Design and development of mobile-based e-Marketing application for communal farmers in Eastern Cape. South Africa.
- Authors: Fatumo, Dare Ebenezer
- Date: 2023-02
- Subjects: Food security , Agriculture , Agriculture -- Technology transfer
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/27511 , vital:67421
- Description: The application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in agriculture can augment farmers' production capabilities, this is a perception for all farmers worldwide, but there are some in communal areas who may not be as exposed to ICT tools as their commercial counterparts in urban areas, especially in developed communities. Food security in any society is a vital measure that should always be treated with high priority since humankind's existence is based on food availability. One major challenge with farmers in communal areas has been the marketing of their farm produce effectively to avoid wastage, get more value, and bridge the gap between themselves and urban commercial farmers. This challenge includes food wastage, untimely information, and market accessibility due to distance restraint. ICT can beused to bring a functional platform to assist this challenge. In this context, communal farmers have a challenge. The aim of this research was to design and develop an easy-to-use mobilebased e-marketing application for marketing farm products for communal farmers in Alice community, South Africa. Before design and development, review of challenges of farmers on the reception and communication of sensitive information pertaining to food security. Effective communication of farm produce baseline information on awareness and adaptation of mobile ICT technology of communal farmers was investigated. A mixed method was used through reviews of literature and as well distribution of questionnaires to get an understanding of the present state of communal farmers’ marketing problems. Furthermore, a prototyping methodology was used in the development of the mobile-based application for this research. The result of this research demonstrated the need for communal farmers to market their farm products at their convenience. An easy-to-use mobile-based e-market application was then developed; the application is an android application that will assist communal farmers in marketing their farm products as soon as they are available to avoid food wastage. The application performance and evaluation assessment indicated that the tool would maximize farm productivity and profitability and, facilitate concise and effective access to the market, as well as eliminate the need for an intermediary. , Thesis (MSci) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-02
- Authors: Fatumo, Dare Ebenezer
- Date: 2023-02
- Subjects: Food security , Agriculture , Agriculture -- Technology transfer
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/27511 , vital:67421
- Description: The application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in agriculture can augment farmers' production capabilities, this is a perception for all farmers worldwide, but there are some in communal areas who may not be as exposed to ICT tools as their commercial counterparts in urban areas, especially in developed communities. Food security in any society is a vital measure that should always be treated with high priority since humankind's existence is based on food availability. One major challenge with farmers in communal areas has been the marketing of their farm produce effectively to avoid wastage, get more value, and bridge the gap between themselves and urban commercial farmers. This challenge includes food wastage, untimely information, and market accessibility due to distance restraint. ICT can beused to bring a functional platform to assist this challenge. In this context, communal farmers have a challenge. The aim of this research was to design and develop an easy-to-use mobilebased e-marketing application for marketing farm products for communal farmers in Alice community, South Africa. Before design and development, review of challenges of farmers on the reception and communication of sensitive information pertaining to food security. Effective communication of farm produce baseline information on awareness and adaptation of mobile ICT technology of communal farmers was investigated. A mixed method was used through reviews of literature and as well distribution of questionnaires to get an understanding of the present state of communal farmers’ marketing problems. Furthermore, a prototyping methodology was used in the development of the mobile-based application for this research. The result of this research demonstrated the need for communal farmers to market their farm products at their convenience. An easy-to-use mobile-based e-market application was then developed; the application is an android application that will assist communal farmers in marketing their farm products as soon as they are available to avoid food wastage. The application performance and evaluation assessment indicated that the tool would maximize farm productivity and profitability and, facilitate concise and effective access to the market, as well as eliminate the need for an intermediary. , Thesis (MSci) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-02
Analysis of factors affecting technical efficiency of a1 smallholder maize farmers under command agriculture scheme in Zimbabwe: the case of Chegutu and Zvimba districts.
- Authors: Muzeza, Norman Tatenda
- Date: 2021-09
- Subjects: Food security , Farms, Small , Agricultural extension work
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/20826 , vital:46607
- Description: Maize is the most essential cereal crop grown in Zimbabwe. This crop is produced across the country under different conditions and environments. The study focused on analyzing technical efficiency of A1 smallholder maize farmers in Chegutu and Zvimba districts under the Command Agriculture Scheme. Understanding technical efficiency is essential under developing agriculture, especially where resources are limited, and high population growth is quite common. In such a setting, increased output depends on efficiency improvements. The specific objectives of the study focused on estimating the level of technical efficiency, determinants of technical efficiency and the level of productivity among a randomly selected sample of 240 A1 smallholder maize farmers under the Command Agriculture Scheme. Purposive, cluster and random sampling techniques were used to collect primary data from the selected sample. The study applied the single-stage modelling stochastic frontier approach to assess technical efficiency of A1 smallholder maize farmers. The stochastic frontier results revealed that A1 smallholder farmers in Chegutu and Zvimba districts are technically efficient at 85 percent and 94 percent, respectively. The major determinants of technical efficiency varied across each district. In Chegutu district, major determinants of technical efficiency were basal fertilizer, labour and area of land cultivated for maize production, and all indicated a positive relationship with level of significance less than 10 percent and 1 percent (0.012, 0.000 and 0.000) respectively. In Zvimba district, major determinants of technical efficiency were basal fertilizer, topdressing and area of land cultivated for maize production, and all indicated a positive relationship with level of significance less than 5 percent, 10 percent and 1 percent (0.002, 0.021, 0.000) respectively. The study further estimated determinants of technical inefficiency. Main determinants of technical inefficiency in Chegutu district were age, maize farming experience and level of education. In Zvimba district, main determinants were maize farming experience, level of education, marital status, occupation status and other sources of income. The return to scale that measures the productivity level of farmers varied among the two districts in which farmers from Chegutu district had increasing returns to scale (1.43), whilst famers from Zvimba district had decreasing returns to scale (0.54). The study, therefore, argues that despite observed high technical efficiencies, Chegutu farmers could bridge their 15 percent gap between their observed output and the frontier output by focusing more on input usage with increasing returns to scale (1.43 percent). On the other hand, Zvimba farmers could bridge their 6 percent gap between their observed output and frontier output by focusing more on socio-economic drivers of technical inefficiency, given the decreasing returns to scale of their inputs (0.54 percent). , Thesis (MSc) (Agricultural Economics) -- University of Fort Hare, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-09
- Authors: Muzeza, Norman Tatenda
- Date: 2021-09
- Subjects: Food security , Farms, Small , Agricultural extension work
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/20826 , vital:46607
- Description: Maize is the most essential cereal crop grown in Zimbabwe. This crop is produced across the country under different conditions and environments. The study focused on analyzing technical efficiency of A1 smallholder maize farmers in Chegutu and Zvimba districts under the Command Agriculture Scheme. Understanding technical efficiency is essential under developing agriculture, especially where resources are limited, and high population growth is quite common. In such a setting, increased output depends on efficiency improvements. The specific objectives of the study focused on estimating the level of technical efficiency, determinants of technical efficiency and the level of productivity among a randomly selected sample of 240 A1 smallholder maize farmers under the Command Agriculture Scheme. Purposive, cluster and random sampling techniques were used to collect primary data from the selected sample. The study applied the single-stage modelling stochastic frontier approach to assess technical efficiency of A1 smallholder maize farmers. The stochastic frontier results revealed that A1 smallholder farmers in Chegutu and Zvimba districts are technically efficient at 85 percent and 94 percent, respectively. The major determinants of technical efficiency varied across each district. In Chegutu district, major determinants of technical efficiency were basal fertilizer, labour and area of land cultivated for maize production, and all indicated a positive relationship with level of significance less than 10 percent and 1 percent (0.012, 0.000 and 0.000) respectively. In Zvimba district, major determinants of technical efficiency were basal fertilizer, topdressing and area of land cultivated for maize production, and all indicated a positive relationship with level of significance less than 5 percent, 10 percent and 1 percent (0.002, 0.021, 0.000) respectively. The study further estimated determinants of technical inefficiency. Main determinants of technical inefficiency in Chegutu district were age, maize farming experience and level of education. In Zvimba district, main determinants were maize farming experience, level of education, marital status, occupation status and other sources of income. The return to scale that measures the productivity level of farmers varied among the two districts in which farmers from Chegutu district had increasing returns to scale (1.43), whilst famers from Zvimba district had decreasing returns to scale (0.54). The study, therefore, argues that despite observed high technical efficiencies, Chegutu farmers could bridge their 15 percent gap between their observed output and the frontier output by focusing more on input usage with increasing returns to scale (1.43 percent). On the other hand, Zvimba farmers could bridge their 6 percent gap between their observed output and frontier output by focusing more on socio-economic drivers of technical inefficiency, given the decreasing returns to scale of their inputs (0.54 percent). , Thesis (MSc) (Agricultural Economics) -- University of Fort Hare, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-09
Knowledge and attitude towards mastitis, culling and mortality among dairy farmworkers, and factors associated with culling and mortality among dairy cattle in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Authors: Diniso, Yanga Simamkele
- Date: 2021-09
- Subjects: Food security , Dairying--Economic aspects , Milking
