Assessment of agricultural training needs a case study of unisa urban agriculture community engagement project in katlehong township

Abstract

A survey was conducted at the Community Engagement (CE) project of the University of South Africa (UNISA) in Katlehong Engineering School of Specialization in Gauteng province, South Africa. The study aimed to assess the agricultural training needs of participants to determine the project's value and direction. A total of 61 participants, primarily females aged 18 to 92 (mean age = 49), were surveyed. Data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences with methods such as descriptive statistics, the Chi-square test, and the Friedman test. Most participants relied on government social grants and seasonal employment; over 75% were involved in agricultural activities, with education, age, and gender being significant influencing factors. Specifically, 72.1% were engaged in vegetable cultivation, 11.5% in field crops, and 9.8% in poultry farming. Training preferences indicated a strong interest in animal production, particularly layers and broilers (Mean Rank Score of 2.39 and 2.55), and in crop production, vegetable (Mean Rank Score of 1.36) ranked highest. In conclusion, the survey identified key agricultural skills and knowledge gaps within the Katlehong community, which will guide targeted agricultural training programs aimed at improving skills, food availability, and household income.