3rd Multi/Interdisciplinary Conference Research : “The Africa we want: Wealth creation for Sustainable Growth and Social Transformation” for Sustainable Growth creation “The Africa we want: Wealth PROCEEDINGS OF THE 3RD MULTI /INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH CONFERENCE VOLUME I 3rd Multi/Interdisciplinary Research Conference “The Africa we want: Wealth creation for Sustainable Growth and Social Transformation” Date: 23 - 24 July 2019 Venue: NIPAM - Windhoek TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................... 1 Foreword ............................................................................................................................................ 2 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................ 3 Recent advances in nanotechnology for waste water treatment ........................................................ 4 Antiplasmodial activity, phytochemical profile, active principles and cytotoxicity ofPechuel-loeschea leubnitziae O. Hoffm. (Asteraceae): An endemic shrub used to manage malaria in Namibia .........19 Sustainable indigenous gastronomy and culinary identity: Developing culturally modified foods 30 Inclusion of the cultural practice of dry sex in HIV and AIDS behavioural change programmes: Case study of Zambezi region, Namibia ................................................................................................... 45 A critical analysis of drama as an effective teaching tool in early childhood education: A case study of Mogoditshane Child Development Centre .................................................................................. 60 Mushroom polysaccharides from Kalaharituber pfeilii and Termitomyces schimperi reveal antioxidant and prebiotic functions ..................................................................................................................... 69 Ethnobotanical survey and in vitro evaluation of antimicrobial activity of selected traditional herbs and spices from Kabbe constituencies in Zambezi region ............................................................... 78 Physico-chemical properties and microbial communities of fermented olives in Namibia using culture dependent method ............................................................................................................................ 96 Proximate content and functional properties of putative pearl millet (pennisetum glaucum) mutants derived through gamma irradiation in Namibia ............................................................................. 106 Assessing the effectiveness of abortion as a sexual and reproductive health tool in reducing the prevalence of child motherhood in Zimbabwe .............................................................................. 123 ~ 1 ~ FOREWORD This conference proceeding is based on the 3rd Multi/Interdisciplinary Research Conference which was hosted by the University of Namibia (UNAM) through the Multidisciplinary Research Centre (MRC) from 23 - 24 July 2019 at NIPAM in Windhoek. The theme of the conference was “The Africa we want: Wealth creation for Sustainable Growth and Social Transformation”. The main objectives of the Conference were to provide a platform for academics, practitioners and postgraduate students to share their research findings within the above mentioned theme, to provide recommendations for policy and programme interventions and evoke innovation for continental socio-economic transformation. The conference papers in these proceedings represent international experiences on global issues from academics beyond Namibia and as far as South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Germany. All conference papers were subjected to two stages of peer-review from which two volumes were prepared for conference proceeding publication by 2020. Volume one and volume two present papers across disciplines and focusses, amongst others, on issues of technological advances, sexual reproductive health, culture and behavioural changes, drama and education, climate change, etc. MRC wishes to express gratitude to all peer reviewers of the articles under this proceedings for their tireless efforts in reviewing manuscripts and ensuring that all articles conform to the standard requirements of a conference proceeding. Special thanks goes to the contributors or authors of the various articles for their trust, patience and timely revisions to the papers before publication in this conference proceeding. The authors or contributors realized the importance of ensuring that their research output are presented and published for the wider audience so that their academic outputs have an expanded network for potential impact on the wider international community readership. We at MRC therefore wish all our readers a pleasant reading of this conference proceedings issue. Dr Kletus Likuwa ~ 2 ~ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Conference Proceedings Committee would like to acknowledge the excellent work of our conference organizing committee which comprised of the following: Conference Chair: Dr Elizabeth Ngololo Kamara and Ms. Nguza Siyambango Exco Committee: Prof Nelago Indongo Dr Klefus Likuwa Prof Ahmad Cheikhyoussef Dr Napandulwe Shiweda Dr Selma Mekondjo Wardine Lendelvo Dr Nailoke Pauline Kadhila Proceedings Committee: Prof Ahmad Cheikhyoussef Dr Napandulwe Shiweda Dr Selma Mekondjo Wardine Lendelvo Prof Davis Mumbengegwi Language Editor: Dr Nelson Mlambo Internal and External Reviewers Prof Davis Mumbengegwi Prof Mohamed Fawzy Ramadan Hassanien Prof Ahmad Cheikhyoussef Dr Collen Musara Dr Iwanette Du Preez Dr Mack Moyo Dr Martha Shikongo-Nambabi Prof Benjamin Campbell Mr. Werner Embashu Prof Oluwatosin A. Ijabadeniyi Dr Lydia Horn Prof Ahmed Mohammed Hussein Dr Natascha Cheikhyoussef Dr Ljiljana Fruk Further gratitude is extended to all of our distinguished plenary speakers and to our session directors. We would also like to acknowledge the important contributions of all of our conference participants and postgraduate students for sharing with us their personal insights and aspirations. Finally, we wish to thank the GIZ Namibia for its financial support towards our conference, we are extremely grateful. ~ 3 ~ RECENT ADVANCES IN NANOTECHNOLOGY FOR WASTE WATER TREATMENT Ateeq Rahman*, Kapa Tuhafeni, Paulas Kapolo, Daniel Likius and Veikko Uahengo Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Namibia, Mandumefayo, Pionierspark, Windhoek, Namibia Email: [email protected]/ [email protected] ABSTRACT Namibia is a very dry country with an average rainfall of 250 mm per year. The concern over increasing needs for drinking water and awareness for the development of systems to improve water quality both for drinking purposes and for effluents from wastewater treatment and industrial facilities have provided incentives to develop new technologies and to improve the performance of existing technologies. In recent decades, water treatment using nano technological based expertise has gained significant attention. Against this background, the adaptation of highly advanced nanotechnology to traditional process engineering offers new opportunities in technological developments for advanced water and wastewater technology processes. Recent nanotechnology technique extends from the fabrication of membranes from nanomaterials to the use of catalysts for the decomposition of noxious compounds in water. Research advances in nanotechnologies for water and wastewater treatment processes is provided, including nano based materials such as nano adsorbents, nanometals, nanomembranes, and photocatalysts. The beneficial properties of these materials as well as technical barriers when compared with conventional processes are reported. Hence, the waste water treatment can be executed with various materials such as Layered Double Hydroxides (LDHS), metal oxides, and Ag NPs, depending upon their preparation conditions, are applicable for various wastewater treatment processes. The use of nanotechnology to remove contaminants in water is widespread and many advances have already been achieved. The application of nanotechnology in the clean-up of contaminated water could be summarised by nanoscale filtration techniques, the adsorption of pollutants on nanoparticles and the breakdown of contaminants in wastewater by nanoparticle, Nano sheets, and Carbon Nanotubes as catalysts. Keywords: Nanotechnology, nanoparticle, Waste water treatment. INTRODUCTION Water is the most essential substance for all life on earth and it is a precious resource for global civilisation. Reliable access to clean and affordable water is considered one of the most basic humanitarian goals and it still remains a major global challenge for the 21st century (Gehrke et al., 2015). Outside of the laboratory there is no such thing as “pure” water. Even the naturally occurring water contains impurities and other contaminants that may make it dangerous for human consumption and for the environment. Water contamination not only affects the environment and human health, but it has impacts on the economic and social spheres. The adaptation of highly advanced nanotechnology ~ 4 ~ to traditional process engineering offers new opportunities in technological developments for advanced water and wastewater technology processes (Gehrke et al., 2015). This is due to the fact that the traditional process has been difficult