Impact of outsourced agricultural extension program on smallholder farmers’ net farm income in Msinga, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 57 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
L.J.S. Baiyegunhi ◽  
Z.P. Majokweni ◽  
S.R.D. Ferrer
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Agricultural Extension ◽  
Farm Income ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Extension Program

scholarly journals Market Awareness and Participation for Cattle Farmers in the Kaonafatso ya Dikgomo (KyD) Scheme in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa

Agriculture ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 215
Author(s):  
Ngarava ◽  
Mushunje
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Herd Size ◽  
Marketing Channels ◽  
Farm Income ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Income Source ◽  
Auction Market ◽  
Kwazulu Natal

The objective of the study was to outline the determinants of market awareness and participation in the Kaonafatso ya Dikgomo (KyD) scheme in South Africa. The study utilised a cross-sectional survey of a randomly selected sample of 116 KyD farmers in KwaZulu-Natal Province. A Logit model was used to analyse the data. The results show that more farmers are aware of farmgate market channels, but however, they tended to utilise auction market channels. Furthermore, gender, marital status, educational level, employment status, farm income, source of income, herd size, labour and training were significant variables in the awareness and use of butcheries, auctions and farm gate markets. The study concludes that the scheme is particularly effective in influencing commercialisation through utilisation of more lucrative market channels such as auctions. Furthermore, socio-economic factors had a bearing on the awareness and use of marketing channels for smallholder farmers in the KyD scheme. Labour was particularly significant across butchery, auction and farm gate market channels. The study recommends that the scheme needs to improve awareness and use of market channels through utilisation of information platforms such as radio, television and direct communication though mobile phones. Furthermore, extension should assist farmers not only in awareness of markets, but also in the utilisation of those markets.

A Behavioural Explanation of Smallholder Entrepreneurship with Empirical Evidence from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fortunate Nosisa Zaca ◽  
Edilegnaw Wale ◽  
Unity Chipfupa
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Capital ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Farm Income ◽  
Tobit Regression ◽  
Entrepreneurial Spirit ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Social Grant ◽  
On Farm ◽  
The Impact

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the impact of social grant dependence on on-farm entrepreneurial spirit of smallholders. A sample of 175 farmers was obtained from two communities in KwaZulu-Natal. The study employed Principal Components Analysis and Tobit regression. The entrepreneurial spirit indices were constructed from revealed preference-based questions. The study found a positive relationship between the social grant and on-farm entrepreneurial spirit. The positive impact on rural household farming activities implies that the prevailing low entrepreneurial levels among farmers are not the result of social grant dependence but lack of opportunity and other resource constraints. However, to remain effective, policy should ensure that the grant money benefits (directly/indirectly) the intended beneficiary and their households. The other factors found to be associated with on-farm entrepreneurship include age of the farmer, gender, psychological capital, access to training, access to education, access to land, inadequate farming assets, water insecurity, extension, off-farm income and group membership. The study also recommends the need for strategies that improve psychological capital and thus enhance positive on-farm entrepreneurial behaviour among smallholder farmers. Addressing institutional and farming constraints related to access to resources and services (land, credit, extension, and water) and collective action will positively contribute to on-farm entrepreneurship.

scholarly journals Do Smallholder Farmers Need Nutrition Education? A Case Study from KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 14-27
Author(s):  
Sarahi Moralles ◽  
Abdukladir Egal ◽  
Wilna Oldewage-Theron
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
Nutritional Knowledge ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Balanced Diet ◽  
Kwazulu Natal

