Historically, American farmers have been identified as white, middle-aged, working- to middle-class, men who reside in rural environments to grow large expanses of corn, soybeans, or wheat. However, this dissertation questions this fraught representation of past farmers and introduces a new identity in contemporary American agriculture - Young Farmers. Usually, Young Farmers are first-generation agriculturalists, who hold small parcels of land, produce a diverse assortment of crops, and adopt items of rural material culture to better perform as farmers. Additionally, they believe their lifestyles and their existences are dependent upon interactions with their local environments and members of their communities. By focusing on these individuals, this study examines how American farmers, the environments they inhabit, the goods they produce, and the locations they distribute their products have changed, especially after the most recent Farm Crisis in the 1980s.<div><br></div><div>To best understand these alterations, this dissertation offers an exploration of three farmers market locations in Michigan's Lower Peninsula to highlight and compare the social, cultural, environmental, and economic shifts occurring in the agricultural community. Arguably, farmers markets provide Young Farmers a space to meet prospective consumers and to distribute their products to them. Likewise, these site are a venue for Young Farmers to develop successful systems of community with other people involved with small-scale farming. Throughout this dissertation, I layer ethnographic and historical archive data with quantitative metrics, such as U.S. Census Bureau data to better explain demographic shifts occurring across Michigan's farming landscape. Additionally, I critically analyze images associated with past and current representations of individuals involved with agriculture to address how Young Farmers redefine themselves culturally and participate in methods of food and economic sustainability. By studying and understanding the codependence of the people and place who comprise farmers and farming communities in a representative location like Michigan, I recognize the relevance of the Midwest as a crossroads of contemporary American agriculture. </div>

Thesis (M.Sc. Agriculture (Agricultural Economics) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / Agriculture has long been argued to be the dominant sector of the South African economy. Despite the huge agricultural potential of the country, the agricultural sector is underperforming in Less Developing Countries (LDCs) to some extent because female small-scale farmers, who play a vital role in agriculture, encounter credit constraints because of their gender and this in turn reduce their productivity. Therefore, the gender gap in terms of access to credit indicates that there is a need to reassess the problem of credit access by small-scale farmers on the basis of gender. This study was carried out in the Greater Letaba Municipality (GLM) which is situated in the Mopani District of Limpopo Province, with the aim of analysing factors that influence formal credit access by both female and male small-scale farmers. Structured questionnaires were employed to collect the data for the analyses from 140 sampled small-scale farmers (70 males and 70 females) selected using stratified random sampling technique. The findings of the probit regression model discovered that gender, extension services, land ownership, age, collateral and farm size had a significant positive influence on small-scale farmers` access to formal credit in the GLM. Additionally, the findings further revealed that household size, farming experience, farm-income, marital status had an insignificant negative influence on the small-scale farmers` access to formal credit whereas education level had an insignificant positive influence on the small-scale farmers` access to formal credit. On average, male and female small-scale farmers with access to formal credit were 71 % and 29 %, respectively whereas the male and female small-scale farmers without access to formal credit were 35% and 65%, respectively. The female small-scale farmers` perceptions towards the credit system that were derived from the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) are as follows: (i) male smallscale farmers effortlessly get credit from banks contrasted with their female counterparts, (ii) small-scale farmers with more education and collateral tend to access formal credit than their counterparts and (iii) small-scale farmers who are nearest to iii the banks are more likely to access credit than small-scale farmers who are far away. Based on the study findings, a set of recommendations for achieving equitable formal credit access by male and female small-scale farmers were put forward. / National Research Fund (NRF)

Thesis (M.Sc. Agriculture (Agricultural Economics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / Agriculture plays a significant role also serves as a critical economic sector in Limpopo province in terms of its contribution to the economy, and the number of employment opportunities it produces within local communities. The majority of people involved in agricultural practices are emerging farmers and smallholder/small scale farmers. These farmers try to earn a living from the production of livestock, broilers, fruits & vegetables, and cereals. Cowpea is a drought-tolerant legume that also serves as a staple food for the majority of Africans alongside maize and other typical staple foods consumed by most Africans. The crop is regarded as a key protein source for urban and rural poor, and plays an important role as a cash crop. Despite several nutritional benefits, economic importance and welfare enhancing potential of cowpea, farmers still do not have sufficient information on knowledge about the value that can be added to their cowpea production also the potential and competitiveness of this traditional leafy vegetable. The aim of the study was to map the value chain and determine the marketing efficiency of smallholder cowpea farmers in Capricorn and Waterberg districts of Limpopo province. The specific objectives were to: identify and describe socioeconomic characteristics of smallholder cowpea farmers in Capricorn and Waterberg districts of Limpopo province, identify and define the participants along the cowpea value chain and identify marketing constraints among smallholder cowpea farmers. Structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 80 smallholder cowpea farmers in Ga-Molepo of Capricorn district and Bela-Bela of Waterberg district using purposive sampling technique. Value chain mapping, descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression model were used in addressing the objectives. In identifying and defining the participants along the cowpea value chain, a value chain map was constructed to show the different stages cowpea goes through before reaching the final consumer. Two null hypotheses were formulated. The first hypothesis that stated smallholder cowpea farmers were inefficient in marketing cowpea was rejected. Marketing efficiency measure used to determine each farmer’s marketing efficiency revealed that 66% of smallholder cowpea farmers were efficient. The determinants of marketing efficiency were examined using binary logistic regression model. The second hypothesis stated that socioeconomic characteristics of smallholder cowpea farmers have no effect on the marketing efficiency. The v hypothesis was also rejected based on binary logistic results that revealed that age, household size, years in schooling, years in farming cowpea, income generated from selling cowpea, quantities of cowpea sold and occupation of the farmers were found to be significant in determining marketing efficiency of smallholder cowpea farmers. Pests, lack of access to formal markets and lack of information on how to process cowpea were major constraints farmers were faced with. It was recommended that value chain analysts, policy makers and extension workers together with other stakeholders assist in ensuring that food value chain relationships are established so that market opportunities can be created for smallholder cowpea farmers. In addition, farmer schools need to be introduced in rural areas were agricultural practices are dominant. At these schools, farmers can be taught about basic knowledge relating to agricultural production. Training should also be given to farmers on adopting technology as it can potentially assist in making production more efficient. / Water Research Commission (WRC)

No description available.

<p> This study examines the problem of "rurbanization," which is a term that has been applied to the process by which rural areas are being changed by urban influences. This implies more than the traditional geographic concept of land-use change at the rural-urban fringe, but is concerned with bagic changes in the agricultural industry relating to appearance, land use, nengity and social structure.</p> <p> In rural Southern Ontario, there are two main phenomena occurring to effect these changes: the increage in part-time farming and in low-density residences. This study is concerned more specifically with an examination of these two phenomena. Its two main objectives are to gee how these two are interrelated and how they have affected agriculture and rural society. </p> <p> The study achieveg thege objectives through the use of a questionnaire admtnigtered to residents of Brantford township, a rural area with a thriving agricultural industry, but at the same time under considerable stress from urban pressures. Three types of residents were surveyed: full- time farmers, part-time farmers and non-farmers. The data collected was subjected to discriminant and cross-tabulation analyses in order to observe similarities and differences among the three groups . These similarities and differences allowed inferences concerning the acceptance or rejection of six postulated hypotheses. </p> <p> The following general conclusions result from the analysis: </p> <p> Part-time farmers and rural non-farmers are predominantly former urbanites who have migrated to rural areas. Both groups share similar occupations and have lived at the rural location for a similar length of time, but non-farmers tend to be older an to have been born and raised on a farm. However, there does exist a significant minority of