The effects of grain storage technologies on maize marketing behaviour of smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe

This study investigated the effects of grain storage practices on smallholder farmers’ maize marketing behaviour using primary data collected from 413 random households in Makoni and Shamva Districts of Zimbabwe. The data was analysed using the ordered probit model and the study results revealed that storage practices had significant effects on the maize marketing behaviour of smallholder farmers. Storage using insecticide and traditional granary increased the chances of farmers to become net sellers of maize. Using insecticide in storage reduces the amount of grain that is lost in storage hence farmers are able to preserve the amount of grain available for consumption and also for sale. This implies that safe storage of maize may increase household incomes thus reducing poverty. This also contributes to improved food security. Investment in safe grain storage technologies is thus a fundamental key policy issue in developing countries. Quantity harvested, market location, household head’s sex and other household factors influenced maize marketing behaviour of smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe

Assessing the impact of social grant-dependency on participation of KwaZulu-Natal rural households in farming: Application of the generalised propensity score method

Social grants are an important instrument of social protection in South Africa, reaching millions of the poor each month. Although social grants have been found to reduce poverty and promote human development, considerable uncertainty remains about some of their incentive effects. This study uses a sample of 984 rural households selected from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, to investigate the potential incentive/dis-incentive effects of social grant-dependency on rural households’ participation in farming activities. The data are analysed using the generalised propensity score (GPS) matching method and ordinary least squares. The results showed that the effect of social-grant dependency on households’ farm participation levels varies at different dependency levels. While social grants had a negative effect on the households’ farming participation levels when social grants income contribute 20–60 %, they had a positive effect at lower ( 20 %) and higher ( 60 %) dependency levels. The positive effect of social grants at the lower and higher levels supports the hypothesis that social grant beneficiaries use part of the grant income to alleviate financial constraints in agricultural production. However, the negative effect at the 20–60 % dependency levels is consistent with the dis-incentive hypothesis, suggesting that social grants may generate dis-incentives to farm production. The study identified several policy variables that affect the participation of rural households in smallholder farming activities, highlighting the importance of expectations of farming success as a key motivator

Gender Differences in Water Access and Household Welfare among Smallholder Irrigators in Msinga Local Municipality, South Africa

This study investigates the gender differences in water access and its welfare effects using a sample of 291 irrigators from two irrigation schemes in the Msinga Local Municipality, South Africa. The data were analysed using the Blinder Oaxaca (BO) decomposition method and the instrumental variable (IV) regression approach. The study findings highlight unequal access to irrigation water between male and female farmers, with women accessing irrigation water more frequently than women. The results also indicate a positive and significant effect of water access on incomes per capita, and that men had higher welfare than women. The results suggest that women would achieve higher welfare than men with the same level of water access. This implies that a deliberate policy to attain equity in access to water and other productive resources could be more effective in combating poverty compared to the status quo. The BO decomposition results reveal that 94% of the gender-based water access differential is attributable to differences in observable characteristics, while only 6% is attributable to differences in coefficients. This implies minimal inherent gender discrimination in water access. The study findings suggest that policies targeting observable characteristics (such as organising farmers into groups, registering them as water users and involving women in scheme management) would diminish the gender gap in water access in the rural areas of South Africa, and enhance the welfare of women

An analysis of the perceived societal benefits of and threats from trees for the delivery of livelihoods and community development

