Dissertations / Theses: 'Small scale groundnut farmers'

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Cook, David. "Small scale farmers utilization and perceptions of Bambara groundnut production in South Africa: a case study in a semi-arid region of Limpopo." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27485.

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World food security will be one of the greatest global challenges in the 21st century and utilisation of an increased range of food crops is generally regarded as being vital to meeting this challenge, including the use of legumes. Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) is an African indigenous legume that shows great potential to improve the food and economic security of small scale farmers living in semi-arid regions of South Africa. This study sought to investigate the potential for Bambara groundnut to enhance the food and economic security of small scale farmers in the Capricorn District of Limpopo Province, South Africa. A total of 43 Bambara groundnut producers were interviewed about Bambara groundnut production and their perceived enablers and barriers of utilizing Bambara groundnut. The study found that the majority of Bambara groundnut producers were old (>65 years of age), female small scale farmers who produced the crop for primarily household use. There were however a small number of farmers who produced Bambara groundnut on a larger scale, mostly to sell. Most farmers perceived that local demand was higher than supply and were able to obtain a high market value for Bambara groundnut. There appeared to be potential economic opportunities for many of the farmers to sell Bambara groundnut. The main reason why most farmers in this study did not sell Bambara groundnut was because the yields they obtained were too low. The main enablers perceived by farmers for Bambara groundnut production were a) The high nutritional value of Bambara groundnut; b) The good taste of the seeds; c) The nitrogen fixation properties of this legume and its ability to improve soil fertility; d) The legume intercrops well with maize; e) Bambara groundnuts high drought resistance; f) Cultural traditions associated with Bambara groundnut; and g) Use as animal feed. The main barriers were a) Low yielding characteristics of Bambara groundnut; b) Lack of available farmland; c) Lack of irrigation; d) Poor land management practices; e) Low soil fertility; and f) The crop's susceptibility to water logging. Overall the farmers were positive about Bambara groundnut production and could potentially benefit from advancements made in this sector of agriculture. The study concludes with recommendations to help improve small scale farmers' production of Bambara groundnut with the aim of improving their food and economic security.

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Wong, Julia C. (Julia Cheuk-Yi). "Designing user-centered IoT solutions for small-scale and mid-scale farmers." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/118490.

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Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, 2018.
This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.
Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 117-123).
The UN predicts that by the year 2030, the global water demand will outstrip supply by 40%. In face of the global water crisis, it is crucial to increase irrigation efficiency in agriculture, which currently consumes 70% of the global freshwater supply. Studies have shown that using precision agricultural technology to control irrigation can reduce water consumption by as much as 20% and increase crop yield by up to 30% in developing countries. Such technologies, however, are inaccessible to millions of small-scale farmers who need them the most because of their prohibitive costs and design intended for large-scale farming businesses. To address this technological gap, social enterprise SoilSense delivers affordable and robust IoT soil sensor systems to small-scale farmers, empowering them to irrigate more efficiently by providing data on when and where to irrigate based on soil measurements. This study analyzes existing literature on irrigation and soil sensor technology and applies a human-centered design approach to understand the needs of an underserved user group: smallscale and medium-scale avocado farmers. By engaging these farmers and subject matter experts in the field, key insights are drawn on the nuances of avocado cultivation, challenges in irrigation and water management, and the use of technology and data analytics in farming. This user research highlights the small-scale and medium-scale farmers' pain points and their vision for how technology could improve their operations. In addition to informing the iterative design of the SoilSense system prototype and business model, this study also endeavors to help address the global water crisis through continuous innovation and advancement in IoT agricultural technology.
by Julia C. Wong.
S.M. in Engineering and Management

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Mgina, Fidea Luhwano. "Small scale farmers access to financial services in Tanzania." Thesis, University of Reading, 2011. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.553032.

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This study explores the financial service needs of small scale farmers in Tanzania using a case study of Njombe District. Using a mix of qualitative and quantitative approaches it examines the determinants influencing access of the rural poor to financial services and the extent to which their needs are currently being met by a range of formal, semi-formal and informal financial service providers. A key objective is to understand why the 'microfinance revolution' envisaged in Tanzania's Microfinance Policy of 2000 appears to have had a very limited impact in improving financial services provision in rural areas. The study finds that the scale of microfinance initiatives is small and they do not still cater to the full diversity of financial services needs of small scale farmers. Scaling up of microfinance initiatives will call for considerable policy support and infrastructure provision by the government. The expansion of microfinance initiatives is often hampered by the same set of constraints that restrict the expansion of conventional rural and agricultural credit provision.

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Festing, Harriet. "Direct marketing of fresh produce by small-scale farmers." Thesis, Imperial College London, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/11217.

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Sartorius, Kurt. "Linking small-scale farmers to agribusiness the economics of contracting /." Thesis, Pretoria : [s.n.], 2003. http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-02122007-171339.

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Britz, Jacobus Petrus. "Feed buying behaviour of small–scale broiler farmers / Britz J.P." Thesis, North-West University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10394/7328.

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The South African poultry industry is a large part of the agricultural industry and a very important contributor to the Agriculture’s Gross Domestic Product. Furthermore, this industry is expanding and very good growth is predicted for the next decade. This growth will take place in the formal as well as the informal segments of the industry. The informal segment holds a lot of potential for suppliers to supply in their growing needs. Due to the fact that broiler feed is seen as a large contributor to the total cost of broiler production, it is considered very important factor. If feed suppliers want to focus on the informal market, they need to understand the differences between commercial farmers and small–scale farmers and specifically the different needs of small–scale farmers. To develop a strategy to utilize the opportunities in the informal market, it is necessary to understand all the factors that influence the purchase behaviour of these farmers. A model of stimulus response is used to define the factors that may influence purchase behaviour. The factors that seemed important from the literature study are market and other stimuli. The market stimuli consist of product, price, promotion and place. The product aspect could further be divided into quality aspects, brand equity, and additional services that accompany the product. Other stimuli that could influence purchase behaviour are economic conditions, special event, climatic condition and the influence of culture. Data was collected by means of a questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and factor analysis were used on the data to determine which factors influence the small–scale farmers’ purchase behaviour. While the Kaiser Meyer Olkin measure, Bartlett’s test of shericity and Cronbach Apha were used to determine if the data is suitable to do a factor analysis on. Factor analysis was done to determine which factors are the most important. The seven significant factors that influence the purchase behaviour of small–scale farmers are: * Value for money and opportunity. * Perceived brand value. * Customer support and service. * Consensus on available quality. * Brand loyalty. * Feed price at the reseller. * Bag size. More research on this topic in a larger geographical area is required.
Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

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Talhada, Sarrok dos Anjos Cominha Isaquinha. "Understanding innovation : exploring interactions between large-scale land investments and small-scale farmers in Mozambique." Thesis, University of Reading, 2018. http://centaur.reading.ac.uk/77844/.

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That small-scale farmers benefit from large-scale land investments (LSLIs) in developing countries is an argument put forward by supporters of LSLIs, which include governments in target countries and development partners, such as the World Bank. The aim of this study is to examine the interactions between LSLIs and small-scale farmers and to evaluate the extent to which these investments support or undermine innovations in small-scale farming, and how they do so. It employs an innovation system framework as an approach to explore interactions between small-scale farmers and LSLIs. With an emphasis on qualitative methods, it combines household surveys, in-depth interviews and group interviews in a mixed method research design. The findings highlight that the government’s paternalistic attitude towards small-scale farmers encourages implementation of LSLIs as a development strategy. However, the findings reveal a complex picture of LSLIs, presenting features of both development opportunities and land grabbing. These two qualities of LSLIs are also related to the cropping system insofar as technological interactions characterise LSLIs and small-scale farmers’ interactions in the vegetable sector, whereas land conflicts are important as a feature of their interactions in the sugarcane sector. The findings concerning the social relations of production in both vegetable and sugarcane sectors indicate that distribution of tasks and responsibilities, within households and associations, are based on age and gender. The older and male village inhabitants are able to control main sources of cash income whereas the female members of the community are for the most part engaged in subsistence agriculture and perform a secondary role in situations in which agriculture is the main source of cash for the household. In addition to this, the way in which small-scale farmers are organised within associations, i.e., as a collective farm in the sugarcane sector and as individual production units in the vegetable sector, affect how and the extent to which LSLIs contribute to innovation in small-scale farming.

