Sources of information for small-holder cattle farmers in Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati district municipality in the North West Province, South Africa

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to identify sources of information used by small-holder cattle enterprises and evaluate their influence on productivity of those enterprises. Results showed that public extension is the main (85-87%) source of information for small-holder cattle producers, followed by radio (52%) and other farmers (47-48%). More educated farmers prefer magazine and TV to extension officers while women prefer office visits to magazine, TV and commercial farmers (P<0.05). Older farmers tend not to rely on magazine, radio, TV, commercial farmers and veterinarian while owners of larger herds prefer these sources to office visits (P<0.05). Older farmers tend not to rely on magazine, radio, TV, commercial farmers and veterinarian while owners of larger herds prefer these sources to office visits (P<0.05). Source commonly used by more educated farmers, men, younger farmers and owners of large herds such as radio, TV and commercial farmers, suppressed the sale of cattle and small stock (P<0.05). Reliance on other small-holder farmers for agricultural information, resulted in lower calving rates while reliance on both commercial and small-holder farmers suppressed the sale of small stock (P<0.05). Sources preferred by women such as office visits and telephone stimulated the sale of sheep and small stock in general. We recommend that age, gender, education and herd size should guide the selection channels for disseminating information to small-holder cattle producers and that the extension content be enriched to include markets and entrepreneurship in the study area.