Masters Degrees (Agricultural Extension and Rural Resource Management)

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Evaluation of solar-powered computer use by educators at Myeka High School, rural KwaZulu-Natal.
(2002) Dube, Nurse Bongi.; Green, Jannette Maryann.; Hendriks, Sheryl Lee.
The potential of solar systems to generate electricity to power computers in rural schools has been realised in areas where grid electricity is inaccessible. While donors may willingly donate computers to rural schools, the extent of their use is questionable. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which Myeka High School educators used solar-powered computers and to determine factors affecting computer use. Myeka High School is located in the rural KwaZulu-Natal midlands, in the Ndwedwe district. It is characterised by a lack of grid electricity and basic infrastructure. Through private funding this school was provided with 20 solar-powered computers. A combination of survey questionnaires, observations, informal interviews and focus group discussions was used to collect data from 25 school staff, after computer training and Internet Explorer program access at the school. Data collected included educators' computer skills level, type of software used, time spent using computers and factors affecting computer use at the school. Survey results showed that the majority of educators were computer literate and used word processing more frequently than other software programs, but spent a relatively short duration of time using computers. The computers' capacity to enhance educators' tasks was the main motivation for them to use computers. However, low human capacity, high computer maintenance costs and poor physical infrastructure constrained educators' computer use. Recommendations are that interventions aimed at promoting computer use by rural educators should first develop human capacity and improve the infrastructure for using and maintaining computers. Implications for further research are to get learners' perspectives on computer use and to conduct a comparative study between Solar-powered computer and grid electricity-powered computers in schools, to further understand factors limiting computer use.
Improving sustainable livelihoods through organic produce marketing opportunities : evaluation of the Ezemvelo Farmers Organisation.
(2002) Ndokweni, Mimi Faith.; Hendriks, Sheryl Lee.; Modi, Albert Thembinkosi.; Green, Jannette Maryann.
For many poor rural South African communities, involvement in agriculture remains one of their most secure livelihood strategies. For the majority of these people, indigenous knowledge and the use of local materials, resources and skills is often the only asset they possess. The Ezemvelo Farmers Organisation (EFO) from the community of Embo in KwaZulu-Natal is one such group of rural people befitting this description. In the absence of financial resources to purchase relatively expensive agricultural inputs, accompanied by a lack of infrastructural development in their community, EFO farmers have become organic farmers by default. EFO members produce mainly traditional organic crops. However, little has been documented about the potential value of trade in these products. The purpose of this study was to explore potential marketing opportunities for traditional organic products through the mobilisation of indigenous knowledge, skills, and natural resources to improve the livelihoods of EFO members. A research team of three postgraduate students, each involved in his/her own independent study, worked in collaboration to collect relevant research information. Five data collection tools were used to collect this information. These were a household survey, a sustainable livelihoods analysis, a forcefield analysis, a stakeholder analysis, and a workshop. Research results showed that there are five stakeholders involved in EFO activities, each with his/her own personal interests. EFO members mainly produce amadumbe, sweet potatoes, and potatoes, which they market to a packhouse, the local community, and to hawkers. Other crop varieties are produced for household consumption and small quantities are sold to the local community and hawker markets. Farmers obtained a slightly higher price for crops sold to the packhouse as compared to the other two markets. The packhouse was the farmers' largest market for the 2002 season. However, the packhouse market was unsustainable for farmers because of problems due to the delays in payments for produce, the high quantities of crops that are rejected because they did not meet the quality control standards of the packhouse, and problems due to the unreliability of transport from Embo to the packhouse. The majority of EFO members' farms were also found to be unprofitable due to the high costs of inputs and losses to production. Constraints such as a shortage of kraal manure for soil conditioning, unfenced properties, a lack of water for irrigation, and the unavailability of a tractor for ploughing were found to be contributing factors to the unprofitability of member farms. Recommendations for improving marketing and profitability were that projects involving farmers should be regularly evaluated, EFO members seek business management skills, direct contracting agreements with their suppliers, explore value added products, and for Government to play a role for rural enterprise development to take place.
The potential use of rural schools in the Maphephetheni Lowlands as community resource centres.
(2002) Struck, Renate Erika.; Green, Jannette Maryann.; Hendriks, Sheryl Lee.
The purpose of the study was to investigate the potential for public rural schools to act as community resource centres. Focus group discussions, observation and interviews were conducted with educators, School Governing Body chairpersons and Development Committee members from nine rural schools in the Maphephetheni lowlands. Perceptions of these groups were explored, regarding awareness and use of available resources for community activities; functioning of school management and governance structures; and of the concept of schools as community resource centres. Findings were applied to Myeka High School, where a solar powered computer resource centre had been established. Data were analysed using Miles & Huberman's (1994, p.21) three major phases of qualitative data analysis. The study found that these schools do not act as community resource centres, although the potential exists. Resources alone and school management and governance structures were not the influencing factors in the establishment ofcommunity resource centres at schools. Opinions of educators, SGB chairpersons and Development Committee members was a factor which inhibited the schools from acting as effective community resource centres. The study found that obstacles, such as lack of available transport for educators, educators lack of participation in community programmes and educators mistrust of the community, existed which inhibited the establishment of effective community resource centres at the schools in the Maphephetheni lowlands. Myeka High School was not used by the community, but has the potential to establish a community resource centre at the school. Recommendations explain how these obstacles could be overcome. Policy recommendations for the establishment of community resource centres at schools are made.
Provincial Department of Agriculture extension services and the needs of women's clubs in relation to departmental policies and practices in Hlanganani district, KwaZulu-Natal.
(2002) Ndlela, Rejoice Nomusa.; Green, Jannette Maryann.; Hendriks, Sheryl Lee.
The purpose of this study was to compare the needs of women's clubs to the services offered by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs (KZNDAEA) at Hlanganani district. This study forms part of extension programme planning for the districts and it should feed into the management and policy making systems of the KZNDAEA to enable appropriate extension service provision that will help improve the operation of women's clubs. The surveys were conducted between May 1999 and August 2000. Four hundred and eighty five (485) women from thirty seven (37) women's clubs in the Hlanganani district, South East region, KwaZulu-Natal were included in the study. Questionnaires, small group discussions and observations were used to collect data from the women's clubs. To assess the services offered by the KZNDAEA, documents and reports of service provision from six districts in two agricultural regions, ie. South East and South West, were studied. Departmental policies of the National Department of Agriculture (NDA) and KZNDAEA were also reviewed to give insight into the services that the KZNDAEA should provide. The services provided were compared to the needs identified by the women's clubs of Hlanganani district. There were differences in the interpretation of policies by different KZNDAEA regions. The main activity in the districts served by KZNDAEA was generally community gardens. KZNDAEA tries to reach too many women's clubs with very limited resources, resulting in few KZNDAEA visits per club. The study revealed that while the main problem facing the women's clubs was lack of empowerment, the clubs themselves perceived lack of equipment to be the main problem. Women identified their training needs as being sewing, cookery and baking courses, motivated by the desire to increase incomes. KZNDAEA service provision did not meet women's clubs expressed needs for training, organisation and empowerment. It is recommended that districts should concentrate on effectively serving fewer women's clubs. KZNDAEA needs to review its current service delivery, perhaps pilot changed service delivery on a smaller number of clubs to focus on efficient and appropriate services to meet the needs of women. This research was on the needs of women as groups in women's clubs. Further research should focus on the needs of rural women as individuals rather than groups which are the main clients of the KZNDAEA if this Department is to deliver appropriate services. Forums or workshops involving different agricultural regions should be held where departmental policies are reviewed, communicated and interpreted in order to ensure uniformity in their interpretation and implementation. It is also recommended that KZNDAEA should look at ways of providing women's clubs with equipment and materials at least on a once off basis instead of providing physical structures only.
Successful skills training in relation to women's home management practices and household attributes.
(1996) Hendriks, Sheryl Lee.; Green, Jannette Maryann.
Women engaged in skills training courses were surveyed to determine if selected home management and household attribute variables influenced women's attendance and successful completion of training. The common (and wide) use of literacy as the entry requirement for women's income orientated skills and entrepreneurship training courses was challenged. The predominance of Black women in South Africa's informal sector, and the prevalence of illiteracy among female informal sector participants in particular; demand more appropriate, precise and impartial entry criteria for such courses than literacy levels alone. A sample of 161 women engaged in skills training courses offered by NGO's in KwaZulu-Natal were surveyed through use of a questionnaire. The dependent variables were: course attendance, rate of successful completion of training and education levels. The independent variables were grouped into three sections: variables related to training course characteristics (such as course duration and skill type taught), variables thought to indicate women's home management practices (such as participation in household production and child care), and household demographic attributes (for example household size). Logistic regression analyses were used. It was concluded that the significant home management and household attribute variables may be more impartial and appropriate predictors of attendance and successful completion of skills training. The absence of significant relationships between attendance, successful training and education level may challenge the use of literacy as the sole training prerequisite. However, the course related variables did influence attendance and success rates, which inferred that the attendance and success variables may have been reliable predictors. Further refinement of these variables and greater control of the course related variables is recommended.

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Browsing Masters Degrees (Agricultural Extension and Rural Resource Management) by Author "Hendriks, Sheryl Lee."