Towards Intensive Co-operated Agribusiness: A Gender-Based Comparative Borich Needs Assessment Model Analysis of Beef Cattle Farmers in Eswatini

Beef cattle farming assumes a pivotal role in economic growth, household food security, and poverty alleviation in Eswatini. However, paucity of information dissemination, and competence are drawbacks that accord a steady annual increase in beef imports and a decline in exports. Therefore, the study...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Agriculture (Basel) 2020-04, Vol.10 (4), p.96
Main Authors: Dlamini, Sicelo Ignatius, Huang, Wen-Chi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agribusiness
Agricultural practices
Agricultural production
Agriculture
Beef
Beef cattle
beef cattle farmers
Borich needs assessment model
Cattle
Cattle production
Data analysis
Developing countries
Economic development
Economic growth
Empowerment
Eswatini
Farm management
Farm structure
Farmers
Farms
Food security
Gender
Imports
Information dissemination
Knowledge
LDCs
Livestock
Livestock breeding
Livestock farming
Marketing
Men
Needs analysis
Poverty
proficiency
Rural areas
Rural development
Skills
Statistical analysis
Statistical significance
Strategic planning
Student's t-test
t-test
Training
Training evaluation
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Summary:Beef cattle farming assumes a pivotal role in economic growth, household food security, and poverty alleviation in Eswatini. However, paucity of information dissemination, and competence are drawbacks that accord a steady annual increase in beef imports and a decline in exports. Therefore, the study conducted a gender-based comparative assessment of training needs for beef cattle farmers. Primary data were collected through personal interviews, guided by a reliability-tested questionnaire, from a sample of 397 farmers. The Borich Needs Assessment Model was adopted for data analysis and inferential statistics were employed to evaluate statistically significant differences between the gender groups. On a scale of 5, farmers were found to be less proficient (M = 1.891, SD = 0.529) in cattle production and agribusiness management practices. Female farmers were significantly less proficient than males (t = −6.004, p = 0.000). Statistically significant differences in mean weighted discrepancy scores (t = 5.280, p = 0.000) revealed a strong training need for females compared to men. It is recommended that dissemination of training information should be prioritized as follows: (1) agribusiness management concepts, (2) feed and feeding concepts, (3) cattle health concepts, (4) farmer-organizational concepts, (5) farm structures, and (6) breeding and rearing concepts.
ISSN:2077-0472
2077-0472
DOI:10.3390/agriculture10040096