Perceptions of small-scale vegetable farmers on drought mitigation strategies in the Amathole District Municipality of the Eastern Cape Province
- Authors: Dingiswayo, Xolisile
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/53676 , vital:45686
- Description: The present study aimed to investigate perceptions of small-scale vegetable farmers on drought mitigation strategies in the Amathole District Municipality of the Eastern Cape Province. The research objective was to investigate what small-scale vegetable farmers’ perceptions and readiness are in terms of strategies to cope with drought conditions. The study was conducted within the Mbashe, Mnquma, Amahlathi and Great Kei local municipalities of the Eastern Cape. Primary data collection was conducted among 44 small-scale vegetable farmers of the Amathole municipal district. These are farmers who receive social support from the government, are registered with the Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform and contribute to the fight against food insecurity in the Amathole district. The primary data was also collected from 13 agricultural extension officers with high experience in advising small-scale farmers residing in the Amathole district. Data collection took place in various local municipalities under Amathole District Municipality, namely: Mbashe, Mnquma, Amahlathi and Great Kei. A multi-method approach was adopted in this study as an appropriate technique to create an improved quality of research which eliminates the deep-rooted bias to either qualitative or quantitative methods alone. A self-administered questionnaires with both closed and open-ended questions – one for the small-scale farmer survey and the second for the extension officer survey – was employed as data collection instrument. The demographic characteristics of small-scale vegetable farmers in the survey area indicated that the present majority of farmers are married male Xhosa farmers between the ages of 56 and 65 years old, with a secondary level of education. The majority of the farmers are typically resource-poor − which implies that the added menace of drought poses the risk that small-scale vegetable farming could decline to mere subsistence level or worse. Drought was found to be a major problem in Mbashe, Mnquma, Amahlathi and Great Kei local municipalities within the Amathole municipal district, with an acute impact on farmers’ production and generation of income. From the data, it emerged that farmers are not sufficiently informed about and do not receive specific training in drought mitigation strategies. Farmers rely on drought alleviation methods but there is a lack of adaptive strategies and timely, long-term ii state intervention. Being resource-poor, these small-scale producers are reliant on natural resources – notably water for irrigating crops. The study established further that there is neither the resources nor sufficient training by and involvement of the extension service. Farmers therefore rely on the use of drought coping mechanisms and drought mitigation techniques and on adapting their production systems. The information-sharing sessions recommended can assist in improving rural livelihoods and the productivity of small-scale vegetable farmers. The absence of engagement of youth in farming means that modern conservation and innovative farming techniques and systems are not implemented towards reducing the impacts of climate change − as well as revitalizing rural areas such Amathole. Access to education about drought, improved drought coping mechanisms and adaptive strategies should be created to facilitate an exchange of traditional and modern agricultural information. The development of infrastructure in rural communities and farming areas is another factor crucial to improving farming systems and operations in the Amathole municipal district. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Natural Resource Management, 2021
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Dingiswayo, Xolisile
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/53676 , vital:45686
- Description: The present study aimed to investigate perceptions of small-scale vegetable farmers on drought mitigation strategies in the Amathole District Municipality of the Eastern Cape Province. The research objective was to investigate what small-scale vegetable farmers’ perceptions and readiness are in terms of strategies to cope with drought conditions. The study was conducted within the Mbashe, Mnquma, Amahlathi and Great Kei local municipalities of the Eastern Cape. Primary data collection was conducted among 44 small-scale vegetable farmers of the Amathole municipal district. These are farmers who receive social support from the government, are registered with the Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform and contribute to the fight against food insecurity in the Amathole district. The primary data was also collected from 13 agricultural extension officers with high experience in advising small-scale farmers residing in the Amathole district. Data collection took place in various local municipalities under Amathole District Municipality, namely: Mbashe, Mnquma, Amahlathi and Great Kei. A multi-method approach was adopted in this study as an appropriate technique to create an improved quality of research which eliminates the deep-rooted bias to either qualitative or quantitative methods alone. A self-administered questionnaires with both closed and open-ended questions – one for the small-scale farmer survey and the second for the extension officer survey – was employed as data collection instrument. The demographic characteristics of small-scale vegetable farmers in the survey area indicated that the present majority of farmers are married male Xhosa farmers between the ages of 56 and 65 years old, with a secondary level of education. The majority of the farmers are typically resource-poor − which implies that the added menace of drought poses the risk that small-scale vegetable farming could decline to mere subsistence level or worse. Drought was found to be a major problem in Mbashe, Mnquma, Amahlathi and Great Kei local municipalities within the Amathole municipal district, with an acute impact on farmers’ production and generation of income. From the data, it emerged that farmers are not sufficiently informed about and do not receive specific training in drought mitigation strategies. Farmers rely on drought alleviation methods but there is a lack of adaptive strategies and timely, long-term ii state intervention. Being resource-poor, these small-scale producers are reliant on natural resources – notably water for irrigating crops. The study established further that there is neither the resources nor sufficient training by and involvement of the extension service. Farmers therefore rely on the use of drought coping mechanisms and drought mitigation techniques and on adapting their production systems. The information-sharing sessions recommended can assist in improving rural livelihoods and the productivity of small-scale vegetable farmers. The absence of engagement of youth in farming means that modern conservation and innovative farming techniques and systems are not implemented towards reducing the impacts of climate change − as well as revitalizing rural areas such Amathole. Access to education about drought, improved drought coping mechanisms and adaptive strategies should be created to facilitate an exchange of traditional and modern agricultural information. The development of infrastructure in rural communities and farming areas is another factor crucial to improving farming systems and operations in the Amathole municipal district. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Natural Resource Management, 2021
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2021-12
Bank finance in developing small and medium enterprise: an appraisal of relevent determinants in Rwanda
- Authors: Gatabazi , Emmanuel Thomas
- Date: 2012-04
- Subjects: Economic assistance , Developing countries -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/25096 , vital:63974
- Description: This study examines the perceived non-availability of adequate bank financing to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with reference to Rwanda. Evidence from both developed and developing countries show that SMEs are more constrained in their operations and growth than large enterprises and access to finance features importantly among the constraints, with their proprietors typically perceiving finance as their most pressing input constraints. The problem is more severe in less developed countries like Rwanda. SMEs do not get adequate finance from financial systems despite their valuable contribution in the economic development of all nations across the globe. They are well recognized from their contribution to the socio-economic objectives of growth in employment generation, product output, export, and in their function as seed beds of entrepreneurship. This study aims to investigate the causes of the problem and what could be done to mitigate the problem. The primary objective of the study is to determine how to improve the availability of bank financing to SMEs in Rwanda. The argument is that there are SMEs internal factors that cause unavailability of bank financing. Understanding the causes of this problem is important to determining how to improve availability of credit to SMEs. For this purpose, the questionnaire was administered to 122 respondents from four commercial banks and 26 respondents from one development bank. All together 148 questionnaires were administered and 120 questionnaires returned. The response rate was 81 percent. Six major SMEs internal factors which included; business information, collateral, managerial competency, internal funds, networking and ethical practices were investigated to find out their impact on the availability of bank financing to SMEs. Quantitative data were analysed using a Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) with statistical tools including descriptive statistics, frequency distributions and chi-square test. The Cronbach’s alpha was used as a measure of reliability. While the data from the open-end question analysis involved classifying data, extracting themes, identifying patterns, tallying and quantifying responses and making generalization out of these patterns. This implies that the research methodology focused on the methods, tools and techniques used to assist in achieving the objectives of the study and answering the research questions that the research sought to address. To this end, the study sought the perceptions of bank staff on reasons why bank credit is not available to SMEs. The study focused on four research questions as outlined in chapter one and other relevant sections of