Vol. 2010 No. 1 (2010)

View Issue TOC

Methodological Evaluation of Regional Monitoring Networks in South Africa: A Multilevel Regression Analysis of System Reliability

Selma Msimang, Department of Animal Science, Council for Geoscience Sipho Khumalo, Department of Animal Science, University of Venda Nkosimola Gqoba, Durban University of Technology (DUT)
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18906119
Published: September 1, 2010

Abstract

South Africa's agricultural sector relies on regional monitoring networks to track crop health, pest infestations, and water management practices across diverse landscapes. These networks aim to provide timely data for decision-making but face challenges in maintaining consistent quality. We employed a multilevel regression model to analyse data from multiple regions over two seasons. The model accounts for both fixed effects (regional characteristics) and random effects (seasonal variability). System reliability varied significantly across regions, with urban areas generally outperforming rural ones due to better infrastructure and funding. The multilevel regression analysis revealed that regional governance and technological access are the most critical determinants of system reliability. This insight can guide policy adjustments for future monitoring network implementations. Enhanced investment in rural regions, improved technology transfer programmes, and strengthened regulatory frameworks are recommended to improve overall system performance. multilevel regression, regional monitoring networks, system reliability, South Africa, agriculture The empirical specification follows $Y=\beta_0+\beta^\top X+\varepsilon$, and inference is reported with uncertainty-aware statistical criteria.

Full Text:

Read the Full Article

The HTML galley is loaded below for inline reading and better discovery.

How to Cite

Selma Msimang, Sipho Khumalo, Nkosimola Gqoba (2010). Methodological Evaluation of Regional Monitoring Networks in South Africa: A Multilevel Regression Analysis of System Reliability. African Horticulture Studies (Agri/Plant Science), Vol. 2010 No. 1 (2010). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18906119

Keywords

African Geographic RegionsMonitoring NetworksMultilevel AnalysisSystem ReliabilityRegression TechniquesData Quality AssuranceSpatial Distributions

Research Snapshot

Desktop reading view
Language
EN
Formats
HTML + PDF
Publication Track
Vol. 2010 No. 1 (2010)
Current Journal
African Horticulture Studies (Agri/Plant Science)

References