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  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
1

Agricultural development at the grassroots : A study of smallholders in Malawi

Kishindo, P. A. K. January 1983 (has links)
No description available.
2

Determinants of economic effeicency among smallholders cowpea farmers in South Africa : a case study of Capricorn and Waterberg Districts in Limpopo Province

Chauke, Shiluva Valentine January 2018 (has links)
Thesis (M.Sc. (Agricultural Economics)) --University of Limpopo, 2018 / Legumes are crops that are rich in protein and if households are made aware of their importance, they can be acquired at lower costs and dependency on animal proteins can also be reduced. The cowpea smallholder producers in Africa are faced with numerous challenges such as persistent pests such as aphids that reduce yields, lack of improved varieties and the inability to produce in quantities large enough to sell to local or broader markets in South Africa. The aim of this study was to examine economic efficiency of cowpea production among smallholder cowpea farmers in Capricorn and Waterberg districts of Limpopo province. The descriptive statistics indicated that interviewed farmers years of schooling ranged from 0 to 13 years, with an average of five years of attending school. Farmers’ age ranged between 33 and 78, with an average age of 61 years. The average income received on monthly basis from the overall agricultural produce was R1735.83 per farmer. The Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) results showed that the Technical Efficiency (TE) scores of cowpea farmers had a mean of 0,9588 with a minimum of 0,7500 and maximum of 1,000. This means that 95% of the farmers were technically efficient. The allocative Efficiency score ranges from a minimum of 0,4070 and a maximum of 1,000 with a mean of 0,6519. The Allocative Efficiency (AE) scores imply that farmers were not utilizing inputs. The Economic Efficiency scores ranges from a minimum of 0,3820 to 1,000 with a mean score of 0,6218. This implies that cowpea smallholder farmers were economically inefficient on average and that the cost of cowpea production for each farm could be decreased on average by approximately 38% to obtain the same level of output. The Tobit regression model found that the explanatory variables which were significant are age, educational level, primary income source, farm size, method of intercropping, purpose of growing cowpea and source of field labour. The study recommends that there is a need to provide primary education to the farmers for them to be able to measure and calculate the inputs they use and output they attain in order to improve their efficiency levels. Key words: Economic Efficiency, Smallholder Farmers and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA).
3

An assessment of the role of co-operatives in smallholder dairy production and marketing in Swaziland

Simelane, Nonjabuliso 24 June 2011 (has links)
The study investigates the role of co-operatives in smallholder dairy production and marketing in Swaziland. The study was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of cooperatives in improving production and marketing as well as in minimisation of transaction costs. Expectations were that co-operative members perform better than independent farmers in terms of production and productivity, have larger herd sizes, generate a higher income, and also incur lower transaction costs indicated by a higher quantity of milk sold. Results of the survey indicate that co-operatives play a positive role in production and marketing activities of smallholder dairy farmers, although certain developments such as provision of support programmes need to take place in order for them to make a more significant contribution. Co-operative members produce and sell higher quantities of milk (19.3% higher and 24.5% higher respectively), which is mainly attributed to provision of technical inputs. Co-operatives also provide farmers with a reliable market, although price paid is lower (35% lower) compared to that of independent farmers in the same areas. Low income is compensated by the fact that co-operative members incur lower transaction costs indicated by the lower transportation costs per unit of output, adequate access to market information through frequent visits of extension officers and regular training, as well as a lower percentage of losses incurred compared to independent farmers. Results of the study confirm the hypothesis that co-operative members perform better and incur lower transaction costs than independent farmers. Results of the regression model indicate that distance, access to market information, milk output and co-operative participation significantly influence the quantity of marketable milk, and hence contribute to lower transaction costs incurred. The results show that co-operative farmers incur lower transaction costs although they sell their milk at a lower price. Nevertheless, the fixed price effect renders co-operative farmers not susceptible to price fluctuation risks that independent farmers are faced with because of their volatile prices. The study suggests that there is a need for support programmes that will help motivate individual farmers and strengthen co-operatives, as their contribution to smallholder production and marketing is still marginal. Support programmes include provision of a supportive policy environment, infrastructure development, access to financial and credit facilities and improvement of training and extension to provide more extensive dynamic opportunities to farmers. In terms of further research, the study recommends that a similar study be undertaken in other areas of Swaziland so that the study is representative of the whole country. In addition, further research is needed on performance of dairy cooperatives to enable replication of successful co-operatives in the country which will go a long way in improvement of the dairy industry as a whole. / Dissertation (MSc(Agric))--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted
4

