Emergency Trolley’s Contents and Records: Audit Study at Maternity Sections, State Hospitals, Windhoek, Namibia

The purpose of the study sought to assess and evaluate the contents and records of the emergency trolley in the maternity section of the state hospitals in Windhoek, Namibia. A quantitative and descriptive research design was used for the study to investigate emergency equipment, essential drugs and emergency trolleys. A convenient sample of 10 emergency trolleys in the Windhoek Central Hospital (Hospital A) and Katutura Intermediate Hospital (Hospital B) in Windhoek, Namibia were used. Data was collected using a checklist adapted and edited from the EMSSA. Data were analysed using Microsoft excel 2013. Essential paediatric equipment including bag valve mask devices, Magill’s forceps, oxygen masks were absent in many of the units and wards. Data described that checking of defibrillators, monitors and suction devices still remained a major problem in the units/wards that were fortunate enough to have the aforementioned equipment. A conclusion was that generally the units/wards performed well during the assessments and evaluations. There were still units without emergency trolleys, trolleys that were poorly assessed, and those that were obstructed and registered nurses that had a negative perception to the audit of the emergency trolley. Specialized units such as NICU and Hi-Care Hospital A and Prem Unit Hospital B performed very well in their assessments. Development of policy with regards to assessing, restocking and maintenance of emergency supplies can be used to guide the nurses on what to do. Resuscitation morbidity and mortality meetings in order to identify issues and outcomes surround resuscitation incidences within the unit or ward.

Conservation of Quiver Trees in Namibia and South Africa under a Changing Climate

Aloe dichotoma (Quiver tree) occurs in the arid regions of Namaqualand and Bushman land in South Africa, and in arid regions of southern Namibia. The Quiver trees are not only threatened by agricultural expansion, overgrazing, and mining;but also by climate changes and droughts. Previous studies show that Quiver trees are very sensitive to environmental changes, and do not respond well to extreme hot and dry conditions. This study investigates the current status of the Quiver tree within its existing environment, and also assesses the projected future changes of the Quiver tree habitat under different climatic scenarios. It provided evidence regarding the importance of the study to understanding the climate change impacts on the Quiver tree and its geographical response to climate changes.

Breeding Sorghum Using Induced Mutations: Future Prospect for Namibia

In arid and semi-arid regions of the world sorghum stands out as a climate change-ready crop with high potential for the production of food, feed, fodder, fiber and fuel in the face of increasing human population. The present review highlights induced mutation breeding technique as a potential tool for improving sorghum in Namibia. The review discussed the following issues;crop improvement using mutagens, mutant screening, selection and evaluation, impact of induced mutation breeding, factors for declining production and future implication of sorghum mutation breeding. In Namibia, severe drought stress resulting in total crop failure has become frequent. This is partly a consequence of farmers growing crop varieties which cannot withstand impact of drought. As such Namibia has limited drought tolerant varieties available for the diverse agro-ecologies. Farmers keep growing the familiar landraces which performs well in good rainfall years but fails to produce stable yield with irregular and erratic rainfall. Thus, breeding new sorghum varieties of high yield and quality combined with multiple agronomic traits including pest and disease resistance and high efficiency in nutrient and water use is needed. Induced mutation is one of the breeding methods utilized worldwide to supplement conventional breeding for developing superior varieties with desirable traits in different crops. Development of high yielding, drought tolerant, and dwarf sorghums with early maturity enables effective utilization of available soils moisture and in optimizing plant density for achieving higher yield in farmers’ fields. Recombination breeding through exploitation of natural genetic variability and mutation breeding to reduce the plant height without disturbing agronomic superiority of elite lines is recommended for sorghum improvement in Namibia.

Dominant Lactic Acid Bacteria and Their Antimicrobial Profile from Three Fermented Milk Products from Northern Namibia

