Socio-economic Characteristics Influencing Small-scale Farming in a Rural Community in Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to describe the socio-economic elements that influence small-scale farming in South Africa’s Limpopo Province. The research used a qualitative method and randomly chose 100 farmers in the Sekhukhune District Municipality of Limpopo Province. A structured questionnaire was used to conduct the interviews. The generated data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The research found that indigenous crop production was largely determined by six socioeconomic variables: age, gender, marital status, educational attainment, income, and employment. Crops were grown to provide grains, vegetables, and fruits for household consumption. Indigenous crop farming can provide all community members with food security. The research concluded that adverse climate change has effects on food security, and socio-economic aspects might be taken into account in the creation of food security adaptation techniques.

Keywords

• small-scale farming
• crop production
• socio-economic factors
• food security
• cultural heritage