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Tire, Mpho. "An evaluation of the information dissemination mechanisms for small scale subsistence farmers." Thesis, Link to the online version, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10019/135.

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Haitook, Theerachai. "Study on chicken meat production for small scale farmers in Northeast Thailand." Kassel : Kassel Univ. Press, 2006. http://www.uni-kassel.de/hrz/db4/extern/dbupress/publik/abstract.php?978-3-89958-238-3.

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Muleba, Jean Leon Isidore Ntendesha. "Factors influencing the success of small-scale irrigation farmers in Nkomazi (Mpumalanga)." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/24897.

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The purpose of the study was to identify the main factors influencing the small-scale production of sugar cane in Nkomazi, Mupumalanga province. The study assesses the influence of some selected personal and environmental, and intervening factors on the adoption of recommended agricultural practices and farming success or production efficiency of small-scale sugar cane growers. A total of 139farmers were randomly drawn from two distinct districts of Komatipoort and Malelane in Nkomazi, which represented a `10% stratified sample. In the analysis of data, correlation, chi-square analysis, as well as multiple regressions analysis were used in order to identify the most important determinants associated with behavioural change and to calculate their contribution to the variance of farming success. The results indicate that, the intervening variables tended to have the highest prediction value. They were found to explain 87,13% of the variance of behaviour associated with the production efficiency, while the independent variables had R2 of 0.50 thus contributing significantly less to the variance of farming success. Amongst the intervening variables, needs and knowledge were found to have the greatest effect on the farming success or dependent variables (P<0,0001). These findings imply that managerial skills or farming success of small-scale sugar cane farmers in Nkomazi is dependent on intervening variables. The intervening variables are the best prediction of decision making, practices adoption behaviour and farming success, so that they should be the focus of extension programs, and also the criteria for monitoring.
Dissertation (MSc (Agricultural Extention))--University of Pretoria, 2003.
Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development
unrestricted

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Lima, Eirivelthon Santos. "Essays on Labor Allocation by Small Scale Farmers in the Brazilian Amazon." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/104966.

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Human health is frequently omitted from household-level studies on agricultural productivity, land-use choices, and forest degradation and deforestation. Intuition, however, suggests that it could be an extremely important factor. This dissertation is built on three essays that use household survey data from the Brazilian Amazon to examine the conditions under which human health and other critical market conditions are important factors in determining household agriculture production choices and efficiency. Essay I (Chapter 2) examines how health affects the labor allocation and production choices of migrant smallholders in the Brazilian Amazon. We show that the impacts of illness on household decisions depend critically on labor market function in the rural areas of the tropics. Furthermore, results from a formal statistical test of the labor markets shows that they do not work well, in other words are incomplete or thin, in the study area. These results are important both in specification of future smallholder household economic models and in targeting policies to better alleviate poverty and encourage more sustainable use of forest and land resources in similar tropical regions. Essay II (Chapter 3) investigates the role of health as a productive input and non-input factor of production. By using a non-neutral stochastic production approach, the impact of health is decomposed into direct effect on the production function and indirect effects on technical efficiency. The finding of the essay suggests that poor health has significant negative impacts on rural household production. The most important policy implication is that careful designing of agriculture development and rural settlements programs is important, and the provision of health care should be tied to these development projects. Essay III (Chapter 4) examines the demand for labor applied to land clearing, staple food production, livestock, working off-farm, and time taking care of sick people in the household. Specifically the empirical application examines the impact of disease on labor allocation, accounting for time lost by households taking care of sick members as a non-productive activity. Disease plays an important role in household decisions because farm activities are performed inefficiently by sick households and changes in household labor efficiency brings about a change in the relative price of competing uses for a household's time. Chapter 5 provides a summary and general conclusion of the work, and then provides comments on policy design and recommendations for further studies. In summary, the combined results of these studies show that both health condition and the quality of labor markets have significant interacting impacts on the labor allocation decisions by smallholders with accompanying welfare and deforestation implications.
Doctor of Philosophy
Most of the rural population of the Brazilian Amazon is made up of small-scale farmers – the so-called 'smallholders' – who are characterized by a lack of access to formal credit, a disconnection from social services, poor access to markets, and a dependency on their own labor as the main input in agricultural production, and thus survival. Since labor is the main input used in smallholder activities, albeit to different extents, anything that changes total household labor or labor efficiency adjusts the relative returns of competing uses, and thus labor allocation decisions. This PhD dissertation is an effort to understand whether markets, family health, and seasonality affect labor allocation decisions, and furthermore, whether those allocation decisions vary depending on productive activity. Based on cross-sectional farm data from the Brazilian Amazon, I find that the impacts of illness on household decisions depend critically on how well labor market function in rural areas. The results from a statistical test of the labor markets shows that they do not work well in the study area. These results are important both in specification of future smallholder household economic models and in targeting policies to better alleviate poverty and encourage more sustainable use of forests and land resources in similar settings. Also, I find that poor health has a significant negative impact on technical efficiency of rural household farm production. The most important policy implication is that careful designing of agriculture development and rural settlements programs is important, and the provision of health care care should be tied to these development projects. Finally, in the context of the region of study, where labor markets are thin, disease plays an important role on in household decisions because farm activities are performed inefficiently by sick households and change in labor efficiency brings about a change in relative prices of competing uses of household's time. My empirical work supports the hypothesis that health influence labor allocation decisions. In conclusion, the combined results of these studies show that both health conditions and the quality of labor markets have significant interacting impacts on the labor allocation decisions by smallholders with accompanying welfare and deforestation implications.

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Said, Samy. "Irrigation in Africa : Water conflicts between large-scale and small-scale farmers in Tanzania, Kiru Valley." Thesis, Södertörn University College, School of Life Sciences, 2006. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-706.

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This paper deals with relationship between irrigation and agriculture and conflicts within an irrigation system and as well between other stakeholders concerning the water. Irrigated lands are up to 2.5 times more productive compared to rain-fed agriculture. They are important element in the agriculture sector in Sub-Saharan Africa, and have been favoured by governments and donor agencies for their high rate of return. Without proper technical equipments or support negative impacts on the environment are linked to irrigation activities. Furthermore, a case study was made in Tanzania, Kiru Valley, regarding the tension between big scale and small-scale farmers as result from the water decline. The results demonstrate that the institutions do not have the power to solve the conflict. It is difficult to define the different stakeholders and the boundaries of the area that affect the amount of water in the valley.

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Kurbis, Gordon Allan. "An economic analysis of tilapia production by small-scale farmers in rural Honduras." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 2000. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape3/PQDD_0027/MQ51735.pdf.

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James, Philip A. S. "Climate change adaptation by small scale farmers : Case studies in Nigeria and Uganda." Thesis, University of York, 2009. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.516514.

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Mburu, David Ng'ang'a. "Weed control in vegetable crops for small-scale commercial vegetable farmers in Kenya." Thesis, University of Reading, 1997. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.360056.

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Waagsaether, Katinka Lund. "Preparing for the future: assessing the vulnerability of small-scale farmers in Bushbuckridge." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12089.

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Includes bibliographical references.
The focal aim of this thesis is to assess whether the current coping and adaptation mechanisms of small-scale farmers in the South African Province of Mpumalanga are sufficient for dealing with projected climate change.

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Njobvu, Idah. "Impacts of Maize Policy Changes on Small Scale Farmers' Vulnerability to Exploitation in Nyimba District, Zambia." Thesis, Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet, Geografisk institutt, 2011. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:no:ntnu:diva-17030.

