Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 286-302). Also available on the Internet.

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Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study aims to understand the motivations underlying the activities of Chinese agricultural enterprises operating on the African continent as well as the way in which institutional contexts – the physical and legal environments – shape their behaviours and/or modes of entry into local industries. Understanding the strategic motives of Chinese agricultural enterprises operating in Africa as well as the extent to which they implement those motives on the ground and the way in which they respond to local laws is crucial for assessing the medium- to long-term impacts of their activities on the welfare of African populations and forests. This dissertation relies on Dunning‟s eclectic paradigm to understand the motivations informing the activities of Chinese agricultural enterprises as well as on new institutional theory to study the behaviours and/or modes of entry of Chinese agricultural enterprises into local industries. This research is based on two case studies: Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo. As far as data collection is concerned, it relied on secondary sources of data such as scholarly articles and books; official documents and legislation; and newspaper articles. This study also drew on primary sources of data, which consisted of documents obtained during the fieldwork such as contracts between Chinese agricultural enterprises and African governments, official documents from Chinese agricultural enterprises as well as semi-structured interviews. Thirty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted with various stakeholders – including managers of Chinese agricultural enterprises, employees of these enterprises, farmers, officials from ministries of agriculture and researchers – in Mozambique and the DRC between April to June 2011. The data collected were analysed with the help of the qualitative analysis software: atlas.ti. The preliminary results collected and analysed in this study suggest that the motivations of Chinese agricultural enterprises operating in Mozambique and the DRC are: 1) to acquire farmlands in order to grow food crops and sell them mainly in local markets; 2) to supply agricultural commodities – cash and food crops – for Chinese markets; and 3) to provide agricultural aid by introducing new varieties of crops imported from China and offering training to farmers, students and technicians. However, the provision of agricultural aid is a secondary motivation of Chinese agricultural enterprises. The motivations informing the activities of Chinese agricultural enterprises operating in Mozambique and the DRC are globally consistent with China‟s foreign policy as these enterprises primarily aim to better position themselves in local markets and to access agricultural commodities for the benefit of Chinese markets. Furthermore, the preliminary results of this study also indicate that the institutional contexts in Mozambique and the DRC appear to affect the behaviours and/or modes of entry of Chinese agricultural enterprises into local industries. As such, the poor provision of infrastructure in rural areas appears to delay further investments by Chinese agricultural enterprises. Also, the complex process of gaining access to land and the weak regulatory capacity in the monitoring and implementation of the land laws appear to hinder investments by Chinese agricultural enterprises and in some instances lead to the cancellation of investments. In the specific case of the DRC, the weak enforcement of land titles appears to discourage further investments. The unfavourable institutional context depicted above has prompted Chinese agricultural enterprises operating in the DRC to adopt new models of business revolving around less risky or smaller agricultural projects. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ontleed die motiewe van Chinese landbou-ondernemings werksaam op die Afrika-vasteland, asook hoe die institusionele konteks, te wete die fisiese en wetlike raamwerke, sulke ondernemings se werkverrigtinge en/of toetreewyses tot plaaslike industrieë beïnvloed. 'n Begrip van wat die strategiese motiewe van Chinese landbou-ondernemings is, hoe hulle daardie motiewe op voetsoolvlak implementeer, en hoe hulle aan landswette gehoor gee, is noodsaaklik om die middel- tot lang-termyn impakte wat die ondernemings op die welstand van Afrika bevolkinge en op woudgebiede het, te peil. Hierdie studie maak gebruik van Dunning se eklektiese paradigma om Chinese landbou-ondernemings se motiewe te ontleed. Dit pas ook die nieu-institusionele teorie toe om die werksaamhede en marktoetredes van die ondernemings na te spoor. Die navorsing is op twee gevallestudies gebaseer: Mosambiek en die Demokratiese Republiek van die Kongo (DRK). Dit het van sekondêre bronne soos vakwetenskaplike referate en boeke; amptelike dokumentasie en wetsakte; en persartikels gebruik gemaak. Die studie het ook primêre databronne gebruik. Laasgenoemde bestaan uit dokumentasie wat deur die loop van die veldnavorsing ingesamel is, onder meer kontrakte tussen Chinese landbou-ondernemings en Afrika staatslui; amptelike dokumentasie van Chinese landbou-ondernemings; en semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude. Daar is met verskeie belangegroepe in Mosambiek en die DRK - soos die bestuurders van Chinese landbou-ondernemings en hul werknemers, boere, landbou-amptenare en navorsers – onderhoude gevoer. In geheel is 32 semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude in die periode April – Junie 2011 gevoer. Die data is met behulp van die kwalitatiewe ontledingsprogrammatuur