Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services, Stock Theft and Smallholder Communal Farmers in Mnquma Local Municipality, Eastern Cape Province

Résumé fourni par la source

In South Africa, stock theft is one of the most significant problems facing livestock farmers, and it has serious repercussions, particularly for communal smallholder farmers. Subsequently, extension and advisory services play a critical role in helping farmers obtain information, develop their knowledge and abilities and engage in agricultural production to address issues associated with farming, including stock theft. The study seeks to evaluate the role of agricultural extension and advisory services in preventing stock theft among smallholder communal farmers in Mnquma Local Municipality. A multistage random sampling technique was used, and data were collected from 120 farmers using structured questionnaires. Multinomial Logistic Regression (MLR) was utilised to examine the factors contributing to stock theft. The findings indicate that the distance between village borders, the number of livestock owned by a farmer and livestock identification significantly influence stock theft at the 5% and 10% probability levels, respectively. The study suggests collaboration among key industry players, including government agencies, the South African Police Service, and farmers' associations, to reduce stock theft. Moreover, the formation of community policing forums, the enhancement of police visibility in rural areas, and investment in security technology, such as tracking devices, to mitigate stock theft.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.