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A curriculum framework for adult learning in financial farm management for practising commercial farmers in the Western Cape Province of South Africa
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613984542162944 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Theron, Petrus Johannes |
| author2 | Kleynhans, Theo E. |
| author_browse | Kleynhans, Theo E. Theron, Petrus Johannes |
| author_facet | Kleynhans, Theo E. Theron, Petrus Johannes |
| author_sort | Theron, Petrus Johannes |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description |
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132400 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:44:50.018Z |
| 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:10019.1/132400 A curriculum framework for adult learning in financial farm management for practising commercial farmers in the Western Cape Province of South Africa Theron, Petrus Johannes Kleynhans, Theo E. Hoffmann, Willem H. Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Agricultural Economics. Farmers -- Economic aspects -- Western Cape (South Africa) Farm management -- Western Cape (South Africa) Agriculture -- Finance -- Western Cape (South Africa) Adult education -- Curricula -- Western Cape (South Africa) Farmers -- Training of -- Western Cape (South Africa) Agriculture -- Study and teaching -- Western Cape (South Africa) Adult learning -- Computer network resources -- Western Cape (South Africa) UCTD Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Theron, P. J. 2025. A curriculum framework for adult learning in financial farm management for practising commercial farmers in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/a279fdb2-a3bc-4424-86a1-1e42f5b04059 ENGLISH SUMMARY: Small and medium-sized commercial farms in South Africa often face financial challenges due to economies of scale, market competition, rising input costs and fluctuating commodity prices. This cost pinch resulted in consolidation into larger farming units to improve efficiency and profitability. Such larger units are often export-oriented and better positioned to adopt advanced agricultural technologies, which are capital-intensive. However, these changed farming circumstances demand more effective and efficient financial farm management. Therefore, practising commercial farmers need continuous improvement of their financial competencies, as envisioned in their commitment to lifelong learning. The problem investigated in this study was that the knowledge about the financial intricacies of farm management might be lacking among practising commercial farmers. Closer scrutiny of this problem revealed that young adults operating as commercial farmers were ill-equipped at school- and tertiary level to face the extensive and complicated financial questions typical of modern commercial farming. This research investigated what financial competencies these farmers should learn and master. Their experience and existing knowledge are typically acquired in context-specific farming enterprises and areas unknown to the designers at tertiary institutions of financial management course content. Such contextual exposure requires that farmers need to be consulted about their learning needs in a participative capacity to determine the relevant content of a financial management course. This study found that only a limited number of current courses focusing on practising farmers are available. These courses fail to demonstrate a modus operandi to determine the relevance thereof for practising commercial farmers. The present study thus utilised a technique obtained from the field of curriculum inquiry to ascertain the pertinent course content for commercial farmers. A needs analysis was performed among the potential target group using a checklist containing the common financial management concepts from the literature, augmented by open-ended questions to expose any possible omissions. The farmers’ preferences were compared and confirmed by the opinions of financial advisors who were in close contact with them and informed about their potential financial inadequacies. The diverse angles and perspectives acquired from farmers and their advisors permitted a triangulation process that enhanced control and confirmation of the proposed course content. The study results can be presented with a measure of confidence as a benchmark for developing future courses for practising farmers in financial management. The study also confirmed that the affordability and accessibility of the proposed course were not significant factors affecting its presentation format. Participant farmers have indicated clearly that course content should be relevant to their learning needs and presented by a knowledgeable lecturer in a face-to-face classroom setting as the preferred format. Despite a strong level of computer literacy amongst commercial farmers, most of these adult learners would not opt for an online training course in financial management. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Klein en medium-grootte kommersiele plase in Suid-Afrika staar gereeld finansiele uitdagings in die gesig as gevolg van skaalvoordele, mark kompetisie, stygende insetkoste en skommelende kommoditeit pryse. Die koste knyptang het veroorsaak dat kleiner plase met groter plase gekonsolideer word ten einde effektiwiteit en winsgewendheid te verbeter. Sodanige groter eenhede is dikwels uitvoer-gedrewe en beter geposisioneer om gevorderde landbou tegnologiee, wat kapitaal-intensief is, te implementeer. Hierdie veranderde omstandighede in landbou vereis egter meer doeltreffende en effektiewe boerdery bestuur. Daarom benodig praktiserende kommersiele boere voortdurende verbetering van hul finansiele bevoegdhede, soos deur hul deelname aan lewenslange leer geleenthede in die vooruitsig gestel word. Die probleem wat in hierdie studie ondersoek is, is die moontlikheid dat die kennis van kommersiele boere oor die finansiele ingewikkeldhede van plaasbestuur moontlik ontoereikend is. Nadere ondersoek het getoon dat jong volwassenes, wat reeds kommersiele boere is, swak toegerus word op skool- en tersiere vlak om die uitgebreide en ingewikkelde finansiele problematiek tipies van moderne kommersiële boerdery op te los. Die studie het dus ondersoek ingestel na watter finansiele bevoegdhede hierdie boere geleer behoort te word. Weens hul ondervinding en bestaande kennis en begrip van die konteks waarin hulle boer, mag hulle spesifieke behoeftes he waarvan die opstellers van finansiele bestuur kursusinhoud aan tersiere instellings nie bewus is nie. Sodanige kontekstuele blootstelling vereis dat daar dus met boere gekonsulteer moet word ten einde die relevante inhoud van ‘n kursus in finansiele bestuur te bepaal. Die navorsingsresultate toon ‘n beperkte aanbod van kursusse wat fokus op praktiserende boere. Boonop kon sodanige kursusse nie bewys lewer dat ‘n modus operandi gevolg is om die relevansie daarvan vir kommersiële boere te bepaal nie. Derhalwe is gebruik gemaak van elemente van kurrikulum kunde om die relevansie te bepaal van kursusinhoud vir kommersiele boere. ‘n Behoefte bepaling is onder ‘n potensiele teikengroep gedoen met behulp van ‘n kontrolelys wat die tersaaklike finansiele bestuurs konsepte uit relevante literatuur bevat, aangevul deur oop vrae om enige moontlike weglatings te ondervang. Die voorkeure van boere is vergelyk en bevestig deur die opinies van finansiele adviseurs wat in noue kontak met hulle is en bewus is van die tipiese finansiele kennis tekortkominge van boere. Die uiteenlopende invalshoeke en perspektiewe wat van die boere en hul adviseurs bekom is het die proses van triangulering gefasiliteer, kontrole verbeter en bevestiging van verlangde kursusinhoud verskaf. Die resultaat van die navorsing kan met voldoende sekerheid as ‘n maatstaf vir die ontwikkeling van toekomstige kursusse vir praktiserende boere in finansiele bestuur aangebied word. Die studie het verder bevestig dat bekostigbaarheid en toeganklikheid van die voorgestelde kursus nie ‘n wesenlike invloed op die formaat van aanbieding van so ‘n program het nie. As volwasse leerders verlang die meeste deelnemers aan die navorsing relevansie van kursusinhoud wat in persoon aangebied word deur ‘n kundige dosent in ‘n klaskamer omgewing. Ongeag ‘n hoe vlak van rekenaar geletterdheid onder kommersiele boere verkies die oorgrote meerderheid om nie aanlyn onderrig in ‘n opleidingskursus in finansiele bestuur te ontvang nie. Doctoral 2025-06-06T06:27:48Z 2025-06-06T06:27:48Z 2025-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132400 en_ZA Stellenbosch University xx, 209 : illustrations, maps, includes annexures application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Farmers -- Economic aspects -- Western Cape (South Africa) Farm management -- Western Cape (South Africa) Agriculture -- Finance -- Western Cape (South Africa) Adult education -- Curricula -- Western Cape (South Africa) Farmers -- Training of -- Western Cape (South Africa) Agriculture -- Study and teaching -- Western Cape (South Africa) Adult learning -- Computer network resources -- Western Cape (South Africa) UCTD Theron, Petrus Johannes A curriculum framework for adult learning in financial farm management for practising commercial farmers in the Western Cape Province of South Africa |
| title | A curriculum framework for adult learning in financial farm management for practising commercial farmers in the Western Cape Province of South Africa |
| title_full | A curriculum framework for adult learning in financial farm management for practising commercial farmers in the Western Cape Province of South Africa |
| title_fullStr | A curriculum framework for adult learning in financial farm management for practising commercial farmers in the Western Cape Province of South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | A curriculum framework for adult learning in financial farm management for practising commercial farmers in the Western Cape Province of South Africa |
| title_short | A curriculum framework for adult learning in financial farm management for practising commercial farmers in the Western Cape Province of South Africa |
| title_sort | curriculum framework for adult learning in financial farm management for practising commercial farmers in the western cape province of south africa |
| topic | Farmers -- Economic aspects -- Western Cape (South Africa) Farm management -- Western Cape (South Africa) Agriculture -- Finance -- Western Cape (South Africa) Adult education -- Curricula -- Western Cape (South Africa) Farmers -- Training of -- Western Cape (South Africa) Agriculture -- Study and teaching -- Western Cape (South Africa) Adult learning -- Computer network resources -- Western Cape (South Africa) UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132400 |
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