Insights into the drivers and impact of climate change and climate change adaptation in the Eastern Cape, South Africa: the case of Amathole District Municipality
- Authors: Gwala, Lindokuhle
- Date: 2022-11
- Subjects: Climatic changes , Climatic factors , Global environmental change
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/27832 , vital:69945
- Description: Climate change is a threat to communal livestock production, causing increases in the rate and intensity of droughts, floods, pests and diseases, and thus subjecting communal livestock production to vulnerability. Communal farmers rely on rain-fed agriculture and are usually too poorly resourced to cope with the frequency of climate-related events that may be expected in the future. Response and adaptation is vital to ensure the sustainability of livestock production, particularly since it is the main source of survival in communal areas. The Eastern Cape Provincial Policy on Climate Change was introduced in 2010 to facilitate a coordinated approach that assists farmers to respond, adapt and mitigate climate change. The study examines the implementation of the policy to identify farmers’ perceptions of the response rate prior to, during and after climate change disasters. In addition, the study establishes the characteristics of livestock production in the study area, seeking to ascertain how communal livestock farmers CLFs are adapting their practices to ensure sustainable livestock production in the face of climate change. In order to make informed decisions on coping strategies, farmers require access to information on climate change. The study therefore examines the communication channels used by farmers to access such information. Since food security is under threat, the study also assesses the effects of climate change on food security among the CLFs. Multi stage sampling was used to select 388 communal livestock farmers in three local municipalities in Amathole District Municipality. A cross-sectional survey was carried out in five communities randomly selected in the three local municipalities, with data collected by means of a semi-structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, principal component analysis and regression methods were used to analyse the data. The study reveals that communal livestock farmers perceive a poor response rate from extension services before, during and after disasters, and that they have poor access to support materials. All of the respondents practised uncontrolled breeding, attributed to a lack of infrastructure such as fencing. Most farmers kept cattle for income generation. The major constraints of cattle production were diseases and pests. CLFs employed dipping, rotational grazing, water tanks, veld burning and the sale of animals as the main strategies to cope with climate change. CLFs access climate change information through multiple channels. The main sources were other farmers and media such as radio and television, although language barriers hampered full understanding of information conveyed about climate chnage. Farmer-to-farmer contact was a central aspect of the CLFs’ lives that could be better employed in the dissemination of climate change information. The results suggest a positive relationship between diversity of species kept and food security. Assets, the social safety net (mainly grants) and adaptive capacity indicators positively and significantly impacted households’ resilience to food insecurity. The study recommends that the capacity of communal livestock farmers on effective mitigating strategies be improved, making use of mass media; that more work be done by extension services to prepare farmers for adverse events and that relief materials disseminated during periods of disaster be tagged “national emergency” to speed up distribution and use. There is an urgent need for adequate and timely provision of climate change information that will help CLFs to make more effective use of their resources in the face of climate change. Agricultural extension services should address challenges associated with breeding practices, disaster response and adult illiteracy to promote better adaptive capacity and ensure food security among this vulnerable cohort. , Thesis (MSci) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-11
- Authors: Gwala, Lindokuhle
- Date: 2022-11
- Subjects: Climatic changes , Climatic factors , Global environmental change
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/27832 , vital:69945
- Description: Climate change is a threat to communal livestock production, causing increases in the rate and intensity of droughts, floods, pests and diseases, and thus subjecting communal livestock production to vulnerability. Communal farmers rely on rain-fed agriculture and are usually too poorly resourced to cope with the frequency of climate-related events that may be expected in the future. Response and adaptation is vital to ensure the sustainability of livestock production, particularly since it is the main source of survival in communal areas. The Eastern Cape Provincial Policy on Climate Change was introduced in 2010 to facilitate a coordinated approach that assists farmers to respond, adapt and mitigate climate change. The study examines the implementation of the policy to identify farmers’ perceptions of the response rate prior to, during and after climate change disasters. In addition, the study establishes the characteristics of livestock production in the study area, seeking to ascertain how communal livestock farmers CLFs are adapting their practices to ensure sustainable livestock production in the face of climate change. In order to make informed decisions on coping strategies, farmers require access to information on climate change. The study therefore examines the communication channels used by farmers to access such information. Since food security is under threat, the study also assesses the effects of climate change on food security among the CLFs. Multi stage sampling was used to select 388 communal livestock farmers in three local municipalities in Amathole District Municipality. A cross-sectional survey was carried out in five communities randomly selected in the three local municipalities, with data collected by means of a semi-structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, principal component analysis and regression methods were used to analyse the data. The study reveals that communal livestock farmers perceive a poor response rate from extension services before, during and after disasters, and that they have poor access to support materials. All of the respondents practised uncontrolled breeding, attributed to a lack of infrastructure such as fencing. Most farmers kept cattle for income generation. The major constraints of cattle production were diseases and pests. CLFs employed dipping, rotational grazing, water tanks, veld burning and the sale of animals as the main strategies to cope with climate change. CLFs access climate change information through multiple channels. The main sources were other farmers and media such as radio and television, although language barriers hampered full understanding of information conveyed about climate chnage. Farmer-to-farmer contact was a central aspect of the CLFs’ lives that could be better employed in the dissemination of climate change information. The results suggest a positive relationship between diversity of species kept and food security. Assets, the social safety net (mainly grants) and adaptive capacity indicators positively and significantly impacted households’ resilience to food insecurity. The study recommends that the capacity of communal livestock farmers on effective mitigating strategies be improved, making use of mass media; that more work be done by extension services to prepare farmers for adverse events and that relief materials disseminated during periods of disaster be tagged “national emergency” to speed up distribution and use. There is an urgent need for adequate and timely provision of climate change information that will help CLFs to make more effective use of their resources in the face of climate change. Agricultural extension services should address challenges associated with breeding practices, disaster response and adult illiteracy to promote better adaptive capacity and ensure food security among this vulnerable cohort. , Thesis (MSci) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-11
