The incompatibility of controlled selective grazing systems with farmers’ needs

Abstract

Since extension inputs, subsidy schemes and even legislation over several decades were unable to stem the veld deterioration in southern Africa, a renewed attempt was made to identify the causes of the non‐adoption of recommended veld management practices. The hypothesis that controlled selective grazing (CSG) as a recommended system of veld management is incompatible with farmers’ needs was investigated by interviewing 77 sheep farmers and relating their identified needs and perceptions to their adoption behaviour. The findings reflect a general incompatibility between CSG and the farmers’ needs. Aspirations for improved veld and veld management hardly feature in fanners’ need hierarchies, while the potential need for veld improvement appears to be suppressed by various misperceptions. For the majority of respondents CSG is regarded as inferior to their own or other alternative systems of veld management and offer more disadvantages than advantages — also from a production and an economic point of view. The findings question the appropriateness of CSG and suggestions are made for alternative solutions which are more compatible with farmers’ needs.

Terwyl die veldagteruitgang in suider‐Afrika ten spyte van dekades van voorligtingsinsette, subsidieskemas en selfs wetgewing, onverpoosd voortgaan, word ‘n hernude poging aangewend om die oorsake tot nie‐aanvaarding van aanbe‐vole veldbestuurspraktyke te identifiseer. Die hipotetiese aanname dat beheerde selektiewe beweiding as aanbevole veldbestuurspraktyk onverenigbaar met boere se behoeftes is, is ondersoek deur gestruktureerde onderhoude met 77 skaapboere te voer en huile geïdentifiseerde behoeftes en persepsies met hul aanvaardingsgedrag in verband te bring. Die bevindings dui op ‘n algemene onverenigbaarheid van beheeTde selektiewe beweiding met respondente se behoeftes. Aspirasies ten opsigte van beter veld en veldbestuur kom kwalik voor in die boere se behoeftehierargie, terwyl potensiële behoeftes vir veldverbetering deur verskillende vorms van wanpersepsie onderdruk word. Die meerderheid respondente beskou hulle eie of alternatiewe stelsels van veldbeheer as meer voortreflik as die beheerde selektiewe beweiding, wat in hulle oë dan ook meer nadele as voordele inhou — ook van ‘n produksie‐ en ekonomiese oogpunt beskou. Die bevindings bevraagteken die toepaslikheid van beheerde selektiewe beweiding en alternatiewe oplossings wat meer verenigbaar met boere se behoeftes is, word voorgestel.

Additional index words:

• Adoption
• grazing systems
• needs
• perception
• profitability
• veld management