such as Swaziland and Namibia, but their strict regulations and legislation make the effectiveness of the two countries’ traceability systems non-negotiable. Swaziland upgraded their paper-based system to a modern computerised system, called the Swaziland Livestock Information and Traceability System (SLITS), started tagging communal farmers’ cattle free of charge in 2010 and implemented SLITS fully in 2014. The system is widely adopted and the success of the project is seen throughout Swaziland. Namibia expanded their traceability system, the Namibian Livestock Identification and Traceability System (NamLITS) to trace the cattle of communal farmers in the Northern Communal Areas (NCAs), an area excluded from any exporting of meat products because of the high risk of exposure to foot-and-mouth disease. Their cattle were ear-tagged and captured on NamLITS, ensuring that full traceability is in place. The new, expanded NamLITS and upgraded SLITS systems enabled the researcher to investigate the impact that traceability systems have on communal farmers, the benefactors of the two traceability systems. Two visits to Namibia and four visits to Swaziland were made, where the rich traceability culture was experienced, key stakeholders and system developers interviewed and questionnaires completed by the Swazi veterinary assistants and the Namibian animal technicians, the first point of contact with the communal farmers, but also fulfilling the role of key informants. Creating sustainable projects remained important to the researcher, and the element of sustainability became interwoven with the impact of the traceability systems on communal farmers. This thesis explores all the aspects of the data gathered, keeping in mind all the legislative requirements of traceability and its different aspects, and combines the two key elements of development projects, sustainability and making a real impact into a single framework, called the impact-for-sustainable-agriculture framework. This new framework is then applied to two case studies, concluding that the more layers of the three-layered framework one understands to be of importance and implements, the greater the probability of creating sustainable agricultural projects. Two case studies are discussed in parallel to create a consistent approach. The different layers are discussed in separate sections, enabling the reader to follow the build-up of the evidence to support the final framework. The thesis concludes by highlighting the main theoretical contributions: the design and application of the new framework; the methodological contributions in the data collection process, the documentation of the evidence and the final full picture of both countries, and the practical contributions: the witnessing of a rural dipping event, cattle dehorning and branding, attending a meeting with a group of anxious animal technicians in the midst of a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in the NCAs, and telling the story of the communities from the perspective of having been there. Finally, possible future research aimed at investigating traceability systems in other parts of Southern Africa and applying the proposed framework to other developmental projects is suggested, as well as further enhancements to the proposed framework.
Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2017.
Informatics
PhD
Unrestricted

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2002
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation seeks an answer to the following question: To what extent has the discipling ministry of The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM) in Southern Africa produced disciples with a holistic perspective of the Christian mission. The specific group studied is the Coloured community found in Swaziland and South Africa. The specific period covered is from 1921-1999. After an introductory chapter which provides orientation to the subject and also gives a brief history of the founding of TEAM and of the Coloured Church called EBC (Evangelical Bible Church), TEAM's understanding of the Great Commission is evaluated in the light ofan exegetical and theological study of the Great Commission. The study shows that what is called the Great Commission cannot be arbitrarily derived from one key text such as Matthew 28: 18-20, but needs to be grasped in its total significance from the entire Bible. Matthew 28: 18-20 is treated in this study as a pivotal text which turns towards the Old Testament and the New Testament, including the context of the Gospel of Matthew itself. The conclusion of the theological study of the Great Commission, is that TEAM drastically reduced the focus to one main task - church planting, with primary emphasis on evangelism and personal salvation. In this way, the horizontal implications of the Christian mission were relegated to "support ministries" which were aimed at supporting the main task of evangelism and church planting. Thus, TEAM lacked a comprehensive theology of mission which would have connected both the vertical and horizontal aspects of its work in Southern Africa. Chapter 3 of the dissertation, describes TEAM's pioneering efforts among the Coloured people of Southern Africa. WIth the exception of their work in Swaziland, the TEAM missionaries concentrated almost exclusively on leading people to faith in Christ and establishing local churches which would function according to the principles of self propagating, self-supporting, self-governing, and self-instructing. This pioneer stage proved then that TEAM basically executed its own narrowed understanding of the task ofrnaking disciples. Added to the narrow practice of mission, was the homogeneous approach to church planting, which accommodated itself to the segregationist policies of the government, and produced three segregated denominations - all the offspring of TEAM. Chapter 4 of this study shows that TEAM missionaries and other key missionaries from what was called South Africa General Mission (SAGM), entrenched the onesided approach to the Christian mission in three Bible colleges which played a leading role in training Coloured leaders for the ministry. It was simply a matter of time before the nationals themselves reproduced what they had learned at TEAM-related colleges in their own efforts of church planting which were viewed as the fulfilment of the Christian mission. This national effort by key nationals in EBC, forms the substance of chapter 5 of the dissertation. Chapter 6 of this study discusses the road ahead for both TEAM and EBC. It focuses on six crucial matters: The need for thanksgiving for the good which has been done; the need for confession for failures in theology and practice; the need to formulate a holistic theology of mission; the need for practice consistent with a holistic theology which would assist TEAM and EBC in reconciling both the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the Great Commission; the need to practise the principles of unity and mission, and finally, the need for evaluation of TEAM's Relational Reconfiguration in order to determine what can be done to promote better relationships between TEAM and the TEAM-related churches.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie proefskrif is om die volgende vraag te beantwoord: Tot watter mate het die dissipelskap bediening van "The Evangelical Alliance Mission" (TEAM) in Suider Afrika, volgelinge met 'n omvattende perspektief van die Christelike sending voortgebring? Die spesifieke groep wat bestudeer word, is die Kleurling gemeenskap van Swaziland en Suid Afrika. Die spesifieke tydperk wat gedek word, is vanaf 1921 tot 1999. Hoofstukl beskryfkortliks die geskiedenis van die stigting van TEAM, deur die werk van Fredrik Franson in 1890. Sy motiveering tot sending, is duidelik, deur sy geloof in die naderende wederkorns van Christus. Die werk van TEAM in Suid Afrika het gelei tot die ontstaan van die Evangelical Bible Church (EBC) en het drie afsonderlike verbonde of kerke tot gevolg. Hulle staan bekend as Kerk 1 (Swartes), Kerk 2 (Kleurlinge) en Kerk 3 (Indiers). Die fokus van hierdie studie is gemik op die Kleurling denominasie, alhoewel die ander groepe ook bespreek word, vanwee hulle betrokkenheid by die Kleurling kerk. Hoofstuk 2 evalueer TEAM se begrip van die Groot Opdrag in die lig van 'n breedvoerige studie van die Christelike sending, gebaseer op die totale boodskap van die Bybel. Die hoofteks aangaande die Groot Opdrag (Mt. 28: 18-20), word beskou as 'n sentrale teks wat beide die Ou Testament sowel as die Nuwe Testament betrek. Op hierdie wyse is dit duidelik dat die volle Missio Dei, wat ook die fokus van die Christelike sending insluit, in die visier kOID.Die slotsom van hierdie teologiese studie, is dat TEAM as sending van 'n gebrekkige Bybelse teologie van sending, die hooftaak van die Groot Opdrag beperk het tot Kerk stigting. Sodoende was TEAM in staat om die vertikale aspek van sending te beklemtoon met die klem op evangelisasie en kerk stigting, maar kon nie aan die horisontale dimensie omvat, wat volgens die Skrif 'n wesenlike aspek van die Groot Opdrag is, reg laat geskied nie. Inteendeel, bedienings wat nie direk verband hou met kerkstigting nie, was beskou as "ondersteunende bedienings", nie as wesenlike bedienings nie. Hoofstuk 3 beskryfTEAM se vroegste pogings onder die Kleurling gemeenskap van Suid Afrika. Klaarblyklik, met die uitsondering van die werk in Swaziland, het TEAM sendelinge daarop gekonsentreer om mense tot geloof in Christus te lei en om plaaslike kerke te stig. Dus in die baanbreker stadium, is TEAM se beperking van die Evangelie tot persoonlike saligheid en lidmaatskap duidelik. Die enger fokus van die Groot Opdrag is ook sigbaar in die tipe opleiding, wat die lidmate by TEAM - verwante Bybel kolleges ontvang het. Hierdie verhaal word vertel in Hoofstuk 4 van hierdie proefskrif Hoofstuk 5 beskryf die werk van die inheemse lidmate en bewys dat hierdie werk basies kerk stigting was, ooreenkomstig die benadering van TEAM. Die horisontale omvang van sending was afwesig, behalwe vir individuele pogings, byvoorbeeld kleuterskool bediening. Hooofstuk 6 van hierdie studie bespreek die pad vorentoe vir beide TEAM en EBC. Die fokus is gerig op ses kardinale aspekte. Die behoefte aan danksegging vir al die goeie dinge wat gedoen was; die behoefte aan belydenis vir die route in teologie en die uitvoering daarvan; die behoefte om 'n alles omvattende teologie van sending te omskryf, die behoefte om daardie teologie op 'n holistiese wyse te beoefen en wat beide TEAM en EBC sal help om beide die horisontale en vertikale dimensies van Die Groot Opdrag, met mekaar te versoen; die behoefte om die beginsels van eenheid en sending uit te oefen, en laastens die behoefte aan evaluering van TEAM se "Relational Reconfiguration" om vas te stel hoe om beter verhoudings tussen TEAM en TEAM-verwante kerke te bewerkstellig.