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Taking cognisance of the fact that SSFs the major producers of maize in Zambia were most affected by the 1991 agricultural policy reforms, from 2005 onward, the state became very active in the maize market and production systems in order to mitigate their problems. The main objective of this study is to investigate to what extent the maize policy changes have contributed to the SSFs’ vulnerability to exploitation. This information will be of use in the policy formulation process to ensure that the formulation of policies take a holistic approach to mitigation of the SSFs’ vulnerabilities. The study draws from political economy, peasant rationality and risk aversion theories to explain the phenomenon under study. Qualitative research methodology was used to collect and analyse both the secondary and the primary data. The study indicates that the prevailing dual system where the state marketing system exists side by side with the private sector has resulted in forms of exploitation which can broadly be classified as petty and structural forms of exploitation. Several factors could be said to exacerbate SSFs’ vulnerability to exploitation such as FRA’s delay in opening its marketing season; delays in paying the SSFs’ for their maize by government/FRA; lack of monitoring of the FRA buying agents’ activities; SSFs’ passivity, and incomplete information.

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Daka, Angel Elias. "Development of a technological package for sustainable use of Dambos by small-scale farmers." Diss., Pretoria : [s.n.], 2001. http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-09062001-093813.

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Kamwamba-Mtethiwa, Jean Tiyamika. "Sustainable irrigation development : the adoption of small-scale pumped irrigation in Malawi." Thesis, Cranfield University, 2016. http://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/10005.

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There has been an increased interest on small-scale pumped irrigation (SSPI) in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA), however little is known on the adoption processes behind this technology. Moreover, the conditions for successful SSPI adoption remain largely unexplored. This research aims to achieve a deeper understanding of the present adoption processes to inform future policy. The thesis was framed around the diffusion of innovations model (Rogers 2003), using the systematic review methodology and field surveys. Interviews involving 212 farmers and 25 other stakeholders were conducted between 2013 and 2014 within 3 districts in Malawi. The responses were analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. The systematic review revealed that evidence relating to pump performance in SSA was limited, lacked standards and confined within particular regions. The field surveys identified that four different pumped systems have been adopted by farmers in Malawi; group treadle, individual treadle, group motorized and individual motorized. Farmers generally prefer individually managed pumps that are easy to operate and fit in with their existing farming practices. Adoption is driven either by the attributes of self-motivated farmers or by incentives such as free or subsidized pumps. While adoption by self-motivated farmers is consistent with Rogers (2003) model, adoption due to incentives shows differences. The research proposes a modification to the Rogers (2003) model and revised definition of success in SSPI adoption, leading to a new framework showing pathways of success. This framework identifies the routes taken by farmers who successfully adopt or discontinue using pumps. Incentive farmers are typically the poorer; these need continued external support to survive the learning curve. For self-motivated farmers, their higher socio-economic status supports successful adoption. To ensure sustainability, SSPI promoters need to offer continued support to incentive farmers and/or reduce barriers to accessing the pumps for self-motivated farmers.

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[Verfasser], Theerachai Haitook. "Study on chicken meat production for small scale farmers in Northeast Thailand / Theerachai Haitook." Kassel : Kassel Univ. Press, 2006. http://d-nb.info/987912372/34.

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Samuel, Aurelia F. "Economic impact of improved irrigation technology for small scale farmers in north-west Nigeria." Thesis, University of Reading, 2011. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.541959.

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Baratta, Cliff. "The Fair Trade Coffee Market: Income Differences for Small-Scale Farmers and Industry Growth." Thesis, Boston College, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/2345/1979.

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Thesis advisor: Richard McGowan
The Fair Trade movement is not new. Its roots go all the way back to the 1940s, and since its inception many Fair Trade organizations have arisen to offer this alternative strategy for doing business. Coffee is most commonly associated with Fair Trade, and it is the product this paper seeks to explore. In a broad sense, this investigation will look at how close Fair Trade Coffee certification programs actually come to being fair. The working definition of fairness is the ability to provide economic opportunities to marginalized workers. A fair economy would properly reward hard-working farmers for their intense labors. Many Fair Trade initiatives argue this is not what exists. As a result, they pay a living wage and offer opportunities to coffee farmers—some of the poorest people in the world—with hopes that this will help advance them out of poverty. To see if this successfully promotes fairness in economics, this paper will focus on the benefits of certification to small-scale farmers, mainly regarding income, and on the development of the Fair Trade Coffee market. Ultimately, this research will demonstrate that this movement is at least somewhat successful at improving the economic situation of marginalized workers
Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2011
Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences
Discipline: Economics Honors Program
Discipline: Economics

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Gudlhuza, Shalati Rebecca. "The effects of drought on small scale farmers in Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality, Limpopo Province." Thesis, University of Limpopo, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10386/2584.

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Thesis (MBA.) -- University of Limpopo, 2018
This article investigates the effects of drought on small scale beef cattle farmers of Ba- Phalaborwa Municipality in Limpopo Province. Drought and its financial implications have caused critical problems to small scale farmers especially beef cattle farmers in the municipality. Most rural households depend on agriculture as their source of food and income. Agriculture thus plays a prominent role in the stability of rural communities. Drought is a factor that affects farmers not only during the drought season, but also the following season as the previous year’s reduced profits influence the next seasons spending. The changes in price of input commodities the season after drought also affect farmer’s decisions. The main objective of the study was to investigate the effects of drought on small scale beef cattle farmers in Ba-Phalaborwa municipality in Limpopo province. 25 Small scale livestock farmers from Lulekani A and B village in Ba-Phalaborwa municipality were randomly selected to participate in the study. The quantitative study applied a survey design and primary data were collected using open and close ended questionnaires. The findings of the study revealed that drought is a major concern for livestock farmers and the agricultural sector at large, resulting in high loss of livestock due to mortality and enforced sales. Furthermore, due to the devastating effects of drought farmers responses were characterized by the increased reliance on the Department of agriculture and rural development in the form of drought relief. It is therefore recommended that the country needs to prepare for this natural phenomenon and the key to drought preparedness and readiness is about knowing the what, how and when of the drought. To achieve this goal the scientific expertise to monitor and predict, the capability of the observation networks, information systems for drought early warning have to be improved. Furthermore, the provision of financial assistance to address long-term developmental needs (such as investment in water infrastructure and water-harvesting techniques) of the farming community, thereby improving their resilience, may prove more beneficial in the long run than short-term drought relief assistance in the form of fodder supply. Key words: Ba-Phalaborwa, drought, small scale livestock farmers,

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Kariuki, Grace. "Determinants of intention to adopt maize drying technologies among small-scale farmers in Kenya." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/28937.

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Maize, being the most common staple food across many parts of the world, especially sub-Saharan Africa, is, in most cases, preserved through sun drying techniques among small-scale farmers. This method is prone to significant losses, which could be avoided through the use of mechanised drying technologies. Unfortunately, many farmers in developing countries such as Kenya have yet to adopt this technique on a large scale. It is against this background that this research sought to identify the factors that influence the adoption of mechanised maize drying technologies among small-scale farmers in Kenya. This study was anchored in the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), which offers a structured framework for predicting and explaining human behaviour based on personal attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control. Financial constraints and the knowledge base of the farmers were also included in the analysis, as these are important factors in the likelihood of farmers adopting the technology. Data were collected by means of structured interviews with 397 farmers in Nakuru County, Kenya. Correlation analysis was used to determine the strength, magnitude, and significance of the relationships between the variables. Ordered logit, a regression model, was used to determine the relationship between the independent variables, which were: financial resources, personal attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control and knowledge, and the dependent variable, which was intention to adopt technologies. In addition, other control variables such as gender of the household head, farm size, age of the farmer, educational level of the household head and farm assets owned by the farmer were included as independent variables. The results indicated that 69.02 percent of farmers did not plan to utilise mechanised maize drying technologies, which is cause for concern from a policy perspective. The ordered logit results revealed that all the independent core factors significantly influenced adoption intentions. The farmers’ views related to their perceived behavioural control, and financial constraints negatively influenced their intentions to adopt mechanised maize drying technologies. Among the control variables, farm size and educational level positively influenced the adoption intention, while age had a negative influence. Based on these results, it is evident that there is a need to consider personal attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control of farmers, as well as the implementation of a nationwide campaign to encourage the adoption of mechanised maize drying techniques and a government strategy to bring the cost of credit down, while also ensuring its availability to small-scale farmers. The campaign will bridge the information gap and enhance adoption of mechanised maize drying technologies.

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Khapayi, Musa. "Agribusiness challenges to effectiveness of contract farming in commercialisation of small-scale vegetable farmers." Thesis, Nelson Mandela University, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13981.

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The spread of contract farming in South Africa in recent years has provoked an ideological debate in literature. Linking small-scale vegetable farmers with lucrative agricultural markets through agribusiness value chains is seen as one of the foremost emerging agricultural practices to develop the subsistence farming sector into a mainstream economic sector – thereby revitalising the rural economy and alleviating poverty levels in the developing rural areas of South Africa. However, the challenges agribusiness and small-scale farmers experience in contract farming engagement and the prospects for enhancing the inclusion of small-scale farmers into modern value chains remain open to debate – two decades after transition to democracy. Yet the factors and mechanisms influencing the effective application of contract farming in the transition to commercial farming by small-scale farmers have not been thoroughly explored in South African research. Despite the efforts and the substantial investments made and the various policies and initiatives instigated to fast-track the linkages of small-scale farmers into high-value markets, the success stories of previously disadvantaged farmers operating in commercial agri-food chains are rare. Given the millions of small-scale farmers in former homelands alone, the negligible number of small-scale farmers successfully operating in commercial agri-food chains shows that the objectives to enable small-scale farmers to improve their livelihoods through participation in commercial agri-food chains have not yet been met. The broad objectives of the study were therefore to investigate the agribusiness challenges inherent in contract farming and the conditions and incentives required by agribusiness firms to engage small-scale vegetable farmers in contract farming programmes. Furthermore, the study examined the role played by the South African government to reduce the high transaction costs incurred by agribusinesses when engaging small-scale farmers in contractual arrangements. The Amathole and Sarah Baartman (formerly Cacadu) district municipalities in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa were chosen as the composite survey area for this study. A predominantly qualitative research approach was applied to gather data on the phenomena under study. The following methodologies and research instruments and tools were selected. Firstly – as the secondary component of the research – a systematic review of literature to date was conducted to guide the empirical research and primary methodology. Secondly, the empirical component of the study comprised a questionnaire survey, unstructured interviews and focus group discussions. The questionnaire survey was used to collect data from the agribusiness firms in the area surveyed concerning the following aspects: the significant determinants of contract farming, the incentives required by the agribusiness firms to engage small-scale vegetable farmers in their contract farming programmes and the challenges faced by agribusiness firms in their interaction with small-scale farmers in contractual arrangements. Unstructured interviews were used to gather data from officials at each of the three levels of government – the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform nationally, Department of Agriculture and Land Reform provincially and (at local government level) two district municipalities – on the role played by government to reduce the high transaction costs incurred by agri-firms when procuring agricultural raw materials from small-scale vegetable farmers. Focus group discussions were conducted with small-scale farmers regarding their perspective on working with agribusiness firms and to establish the distinguishing characteristics of small-scale farmers in the area surveyed. Relevant policy documents collected from two of the three representative groups of the study population, i.e. agribusiness personnel and government officials, provided the essential context. The study revealed a limited number of contract farming business linkages between small-scale vegetable farmers and agribusiness firms in the survey area. Those that do exist are problematic to both the agribusiness firms and the small-scale farmers. It emerged that the contract farming environment in the area surveyed is highly polarised and characterised by a fundamental conflict of interest between agribusiness and farmer. Among the divergent key factors inhibiting contract farming engagement were a lack in terms of quality seeds, trust, entrepreneurial skills and formal contract agreements. Asset endowment (both land and non-land assets) was found to be significant pre-selection determinants in the farmer’s capacity to be contracted. Access to innovative technology, as well as government incentives such as production inputs, were found to be critical to agribusiness firms to engage smallscale farmers in their contract farming programmes. Government assistance in terms of high transaction costs to agribusiness firms working with large groups of small-scale farmers was found to be essential but inadequate under current policy. This impacts directly on the effectiveness and promotion of contract farming. Furthermore, the current results corroborate the findings of numerous South African studies in the vast body of worldwide research. Firstly, lack of land and non-land assets continue to be major impediments to the direct participa-tion of small-scale farmers in contract farming programmes and, secondly, the transaction and market information costs incurred by agribusiness prevent the participation of less endowed farmers in contract farming programmes. Conducted within the interpretivist paradigm, the explorative research identified wide-ranging challenges in the relationship between agri-business and small-scale farmers which directly impact the effective-ness of contract farming as a development and agrarian reform strategy. Despite their problematic relationship, however, agribusiness and small-scale contract farmers were in agreement that the government needs to expand its support for agri-firms to incentivise greater numbers of small-scale farmers having the opportunity to achieve commercial status through contract farming. The study therefore recommends a collaborative partnership between private firms and government, with state support through revised policies and development programmes. These amendments are crucial to enhancing the engagement of small-scale vegetable farmers in lucrative agri-food chains.

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Gqibityala, Akhona. "Farmers’ perception on factors influencing small-scale vegetable production at Tsengiwe village, South Africa." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/15281.

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Food security and self-sufficiency in the rural areas has been and remains a major concern for the South African government. The study aimed to investigate farmer’s perception of factors influencing small-scale vegetable production in Tsengiwe village in the Eastern Cape. The research focus was on the following aspects that may have an influence on small-scale vegetable production: socio-economic factors, production and resource deficiencies and the impact of indigenous leafy vegetables. The researcher conducted several demonstration workshops during the field work. The pilot studies and community engagements were essential to extract knowledge systems embedded in the cultural traditions of indigenous or local communities. The action research was part of the reflective process of broadminded problem solving led by researcher and community. The research approach used a triangulation research method to extract information, whereby both quantitative and qualitative research was used to ensure greater accuracy. The main data collection was obtained from interviews with small-scale farming households in the Tsengiwe area. The study revealed that households were dependent on elderly female pensioners to source food and water. These women received most of their income from social grants and were mainly responsible for all farming activities in the households. Most households attempted to produce vegetables, although food security and self-sufficiency through own production was rarely achieved.Other perceived farming challenges included: lack of market accessibility, irrigation infrastructure, drought, financial limitations and soil degradation. Indigenous leafy vegetables were found to play a nutritional role in times of food shortage and not as much for their medicinal value. The study recommended the following interventions: Support for the elderly women in development and production practices, interventions to address factors affecting vegetable production, improving soil structure, working towards food self-sufficiency, moving away from dependence on mechanisation in rural farming.

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VD, Westhuizen C. "Management of veld fires by newly settled farmers and related small-scale business opportunities." Interim : Interdisciplinary Journal, Vol 8, Issue 2: Central University of Technology Free State Bloemfontein, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/11462/374.

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Published Article
The central regions of South Africa experienced an abnormally high precipitation during the first quarter of 2009, thus resulting in an unusually high probability of veld fires due to the excessive amounts of fuel / grass available. In South Africa the process of land redistribution was recently drastically accelerated. This implies that many newly settled black farmers are fanning but still need to be trained in various aspects of farm management. Unfortunately, in most cases this training did not include environmental management, which among others, implies managing and preparing for veld fires. The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry also does not have sufficient funding to cover all these aspects and a regional collaborative plan must therefore be developed. In addition to this, in an attempt to alleviate poverty, many other previously disadvantaged people in South Africa must be assisted in establishing small business enterprises. This paper will highlight a process to be followed to train and coordinate all farmers and simultaneously establish business opportunities that will remove some of the fuel (grasses and shrubs) in order to reduce the risk and intensity of winter and spring veld fires.

