Assessing the resilience of female smallholder farmers to drought: a case study of Frances Baard District, South Africa
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Date
2021
Authors
Sigenu, Mendi
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of drought hazards on smallholder female farmers of Frances Baard District Municipality district and to assess their coping, adaptation, and resilience to droughts as compared to smallholder male farmers in the rural communities. The study also sought to assess the vulnerability of smallholder female farmers regarding drought hazards in Frances Baard District Municipality. In addition, the study sought to investigate drought resiliency of smallholder male farmers as compared to smallholder female farmers. Furthermore, the study investigated drought coping and adaptation mechanisms of smallholder female farmers use as compared to the male farmers. Lastly, the research assessed the communication strategies employed by male and female smallholder farmers to foster drought resilience. This paved way for the provision of recommendations to address drought challenges for smallholder female farmers. The Harvard Framework guided this study for gender analysis; it was applicable and relevant in a variety of ways for this research. The study adopted a qualitative single case study. It also applied an interpretivist philosophy to understand how female smallholder farmers are affected by drought, and to what extent are they resilient compared to their male counterparts. The study adopted a qualitative research approach. Primary data was collected using a Focus Group Discussion Interview Guide. This research followed Terre Blanche, Durrheim, and Kelly’s (2006) guidelines for data analysis. The study found that drought has various economic, environmental, and social consequences in Dikgatlong, Sol Plaatje, Magareng, and Phokwane farming communities. Even though the study sought to investigate the resilience of female smallholder farmers to drought, it concluded that both male and female smallholder farmers are vulnerable to drought. The study also found that both smallholder male and female farmers are resilient, but male farmers are more resilient since they have access to and control farming resources and agricultural benefits. This study concluded that both smallholder farmers preserve agricultural income for future use, as well as harvest and keep livestock for future use. The study recommends the preservation of biodiversity, open space, and trees, and reduction of land degradation, diversification of crop varieties, crop insurance, and maintenance of soil health and continued use of communication strategies. Further research may cover other antecedents of the resilience of female smallholder farms to drought.
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Dissertation (M.Disaster Management (Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa))--University of the Free State, 2021, Resilience, Smallholder Farms, Drought, Vulnerability