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Grassroots Power: Transforming Malawi's Conservation Landscape through Seeds of Change
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2026.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1867614079786418176 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Karonga, Sungeni Ruth |
| author2 | Van Velden, Julia |
| author_browse | Karonga, Sungeni Ruth Van Velden, Julia |
| author_facet | Van Velden, Julia Karonga, Sungeni Ruth |
| author_sort | Karonga, Sungeni Ruth |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/136156 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:46:20.037Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/136156 Grassroots Power: Transforming Malawi's Conservation Landscape through Seeds of Change Karonga, Sungeni Ruth Van Velden, Julia Biggs, Reinette Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Centre For Sustainability Transitions. Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. Karonga, S. R. 2026. Grassroots Power: Transforming Malawi's Conservation Landscape through Seeds of Change. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/d36be693-7fe5-43a2-a61b-7e3d3676dd34 The unsustainable harvesting of natural resources in the Anthropocene presents significant threats to global biodiversity and disproportionately affects resource-limited countries. Top-down conservation approaches may have limited ability to drive systemic behavioural changes because they struggle to address both conservation and livelihood needs. Therefore, they need complementary strategies that leverage collective action and local agency. Community-driven or “grassroots” initiatives that originate locally and target specific community needs are increasingly recognized as laying the foundation for social-ecological transformations. However, unlocking their potential to influence sustainable practices remains under-researched, especially in contexts facing significant ecological and livelihood pressures, such as Malawi, a country in Southern Africa. Based on the Seeds of Good Anthropocenes (SoGA) approach, a global project that identifies experimental, bottom-up, and marginal initiatives, this thesis explores the transformative potential of nineteen grassroots initiatives in Malawi. The study employs a multi-method approach, combining interviews and focus groups to examine nineteen grassroots initiatives in Malawi and analyse how they emerge and the obstacles they encounter. These initiatives aim to address problems such as the scarcity of alternative energy sources and the overreliance on natural resources. However, power imbalances among stakeholders lead to funding competition. Despite contributing to livelihoods by facilitating access to non-timber forest products, initiatives exhibit limited contributions to financial and physical capital. An analysis using the Transformative Potential framework (TPoF) revealed that key areas for transformative change include building communities of practice and integrating diverse knowledge systems. However, challenges persist in reshaping mindsets and mobilising resources and are exacerbated by Malawi’s resource constraints. This study argues that transforming toward sustainable harvesting in Malawi hinges on integrating grassroots initiatives with formal conservation approaches. These initiatives, if carefully identified and nurtured, can complement broader conservation strategies by contributing solutions that meet livelihood needs and promote sustainable practices. Masters 2026-04-23T13:09:42Z 2026-04-23T13:09:42Z 2026-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/136156 en Stellenbosch University 136 pages : ill. application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Karonga, Sungeni Ruth Grassroots Power: Transforming Malawi's Conservation Landscape through Seeds of Change |
| title | Grassroots Power: Transforming Malawi's Conservation Landscape through Seeds of Change |
| title_full | Grassroots Power: Transforming Malawi's Conservation Landscape through Seeds of Change |
| title_fullStr | Grassroots Power: Transforming Malawi's Conservation Landscape through Seeds of Change |
| title_full_unstemmed | Grassroots Power: Transforming Malawi's Conservation Landscape through Seeds of Change |
| title_short | Grassroots Power: Transforming Malawi's Conservation Landscape through Seeds of Change |
| title_sort | grassroots power transforming malawi s conservation landscape through seeds of change |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/136156 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT karongasungeniruth grassrootspowertransformingmalawisconservationlandscapethroughseedsofchange |