Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2007

Thesis (MA. Agricultural Management (Agricultural Economics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2014 / The role of agricultural exports to agriculture’s share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in South Africa is of extreme importance and exhibits strong interest from all parts of the economy. Many believe that agriculture can salvage the declining economic growth under such global economic conditions. The decision to diversify and expand exports of these avocados, apples, mangoes and oranges will improve the South African economy’s unstable conditions. This study accounts for all the factors that are truly unique to South African’s economy. Therefore, the study will help to shift the focus of avocado, apple, mango and orange growers to export more due to the international market demand for such produce. The aim of the study was to analyse the link between avocado, apple, mango and orange exports and agriculture’s share of Gross Domestic Product in South Africa. The specific objectives are to determine the correlation between avocado, apple, mango and orange exports and the agriculture’s share of Gross Domestic Product in South Africa, investigate the contribution of avocado, apple, mango and orange exports and the agriculture’s share of Gross Domestic Product in South Africa, determine the growth rate (trends) of avocado, apple, mango and orange exports and determine the volatility of avocado, apple, mango and orange exports. The study used secondary time series data that covered a sample size of 17 years (1994 - 2011) of avocado, apple, mango and orange exports in South Africa. Two Stages Least Square models and Growth rate and Volatility models were used for data analysis. i Empirical results for agricultural exports equation revealed that agricultural economic growth in South Africa was significant with a positive coefficient. While a negative relationship between the Net Factor Income (NFI) and the agricultural exports in South Africa was noticed. Real Capital Investments had a significant positive coefficient. Consequently, results from agricultural economic growth equation revealed that agricultural exports were significant with a positive correlation. A relationship between NFI and agricultural GDP was also witnessed. Like other variables, Real Capital Investment was significant but negatively correlated. The results of growth rate and volatility models showed positive trends. Furthermore, results showed that the quantity of agricultural exports was positively related to agricultural economic growth. Another point of interest was that while these exports were positive and significantly related, the magnitude of its coefficient is smaller than the coefficients of Real Capital Investments. It is in this framework that the positive correlation exists between agriculture economic growth and agricultural exports. It is recommended that investment opportunities in the agricultural sector need to be investigated further because there is limited knowledge of the subject. The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery and the private sector need to join hands and build a mutual relationship to aid develop an agricultural economy which can be able to exports more than what it imports. This can also be done by subsidising farmers with capital to relieve them of other expenses.

Over the past couple of years, the South African government has been offering varied support to households that are engaged in small-scale farming, with the objectives of improving their livelihoods, income and food security. Although the various rounds of the General Household Survey (GHS) gathered information on the type of agricultural support received by the farmers, their production, agricultural income and food security status, there is limited empirical evidence on the extent to which the agricultural support programme is yielding the intended results. Very little is also known about how the beneficiary households perceive the agricultural support programme as either relevant or otherwise. This study fills these gaps in the literature using the GHS data spanning the period 2013 to 2016 to assess how government agricultural development support influences the livelihoods of small-scale farmers in South Africa. This broad objective is divided into two specific objectives: (1) to assess the effects of government agricultural development support on agricultural income, production and food security of beneficiary small-scale farmers in South Africa; and (2) to assess the usefulness of the government agricultural development support for the beneficiary small-scale the government agricultural development support for the beneficiary small-scale farmers in South Africa. By combining descriptive analysis with Propensity Score Matching (PSM) and logistic estimation techniques to address these objectives, the results indicate that from the year 2013 to the 2016 survey years, the proportion of households who have access to agricultural development support has decreased marginally by about two percent. Access to support has remained higher among males than females; farmers who have low levels of education than those with high levels of education. Across provinces access to agricultural support is high in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape, North -West and Mpumalanga, but very low in the Free State, Limpopo, Gauteng and Western Cape. The agricultural development assistance given by the South African government is effective in reducing food insecurity, as well as in improving the production and income of the beneficiary smallscale farmers. However, the results suggest that the agricultural support system is having a heterogeneous impact on beneficiary small-scale farmers, depending on their gender and geographical locations. / Agriculture and  Animal Health / M. Sc. (Agriculture)