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The financial implications of technology adoption on precision farming applied to conservation farming systems in the Overberg wheat producing area
Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867614074708164608 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Somtsewu, Lizalise |
| author2 | Hoffmann, Willem Hendrik |
| author_browse | Hoffmann, Willem Hendrik Somtsewu, Lizalise |
| author_facet | Hoffmann, Willem Hendrik Somtsewu, Lizalise |
| author_sort | Somtsewu, Lizalise |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132280 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:46:15.146Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132280 The financial implications of technology adoption on precision farming applied to conservation farming systems in the Overberg wheat producing area Somtsewu, Lizalise Hoffmann, Willem Hendrik Phiri, Ethel Emmarantia Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Agricultural Economics. Agricultural systems -- South Africa -- Overberg Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Overberg Wheat -- Breeding Farm management Agricultural systems -- Technological innovations Agricultural innovations Precision farming -- Technological innovations Agricultural conservation Agricultural conservation -- Technological innovations UCTD Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Somtsewu, L. 2025. The Financial Implications of Technology Adoption on Precision Farming Applied to Conservation Farming Systems in the Overberg Wheat Producing Area. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/d07b14d5-13e3-4686-8685-0a8dba8425e2 ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The continuous rise in the global population is expected to culminate in a total of 9.7 billion individuals by 2050. This demographic shift demands a significant increase in food production, intensifying the strain on natural resources and may lead to further environmental harm. As a result, there is a pressing need for the adoption of more sustainable food production techniques. Conservation agriculture (CA) is acknowledged as a holistic approach to achieving sustainable agricultural intensification, defined by three core principles: minimal or no tillage, the creation of permanent organic soil cover, and the implementation of crop rotations. The primary objective of this study was to assess the financial impacts of incorporating precision farming technologies into cereal farming systems that prioritize conservation in the Overberg region. This research utilized existing data from crop rotation trials conducted at the Tygerhoek Research Farm of the Western Cape Department of Agriculture in the Overberg, which adhered to CA principles. Data spanning from 2002 to 2023 was collected, encompassing all input costs, wheat quantities, and wheat prices sourced from SAFEX, alongside mechanization data obtained from Overberg Agri. Agricultural systems are inherently complex, comprising numerous interconnected elements. An enterprise budget model was developed using a systems approach to facilitate a comparison of the mechanization budgets between conventional and conservation farming systems. A reliable enterprise budget model that accurately reflects an area. The findings suggest that conservation farming is not prohibitively expensive. Therefore, future research should endeavour to delve deeper into the multifaceted reasons behind farmers' reluctance. Moreover, there is a pressing need for forthcoming studies to focus on developing an implementation strategy that empowers producers to navigate risks effectively while maximizing profitability within the realm of conservation farming practices. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die voortdurende groei van die wêreldbevolking word voorspel om teen 2050 'n totaal van 9.7 miljard mense te bereik. Hierdie demografiese verandering vereis 'n aansienlike verhoging in voedselproduksie, wat die druk op natuurlike hulpbronne verhoog en moontlik verdere omgewingskade kan veroorsaak. Daar is gevolglik 'n dringende behoefte aan die opneem van meer volhoubare voedselproduksiemetodes. Bewaringslandbou (BL) word beskou as 'n holistiese benadering tot die bevordering van volhoubare landbou-intensifisering, wat deur drie kernbeginsels gekenmerk word: minimale of geen grondbewerking, die vestiging van permanente organiese grondbedekking, en die toepassing van gewasrotasies. Die primêre doel van hierdie studie was om die finansiële gevolge van die integrasie van presisieboerderytegnologieë in graanboerderystelsels wat fokus op bewaring in die Overberg-streek te evalueer. Hierdie navorsing het gebruik gemaak van bestaande data van gewasrotasietoetse wat by die Tygerhoek-navorsingsplaas van die Wes-Kaapse Departement van Landbou in die Overberg uitgevoer is, en wat CA-beginsels gevolg het. Data wat oor die tydperk van 2002 tot 2023 versamel is, sluit alle insetkoste, produksiehoeveelhede en koringpryse in wat uit SAFEX verkry is, sowel as meganisasiedata wat van Overberg Agri verkry is. Landbou stelsels is inherent kompleks, bestaande uit verskeie onderling afhanklike komponente. 'n Ondernemingsbegrotingsmodel is ontwikkel met 'n stelselaanslag om 'n vergelyking van die meganisasiebegrotings tussen konvensionele en bewaringboerderystelsels te fasiliteer. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat bewaringboerdery nie onbekostigtigbaar is nie. Toekomstige navorsing moet dus poog om die verskeie redes agter boere se huiwering verder te ondersoek. Daarbenewens is daar 'n dringende behoefte aan toekomstige studies om 'n implementeringsstrategie te ontwikkel wat produsente in staat stel om risiko's effektief te bestuur terwyl hulle winsgewend bly. Masters 2025-06-02T12:18:37Z 2025-06-02T12:18:37Z 2025-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132280 en Stellenbosch University xii, 83 pages : illustrations, maps application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Agricultural systems -- South Africa -- Overberg Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Overberg Wheat -- Breeding Farm management Agricultural systems -- Technological innovations Agricultural innovations Precision farming -- Technological innovations Agricultural conservation Agricultural conservation -- Technological innovations UCTD Somtsewu, Lizalise The financial implications of technology adoption on precision farming applied to conservation farming systems in the Overberg wheat producing area |
| title | The financial implications of technology adoption on precision farming applied to conservation farming systems in the Overberg wheat producing area |
| title_full | The financial implications of technology adoption on precision farming applied to conservation farming systems in the Overberg wheat producing area |
| title_fullStr | The financial implications of technology adoption on precision farming applied to conservation farming systems in the Overberg wheat producing area |
| title_full_unstemmed | The financial implications of technology adoption on precision farming applied to conservation farming systems in the Overberg wheat producing area |
| title_short | The financial implications of technology adoption on precision farming applied to conservation farming systems in the Overberg wheat producing area |
| title_sort | financial implications of technology adoption on precision farming applied to conservation farming systems in the overberg wheat producing area |
| topic | Agricultural systems -- South Africa -- Overberg Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Overberg Wheat -- Breeding Farm management Agricultural systems -- Technological innovations Agricultural innovations Precision farming -- Technological innovations Agricultural conservation Agricultural conservation -- Technological innovations UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132280 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT somtsewulizalise thefinancialimplicationsoftechnologyadoptiononprecisionfarmingappliedtoconservationfarmingsystemsintheoverbergwheatproducingarea AT somtsewulizalise financialimplicationsoftechnologyadoptiononprecisionfarmingappliedtoconservationfarmingsystemsintheoverbergwheatproducingarea |