The aim of this study has been to explain the relationship between capital (development) expenditures and the growth of recurrent expenditures in the Zambian Ministry of Agriculture and Water Development (1975-1983). Three models were developed and tested. The first model tested the theory of incrementalism. Proponents of incrementalism advocate that the recurrent budget in a previous period is the most important explanatory variable in the determination of recurrent budget expenditures in the subsequent period. An extension on the first model included capital expenditures in the determination of recurrent budget expenditures. Theories have been advanced that capital expenditures cannot be undertaken without affecting the growth of recurrent expenditures. A third explanatory model included the stock of capital, the recurrent budget in the previous period, the rate of inflation, and the lagged price of copper as important variables in the determination of recurrent budget expenditures. Ordinary least squares (0LS) estimation techniques were used to obtain the coefficients and the magnitude of the variables in these three models. The third model explained 98% of the variation in recurrent budget expenditures. The results showed that the recurrent budget in the previous period and the rate of inflation were the most important explanatory variables in the determination of the recurrent budgets in Zambia. The price of copper and the stock of capital, although both having a positive relationship with the recurrent budget in the subsequent period, were weak determinants. The study noted that the weak relationship between the capital and recurrent budget may be due to the ad hoc transference of recurrent costs, created by capital projects, to the recurrent budget. The study suggests a policy for the transference of these costs to the recurrent budget.
Land and Food Systems, Faculty of
Graduate

In this study, the effects of an explicit reflective intervention on Swaziland elementary preservice teachers’ understanding of the Nature of Science (NOS) were investigated. The factors that had an impact on the development of participants’ NOS views were also investigated. The intervention made use of de-contextualized and contextualized activities as well as historical narratives as contexts for reflecting about the empirical, creative, subjective as well as the tentative NOS. The intervention included a discussion of the relationships and differences between observations and inferences as well as scientific laws and theories in the context of the aforementioned learning activities. Participants were 24 elementary pre-service teachers enrolled for their final year of their three year teacher development programme. An adapted version of the Views of Nature of Science Questionnaire-Form C (VNOS-C) was used in conjunction with individual interviews, to assess the participants’ understanding of NOS at the beginning and conclusion of the intervention. At the end of the programme, data from interviews, concept maps and reflective journals of seven participants were analysed to ascertain their perceptions of the elements of the course and other factors that had an impact on their development of more informed NOS views. These participants were selected on the basis of their differential gains in NOS understanding. The data that was analysed using both qualitative and quantitative techniques revealed that the intervention brought about significant gains in some participants’ understanding of NOS. Information obtained from the document analysis of journals and concept maps as well as exit interviews of the selected group revealed that the pre-service teachers’ development of more informed views was mediated by motivational and cognitive factors. These were the participants’ perception of the value of teaching and learning NOS, their views about teaching and learning science, and their ability to engage deeply with the NOS concepts as well as their epistemic beliefs. The explicit reflective attention to NOS as well as metacognitive strategies was reported by most of the selected participants as responsible for changes in their NOS views.
Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2013.
gm2014
Science, Mathematics and Technology Education
unrestricted

Agricultural policy in the transition states of Central Eastern Europe is a very complex issue – ranging from privatisation of farm land, the establishment of agricultural markets to detailed questions of veterinary care, plant health and animal nutrition. Its main elements are the introduction of market liberalization, farm restructuring, privatisation, the reform of the sector and the creation of supporting market institutions and services.1 In this process central state agriculture administration plays a decisive role.

This paper is summing up the research of the author on Slovak agricultural administration between 2002 and 2004. This work was part of a DFG-funded research project on “Genesis, Organization and Efficiency of the central-state Ministerial Administration in Central and Eastern Europe”. The project was analysing the processes, results and efficiency of administrative structures at central-state level in Estonia, Poland and Slovakia with reference to public administration in the policy fields of agriculture and telecommunications. The paper is reflecting the situation in the sector and its administration at the beginning of 2004.

At first, an overview of the role of the agricultural sector in Slovak economy in the past and presence is provided (section I). Against this background, the development of the agricultural policy in the different periods since 1989 will be analysed, mainly what privatisation, accession to the EU and subsidy policy are concerned (section II). A detailed study of the developments in agricultural administration forms the next part of the paper (section III), i.e. the changes taking place in the ministry of agriculture and in the other institutions responsible for the implementation of agricultural policy. The role of interest groups in agriculture is briefly analysed (section IV). In the conclusions two different scenarios on the further development of Slovak agricultural administration will be deployed.

The diploma thesis deals with education and communication of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic. The goal of this diploma thesis is to compare how both ministries educate their employees and how they communicate. The thesis will show if or what are the differences between the ministries in given areas. In the part that deals with the communication of the ministries attention will be paid to both, communication with the media and with the public. In the theoretical part methods and ways of education of employees that are used and theoretical bases will be generally given. In this part the thesis will also focus on regulations which the education of state employees should follow. In the practical part the expert interview method will be used to describe the system of education in both offices. In the area of communication the way, in which the ministries communicate with the media and with the public will be outlined and on the basis of media outputs in a certain interval a hypothesis that media are more interested in the Ministry of Finance topics will be verified. The thesis will compare both ministries in this way and make possible recommendations.

Gender mainstreaming to promote gender equality and include persons with disabilities is important because it can bring a huge impact to the organization and the country. It is not easy to accomplish gender equality as long as there are barriers against women's participation in all spheres. As a result, achieving gender equality is a challenge for not only developed countries but also developing countries. This thesis evaluates the implementation of gender mainstreaming to promote gender equality and the inclusion of persons with disabilities of the Division for the Advancement of Women in Lao PDR. This thesis discovers the perception of gender equality, the barriers that prevent women from achieving gender equality, and the impact of gender equality and lastly examines whether the inclusive approach to include persons with disabilities is implemented in the ministerial organization.

Due to the liberalization of the international trade, there is an increase in food imports to the Czech Republic. However, many producers are not able to face this competition and are forced to end up their business. This leads to the decrease in the production of agricultural commodities and foodstuffs which also reduces the food self-sufficiency of the Czech Republic. Therefore the Ministry of Agriculture (MA) runs activities in order to promote domestic food and the competition "Regionální potravina" is one of those activities. The related campaigns are aimed at both the producers and consumers. The aims of this thesis are to find out how producers perceive the competition Regionální potravina and activities of the MA and whether producers observe that competition and activities of MA have some positive effects. Another aim is to find out whether consumers know the competition Regionální potravina and activities of MA, whether they buy this food and whether they prefer to buy Czech food. The theoretical part concerns especially marketing and legislation related to the promotion of domestic food. The practical part is based on a survey among producers and consumers. Based on the results of this survey, the recommendations for the Ministry of Agriculture are set out.