The present study focused on the isolation, identification and antimicrobial profile of the dominant lactic acid bacteria from three traditional fermented milk products namely: Omashikwa, Mabisi and Mashini Ghamushikwa from the north-central and north-eastern parts of Namibia. The microbiological and antimicrobial activities of these products fluctuate from one region to another depending on the local indigenous microflora. Omashikwa and Mashini Ghamushikwa fermentation processes involves the addition of Boscia albitrunca root (Omunkuzi) and butter churning. The root contributes to the flavor of the product, increasing the milk fermentation rate and churning. Mabisi is produced by letting the milk to ferment naturally until the water is separated from the whey. The water is then decanted, and the whey is shaken until it is smooth without removal of fat. A total of 180 isolates of Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were obtained and identified based on their phenotypical characterization. Cell free supernatants (CFS) of the 180 LAB isolates were evaluated for antimicrobial activities against selected food borne pathogens;Escherichia coli ATCC 25,922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25,923, Bacillus cereus ATTC 10,876, Candida famata and Geotrichum klebahnii using the well diffusion assay. Twenty LAB isolates having the highest inhibitory effects were selected for biochemical identification using API 50 kit and these were identified as being;Lactobacillus plantarum (53%), Lactobacillus rhamnosus (29%), Pediococcus pentosaceus (6%), Lactobacillus paracasei ssp. paracasei (6%) and Lactococcus lactic ssp. lactis (6%). Pediococcus pentosaceus showed the highest inhibitory effect on all the indicator strains. This study provides an insight into LAB diversity of unstudied Namibian fermented milk products and reports a potential production of antimicrobial compounds which is significant in the standardization of protective starter cultures which can be used to control fermentation process and shelf life extension of dairy products in Namibia.

Granular titanite from the Roter Kamm crater in Namibia:Product of regional metamorphism,not meteorite impact

Accessory minerals with so-called granular texture have risen in importance as geochronological tools for U-Pb dating of meteorite impact events. Grain-scale recrystallization, typically triggered by a combination of high-strain deformation and post-impact heating, can create a polycrystalline microstructure consisting of neoblasts that expel radiogenic Pb, which are thus ideal for isotopic dating. While granular domains in zircon and monazite from shocked rocks have been demonstrated to preserve impact ages,few U-Pb dating studies have been conducted on granular microstructures in titanite(CaTiSiO;). Here we report the occurrence of granular-textured titanite from ~2020 Ma granite basement rock exposed in the rim of the 4–5 Ma Roter Kamm impact structure in Namibia. Orientation mapping reveals two microstructurally distinct titanite populations: one consisting of strained/deformed grains, and the other consisting of grains that comprise aggregates of strain-free neoblasts. In situ U-Pb geochronology on 37 grains shows that most grains from both titanite populations yield indistinguishable U-Pb dates of ca.1025 Ma, consistent with the observed microstructures forming during the Mesoproterozoic Namaqua Orogeny. Only four grains preserved older age domains, recording ca. 1875 Ma Paleoproterozoic metamorphism. Two significant observations emerge:(1) none of the analyzed titanite grains yield the 2020 Ma igneous crystallization age previously established from zircon in the same sample, and(2) no age-resetting was detected that could be attributed to the 4 to 5 Ma Roter Kamm impact event.Despite the similarity of the neoblastic microstructure to minerals from other sites with an established impact provenance, the granular texture and near-complete Pb-loss in titanite from Roter Kamm granite instead records a Paleo-to Mesoproterozoic polymetamorphic history, rather than Miocene age shockrelated processes. These results highlight the critical importance of grain-scale context for interpretation of U-Pb data in granular titanite, and the potential for misinterpreting inherited(pre-impact) microstructures as impact-related phenomenon in target rocks with a complex geological history.

Assessment of HIV/AIDS Stigma in a Rural Namibian Community

Namibia has been affected by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) pandemic with infected and affected persons experiencing stigma at different levels. Despite the high level of knowledge?on HIV/AIDS, stigma remains a challenge. It was for this reason that this paper describes and measures the level of HIV/AIDS stigma in a rural community in Namibia. Mixed methods were used to collect data from 224 participants consisting of 93 people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) who were recruited voluntarily from their support groups, 77 family members nominated by PLWHA participants, 31 community members who were recruited through simple random sampling and 19 opinion leaders who were purposefully selected and four health care workers from an Antiretroviral clinic who were available at the time of this study. Three measurement instruments namely HIV/AIDS Stigma Instrument-PLWHA (HASI-P), Family & Community Stigma Instrument (F&C-SI) and HIV/AIDS Stigma Instrument-Nurse (HASI- N) were used. In-depth interviews were conducted to complement the quantitative results. The study found that stigma manifests in different ways and results revealed that verbal abuse (55%, n = 50, PLWHA), social isolation (73%, n = 67), negative self-perception (33%, n = 30), and household stigma (26% n = 19, family members) were the most common form of stigma experienced by PLWHA. Furthermore health care workers reported stigma of association (50%, n = 2) as care providers for people living with HIV/AIDS. The study concluded that stigma exists although some scores such as fear of contagion and workplace stigma were low. Therefore, interventions in knowledge on basic facts of HIV transmission need to be strengthened. Nonetheless the majority of participants confirmed their willingness to care for sick relatives with HIV and AIDS. This study did not explore stigma of association against caregivers with other participants other than the four health care workers from the antiretroviral clinic. Future researchers can take this further.