the study. The major finding of this study is that there is a significant positive relationship between six SMEs internal factors (lack of business information, lack of collateral, lack of managerial competency, lack of internal funds, lack of networking and unethical practices) and non-availability of banks finance in Rwanda. On the basis of these findings, the study recommended that SMEs owners and staff should be trained in key strategic areas such as business management and financial management to effectively and efficiently manage their businesses and curb information asymmetry. The study also recommends that the government should introduce more practical guarantee facilities to enable banks access the funds as soon as the SME defaults. This will encourage bank to extend more credit to SMEs. Furthermore, the study suggests that the government should categorise SMEs as a priority sector and come up with a policy requiring banks to compulsorily ensure that a certain earmarked percentage of their overall lending is made to SMEs as a priority sector. Lastly, the study recommends that Rwanda Private Sector Federation should conduct trainings on ethical management to SMEs. Unethical behaviours such as deliberately not paying back loans should be heavily punished to limit occurrences of these behaviours among SMEs which may results in huge stock of non-performing loans. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2012
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012-04
- Authors: Gatabazi , Emmanuel Thomas
- Date: 2012-04
- Subjects: Economic assistance , Developing countries -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/25096 , vital:63974
- Description: This study examines the perceived non-availability of adequate bank financing to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with reference to Rwanda. Evidence from both developed and developing countries show that SMEs are more constrained in their operations and growth than large enterprises and access to finance features importantly among the constraints, with their proprietors typically perceiving finance as their most pressing input constraints. The problem is more severe in less developed countries like Rwanda. SMEs do not get adequate finance from financial systems despite their valuable contribution in the economic development of all nations across the globe. They are well recognized from their contribution to the socio-economic objectives of growth in employment generation, product output, export, and in their function as seed beds of entrepreneurship. This study aims to investigate the causes of the problem and what could be done to mitigate the problem. The primary objective of the study is to determine how to improve the availability of bank financing to SMEs in Rwanda. The argument is that there are SMEs internal factors that cause unavailability of bank financing. Understanding the causes of this problem is important to determining how to improve availability of credit to SMEs. For this purpose, the questionnaire was administered to 122 respondents from four commercial banks and 26 respondents from one development bank. All together 148 questionnaires were administered and 120 questionnaires returned. The response rate was 81 percent. Six major SMEs internal factors which included; business information, collateral, managerial competency, internal funds, networking and ethical practices were investigated to find out their impact on the availability of bank financing to SMEs. Quantitative data were analysed using a Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) with statistical tools including descriptive statistics, frequency distributions and chi-square test. The Cronbach’s alpha was used as a measure of reliability. While the data from the open-end question analysis involved classifying data, extracting themes, identifying patterns, tallying and quantifying responses and making generalization out of these patterns. This implies that the research methodology focused on the methods, tools and techniques used to assist in achieving the objectives of the study and answering the research questions that the research sought to address. To this end, the study sought the perceptions of bank staff on reasons why bank credit is not available to SMEs. The study focused on four research questions as outlined in chapter one and other relevant sections of the study. The major finding of this study is that there is a significant positive relationship between six SMEs internal factors (lack of business information, lack of collateral, lack of managerial competency, lack of internal funds, lack of networking and unethical practices) and non-availability of banks finance in Rwanda. On the basis of these findings, the study recommended that SMEs owners and staff should be trained in key strategic areas such as business management and financial management to effectively and efficiently manage their businesses and curb information asymmetry. The study also recommends that the government should introduce more practical guarantee facilities to enable banks access the funds as soon as the SME defaults. This will encourage bank to extend more credit to SMEs. Furthermore, the study suggests that the government should categorise SMEs as a priority sector and come up with a policy requiring banks to compulsorily ensure that a certain earmarked percentage of their overall lending is made to SMEs as a priority sector. Lastly, the study recommends that Rwanda Private Sector Federation should conduct trainings on ethical management to SMEs. Unethical behaviours such as deliberately not paying back loans should be heavily punished to limit occurrences of these behaviours among SMEs which may results in huge stock of non-performing loans. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2012
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012-04
Effects of social and ecological factors on cattle grazing strategies in semi-arid communal rangelands of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Moyo, Bethwell (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7524-9028)
- Authors: Moyo, Bethwell (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7524-9028)
- Date: 2009-09
- Subjects: Communal rangelands--South Africa--Eastern Cape , Grazing--South Africa--Eastern Cape , Range Management--South Africa--Eastern Cape South Africa Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/25461 , vital:64279
- Description: Communal rangelands are the main source of livestock feed for resource poor communal farmers. They are characterized by heavy stocking and poor management which is perceived to be the cause of the prevalent degradation hence the incessant calls for introduction of rotational grazing. Rotational grazing has been associated with improved rangeland condition and animal performance in commercial farms, hence the call that it needs to be introduced in communal areas. Management of communal rangelands within the rotational grazing context requires some fundamental understanding of the relationship between current rangeland use, socio-economic and ecological factors determining the present use of these areas. The objective of this study was to assess how historic tenure and patterns of use have influenced grazing practices and institutional structures, and to identify institutional and ecological factors determining present grazing strategies. Focus group discussions and questionnaire surveys in 11 communities revealed that villagers consider fences and paddocks as the best intervention to improve range management. Furthermore, it was shown that lack of strong local-level institutions, little or no knowledge of veld management, absence of rules and lack of seasonal restrictions on rangeland resource use are additional constraints that need to be considered for any rotational grazing intervention to be embraced. Communal areas vary in household head profiles, and this affects the livestock ownership patterns, which indirectly influences rangeland management. The fact that most of the income for communal area people is from state grants, makes farming secondary and the attention put on rangeland management would therefore be minimal. At present the weak local level institutions would therefoe make any plans to introduce rotational grazing difficult. Communal area grazing strategies are further influenced by rangeland heterogeneity caused by different factors. To understand these factors, the relationship between vegetation parameters in different patches and associated soil parameters was examined. Heterogeneity due to seasonal variation in the biomass of herbaceous vegetation was observed at Magwiji‘s sweetveld, with frequently selected patches having a significantly (p < 0.05) higher biomass in autumn (791 kg ha-1) and winter (528 kg ha-1), while in summer and spring there was no significant (p > 0.05) difference in biomass between frequently selected and less selected patches. The present situation in which communal areas support large livestock populations under continuous grazing is due to the fact that cattle would adjust to changes in forage availability by seeking higher biomass patches in times of forage scarcity as observed in Magwiji. At the coastal forest thornveld of Mnyameni the Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) showed that the first axis was significantly correlated with soil organic carbon (r = -1, p < 0.05). Furthermore, the species that were significantly correlated with the first axis were Cynodon dactylon and Pennisetum clandestinum. These species were mainly found in sites that were preferred in April and June. At the sourveld of Upper Mnxe the first axis was significantly correlated with soil pH (r = 0.9, p < 0.05). At this rangeland, sites selected in June were associated with alkaline soils; characterized by a history of human settlement and dominated by Eragrostis superba and Heteropogon contortus. Soil electrical conductivity (EC) separated species (r = 0.9; p < 0.05) along the first axis at Magwiji, with mountain top sites selected in April and June having low EC and dominated by Digitaria eriantha, Eragrostis superba and Andropogon appendiculatus. Rangeland heterogeneity is caused by various factors, ranging from human disturbance to topography. These factors have an effect on the soil properties, and therefore, vegetation and thus lead to the observed heterogeneity which shapes the utilization patterns of these rangelands, and hence their continued support of large populations of livestock. To understand the effects of seasonal and spatial variation in resource use pattern and implications on range management, differences in cattle activity patterns in relation to veld type, season, daytime, management type (kraaling) and forage quality were examined. Seasonal activity patterns were only significant at Upper Mnxe (p < 0.05), with percent of time spent grazing (77 percent), resting (35 percent) and walking (24 percent) being higher in April, November and June respectively. , Thesis (PHD) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2009