Le processus de modernisation des services territoriaux de l'État, et tout particulièrement son volet managérial, s'inscrit dans une histoire déjà ancienne, même si la dynamique et les modalités du changement varient selon les départements ministériels. Dans ces histoires, la période 2003-2007, avec l'introduction d'une approche budgétaire différente (la LOLF), d'une recomposition des services départementaux de l'État (la RéaTE), et d'une rénovation des modalités de gestion des emplois et des compétences, constitue un tournant qui peut être compris comme la diffusion des principes du new public management. La thèse repose sur une analyse du travail des directeurs départementaux des ministères évoqués dans la réorganisation dans ce contexte de modernisation tout particulièrement autour du volet RH. Cette analyse est préparée par une présentation des histoires différenciées de la réforme dans les ministères de l'équipement, de l'agriculture et de l'inspection du travail, et une présentation de la perception de ces transformations par les agents. Ces deux aspects constituent en effet les contraintes essentielles de l'activité de conduite du changement. Ils permettent de montrer que la fonction " ressources humaines " joue un rôle central dans les transformations propres à chaque ministère. Étudier le travail de ces cadres, restituer leurs secrets de fabrique, c'est à la fois éclairer l'activité de cadres dirigeants dans une administration, qui se trouve mise à découvert par le changement durant cette période, et mettre en évidence les enjeux de ce moment de la réforme. L'analyse des marges de manœuvre qui leur permettent de conduire le changement, révèle aussi combien se concentrent sur eux les tensions générées par les contradictions d'une réforme tous azimuts. La manière dont ils expriment leur inquiétude pose la question des risques d'un affaiblissement trop important de ces acteurs, seuls en mesure de mettre en cohérence des missions, des hommes et leurs compétences, et une organisation du travail

The goal of master thesis is evaluation of efficiency of state aid in the agriculture focusing on food quality marks. At the beginning of the work are described state institutions supporting Czech producers and their products. Evaluation of efficiency is made based on telephone interview with producers and quantitative research among consumers. Telephone interview is conducted with producers who can use a logo Regionalni potravina on their foodstuff. The aim of this research is to find out, if the producers achieved positive results in their sales after obtaining food quality mark. Quantitative research is made among consumers, where the key question is what awareness consumers have about food quality marks, what is the key factor in buying decision and if consumers noticed promotional campaigns of the Ministry of Agriculture focusing on aid of Czech producers with food quality marks. After making research it will be easier to say if state aid is effective or if there are spotted flaws or what.

The thesis deals in its theoretical part of the Czech food market - their promotions and opportunities for improvement in the context of establishing the Marketing fund with the insipration taken from the Austrian and German models. It shows some of the proven mechanisms of applied Wine Fund of the Czech Republic. A separate chapter is devoted to the Federation of the Food and Drink Industries of the Czech Republic, which its 20 years of history inseparable part of the food market and one of the main promoters of establishing a Marketing fund in the Czech Republic. Other chapters are devoted to the Austrian model of Marketing fund (Agramarkt austriacus AMA) which works flawlessly since Austria's entry to the European Union and analysis of implementation of the Fund in the Czech environment.

碩士
國立中央大學
國際永續發展碩士在職專班
104
This study assessed the energy potential of agriculture and forestry residue for the sustainable generation of power. The key to the methodology applied was to estimate crop and forestry residue harvesting for bioenergy while maintaining soil productivity and catering for competing residue uses. The theoretical energy potential of Swaziland estimated in this study was 60.7 petajoule per year (PJ/y) in the amount 4.408 megaton (Mt) of agricultural and forestry residues. In the estimation of sustainable energy potential, these examined residues could offer 52.3 PJ/y.The energy potential contribution of agricultural and forestry residue was 89.73% and 10.27%, respectively. Sugar cane is the most offer in energy potential of agricultural residue. However, these amount of residues currently not yet being utilized to develop maximum energy potential with modern technology in this nation. A discussion is made in this study on the factors influencing the potential conversion routes.

