scholarly journals Socio-economic characteristics influencing small-scale farmers' level of knowledge on climate-smart agriculture in mahikeng local municipality, North West province, South Africa

Author(s):  
K.L. Setshedi ◽  
S. Modirwa

ABSTRACT The aim of the study was to identify knowledge gaps and the level of knowledge on climate-smart agriculture among small-scale farmers in Mahikeng Local Municipality. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 170 respondents from a population size of1449. A descriptive and quantitative research design was used for this study. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse data. Most respondents were males, married, had high school education and farming experience of more than 20 years. Livestock farming, was found to be the main agricultural activity amongst the respondents. Knowledge test statements revealed that, respondents had a low level of knowledge about climate-smart agriculture. Age, access to climate information, farm income per month and access to off-farm income had statistically significant relationships with respondents' level of knowledge on climate-smart agriculture. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that, there should be training and education activities which should be implemented to assist small-scale farmers in Mahikeng Local Municipality in increasing their knowledge on climate-smart agriculture. Keywords: Climate-smart agriculture, Knowledge, Small-scale farmers, Socio-economic characteristics

2004 ◽  
Vol 33 ◽  
pp. 117-132
Author(s):  
R.T. Paterson ◽  
F. Rojas

In the Bolivian Department of Santa Cruz, the Provinces of Sara and Ichilo lie some 100 km North-West of the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, where they occupy an area of about 21,000 km2. Most of the region is a flat, alluvial plain, 350-450 m above sea level, with young soils prone to localized, seasonal waterlogging, although the land becomes undulating and rises to 800 m as it approaches the foothills of the Andes to the west. The soils are moderately fertile with pH values often in the range of 4.5 to 5.5.


2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gbigbi Theophilus Miebi

The study was carried out to investigate the factors that affect small scale farmers to access fund and utilized for greater efficiency in production in Delta State, Nigeria. The logit model was used to analyze the data. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used for the study. Charts were used to analyze the socioeconomic characteristics of the farmers. About 120 farmers were interviewed using pretested questionnaire. The study showed that sex, education, farm size, cash balance, collateral, frequency of transaction and membership of cooperative society were positive and significant at 1%, 5% and 10% probability levels respectively. The coefficient of age, interest rate, household size and distance were negative and significant at 10% and 5% levels. The results of the study call for policies aimed at encouraging microfinance banks to consider the farmers in accessing credit to increase their output, income and productivity in the study area.


Author(s):  
Ibitunde Ibidun Olatohun ◽  
Farinde Akinloye Jimoh ◽  
Adereti Francis Oke

The study identified the problems of access to inputs by the small-scale farmers; and analyzed the structure and operations of the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS) on input supply to small-scale farmers in Southwestern Nigeria with the view to investigate the effectiveness of GESS in South western Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was employed in selecting 420 GESS farmers. The interview schedule was used to collect data which were subjected to descriptive and inferential analysis to test the hypothesis. Results showed that the mean age of the small-scale farmers was 49.57±10.49 years and a high level, 75.70 per cent were males. A higher percentage (55.80%) showed a high level of identified problems of access to inputs. Analysis of the structure and operations of GESS on input supply showed that GESS was structured and operated by the government among the various stakeholders using the top-down approach. Out of the nineteen GESS effectiveness indicators, none was effective at solving the problems of inputs delivery to the respondents. Chi-square analysis showed a significant association between the effectiveness of GESS and respondents' sex (χ2=46.159; p≤ 0.01). Correlation analysis showed a negative and significant relationship between the effectiveness of GESS and identified problems of access to inputs (r=-0.214, p≤0.001). It was concluded that GESS recorded a low level of effectiveness of GESS in the study area as a result of the high level of identified problems of access to agricultural inputs through GESS. The study therefore recommends that there should be better orientation for future likely programmes and a reorientation of the farmers about the GESS in which there will be more extensive sensitization and enlightenment, especially at the grassroots level, also that quantity of input supply be increased and that more inclusive participatory approach instead of top-down approach should be adopted for planning, execution and evaluation of the GESS programme.


Author(s):  
Ramadhona Saville ◽  
Katsumori Hatanaka ◽  
Denis Pastory Rubanga

In this paper, we present an examination of factors affecting the sweetness degree of fruit tomato by utilizing a low-cost smart agriculture framework. Japanese consumers are willing to pay a sky-high price for particularly high sweetness degree of tomato, known as fruit tomato. Japanese farmers would like to produce sustainable fruit tomato, yet only some of the veteran farmers with tens of years of experience or big industrialized farms can produce it. Small scale farmers still struggle to produce sustainable fruit tomato. Many of them would like to know what factors affecting the sweetness degree of tomato. This study aims to clarify factors affecting the sweetness degree production by using a low-cost smart agriculture framework installed in a fruit tomato farmer in Nara prefecture, a western part of Japan. The data used were automatic data gathered from the sensor network, i.e. temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure as well as CO2; and manually input cultivation records, namely, fertilizers (Ca, NO3), pH, EC (electrical conductivity), harvesting record (yield and sweetness degree) as well as cropping calendar. We gathered data from June 2017 to December 2019. We then conducted a statistical analysis using the R statistical computing language. We found that the most significant factor for a high sweetness degree of fruit tomato is the growing time, that is the longer the growing time, the higher the sweetness degree of fruit tomato. The growing time is likely to be affected by season, as in summer growing time is faster than in wintertime. Consequently, summer is not the best time to grow fruit tomato.


Author(s):  
Aristide Maniriho ◽  
Edouard Musabanganji ◽  
Philippe Lebailly

This study attempted to examine the role of institutions in boosting rural and agricultural development in the region of the Volcanic Highlands of Rwanda. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected from a random sample of 401 small-scale farmers through a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using a weighted least-squares method to account for heteroscedasticity, a common issue in cross-sectional studies. Results from crop output function reveal a positive and significant effect of cooperative membership, a negative but significant effect of extension services, and a negative non-significant effect of land tenure, credit access, and market access on farm production, respectively. In terms of net farm income function, the results demonstrate that farmer cooperation, land tenure, extension services, and access to output markets have a positive, non-significant influence, but that access to finance has a negative non-significant effect. Results also point to a positive and significant effect of some household characteristics, namely family size, farming experience, land size, and farm yield, on farm production. As for net farm income, education of the head, family size, farm experience, land size, farm yield, selling price, and cattle proved to be among primary determinants. It was therefore suggested that agricultural sector programs and activities should be readapted and strengthened in order to leverage rural and agricultural development in Rwanda.


Author(s):  
M. A. Islam ◽  
A. A. Wani ◽  
G. M. Bhat ◽  
A. A. Gatoo ◽  
Shah Murtaza ◽  
...  

Wicker handicraft entrepreneurship is a unique world-famous small-scale forest-based cottage industry of indigenous people of Kashmir Himalaya which plays a prominent role in livelihood security, socioeconomic development, traditional handcraftsmanship and rural industrialization in the region. The study investigated the economic contribution, income inequality mitigation and determinant socioeconomic factors of wicker handicraft entrepreneurship in Pulwama district of J&K UT. Multistage random sampling technique was employed to select the sample of 100 wicker handicraft entrepreneurs. Data were collected through structured interviews and focus group discussions. Both descriptive and analytical statistics were used in data analysis. Results revealed that collection of withies from Parrotia jacquemontiana, Cotoneaster baciliaris, Indigofera pulchella and Salix spp. was 61.71 t/year for manufacture of 43514 wicker handicrafts/year which generated an income of  5953470/year. Wicker handicraft income contributes 66.97%, whereas farm and non-farm income accounts 23.46% and 9.58% of total household income, respectively. Gini coefficient was 21.85 when wicker handicraft income was considered and 53.14 when it was ignored which indicated that the wicker handicraft income have stronger equalizing effect on local income distribution. Regression analysis showed that all explanatory variables jointly accounted 81.50% (R2=0.815) variation on wicker handicraft income. Among socioeconomic factors, education, family composition, housing status, subsequent occupation and gross annual income were key determinants influencing significantly (p<0.05) the wicker handicraft income. To achieve the socioeconomic development and livelihood diversification objectives, policy must be directed towards the rural industrialization through wicker handicraft entrepreneurship.


Author(s):  
Cecilia Naeku; Prof. Mark Okere

The objective of this paper is to examine the psychological factors that influenced the adoption of farm-forestry practices among small-scale farmers. Despite the numerous benefits farmers can derive from incorporating farm-forestry practices in their farmlands, the adoption of such practices has remained sub-optimal. Kenya’s government has over the years implemented projects and enacted farm-forestry policies to encourage farmers to incorporate trees on farms. The researcher used an explanatory sequential mixed method research design with a sample size of 110 small-scale farmers in Narok-North Sub-County. Proportionate sampling technique was used to acquire the sample sizes of the different wards of the Sub-County while simple random sampling was used to obtain the research participants. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered to research participants to generate information on the psychological factors that were measured on a 5-point Likert scale. The results of the Mann-Whitney tests showed that farm-forestry adopters and non-adopters differed significantly in the various constructs that were used to measure attitude. The adopters had a more favourable attitude towards farm-forestry than the non-adopters. They also differed in their subjective norms in which farm-forestry adopters had social networks that supported the practice of farm-forestry. The results also showed that farm-forestry adopters indicated that they faced certain barriers that hindered their adoption of farm-forestry.


Author(s):  
Gabriel Ekobi ◽  
Lovelyne Mboh

This study examined the benefits and challenges small-scale farmers faced in the Taung irrigation scheme. Irrigation schemes have been identified as the backbone in promoting agriculture in South Africa. Nevertheless, literature have shown that very few studies have been conducted on the benefits and challenges facing small-scale farmers in irrigation schemes, there is a need to supplement this gap. The findings contend that Taung irrigation scheme enabled small-scale framers to generate income. Income made in the scheme permitted small-scale farmers to purchase gardening tools such as watering cans, cattle ploughs and hoes to improve productivity. The scheme also provides a platform for farmers to produce more food therefore, a reduction in poverty incidence in the area. However, challenges such as lack of market, absence of institutional structure, farming capital, transport and loss of harvest through theft are affecting farmers on the scheme. Institutional structure is needed since it allows small-scale farmers to make decision regarding management of the scheme.


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