title: Agricultural Sector Policy Reforms: Implications for Poverty and the Environment in Malawi

authors: Mkwara, Bentry

abstract: Since independence in 1964, Malawi has implemented a number of agricultural reforms particularly in the tobacco and maize sectors. These reforms have been designed with four key objectives as follows: (a) to improve smallholder prices particularly in the tobacco sector; (b) to increase income for the poor especially in the rural areas; (c) to reduce income inequality between smallholders and estate owners; (d) to ensure food security both at national and household levels. In this thesis, econometric and optimization techniques were employed to examine and explore the extent to which these objectives have been achieved. In addition, the links between poverty and deforestation in the country were investigated.

Although some objectives have been achieved, there is underperformance in a number of areas. For instance, while there were improvements in the prices of tobacco that smallholders receive, reforms in the tobacco sector did not lead to a sustainable reduction in income inequality between small and large growers. In the maize sector, fertilizer subsidies were found to improve food security at the national level. However, at household level, maize production was heavily skewed with the south lagging behind the centre and the north. Although maize sector reforms improved income distribution for smallholders, they failed to improve the income level and poverty status of non-agricultural households in rural areas. 

Finally, it was demonstrated that cultivation of maize on customary land by poor smallholders, is the primary causative agent of deforestation in Malawi, with cultivation of tobacco and pulses being the next most important causes. It is therefore recommended that Malawi should adopt improved farming techniques and technology to ensure that farmers are able to produce more output from less land. In addition, there is a need to ensure that farmers, especially the poor, cultivating plots on customary land are granted stronger property rights. This would give smallholders the incentive to consider the issue of reforestation more seriously than is the case today.

text: Agricultural Sector Policy Reforms: Implications for Poverty and the Environment in Malawi Since independence in 1964, Malawi has implemented a number of agricultural reforms particularly in the tobacco and maize sectors. These reforms have been designed with four key objectives as follows: (a) to improve smallholder prices particularly in the tobacco sector; (b) to increase income for the poor especially in the rural areas; (c) to reduce income inequality between smallholders and estate owners; (d) to ensure food security both at national and household levels. In this thesis, econometric and optimization techniques were employed to examine and explore the extent to which these objectives have been achieved. In addition, the links between poverty and deforestation in the country were investigated.

Although some objectives have been achieved, there is underperformance in a number of areas. For instance, while there were improvements in the prices of tobacco that smallholders receive, reforms in the tobacco sector did not lead to a sustainable reduction in income inequality between small and large growers. In the maize sector, fertilizer subsidies were found to improve food security at the national level. However, at household level, maize production was heavily skewed with the south lagging behind the centre and the north. Although maize sector reforms improved income distribution for smallholders, they failed to improve the income level and poverty status of non-agricultural households in rural areas. 

Finally, it was demonstrated that cultivation of maize on customary land by poor smallholders, is the primary causative agent of deforestation in Malawi, with cultivation of tobacco and pulses being the next most important causes. It is therefore recommended that Malawi should adopt improved farming techniques and technology to ensure that farmers are able to produce more output from less land. In addition, there is a need to ensure that farmers, especially the poor, cultivating plots on customary land are granted stronger property rights. This would give smallholders the incentive to consider the issue of reforestation more seriously than is the case today.

year: 2012

title: A Changing Perspective: leading and learning in new ways

authors: Woodward, Phillipa Jean

subjects: Adult Developmental Theory

abstract: Schools are learning places, tasked with providing rich, meaningful and diverse learning experiences for all of its’ learners.  Educational leaders are facing increasing challenges and demands to become more responsive to the fast changing world in which we live and work.  With the increasing complexity and unpredictability that surrounds us, as educators we need to respond in new ways to address the inequity and increasing disparity that exists for our learners. 

The traditional model of schooling that aimed to equip learners with the skills and knowledge to live in a predictable world are no longer fit for purpose, placing new demands on educators.  As leaders we need to consider how we are leading change and building the capability and capacity of ourselves, and others to cope with the increasing complexity and demands of education today.  This requires us to critically reflect on how we create the conditions and learning experiences for our colleagues with the ultimate aim to improve the quality of teaching and learning in our schools.

We need to consider how we can bring about deep and sustainable change in our practice that creates transformational shifts in our learning and leading.  This will require us to rethink about what we pay close attention to and how we shape our schools as authentic learning communities. 

The aim of this research was to explore what leadership practices could support the professional learning and growth of educators in these complex and unpredictable times, with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes for student learners. 

The focus for this research was to investigate whether leadership practices could be strengthened when the leader took in to consideration the adult developmental stages of the team members they were working with.  It was hoped that using the constructive developmental theory to inform leadership practices it may strengthened the learning experiences of the team and subsequently all of the teaching community in the school over time.  These leadership practices required the Key Leader to build their own knowledge of constructive developmental theory and consider how this strengthened their own leadership capacity and then how it could be used to inform the leaders practices in order to support the growth of the team the leader was working with. 

The findings indicated that when we begin to explore the theory of adult development it exposes a great deal more about how we learn, lead and can create conditions for transformation.  It highlighted the importance of deepening our understanding of the developmental diversity of those we lead and work with and responding appropriately to this diversity.   This requires us to ensure learning experiences are developmentally orientated, providing enough support but also challenge to create transformational shifts.

As indicated in these findings, as we gain greater insight in to our own developmental capacity and ways to grow we become far more at ease in working in the complex domain of the unknown unknowns.  We are able to view challenges in new ways, taking a more adaptive leadership approach to how we embrace and lead change. 