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Engelbrecht, Emma. "Investigating the feasibility of small-scale broiler farming." Thesis, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/6701.

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Thesis (MScEng (Industrial Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Small-scale farmers have the opportunity to gain access to markets through a contract farming arrangement. The key question is whether it is financially feasible for a small-scale farmer to enter into a contract. The objectives of this study were to develop a model that could be used to determine the financial feasibility of small-scale contract broiler farming in an intensive production system, compare three different genotypes namely: Cobb500 males X Hybro G females, Ross 308 males X Potchefstroom Koekoek females (crossbred) and the purebred Potchefstroom Koekoek, and evaluate current smallscale farmers’ broiler production by means of a case study. Financial performance indicators such as the net present value, cash flow and profit and loss statements were used to analyze the feasibility of all the scenarios. The model was built in Microsoft Excel. Five hundred, 1500 and 2500 birds/cycle scale of production were analyzed. Results revealed that based on the capital costs used, a 500 birds/cycle scale of production was uneconomical and that a farmer would have to receive R25.01/kg broiler meat in order to break even. The 1500 scale of production showed much better results. A farmer could break even at R17.51/kg meat. The capital investment cost of the 2500 scale of production was so high that the farmer would have had to sell his broiler meat for R18.54/kg. Performance traits of genotypes were collected through an experiment and data was statistically analyzed using ‘Statistica 9’. Results showed that there were significant differences between the cumulative feed intake, feed conversion ratios and the European production efficiency ratio of the different genotypes. No significant difference was found in the liveability of the genotypes. Data on performance traits was used as input into the model so that the economic feasibility of the genotypes could be compared. Results showed that a purebred Potchefstroom Koekoek genotype was not suitable for an intensive production system and that the crossbreed did not perform as well as the broiler breed, but that it would be worthwhile investigating the performance traits of the cross breed under less optimal conditions or in a free-range system. The lower capital costs necessary for a freerange system, together with the high premium paid for free-range broiler meat, may give admirable results in the economic feasibility of a small-scale broiler farm.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kleinboere het die geleentheid om deur kontrak boerdery toegang tot markte te verkry. Die vraag is egter of dit finansieël haalbaar is vir 'n kleinboer om kontraktueel verbind te word? Die doelwitte van die studie was om: ‘n model te ontwikkel wat gebruik kan word om die finansiële lewensvatbaarheid van' n klein-skaalse braaikuikenboer te bepaal onder 'n intensiewe produksiestelsel; verskillende genotipes naamlik: Cobb500 hane X Hybro G henne, Ross 308 hane X Potchefstroom Koekoek henne (kruising) en die suiwer Potchefstroom Koekoek te evalueer en die die huidige klein-skaal boer se braaikuikenproduksie deur middel van 'n gevallestudie te evalueer. Finansiële prestasie aanwysers soos die netto huidige waarde, kontantvloei, asook wins en verlies state was gebruik om die haalbaarheid van die verskeie gevalle te analiseer. Die model is op Microsoft Excel gebou. ‘n Produksie skaal van 500, 1500 en 2500 kuikens/siklus is ontleed. Resultate het getoon dat, gebaseer op die kapitale koste wat gebruik is, 'n produksie skaal van 500 kuikens/siklus onekonomies is en dat ŉ boer R25.01/kg sal moet ontvang om gelyk te breek. Die produksie skaal van 1500 kuikens/siklus het beter resultate getoon. 'n Boer kan gelyk breek teen R17.51/kg vleis. Die kapitale beleggingskoste van die produksie skaal van 2500 kuikens/siklus was so hoog dat die boer R18.54/kg sou moes ontvang het om gelyk te breek. Prestasie van genotipes is ingesamel deur middel van 'n eksperiment en data is statisties ontleed met behulp van Statistica 9. Resultate het getoon dat daar hoogs beduidende verskille tussen die kumulatiewe voerinname, voeromsetsverhoudings en Europese produksie effektiwiteits verhouding van die verskillende genotipes is. Geen beduidende verskil is gevind in die leefbaarheid van die genotipes nie. Inligting oor die prestasie eienskappe is gebruik as insette tot die model sodat die ekonomiese haalbaarheid van die genotipes vergelyk kon word. Resultate het getoon dat 'n suiwer Potchefstroom Koekoek genotipe nie geskik is vir 'n intensiewe produksie stelsel nie en dat die kruising nie so goed soos die braaikuiken gevaar het nie, maar dat dit die moeite werd sal wees om ondersoek in te stel na die produksie potensiaal van die kruis kuiken in minder optimale toestande, soos ‘n vryloop stelsel. Die laer kapitale koste en die hoë premie wat betaal word vir vryloop braaikuikenvleis mag geloofwaardige resultate op die ekonomiese haalbaarheid van 'n kleinskaalse braaikuikenboer toon.

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Cazzuffi, Chiara. "Small scale farmers in the market and the role of processing and marketing cooperatives : a case study of Italian dairy farmers." Thesis, University of Sussex, 2013. http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/45117/.

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Agricultural markets are often characterised by imperfect competition between buyers of farm produce. Cooperatives are often regarded as one possible way to enhance welfare for small producers, while others view them as an inefficient historical relic. My thesis investigates empirically the coexistence of cooperative and capitalistic processing and marketing firms in the market for raw milk in three Italian provinces, using a dataset I collected via a survey of dairy farmers. First, I analyse what accounts for variation in market structure within each province and what drives coop membership when choice is available. Geography is found to influence both number and nature of processing firms operating at a given location. Where farms are more isolated and scale of production is smaller, cooperatives have – historically – tended to prevail, and often remain the only buyer today. Where both coops and capitalistic processors are available, parental membership status is more important for the decision of a farmer to join the cooperative, suggesting some degree of inertia. Second, I investigate whether there is any evidence that selling through a cooperative makes a difference for farmers, with respect to both price and non-price characteristics of the relationship. With respect to non-price characteristics, results show that cooperatives draw less complex contracts with members compared to capitalistic processors with their suppliers, are less likely to pay a lower price than agreed, and more likely to offer technical assistance. Members and non-members do not appear to differ in their perceived net benefits from the exchange relationship, but benefits from membership appear to be larger for smaller than larger farmers. As regards whether cooperative membership, per se, has any effect on price paid to farmers, the theoretical literature suggests that asymmetric price competition between two firms with different objective functions, in a spatial market, under different spatial pricing policies, can lead to price differences between the two. This prediction is tested by estimating the effect of coop membership on prices paid using four different nonexperimental evaluation methods. The results show a positive and significant effect of membership, driven by more remote farmers with smaller scale of production, located in areas of cooperative monopsony.

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Mosala, Karabo Joseph. "Assessment of business management competencies among the small-scale farmers in Motsweding District Municipality of Gauteng Province." Thesis, University of Limpopo (Turfloop Campus), 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10386/1325.

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Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2013
Small-scale farmers in the land reform programme are faced with many challenges which affect their operations adversely that they cannot maintain a sustainable farming momentum and grow into competitive farming enterprises. Instead they are failing and recently some are already selling the land back. Some of the challenges facing them include lack of access to the markets, lack of finance, poor business planning and lack of business know-how. This study assesses the business management competencies among the small-scale farmers on the land reform programme. The central desire of this study is to establish whether or not small scale farmers have the necessary business management competencies to drive and grow their farms into competitive commercial farms that can contribute to employment creation, rural poverty alleviation, rural food security and economic growth. Outcomes from this study reflect that small-scale farmers do not have capacity on the critical functional areas of business management and as a result their business operations are on the brink of collapsing, and thus directly failing the intentions of land reform programme. With all other factors held constant, this study has revealed that business management competency is a huge vacuum amongst the small-scale farmers, and if business oriented training is not prioritized as a post-settlement support, the land reform’s small-scale farming performance is heading towards a complete collapse.

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Ababio-Twi, Faith S. "Funding Strategies for Smallholder Rice Farmers in Afadzato South District, Ghana." ScholarWorks, 2019. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/7849.

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Agriculture revenue contributions to Ghana's gross domestic product have declined because of limited farm funding, which has constrained some smallholder rice farmers access credit to acquire necessary inputs, and to secure a stable market for their harvests. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore successful strategies some smallholder rice farmers in the Afadzato South District of Ghana used in obtaining farm funding. Data collection included semistructured, face-to-face interviews with 9 smallholder rice farmers who successfully obtained farm funding. Previous research, reports, and policies of the Ghana Ministry of Food and Agriculture served as additional data collection sources. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis and resulted in three major themes: the smallholder farmer's strategy of belonging to cooperative association membership, the smallholder farmer's strategy for satisfying lender collateral requirements, and smallholder farmer's strategies for developing a repayment rating history. The implications for positive social change include the potential to guide the smallholder farmers to successful strategies to access farm funding for their farming activities and increase their farm sizes. The increase in farm sizes may result in more rice production that can help mitigate hunger and reduce poverty in the Afadzato South District of Ghana.

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Tshikhudo, Phumudzo Patrick. "Irrigation and dryland fruit production : opportunities and constraints faced by small-scale farmers in Venda." Pretoria : [s.n.], 2004. http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-02172006-094405.

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Phatharathananunth, Somchai. "Civil society in northeast Thailand : the struggle of the Small Scale Farmers' Assembly of Isan." Thesis, University of Leeds, 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.250217.

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Fenn, Terence Kevin. "Integrating contextmapping and interaction design: designing with and for small-scale urban farmers in Soweto." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/19976.

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This thesis describes and reflects on the effectiveness of integrating contextmapping as both a methodology and interaction design practice in order to co-design digital products with and for developing communities. A Design as research methodology is applied in this study within the specific contexts of a co-design project involving small-scale urban farmers in Soweto. The final design outcomes of the project are the interaction design documents reflecting the design requirements of a mobile application as well as a low-level prototype demonstrating a number of the identified requirements contained in the documentation. The study assumes a human-centred design ethos that positions problems facing users as contextual, complex and indeterminate and requiring a degree of consideration and understanding by the designer before they can be resolved. The design process applied in this study therefore focused on gaining an understanding of the farmers' life experiences in order to design effective and empathetic technological solutions that will be meaningful and useful to the farmers. For this purpose, contextmapping and interaction design theory, methods and tools were integrated. Examples of this integration include the application of Hassenzahl's Three Level Hierarchy of Needs model to guide the exploration of the farmers' experiences and contexts, the use of contextmapping's Sensitization Phase and generative tools to generate user research data and lastly, contemporary interaction design tools such as problem-ecology maps, personas and user-journey diagrams to develop and communicate design concepts to the farmers. The study concludes that this integration of contextmapping and interaction design is effective, in particular through its enablement of community participation in contributing meaningfully to the co-design process while further ensuring that contributions made by the participants are relevant and actionable to the interaction design.

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Gwata, Feri. "Measuring risk aversion among asset poor small-scale farmers in the Western Cape, South Africa." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/10524.

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Includes bibliographical references (leaves 48-52).
This paper presents an empirical analysis of the contentious issue regarding risk preferences of small-scale farmers in low-income countries. Resource-poor farmers have often been described as being inherently risk averse given their tendency to under-invest in risky yet profitable crop technologies. In contrast to this dominant view we argue that it is unlikely that these farmers have an inherent disposition towards risk aversion. We hypothesize that the observed under-investment in crop technologies is largely due to the financial constraints which these farmers face.

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Van, der Walt Anchen. "Small holder farmers' perceptions, host plant suitability and natural enemies of the groundnut leafminer, Aproaerema modicella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in South Africa / Anchen van der Walt." Thesis, North-West University, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10394/1950.

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Zamudio, Jessica Maria. "A Qualitative Exploration of Entrepreneurial Learning among Local Farmers in Cochise County, Arizona." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/560830.

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The number of farmers markets in the United States increased from 3,706 in 2004 to 8,268 in 2014 (Agriculture Marketing Service, 2014). Often times, small-scale agricultural producers do not harvest enough goods to be sold in large grocery store corporations and thus have turned to farmers' markets, roadside stands, you-pick operations, and community supported agriculture (CSA) shares as pathways for reaching customers directly (Chase & Winn, 1981; Payne, 2002). The purpose of this study was to explore and describe how such small-scale producers who participate in farmers' markets gain and develop business-related information and business skills. A single case study design developed and applied to explore the entrepreneurial learning environment relevant to small-scale agricultural producers in Cochise County, Arizona. The current study is framed conceptually by Politis's (2005) entrepreneurial learning model. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews, observations, and relevant documents. Data was organized and analyzed both ideographically and nomothetically. The findings indicate that some small-scale agricultural producers who reside in Cochise County, Arizona participate in Southern Arizona farmers' markets for economic viability and/or lifestyle reasons. The producers who participate in Southern Arizona farmers' markets as their sole means of generating income and/or to continue to be able to afford their engagement in agricultural activities were categorized under the economic viability theme. Those producers who participate in Southern Arizona farmers' market primarily to socialize and to exchange knowledge with community members and other farmers or ranchers were categorized under the lifestyle theme. The data also revealed that the participants engaged in entrepreneurial learning primarily within informal settings and through corresponding channels. While, informal learning is likely to remain the primary method of knowledge sharing across the small-scale agricultural producer community in Cochise County, Arizona. However, by providing such producers with greater opportunities to develop deeper and more robust knowledge and skills specific to entrepreneurship and small business development and management through non-formal learning opportunities (e.g., innovative Extension program), the number of producers with enhanced training capacities and cutting edge knowledge will increase across Cochise County.

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Baloyi, Rebecca Tshilambilu. "Technical efficiency in maize production by small-scale farmers in Ga-Mothiba, Limpopo Province, South Africa." Thesis, University of Limpopo, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10386/1419.

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Thesis (M.Agric. (Agricultural Economics)) -- University of Limpopo
Maize is the most important cereal crop grown in South Africa. This crop is produced throughout the country under diverse environments. The study only focuses on the technical efficiency because it is an important subject in developing agriculture where resources are limited, but high population growth is very common. Technical efficiency is the ability of a farmer to obtain output from a given set of physical inputs. Farmers have a tendency of under and/or overutilising the factors of production. The main aim of this study was to analyse the technical efficiency of small-scale maize producers in Ga-Mothiba rural community of Limpopo Province. The objective of the study was to determine the level of technical efficiency of smallscale maize producers and to identify the socio-economic characteristics that influence technical efficiency of small-scale maize producers in Ga-Mothiba. Purposive and Snowball sampling techniques were used to collect primary data from 120 small-scale farmers. Cobb-Douglas production function was used to determine the level of technical efficiency and Logistic regression model was used to analyse the variables that have influence the technical efficiency of maize production. Cobb-Douglas results reveal that small-scale farmers in Ga-Mothiba are experiencing technical inefficiency in maize production due to the decreasing return to scale, which means they are over-utilising factors of production. Logistic regression results indicate that out of 13 variables included in the analysis as socio-economic factors, 10 of them (level of education, income of the household on monthly basis, farmer`s farming experience, farm size, cost of tractor hours, fertiliser application, purchased hybrid maize seeds, membership to farmers` organisation, is maize profitable) were found to be significant and 3 (gender, age and hired labour) are non-significant. However, farm size was found to be the most significant variable at 99% level, showing a positive relationship to smallscale maize producer`s technical efficiency. Therefore, it is recommended that government should do the on-farm training since farmers mainly depend on trial and error and farmers` should have access to enough arable land and tractor services. However, farmers need to be trained on matters relating to fertiliser application, on the amount of seeds a farmer should apply per ha, and the importance of using hybrid seed.

