“A social-ecological systems approach to sustainable production of endemic rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) and honeybush (Cyclopia spp.) species amongst agrarian communities in the Cape Floristic Region (CFR)”
| dc.contributor.advisor | Esler, Karen J. | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Jacobs, Shayne Martin | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Schaminee, Joop Hendrik Jacque | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Malgas, Rhoda Ronette | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.other | Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Conservation Ecology and Entomology. | en_ZA |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2022-11-23T14:32:49Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2023-01-16T12:50:23Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2022-11-23T14:32:49Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2023-01-16T12:50:23Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2022-12 | |
| dc.description | Thesis (PhDConsEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2022. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | ENGLISH ABSTRACT: How do we ensure sustainable biomass production of Fynbos endemic plant species to support the livelihoods of small-scale producers in geographically delimited production areas of the Cape Floristic Region (CFR)? This research aims to address that question for the South African small-scale rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) and honeybush (Cyclopia spp.) sectors by applying a systems approach. Social-ecological (SE) variables and their interactions were described and mapped using Ostrom’s Social Ecological Systems Framework (SESF), a novel undertaking for Fynbos-based sectors. The SESF is a conceptual tool designed to describe, characterize, and analyse social-ecological systems (SES). It is used to diagnose problems and to elicit principles for improved SES outcomes, such as sustainable harvesting, agroecological production, sustainable livelihoods and maintaining the ecological integrity of wild rooibos and honeybush populations in natural Cape Fynbos plant communities. Pitfalls and pathways to sustainability were identified by analysing SE variables and their interactions. Variable identification was achieved through three inter-related studies. First, to anchor the conceptual work in a real-life focal action situation, the historical practice of wild-harvesting and contemporary production of honeybush at Genadendal (The Overberg, Western Cape) was used as a case. Interviews with 32 local ecological knowledge (LEK) holders formed the basis for a) collation of LEK to understand the mental models¹ or local perceptions resource-users have of local honeybush species and b) characterisation of LEK in the context of the SESF and potential sustainability outcomes in contemporary harvest systems of honeybush, and sister species, rooibos. Correlations between knowledge-bearer biographies and LEK, and details of knowledge transfer and LEK valuation were amongst the emerging themes. Findings from LEK also included details of species habitats, harvest sites, morphological features, and the status of local wild honeybush. Secondly, barriers that local land-users at Genadendal face in adopting honeybush production as a viable livelihood option were explored in comparison with accounts from rooibos and honeybush small-scale farmers elsewhere in the CFR to formulate a composite framework. Research outcomes highlight biophysical, institutional, and interpersonal barriers that these actors face in deciding whether to adopt indigenous rooibos or honeybush crops into their livelihood strategies. Thirdly, sets of ecological variables were identified from literature on Fynbos ecological research. Phytosocialogical data were used to highlight how conserving wild rooibos and honeybush habitats inadvertently conserve the habitats of co-occurring Fynbos species and concomitant ecological processes across a range of Fynbos vegetation types. A review of published research pointed to guides and recommendations for sustainable ¹ In the language of Ostrom’s Social Ecological Systems Framework, mental models refer to the conceptual ideas people commonly hold of the natural resource and how they interact with it. For instance, Sarah Ives (2014) describes