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.

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.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / Climate Change (CC) is arguably the most pressing topic of our modern society. The acceleration in magnitude and frequency of climate variability associated with it, along with the overall change of climate patterns threatens to push their adaptive capacity to breaking point, hinting at the significant impact that CC will have on the livelihoods of small-scale farmers of the developing world, and on South Africa in particular. This research project aims to investigate how local knowledge and agriculture-based coping practices of small-scale farmers of the Ebenhaeser community are adapted to deal with and attempt to reduce the vulnerability of their livelihood strategies to CC. This illustrative study followed a qualitative methodology, using qualitative data collection (in-depth and semistructured interviews, as well as special focus group discussions) and analysis (thematic ordering) methods to fulfil its aim. This study revealed that local farmers were able to identify changes in climate which were hazardous to their livelihoods and that they have been developing coping practices in response the CC. Furthermore, this analysis showed that local small-scale farmers used their local body of knowledge as a basis for the development of these coping practices, and that this local knowledge base itself has been affected by CC. An important finding of this study was the extent to which local social, historic, economic, political and physical conditions influence the sensitivity and adaptive capacity of the smallscale farmers of the Ebenhaeser community. The findings of this study opened our eyes to the realities of CC and its impacts on and adaptation efforts of small-scale farmers of the Ebenhaeser community. The study show ed that unless these issues are addressed in a comprehensive and holistic manner, there is no real prospect of sustainable, long-term CC adaption solutions for the small-scale farmers of this area, and conceivably none for many more rural communities in South Africa.

Primary animal health care (PAHC) programs are aimed at the provision of basic animal health services at local level. No single approach has emerged as the one of choice. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of training using the PAHC model developed by Afrivet Training Service, on the skills of small scale rural farmers. Seventy nine farmers were selected randomly from Makapanstad, Ratjiepane and Mnisi area using a statistical software EpiCalc 2000 v1.02. The selected farmers were assessed for knowledge and skills with background information collected prior to a 5 day training session. Data was captured using Microsoft Excel and analysed using Stata 12.1. Means were compared using participant’s t-test or ANOVA while the proportions were compared using Fisher’s exact test. The statistical significance was assessed at p < 0.05. The findings prior to training indicated that complete data was available for 77 participants, of which the majority were adult males with age of mean±SD of 49±18.2 years. The average herd size was 12±14.1 cattle. There was a significant involvement of youth and females at 31% and 32% respectively. The unemployment rate amongst participants was 91%. Farmers perceived clinical services as being unaffordable. Most of the participants (79%) preferred to treat a sick animal themselves or seek advice from the neighbouring farmers as compared to 21% who approached a veterinary professional for assistance. Lack of knowledge, poor access to products and poor communication between farmers and veterinary officials was identified. Post-training assessment indicated that farmers gained skills to observe, examine and treat; implement preventative measures independently. There was a better understanding of the farmers’ role in the provision of animal health care. There was no significant difference in overall skill level between the various age groups, level of education and farming experience. There were differences between the genders in the acquisition of specific skills during the training, with females performing better in data recording while males were more skilled at determining temperature using a thermometer. The conclusion is that the training model used had a positive impact on the ability of the participants to provide first-line animal health care and keep records. A modified, standardised method to evaluate knowledge before and after training is proposed for future studies. Further studies are also required to evaluate the impact of the training on animal health and production, food security and socio-economic impact. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Production Animal Studies / unrestricted