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39

Uko, Okon Edet. "Perceived farm management educational needs of part-time and small scale farmers in selected Ohio counties." The Ohio State University, 1985. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1389344764.

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Van, der Linde Cornelia Maria. "An inventory of agricultural chemicals used by small-scale farmers in Soshanguve implications for environmental management /." Pretoria : [s.n.], 2005. http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-10052005-133629/.

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Davis, Kristin Elizabeth. "Technology dissemination among small-scale farmers in Meru Central District of Kenya impact of group participation /." [Gainesville, Fla.] : University of Florida, 2004. http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/UFE0006340.

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Chaka, Mpho Phillip. "The Usability and effectiveness of a printed information booklet a survey amongst small-scale rural farmers /." Diss., Pretoria : [s.n.], 2003. http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-11092004-100255.

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43

Derr, Thomas. "Climate Change Perceptions and Adaptation Among Small-Scale Farmers in Uganda: A Community-Based Participatory Approach." DigitalCommons@USU, 2018. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/7328.

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Climate change in the East African country of Uganda is causing severe variations in the once predictable seasonal weather patterns that farmers had come to depend on. This, in combination with social and economic challenges, has significantly increased the vulnerability of farmers who make up the majority of Uganda’s population. Previous knowledge and observations suggest that Ugandan farmers may be reluctant or slow to change their practices in response to the changing climate. Strategies are therefore needed to identify challenges and sustainable solutions. This research used qualitative data collection methods known as participatory rural appraisal (PRA) and participatory action research (PAR) over a seven-month period with two communities in western Uganda. One community was located in an urban area while the other was rural. Research methods were used to first identify real challenges specific to the community before developing strategies to solve them. Both of these steps were conducted in a bottom-up community-based way, utilizing the expertise of community participants. Overall, the main problems identified included degraded water resources, poor farm performance, gender issues, and health challenges. Most of these problems were not directly a result of climate change, but rather a combination of social and economic challenges like poverty and a lack of support from the government and other organizations. In both communities, sustainable solutions to major problems were created by increasing the overall knowledge, expertise, and cooperation among community participants in addition to improving access to local services. The actions taken resulted in a pilot project that improved water resources for the rural community. The approach was effective because it allowed the communities to advocate for themselves to create lasting change. This research builds upon a rapidly growing body of literature on the effectiveness of community-based efforts to solve real-life problems in struggling communities. Furthermore, these findings also challenge more traditional donor-driven approaches to development.

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44

Baloi, Rebecca Tshilambilu. "Technical efficiency in maize production by small-scale farmers in Ga-Mothiba, Limpopo Province, South Africa." Thesis, University of Limpopo, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10386/486.

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Thesis (MSc. (Agriculture)) --University of Limpopo, 2011
Maize is the most important cereal crop grown in South Africa. This crop is produced throughout the country under diverse environments. The study only focuses on the technical efficiency because it is an important subject in developing agriculture where resources are limited, but high population growth is very common. Technical efficiency is the ability of a farmer to obtain output from a given set of physical inputs. Farmers have a tendency of under and/or overutilising the factors of production. The main aim of this study was to analyse the technical efficiency of small-scale maize producers in Ga-Mothiba rural community of Limpopo Province. The objective of the study was to determine the level of technical efficiency of smallscale maize producers and to identify the socio-economic characteristics that influence technical efficiency of small-scale maize producers in Ga-Mothiba. Purposive and Snowball sampling techniques were used to collect primary data from 120 small-scale farmers. Cobb-Douglas production function was used to determine the level of technical efficiency and Logistic regression model was used to analyse the variables that have influence the technical efficiency of maize production. Cobb-Douglas results reveal that small-scale farmers in Ga-Mothiba are experiencing technical inefficiency in maize production due to the decreasing return to scale, which means they are over-utilising factors of production. Logistic regression results indicate that out of 13 variables included in the analysis as socio-economic factors, 10 of them (level of education, income of the household on monthly basis, farmer`s farming experience, farm size, cost of tractor hours, fertiliser application, purchased hybrid maize seeds, membership to farmers` organisation, is maize profitable) were found to be significant and 3 (gender, age and hired labour) are non-significant. However, farm size was found to be the vi most significant variable at 99% level, showing a positive relationship to smallscale maize producer`s technical efficiency. Therefore, it is recommended that government should do the on-farm training since farmers mainly depend on trial and error and farmers` should have access to enough arable land and tractor services. However, farmers need to be trained on matters relating to fertiliser application, on the amount of seeds a farmer should apply per ha, and the importance of using hybrid seed.

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45

Baloyi, Rebecca Tshilambilu. "Technical effeciency in maize production by small-scale farmers in Ga-Mothiba, Limpopo Province, South Africa." Thesis, University of Limpopo (Turfloop Campus), 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10386/1253.

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Thesis (M.Agric. (Agricultural Economics)) --University of Limpopo, 2011
Maize is the most important cereal crop grown in South Africa. This crop is produced throughout the country under diverse environments. The study only focuses on the technical efficiency because it is an important subject in developing agriculture where resources are limited, but high population growth is very common. Technical efficiency is the ability of a farmer to obtain output from a given set of physical inputs. Farmers have a tendency of under and/or over- utilising the factors of production. The main aim of this study was to analyse the technical efficiency of small-scale maize producers in Ga-Mothiba rural community of Limpopo Province. The objective of the study was to determine the level of technical efficiency of small- scale maize producers and to identify the socio-economic characteristics that influence technical efficiency of small-scale maize producers in Ga-Mothiba. Purposive and Snowball sampling techniques were used to collect primary data from 120 small-scale farmers. Cobb-Douglas production function was used to determine the level of technical efficiency and Logistic regression model was used to analyse the variables that have influence the technical efficiency of maize production. Cobb-Douglas results reveal that small-scale farmers in Ga-Mothiba are experiencing technical inefficiency in maize production due to the decreasing return to scale, which means they are over-utilising factors of production. Logistic regression results indicate that out of 13 variables included in the analysis as socio-economic factors, 10 of them (level of education, income of the household on monthly basis, farmer`s farming experience, farm size, cost of tractor hours, fertiliser application, purchased hybrid maize seeds, membership to farmers` organisation, is maize profitable) were found to be significant and 3 (gender, age and hired labour) are non-significant. However, farm size was found to be the most significant variable at 99% level, showing a positive relationship to small- scale maize producer`s technical efficiency.Therefore, it is recommended that government should do the on-farm training since farmers mainly depend on trial and error and farmers` should have access to enough arable land and tractor services. However, farmers need to be trained on matters relating to fertiliser application, on the amount of seeds a farmer should apply per ha, and the importance of using hybrid seed.

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Baloyi, Rebecca Tshelambilu. "Technical effeciency in maize production by small-scale farmers in Ga-Mothiba, Limpopo Province, South Africa." Thesis, University of Limpopo (Turfloop Campus), 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10386/882.