this extensively for rooibos tea amongst different farmer groups. In her paper, she reflects on how the plants are associated with land and patriotism, whereas coloured producers consider the tea part of their heritage as First Nations descendants. biomass production, helping to identify plant functional traits and ecological parameters explicit in biomass production. Abstraction of ecological drivers in rooibos and honeybush sectors highlighted the “ecological rules” implicit in Fynbos-based production systems, but that are often neglected in previous iterations of the SESF. The study thus also addresses the theoretical gap of the “missing E” in SES previously reported in SES research by emphasising how foundational ecological factors are in endemic Fynbos production systems. Pathways to sustainability outcomes were devised by reviewing findings from the studies with conceptual constructs and principles theoretically associated with sustainability outcomes. Ostrom’s SESF has been widely applied to diverse SES across the world, but has rarely been used in South Africa, and to date, has not been operationalised for any of the Fynbos-based sectors, despite their apparent eligibility for its application. This research adds to SESF theory with a unique contribution from the Cape Fynbos and its unique ecology. A grounded approach to SES variable identification focused attention on two entities often neglected in mainstream research: Fynbos genetic crop wild relatives and the small- scale producers who rely on them for their livelihoods. The dissertation concludes with a sector-specific SESF refined for application in the rooibos and honeybush sectors. Ultimately, the result is a revised SESF that may find application in other Fynbos-based SES where sustainable wild-harvesting and sustainable agricultural production are desired outcomes. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hoe verseker ons volhoubare biomassaproduksie van Fynbos inheemse plantspesies om die lewensbestaan van kleinskaalse produsente in geografies-afgebakende produksiegebiede van die Kaapse Blommeryk (KBR) te ondersteun? Die huidige navorsing poog om dié vraag ten opsigte van Suid-Afrikaanse kleinskaalse rooibos- (Aspalathus linearis) en heuningbos- (Cyclopia spp.) sektore aan te pak deur ’n stelselbenadering te gebruik. Sosio-ekologiese (SE) veranderlikes en hulle wisselwerking is beskryf en uiteengesit deur Ostrom se Sosiaal-Ekologiese Stelselraamwerk (SESR) te gebruik – ’n nuwe onderneming vir Fynbosgebaseerde sektore. Die SESR is ’n konseptuele instrument ontwerp om sosio-ekologiese stelsels (SES) te beskryf, te kenmerk en te ontleed. Dit word gebruik om probleme te diagnoseer en beginsels vir verbeterde SES-uitkomste na vore te bring, soos volhoubare oes, ekologiese boerderyproduksie, volhoubare lewensonderhoud asook die handhawing van ekologiese integriteit van wilde rooibos- en heuningbospopulasies in natuurlike Kaapse Fynbosplantgemeenskappe. Slaggate vir en weë na volhoubaarheid is geïdentifseer deur veranderlikes en hulle wisselwerking te ontleed. Die identifikasie van veranderlikes is bereik deur middel van drie verbandhoudende studies. Eerstens, om die konseptuele werk in ’n werklike fokussituasie te anker, is die geskiedkundige praktyk van veldoes en eietydse produksie van heuningbos by Genadendal (in die Overberg, Wes-Kaap) as gevallestudie gebruik. Onderhoude met 32 plaaslike ekologiekundiges wie beskik oor Plaaslike Ekologiese Kennis (PEK) (“holders of Local Ecological Knowledge, LEK”) het die basis gevorm vir a) die bymekaarbring van PEK om die denkmodelle² of insigte wat brongebruikers van plaaslike heuningbosspesies het en b) die uitbeelding van LEK in die konteks van die SESR en moontlike volhoubaarheidsuitkomste in eietydse heuningbos-, en oesstelsels van susterspesie, rooibos, te verstaan. Verbande tussen die lewensverhale van kundigheidsoordraers en LEK, besonderhede van kennisoordrag en PEK-waardebepaling was sommige temas wat na vore gekom het. Bevindinge uit PEK sluit verder besonderhede in van spesieshabitatte, oesterreine, morfologiese eienskappe en die status van plaaslike wilde heuningbos. Tweedens, hindernisse wat plaaslike grondgebruikers in Genadendal in die gesig staar om heuningbos as volhoubare lewensonderhoudskeuse te aanvaar is verder ondersoek in vergelyking met mededelings van rooibos- en