Mogos Teweldemedhin’s research while affiliated with Polytechnic of Namibia and other places

This paper analyses the structure of Namibia’s fishery sector, which consists of both marine-based fisheries and aquaculture. The study examines the sectors’ governance structure and the evolution of fishery stocks and assesses the performance of the sector in terms of catch effort, sectoral contribution to GDP, employment, and contribution to international trade. The analysis concentrates on the marine-based fisheries and applies two analytical methods: a qualitative approach that solicits views from local fishing associations and companies and a quantitative approach that uses the decision support model to identify realistic export opportunities. The main challenges inhibiting the growth of Namibia’s fishery sector include a shortage of skilled labor, a lack of vessels, seismic impacts of oil exploration, and threats posed by proposed phosphate mining at sea. The paper also examines the government’s drive for value addition, arguing that what is deemed value addition from one angle may constitute value destruction from another. The authors also argue that the drive for value addition may cause companies to face problems with their current trading partners, who may use sanitary and phytosanitary measures to restrict the entry of processed fish into their markets.

The aim of this research is to examine the impact of climate change in maize farmers’ livelihood in Zambezi region, Namibia and benefit of adaptation. Trade-off analysis–multidimensional (TOA-MD) model was presented as a method for evaluation with a combination of simulated baseline production and future simulated yield using Decision Support Systems for Agro-technology Transfer (DSSAT) in maize production system, under five different climate scenarios of Global Circulation Models (GCMs). Even though the magnitude and the impact of different GCMs differs, the projections shows to have a negative economic impact with the highest going up to 76% and lowest to be around 46% loss without any adaption strategies in the Zambezi region. Adaptation strategies and some policy options were tested. The analysis suggests that the introduction of an irrigation system may be sufficient to offset the negative effects of climate change. Since various assumptions and uncertainties are associated with using the proposed approach and results should be interpreted with caution. Despite these limitations, the methodology presented in this study shows the potential to yield new insights into the way that realistic adaptation strategies could improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. To safeguard the limited productive assets of rural Namibian’s, the study suggested policy aim to target pro-poor disaster management and other adoption mechanism is very important. Apart from protecting productive resources of the rural population, policy should target the diversification of the rural economic environment and strengthen rural-urban linkages.

This paper examines perceptions of small-scale irrigation farmers (SSIFs) with regard to climate change and their adaptation strategies in terms of its effects. The Multinomial Logit (MNL) and the Trade-Off Analysis models were applied. Farm-level data was collected from the entire population of 30 SSIFs at the Ndonga Linena Irrigation Project in February 2014. Results from the MNL reveal that the gender, age and farming experience and extension services, yield and mean rainfall shift, are significant and positively related to the level of the farmers’ diversification strategies. Trade-off analysis for multi-dimensional impact assessment (TOA-MD) model results project that climate change will have a negative economic effect on farmers, with 17.5, 25.95, 41.15 and 3.76% of farmers set to gain from climate change across 20, 30, 40 and 50% physical yield reduction scenarios respectively. Farm net return and per capita income are also expected to decline across all scenarios in future, while the poverty level is expected to rise. This study will have certain policy implications in terms of safeguarding the farmers’ limited productive assets. Policy should target diversification.

The aim of this study is to analyse the major constraints for production and managerial practices among the four communal areas in the Omaheke Region. This study applied rapid rural appraisal techniques, including a questionnaire. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 570 farmers who were registered as cattle producers with the Meat Board of Namibia at their villages. The data collection process was conducted in two months (October 2009 and November 2009). Questionnaires were administered by a group of trained enumerators in the vernacular OtjiHerero language under the supervision of the researcher through door-to-door interviews. Data were gathered on the production system and managerial practices. The research found that the main constraints were incorrect bull-to-cow ratio (1:38), low calving percentage, and high cattle mortalities and losses caused by drought, diseases, straying and theft. The research further found that farmers were applying poor weaning practices and record keeping. Shortcomings on these managerial practices can be addressed if farmers visit the extension and veterinary offices for advice and training. A proper policy guide is required with respect to grazing resource management. Farmers need access to micro-financing for cattle production systems to become economically viable.

This study attempts to examine the empirical relationship between trade and total factor productivity (TFP) in the agricultural sector using both cross -sectiona, (across nine agricultural commodities), and time -series analysis. The Error Correction Model of ordinary least square (OLS) results from the cross -sectional analysis confirm that export shares and capital formation were found to be positive and significant; whereas, import shares and real exchange rate were found to be related negatively. However, the net effect of export and import shares had a positive effect. This implies that trade liberalisation causes productivity gains. Moreover, the time -series analysis goes in the same direction as the cross -sectional results, showing that there is a robust relationship among TFP, degree of openness, and capital formation. Whereas, debt was found to be inversely related, this implies that agricultural industries / farmers lack debt management skills.

The objective of this paper is to analyse the international trade performance of the South African agricultural industry in aggregate and by product group categories. A useful tool in this regard is the Gini and intra-industrial trade coefficient (IIT), which is used to examine the international trade balance of South Africa. Moreover, Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) is also used to identify factors that may be necessary to achieve high IIT. The IIT coefficient, after 1994, achieved more than 85 percent, which is a record level even for industrialised countries. This high IIT performance reveals trade liberalisation between the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU) and the European Union (EU), opening South Africa's market to the world. It also reveals that South Africa is able to increase its specialisation and flexibility to gain market access, and has shown a greater ability to compete in a changing trade environment. The results of the econometric analysis of IIT determinants give a greater magnitude to the coefficients export to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and export -to -import ratios. These results imply that if South Africa's industries take measures to increase trade liberalisation, diversity, and the level of industrial specialisation, the IIT level would be higher, and significant economic gain might be achieved by minimising costs. Key word: Gini and intra-industrial trade coefficient, the international trade performance.

This study measures the source of short-term agricultural economic growth in South Africa, using the Exact Maximum Likelihood (EML) method by categorizing the variables into five main categories: cyclical reversion, structural policies and institutions, stabilization policies, cyclical volatility and external conditions. The statistically significant finding of structural policies and institutional category variables imply that the sector growth was achieved with improved education, financial depth, and trade openness. However, the negative relationship of financial depth (RDGDP) indicates the sector is suffering from a debt crisis. Therefore, farmers need to follow an effective debt management system. The cyclical reversion was found to be statistically significant and related negatively. This shows that there is an important connection between the business cycle and agricultural economic growth.

The paper examines the main constrains in stimulating extent of production driven supply chains, that could able to transform into market driven supply chain management.; Questionnaires, were developed and administered to marketing agents using purposive sampling, with the application of Porter’s diamond of national competitive advantage. Red sea being underexploited resource; and it is unique opportunity for the development of the country (MOF, 1997). However, this comparative advantage has never been converted to competitive advantage. Comparing to the percentage of fish population with in 100km from the coastal, Eritrea has the larger fish resource concentration in the region (73%). However, the sector has never made significant contribution to the country food security. The study confirms that all the role payers in the fish market chain and policy makers need to take a strategic approach, in identifying target markets, and ways to build strong and sustainable production. Moreover, all stack holder in the sector needs to formulate how to move up to: the value chain; niche marketing opportunity; converting comparative into competitive advantage; specifically focus on the services revolution; and overcoming technical and structural barriers.