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16 October 2019 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Rulanzen Martin
Dr Thuli Mphambukeli and Victor Okorie
Water is a fundamental human right, says Dr Thulisile Mphambukeli, (left) Senior Lecturer at the Department of Urban and Regional Planning. On the right is Dr Victor Okorie.
Research shows that “access to water and food remains critical to the survival and stability of any nation”. This is according to a team of academics that has been hard at work exploring ways in which to secure water and food in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS nations).

These scholars from the University of the Free State (UFS) and North-West University recently published a paper titled: Exploring the Political Economy of Water and Food Security Nexus in BRICS. Dr Thulisile Mphambukeli, Dr Victor Okorie, and Prof Samuel Amusan are members of the Food Security Research Cluster of the South African BRICS Think Tank that has been fervently tackling the water and food in(security) challenge.

Water as a key to social justice 

The team argues that unequal access and distribution of water has in the past led to violent conflict. The paper cites Qwaqwa as one of the many areas affected by water-service protests in the recent past. “Water and food crises are worsening thanks to the intensification of climate change, rapid urbanisation, nutrition transition and population growth. Solutions to these crises partly lie in cooperation and collaboration among nation states, regional economic commissions, and global power brokers.”

What are some of the local solutions? According to the scholars: “For agronomic and husbandry practices, there is a pressing need for research activities on innovative ways of supplying water to crops and animals such that water loss through evaporation and run-off is significantly reduced. 

“Similarly, research activities on redesigning toilets, especially the urinary section – where more than nine litres of water are used to flush less than one cubic centimetre of urine – are timely in the context of managing the water and food security nexus crises.”

Improving livelihoods

In an effort to achieve food security, BRICS aims to stimulate domestic capacity for production. Food and nutrition security cannot be achieved without water security, and vice versa. 

It is evident that the water and food insecurity issues are complex. However, concerted efforts are being made by various sectors to solve these challenges and improve the livelihoods of urban and rural citizens within BRICS nations.

News Archive

Academic produces another book
2009-12-01

 Academic, author and motivational speaker, Dr Michael van Wyk (pictured), has written another book titled Cooperative learning as a teaching strategy for the classroom: A practical guide for economics teachers.
His latest offering provides a sound theoretical framework and practical ways on how to implement the different cooperative learning techniques. It unpacks the practical aspects of the outcomes-based approach, the National Curriculum Statement for the Further Education and Training phase and cooperative learning techniques for the economics classroom.
This easy-to-read book offers a thorough introductory text for economics teachers and economics students, as well as lecturers and researchers.
“This theoretical and practical guide will support Economics teachers to present their subject in practical ways that are meaningful and learner centred,” he said.
“If this can be achieved, learners will engage effectively in the subject and an interest in the learning content may be evoked.”
The book covers the following aspects:
  • It introduces the foundations of the outcomes-based education approach (OBE) and the new curriculum model for South African schools.
  • It examines the theoretical underpinnings and practical application of cooperative learning as a teaching strategy.
  • It provides practical guidelines for application of cooperative learning techniques.
 
“This book gives an outline, in a constructive way, on how to apply the cooperative learning techniques such as Teams Games Tournaments (TGT), Student Teams Achievement Divisions (STAD), role-play, simulations, Economics quizzes, small group teaching and research projects in the classroom,” he said.
 
“These techniques have the potential to make a positive contribution to the enhancement of academic performances, development of social skills and an improvement of the learning skills of the learners.”
 
The book is designed as a theoretical and practical guide for Economics Education students, Economics teachers, Learning Area Economics and Management Science facilitators, Curriculum developers, Economics subject advisors, researchers and trainers; for the successful implementation of cooperative learning as a teaching strategy.
 
Dr Van Wyk is a staff member of the Department of Curriculum Studies in the Faculty of Education at the University of the Free State (UFS). He also serves on the board of the South African Foundation on Economics and Financial Education (SAFEFE).
Photo: Mangaliso Radebe

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