National and provincial officials’ knowledge on phytosanitary matters for food security in South Africa

The goal of this study was to investigate and identify the existing knowledge gaps on plant health systems of the national and provincial officials responsible for biosecurity issues and plant health matters at the Departments of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) in South Africa. In this study, stratified random sampling was used and a semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 60 participants (30 each from national and provincial) from DAFF (scientists and inspectors), Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) (biodiversity officers) and Provincial Departments of Agriculture (PDAs) (extension officers or agricultural advisors). The data was analysed statistically using the one-way frequency and Spearman’s Rank correlation coefficients. The study revealed that 76.7% of the respondents at the national level have knowledge and understanding on plant health systems and only 36.7% of the PDAs respondents have such a level of knowledge. In terms of the relevant training on plant health matters, the majority of the respondents at the PDAs (80%) revealed that they were not receiving basic training on quarantine pests (pest identification and control), while only 20% of the respondents at the national authority indicated a lack of regular trainings. Thus, intensifying awareness and basic training on plant health matters, specifically for the extension officers and/or agricultural advisors, was found to be an effective tool to enhance knowledge capacity.Keywords: Extension officers, legislation, knowledge, pest, plant health syste

Monitoring urban growth around Rustenburg, South Africa, using SPOT 5

Understanding urban spatial growth is critical for sustainable urban infrastructure and service planning. Urban growth information is an important input into predicting future land cover and land use change and sustainable growth management. Rapid urbanization has resulted in expanded urban land use and has led to population explosions in urban areas and undesirable environmental impacts in South Africa. This research is aimed at studying urban spatial growth of Rustenburg city in South Africa from 2007 to 2012 using temporal imagery acquired by Satellite Pour l’Observation de la Terra (SPOT) 5 satellite. Multi-temporal images acquired in 2007, 2009 and 2012 were used to assess urban spatial growth of Rustenburg. Post-classification change detection method was used to quantify urban growth. For the purpose of this study, only two classes, urban and non-urban land use classes, were mapped and assessed. The urban spatial growth between 2007 and 2009 was 16.8% while 8.7% urban growth was observed between 2009 and 2012. The total spatial urban growth between 2007 and 2012 was 25.5%. This information can be used by the municipal authorities and decision makers as input during urban and environmental planning

Contribution of food security projects on poverty alleviation to the communities of Limpopo province, South Africa.

Despite South Africa’s economic growth having been accelerated considerably in the country, poverty levels have not decreased as one would have experienced. Food Security Projects initiated by the government of South Africa in order to help alleviate poverty within Limpopo Province have proved unsustainable and difficult to provide for what they were mandated to provide to the satisfaction of the government, which is to create jobs and alleviate poverty. The purpose of this study was to assess the contribution of food security projects on poverty alleviation in the communities. The study was conducted in the five districts of Limpopo Province, namely; Mopani, Vhembe, Capricorn, Sekhukhune and Waterberg. Qualitative design was used in this study. Qualitative data was collected through semi-structured interview guide which was administered to 50 chairpersons of the food security projects. The study also followed audit components such as economic components, political components, health and education components, environmental components and social components which were used to assess the economic and material characteristics of the communities. The results affirmed that food security projects are contributing to poverty alleviation to the beneficiaries and to a lesser extent to the community members.Key words: Food Security projects; Poverty alleviation, audit component

Application of semi-automated settlement detection for an integrated topographic map information system update in South Africa

Complete, accurate and up-to-date topographic data is of vast importance as it is widely required by different government agencies, non-governmental organisations, the private sector as well as the general public for urban mapping, rural development and environmental management, to mention but a few applications. Efficient semi-automatic methods for detecting settlements as change area indicators are required in order to achieve a sustainable up-to-date topographic database. This study reviewed the capability of geographic object based image analysis (GEOBIA) as a semi-automated method for settlement detection using 2012 SPOT 5imagery in the KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa.The application of GEOBIA provide the ability to segment imagery into areas resembling features of interest. For this study GEOBIA settlement detection provided 70.7% overall accuracy while the existing semi-automated South African global human settlement layer (SA_GHSL) had 60% overall accuracy. These results presents an opportunity to apply GEOBIA semi-automated method to target areas of new settlement development more efficiently and with consistent repeatable manner. Thus assisting topographic update analyst to be drawn to more areas of new settlement development at an enhanced efficient rate. However the spectral variability of roof tops which are prominent identifiable feature by remote sensing for settlement areas prove to be the most challenging obstacle towards semi-automated settlement detection

Marketability and sustainability of food security programmes: products and productivity of agricultural projects

This paper addresses the marketability and sustainability of food security programmes in Limpopo Province. Food security features prominently because poverty and inequality remains a huge challenge in South Africa’s rural sector. Thus the Government has initiated the establishment of agricultural community projects as part of interventions for creating jobs and improving income levels. However, lack of monitoring mechanisms in established projects create a challenge of nonsustainability of these projects. The study has used formative evaluation approach to determine the effectiveness of the established food security programme. A mixed model approach was used to collect data from key informants and project members. Descriptive statistics were computed using SPSS. Most projects were on vegetable, poultry and piggery production. The study has found that 64.1% of the respondents reported that access to inputs was not a challenge. Project products are sold to community members who accounted to 79%, and few (1%) to individuals owning business, clinics and outside the community. Project members advertised their produce mainly verbally (47.2%). Marketing strategies for project products were lacking and this creates a negative impact on income generated and sustainability of projects. The paper concludes by suggesting that project members should be advised on appropriate marketing strategies.S.Afr. Tydskr. Landbouvoorl./S. Afr. J. Agric. Ext., Vol. 40 2012: 1 – 1

Relationships between farmer psychological profiles and farm business performance amongst smallholder beef and poultry farmers in South Africa

