Improving the Wellbeing of People Dependent on the Low-income Beef Industry in South Africa

This study is of the dual cattle economies in South Africa that are the legacy of apartheid. The two economies resemble developing and developed beef sectors elsewhere. The study aims to understand this situation and develop interventions that facilitate change in the South African beef industry. It was undertaken to respond to a reality that little progress has been made in improving the income levels of the developing sector participants despite the advanced beef industry market chain and support structures. This study focused on identifying barriers and promoters of individual change that are essential for improving the wellbeing of the individual participants in the low-income sector. The study was conducted in the Limpopo province’s five districts municipalities using mixed methods underpinned by a paradigm of critical theory and pragmatism. The theoretical underpinning methodology for this work is grounded theory which looks for emerging themes from qualitative data. Systems’ thinking was considered to set boundaries of the study of the whole beef industry in Limpopo. Focus groups and in-depth interviews were used for data collection, supported by field records. The study informants were the four types of farmers in Limpopo provinces and the professionals of the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) and the Limpopo Department of Agriculture (LDA). The data analysis revealed themes and sub-themes that impact on the efficacy of the support system for the low-income beef sector in South Africa and the barrier to change by individual farmers. The most important elements from support staff were the historic legacy of the ARC and LDA, the technology dependent culture of support staff, cultural stereotyping and disconnection of farmers in the developing sector. The farmer data revealed the need for building human, social, financial and psychological capital in the low-income sector. Of these the most important was psychological capital which emerged as the key leverage point. An intervention model for change and a tool to address the psychological capital based on coaching was designed for institutionalisation in the ARC, LDA and Limpopo beef farmers support groups. The approach proposed is a radical departure from previous approaches as it incorporates elements of extension models, community development and sustainable improvement and innovation.