In recent years, the world has been experiencing rapid and extensive global shifts that have had a positive and negative impact on different countries around the globe. These global shifts have also influenced the way countries conduct trade with their partners. A lot of countries, as a way of adapting to these changes, have been forced to review their trade policies to be in line with the trade liberalisation process. The expansion of markets has led to trade liberalisation, which promotes export growth in commodities. However in developing countries, they have experienced increases in imports and thus reflecting a certain level of uncompetitiveness of these countries with trade imbalances. This has also resulted in a declining purchasing power for some countries involved, export revenues falling as prices also fall due to intense competition in the world market. Studies have suggested that when countries liberalise they tend to experience some short falls in the first few years then a recovery thereafter. Agriculture is the major factor in the economies of developing countries. At least 80% of African economies are directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture. In these developing countries, a greater majority of the population lives in the rural areas where agriculture serves as a greater part of their occupation and source of livelihood. Being the engine of most African economies, the majority of the population of these countries are employed in the agricultural sector. Agricultural commodities represent by far the largest proportion of exported goods and the main raw materials for manufactured products. As a key to poverty reduction and food security, agricultural development may be seen as important.
Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2004.

I examined the effect of sugarcane plantations on small mammal communities at 3 sites in the Lowveld of Swaziland during the dry and wet seasons of 2008. I evaluated changes in species abundance and community parameters in relation to distance to the interface, as well as the relationship between small mammal communities and environmental variables. I used pitfall arrays and Sherman live traps to sample small mammals along 9 traplines at the land-use interface and on a gradient extending 375 m into each land-use. I used point-centered-quarter, range pole, and line-transect sampling to characterize plant community structure. Two generalist small mammal species had increased abundance as distance into the sugarcane increased. Two species with wide geographic ranges appeared to select areas within 75 m of the interface. Four species with restricted habitat tolerances or diets were negatively affected by sugarcane, as was 1 species that selects for low ground cover. Two species may have avoided the interface. For the majority of species in the Lowveld, sugarcane does not provide habitat. Sugarcane monocultures > 375 m in width may form a barrier to movement of small mammal species. Species richness and diversity significantly decreased at the interface of 2 sites, however, 1 site had increased diversity associated with the interface. My analysis indicated a difference in community composition between the 2 land-uses and differences between the farthest interior conservation area (375 m)-interface (0 m) and the farthest interior sugarcane (375 m). There was no difference in community composition between seasons or distances within the conservation area. The farthest interior sugarcane trapline had distinctness from other traplines within the sugarcane, and may be of importance for minimizing the effects of habitat fragmentation in lowveld savanna. The effects of sugarcane did not extend into adjoining natural vegetation. My results indicated grass biomass, litter depth and shrub density played important roles in structuring the communities. Between sites, variation in community structure attributable to the sugarcane interface varied. The site with poorest vegetative cover had the highest relative importance of distance to the interface. One species (Steatomys pratensis) was negatively affected by distance to the interface.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of Witwatersrand, in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Management (in the field of Governance and Public Leadership). October, 2016
There is mounting evidence that the effective functioning of any organisation or public sector is determined by the quality of leadership. The author of the research investigated the challenge of leadership in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry. More than 70 percent of the Namibian population directly or indirectly subsist on Agriculture for their livelihood. Agriculture remains the backbone of the Namibian economy. Hence the relevance of great and strong leadership. Evidence from the investigation, observes that communication, lack of policy enforcement, co-ordination, change management, leadership styles and strategic alignment are the major leadership challenges and thus cause lack of performance in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry. The author observed pockets of excellence in the quality of leadership too. There have been investments in the aspects of human development and policy formulation, but there is more work that needs to be done in the aspects of sectoral unification of strategies, enhanced sectoral co-ordination, policy enforcement and to ensure effective communication between the public and private sector. There are endless possibilities in improving agricultural production, productivity and competitiveness in the sector if it adopts new economic values such as collaboration and co-creation. There is a need to induct board members and senior management in the legislative instruments such as acts, policies and strategies so that the leadership team can subscribe to common policies with shared values and meaning. Investing in capacity development will drive the sector to be a leaderful sector that delivers public value; a sector that delivers to an extent where stakeholder expectations are mate. The research findings show that great leaders are those who have the ability to build strong teams, manage change, alter organisational values, craft leaders across all levels of the organisation, inspire trust and respect from the team, are able to create thinking environments in the workplace and build strong sustainable organisations.
GR2018

