Abby Mushunje

Fort Hare University | UFH · Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension

The main objective of the study was to investigate the impact of microfinance on smallholder resettled sugarcane farmers’ productivity and technical efficiency. The study evaluated the impact of microfinance on technical efficiency of resettled sugarcane smallholders as well as the determinants of their technical efficiency. The study used Transcen...

An understanding of factors influencing smallholder farmers’ livestock ownership at the household level is vital in formulating pro-poor livestock production policies and technologies. Hence, this study examined factors that influence livestock ownership of smallholder farmers. The data was collected randomly from three purposively selected study a...

South Africa declared a State of National Disaster due to the COVID-19 pandemic, instituting a nationwide lockdown on 26 March, 2020. Sale of goods and services classified as non-essential, such as tobacco and liquor, were prohibited, leading to widespread concerns about viability, job losses and investment in these industries. The study highlighte...

Using data drawn from a sample of 50 households in Ngqele village, the paper investigated households’ attitude towards farming as a livelihood source and the possibilities of the dependency syndrome associated with access to social grants. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data and a 5 point Likert scale was used to determine hou...

Using data drawn from a sample of 50 households in Ngqele village, the paper investigated households' attitude towards farming as a livelihood source and the possibilities of the dependency syndrome associated with access to social grants. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data and a 5 point Likert scale was used to determine househol...

The objective of the study was to highlight the flood vulnerabilities exhibited in different settlements in South Africa, using the case of the Port St Johns. The study utilised a cross-sectional survey design and a purposive sample of 195 respondents. A multiplicative flood vulnerability index (FVI) was used to analyse the data. The results showed...

The study highlights the effects of floods on livestock production in South Africa, using cross-sectional survey data from 195 purposively selected respondents in Port St Johns Local Municipality. The results indicate that amongst all livestock, small stocks were the most affected by flooding, especially amongst households settled in flood-prone ar...

This study evaluated the influence of institutions on production and marketing efficiency of A1 maize resettled farmers in Marondera district. Data Envelopment Analysis was used to determine the efficiency scores of farmers while Tobit model was used to determine institutional factors influencing technical efficiency for both production and marketi...

There is evidence that climate variability has affected agriculture and the expectation is that the situation will get worse over time. This study examined smallholder farmers’ adaptation strategies to mitigate the effects of drought on maize production in OR Tambo District in South Africa. A questionnaire was used to collect primary data from 200...

The argument on whether organic agriculture can produce enough food to cater for the world’s growing population has been debated severally by various scholars. While organic farming is rapidly increasing, the paramount question is to know how organic farming can yield to viable systems of producing food. This paper aims to identify the benefits and...

Giving the rising interest in naturally grown foods; several studies have contrasted various features of organic and conventionally grown foods in relation to consumer attitudes, perceptions, and preference for organic foods. This paper aims to explore consumers’ willingness to consume organic foods; the extent and attributes of consumer knowledge...

Irrigation technology has been reemphasized to adapt to the climate variability effects on agricultural production. However, scanty evidence exists on the adoption of irrigation technology among smallholder farmers in developing countries whose production is vulnerable to climate variability. Hence, this study determined factors contributing to the...

Enhancing sustainable food security requires agricultural production systems to change in the direction of higher productivity and to mitigate lower output variability in the face of climate extreme related hazards such as land degradation. Adoption of resilient food production system capable of withstanding disruptive events is therefore needed to...

The significance of rangelands to the welfare of the rural poor has been acknowledged. The study explores perceptions and determinants of rural households’ rangeland harvesting. A cross-sectional survey of 159 rural households harvesting communal rangeland products was utilized, as well as 64 non-harvesting households. The sample was purposively se...

The objective of the study was to determine factors influencing participation decisions in the Agricultural Research Council’s Kaonafatso ya Dikgomo (KyD) Scheme in South Africa. A cross-sectional survey was used to collect data on socio-economic and institutional factors, as well as KyD Scheme participation decisions. The sample comprised 164 KyD...

Management of protected areas (PAs) that includes previously excluded households is gaining approval from both households living in communities adjacent to PAs and PA managers globally. This article examined households' willingness to pay (WTP) for community-based ecotourism (CBE) projects in adjacent communities to the Addo Elephant National Park...

Maize is an important staple crop for poverty reduction and global food security in Sub Saharan Africa. Food insecurity can be combated through adoption of productivity improving technologies, which include improved maize varieties. In that endeavour, South Africa has promoted various improved maize varieties which include open pollinated varieties...

The ability of smallholder farmers to utilise seasonal climate forecast (SCF) information in farm planning to reflect anticipated climate is a precursor to improved farm management. However, the integration of SCF by smallholder farmers into farm planning has been poor, partly because of the lack of forecast skill, lack of communication and inabili...

The persistent use of traditional farming practices and cultivation of low yielding variety of crops on scattered small farmland holdings by agrarian farming households in Nigeria has put pressure on land and water resources, consequently leading to depletion of soil productivity with spill-over effects on the environment, crop-output and farm-inco...

The study identified constraints faced in a livestock development programme and their determinants. The study utilised a questionnaire, administered purposively on farmer field days in November, 2017, through a cross sectional survey of KyD scheme participants from KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, with a purposive sample of 164 respondents fro...

Adoption of mobile money technology in peripheral regions of Africa where conventional banking services are entirely lacking is very important for financial inclusion. Although the population of mobile money users has recently increased, its adoption in rural areas remains low. This study investigates the determinants of mobile money adoption in ru...

The objective of the study was to outline the determinants of market awareness and participation in the Kaonafatso ya Dikgomo (KyD) scheme in South Africa. The study utilised a cross-sectional survey of a randomly selected sample of 116 KyD farmers in KwaZulu-Natal Province. A Logit model was used to analyse the data. The results show that more far...

The objective of the study was to develop an index which circumvents the need for quantitative measures in evaluating Livestock Development Programmes (LDPs). This was done through a conceptual framework which integrates indexing and the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework (SLF) to attain qualitative benefits. The study utilised a cross-sectional sur...

This study assessed the effects of grazing and feeding management on the extent of commercialization among the smallholder dairy farmers in Zimbabwe. Using a sample of 225 smallholder dairy farming households selected randomly across 11 smallholder dairy cooperatives in Zimbabwe, data were analysed using descriptive statistics and the ordinary leas...

Land is an indispensable resource in agricultural production. In South Africa, land’s economic, political and cultural worth often surpass its production value. Both the proponents and opponents of the ongoing debate on land expropriation without compensation in South Africa have expressed concerns on its implications for land usage for food and ag...

Orientation: Agri-businesses, especially at the farmer level, are devoid of sound marketing strategy. Research purpose: This study aimed to highlight the marketing mix elements most considered by pork-based agri-businesses. Motivation for the study: Zimbabwe underwent institutional transformation policies of land reform and indigenisation policie...

The objective of the study was to establish the factors that have significant correlation with the increase in adoption and intensity of adoption of genetically modified (GM) maize varieties. The study utilized a cross-sectional, descriptive and quantitative survey of smallholder dry maize producers. Multiple purposive sampling was utilized in the...

Agribusinesses utilise an array of pricing strategies and practices that may be effective under certain circumstances. Price dictates income, directs the quantity supplied and demanded, provides an indication to customers, and shifts ownership. The objective of the study was to evaluate the current pricing strategies being employed in the Zimbabwea...

Sorghum is important for sustainability of smallholder farmers’ subsistence, social and economic livelihoods in semi-arid and arid environments of Southern Africa. However, production of the crop has been on the decline in the smallholder communities of semi-arid Zimbabwe. The study examines factors affecting smallholder farmers’ inclination toward...

The major concern of most African countries, including Nigeria, in recent times is how to increase food production because of food insecurity issues, which by extension, is a major contributing factor to the prevalence of poverty. Therefore, adoption of conservation agricultural practices is regarded as a pathway to drive the achievement of food an...

The role of extension in strengthening relationships among stakeholders along agricultural commodity value chains remains an important discussion point especially with orphan crops in semi-arid areas. The study used a participatory framework to analyse the sorghum value chain in the Mid Zambezi Valley of Zimbabwe. A sample comprising of 380 small s...

The objective of the study was to identify the extent of benefits and their determinants to communities surrounding the Qamata Irrigation Scheme (QIS) in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The study used a quantitative based cross-sectional survey of 197 households within a radius of 20 km from the QIS. Multiple sampling methods were utilized...

Land rental markets are critical in developing economies as they contribute to efficiency, equity and welfare gains to farmers involved under conditions of low transaction costs. Despite lack of policy consistency in Zimbabwe, A1 and A2 farmers have been involved in these land rental markets, albeit in an informal manner. This study sought to estab...

The objective of the study was to identify the extent of benefits and their determinants to communities surrounding the Qamata Irrigation Scheme (QIS) in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The study used a quantitative based cross-sectional survey of 197 households within a radius of 20 km from the QIS. Multiple sampling methods were utilized...

Land rental markets are critical in developing economies as they contribute to efficiency, equity and welfare gains to farmers involved under conditions of low transaction costs. Despite lack of policy consistency in Zimbabwe, A1 and A2 farmers have been involved in these land rental markets, albeit in an informal manner. This study sought to estab...

Risk plays a significant role in input use decisions and production of output in agricultural production. Understanding farmer risk attitudes and their responses to risk is significant in designing effective intervention programmes. Few studies have tried to identify how the introduction of a livestock programme has tended to influence farmer risk...

The main justification for the existence of commodity futures markets is the supposed role they fulfil in ensuring efficient price discovery and price risk mitigation. The futures market price barometer role influences farmers production decisions since these markets supposedly provide commodity price information. This study examined price discover...

Adoption of improved technology tends to recalibrate labour use in agricultural production. The study examined how the adoption of various maize varieties impacted labour use in smallholder production. The study utilised a structured pre-coded questionnaire-based survey of 487 smallholder maize farmers in South Africa. The purposive sample was obta...

Lack of access to markets occasioned by missing market information has constrained market participation among smallholder farmers in developing countries. Advances in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have helped in connecting rural farmers through mobile phone to market sources. This study investigated the adoption of mobile phone f...

The potential benefits of agricultural production to improve the welfare condition of smallholder farmers in developing countries is no more news because it has been widely documented. Majority of these farming households suffer from a shortfall in production output to meet both the consumption needs and market demand, which adversely affects outpu...

BACKGROUND: The article focuses on the pricing strategies that are used in a dynamic institutional environment of land reform and indigenisation policies. Zimbabwe underwent a land reform incorporating new players in the pork agribusinesses, as well as indigenisation, altering agro-business decision-making structures. One such decision is effective...

The critical role of clean water for sustaining life is enshrine in the Sustainable Development Goals 2030. However, water scarcity currently affects more than 40% of people globally and by 2030, demand for water is expected to grow by 50%. Maintaining current water usage in South Africa is anticipated to result in 17% water deficit in 2030 and thi...

A fundamental concern of agricultural development is the efficient marketing of goods and services. This paper examines the determinants of market participation and marketing channel choice decisions by small scale sorghum farmers using a case comprising 380 households from five Wards in the mid Zambezi Valley of Zimbabwe. Mixed data collection app...

Neoclassical economics enunciates the central role of land as an economic resource, with focus on household ownership under freehold tenure. Many developing countries, especially in Sub-Sahara Africa have not adopted this approach partly due to resistance to colonial capitalist economic systems, with most of them preferring leasehold, customary and...

Smallholder vegetable production is a very important activity in Zimbabwe, contributing significantly towards household food security and income. However, vegetable farmers are constrained from participating in remunerative markets by several factors. The main aim of this study was to analyse factors that influence market channel choice of smallhol...

Women play an important role in livestock production and their contribution remain unrecognized by researchers and policy makers. The study was conducted to investigate the participation of women in livestock production activities at two district municipalities of the Eastern Cape. A simple random sampling technique was used to select five communit...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze food security status and its determinants among households in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Design/methodology/approach The analysis is based on the General Household Survey which was conducted in 2014 where 3,033 households were sampled from the province. Specifically, this study exam...

Using a case study research design, this paper evaluated factors determining smallholder farmers’ perceptions on the use of soil conservation technologies at Qamata Irrigation Scheme, Eastern Cape in South Africa. According to the empirical results, perception is highly relevant in adoption decision-making, interacting significantly positively with...

There is a high level of consensus on the relevance of indigenous leafy vegetables (ILVs) in complementing household food security. Despite such a high level of consensus and several nutritional and health benefits, farmers have opted not to include them in their farming systems thus affecting production volumes and their availability on market. Wi...

Income diversification has been globally identified as a channel for household in reducing vulnerability to shocks, improve standard of living and reduce government fiscal burden. In poverty stricken Eastern Cape Province, the pattern and potential of income diversification for welfare improvement have not been explored. This study aims to examine...

Achieving sustainable protected area (PA) management requires synergy between several stakeholders such as managers, tourists and households in adjacent communities to the PA. Ecotourism has been suggested as a veritable tool for ensuring rural development without compromising biodiversity integrity of PA while providing incentives to households to...

This study investigated ‘not in employment, education or training’ (NEET) status, reasons for being NEET and the determinants of rural youth participation in agricultural activities in South Africa. A multistage random sampling technique was used to interview 167 youth aged 16 to 25 using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data generated was analysed...

Foreign Direct Investment inflow has been perceived to promote economicstability of the host country through various economic benefits accrued from it.Empirical evidence, however, presents mixed and unclear results. In South Africa,poverty, unemployment, the urgent need to add to existing infrastructures anddevelop new crucial infrastructures to me...

Maize is one of the most important crops grown by smallholder farmers in Amatole and O.R. Tambo Districts of the Eastern Cape Province. Improved open pollinated varieties of maize have been shown by studies to be relatively drought tolerant as compared to hybrids, and can be a valuable step if adopted and used by smallholder farmers. This study ass...

Smallholder agriculture is not fulfilling its pivotal role of attaining food security in developing countries such as South Africa. In rural areas, smallholder farmers' efficiencies are hindered mostl y by factors beyond their control. This paper presents a scenario simulation of small farms' production efficiencies in the disadvantaged Black commu...

Smallholder farmers can benefit from market-oriented agriculture when they get support from various institutions and operate in organized groups such as cooperatives. Cooperatives have the potential to penetrate high value markets or better paying markets to improve their living standards. However, agricultural cooperatives often face a number of c...

This study determined the level and causes of food insecurity of 150 households, in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa using the Household Food Insecurity Access Prevalence (HFIAP) and the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). The majority (67.7 %) of the households interviewed were severely food insecure, the main cause being the...

This study sought to identify livelihood strategies and crop production constraints in order to establish the potential for adopting maize open-pollinated varieties (OPVs) in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Factors influencing potential adoption of maize OPVs were assessed. Eighty-two farmers from the OR Tambo District Municipality were...

The results of this study revealed a negative relationship between the effectiveness of the irrigation water policy and users paying for irrigation water, as shown by regression coefficient of -0.079 at the 10% significance level. The implication is that if the irrigation water policy has clearly specified clauses on users pay principles, then it c...

Access to reliable irrigation enables farmers to adopt new technologies and intensify agricultural, water and land productivity. The Fast Track Land Reform Programme (FTLRP) of 2000 in Zimbabwe ushered in new, unskilled cadres in the irrigation sector, drastically reducing the area under irrigation from approximately 200,000 ha developed for irriga...

The objective of this study was to determine the perceptions and knowledge of farmers of heat stress and tick resistance in cattle. A cross-sectional survey was conducted and 110 farmers in four villages in the sour and sweet velds of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa were interviewed. The associations among area (municipality), gender, age,...