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Rwanda’s large rural population, with its high density and growth, have increasing demands for fruit and fuel wood. Currently, Rwanda even has an estimated deficit of 9.5 million m³ wood and fruit consumption is estimated to increase 20% between 2017 and 2024 (MoE, 2018; GoR, 2018). These demands result in overexploitation of the land, which lead to degraded lands and to low agricultural productivity (REMA, 2015). However, AF is identified as the single most important restoration opportunity for degraded lands with low productivity, especially in Eastern Rwanda (MoE, 2018). Despite Rwanda’s efforts in the promotion of AF and its proven benefits, there still exists an AF adoption gap in the Eastern Province. In this study, a discrete choice experiment (DCE) in Eastern Rwanda is performed to unravel the small-scale farmers’ preference on AF systems. A DCE is a stated preference method, in this one, the farmers have to choose between adopting one of two AF systems with differing characteristics or not adopting AF. The farmers in this region live on degraded lands and have high land pressures, making this region an ideal study area for the research. Furthermore, this study aims at understanding farmer and plot characteristics that may influence willingness to adopt AF in the region. This led to eight attributes. For the experimental a Bayesian D-optimal fractional factorial design was made using JMP. This final DCE was imbedded in a HH survey, in which the household (HH), HH head and plot characteristics too were questioned, as well as their AF knowledge and the most and least important agroforestry characteristics according to the respondents. The DCE was executed for the respondents’ specific plots, with a maximum of three plots. Later the data was analyzed both on HH as plot level, with sample sizes of 248 HHs and 543 plots. For the analysis a conditional logit, mixed logit and latent class model was performed. Out of these analyses it was found that the farmers want to adopt agroforestry, with in general and plot-specific preferences of high crop yield, high number of total trees, increasing fraction of fruit trees, increasing extension officer visits and tree’s with deep roots systems (R1). The farmers also show a dislike for more labor, further tree nurseries and increasing seedling prices (R1). That both the general and plot-specific farmers’ preferences are heterogenic (R2) and that the farmers can be divided into two latent classes based on their agroforestry preferences. Understanding farmers’ preferences allows us to develop a policy frame and assistance scheme that is tailored to the farmers’ needs. This will ensure higher adoption and tree survival rates when an AF project is developed in the region. This DCE is unique since it focusses on the production practices and takes the farmers’ AF preferences of this region into account. The decreasing maize yield, lack of assistance and seedling costs are found to be the major constraints for adopting agroforestry. Further it is recommended to the policy makers to develop and refine the AF assistance and land law based on the local farmers’ needs, as well as reducing the negative effects of decreasing crop yield after adopting AF for the individual farmer. By creating incentives, increasing maize hybrids and increasing the market access for the local farmers.

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Due to the rapid urbanization of cities and climate change, authorities face the big challenges of expanding cities in a sustainable way and to meet in the needs of further generations. Ha Tinh (Vietnam) is an example of those cities and is used in this thesis as a test area where research is conducted to improve the comfort. Due to the warm and humid climate in central Vietnam, it is a huge task to keep the air temperatures in and around the buildings under control during the summer period. The results can be applicable to many other cities in Vietnam. The problems have been identified by means of a survey and measurements (temperature and relative humidity) in and around the houses in different neighborhoods. The mapping of the situation has been followed up by a search for possible solutions which could contribute to a more pleasant microclimate. In order to check the influence of amongst other materials, configurations, weather parameters,… I acquainted myself with and made use of the ENVI-met software where simulations on neighborhood level have been completed. The results from the surveys show mutual differences between the different neighborhoods. Based on this survey, the comfort feeling can be compared with numerical results. The results of the ENVI-met simulations generally correspond well to the reality. The sensitivity analysis supplied good results such as the correct approach to a shed. At building level, the accuracy of the results on short term (24 h) is questionable when focusing on the indoor air temperature. Overall, it is apparent from the results that the location, where the measurements are performed, determines the influence of the changes in the area. All proposed changes (urban green, urban blue, street material, roof material, height of the houses) had a positive effect on the air temperature in the area or in the buildings. The parameter that is hard to estimated, the soil wetness, had an influence on the air temperature due to the evaporation of water.

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UNESCO Biosphere Reserves are internationally recognized locations with high ecological value, designated under the intergovernmental Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB). The aim is, to provide a place for identifying and implementing sustainable development strategies that consider a broader socio-ecological perspective. Biosphere have a zonation scheme, that considers different levels of conservation or development. The Kogelberg Biosphere in the Western Cape district of South Africa was not only the first biosphere, but includes also an area with the highest floral diversity in the world, the so called Fynbos. Fynbos is part of the Cape Floral Kingdom and highly endangered: land transformation, alien invasion and climate change. Alien species were until recently widely used for the production of timber in the area, that naturally has no tree cover but is a low shrub vegetation that requires regular fires to sustain. The decision to remove the plantations in order to restore certain deteriorated ecosystem services such as water not only left large portions of the landscape unmanaged, also unemployment and economic stress rose due to the increased unemployment. In support of the UNESCO‘s MAB scientific approach in finding solutions, this study aims at providing a guideline of suitable land-use options specifically for the former plantation land. The literature and activities already provide a broad range of experience and findings that will be synthesized and fit to the conditions on site, but will be further supplemented by narratives from stakeholders on site and spatial analysis. Interviews show, that a significant amount of potential lies in the people on site, their interest and capacities should me considered more during planning. There are also a few special aspects such as fire risk and alien invasion management that need to be paid attention to, especially in order to broaden the benefits and reducing costs. The spatial analysis provides an insight of where land-use options should be conducted, mostly in proximity to urban areas and heavily degraded land. The highest benefits on socio-economic and ecological perspective is tourism, due to its low impact on environment and provision of skilled employment. Business too profit from tourism development. Nevertheless, agriculture can, if applied as small-scaled organic agriculture with local marketing, contribute to an important part to enhanced livelihoods and to well-being. Implementing innovative strategies, it may contribute to a shift in paradigm towards a more environmental friendly land-use. Authorities are the biggest supplier of employment and vital to buffer extreme poverty, yet involving the private sector for financing activities through different schemes such as investing in ecological infrastructure and payment for ecosystem services may have a great potential. Their application requires approaching stakeholders and finding viable solutions. In most of the suggested options, the bottom up approach in where actors meet at eye level and cooperation among stakeholders and institutions is absolutely vital for long term success. These aspects support the build-up of resilience and increases the people’s capacity to develop and handle shocks, which in turn benefits the environment.

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More frequent and powerful extreme events, including flooding, droughts, and rising heat waves, are expected in a country like South Africa, which is particularly exposed to the effects of climate change. Because of the uncertainty surrounding climate change, everyone must be prepared to meet any unexpected event in the future, but most importantly, to make informed decisions about it now. The study of climate change's causes, effects, and consequences, as well as solutions, plays an essential role in education. As a result, to design and carry out effective climate change education (CCE), teachers must acquire extensive knowledge and develop locally relevant pedagogical strategies. Teachers interested in tackling climate change confront the issue of incorporating it into their already overburdened school curriculum and the lack of contextualized resources pertinent to their learners’ environments. The “Keep It Cool: Climate Change Education” (KIC-CCE) project aims to integrate CCE into the national ncurriculum and establish climate change projects in Limpopo, Eastern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal provinces. Secondary school teachers in geography and natural science subjects were trained for this purpose over a three-month trajectory in 2021. Five Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) -Rhodes University, University of Fort Hare, University of Venda, Univeristy of Zululand, and University of KwaZulu-Natal- executed the training. The goal of this master's thesis is to assess the training and teaching materials that have been used to improve teachers' professional development (TPD) in climate change. To that end, the framework applied to measure the training's instructional quality is based on the First Principles of Instruction (FPI). These are five prescriptive principles -Problem-centered, Activation, Demonstration, Application, and Integration- required for effective, efficient, and engaging instruction. To answer the following study questions: (a) What climate change-related teaching materials were used during the KIC-CCE training to increase climate change education? And (b) Were the First Principles of Instruction present during the KIC-CCE training, and if so, how? A qualitative study was carried out. In-depth interviews, participant observation, and content analysis were part of the research. Both the General Core Texts and the Subject-specific Topic Units are locally relevant for teaching climate change in South Africa, according to mapping of the teaching materials used throughout the training. Analyzing these resources at the student and teacher levels reveals that these principles were present in geography and natural sciences subjects, but not in the same proportion. Both subjects have a better affinity for the Problem- Centered Principle at the student level in three out of five Subject-specific Topic Units. However, as compared to the previous units, the Demonstration principle is absent. At the teacher level, the analysis was done by comparing the performance of the five HEIs. Findings reveal that the University of KwaZulu-Natal and Rhodes University significantly promoted learning by adhering to all principles. More specifically, the encouragement of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) was a key driver for integrating learning. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of TPD in climate change content and pedagogical knowledge. Besides, its contribution to the discipline of instructional design models and educ...