Farmer's Perception on Asset–Based Approach in Agriculture: A Case Study of Smallholder Wool Farming in Thaba Nchu and Botshabelo, Free State Province, South Africa.

Abstract

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has allocated a budget for projects such as the Blended Finance Scheme to assist in improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. However, previous research has shown that many projects have failed for several reasons, mostly linked to project management. There is a high probability that many will fail if these challenges are not addressed. The purpose of this study is to incorporate the assets-based approach in farming, which will enable farmers to help themselves. The study was conducted in Thaba Nchu and Botshabelo, Free State province of South Africa. A simple random sampling technique was used to identify the sample size of 351 participants. In conducting this study, a questionnaire was designed to include both open and closed-ended questions and was administered through personal interviews by well-trained enumerators. The data was captured through the EvaSys scanner and was analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24. The R software was utilised for descriptive statistics in analysing the quantitative data. The results show that a lack of skills and resources has resulted in inefficiencies in sustainable food production, leading to project failures. These findings support the notion that implementing the asset-based approach in farming could improve the efficiency and sustainability of the state's projects and enable farmers to produce more effectively. Therefore, the study recommends that the asset-based approach should be used to improve the state's projects.