Citation of this paper |
Marketing of small stock in Botswana is a sub-sector that has a potential to help diversify the economy and alleviate poverty in rural communities. The aims of this study were to characterize the traditional small stock farmers in Molelopole North, Kweneng district, Botswana, determine their market practices, as well as their marketing channels. Fifty small stock farmers were randomly sampled and interviewed orally in the area of study. A formal questionnaire was used to collect information on demographic parameters, market practices and marketing channels. Procedure Frequency in Statistical Analysis System was used to analyze the data.
Approximately, there were equal males (52%) and females (48%) farming with small stock. The majority of these farmers (96%) were aged 31 years and older, married (66%) and with either primary (26%) or no education (46%). Most farmers (88%) did not keep any records and weighing before selling was not done (0%). Most farmers (96%) rather preferred using subjective conformation assessment to bargain for prices. Selling was largely through both individual sales (92%) and butchers (34%), which were the most favoured markets because they are relatively cheap and easily accessible. Botswana Meat Commission, which used to be popular, was almost not utilized (4%). Some marketing channels such as co-operatives and auction sales were not used at all (0%). The majority of small stock farmers (76%) had little knowledge about market forces and quality of their livestock and this limited their ability to choose the right marketing channel based on sound economic decisions which would increase their income.
All stakeholders should develop appropriate policy instruments to improve small stock enterprises, through training farmers in production, modern management practices and marketing strategies and also develop adequate markets and marketing channels. Such policies should address issues relating to efficient production, timely selling, regular marketing, quality produce and organized market outlets including premium niche markets.
Keywords: Botswana, demographic parameters, goats, market practices, marketing channels, sheep
The populations of small stock in Botswana were estimated at slightly fewer than 0.4 and 2 million sheep and goats, respectively, of which over 93% of each species were reared in the traditional sector (Botswana Agricultural Census Report 2003). According to Seleka (1999), the average annual growth rates of the populations of small stock in Botswana have been 1.3 and 3.9% for sheep and goats respectively over the period 1961-1998. Therefore, small stock is one possible avenue to improve welfare, reduce poverty in rural communities and further diversify the economy of Botswana. For this to be realized the major challenge is to promote the utilization of small stock products through development of formalized markets, marketing channels (Seleka 1999) and development of unique products for niche premium markets. Marketing is one of the least understood aspects of animal agriculture in the developing world. In Britain, a member of the developed world, there is a combination of long standing traditional practices, compulsory organized marketing for some agriculture products and for others a highly complex situation from the farm gate to the household shopping basket (Barker 1981). Marketing management should be of paramount importance to the individual farmer, if the aim is to make a profit from transactions then marketing considerations should be in all decision-makings, from short-term storage versus immediate sale considerations through to long-term planning of the structure of farming enterprises (Barker 1981).
The objectives of the study were to:
The Kweneng district is in the south-eastern part of Botswana. It is usually a hot and dry region with strong winds from August to October, with an annual rainfall of 400-500 mm (Panin and Mahabile 1997). Molepolole is an administrative headquarters for Kweneng district and also the district agricultural centre.
Fifty traditional small stock farmers were randomly sampled and personally interviewed. A formal questionnaire was used to collect data on demographic parameters, market practices and marketing channels.
The data obtained were analyzed using the Procedure Frequency in Statistical Analysis System (SAS 1999 - 2000).
Almost half of the interviewed farmers were females (48%) (Table 1).