Beef cattle and poultry are critically important livestock for improving household food security and alleviating poverty amongst smallholder farmers in South Africa. In this paper, our goal is to examine the relationships between farmer psychological profiles and farm business performance of commercially oriented beef cattle and poultry smallholder farmers in South Africa. We employ a multipronged interdisciplinary approach to test the theory of planned behaviour and its relationship to farm business performance. First, a behavioural science-informed survey instrument was employed to collect data from randomly selected farmer participants in two major beef and poultry projects undertaken by the authors. Second, a latent profile analysis was used to identify the psychological profiles of those farmers. Third, traditional and estimated indicators of farm business performance were obtained using descriptive and econometric-based approaches, including logistic regression and stochastic frontier analyses. The estimated farm business performance indicators were correlated with the psychological profiles of farmers. Results from the latent profile analysis showed three distinct profiles of beef and poultry farmers clearly differentiated by their ability to control and succeed in their farm business enterprises; criteria included attitude, openness to ideas, personality, perceived capabilities, self-efficacy, time orientation, and farm- and personal-related concerns. Profile 1 (‘Fatalists’) scored themselves negatively on their ability to control and succeed in their business enterprises. The majority of farmers were generally neutral about their ability to control and succeed in their businesses (Profile 2, ‘Traditionalists’), while a relatively small group of farmers were confident of their ability to succeed (Profile 3, ‘Entrepreneurs’). We found evidence of significant differences in farm business performance amongst the different profiles of farmers. As far as we can determine, this is the only study to have assessed farm business performance based on a differentiation of farmers’ psychological profiles. Our results provide a framework to further investigate whether particular types of on-farm interventions and training methods can be customised for different segments of farmers based on their preferred learning styles

ESTABLISHING A PLATFORM FOR SPRAY DRYING INHALABLE VACCINES IN SOUTH AFRICA

Mycobacterium bovis BCG is the current vaccine for tuberculosis (TB). However, BCG as it is currently administered shows highly variable efficacy in protecting adults against TB. The natural route of infection of TB is via inhalation of bacilli-containing aerosols and it is postulated that immunization by the natural route of infection may lead to a greater immunity given the fact that the lungs are the primary target of infection. By eliciting both local and systemic immune responses, it is anticipated that an inhaled form of BCG will offer greater protection against pulmonary TB. Current commercial BCG vaccine preparations are filled as bacterial suspensions in vials, dried through lyophilization and stabilized through refrigeration with a one year shelf life. However, freeze-dried BCG does not exhibit a particle form conducive for delivery via the aerosol route and must be injected. Spray drying studies by Harvard University and Medicine in Need (MEND) scientists have demonstrated that BCG could be spray dried into a viable aerosol with up to 1 year of stability under refrigerated conditions, with the potential for room temperature stability. To support the further preclinical development of the BCG aerosol for application in the developing world, MEND established a state-of-the-art Biosafety level 3 spray drying facility with local expertise in South Africa, where the vaccine will be produced for an IND-enabling toxicology study meeting OECD Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) requirements. Frozen BCG bulk is spray dried and the resulting dry powder is characterized in terms of viability and aerosol properties. The dried BCG aerosol is then aseptically filled into capsules using a semi-automatic filling device for delivery using a low-cost hand-held inhaler. In conclusion, the spray drying technology was successfully transferred from Harvard University to the MEND facility in Pretoria. MEND is developing local expertise and infrastructure to support further preclinical and clinical development of BCG for inhalation

Recommendations for dealing with waste contaminated with Ebola virus: a Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points approach

Objective To assess, within communities experiencing Ebola virus outbreaks, the risks associated with the disposal of human waste and to generate recommendations for mitigating such risks. Methods A team with expertise in the Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points framework identified waste products from the care of individuals with Ebola virus disease and constructed, tested and confirmed flow diagrams showing the creation of such products. After listing potential hazards associated with each step in each flow diagram, the team conducted a hazard analysis, determined critical control points and made recommendations to mitigate the transmission risks at each control point. Findings The collection, transportation, cleaning and shared use of blood-soiled fomites and the shared use of latrines contaminated with blood or bloodied faeces appeared to be associated with particularly high levels of risk of Ebola virus transmission. More moderate levels of risk were associated with the collection and transportation of material contaminated with bodily fluids other than blood, shared use of latrines soiled with such fluids, the cleaning and shared use of fomites soiled with such fluids, and the contamination of the environment during the collection and transportation of blood-contaminated waste. Conclusion The risk of the waste-related transmission of Ebola virus could be reduced by the use of full personal protective equipment, appropriate hand hygiene and an appropriate disinfectant after careful cleaning. Use of the Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points framework could facilitate rapid responses to outbreaks of emerging infectious disease

Phytochemicals in prostate cancer: From bioactive molecules to upcoming therapeutic agents

Prostate cancer is a heterogeneous disease, the second deadliest malignancy in men and the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men. Traditional plants have been applied to handle various diseases and to develop new drugs. Medicinal plants are potential sources of natural bioactive compounds that include alkaloids, phenolic compounds, terpenes, and steroids. Many of these naturally-occurring bioactive constituents possess promising chemopreventive properties. In this sense, the aim of the present review is to provide a detailed overview of the role of plant-derived phytochemicals in prostate cancers, including the contribution of plant extracts and its corresponding isolated compounds.This work was supported by CONICYT PIA/APOYO CCTE AFB170007. N. Martins would like to thank the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT–Portugal) for the Strategic project ref. UID/BIM/04293/2013 and “NORTE2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte” (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000012) and C. F. Rodrigues for the UID/EQU/00511/2019 Project—Laboratory of Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology, and Energy—LEPABE financed by national funds through FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC)