The Economic Rationale for Agricultural Regeneration and Rural Infrastructure Investment in South Africa

This paper informs government policy insofar as it relates to the agricultural and rural de- velopment sectors and infrastructure investment within these sectors. The paper first quantfies the role of agriculture in the South African economy. This is done within the context of, inter alia, food security, agriculture's contribution to gross domestic product (GDP), economic link- ages and multipliers with respect to the agricultural sector, as well as agriculture's employment creation and external stabilisation capacity. Investment in the agricultural and rural sectors are then analysed with a view of supporting the argument that agriculture's role in the economy is su¢ ciently important to warrant regenerative strategies, including renewed emphasis on agricul- tural and rural infrastructure investment by South African policy makers. The quantification of the agricultural sector in relation to the total economy and that of agricultural and rural infrastructure investment are investigated against the backdrop of declining government sup- port, increasing production risks due to a variety of exogenous events like climate change, and increasing dynamic trade impacts. In this paper, the authors offer both supporting arguments in terms of current economic policy and recommendations for more decisive policy measures aimed at agricultural regeneration and rural infrastructure investment.

Familial and peer influences on sport participation among adolescents in rural South African secondary schools

This study was designed to investigate the influences of family and peers on sport participation amongst adolescents in secondary schools at Hlanganani rural area of Limpopo Province, South Africa. A total of 172 learners (108 females and 64 males) attending three public secondary schools in Hlanganani rural area volunteered to participate in the study. Results indicated that adolescents preferred peers to family for support in sport participation. In terms of gender, no significant differences (p>0.05) were noted between mean values for school boys and girls with regard to family influence. Boys reported more tangible support, whereas girls indicated a preference for emotional support. Sport participation among learners is likely to increase when they receive informational, tangible, emotional and appraisal support from their parents and peers

Strategies for the support of successful land reform: a case study of Qwa Qwa emerging commercial farmers

Beneficiaries of Land Reform programs and new farmers entering an intolerant agricultural environment with challenges unparalleled to previous challenges resulted in the need for audacious actions and plans to support these farmers. Liberization of the agricultural economic environment necessitates efficient management principles with no room for error from farmers to ensure sustainability. This article highlights problems and challenges encountered by emerging commercial farmers in the Qwa Qwa region. The lack of production finance and proper extension support experienced by respondents are emblematic of problems encountered by other Land Reform beneficiaries. The need for proper extension programs and structures are highlighted in this paper. The successful execution of the Land Reform program in South Africa relies heavily on integrated and coordinated efforts from all role-players to deliver efficient support programs for newly settled farmers. This can only be achieved by means of visionary actions directed by strong leadership. South African Jouran of Agricultural Extension Vol.32 2003: 1-1

The application of single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) technique for the analysis of molecular heterogeneity of grapevine virus A

The results of the analysis of grapevine virus A (GVA) isolates by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) confirm that this technique is very helpful in rapid and relatively low cost preliminary analysis of molecular heterogeneity of viruses. The results clearly show that the reliability of SSCP analysis of GVA depends on oligonucleotide primers for successful RT-PCR amplification of the highest possible number of molecular variants of the virus. Among 7 pairs of GVA-specific primers designed in different laboratories only two, those from Canada (117038 and C7273) and Switzerland (MP and CPdt), allowed positive RT-PCR amplification of all our isolates of the virus mechanically transmitted from various grapevines to Nicotiana benthamiana. With SSCP analysis of 238 bp DNA fragments complementary to part of ORF5 of GVA, produced by RT-PCR using the first pair of primers, we were able to detect 1-35 nt differences between GVA isolates. The DNA fragments, about 986 bp, complementary to part of ORF3 and ORF4, ORF5 and 3'UTR of GVA, produced by RT-PCR using the second pair of primers, were useful for SSCP analysis only after their digestion with the restriction enzyme DdeI. The results strongly suggest that SSCP analysis of 238 nt fragment of ORF5 of GVA along with DdeI/SSCP analysis of about 986 nt 3'terminal fragment of the virus allow rapid and reliable determination of the number of dominant nt sequence variants of GVA present in a single N. benthamiana or grapevine plant.