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Abstract:

Thesis (M.Sc. Agric.) --University of Limpopo, 2011
Maize is the most important cereal crop grown in South Africa. This crop is produced throughout the country under diverse environments. The study only focuses on the technical efficiency because it is an important subject in developing agriculture where resources are limited, but high population growth is very common. Technical efficiency is the ability of a farmer to obtain output from a given set of physical inputs. Farmers have a tendency of under and/or over- utilising the factors of production. The main aim of this study was to analyse the technical efficiency of small-scale maize producers in Ga-Mothiba rural community of Limpopo Province. The objective of the study was to determine the level of technical efficiency of small- scale maize producers and to identify the socio-economic characteristics that influence technical efficiency of small-scale maize producers in Ga-Mothiba. Purposive and Snowball sampling techniques were used to collect primary data from 120 small-scale farmers. Cobb-Douglas production function was used to determine the level of technical efficiency and Logistic regression model was used to analyse the variables that have influence the technical efficiency of maize production. Cobb-Douglas results reveal that small-scale farmers in Ga-Mothiba are experiencing technical inefficiency in maize production due to the decreasing return to scale, which means they are over-utilising factors of production. Logistic regression results indicate that out of 13 variables included in the analysis as socio-economic factors, 10 of them (level of education, income of the household on monthly basis, farmer`s farming experience, farm size, cost of tractor hours, fertiliser application, purchased hybrid maize seeds, membership to farmers` organisation, is maize profitable) were found to be significant and 3 (gender, age and hired labour) are non-significant. However, farm size was found to be the most significant variable at 99% level, showing a positive relationship to small- scale maize producer`s technical efficiency. Therefore, it is recommended that government should do the on-farm training since farmers mainly depend on trial and error and farmers` should have access to enough arable land and tractor services. However, farmers need to be trained on matters relating to fertiliser application, on the amount of seeds a farmer should apply per ha, and the importance of using hybrid seed.

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Morokolo, Matome Enos. "Savings patterns of small-scale farmers in a peri-urban area (Moretele District: North West Province)." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/26066.

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The study uses the conventional economic approaches to savings behaviour as a point of departure. In the past, agricultural programmes and policies overlooked the importance of savings mobilization in favour of credit extension programmes. This line of economic development approach arose from the assumption that poor rural people cannot save and will not respond to opportunities to save. The latest research results clearly demonstrate that rural people do mobilise significant voluntary savings, even at their low levels of income. The thrust of the study was to research savings behaviour and motivation to save by resource poor farmers, with specific reference to farmers in Moretele District, Northwest Province. The study tested the hypothesis that poor people cannot save, and went further to analyse determinants of savings behaviour, motivations to save, sources of savings mobilization, savings accounts used and motivations to use a specific savings product. The application of the life cycle hypothesis was also analysed. Linear multiple regression, Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) technique, analysis of variance (ANOV A), and factor analysis (FA) were used to analyse the data pertinent to the study. The findings of the study confirmed income as a major determinant of savings mobilization in the district. The extent of dependency, defined as the proportion of the population of a country falling in the age groups of 0-15 and 64 years and older, considered economically unproductive and therefore not counted as part of the country's labour force was found to have a negative effect on the ability of farmers to save. This is due to large family sizes and high levels of dependency in households. Age was also discovered to influence savings behaviour, but not in accordance with the application of the life cycle hypothesis. With regards to motivations to save, it was found that farmers in the district mainly save to cater for emergencies and for grandchildren's education, and not for accumulation/investment purposes. In addition to the abovementioned savings motives, farmers were however found to consider an investment imperative as reflected by an interaction between savings for accumulation and emergency purposes. The low investment imperative may change if other emergency management structures are considered. The main sources of savings mobilization for the farmers were income from livestock sales and government social security grant (government old age pension). These farmers were discovered to prefer ordinary savings plans. The rationale for this choice was found to be motivated by ease of quick access to savings and the liquidity provided by this savings product. The liquidity requirement is regarded as a strategy to address emergencies and any other financial need that might arise. The findings of the study calls for policy instruments that will expedite the implementation of outreach programmes and strategies for voluntary savings mobilization that will cater for investment imperative and emergency needs. Critical to this will be the development of savings products that respond to the various needs of resource poor farmers as well as to serve different categories of rural savers. The decentralization of savings institutions and linking of formal and informal financial institutions will enhance access to financial services by the rural population. Policies intended to discourage large families would help reduce the high rates of dependencies and relieve pressure on household income, which could be used for savings.
Dissertation (MSc (Agricultural Economics))--University of Pretoria, 2007.
Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development
unrestricted

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Msomi, Thulisile Felicity. "Institutional dynamics in a small-scale organic farming organisation : the case of the Ezemvelo Farmers' Organisation." University of the Western Cape, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/5580.

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Magister Philosophiae (Land and Agrarian Studies) - MPhil(LAS)
This study explores institutional dynamics within an organic farming organisation, the Ezemvelo Farmers' Organisation (EFO), based in uMbumbulu in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The main objective of the study was to identify the institutional and governance factors that impact on the sustainability of the organic production programme of the EFO. A variety of research methods were employed, including a small sample survey of 50 households, in-depth interviews with key respondents, and a critical assessment of the existing literature on the EFO. The study established that many rural households in uMbumbulu maintain their livelihoods through a diverse array of activities that include social grants. Agriculture remains an important livelihood strategy for many households. It presents opportunities for income generation, access to food, job creation and increased asset accumulation. Communal land tenure systems do not constrain agricultural development, and kinship ties and social relations determine affordable and flexible land access for farming and residential use. The EFO initiave regenerated agricultural production in uMbumbulu. Many households have rights to cropping fields and these fields were revitalised and put under productive use as the organic farming initiative gained momentum. The EFO marketed its produce to Farmwise, a packhouse that distributes produce to various retailers. The agro-food industry is dominated by large business interests and maintained exploitative relations with the EFO. Organic production and marketing to such businesses imposed high transaction costs on members of the EFO as onerous quality standards were enforced throughout the value chain. Rural development interventions that are driven by external stakeholders such as academic institutions, government departments and other agencies tend not to provide sustainable solutions to help support the development of smallholder farmers. In the case of the EFO, such support saw abuses of power, elite capture, free-rider problems, conflict and weak management systems. The thesis argues that the agrarian transformation imperative means that policy frameworks must be re-examined, and adapted to the needs and local practices of smallholder farmers such as members of the EFO. Proper extension support that provides accurate market information, effective coordination of production and transport services, and relevant infrastructure, is also required.
National Research Foundation (NRF)

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Mahiya, Innocent Tonderai. "A critical analysis of agricultural innovation platforms among small-scale farmers in Hwedza communal area, Zimbabwe." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/596.

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Agricultural research has existed for many decades at national and global levels and research-based agricultural interventions, often driven by the state, have taken place across Africa over an extended period. But, overall, these interventions have not generated the high potential and kinds of outcomes expected of them in terms of enhancing agricultural productivity amongst small-scale farmers and improving the quality of their agrarian lives. In the context of neoliberal restructuring globally, new forms of agricultural interventions have arisen which highlight the significance of more participatory methodologies in which non-governmental organisations become central. One such methodology rests on the notion of an agricultural innovation platform which involves bringing on board a diverse range of actors (or stakeholders) which function together to generate agricultural knowledge and practices suitable to the needs of a particular small-scale farming community, with the small-scale farmers expected to be key actors in the platform. Such platforms are now being implemented in specific rural sites in Zimbabwe, including in communal areas in the district of Hwedza where farming activities have for many years now being in large survivalist in character. The objective of this thesis is to critically analyse the agricultural innovation platforms in Hwedza, but not in the sense of assessing the impact of the platforms on agricultural productivity. Rather, the thesis examines the multi-faceted social interactions and relationships embodied in the innovation platform process. In pursuing this, I rely heavily – but in a critical manner – on interface analysis as set out by Norman Long. The fieldwork for the Hwedza involved an interpretative-qualitative methodology based on methods such as in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, questionnaires and observations. The major finding of the thesis is that the agricultural innovation platforms, at least as implemented in Hwedza, do challenge top-down approaches to agricultural interventions by unlocking the possibility of multiple pathways of inclusion and particularly for small-scale farmers but that, simultaneously, they also involve processes marked by divergences, exclusions, tensions and conflicts which may undermine the legitimacy and effectiveness of the platforms.

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Kumalo, Molefi Petrus. "Characterization of sheep and goat production systems amongst small-scale farmers in the Southern Free State." Thesis, Bloemfontein : Central University of Technology, Free State, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11462/266.

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