M. Tech. Agriculture / Shortly after World War two (WWII), the South African government responded to the mounting food production crisis in the homelands by introducing public tractor services. Establishment of irrigation schemes and provision of public tractor services for use by smallholders were two important government-initiated modernisation projects in the homelands. It was in line with the idea of modernisation that smallholder irrigation schemes were the prime target for public tractor services, and this lead to the rapid abandonment of the use of animal draught for cultivation on these schemes. By the time public tractor services were completely dismantled, cultivation on smallholder irrigation schemes had become almost entirely dependent on tractor draught. Thereafter, hiring the services of privately owned tractor enterprises became the principal way in which farmers on smallholder irrigation schemes in Limpopo Province cultivated their plots. The rising cost of hiring private tractors placed financial stress on the cropping enterprises of smallholder irrigators, generating interest in alternatives that were more affordable. Animal draught represents an attractive alternative to tractor draught. Whereas prevailing economic circumstances on smallholder irrigation schemes favour the adoption of cultivation systems that are cheaper than those offered by private tractor enterprises, it is not known whether animal draught land preparation enterprises are an appropriate alternative to the existing tractor enterprises from an economic and social perspective. In order to resolve this knowledge problem, the current study was done with the following two main objectives: to determine the profitability of the different types of land preparation enterprises operating on smallholder canal irrigation schemes in Vhembe District Municipality; and to determine the social acceptability of these different types of land preparation enterprises by measuring the perceptions of the quality of the cultivation services provided by these enterprises among plot holders on these schemes.

Literacy is a key outcome of education. Although literacy is a basic human right, and, can lay the foundation for further education and training, there is still a high number of illiterate people in South Africa. Black rural women form the majority of non-literates in the country and this has a negative impact on the development of the country. This means that rural women are still marginalized and stay in conditions of squalor because they are unemployed, poor and lack skills required by the labour market. This study focuses on the importance and benefits of literacy programmes to the empowerment of black rural women. It was conducted in two rural areas of Mopani District Municipality, in Greater Giyani. Rural women who have been socially excluded and benefited less from the growing economy need to be empowered through literacy programmes to stand up and fight poverty, ill health and other social ills they face. The qualitative method was employed where participants were involved in focus group and one on one interviews so as to evaluate the effectiveness of the literacy programmes. The results of the study indicate that literacy programmes did empower women to a certain extent because they have gained functional skills and they involve themselves in community development programmes. However, the engagement of all stakeholders in the provision of quality literacy programmes can emancipate rural women so that they may take their rightful places in society. / Educational Studies / (M. Ed. (Secialisation in Adult Education))

Literacy is a key outcome of education. Although literacy is a basic human right, and, can lay the foundation for further education and training, there is still a high number of illiterate people in South Africa. Black rural women form the majority of non-literates in the country and this has a negative impact on the development of the country. This means that rural women are still marginalized and stay in conditions of squalor because they are unemployed, poor and lack skills required by the labour market. This study focuses on the importance and benefits of literacy programmes to the empowerment of black rural women. It was conducted in two rural areas of Mopani District Municipality, in Greater Giyani. Rural women who have been socially excluded and benefited less from the growing economy need to be empowered through literacy programmes to stand up and fight poverty, ill health and other social ills they face. The qualitative method was employed where participants were involved in focus group and one on one interviews so as to evaluate the effectiveness of the literacy programmes. The results of the study indicate that literacy programmes did empower women to a certain extent because they have gained functional skills and they involve themselves in community development programmes. However, the engagement of all stakeholders in the provision of quality literacy programmes can emancipate rural women so that they may take their rightful places in society. / Educational Studies / (M. Ed. (Secialisation in Adult Education))