Single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP), cloning and sequencing reveals two major groups of divergent molecular variants of grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3)

The SSCP and RE/SSCP analysis of ORF5, ORF6 and ORF7 of 25 local and overseas isolates of GLRaV-3 showed only two kinds of distinct SSCP profiles for each of these genomic regions. It suggested low molecular variability of the virus. Fragments of the 5’UTR + ORF1a, 3’ terminal part of ORF1a, ORF4, ORF5, ORF6 and ORF7 of three isolates, representing distinct SSCP profiles, were cloned and sequenced. Results revealed that although the 3’terminal half of the genome (ORF4-7) and the sequence located in the 3’ terminal part of ORF1a were relatively similar among isolates (91.3-96.2 % nt identity), their 5’terminal parts (88 nt of 5’UTR and adjacent first 329 nt of ORF1a) were clearly divergent (81.6-81.8 % nt identity). Analysis of this divergent part of GLRaV-3 for an additional 11 isolates showed that they cluster in two distinct molecular groups, sharing 94.7-99.7 % and 80.8-85.1 % nt identity within and between groups respectively. The correlation between the molecular groups and SSCP profiles of the 209 nt fragment of ORF5 of GLRaV-3 strongly suggests that SSCP analysis of this easily RT-PCR amplified region can be used for rapid identification of divergent molecular variants of the virus in field-collected grapevine samples.

Human health risk assessment for silver catfish Schilbe intermedius Rüppell, 1832, from two impoundments in the Olifants River, Limpopo, South Africa

As rural populations grow and rural poverty increases, consumption of fish from contaminated river systems will increase to supplement dietary protein requirements. The concentrations of metals in fish muscle tissue at two impoundments of the Olifants River (Flag Boshielo Dam and the Phalaborwa Barrage) were measured, and a human health risk assessment following Heath et al. (2004) conducted to investigate whether consumption of Schilbe intermedius from these impoundments posed a risk to human health. The results confirmed that metals are accumulating in the muscle tissue of S. intermedius. No patterns were observed in the ratios of the metals bio-accumulated at each impoundment. The human health risk assessment identified that all fish analysed exceeded the recommended levels for safe consumption for lead and chromium and about 50% exceeded the recommended level for antimony at Flag Boshielo Dam. Almost all fish analysed exceeded the recommended level for lead and more than 50% exceeded the recommended level for arsenic at the Phalaborwa Barrage. We conclude that weekly consumption of S. intermedius from these impoundments may pose an unacceptable risk to the health of rural communities.Keywords: risk assessment, human health, Schilbe intermedius, lead, chromium, antimon

Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding iodine among patients with hyperthyroidism in the Free State, South Africa

Objectives: To gather baseline information on the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding iodine and iodised salt among patients with hyperthyroidism in the Free State.Subjects and Setting: The study was part of a large cohort study that included the first 96 patients aged 13 years or older diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and referred to Universitas Academic Hospital in Bloemfontein, South Africa during 2005.Methods: The patients were interviewed in their language using a structured validated questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used fordata analysis.Results: The majority of the patients (86.9%) did not know what iodine was. Similarly, a higher percentage of patients (76.7%) were unaware of the most important or main source of iodine in the food of South Africans. Regarding knowledge of the most important harmful effect on the health of children if they did not get enough iodine, almost all of the patients (89.1%) did not know what it was. Ninety-five per cent of salt was obtained from the local shops, and only 36.1% of the patients read the labelling on the package during purchase. A very small proportion of patients (1.6%) stored salt in closed containers and away from sunlight, while about half of them (49.2%) stored salt in open containers without lids, 36.1% stored it in rigid plastic containers with holes at the top, and 13.1% stored it in the open plastic bags in which the salt was bought.Conclusions: Patients with hyperthyroidism lacked knowledge of iodine, as well as of the storage of iodised salt, and this could have contributed to the persisting endemic goitre reported in previous studies. An aggressive awareness programme, targeting policy makers and the public, is recommended to ensure sustainable elimination of iodine deficiency disorders in South Africa.  Keywords: hyperthyroidism; iodine; iodised salt; knowledge-attitude-practice study; South Afric