The agricultural sector receives substantial support from livestock, which greatly contributes to the well-being of rural communities. Livestock offers animal-derived products, such as meat and milk, which serve as abundant protein sources for human consumption. While the majority of South Africa’s agricultural land is suitable for livestock farming within the smallholder sector, these farmers often face a variety of challenges. Among these challenges, there is insufficient access to superior forage resources, resulting in the limited availability of high-quality feed. Traditional nutrient sources for ruminants, such as soybean meal, grain, sunflower meal, and fish meal, are employed as supplementary feeds to provide exceptional nutrition and improve animal performance. Nonetheless, they present logistical, economic, and environmental challenges. To circumvent these challenges, smallholder producers have turned to leguminous trees, including Vachellia species and other locally available feed resources. They are utilized as feasible and cost-effective alternatives to supplement livestock, especially during periods of extended drought. However, these locally available feed resources exhibit inherent limitations, including thorn presence, high fiber content, low digestibility, and the presence of anti-nutritional and toxic factors. Cool season forage crops such as fodder radish present promising alternatives as autumn and winter forages for these farmers. Despite being widely used globally as a supplement for livestock during winter, fodder radish remains relatively underutilized, particularly among smallholder farmers. There is a scarcity of comprehensive information regarding its chemical composition, nutrient utilization, and remarkable potential to revolutionize livestock production, especially within the smallholder sector. Most of the available literature demonstrates the positive effects of fodder radish on soil structure, soil carbon and nitrogen levels, weed suppression, and other benefits. This paper systematically reviews the current state of knowledge on the nutritive value, opportunities, and challenges associated with the utilization of this crop in the cooler eastern regions.

Framed within the Sociomusicology Theory, this article argued that through the revival of Khoisan indigenous music, South Africa can promote social cohesion, bridging gaps between different ethnic groups and creating a more inclusive society. The Khoisan people, also known as Bushmen or San, are one of the oldest indigenous groups in Africa, and their music is an integral part of their identity and history. However, Khoisan indigenous music in South Africa has been forgotten and marginalised. This can be attributed to various factors including colonialism. In recent years, there has been a quest for revitalising the overlooked and marginalised Khoisan indigenous music in South Africa. Notwithstanding, minimal attention has been given to reviving the forgotten and marginalised Khoisan indigenous music in South Africa and this has become a matter of great concern. This article thus sought to understand the importance of reviving the forgotten and marginalised Khoisan indigenous music in South Africa. In this article, a qualitative content analysis was employed to successfully analyse the purpose of this paper. The findings demonstrated that the extinction of Khoisan indigenous music is attributed to various historical, social, and cultural factors, including colonialism, cultural assimilation, and modernisation. The paper concluded by affirming that the Khoisan indigenous music holds a deep cultural significance for the Khoisan people and South Africa as a whole. It serves as a potent vehicle for the expression and preservation of their great connection to nature, spiritual beliefs, and rich cultural history. Keywords: Culture, Extinction, Khoisan Indigenous Music, Marginalised, Sociomusicology Theory

The impact of climate change on agriculture in South Africa is a key factor that contributes to food insecurity. While this topic is covered in the Agro-ecology unit in Grade 10, it is important to determine the most effective way to teach it to learners. That is important because teaching methods utilized in Agricultural Sciences are envisaged to improve learners’ performance on the impact of climate change on food security. This study quantitatively compared teaching methods (i.e., Lecture, Demonstration, and Project-based) and their impact on learners’ performance in Agro-ecology. Each teaching method was tested on each group of 15 learners, which resulted in 45 learners per school, and the total number of participants was 180 when four schools were combined. A pre-experimental and post-test research design was employed to identify effective teaching methods for Agro-ecology among Grade 10 learners in Limpopo and Eastern Cape provinces. Analysis of covariate was used to test the hypothesis that (1) learners’ content knowledge on climate change and food security would differ with teaching methods, (2) the project-based and demonstration teaching methods would improve learners’ content knowledge because the project-based and demonstration methods are more practical, and learners learn better through these methods. The results showed that learners in the project-based and demonstration groups had significantly higher scores than those in the lecture (p < 0.05). The findings suggest that incorporating project-based teaching methods in secondary schools can improve learners’ performance and skills in Agricultural Sciences.

Fodder radish is widely used as a livestock supplement, however, the nutritional value of fodder radish under different water conditions remains insufficiently understood. This study aimed to assess the chemical components and in vitro, ruminal dry matter degradability of two fodder radish genotypes (Endurance and Line 2) subjected to three irrigation regimes: well-watered (W1), moderate water stress (W2), and severe water stress (W3). The analysis revealed statistically significant effects of the main factors on the chemical composition and estimates of fodder radish leaves and tubers, particularly in terms of Crude Protein (CP) and Ether Extract (EE) across genotypes. Both Endurance and Line 2 leaves exhibited interaction effects on N, P, Ca, Mg, K, Na, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn and Al. Meanwhile only Na, K, Zn, and Cu were affected in tubers. Endurance tubers, specifically, displayed significantly higher (p < 0.05) CP content, with Line 2 tubers showing the highest CP content under W1. Furthermore, Endurance leaves had higher levels of Neutral Detergent Fibre, EE, and Non-Structural Carbohydrate (NSC) compared to Line 2 leaves under W1. Notable differences in tuber fibres were found, specifically in Acid Detergent Fibre for Endurance, with W3 exhibiting a higher concentration level. Both genotypes displayed higher NSC under W3. Significant variations in macro and mmicro minerals were observed between water levels in both genotypes. In terms of in vitro degradability during the 24 h and 48 h incubation periods, all treatments met the acceptable level of 60–80 %. Regardless of water regimes, both Endurance and Line 2 showed nutrient concentrations meeting the minimum requirements for optimal animal production. Though, Line 2 exhibits significantly higher nutritional value and in vitro ruminal dry matter degradability than Endurance, evident in both leaves and tubers. Notably, moderate water stress conditions yielded better nutritional quality and in vitro ruminal dry matter degradability compared to both well-watered and severe water stress treatments. This suggests that applying 180–220 mm of water per season can also yield better nutritive value of these genotypes.

Food insecurity is one of the less researched problems that poses a challenge to schools in South Africa. This qualitative study seeks to holistically explore this problem as it adopts Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory as the lenses of exploration. In addition to socio-cultural beliefs on food and academic achievement, Maslow and Vygotsky offer a framework for physiological and cultural theories of how food impacts human brain function and capability. Therefore, this study's primary goal is to investigate the connection between food insecurity and academic achievement in rural South African schools, such as Tshehlo Secondary School in the Capricorn region of the province of Limpopo. Methodologically, this study purposively sampled grade 10,11, and 12 learners from Tshehlo secondary school for focus group discussions, observations, semi-structured interviews, and surveys from top to low achievers. The data collected were thematically analysed as they show that there is a link between food insecurity and learners’ performance in classrooms. Data was analysed to compare the experiences of top and low-performing learners with food insecurity and how it affects their performance in the classroom. Objectives of this study are; (a) to explore the effects of food insecurity on learners’ concentration and attention in the classroom, (b) to explore the impact of food insecurity on learners’ academic achievements, (c) to explore the relationship between food insecurity and learners’ performance in the classroom, (d) to explore any comparative difference between learners from food secure background and those who come from food insecure homes in terms of academic success. Recommendations thereof significantly include (a) devising ways to ensure food security programs in schools, (b) counselling and motivation in schools, and (c) DBE policy development and enforcement which involves even NGO’s with regards to learners’ nutrition. Conclusion entails that food security is more important for high quality achievements in schools as it directly impacts learners’ attitudes towards learning. Furthermore, it is challenging to evaluate the long-term educational effects of food poverty because a large number of the research are cross-sectional rather than longitudinal in character.

The Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement document indicates that Animal Studies comprise a substantial part of the Grade 12 syllabus, more so than topics like soil science, agro-ecology, agricultural economics, and crop science. This highlights the importance of exploring diverse teaching approaches in the beginning of Grade 10, as a strong foundation in earlier grades could improve understanding of Animal Studies in Grade 12. This study explored the effectiveness of inquiry-based learning (IBL) in teaching Grade 10 learners about poultry breeds. A mixed-method approach was used to compare IBL with traditional teaching methods. Forty-six Agricultural Sciences learners were randomly assigned to a quasi-experiment, with 23 learners in the experimental group taught through IBL and 23 in the control group taught using the traditional lecture method (TLM). Both groups underwent pre- and post-performance tests. The quantitative data were analysed using an independent t-test, while qualitative data were thematically analysed through document analysis of the learners' assessment scripts. Results from the t-test indicated that the experimental group achieved significantly higher mean scores than the control group (p<0.05). Furthermore, the document analysis revealed that IBL fosters higher-order thinking, active participation, and critical thinking skills. Consequently, the inquiry-based learning approach proves to be an effective tool for enhancing learners’ academic performance. These findings suggest that educators and policymakers should consider integrating inquiry-based learning strategies into the teaching of Agricultural Sciences curriculum to improve achievement of academic outcomes. Emphasis on active engagement and critical thinking can lead to more meaningful learning experiences for learners.