Gauteng farmers’market strategies of Indigenous Leafy Vegetables post COVID-19 outbreak

Abstract

Indigenous Leafy Vegetables (ILVs) have a high economic potential but there is little information on how to market them. Marketing strategies, how individuals seek information, communication and purchasing of goods have changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in the country of South Africa. As a result of a shock like COVID-19, farmers must reconsider how they market their produce to customers given various government restrictions which came about with the implementation of National State of Disaster which was effective from the 5th of April 2020. The study investigated the marketing strategies of leafy vegetable farmers in response to what appeared to be their stringent COVID-19 restrictions, making it difficult for them to market their produce. Data was collected from one hundred and five (105) farmers using a structured questionnaire, which included socio-economic characteristics. Collected data was captured in Excel Spreadsheet and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS). By running a multinomial logistic regression model, descriptive statistics was used to examine farmer's marketing strategies. The study revealed that level five was the hardest lockdown level that appeared to be difficult to go through as indicated by ILV farmers, followed by level four and then level three of COVID-19 restrictions (lockdown levels). In this case the above-mentioned lockdown levels (five, four and three) were taken as a dependent variable and marketing strategies as independent variable. Marketing strategies include price marketing, direct and indirect marketing. The study found that Lockdown restrictions imposed by the government have affected ways how farmers used to market their produce. The study also revealed that farmers preferred a marketing strategy of selling at a reduced price 5.474 times in lockdown level four (4) than in level 5 lockdown restrictions (reduced price was found to be is positive and significant (b=5.574, S.E =1,694 and p>0,001). While food provision was always considered as an important service, there was some confusion over which food-related operations might continue. Cultivation of Indigenous leafy vegetables was mainly practiced by smallholder farmers who mostly use direct form of marketing. ILV farmers were disproportionately harmed by COVID-19 and government responses to the pandemic. Due to the severe lockdown, restaurants and street vendors were unable to operate, and lost their usual clients. As a result, ILV farmers (26%) experienced a drop in demand as well as a drop in the price of their produce while other farmers (24%) did not market and sell their produce. The study found that many Indigenous leafy vegetable farmers before and amidst COVID-19 outbreak, were rarely supported by the government with finance and were hampered by a variety of obstacles which include inability to access to modern markets and absence of market information. The study recommends that Farmers should actively participate in various marketing channels so they can reach many consumers in various locations. Policymakers should prioritize promoting farmer's access to market information, increasing the number of members in farmer associations, and improving road systems in rural areas