The contribution of own food production to the nutrition of households in two neighbouring, rural, semi-arid settlements was investigated. A survey of a 10% probability sample (n=131) of households in Sekuruwe and Ga-Molekane in the Mokgalakwena Local Municipality, Waterberg District Municipality, Limpopo Province, South Africa, conducted in 2001, provided data on household composition, income (cash and kind), poverty status, expenditure and agriculture, including a detailed account of the types and quantities of food that were purchased during the month preceding the date of the interview. For each household the food obtained from the different types of agriculture they practised was quantified. Protein, iron and Vitamins A and C were selected as indicators to assess the contribution of purchased and own produced food to the food intake of households. Food composition tables were used to estimate the nutrient content of the different foods. To assess the contribution of irrigated home gardening to food intake of households, Drum & Drip micro-irrigation systems which enabled irrigated vegetable production on an area of 36 m2 were installed on the residential sites of 10 volunteer households in the study area. The results confirmed that income is the most important determinant of household food security in rural South Africa. However, food obtained from various types of dry-land agriculture contributed significantly to household nutrition and without farming the food security of households would be reduced, especially among the ultra-poor. Small-scale irrigated vegetable production was shown to have the potential to substantially raise the amount of the Vitamins A and C available to households but did not address the lack of protein in the diet of ultra-poor households and the lack of iron in the diet of all households.

This item was digitized as part of the Million Books Project led by Carnegie Mellon University and supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Cornell University coordinated the participation of land-grant and agricultural libraries in providing historical agricultural information for the digitization project; the University of Arizona Libraries, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and the Office of Arid Lands Studies collaborated in the selection and provision of material for the digitization project.

This item was digitized as part of the Million Books Project led by Carnegie Mellon University and supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Cornell University coordinated the participation of land-grant and agricultural libraries in providing historical agricultural information for the digitization project; the University of Arizona Libraries, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and the Office of Arid Lands Studies collaborated in the selection and provision of material for the digitization project.

Rasmussen et al. (2001) observed that Sb concentrations were enriched in household dust relative to outdoor garden soil samples and suspected the enrichment may be due to anthropogenic internal sources. Antimony trioxide (Sb2O3) is commonly found in various halogen flame-retardants and is a suspected carcinogen (IARC, 1989). North Americans spend a significant proportion of their time indoors, and are frequently exposed to dust. Therefore, characterizing potentially harmful metal(loid)s (i.e. Sb2O3) has become of increasing priority to various governmental agencies. A combination of micro-analytical synchrotron techniques (micro X-ray fluorescence (µXRF), micro X-ray diffraction (µXRD), micro X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (µXANES)) and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) were used to characterize five archived samples provided by Health Canada. Two samples were in the 90th percentile for Sb content in household dust from a suite of 50 houses studied by Rasmussen et al. (2001). The corresponding garden soils of these houses were also analysed. The fifth sample was a children’s bedroom from a house studied in detail by Walker et al. (2010). Synchrotron microanalysis of Sb presents many challenges, given its high absorption energy (31 KeV), and the relatively low concentrations and small particles in house dust. An appropriate experimental set-up was optimized after several trials. Antimony within household dust is currently not of toxicological concern (EU, 2008). Micro-XRF maps of household dust samples and corresponding garden soils from sample to sample displayed distinct element correlations of Sb with other elements. This suggests that Sb species present within homes are not restricted to a single source. Potential sources are Pb based or Sb containing pigments (Naples Yellow), metal alloys and possibly flame-retardants. The lack of correlation between Sb hot spots in the garden soil sample compared to the household dust suggests the source of interior Sb may not be external. A collaborative project with another student in the Environmental Studies Masters program was conducted to examine the potential for interdisciplinary work. Effective communication was the greatest barrier but there was success in the creation of a forum where people could critically think about the various nuances of household dust. / Thesis (Master, Environmental Studies) -- Queen's University, 2010-12-24 14:37:03.016

No description available.

No description available.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1992.

Thesis (M.P.H.)--University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 67-76).