Quantitative Analysis of Farmers Perception of the Constraints to Sunflower Production: A Transverse Study Approach Using Hierarchical Logistic Model (HLM)

Ejovi Akpojevwe Abafe,Sibongile Sylvia Tekana,Oluwaseun Samuel Oduniyi

doi:10.3390/su132313331

Abstract

Sunflower production is an excellent choice for both local and national agribusiness with significant potential in smallholder farming systems due to low input costs, consistent yields, and a short planting window. However, farmers are faced with interrelated constraints in their sunflower production. This study was undertaken to examines the perceptions of the constraints to sunflower production as perceived by smallholder farmers in North West Province, South Africa. The research identifies some factors related to sunflower production constraints. Then, a stratified random sampling technique was used to select 172 sunflower farmers and they were asked to rate their response on these attributes on a 5-points Likert scale. Leveraging principal component analysis (PCA), we agglomerated and condense information from the original datasets of the constraint attributes into three main components (innovation, farm finance, and crop management practice). Because of the hierarchical structure of the dataset with farmers nested within their local municipalities, we use Hierarchical Logistic Modeling techniques to identify the factors that determine farmer’s perceived interest in innovation, farm finance, and crop management practices. Innovation and farm finance emerge to be critical elements for sustainable sunflower production. The findings indicate that age, education, household size, farm size, cooperative membership, and gender are strongly correlated with farmers’ perceived interest in innovation and farm finance characteristics. This study recommends that to promote these elements among smallholder farmers, it is necessary for governments at the local and national level to invest in extension service and education, cooperative organizations, research, and development in disentangling the age, gender, and farm size inequalities existing in the district sunflower production.

Highlights

Agricultural sustainability faces hosts of constraints, and if food demands of the growing population are to be met, agriculture will need to undergo significant transformation.smallholder farmers would play a critical role in the drastic process of transforming the agricultural sector, because some households pose the capacity to participate in highvalue agricultural markets and use advanced production inputs
Farmers are faced with interrelated constraints to sustainable and profitable sunflower production
The study examined the socio-economic attributes of smallholder farmers that explain their perceived interest in a set of sunflower production constraints using data from Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality, North West Province, South Africa

Summary

Introduction

Agricultural sustainability faces hosts of constraints, and if food demands of the growing population are to be met, agriculture will need to undergo significant transformation.smallholder farmers would play a critical role in the drastic process of transforming the agricultural sector, because some households pose the capacity to participate in highvalue agricultural markets and use advanced production inputs. Smallholder farmers can effectively adjust their livelihood strategies to these constraints, but it will demand supportive regulatory climates [1]. Smallholder farmers and agripreneurs represent a diverse image, but the innate and social-political terrain in which they are found in South Africa is somewhat common, at least to a certain degree, owing to the country’s racially and economically polarized history and current challenges [2]. This situation is reflected in the several types of research

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Conclusion