Energy plays critical direct and indirect roles in the livelihoods of human beings. Despite its relevance, the literature highlights that a majority of rural households are energy insecure and very much rely on unclean energy sources that compromise their health. Against this background, this paper estimates the determinants of energy security at the household level based on evidence from Melani-inland and Hamburg-coastal communities in the rural Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The study used the multidimensional energy poverty index (MEPI) to calculate the energy security status of households in the two communities while the Tobit regression model was used to investigate the main factors affecting household energy security. The results indicated that in both communities, households were energy secure. However, access to additional energy measures was low, which could affect their energy security if the primary source (ESKOM electricity) is interrupted. Tobit regression results revealed that factors like marital status, household size, electricity affordability and source of income are the most critical factors influencing the energy security status of households in the study areas. Therefore, the paper recommends policy options that improve access of rural households to additional measures on energy and affordability of electricity.

Food is one of the essential areas of service delivery required for a household’s wellbeing and development. Against this background, the literature suggests a high level of food insecurity among rural households in South Africa. Thus far, this study has investigated drivers of household-level food insecurity. Data were collected from 283 randomly selected respondents from Melani and Hamburg communities using a structured questionnaire. An ordered logit regression model was used to investigate drivers of household food insecurity. Descriptive statistics results revealed that most of the respondents from the study areas were food secure to mildly food secure (Melani-inland −73%; Hamburg-coastal −77.5%). The findings suggest that overall, the two communities were food secure. Econometrics results further revealed that factors like gender, household size, energy security, access to credit, farming, land ownership, and being able to afford to pay for water influence food insecurity of households in Melani and Hamburg. Therefore, to reduce household food insecurity, the study recommends that priority should be given to these socio-economic and institutional factors. This could be through improving gender and cultural policies which restrict women from generating income, training households about credit usage, and family planning to limit household sizes.

The study ascertained the relationship between aquaculture production and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in South Africa. The study used the Autoregressive Distributed Lag—Error Correction Model (ARDL-VECM) with time series data between 1990 and 2020. The results showed that the mean annual aquaculture production, GHG emissions, and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the period were 5200 tonnes, 412 tonnes, and US$447 billion, respectively. There was a long-run relationship between GHG emissions and GDP. In the short run, GHG emissions had a positive relationship with GDP and a negative relationship with beef production. Furthermore, there was a bi-directional relationship between aquaculture production and GHG emissions. In addition, beef production and GDP had a bi-directional relationship. Beef production also had a positive relationship with aquaculture production. The study concludes that aquaculture production is affected and tends to affect GHG emissions. Aquaculture legislation should consider GHG emissions in South Africa and promote sustainable production techniques.

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) plays a crucial role in addressing the global impacts of climate change by integrating adaptation and mitigation strategies into agricultural practices. Despite its growing importance, a comprehensive analysis of the CSA research landscape is essential to understanding its development and key trends, informing future research and policy formulation. This study investigates the evolution and current state of CSA research from 2010 to 2023, with a focus on its conceptual structure and thematic development. Data sourced from the Scopus database were analysed using bibliometric techniques. The findings reveal an increasing volume of academic publications, indicating heightened global interest in CSA. The study uncovers strong interconnections among CSA practices, economic implications, sustainability, policy development, practical implementation, and regional adaptation. Notably, there has been a shift from foundational concepts to practical applications, reflecting the field’s maturation in response to challenges in agricultural sustainability and climate change mitigation. However, significant gaps persist in exploring CSA’s socio-economic dimensions and integrating diverse knowledge systems. Future research should prioritize the socio-economic impacts of CSA practices on household income and food security, ensuring equitable implementation across regions. Additionally, targeted studies on technology adoption and greenhouse gas emissions mitigation are necessary. Emphasis should be placed on developing context-specific and culturally relevant strategies, analysing the global political economy’s influence on CSA, and incorporating nuanced critiques of CSA’s effectiveness. This study provides a valuable framework for future research, aiming to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of CSA in addressing global climate challenges.

Skoon en veilige water om te drink is noodsaaklik vir die mens se welstand. Die meeste mense in landelike gebiede het egter steeds nie toegang tot skoon en veilige water nie. Hierdie studie het die bepalers van die watersekuriteitsstatus vir landelike huishoudings uit die Melani-binnelandse en Hamburgse kusgemeenskappe in die Oos-Kaap Provinsie, Suid-Afrika, beraam. Die Waterarmoede Indeks (WPI) is gebruik om die watersekuriteitsstatus van huishoudings in die twee gemeenskappe te bereken, terwyl die Tobitregressiemodel gebruik is om die belangrikste faktore wat die huishoudelike watersekuriteitsstatus beïnvloed, te ondersoek. Die bevindings toon dat watersekuriteit in die studiegebiede verskraald is, hoofsaaklik as gevolg van die onbeskikbaarheid van waterbronne en die tyd wat daar geneem word om water in te samel. Die Tobit-regressie resultate het aan die lig gebring dat faktore soos die betaling vir water, die tipe toilet wat gebruik word, en die tyd wat spandeer word om water in te samel, huishoudings se watersekuriteit in die studiegebiede bepaal. Daarom beveel die artikel beleid aan wat die volgende verbeter: die bekostigbaarheid van water, toegang tot spoeltoilette wat nie met water werk nie, en om te verseker dat kraanwater op korter afstande beskikbaar is.