atlas.ti ontleed. Die voorlopige bevindinge en ontledings stel voor dat die volgende motiewe die werksaamhede van Chinese landbou-ondernemings in Mosambiek en die DRK bepaal: 1) om landerye te bekom om sodoende kos aan te kweek en dit veral aan plaaslike markte te verkoop; 2) om landbouware, te wete kontant en kos, aan Chinese markte te voorsien; 3) om hulpverlening te verskaf deur die bekendstelling van nuwe tipes gewasse uit China, en deur die opleiding van boere, studente en tegnici. Die verskaffing van hulpverlening in die landbou bedryf is egter van sekondêre belang vir Chinese landbou-ondernemings. Die motiewe van Chinese landbou-ondernemings werksaam in Mosambiek en die DRK strook met China se oorhoofse buitelandse beleid omdat hierdie ondernemings primêr daarop uit is om hulself beter in plaaslike markte te posisioneer en om tot die voordeel van Chinese markte landbouware te bekom. Voorts, die voorlopige bevindinge dui ook aan dat die institusionele kontekste in Mosambiek en die DRK die werksaamhede en/of die toetrede van Chinese landbou-ondernemings in plaaslike industrieë beïnvloed. Swak infrastruktuur in landelike gebiede blyk meer beleggings deur Chinese landbou-ondernemings te striem. Die ingewikkelde proses om grond te bekom en gebrekkigheid in die regulering, monitering en implementering van landbouwette blyk ook Chinese beleggings te kortwiek, en in sommige gevalle lei dit tot die opskorting van beleggings. In die geval van die DRK, wil dit voorkom asof gebrekkige afdwinging van grondaktes verdere belegging ontmoedig. Die ongunstige institutionele konteks wat hier geskets is, het Chinese landbou-ondernemings werksaam in die DRK aangemoedig om nuwe sakemodelle toe te pas, wat belegging in kleiner landbou projekte of met minder risiko's, beteken.

An aggregate agricultural production function (a pooled covariance model) based on the metaproduction approach, was estimated using cross section, time series data for 32 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) covering the 1970-1993 period to evaluate the effect of foreign aid on agricultural production. The Almon lag structure of the foreign aid (Official Development Assistance) variable was specified to account for the effect of foreign aid over time. The results support the hypothesis that the aggregate effect of aid on agricultural production in SSA is positive. The marginal effect of foreign aid in SSA is calculated to be $0.14 which can be interpreted to mean that a one dollar increase in aid in each of the past six years would be expected to increase the value of agricultural output by 14 cents in the current year. / There is a great variation in the effect of foreign aid on agricultural production when countries are classified according to agro-climatic region, income level and policy environment. Excluding Eastern and Southern Africa where the effect of aid is negative, the marginal effect of foreign aid ranges from $0.40 in Sudano-Sahel to $1.32 in Central Africa. The marginal effect of foreign aid is larger in middle income countries as compared to high income countries; it is negative in low income countries. The effect of aid is positive and significant in countries classified under a favourable policy environment but negative and insignificant in countries classified under an unfavourable policy environment. The structural adjustment dummy variable is positive and significant in most regressions indicating that structural adjustment programs have been beneficial to agriculture in most Sub-Saharan African countries.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1964. / Typescript. Vita. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 173-175).

The adoption of the Millennium Development Goal 1(MDG 1) of reducing the rate of poverty to half of the 1990-level by 2015 has been a challenge faced by the developing countries including South Africa. The foundations of democracy have to be continuously assessed so that the obstacles faced by South Africa as it strives towards sustainable democracy are addressed. With agricultural sector identified as having the potential to alleviate poverty compared to the mining sector, manufacturing sector and services sector, it faced the challenges that include: (i) accelerating agricultural productivity; (ii) reducing poverty and vulnerability; and (iii) narrowing rural-urban income disparities. The identification of the critical linkages in the agricultural development framework allows for effective strategic planning, effective decision making and appropriate policy formulation. Expectedly, the sector has attracted considerable fiscal policy interest and public investments. The primary aim of this research study is to assess the extent to which smallholder agricultural productivity growth alleviates poverty in South Africa. The statistical and econometric techniques namely; Johansen technique of co-integration analysis (1995), analysis of covariance and correlation, Vector Error Correction Model, are employed in this research study. The data description, data sources, expected relationship between variables and indexation of data are done. The drivers and cause-effect relationships between agriculture and poverty reduction are investigated. The employed models allowed for an exploration of plausible future growth in agricultural elasticity of poverty and the possibility of reducing poverty level in South Africa. The data is obtained from the National Department of Agriculture from 1994 -2013. The analysis of the results strongly confirms that agricultural productivity has a significant inverse relationship to the levels of poverty in South Africa. The outcome of the analysis will contribute to improved decision making on the use of public funds in agriculture.

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Orientador: Sonia Maria Pessoa Pereira Bergamasco / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Agrícola / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-15T23:10:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Pettan_KleberBatista_D.pdf: 4916137 bytes, checksum: c7a9649e984eb2fa505da30bc068608c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Resumo: Com a implementação da nova Política Nacional de Assistência Técnica e Extensão Rural (PNATER) a partir de 2004, a temática assistência técnica e extensão rural (Ater) surgiu revigorada e fortalecida no âmbito das políticas públicas para a agricultura familiar brasileira. Os textos de apoio à política recorrem à estratégia didática de contraposição desta com as orientações dominantes no período anterior (a "Extensão Rural Agroecológica" versus "Extensão Rural Convencional") ressaltando-se a magnitude da mudança preconizada nas orientações da configuração institucional e da ação extensionista. Embora os novos perfis das entidades de ATER e dos extensionistas estejam configurados com relativa clareza do ponto de vista teórico e durante os sete primeiros anos de sua implementação (2003 a 2009) foram realizadas ações com vistas a promover tais mudanças, registram-se dificuldades para a concretização das mesmas em favor de uma prática mais participativa, mais inclusiva socialmente, mais agroecológica e dirigida à agricultura familiar. Esta situação tem causado preocupações e a discussão de suas causas tem despertado interesse acadêmico e político. Diante deste cenário, o presente trabalho parte do suposto que existe no país uma grande diversidade de ação extensionista e de entidades de ATER. Neste contexto, importa identificar em que medida estão ocorrendo tais mudanças a partir do momento que começam a implementar a PNATER. Nesta perspectiva, a pesquisa objetivou conhecer os perfis dos extensionistas e das entidades cadastradas no Sistema Brasileiro de Assistência Técnica e Extensão Rural (Sibrater) responsáveis pela implementação da política em todo o território nacional de modo a construir uma tipologia que permitisse situá-los em relação ao alinhamento ou não à PNATER. Depois da aplicação - via web - de um questionário em âmbito nacional, os dados foram analisados por meio de ferramentas e técnicas da Estatística Descritiva e da Análise Estatística de Dados Multivariados. Desta forma foram identificados três Grupos Comportamentais de Extensionistas: fortemente alinhados, moderadamente alinhados e levemente alinhados. Não foi identificado nenhum grupo formado por extensionistas não alinhados com a política. Quanto às entidades de Ater foram identificados três tipos de comportamentos em relação às suas capacidades organizacional e institucional para implementar a atual política nacional: um grupo Moderadamente Alinhado, outro Alinhado e o terceiro Não Alinhado. Se unidos os dois primeiros grupos, verifica-se que 79,7% dos extensionistas trabalham em organizações alinhadas com a Pnater e que somente 20,3% atuam em organizações Não Alinhadas. Embora muitos autores tenham apontado dificuldades na implementação da política analisada, os resultados desta pesquisa demonstram que tanto os extensionista quanto as organizações de Ater estão se ajustando às novas proposições demonstrando avanços na sua implementação / Abstract: With the implementation of the new National Policy on Technical Assistance and Rural Extension (NAPTARE) as from 2004, the area of technical assistance and rural extension (TARE) emerged invigorated and strengthened within the framework of public policies for family farming in Brazil. The supporting literature to the policy uses the didactic strategy of opposing their guidelines to those of the previous period (the "Agroecological Rural Extension versus Conventional Rural Extension") highlighting the magnitude of change advocated in the guidelines of the institutional setting and of the extensionist action. This has caused some concern and the discussion of their causes have attracted scholarly and political interest. Given this scenario, this work assumes to exist in the country a great diversity of extensionist action and TARE entities. In this context it is important to identify to what extent such changes are occurring from the moment NAPTARE begins to be implemented. In this perspective, the research aimed to identify the profiles of extensionists and organizations responsible for policy implementation throughout the national territory registered in the Brazilian System of Technical Assistance and Rural Extension (Sibrater) in order to create a typology for situating them in relation to alignment or not with NAPTARE. After the application - via web - of a nationwide survey, data were analyzed using tools and techniques of Descriptive Statistics and Statistical Analysis of Multivariate Data. Three Groups of Extensionist Behavior were identified: strongly, moderately and lightly alined. There was no group of extensionists not aligned with the policy. With regard to TARE organizations, three types of behavior in relation to their organizational and institutional capacities to implement the current national policy were identified: moderately aligned, aligned, and another third group non-Aligned. If the first two groups are put together, it is verified that 79.7% of the extensionists work in organizations aligned with the TARE and only 20.3% work in organizations not aligned. Although many authors have pointed to difficulties in implementing the analyzed policy, the results of this study demonstrate that both the extension workers and TARE organizations are adjusting to the new propositions showing progress in its implementation / Doutorado / Planejamento e Desenvolvimento Rural Sustentável / Doutor em Engenharia Agrícola