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009-09
- Authors: Moyo, Bethwell (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7524-9028)
- Date: 2009-09
- Subjects: Communal rangelands--South Africa--Eastern Cape , Grazing--South Africa--Eastern Cape , Range Management--South Africa--Eastern Cape South Africa Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/25461 , vital:64279
- Description: Communal rangelands are the main source of livestock feed for resource poor communal farmers. They are characterized by heavy stocking and poor management which is perceived to be the cause of the prevalent degradation hence the incessant calls for introduction of rotational grazing. Rotational grazing has been associated with improved rangeland condition and animal performance in commercial farms, hence the call that it needs to be introduced in communal areas. Management of communal rangelands within the rotational grazing context requires some fundamental understanding of the relationship between current rangeland use, socio-economic and ecological factors determining the present use of these areas. The objective of this study was to assess how historic tenure and patterns of use have influenced grazing practices and institutional structures, and to identify institutional and ecological factors determining present grazing strategies. Focus group discussions and questionnaire surveys in 11 communities revealed that villagers consider fences and paddocks as the best intervention to improve range management. Furthermore, it was shown that lack of strong local-level institutions, little or no knowledge of veld management, absence of rules and lack of seasonal restrictions on rangeland resource use are additional constraints that need to be considered for any rotational grazing intervention to be embraced. Communal areas vary in household head profiles, and this affects the livestock ownership patterns, which indirectly influences rangeland management. The fact that most of the income for communal area people is from state grants, makes farming secondary and the attention put on rangeland management would therefore be minimal. At present the weak local level institutions would therefoe make any plans to introduce rotational grazing difficult. Communal area grazing strategies are further influenced by rangeland heterogeneity caused by different factors. To understand these factors, the relationship between vegetation parameters in different patches and associated soil parameters was examined. Heterogeneity due to seasonal variation in the biomass of herbaceous vegetation was observed at Magwiji‘s sweetveld, with frequently selected patches having a significantly (p < 0.05) higher biomass in autumn (791 kg ha-1) and winter (528 kg ha-1), while in summer and spring there was no significant (p > 0.05) difference in biomass between frequently selected and less selected patches. The present situation in which communal areas support large livestock populations under continuous grazing is due to the fact that cattle would adjust to changes in forage availability by seeking higher biomass patches in times of forage scarcity as observed in Magwiji. At the coastal forest thornveld of Mnyameni the Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) showed that the first axis was significantly correlated with soil organic carbon (r = -1, p < 0.05). Furthermore, the species that were significantly correlated with the first axis were Cynodon dactylon and Pennisetum clandestinum. These species were mainly found in sites that were preferred in April and June. At the sourveld of Upper Mnxe the first axis was significantly correlated with soil pH (r = 0.9, p < 0.05). At this rangeland, sites selected in June were associated with alkaline soils; characterized by a history of human settlement and dominated by Eragrostis superba and Heteropogon contortus. Soil electrical conductivity (EC) separated species (r = 0.9; p < 0.05) along the first axis at Magwiji, with mountain top sites selected in April and June having low EC and dominated by Digitaria eriantha, Eragrostis superba and Andropogon appendiculatus. Rangeland heterogeneity is caused by various factors, ranging from human disturbance to topography. These factors have an effect on the soil properties, and therefore, vegetation and thus lead to the observed heterogeneity which shapes the utilization patterns of these rangelands, and hence their continued support of large populations of livestock. To understand the effects of seasonal and spatial variation in resource use pattern and implications on range management, differences in cattle activity patterns in relation to veld type, season, daytime, management type (kraaling) and forage quality were examined. Seasonal activity patterns were only significant at Upper Mnxe (p < 0.05), with percent of time spent grazing (77 percent), resting (35 percent) and walking (24 percent) being higher in April, November and June respectively. , Thesis (PHD) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2009
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009-09
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