Factors influencing managerial challenges for smallholder and emerging sheep and goat farmers in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District, Free State Province, South Africa

Kgomongwe Neriath, Mthombeni, Danisile, Leonah, Antwi, Michael Akwasi — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This study aimed to identify and analyse the determinants of managerial challenges for 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 production and income. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select 145 participants from a pull 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 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 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. It is recommended that youth and women 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 programs that focus on farm and livestock management as well as access to market information.

Harvest and trade of wild edible Russula griseocarnosa in North Vietnam

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This study examines the harvest and trade of wild edible Russula griseocarnosa in north Vietnam. Russula griseocarnosa is an edible forest mushroom, but there is no reliable information on harvesting practices and trade in this species in Vietnam. This study aims to provide ethnomycological and marketing knowledge for this mushroom. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with mushroom collectors and traders over 2 years; harvest yields were obtained from local officials; and policy settings were sought from forest managers. About 85% of mushroom collectors were women of the Dao, Lo Ursula, Muong, Nung, Mong, San Chi, San Diu, and Tay ethnicities. The collecting season was bimodal, with the wet season beginning (May) and ending (September). The traders were Hoa, Kinh, Nung and Tay, and 57% were women. Fresh mushrooms sold for 9.1-10.5 US$/kg on dry days and 7.0-7.9 US$/kg on wet days. The best grade of dried product fetched 70.4-83.3 US$/kg. A number of interim policies have been established to encourage local people to protect forests and to help create a sustainable edible wild mushroom market. Our study provides the first detailed account of the role of edible wild mushrooms in northeast Vietnam, and this will inform the co-development of rural livelihood and sustainable forest management plans.

Asian Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development

Factors influencing managerial challenges for smallholder and emerging sheep and goat farmers in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District, Free State Province, South Africa

Harvest and trade of wild edible Russula griseocarnosa in North Vietnam