Human-wildlife interactions over shared resources can negatively affect both human and wildlife populations, especially in human-modified habitats such as community forests. We assessed community farmers’ attitudes towards two resident primate species (long-tailed macaques and ebony langurs) in Bali, predominantly Hindu, and Lombok, predominantly Muslim. From May to July 2024, we employed a mixed-method approach, including semi-structured interviews with 67 community farmers. We explored how psychological factors (e.g. perceived benefits, importance of primate protection) interacted with lethal vs. non-lethal mitigation strategies via structural equation modelling and logistic regression. We found significant differences in perceptions and mitigation between islands and primate species. Beliefs and cultural practices shaped perceptions: Balinese respondents were more tolerant of crop-foraging primates than respondents on Lombok. Crop damage by macaques was more frequent and severe than that by langurs, leading to more negative attitudes and active deterrence measures towards macaques. The use of lethal measures was only reported in Lombok. Our results indicate that fostering human-primate coexistence in community forests would benefit from emphasizing the perceived benefits of primate presence. Tailored conservation initiatives that respect local beliefs and address community-specific challenges are essential for promoting tolerance towards primates and sustainable crop protection strategies.

Rangeland enclosures have notable socioecological and livelihoods effects since they affect patterns of traditional ecosystem governance. This study analyses the socioecological effects of rangeland enclosures in Somaliland. The study uses a mixed-method research approach. The primary data required for the study were collected from a randomly selected sample and key informants. The secondary data were collected from satellite imagery. Simple descriptive analysis was used to analyse the primary quantitative and qualitative data. Satellite imagery was analysed using unsupervised methods to assess ecological change. The study indicates that private enclosures have significant socioecological effects in Baligubadle. They have changed land use from a traditional, communal grazing to private ownership. It also eroded traditional customary laws governing patterns of transhumance livestock movements. Moreover, the process has converted the coverage of woodlands, shrublands and bushlands, with 37.84% of shrublands and bushlands converted to agricultural land and 24.13% of them converted to open grassland. The process has converted 22.1% of woodlands to agricultural land. In contrast, in a public enclosure in Aroori, shrublands and bushlands have increased by 27%. This brought about a significant improvement in the regeneration of indigenous plant species. The effort to mitigate the adverse socio-ecological consequences of enclosure requires integrated and long-term interventions. Strengthening the role and power of customary institutions and increasing the contributions of land enclosures for environmental sustainability. It is also important developing rangeland-specific and sustainability-informed policy to improve the use and governance of lands and balance the interests of multiple stakeholders.

Land use land cover changes (LULCC) caused by mining-related activities have profound impacts on agricultural production, particularly in areas of rich mineral resources in Ghana. The three districts of study are undergoing significant land transformation due to major mining-related activities. In recent times, mining has destroyed much of the arable land as farmers rent their farmland for mining activities, resulting in the destruction of farmland and a decline in crop production. This research assessed the relationship between LULCC and mining and its ensuing effect on crop yield in Central Region of Ghana, of Ghana. Remote sensing data and ground truth data were used to determine the land use changes and the patterns of agricultural land loss resulting from both legal and illegal mining, random forest algorithm in Google Earth Engine (GEE) was used for the classification. Questionnaires, focus group discussions and crop yield data were analysed together with the classified maps to assess the extent mining activities have affected agricultural output. The results showed massive land use change from one class to another. From 2016 to 2022, mining and built-up increased by 61.9% and 22.0% per year, respectively, while Dense Forests, agricultural lands, and water bodies decreased by 5.1%, 5.7% and 4.2% per year, respectively. Thus, crop loss was significant in mining areas (i.e. 35%) when compared to dominant agricultural areas (i.e. 18%). The findings of this study offer valuable insights to assist planners and decision-makers in formulating strategies to preserve green belts in the region.

Understanding historical and projected climate variability is critical for developing effective adaptation strategies, particularly in regions highly dependent on rain-fed agriculture. This study analyzes the spatiotemporal trends of rainfall and temperature in Northern Malawi from 1991 to 2020 and projects future climate conditions up to 2080 using downscaled and bias-corrected Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) models. The analysis applies Pettitt’s test for change point detection, followed by the Mann-Kendall trend test and Sen’s slope estimator to assess segmented trends under stationary conditions. Results reveal a statistically significant warming trend across most locations, with mean annual maximum temperatures increasing by up to 0.029°C per year post-change, particularly at Mzimba, and minimum temperatures rising sharply at Mzuzu with a Sen’s slope of 0.078°C/year (p < 0.01). Precipitation trends are more spatially variable: Bolero shows a significant pre-change increase of 7.25 mm/year (p = 0.032), while Mzuzu, despite a positive slope, displays no significant trend. Future projections under SSP2–4.5 and SSP5–8.5 scenarios indicate continued warming across the region, with maximum temperature increases reaching 2.51°C and minimum temperatures exceeding 3.1°C by 2080 under high-emission scenarios. Rainfall projections reveal both intra-annual and spatial heterogeneity—early- and late-season increases in rainfall contrast with mid-season drying, especially at Mzuzu, where a statistically significant annual wetting trend masks critical seasonal deficits. The 5th–95th percentile spread ranges further emphasize the uncertainty and potential intensification of hydroclimatic extremes. These findings underscore the need for spatially nuanced, seasonally aware adaptation policies and integrated climate risk assessments to enhance resilince.

Effective waste management remains a pressing challenge in rapidly urbanizing cities like Kadoma, Zimbabwe, where limited land availability complicates landfill siting. Despite the global prevalence of landfilling, poor site selection in such contexts can trigger groundwater contamination, odour issues, and public health risks. This study addresses the absence of structured landfill siting research in data-scarce African cities by applying a GIS-integrated Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE). AHP was employed to assign relative weights to twelve spatial variables—including slope, elevation, proximity to rivers, roads, and built-up areas—through structured pairwise comparisons. MCE integrated these weighted factors within a GIS platform to generate a final suitability map. Results indicate that only 5.2 % of Kadoma’s area is suitable for landfill development, while the majority is constrained by dense urbanization. The suitability map, converted into a shapefile for visualization and area calculation, offers a practical tool for urban planners, environmental agencies, and local authorities to inform sustainable waste infrastructure development. This study demonstrates the applicability of GIS-AHP approaches in rapidly growing, resource-limited urban environments and underscores the need for localized, data-driven decision-making in landfill site selection.

Observations in the Zambezi Valley indicate vegetation loss caused by wildlife, mainly elephants, and natural vegetation die-offs. The main objective of the study was to assess vegetation trend changes and assess any significant changes in vegetation diversity. Sixty sampling sites were established from 20 road transects which were surveyed in November 2020. Landsat satellite data was accessed and Earth Resources Data Analysis System (ERDAS) was used in image processing. Classified images were imported to Terrset software for time series. The study shows different vegetation successions between 1985 and 2020. The succession order was mainly from bare areas to grassland, grassland to bushes and scrubs and finally to trees. There was a significant negative relationship between woodland coverage area and grassland coverage: n (8) r = ‒0.967 p < 0.01. The density of felled/dead trees was negatively correlated with the density of emerging trees (r = 0.442, n = 20 transects, p < 0.01). The savannah ecosystem demonstrates the ability to rejuvenate itself due to different successions over time. The study recommends close monitoring of elephants large mammals considering their capability to alter vegetation structure and composition.

Sisal fiber has increasingly attracted attention as a sustainable bio-based material due to its biodegradability, availability, and relevance to circular economy initiatives. Given its underutilization in high-impact applications and the limited integration of East African contributions, there is a growing need to assess the global research dynamics surrounding sisal fiber. This study hypothesizes that a bibliometric approach can reveal critical patterns, emerging themes, and collaboration gaps in sisal fiber research over the past decade. Using 59 curated articles from the Dimensions database (2012–2024), the study employed VOSviewer and Excel to analyze thematic evolution, citation patterns, and co-authorship networks. Findings show a rapid growth in publications from 2021 to 2024 (67.8%), led by Brazil and India, with emerging focus areas including waste valorization, biocomposites, and LCA-based sustainability assessments. The study concludes that targeted research investment, policy support, and international collaboration are essential to enhancing sisal fiber’s role in global sustainability transitions.

No abstract available.

Solid waste management is a critical global concern, exacerbated by population growth and economic development. Morogoro Municipality faces challenges in waste management, including inadequate resources, leading to collaboration with contractors and private entities for waste collection. This study addresses gaps in understanding solid waste generation and management practices at the household level. Morogoro Municipality has been engaging a number of contractors who deal with solid waste management issues such as Kajenjere Company Limited, UWAMAMO and M2SMART. Thirteen wards were surveyed whereby six (6) wards were operated by Kajenjere Company and seven (7) wards were operated by other contractors. A sample of 137 households was strategically used to gather data for the study. The study used interviews, focus group discussions, and consultation to collect primary data. Also, the study used literature review to obtain secondary data. Descriptive statistics, t-test and chi-square model were employed for data analysis. Findings revealed three primary waste categories in the study sites: food garbage (55.3%), miscellaneous waste (24.7%), and packaging material waste (20.0%). The study estimated that 0.70 kg/day/person of solid waste is generated in the study sites. Family size and household income had a significant influence on the amount of solid waste generated in the study sites. The generated solid waste was managed by contractors who visited the household once per month. On the contrary, the study revealed that the households adopted different strategies (solid waste burning, buying extra bins, solid waste burying and disposing to nearby solid waste collection buckets) in managing uncollected solid waste by the contractors. These findings highlight the urgency of improving the performance efficiency of contractors in waste collection and promoting sustainable household waste management practices.

Understanding the key drivers and barriers to sustainable conservation of protected and unprotected forests, heavily utilised by humans and wildlife, is essential in sustainable forest management and law enforcement. This study aimed to: i) evaluate fringe community perceptions towards forest biodiversity sustainability across villages; ii) establish the key drivers and barriers of biodiversity conservation, and iii) develop an integrated conservation framework for the Gwaai Forest in Zimbabwe. Data were collected from 143 respondents using questionnaires, key informant interviews and direct observations. Locals, simultaneously, preferred and exerted negative pressure on clusterleaf Terminalia sericea and African teak Baikea plurijuga for carving, roofing and furniture making increasing the distance travelled to collect forest products. Human population increase, poaching, veld fires and overexploitation were the key barriers whereas tangible and intangible benefits for local people and improved management systems were the key drivers of sustainable conservation. Gwaai Forest access and utilisation is heavily regulated by the forest authorities whose policies are not human centred but rather aimed at maintaining the resilience and stability of the forest. There is a need to explore suitable alternative livelihoods such as farming of drought resistant small grains less dependent on the Gwaai Forest ecosystem services to reduce pressure on tree species and other natural resources. An in-depth understanding of the ecological, economic, and social factors that influence forest resilience is necessary for planning and managing Gwaai Forest operations efficiently.