Impact of Extension Services on the Use of Climate Change Coping Strategies for Smallholder Ruminant Livestock Farmers in Raymond Local Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Abstract

The study assessed the impact of extension services on the use of climate change coping strategies for livestock farmers in Raymond Local Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The study utilised a cross-sectional survey design with 82 livestock farmers obtained through a purposive sampling method. The study used Propensity Score Matching (PSM) to analyse the data. Most respondents were single females aged 63, with average household sizes of 6, and had primary education, mostly keeping small stock. Climate change was mainly witnessed through changes in rainfall, with 80% of respondents indicating that it is caused by deforestation. The results suggest that access to extension services impacted the extensive utilisation of climate change coping strategies that decreased the livestock numbers at the 10% statistical level. Access to extension appears to limit the available options as coping strategies for climate change resulted in decreased livestock numbers. In conclusion, access to extension has negatively affected the use of various climate change-induced coping strategies for reduced livestock numbers, with no effect on the other coping strategies. Recommendations include retraining extension officers on various climate change coping strategies they can impart to livestock farmers. Also, agricultural climate policy should focus on creating awareness and increasing access to extension services among livestock farmers on climate risk coping strategies to mitigate the impact on rural livestock farmers.