Description: The data comprises of 26 individual interviews and 5 focus group transcriptions.

Originally 20 individuals were targeted (across the 2 research areas), and researchers eventually obtained 24 in-depth interviews. In other words, if interested individuals were willing to participate, the opportunity was used to gain further insights.

Two of the 24 individual interviews and one focus group interview ran into 2 files each which results in a total of 31 transcriptions. Abstract: This study forms part of a larger ARC (Agricultural Research Council) project, which is aimed at developing vaccines for use by small-scale rural livestock communities, as part of the ARC/ OVI's (Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute) efforts to help farmers improve primary animal healthcare practices, which (through the control of animal diseases) is considered a crucial link to improving overall household food security in rural livestock keeping communities. The study focused on 2 rural livestock-keeping communities along the Limpopo/ Mpumalanga border, in the areas of Marble Hall and Rhenosterkop (respectively).

The qualitative component of this study aimed to explore issues in small-scale livestock farming including the gendered dimensions of farming and household labour; the meanings and symbolic significance of livestock in rural communities; household farming and economic activities; policy issues in small-scale livestock farming; and issues around primary animal healthcare (including healthcare practices of farmers, provision of healthcare services by the state, perceptions around animal healthcare, disease knowledge and knowledge of disease prevention and treatments, and most importantly, use and understandings around vaccines).

24 in-depth interviews and 4 focus group discussions were conducted over a 2 week period in May 2014. The interviews were carried out with small-scale livestock farmers, both male and female, as well as with state animal health practitioners, academics, and government officials from the Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development and Land Reform. The breakdown is as follows:

Farmers (5 male and 5 female)

3 officials from the Department of Agriculture (which is joint with the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform in Mpumalanga)

5 Animal Health Technicians

2 State Veterinarians

2 heads of Farmer Associations

A researcher from a university-based research institute

An NGO practitioner who works with small-scale livestock farming communities in Limpopo

We conducted four focus group discussions:

1 male farmer group and 1 female farmer group in the Siyabuswa area (where Rhenosterkop is located)

1 male farmer group and 1 female framer group in the Marble Hall area

Digital audio recording

Face-to-face interview

Focus group

Telephone interview

24 individuals (26 transcriptions) with a stake in small-scale livestock keeping were included; this included livestock keepers/ farmers, government officials, farmer association heads and animal health practitioners across 2 geographical areas (Marble Hall and Rhenosterkop areas).

4 groups (5 transcriptions) of small-scale livestock farmers/ keepers were also included in the data collection (the size of the groups was dependent on availability of participants and ranged from 5-20 participants); this was made up of 1 male and 1 female group in the Marble Hall area and 1 male and 1 female group in the Rhenosterkop area.

We were introduced to animal health practitioners through the Agricultural Research Council (ARC)/OVI staff, our research partner. These practitioners then enabled access to various livestock farmers/ keepers on the basis mainly of convenience, but also in keeping with an even demographic spread in terms of gender.