A multivariate dataset on water–energy–food nexus: Multi-actor governance for social justice

Ngarava Saul*, Marjanneke J Vijge, Duplessis Willemien, Zhou Leocadia, Viljoen Germarié, Nyambo Patrick, Tiisetso J Rantlo, Mokadem Naziha, Qumbu Bronwen, Bongoza Sibulele, Alois A Mugadza

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

The article presents and validates an extensive multivariate dataset that offers insights into water–energy–food (WEF) nexus governance for social justice at the intrahousehold, household, and community levels. The lack of insights in the WEF nexus debate that take social justice and governance into account is what spurred the data collection. The initial process involved scoping the originally selected investigated sites and their suitability. Once the research areas were identified, the data were collected from 1184 households in the Matatiele, Magareng, and Greater Taung Local Municipalities in South Africa, using a semi-structured questionnaire and KoboCollect software. The freely available software was installed on Android Tablets which were used by the enumerators. The questionnaires were initially piloted in Matatiele Local Municipality, testing for internal validity and skip patterns, as well as time to complete the questionnaire. The reliability of the Likert responses from the questionnaire was evaluated using Cronbachʼs alpha. The questionnaire was then refined for data collection and utilized a total of twenty-two (22) locally trained enumerators who were employed at the investigated sites. These enumerators were trained in administering the questionnaire and the use of the KoboCollect software used in data collection. The enumerators also received training on how to conduct the survey ethically, including informed permission, confidentiality, and the option to withdraw from the interview. The design of the data collection process was a cross-sectional survey that was conducted between 6 June and 4 August 2022, using purposive sampling. At the end of each data collection day, the enumerators uploaded their collected data into the KoboTool cloud, which allowed the lead in the survey to assess the data and effect any correctional measures on the questionnaire if the need arose. The enumerators also used a WhatsApp chat group to communicate real time opportunities and challenges in the questionnaire, which allowed the lead in the survey to constantly update the questionnaire. The multivariate questionnaire was divided into sections of socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, community-level governance, decision-making, food, energy, and water security, social justice, legal knowledge, and rights to utilize these resources. The dataset will be of significance to multi-disciplinary researchers focusing on WEF security, governance, and social justice in Southern Africa. Furthermore, environmental and sustainability practitioners can find valuable insights from the provided data. The employed methodology is replicable and adaptable, enabling real-time monitoring of social justice and governance in the context of food, energy, and water security. The real time monitoring of governance and social justice in water, energy and food allows for the possibility of continual data collection and updating, and if a longitudinal design is adopted, it can be used for impact inquiry of any interventions or policies.
Original languageEnglish
Article number110805
Number of pages21
JournalData in Brief
Volume56
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Author(s)

Funding

This work is based on the research supported wholly by the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa and the Dutch Research Council (de Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek - NWO) of The Netherlands Project UID 129352. The NRF and NWO are thanked for their financial contribution. Any opinion, finding, conclusion or recommendation expressed in this material is that of the author(s) and the NRF and NWO do not accept any liability in this regard. Further acknowledgement is targeted towards Environmental Rural Solution (ERS), Vaalharts Water User Association and World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-South Africa in assistance with the data collection process. This work is based on the research supported wholly by the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa and the Dutch Research Council (de Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek - NWO) of The Netherlands Project UID 129352. The NRF and NWO are thanked for their financial contribution. Any opinion, finding, conclusion or recommendation expressed in this material is that of the author(s) and the NRF and NWO do not accept any liability in this regard. Further acknowledgement is targeted towards Environmental Rural Solution (ERS), Vaalharts Water User Association and World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-South Africa in assistance with the data collection process. The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

FundersFunder number
National Research Foundation
World Wildlife Fund
Vaalharts Water User Association and World Wildlife Fund
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk OnderzoekUID 129352

    Keywords

    • Agency
    • Community
    • Equity
    • Governance
    • Household energy multi-dimensional index (HMEPI)
    • Household food in-access scale (HFIAS)
    • Households water insecurity experience (HWISE)
    • Social justice
    • South Africa
    • Water–energy–food (WEF) nexus

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