SDG12 Responsible consumption and production
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Item Determinants of challenges of smallholder and emerging sheep and goat farmers in Thabo Mofutsanyana district municipality, Free State Province(2024) Kgomongwe, Mmakhuduga Neriath; Antwi, M. A.Developing countries rely heavily on smallholder and emerging farmers to ensure food security but despite this, farmers face many challenges that hinder them from producing efficiently, forcing them to focus on home consumption over market-driven farming, to ensure a sustainable and self-reliant farming practice. Smallholder farmers remain with challenges in securing capital to purchase agricultural inputs, pay for transport to sell agricultural outputs, and to invest in agricultural machinery. Sometimes farmers find themselves in difficult situations where they are forced to get credit from illegal moneylenders, at high interest rates or sell their produce at a reduced price to receive cash, and they still need to cover their expenditure for survival. Amongst others, farming resources, land as well as comprehensive agricultural support restrict smallholder and emerging farmers' access to valuable markets. The aim of this study was to identify and analyse the determinants of challenges of smallholder and emerging sheep and goat farmers in the study area by highlighting key factors in order to create an enabling environment for the farmers to improve livestock management, production, income and valuable markets. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select 145 participants from a pool sampling frame of 251 participants. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect the data by interviewing 145 selected smallholder farmers. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS), version 28.0, was used to analyse the data. Descriptive statistics and the probit regression model were used to analyse the determinants of the managerial, production, marketing and financial challenges for smallholder and emerging sheep and goat farmers. The results of the study show that only 19% of the participants had business plans and the absence of business plans impacted on farm and livestock management negatively. The probit results indicated that the age of the respondents, off-farm activities and access to market information had a positive and significant association with managerial challenges. This implies that the older a farm owner gets the more they will likely experience managerial challenges. It is recommended that youth and women must be encouraged to engage in sheep and goat farming for better management and that farmers must focus their attention on livestock farming instead of off-farm income-generating activities. The Department of Agriculture and municipalities should initiate extension programme that focus on farm and livestock management as well as access to market information. Furthermore, the results indicate that 89% of farmers aspire to increase production, however challenges such as size of land (29%), distance to the market (21%) and no access to the market (17%) are some of the factors that hinder farmers from achieving their goal of increasing scale of production. The results also indicate that 42% of farmers do not receive veterinary services while about 63.4% do not access feed in times of drought. Additionally, the results indicate that age, size of household, level of education, role of respondent, farm management records, cost per trip to the market, total number of sheep sold in 2019 have a positive and significant association with production challenges, with all other factors held constant. This implies that the older a farm owner gets the more likely they will experience production challenges. To manage production challenges, farmers need the support of younger people i.e., youth in the farm and must hire farm managers and utilise farm management records effectively. The more a farmer spends on trips to the market, they are more likely they will experience marketing challenges. An increasing size of household negatively impacts on farmers’ finances and time as a farmer will dedicate the two to the family instead of on farm production. Farmer must not sell sheep in high numbers so that they do not compromise the breeding herd. The study’s results indicate that only 28% of participants have received financial support from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), while 17.12% of participants applied for loans and about 8% of loan applications were rejected. The results revealed that access to financial support impacts negatively on the farm and livestock business. Furthermore, the probit results indicated that gender, age, level of education, engage in off-farm income generating activity, have farm business plan, access to agricultural information, size of land, cost per single trip to the market, total number of sheep sold have a positive and significant association with financial challenges. It is therefore recommended that farmers be encouraged to have business plan, sell more sheep, and focus on the farm instead of off-farm income generating activities for better financial management. DARD and municipalities should initiate funding programmes that focus on farm, sheep, and goat livestock as well as production. The results also show that 59% of respondents indicated that there are other markets closer to the farm than where they are currently selling livestock and 63% of farmers have access to market information. Distance to the market, being unable to supply required quantities and not having contracts with markets are amongst the reasons for farmers not being able to supply other markets closer to their farm. The results indicate that from the challenges experienced, of respondents have a challenge with the size of land (15%), lack of transport (12%) and lack of finance (3%). Therefore, the results suggests that amongst others, farmers who are involved in day-to-day operations of the farm and have access to market information have a negative and significant association with marketing challenges, with all other factors held constant. The results indicate that the respondents have identified markets that are closer to their farms than where they are currently selling; however, majority of the respondents are selling their produce at the local market and around the community to avoid spending a lot of money per trip to the market. The findings also show that access to market information can improve farmers’ marketing challenge if used effectively.Item Exploring the potential contribution of organic community food gardens for sustainability: the perspective of cultivators and consumers(2024-01-16) Boshoff, Harriët Maria; Kempen, E.L.The exponential rise in global organic food product sales indicates a transformative shift in consumer preferences towards healthier, more sustainable, and environmentally conscious food choices. This qualitative study, grounded in an interpretivist paradigm, explored community food gardens’ potential contribution to sustainability based on cultivators of such gardens and consumers’ position on organic food products’ consumption in general. The research aimed to mitigate consumer barriers and enhance environmental, social, and economic sustainability for cultivators. Findings revealed South African consumers associated the term ‘organic’ with health and environmental benefits but stressed the need for accessible, affordable, and trustworthy organic food products. Consumers’ views on organic community gardens support sustainability, local engagement, and combating food scarcity. Cultivators emphasised fresh, nutritious produce and proposed educational programmes to overcome identified barriers. A holistic approach can optimise marketing opportunities, integrating word-of-mouth, online presence, education, and accessibility. The study recommends comprehensive consumer education, curricular integration, non-governmental organisation-led initiatives, transparent cultivator practices, supportive government policies, engagement with certification bodies, and targeted awareness campaigns to enhance consumer purchase intent and sustain local organic community gardens.Item Effects of Rhus lancea and Celtis africana on short-term intake rate, nutrient digestibility, blood metabolites and rumen bacteria in Nguni goats as a model for feeding captive wildlife herbivores in zoological gardens(2024) Phiri, France; Mbatha, K. R.; Kanengoni, A. T.; Mpanza, T.D.E.The study assessed Rhus lancea and Celtis africana as browse species for concentrate selectors in captivity, using indigenous Nguni male goats as a model. The first experiment involved ten indigenous Nguni male goats, each weighing 16 ± 1.7 kg (mean ± SD) in the wet season and 15 ± 1.6 kg (mean ± SD) in the dry season. To assess the short-term intake rate of the browse by the goats, a cafeteria method was employed. Rhus lancea (RL) and Celtis africana (CA) branches were offered separately and in combination in a 1:1 ratio. The goats’ preferences were R. lancea > RL:CA > C. africana in the wet and dry seasons. In the second experiment, apparent total tract digestibility was estimated using twenty mature male Nguni goats weighing 16 ± 1.7 kg (mean ± SD) in a 2 x 4 (season x diet) randomized factorial experiment. All goats received Eragrostis curvula hay as a basal diet and one of four supplementary forages, namely, i) R. lancea, ii) C. africana, iii) a combination of the two browse species in a ratio 1:1 (RL:CA), and iv) a control diet made up of Medicago sativa, butternut squash, apples, spinach, and concentrates. Goats on R. lancea, C. africana, and RL:CA diets had higher crude protein digestibility (p <0.05) in the wet season than in the dry season. In the third experiment, twenty indigenous male Nguni goats were individually housed and fed either C. africana or R. lancea browse diets to evaluate the impact on the rumen bacteria composition during both dry and wet seasons in a randomized block design study. The goats had an average weight of 15 ± 1.6 kg (mean ± SD). The results showed an abundance of phyla Bacteroidetes over Firmicutes (F/B) (0.85:1) ratio (p <0.05) in the dry season than in the wet season. In the fourth experiment, feed intake, live weight changes, urinalysis, and blood metabolites were compared over 30 days in twenty goats weighing 15 ± 1.6 kg (mean ± SD). There were season and diet interactions (p <0.05) on final weight, average daily gain, and dry matter intake. The goats on the control diet had higher serum glucose levels (p <0.05) than those on R. lancea, C. africana, and RL:CA during the dry season. The results suggested R. lancea, C. africana, and RL:CA can help meet the nutrient requirements and support the growth of goats, which was supported by serum metabolite profiles and rumen bacterial efficiency during both dry and wet seasons. However, to achieve optimal growth and ensure balanced serum, and rumen bacterial efficiency throughout the year, it is recommended to supplement with other dietary items.Item Occurrence of food-borne diseases among patients presenting at a health facility in the O.R. Tambo District, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa(2024-02-29) Ndlame, Nandisa Nonopa; Oguttu, James W.; Mbombo-Dweba, Tulisiwe PilisiweOutbreaks of food-borne disease (FBDs) are frequent in South Africa. However, although notifiable, they are poorly investigated and not often reported. Consequently, there is limited understanding of the burden of FBDs within the rural areas of South Africa. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of FBDs among patients patronising a government facility in the Eastern Cape province for the period 2016 – 2020. A cross-sectional study design using retrospective quantitative data was adopted for this study. All data of patients who were treated for FBD-related illnesses over the study period were included in the study. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis. The Statistical Package STATA (Stata/MP 18) was used to analyse the data. Significance was assessed at P <0.05. Most cases of FBDs were caused by consuming meat from cattle that had been injected with medicine (42%, n=176), followed by eating meat from dead cattle (26.25%, n= 110), cattle bitten by snakes (12.89%, n=54), chicken served at school (6.44%, n=27), and meat from dead sheep (4.30%, n= 18). A spike in the number of cases of FBDs was observed between January and June in 2016, 2018 and 2020. Throughout the study period except for 2017 and 2019, the lowest number of cases of FBDs was observed between July and December. Comorbidities like diabetes, TB, and HIV positive, plus pregnancy were associated with severe FBDs leading to increased probability of being admitted. The study highlighted the necessity for educating rural people about the dangers of food of animal origin and the role of comorbidities on the burden of FBDs on health care provision. Results reported here can guide policies that could help reduce the burden of FBDs on the health care system in rural South Africa. A one health approach that includes members of the veterinary team, medical personnel, local leaders and environmental health officers is needed to design and develop intervention strategies and education programmes. Keywords: Food of animal origin, FBDs, foodItem Growth performance and methane emission of lambs supplemented with hydroponic barley fodder(2024-09-12) Dhlamini, Thabo Creswell; Mpanza, T. D. E.; Mbatha, Khanyisile RThe demand for natural resources like water, grazing pastures and land for conventional green fodder production continues to rise, causing the livestock industry to be vulnerable. As a result, it is ideal to find alternative agricultural techniques to produce ample amounts and quality of forage for livestock production. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of supplementing the hydroponic barley fodder sprouts on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation and methane emission of Meat-master lambs. In total, 21 male meat-master lambs aged between 3 - 4 months, with an initial body weight of 23.1 ± 1.8 kg were used for this study. Before the experiment, animals were vaccinated for endo, and ecto-parasites and placed for 14 days of quarantine. After that, they were randomly divided into three equal groups; each group had seven lambs. The lambs in the first group (T1) were fed E. curvula hay (basal diet), those in the second group (T2) were fed the diet with grass hay plus 25% of hydroponic barley fodder sprouts and those of the third group (T3), were fed the diet that consisted of grass hay plus 50% of hydroponic barley fodder sprouts. Barley grains were washed and soaked for 30 minutes in sodium hypochlorite solution. After that, the seeds were then soaked in tap water overnight. The following morning, the seeds were transferred to the sprouting trays and manually irrigated with tap water three times a day, using a knapsack sprayer until harvested on day eight. All the animals had access to 300 g of concentrate mixture once a day and clean water ad libitum throughout the study. They were adapted to experimental diets for seven days. Then, the animals were subjected to a growth study for 61 days; from there, they adapted to faecal bags for five days and another five days for nutrient digestibility. The experimental period was 71 days. On day 52 of the growth study, four animals were randomly selected per treatment for methane detection for nine consecutive days using a laser methane detector (LMD). It was observed that the supplementation of hydroponic barley fodder sprouts had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on the growth performance of the animals. The inclusion of sprouted fodder increased feed intake by 42.26 g/day and 114.71 g/day, higher than the animals in T1. Valerate was significantly (p < 0.05) increased by the supplementation of sprouted fodder. The supplementation of hydroponic barley fodder sprouts significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the production level of NH3-N and methane emission per the unit of dry matter intake of the animals. The 50% inclusion level of hydroponic barley fodder sprouts can be adopted as supplementary fodder in lamb’s diet since it enhanced the growth performance and reduced methane emission. However, further studies are required to evaluate other parameters such as carcass characteristics and validate the adoption of hydroponic barley fodder sprouts as a supplement for optimal animal performance.