Household level determinants of food security in the City of Tshwane, South Africa

Food security has always been a contemporary issue in urban South Africa, which is gripped by high inequality. This has recently been exacerbated by risks and hazards pertaining to climate change and the more recent COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of the study was to ascertain the food security status and the determinants thereof for urban households in the City of Tshwane. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) and Multinomial Logistic Regression were used to scale the patterns of household-level determinants of food security of 775 households, distributed in 73 clusters, from the 7 regions of the City of Tshwane, South Africa. The study found that 39.2% of the households were food secure, 16.6% suffered from mild food insecurity, 12.1% were moderately food insecure, and 32.1% were severely food insecure. Food security was significantly more prevalent in male-headed households, households with younger members, households with educated heads, and those that are employed. Household size and income were also determinants of food security. The results indicate that age, gender (male), education, employment, household size, income, and grant type were significant at the 1% level in extreme changes in food insecurity, while only the grant was insignificant in mild changes in food security, with none of the variables being significant in slight food security changes. Government social grants were inadequate to guarantee food security status. The study concludes that there are extremes of food security and severe food insecurity indicating inequality, with various socio-economic factors affecting food security.https://www.myfoodresearch.comhj2023School of Public Management and Administration (SPMA

FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT INFLOW, CAPITAL FORMATIONAND EMPLOYMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA: A TIME SERIES ANALYSIS

Foreign Direct Investment inflow has been perceived to promote economicstability of the host country through various economic benefits accrued from it.Empirical evidence, however, presents mixed and unclear results. In South Africa,poverty, unemployment, the urgent need to add to existing infrastructures anddevelop new crucial infrastructures to meet the ever-increasing population havebecome a challenge. The study attempted a time series analysis to investigate theeffect of foreign direct investment inflow on employment and capital formation infor a time period of 1980-2014. Consequently, two multivariate models wereestimated and two econometric analyses, co-integration and causalitywere carriedout. The finding from the study shows that while there is a long-run relationshipamong variables in the employment models, it was not so in the gross capitalformation model.The effect of FDI inflow on employmentin the employmentmodel was found to be positive but insignificant.Noform ofcausalitywas foundbetween FDI inflow and employment and between FDI inflow and gross capitalformation. This study concludes that strategic policies that would stimulate andstabilize and FDI inflowinto the economy shouldbe formulated

Modelling calving and off-take rate risk: Case study of the Kaonafatso ya Dikgomo (KyD) livestock scheme, South Africa

Modelling of production risk is usually not integrated in the planning of livestock development projects. The objective of the study was to measure the impact of the Kaonafatso ya Dikgomo (KyD) livestock development scheme on calving and off-take rates as outputs, as well as variability of the output (risk). Data was collected from 164 KyD-scheme participant and 81 non-participants. A Just-Pope Production function was the theoretical framework utilised, with data analysed using Ordinary Least Squares. Results show that calving risk for KyD-scheme participants was 83.5% lower than that of non-scheme participants. Access to veterinary and dipping services increased calving risk for non-scheme participants, while frequency of extension contact reduced calving risk for scheme participants. Off-take risk for non-scheme participants was twice that for scheme participants. Distances to market and herd size reduced off-take risk for non-scheme participants, whilst herd size, frequency of extension contact, distances to market, access to veterinary services and membership to farmer organization reduced the same risk for KyD-scheme participants. Farm income was a risk-increasing determinant for scheme participants. The study concludes that participating in the KyD-scheme reduces production risk, and recommends that risk reduction attributes of the scheme should be integrated in program planning and implementation. Key words: calving rate, off-take rate, risk, Just Pope production function, Livestock Development Program. JEL Codes: O220, Q120, Q160, Q18

Impact Of Livestock Development Programmes On Production & Risk: Case Of The Kaonafatso Ya Dikgomo (KyD) Programme

Although Livestock Development Programmes (LDPs) increase production, their impact on production risk needs consideration, with most impact assessments in literature devoid of this. The objective of the study was to highlight the risk introduced by participating in a LDP and its impact on productivity. A cross-sectional survey of 164 Kaonafatso ya Dikgomo (KyD) programme and 81 non-programme participants from KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Eastern Cape Provinces, South Africa was utilised. Non-probability convenience sampling was used to collect primary data through a structured questionnaire. Propensity Score Matching and Monte Carlo Simulations were utilised to analyse data. The study found that the KyD programme reduces calving risk by 21.7% whilst it doubles the off-take risk. Furthermore, larger herd sizes, access to veterinary services and frequency of extension contact were risk-increasing determinants, whilst access to dipping services was risk-reducing. The study concludes that the KyD programme has significant impact on production risk. The study recommends that to reduce the risks, farmers should be encouraged to commercialise and become part of farmer organizations. The programme should also maintain a farmer-extension-contact of between 2-5 visits per month as well as target farmers within a 30km-90km radius from a market, with herd sizes of between 50-120 cattle. Key words: calving, off-take, risk, impact, Propensity Score Matching, Monte Carlo Simulation. JEL Codes: O220, Q120, Q160, Q18

Modelling calving and off-take rate risk: Case study of the Kaonafatso ya Dikgomo (KyD) livestock scheme, South Africa

Modelling of production risk is usually not integrated in the planning of livestock development projects. The objective of the study was to measure the impact of the Kaonafatso ya Dikgomo (KyD) livestock development scheme on calving and off-take rates as outputs, as well as variability of the output (risk). Data was collected from 164 KyD-scheme participant and 81 non-participants. A Just-Pope Production function was the theoretical framework utilised, with data analysed using Ordinary Least Squares. Results show that calving risk for KyD-scheme participants was 83.5% lower than that of non-scheme participants. Access to veterinary and dipping services increased calving risk for non-scheme participants, while frequency of extension contact reduced calving risk for scheme participants. Off-take risk for non-scheme participants was twice that for scheme participants. Distances to market and herd size reduced off-take risk for non-scheme participants, whilst herd size, frequency of extension contact, distances to market, access to veterinary services and membership to farmer organization reduced the same risk for KyD-scheme participants. Farm income was a risk-increasing determinant for scheme participants. The study concludes that participating in the KyD-scheme reduces production risk, and recommends that risk reduction attributes of the scheme should be integrated in program planning and implementation. Key words: calving rate, off-take rate, risk, Just Pope production function, Livestock Development Program. JEL Codes: O220, Q120, Q160, Q18

Impact Of Livestock Development Programmes On Production & Risk: Case Of The Kaonafatso Ya Dikgomo (KyD) Programme

Although Livestock Development Programmes (LDPs) increase production, their impact on production risk needs consideration, with most impact assessments in literature devoid of this. The objective of the study was to highlight the risk introduced by participating in a LDP and its impact on productivity. A cross-sectional survey of 164 Kaonafatso ya Dikgomo (KyD) programme and 81 non-programme participants from KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Eastern Cape Provinces, South Africa was utilised. Non-probability convenience sampling was used to collect primary data through a structured questionnaire. Propensity Score Matching and Monte Carlo Simulations were utilised to analyse data. The study found that the KyD programme reduces calving risk by 21.7% whilst it doubles the off-take risk. Furthermore, larger herd sizes, access to veterinary services and frequency of extension contact were risk-increasing determinants, whilst access to dipping services was risk-reducing. The study concludes that the KyD programme has significant impact on production risk. The study recommends that to reduce the risks, farmers should be encouraged to commercialise and become part of farmer organizations. The programme should also maintain a farmer-extension-contact of between 2-5 visits per month as well as target farmers within a 30km-90km radius from a market, with herd sizes of between 50-120 cattle. Key words: calving, off-take, risk, impact, Propensity Score Matching, Monte Carlo Simulation. JEL Codes: O220, Q120, Q160, Q18

Utilisation of Digital Technologies by Smallholder Farmers in South Africa

The study's objective was to assess the utilisation of digital technologies by smallholder farmers, focusing on the types of digital technologies they use, their awareness and perceptions, and the constraints they face. The study used a systematic literature review design. The results show that there has been an increase in studies focussing on using digital technologies by smallholder farmers in South Africa.  The focus has been on e-readiness, tools, and constraints in assisting smallholder farmers amongst extension workers, mainly from North West, KwaZulu-Natal, and Eastern Cape Provinces. Relevant topics have been smart farming, digital agriculture, adoption, and climate change.  However, smallholder digital technology studies in South Africa have transitioned from small-scale agriculture and extension between 2012 and 2014 to transformation, food security and perception between 2014 and 2018, and innovations, communication technologies, and dissemination, more recently. Recent studies have focused on the productivity-enhanced adoption of ICTs, with various technologies used along the complexity spectrum. However, smallholder farmers have concentrated on low-tech digital technologies on the lower end of the complexity spectrum because they are more aware of them. End-user, service provider, and digital technology characteristics have constrained the use of digital technologies. In conclusion, smallholder farmers are aware of and use low-tech digital technologies limited by inherent internalised characteristics of the farmers themselves and the digital technologies

Impact of Extension Services on the Use of Climate Change Coping Strategies for Smallholder Ruminant Livestock Farmers in Raymond Local Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

The study assessed the impact of extension services on the use of climate change coping strategies for livestock farmers in Raymond Local Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The study utilised a cross-sectional survey design with 82 livestock farmers obtained through a purposive sampling method. The study used Propensity Score Matching (PSM) to analyse the data. Most respondents were single females aged 63, with average household sizes of 6, and had primary education, mostly keeping small stock. Climate change was mainly witnessed through changes in rainfall, with 80% of respondents indicating that it is caused by deforestation. The results suggest that access to extension services impacted the extensive utilisation of climate change coping strategies that decreased the livestock numbers at the 10% statistical level. Access to extension appears to limit the available options as coping strategies for climate change resulted in decreased livestock numbers. In conclusion, access to extension has negatively affected the use of various climate change-induced coping strategies for reduced livestock numbers, with no effect on the other coping strategies. Recommendations include retraining extension officers on various climate change coping strategies they can impart to livestock farmers. Also, agricultural climate policy should focus on creating awareness and increasing access to extension services among livestock farmers on climate risk coping strategies to mitigate the impact on rural livestock farmers

Quality of Climate Change Extension Services Provided to Smallholder Farmers in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

The study ascertained the quality of climate change extension service and its determinants for smallholder farmers in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality. The study utilised a cross-sectional survey of 100 households obtained through random sampling. Ordered logistic regression was used to analyse the data. Half of the respondents were female, mainly from Dyamala Village. Most respondents were between 50 and 59 years, married with a primary education level, with household sizes of between five and eight. Most of the respondents were unemployed, with the primary source of income being social grants and a monthly income of R2100-R3000. Most of the respondents knew about climate change, especially from other farmers. Respondents had access to extension advisory services, and 80% of them indicated that the extension services were helpful. However, most respondents indicated that the quality of climate change-related extension services was poor. Age, marital status, employment status, knowledge about climate change, and access to the extension were significant factors in the perceived quality of extension services provided. The study concludes that socioeconomic factors affected the perceived quality of extension service. The study recommends improving the accessibility and spread of extension services. There's also a need to enhance extension training to improve the quality of service delivery