When we consider new ways to think, act and engage we have the potential to create places where learners can flourish amongst the uncertainty and complexity.

text: A Changing Perspective: leading and learning in new ways Schools are learning places, tasked with providing rich, meaningful and diverse learning experiences for all of its’ learners.  Educational leaders are facing increasing challenges and demands to become more responsive to the fast changing world in which we live and work.  With the increasing complexity and unpredictability that surrounds us, as educators we need to respond in new ways to address the inequity and increasing disparity that exists for our learners. 

The traditional model of schooling that aimed to equip learners with the skills and knowledge to live in a predictable world are no longer fit for purpose, placing new demands on educators.  As leaders we need to consider how we are leading change and building the capability and capacity of ourselves, and others to cope with the increasing complexity and demands of education today.  This requires us to critically reflect on how we create the conditions and learning experiences for our colleagues with the ultimate aim to improve the quality of teaching and learning in our schools.

We need to consider how we can bring about deep and sustainable change in our practice that creates transformational shifts in our learning and leading.  This will require us to rethink about what we pay close attention to and how we shape our schools as authentic learning communities. 

The aim of this research was to explore what leadership practices could support the professional learning and growth of educators in these complex and unpredictable times, with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes for student learners. 

The focus for this research was to investigate whether leadership practices could be strengthened when the leader took in to consideration the adult developmental stages of the team members they were working with.  It was hoped that using the constructive developmental theory to inform leadership practices it may strengthened the learning experiences of the team and subsequently all of the teaching community in the school over time.  These leadership practices required the Key Leader to build their own knowledge of constructive developmental theory and consider how this strengthened their own leadership capacity and then how it could be used to inform the leaders practices in order to support the growth of the team the leader was working with. 

The findings indicated that when we begin to explore the theory of adult development it exposes a great deal more about how we learn, lead and can create conditions for transformation.  It highlighted the importance of deepening our understanding of the developmental diversity of those we lead and work with and responding appropriately to this diversity.   This requires us to ensure learning experiences are developmentally orientated, providing enough support but also challenge to create transformational shifts.

As indicated in these findings, as we gain greater insight in to our own developmental capacity and ways to grow we become far more at ease in working in the complex domain of the unknown unknowns.  We are able to view challenges in new ways, taking a more adaptive leadership approach to how we embrace and lead change. 

When we consider new ways to think, act and engage we have the potential to create places where learners can flourish amongst the uncertainty and complexity.

year: 2016

title: Whānau Stories: Creating meaningful engagement and wellbeing for the indigenous culture of Aotearoa New Zealand

authors: Cruse, Diana Caroline Annavale

subjects: Engagement

abstract: This research sees my interests coalesce into a particular focus on how collaborative partnerships with parents/caregivers can provide whānau Māori with opportunities to strengthen wellbeing in their own lives. It is located in Aotearoa New Zealand and within the context of Te Whāriki (Ministry of Education, 1996), Aotearoa New Zealand’s early childhood curriculum.  The Ministry of Education has a target that 98% of all children in Aotearoa New Zealand under 5 will attend an early childhood education setting (Ministry of Education, 2016), with Māori children having lower participation rates than the national participation rate (Ministry of Education, 2013).  The premise for this thesis is that meaningful whānau engagement in early learning contexts within Aotearoa New Zealand can empower whānau Māori, and honour the promises made in Te Tiriti o Waitangi of partnership, participation, and protection.
Therefore, this thesis sets out to examine what constitutes meaningful engagement for whānau Māori in an early childhood setting in Aotearoa New Zealand, and how meaningful engagement can assist whānau to enjoy an increase of wellbeing.
To explore this issue, I conducted research within an early childhood setting in Aotearoa New Zealand, using methodologies of Kaupapa Māori Research and Narrative Inquiry.  I listened to the narratives of whānau Māori indicating how meaningful engagement was created for them, and investigated if links were generated between engagement and wellbeing for their whānau. These links were identified in the literature as significant levers for educational success.
This research discovered three stages of engagement for the whānau Māori who participated in this study: establishing engagement, developing engagement and solidifying engagement.  Once created, meaningful engagement can lead to flourishing, indicating that there is relationship between meaningful engagement and whānau wellbeing.

text: Whānau Stories: Creating meaningful engagement and wellbeing for the indigenous culture of Aotearoa New Zealand This research sees my interests coalesce into a particular focus on how collaborative partnerships with parents/caregivers can provide whānau Māori with opportunities to strengthen wellbeing in their own lives. It is located in Aotearoa New Zealand and within the context of Te Whāriki (Ministry of Education, 1996), Aotearoa New Zealand’s early childhood curriculum.  The Ministry of Education has a target that 98% of all children in Aotearoa New Zealand under 5 will attend an early childhood education setting (Ministry of Education, 2016), with Māori children having lower participation rates than the national participation rate (Ministry of Education, 2013).  The premise for this thesis is that meaningful whānau engagement in early learning contexts within Aotearoa New Zealand can empower whānau Māori, and honour the promises made in Te Tiriti o Waitangi of partnership, participation, and protection.
Therefore, this thesis sets out to examine what constitutes meaningful engagement for whānau Māori in an early childhood setting in Aotearoa New Zealand, and how meaningful engagement can assist whānau to enjoy an increase of wellbeing.
To explore this issue, I conducted research within an early childhood setting in Aotearoa New Zealand, using methodologies of Kaupapa Māori Research and Narrative Inquiry.  I listened to the narratives of whānau Māori indicating how meaningful engagement was created for them, and investigated if links were generated between engagement and wellbeing for their whānau. These links were identified in the literature as significant levers for educational success.
This research discovered three stages of engagement for the whānau Māori who participated in this study: establishing engagement, developing engagement and solidifying engagement.  Once created, meaningful engagement can lead to flourishing, indicating that there is relationship between meaningful engagement and whānau wellbeing.

year: 2017