Serum Alanine Aminotransferase Elevations in HIV Positive Patients on Antiretroviral Therapy in Namibia

Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infected people is a major concern in the world and especially in Africa. It may lead to liver failure and even death. Certain antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, such as nevirapine and efavirenz, are known to cause toxicity. Other causes of elevated ALT are viral hepatitis, the HIV virus itself and other drugs such as anti-tuberculosis drugs and alcoholism. The study aimed at determining the prevalence of elevated ALT levels in HIV positive patients on antiretroviral therapy during the period 2013 to 2014. This was a retrospective study which included 267 patient records from Katutura and Windhoek Central hospitals in Windhoek, Namibia. The subjects’ ages ranged from 21 to 82 years. The patients enrolled were on the first line treatment and their ALT levels were recorded at each monitoring period. ALT levels, viral hepatitis results and the antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimen were the most important aspects included in the study. Out of 267 patients, 18% had ALT elevation associated with grade 1 to 4 toxicity levels. The study found that 1.4% of patients developed severe liver toxicity (grade 3 and 4 toxicity). Toxicity occurred throughout the treatment period but was the highest at six months of treatment. Patients on nevirapine based regimens had lower toxicity compared to those receiving efavirenz based regimens. Patients who had HIV and viral hepatitis co-infection had high toxicity although the study found no severe hepatotoxicity in these patients.

Effectiveness of GeneXpert Technology in the Diagnosis of Smear-Negative Pulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis in HIV Positive Patients in Namibia

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health problem accounting for more than 9.4 million incidents yearly of which most incidents are common in resource poor countries. The prevalence of Human Immu-nodeficiency Virus (HIV) in these countries is relatively high and TB/HIV co-infected patients often test negative for TB with direct microscopy, which poses diagnostic difficulties. The traditional diagnosis of HIV associated TB is complex, expensive, slow and technically demanding as it relies on conventional culture and drug susceptibility testing. The long delay required to obtain results has devastating consequences for patients who go undiagnosed or diagnosed too late. The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of GeneXpert technology in the diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosisin HIV positive patients. A retrospective cross sectional study was conducted on 400 patients suspected to have Mycobacterium tuberculosis and who were referred to the Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP), Windhoek from November 2014 to May 2015. Patients with known HIV status who had their sputum tested by both the GeneXpert (Cepheid, California, United States of America) and direct microscopy (DM) for TB were included. Out of 400 sputum samples analysed for TB, 253 (63.3%) cases were positive using GeneXpert whereas the DM was positive only for 133 (33.3%) of the cases. Out of these 123 smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis (SN-PTB), 120 (98%) sputum samples were from HIV positive patients while 3 (2%) were from HIV negative patients. The sensitivity of the GeneXpert was calculated as 98% and the specificity was 52%. The majority of the patients who contributed to SN-PTB were found to be co-infected with HIV. The GeneXpert’s sensitivity was found to be high while the specificity was low. Even though this was the case, the GeneXpert as compared to DM could significantly reduce false negatives and the delay on treatment initiation can be significantly shortened, reducing premature death and ongoing transmission.

Engineering Research for Economic Advancement in Namibia

The aim of this special issue of the Open Journal of Applied Sciences on Engineering Research for Economic Advancement is to articulate the relevance of applied engineering research in driving the economic development and sustainability, and addressing national and regional needs of the “small economies”. The research focus areas covered in this issue include renewable energy, water resources management, manufacturing systems, and sustainable mining practices. The focus areas are also relevant in addressing the global change challenges relating to sustainable production and consumption of natural resources for provision of basic services at national and local level.

