Farmers’ knowledge of livestock and rangelands management...
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Farmers’ knowledge of livestock and rangelands management in the Gauteng Province, South Africa Ngoako L Letsoalo 1,2 , Hosiah T Pule 1 , Julius T Tjelele 1 , Ntuthuko R Mkhize 1 , Khanyisile R Mbatha 2 and M Ndlovu 3 1 Agricultural Research Council, Animal Production Institute; 2 Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, University of South Africa 3 Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
Transcript of Farmers’ knowledge of livestock and rangelands management...
Farmers’ knowledge of livestock and rangelands
management in the Gauteng Province, South Africa
Ngoako L Letsoalo1,2, Hosiah T Pule1, Julius T Tjelele1, Ntuthuko R Mkhize1, Khanyisile R Mbatha2 and M Ndlovu3
1Agricultural Research Council, Animal Production Institute;
2 Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, University of South Africa
3Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
Introduction • Emerging livestock farmers own 5.5 million of the 14.1
million cattle in South Africa.
• The livestock management systems:
Indigenous knowledge
Farmer objectives
Economic pressures
Affordability
Introduction cont.…
10% Good condition
60% Extremely bad condition
30% Average condition
Vetter 2003
Introduction cont…
• Shortage of forage during dry season
• High livestock mortality
Compliment scientific knowledge and contribute to improved
understanding and sustainability of both rangelands and
livestock productivity.
Objectives
1) Document indigenous knowledge of emerging farmers on
livestock and rangeland management,
2) The perceived constraints related to livestock-rangeland
management and,
3) Drought coping strategies implemented by farmers.
Study area
Semi- structured Questionnaire
Demographic profile
Knowledge of livestock
Knowledge of veld management
Drought coping strategies
Results and Discussion
Results and Discussion
Livestock knowledge
Questions Communal + private farms (%)
Yes No I know the breeds I keep 100 0 I know diseases 29 71 I buy medicines 77 23 I have management plan 38 62 I know my breeding & calving seasons
84 16
Questions Communal + private farms (%)
Yes No I know grasses on the grazing areas/farms
56 44
I monitor rangeland condition
0 100
I have rangeland management plan
0 100
I know grazing capacity and stocking rate
0 100
I have fodder flow plan 2 98
Rangeland management knowledge
Results and Discussion
Drought coping strategies practiced by farmers
Results and Discussion Constrains limiting livestock production
Major constrain Communal + private farms (%)
Forage shortages 60
Water scarcity 18 Land ownership 12
Animal diseases 8
Stock theft 2
Conclusion
• Lack of co-ordination
• Lack veld and livestock management plan
• Heavily relaying on the government assistance
Recommendations
• There is a need for training of farmers.
• Government need to include farmers in
development planning.
Acknowledgements
• Farmers
• Students
• Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
(GDARD)
