Constraints and opportunities for increased livestock production in the communal areas of Lejweleputswa district, Free State

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the constraints and current status of livestock production in the communal areas in the Lejweleputswa district in the Free State province of South Africa, and to provide possible opportunities to alleviate these problems. The survey was conducted in three (3) municipalities (Tswelopele, Matjhabeng and Masilo) in the communal areas of the Lejweleputswa district. A total of sixty (60) communal livestock farmers from these municipalities were randomly selected as respondents for the study, but only fiftythree (53) questionnaires were selected for statistical analysis because of the reliability of the answers. The findings indicated that all respondents were African farmers, with the majority being between the ages of 50-70 years (57%) and were predominantly males (83%). This shows a lack of participation in livestock farming from the youth and women. The low female participation rate can be attributed to the fact that most women stay at home and perform domestic chores, while others work full-time in other fields of life. Semi-intensive (66%) farming system was the most recorded practice. De-horning (78%), castration (90%), and de-worming (100%) were the most frequently conducted livestock management practices on the farms. Most farm infrastructures (55%) were in reasonably good condition (broken but repairable) and only 20% were in a poor state. This means that farmers in the study areas face limited infrastructural constraints. Access to land is a barrier to communal livestock farming in the study area. The farmers lack title deeds and the financial capacity to lease land or obtain loans. Small grazing land, overstocking, and overgrazing are the primary (17.5%) factors affecting livestock grazing. The results showed that the communal livestock farmers in the study area were facing feed shortages, the majority were able to provide lick supplements to their animals, with salt being the most frequently provided, and the animals relied heavily on the natural veldt. A number of respondents had access to extension services, which invariably had an impact on production. Farm records were not mostly kept (67.9%), and this negated the knowledge of farm profitability for most farmers. It was also concluded that farmers’ low educational level may have contributed to record keeping failures. Lumpy skin disease (23.4%), heartwater and bluetongue (12.7%) were the most prevalent livestock diseases in the study area. Pour-ons (87.2%) were used to combat external parasites. The communal livestock farmers practiced the natural method of breeding. Breeding season recorded a significant positive correlation (r =0.16, p<0.05) with farmers' educational levels. Thus, the more educated farmers are, the more likely they are to adhere to breeding seasons. Current technological innovations (96.2%) especially information sharing, up-to-date training (42.3%), lack of animal health service (84.9%) and livestock breeding management (93.3%) were amongst the most prevalent constraints expressed. Communal livestock farmers faced significant challenges in pursuing sustainable and profitable agriculture due to a lack of transportation, low market prices and access to relevant market information. Farmers’ poor livestock conditions and high transport costs forced them to sell their animals on the black market. Despite this, some farmers did not market their animals because were either still young, in poor condition, or they were very few. The results of the study support the hypothesis that increased production can be achieved by training and introducing new technologies and advanced agricultural methods to the farmers. The study concludes that communal livestock farmers should receive regular training on relevant topics such as animal nutrition, animal health, breeding and selection, and producing to market specifications in order to obtain higher market prices.