Food Security Among Small-Scale Agricultural Producers in Southern Africa

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josephine Phillip Msangi
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Agricultural Producers

scholarly journals The timing of agricultural production in hazard-prone areas to prevent losses at peak-risk periods: A case of Malawi, Madagascar and Mozambique

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leandri Kruger
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Residual Moisture ◽  
Resilient Communities ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

Hazard-prone areas in southern Africa experience many natural hazards, which include cyclones, floods and droughts. The severe climatic conditions of southern Africa have an especially large impact on the agricultural practices of small-scale farmers. These hazards should be mitigated to ensure more resilient communities and food security. This study mainly focuses on the timing of agricultural production in hazard-prone areas to prevent losses at peak-risk periods by adapting the agricultural cycle. This study focuses on the agricultural activities of small-scale farmers in Malawi, Madagascar and Mozambique. A literature review is presented, and a mixed-method research design were followed to determine the timing of production followed by these small-scale farmers and its impact on production and food security. Although this study found that the small-scale farmers generally plant with the first rains, it is recommended by literature that early planting should be practised to ensure optimal production. It is also recommended that small-scale farmers should implement watermanagement techniques for dry periods, and when farmers practice late planting, the use of residual-moisture retention should be utilised as a mitigation measure. This will in effect ensure that the communities are less vulnerable during peak-risk periods by improving or ensuring food security. Therefore, adapting the planting and production time in these hazardprone areas at peak-risk periods could limit losses and increase communities’ resilience.

scholarly journals Emerging potato pathogens affecting food security in southern Africa: Recent research

2020 ◽  
Vol 116 (11/12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacquie E. van der Waals ◽  
Kerstin Krüger
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Soft Rot ◽  
Developing Nations ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Management Options

Potato is a staple crop that contributes to food security and poverty alleviation in developing nations. Despite this, yields in developing nations are often unsustainably low, due to various biotic and abiotic factors that negatively affect production. Some of the most important biotic constraints are pathogens, many of which are disseminated by seed tubers. The lack of functional or formal seed certification systems in many southern African countries results in a continual increase in pathogen pressure. Short rotation cycles, poor plant nutrition and inefficient control measures exacerbate the crop production challenges faced by resource poor growers. In this review, we discuss five of the most important diseases on potatoes in southern Africa, namely late blight, bacterial wilt, soft rot / blackleg, powdery scab and zebra chip. Management options for small-scale growers are provided.

scholarly journals Smallholder Goat Production in Southern Africa: A Review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gracinda Andre Mataveia ◽  
Carina Visser ◽  
Alcides Sitoe
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Phenotypic Diversity ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Liquid Form ◽  
Traditional Production ◽  
Communal Areas

Goats play a crucial role in improved livelihoods and food security in Africa. Indigenous and locally developed types exhibit a wide range of phenotypic diversity, but are commonly well adapted to the harsh environment in which they need to survive and produce. They have various functions in communities in developing countries, from providing food security to being a liquid form of cash and playing a role in ceremonial occasions. The Southern African goat population exceeds 35 million animals, most of which are kept in small-scale traditional production systems in communal areas. These traditional production systems are characterised by informal, lowly-skilled labour, small numbers of animals and limited resources. Most goats are part of mixed crop-livestock systems, where different livestock species and crop farming compliment one another. The productivity and offtake from these animals are relatively low. Some goats form part of agropastoral production systems, with marginally higher management and resource inputs. Both of these systems are dependent on a high degree of variability where the keepers/farmers can exploit various resources as and when necessary. Goats possess a range of adaptive mechanisms that enable them to deal with harsh and challenging environments, making them the ideal species for use in these production systems. This chapter aims to provide background information on the current smallholder management practices of goat keepers in Southern Africa.

Assessment of Food Security Early Warning Systems for East and Southern Africa

10.1596/29269 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ademola Braimoh ◽  
Bernard Manyena ◽  
Grace Obuya ◽  
Francis Muraya
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Early Warning ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Warning Systems

Exploring the South African Government Communication on Land Expropriation without Compensation

2020 ◽  
Vol 72 (1-3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lungisani Moyo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Food Security ◽  
South African ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
South African Government ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
The South ◽  
Land Expropriation ◽  
African Government ◽  
Government Communication

ABSTRACT This paper used qualitative methodology to explore the South African government communication and land expropriation without compensation and its effects on food security using Alice town located in the Eastern Cape Province South Africa as its case study. This was done to allow the participants to give their perceptions on the role of government communication on land expropriation without compensation and its effects on South African food security. In this paper, a total population of 30 comprising of 26 small scale farmers in rural Alice and 4 employees from the Department of Agriculture (Alice), Eastern Cape, South Africa were interviewed to get their perception and views on government communications and land expropriation without compensation and its effects on South African food security. The findings of this paper revealed that the agricultural sector plays a vital role in the South African economy hence there is a great need to speed up transformation in the sector.

scholarly journals Impact of Adopting Improved Seeds on Access to Broader Food Groups Among Small-Scale Sorghum Producers in Tanzania

SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 215824402097999
Author(s):  
Aloyce R. Kaliba ◽  
Anne G. Gongwe ◽  
Kizito Mazvimavi ◽  
Ashagre Yigletu
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Inverse Probability Weighting ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Probability Weighting ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Inverse Probability ◽  
Double Robust

In this study, we use double-robust estimators (i.e., inverse probability weighting and inverse probability weighting with regression adjustment) to quantify the effect of adopting climate-adaptive improved sorghum varieties on household and women dietary diversity scores in Tanzania. The two indicators, respectively, measure access to broader food groups and micronutrient and macronutrient availability among children and women of reproductive age. The selection of sample households was through a multistage sampling technique, and the population was all households in the sorghum-producing regions of Central, Northern, and Northwestern Tanzania. Before data collection, enumerators took part in a 1-week training workshop and later collected data from 822 respondents using a structured questionnaire. The main results from the study show that the adoption of improved sorghum seeds has a positive effect on both household and women dietary diversity scores. Access to quality food groups improves nutritional status, food security adequacy, and general welfare of small-scale farmers in developing countries. Agricultural projects that enhance access to improved seeds are, therefore, likely to generate a positive and sustainable effect on food security and poverty alleviation in sorghum-producing regions of Tanzania.

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