part-time farmers who ere former full-time farmers. Both phenomena appear to be fairly permanent arrangements as the overwhelming majority of both groups wished to maintain their present status. </p> <p>Full-time farmers tend to have a larger size of holding than part-time farmers. Part-time farmers place less emphasis on livestock and tobacco as the predominant crop than do full-time farmers, and tend to place a greater emphasis upon corn and mixed grains as cash crops. The type and quality of land that is occupied and the attitude toward the preservation of agricultural land do not vary significantly by group. All three groups were strongly in favour of preservation of land for farming. The participation rates of part time and non farmers in the rural organizations of the township and in the urban organizations of nearby towns are not significantly different from those of full-time farmers. </p> <p> The study has confirmed some of the findings of other researchers and has in turn shed some new light on the "rurbanization" problem. Urban out-migration has been found to be the most important cause of the problem. Thus, the problem appears to be the result of a social phenomenon rather than a physical one, and the phenomena causing the problem appear to be persistent and permanent. It may also be noted that the choice of alternative, either part-time farming or non-farming residency, is somehow related to the age and location of birth and childhood of the urban out-migrant. Significantly, more part-time farmers were born in city and more non-farmers were born on a farm. It may be argued that is precisely opposite to the situation that might be expected. / Thesis / Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Access and use of information facilitate the improvement of agriculture in rural areas. It is therefore important to ensure that adequate and appropriate information flows to the rural areas, and that farmers are able to utilise it. This study investigated the access and use of poultry management information in three rural districts of Tanzania, namely Iringa Rural, Morogoro Rural and Mvomero. The survey method, supplemented by methodological triangulation, was used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 360 poultry farmers in the selected rural communities. Sixteen focus group discussions were conducted, in which 160 farmers participated. Twenty-two information providers were interviewed. The SPSS® software was used to analyse quantitative data, while qualitative data was analysed using content analysis. The findings indicated that poultry farmers needed information on poultry disease control, poultry protection, shelter for poultry and poultry production. There was very low identification and prioritisation of farmers’ information needs by the information providers. Farmers accessed information that had a direct impact and was deemed relevant to their farming activities. It was revealed that farmers accessed information mainly from interpersonal sources. Likewise, farmers preferred interpersonal and informal sources to formal sources of information. The extension officers were considered to be the most effective information source, followed by family, friends, and neighbours. Various factors, such as lack of awareness, unavailability of extension officers and poor infrastructure, influenced access and use of poultry management information. It was concluded that most of the information providers were not aware of the farmers’ information needs, and as a result they were not in a position to disseminate relevant information. In addition, farmers were used to an oral culture, which means that they would probably continue to depend on interpersonal sources of information, regardless of the availability of formal channels and modern sources. The study recommended several measures, including the use of multiple sources of information and delivery of information in a variety of formats, in order to accommodate various categories of farmers. The study also suggested some areas for further research. Furthermore, a model for effective dissemination of poultry management information in rural areas was proposed. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

The focus of this study is to explore and expand farmer learning processes in sustainable agriculture workplace contexts. It examines change oriented learning processes in the context of three sustainable agriculture practices. The study begins by discussing the history and emergence of environmental discourses and approaches; sustainable agriculture; and the histories of three kinds of sustainable agriculture practices: Permaculture, Organic Farming and Machobane Farming System. It also traces the evolution of agricultural extension approaches within the wider context of education for sustainable development. The main focus of the study is an exploration of how farmer learning can be mediated through an expansive learning process. The study methodology surfaces some of the contradictions in sustainable agriculture and learning activity systems that farmers encounter in learning and practising sustainable agriculture. It uses these contradictions as sources of expansive learning in and between the respective activity systems of farmers, sustainable agriculture facilitators, agricultural extension workers (conventional) and organic entrepreneurs. As shown in the study, the expansive learning processes result in the modelling, implementation and reviewing of solutions to contradictions being faced in the learning and practice of sustainable agriculture. The study also proposes a number of tools that can be adapted and used by development farmers and agricultural trainers to examine and expand learning as well as build farmer agency. The study was conducted in three case study sites in Lesotho, South Africa and Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe the study is located in Hwedza district in the St Margaret Primary School and community that learn, practise and facilitate the learning of Permaculture within the Schools and Colleges Permaculture Programme (SCOPE). The second study site is in South Africa: Durban urban and peri-urban areas where a community of organic farmers, facilitators and entrepreneurs coordinate the marketing of their produce through Isidore Farm and Earth Mother Organic and support each other to learn and practise organic farming. The third study site is based in the Mafeteng and Mohale‟s Hoek districts of Lesotho where the focus was on farmers who learn and practise the Machobane Farming System (MFS) and are supported in this by the Rural Self Development Association (RSDA) and the Machobane Agricultural Development Foundation (MADF). Drawing on three sensitising concepts of dialectics, reflexivity and agency, the study worked with Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) underpinned by critical realism to reveal how farmer learning is mediated and expanded. The theory of practice/habitus also provided a useful theoretical lens with which to examine data generated. Using a two-phased, multiple embedded case study approach, the study worked within the broad framework of social learning. It used semi-structured individual and group interviews, observations and document analysis to explore learning processes and generate „mirror‟ data. This data was then used in Change Laboratory Workshops, within the Developmental Work Research methodology, where double stimulation and focus group discussions contributed to expanding learning processes. Drawing on critical realism the study used inductive, abductive and retroductive modes of inference to analyse data in each case study as well as across case studies. The findings of the study reveal that farmer learning is influenced by both intrinsic motives, such as identity, and extrinsic motives which are primarily associated with economic, ecological and health benefits. Farmers learn through scaffolding and mediating tools that link everyday and scientific knowledge. They also learn from fellow farmers through observation, practising and experimentation. Some of the issues that were raised in connection with farmer learning processes are: language; time to learn, practice and appropriate concepts; time to improve the natural resource base while at the same time improving income generation; and responses to climate change. The study also found that farmer learning and practice of sustainable agriculture in the case studies investigated, is influenced by past and current agricultural and educational policies; societal values and attitudes; social and cultural backgrounds; work affordances and gender relations; quality of training offered; poverty; and, HIV and AIDS. In the second phase of the study, which built on the problematic situations being encountered by research participants (sustainable agriculture farmers, sustainable agriculture facilitators, extension workers, and organic marketers) to surface contradictions, the main finding was that the expansive learning process has potential to enhance farmer learning and practice of sustainable agriculture. It does this by mobilising distributed cognition among participants as well as their preparedness to act. Through the expansive learning processes in each case study, research participants were able to question their practices, surface contradictions, model solutions and implement them, and thus build individual, collective and relational agency reflexively. Observation of this required micro-analysis of agentive talk and reflective talk. The study contributes in-depth insight into participatory research and learning processes, especially within the context of people-centred learning and innovation in the agricultural development arena. It provides empirical and explanatory insight into how change oriented social learning can emerge and be expanded in Education for Sustainable Development, explaining learning and change relationships in three sustainable agricultural practices. It also provides learning and extension tools to work with contradictions that arise from intentionality, experience, context and history in farming and training activity systems. Its key contribution lies in providing in-depth insight into mobilisation of human agency and reflexivity in change oriented sustainable agriculture learning and development, processes that are critical for responding to contemporary socio-ecological issues and risks.

Access and use of information facilitate the improvement of agriculture in rural areas. It is therefore important to ensure that adequate and appropriate information flows to the rural areas, and that farmers are able to utilise it. This study investigated the access and use of poultry management information in three rural districts of Tanzania, namely Iringa Rural, Morogoro Rural and Mvomero. The survey method, supplemented by methodological triangulation, was used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 360 poultry farmers in the selected rural communities. Sixteen focus group discussions were conducted, in which 160 farmers participated. Twenty-two information providers were interviewed. The SPSS® software was used to analyse quantitative data, while qualitative data was analysed using content analysis. The findings indicated that poultry farmers needed information on poultry disease control, poultry protection, shelter for poultry and poultry production. There was very low identification and prioritisation of farmers’ information needs by the information providers. Farmers accessed information that had a direct impact and was deemed relevant to their farming activities. It was revealed that farmers accessed information mainly from interpersonal sources. Likewise, farmers preferred interpersonal and informal sources to formal sources of information. The extension officers were considered to be the most effective information source, followed by family, friends, and neighbours. Various factors, such as lack of awareness, unavailability of extension officers and poor infrastructure, influenced access and use of poultry management information. It was concluded that most of the information providers were not aware of the farmers’ information needs, and as a result they were not in a position to disseminate relevant information. In addition, farmers were used to an oral culture, which means that they would probably continue to depend on interpersonal sources of information, regardless of the availability of formal channels and modern sources. The study recommended several measures, including the use of multiple sources of information and delivery of information in a variety of formats, in order to accommodate various categories of farmers. The study also suggested some areas for further research. Furthermore, a model for effective dissemination of poultry management information in rural areas was proposed. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

Rural Ethiopia rolled-out a program for the establishment of farmers’ collective action groups known as ‘Farmers’ Development Groups’ (FDGs), in 2007, based on presumed common interest of smallholder farmers. Although the government trusts that FDGs fetch fast and widescale agricultural transformation as part of the participatory agricultural extension system, systematic study and evidence on what motivates smallholder farmers to act collectively, the group dynamics, long term impact and transformative potential of the agricultural extension groups is scarce. Using the expectancy-value theory in social-psychology, this study explores what drives smallholders to act collectively; their participation level and benefits in groups, particularly for women and the youth; and the extent to which farmers’ groups attain intended agricultural transformation goals of productivity and commercialization. The study collected a mix of qualitative and quantitative data in 2016, through 46 key informant interviews; 8 focus group discussions with farmers, and a survey of randomly selected 120 smallholder farmers (30 percent women) in four sample woredas (districts) of Ethiopia. The findings of the study are drawn through a content analysis, and descriptive and correlation analysis of the qualitative and quantitative data, respectively. The study findings show that social identity, and not ‘common interest’ motivates smallholder farmers to join and participate in FDGs. The study provides evidence that participation in FDGs enhances smallholder farmers’ adoption and use of agricultural technologies, where 96 and 84 percent of the farmers who received extension messages in the group on crop and livestock production, respectively, applied the message. Consequently, by 2015 more than 85 percent of the survey respondent farmers reported above 10 percent increase in crop and livestock productivity. Nevertheless, the nature of the incremental changes brought by the collective actions are not transformative, nor sustainable. Extension groups have limited contribution to commercialization of smallholders, where only 20 percent of the FDG members participate in output marketing. More so, FDGs avail limited collective opportunity for the landless youth, and married female farmers in a rural society where difference in power, status and privilege prevail. It also limits deviation of thought among the rural community. Limited access to inputs and technology; large family size; limited access to farm land; over dependence of the extension system on ‘model’ farmers and public extension agents, and poorly designed sustainability features bound the transformative potential of FDGs. The study forwards a set of five recommendations to unleash the potential of FDGs: reconsider the group design to be identity congruent; ensure inclusiveness for young and female farmers; empower and motivate voluntary group leaders; encourage collective marketing and; invest in sustainability features of the group. / Development Studies / Ph. D. (Development Studies)

The purpose of this study was to describe factors that influence the enrolment of dairy farmers to a Community Health Insurance scheme for better access to healthcare. Quantitative, descriptive, contextual, cross-sectional research was conducted and the Health Insurance for the Poor framework was used to describe these factors. Data collection was done using a structured interview guide. The sample consisted of 135 farmers who supplied milk to a dairy cooperation in western Kenya. Among the sample were respondents (n=17) who were enrolled to the Tanykina Community Healthcare Plan (TCHP). The findings revealed that lack of information and unfamiliarity with TCHP, lack of affordability and the distance from the TCHP centres might prevent farmers from registering for the Tanykina Community Healthcare Plan. Improved marketing strategies and establishing more health centres which are more accessible are among the recommendation made to increase the membership to the TCHP / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)