Critical success factors of emerging pig producers : case study of selected areas in Gauteng and Mpumalanga Provinces

Abstract

This study investigated the critical success factors for emerging pig producers in the Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces in South Africa. The study was undertaken to determine operational management practices and key performance indicators of emerging pig producers, and compare them against South African commercial pig industry norms. The expectation was that emerging pig producers’ operational management practices and key performance indicators are similar to South African commercial pig industry norms. Research findings show that critical success factors for emerging pig producers include average income per sow per litter, piglets born per sow per litter, average income per adult pig, and provision of feeders and drinkers for pigs. Challenges faced by emerging pig producers include low participation of youth, small scale of operations, poor market participation and poor management leading to high mortality rates, long farrowing intervals, small litter sizes, and poor weaning practices, as well as poorly equipped housing. The research concluded that there are no significant differences between successful pig production and education levels, as well as between the previous work experiences of successful and unsuccessful emerging pig producers. The expectation was that emerging pig producers with more years of previous experience in pig production would be more successful than those with only a few years of previous experience. However, there was a positive but not strong relationship between success, operational management and perceived success factors. Both successful and unsuccessful emerging pork producers considered the success factors as equally critical. The study achieved its objectives, although the findings are not strong enough to explain the relationships between overall success scores of successful and unsuccessful emerging pig producers. The study suggests that SAPPO can facilitate the transition of emerging pork producers to commercial production through capacity building, providing support and improving participation of emerging pig producers in the pork chain. This can be achieved by designing support strategies that will enable an emerging pig producer to develop as a person (entrepreneur) which should translate into business development, increase net worth and expand into commercial production. The ultimate success and impact of this support service rests on the shoulders of PPPs and producers as recipients of support in terms of their commitment, the level to which they will access and make use of the support available at their disposal and their willingness to implement the given advice and information. SAPPO could redesign its support strategies to include mentorship, capacity building, cost reduction strategies and market access through contracting. This study recommends that a similar study be conducted in other provinces to back up these findings, as well as to provide representation of emerging pig producers in the whole country. A database that contains a list of active emerging pork producers with contactable phone numbers in Mpumalanga and Gauteng provinces was not available. There is a need for a study that will compile a comprehensive database and profile of emerging pig producers, to use in developing some business models. Emerging pig producers are still in transition, not yet operating at a commercial scale. A study that will develop standards or norms specifically for emerging pork producers to use as a benchmark for performance evaluation is necessary.