The aim of this study was to investigate the factors affecting the survivability of goat kids to weaning, in a small-scale communal grazing system. Goat kids are the most vulnerable component of communal goat flocks and increasing their survival could increase productivity. Some of the main factors which contributed towards kid survivability were evaluated and ranked and cost benefit analysis was done. Initially 20 farmers in Jericho District, North West Province, were subjected to a structured interview. The mean age of farmers was 68.9 years and the mean number of does was 11. Thirteen farmers remained in the trial throughout and were visited once a month. The average number of does for farmers remained in the trial was 13. Body condition scores of does were estimated, kids were weighed, faecal samples were collected and the veld evaluated. Management and socio-economic aspects were observed and informal discussions were conducted with farmers. Goat housing was evaluated using a housing checklist. Monthly precipitation and temperature data were recorded. Survivability to weaning of 63% of kids was recorded from the total number of kids born (131) from 170 does of the 13 farmers who remained in the trial. The flocks of goats examined were parasitised by Haemonchus contortus, Trichuris globulosa, Coccidia as well as Moniezia. Although faecal egg counts were relatively low, there was a significant correlation with kid mortalities. Three of the six goats submitted for necropsy also died of internal parasites. The species of ticks were Amblyoma, Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus spp. Lice species found were identified as Bovicola caprae, Bovicola limbatus and Linognathus africanus using scanning electron microscopy. Flea infestation was observed in three flocks, the flea species was identified as Ctenocephalides felis felis. Management was found to be suboptimal and in 92.31% of flocks, housing was inadequate. Build-up of faeces and poor drainage probably contributed to internal parasites. Other factors such as climate and feeding could not be correlated to kid mortalities. Cost benefit analysis suggested that strategic de-worming and improvement of hygiene and drainage in the housing would be the most affordable and effective way to reduce mortalities in kids. / Dissertation (MSc (Veterinary Sciences))--University of Pretoria, 2002. / Paraclinical Sciences / unrestricted

Magister Philosophiae (Land and Agrarian Studies) - MPhil(LAS) / As a means to assuage historical land inequities, resultant socio-economic disparities and poverty alleviation, the Namibian Government undertook to reform the land sector. Guided by the Constitution and the Resolutions of the 1991 Land Conference policy and legal framework, a fractured consensus is built on the rationale to redistribute land to a targeted group. Parallel to the reform agenda, systemic challenges to the resettlement process are growing amid questions on Government’s ability to respond to sustainable programme objectives embedded within land reforms. Literature coalesces on the issues of land-reform programmes having lost direction, being skewed in favour of a few, being biased towards commercial agriculture, and requiring review and re-configuration to be inclusive and to satisfy equity and poverty-alleviation concerns.

A field trial was conducted to test the anthelmintic effect of a single dose of 4g of copper oxide wire particles (COWP) in bolus form in indigenous goats belonging to small scale communal farmers in three areas in the Bergville district of Kwa-Zulu Natal Province, South Africa namely Dukuza, Ogade and Hoffenthal. Faecal egg counts (FECs) determined by both the McMaster and Pitchford–Visser methods, FAMACHA / Dissertation (MSc (Veterinary Tropical Diseases))--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Veterinary Tropical Diseases / unrestricted

Thesis (M. Sc. Agriculture (Agricultural Economics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / Small-scale farmers are the drivers of many countries in Africa and play an important role in livelihood creation among the poor in rural areas (DAFF, 2012). The efficient use of scarce resources in promoting agricultural production has encouraged a considerable amount of research in determining efficiency differentials of small-scale farmers (Chiona, 2011); especially those engaged in maize as a staple commodity in many parts of the world. The study examined the effect of access to tractor service on technical efficiency of small-scale maize farmers following the implementation of the Masibuyele Emasimini programme in the Mpumalanga province. The objectives of the study were to: (i) Compare and identify the socio-economic characteristics of small-scale maize farmers in the three selected districts of the study, (ii) analyse the socio-economic factors influencing small-scale maize farmers’ access to tractor service, and to (iii) measure technical efficiency of farmers who have access to tractor service. The data collection was carried out in three districts of the Mpumalanga province, that is, Ehlanzeni, Nkangala and Gert Sibande. Farmers producing maize were purposively selected for the study because maize is the most staple food produced in the province, especially on a small-scale level. To effectively cover the study area, a simple random technique was used for sampling with a semi-structured questionnaire administered to 101 farmers. The three districts are heterogeneous in technical aspects, and were therefore treated separately in terms of data collection, analysis and report of findings. The data were further analysed using descriptive statistics, the logistic regression and Cobb-Douglas production function model to address objective one, two and three mentioned above, respectively. The results of the logistic regression model indicated that out of the 9 (Nine) socio-economic variables included in the analysis, 6 (Six) of them (Farmer’s association, irrigation, farmer’s level of education, gender, ownership of land and household size) were found to be significant and influencing access to v tractor service by small-scale maize farmers. Technical efficiency levels revealed that farmers with access to tractor service were more technically efficient than those without access in all districts of the Mpumalanga province. For example, the average technical efficiency for small-scale farmers with access to tractor service in the Ehlanzeni district was 0.68; about 41% higher than those without access with an average technical efficiency of about 0.27. The Cobb-Douglas results on the other hand, revealed that farmers in the Mpumalanga province are experiencing technical inefficiency in maize production due to decreasing returns to scale. Access to tractor service was also negatively insignificant towards maize production in both the Ehlanzeni and Nkangala district, and was found to have a positive but insignificant effect in Gert Sibande. Policy implications are that to improve the efficiency of tractor service (rendered by the Masibuyele Emasimini programme) towards maize production; government should focus on significant factors influencing the access of the following by small-scale maize farmers and the factors are machinery, irrigation, gender, and ownership of land, farmer’s level of education, farmer’s association, and household and land size per district. / National Research Foundation (NRF)

In most of the developing countries, small scale farmers (SSFs) are usually the primary agricultural producers of staple crop. Furthermore, they highly depend on rainfall for their rain-fed agricultural production. SSFs have limited capacity to adapt to extreme climate variability, thus rendering them to be among the most vulnerable to climate change. Some recent studies show that agricultural production and productivity is being negatively impacted by climate change and variability in most parts of Southern Africa. This is likely to continue for decades into the future, unless corrective or adaptation measures are implemented to reduce the impact on agriculture. Conservation Agriculture (CA) is one of the climate change and weather variability adaptation measures being promoted for SSFs in Kalomo District of Zambia. CA is not only being promoted to improve production and productivity for food security for the majority rural population, but also as an adaptation measure for sustainable agricultural production. The present study analysed the CA practices being promoted in Kalomo district of southern Zambia and the associated challenges in the management and implementation, as well as, how best these challenges can be addressed. Semi-structured interviews and literature review were used as methodologies of data collection for the study. The findings of the study indicate that among the three principles of CA, minimum tillage is mostly practiced compared to crop rotation and retention of crop residue. Within minimum tillage, ripping was found to be practiced on a larger scale compared to making basins. The major challenges include planning and human resource development, financial resource and policy constraints and cultural barriers to adoption of CA.

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Development Studies in the Department of Anthropology and Development Studies at the University of Zululand, 2018 / This study analyses the effects of institutional gaps on food security in rural households in the uThungulu District of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study found that inadequate access to and low production of food was common in poor households. When compared to other African countries, the South African Government is seen to have established sound policies aimed at eradicating food insecurity in historically disadvantaged communities, inter alia, by reprioritising public spending. However, these policies have not been well implemented, resulting in an increase in the number of food-insecure people in the country, irrespective of food availability. In this study, participants comprised community members aged 20 years and above (n=147), nine key informants and focus groups (n=11). Questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussions were used to obtain data related to the institutional gaps that contributed to food insecurity. Both content and statistical analysis was used to realise the study objectives. The results of the study showed that participants had to contend with numerous challenges in sustaining their community development projects towards achieving food security and received only limited support from various institutions. In general, communities with a poor socio-economic profile are vulnerable to food insecurity because their low status denies them access to credit provision, skills and information. In the uThungulu District, agriculture was widely practised as a strategy to eradicate food insecurity: crop farming particularly, in the form of community and home gardens, was undertaken, but very few participants engaged in livestock farming. The study revealed that the issue of land access and ownership compromised rural production. Rural business people had inadequate knowledge of how to participate and compete in the market. The study’s results also showed that local municipalities’ services were often politically aligned and politicians as heads of institutions made poor, top-down decisions that did not meet the needs of poor people. Local municipalities were mostly dependent on governmental funding which was limited. Furthermore, governmental institutions themselves were faced with challenges, including inadequate staff, capacity and skills to serve communities satisfactorily. The study concluded that while South Africa as a nation was food secure, households – particularly in rural areas – were not yet free from food insecurity. Food in/security is a multi-sectoral issue that needs to be tackled by all institutions and sectors and should not be aligned with the agricultural sector only. It is recommended that the government should improve food security policies, determine methods of financing rural entrepreneurs and small-scale farmers and expand the institutions committed to rural food security programmes. It also needs to provide training in entrepreneurial skills and assist and empower poor people to adopt modern farming practices which include intensifying livestock production. Policies and strategies to alleviate food insecurity need to be analysed and improved as a matter of urgency. Further research should investigate and monitor the implementation of food security interventions in rural areas. / National Institute For the Humanities and Social Sciences Scholarship