South Africa (SA) is considered as the second largest economies in Africa with well-developed agricultural food production system. But food security is still a challenge at household level. Currently, in Africa, smallholder agriculture is recognized to contribute food security at household level. This study investigates the prevalence of food insecurity and nutritional knowledge of 78 local smallholder farmers in KwaZulu Natal (KZN) province of South Africa. The results from this study indicated that nutrition knowledge was poor and food insecurity was prevalent at >40% at the household level. It is therefore recommended that future agricultural training should include nutrition education based on FBDG (Food Based Dietary Guidelines) in their respective programs so as to attain a balanced diet for healthy and productive smallholder farmer communities

scholarly journals Impact of Recapitalisation and Development Programme on Performance of Land Reform Beneficiary Farmers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 91
Author(s):  
T. Shabangu ◽  
M. S. C. Ngidi ◽  
T. O. Ojo ◽  
S. C. Babu
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Land Reform ◽  
Tax Compliance ◽  
Development Programme ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Strategic Partnership ◽  
Farm Income ◽  
Switching Regression ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
The Impact

Providing appropriate post-settlement support to farmers is crucial for sustainable development of smallholder agriculture in South Africa. In unravelling this, the South Africa’s Recapitalization and Development Programme (RADP) was initiated. Hence, this study analysed the impact of RADP on performance of land reform beneficiary farmers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select (n = 264) respondents for the study. Accounting for endogeneity issues in RADP assessments and its impact on the performance of land reform farmers, an endogenous switching regression model (ESRM) was employed. In the same vein, a doubly-robust inverse probability weighted regression adjustment was used as credible remedy for potentially biased estimates of ATT and POM of endogenous treatment model. The main findings revealed that tax compliance, secondary organization, legal entity, farm potential income at acquisition, farmers receiving third party assistance and strategic partnership were statistically significant in influencing the participation of farmers in RADP. Mentorship remains an extremely challenging element in post-settlement. However, through the strategic partnership of RADP farmers had likelihood to improve the farm and increase farm income. The results of the suggest that the RADP can contribute to a deep process of change and empowerment of farmers. In the same vein, strategic partnership of RADP is likely to improve the farmers’ performance. Therefore, there is a need to strongly improve mentorship and strategic partnership programme to encourage participation of land reform farmers in the support programmes.

scholarly journals Benefits of maize resistance breeding and chemical control against northern leaf blight in smallholder farms in South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 116 (11/12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dave K. Berger ◽  
Tumisang Mokgobu ◽  
Katrien de Ridder ◽  
Nanette Christie ◽  
Theresa A.S. Aveling
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Disease Resistance ◽  
Leaf Spot ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Resistance Breeding ◽  
Leaf Blight ◽  
Northern Leaf Blight ◽  
Maize Hybrids ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Disease Resistance Breeding

Maize underpins food security in South Africa. An annual production of more than 10 million tons is a combination of the output of large-scale commercial farms plus an estimated 250 000 ha cultivated by smallholder farmers. Maize leaves are a rich source of nutrients for fungal pathogens. Farmers must limit leaf blighting by fungi to prevent sugars captured by photosynthesis being ‘stolen’ instead of filling the grain. This study aimed to fill the knowledge gap on the prevalence and impact of fungal foliar diseases in local smallholder maize fields. A survey with 1124 plant observations from diverse maize hybrids was conducted over three seasons from 2015 to 2017 in five farming communities in KwaZulu-Natal Province (Hlanganani, Ntabamhlophe, KwaNxamalala) and Eastern Cape Province (Bizana, Tabankulu). Northern leaf blight (NLB), common rust, Phaeosphaeria leaf spot, and grey leaf spot had overall disease incidences of 75%, 77%, 68% and 56%, respectively, indicating high disease pressure in smallholder farming environments. NLB had the highest disease severity (LSD test, p<0.05). A yield trial focused on NLB in KwaZulu-Natal showed that this disease reduced yields in the three most susceptible maize hybrids by 36%, 71% and 72%, respectively. Eighteen other hybrids in this trial did not show significant yield reductions due to NLB, which illustrates the progress made by local maize breeders in disease resistance breeding. This work highlights the risk to smallholder farmers of planting disease-susceptible varieties, and makes recommendations on how to exploit the advances of hybrid maize disease resistance breeding to develop farmer-preferred varieties for smallholder production.

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