This book is a rare collection of reflective and reflexive stories that reveal how seasoned academics, agents of grassroots social change, leaders and journalists transformed and shaped the development landscape in eastern and southern Africa. Whereas practical experiences are crucial assets and resources for shaping the academic environment and development practice landscape, most of the existing literature recommended as key learning materials in tertiary institutions is rarely in synch with the practical realities of development practice.
The shared individual lived experiences from academic endeavours and fieldwork provide hands-on tools for students and emerging practitioners who might be involved in or are currently facilitating development work. The thrust of the book, therefore, is to demystify the day-to-day experiences of development practitioners while contributing to learning pathways or strategies for achieving viable solutions to the myriad of challenges, which grassroots communities face. The relevance of the book as a crucial resource for students pursuing development-oriented degree programmes in colleges and universities is obvious. Without any doubt, the compilation will be handy in the implementation of diverse development-oriented transformation agenda at academic, programming and policy levels.
Tshilidzi Madzivhandila is CEO of the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network’s (FANRPAN), in Pretoria, South Africa. He is Expert in public policies and programmes evaluation having studied at the School of Business, Economics and Public Policy at the University of the New England (Australia).
Sepo Hachigonta is Director of Strategic Partnerships within the Strategy, Planning and Partnerships business unit at the National Research Foundation (NRF), in Pretoria, South Africa. His research interests are in trans-disciplinary fields, food systems as well as Africa’s science, technology and innovation policy landscape.
Joseph Francis is Professor and Director of the Institute for Rural Development at the University of Venda in South Africa. He has worked as University Academic for more than 23 years during which time he has extensively engaged with grassroots communities in various countries in southern Africa. His expertiseencompasses local governance, public participation, local economic development, innovation for development and poverty studies.
Oluwatoyin (Toyin) Dare Kolawole is Professor of Rural Development at the Okavango Research Institute (ORI), University of Botswana (UB), in Botswana. He is Adjunct Faculty at the Eastern University based in Pennsylvania, USA, and was UC Visiting Canterbury Fellow in 2014. His works are at the interface of science, policy and agriculture in Africa.
Joseph Kamuzhanje is Professor and Director and Lead Consultant for the Perch Inc Development Consultancy Services, in Zimbabwe. He is Experienced Rural and Urban Planner, Development Practitioner and Social Scientist with over 25 years of experience in development.
Shirley Dewolf is Pastor, Community Activist, Mentor and Retired University Lecturer. She has extensive experience in rural development planning and implementation, refugee support and human resources development.