Effect of agricultural extension services on beneficiaries of the Nguni cattle project: the case of Ncera and Kwezana villages, Eastern Cape Province
- Authors: Gwala, Lindokuhle
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Agricultural assistance -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural extension work -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agriculture, Cooperative -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Farmers -- Education -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc Agric (Agricultural Economics)
- Identifier: vital:11219 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1019814 , Agricultural assistance -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural extension work -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agriculture, Cooperative -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Farmers -- Education -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The study was conducted to determine the effect of agricultural extension services on beneficiaries of the Nguni Cattle project in Ncera and Kwezana villages, both in Nkonkobe local Municipality of the Eastern Cape Province. The objectives of this study were to determine the quality of extension services offered to the beneficiaries of the Nguni cattle project, relationship between extension officers and beneficiaries of the project, lastly was to determine communication strategies used by extension officers to communicate with the project beneficiaries. A total of 73 Nguni cattle project beneficiaries were interviewed. Semi- structured questionnaires were administered to the beneficiaries of the project who were willing to participate in the study. Xhosa speaking enumerators assisted in data collection. Focus group discussions were later carried out in both villages to determine effect of agricultural extension services on socio-economic status of the beneficiaries. The focus groups were divided into three groups of different ages and gender. The majority of the beneficiaries in the project were males (62.2 % Ncera and 75% Kwezana). There was an association between gender and extension services. Farmers depended on different sources of income. Old age pension and animal sales being the main contributing sources and also having a significant difference. The results of the study further revealed that the beneficiaries were faced with cattle production challenges, lack of extension support services being the main challenge. The results of the study indicated that the majority of beneficiaries had no access to extension services. Only 37.8% and 32.1 % at Ncera and Kwezana respectively reported that they had access to extension services. Although the latter is the case it was further explained by the beneficiaries that extension services offered to them were of poor quality due to poor communication strategies used to provide these services. Beneficiaries also reported the relationship between them and extension officers’ as poor. It was concluded that extension services had an effect on beneficiaries of the Nguni cattle project, largely based on the constraints they face on the project and limited access to extension services.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Gwala, Lindokuhle
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Agricultural assistance -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural extension work -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agriculture, Cooperative -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Farmers -- Education -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc Agric (Agricultural Economics)
- Identifier: vital:11219 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1019814 , Agricultural assistance -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural extension work -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agriculture, Cooperative -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Farmers -- Education -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The study was conducted to determine the effect of agricultural extension services on beneficiaries of the Nguni Cattle project in Ncera and Kwezana villages, both in Nkonkobe local Municipality of the Eastern Cape Province. The objectives of this study were to determine the quality of extension services offered to the beneficiaries of the Nguni cattle project, relationship between extension officers and beneficiaries of the project, lastly was to determine communication strategies used by extension officers to communicate with the project beneficiaries. A total of 73 Nguni cattle project beneficiaries were interviewed. Semi- structured questionnaires were administered to the beneficiaries of the project who were willing to participate in the study. Xhosa speaking enumerators assisted in data collection. Focus group discussions were later carried out in both villages to determine effect of agricultural extension services on socio-economic status of the beneficiaries. The focus groups were divided into three groups of different ages and gender. The majority of the beneficiaries in the project were males (62.2 % Ncera and 75% Kwezana). There was an association between gender and extension services. Farmers depended on different sources of income. Old age pension and animal sales being the main contributing sources and also having a significant difference. The results of the study further revealed that the beneficiaries were faced with cattle production challenges, lack of extension support services being the main challenge. The results of the study indicated that the majority of beneficiaries had no access to extension services. Only 37.8% and 32.1 % at Ncera and Kwezana respectively reported that they had access to extension services. Although the latter is the case it was further explained by the beneficiaries that extension services offered to them were of poor quality due to poor communication strategies used to provide these services. Beneficiaries also reported the relationship between them and extension officers’ as poor. It was concluded that extension services had an effect on beneficiaries of the Nguni cattle project, largely based on the constraints they face on the project and limited access to extension services.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
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