Small-scale farmers and land care workers’ perceptions of land degradation and how it influences their livelihoods : an explorative study in Ladybrand

Abstract

Land degradation poses a challenge globally, which impacts land quality, biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods. It has a substantial influence on the natural resource-based livelihoods of agricultural communities whose livelihoods are dependent on the productivity of the land (Mani, Osborne & Cleaver, 2021:978). Ladybrand has been affected by financial limitations along with natural disasters, such as land degradation (Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality Draft Integrated Development Plan 2014:43), which negatively affects the livelihoods and well-being of the poorest households in the area, including small-scale farmers and land care workers. The goal of the study was to explore and describe the perceptions of small-scale farmers and land care workers of land degradation in Ladybrand and how it influences their livelihoods. The study adopted a qualitative research approach, with both exploratory and descriptive research goals. The study made use of applied research and the research design was an instrumental case study. A purposive sampling method was used to select 13 small-scale farmers (general and commonage) and 14 land care workers for the study. Data for both study population groups were collected through focus group meetings and data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings indicated the causes of land degradation in Ladybrand as the high volume of invasive plants, land pollution, overgrazing, veld fires and unsecure land tenure systems. The underfunded land care programme, limited access to farming and land care equipment and poor access to markets hinder small-scale farmers and land care workers from optimising sustainable land management practices. The study concludes that land degradation influences the livelihoods of small-scale farmers and land care workers in Ladybrand. Strategies recommended to mitigate land degradation and improve land management practices include rotational grazing, increasing funding for land care workers, tenure security for small-scale farmers, increasing access to markets, and institutional support to small-scale farmers and land care workers.