Rangeland Management Practices and Perceptions of Communal Livestock Farmers' Towards Rangeland Degradation in the North West Province of South Africa

This study assessed rangeland management practices and perceptions of livestock farmers towards rangeland degradation in the Moretele communal areas of North West Province, South Africa. Understanding these issues is crucial for developing interventions to improve rangeland productivity and sustainability. A semi-structured questionnaire surveyed 106 randomly selected communal farmers across four villages (Lebalangwa, Mmakgabetlwane, Noroki, & Swartdam). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software. The majority of participants were males. Most farmers had less than years of farming experience, and most were farming with mixed livestock (cattle, sheep, and goats). Based on the farmers' perceptions, over 70% of the farmers agreed that rangelands are overgrazed and considered the condition of the rangelands to have declined dramatically over time. The most important traditional rangeland management strategy adopted by the farmers was mobility. Better pastures and water access were common reasons for mobility across all areas. The study suggests that, in future, development agencies and government must work closely with local communities to train and empower them in rangeland management skills.