Value chain analysis of smallholder broiler farming in Buffalo City Municipality, Eastern Cape province of South Africa.
| dc.contributor.advisor | Mayekiso, A. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Mphana, Zimi | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-07-25T14:40:57Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-07-25T14:40:57Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024 | |
| dc.description | MSc Dissertation | |
| dc.description.abstract | The Value Chain Analysis (VCA) is an instrument that has been used globally to examine the internal and external operations of different industries. The main aim of the VCA approach is the improvement of relations between actors along the chain. In this study, the Broiler Value Chain Analysis (BVCA) was employed. The BVCA has the potential to improve the livelihoods of smallholder broiler farmers through increased incomes, low production costs, and market participation. However, the Value Chain (VC) of smallholder farmers differs greatly from that of large commercial farmers who supply integrated companies. The smallholder farmers in South Africa are highly challenged by limited resources, poor infrastructure, and limited access to formal markets. Therefore, it is in this regard that the smallholder farmers in South Africa are characterized by low levels of productivity and low returns compared to large commercial farmers. The main aim of the study was to analyse the value chain of smallholder broiler farmers in Buffalo City Municipality, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. This study employed a quantitative research approach and cross-sectional research design. Purposive and snowball sampling procedures were used to sample 125 smallholder broiler farmers in the study area. The primary data was collected using a structured questionnaire through face-toface interviews with the farmers. The quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics and a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis matrix tool. The findings revealed that there were more male broiler farmers (64%) in the study area than female broiler farmers (36%). It was also discovered that broiler farming in BCM constitutes young and middle-aged farmers (62.5%) who are still active enough to run broiler farming. The findings of the study revealed that the value chain actors involved in smallholder broiler farming are input suppliers, customers, extension officers, the Department of Social Development, Banks, and the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development. However, only a small proportion of smallholder broiler farmers had an interaction with all the smallholder broiler value chain actors. For the SWOT Analysis matrix, correlation analysis was employed for the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats variables. The results for the strengths and weakness were as follows; training and knowledge showed a positive correlation (0.24), free services offered by the government and knowledge had a correlation of 0.28, skilled labour and knowledge had a correlation of 0.02, poor housing facilities had a correlation of 0.15 with farm business revenue, the ability to meet consumer preferences and farm business revenue had a correlation coefficient of 0.17. For the opportunities and threats variables, the correlation coefficients were positive and negative values. Furthermore, the results of the SWOT Analysis were divided into Internal Factor Analysis Summary (IFAS) and External Factor Analysis Summary (EFAS) matrix. It was discovered that the difference in scores of the IFAS was –0.1 and the difference in scores of the EFAS was –0.84. Based on the results of the SWOT Analysis, the study found that smallholder broiler farmers in BCM are vulnerable to threats and weaknesses. As a result, the sustainability of smallholder broiler farms is threatened. Therefore strategies aimed at minimizing threats and weaknesses must be implemented. The challenges experienced by smallholder broiler farmers at different levels of the value chain in BCM were also analysed and it was discovered that the main challenges were the difficulty in acquiring inputs due to limited capital and limited information on where and how to access some of the inputs, difficulty in finding nearby suppliers, and poor infrastructure. | |
| dc.identifier.citation | Mphana, Z., 2024. Value chain analysis of smallholder broiler farming in Buffalo City Municipality, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. MSc dissertation. University of Fort Hare. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11837/4167 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | University of Fort Hare | |
| dc.subject | Broilers (Chickens) | |
| dc.subject | Farmers | |
| dc.title | Value chain analysis of smallholder broiler farming in Buffalo City Municipality, Eastern Cape province of South Africa. | |
| dc.type | Thesis | |
| person.identifier.orcid | 0000-0001-9206-0577 |