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/20686 , vital:46425
- Description: Globally, food security is under threat from escalating population growth, new variants of diseases, climate change and livestock loss. Africa is vulnerable to food insecurity, with majority of the estimated 800 million suffering from hunger based in Africa. Intensification of production is a common strategy to counter the increasing demand for nutritional food to maintain and improve food security. The dairy industry is one of the leading agriculture sectors that has adopted intensification of production. The current study had two specific objectives; the first objective was to evaluate the dairy farmworkers’ knowledge and attitude towards mastitis, culling, and mortality in the southern part of the Eastern Cape Province. The data was collected from 106 dairy farm workers of different farm hierarchy in 5 out of 6 districts using questionnaire. In cases whereby a majority correctly answered a question, a point was awarded and a zero for incorrectly answered questions by the majority. A less than 50 percent pass rate was considered a poor level of knowledge, 51-69 percent pass rate was considered an average level of knowledge, and anything higher than that considered a good level of knowledge. The majority of the participants (64.2 percent) indicated that they consume unpasteurised milk even though they know its risks. There was no association (P>0.05) between workplace position, educational level, work experience, and consumption of unpasteurised milk. This study found that participants had a deficient level of knowledge of mastitis causing pathogens by attaining a pass mark of 1.60 out of a possible 10 (16 percent), and educational level was significantly associated with knowledge of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus spp. However, the participants (64.9 percent) showed good knowledge of clinical signs of mastitis, and this was attributed to the regular mastitis detection with California Mastitis Test (CMT, 60.4 percent) and a strip cup (83.0 percent). The participants had varying perceptions and limited knowledge (28.3 percent pass rate) about the major contributing factors of culling and mortality. The lack of dairy training courses and minimal use of other sources of information such as the internet might contribute to this poor knowledge and perceptions. The second objective involved identifying and describing the factors responsible for culling and mortality in dairy farms in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa. The factors were grouped into seven (7) major factors namely lameness and poor growth (2.33 percent), reproduction problems (35.86 percent), health factors (6.72 percent), production factors (7.11 percent), udder-related factors (3.42 percent), voluntary culls (4.86 percent) and miscellaneous factors (26.03 percent). The most frequent reason for culling dairy cows was reproduction problems which was mainly made up of infertility (7.9 percent), reproductive failure (89.9 percent), and dystocia (1 percent). Miscellaneous factors which mainly consisted of indigenous breeds (8.2 percent), and age (2.7 percent) accounted for the second most prevalent factors for the culling of dairy cows. All the farms recorded stock-theft as part of involuntary culling and accounted for 3.6 percent dairy cows that were culled. Poor milk yield and health-related factors such as red-water (33.8 percent), milk-fever (23.3 percent), and heart-water (6.8 percent) were amongst the major factors responsible for the culling of dairy cows. There were 1774 (13.67 percent) dairy cows that died in the study farms from 2015 to 2019 and causes of death were not specified except for drowning (0.01 percent) and snake bite (1 percent). This study exposed a gap in knowledge about the causes of mastitis, culling and mortality among dairy farmworkers in the southern part of the Eastern Cape Province. Furthermore, this study provided with a baseline information on the leading causes of culling and mortality. There is a need for further research on strategies of enhancing the knowledge of dairy farmworkers about pathogens of mastitis and specific causes of culling and mortality to mitigate the challenge they pose to food security. , Thesis (MSc) (Animal Science) -- University of Fort Hare, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-09
- Authors: Diniso, Yanga Simamkele
- Date: 2021-09
- Subjects: Food security , Dairying--Economic aspects , Milking
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/20686 , vital:46425
- Description: Globally, food security is under threat from escalating population growth, new variants of diseases, climate change and livestock loss. Africa is vulnerable to food insecurity, with majority of the estimated 800 million suffering from hunger based in Africa. Intensification of production is a common strategy to counter the increasing demand for nutritional food to maintain and improve food security. The dairy industry is one of the leading agriculture sectors that has adopted intensification of production. The current study had two specific objectives; the first objective was to evaluate the dairy farmworkers’ knowledge and attitude towards mastitis, culling, and mortality in the southern part of the Eastern Cape Province. The data was collected from 106 dairy farm workers of different farm hierarchy in 5 out of 6 districts using questionnaire. In cases whereby a majority correctly answered a question, a point was awarded and a zero for incorrectly answered questions by the majority. A less than 50 percent pass rate was considered a poor level of knowledge, 51-69 percent pass rate was considered an average level of knowledge, and anything higher than that considered a good level of knowledge. The majority of the participants (64.2 percent) indicated that they consume unpasteurised milk even though they know its risks. There was no association (P>0.05) between workplace position, educational level, work experience, and consumption of unpasteurised milk. This study found that participants had a deficient level of knowledge of mastitis causing pathogens by attaining a pass mark of 1.60 out of a possible 10 (16 percent), and educational level was significantly associated with knowledge of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus spp. However, the participants (64.9 percent) showed good knowledge of clinical signs of mastitis, and this was attributed to the regular mastitis detection with California Mastitis Test (CMT, 60.4 percent) and a strip cup (83.0 percent). The participants had varying perceptions and limited knowledge (28.3 percent pass rate) about the major contributing factors of culling and mortality. The lack of dairy training courses and minimal use of other sources of information such as the internet might contribute to this poor knowledge and perceptions. The second objective involved identifying