Training needs Analysis of women in Irrigation Farming in the North West Province, South Africa

Abstract

Training is one of the requirements that lead to productivity in farming. Gaining of skills and knowledge of farming activities enhances developments and adoption of innovations. This study examines the training needs of women in irrigation farming in the districts of Ngaka Modiri Molema and Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati, North West Province, South Africa. The target group was female farmers involved in irrigation farming and those who farm within the range of the irrigation scheme. A purposive stratified random sampling method was used to select a sample of the respondents. A sample of 83 female farmers was selected to obtain a representative sample from participating farmers. A semi structured questionnaire with open and closed-ended questions was used to collect socio-economic information, competence and important training needs from farmers. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution, percentages, mean and standard deviation were used to describe demographic characteristics of farmers. Linear multiple regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between eighteen socio-economic characteristics and competency. The main objective of the study was to analyse the training needs among women involved in irrigation farming in the North West Province. The irrigation sites were selected for this study due to the functionality of the schemes and high concentration of women farmers. Data were obtained from a primary survey of women farmers involved in irrigation farming. In this study, a questionnaire with open and close-ended items was used; a focus group discussions and cross-sectional survey were also employed. A stratified random sampling method was employed, using a Raosoft's sample size calculator with a confidence interval of 95% and 5% error; accordingly, 83 women were selected from the 120 women from the total population involved in the scheme. The result revealed that the majority of women (62.7%) are above 50 years of age. The result also revealed that a greater xii proportion (42.2%) of farmers in the schemes were married. It was further indicated that 34.9% of respondents interviewed had a primary school education, 24.1% had high school education, and 10.8% had no formal schooling while only 2.4% had college and tertiary education. Furthermore, the majority of women in the irrigation schemes (44.6%) indicated that they have more than 30 years in irrigation scheme. This clearly suggests that most farmers have been working on the irrigation schemes for a long period. The result revealed that all 10 tasks had a mean score less than 2 indicating that respondents are not competent in pre and post planting tasks identified. The perceived level of competence of women on irrigation management was all below the cut-off point of 2, indicating a low level of competency. When it came to the marketing tasks, respondents were found to be incompetent in all nine farming tasks identified. The importance of the farming task, high importance of irrigation management, and the importance of marketing tasks were found to be 2, indicating a high importance as a mean of 2 and greater denoted high importance of the farming tasks. It was then recommended, based on the findings of the study that the government of the day should also introduce training courses and facilities especially related to marketing and irrigation, as all the respondents from both focus groups indicated that that was the main challenge they face.