The commodity systems of Brassica rapa L. subsp. chinensis and Solanum retroflexum Dun. in Vhembe, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Van Averbeke, W, Tshikalangem TE, Juma, KA 05 June 2007 (has links)
Using farmer surveys the smallholder commodity systems of Brassica rapa L. subsp. chinensis and Solanum retroflexum Dun. in Vhembe District, Limpopo Province, South Africa were described and analysed. Production, transaction and consumption of the two vegetables were deeply embedded in the food, trade and farming systems of local people. The cultivation systems, which appeared effective, were developed by borrowing elements from the systems of other crops to which new knowledge specific to B. chinensis and S. retroflexum were added. Several elements of the production systems that could benefit from scientific enquiry were identified. These included genetic improvement and the optimisation of planting density and nutrient supply.
5

The Fifth Pathway to Forest Transition in the Andes: Modeling Factors That Influence Smallholder Tree Planting in Mocoties, Venezuela

Ponnambalam, Kumary 19 March 2014 (has links)
Smallholder tree planting is a pathway recognized within Forest Transition Theory (FTT), but its contributing factors are not fully explored at the household level. This study examines the effect of socio-economic and biophysical characteristics, access to extension services, land tenure, labour availability, and attitudes toward tree cover on smallholder planting and willingness to plant for environmental and economic purposes at the household level. Data was collected from 146 households in Mocoties, Merida, Venezuela. Logistic models revealed that area of property, area of productive land, presence of natural sources of water, gender of respondent, number of generations that have farmed the property, income, percent income from farming activities, land title, harvest rights, labour availability and attitudes toward tree cover have significant influence on smallholder’s tree planting and willingness to plant. Future research needs to focus on factors that affect environmentally motivated smallholder tree planting where fewer significant variables were found.
6

The Fifth Pathway to Forest Transition in the Andes: Modeling Factors That Influence Smallholder Tree Planting in Mocoties, Venezuela

Ponnambalam, Kumary 19 March 2014 (has links)
Smallholder tree planting is a pathway recognized within Forest Transition Theory (FTT), but its contributing factors are not fully explored at the household level. This study examines the effect of socio-economic and biophysical characteristics, access to extension services, land tenure, labour availability, and attitudes toward tree cover on smallholder planting and willingness to plant for environmental and economic purposes at the household level. Data was collected from 146 households in Mocoties, Merida, Venezuela. Logistic models revealed that area of property, area of productive land, presence of natural sources of water, gender of respondent, number of generations that have farmed the property, income, percent income from farming activities, land title, harvest rights, labour availability and attitudes toward tree cover have significant influence on smallholder’s tree planting and willingness to plant. Future research needs to focus on factors that affect environmentally motivated smallholder tree planting where fewer significant variables were found.
7

Social capital and climate change adaptation strategies : the case of smallholder farmers in the Central region of Ghana

Osei, Sampson January 2016 (has links)
Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / Agriculture in Ghana is dominated by smallholder farmers who are faced with unpredictable rainfall and extreme weather events. Climate modelling forecasts that the rate at which precipitation will decrease in the country is far more than the rate at which it will increase during the wet season. It is predicted that rain-fed maize output will decrease below 25 percent in all the ten regions of the country by 2020 if nothing is done. To mitigate the effect of climate change and safeguard food security, the country must undertake measures to adapt to the changing climate. The process of adaptation, therefore, involves the interdependence of agents through their relation with each other. This includes the institution in which the agents reside and the resource based on which they depend. The resource embedded in such relationship has been termed social capital. Empirical studies on social capital and climate change adaptation is lacking, especially in Ghana. Based on this, the study assesses the influence of social capital on climate change adaptation strategies among smallholder farmers in the Central region of Ghana. Both primary and secondary data were used for the study. Primary data was collected using household questionnaires, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. K-means cluster analysis was used to identify weak and strong ties and four individual social capital variables. Twenty-year maize and rainfall data were analysed using trend analysis. The influence of individual social capital and other controlled variables were analysed using Multinomial logit model. Using 225 sampled households the results of the study showed that all the four identified individual social capital variables differ by sex. The perceptions of climate change among smallholder farmers also differ significantly by location. The four individual social capital variables as well as other controlled variables influence at least one indigenous adaptation strategy and one introduced adaptation strategy. The study recommends, among others, that transfer of climate change adaptation techniques or technology to smallholder farmers should not be solely accomplished through the usual technology transfer network of agricultural researchers and extension agents. Rather, it will be imperative to increased contact with a wide variety of local actors who provide information and resources for agricultural production.
8