Societal Impact Statement Understanding the perceptions of benefits and threats from trees is important for the livelihoods of communities. The study used focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and a questionnaire survey of 226 households in the province of KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa. The findings showed that household socio‐economic factors such as gender and land tenure influenced perceptions of tree growing, and households that were involved in a tree restoration project viewed trees as contributing toward their livelihoods by reducing hunger. Hence there is a need to design strategies that promote socio‐economic inclusivity of all households and genders and promote programs that increase awareness of ecosystem services within communities. Summary Understanding the socio‐economic factors that shape the way households value and utilize natural resources is critical in developing nature‐based solutions. The study was aimed at understanding how the socio‐economic circumstances of households determined their perceptions of the role of trees in livelihood delivery. A case study of Buffelsdraai and Osindisweni communities was used; these sites are adjacent to a municipal landfill where a tree restoration project intended to mitigate the effects of climate change is being implemented, and some of the households are involved in this project. The study used focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and a questionnaire survey of 226 households. It explored gender perspectives on the perceived benefits and threats of tree restoration. It analyzed the influence of households' economic characteristics and spatial configuration (the subdivisions of the landscape) to assess the impact of land tenure. The findings showed that gender influenced the perceptions that economic benefits can be derived from participating in the project. Households involved in the tree restoration project viewed trees as contributing to their livelihoods by reducing hunger. Households in peri‐urban settlements, permanently resident in the area, showed greater reliance on natural resources than those in informal settlements and rural areas. Such differences can be attributed to differences in land tenure. Hence, there is a need to design strategies and operations that promote socio‐economic inclusivity of all households and genders and reduce inequality. These findings are important for informing scaling to yield better climate change considerations and policies

Evaluation of water-user performance in smallholder irrigation schemes in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.Smallholder Irrigation Schemes (SIS) are pivotal in sustaining livelihoods and creating employment in rural communities of South Africa. However, despite the revitalization and rehabilitation of SIS by the government, the performance of farmers is still below par. This study evaluates the performance of water-users across four SIS in KwaZulu-Natal Province (KZN). Technical Efficiency was used as a proxy for performance and the Stochastic Meta-Frontier Analysis method was employed to measure the overall efficiency across 306 households. The efficiency model results showed that governance index, psychological capital, land tenure security, credit access and gender affect water-users’ technical efficiency. The study concludes that interventions should be geared toward strengthening institutions and the empowerment of farmers through relevant training and access to credit. Furthermore, adequacy of water and its availability in the schemes should be improved to ensure profitability and productivity of water.The study was undertaken as part of a project (K5/2556/4) initiated, managed and funded by the Water Research Commission (WRC) entitled Assessment of Policies and Strategies for the Governance of Smallholder Irrigation Farming in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa.https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sustainable-food-systemsam2023Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural DevelopmentGordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS

‘Is there value for us in agriculture?’ A case study of youth participation in agricultural value chains in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Developing countries in Africa face an unemployment crisis, with many unemployed youth. Agriculture has been identified as a strategic sector for employment creation targeted at youth, including those who may not have agriculture-related qualifications. However, various challenges limit the effectiveness of youth participation in the agriculture value chain. The study aimed to (i) determine youth awareness of agricultural value-chain opportunities, (ii) determine their perception of their role in the value chain, (iii) determine their perception of agricultural programs targeting youth and their opinions on who is responsible for attracting youth into agriculture and, (iv) to characterise the dynamics of youth empowerment in agriculture. Data was collected using focus group discussions and an online survey and analysed using SPSS and NVivo. Poor knowledge, low levels of awareness of agricultural value-chain activities and careers, and not meeting the minimum requirements for employment in processing and retail businesses were identified as key challenges. Most youth were interested in non-primary activities such as agro-processing, which are less labour-intensive and have a quicker return on investment than agricultural production. However, support services and programs for promoting youth participation in agriculture mainly focus on primary activities, signifying a mismatch between youth aspirations and current support. Understanding youth aspirations, perceptions and dynamics underpinning youth empowerment and participation in value chains is critical for promoting participation and formulating relevant and responsive policies. Additionally, improving access to information and building awareness of agricultural value chains is crucial in reducing barriers to entry. Policymakers should integrate agriculture and food systems knowledge into the primary education curriculum to promote youth awareness and evoke interest in agri-food system careers at an early age

Impact of land redistribution on large scale commercial agriculture

A position paper on how Zimbabwe's land reform programme has impacted negatively on large-scale commercial agricultural activity.Before the land reform program, agriculture played a pivotal role in the economy of Zimbabwe, contributing 20 percent of the GDP. In addition, the sector also ensured food self sufficiency and food-security at all times through production of staple food crops such as maize, wheat, sorghum, millets, oilseeds, livestock and fruit and vegetables. Considerable progress had been made in the production of commodities in which Zimbabwe has some comparative advantage and earn foreign exchange, e.g., sugar, cotton, citrus, horticulture, beef, tobacco, paprika, soybeans, and groundnuts. The land reform program implemented in Zimbabwe since 2000, has raised questions on the ability of the country to restore agricultural production to the levels achieved before the program. The implementation of the program has seen a phenomenal structural change in the country’s agricultural sector. The greatest transformation has occurred in the large scale commercial (LSC) farming sector. About 4,500 commercial farmers existed before the fast track reform programme, occupying 11 million hectares of land, which represented 30 percent of the country’s land area.Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Foundatio

Farmer groups and inorganic fertiliser use among smallholders in rural South Africa

Smallholder farmers in developing countries are characterised by low uptake of improved farm inputs and weak links to markets. Among other reasons, the high transaction costs that these smallholder farmers incur, as a result of their location in remote areas, inadequate information and missing credit markets, inhibit them from participating in both input and output markets. Organising farmers into groups has been suggested as a potential mechanism for reducing transaction costs. Accordingly, farmer groups have been preferred channels for smallholder farmer support in South Africa, both by the government and donors. However, the impact of these groups on smallholder outcomes such as technology adoption is largely unknown. We investigated the extent to which membership in farmer groups influences the use of improved farm inputs such as inorganic fertiliser among smallholder farmers in South Africa. A sample of 984 households was analysed using the propensity score matching method. Group membership was found to play a positive role in inorganic fertiliser use with a 14% higher chance of inorganic fertiliser use among group members. Among fertiliser users, group members used 170 kg more inorganic fertiliser than did non-members. Further analysis indicated that the effect of group membership on inorganic fertiliser use was heterogeneous among group members. The results suggest that farmer groups play a positive role in the use of improved farm inputs in South Africa. For greater effectiveness of group membership, policymakers should target the less educated, increase the assets of the poor and improve access to extension and information. Significance: The impact of farmer groups on smallholder outcomes such as technology adoption is largely unknown. Farmer groups were found to play a positive role in the adoption of agricultural technologies such as inorganic fertilisers. Effect of group membership on inorganic fertiliser adoption was heterogeneous among group members. Variables that should be targeted for greater effectiveness of collective action were identified

Determinant of farmers’ ability to pay for improved irrigation water supply in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

The aim of this study was to determine smallholder farmers’ ability to pay (ATP) for improved irrigation water supply, using their gross margins, in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The analysis was conducted on a sample of 161 irrigators. Production data were collected from the irrigators and the residual imputation method (RIM) was used to calculate the gross margins that the farmers realised. An ordinary least squares regression was used to investigate factors affecting ATP. Results indicate that factors such as labour, training, household assets and road conditions positively influence ATP. The study highlights the importance of support to farmers and their institutions. The study also concludes that farmers are making profits from their irrigated crops, especially tomatoes, and therefore recommends that farmers start paying for the water used for their crops

Collective action and rural poverty reduction: Empirical evidence from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Organising smallholder farmers into groups has become an important and preferred mechanism through which the South African government and other rural development agencies seek to address rural poverty and household food insecurity. This study investigates whether collective action through farmer groups has improved incomes among rural farming households in South Africa. The propensity score matching (PSM) method and the treatment effect approach were used to analyse a sample of 984 rural households from four districts in KwaZulu-Natal. The PSM results indicated that participation in farmer groups significantly and positively influenced household incomes. Group membership increased the average household incomes per adult equivalent by about R3000. However, the Rosenbaum bounds tests indicated that the impact estimates obtained using the PSM approach were not robust to hidden bias. The treatment effect regression model, which controls for hidden bias, was estimated, and the results supported those of PSM. The results also indicated that groups benefit more those who are educated and are males, suggesting a bias against the females and those less educated. The results suggest that organising smallholder farmers into groups can play a positive role in rural poverty reduction. For greater impact, policy makers should promote group formation and participation among smallholder farmers as well as introduce adult literacy classes to improve education levels