Smallholder farmers’ perception in the adoption of in-field rainwater harvesting techniques in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Dissemination, adoption and continued use of adopted technologies are key requirements for improved smallholder farmers’ productivity. In an attempt to improve smallholder agricultural production and creating a resilient smallholder agricultural sector, many technologies such as the in-field rainwater harvesting technique (IRWHT) have been put in place. IRWHT has a tremendous potential for improving livelihoods of rural smallholder farmers, thus decreasing their vulnerability to vagaries of climate change. However, though IRWHT was promoted for agricultural crop production improvement, smallholder farmers discontinued its adoption. This study critically assessed the perception of smallholder farmers in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality (RMLM) on the use of the in-field rainwater harvesting technique to assess the underlying factors that led to IRWHT dis-adoption. This study adopted a descriptive study design; purposive sampling was used to select a sample of 120 smallholder farmers that initially adopted IRWHT. Data was gathered through a face-to-face interview and with a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistical analysis frequency count, percentages, means and standard deviation were used for quantitative data analysis. The findings revealed that 96percent of smallholder farmers dis-adopted IRWHT after initial adoption. Moreover, IRWHT was dis-adopted 5-8 years post adoption. Critical reasons behind discontinuity include small land size (23percent), lack of reliable water source (18percent), complexity of IRWHT, continual extension support (17percent) and IRWHT taking up much space (13percent), amongst others. This study also revealed that farmers’ perception towards the innovation attributes of IRWHT, in relative advantage over economic returns such as profitability, had an impact on dis-adoption of IRWHT, with a negative farmers’ perception (̅ = 2.95). Complexity of IRWHT was associated with discontinuity of IRWHT by smallholder farmers in RMLM, with the majority (60percent) of smallholder farmers indicating that IRWHT was labour intensive. Some (39.9percent) stated that implementation of IRWHT was time consuming. Innovation attributes that led to a high rate of initial adoption were relative advantage with better yield (̅ = 4. 38) and compatibility. Smallholder farmers indicated that IRWHT can be implemented with cheaper and available working tools (̅ = 3.54). On trialability, smallholder farmers indicated that IRWHT was triable in different seasons and on observability smallholder farmers had a positive perception (̅ = 3.81) towards observable improved crop yield. Smallholder farmers had a positive perception (̅ = 4.14) of extension service support during the scaling-up of IRWHT although they indicated that the extension service support had ceased.Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 202