Effectiveness of the high value crop-based extension model in improving rural livelihoods
- Authors: Jakavula, Siyabulela Cornelius
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Poverty -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Crops -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural extension work , Agricultural administration -- South Africa , Agriculture -- Social aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food security -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food supply -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc Agric (Agricultural Economics)
- Identifier: vital:11202 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007533 , Poverty -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Crops -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural extension work , Agricultural administration -- South Africa , Agriculture -- Social aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food security -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food supply -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The problem that is researched in this study relates to the effectiveness of the extension model applied in the High Value Crop programme in improving rural livelihoods in the Eastern Cape. The extent of poverty in rural areas in the Eastern Cape motivated for the intervention of the Is‘Baya through the introduction of Integrated Village Renewal Programme (IVRP). The need to improve the quality of life of rural households through the promotion of agriculture and industry gave rise to the collaborative effort between the Is‘Baya Development Trust and Agricultural Research Council (ARC) in South Africa. The HVC programme was established to mitigate the effects of food shortage and poverty through the production of fruit trees, herbs and vegetables at household level. Evaluation of the effectiveness of this collaborative effort was carried out in four local municipalities of the OR Tambo District and these included: King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality (Zangci); Nyadeni municipality (Hluleka); Port St Johns municipality (Noqhekwana) and Ngquza Hill municipality (Hombe). An equal number of villages where Siyazondla was implemented by DRDAR were visited for the survey to relate the extension model applied with HVC. The villages visited included: OR Tambo (Mhlontlo local municipality) Xhokonxa village; Amathole (Amahlathi local municipality) Ndakana village, (Ngqushwa local municipality) Mgababa village and (Mbhashe local municipality) Mbanyana village. The broad objective of the study therefore, was to evaluate the effectiveness of the extension model applied on the HVC programme as well as to identify the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders involved in the model. The specific objectives of the study were to describe the HVC based extension model as it is currently organized and implemented in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa in relation to the erstwhile Siyazondla programme, to establish the effectiveness of the extension model in terms of skills transfer and capacity development, to determine the socio-economic impact of the extension model on the livelihood of involved households, to establish the extent to which the extension model has empowered women and youths and to study the factors that has contributed to the sustainability of the extension model. In carrying out this research and in line with the practice of Agricultural Research for Development (ARD), qualitative and quantitative methods of information gathering were applied. Group approach such as the Rural Rapid Appraisal (RRA) and the Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) methods of data collection were used. These tools include semi-structured interviews, focus-group discussions, transect walks, seasonal calendars, key-informant interviews, resource maps and secondary data. A sample of 149 respondents was selected from eight villages in the OR Tambo and Amathole districts. The HVC model was analysed using qualitative approach, descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The Is‘Baya/ARC extension model is thus said to be effective in meeting the objectives of the HVC programme due to the efficient transfer of skills and technology and its positive impact on the livelihood of the people. There was also an improvement of the income and food security status of the rural dwellers in O.R Tambo district. The regression analysis model was applied and the results of the model were significant to the highest income earned. Out of 22 explanatory variables fitted in the regression model, 12 were significant. The R² and adjusted R² are 73 percent and 68 percent respectively which shows the significance of the fitted variables in the model. The very high F value of 15.427 shows strong significance of the fitted variables to the model. The study therefore concluded that the HVC based extension model implemented by Is‘Baya and ARC was very effective in improving rural livelihoods. The study further recommended investment in infrastructure, market linkages, value adding, public-private partnerships, creation of tenure security, investigation of different funding sources, investment on agricultural research, extension of skills provided and implementation of similar model by the public sector.
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- Date Issued: 2013
Opportunities and challenges faced in promoting small holder farming as an element in rural economic development: the case of Buffalo City Municipality in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Siyabonga Makhathini
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Family farms -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural families -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Households -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Buffalo City (South Africa)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc Agric (Agricultural Economics)
- Identifier: vital:11203 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007534 , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Family farms -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural families -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Households -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Buffalo City (South Africa)
- Description: This study looked at the opportunities and challenges faced in promoting smallholder farming as an element in rural economic development. The main objective is to highlight the key factors affecting smallholder production; and how those factors affect smallholder farmers in rural areas of Buffalo City Municipality, and hence identify the ones likely to predict success for future use in intervention programs. The content and scope of this study is limited to the socio-economic constraints (economic activities, household assets e.g. natural assets, physical assets, financial assets etc.) faced by rural households and therefore prescribe the necessary interventions to enhance rural livelihoods. Data was collected through review of secondary sources, direct observation through field visits and interviews with households. Questionnaires were used as the main tool of inquiry to gather data from households in selected villages within Buffalo City Municipality. The collected survey data was coded and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 19.0. The study used Descriptive, Gini Coefficient and Binary Logistics model to analyze the collected survey data. For the descriptive model, the main pointers that were employed for this study were frequencies and mean values. The Gini Coefficient model was used to measure the contribution of different sources of income to overall inequality. The binary logistic regression model was used to uncover the correlates of the household income for different rural groups (famers and non-farmers). The results reveal that farm income has a strong association to overall household income per capita. Unearned income sources also have a substantial contribution to household income. Remittances and child grants were significant to non-farming household income per capita. Given the diminishing farm size of smallholder-led agriculture; these results suggest that a diversified household income portfolio is vital in addressing poverty in rural areas. Based on the results this study concluded that agricultural activities cannot solely enhance food security.
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- Date Issued: 2013
Rural households livelihoods' strategies and opportunities with regard to farming: a case of Intsika Yethu Local Municipality
- Authors: Gidi, Lungile Sivuyile
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Poverty -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural productivity -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food security -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Households -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Qamata , Livelihood strategies , Irrigation farmers and crop , Livestock production
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc Agric (Agricultural Economics)
- Identifier: vital:11199 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007218 , Poverty -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural productivity -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food security -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Households -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Qamata , Livelihood strategies , Irrigation farmers and crop , Livestock production
- Description: South Africa and other developing countries are grappling with high levels of poverty as a result of slow to negligible rural development. Irrigation development is one essential component that can be used to address the challenges faced by smallholder farmers in rural areas. In the President‟s “State of the Nation Address” in 2011, the President of South Africa outlined measures to reduce hunger and poverty in communal areas through enhanced government‟s expenditures in rural infrastructure developments, especially for such amenities as irrigation and roads, with a view to promoting food security. The broad objective of this study is to assess livelihood strategies and opportunities with regard to farming in Qamata area of Intsika Yethu Local Municipality. The stratified random sampling method was applied in order to choose a sample of 70 household that were interviewed by means of semi-structured questionnaires. Out of these, 53 belonged to the irrigation project and 17 farmers were non-irrigation farmers. The results show that women play an active role in agriculture. The Multiple Regression model was used to assess the relative importance of different livelihood strategies adopted by both irrigation and non-irrigation farmers in improving household food security and welfare in Qamata. More specifically, the study assessed the impact of different livelihood strategies on production of butternut, goats, maize and poultry (Chicken) in Qamata. The results show increased agricultural production, crop diversification and higher incomes from irrigation farming as compared to dry land farming. Irrigation farming has enabled many households to diversify their sources of income and therefore include activities and enterprises that contribute to enhanced household welfare. The study showed that household size is crucial in crop production, followed by gender of the household head. The government and research institutes need to come up with programmes to train people on ways to produce crop and livestock products more efficiently.
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- Date Issued: 2013