The diversity of smallholder wool production and its marketing aspects : a case study at Xume, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Nkonki, Busisiwe 22 September 2008 (has links)
Small-scale wool production at Xume is marked by diversity in technical features and marketing aspects. This study presents the typology case study conducted at Xume, a rural area of Tsomo in the Intsika Yethu Local Municipality. The objective of the study is to identify traits of the diverse wool production and marketing conditions and to make recommendations regarding development support in areas that need it. The overall goal of the study, as part of the LandCare Programme, is to generate knowledge on wool production by the people of Xume, their practices and conditions that might increase their sources of income. A household classification tree was constructed to differentiate wool producers into those that reared sheep with the purpose of generating income (significant and non-significant) and those that kept sheep with no purpose of generating income. From the classification tree a typology was generated. The typology yielded three types of wool producers namely, sheep keepers, wool growers and commercial woolgrowers. Descriptive statistics were used to explain each type and to see the extent of variability among types. Gross margins indicated that the enterprises had a potential and success was possible for the commercial woolgrowers. Results indicate the following: • sustainability of resource use is the key to successful wool production at Xume. • community involvement is vital in sustaining resource use. • veterinary control is also important in wool production. • wool quality accompanied by skills training is also an important aspect that needs to be given attention after the sustainability of resource use is established. • development initiatives should consider complexity, dynamism, and diversity of farming situation at Xume by continuously reviewing rules and regulations set by the community as part of social capital. • wool production and marketing can create financial stability at Xume through creating jobs. • lastly, it is very important that typology be reviewed regularly in order to commodate changes and developments that take place over time. / Dissertation (MInstAgrar (Agricultural Economics))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted
9

A critical analysis of agricultural contracts with smallholder farmers in South Africa : a case study of Winterveld region

Banda, Killian 14 February 2013 (has links)
Contractual arrangements have been viewed as institutional arrangements ideal for improved market access for smallholder farmers. However, certain questions remain unanswered, such as whether the smallholder farmers benefit from them and how? Do contractual arrangements empower smallholder farmers or not? And do contractual arrangements lead to improved gross farm incomes for smallholder farmers or not? From these questions, three hypotheses were developed and tested, which are: Contracting lowers smallholder farmers' market price risk and therefore improves market access; contracting improves smallholder farmers' farm incomes; and contracting improves smallholder farmers' capacity to access external resources (financial credit, technical and extension services). This thesis characterised agricultural contractual arrangements in the Winterveld region, which ranged from implicit to explicit contracting. These contractual arrangements were characterised based on the general description of the contractual arrangement, the nature of the contract (formal or informal), contract negotiation, price discovery and payment structure, responsibilities of the contracting firm and farmers, contract enforcement and conflict resolution and opportunities and threats associated with the contractual arrangement. The study used a case study approach and interviewed a total of 50 smallholder farmers and three agribusiness companies. Most of the data were qualitative in nature with significant quantitative data on prices and yields. Only smallholder farmers who were actively involved in marketing their produce for the season 2009/2010 were interviewed, using a structured questionnaire. Agribusiness companies were interviewed us1ng semi -structured questionnaires. The technique of triangulation was employed to validate data from the three primary data sources, which were key informants, smallholder farmers· and agribusinesses transacting with Winterveld smallholder farmers. Literature on contract farming was explored and the main objective of the study was to show how contractual arrangements affect smallholder farmers and how best can they be used to mainstream smallholder farmers into formal agricultural markets. Results from the qualitative analysis showed that non-land assets endowment are sources of pre-selection bias and in some cases are determinants of being contracted. However there was no positive relationship between owning non-land assets and contracting. Some contractual arrangements, like the marketing specification public tenders' contractual arrangement, are well designed to minimise farmers' price risk. However, others, like the marketing specification valencia contractual arrangement, do expose farmers to market price risk. There was a significant difference in farm gross incomes between contracted and noncontracted farmers. It is however so that there were different levels of skills, management and enterprise mix between them. In some cases, for instance in the marketing specification valencia contract and marketing specification leafy vegetables and navels contracts, contracting does enable farmers to access external resources. However, having access to external resources also depended on the farmers' innovativeness and social networks and the information available to them. From these results, the thesis concluded that contractual arrangements are not a panacea for improving smallholder farmers' market access, therefore other alternative marketing channels for smallholder farmers have to be explored. Market outlets such as hawkers had very low transaction costs, which makes it easier for smallholder farmers to enter such market channels, but there is very low public support in such market channels. Furthermore, it is not always the case that contracting prices are superior to other prices in alternative markets. Some farmers in non-contractual arrangements in some cases realised superior prices for their produce. Based on the study findings, this thesis proposes key government interventions in eliminating information asymmetries and development of a public framework on contracting where necessary. Information asymmetries in particular can be reduced by deployment of effective and well trained agricultural extension personnel in smallholder farming areas. Also, a public framework on contracting reduces information asymmetries as well as guarding against unfair business practices against smallholder farmers. Furthermore, due to the heterogeneous nature of produce from smallholder farmers, exploration of urban supply chains characterised by cultural diversity and low income consumers might result in improved market access for smallholder farmers. The thesis also proposes further research on the policy environment in which agricultural contracting takes place in South Africa. This could help in creating better policies which may foster increased formal market access by smallholder farmers. Copyright / Dissertation (MSc(Agric))--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted
10