Summaries in English, Afrikaans and Sepedi / The Limpopo Province is a disaster-prone province, with drought being the most common natural disaster. From the year 2012 onwards, the province experienced extremely dry conditions that culminated in a severe drought in 2016. This negatively impacted the livelihoods of smallholder livestock farmers and the welfare of their livestock. The study investigated the coping strategies that were adopted by smallholder livestock farmers during drought conditions and the factors that were associated with animal loss during the drought that affected the region between 2014 and 2016. A randomly selected sample of 281 smallholder livestock farmers aged 18 years and older from the Greater Letaba Local Municipality participated in the study. Structured interviews, aided by questionnaires were used to collect the primary data. Proportions of categorical variables and the mean and standard deviation for continuous variables were computed and presented as tables and figures. A Poisson regression model was fitted to the data to identify factors that were significantly associated with loss of animals during the drought. More than half (55.50%; n=116) of the participants were made aware of the 2014–2016 drought through the agricultural extension officers, followed by 19.14% (n=40) who got to know about it through radio channels. More than half of the participants (58.29%; n=123) were aware of the impending drought. The most common support received from government agencies to help cope with the drought was in the form of animal feed (80%; n=124). Although most of the farmers (73.55%; n=114) benefitted from the support they received, slightly more than half (53.74%; n=151) did not cope well with the drought conditions. While Bellevue (B=-0.199; 95% CI: -0.380 -0.019) was negatively associated with loss of animals, Mokwakwaila (B=0.568; 95% CI: 0.405 0.731) had a strong positive association with loss of animals. Being married (B=-0.060; 95% CI: -0.305 0.183) or divorced (B= -0.035; 95% CI: -0.316 0.246) was negatively associated with loss of animals. Years of experience in farming (B=0.022; 95% CI: 0.010 0.033) and not receiving support during were strongly positively associated with loss of animals (B=0.324; 95% CI: 0.189 0.459). The low number of farmers who were aware of the impending drought and the large number of farmers who did not cope well suggests that many farmers in the area were not prepared for the drought. Groups such as widows, widowers and farmers who have many years of farming experience are high-risk groups and should be targeted for interventions in the event of a drought. More measures are needed to ensure that all agricultural centres are prepared and supported in event of a drought so as to minimise the impact of drought on local communities. / Die provinsie Limpopo is 'n rampgevoelige provinsie, met droogte as die mees algemene natuurramp. Vanaf 2012 het die provinsie uiters droë toestande beleef wat in 2016 op 'n ernstige droogte uitgeloop het. Dit het 'n negatiewe uitwerking gehad op die lewensonderhoud van kleinboere en die welstand van hul vee. Die studie het ondersoek ingestel na die hanteringstrategieë wat deur veeboere in kleinvee tydens droogtetoestande aangeneem is, en die faktore wat verband hou met diereverlies tydens die droogte wat die streek tussen 2014 en 2016 geraak het. 'N Lukraak geselekteerde steekproef van 281 kleinboere van 18 jaar en ouer van die Greater Letaba Local Munisipaliteit het aan die studie deelgeneem. Gestruktureerde onderhoude, gehelp deur vraelyste, is gebruik om die primêre data in te samel. Verhoudings van kategoriese veranderlikes en die gemiddelde en standaardafwyking vir deurlopende veranderlikes is bereken en as tabelle en figure aangebied. 