To examine the smallholder farmers’ perceptions and attitudes toward underutilised crops in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa

Abstract

Traditional agricultural systems face climate change, market pressures, and institutional biases, threatening underutilized crops (NUCs). In South Africa, NUCs enhance food security and climate resilience, yet adoption is critically low (39.8%). Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour, this study examined smallholder farmers’ perceptions toward NUCs in KwaZulu-Natal. Data from 319 farmers (127 adopters, 192 non-adopters) were analyzed using Tobit regression. Diagnostics confirmed model robustness (VIF < 2.5; Breusch–Pagan p > 0.05); post-hoc power analysis (87%) verified sample adequacy. Awareness most strongly predicted perceptions (β = 0.1234, p < 0.001), followed by adoption (β = 0.0876, p < 0.001), marital status (β = 0.0689, p = 0.001), farm size (β = 0.0423, p = 0.024), age (β = 0.0032, p < 0.001), and farming experience (β = 0.0045, p = 0.013). Female farmers held more favourable perceptions than males (β = –0.0523, p = 0.001). Conversely, training (β = –0.0467, p = 0.004), extension (β = –0.0512, p = 0.002), education (β = –0.0087, p = 0.011), and higher income (β = –0.0000184, p = 0.061) were negative. Attitude results were consistent. Traditional knowledge dominated: 78.4% cited family elders. Findings reveal an epistemic rupture: farmers embedded in Indigenous knowledge hold more positive orientations, while formal agricultural institutions depress them. Six priority strategies are proposed: IKS curricular reform, extension re-training, demonstration polycultures, seed system fund, and public procurement mandates for indigenous crops, advancing SDG 2, 5, 12, and 13.