Living Arrangements and Conditions of Older Persons in Namibia

In Africa, ageing is a phenomenon that is just beginning to reveal its shape. Most governments, including the Namibian government, recognize the fact that the number of older persons is on the increase, however, discussing it is still a distant phenomenon and family matter. This paper examines the living arrangements of older adults in Namibia, identifying the existing structure of living arrangements and the nature of family relationships of older people, as well as provides some basic descriptive information on the housing conditions in which older persons live and how they are associated with their socioeconomic and demographic factors. The analysis is based on 1991, 2001 and 2011 Namibia Population and Housing Censuses. The study concluded that living arrangements is constantly changing from extended family pattern to western nuclear family, mainly due to urbanization and decreased fertility rate. Housing conditions had notably improved in rural areas while in urban areas the conditions are affected by the mushrooming of informal settlements. There is need to encourage or conduct focused research on ageing to help coin policies based on evidence and make communities sensitive towards ageing. The study further recommends Government to encourage old people to form organizations that would in turn focus on sensitizing and help championing issues of ageing and aged persons.

The Namibian Electrical Energy Mix and Its Implications for Air Quality and Climate Variability

The urgent need for sustainable energy choices, local sustainable value creation, and reduction of import dependencies and non-sustainable resource use in Namibia cannot be over emphasised. This study was conducted with the ultimate goal to provide the basis for accurate energy fuel mix and climate change monitoring, and reporting and planning for addressing a global problem at local/domestic level. The energy consumption and production data for the country were used with International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and International Energy Agency (IEA) conversions, and carbon footprint calculation tools to determine the GHG emissions and air pollutants per type of energy fuel;and the carbon footprint associated with each energy fuel option for the country. The study showed that: 1) there is no single energy fuel which is not associated with GHG emissions and/or other environmental implications;2) increase in population and energy consumption and production yields increase in GHGs and other major pollutants (SOx, NOx, Particulate Matter);and 3) the choice of fuel mix determines the success of GHG emissions reduction. A future energy mix dominated by renewable energy technologies;and a balanced view of the actual benefits of the Namibian energy supply choices was also recommended.

Bio-Demographic Factors Impacting on Employment in Namibia： A Binary Logistic Regression Model.

Despite concerted efforts to create employment opportunities and the realized economic growth between 2000 and 2005, the unemployment rate in Namibia currently stands at 27.4%, according to the Labour Force Survey released in April 2013. The percentage of employed males in Namibia stands at 41.6% while that of employed females stand at 28.8% according to the National Human Resources Plan of May 2013. Analysts have put the blame on adverse climatic conditions, limited levels of skills, access to finance, and the structure of the economy. The frustration and discomfort caused by unemployment, especially among the youth, can threaten the country＇s peace and stability as it negatively impacts on the standard of living, crime rates, family happiness, and drug abuse.To date, studies on employment in Namibia have mainly concentrated on the micro and macro econometric approaches. It is important to examine how bio-demographic characteristics affect employment. This paper uses data from the 2010 Income and expenditure survey to establish the bio-demographic determinants of employment by fitting a binary logistic model. The outcome variable is employment status which is dichotomous. The independent variables which were guided by review of related literature and availability of data in the Income and Expenditure survey data set, included age-group, region, place of residence, marital status, education level, and gender. Results indicated that employment prospects in Namibia were influenced by the region, gender, marital status, and education level.

A Hurdle Negative Binomial Regression Model for Non-Marital Fertility in Namibia

The rise of non-marital fertility, which seems to defy the Bongaarts model by decoupling marriage from fertility, has become a subject of interest in both the developed and developing world. Consequences of non-marital fertility are mostly negative particularly in developing countries. In Namibia, although premarital childbearing has been reported to be high and increasing, no studies have explicitly analyzed factors influencing non-marital fertility. This paper uses data from the 2006/7 Namibia DHS to establish the determinants of non-marital fertility among women by applying a two-part model, with one part to describe the presence of non-marital birth and the other part to explain its intensity （number of children born）. Using the number of children ever born as an outcome, we explored various count data models. Based on the Voung statistics model comparison, we settled for the Hurdle logit Negative Binomial regression to model the number of non-marital births. Non-marital fertility in Namibia is associated with the age, with young women likely to have lower fertility compared to older women. Women with secondary or higher education had lower fertility compared those with no formal education. Findings also show that rural women higher fertility propensity compared to their urban counterparts even though there was no significant difference in fertility intensity. With regard to socio-economic status, fertility intensity decreased as the women got richer. Intervention efforts should focus on promoting education among girls and women especially in rural areas to improve their socio-economic status, reduce teenage pregnancy and non-marital fertility.

