Developing a working model towards enhancing efficiency through effective corporate governance in a small-to-medium piggery farming project. A case study of Piggy Land in Chegutu

Abstract

The main purpose of conducting this research was to create a workable model on how to improve operational efficiency by effective corporate governance in small and medium piggery enterprises in Zimbabwe by using Piggy Land located in Chegutu as the area of study. The research was informed by the enduring operational inefficiencies and high failure rates of such enterprises, important to local food security. This study proposed to argue that these problems had their core in the (i) lack of corporate governance and (ii) not primarily market-related or technical issues. Guided by an interpretivist philosophy, the research design was qualitative, and a single-case study design was used to enable an in-depth investigation. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 18 purposely selected key informants in Piggy Land, supplemented by non-participant observation and document analysis. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The results showed that Piggy Land’s governance structure featured extreme centralization of decision-making, as well as underdeveloped internal controls. These governance deficiencies were expressed directly as key operational inefficiencies such as a sub-optimal Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) of 3.8:1, a pre-weaning mortality rate of 12-15%, and an inability to find the true cost of production. The analysis identified well-defined causal pathways between lack of strategic oversight and unsatisfactory risk management and response, and between poor internal controls and resource wastage and inconsistent performance. Based on these empirically founded results, the study resulted in the development of the "CG-Efficiency Enhancement Framework", a working model, known as the practical tailor-made model adapted to fit the SME piggeries. There are five core components of the model: Governance Structure & Leadership, Risk Management & Internal Controls, Financial Management & Transparency, Operational Management & Performance Monitoring, and Stakeholder Engagement. It works based on a continuous implementation cycle (Plan- Act - Track -Hone) to infuse governance practices that directly lead towards efficiency. The study contributes to academia in offering a nuanced, qualitative analysis of the governance-efficiency nexus in a yet under-researched context. For practitioners and policymakers, it provides an actionable framework for enhancing sustainability, profitability, and resilience in the agricultural SME sector.