and describing the factors responsible for culling and mortality in dairy farms in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa. The factors were grouped into seven (7) major factors namely lameness and poor growth (2.33 percent), reproduction problems (35.86 percent), health factors (6.72 percent), production factors (7.11 percent), udder-related factors (3.42 percent), voluntary culls (4.86 percent) and miscellaneous factors (26.03 percent). The most frequent reason for culling dairy cows was reproduction problems which was mainly made up of infertility (7.9 percent), reproductive failure (89.9 percent), and dystocia (1 percent). Miscellaneous factors which mainly consisted of indigenous breeds (8.2 percent), and age (2.7 percent) accounted for the second most prevalent factors for the culling of dairy cows. All the farms recorded stock-theft as part of involuntary culling and accounted for 3.6 percent dairy cows that were culled. Poor milk yield and health-related factors such as red-water (33.8 percent), milk-fever (23.3 percent), and heart-water (6.8 percent) were amongst the major factors responsible for the culling of dairy cows. There were 1774 (13.67 percent) dairy cows that died in the study farms from 2015 to 2019 and causes of death were not specified except for drowning (0.01 percent) and snake bite (1 percent). This study exposed a gap in knowledge about the causes of mastitis, culling and mortality among dairy farmworkers in the southern part of the Eastern Cape Province. Furthermore, this study provided with a baseline information on the leading causes of culling and mortality. There is a need for further research on strategies of enhancing the knowledge of dairy farmworkers about pathogens of mastitis and specific causes of culling and mortality to mitigate the challenge they pose to food security. , Thesis (MSc) (Animal Science) -- University of Fort Hare, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-09
Rural household dietary diversity and food security in Raymond Mhlaba local municipality
- Authors: Mnukwa, Minentle Lwando
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Food security
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/17282 , vital:40872
- Description: In order to formulate or implement relevant food security programmes in rural areas, it is important to have a deep understanding of the food security status of rural households. Accordingly, this study was conducted to assess the food security status of rural households in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality. The study also sought to identify the socio-economic characteristics that influence household food security status. The research relied on primary data. Primary data were collected by using a structured questionnaire, which covered both demographic features of respondent households, and their recent food consumption patterns. The household survey was conducted among 272 participants of Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality. Statistical tools employed in this study included both descriptive and inferential statistics. The main descriptive statistics used were frequency tables, means and percentages in relation to a number of demographic characteristics and food security indicators. The main indicator of food security/insecurity used in the study was the Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS). After calculating the HDDS for each household, households were defined as either food secure or insecure depending on whether their HDDS was above or below the average HDDS. A logistic regression model (binary or dichotomous) was then used to identify socio-economic factors that influence some households to have above-average rather than below-average food security levels. The Binary logistic regression model revealed that four out of eight variables included in the model were significant in explaining the variation in the food security situation of households in the study areas, namely age of household head, education level of household head, household income and household size. Of these, the first three were positively associated with aboveaverage food security status, while household size had a negative association. A Tobit model was further used to identify the determinants of the household dietary diversity score. The exact same variables were significant from the Tobit analysis, and in the same manner.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Mnukwa, Minentle Lwando
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Food security
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/17282 , vital:40872
- Description: In order to formulate or implement relevant food security programmes in rural areas, it is important to have a deep understanding of the food security status of rural households. Accordingly, this study was conducted to assess the food security status of rural households in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality. The study also sought to identify the socio-economic characteristics that influence household food security status. The research relied on primary data. Primary data were collected by using a structured questionnaire, which covered both demographic features of respondent households, and their recent food consumption patterns. The household survey was conducted among 272 participants of Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality. Statistical tools employed in this study included both descriptive and inferential statistics. The main descriptive statistics used were frequency tables, means and percentages in relation to a number of demographic characteristics and food security indicators. The main indicator of food security/insecurity used in the study was the Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS). After calculating the HDDS for each household, households were defined as either food secure or insecure depending on whether their HDDS was above or below the average HDDS. A logistic regression model (binary or dichotomous) was then used to identify socio-economic factors that influence some households to have above-average rather than below-average food security levels. The Binary logistic regression model revealed that four out of eight variables included in the model were significant in explaining the variation in the food security situation of households in the study areas, namely age of household head, education level of household head, household income and household size. Of these, the first three were positively associated with aboveaverage food security status, while household size had a negative association. A Tobit model was further used to identify the determinants of the household dietary diversity score. The exact same variables were significant from the Tobit analysis, and in the same manner.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
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