Antibiotic Resistance Trends of Nasal Staphylococcal Isolates from Namibian School Children

Nasal colonization with Staphylococcus strains puts children at risk of developing difficult-to-treat staphylococcal infections. Antibiotic resistance data is limited in Namibia. Our study thus aimed to provide resistance trends for nasal staphylococci isolated from school children in the Mariental District. This is the first report on antibiotic resistance trends of staphylococci from Namibian school children. By Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion assay, 352 Staphylococcus aureus and 81 coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) isolates from Namibian school children aged 6 - 14 years underwent susceptibility testing against seven antibiotics. Ninety-six percent S. aureus and 66.7% CoNS were resistant to ampicillin. Ampicillin resistance was significantly higher in S. aureus than in CoNS (P S. aureus. Ciprofloxacin was also the most effective drug against CoNS. Cefoxitin/methicillin resistance was seen in 14.5% S. aureus isolates and 8.6% of CoNS. Thirty-one antibiotic resistance patterns were observed, most frequently ampicillin (A), ampicillin-erythromycin (AP-E), and ampicillin-tetracycline (AP-T). Altogether 12.5% isolates (50 S. aureus and four CoNS) were multi-drug resistant. From the methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates, 43.1% were multi-drug resistant. Methicillin-resistant CoNS were not multi-drug resistant, with the most common resistance pattern being ampicillin-rifampicin-cefoxitin (AP-RP-FOX). In conclusion, multi-drug resistance in our study was relatively low. However, some of the MRSA isolates were multi-drug resistant, which is of concern. Learners should be educated on the importance of handwashing and appropriate use of antibiotics to prevent spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria within the community. Ciprofloxacin and gentamicin may effectively be used to treat staphylococcal infections in this study population.

Addressing Barriers to Off-Grid Rural Electrification in Africa： The Botswana and Namibia Experience

Africa is the most affected continent with energy poverty. Wood fuel is the main source of energy for remote and rural populations. At the same time, most parts of Africa are endowed with abundant solar energy. Together with a highly developed global solar industry and ever declining cost of solar systems, solar has unprecedented potential to combat energy poverty in Africa. However, dissemination of solar systems is faced with a number of barriers and challenges amongst where sustainable financing and lack of technological support for installation, maintenance and repair of systems are the most significant. This paper discusses the cases of Botswana and Namibia where financing schemes based on different partnership models have been successfully implemented. These schemes have the potential for success and adaptation by countries with similar socio-economic conditions. We conclude with recommendations on training programs for different levels of intervention to overcome the lack of technological support.

纳米比亚罗辛地区矿化白岗岩铀矿物学研究及意义

罗辛矿床为世界级白岗岩型铀矿床,存在SJ、SH、SK、Z17、Z19等多个矿(化)带,各矿(化)带矿物组合存在较大差异,但系统的矿物学研究程度不高。本次工作通过岩矿鉴定、扫描电镜观察、电子探针分析等方法,系统研究罗辛地区主要矿(化)带铀矿物共生组合及赋存状态。结果显示,白岗岩矿化按矿物组合可划分为3类:①晶质铀矿+锆石+磷灰石组合,主要分布在Z17、Z19、SJ矿床(带);②铀石、铀钍石+榍石+磷灰石组合,主要分布在SH矿床;③贝塔石组合,主要分布在SK、SH矿床。研究区铀成矿可划分为3个期次:岩浆期、热液期、表生淋积期。岩浆期为主成矿期,研究区晶质铀矿电子探针化学年龄为505±11 Ma,代表岩浆期成矿年龄。SH应进一步寻找铀石、铀钍石+榍石+磷灰石组合矿化白岗岩。

纳米比亚湖山铀矿床E类白岗岩岩石学及地球化学特征

纳米比亚湖山铀矿床的铀矿体主要产于D类和E类白岗岩体中,本次研究选择该矿床开采面上的E类白岗岩为研究对象,对其开展详细的岩相学和元素地球化学特征研究。全岩主量元素特征显示,湖山铀矿床E类白岗岩的SiO_(2)和Na_(2)O+K_(2)O含量较高,而MnO、MgO、Na_(2)O、P_(2)O_(5)以及CaO含量较低,为高钾钙碱性系列-钾玄岩系列的过铝质岩石。稀土元素具有Eu轻微亏损、轻重稀土分馏不明显的特征,具有较明显的四分组效应。微量元素特征表明Rb/Sr、Nb/Ta、Zr/Hf与全球地壳比值接近,E类白岗岩可能是壳源岩石;此外,在微量元素蛛网图中,E类白岗岩相对富集Rb、K、Th、U、Pb等大离子亲石元素,而Ba、Nb、Sr、Ti等呈较明显的负异常;Sr的亏损可能是斜长石在岩浆演化过程中分离结晶的结果,Ti的亏损则可能是钛铁氧化物分离结晶而导致,这表明E类白岗岩的岩浆结晶分异较为完全。

