Browsing by Author "McCosh, Jon Stuart."
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Item Assessing the effect of in-field rainwater harvesting on soil physico-chemical properties and crop yield in comparison with the traditional farmers’ practice.(2017) Khuzwayo, Mduduzi.; Zengeni, Rebecca.; McCosh, Jon Stuart.Most communal farmers in South Africa rely on rain-fed agriculture. However, the country is experiencing rainfall variability as well as low soil fertility. These are major limiting factors to food production especially since South Africa is dominated by a semi-arid climate. It is for this reason that rural communities must optimally utilise their limited water reserves. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) technologies are amongst possible alternatives to maximise agricultural crop production. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of in-field rainwater harvesting on selected soil physico-chemical properties and maize crop yield in comparison with the traditional farmer practice. The study was conducted in homestead gardens in Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN) province, under Msinga local municipality and in Eastern Cape Province (EC), under Tsolo local municipality. The study was set up at five homestead gardens namely Madosini, Beya, Mjali, Quvile and Sokhombe in the Eastern Cape and three field trials in Kwa-Zulu Natal (Mntungane, Xoshimpi and Mxheleni). It was designed as randomised complete block design, that compared in-field rainwater harvesting (contour ridges) with the traditional farmer practice (control) over two seasons (2013/14 and 2014/2015). Data was collected for soil chemical and physical properties as well as for crop grain and dry matter yields. Soil samples were collected at 0 - 10, 10 - 20 and 20 - 30 cm depths for analysis of soil pH, exchangeable bases, micronutrients and aggregate stability, and for analysis of bulk density at 0 -10 cm. These samples were collected at planting (2013) and at harvesting (2015). Gravimetric soil moisture content was periodically monitored at different stages of maize growth (planting, vegetative growth, tasselling and harvesting) in 2015. Biomass and grain yield were determined at harvest. Results showed that rainwater harvesting improved soil moisture content, aggregate stability, grain and dry matter yields. No clear trend was observed on the effect of rainwater harvesting on exchangeable bases, soil pH and micronutrients across all study sites in Kwa-Zulu Natal and Eastern Cape. It was therefore recommended that rainwater harvesting be used by resource constrained rural farmers who are experiencing unfavorable precipitations to improve crop yields and soil productivity.Item Towards an understanding of the social learning dynamic in the advancement of organic farming in South Africa.(2008) McCosh, Jon Stuart.; Dent, Mark Clifford.There is growing evidence that the way that the world produces and consumes food needs to change. There is growing public awareness of serious environmental threats (e.g. global warming, loss of biodiversity and pollution) as well as social concerns (e.g. poverty, inequality and food security). It is necessary for global agriculture to rethink its approach to food production and to find new ways of producing food that can meet the demands of the growing world population and at the same time reduce the environmental degradation caused by farming. So called green revolution technologies, resulting in high intensity, high input agriculture are damaging the very resources on which agriculture depends; soil and water. Research reveals current conventional practices to be unsustainable. There is a growing recognition, arising from the creation of new knowledge and the development of deeper understanding, that this change is necessary and urgent. Organic (or ecological) farming has emerged as a more beneficial way of producing food from a social and environmental perspective. Demand for, and production of, organic food grew steadily in the second half of the twentieth century and has increased dramatically in the twenty first century. This can largely be ascribed to social learning processes. This growth is not yet reflected in South African agriculture. Given the advantages of organic agriculture, it is necessary to consider how to accelerate its expansion. Understanding the social learning processes of organic farmers and using learning histories are useful tools to create a better understanding of how this can be achieved. The objective of this dissertation is to make use of four social learning frameworks to enhance the understanding of the social learning dynamic of organic farmers by: • Using existing baseline data from a survey of the organic farming sector to draw out the learning histories. • Developing an understanding of four social learning frameworks. • Combining the learning histories and the understanding of social learning frameworks to form a deeper understanding of the social learning dynamics in the South African organic agricultural sector. A literature review of the organic sector and of four learning frameworks (profound change, conversion of knowledge, deeper learning, and the pedagogy of adult social learning) is used to develop an understanding of the essence of organic agriculture and how people learn. Information from a survey of organic farmers in South Africa, is used to impregnate the learning frameworks in order to develop an understanding of how organic farmers in South Africa are learning Open-ended questions from the survey are analysed and interpreted based on the understanding of learning frameworks. Selected statements that reflect social learning are highlighted, incorporated into the learning frameworks and discussed to better understand how organic farmers are learning. The analysis indicates that a high proportion of organic farmers are social learners. The four frameworks demonstrate that many organic farmers see their role as more than just providers of food. They also see themselves as custodians of the land with a deep concern for the environment. Fewer organic farmers demonstrate an understanding of social issues. Those that did showed a clear understanding of the need to integrate social considerations into food production. Networking and sharing of learning are important methods of knowledge creation among organic farmers as a result of the limited research and support for organic farmers in South Africa. Recommendations to accelerate and understand the learning by organic farmers and consumers are provided. Future research is suggested in order to investigate how to assist organic and conventional farmers to better understand learning, identify how learning can be enhanced or retarded, and actively engage in learning that facilitates knowledge creation.