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The impact of household food gardens on food security in South Africa, Lesotho and Zimbabwe
No full textEnglish: Food insecurity is a challenge faced by many in the developing world, where more and more individuals are finding healthy food inaccessible due to poverty. The triple burden of malnutrition includes undernutrition (underweight, stunting and wasting); overnutrition (overweight and obesity); and micronutrient deficiencies. These may coexist in the same household. Although it is well accepted that household food gardens have the potential to address the various forms of malnutrition, studies to confirm their impact are lacking. In the present study, a pre- and post- test study design was applied to determine the impact of household vegetable gardening interventions in South Africa, Lesotho and Zimbabwe. In each country the household food gardening intervention was implemented by a different organisation, including The Department of Agriculture in South Africa, the Society of Women against AIDS in Africa (SWAALES) in Lesotho and Batani HIV/AIDS Service organisation (BHASO) in Zimbabwe). Programme beneficiaries of these intervention partners were eligible to be included in the study. These intervention partners worked in the study population that included households from Rampepe Village in Lesotho, Kayelisha Informal Settlement in Bloemfontein and Mashvingu in Zimbabwe. In each of these areas, 50 households were purposively selected for the study in each country (for logistic reasons). From each list of 50 households, 25 households were randomly included in an intervention group and 25 were included in a control group. A standardised questionnaire was completed by fieldworkers in a structured interview with a member of the household (preferably the household head). This was done before and after the household food garden interventions. The questionnaire was used to determine socio-demographic conditions as well as indirect measures of food security in each household, using the Living Poverty Index (LPI); Months of Adequate household Food Provisioning (MAHFP); Household Dietary Diversity (HDD) and frequency of vegetables eaten. The LPI assesses the frequency that households go without basic necessities of life (namely food, water, medicine, electricity, and fuel and cash income). Responses to questions are combined to calculate a LPI score for the household, with 0 indicating no poverty to 4
(complete poverty). The MAHFP determines the total number of months out of the previous
12 months that the household was unable to meet their food needs, ranging from 0 to 12. A
score of 12 indicates that the household had year-round adequate food provisioning, while
8-11 indicates moderate food security, 4-7 low food security and zero to 3 severe food
insecurity. HDD is determined using the previous 24-hour period as a reference. The number
of different food groups consumed during this period from a possible 12 food groups is
noted. The HDD scores are interpreted in the following way: 0- 3 = low dietary diversity; 4-5
= medium dietary diversity and 6-12 = high dietary diversity. Frequency of vegetables eaten
by adults and children in the households is measured using a set of 6 responses to the
question ‘How frequently do ADULTS/CHILDREN in the household eat vegetables? The
responses include several times a day, once a day, a times per week, once a week, rarely
and Never.
The sample included in the study in South Africa consisted of more female than male
participants. Most participants were unmarried and more than 40% had completed high
school or had a tertiary qualification. As evidenced by the LPI of 2.8, the sample was
characterised by high levels of poverty. Measures of food security showed that about a
third of participants had a low level of food security. At baseline, the median HDDS was 7 in
the control group and 6 in the intervention group, indicating high dietary diversity. As far as
frequency of vegetables consumed was concerned, less than half of participants reported
that both adults and children ate vegetables relatively frequently.
In terms of the impact of the intervention, the MAHFP increased to a score of 11 in the
control group at follow-up and improved by 2 points in the intervention group that was
exposed to the household food garden intervention. Median HDDS did not change in the
control group but showed a 2 point improvement in the intervention group at follow-up.
The main outcome of the intervention was obviously related to vegetable consumption, but
households showed little improvement. More adults consumed vegetables a few times a
day, but children’s’ vegetable consumption remained the same. Overall, the household food
garden intervention had a moderately positive effect on the indicators of food security in
the intervention group. An improvement in the median MAHFP from 8 to 10 occurred (95%
CI for the change [-2; 0]).
The sample included in the current study in Lesotho consisted of more male than female
participants. About half were married and less than 20% had completed high school or had a
tertiary qualification. As evidenced by the LPI of 2.5, the sample was characterised by high
levels of poverty. Despite this, some measures of food security showed that participants
were not as badly off as one would have expected. Even before intervention, the median
MAHFP was 11 in the control group and 10 in the intervention group, indicating relatively
good levels of food provisioning. At baseline, the median HDDS was 5 in the control group
and 6 in the intervention group, indicating medium to high dietary diversity. As far as
frequency of vegetables consumed was concerned, a relatively high percentage of
participants reported that both adults and children ate vegetables relatively frequently. The
habit of sharing that has been described in the Lesotho population, probably contributed to
these findings. No improvements were noted in the frequency of vegetables consumed in
the intervention group or in the control group.
In terms of the impact of the intervention, the MAHFP remained at 11 in the control group
at follow-up and improved by one point in the intervention group that was exposed to the
household food garden intervention. Median HDDS did not change in either group at followup.
The main outcome of the success of the intervention was obviously related to vegetable
consumption. Significant improvements were noted in the frequency of vegetables consumed
in the intervention group that were not noted in the control group. These can thus most
probably be attributed to the intervention.
The sample included in the current study in Zimbabwe consisted of more female than male
participants. Most of the population was married and had a fairly high level of education
with more than 50% of individuals having completed high school and in possession of a
tertiary qualification. As evidenced by the LPI of 2.3, the sample was characterised by high
levels of poverty. Despite this, some measures of food security showed that participants
were not as badly off as one would have expected. Even before intervention, the median
MAHFP was 11 at baseline in the control group and 10 in the intervention group, indicating
relatively good levels of food provisioning. At baseline, the median HDDS was 6 in the
control group and 7 in the intervention group, indicating medium to high dietary diversity.
As far as frequency of vegetables consumed was concerned, a relatively high percentage of participants reported that adults ate vegetables frequently, though less frequent than in
adults children still had a relatively high level of vegetable consumption.
In terms of the impact of the intervention, the MAHFP improved by one point in in the
control group at follow-up and remained at 11 the intervention group that was exposed to
the household food garden intervention. Median HDDS did not change in either group at
follow-up. The main outcome of the intervention was obviously related to vegetable consumption,
but due to an already high level of consumption at baseline no significant improvement could be
seen.
In conclusion, the impact of the household food garden intervention varied in each of the
countries. This could be attributable to different levels of education, cultures and
environmental factors. The improvements that were noted do however show that food
gardens have the potential to improve availability of food, level of diversity in the diet and
frequency of vegetables eaten.Afrikaans: Voedselonsekerheid is ‘n uitdaging wat menigte mense affekteer in ontwikkelende lande,
meer en meer individue bevind gesonde voedsel ontoegnklik a.g.v. armoede. Die tripel las
van wanvoeding behels wanvoeding (ondermass, groei-inkorting en uittering); oormassa en
vetsug; en mikrovoedingstof-tekorte en kan dikwels in die selfde huishouding gesien word.
In die huidige studie, was ‘n voor- en na- toets studie ontwerp toegepas om die impak van ‘n
huishoudelike groentetuin intervensie in Suid-Afrika, Lesotho and Zimbabwe te bepaal. In
elke land was die huishoudelike groentetuin intervensie deur verskillende organisasies geimplementeer,
die Departement van Landbou in Suid-Afrika, ‘the Society of Women against
AIDS in Africa (SWAALES) in Lesotho en ‘Batani HIV/AIDS Service Organisation (BHASO)’ in
Zimbabwe. Die intervensie Vennote se begunstigdes het in aanmerking gekom vir die studie.
Die intervensie Vennote het in die studie bevolking gewerk en dit het Kayelisha informele
nedersetting in Bleomfontein, Rampepe dorpie in Lesotho en Mashvingu in Zimbabwe
ingesluit. 50 huishoudings in elk van die gebiede was uitgesonder vir die studie in elke land
(vir logistieke redes). Van elke lys van 50 huishoudings is daar 25 huishoudings lukraak
gekies vir ‘n intervensie groep en 25 was dan in n kontrole groep.
‘n Gestandardiseerde vraelys was deur veldwerkers voltooi tydens ‘n gestruktureerde
onderhoud met ‘n lid van die huishouding (verkieslik die hoof). Hierdie is voor en na die
huishoudelike groentetuin intervensie gedoen. The vraelys was gebruik om
sosiodemografiese toestande, asook indirekte maatreëls van voedselsekerheid in elke
huishouding te bepaal. Dit is gedoen d.m.v. die ‘Living Poverty Index (LPI); Months of
Adequate household Food Provisioning (MAHFP); Household Dietary Diversity (HDD); en
frekwensie van groenteinname.
Die LPI assesseer hoe gereeld huishoudings sonder basiese noodsaaklikhede vir oorlewing
gaan (naamlik kos, water, medisyne, elektrisiteit, brandstof en kontank). Reaksies op die vra
is gkombineer om ‘n LPI-telling uit te werk, 0 dui geen aarmoede aan waar 4 volledige
aarmoede aandui. Die MAHFP bepaal die totale aantal maande in die vorige jaar wat die
huishouding nie in staat was om hulle voedsel-behoeftes te bereik nie, met ‘n omvang van 0
tot 12. A telling van 12 dui daarop aan dat die huishouding vir die hele jaar voldoende
voedsel voorsiening gehad het, terwyl ‘n telling tussen 8 en 11 matige voedselsekerheid
aangedui het, 4 tot 7 ‘n lae vlak van voedselsekerheid en 0 tot 3 voedselonsekerheid
aangedui het. HDD word bepaal deur deurom die vorige 24 uur as ‘n verwysing te gebruik.
Die aantal verskillende voedselgroepe wat tydens hierdie tydperk verorber was (uit ‘n
moontlike 12 groepe) word aangeteken. Die HDD tellings word as volg interpreter: 0-3 ‘low
dietary diversity’; 4-5’ medium dietary diversity’; 6-12 ‘high dietary diversity’. Frekwensie
van groenteinname in volwassenes en kinders was bepaal deur 6 moontlik antwoorde of die
volgende vraag ‘Hoe gereeld eet Volwassenes/Kinders indie huishouding groente? Die
moontlike antwoorde sluit verskeie keer per dag, een maal per dag, ‘n paar keer ‘n week,
enn maal per week, skaars en nooit in.
Die monster wat tydens die studie ingesluit is vir Suid-Afrika het meer vrouens as mans
bevat. Die mederheid van die deelnemers was ongetroud en meer as 40% het hoerskool
voltooi of ‘n tersiere kwalifikasie besit. Die LPI in die groep (2.8) het aangedui dat die
huishoudings hoe vlakke van armoede beleef. Maatreels van voedselsekerheid het gewys
dat omtrent ‘n derde van die deelnemers ‘n lae vlak van voedselsekerheid handaf het. Voor
die intervensie (basislyn) was die HDD median telling van die kontrole groep 7 en die
intervensie groep 6, dus het die huidhoudings ‘n hoe vlak van diversiteit in hulle dieet. I.v.m.
frekwensie van groenteinname, het minder as helfde van die deelnemers rapporteur dat
volwasssenes en kinders op ‘n relatiewe gereelde basis groente eet.
t.o.v. die impak wat die intervensie gemaak het, die MAHFP telling het verhoog na 11 in die
kontrole groep met die opvolg besoek en het met 1 punte verbeter in die intervensie groep.
Median HDD telling het geen veranderingin die kontrole groep getoon nie, maar het wel
met 2 punte in die intervensie groep verbeter. Die hoof uitkomste van hierdie studie was
duidelik om die verwantskap tussen groente tuine en groenteinname te bepaal, maar
huishoudings het min verbetering gewys. Meer volwassenes het groente 1 maal per day
geeet, waar kinders dieselfde hoeveelheid groente geeet het voor en na die intervensie.
Oor die algemeen, het huishoudelike groentetuin intervensie n matige positiewe effek of
maatreel van voedselsekerheid gehad in die intervensie groep. A verbetering van 8 tot 10 in
die MAHFP median het plaasgevind (95%CI vir verandering [-2;0]).
Die monster van ingesluit is in die huidige studie vir Lesotho, was hoofsaaklik van mans
opgemaak. Omtrent helfde was getroud en minder as 20% het hoerskool voltooi of ‘n
tersiere kwalifikasie. Hoe vlakke van armoede was opvallend met ‘n LPI van 2.5. tespyte van
dit, was huishoudings verbasend nie so sleg af soos oorspronklik verwag nie. Selfs voor die
intervensie, was die median MAHFP 11 in die kontrole groep en 10 in die intervensie groep,
wat daarop aangedui het day huishoudings relatief goed doen met vlakke van voedselvoorsiening.
Die median HDD telling voor die intervensie was 5 in die kontrole groep en 6 in
die intervensie groep, dus het die huishoudings n matig tot hoog verskeidenheid in die dieet
handhaaf. T.o.v. frekwensie van groenteinname, het n relatiewe hoe persentasie
deelnemers rapporteer dat beide volwassenes en kinders gereeld groente geeet het. Die
mededeelsaamheid wat beskryf word in Lesotho kon moontlik hiernatoe bygedra het.
T.o.v. die impak wat die intervensie gemaak het, die MAHFP het dieselfde gebly (11) in die
kontrole groep met die opvolg besoek en het met 1 punt verbeter in die intervensie groep.
Median HDD telling het geen verandering in die kontrole of intervensie groep getoon nie.
Die hoof uitkomste van hierdie studie was duidelik om die verwantskap tussen groente
tuine en groenteinname te bepaal, maar huishoudings het geen verbetering gewys nie na
die intervensie nie.
Die monster van ingesluit is in die huidige studie vir Zimbabwe, was hoofsaaklik van vrouens
opgemaak. Die mederheid was getroud en meer as 50% het hoerskool voltooi of ‘n tersiere
kwalifikasie. Hoe vlakke van armoede was opvallend met ‘n LPI van 2.3. Tenspyte van dit,
was huishoudings verbasend nie so sleg af soos oorspronklik verwag nie. Selfs voor die
intervensie, was die median MAHFP 11 in die kontrole groep en 10 in die intervensie groep,
wat daarop aangedui het day huishoudings relatief goed doen met vlakke van voedselvoorsiening.
Die median HDD telling voor die intervensie was 6 in die kontrole groep en 7 in
die intervensie groep, dus het die huishoudings n matig tot hoog verskeidenheid in die dieet
handhaaf. T.o.v. frekwensie van groenteinname, het n hoe persentasie deelnemers
rapporteer dat volwassenes gereeld groente geet het, al was dit minder as die volwassenes,
het kinders ook gereeld groente geeet.
T.o.v. die impak wat die intervensie gemaak het, die MAHFP het met 1 punt verbeter in die
kontrole groep met die opvolg besoek dieselfde gebly in die intervensie groep. Median HDD telling het geen verandering in die kontrole of intervensie groep getoon nie. Die hoof
uitkomste van hierdie studie was duidelik om die verwantskap tussen groente tuine en
groenteinname te bepaal, maar omdat groenteinname reeds hoog was voor die intervensie
– was daar geen betekenisvolle verbetering nie.
Om af te sluit, het die impak van die huishoudelike greontetuin intervensie in elke land
verskil. Hierdie kon aan verskillende vlakke in opvoeding, kultuur en omgewings faktore
togeken word. Die verbetering wat wel opgemerk is, dui aan dat huishoudelike groentetuine
die potensiaal het om beskikbaarheid van voedsel, vlak van verskeidenheid in die dieet en
frekwensie van groenteinname te verbeter
BEETGE, GH Inventory of documents
No full textCOVERAGE 1941-1984; 4 Files; 0,40 Metres.Private papers of G.H. Beetge, Deputy Chairman of the Herstigte National Party [HNP]. He fought several elections as candidate for the HNP without success
The potential of Cannabis Sativa L. aerial plant parts extracts to reverse drug resistance in selected resistant lung- and colon cancer cell lines
No full textA major problem related to the successful application of chemotherapy in human cancer is anti-cancer drug resistance. Verapamil is one of the first drugs known to circumvent multidrug resistance (MDR), but its clinical application is limited by lack of efficacy in clinical trials, enhanced toxicity to normal cells and inhibition of cytochrome P450 enzymes resulting in pharmacokinetic interactions with increased host toxicity, thereby leading to severe adverse effects.
Thus, this study was designed to evaluate the potential reversal of doxorubicin resistance by Cannabis sativa L. extracts using selected MDR expressing lung- and colon cancer cells in an in vitro test model. Firstly, the pulverized plant material was sequentially extracted with four organic solvents, in order of increasing polarity, starting with hexane, dichloromethane (DCM), DCM: methanol (1:1; v/v) and methanol, respectively. A water extract was prepared to simulate traditional preparation of the plant. Crude extracts were further fractionated by means of solid phase extraction (SPE) using the following eluting concentrations: 100% H2O, 25% acetonitrile (ACN), 50% ACN, 75% ACN and 100% ACN. The SPE yielded five fractions from each of the extracts. Qualitative phytochemical analysis performed on the pulverized crude plant material indicated the presence of glycosides, saponins, terpenoids, tannins, phytosterols and no flavonoids.
Chemical fingerprinting of the C. sativa L. crude extracts, SPE fractions and cannabis standards was determined by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The DCM- and methanol extracts were subjected to ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) analysis while the DCM: methanol crude extract, SPE fractions, and cannabis standards (CBD and THC) were analysed using high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Compound separation was achieved with a gradient mobile phase of distilled H2O with 0.1% formic acid (A): ACN (B) at a flow rate of 0.4ml/min. The mass spectrometer with electrospray ionization was operated in both negative and positive mode for the DCM- and methanol extracts to avoid the destruction of chemically sensitive compounds, negative mode for the DCM: methanol extract and positive mode for the SPE fractions.
UPLC-MS analysis showed that the negative mode detected more peaks compared to the positive mode. The major peaks in the DCM extract with retention times of 10.38- (327.1967m/z), 11.31- (359.2227m/z), and 12.76 minutes (353.1766m/z) were also observed in the methanol extract, with only slight variation in the retention times at 10.37- (327.2158m/z), 13.68 (359.2227m/z), and 14.67 minutes (353.1758m/z). In the positive mode, only one peak in the DCM extract, with retention time of 12.96 minutes (282.2805m/z), was similarly observed in the methanol extract at a retention time of 14.06 minutes (282.2798m/z). Analysis of the DCM: methanol extract, SPE fractions, THC, and CBD revealed the presence of different compounds with different molecular weights. Some of the major peaks observed in both the DCM- and methanol extracts were also seen in the DCM: methanol extract. Chemical characterization of these peaks was not attempted but left for another project.
Anticancer and cytotoxicity assays were conducted against a panel of human lung- and colon cancer cells, namely; HT-29, Caco-2, NCI-H146 [H146], HCT-15 MDR, LS513 MDR and H69AR MDR cells; and human normal colon (CCD-18Co) cells. According to the American National Cancer Institute (NCI) guidelines, plant extracts with IC50 values of less than 20μg/ml, between 20-100μg/ml and more than 100μg/ml are considered active, moderately active and inactive, respectively. Cytotoxicity results showed that DCM: methanol extract potently inhibited the growth of Caco-2, whilst moderately inhibiting the HCT-15, LS513 and NCI-H146 [H146] cells growth. The methanol extract showed moderate growth inhibition of LS513 and NCI-H146 [H146] cells, and potently inhibited the Caco-2 cells. The hexane extract showed good growth inhibition of Caco-2 cells; and moderately inhibited LS513, NCI-H146 [H146] and H69AR cells. Similarly, the DCM and H2O extracts showed good growth inhibition of Caco-2 and HT-29 cells, whilst moderately inhibiting the growth of HCT-15, LS513, NCI-H146 [H146], and H69AR cells growth. All the extracts appeared to be more cytotoxic towards all the lung- and colon cancerous cell lines than the normal colon cells as indicated by their selectivity indices.
