The document discusses the challenges faced by low-income beef farmers in South Africa, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive intervention model to enhance herd productivity and profitability. It outlines the importance of addressing both biophysical and social subsystems, incorporating soft technologies, and building psychological capital among farmers. The conclusions call for focused research and development efforts tailored to specific local circumstances, while fostering continuous improvement in intervention strategies.

1. ELEMENTS TO CONSIDER FOR
PROPER SUPPORT OF LOW-INCOME
BEEF FARMERS TO ACHIEVE HERD
PRODUCTIVITY AND PROFIT
Baldwin Nengovhela
Baldwin@arc.agric.za
25-28 October, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

2. Introduction: South Africa Beef Industry

3. Introduction
Typical Performance
Traits Developing
Sector
Commercial Stud or elite
Calving rate
%
40 65 85
Pre weaning
mortality %
50 2 2
Post weaning
mortality %
15 2 2
Market price
%
50 100 >130%
Beef Market
off-take %
5 85 10

4. The Problem

5. The Problem (Cont)
• Lack of success through R&D&E
interventions (1994 – to date)
• Beef Sector System = Biophysical + Social
Sub -System

6. The Objective
• Design an intervention model that address
the whole system in the South African
beef industry
• Adopt or design soft technologies to use in
interventions by R&D&E

7. Methods
• Social Science Research
• Grounded theory
• Focus groups
• In-depth Interviews
• Log field journal
• Participant observation

8. Methods :Informants

9. Results & Discussion: Farmers

10. Results & Discussion: Support

11. Results & Discussion: Comparison

12. Results & Discussion: Farmers Assessment

13. Discussion:Disconnect & Disinvestment

14. Discussion: Leverage point
Psychological Capital
Natural Capital
Wellbeing of
Low-income
farmer
Financial
Capital
Physical
Capital
Social
Capital
Human
Capital
Knowledge
Capitals
Culture
Capital

15. Psychological capital defined
‘an individual’s positive psychological state of
development and is characterized by:
(i) having confidence (self-efficacy) to take on and
put in the necessary effort to succeed at challenging
tasks;
(ii) making a positive attribution (optimism) about
succeeding now and in the future;
(iii). persevering towards goals and, when necessary,
redirecting paths to goals (hope) in order to succeed.;
and
(iv) when beset by problems and adversity,
sustaining and bouncing back and even beyond
(resiliency) to attain success’.
(Luthans et al, 2007)

16. Intervention Model

17. Building Psychological Capital
STEP 1: Self Situation Analysis
STEP 4: Confidence Building
Stage
STEP 3: Evidence Building for
Self Efficacy Stage
STEP 2: Self Impact Analysis
Improvement in Effort to
Access other Capitals
Improvement in
Psychological Capital

18. Conclusions
• Give a social subsystem in your hard
science attention
• R&D&E focus at specific situations and
localities
• Proposed intervention model and tool
need to be open for continual
improvement and a stimuli for more work
on development of soft technologies

19. THANK YOU
not my job......
Acknowledgements
•Australian Centre for International Research Funding
•Department of Science and Technology Funding
•A. Prof RJS Beeton University of Queensland
•Dr Richard Clark
Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries
•Limpopo Department of Agriculture