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As the concept of social-ecological resilience gains increasing policy attention, there is growing demand for approaches that operationalise it. Amongst these demands is the need to empirically assess absorptive, adaptive and transformative capacities that underpin resilience to better understand the ways in which social-ecological systems can navigate change and uncertainty. We explore the application of a capitals approach for assessing resilience capacities, using an example of deciduous fruit farming operations in the Western Cape region of South Africa. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, thematically coded, and analysed using causal loop diagrams and co-occurrence analyses to identify changes experienced by farming operations, their responses to these changes, and the effects of both on capital resources. We then apply the criteria developed for the classification of resilience capacities. A variety of changes affect farming operations at multiple points across the value chain, and have effects across capital resources. Most significant to farmers are changes which impact the amount of water available and the cashflow they require to sustain their operations. The most common responses employed by farmers consisted of activities which either increase the availability of an affected resource, or decrease its demand in order to maintain the same functions (adaptive capacity). In fewer cases, farming operations were able to absorb the depletion of their capital resources due to pre-emptive management (absorptive capacity). In similarly few cases, the potential or realised resource deficiencies caused by changes were either corrected or decoupled from the farming operation through structural reorganisation towards a different or additional function and types of output being delivered (transformative capacity). Evidence of changes being anticipated prior to their onset were also identified, leading to responses which are used in conjunction with the preceding three capacities. Our findings suggest that the criteria we developed for classifying resilience capacities offer a useful means of operationalising resilience. In particular, the approach we pilot in this paper enables the application of a systems perspective to identify interactions between changes and responses, which broadens the options for identifying management strategies and interventions. The approach we propose can be used to identify key leverage points to strengthen the capacities of vulnerable farmers. Further work is required to integrate consideration of cross-scale effects of farm-scale resilience strategies on the broader social-ecological system. [Display omitted] • Empirical examples of studies which operationalise social-ecological resilience are in high demand. • We assess resilience identifying the capital effects of change and responses in farming operations. • The interaction between changes and responses are used to infer capacities of resilience. • Most response strategies reveal adaptive capacity, with other capacities utilised to a lesser extent. • The criteria employs a systemic outlook which broadens considerations for responses and management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the decision-making process of patients with pregnancies affected by serious congenital abnormalities. The study design was an exploratory qualitative study. The sample for this study was pregnant individuals who had a prenatal diagnosis of a serious congenital abnormality and were offered termination of pregnancy. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews with closed and open-ended questions, recorded and transcribed verbatim, were used to collect the data; this was then analyzed using a thematic data analysis approach. Five topics were developed: "Health care services", "Home", "Being a mother", "Finding meaning", and "The aftermath". The first four topics describe the decision-making process where the participants filtered through multiple factors to reach their final decision. Although the participants consulted with their families, partners, and community, they made the final decision themselves. The final topics describes activities which were necessary for closure and coping. This study has provided valuable insight into the decision-making process, which can be used to improve services offered to patients. Information should be communicated clearly with follow-up appointments to discuss further. Healthcare professional should show empathy and assure the participants that their decision is supported. • There are limited qualitative data on termination of pregnancy decision-making for serious congenital abnormalities in the African setting. • This paper provides insight into the decision-making process of pregnant individuals from the Western Cape, South Africa. • Decision-making for terminating pregnancy affected by congenital abnormality is multifaceted but with one deciding factor. • Contrary to what is anecdotally expected, in this study the participants made the final decision. • Tragic optimism was necessary for the participants to carry on with their lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expected electrification of Sub-Sahara Africa's urban paratransit with an electric minibus taxi (eMBT) has received increased attention in energy research and expenditure analyses. In this paper, several long-distance routes between the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape in South Africa are assessed for electrification. To mitigate the long charging time of eMBTs, we propose a battery swapping approach in which a trailer acts as a mobile battery bank to the vehicle (eMBT+T); which is to be charged from a solar charging station to reduce emissions. Compared to the current MBTs, the proposed model results in only a 6% trip time increase. Crucially, emissions are reduced by 75%, where a 20% increase is seen when using an eMBT. The results show that a trailer battery enables viable long-distance electrical paratransit, and with the integration of solar power charging, this transition can also be sustainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smallholder farmers are vulnerable and hardest hit by droughts in Africa. One of the main causes of the increased vulnerability is limited access to resources resulting in limited drought preparedness. The heterogeneous nature of smallholder farmers means that they deal with droughts differently. Responses to drought are context-specific depending on the socio-economic, political, and cultural dimensions, which make it difficult to generalize. However, information on smallholder farmer drought perceptions, impacts on livelihoods, and the way droughts are dealt with at farm-level is scarce and mostly site-specific. This paper presents the findings from a study conducted in the Western Cape Province, in South Africa. The main objective of the study was to assess the impacts of the 2015-18 drought on the smallholder farmer livelihoods, and the coping and adaptation strategies adopted. The Sustainable Livelihoods Approach was used to frame questions on the coping mechanisms used by farmers, and any other strategies developed to adapt to future droughts. The study adopted the qualitative research design and focused on 112 smallholder farmers in two districts. Face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions were used to collect data, which was analysed using Atlas. ti 8.1 for Windows. The results showed that ownership of assets and support from private and public organisations facilitates better coping and adaptation to drought. There were social networks in farmer groups, but their benefits did not go beyond the members. Further research is required to determine the best models of support to smallholder farmers to empower them for adaption to future droughts. • Perceptions of drought by smallholder farmers did not translate into strategies for drought coping or adaptation. • Drought support was mainly through fodder for livestock. • Livelihood capitals can enhance smallholder farmer adaptation to drought. • Smallholder farmers were limited in their adaptation strategies mainly because of limited resources. • There was limited social networking beyond the farmer groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Informal settlements, which have little or no legal status and no official planning remit, such as slums, shacks and favelas, are exposed to an extensive risk of fire. Due to flammable construction materials of the dwellings, the combustibility and flammability of the materials of dwelling furnishings and the proximity and density of these settlements, fires can readily develop and spread to neighbouring dwellings. To understand the hazards related to fire development and spread, a database of material properties is required, however, the materials found within the informal settlement homes vary and are sometimes hard to define. Therefore, an accurate assessment of the common materials found in informal settlements, and their comparison to literature data, is required. This paper presents a total of 345 cone calorimeter tests used to develop a database of combustible materials found in informal settlements of the Western Cape in South Africa. Thirty-two different typical materials were collected from one South African informal settlement and heated by an electronic cone calorimeter. The critical heat flux for ignition was determined by decreasing the incident heat flux until no ignition occurrence. The materials were also heated under different heat fluxes of 30 kW/m2, 50 kW/m2 and 75 kW/m2 to simulate their burning behaviour under different fire conditions. Other important parameters were obtained including ignition time, burning time, maximum heat release rate and flame height. Different materials contribute to fire development/spread/severity in different ways and phases: for the fire development inside the shack, PU foam, carpets and clothing are most important; for fire spread between dwelling: clothing, shade netting and tyre play a key role; meanwhile for fire severity, tyre, PU foam, carpets and Masonite timber need most notice. The experimental results can provide basic data for theoretical and numerical analysis of compartment fire development and spread in informal settlements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]