3.3.1. Population
A population can be defined as the total number of inhabitants constituting a particular race, class, or group in a specified area. In this research population refers to the inhabitants of Wards 4 and 5 of Inkosikazi. The target population was farmers in the Inkosikazi irrigation scheme, members of the community and selected key informants.
3.3.2. Sampling Frame
The sampling frame incorporated all the farming households in the two wards. Sampling units included key elements of the study and individual households selected from the sampling frame.
3.3.3. The Sample
A sample is a subset of subjects that is representative of the entire population. Kothari, (1985:35) defines a sample as a segment of the
population selected to represent the population as a whole. Ideally, the
sample should be representative and allow the researcher to make accurate estimates of the thoughts and behaviour of the larger population. The sample must be of sufficient size to warrant statistical analysis. Sampling is done usually because it is impossible to test every single individual in the population. It is also done to save time, money and effort while conducting the research (Castillo, 2009:18). A total of 144 households were directly interviewed through the household survey, out of the total population of 240 irrigation farmers. The sample constituted 60% of the total population. The sample gender distribution consisted of 87 male (60%) of the total sample,
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and 57 female (40%). This gender pattern represents the general traditional dominance of men over women. This dominance is traditionally one of the causes of poverty as it gives women no rights to fend for their families, but leaves everything in the hands of men and hence their dependence on men. Forty-eight (48) households were selected from farmers who joined the irrigation in phase one, forty-eight (48) from those who joined in phase two, and finally, forty-eight (48) from those who joined in the last phase. This made it easy to do some comparative analysis between the groups. The comparison was made between the irrigation farmers to determine how their household food security had changed over the years from the time they joined the irrigation project. Additionally, a key informant from the Department of Agriculture, an AGRITEX Officer, was generally interviewed as a person involved in farmer training and monitoring the irrigation through the eye of the government.
Sampling Technique
Dawson, (2002), Kothari, (1985), and Kumar, (2005) concur that the needs of the research project will determine which sample method or technique is most effective. They proceed to divide sampling techniques into two categories, namely probability and non-probability sampling.
1. Probability Sample – in this sample members may be chosen at
random from the entire population. Its characteristics are:
• Simple random sample: every member of the population has a known and equal chance of being selected.
• Stratified random sample: the population is divided into mutually exclusive groups such as age groups and random samples are drawn from each group.
• Cluster(area)sample: the population is divided into mutually exclusive groups such as blocks, and the researcher draws a sample of the group to interview.
2. Non-Probability Sample – in this sample the researcher might select
people who are easier to obtain information from. Its characteristics
are:
• Convenience sample: the researcher selects the easiest population members from which to obtain information.
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• Judgment sample: the researcher uses his/her judgement to select population members who are good prospects for accurate information. • Quota sample: The researcher finds and interviews a prescribed
number of people in each of several categories.
In this research a multi stage sampling technique has been used. In this sampling strategy, the entire population is divided into naturally-occurring clusters and sub-clusters, from which the researcher randomly selects the sample. The reason for use of purposive sampling is that the researcher purposely chooses persons who, in his judgement, are thought to be relevant to the research topic and are easily available to him (Castillo, 2009:22), and to get ‘rich material’ from special groups (Patton, 1990:7). In this study, purposive sampling was used in selecting the targets for the research and random sampling in selecting the actual respondents for the household questionnaires. Firstly, an equal allocation of one hundred and twenty (120) households was allocated from each of the two wards. Secondly, an equal allocation of eighty (80) was done according to household farmers who joined the irrigation project in phases 1, 2 and 3 respectively. The eighty (80) for each phase were further divided into five (5) groups of sixteen members. Each of these groups chose a group leader, forming a small group of five members. Random sampling was then used on the leaders’ group to select three out of five members. The random selection of three leaders meant that their full group of 16 members would participate in the household survey. The total number of three times sixteen (3x16) member groups is forty-eight (48) for each phase of households in each sample. The three phases of the irrigation implementation project then brought the total number of households who participated in the household survey to 144.
The advantage of using multi-stage sampling is that it is cheap and increases the speed in which the survey can be done. It ensures that selected population units are closer, thus enumeration costs for personal interviews will be reduced, and field work will be simplified. In the study it was ensured that the investigation covered both wards and the opinions of both men and women were been heard. The gender distribution of the final sample
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consisted of 87 male (60%) of the total sample, and 57 female (40%). This gender pattern represents the general traditional dominance of men over women. This dominance is traditionally one of the causes of poverty and household food insecurity as it gives women no rights to help man in fending for their families, but leaves everything in the hands of man, and hence greater dependence on whatever little income men get. Sen, (1998:23) advises that women should be particularly targeted for participation in developmental projects as they are the main agency for transformation of the well-being of families.