Contribution of Agriculture to the Economy of Limpopo Province

Introduction: In this study, an input output table was developed which was used to examine the empirical evidence on the strength of agricultural growth multipliers, in the facets of income, output and employment. Of the nine production group studied, agriculture contributed directly and indirectly to the Limpopo Province economy in term of output (1.3481), income (0.0327) and employment (0.0524) multipliers and was ranked ninth in the former two and eighth in the latter. While trade services was ranked first in all three sets multipliers From the study, it was concluded that to reduce poverty, investment should be in the trade services sector as it gives more returns to money.International Development,

The Efficiency of Small-Scale Agriculture in Limpopo Province of South Africa

The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of the small scale farmers for the production year 2006/2007 in Limpopo province using policy analysis matrix. A total of twelve production systems were selected. Result shows that all were profitable under market condition with existing policies and all except Dry land maize had comparative advantage suggesting efficiency in the systems. Ranking the systems in term of PRC and DRC, irrigated vegetables like Potatoes, cabbages and tomatoes had higher profitability and comparative advantages than field crops like both dry and irrigated maize, Peanut and Beans. Despite competiveness in all and comparative advantage in most systems, these was not due to policy intervention as incentive indicators, e.g. SRP, shows that all production systems are being taxed indicating little motivation from policies for small scale farmers to production.Farm Management,

Gender dynamics and sustainable agriculture adoption for low emission food systems in Cameroon

Sustainable agrifood systems have the potential to significantly impact the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Cameroon. However, there is a gender disparity in the adoption of these technologies due to various sociocultural norms and gender dynamics. In 2020, 351 southern and eastern Cameroonian farming households were surveyed. Gender roles, decision-making, and sustainable agrifood systems were studied using a multistage random sample. The principal component analysis identified thirteen sustainable agrifood systems used by farmers and grouped them into practices with mitigation potentials, adaptation potentials, and soil conservation. Descriptive statistics examined gender differences in farm and household decision-making. A multinomial logit regression model (MNL) was used to examine how gender-based household decision-making affects farmer enrollment in sustainable agrifood systems. MNL marginal effects coefficients were used to interpret the effects of independent variables on the sustainable agrifood systems enrollment, controlling for other factors and allowing comparisons across variables. The results of the study reveal that women play a significant role in the technical aspects of farming (64.4%) and take most decisions regarding onfarm activities (70%). However, decisions regarding farm earnings (81.4%) and farm technology (84%) are made by men. Household decision-making, particularly by women, significantly (P≤0.001) influences the adoption of different sustainable agrifood system packages. The use of practices with mitigation potential and soil conservation practices increased for households with decisions made by females, while the use of practices with adaptation potential decreased. The study emphasises the importance of extension services in encouraging farmers to use larger (more than 3 practices) sustainable agrifood system packages. Education and land ownership also positively (P≤0.05) influenced sustainable agrifood systems, particularly those with mitigation potential. Women have little decision-making power in agricultural production, according to decision-making results. Thus, gender-equitable agrifood systems adoption policies and programmes are needed to empower women. Such efforts can increase agricultural productivity, economic empowerment of women, gender equity, and social justice

Do farmers’ socioeconomic status determine the adoption of conservation agriculture? An empirical evidence from Eastern and Southern Regions of Cameroon

The African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Malabo Declaration recognize agricultural development as one of the most effective means of combating extreme poverty. Conservation Agriculture Practices (CAP) have been asserted to have the potential to boost agricultural output, improve livelihood and contribute to the conservation of natural resources. This study thus seeks to advance knowledge about Conversation Agriculture by assessing the factors determining the adoption and intensity of CAP among Cameroon’s smallholder farmers. Data collected from 351 farmers in the South and East regions of Cameroon were used to study the social, economic, ecological and biophysical factors that determine the adoption of CAP. The study considered agroforestry, intercropping, crop rotation, cover crop, mulching, and zero-tillage as the CAP under investigation. According to the multivariate probit analysis employed, the results showed that gender, age, family size, extension services, use of modern farm technology, distance from house to farm, livestock owned, and infertile soil all significantly influenced CAP adoption. Results on adoption intensity revealed that gender, distance from house to farm, and the number of livestock owned were critical drivers of CAP adoption intensity. Promoting the adoption of CAP, policymakers and concerned stakeholders should consider farmer, institutional, socio-economic, ecological, biophysical aspects as well as relational values. However, already existing extension services need to be improved upon

Contribution of Agriculture to the Economy of Limpopo Province

Introduction - In this study, an input output table was developed which was used to examine the empirical evidence on the strength of agricultural growth multipliers, in the facets of income, output and employment. Of the nine production group studied, agriculture contributed directly and indirectly to the Limpopo Province economy in term of output (1.3481), income (0.0327) and employment (0.0524) multipliers and was ranked ninth in the former two and eighth in the latter. While trade services was ranked first in all three sets multipliers From the study, it was concluded that to reduce poverty, investment should be in the trade services sector as it gives more returns to money

The Efficiency of Small-Scale Agriculture in Limpopo Province of South Africa

The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of the small scale farmers for the production year 2006/2007 in Limpopo province using policy analysis matrix. A total of twelve production systems were selected. Result shows that all were profitable under market condition with existing policies and all except Dry land maize had comparative advantage suggesting efficiency in the systems. Ranking the systems in term of PRC and DRC, irrigated vegetables like Potatoes, cabbages and tomatoes had higher profitability and comparative advantages than field crops like both dry and irrigated maize, Peanut and Beans. Despite competiveness in all and comparative advantage in most systems, these was not due to policy intervention as incentive indicators, e.g. SRP, shows that all production systems are being taxed indicating little motivation from policies for small scale farmers to production