Research Articles (Geography & Environmental Studies)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10566/38

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Evaluating UAV multispectral imagery, machine learning and image analysis techniques for mapping taro and sweet potato in a smallholder cropland in Swayimane, South Africa
(John Wiley and Sons Inc, 2026) Abrahams, Mishkah; Sibanda, Mbulisi; Dube, Timothy
Accurate mapping of neglected and underutilised crop species (NUS) in complex smallholder fields is critical for enhancing food security, yet it remains a significant challenge due to landscape heterogeneity, spectral similarities between crops and the spatial complexity of strip intercropping systems. This study evaluates the efficacy of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) multispectral imagery for mapping taro and sweet potato, addressing the limitations of traditional pixel-based image analysis (PBIA), which often fails in fragmented agricultural landscapes. We quantitatively compare the performance of PBIA and object-based image analysis (OBIA) frameworks using a Gradient Tree Boost (GTB) classifier and determine the optimal input dataset by testing raw spectral bands, vegetation indices (VIs) and their combination. The findings demonstrate the clear superiority of the OBIA–GTB approach: using the combined dataset, OBIA–GTB achieved a mean overall accuracy of 95% ± 3.66%, kappa = 0.9419. In contrast, PBIA-GTB yielded 83% ± 7.10% overall accuracy, with kappa = 0.8016. This study validates a robust, scalable workflow for NUS mapping, concluding that the integration of high-resolution UAV data, OBIA and GTB provides a precise solution for agricultural monitoring in heterogeneous, intercropped smallholder systems.
Beyond the blueprint: rethinking governance and sustainability in Cape Town’s community gardens
(Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2026) Kanosvamhira, Tinashe P.
Urban community gardening initiatives have the potential to address critical urban challenges, such as fostering community cohesion and enhancing food security in local food systems. However, their long-term sustainability remains an ongoing challenge and is closely tied to the governance models that shape their operations. This study uses qualitative methods, including semi-structured interviews, to explore how different governance models influence garden autonomy and sustainability in Cape Town, South Africa. The findings demonstrate the significance of external support from nonpro-fits and government agencies; however, poorly managed support can also undermine local ownership and autonomy. A more nuanced understanding of hybrid governance (neither top-down nor bottom-up) can empower policymakers and community leaders to foster more sustainable and impact-ful urban agriculture projects in marginalized neighborhoods, particularly in Global South contexts.
Informal second-hand tyre dealers’ management of used and waste tyres in the context of the South African township economy
(Routledge, 2026) Schenck, Catherina; Blaauw, Derick
The Industry Waste Tyre Management Plan, published by South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment in 2024, aimed to create an enabling environment for the collection and recycling of waste tyres in South Africa and the creation of a circular economy. A role player excluded in the waste tyre value chain is the informal waste tyre dealers dealing with used and waste tyres and operating as part of the township economy in South Africa. This article describes the prevalence of informal tyre dealers in South Africa, the flow of used and waste tyres, as well as the final destination of waste tyres. Surveys containing quantitative and qualitative questions were completed with 551 informal tyre dealers in 11 cities throughout South Africa. Exploring the pathway of waste tyres revealed interesting reuse and recycling practices of waste tyres in townships but also how the exclusion of informal tyre dealers from the value chain leads to dumping and burning of waste tyres. It is clear that informal tyre dealers are an intrinsic part of the township economy and should instead be supported to render service of value.
Cafés of connection: exploring the social role of third places in Global South universities
(Routledge, 2026) Makhathini, Siyabonga M.; Kanosvamhira, Tinashe P.