The study was conducted to determine the effect of agricultural extension services on beneficiaries of the Nguni Cattle project in Ncera and Kwezana villages, both in Nkonkobe local Municipality of the Eastern Cape Province. The objectives of this study were to determine the quality of extension services offered to the beneficiaries of the Nguni cattle project, relationship between extension officers and beneficiaries of the project, lastly was to determine communication strategies used by extension officers to communicate with the project beneficiaries. A total of 73 Nguni cattle project beneficiaries were interviewed. Semi- structured questionnaires were administered to the beneficiaries of the project who were willing to participate in the study. Xhosa speaking enumerators assisted in data collection. Focus group discussions were later carried out in both villages to determine effect of agricultural extension services on socio-economic status of the beneficiaries. The focus groups were divided into three groups of different ages and gender. The majority of the beneficiaries in the project were males (62.2 % Ncera and 75% Kwezana). There was an association between gender and extension services. Farmers depended on different sources of income. Old age pension and animal sales being the main contributing sources and also having a significant difference. The results of the study further revealed that the beneficiaries were faced with cattle production challenges, lack of extension support services being the main challenge. The results of the study indicated that the majority of beneficiaries had no access to extension services. Only 37.8% and 32.1 % at Ncera and Kwezana respectively reported that they had access to extension services. Although the latter is the case it was further explained by the beneficiaries that extension services offered to them were of poor quality due to poor communication strategies used to provide these services. Beneficiaries also reported the relationship between them and extension officers’ as poor. It was concluded that extension services had an effect on beneficiaries of the Nguni cattle project, largely based on the constraints they face on the project and limited access to extension services.

Climate is an important factor of agricultural productivity and many rural dwellers in developing countries depend on agriculture and are highly affected by climate change and variability. The world is currently experiencing climatic changes and variability conditions which results in high temperatures, low rainfall patterns, shortage of water and drought persistence. Climate change and variability is affecting weather patterns and shifting seasons which results in serious repercussions on smallholder farmers. Smallholder farmers are extremely vulnerable to climate change and variability because their farming and production systems are climate sensitive and are not rebound to climate stresses. These adverse effects in developing countries arise from different climate change and variability-related causes, notable extreme weather events, food security, increased health risks in agriculture from vector home diseases, and temperature-related morbidity in environments. The study was carried in King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. This study examines farmers’ awareness of climate change and variability and its effects on agricultural productivity in King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality using a Descriptive Statistics, Binary and Ricardian Model fitted to data from a cross-sectional survey of 200 farmers in King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality. Both primary and secondary data was used. This research study estimates the effects of climate change and variability on King Sabata Dalindyebo agricultural productivity using a continental dimension of Ricardian analysis. Results revealed that local farmers were aware of climate change and variability and perceived changes in average temperatures and rainfall. The changes in average temperatures and rainfall had adverse effects on crop and livestock production. However, farmers’ awareness of climate change is not to an extent that they presume adaptation to climate change as a necessity and crucial. The results show that climate change and variability affects farm income and there is a non-linear relationship existing between climatic variables (temperature and precipitation) and farm income which depicts U-shaped. The study results indicated that climate change and variability affect agricultural productivity and have an effect on agricultural productivity in King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality. In view of the research findings, several policy proposals are suggested. The study findings suggest that climate change and variability must be taken seriously and monitored. Policy makers and government officials must support farmers with information distribution,education, market access, well trained extension agents, credit and information about mitigation strategies to climate change and variability which includes institutional and technological methods, particularly smallholder farmers.