Repository logo

Agricultural Extension and Rural Resource Management

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://hdl.handle.net/10413/6536

The Agricultural Extension and Rural Resource Management (AERRM) academic programme is designed to build the capacity of extension services through the provision of training and education that is relevant to the urgent issues facing agricultural and rural development. The programme offers a powerful combination of theoretical knowledge and practical skills in agricultural extension, rural development, project management, agricultural production and farm economics and management. The programme follows a challenging teaching and learning approach as well as a fresh approach to the theory and practice of agricultural extension. Agrometeo

Browse

Browsing Agricultural Extension and Rural Resource Management by Author "Fincham, Robert John."

Filter results by typing the first few letters
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Agricultural innovation in a changing Ethiopian context : the case of dairy farming and business in the Addis Ababa milk shed, Ethiopia.
    (2014) Ezezew, Amanuel Assefa.; Fincham, Robert John.; Mudhara, Maxwell.
    Ethiopia’s economy remains largely dependent on agriculture, where smallholder farming is the main feature. Historically, a dominant smallholder economy came into existence during the communist regime (1974–90), when the government confiscated rural land from the aristocracy and redistributed it to the citizens. The communist regime paid more attention to state farms, with private agriculture being limited to smallholder farms. Following the change of government in 1990, private-sector agriculture developed quickly, although land remained state-owned. The land lease policy of the state allowed for the rapid growth of the private sector in agriculture, manufacturing and trade. Livestock is an important subsector in the country. Ethiopia has the largest livestock population in Africa, but does not benefit sufficiently from this resource. Technical reasons such as genetic limitations of the indigenous animals for milk production, poor quality feed resources, poor artificial insemination (AI) and veterinary health services are as important challenges. However, important but less explored factors of interest in this study include interactional (linkage and communications) limitations, institutional issues, policy and scarcity of knowledge. Development actors, including the government of Ethiopia, need to pay attention to these issues. The role of government on the livestock sector is increasing in some areas. For example, the Growth and Transformation Plan of the Ethiopian Government considers live animal exports an important source of foreign exchange earnings. The plan also recognizes the contribution of small ruminants and poultry to household food security. Dairy development is at the crossroads as there is a growing interest and participation of diverse actors in production, processing and marketing, which has created impetus for innovation. On the other hand, dairy innovation is constrained because of several important challenges. Explaining this paradox and identifying the key leverage points that could help to transform the dairy subsector into a more functional system is, therefore, the main focus of this study. The Addis Ababa Milk-shed is used as a case study. The Agricultural Innovation System (AIS) framework, an alternative to the Transfer-of- Technology (ToT), is the theoretical framework used in this study. The conventional ToT approach has limitations for understanding complex systems and functions. It only recognises the traditional actors in research, extension and farming, while undervaluing the private sector actors. The AIS framework explains how innovation takes place through interactions of people, policy and institutions. It is used in this study to firstly outline important historical episodes in the dairy subsector, and analyse how policies and other factors affect innovation over different periods. Secondly, it analyses the dairy resources and how innovation is enhanced. The third dimension places emphasis on understanding the complex interaction of actors outside the mainstream ToT model. Finally, the fourth area is on policy and institutional issues. This study is therefore premised on developing new insights into the innovation system framework by using concepts of resilience, leverage points, trust building and the implications of historical legacies in shaping contemporary innovation. The innovation capacity assessment model is used to develop the methodology of this study. Data collection, guided by the key components of the innovation system framework, include sector mapping, historical evolution of the sector, resource base analysis, interactions between actors, the policy environment, habits and practices, and resilient features and leverage points. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used for data collection and analysis within this framework. Key-informant interviews, questionnaire surveys, document review and consultative workshops were the main methods used to generate data. For quantitative data analysis, SPSS software was used, while the qualitative data were analyzed using tools such as systems drawing, linkage matrix, typology of linkages, habits and practice analysis, and content analysis. The lessons learned from history were used to identify key leverage points and formulate recommendations for innovation. Analysis considered dairy resources such as land, feed, genetic resources and services. The current system was compared to the previous regime in relation to how dairy innovation was affected. This study has shown a reduction in milk productivity by smallholder farmers in the Addis Ababa milk shed. The policy of the current government, based on a free market economy, privatization and investment, is contributing to diversification and innovation, but mainly in the processing industry and commercial farmers. The study has also identified productive interactions of dairy actors. These interactions are growing over time, but the impacts on the lives of the smallholder farmers have not been as beneficial as expected. For example, the critical problem of access to markets for smallholder farmers is not yet a main agenda item of any of the networks. This study, furthermore, found that four factors contribute to the existing market problems, namely the extended fasting season (196 days per annum) of the Orthodox Church believers; a limited tradition of milk drinking in Addis Ababa; high milk prices when compared to low incomes of the majority of citizens; and underutilization of the capacity of the milk processing industry, mainly as a result of a limited domestic market and the dominance of the informal milk market. The initiatives to enhance innovation to overcome these challenges are few. Promoting smallholder dairy production without addressing the market problems inhibits innovation. The study also concludes that interactions of the actors in the dairy innovation networks and the economic policy measures taken by the government have contributed to the development of the sub-sector. The government needs to consider a “bridging policy” to support the dairy subsector to become competitive in the export economy. Developing the dairy subsector in Ethiopia is urgently needed because the population is increasing as is the emerging middle class. This situation calls for urgent institutional innovation in research and extension agencies, NGOs and the private sector.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    An assessment of Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife's labour policies for unskilled temporary workers.
    (2014) Faure, Robert Rees.; Fincham, Robert John.; Dent, Mark Clifford.
    Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife (EKZNW) is a Schedule 3C public entity that is legally mandated by way of the KwaZulu Natal Nature Conservation Management Act 9 of 1997 to conserve indigenous biodiversity within the province of KwaZulu-Natal. During normal operations EKZNW employs unskilled temporary workers. In compliance with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act 32 of 1997 EKZNW’s Conservation Board approved the adoption of human resource and labour relations based policies to apply consistency in its dealings with human resource matters. Using International Labour Organisation principles to provide context, this study aims to identify the differences in conditions of employment between unskilled temporary workers and unskilled permanent workers at EKZNW, to understand why these differences exist, and what the implications are for the unskilled temporary workers. The following objectives applied in realising the aim: 1. Review International Labour Organisation conventions to determine internationally accepted employment principles for unskilled permanent workers; 2. Establish to what extent South African Constitution and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act complies with International Labour Organisation employment principles for unskilled permanent workers; 3. Establish to what extent EKZNW complies with International Labour Organisation employment principles, in relation to the South African Constitution and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, with specific reference to unskilled temporary workers; 4. Understand the reasons for the differences in the Condition of Employment between unskilled temporary workers and unskilled permanent workers; 5. Establish the resulting implications for unskilled temporary workers; 6. Suggest recommendations about making working conditions more equitable between unskilled temporary workers and unskilled permanent workers. This study uses a combination of research techniques entailing document examination, semi-structured interviews, personal observations and data evaluation in realising the objectives. Descriptions of the study population, sample and size are presented; whilst describing the data collection instruments, data collection procedures, management and data analysis methods employed in conducting the study. Set against the International Labour Organisations 1988 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, namely; freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining; the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour; the effective abolition of child labour; and, the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation; Chapter 4 presents the results and discussion in combination against Objective 2, 3, 4 and 5, with Objective 6 being presented in the final Chapter. The study found that whilst EKZNW’s Conservation Board had approved and adopted the 2006 Remuneration Packages Policy and the 2007 Employee Performance Management and Development System to ensure ‘justice’ in its dealings with human resource matters; the policies had not been implemented on unskilled temporary workers.