An Analysis of the Challenges Faced by Small-Scale Farmers and their Response to the 2014-2016 Drought in Mfekayi, Mtubatuba, KZN, South Africa

Small-scale farming contributes to poverty reduction and the improvement of living standards in impoverished rural communities. However, in South Africa, the drought continues to threaten the operations, incomes, and livelihoods of small-scale farmers. Against this backdrop, this paper analyses small scale farmers' responses to the 2014-2016 droughts in Mfekayi, in the KwaZulu Natal province of South Africa. The study adopted a mixed-method approach in the form of a convergent parallel design. The results indicated that there were various measures taken by small-scale farmers to respond to the drought. These actions include buying expensive supplements, crop variation, and the application of indigenous knowledge such as livestock movement. Moreover, the results stipulated that those participants suffered livestock deaths and crop failure as the major impacts of drought. In addition, there are challenges experienced by small-scale farmers in dealing with drought, such as further livestock deaths, drought recovery costs, and a lack of information. The study recommends that the government provides relief assistance and come up with policies that specifically address the concerns of small scale farmers.