The role of digital technologies in enabling subsistence farming in rural KwaZulu Natal

dc.contributor.authorZulu, Mamakhethe
dc.contributor.supervisorMagida, Ayanda
dc.date.accessioned2025-03-19T08:36:53Z
dc.date.issued2024
dc.descriptionA research report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in the field of Digital Business to the Faculty of Commerce, Law, and Management, Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024
dc.description.abstractFood security has grown in importance over the years, ranking among the world’s most pressing issues. High food demand has led to poverty, yet sustainable food production methods have proven effective in reducing it. Because of both macro and micro environmental factors, the adoption of digital technology in agriculture have recently had a significant impact on the global landscape. Digital technologies are assisting in meeting the increasing need for sustainable food production on a worldwide scale. This has been achieved by incorporating several digital technologies such as robotics, automation, sensors, Internet of Things (IoT), and data analytics into agricultural processes to maximize crop yields, lower emissions, and optimize farming inputs. By allowing the traceability of goods and processes, this can enable transition from hard human labour to continually automated processes and thus improving agricultural productivity. This study aimed to investigate how digital technologies can enable subsistence farming in KwaZulu Natal. A qualitative approach was adopted for the research, thirteen participants who were subsistence farmers were interviewed using open ended questions. Thematic approach was used to analyse the findings. The findings revealed that adoption of digital technologies was still in its infancy stages, and this was attributed to socio-economic factors such as lack of digital skills, lack of capital to purchase and maintain farming technologies, access to reliable power sources and water. Incorporating technology into farming practices could lead to innovative farming in the rural communities of KZN who still practice conventional farming methods. By applying digital farming technologies, farmers can obtain precise and up-to-date observations on several factors impacting their yield, including plant health, soil quality, meteorological conditions, and the prevalence of pests and diseases. Digital technologies assist agricultural The role of digital technologies in enabling subsistence farming in rural KwaZulu Natal iii producers and academics to make better judgments by analysing the findings. Data obtained can enhance productivity, cut expenses, and oversee resources. Though unevenly, Southern Africa has been rapidly going digital. But the revolution that digitisation promised has not yet materialised in the food and agriculture sectors. Even if these technologies may still be in their infancy in Southern Africa, policymakers must have a forward-thinking mindset to foster an atmosphere that encourages the usage of digital solutions. Encouraging regulations, infrastructure, expertise, and government assistance will be critical in building the foundational elements required to enable DT in agriculture to flourish. It is important not to undervalue the importance of straightforward, useful, and relevant digital tools in African agriculture, particularly when interacting with farmers in rural arears.
dc.description.submitterMM2025
dc.facultyFaculty of Commerce, Law and Management
dc.identifier.citationZulu, Mamakhethe. (2024). The role of digital technologies in enabling subsistence farming in rural KwaZulu Natal [Master’s dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg].WireDSpace.https://hdl.handle.net/10539/44380
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/44380
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherUniversity of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
dc.rights© 2025 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
dc.rights.holderUniversity of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
dc.schoolWITS Business School
dc.subjectDigitalisation
dc.subjectDigital Technologies
dc.subjectAgriculture
dc.subjectSubsistence Farming
dc.subjectRural KwaZulu Natal
dc.subjectUnified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology
dc.subjectUCTD
dc.subject.primarysdgSDG-8: Decent work and economic growth
dc.subject.secondarysdgSDG-9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
dc.titleThe role of digital technologies in enabling subsistence farming in rural KwaZulu Natal
dc.typeDissertation

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