Friday Seminar: Presentations on Master Projects

Welcome to Friday Seminar in Africa Studies, 14 Mars, 9.30-11.00

We get to learn about ongoing Master’s Research. The presenting students come from Uppsala University and Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.

Unarmed Yet Targeted: Exploring the Dynamics of Rebel Territorial Control and its Impact on Violence Against Aid Workers by Joseph Augustine, Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, Uppsala University

My master's thesis investigates the alarming increase in violence against humanitarian aid workers, focusing specifically on how the dynamics of rebel territorial control influence such violence. By examining Northern and Western Darfur from 2003 to 2010, the study applies a structured comparative analysis to reveal that contested territories experience higher frequencies of attacks on aid workers compared to stable rebel-controlled areas. It uncovers nuanced insights, including how rebel fragmentation further exacerbates security risks. This research contributes important perspectives for humanitarian practitioners, policy-makers, and academics, emphasizing the critical need for informed strategies to protect humanitarian operations in conflict zones.

Assessment of farmer advisory and adoption of irrigation technology for climate adaptation and productivity of Single/Intercropped Cocoa in the Ashanti region of Ghana by Patrick Ayeni, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU

This study assesses farmer advisory services and the adoption of irrigation technology in enhancing cocoa productivity and climate adaptation in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, specifically within the Ahafo Ano Southwest District. Data was gathered through interviews with sixteen farmer advisory service providers representing public, private, formal and informal sources, including the Cocoa Board, and five cocoa farmers, revealed and gave insights into the current irrigation adoption rate, and farming practices, including the opportunities and challenges in managing climate variability. However, there are gaps in knowledge and resources, making it difficult for farmers to benefit fully and make necessary adaptations. These gaps range from lack of awareness, financial barriers, limited technical support, water quality issues, and inadequate infrastructure. Farmers’ feedback also confirmed that irrigating young cocoa plants is a better strategy than irrigating all cocoa plant ages. Success stories from other areas like in the Ashanti district and around the Mankranso district capital of Ahafo Ano Southwest suggest that wider use of irrigation can significantly improve cocoa yields. To address these issues, the study recommends improving interactions between farmers and extension officers, providing affordable irrigation systems, organizing training programs, and encouraging partnerships between government, NGOs, and farmer groups. These efforts can improve cocoa farming, help farmers adapt to climate change, and support global goals like clean water (SDG 6), climate adaptation (SDG13), and land conservation (SDG15).

Characterisation of kitchen gardens and their contribution to food security and livelihoods in Karamoja, northeastern Uganda by Mary Theodorah Ajal, Sustainable Food Systems, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU

The study was conducted in the Moroto district, in the northeastern part of Uganda, also known as the Karamoja region. Despite the high presence of development agencies both national and internal in the region, the region experiences a myriad of challenges which include acute food insecurity, malnutrition and poverty among others. This study has been undertaken to offer insight into the nature of kitchen gardens in the drylands and how they contribute to food security and livelihoods. As the community is predominantly pastoral, the study will offer insights into how kitchen gardens are practised and structured and the success and failure contributors; thus, informing the local community, policymakers, and development partners for the broader adoption of kitchen garden farming. Furthermore, more Kitchen gardening can be used as a tool to enhance food security and livelihoods in the dryland areas.

Supervised and Unsupervised Learning Comparative Cost Analysis in Real-Time Manufacturing by Otema Yirenkyi

The project aims to develop methods that can automatically detect defects without requiring labeled training data, comparing various unsupervised methods and benchmarking their performance against an existing supervised approach. The goal is to establish a generalized approach that reduces implementation time, time to market and resources while maintaining reliable detection capabilities, addressing key challenges in industrial quality control where labeled defect data is often unavailable.