Thesis (MAgricAdmin)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Agriculture is heavily subsidised and protected in most of the major industrial countries. Some of the effects are obvious through the heavy costs imposed on national budgets. Other effects, such as those on consumers or on overall economic efficiency, are less obvious but are nonetheless extremely important. In South Africa there has never been an attempt to calculate total government intervention in agriculture. However, this changed at the time of the negotiations for the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations under the auspices of the GATT, and the greater importance of the consumer in the designing of agricultural policies. The aim of this study is to determine whether the production of wheat in the Western Cape is economically optimal under the current policy environment. The study investigates if there was a comparative advantage in the production of wheat as of April 1999. The technique used to calculate the various indicators of comparative advantage is the Policy Analysis Matrix. This technique is used to identify the effects of policy measures on the social profitability of wheat production. The analysis used data from eight areas, and seventeen varying enterprise budgets were constructed in order to compile a representative picture of the industry's condition. The results of the analysis indicate that Western Cape wheat producers do not have a strong comparative advantage in the production of wheat for the selected areas. The reasoning behind this is complex, but is primarily a result of high levels of input use. Input prices are inflated by policy distortions in input markets, partly because of tariffs on imported inputs. The net effect of the total policy environment also had a negative effect on producers, in the sense that sub-normal profits were achieved. The future of the Western Cape and South African wheat farmer is uncertain. What is certain is that, if the wheat farmer in South Africa does not take immediate and swift action, directed at improving efficiency in current management and production techniques, and implementing some form of crop diversification, farm debt will ultimately be the demise of the farmer. As interest rates rapidly increase, and producer prices remain constant or decrease, the farmer begins to farm more for the bank than for private remuneration. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die meeste groot industriele lande word landbou grootliks gesubsidieer en beskerm. Sommige van die effekte word weerspieël in hoë kostes in die nasionale begroting. Ander effekte soos die op verbruikers is minder vanselfsprekend, maar steeds baie belangrik. Voorheen is daar geen poging aangewend om die totale owerheidsinmenging in landbou in Suid-Afrika te bereken nie. Dit het egter verander met die onderhandelinge rondom die Uruguay Ronde van die AOTH, en die groter belangrikheid van die verbruiker in die ontwerp van landboubeleid. Die doel van hierdie studie is om te bepaal of dit ekonomies optimaal is om koring in die Wes-Kaap te produseer onder die huidige beleidsomgewing. Met ander woorde, die studie poog om te bepaal wat die vergelykende voordeel, indien enige, is by koringproduksie. Die tegniek wat gebruik is om die verskillende indikatore van vergelykende voordeel te bereken, is die Beleidsanalise Matriks of PAM. Die tegniek word gebruik om die effek van die beleid met betrekking tot koringproduksie te identifiseer. Agt produksiestreke in die Wes-Kaap is ontleed vir die doeleindes van hierdie analise. Sewentien verskillende bedryfsvertakkingsbegrotings is hiervan afgelei om sodoende 'n goeie verteenwoordigende beeld van die bedryfstoestande te kry. Die resultate van die analise toon aan dat koringproduksie in die Weskaap nie 'n sterk vergelykende voordeel het nie. Die rede hiervoor is kompleks, maar die hoë vlak van inset gebruik kan beskou word as hoofrede. Hoër insetpryse, na aanleiding van die beleidsversteuringe in insetmarkte, is deels die gevolg van invoerbeskerming in die vorm van tariewe op ingevoerde insette. Die netto effek van die totale beleidsomgewing het ook 'n negatiewe effek op die produsente gehad, veral in die sin dat subnormale winste behaal is. Die toekoms van koringboere in die Wes-Kaap en Suid-Afrika is onseker. Wat wel seker is, is dat as koringboere in Suid-Afrika nie daadwerklike en vinnige hul bestuurs- en produksieeffektiwiteit verbeter me, sal skuld toeneem en sal dit koeringboerdery se einde beteken. Soos rentekoerse vinniger toeneem en die produsenteprys konstant bly of afneem, sal boere meer aan skuld afbetaal as wat hulle uit koringboerdery kan verdien.

Thesis (MBA) -- Stellenbosch University, 2011. / Extensive literature exists on the challenges that hinder the growth and development of small-scale farmers in agriculture. These small-scale farmers’ challenges can be broadly classified into financial, technical and market challenges. Despite the awareness and the debate that favours progressing small-scale farmers from subsistence agriculture to commercial agriculture, financiers consider this group of farmers as of high risk and low returns. The emergence of contract farming as a mechanism to integrate small-scale farmers with agribusiness firms, agro-industrial companies, supermarket chains, and processors of agricultural produce has rescued the small-scale farmers from going into oblivion. Contract farming promises benefits for both the farmers and the contract sponsors. In the face of the benefits that contract farming hold, the concept has been critiqued as being an exploitative mechanism that contract sponsors use on the growers. This research evaluates the contract farming arrangement between Gledhow Sugar Company and Mansomini Farmers’ Cooperative. The study assesses how the scheme plays a part in the provision of access to finance, technical support and a guaranteed market access for the small sugarcane farmers. It explores how Gledhow Sugar Company’s structures manage to reduce the associated risk in providing finance to the small-scale farmers. The analysis of findings from the interviews confirms that the structure provides the small-scale sugarcane farmers with finance, technical support and a guaranteed market. However, for Gledhow Sugar Company to continuously achieve its aim and simultaneously develop the farmers there is a need for Gledhow Sugar Company to provide the farmers with more clarity on their role in the arrangement and to make the farmers embrace the long-term vision of the contractual arrangement.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Contract farming is being given renewed attention on the African continent in the wake of reduced public expenditure for credit programmes. Many African countries have recognised the potential of contract farming in linking farmers to viable markets and stimulating agricultural production in the face of globalisation. In Zimbabwe prior to 1998, smallholder farmers were poorly integrated in the cash economy and had extremely low incomes, largely due to poor access to productivity-enhancing inputs. Small-scale farmers were marginalised as the economy focused on the larger commercial farms. Currently, mainstream banks have been unable to provide funding due to their own capital inadequacy and the view that smallholder farming is a risky and unprofitable sector. There is also a shift in roles as the government moves from direct participation in agricultural production and marketing towards facilitation, legislation and enforcement. The private sector is now participating more actively in the agricultural sector, providing credit to smallholder farmers. This research seeks to better understand the partnership between private and public sector players in Zimbabwe’s agricultural credit programmes, through a study of Leo Marketing and the Zimbabwe Agricultural Market Development initiative called the Agricultural Input Supply Programme (AISP). In this research, the Mutasa Garlic Project, implemented by the AISP, has been analysed to achieve the objective. One hundred smallholder farmers have been contracted to commercially produce garlic in the Mutasa district. Using a sample of 20 farmers, the study examined how this financing model contributes to improved access to productivity-enhancing inputs, viable markets and technical expertise for the farmers. The analysis indicates that farmers have access to inputs but the model still needs improvement in distributing them efficiently to ensure that all farmers have their inputs in time for the planting season. Marketing and extension services in the project are operating well. The study reveals that there is potential for growth in the number of farmers contracted to the programme. As the contracting model continues to improve, the same model can be used for similar projects in surrounding districts.

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / The welfare maximisation effect of contract farming is well documented (Minot, 1986) and the scheme is endorsed by the New Economic Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) as a panacea for alleviating poverty in Africa and for the development of agriculture in general. In this research assignment an evaluation of contract farming arrangement in the Mazowe district of Zimbabwe sought to establish the effect of the arrangement using a comparative study of contract and non-contract farmers. Using data from the Tobacco Industries and Marketing Board (TIMB) an analysis of variance was undertaken to determine if there was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of prices received for tobacco and production. A survey was conducted to test the characteristics of the two groups to help explain the findings. The results show that contract farmers performed better than non-contract farmers in terms of production, contract farmers had access to inputs, extension services and finance which could explain their better performance. However, there was no significant difference in the prices received by the farmers. The difference in performance can be explained by access to farming resources suggesting that provision of sound infrastructure and public goods could further improve the livelihoods of farmers, both contract and non-contract. Contract farmers only accessed operational finance without infrastructure and patient finance to back up their agricultural production. Government can improve agricultural production through better policies on land tenure, contract enforcement and risk management framework issues which were found lacking.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In an effort to reduce its dependency on mining, (since independence at 1966) the successive governments of Botswana (GoB) have continued to foster national development by diversifying the country’s economy, with agribusiness development strategies at the forefront of discussions. Over decades, a significant number of policies on agri-support have been developed towards this mission. Nevertheless, the performance of the sector continues to decline considerably. Despite its potential to promote and develop small-scale farmers, literature on agri-support programmes has indicated that without scrutiny and continuous evaluation of the programmes in place, the strategy can be another way of which governments lose money. This study examines the Botswana Young Farmers Fund programme that finances aspiring young farmers to start up or expand their agri projects. More particularly, the study investigates how this model in the context of young farmers, impacts and contribute to the development of the agricultural sector in Botswana. The study identified challenges and opportunities of the YFF programme. The major challenge which is also applicable to the general sector, identified by the case study suggests that the agricultural environment in Botswana is fragile, therefore seeks relevant agribusiness development strategies that are tailor-made for specific challenges faced by the sector.

Agricultural economists have devoted considerable attention to the financial stress situation of agricultural producers. Many studies have been conducted in various regions of the U.S. in an attempt to better understand the causes of the problem. The costs associated with farm financial stress imply corresponding benefits to be realized by its reduction. Benefits of studying and resolving farm financial stress reach beyond the farms and ranches to many related sectors such as rural communities, agribusinesses, and lending institutions. The specific hypothesis tested in this thesis is as follows: some but not all farms and ranches which have undergone serious financial stress in the early part of the 1980's in Oregon can be assisted in withstanding fluctuations in economic conditions by adopting specific strategies which promote financial stability and profitability. One of the specific objectives of this thesis was to evaluate the level of financial stress for two different agricultural production units in Oregon under differing leverage positions, and macroeconomic conditions. The production units selected for study were a cattle ranch and a wheat farm, based on their relative importance to Oregon. This first objective was satisfied through analysis of a baseline scenario, which was essentially a continuation of current conditions. Debt levels and growth rates were then altered to reflect the desired study conditions. Changing and considering three leverage ratios (20%, 40%, and 70%) and three sets of macroeconomic conditions (baseline, pessimistic, and optimistic) allowed studying of nine alternative situations to the base firm type or a total of 18 alternatives. Analysis of these different alternative production units was accomplished through a deterministic computer-based simulation model. The model simulates the financial structure and performance of a farm business over a transition period of four years with emphasis placed on the financial transactions of the firm. These transactions include purchases and sales of farm assets, financing terms, debt management, cash flows, tax obligations, consumption levels, and growth rates. The computer-based model made necessary calculations of cash flows and changes in financial statements to derive the ratios used for financial analysis over the planning horizon of four years beyond the present input case and is deterministic in the sense that all essential variables are entered by the researcher. Output from this model includes a set of coordinated financial statements for the firm over the planning horizon: a balance sheet, an income statement, statements for changes in net worth, flow of funds statement, and a fund availability report. The model also calculates profitability, liquidity, and solvency ratios used in financial ratio analysis which are provided on a summary sheet. These statements and reports are provided on an annual basis; thus, financial information is provided on yearly changes in financial position over the four year horizon. Another objective of this thesis was to evaluate various policy and management strategies designed to reduce financial stress. This objective was achieved by analysis of various scenarios designed to reduce stress simultaneously with the baseline case, which served for comparison. The specific scenarios considered were: 35% reduction of debt, 35% reduction of interest rates, two year deferral of debt, sales of 35% of total assets with no lease back, sales of 35% of total assets with lease back arrangements, and an infusion of equity capital equal to 35% of total debt. Results from this analysis were intended to show what, if any, courses of action could be pursued by agricultural firm managers and policy makers to reduce farm financial stress. The best test of the ability of these scenarios to reduce financial stress occurred in application to the high leverage wheat farm situations, as these were the cases with the most financial stress. Appropriate programs could be adopted to strengthen the financial position of the farm; in the case of low liquidity, asset sales-lease back; in cases of low solvency, equity infusions; and in circumstances where profitability needs to be enhanced, interest reductions would be the best choice. The results also seemed to suggested that public programs can maintain current levels of financial performance for producers under financial stress but do little to improve those positions. / Graduation date: 1988

This thesis attempts to analyze the military government's role in solving the country's agricultural problems. This analysis is essential because it was during the military's stay in power that Nigeria's potential as a selfsufficient and food exporting nation declined. Materials collected to analyze the above problems reveal that the military government's lack of adequate personnel to supervise and implement decisions taken on agriculture, unplanned schemes, and unresearched projects were partly responsible for the government's inability to solve Nigeria's agricultural problems. While it may be necessary to blame the military government for not being able to completely solve the country's numerous agricultural problems, the presence of global political and economic decisions seriously hampered measures taken by the military government.

"2009年8月". / "2009 nian 8 yue". / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 115-125). / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / 導論 --- p.1-3 / Chapter 第一章： --- 引言 --- p.4-18 / 前人硏究回顧 --- p.4 / 槪念解釋：「分權」、「中央」、「地方」 --- p.10 / 廣東順德縣案例的意義 --- p.13 / 包産到組制簡介 --- p.14 / 資料簡介 --- p.16 / Chapter 第二章： --- 1954-55年順德縣的農業合作化 --- p.19-44 / 1954至1955年中順德縣的建社情況 --- p.19 / 1955年中的農業合作化高潮 --- p.22 / 農村控制與農業合作化 --- p.26 / 1955年的天災與合作化發展 --- p.28 / 1954至1955年順德縣合作化的遺留問題 --- p.30 / 包工制的實行 --- p.34 / 包工包產制的引入 --- p.40 / 小結 --- p.44 / Chapter 第三章： --- 順德縣包產到組的興起及其原因 --- p.45-68 / 1956年農業生產困難槪況 --- p.45 / 「三包一獎」及工作定額制 --- p.46 / 小段計劃 --- p.54 / 「包產到組」的出現 --- p.56 / 退社風潮與順德縣包產到組的興起 --- p.61 / 小結 --- p.68 / Chapter 第四章： --- 以「包產到組」爲主的多種包產形式 --- p.69-91 / 1957年中央的農業生產分權策略 --- p.69 / 「包產到隊」的確立 --- p.71 / 以組爲主的多種包產形式 --- p.74 / 順德縣合作社制度的變遷 --- p.78 / 各級政府對包產到戶的限制 --- p.81 / 地方政府及社委對「包產到組」的維護 --- p.84 / 選擇以包產到組爲主的生產模式的原因 --- p.89 / 小結 --- p.91 / 結論 --- p.92-103 / 包產到組與合作化初期的嘗試 --- p.91 / 包產到組在日後的發展槪況 --- p.95 / 小農經濟理論的反思 --- p.100 / 對當下三農問題的啓示 --- p.101 / 附錄 --- p.104-114 / 附件一：小農經濟理論發展槪況 --- p.104 / 附件二：建國後1953至1957年中共順德縣委書記、副書記一覽表 --- p.107 / 附件三：順德縣行政區域劃分一覽表(1950至1957年) --- p.108 / 附圖一：順德縣政區圖 --- p.112 / 附圖二：順德縣政區圖放大 --- p.113 / 參考書目 --- p.115-125

Includes bibliographical references (leaves p. i-xxxii) Pt. 1. Is there a link between the problem with agriculture under GATT rules and policy choice under GATT rules? -- pt. 2. The economic and political significance of distinctions between policy instruments -- pt. 3. The application of the pre-Uruguay Round GATT to agriculture -- pt. 4. The Uruguay Round rules on agriculture -- pt. 5. The thesis and its importance Seeks an answer to the legal difficulties in applying GATT to agriculture

University of Macau / Faculty of Law