The resistant reversal effect of doxorubicin by C. sativa L. extracts was determined on Caco-2, HCT-15, LS513 and H69AR cells through combination of the extracts with doxorubicin. C. sativa L. extracts showed MDR reversal activities in HCT-15, LS513 and H69AR cells characterized by decreased IC50 values of the extracts. In Caco-2 cells, the hexane-, DCM-, DCM: methanol- methanol- and H2O extracts showed an increase in their IC50 values from 0.64-, 0.65-, 0.67-, 0.02- and 0.55μg/ml to 2.0-, 1.92-, 5.67-, 8.72- and 1.56μg/ml, respectively, and were 0.32-, 0.34-, 0.12-, 0.002- and 0.35-fold more sensitive to doxorubicin compared to verapamil with a 4.80-fold reversal factor. In contrast, the same extracts showed a reduction in their IC50 values from 180.5-, 140.4-, 47.08-, 140- and 25.6μg/ml to 39.33-, 40.13-, 1.45-, 1.89-and 12.3μg/ml and increased doxorubicin sensitivity in HCT-15 cells by 4.59-, 3.50-, 32.97-, 74.07- and 2.08-fold, respectively, compared to verapamil, which showed a 1.41-fold reversal factor. These extracts showed 2.2-, 300.7-, 9.1-, 4.3- and 11-fold more sensitivity to doxorubicin than verapamil with a 0.05-fold reversal factor in LS513 cells. These extracts were 0.32-, 0.34-, 0.12-, 0.002- and 0.35-fold sensitive to doxorubicin compared to verapamil with a 4.80-fold reversal factor. The same extracts also increased doxorubicin sensitivity in H69AR cells by 8.60-, 7.09-, 11.34-, 20.51- and 11.42-fold compared to verapamil that showed 0.87-fold reversal factor.
The combination index (CI) analysis demonstrated that both the control and extracts yielded a normal to very strong synergistic interaction (CI1) in H69AR cells. Based on this evidence, the extracts were successful in increasing the sensitivity of HCT-15, LS513 and H69AR cells to doxorubicin in vitro. Future research is warranted to purify the most active extract and study the biological mechanisms involved in reversing doxorubicin resistance both in vitro and in viv
DU PLESSIS, Barend Jacobus Inventory
No full textCOVERAGE 1984-1991; 0,20 Metre.Private papers of B.J. du Plessis, National Party MP Florida [1974-1992]; Deputy Minister of Information [1982], Foreign Affairs and Information [1982-1983]; Minister of Education and Training [1983-1984], Finance [1984-1992]
KOTZÉ, Willem Daniël Inventory of documents
No full textCOVERAGE 1961-1979; 300 Files; 12,44 Metres.Private papers of W.D. Kotzé, National Party MP, Odendaalsrus [1970-1974], Parys [1974-1982], Ambassador in Bophuthatswana [1982-1992
KIRSTEN, W.G.P. Inventory of documents
No full textCOVERAGE 1932-1948, 1975; 4 FilesPrivate papers of W.G.P. Kirsten, Member of the Legislative Assembly, SWA; MP, Gibeon, SWA
LE ROUX, Johannes Nicolaas Inventory of documents
No full textCOVERAGE 1948-1961; 3 Files; 0,11 Metre.Private papers of J.N. le Roux, MPC [1936-1942], MP Ladybrand [1942-1948], Senator [1951-1960], President of the Free State Agricultural Union [1951-1952, 1955-1958]
JUTA, CJ Inventory of documents
No full textCOVERAGE 1899-1963.Doctor of Philosophy; Senior lecturer Political Science University of Natal. Fragmentary documents reflecting the wide interest of Dr Juta; History of Natal; Politics in general (the documents were compiled by several politicians and political parties