'N Poisson-regressiemodel is op die data toegepas om faktore te identifiseer wat beduidend verband hou met die verlies aan diere tydens die droogte. Meer as die helfte (55,50%; n=116) van die deelnemers is bewus gemaak van die droogte 2014–2016 deur die landbouvoorligtingsbeamptes, gevolg deur 19,14% (n =40) wat dit via radiokanale leer ken het. Meer as die helfte van die deelnemers (58,29%; n=123) was bewus van die dreigende droogte. Die mees algemene steun van regeringsinstansies om die droogte die hoof te bied, was in die vorm van veevoer (80%; n=124). Alhoewel die meerderheid van die boere (73,55%; n=114) voordeel getrek het uit die steun wat hulle gekry het, het die droogtetoestande nie goed hanteer nie (53,74%; n=151). Terwyl Bellevue (B= -0.199; 95% CI -0.380 -0.019) negatief geassosieer is met verlies aan diere, is Mokwakwaila (B= 0,568; 95% CI 0,405 0,731) sterk positief geassosieer met verlies aan diere. Om getroud te wees (B= -0.060; 95% CI -0.305 0.183) of geskei (B= -0.035; 95% CI 0.316 0.246) was negatief geassosieer met verlies aan diere. Jare se ondervinding in die boerdery (B=0,022; 95% CI 0,010 0,033) en om nie ondersteuning gedurende te ontvang nie, was sterk positief geassosieer met die verlies van diere (B=0.324; 95% CI 0.189 0.459). Die lae aantal boere (ongeveer die helfte) wat bewus was van die dreigende droogte, dui daarop dat baie boere in die omgewing nie voorbereid was op die droogte nie. Groepe soos weduwees, wewenaars en boere met baie jare se boerdery-ervaring, is hoërisikogroepe en moet geteiken word vir ingrypings in die geval van 'n droogte. Meer maatreëls is nodig om te verseker dat alle landbousentrums voorberei en ondersteun word in geval van 'n droogte om die impak van droogte op plaaslike gemeenskappe te verminder. / Komelelo ke bothata bjo bogolo kudu go tsa temo/bolemi, segolothata re lebeletse balemirui ba bannyane. Limpopo province e na le kgatelelego ye kgolo kudu ka komelelo gagolo ge re lebeletse tsa bolemi. Nako le nako komelelo e tsea karolo ye kgolo moo e feleletsago e gatelela tsa temo. Tabakgolo ya rena kego lebelela ditsela le mehuta ye e fapanego yeo e shomishitshwego ke balemi go lwantshana le bothata bja komelelo gareng ga ngwaga wa 2014- 2016. Thuto ye e kgobokantshitshwe gotwsa go masepala wa motse selegae wa Greater Letaba Local Municipality, karolo ya Mopani, profenseng ya Leboa mo Afrika Borwa. Tshedimosho ye e hweditshwe ka mokgwa wa poledisano le balemi bao ba fapanego ba go lekana nomoro ya 281 ya balemi go dinaga tsa go fapanafapana. Poledisano ebile ka mokgwa wa peakanyanyo ya dopotsisho. Tshedimosho ye e kopantshitshwe le go hlathollwa ka mokgwa wa go ikgetha wa Strata Version 14. Hlathollo ya go ikgetha e berekishitshwe ka mokgwa wa ditiragalo yoya ka nako le dipalopalo tsa go kopantswa fao tahlegelo e sa tsebjego go ka lekanywa.le bokae la diperesente. Mabakakgolo ao a hlolago tahlegelo ya diruiwa a nyakishitswe ka mokgwa wa Poisson Regression Model. Bogolo bja (64.77%) go bao ba arabilego ebile banna le bogolo bja (74.38%) bja balemi ba be ba tseba ka komelelo ye e batamelago. Go feta halofo (55.50%) ya bao ba arabilegoba tsebishitshwe ka komelelo yeo e batamelang go tswa go bagakolodi, gomme gwa latela thelebisheni (8.13%) le dikuranta (1.44%). Go feta bogolo bja (58.29%) bja bao ba ikarabetsego ba laeditswe gore ba be ba tseba ka komelelo yeo e batamelago ke fao ba bego ba ikemiseditse. Bontshi bja thekgo (80%) yeo balemi ba e hweditsego ebile ka mokgwa wa dijo tsa diphoofolo, gwa latela latela thekgo yeo e filwego ka mokgwa wa meets le dithibela malwetsi go diphoofolo. Bogolo bjago makatsa (73.55%) bo laeditse gore thekgo yeo ba e hweditsego e ba tshwetsi molemo le diphoofolo tsa bona, go feta bonnyane (26.45%) bjoo bo rilego thekgo yeo ba e hweditsegobka nako ya komelelo ga se ya ba tshwela mohola goba gaya ba hola ka selo. Go ba modudi wa Bellevue (B= -0.199; 95% CI: -0.380 -0.019, p= 0.031) le Mokwakwaila (B=0.568; 95% CI: 0.405 0.731, p= 0.0001) ebile nthla ye bohlokwa go tahlegelo ya dirui. Go oketsa seo, go nyadiwa (B=0.942; 95% CI: 0.737 1.201), go hladiwa (B= 0.966 (95% CI: 0.729 1.279), le palo ya mengwaga ya botsebingo tsa temo (B=1.022; 95% CI: 1.010 1.034, p= 0.0001), le ge eba molemi ga se a hwetse thusho ka nako ya komelelo (B=0.324; 95% CI: 0.189 0.459, p= 0.0001) ebile dinhla tsa bohlokwa go tahlegelo ya dirui ka nako ya komelelo. Palo ya fase ba balemi bao ba bego bas a tsebe ka komelelo yeo e bego e batamela, e kgathile tema ye kgolo mo tabeng ya go paledisha balemi go ipeakanyela kgahlanong le komelelo yeo e bego e batamela. Ka fao seo se ba amile gampe. Mo nakong ye e tlang, matsapa a mantsi a swanetswi go tseiwa go kgonthishisha gore tsa temo ka moka di itokishetsa ka go lekana. Mmusho o swanetse go beeletsa kudu go lefapha la bagakolodi ka go oketsa palo ya mafapha a bagakolodi. / Agriculture and Environmental Sciences / M.Sc. (Agriculture)

