Background: Various studies on climate change treat men and women as unitary categories with contrasting needs. There is a dearth of studies which use a social inclusions lens to understand the impacts of climate change on gender. Other social markers that give an in-depth insight of the social differences within and between genders to the impacts of climate change are consequently ignored. Methods: Utilizing a mixed methods approach, this study aimed to explore and investigate the gendered crops grown as a climate adaptation strategy to respond to perennial droughts, increased temperatures and unreliable rainfall patterns amongst the Shona in Marondera rural district. Results: The findings indicated that social differences between gender lines like age, household types, income, education and employment status amongst other social variables produce differentiated vulnerabilities and potential opportunities towards climate adaptation. Conclusions: The main position advanced in this article is that treating gender as the primary cause of vulnerability produces a narrow analysis making other social markers (age, types of households, income and ethnicity) analytically invisible. This paper recommends a holistic and comprehensive analysis to inform climate change programming and policy frameworks. This would in turn address and improve climate adaptation strategies within and between genders which are often obscured to address the needs of all vulnerable members of a given economy.

Indigenous Knowledge Systems are potential transformative tools if they are effectively integrated in water conservation and management systems not only as a matter of redress but also to enrich the current water systems. Local Knowledge systems provide a sound platform for the conservation and management of water in rural areas. The main objective of this study was to identify and investigate the indigenous practises in water management and conservation processes. This study builds upon fieldwork undertaken in the Khambashe rural district in Buffalo City municipality, Eastern Cape. Data collection methods utilised were survey questionnaires, interviews and observation. Statistical data was analysed through the Statistical Package of Social Sciences. The findings indicated that despite a number of values associated with water in the Xhosa culture, loss of ecological and traditional knowledge towards water security confronts many inhabitants. Despite the weak institutional capacities, failure of the state to provide efficient water structures combined with the challenges that Khambashe faces with regards to water, there is failure to recognise and accommodate traditional or cultural values as an alternative to manage and conserve water in rural Khambashe. Relatively a few people still have a strong interest in the indigenous knowledge systems that motivate communities to undertake cultural obligations towards achieving water security.

In this article giving a voice to students in higher institutions acknowledges that there is much to be gained from entering into the students’ world and respecting their versions of reality. If transdiciplinarity is to be achieved in institutions of higher education, knowledge should be presented through mutual learning and dialogue across disciplines towards a horizon of shared understanding. The student participation, transdisciplinary interface provides a critical framework and an experience of building a diverse intellectual community as a basis for curriculum renewal. This paper builds upon fieldwork conducted amongst students enrolled for the Grounding Program also known as Life Knowledge Action and staff. Unstructured interviews were used. Narrative descriptions where derived and were analysed through content analysis. The findings indicated that, the student participation-transdisciplinarity interface is elucidated through the case of the Life Knowledge Program under the Centre for Transdisciplinary Studies at the University of Fort Hare. The interface is embedded in the exchange of ideas which supercedes mono-inter- discipline, addressing cross cutting issues that create additional value. The discourse of Transdisciplinarity has been promoted through the structure of the curriculum and emphasis placed on the attainment of mutual dialogue amongst learners themselves and with lecturers.

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