Evaluation of the Xpert^(■)MTB/RIF assay and microscopy for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Namibia

Background:Tuberculosis(TB)kills approximately two million people and infects around nine million worldwide annually.Its proper management,especially in resource-limited settings,has been hindered by the lack of rapid and easy-to-use diagnostic tests.Sputum smear microscopy remains the cheapest,readily available diagnostic method but it only identifies less than half of the patients with a HIV/TB co-infection because the bacilli would have disseminated from the lungs to other areas of the body.The fully automated Xpert^(■)MTB/RIF assay is a promising innovation for diagnosing TB and detecting resistance to rifampicin.This study aimed to evaluate the use of Xpert^(■)MTB/RIF assay and microscopy in the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Namibia,by determining the disease’s epidemiology and calculating the proportion of cases infected just with TB and those with a resistance to rifampicin among the total suspected cases of TB in the country.Methods:This retrospective study analysed TB cases that were diagnosed using both the Xpert^(■)MTB/RIF assay and microscopy.Data were collected from patient records from the Meditech laboratory information system of the Namibia Institute of Pathology for the time period of July 2012-April 2013.Data from 13 regions were collected.Results:The total number of specimens collected from patients with symptoms of pulmonary TB was 1842.Of these,594(32.20%)were found to be positive for MTB by Xpert^(■)MTB/RIF assay,out of which 443(24.05%)were also found to be positive by microscopy.The remainder was negative.The male patients were more resistant to rifampicin when compared to the female patients.Conclusions:Tuberculosis is widely distributed throughout Namibia,with slightly more males infected than females.Most TB patients are also co-infected with HIV.Both microscopy and Xpert^(■)MTB/RIF assay are crucial for the diagnosis of TB in the country.Screening diagnostic efforts should focus on the sexually active HIV positive male population who could be the source of more RIF-resistant TB than females to prevent its spread.

Integrating small mammal community variables into aircraft–wildlife collision management plans at Namibian airports

Understanding ecosystems within and around airports can help to determine the causes and possible mitigation measures for collisions between aircraft and wildlife.Small mammal communities are an important component of the semi-arid savanna ecosystems of Namibia,its productivity and its ecosystem integrity.They are also a major direct attractant for raptors at airports.The present study compared the abundance and diversity of small mammals between Namibia’s 2 main airport properties(Hosea Kutako International Airport and Eros Airport),and among areas of land used for various purposes surrounding the airports.A total of 2150 small mammals(3 orders,11 species)were captured over 4 trapping seasons.Small mammal abundance was significantly higher at the end of the growing season than during the non-growing season.The grass mowing regimen in current management plans at the airports resulted in a significant reduction of small mammal abundance at Hosea Kutako during the non-growing season only,thus indicating that annual mowing is effective but insufficient to reduce the overall abundance of mammal prey species for raptors.Small mammal numbers were significantly higher at Hosea Kutako Airport compared to the cattle and game farming land surrounding the airport,while no differences in small mammal densities or diversity were found for areas with different land uses at and surrounding Eros.The study suggests that the fence around Hosea Kutako provides a refuge for small mammals,resulting in higher densities.It also indicates that different surrounding land use practices result in altered ecosystem function and productivity,an important consideration when identifying wildlife attractants at airports.

Indigenous Knowledge and Developing Countries’Innovation Systems:The Case of Namibia

This article analyzes in‐depth the development trajectory of the innovation systems(IS)in the case of Namibia.The research data consists of documents,interviews and studies related to IS development in Namibia from the 1990s until early 2016.The case study highlights the spatiotemporal challenges of creating an IS in a developing country with limited STI resources and the potential mismatch between related strategies and practices.IS is a broad framework that identifies and maps potential relevant actors for innovation development but it does not necessary enhance interactions between the actors of IS.For developing countries,the doing‐using‐interacting mode of innovation fits better when the aim is to integrate indigenous knowledge(IK)into an IS.An IK‐included IS can facilitate participatory development processes,foster socioeconomic resilience of local communities and enhance the comparative advantage of a developing country.