- Title
- The contribution of communal sheep production to household welfare in Nyadeni local municipality under alternative extension regimes
- Creator
- Ngqulana, Athenkosi
- Subject
- Sheep -- Breeding -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Communal rangelands -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Date Issued
- 2017
- Date
- 2017
- Type
- Thesis
- Type
- Masters
- Type
- MAgric
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13270
- Identifier
- vital:39629
- Description
- Sheep farming seems to have a rich profile in the improvement of the livelihoods in the deprived parts of developing countries throughout the world. The broad objective of this study is to assess the contribution of sheep production to household welfare under alternative extension regimes. Specifically, this research investigated the methods used to deliver extension services, perceptions of communal sheep farmers towards extension delivery services and contribution of communal sheep production to household welfare. The study was conducted in Nyandeni Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province and employed survey data obtained from 105 households practising sheep production. Cross-sectional research design and purposive sampling technique was used. Descriptive statistics was used to examine socio-economic characteristics and extension methods used to improve sheep production. Likert scale was used to rate perceptions of sheep producers and extension services given And a T-test analyses was conducted to test its reliability. Linear multiple regression model was used to estimate the contribution of sheep production to rural household’s welfare. The descriptive statistics results show that males were dominant with a representation of 55.2 percent and 44.8 percent were females. Moreover, the majority of households were aged, being above 61 years on average. The results showed high levels of illiteracy amongst household sheep producers with 54 percent having no formal education and average number of years farmers spent in school was 7 years and less. About 62 percent of the households were married and 54 percent was found to be unemployed. Farming was found to be the major agricultural economic activity. The results also shows that there is one type of extension method used in the area which was the group method through the use of group meetings. This finding was surprising as it was different from the results that were expected given prior information obtained from the literature and extension service. Therefore the study was unable to conclude on which of the extension method was most effective since the households were not exposed to different regimes. From the Likert-scale analysis, although all households received extension services many (58 percent) of respondents were not satisfied with the services they received. In order to run the regression, diagnostic checks were done to check if multicollinearity existed in the variables. Linear multiple regression analysis results indicate that sheep production contributes to household income and welfare. However, household sheep production was influenced by a number of factors such as educational level, household size, number of sheep sold and sheep price while age was found to adversely affect sheep production in the study area. Farmers require to be trained on sheep production and necessary methods required for sheep production as to increase percent received extension services many (58 percent) of respondents were not satisfied with the services they received. In order to run the regression, diagnostic checks were done to check if multicollinearity existed in the variables. Linear multiple regression analysis results indicate that sheep production contributes to household income and welfare. However, household sheep production was influenced by a number of factors such as educational level, household size, number of sheep sold and sheep price while age was found to adversely affect sheep production in the study area. Farmers require to be trained on sheep production and necessary methods required for sheep production as to increase their household income and welfare through the improvement of the factors that affected sheep significantly. Also since the farmers were exposed on one regime there is a need for extension agents to use more than one extension regime to improve production.
- Format
- 119 leaves
- Format
- Publisher
- University of Fort Hare
- Publisher
- Faculty of Science and Agriculture
- Language
- English
- Rights
- University of Fort Hare
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UFH Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension
| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | SOURCE1 | M Agric (Agric Extension) NGQULANA.pdf | 1 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |