Browsing by Author "Hlatshwayo, Simphiwe Innocentia."

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Impact of crop productivity and market participation on rural households’ food and nutrition security status: the case of Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces, South Africa.
(2022) Hlatshwayo, Simphiwe Innocentia.; Ngidi, Mjabuliseni Simon Cloapas.; Modi, Albert Thembinkosi.; Temitope, Olumuyiwa Ojo.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe.
The agricultural sector has proven to be the backbone of improving rural households’ food security and livelihoods in developing countries. However, the sector faces numerous challenges, such as insufficient access to technology, institutional difficulties, inappropriate policies, poor infrastructure, and unsuccessful links to the markets, making it difficult for smallholder farmers to participate in the formal market sector. Smallholder farmers in South Africa are still trapped in low-productivity traditional technologies that have a negative impact on output and livelihoods. Low agricultural productivity and lack of market access threaten the efforts of alleviating poverty and improving food security. The study's main objective is to analyse the impact of crop productivity and market participation on rural households’ food and nutrition. The specific objectives were to assess the determinants and intensity of market participation among smallholder farmers; estimate the impact of market participation on the food and nutrition security status of the smallholder farmers; analyse the factors affecting crop productivity among smallholder farmers, and evaluate the effect of crop productivity on household food and nutrition security status in the study area. The study used secondary data, which was collected from a total of 1520 respondents who were selected through stratified random sampling. The study focused on two provinces (Mpumalanga and Limpopo) in South Africa, based on the predominance of smallholder farmers. While assessing the determinants and intensity of market participation among smallholder farmers, the results of the DH estimation model show that the gender of the household head, family member working on the farm, wealth index, and agricultural assistance, age of household head and family member with HIV were statistically significant factors influencing market participation. The result from the second hurdle showed that the perceived intensity of market participation was influenced by marital status, educational level of the household head, wealth index, access to agricultural assistance, household size, household age, and family member with HIV. The study also analysed the effect of market participation on the food security of smallholder farmers. The household food insecurity access scale (HFIAS) results revealed that out of the total sample size, 85% of the households were food insecure while 15% were food secure. The gender of the household head, receiving social grants, wealth index, and having a family member with HIV significantly influenced farmers’ market participation. The results of the extended ordered probit regression model showed that household size, having a family member with HIV, agricultural assistance, educational level of household head, ownership of livestock, age of household head, gender of household head, and having access to social grants variables were statistically influencing the food insecurity situation of smallholder farmers. The Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) showed that in the overall sampled population, 57% of smallholder farmers had the highest dietary diversity, followed by medium dietary diversity (25%), and the lowest dietary diversity was 18%. The t-test results showed that farmers who participated in the market enjoyed higher HDDS than those who did not participate in the market. The Food Consumption Score (FCS) showed that in the overall population, the acceptable FCS was 54%, followed by a borderline food consumption score of 30%, and the poor food consumption score was the least at 16%. The gender of the household head, receiving social grants, and the wealth index significantly influenced farmers’ market participation. The results from Poisson endogenous treatment effect model showed that the nutrition status of smallholder farmers was statistically influenced by agricultural assistance, access to market information, household size, ownership of livestock, access to social grants, wealth index, and involvement in crop production variables. The result from the ordered logistic regression model showed that household size had a negative and significant impact on the food consumption score of smallholder farmers. Gender of household head, irrigation type, social grant, and amount harvested had a positive and significant effect on the food consumption score of smallholder farmers. The results from the Tobit regression model showed crop productivity of smallholder farmers was significantly influenced by the gender of the household head, irrigation system, a family member with HIV, involvement in crop production, access to agricultural assistance, and wealth index of smallholder farmers variables. Lastly, the study determined the impact of crop productivity on household food and nutrition security status in the study areas. The results from the CMP model showed that ownership of livestock, harvest, disability in the family, household size, and gender statistically influenced the food (in)security of smallholder farmers. The results also showed that social grants, agricultural assistance, harvest, and household size significantly impacted the nutrition status of smallholder farmers. The results from this study support the findings of many previous studies conducted in developing countries and show that more intervention is still needed. It is recommended that government, researchers, policy makers, and other stakeholders work together to close the existing gaps between research, policies, programmes, and extension services directed to smallholder farmers. This will help to improve crop productivity and market participation of smallholder farmers, which will, in turn, enhance their food and nutrition security.
Impact of crop productivity and market participation on rural households’ food and nutrition security status: the case of Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces, South Africa.
(2022) Hlatshwayo, Simphiwe Innocentia.; Ngidi, Mjabuliseni Simon Cloapas.; Ojo, Temitope Oluwaseun.; Modi, Albert Thembinkosi.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe.;
The agricultural sector has proven to be the backbone of improving rural households’ food security and livelihoods in developing countries. However, the sector faces numerous challenges, such as insufficient access to technology, institutional difficulties, inappropriate policies, poor infrastructure, and unsuccessful links to the markets, making it difficult for smallholder farmers to participate in the formal market sector. Smallholder farmers in South Africa are still trapped in low-productivity traditional technologies that have a negative impact on output and livelihoods. Low agricultural productivity and lack of market access threaten the efforts of alleviating poverty and improving food security. The study's main objective is to analyse the impact of crop productivity and market participation on rural households’ food and nutrition. The specific objectives were to assess the determinants and intensity of market participation among smallholder farmers; estimate the impact of market participation on the food and nutrition security status of the smallholder farmers; analyse the factors affecting crop productivity among smallholder farmers, and evaluate the effect of crop productivity on household food and nutrition security status in the study area. The study used secondary data, which was collected from a total of 1520 respondents who were selected through stratified random sampling. The study focused on two provinces (Mpumalanga and Limpopo) in South Africa, based on the predominance of smallholder farmers. While assessing the determinants and intensity of market participation among smallholder farmers, the results of the DH estimation model show that the gender of the household head, family member working on the farm, wealth index, and agricultural assistance, age of household head and family member with HIV were statistically significant factors influencing market participation. The result from the second hurdle showed that the perceived intensity of market participation was influenced by marital status, educational level of the household head, wealth index, access to agricultural assistance, household size, household age, and family member with HIV. The study also analysed the effect of market participation on the food security of smallholder farmers. The household food insecurity access scale (HFIAS) results revealed that out of the total sample size, 85% of the households were food insecure while 15% were food secure. The gender of the household head, receiving social grants, wealth index, and having a family member with HIV significantly influenced farmers’ market participation. The results of the extended ordered probit regression model showed that household size, having a family member with HIV, agricultural assistance, educational level of household head, ownership of livestock, age of household head, gender of household head, and having access to social grants variables were statistically influencing the food insecurity situation of smallholder farmers. The Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) showed that in the overall sampled population, 57% of smallholder farmers had the highest dietary diversity, followed by medium dietary diversity (25%), and the lowest dietary diversity was 18%. The t-test results showed that farmers who participated in the market enjoyed higher HDDS than those who did not participate in the market. The Food Consumption Score (FCS) showed that in the overall population, the acceptable FCS was 54%, followed by a borderline food consumption score of 30%, and the poor food consumption score was the least at 16%. The gender of the household head, receiving social grants, and the wealth index significantly influenced farmers’ market participation. The results from Poisson endogenous treatment effect model showed that the nutrition status of smallholder farmers was statistically influenced by agricultural assistance, access to market information, household size, ownership of livestock, access to social grants, wealth index, and involvement in crop production variables. The result from the ordered logistic regression model showed that household size had a negative and significant impact on the food consumption score of smallholder farmers. Gender of household head, irrigation type, social grant, and amount harvested had a positive and significant effect on the food consumption score of smallholder farmers. The results from the Tobit regression model showed crop productivity of smallholder farmers was significantly influenced by the gender of the household head, irrigation system, a family member with HIV, involvement in crop production, access to agricultural assistance, and wealth index of smallholder farmers variables. Lastly, the study determined the impact of crop productivity on household food and nutrition security status in the study areas. The results from the CMP model showed that ownership of livestock, harvest, disability in the family, household size, and gender statistically influenced the food (in)security of smallholder farmers. The results also showed that social grants, agricultural assistance, harvest, and household size significantly impacted the nutrition status of smallholder farmers. The results from this study support the findings of many previous studies conducted in developing countries and show that more intervention is still needed. It is recommended that government, researchers, policy makers, and other stakeholders work together to close the existing gaps between research, policies, programmes, and extension services directed to smallholder farmers. This will help to improve crop productivity and market participation of smallholder farmers, which will, in turn, enhance their food and nutrition security.
Local economic sustainability under smallholder subsistence farming.
(2018) Hlatshwayo, Simphiwe Innocentia.; Modi, Albert Thembinkosi.
Food insecurity an issue for many rural households in South Africa. Many South African rural households mainly depend on subsistence agriculture for their livelihoods, income, and food security. However, subsistence farming is not developed enough to provide smallholder farmers with their needs. Smallholder farmers still are faced with many obstacles during and after their production. The aims of study was to understand how smallholder subsistence production systems work, and to access crop production, and economic systems of smallholder farmers. Eight rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal (Deepdale, Swayimane, Nhlazuka, Vulindlela, Ogagwini, Mvuzane and Emaswazini) were considered to gather information on homestead crop and seed production systems. The results are based on data collected from a sample of 162 households using semi-structured questionnaires. Out of the eight rural areas, three rural areas were used to compare how much smallholder farmers consume and sell from what they have harvested for selected crops (maize, beans and cabbage). A total of 59 questionnaires were successfully completed from households. Chi-square, ANOVA, descriptive statistics and paired t-test were used to analyse data at a 5% level of significant association. Results showed that there were significance differences (P < 0.05) in most of the exploratory variables among locations. Findings showed that major crops produced by smallholder farmers were maize, beans and potatoes and the minor crops were vegetables. Most of the smallholder farmers obtained their seeds from saved seeds, neighbours, donations and local shops. The study also revealed that most used storage devices were floor, underground, sealed grain and roof. Farmers assessed seed quality by looking at seed sizes, colour and germination capacity. The study also found that smallholder farmers consume more than they can sell for grain crops (maize and beans). The nature of cabbage made farmers to sell more of it at a cheaper price. The findings showed that there is still more interventions needed under subsistence farming. It can be concluded that there is a need for policy makers, government and researchers to develop new and innovative strategies that will improve subsistence agricultural productivity.