碩士
國立屏東科技大學
熱帶農業暨國際合作系所
100
The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC) of Thailand has used internet as one of the means to disseminate its services to the general public. Since the websites act as an important means of communication platform for the face of government, governmental websites must be reliable and effective. Therefore, the MOAC web services are expected to be efficient, accurate and heuristic. The objective of this study is to evaluate the website quality factors within the official websites of MOAC by applying an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) approach. The website quality factors included information quality, system quality, service quality, and heuristic. These four factors are applied to construct the AHP hierarchy and evaluate the websites. The four most important websites within MOAC government agencies were selected to evaluate by AHP. The result is helpful to understand which factor is the most important to evaluate the government‟s websites and highlights a new way to design a high quality website.

The object of the work was to analyze the current status of advisory services supply and their assessment on the basis of demand from enterpreneurs in agriculture. Within the framework of the analysis investigation via questionnaire was conducted among enterpreneurs. The collected data then compared to find out whether the purpose of the advisory service has been fulfilled.

An increasing need for service efficiency has influenced the need for the adoption of e- government across all governmental departments and agencies. However, in many developing countries such initiatives face numerous challenges, which slowed their implementation down or reduced their effectiveness. This study assessed factors influencing the adoption of the Government Fiscal Management Information System (GFMIS), a Thai e-government initiative, by the employees of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC). Identification of such inhibitory factors may be used to reduce their influence on use of the GFMIS in the MOAC, and more generally, be used to improve performance of similar existing Thai e-government initiatives and improve adoption of future ones. An extended model was devised based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) devised by Ventakesh et al. 2003. This model was empirically tested using structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis with responses from a usable sample size of 315 (after deleting univariate and multivariate outliers, and excluding incomplete responses). SEM analysis on the Extended UTAUT model showed a poor fit. A modified version of the original UTAUT, the Adapted Original UTAUT, was tested in the same way and found to have a good fit. Path analysis of the Adapted Original UTAUT model showed a number of differences from the Original UTAUT model it was modified from. The Effort Expectancy construct had no significant effects on either Intention to Use Future Technologies or Use Behaviour. Since the effects of this construct are widely reported to decrease with experience of the system, this may indicate that the employees have become used to the GFMIS since its introduction in 2007. The Facilitating Conditions and Performance Expectancy constructs had significant positive influences on both Intention to Use Future Technologies and Use Behaviour. Oddly, the Social Influence construct had a significant positive effect on Intention to Use New Technologies while having a significant negative effect on Use Behaviour. This, combined with the lack of a significant relationship between the Intention to Use Future Technologies and the Use Behaviour constructs, suggests that there may be a gap between what employees of the MOAC say about the GFMIS and how they make use of it. Non-parametric tests showed Age, Gender and Education Level of respondents moderated the effects of the Social Influence construct. Similar tests showed that Age and Education Level of respondents moderated the effects of the Facilitating Conditions construct (which has a significant positive effect on both Intention to Use Future Technologies and Use Behaviour). None of the demographic factors moderated the effects of the Performance Expectancy construct, suggesting that the benefits of using the GFMIS are accepted by all employees. Regardless of the details learned about hesitancy in future research; workshops and training sessions to ameliorate problems are in order immediately. Educational aids need to be of high quality and continuous, which will enhance the integration of GFMIS into Thailand’s e- government system.