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Table1. Demographic parameters of small stock farmers interviewed in Molelopole North, Kweneng district, Botswana |
||
|
Parameters |
Number |
Frequency , % |
|
Gender |
|
|
|
Male |
26 |
52 |
|
Female |
24 |
48 |
|
Marital status |
|
|
|
Single |
8 |
16 |
|
Married |
33 |
66 |
|
Divorced |
1 |
2 |
|
Widowed |
8 |
16 |
|
Age |
|
|
|
Less than 30 |
2 |
4 |
|
31-40 |
5 |
10 |
|
41-50 |
20 |
40 |
|
51-60 |
9 |
18 |
|
More than 61 |
14 |
28 |
|
Educational level |
|
|
|
None |
23 |
46 |
|
Primary education |
13 |
26 |
|
Secondary |
11 |
22 |
|
Tertiary |
2 |
4 |
|
Short courses |
1 |
2 |
This contrasts with the surveys of Nsoso et al (2003b) for pigs and Nsoso and Rabasima (2004) for beef cattle where the majority of the farmers were males (76-87%). However, the survey of Modise (2004) has shown that more women (84%) participated in poultry farming than men. This could indicate that women are beginning to take agriculture farming seriously as a source of income and the call for female empowerment through their participation in various sectors of the economy could be bearing fruit. Most small stock farmers were 31 years of age and older married, with either primary or no education; however, a high number had secondary education (Table 1). These trends are similar to those reported for traditional pig farmers by Nsoso et al (2003b), for beef cattle by Nsoso and Rabasima (2004) and also for chickens by Modise (2004). The low educational level of the farmers limits their knowledge and exploitation of the small stock market opportunities. In agreement with Aganga et al (2000) and Nsoso and Rabasima (2004), the secondary school leavers should be attracted into live stock farming by provision of necessary amenities in rural areas and agricultural aids such as Citizen Entreprenual Development Agency (CEDA) to facilitate their farming enterprises because most of them do not get formal employment. In agreement with Nsoso and Rabasima (2004), the low uptake of farming by younger farmers is a major concern since they are the farmers of the future who would ensure the survival of this industry. Furthermore, young people are more educated and skilled hence they could be more productive by adopting modern farming technologies hence improving the welfare of the nation and reducing poverty in rural areas.
Most farmers owned between 1and 40 goats, with less than 2% of the farmers owning more than 81 goats. Similarly, almost all farmers owned 1 to 20 heep while a very small number (4%) owned more than 21 sheep (Table 2). Farmers kept more goats than sheep. This is supported by the study done by Panin and Mahabile (1997) in Kweneng and Kgatleng Districts, in which it was found that most households kept more goats than sheep. Similar trends are also seen in small stock and beef cattle at national level, where approximately 80% and above of farmers own 1 to 40 units of these species per household (Botswana Agricultural Census Report 2003). This trend suggests that small stock farming in the area under study is subsistent in nature. Nsoso et al (2003b) reported the same phenomenon in traditional pig farming in Southern Botswana, where the farmers aim to feed their family, with occasional selling in times of financial need.
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Table 2. The number and types of small stock kept by farmers interviewed in Molelopole North, Kweneng district, Botswana |
||
|
Parameters |
Number |
Frequency, % |
|
Goats |
|
|
|
1-20 |
27 |
54 |
|
21-40 |
9 |
18 |
|
41-60 |
6 |
12 |
|
61-80 |
6 |
12 |
|
81 and above |
2 |
4 |
|
Sheep |
|
|
|
1-20 |
48 |
96 |
|
21-40 |
2 |
4 |
|
41-60 |
0 |
0 |
|
61-80 |
0 |
0 |
|
81 and above |
0 |
0 |
|
Type of small stock |
|
|
|
Sheep only |
1 |
2 |
|
Goats only |
33 |
66 |
|
Sheep and goats |
16 |
32 |
Sixty-six percent of households kept only goats as opposed to the 2% that kept only sheep (Table 2). The reasons for keeping only goats were that they require less work and are able to withstand harsh climatic conditions better than sheep. Farmers, who owned sheep only, said they targeted the Moslem market for their produce. A large number of farmers, however, kept both goats and sheep (Table 2). This corresponds well to 27% of households who kept both small stock as found by Panin and Mahabile (1997). The predominance of goats in the small ruminant flocks is a trend among smallholder farmers in most parts of Sub-Saharan Africa (Ndamukong et al 1989). Therefore, any support system has to take cognizance of this to benefit farmers. Niche markets like the Moslem one needs further development since usually they pay a premium for the right type of produce.
All farmers were farming under the traditional system, which is practiced in communal areas of Botswana, which are not fenced hence there is limited controlled movement of animals (Nsoso and Morake 1999). Therefore, crossbreeding has been going on unchecked for a long time. Crossbreeding has been promoted because of the slow growth rate of the indigenous Tswana breeds (Nsoso et al 2004). However, breed evaluation trials by the Animal Production and Range Research Unit (APRU) (1970-1990) conducted under improved management, indicated that the indigenous Tswana goat is more productive than the Boer goat (a popular breed for crossbreeding) because of its higher survival rate at weaning stage (91 vs. 75%) and 18 months of age (70 vs. 54%) despite the slightly lower reproductive rate (121 vs. 127%) and lower body weight at weaning (13.4 vs. 14.9 kg) and 18 months of age (34.5 vs. 36.5kg) than the latter breed. Furthermore, these evaluations also showed that Tswana sheep were more productive than the Dorper (a popular breed for crossbreeding) also because of its higher survival rate at weaning stage (89 vs. 61%) and 18 months of age (70 vs. 44%), and higher reproductive rate (86% vs 74%) despite lower body weight at weaning (17.1 vs. 20.7kg) and 18 months of age (34.1 vs. 38.2kg) than the latter breed. In agreement with Nsoso et al (2004), such productivity parameters indicate that indigenous breeds of goats and sheep are highly productive in their own right even though they have not been selected for improved performance. Therefore, opportunities still exist to increase production through within breed selection in these indigenous animals.
A large proportion of farmers did not give supplementary feed to their animals (Table 3). This is characteristic of traditional subsistence farming in Botswana (Nsoso and Rabasima 2004), which is characterized by, among other things, a low level of inputs (Adogla-Bessa and Aganga 2000) such as poor feeding.
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Table 3. Management practices used in small stock by farmers interviewed in Molelopole North, Kweneng district, Botswana |
|||
|
Parameters |
Number |
Frequency, % |
|
|
Supplementary feeding |
|
||
|
Yes |
34 |
68 |
|
|
None |
16 |
32 |
|
|
Animal Health care |
|
||
|
Yes |
33 |
66 |
|
|
None |
17 |
34 |
|
|
Free vaccination by Government |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Labour requirements |
|
|
|
|
Yes |
22 |
44 |
|
|
None |
28 |
56 |
|
|
Type of labour |
|
||
|
Family |
35 |
70 |
|
|
Others |
15 |
30 |
|
|
Records kept |
|
|
|
|
Yes |
6 |
12 |
|
|
None |
44 |
88 |
|
Unlike in beef cattle, there is no provision by government to freely vaccinate small stock for common diseases, however a large proportion of small stock farmers used modern veterinary practices such as drenching for internal parasites, dipping for external parasites and vaccinating against economically important diseases to improve the productivity of their small stock (Table 3). Small stock farmers were aware that with better management they could benefit more from increased productivity of their animals. The majority of farmers used family labour, which is not paid while only 30% employed permanent labour. Of those farmers employing labour, most employed only one person. None of the farmers employed casual labour. Most farmers did not keep any records and as such did not know whether they made profit or loss and did not use records for budgeting purposes (Table 3). Nsoso et al (2003b) reported similar trends in traditional pig farming where 66.7% of labour used was from within the family and no records where kept.
Most farmers did not sell their small stock regularly, rather preferring to sell as financial needs arose, with 42% selling regularly only at least once a year. This is consistent with the results from a nation wide survey by Nwafor (2004) in Gambia, which indicated that about 94% of respondents sold their small ruminant animals because of urgent cash needs. Twenty-two percent of farmers sold 6 to10 small stock per transactional sale while very few sold more than 16 animals per transaction (Table 4). These are low off-take rates compared to the national average of more than 20% over the period 1977-1997 reported by Seleka (1999) for both sheep and goats. Most of the farmers interviewed also indicated that they believed the small stock market is still not well organized and is haphazard hence the low off take rates (Table 5). Seleka (1999) also alluded to lack of formal markets for small ruminants as a major contributing factor to low off-take rates.
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Table 4. Transactional sales of small stock by farmers interviewed in Molelopole North, Kweneng district, Botswana |
||
|
Parameters |
Number |
Frequency, % |
|
Number of sales per year |
|
|
|
Sometimes |
29 |
58 |
|
Once |
17 |
34 |
|
Twice |
2 |
4 |
|
Thrice |
0 |
0 |
|
More than thrice |
2 |
4 |
|
Number sold per transaction |
|
|
|
1-5 |
36 |
72 |
|
6-10 |
11 |
22 |
|
11-15 |
0 |
0 |
|
16-20 |
2 |
4 |
|
21 and above |
1 |
2 |
|
Timing of sales |
|
|
|
Observed |
10 |
20 |
|
Not observed |
40 |
80 |
|
Factors influencing price |
|
|
|
Conformation |
48 |
96 |
|
Others |
2 |
4 |
Most farmers did not observe the timing of their sales (Table 4) to take advantage of the market possibilities and to exploit to the maximum the available marketing channels. Almost all small stock farmers used body conformation, i.e. the appearance of an animal as a basis to bargain for its price while other price determining factors such as weight, age, finishing, fleshing and breed type were ignored (Table 4). This is in contrast with Mahmood and Rodríguez (1994) who reported that farmers weighed their sheep and goats before selling them in the highland of Balochistan, Pakistan. Part of the lack of weighing could be that weighing scales are not available and also expensive to buy for resource poor small scale farmers (Nsoso et al 2003a). This could be solved by selling based on indicator traits or easily measured traits such as heart girth and body length (Nsoso et al 2003a).
The price of small stock in the market ranged from P100 (young stock) to P400 (mature stock) with most people selling castrated males. Breeding stock was sold for P200-P300. There was confusion as to what price was suitable for a particular type and size of small stock as goats and sheep relatively shared the same price. There was little price differentiation on small stock units in the market. This helps to explain the casual manner in which small stock farmers approached the choice of a marketing channel. It is unlike what was observed in highland Balochistan in Pakistan, where prices received by producers were 7% higher for sheep than for goats (Mahmood and Rodríguez 1993). No market has been created yet for lambs as no one sold them; the same applies to by-products from small stock such as manure and skins.
Most small stock farmers did not get any market information, while 38% got it from the radio. Only 4% of the farmers got marketing information from extension officers. Nsoso et al (2003b) also reported a similar phenomenon in traditional pig farming where most farmers (90.2%) did not seek any information even from extension officers provided for free by the government. Most farmers agreed that they had low market awareness while only 24% were aware. Most farmers had never been trained in marketing of farm produce, with only 10% having such training (Table 5). In agreement with Pinkerton et al (1994), producers and prospective producers without relevant, accurate market information are seriously disadvantaged in basic decision making concerning production opportunities and marketing options. The ignorance of small stock producers about the market was also confirmed by Mahmood and Rodríguez (1993) who found that producers had little knowledge about market forces and quality of livestock, and this limited their ability to increase their income. Most farmers believed there were inadequate marketing infrastructures as well as poor market facilities. Most farmers further believed that the small stock market was unreliable (Table 5).
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Table 5. Factors influencing small stock marketing in Molelopole North, Kweneng district, Botswana |
||
|
Parameters |
Number |
Frequency, % |
|
Sources of market information |
|
|
|
Radio |
19 |
38 |
|
Extension officer |
2 |
4 |
|
Other sources |
1 |
2 |
|
None |
28 |
56 |
|
Market awareness |
|
|
|
None |
12 |
24 |
|
Some |
38 |
76 |
|
Training in marketing |
|
|
|
None |
45 |
90 |
|
Attended at least 1 workshop |
5 |
10 |
|
Marketing infrastructure |
|
|
|
Adequate |
9 |
18 |
|
Inadequate |
41 |
82 |
|
Market reliability |
|
|
|
Reliable |
16 |
32 |
|
Unreliable |
34 |
68 |
|
Membership of small stock society |
|
|
|
Yes |
1 |
2 |
|
None |
49 |
98 |
|
Market organisation |
|
|
|
Well organised |
10 |
20 |
|
Still haphazard |
40 |
80 |
Most small stock farmers in the area were not members of any small stock association so they were fragmented and were not able to help each other to overcome their marketing obstacles. The same phenomenon was found by Mahmood and Rodríguez (1993) in Pakistan. This explains the unorganized nature of the markets (Table 5). Therefore, the problem of fragmentation is believed to be among factors hampering successful small stock marketing and better marketing channel choice.
The marketing channels that small stock farmers were mostly aware of were butchers, middlemen/traders and individuals. Some farmers still believed that Financial Assistance Policy (FAP) projects were still in existence and useable even though they have been phased out for almost 5 years. The most used marketing channels were individuals ranked as the most favoured, then butchers as the second most favoured and middlemen as the third favoured. The least favoured was FAP projects while the rest were largely seen as still unfavourable. The usage of other marketing channels such as FAP projects and Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) was very low. Auctions and cooperatives were believed to be non-existent (Table 6).
|
Table 6. Marketing channels used by small stock farmers in Molelopole North, Kweneng district, Botswana |
||
|
Parameters |
Number |
Frequency, % |
|
Existing marketing channels# |
|
|
|
Butchers |
43 |
86 |
|
Cooperatives |
0 |
0 |
|
Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) |
2 |
4 |
|
Auctions |
0 |
0 |
|
Middlemen |
40 |
80 |
|
Individuals |
50 |
100 |
|
Financial Assistance Policy (FAP) projects |
11 |
22 |
|
Used marketing channels# |
|
|
|
Butchers |
17 |
34 |
|
BMC |
2 |
4 |
|
Middlemen |
11 |
22 |
|
Individuals |
46 |
92 |
|
FAP projects |
10 |
20 |
|
# The number and frequency add to more than 50 and 100% respectively because farmers knew the existence and also used more than one marketing channel |
||
This may be due to the fact that the FAP scheme has been stopped by the government. BMC on the other hand is said to have low prices and high animal health standards, which made small scale rearing of small stock unprofitable. Most small stock farmers believed individuals were offering reasonable prices and that this outlet required lower transport costs, even though purchases were made in very small numbers. The popularity of individual buyers in small stock marketing was also observed in Swaziland by Lebbie and Mastapha (1985). Butchers and middlemen were favoured for buying in bulk and using their own transport, although their prices were lower than those offered by the individual buyers.
The demographic parameters of the present study indicate that most members of society participate in small stock farming in Molepolole North in Kweneng district of Botswana.
Improving performance in this sub-sector would improve the livelihood of the majority of the people in this rural area.
Most of the farmers had a low education level, their management of small stock was largely subsistent which resulted in low off take rates hence heavy reliance on sales to individuals.
Most farmers of small stock had little knowledge about marketing, which limited their ability to access better and reliable marketing channels. Lack of formalized marketing channels was also a problem factor that was contributing to low off take rates and poor accessibility of relevant marketing channels.
The butchery and middlemen marketing channels were popular especially among farmers with a large number of small stock.
Farmers were not market oriented as such they were casual in their decisions to choose a particular marketing channel.
The authors express sincere gratitude to all traditional small stock farmers who were interviewed. The authors thank Botswana College of Agriculture for providing funds for this study
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Received 4 June 2004; Accepted 13 September 2004