Global Development Professional Masters Projects
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Item Cultural Embeddedness and Economic Motivations in Smallholder Cattle Farming: A Mixed-Methods Study from KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaSmith, Elisha (2025-08)This study examines the cultural and economic motivations of cattle farming among smallholder farmers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Drawing on Polanyi's (1944) embeddedness theory and Granovetter's work (1985) on socio-cultural values' influence on economic behavior, it investigates how cattle serve dual roles as both cultural assets and economic resources. Survey data from 59 smallholder farmers in rural and peri-urban locations was analyzed using an ordinal embeddedness score measuring cultural versus economic motivations. Ordinal logistic regression revealed that geographic location significantly predicts cultural embeddedness (OR = 0.219, p = 0.042), with 83% of rural farmers displaying high cultural embeddedness compared to 17% of peri-urban farmers. Age showed no significant influence on motivation. Notably, 41% of farmers demonstrated mixed embeddedness, expressing both cultural and economic motivations simultaneously. Cultural and economic factors alone could not explain herd size, breed selection, or farmer association participation, suggesting additional influences on these decisions. Cattle fulfill ceremonial purposes, provide social status through practices like lobola, and serve as savings and insurance. Rural farmers maintained stronger cultural motivations while peri-urban farmers expressed primarily economic motivations. This geographic pattern aligns with differences in market access and infrastructure between locations. The study demonstrates how embeddedness theory helps explain the interaction between location and farmer motivations, revealing that cultural and economic functions of cattle are balanced differently depending on geographic context.Item Asesing Short term Study Abroad Impact on Host Communities: The case of GhanaSayegh, Jackie (2025-08)The numerous surveys and publications on short term study abroad programs have neglected, or largely ignored, how host communities are impacted by these programs. Questions such as what sort of interactions the students have with local communities in host countries and how these communities view and relate to the students have almost no published assessment to inform STA practitioners and international program that’s develop STAs. Organizations such as the Institute for International Education (IIE), School of International Training (SIT), and many others have little or no data on the effects of study abroad programs on local communities. The Forum on Education Abroad Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad (2008, 19) only cautions students and the organizations sending the students to “respect the cultures and values of the countries in which it operates.” This study seeks to shed light on how these programs influence, impact, and effect change on host communities and how those in the communities view the STAs. Two communities, Tse Addo and UG, were the survey sites. Findings of the study reveal the need for more collaboration and effort be placed in developing mutually beneficial, targeted, and meaningful experiential learning not only for he students, but also where that learning takes place.Item Toward a Sustainable and Sustaining Lake Economy: An Exploratory Framing of Kenya's Enabling Environment for Aquaculture in Lake VictoriaNewell, Eli (2025-08)Cage culture, or fish farming in floating cages, is now an established practice in LakeVictoria, Kenya, and has helped offset declining yields from the lake’s capture fishery. However, cage culture is still a relatively recent phenomenon compared to fishing and is not yet well regulated. Most of the growth in recent years appears to have gone to a few commercial farms while the outcomes for small and medium farmers are more varied. Smallholder aquaculture has significant potential to enhance regional nutrition security and economic growth, yet the sector remains underdeveloped due to numerous persistent challenges. In response, the Lake Victoria Aquaculture Association is leading a concept to facilitate better access to inputs, services, and markets through a coordinated approach. The present study evaluates farmer interest in this concept to inform implementation and contributes to understanding of the systemwide enabling factors supporting or hindering farmers, including policy, cooperation, and trust.Item An Investigation of the Application of Qualitative Methods to Monitor and Evaluate Food Security in Developing CountriesChoi, Sieun (2025-08)In recent years, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) for food security has become increasingly vital, driven by the demand for evidence-based strategies. While effective M&E supports informed decision-making and enhances communication among stakeholders, a strong focus on quantifiable outcomes often overlooks the importance of social context, limiting the depth of impact assessments. Although qualitative approaches are gaining recognition for addressing this gap, they remain underused and often take a backseat to quantitative methods. This research investigates how qualitative methods are employed in both academic literature and field practice. From a methodological perspective, the investigation combined a scoping review with a small-scale interview study. The scoping study focused on peer-reviewed academic literature and the interview study involved field staff from the World Food Programme (WFP) whose work is focused on M&E. The scoping review identified trends in their integration within mixed-methods research, while interviews with WFP staff revealed practical limitations, including resource constraints and insufficient institutional support. There are substantial number of research using qualitative methods for its core function, explaining how and why. Qualitative assessments at the WFP are usually conducted as complementary research to interpret quantitative findings, and the organization provides guidelines to support this process. However, findings indicate that qualitative tools are applied in limited ways and remained an adjunct input to M&E. The study recommends expanding their use to cover a broader range of topics and objectives, enhancing the comprehensiveness of food security evaluations, and providing more systematic support.Item The Effects of Climate Change on Sacred Sites in Dehradun, IndiaWagner, Phoebe Dailey (2024-08)This research examines the biocultural diversity of eleven sacred sites within the Dehradun district of Uttarakhand, India, and the socioecological impacts of climate change to the sacred landscape. These effects include how the sites are engaged with and cared for by local communities, how sacred knowledge is transmitted across generations, and how the ecology is shifting with extreme weather and climate events that are increasing in frequency and intensity. This research asks, how does a connection with sacred habitats inform biocultural diversity and resiliency? This qualitative research was conducted through interviews in English and Hindi in North India from 15 June through 25 July 2024, with preparations over the course of the academic year. The eleven examined sacred sites vary ecologically and culturally. In order of visitation, the sites are Kalu Sidh, Laxman Sidh, Mandu Sidh, Tapkeshwar Mahadev, Manak Sidh, Santala Mata Devi, Baba Bhure Shah, Lakha Mandal, Surkanda Mata Devi, the banks of the Ganga River in Rishikesh, and Paonta Sahib.
Item Selected Observations of Climate Change Adaptation Among Philippine Rice FarmersRavarra, Rhealynn (2024-08)Climate-related stressors, such as rising temperatures, unpredictable precipitation, and intense natural disasters, have severely hindered agricultural growth in the Philippines. Climate projections are predicted to exacerbate pre-existing vulnerabilities within the sector, and farmers are at the forefront of such impacts. This capstone examines how rice farmers in the Philippines are adapting to the threats of a changing environment by exploring how they view climate risks, what their coping strategies are, and how larger socioecological contexts influence their adaptation capacities. Data was collected from semi-structured interviews with individual farmers, farmer associations, and key informants from government and non-government organizations in the Philippines. The study found that farmers were experiencing the effect of climate change largely through extreme weather events, such as typhoons, floods, and drought. Moreover, they experienced socioeconomic stressors and institutional constraints that limited the scope of their adaptations. Farmers’ responses included the testing (and sometimes adoption) of new technologies and cropping systems, income diversification, and environmental restoration. Recommendations for improving the adaptive capacity of rice farmers to climate change suggest that multi-stakeholder collaboration is necessary for achieving equitable and effective change.Item Birds as Bioindicators in Agroecosystems: Evaluating the Impact of the Relationship Coffee Model on BiodiversityMaldonado, José Miguel (2024-08)[Excerpt from introduction] Colombia is one of the world's megadiverse nations, hosting nearly 10% of Earth's biodiversity. It holds the record for the highest diversity of bird species globally, with nearly 2,000 species, including over 200 migratory and more than 80 endemic species (Colombia | Audubon, s. f.). However, this megadiversity is threatened by habitat loss due to agricultural expansion; this issue is especially critical in tropical biodiversity hotspots like the Andes, where extensive land conversion to agriculture has led to significant declines in resident Andean species and migratory taxa (Gonzalez et al., in press).Item Last-Mile Fiber Optic Infrastructure for Rural Communities Connectivity in TanzaniaMejooli, Elirehema Obedi Simon (2024-08)In 2007 Tanzania Electric supply company limited (TANESCO) rolled out its optical communication systems network covering 2,962Km along high voltage pylons country-wide, aiming to enhance power systems operations. Ever since the Tanzanian Government through Tanzania Telecommunication Company (TTCL) has been utilizing and extending part of this network for ICT services provision to rural communities. Despite the government efforts to extend last mile connectivity, the pace does not meet the demand and services are not affordable for the rural population majority. The cost-effective solution is for TANESCO to invest more on construction of optical fiber infrastructure and commercialize the excess capacity. Since Telecommunication is not TANESCO’s core business, formation of a subsidiary company and submission of a business plan is a regulatory requirement. The development of this plan involves consultation with various stakeholders such as The Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA), The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, and telecommunication companies that are interested in leasing the services. Upon successful formation, the subsidiary will bridge and complement existing government efforts while increasing revenue streams to the power utility company. This will in turn improve the quality and affordability of ICT Services to the rural communities in Tanzania.Item Navigating Market Dynamics and Nutritional Interventions: A Comprehensive Study of Biofortification, Markets and Price Trends in Northern GhanaKottayil, Naveen Sridhar (2024-08)This thesis explores agricultural practices, market dynamics, and nutritional interventions in Northern Ghana, anchoring on the GROWING project spearheaded by International Potato Center (CIP). It begins by reviewing biofortification, assessing its potential to combat micronutrient deficiencies in the Global South, though the health impacts remain mixed. The research then examines the relationships between rural communities in northern Ghana and traders, highlighting market access, commodity trade, and logistics, with a focus on farmers' experiences with orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP). Price trends for key agricultural products across the Northeast, Northern, and Savannah regions are also analysed, revealing significant volatility and challenges in accessing affordable Vitamin A-rich foods. The thesis also presents findings from a Rapid Sweet Potato Trader Survey, emphasizing the role of women in the sweet potato trade and the logistical hurdles they face. Overall, the study provides recommendations to enhance market access, support biofortified crop commercialization, and improve nutritional outcomes in Northern Ghana.Item Crossroads in Development: Kazakhstan, China, and RussiaLeahy, William (2024-08)