Understanding Farmer Typology, Manure Use Dynamics and Resource Endowment in a Smallholder Rural Community of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Smallholder agriculture productivity in the Eastern Cape (EC) of South Africa is declining due to, among other, resource endowment, manure-use dynamics, and low-productive conventional technology. As such, this study assessed the influence of resource availability on various agricultural activities among smallholder farmers in the Tsitsa River catchment of EC. A structured questionnaire (137 participants) and interviews (18 participants) were administered to gather information on the farm typology, resource endowment, and manure-use dynamics. The results from the descriptive statistics showed that many participants (72%) cultivated their crops in gardens, whereas few used the field for crop production (4%). Most farmers used kraal manure to plant various crops in their gardens, and owning cattle provided easy access to manure. However, the lack of transportation for manure field application was raised, resulting in more nutrients being applied to fields closer to the farmhouse than outfields. The Pearson's Chi-square test of association revealed that participants' age and gender had no effect (p > 0.05) on their likelihood of engaging in various agricultural activities and management practices. The principal component analysis results showed five PCs that contributed to the most variability in the area: the type of land under cultivation, livestock numbers, crop fertilisation, irrigation, and the source of manure. Furthermore, using PCA and cluster analysis, three farm typologies were identified: high resource endowered, medium resource endowed, and low resource endowered. This analysis helped us to understand some overlapping data better. It also showed comparable or varied farming practices and management in the study area. The qualitative results indicated several challenges affecting their farm productivity, including climate change, invasive species, theft, lack of infrastructure, and limited resources. When deciding on intervention programmes involving smallholder farmers in rural communities, authorities and governments should use a holistic approach that considers Indigenous knowledge and attitudes.