Religious beliefs, an important element of culture, influence adaptation to climate change. Less understood is how changing beliefs shape the adaptive capacity of communities responding to climate change. In the last century sub-Saharan Africa has experienced a transformation in beliefs. Since 1900 Christians have increased 70-fold while in rural areas Traditional Beliefs and associated Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) continue to influence the lived practices of vulnerable rural communities. Using two case studies of rural communities in Malawi (Bolero) and Zambia (Monze) we explore how Christianity and Traditional beliefs (and associated TEK) co-exist and assess if, and how, holding multiple belief systems affects climate-sensitive livelihood practices of food production. In Bolero we observed a lack of tensions between belief systems with Traditional leaders and elders noting the flexibility of adhering to both belief systems. In Monze however, basing livelihood decisions on the practice of rain-rituals resulted in strong tensions. In both communities elders noted their concern of how changing beliefs affect adherence to TEK management practices. We find that culture and beliefs play an important role in adaptive capacity but are not static. In the context of changing beliefs, adaptive capacity will be influenced by how different belief systems co-exist and how epistemological and intergenerational frictions are negotiated. As climate services become the focus of research and government interventions in vulnerable regions, avoiding culturally and economically expensive mal-adaptation will require giving attention to the complexity and dynamism of changing religious landscapes.

The purpose of the study was to unravel constituents of the indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) and appreciate people’s experiences in predicting the weather in daily undertakings. The objectives of the study were; to identify factors or systems used, establish the knowledge used in predicting the weather and compare the indigenous and current scientific method of predicting the weather. Qualitative and quantitative research designs were used. Primary data was collected through semi structured, face-to-face and in-depth interviews. This was complemented by secondary data collected through desk reviews of relevant published materials. The findings reveal that indigenous knowledge systems have been employed by people of Mukonchi chiefdom since time immemorial. There has also been reliance on IKS to make decisions pertaining to livelihoods such as agricultural activities. However, IKS in the area remains undocumented. Observation of several occurrences in combination or singularly relating to plants, animals, insects and astronomical events were factors of significant importance in the knowledge of weather extrapolation. Elements such as age, frequency of use of the IKS and level of education were seen to be of momentous prominence in utilisation of the indigenous knowledge as modern means of weather forecasting which are applicable to local community environment.

Informal settlements are a hot spot for disaster risks worldwide. They are characterised by limited provision of basic services. Water being a critical life support resource is not adequately provided. Residents usually rely on unsafe water sources of hand dug wells. Pit latrines are a major facility for sanitary purposes. Further, informal settlements high population density residing in poor housing units is a common characteristics. Risks of underground water pollution are high due to the proximity of sanitation facilities to unprotected shallow wells increasing the possibility of feacal contamination by ecoli and coli form. This paper presents a case of Makululu informal settlement in Zambia. A total of 385 respondents were identified at random while purposive sampling identified key informants. Water samples collected from 12 hand dug wells located close to pit latrines were tested for coli form and ecoli. Testing was done before and after the rainy season to analyse the relationship between pit latrines and wells as well as the relationship with rainfall distribution pattern to ascertain levels of risks. Water was tested to determine the levels of contamination based on the presence of ecoli and coli form. Laboratory results indicated that 90 percent of water consumed in Makululu informal settlement is highly contaminated by faecal coliforms.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. The prevalence of DM globally in 2019 was estimated to be 9.3% of the world’s population. Complications of DM include nephropathy, neuropathy, retinopathy, stroke and coronary heart disease. Traditional plants have been used in the management of diabetes mellitus, an example is the cactus plant. This study aimed to shade more light on the effect of an aqueous extract of cactus on the kidney histo-architecture of the diabetic Wistar rats. Thirty adult male Wistar rats weighing between 160-200g and were randomly grouped into five consisting of six rats each: group A. normal control, group B. diabetic only, group C. diabetic treated with Cactus and group D. diabetes treated with Metformin only and group E Cactus extract only. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of Streptozotocin of 70mg/kg/body weight. After 72 hours of uninterrupted diabetes (blood glucose≥ 7mmol). The cactus extract and Metformin was administered orally at 100 mg/kg body weight daily for four weeks and blood glucose level were recorded weekly. After the fourth week of administration, animals were sacrificed by euthanasia. The kidneys from all the groups were weighed and their weight recorded and were fixed in 10% formal saline. Data was analyzed using one way ANOVA p<0.05 was considered significant and the graphs were plot using excel. The findings of this study showed that the blood glucose level of Diabetic +Cactus group and diabetes + Metformin were significant when compared to the diabetic group (p<0.05). The body weight and relative organ weight of Diabetic +Cactus group and diabetes+ Metformin when compared to the diabetic group was significant P<0.05. Histologically, the diabetic group that showed disruption of macula densa and a large urine space compared to the Wistar rats in the Diabetes+cactus group and Diabetes+metformin group that showed little disruption in macula densa were observed. From the results obtained, the aqueous cactus extract has the ability to lower blood glucose level in diabetic Wistar rat and is histologically renoprotect to the damage caused by Diabetes mellitus.

Herbs have been used as medicinal for several years to cure or rather manage different ailments such as diabetes mellitus. This is very common in rural settings of sub-saharan Africa and is now being adopted in urban areas. Opunta species have widely been seen to contain antihyperglycaemic effects. To evaluate the antihyperglycaemic and histopancreatic effect of aqueous extract of prickly pear cactus (Opuntia species) cladodes in streptozotocin-induced diabetic male Wistar rats in vivo. This was a laboratory based research conducted at Mulungushi University involving 30 wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) that weighed between 160-200 g which were randomly selected into five groups (6 per cage); normal control, diabetic control, diabetic +metformin, diabetic +cactus and cactus only group. Initial blood glucose levels were obtained from the tail and record then Diabetes mellitus was induced using a single intraperitoneal dose of streptozotocin (70mg/kg BW) and established a persistent state of hyperglycemia after 72hours. The aqueous cactus extract of 100 mg/kg BW and metformin of 100 mg/kg BW was administered orally using intragastric cannula daily for a period of 4 weeks. At the end of the fourth week, Diabetes + cactus and diabetes + metformin groups body weights were statistically significant when compared to the diabetic group (P<0.05). While diabetic group was statistically significant when compared to normal control (P<0.05). The relative weight of the pancreas in diabetic group was statistically significant to other groups (P<0.05). The blood glucose in diabetic + cactus was normoglycaemic at 3rd week, Diabetic + metformin group when compared to diabetic group was statistically significant (P<0.05). The normal control and cactus only groups maintained normoglycaemic till the end of the 4th week. The histological findings of the normal control and cactus only group showed normal pancreatic cytoarchitecture. Diabetes group showed high degree of disorganization in the cytoarchitecture in the islet with reduction in β cell mass and deposition of elastic fibres. The Diabetic+Metformin group showed slight decrease in the cell mass (β cells) and elastic fibres were extensively deposited. Diabetic+Cactus treated group exhibited normal histology of the pancreas with increased number of β cells. Opuntia species are able to lower elevated blood glucose levels and ameliorate the effects of STZ on the pancreatic morphology

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