Small-scale farmers' perceptions on the causes of land degradation in the Luvuvhu catchment, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

Land degradation is currently a major concern in South Africa. However, awareness of the problem and attitude towards it has changed little over the past century. Soil erosion leading to land degradation is continually being depicted as an acute problem leading to soil fertility loss, lowering agricultural output and land degradation. Overpopulation, climate change, overstocking and poor agricultural practices are viewed as the major causal factors. The basic tenets of this are the changing perceptions among small-scale farmers in the Luvuvhu catchment regarding land degradation. Therefore, understanding farmers’ perceptions of land degradation in the Luvuvhu catchment and its causes are important when carrying out mitigation measures in order to promote soil and water conservation practices. This study adopted a quantitative research design method. In order to achieve the objectives of this research, questionnaires and observation were used as instruments for data collection. The data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire to the farmers in the study area. A total of 101 respondents were purposively selected and interviewed by following the snowball sampling technique. Data used in the questionnaires consists of variables such as demographic and socio-economic characteristics of farming, with perceptions of the causes of land degradation and measures used to address problems identified by respondents. Data generated from the semi-structured questionnaires were analysed quantitatively using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) version 22.1 to generate descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage distribution, and mean. The findings of the study show that farmers' perceptions vary significantly in terms of their socio-economic determinants such as gender, age, literacy, employment status, agricultural extension and governments support schemes. The result of the analysis revealed that 61% of the respondents perceived rill erosion on their farms as the prevailing form of land degradation. Most of the sampled respondents also believed that the general topography of the area (99%), high rainfall intensities (89%), over-grazing (71%), continuous tilling of the soil (63.3%), and among others were the main causes of land degradation. Observations revealed that farmers of the study area had varied but generally clear perceptions of the causes of land degradation and the conservation measures used to address soil loss and land degradation through traditional. However, a significant proportion of the farmers received interventions in the form of incentives from the local authority aimed at addressing the challenges of soil loss and decreases in soil fertility due to soil erosion, primarily in the form of rills. Against the backdrop of the perceived negative impact of land degradation in the Luvuvhu catchment, farmers and support authorities are encouraged to improve soil conservation measures through institutional programs and projects from the local governments support agencies.