This research focussed on the roles and responsibilities of school principals, School Governing Body chairpersons and finance officers in managing the finances of Section 21 schools to ensure that quality teaching and learning are provided within context. A qualitative investigation was conducted using individual interviewing. This was supplemented by a study of official documents on financial management at the different research sites. A research sample of 33 participants consisting of eleven school principals, eleven School Governing Body chairpersons, and eleven finance officers represented the selected eleven schools. The findings revealed that school principals lack knowledge and understanding of legislation on financial management. All three types of role-players lack capacity to augment school finances, capacity to manage school assets sufficiently, and capacity to comply with prescripts guiding school finance management. Based on the perceptions of participants, guidelines are provided to improve the capacity of the role-players to manage school finances effectively. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

M. Tech. Ecotourism Management. / Farms in South Africa have to compete in a very hostile agricultural economic environment and it has become imperative for farmers to find new ways of generating additional income. Research undertaken in the Mopani District Municipality in the Limpopo Province of South Africa identified agritourism as a potential means to this end. The main aim of this primarily qualitative study was to gain a better understanding of the perceptions and opportunities for agritourism in the study area. Five current agritourism establishments were identified in the area namely the Coach House, Kuhestan Farm, Thomac Oil Distillery, Wegraakbosch Organic Dairy Farm and ZZ2 Boerdery. By developing farm trails, scheduling daily farm activities, using information brochures, forming networks with existing tourist establishments, encouraging the use of local and fresh produce and providing good roadside signage, farmers can gain increased exposure and recognition for what they do and opportunities for growth and development may be realised.

M. Tech. Education / Learners in the Limpopo province are reported to be performing very poorly in their examination results. This is clearly seen in Grade 12 results which are published for the entire country, South Africa. This problem is caused by, among other things, the lack of effective communication between educators and learners. This study investigated the problem of communication between learners and educators by using a quantitative approach, through implementing sampling, data collection and data analysis. A total of 47 educators from four secondary schools falling under Soutpansberg East Circuit of the Vhembe District answered a questionnaire. The collected information was grouped into categories and revealed that aspects of effective communication, for example, feedback, asking questions and proximity should be considered in the teaching-learning activity to improve learner performance. The results of the study were translated in a number of recommendations for improved communication practice and further research.

