5.1 Introduction
5.1.1. Population statistics
Agricultural academic defined emerging farmers as “resource poor farmers that have the potential to contribute to national food security however generally lack resources and infrastructure”. The emerging farmers included in the study ranged from indigenous people that have gained from land reform projects to those that have been forced to downsize their farming operation to cope with current economic changes in the agricultural industry (Agricultural academic). Fifty six percent of the respondents included in the survey population
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were found to be female, 30 % of which lies in the age range of 36- 55 (Figure 5.1). The age of male respondents in contrast varied on a broader scale, occurring mostly between the ages of 26 and 55 (Figure 5.1). Results concurred with statistics reported in the 2011 South African national census that 52% of the uMgungundlovu District Municipality population is made up of females (Lehohla, 2011:53). Similarly, results indicated that the population of uMgungundlovu District Municipality was proportionally split.
Figure 5. 1. Ages of male and female respondents (n=50, 100%).
The 2011 national census found that 8.5 percent of the uMgungundlovu population aged twenty and over had not received an education; whereas eleven percent had a higher education and 30% had received a matric or a grade ten qualification (Lehohla, 2011:23). Likewise, the study results point out that six percent of females in the sample group had not received an education (Figure 5.2) and 36% of the population had received a secondary education.
Female Male
20-25 2 2
26- 35 20 16
36- 55 30 18
55+ 4 8
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
PERCENTAGE
GENDER 20-25 26- 35 36- 55 55+
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Figure 5. 2. The level of education received by male and female household heads (n=50, 100%).
Only 38% of those surveyed had received agricultural training (Figure 5.3). Given the number of farmers struggling to cope with agricultural challenges, this supports the reasoning behind the lack of success of land reform policies proposed by Ulrich et al. (2012:242), to be a lack of skills and agricultural know how. Skills training varied amongst respondents. One third of the 38% that had received training did so at agricultural schools and colleges whereas the remaining respondents had attended training provided by co-operatives, municipal support or NGOs. Twenty four percent of the female respondents received agricultural training (Figure 5.2 and Figure 5.3). In contrast, the number of female respondents (six percent) that did not receive any education, was higher (Figure 5.2). The higher number of females that did not attend school or did not continue their schooling career past the primary stage indicates that within rural environments, the male population generally obtains a higher level of education during their schooling careers. According to literature, this is largely attributed to women and female children generally leaving school as a result of having to help with household, child care and agricultural activities (Ewing, 2007:25). In addition, the effects of HIV and other diseases have increased the number of child headed households. This forces children, females
Female Male
no schooling 6 0
Primary 14 6
Secondary 18 18
Tertiary 18 20
0 5 10 15 20 25
PERCENTAGE
GENDER
no schooling Primary Secondary Tertiary
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in particular, to leave school to look after siblings and support their household (Admassie, 2003:169). However 60% female respondents that had not received a formal education took part in agricultural training provided by co-operatives and other supportive institutions, indicating that these individuals were interested in excelling at their trade.
Figure 5. 3. Percentage of males and females emerging farmers that have received agricultural training (n=19, 38%).
The European Agricultural Strategy views emerging farmers as ecosystem custodians (EC, 2012:6). It was evident however that emerging farmers within the Midlands did not have knowledge of their role in preserving local ecosystems, as can be seen in Plate 5.1, in which cattle from a neighbouring farm can be seen grazing in a rehabilitating wetland during winter months, during which there is a shortage of palatable vegetation available for grazing. that the wetland in currently within a transition phase, the presence of cattle could inhibit ecological processes through the compaction of soil, the trampling of indigenous species, pollution of water and overgrazing.
Female Male
Agricultural training 24 14
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
PERCENTAGE
GENDER
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Plate 5. 1. Cattle grazing in a rehabilitating wetland that was previously used as Mondi forestry.
The majority of emerging farmers within the study area have either bought or inherited their land, 76% collectively, whereas 24% use communal land with the permission from the local Inkhosi (Table 5.1). Furthermore, 68% of the male respondents had intentions of growing their farming operations by obtaining additional land (‘other’) (Table 5.1). These numbers reveal that male farmers are more willing to invest capital in land than woman household heads. Only 29% of the women included in the survey had purchased land compared to the 50% of male interviewees (Table 5.1). In contrast, Mkhabela (2002:29), in a study conducted in the Midlands Meander noted that nine percent of the sample population had title deeds to agricultural land, whereas 87% dwelled on communal land and three percent used land under another owner or a tribal authority.
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Table 5. 1. Percentage of male and female farmers that bought land, inherited land or farm on communal land.
Total % Female % (n=28) Male % (n=22)
Bought land 38 29 50
Permission from Inkhosi 24 32 14
Inherited land 38 39 36
100 100 100
Other 58 50 68
Cattle proved to be the most popular livestock breed amongst local uMgungundlovu livestock farmers with 66% of the sample population owning cattle, followed by goat and chicken, 50%
and 40% respectively (Figure 5.4). As can be seen in Figure 5.4, female respondents indulged in dairy farming and egg production significantly more than the male respondents. In addition the female household heads were more open to keeping more than one species of livestock (Figure 5.4). These characteristics indicate that women household heads in a rural setting are more open to adaptive strategies that would improve their livelihood resilience. By keeping more than one livestock species, food security and security against diseases, through improved nutrition, and climate variability are heightened. Likewise, women were more indulgent in dairy and egg production therefore keeping livestock species for more than one reason.
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Figure 5. 4. Percentage of male and females with the sample group that keep livestock (multiple responses) (n=50, 100%).