Integration of information and communication technology (ICT) in the development of a recordkeeping database of smallholder sheep farming systems in the Western Cape Province of South Africa
| dc.contributor.advisor | Molotsi, A. D. | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Makombe, Godswill | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Chiwawa, Trust | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.other | Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Agrisciences. Dept. of Animal Sciences. | en_ZA |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2019-02-27T08:09:22Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2019-04-17T08:24:41Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2019-02-27T08:09:22Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2019-04-17T08:24:41Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2019-04 | |
| dc.description | Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2019. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The use of smartphone technology generates new opportunities for better farm and livestock management. The constant use of traditional systems by smallholder livestock farmers for recordkeeping in developing countries faces risks of poor farm management, inbreeding, high mortality and low offtake rates. The main objective of the study was to design and develop a recordkeeping database for smallholder sheep farmers in Beaufort West and Ebenheazer communities to improve the sustainable production of sheep. A survey based on SWOT analysis and in-depth interview using a semi-structured questionnaire was conducted. It sought to identify and assess the features to include in the development of the web-application database, the challenges and benefits of the farmers current recording and recordkeeping methods. The collection of data was between April and August 2018 with 24 participants taking part in the study. The SWOT analysis and questionnaire assisted with the identification and characterization of ecological and socio-economic challenges affecting the sustainability of sheep farming in both communities. This study used a sequential exploratory mixed method approach. The approach uses both qualitative and quantitative analysis for data analysis. The farmers assisted in the design and development of the web-application by identifying important features to add on the platform and further indicated their willingness to support the development of the application. The results showed that farmers were willing to support the development of the application and using the database. In addition, the results showed that male farmers were the majority in both communities (88%), whilst about 79% indicated livestock farming as the main source of income. The majority of farmers (above 50%) reported that change in weather patterns especially drought as a challenge to sustainable sheep production. There was no association between the willingness of the farmer to use a recordkeeping database with attributes such as, level of education of the farmer, district and source of income. However, there was association between the willingness of the farmer to use a recordkeeping database and age. The younger the farmer the more a farmer was willing to use the database. The farmers also stated that traditional recording and recordkeeping using a pen and a paper was a challenge, monotonous and tiresome. The main source of acquiring information for both communities is through government extension officers (50%) followed by other farmers (28%). The study determines that smallholder sheep farmers assisted in the identification and characterization of the features necessary for the development of the database. In this study, the active participation of the farmers allowed the development of a management database system. The farmers identified sheep pedigree information such as date of birth, body condition score, weight, lambs born, sheep identification number, sheep breed and the farmers profile which include location, farmer name and farm name as some of the input variable necessary to be included. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die gebruik van slimfoon tegnologie genereer nuwe geleenthede vir beter plaas- en veebestuur. Die hoofdoel van die studie was om 'n rekordhouding databasis vir kleinvee-skaapboere in Beaufort-Wes en Ebenheazer-gemeenskappe te ontwerp en te ontwikkel om die volhoubare produksie van skape te verbeter. 'N SWOT-analise en 'n semi-gestruktureerde opname om die eienskappe te evalueer en te identifiseer in die ontwikkeling van die webtoepassingsdatabasis, die uitdagings en voordele van die huidige opname- en rekordhoudingmetodes van boere. Die versameling van data was tussen April en Augustus 2018 met 24 deelnemers wat aan die studie deelgeneem het. Die SWOT-analise en vraelys het gehelp met die identifisering en karakterisering van ekologiese en sosio-ekonomiese uitdagings wat die volhoubaarheid van skaapboerdery in beide gemeenskappe beïnvloed. Hierdie studie het 'n gemengde metodebenadering gebruik; daarom het die studie beide kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe analise vir data-analise gebruik. Die boere het gehelp met die ontwerp en ontwikkeling van die webtoepassing deur belangrike eienskappe op die platform te identifiseer en het verder aangedui dat hulle bereid is om die ontwikkeling van die aansoek te ondersteun. Die resultate het getoon dat boere bereid was om die ontwikkeling van die aansoek te ondersteun en die databasis te gebruik. Daarbenewens het die resultate getoon dat manlike boere die meerderheid in beide gemeenskappe (88%) was, terwyl ongeveer 79% lewendehawe as hoofbron van inkomste aangedui het. Die meerderheid boere (bo 50%) het berig dat verandering in weerpatrone, veral droogte, as 'n uitdaging vir volhoubare skape produksie. Daar was geen verband tussen die bereidwilligheid van die boer om 'n rekordhouding databasis te gebruik met eienskappe soos die onderwyser se vlak van onderwys, distrik en inkomstebron. Daar was egter 'n verband tussen die bereidwilligheid van die boer om 'n rekordhoudende databasis en ouderdom te gebruik. Hoe jonger die boer, hoe meer 'n boer bereid was om die databasis te gebruik. Die boere het ook gesê dat tradisionele opname en rekordhouding met behulp van 'n pen en papier 'n uitdaging was, eentonig en vermoeiend. Die hoofbron vir die verkryging van inligting vir beide gemeenskappe is deur die regering se voorligtingsbeamptes (50%), gevolg deur ander boere (28%). Die studie bepaal dat kleinvee-skaapboere bygestaan het in die identifisering en karakterisering van die eienskappe wat nodig is vir die ontwikkeling van die databasis. In hierdie studie het die aktiewe deelname van die boere die ontwikkeling van 'n bestuursdatabasisstelsel toegelaat. Die boere het skape se stamboek inligting soos geboortedatum, liggaamsvoorwaarde telling, gewig, lammers gebore, skape identifikasie nommer, skape ras en die boereprofiel wat plek, boer naam en plaasnaam bevat, aangesien sommige van die inset veranderlike nodig is om ingesluit te word. | af_ZA |
| dc.format.extent | 110 pages : illustrations, maps | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/106033 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_ZA | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Farm management database systems | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Smartphone technology for farm management | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Farm management -- Data processing | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Database farm management -- South Africa -- Western Cape | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | UCTD | en_ZA |
| dc.title | Integration of information and communication technology (ICT) in the development of a recordkeeping database of smallholder sheep farming systems in the Western Cape Province of South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |