University community partnerships for climate change adaptation in Malawi: a human development perspective

Abstract

Although higher education can play a catalytic role in the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 13 (climate action), there is less attention given to the role of universities in achieving climate adaptation through partnerships with local communities. In the Malawian context, universities have been credited for partnering with local communities as a pathway towards designing context-specific climate adaptation strategies. For instance, five of the six universities in Malawi are recognised by the government as actively engaged in climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives. However, despite these partnerships, there is a lack of evidence on what they look like in practice, what they can achieve, and whether they create an enabling environment for advancing strategies that are driven by local communities and that advance community well-being. Community well-being is conceptualised from the human development approach as the ultimate goal of development, where communities can be or do what they value in order to flourish. Drawing from the human development paradigm, this study investigates how universities contribute to improving vulnerable communities' adaptation to climate change in Malawi through university-community partnerships. Data from this qualitatively-designed case study of Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources in Malawi was collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. University lecturers (10), support staff (2), third-year students (10), community members (18), policymakers (4) and climate change experts (2) participated in this study.

The findings show that university-community partnerships in Malawi, and in Africa more broadly, have the potential to positively influence how global development challenges such as climate change are defined, understood, and addressed in ways that are contextually sensitive. The findings also offer contrasting and critical views, suggesting that while partnerships can enhance sustainable community well-being, they seldom achieve this. This is because partnerships can stimulate innovative ideas for adaptation strategies and capacitate university and community members to broaden opportunities for generating income and to widen their skill set for addressing climate change, but they do not offer adequate space for bottom-up initiatives or allow for inclusive decision-making. These partnerships also tend to advance university interests at the expense of creating more equitable outcomes for local communities. Thus, the study considers what university-community partnerships might look like if they were to be more inclusive and equitable. It identifies four key dimensions of a human development-centred framework: 1) equitable relationships; 2) inclusive decision-making; 3) streamlining resource efficiency; and 4) sustainable community well-being. The study further makes a case for harnessing the role of bounded agency across the four dimensions, as structural and institutional arrangements can affect the interplay of individual motivations for undertaking interventions. Drawing from this framework, implications for the initiation and implementation of future university-community partnerships in sub-Saharan Africa are considered.

Alhoewel hoër onderwys ’n katalitiese rol kan speel in die bereiking van Volhoubare Ontwikkelingsdoelwit 13 (klimaataksie), word daar minder aandag geskenk aan die rol van universiteite om deur vennootskappe met plaaslike gemeenskappe klimaatsaanpassing te verwesenlik. In die Malawiese konteks word universiteite geloof vir hul samewerking met plaaslike gemeenskappe as ’n weg om konteks-spesifieke klimaatsaanpassingstrategieë te ontwerp. Byvoorbeeld, die regering erken vyf van die ses universiteite in Malawi as aktief betrokke by inisiatiewe vir klimaatsveranderingversagting en -aanpassing. Tog, ten spyte van hierdie vennootskappe, is daar ’n gebrek aan bewyse oor hoe dit in die praktyk lyk, wat dit kan bereik, en of dit ’n gunstige omgewing skep vir die bevordering van strategieë wat deur plaaslike gemeenskappe gedryf word en gemeenskapswelstand bevorder. Gemeenskapswelstand word vanuit die menslike-ontwikkelingsbenadering as die uiteindelike doel van ontwikkeling gesien, waar gemeenskappe hul waardes kan uitleef ten einde te floreer. Hierdie studie gebruik die menslike-ontwikkelingsparadigma om te ondersoek hoe universiteite deur universiteit-gemeenskapsvennootskappe bydra tot die verbetering van kwesbare gemeenskappe se aanpassing by klimaatsverandering in Malawi. Data vir hierdie kwalitatief-ontwerpte gevallestudie van die Lilongwe Universiteit vir landbou en natuurlike hulpbronne in Malawi is ingesamel deur semigestruktureerde onderhoude en fokusgroeponderhoude. Universiteitsdosente (10), ondersteuningspersoneel (2), derdejaarstudente (10), gemeenskapslede (18), beleidmakers (4) en klimaatsveranderingkenners (2) het aan hierdie studie deelgeneem. Die bevindinge toon dat universiteit-gemeenskapsvennootskappe in Malawi, en Afrika in die algemeen, die potensiaal het om ’n positiewe invloed uit te oefen op die wyse waarop globale ontwikkelingsuitdagings soos klimaatsverandering gedefinieer, verstaan en aangepak kan word op kontekstueel-sensitiewe maniere. Die bevindinge bied egter ook teenstellende en kritiese beskouings wat suggereer dat, alhoewel vennootskappe volhoubare gemeenskapswelstand kan versterk, dit selde bereik word. Dit is omdat vennootskappe wel innoverende idees vir aanpassingstrategieë kan stimuleer en universiteits- en gemeenskapslede kan bemagtig om inkomstegeleenthede en hul vaardigheidsbasis uit te brei om sodoende klimaatsverandering te hanteer, maar dit bied nie voldoende ruimte vir onder-na-bo-inisiatiewe of inklusiewe besluitneming nie. Hierdie vennootskappe is ook geneig om universiteitsbelange te bevorder ten koste van meer billike uitkomste vir plaaslike gemeenskappe. Die studie ondersoek dus hoe universiteit-gemeenskapsvennootskappe sou kon lyk indien dit meer inklusief en billik was. Dit identifiseer vier sleuteldimensies van ’n menslike-ontwikkelingsgesentreerde raamwerk: (1) billike verhoudinge; (2) inklusiewe besluitneming; (3) die vaartbelyning van hulpbrondoeltreffendheid; en (4) volhoubare gemeenskapswelstand. Die studie bepleit verder dat die rol van beperkte agentskap oor hierdie vier dimensies heen angewend word, aangesien strukturele en institusionele reëlings die wisselwerking tussen individuele motiverings en die onderneming van intervensies kan beïnvloed. Vanuit hierdie raamwerk word die implikasies vir die inisiasie en implementering van toekomstige universiteit-gemeenskapsvennootskappe in Sub-Sahara-Afrika oorweeg.

Le hoja thuto e phahameng e ka ba le seabo sa bohlokwa bakeng sa ho fihlella Sephetho se Tshwarellang sa Ntshetsopele 13 (ketso ya tlelaemete), seabo sa diyunivesithi ha se tsotellwe hakaalo bakeng sa ho baka phetolo ya tlelaemete ka ditshebedisano le ditjhaba tsa lehae. Boemong ba Malawi, diyunivesithi di babaditswe ka ho sebetsa hammoho le ditjhaba tsa lehae e le mokgwa wa ho theha tlelaemete e tshwanelang maemo a tshebediso. Mohlala, diyunivesithi tse hlano ho tse tsheletseng tsa Malawi di ananetswe ke mmuso di ikakgetse ka setotswana bakeng sa phetolo ya tlelaemete esita le mekutu ya phetolo. Leha ho le jwalo, le ka ntle ho ditshebeletsano tsena, ho na le bopaki bo fokolang ba hore na di tshwana jwang hantlentle, seo di ka se fihlelang, le hore na di baka tikoloho e nang le thuso bakeng sa ho hlahisa mekgwa e laolwang ke ditjhaba tsa lehae tse bakang boiketlo ba setjhaba. Boiketlo ba setjhaba bo utlwisiswa ho ya ka katamelo ya ntshetsopele ya botho e le sephetho sa ho qetela sa tswelopele, moo ditjhaba di ka bang teng kapa ho etsa seo di se ratang e le hona ho atleha. Ho ya ka kutlwisiso ya tswelopele ya botho, diphuputso tsena di hlahloba kamoo diyunivesithi di nang le seabo ho ntlafatsa di nang le seabo ka teng ho ntlafatsa tlelaemete bakeng sa ditjhaba tse amehang tsa Malawi ka ho ya ditshebeletsano tsa yunivesithi le setjhaba ka bosona. Datha kapa dintlha tse tswang ho diphuputso tsena tse ikgethang tsa boleng tsa Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources mane Malawi di bokeleditswe ka dipuisano le ka dipuisano tsa dihlopha tse hlahlobang tsa teko. Barupelli ba yunivesithi (ba 10), basebetsi ba tshehetso kapa bathusi (ba 2), baithuti ba selemo sa boraro (ba 10), batho ba setjhaba (ba 18), baetsi ba maano (ba 4) le ditsebi tsa phetolo ya tlelaemete (ba 2) ba bile le seabo diphuputsong tsena. Diphihlello di bontsha ditshebeletsano tsa yunivesithi le setjhaba mona Malawi, le Afrika ka ho phatlalla, di na le bokgoni ba ho tshwaetsa kamoo diphephetso tsa ntshetsopele ya lefatshe jwaloka phetolo ya tlelaemete di hlaloswang ka teng, di utlwisiswang, le ho rarollwa ka mekgwa e hlokomelang maemo a kutlwisiso. Diphihlello di bile di fana ka maikutlo a fapaneng le a hananang le ho nyebokolla, le ho hlahisa hore le hoja ditshebeletsano di ka eketsa boiketlo ba setjhaba bo tshwarellang, di fihlella hona ka sewelo. Hona ke hobane dilekane le ditshebeletsano di ka tsosolosa menahano ya boitshimollelo bakeng sa mekgwa ya phetolo le ho matlafatsa batho ba yunivesithi le ba setjhaba sa lehae ho atisa menyetla ya ho hlahisa lekeno le ho atisa tsebo ya bona ya ho rarolla phetolo ya tlelaemete, empa ha ba fane ka sebaka se lekaneng sa mekutu ya ho tloha fatshe ho ya hodimo kapa ho dumella ketso ya diqeto e kenyeletsang bohle. Ditshebeletsano tsena di bile di na le hona ho ntshetsa pele ditabatabelo tsa yunivesithi ho na le ho theha diphetho tsa tekatekano bakeng sa ditjhabana tsa lehae. Ka hona, diphuputso tsena di hlokomela kamoo ditshebeletsano tsena tsa yunivesithi le setjhaba di neng di tla ba ka teng haeba di ne di tla kenyeletsa le ho ba le tekatekano haholwanyane. Di hlwaya dintlha tse nne tsa bohlokwa tsa moralo wa ntshetsopele ya botho: 1) dikamano tsa tekatekano; 2) ketso ya diqeto e kenyeletsa bongata; 3) ho hlakisa bohlwahlwa ba mehlodi; le 4) boiketlo ba setjhaba bo tshwarellang. Diphuputso tsena di bile di hlahloba seabo sa bosebeletsi bo nang le meedi ho ya ka dintlha tse nne tse boletsweng, jwalokaha ditlhophiso tsa sebopeho le institjushene di ka ama tshebeletsano ya dikgothaletso tsa motho ka mong bakeng sa ho ba le seabo. Ho sebetsa ho ya ka moralo ona, ho ananelwa ho thehwa le ho sebediswa ha ditshebeletsano tsa yunivesithi le setjhaba mona tlase ho Sahara Afrika.

Yize imfundo ephakeme ingabamba iqhaza eligqugquzelayo ekufinyelelekeni kweNhloso yeNtuthuko eSimeme 13 (isenzo sesimo sezulu), kunokunakwa okunganele okunikwa eqhazeni lamanyuvesi ukufinyelela ekuvumelaniseni nesimo sezulu ngokusebenzisana nemiphakathi yasemakhaya. Esimweni saseMalawi, amanyuvesi aseklonyeliswe ngokusebenzisana nemiphakathi yasemakhaya njengomgudu ekuhleleni amasu ahambelana nesimo avumelanisa nesimo sezulu. Ngokwesibonelo, amahlanu kwayisithupha amanyuvesi eMalawi ahlonzwa nguhulumeni njengahlanganyelayo ekunciphiseni ukuguquka kwesimo sezulu kanye nemizamo yokuvumelanisa. Yize noma kunjalo, ngaphandle kwalobu budlelwane, kunokusweleka kobufakazi bokuthi kubukeka kanjani emsebenzini, kungaphumelelisa ini, nokuthi ngabe kuqala isimo esivumelayo samasu athuthukisayo naqhutshwa imiphakathi yasemakhaya futhi aqhuba ukunakekelwa komphakathi. Ukunakekelwa komphakathi kwakhiwa kusuka endleleni yentuthuko yesintu njengenhloso yokugcina yentuthuko, lapho imiphakathi ingaba noma yenze okuyigugu kuyo ukuze iqhakaze. Ukususela kupharadayimu yentuthuko yesintu, lolu cwaningo luphenya ukuthi amanyuvesi anikela kanjani ekuthuthukiseni ukuvumelanisa nesimo sokuguquka kwesimo sezulu emiphakathini enganhlanhlazelwe eMalawi ngokusebenzisana nenyuvesi nomphakathi. Imininingo yalolu cwaningonto oluhlelwe ngendlela yekhwalithethivu yaseNyuvesi yaseLilongwe yezoLimo kanye neZokumbiwa phansi eMalawi yaqoqwa ngezingxoxo ezisakuhlelela kanye nezingxoxo zamaqoqo aqokiwe. Abafundisi basenyuvesi (10), abasebenzi abalekelelayo (2), abafundi bonyaka wesithathu (10) amalunga omphakathi (18), izishayamthetho (4) kanye nezazi zokuguquka kwesimo sezulu (2) babamba iqhaza kulolu cwaningo. Imiphumela iveza ukuthi ukusebenzisana kwenyuvesi nomphakathi eMalawi, kanye nase-Afrikha ngobubanzi bayo, bunamandla okuba nemithelela emihle ezingqinambeni zentuthuko yomhlaba wonke jikelele ezifana nokuguquka kwesimo sezulu okuchaziwe, kwaqondwa, futhi kwabhekwana nakho ngezindlela ezihambelana nesimo. Imiphumela iveza futhi imibono ephikisanayo nehlaziyayo, ephakamisa ukuthi ngesikhathi ukusebenzisana kungaqinisa inhlalonhle yomphakathi esimeme, ayikufezekisi lokhu njalo. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi ukusebenzisana kungagquguzela imibono emisha yamasu okuvumelana nezimo futhi ikhulise inyuvesi kanye namalunga omphakathi ukuvula amathuba okungenisa imali futhi ukuvula uhlelo lwekhono labo ukubhekana nokuguquka kwesimo sezulu, kodwa akunikezi indawo eyanele yemizamo esuka phansi iya phezulu noma ukuvumela ukuthathwa kwezinqumo okuhlanganisayo. Lokhu kusebenzisana kunakho futhi ukuqhuba izimfuno zenyuvesi endaweni yokudala imiphumela elinganayo yemiphakathi yasemakhaya. Ngalokho-ke, ucwaningo lubuka ukuthi ukusebenzisana kwenyuvesi nomphakathi kungabukeka kanjani ukuba bekungaba okuhlanganyelayo futhi okulinganayo. Luveza izinhlaka ezine ezinqala ezizike ohlakeni lwentuthuko yesintu: 1) ukusebenzisana okulinganayo; 2) ukuthathwa kwezinqumo okuhlanganisa bonke; 3) ukuhlehlisa insiza esebenza kahle; kanye 4) nenhlalakahle yomphakathi esimeme. Ucwaningo lubuye lwenze isimo sokuqinisa iqhaza lokusebenza ngenkululeko okunemingcele kuzo zozine izinhlaka, njengoba uhlelo lwezakhiwo kanye nezikhungo kungaba nomthelela ekusebenzisaneni kokuqguqguzelwa kwabantu ngabanye ukuqala ukungenelela. Ukusuka kulolu hlaka, imiphumela yalokhu kungenelela kanye nokusetshenziswa kokusebenzisana kwenyuvesi nomphakathi e-sub-Saharan Africa kuyabhekwa.