Climate-smart agricultural practices (CSAPs) are promoted as pathways for improving productivity and resilience among smallholder farmers; however, empirical evidence on their welfare effects remains limited in South Africa. This study examines the impact of CSAP adoption on household welfare among smallholder maize farmers in KwaZulu-Natal Province. A cross-sectional survey of 300 households was conducted using a multistage sampling approach. Welfare outcomes was measured using multidimensional indicators including the Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS), the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), the Coping Strategy Index (CSI), and the Foster–Greer–Thorbecke (FGT) poverty index. An Endogenous Switching Regression (ESR) model was employed to correct for selection bias and to generate counterfactuals that estimate what adopters’ welfare would have been in the absence of CSAP uptake. Results show that access to extension, group membership, and training significantly increased the likelihood of CSAP adoption. ESR outcomes indicate that adopters had higher dietary diversity, lower food insecurity, and reduced reliance on severe coping strategies. Counterfactual analysis reveals that adopters would have experienced significantly poorer welfare outcomes had they not adopted CSAPs. The findings demonstrate that CSAP adoption yields measurable welfare benefits and improves household resilience. The study recommends targeted investments in extension support, farmer organizations, and institutional arrangements to accelerate the adoption of CSAP and enhance household welfare.

Issues relating to food availability, accessibility, affordability, and utilization remain of paramount importance among rural households. In order to formulate or implement relevant food security programs in rural areas, it is essential to have a deep understanding of the food security status of rural households. This study sought to determine the prevalence of food insecurity among rural households in the Eastern Cape Province, as well as its key socioeconomic and demographic factors. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 240 households using questionnaires about food security. A convenience sampling method was used to collect data, along with a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were used to analyze the data. The binary logistic regression model revealed that age of household head, education level of household head, access to credit, household income, and household size were all associated with food security status. Thus, this study recommends that the government at all levels (local, state, and federal) have an adequate budget allocated to increasing awareness of the benefits of participating in farming to improve the livelihood outcomes of households

The preservation and sustainable management of Indigenous medicinal plant species are vital for maintaining ecological diversity and preventing the loss of threatened flora. In rural South Africa, these plants remain essential resources for smallholder farmers, who depend on them for primary healthcare and supplementary household income. However, increasing pressure from unsustainable harvesting practices, combined with limited awareness of conservation boundaries, poses risks to their long-term availability. Furthermore, the valuable Indigenous knowledge associated with these species is endangered, as it is predominantly shared orally and poorly documented. This study examines the socioeconomic and conservation implications of Indigenous medicinal plant utilisation among smallholder farmers in the Amatole District Municipality of the Eastern Cape Province. A survey was conducted with 150 smallholder farmers using a structured questionnaire and multistage stratified sampling. Results indicate that women are the primary custodians of Indigenous medicinal plant production, with a mean age of 44 years and an average level of schooling of 10 years. Households cultivate approximately one hectare or less for subsistence and income generation, typically supporting five members. On-farm conservation and designated protected areas are the most common preservation practices; however, resource constraints limit broader conservation efforts. The study recommends gender-sensitive extension support and increased government investment in skills development to enhance sustainable utilisation and safeguard Indigenous knowledge.

Heat stress (HS) is a major constraint to poultry productivity, especially in regions experiencing high environmental temperatures. It disrupts thermoregulation, reduces feed intake and impairs growth, egg production, reproductive performance, intestinal integrity and immune function. Plant‐based nutraceuticals have therefore attracted interest as complementary interventions for improving poultry resilience to thermal stress. This narrative review was designed to synthesise evidence on the physiological effects of HS and the potential of phytogenic nutraceuticals to alleviate heat‐induced dysfunction in poultry. The narrative review was created by identifying relevant literature through targeted searches of Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science using terms related to heat exposure, poultry species, nutraceutical interventions and physiological or productive responses. Reference lists were also examined to identify additional studies. No strict publication‐year restriction was applied, and peer‐reviewed empirical and review articles relevant to the objectives were considered. The reviewed evidence suggests that bioactive compounds from botanical sources such as Moringa oleifera , Curcuma longa , Zingiber officinale and Lippia species may strengthen antioxidant defences, regulate endocrine and immune responses, protect intestinal integrity and support productive and reproductive performance under HS. However, their effectiveness varies with plant source, phytochemical composition, active‐compound concentration, inclusion level, bioavailability, poultry type and heat‐exposure conditions. Wider application is constrained by inconsistent product composition, limited dose–response information, uncertainties regarding long‐term safety and insufficient validation under commercial production conditions. Future research should standardise phytochemical characterisation, extraction and processing methods, evaluate bioavailability and apply transcriptomics, metabolomics and microbiome analyses to clarify mechanisms of action. These advances could support the scientific validation of indigenous plants and their development into accessible, region‐specific nutraceutical interventions for climate‐smart poultry production.

1. 1.1. Traditional agricultural systems worldwide face unprecedented pressures from climate change, globalization, and institutional biases favouring commercial crop production, threatening the pr...