Dairy farmers’ knowledge and perception of climate change in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa

Purpose This study aims to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of dairy farmers about climate change in dairy farms in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Design/methodology/approach The study was conducted following a cross-sectional research design (Bryman, 2012). The study was conducted mainly on dairy farms located on the south-eastern part of the Eastern Cape province in five districts out of the province’s six districts (Figure 1). These districts include Amathole, Chris Hani, OR Tambo and Cacadu; these regions were not included in a recent surveying study (Galloway et al., 2018). Findings In all, 71.7% of dairy farm workers heard about climate change from the television, and 60.4% of participants reported that they gathered information from radio. Eighty-two out of 106 (77.4%) correctly indicated that climate change is a significant long-term change in expected weather patterns over time, and almost 10% of the study participants had no clue about climate change. Approximately 63% of the respondents incorrectly referred to climate change as a mere hotness or coldness of the day, whereas the remainder of participants correctly refuted that definition of climate change. Most of the study participants correctly mentioned that climate change has an influence on dairy production (92.5%), it limits the dairy cows’ productivity (69.8%) and that dry matter intake of dairy cows is reduced under higher temperatures (75.5%). Research limitations/implications The use of questionnaire to gather data limits the study, as respondents relied on recall information. Also, the sample size and study area limits use of the study as an inference for the excluded parts of the Eastern Cape Province. Also, it focused only on dairy farm workers and did not request information from beef farmers. Practical implications This study imply that farmers without adequate knowledge of the impact of climate change keep complaining of a poor yield/ animal productivity and changing pattern of livestock diseases. Hence, a study such as the present one helps to bridge that gap and provide relevant governing authority the needed evidence for policy changes and intervention. Social implications Farmers will begin to get help from the government regarding climate change. Originality/value This a first study in South Africa seeking to document the knowledge of dairy farm workers about climate change and its impacts on productivity.

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Dairy farm-workers’ knowledge of factors responsible for culling and mortality in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Tropical Animal Health and Production ◽

10.1007/s11250-021-02845-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 53 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Yanga Simamkele Diniso ◽

Ishmael Festus Jaja

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cows ◽

Dairy Farm ◽

Farm Workers ◽

Pass Rate ◽

Eastern Cape Province ◽

Eastern Cape ◽

Sources Of Information ◽

Contributing Factors ◽

Milk Fever ◽

Level Of Knowledge

AbstractMilk serves as a significant source of protein for many families and aids in combating food insecurity. However, the demand for milk and milk-related products far exceeds the supply. The objective of the study was to evaluate dairy farm-workers’ knowledge of factors responsible for culling and mortality of dairy cows in the Eastern Cape Province. Data was collected from 106 dairy farm-workers using a questionnaire. Any correctly answered question by the majority amounted to a point and a zero for incorrectly answered questions. Correct answering by the majority to more than half the questions of a subsection amounted to a pass. A less than 50% pass rate was considered a poor level of knowledge, 51–69% pass rate was considered an average level of knowledge, and anything higher than that was considered a good level of knowledge. Most farm-workers (66.0%) relied on their colleagues for dairy health information. Most dairy farm-workers (49.1%) indicated that lameness, milk fever (56.6%), and mastitis (47.2%) do not lead to culling and mortality of dairy cows. A majority (83%) of farm-workers agreed that reproduction problems, poor milk yield (77.3%), and age (81.1%) are the main reasons for culling dairy cows. The participants had varying perceptions and limited knowledge (28.3%) about the major contributing factors of culling and mortality. The lack of training courses and minimal use of other sources of information such as the internet might contribute to this poor knowledge and perceptions.

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Assessment of alternative building technologies (ABT) for pre-tertiary school infrastructure delivery in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Management of Environmental Quality An International Journal ◽

10.1108/meq-06-2018-0111 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 30 (5) ◽

pp. 1152-1170

Author(s):

Ngxito Bonisile ◽

Kahilu Kajimo-Shakantu ◽

Akintayo Opawole

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Empirical Evidence ◽

Conventional Method ◽

Environmental Sustainability ◽

Questionnaire Survey ◽

Eastern Cape Province ◽

Eastern Cape ◽

Content Type ◽

Educational Infrastructure ◽

Policy Responses

Purpose Anecdotal evidence indicates that there is a backlog in the pre-tertiary school infrastructure in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The purpose of this paper is to assess the adoption of alternative building technologies (ABT) for pre-tertiary educational infrastructure delivery with a view to providing empirical evidence that could guide policy responses towards its wider adoption. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a mixed methodology approach. This comprises a triangulation of a questionnaire survey and interviews. In total, 100 participants were randomly selected from 182 built environment professionals namely quantity surveyors, architects and engineers (electrical, mechanical, civil and structural) from the Department of Roads and Public Works (DRPW), who are currently involved in the Eastern Cape School Building Program (ECSBP). The questionnaire survey was supplemented by semi-structured interviews conducted with four top government officials (three from the Department of Education (DoE) and one from DRPW) who were also part of the questionnaire survey. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and phenomenological interpretation respectively. Findings The key findings showed that the level of adoption of ABT for pre-tertiary school infrastructure in the Eastern Cape province is primarily influenced and explained by perceptions that ABT offers inferior quality products compared to the conventional method, and limited awareness of its benefits. Research limitations/implications The study provides useful insights into the implications of the limited awareness of ABT as a an alternative technology for educational infrastructure delivery and policy responses towards its wider adoption and environmental sustainability. Originality/value Empirical evidence from this study indicates that the main motivation for the adoption of ABT is the limited government’s budget to cope with school infrastructural backlog, while environmental sustainability benefit is only secondary. Nonetheless, the realization that the backlogs in the provision of school infrastructure has resulted from sole reliance on the use of the conventional method is an indication of the potential that the adoption of ABT holds for minimizing of the backlog.

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Assessment of food security among households in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

International Journal of Social Economics ◽

10.1108/ijse-07-2016-0187 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 45 (1) ◽

pp. 2-17 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ebenezer Toyin Megbowon ◽

Abbyssinia Mushunje

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Food Security ◽

Poisson Regression ◽

Dietary Diversity ◽

Eastern Cape Province ◽

Eastern Cape ◽

Food Groups ◽

Content Type ◽

Dietary Diversity Score ◽

Household Dietary Diversity

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze food security status and its determinants among households in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Design/methodology/approach The analysis is based on the General Household Survey which was conducted in 2014 where 3,033 households were sampled from the province. Specifically, this study examines the determinants of food security proxy by dietary diversity (24-hour recall) using descriptive statistics, Poisson regression. A frequency count of food groups consumed household dietary diversity score was used as the explained variable. Findings The descriptive analysis shows that, although 61.7 percent of households in the study area have a high dietary diversity score, however, food group giving micronutrients are less consumed as food groups having cereals (maize), beef, sugar and oil was mostly consumed. Results on the marginal effect of Poisson regression indicate that household head characteristics (age, gender, education, marital status, and employment status), pension receiving households and geographical location significantly influence household dietary diversity. Originality/value This study advocates for the intensification of rural development and food security programs, formal and informal education for household heads, female empowerment and dietary enlightenment for households in order to promote the consumption of diverse diets and more healthful food groups.

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Cultural innovation, aspirations and success among smallholders in former homelands of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa

International Journal of Social Economics ◽

10.1108/ijse-05-2018-0226 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 47 (3) ◽

pp. 404-422

Author(s):

Siphe Zantsi ◽

Gabriele Mack ◽

Stefan Mann

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Peer Review ◽

South African ◽

Land Reform ◽

Eastern Cape Province ◽

Eastern Cape ◽

Theoretical Frameworks ◽

Content Type ◽

Cultural Innovation ◽

Commercial Farms

PurposeAfter unsuccessful attempts of South African governments to carry out a land reform that distributes farmland more justly, this study aims to undertake a stronger segmentation of potential beneficiaries for a better targeting of future reforms.Design/methodology/approachA theoretical model has been developed along the axes of cultural innovation and aspirations that identifies the segment of current smallholders who would most likely relocate to become commercial farmers in the future. A survey among smallholders in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa confirms the approach.FindingsA number of indicators can be identified, particularly for cultural innovation, that predict willingness to relocate to a region where commercial farms can be managed.Originality/valueThe importance of cultural innovation has been neglected both in theoretical frameworks and in practical concepts of land reform.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-05-2018-0226

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