This study explores the role of campus cafés as third places at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), focusing on their impact on student social interaction, inclusivity, and well-being. While third places have been widely studied in the global North, there is limited research within university settings in the global South. Through a mixed-methods approach, this research investigates student experiences and perceptions of campus cafés at UWC, aiming to highlight their significance in fostering community engagement and a sense of belonging. Data collection includes surveys distributed to students frequenting selected cafés, semi-structured interviews with a diverse student sample, and observation of the cafés’ physical environments. Findings suggest that campus cafés at UWC enhance socialization, inclusivity, and a sense of belonging. However, challenges like overcrowding and limited seating capacity were also highlighted, indicating the need for targeted improvements to optimize their impact. This study provides insights into the role of third places within higher education environments in the global South, extending the concept beyond its traditional context. The findings offer valuable implications for urban planners, university administrators, and policymakers aiming to design inclusive social spaces that enhance student experiences, well-being, and community cohesion in diverse academic settings.
Evaluating UAV multispectral imagery, machine learning and image analysis techniques for mapping taro and sweet potato in a smallholder cropland in Swayimane, South Africa
(John Wiley and Sons Inc, 2026) Abrahams, Mishkah; Sibanda, Mbulisi; Dube, Timothy; Magidi, James; Kunz, Richard P.; Chimonyo, Vimbayi G. P.; Clulow, Alistair D.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe
Accurate mapping of neglected and underutilised crop species (NUS) in complex smallholder fields is critical for enhancing foodsecurity, yet it remains a significant challenge due to landscape heterogeneity, spectral similarities between crops and the spatialcomplexity of strip intercropping systems. This study evaluates the efficacy of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) multispectralimagery for mapping taro and sweet potato, addressing the limitations of traditional pixel-based image analysis (PBIA), whichoften fails in fragmented agricultural landscapes. We quantitatively compare the performance of PBIA and object-based imageanalysis (OBIA) frameworks using a Gradient Tree Boost (GTB) classifier and determine the optimal input dataset by testing rawspectral bands, vegetation indices (VIs) and their combination. The findings demonstrate the clear superiority of the OBIA–GTBapproach: using the combined dataset, OBIA–GTB achieved a mean overall accuracy of 95% ± 3.66%, kappa = 0.9419. In contrast,PBIA- GTB yielded 83% ± 7.10% overall accuracy, with kappa = 0.8016. This study validates a robust, scalable workflow for NUSmapping, concluding that the integration of high-resolution UAV data, OBIA and GTB provides a precise solution for agriculturalmonitoring in heterogeneous, intercropped smallholder systems.
Young women's travel safety and the journey to work: reflecting on lived experiences of precarious mobility in three African cities (and the potential for transformative action)
(Elsevier Ltd, 2025) Porter, Gina; Murphy, Emma; Adamu, Fatima; Dayil, Plangsat Bitrus; Dungey, Claire; Maskiti, Bulelani; de Lannoy, Ariane; Clark, Sam; Ahmad, Hadiza; Yahaya, Mshelia Jummai
The relationship between women's everyday lived travel experiences as daily commuters and their employment history and potential has not been adequately researched and documented in African contexts. This multidisciplinary study, utilising an innovative action research methodology, compares experiences of young women (18-35y) resident in low-income neighbourhoods of three diverse African cities - Abuja, Cape Town and Tunis. It examines the challenges they face when undertaking travel to income-earning opportunities, the tactics necessary to enable travel with a modicum of safety and dignity, and the ongoing implications for women's employment trajectories and wider well-being. Two (often inter-related) themes occupy a central position in the discussion: mobility scheduling (as a response to domestic/care responsibilities and trip-chaining requirements) and experiences of harassment.
Food system interventions in urban environments: integrating simulation models and stakeholder solutions
(Elsevier Ltd., 2025) Hackbarth, Tom X.; May, Julian; Verburg, Peter H
Food systems operate across multiple dimensions and scales and often display inflexibility. This is shaped by, amongst other aspects, fragmented political accountability, competing priorities and power imbalances with actors from ‘big food’ industries in a dominant role. To explore potential leverage points of local policy, we analyse the effects of different food system interventions on food and nutrition security in an urban case study combining an integrated food system model with insights from stakeholder consultation. Through a process involving stakeholder assessment and co-design of intervention plans that are tested in a spatial Bayesian network food system model, we analyse the level of convergence between local perspectives and quantitative modelling results. Our findings highlight the reciprocal benefits of integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches in mitigating existing biases. The approach proposed in this study has shown promise in developing targeted, effective, and actionable local policy plans potentially reducing the probability of unhealthy household diets by up to 8%. Our findings reveal that effective interventions in our case study of Worcester, a secondary city in South Africa, require tailoring to neighbourhood-specific needs. While nutrition aid programs and community initiatives benefit the entire city, disparities in access to infrastructure and services highlight the need for targeted solutions.
Decolonising urban hospitality, sanctuary, and solidarity: considering Buen Vivir and Ubuntu
(Springer Science and Business Media B.V., 2025) Bauder, Harald; Dreher, Nick; Lujan, Omar
The field of migration and refugee studies—and by implication how we conceptualise urban migrant inclusion and urban refugee protection—continues to perpetuate Eurocentric and colonial perspectives. In this chapter, we present the results of a scoping review of the literature to explore if and to which degree the concepts of hospitality, sanctuary, and solidarity are implicated in this practice. In addition, we introduce the alternative concepts of Buen Vivir from Latin America and African ubuntu to conceptualise migrant and refugee inclusion in a non-Eurocentric way. We propose that such alternative non-European and non-Western concepts can contribute to decolonising the field of migration and refugee studies and how we look at urban migrant inclusion and refugee protection.
Modelling soil erosion risk in rural sub-catchments of Zimbabwe using RUSLE, remote sensing and machine learning
(Academic Press, 2025) Musasa, Tatenda; Dube, Timothy; Shoko, Cletah
The study modelled soil erosion risk in the Shashe and Tugwi–Zibagwe rural sub-catchments in Zimbabwe. To derive land use and land cover (LULC) thematic maps for the years 2016, 2020 and 2023, analysis ready data (Sentinel 2) were applied using the Random Forest (RF) algorithm in the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model was applied to understand the drivers of soil loss in the sub-catchments. The rainfall erosivity (R), soil erodibility (K), length slope (LS), crop management (C) and conservation support practice factors (P) were derived in GEE and applied as input to determine soil erosion risk. The findings of the study show that, the Shashe sub-catchment had mean soil losses of 15.75, 45.25, and 23.51 t ha− 1 year− 1 for 2016, 2020, and 2023, respectively. In the Tugwi-Zibagwe sub-catchment, the mean soil losses were 11.62, 18.45, and 37.34 t ha− 1 year− 1 for the same years. The results also show that LULC changes were one of the major drivers to soil loss in the rural dominated sub-catchments. Results further show that, the area under cultivation was exposed to severe erosion which averaged 16–48 t ha− 1 year− 1 when compared to other land covers in the study areas. In conclusion, of all the two sub-catchments the Shashe experiences severe soil loss than Tugwi-Zibagwe due to variations in land use and covers. Soil loss also tends to be considerably high in areas along drainage networks and where vegetation clearance is evident. These findings highlight the pressing need for up-to-date soil management approaches to improve soil conservation in rural dominated sub-catchments of Zimbabwe.
Multi-temporal catchment and wetland scale soil moisture and vegetation analysis in Shashe, Tugwi and Zibagwe sub-catchments of Zimbabwe
(Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2025) Dube, Timothy; Mupepi, Oshneck; Marambanyika, Thomas
We utilized Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) surface soil moisture, Sentinel-2 L1C-derived Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI),and Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) surface and root zone soil moisture data to assess soil moisture dynamics and vegetation health in Shashe, Tugwi and Zibagwe sub-catchments. Findings show that both maximum and minimum soil moisture values over different land covers experienced a declining trend from 2017 to2020, followed by a slight increase in 2021, attributed to higher rainfall during that period. Grasses (Driefontein − r ¼ 0.76; p ¼ 0.04;Intunjambili − r ¼ 0.62; p ¼ 0.00) and crops (Driefontein − r ¼ 0.77;p ¼ 0.00; Intunjambili − r ¼ 0.81; p ¼ 0.00) showed better correlation with Sentinel-1 surface soil moisture whilst trees correlated better with SMAP root zone soil moisture (Driefontein − r ¼ 0.83; p ¼ 0.01;Intunjambili − r ¼ 0.78; p ¼ 0.00). Sentinel-1 data can be effectively utilized to map wetland areas at the catchment scale, with vegetation health serving as a valuable indicator of wetland conditions.
Community perspectives and policy effectiveness: a study on floodplain wetland management and its socio-economic implications in the Msunduzi River Basin
(Springer Science and Business Media BV, 2026) Mokgala, Palesa J.; Kanosvamhira, Tinashe P.; Sibanda, Mbulisi
Despite the crucial role of floodplain wetlands in sustainable development, existing research reveals a significant gap in community awareness and engagement with relevant policies. This study seeks to elucidate the community’s understanding of wetland management policies and their perceived effectiveness in shaping agricultural practices and socio-economic development. Employing a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through structured surveys with residents of the floodplain and interviews with key stakeholders. The key findings reveal a marked deficiency in community awareness regarding existing floodplain wetland management regulations, accompanied by widespread scepticism about their effectiveness. This lack of awareness is further exacerbated by perceptions of ineffective community participation in policy decision-making, highlighting a substantial disconnect between the intentions of these policies and the lived experiences of local residents. These insights suggest that, without meaningful engagement and transparent dissemination of information, the potential for effective floodplain management remains severely compromised, thereby jeopardising both environmental sustainability and socio-economic development within the region. The results underscore the urgent need for improved communication strategies and inclusive engagement processes to empower local communities in floodplain management. By addressing these identified gaps, policymakers can foster enhanced community participation, increase the efficacy of environmental regulations, and ultimately support sustainable socio-economic development. This study contributes to the broader discourse on urban governance and environmental management in the Global South, advocating for a paradigm shift towards participatory approaches in policy formulation and implementation.
Embodied infrastructures and the spatial imagination of mobilities: ‘Following’ street waste-picker bodies within and among critical urban waste networks of Johannesburg
(SAGE Publications Ltd, 2026) Goeiman, Johnathan
This article posits that the unnoticed and unseen (invisible) aspects of street waste-picker mobilities are an intimate part of the regime of human/waste mobilities and the maintenance of critical urban operations. Street waste-pickers are commonly known to make a living from accumulating and selling recyclable material (waste) and operate on the streets of the urban as a visible and common phenomenon. However, through their everyday management of waste and spatial movements within the urban, street waste-pickers contend with urban displacements, poverty and general social exclusion within everyday urban spaces, dimensions which are often rendered invisible in the context of street waste-picker mobilities. Highlighting the invisible dimensions of street waste-picker mobilities shows how the body functions as a form of infrastructure in distributed form and suffers attritional decay through its entanglement with poverty in the urban. This article builds on and contributes to the conceptual development of the notion of ‘infrastructural violence’ and builds on more recent work on bodies as infrastructures to highlight aspects of ‘slow infrastructural violence’. It contributes to this body of knowledge by positing the ‘following’ method as a mechanism that reveals the invisible and backgrounded socio-material networks that entangle marginalised bodies as intimate parts of urban infrastructure. The article demonstrates this through ‘following’ street waste-pickers and revealing their everyday relations with movement, spatial organisation and everyday exclusion.
Assessment of the maize Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI) using drone-acquired data across different phenological stages
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2025) Kapari, Mpho; Sibanda, Mbulisi ; Magidi, James
The temperature-based crop water stress index (CWSI) is the most robust metric among precise techniques that assess the severity of crop water stress, particularly in susceptible crops like maize. This study used a unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to remotely collect data, to use in combination with the random forest regression algorithm to detect the maize CWSI in smallholder croplands. This study sought to predict a foliar temperature-derived maize CWSI as a proxy for crop water stress using UAV-acquired spectral variables together with random forest regression throughout the vegetative and reproductive growth stages. The CWSI was derived after computing the non-water-stress baseline (NWSB) and non-transpiration baseline (NTB) using the field-measured canopy temperature, air temperature, and humidity data during the vegetative growth stages (V5, V10, and V14) and the reproductive growth stage (R1 stage). The results showed that the CWSI (CWSI < 0.3) could be estimated to an R2 of 0.86, RMSE of 0.12, and MAE of 0.10 for the 5th vegetative stage; an R2 of 0.85, RMSE of 0.03, and MAE of 0.02 for the 10th vegetative stage; an R2 of 0.85, RMSE of 0.05, and MAE of 0.04 for the 14th vegetative stage; and an R2 of 0.82, RMSE of 0.09, and MAE of 0.08 for the 1st reproductive stage. The Red, RedEdge, NIR, and TIR UAV-bands and their associated indices (CCCI, MTCI, GNDVI, NDRE, Red, TIR) were the most influential variables across all the growth stages. The vegetative V10 stage exhibited the most optimal prediction accuracies (RMSE = 0.03, MAE = 0.02), with the Red band being the most influential predictor variable. Unmanned aerial vehicles are essential for collecting data on the small and fragmented croplands predominant in southern Africa. The procedure facilitates determining crop water stress at different phenological stages to develop timeous response interventions, acting as an early warning system for crops.
Assessing neglected and underutilised taro crop water status using physiological indicators and UAV multi-modal thermal-multispectral data
(Springer, 2026) Sibanda, Mbulisi; Ndlovu, Helen S.; Odindi, John
Purpose: Taro (Colocasia esculenta (L)), a neglected and underutilized crop species (NUS), holds great potential as a future smart crop that can thrive under climate variability and change, hence sustaining food security. While taro exhibits tolerance to drought conditions, variations in physiological attributes such as leaf temperature that rises under water stress and the associated stomatal closure that is initiated to conserve water, compromise crop productivity and overall yield. Therefore, monitoring taro crop physiological indicators of water status allows for the implementation of timely interventions and targeted adaption strategies to mitigate the effects of water deficit on taro crop productivity. Methods: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), integrated with high-resolution thermal sensors, provide valuable platform for generating near-real-time spatially explicit information suitable for assessing taro crop water status physiological indicators at farm scale. Hence, this study sought to evaluate the utility of UAV multi-modal thermal remote sensing and deep neural network techniques to estimate the equivalent water thickness, fuel moisture content, stomatal conductance, canopy temperature, and the chlorophyll content of smallholder taro crops. Results: Findings showed that the multi-modal variable method achieves higher estimation accuracies in comparison to a single-modal technique, achieving R2 values greater than 0.91 and rRSME values less than 14.15% of equivalent water thickness, fuel moisture content, stomatal conductance, canopy temperature, and chlorophyll content. Additionally, the results illustrated that the thermal wavebands and derived thermal indices are the most influential variables in estimating stomatal conductance and leaf temperature, yielding R2 of 0.96 and 0.95, respectively. Conclusion: These research findings underscore the applicability of UAV-acquired thermal remote sensing in providing rapid and robust spatially explicit information on smallholder taro crop water status for ensuring crop productivity and developing early warning systems of water stress. These findings serve as a stepping stone towards advancing agricultural monitoring frameworks and integrating NUS, such as taro, into traditional farming.
Cultivating communities: understanding motivations in urban gardening among low-income residents in Cape Town, South Africa
(Thomas A. Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems, 2025) Kanosvamhira, Tinashe P.
In local food systems research, a notable gap exists in exploring the personal motivations of individual gardeners, with most studies focusing solely on the overarching objectives of community gardens in Global South regions. This study bridges the gap by investigating the multifaceted motivations driving urban gardening among low-income residents in Cape Town’s Cape Flats, using a mixed-methods approach that integrates survey data from 97 participants and semi-structured interviews conducted across 34 community gardens. Although community gardens are predominantly designed with economic aims as evidenced by 29 out of 34 gardens prioritizing income generation, the findings reveal a tension between these institutional objectives and the personal motivations of individual gardeners. Quantitative analysis of the responses indicates that while 76.3% of participants indicated economic reasons, all respondents affirmed the importance of social, health, and environmental benefits. Qualitative insights further reveal that many gardeners perceive their participation as a means to enhance physical and psychological well‐being and to promote sustainable environmental practices, despite facing structural barriers such as limited space, time constraints, and inadequate resources. This study contributes to urban food systems literature by challenging conventional economic framings of urban gardening in the Global South and advocating for inclusive policies that bridge the gap between institutional aims and individual experiences, thereby enhancing the resilience and sustainability of urban community gardens.
Sonic urbanism(s): listening to the city
(SAGE Publications Ltd, 2025) Rink, Bradley ; Gumede, Sibonelo; Moubachir, Ilham
This reflection on cultural geographies in practice draws upon experimental pedagogical practices from a Critical Urbanisms seminar entitled Sonic urbanisms: Sound, mobilities, culture and identity convened by the University of Basel and University of Cape Town. In the seminar we sought to explore the sonic aspects of Cape Town and its acoustic territories shaped through movements, circulations, and encounters. By experimenting with methods of listening to an African urban environment we offer insights to citiness developed through ‘sonic dérives’ – building on the concept from the Situationist International – that allowed our pedagogical process to drift with sounds: following, sampling, tracing. In this paper we seek to demonstrate firstly how our sonic dérives highlight emotional and affective relationships with urban space; and secondly, how our experiments shift us from hearing the city as a cognitive process of comprehension to listening as an active pedagogical and analytical process of speculation and imagination, straining towards possible meaning that is not immediately accessible. The outcomes of our sonic dérives illustrate how sound casts long spatial and temporal shadows, spreading across an acoustic territory without neat boundaries while also disrupting linear notions of past, present and future in the life of the African city through sonic connections to memories, desires and the formation of alliances. Through our experiments in sonic urbanism(s) the city is rendered in mobile acoustic territories that are fluid, ephemeral and intersecting as evidenced by a sonic map of Cape Town providing a multi-layered soundscape that is made visible and audible.
Enhancing the estimation of equivalent water thickness in neglected and underutilized taro crops using UAV acquired multispectral thermal image data and index-based image segmentation
(Elsevier B.V., 2025) Sibanda, Mbulisi; Ndlovu, Helen S.; Odindi, John
Taro, recognized as a future smart neglected and underutilized crop as a result of its resilience to abiotic stresses, has emerged as valuable for diversifying crop farming systems and sustaining local livelihoods. Nonetheless, a significant research gap exists in spatially explicit information on the water status of taro, contributing to the paradox of its ability to adapt to diverse agro-ecological conditions. Precision agriculture, including the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) outfitted with high-resolution multispectral and thermal imagery, has proven effective in farm-scale monitoring and provides near-real-time information on crop water status. Hence, this study sought to evaluate the applicability of multispectral and thermal infrared UAV imagery in understanding taro's water status. Leveraging deep learning techniques to evaluate the use of thermal remote sensing and three index-based segmentation techniques in predicting the canopy equivalent water thickness (EWT) of taro crops, this study sought to determine EWT as a proxy to its water status in smallholder farmlands. The study findings illustrate a significant difference in the prediction accuracies of taro EWT with and without the thermal band ( P < 0.05 ). Additionally, results (R2 = 0.92, RMSE = 8.04 g/m2, and rRMSE = 15.31 % including the thermal band and 0.91, 8.73 g/m2, and 16.64 % excluding the thermal band) reveal the value of the Excess Green minus Excess Red (ExGR) technique in accurately predicting EWTcanopy. This study serves as a foundation for developing an effective and efficient monitoring framework that provides a spatially explicit overview of neglected and underutilized crops such as taro.
Nourishing minds: understanding student dining preferences and perceptions of healthy eating in campus cafés
(Taylor and Francis Ltd., 2025) Kanosvamhira, Tinashe P.
Campus cafés significantly impact well-being and dietary behavior. This study examines food choices among university students, revealing that affordability, convenience, and proximity predominantly influence café selection. Although health awareness exists, nutritious options are often perceived as costlier and thus inaccessible within constrained student budgets. Limited appealing healthy choices contribute to poor dietary patterns, including low fruit and vegetable intake. Survey findings indicate minimal awareness of institutional nutrition initiatives, underscoring a communication gap. To address these issues, universities should improve affordability, diversify healthier menu offerings, and implement targeted nutrition campaigns to cultivate a food environment conducive to health and academic performance.
Global synthesis and regional insights for mainstreaming urban nature-based solutions
(National Academy of Sciences, 2025) O’Farrell, Patrick; McPhearson, Timon; Frantzeskaki, Niki
The increasing impacts of societal challenges in cities—including climate change, food and water security, health, and biodiversity loss—underline the need for multifunctional solutions that maximize cobenefits. The majority people, infrastructure, and economic activity is concentrated in cities, making them the global locus for social and economic risks as well as opportunity spaces for solutions. Cities around the world are rapidly investing in nature-based solutions (NbS) to complement, replace, or improve upon technological and engineered approaches to infrastructure-based solutions ( 1 – 5 ). To match the urgency of climate-related disruptions, costs, and impacts ( 6 ), NbS adoption and implementation must be accelerated. Yet, despite the demonstrated potential of NbS, uptake and knowledge is uneven globally ( 7 ). Knowledge on NbS in published literature is geographically biased from the Global North with less known from Global South regions ( 1 , 7 , 8 ). Even with proliferation of literature reviews on NBS, there remains a gap in studies that assess the state of knowledge in the literature and provide opportunity to augment insights from non-English literature and experiences from Global South contexts. Here, we help fill the gap in Global South knowledge assessment by combining a review of NbS review papers with a regionally focused expert review in diverse global regions to identify similarities and differences in barriers to NbS adoption and practice while synthesizing critical ways forward for addressing key challenges to implementation and research.
Waste work in the global south: exploring activity theory as a framework for understanding distributed roles of intermediaries in Cape Town’s urban waste economy
(Springer Science and Business Media B.V., 2024) Goeiman, Johnathan; Rink, Bradley
Waste work in cities of the global south is arranged with myriad actors, both formal and informal, who individually and collectively, and to varying capacities, play a distinctive yet interconnected role in the urban waste economy. These roles are interrelated and involve the management, movement and monetisation of recyclable waste. However, given the complexity of infrastructure(s), technology as well as urban socio-spatial stratification within contexts of the Global South, conventional frameworks that seek to explain waste work have limited capacity in delineating the varying role(s) of actors within a community of practice and how these roles are continuously changing through mutual interconnections and adaptation. This article explores Activity Theory as a framework for understanding how the role(s) of actors are continuously negotiated through mediating factors such as (i) technology/infrastructure; (ii) rules and regulations; (iii) community of actors and (iv) the division of labour. This article draws on an ethnographic case of intermediary waste workers within Cape Town’s urban waste economy, and rather than focussing on the role of individual actor(s) as (an) isolated element(s), this article embeds their individual roles in relation to a composite network of actors. The results of this article demonstrate how the role(s) of actors doing waste work are non-linear and are continuously mediated through their relations with technology, infrastructure and their interconnections with other actors. Moreover, this article provides holistic insight into new forms of knowledge production through waste work in the global south, collaboration among myriad actors and the development of common consciousness toward the transformation and valorisation of waste.

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