Masters Degrees (Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Rural Development and Extension)
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Item Open Access A foundation in agricultural extension science is a prerequisite for agricultural advisors to improve the livelihood of the beneficiaries of their extension and advisory support services in the Western Cape(University of the Free State, 2022) Levendal, Carol; Swanepoel, J. W.; Van Niekerk, J. A.; Zwane, E. M.Agricultural extension is pivotal to transforming the agricultural sector, outlined in many strategic and policy frameworks for South Africa. Therefore, it was necessary to determine what sets apart agricultural advisors who, under the same conditions, have a positive effect on farmers' agricultural output from those who do not. The researcher argues that a foundation in agricultural Extension Science enables the former to improve farmers' livelihoods. Such a study requires comparing agricultural advisors with an Extension Science foundation to an agricultural advisor with no such foundation. Data triangulation methodology was employed. Four data sources were used to determine if there is a difference in the extension and advisory services they provide to farmers in the Western Cape. One data source was measuring the advisor's performance in the field. A performance rating tool was developed to measure how agricultural advisors execute their roles and responsibilities. Hence, criteria for such a tool were necessary. This was developed through reviewing the literature. The agricultural advisors tested these identified roles and responsibilities, and they agreed with them. Through the Log Frame Analysis, managers and specialists from Program 3 in the Western Cape Department of Agriculture examined 11 roles and responsibilities using problem and objective analysis methods. Another data source was the demographics of the agricultural advisor determined through a questionnaire. Two other data sources were the success rate of the farms and the farmers' rating of the advice given by the agricultural advisor taken from the Western Cape Agricultural Land Reform Project Performance Evaluation 2014-2019. The success profiles of the extension advisors were compared to determine if a foundation in Extension Science would improve the farmers' livelihood.Item Open Access To ascertain the role of agricultural cooperatives to sustainable agricultural development and food security in the Gauteng Province of South Africa: the case of Metsweding Municipality(University of the Free State, 2018-01) Mcata, Ncumisa Cordelia; Van Niekerk, J.This study deals with analysis of the role of agricultural cooperatives to sustainable agricultural development and food security. A simple random sampling technique was used in the selection of agricultural cooperatives. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain information on the membership and activities of the agricultural cooperative. The study has revealed that there are 12 major agricultural cooperative enterprises in the area involved in the livestock, crop, storage and processing. The agricultural produce of the agricultural cooperatives include maize, vegetables, poultry, beef, piggery, sheep & goats and animal feed and farm inputs procured are fertilizers, seeds, agro chemicals and agricultural equipment. One of the major challenges of the agricultural cooperatives in Metsweding is that of developing appropriate institutions to mobilize the members of the rural sector into a greater productive. As such small holder farmers in rural areas characterised by low resource utilization, small farm holdings, scattered, farmlands, finds it difficult to pool their resources together in order to raise their farm income and substantially improve of their living conditions. In such situation cooperatives representatives represent a strong and viable economic alternative. Cooperatives organization offers the best machinery for reaching the masses of the small scale farmers.Item Open Access The sustainability of soil fertilization on small scale farmers in the Estcourt Area of Kwazulu-Natal Province, South Africa(University of the Free State, 2014-02) Radebe, Mzwandile Pius; Van Niekerk, J.This is a research project on the sustainability of soil fertilization on the small scale farmers in the Escourt area of KwaZulu-Natal Province. The researcher wanted to find out whether small scale farmers apply recommended fertilizer quantities to their crops or not. The researcher found it necessary to do literature review to see what others say about this topic. The researcher also interviewed about 30 farmers from Estcourt area to further investigate this topic. The analysis found that farmers to apply fertilizers but not according to according to recommendations from the lab. Other factors that contributed to this are: age of farmers, level of education, income from produce and access to finance.