heuningbos-kleinskaalboere op ander plekke in die KBR om ’n saamgestelde raamwerk te formuleer. Bevindinge doen aan die hand dat biofisiese, institusionele en interpersoonlike hindernisse hierdie werkers in die gesig staar indien hulle besluit of hulle rooibos of heuningbos as gewas deel van hulle lewensonderhoudstrategieë wil maak. Derdens, `n reeks ekologiese veranderlikes is geïdentifiseer uit literatuur oor Fynbos ekologiese navorsing. ² In die taal van Ostrom se sosiaal-ekologiese stelselraamwerk verwys denkmodelle na die konseptuele idees wat mense gebruiklik het oor natuurlike bronne en hoe hulle daarmee omgaan. Byvoorbeeld, Sarah Ives (2014) beskryf hierdie konsep uitvoerig vir rooibostee onder verskillende groepe boere. In haar artikel reflekteer sy hoe die plant met grond en patriotisme verband hou, terwyl gekleurde produsente die tee as deel van hulle erfenis as afstammelinge van oorspronklike nasies sien. Fitososiologiese data is gebruik om aan te toon hoe die bewaring van wilde rooibos- en heuningboshabitatte onbedoeld die habitatte van saam-voorkomende Fynbosspesies en daarmee gepaardgaande ekologiese prosesse oor ’n reeks van planttipes bewaar. ’n Oorsig van gepubliseerde navorsing wys na riglyne en voorstelle vir volhoubare biomassaproduksie, om plantfunksionele eienskappe en ekologiese beperkings wat eksplisiet is in biomassaproduksie te help identifiseer. Abstrahering van ekologiese aandrywers in die rooibos- en heuningbossektore het die “ekologiese reëls” implisiet in Fynbosgebaseerde produksiestelsels uitgelig wat dikwels in vorige weergawes van die SESR verwaarloos is. Die studie pak dus ook die teoretiese gaping van die “vermisde E” (vir ekologie) aan waaroor tevore in SES-navorsing berig is deur die manier te beklemtoon waarop ekologiese faktore fundamenteel is tot endemiese Fynbosproduksiestelsels. Kortpaaie na volhoubaarheidsuitkomste is bedink deur bevindinge van studies met konseptuele konstrukte en beginsels teoreties geassosieer met volhoubaarheidsuitkomste na te gaan. Ostrom se SESR word algemeen oor die wêreld heen toegepas op diverse SES’e maar is nog selde in Suid-Afrika gebruik, en tot op datum nog nie geoperasionaliseer vir enige van die Fynbosgebaseerde sektore nie, ten spyte van hulle skynbare geskiktheid vir toepassing. Hierdie navorsing maak ’n unieke bydrae tot SESR-teorie uit die Kaapse Fynbos-ekologie. ’n Gegronde benadering tot die identifisering van SES- veranderlikes het die aandag gevestig op twee entiteite wat dikwels in hoofstroomnavorsing afgeskeep word: die wilde variante van Fynbos genetiese gewasse en die kleinskaalse produsente wat daarop staatmaak vir hulle lewensonderhoud. Uiteindelik is die gevolg ’n hersiene SESR wat moontlik in ander Fynbosgebaseerde sektore toegepas sal kan word. Die dissertasie sluit af met ’n sektorspesifieke SESR wat vir die rooibos- en heuningbossektore verfyn is, wat meer breedweg toegepas kan word op ander Fynbosgebaseerde SES’e waar volhoubare veldoes en volhoubare landbouproduksie gewensde uitkomste is. | af_ZA |
| dc.description.version | Doctoral | en_ZA |
| dc.format.extent | xix, 220 pages : illustrations (some color), maps | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/126106 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_ZA | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Ostrom’s Social Ecological Systems Framework | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) -- South Africa -- Cape Floristic Region | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Honeybush (Cyclopia spp.) -- South Africa -- Cape Floristic Region | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Small-scale farmers | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Fynbos -- Cape Floristic Region (CFR) | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Social-ecological systems | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | UCTD | en_ZA |
| dc.title | “A social-ecological systems approach to sustainable production of endemic rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) and honeybush (Cyclopia spp.) species amongst agrarian communities in the Cape Floristic Region (CFR)” | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |
Files
Original bundle
1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
- Name:
- malgas_social_2022.pdf
- Size:
- 5.79 MB
- Format:
- Adobe Portable Document Format
- Description: