Your search found 5 records
1 Geza, W.; Ngidi, M. S. C.; Slotow, R.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe. 2022. The dynamics of youth employment and empowerment in agriculture and rural development in South Africa: a scoping review. Sustainability, 14(9):5041. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/su14095041]
Youth employment ; Participation ; Empowerment ; Agriculture ; Rural development ; Unemployment ; Inclusion ; Strategies / South Africa
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051085)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/9/5041/pdf?version=1650619803
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051085.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051085.pdf
(2.12 MB) (2.12 MB)
Over the years, South Africa has made significant investments aimed at transforming the agricultural sector to deliver on rural economic development and job creation. These investments have had varying levels of success; still, what is worrying is the high youth unemployment rate which is amongst the highest globally. We conducted a scoping review using the PRISMA-P guidelines to identify the challenges youth face in accessing sustainable employment in the agriculture sector. Peer-reviewed studies were retrieved from online databases (Web of Science, Cab Direct, and Science Direct) for 1994–2021. The findings showed that youth are still facing significant challenges in the demand and supply side of the labour market and lack of inclusivity in policy formulation and implementation, limiting their involvement in agriculture and rural development initiatives. Policies and strategies responding to these challenges exist, and the spectrum of support services provided are primarily focused on entrepreneurship. Yet, the implementation of programs and initiatives has not been successful. This could be attributed to the obstacles persisting in the sociopolitical environment in SA, causing additional barriers to program implementation. Therefore, to enhance youth involvement in agriculture and rural development, there is a need to connect more rural youth to support services, local employment programmes, and youth inclusion in policy formulation processes. Additionally, the focus of policy and programs should be broadened to cater to different youth knowledge and skill profiles.
2 Hlatshwayo, S. I.; Ojo, T. O.; Modi, A. T.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe; Slotow, R.; Ngidi, M. S. C.. 2022. The determinants of market participation and its effect on food security of the rural smallholder farmers in Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, South Africa. Agriculture, 12(7):1072. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12071072]
Markets ; Participation ; Household food security ; Smallholders ; Farmers ; Rural areas ; Access to information ; Food insecurity ; Agriculture ; Gender ; Socioeconomic environment ; Probit analysis / South Africa / Limpopo / Mpumalanga
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051304)
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/12/7/1072/pdf?version=1658454749
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051304.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051304.pdf
(0.99 MB) (0.99 MB)
Addressing the disproportionate burden of food insecurity in South Africa requires targeted efforts to help smallholder farmers to access markets. The purpose of this study was to assess determinants of market participation and its contribution to household food security. The secondary data used in this study were collected from 1520 respondents; however, 389 smallholder farmers participated in the market. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale revealed that out of the total sample size, 85% of the households were food insecure while 15% were food secure. Gender of household head, receiving social grants and higher wealth index positively impacted market participation. Having a family member with HIV had a negative impact on market participation among smallholder farmers. The results from the extended ordered probit regression model showed that household size, having a family member with HIV and agricultural assistance had a positive and significant contribution to the household food insecurity situation of the smallholder farmers. On the other hand, the educational level of household head, ownership of livestock, age of household head, gender of household head, and having access to social grants had a negative and significant effect on the food insecurity status. Access to education and the market can improve household food security. Linking smallholder farmers, particularly women and aged farmers, to markets should form an intrinsic part of the government’s efforts to improve farming and food security and increase access to diversified food.
3 Bhebhe, Q. N.; Ngidi, M. S. C.; Siwela, M.; Ojo, T. O.; Hlatshwayo, S. I.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe. 2023. The contribution of trees and green spaces to household food security in eThekwini Metro, KwaZulu-Natal. Sustainability, 15(6):4855. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/su15064855]
Household food security ; Greenspace ; Trees ; Food insecurity ; Nutrition security ; Sustainability ; Food access ; Communities ; Income ; Poverty ; Socioeconomic aspects / South Africa / KwaZulu-Natal / eThekwini Municipality / Osindisweni / Maphephetheni
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051817)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/6/4855/pdf?version=1678347667
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051817.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051817.pdf
(1.20 MB) (1.20 MB)
One of the most significant issues faced by many low- and middle-income nations, including South Africa, is ensuring access to healthy, affordable, and sustainable food. South Africa is renowned worldwide for its rich biodiversity and a vast body of traditional knowledge among those who consume forest foods. However, despite ecological diversity, frequent barriers remain to getting diversified household diets. This study sought to investigate the contribution of trees and green spaces to household food security in eThekwini. A total of 280 households met the inclusion criteria and consented to participate in this study by responding to questionnaires. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics, the computation of the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), and the Instrumental Variable Poisson model. The study’s results revealed that only 29% of the respondents were food secure, 36% were mildly food insecure, 27% were moderately food insecure, and 8% were severely food insecure. The Instrumental Variable Poisson model results revealed that cultivated green spaces, wealth index, gender, education level of the head of households, and grants had a negative correlation with household food insecurity. On the other hand, non-cultivated green spaces, local trees, age, marital status, number of dependents, and monthly income positively correlated with food insecurity. Given the existence of trees and green spaces in eThekwini, there is potential for food security solutions to be formed around both cultivated and uncultivated green spaces to promote sustainable access to food and nutritious diets in low-income households. Policy interventions should adopt an approach that encourages the incorporation of foods from both cultivated and uncultivated trees and green spaces in people’s diets.
4 Hlatshwayo, S. I.; Ngidi, M. S. C.; Ojo, T. O.; Modi, A. T.; Mabhaudhi, T.; Slotow, R. 2023. The determinants of crop productivity and its effect on food and nutrition security in rural communities of South Africa. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 7:1091333. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1091333]
Agricultural productivity ; Crop production ; Food security ; Nutrition security ; Rural communities ; Smallholders ; Farmers ; Households ; Food insecurity ; Dietary diversity ; Irrigation systems ; Small-scale farming ; Models / South Africa / Mpumalanga / Limpopo
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051971)
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1091333/pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051971.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051971.pdf
(0.40 MB) (405 KB)
Introduction: High crop productivity has the potential to improve the food and nutrition security status of not only smallholder farmers but also households in general. However, smallholder farmers operate in a dynamic environment whereby their crop production is affected by various factors that hinder it from lessening food insecurity and malnutrition in rural areas. The study investigated the determinants of crop productivity and its effect on household food and nutrition security status in South Africa.
Methods: This study employed a quantitative research method. A total of 1520 households were selected using the multi-stage stratified random sampling technique. Out of the total sample size of 1520, 386 were crop producers, 176 producers were from Mpumalanga province, and 210 producers were from the Limpopo province.
Results and discussion: Most of the smallholder farmers do not have access to the irrigation system, mechanization, and agricultural inputs. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale showed that most smallholder farmers were food insecure, with 78% of the farmers in each province found to be food insecure. The results from Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) showed that in the overall sampled population, 50% of smallholder farmers had highly diverse diets. Only 50% of the smallholder farmers had high dietary diversity in each province. Irrigation systems and involvement in crop production had a positive influence on the crop productivity of smallholder farmers. The results from the Conditional Mixed Process (CMP) model showed that ownership of livestock, harvest, and disability in the family negatively impacted smallholder farmers' food security status while household size had a positive effect on the food security of smallholder farmers. The results also showed that social grants, agricultural assistance, and harvest had a negative impact on the nutrition status of smallholder farmers. While household size had a positive impact on the nutrition status of smallholder farmers.
Conclusion and recommendations: Factors such as irrigation systems and involvement in crop production influenced crop productivity. Household size influenced the nutritional status of smallholder farmers while harvest size affected the food security status. There is a need to encourage more households to get involved in farming. Government and non-governmental organizations need to support smallholder farmers with agricultural productive resources like irrigation systems to improve their crop productivity.
Methods: This study employed a quantitative research method. A total of 1520 households were selected using the multi-stage stratified random sampling technique. Out of the total sample size of 1520, 386 were crop producers, 176 producers were from Mpumalanga province, and 210 producers were from the Limpopo province.
Results and discussion: Most of the smallholder farmers do not have access to the irrigation system, mechanization, and agricultural inputs. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale showed that most smallholder farmers were food insecure, with 78% of the farmers in each province found to be food insecure. The results from Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) showed that in the overall sampled population, 50% of smallholder farmers had highly diverse diets. Only 50% of the smallholder farmers had high dietary diversity in each province. Irrigation systems and involvement in crop production had a positive influence on the crop productivity of smallholder farmers. The results from the Conditional Mixed Process (CMP) model showed that ownership of livestock, harvest, and disability in the family negatively impacted smallholder farmers' food security status while household size had a positive effect on the food security of smallholder farmers. The results also showed that social grants, agricultural assistance, and harvest had a negative impact on the nutrition status of smallholder farmers. While household size had a positive impact on the nutrition status of smallholder farmers.
Conclusion and recommendations: Factors such as irrigation systems and involvement in crop production influenced crop productivity. Household size influenced the nutritional status of smallholder farmers while harvest size affected the food security status. There is a need to encourage more households to get involved in farming. Government and non-governmental organizations need to support smallholder farmers with agricultural productive resources like irrigation systems to improve their crop productivity.
5 Geza, W.; Ngidi, M. S. C.; Mudhara, M.; Slotow, R.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe. 2023. ‘Is there value for us in agriculture?’ A case study of youth participation in agricultural value chains in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Cogent Food and Agriculture, 9(2):2280365. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2023.2280365]
Youth employment ; Participation ; Agricultural value chains ; Inclusion ; Empowerment ; Awareness-raising ; Partnerships ; Food systems ; Rural development ; Socioeconomic aspects ; Stakeholders ; Case studies / South Africa / KwaZulu-Natal
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052406)
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/23311932.2023.2280365?needAccess=true
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H052406.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H052406.pdf
(4.91 MB) (4.91 MB)
Developing countries in Africa face an unemployment crisis, with many unemployed youth. Agriculture has been identified as a strategic sector for employment creation targeted at youth, including those who may not have agriculture-related qualifications. However, various challenges limit the effectiveness of youth participation in the agriculture value chain. The study aimed to (i) determine youth awareness of agricultural value-chain opportunities, (ii) determine their perception of their role in the value chain, (iii) determine their perception of agricultural programs targeting youth and their opinions on who is responsible for attracting youth into agriculture and, (iv) to characterise the dynamics of youth empowerment in agriculture. Data was collected using focus group discussions and an online survey and analysed using SPSS and NVivo. Poor knowledge, low levels of awareness of agricultural value-chain activities and careers, and not meeting the minimum requirements for employment in processing and retail businesses were identified as key challenges. Most youth were interested in non-primary activities such as agro-processing, which are less labour-intensive and have a quicker return on investment than agricultural production. However, support services and programs for promoting youth participation in agriculture mainly focus on primary activities, signifying a mismatch between youth aspirations and current support. Understanding youth aspirations, perceptions and dynamics underpinning youth empowerment and participation in value chains is critical for promoting participation and formulating relevant and responsive policies. Additionally, improving access to information and building awareness of agricultural value chains is crucial in reducing barriers to entry. Policymakers should integrate agriculture and food systems knowledge into the primary education curriculum to promote youth awareness and evoke interest in agri-food system careers at an early age.
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