The effect of education on smallholder pig farmers' knowledge, practices and pig productivity in the Angónia District, Mozambique.
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Date
2015
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Abstract
Smallholder pig production provides an important contribution for farmer livelihoods in many
African developing countries. However, there are many constraints that limit pig performance
and thus financial outcome. The present on-farm trial was carried out from June 2011 to
September 2012 in four villages in the Angónia district, Tete province, Mozambique. The aim
was to evaluate the effectiveness of pig health, housing, feeding and reproduction education
of smallholders pig farmers on the knowledge uptake, changes in pig management practices
and performance of sows and their offspring. All four villages were taught pig health and
housing, but information on either feeding, reproduction or feeding and reproduction was also
provided to each of three villages. The education was provided through an initial focussed
group discussion followed by a collective and participatory training session. In addition,
construction of a good quality pig pen was demonstrated in each village and throughout the
study farmers received on-farm knowledge reinforcement. For evaluation of knowledge and
practices, pig farmers (total across the villages: n=179) were tested using a semi-closed
questionnaire and on-farm observation pre-education (baseline, month zero) and posteducation
(month thirteen). Reproduction data from sows (n=125) and production data from
their progeny (from birth until 8 months age, n=461) were collected from June 2011 to June
2012. Overall, 58% of the sows could be monitored to the end of the study. Overall high and
significant proportions of farmers demonstrated knowledge uptake but the changes in
practices were more modest except for pig pen quality, which improved substantially. The
only significant change in pig productivity was an increase in the number of litters per sow in
only one of the two villages taught reproduction. Unfortunately, this was countered by high
piglet mortality so the number of weaned piglets was the same as in the other villages. It is
concluded that, though education can induce substantial knowledge uptake by smallholder
farmers, it is more difficult to change their practices. This was probably in part due to lack of
resources, but overall with just a little change there is a potential for improving pig
performance.
Description
Master of Science in Agriculture (Animal and poultry science)
Keywords
Swine breeders -- Education -- Mozambique., Swine -- Feeding and feeds -- Mozambique., Swine -- Breeding -- Mozambique., Theses -- Animal and poultry science.