Farmers’ strategies and modes of operation in smallholder irrigation schemes in South Africa : a case study of Mamuhohi Irrigation Scheme in Limpopo Province

Mudau, Khathutshelo Seth 26 October 2010 (has links)
This study was undertaken at a smallholder irrigation scheme in the previously disadvantaged rural area of Mamuhohi in the Limpopo Province. Like other smallholder irrigation schemes in South Africa, Mamuhohi Irrigation Scheme has not performed particularly well. The expectations of interveners like politicians, development agencies and planners have not been realised in smallholder irrigation schemes. Constraints faced by smallholder farmers include a history of dependency; the high costs of mechanisation; the absence of credit, inputs, and output markets; insecure land tenure; “hedgehog behaviour” among smallholders; lack of funding; and poor management and maintenance of infrastructure. The White Paper on Agriculture (NDA, 1995) clearly set out government‘s intention to withdraw subsidies previously enjoyed by farmers and to ensure that the real costs of natural resources are reflected in the pricing of resources in order to discourage abuse. This resulted in the enacting of laws like the new National Water Act of 1998 (DWAF, 1998), aimed at sustainable water management. This included the rehabilitation of infrastructure prior to transfer, and the establishment of water users’ associations amongst farmers, which were to take over ownership and collective management of the schemes. The overall objective of the study was therefore to assess the sustainability and, more specifically, the economic viability of smallholder irrigation schemes in South Africa in the context of irrigation transfer. Hypothesis to be tested: <ul> The behaviour of smallholder farmers is diverse and is reflected in the way in which they view farming and engage in agricultural practices. </ul> The study also sought to indicate the existence of diversity in the smallholder irrigation scheme, by exposing different types of smallholder farmers within the scheme. This information should be of great importance in assisting smallholder farmers regarding issues of their own development. The findings will also help to curb the generalisation of developers’ perceptions regarding smallholder irrigation farmers. Smallholder irrigation farmers are feeling the full impact of the withdrawal of government assistance from the irrigation schemes, which have deteriorated to a state of partial collapse. A great need among farmers remains the rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure, which would enable them to farm their land. As indicated earlier, the study found that diverse types of smallholder farmers exist within the irrigation scheme. This indicates that appropriate information in this regard is important for government in the formulation of policies aimed at the development of such farmers. Through this study, four types of smallholder farmers were identified within the same irrigation scheme. The methodology applied in achieving the aforementioned outputs pursued a specific sequence, starting with the formulation of questions. The particular study area was chosen due to the likelihood of the presence of different types of farmers that could be identified through the study. A list of the names of smallholders and other key information was provided by the local agricultural office. This assisted with the identification of people to be interviewed. The preliminary interviews were conducted with a sample size of 25 farmers and were aimed at gaining a better understanding of the people within the study area. The questionnaire used during these interviews contained open-ended questions that allowed respondents to express their views and make suggestions. This led to the development of a questionnaire consisting of closed-ended questions, aimed at eliciting responses that were relevant to the purpose of the survey. The questions were also as simple as possible to ensure that they would be clearly understood by both the interviewer and the respondents. About four weeks were spent in trying to understand the real setup of the study area and the lifestyle of the local community. The second step in the methodological sequence was the collection of data from 60 farmers. These interviews were conducted with the assistance of two extension officers. It was not possible to interview all the farmers at once, and it took about two weeks to interview all 60 farmers. Fortunately, the farmers were extremely co-operative throughout the entire interview process. The third step in the methodological sequence was the processing of the data collected during the interviews. The typology here was developed by means of qualitative analysis and had to be refined over a period of time to ensure a valid typology of farmers. This necessitated the use of other data analysis tools, which ultimately contributed towards the classification of farmers according to different types. Four types of farmers were eventually identified, namely: Highly intensive maize growers; Vegetable growers; Diversified maize growers; and Intensive diversified growers. Lastly, the conclusion that can be drawn from the research is that any attempt to develop smallholder irrigation farmers requires an understanding of their diversity – hence this study’s intention to identify, in a scientific manner, the existence of such diversity. Understanding diversity amongst farmers also requires an understanding of the different strategies that farmers employ to ensure their livelihood. This means that both the socio-economic and institutional setting of such farmers must be understood. / Dissertation (MInstAgrar)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

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