Theses & Dissertations
Permanent URI for this collection
Browse
Recent Submissions
Now showing 1 - 5 of 74
- ItemThe Influence of Information Disorder on Climate Change Adaptation Practices of Farmers in Lagos State, Nigeria(University of Guelph, ) Edet, Uduak; Chowdhury, AtaharulAgriculture is essential for food and livelihood yet vulnerable to climate change. Accurate information helps farmers adapt to climate change and ensure food security. However, information disorder, caused by improper dissemination, or prevailing beliefs, impedes this. This study used online survey and interviews to explore how information disorder influences climate change adaptation among Iju Farmers Association members in Lagos State, Nigeria. Descriptive analysis, Multinomial Logistic Regression and Binary Logit Model in SPSS were used to analyze the survey, while thematic coding in Nvivo was used for the interviews. Results showed that farmers get information from government extension agents, other farmers, radio, and social media. Farmers can get misinformation from peers, which is circulated without an intention to deceive. This can lead to the non-adoption or postponement of climate change adaptation practices, highlighting the need for reliable sources of information and the awareness of information disorder in climate change adaptation.
- ItemExamining media as a stakeholder in soil health-related climate change mitigation(University of Guelph, ) Mundenga, Takudzwanashe; Hambly Odame, HelenThis research explores the media's representation of soil health for climate change mitigation. The study's objectives are met through Media Content Analysis, surveys and qualitative interviews in Canada and Zimbabwe. The study concludes that the media faces various challenges in covering soil health-related climate change mitigation and suggests strategies to address them. Findings indicate a lack of media coverage on soil health-related climate change mitigation, underscore the importance of media in climate change communication, highlights farmers' reliance on diverse media sources, and acknowledge the impact of the complexity of the topic. Addressing these findings can enhance media coverage, promote effective climate change mitigation, and contribute to sustainable soil management. Policymakers and media institutions should Integrate climate and soil health topics into journalism training. Various stakeholders, including producer organizations, must prioritize climate change communication and partnerships with media outlets.
- ItemThe Fantasy of Community: The Transformative Potential of Table-Top Roleplaying Games(University of Guelph, ) Polkinghorne, Nolan; Al, LauzonThis paper explores the potential of Table-Top Roleplaying Games (TTRPGs) as a pedagogical tool for social and personal learning. The focus is on how storytelling serves as an educational tool to impart cultural lessons and values to construct a shared understanding, and how building upon a shared understanding is crucial in building stronger and healthier systems of interaction within communities. The paper proposes that the unique incarnation of storytelling in TTRPGs can function as a conduit for transformative learning and development to occur within communities. Through the immersive and collaborative storytelling of TTRPGs, players can learn to work together, solve problems, and develop new perspectives on the world around them. This, in turn, can lead to personal growth and a deeper sense of community and connection. The paper concludes that by embracing these tools of education and transformation, we can build a brighter future for all.
- ItemTowards Critical and Transformative Participatory Development in the Andes(University of Guelph, ) Melrose, André; Hambly, Helen; Sarapura, SilviaThe purpose of this thesis is to explore, from an organisational standpoint, what is currently being done to improve participation and capacity development in rural projects within the Andes. The research is based in grounded theory and qualitative participatory methods. It was conducted through semi-structured interviews in Peru from November 1st, 2022, to November 30th, 2022. Two site visits were performed, including a field visit, and a workshop attendance. Results demonstrate a significant emphasis on decolonisation from international non-government organisations, with a lesser importance placed by local NGOs. Local development workers were more concerned about market protections and the over-arching extractive systemic post-colonial structure. Importantly, the researcher acknowledges his own positionality within the colonial structure and has done his best to promote the voices of the local and Indigenous populations. The study seeks to tell experiences of the local and Indigenous peoples, rather than prescribe a narrative or outside perspective.
- ItemParticipatory Digital Extension in Agriculture: A Study from Ghana(University of Guelph, ) Brown, Austin; Helen, HamblyThe mobilization of scientific knowledge for agricultural application has long been supported by Radio broadcast in Africa. Digital radio and mobile phone integration are becoming linked with radio and physical extension services, known as Radio+. Farm Radio International provides radio extension services in Ghana and participated in a research attachment for this study. There is a need to improve the content and delivery of agricultural extension services. The study utilized Collaborative Inquiry interviews, a process involving semi-structured, in-depth and interactive discussions. Farm Radio International employees were the interview demographic. The interview data was analyzed using a deductive thematic coding process using NVivo. Issues with funding and capacity, participatory processes, and digital development consistently effect all sectors of agricultural extension in Ghana. Based on these results, the recommendation provided is the development of a digital extension application to serve as a mobile communications and information hub to farmers in rural Ghana.