Lack of access to agricultural extension and advisory services is one of the major challenges facing emerging farmers in South Africa. The purpose of the study was to determine the level of access to extension and advisory services by emerging livestock farmers in uThungulu district municipality of KwaZulu Natal province. A survey design of face-to-face interviews was used to collect data using a structured questionnaire. A sample of 1 437 was randomly selected from 4 792 emerging livestock farmers in the district. A sampling fraction of 30% was used. Stratified sampling was used to determine the number of participants from each local municipality. The survey was conducted with different groups of emerging livestock farmers representing different age groups ranging from 18 years of age and older. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 software. The results showed that more than 90% of emerging livestock farmers in the district had better access to public extension compared with 14% who had access to private extension. On average, 30% of the respondents indicated that they also had access to extension and advisory services from agricultural cooperatives. With regard to extension delivery approaches, advisory was the main (43.5%) extension approach practised in uThungulu district municipality followed by project approach (37.8%), participatory approach (36.4%) and technology transfer at 11.1%. In conclusion, the involvement of private sector and cooperatives in rendering agricultural extension and advisory services in the emerging livestock sector was an indication that various stakeholders collaborate in the improvement of agriculture in the province. The emergence of project approach showed that extension agents or officers have become more target oriented rather than technology transfer driven. The use of participatory extension approach indicated that in the 21st century, farmer’s opinions were also taken into consideration in the delivery of agricultural extension and advisory services in the emerging livestock sector. It was recommended that there should be a wider partnership of extension and advisory services involving various stakeholders such as farmers, municipalities, non-governmental organizations and the private sector, to address and boost the efficiency of services to farmers in South Africa. Therefore, more work is required to increase access to extension and advisory services through cooperative associations by organizing emerging farmers in cooperative associations for the participatory approach to succeed / Agriculture, Animal Health and Human Ecology / M. Sc. (Agriculture)

(a) Background of the study The study was conducted at Umzinyathi District schools. Umzinyathi District comprises of four circuits, i.e. Umvoti, Nqutu, Msinga and Endumeni. The study intended to find out if EE education is available and effective enough through Eco-Schools Programme at Umzinyathi District Schools. Each circuit was represented by three schools. One school was the school that was registered with Eco-Schools Programme and have a green flag status, the second school was the school that was registered with Eco-Schools Programme and working towards getting the green flag status and the third school was the school that was not registered with the Eco-Schools Programme. (b) Methodology Qualitative, explorative research was conducted in order to determine the availability and effectiveness of Eco-Schools Programme at Umzinyathi District Schools. Data collection was done using different types of interviews for different types of participants, i.e. educators, learners, members of the School Governing Bodies, officials of the DoE, DAEA as well as of the local municipalities. Site visits to the Eco-Schools was also used to collect data. When collecting data, a tape recorder was used. The interviews were conducted in both isiZulu and English and translated to English by the researcher. (c) Results and findings The study proved that Eco-Schools Programme is the necessary tool in bringing about the change in teaching about protecting and caring about the environment. The study also discovered that at the Umzinyathi District is not available and effective enough. Another thing the study discovered is that, there is another programme that is run by the DAEA, which is called NEEP (National Environmental Education Programme). The study also finds out that some of the Eco-Schools are also registered with this programme. (d) Recommendations It was recommended that the Eco-Schools Programme be compulsory to all the schools of Umzinyathi District where the study was based. Another recommendation was that the Department of Education appoint some people within the department to work full time with the DAEA in implementing, monitoring, supporting and assessing the progress of the programme in the district. / Environmental Sciences / M. Ed. (Environmental Education)

This research focussed on the roles and responsibilities of school principals, School Governing Body chairpersons and finance officers in managing the finances of Section 21 schools to ensure that quality teaching and learning are provided within context. A qualitative investigation was conducted using individual interviewing. This was supplemented by a study of official documents on financial management at the different research sites. A research sample of 33 participants consisting of eleven school principals, eleven School Governing Body chairpersons, and eleven finance officers represented the selected eleven schools. The findings revealed that school principals lack knowledge and understanding of legislation on financial management. All three types of role-players lack capacity to augment school finances, capacity to manage school assets sufficiently, and capacity to comply with prescripts guiding school finance management. Based on the perceptions of participants, guidelines are provided to improve the capacity of the role-players to manage school finances effectively. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)