Agricultural development has long been the biggest challenge faced by governments or rulers of many countries and regions, be it in the past or at present. It affects the various political, social and economic development aspects of a country or region. Based on various long-term and short-term social needs, the authorities have attempted to find a suitable balance, searching constantly for feasible methods to manage agriculture, in the hope of harmonising the interests of peasant households, consumers and the ruling class through administrative measures. This has resulted in continuous adjustments in agricultural policies and effectively affected the development of agriculture as well as the well-being of farmers and the general public. / As an entrepot, Hong Kong had very little arable land. The number of people engaged in farming, either directly or indirectly, was dwarfed by the consumer population. How to provide the large population with sufficient food, enabling it to be a driver behind economic development? This question became an important political issue for the Hong Kong colonial government for more than 100 years. Sino-British relations fluctuated considerably after the Second World War and this made agricultural development a thorny problem for the colonial government. In the course of studying 60 years of agricultural development, the most striking impression is that the Hong Kong colonial government was totally involved in agricultural production in the New Territories through the systematic promotion of the cooperative movement involving production, transport and marketing. This had made contribution to Hong Kong's unique political and social environment. / This thesis reconstructs the agricultural history of Hong Kong in the post-war period. It explores the profound influence that the Agricultural Cooperative Movement has on the political ecosystem of the villages in the New Territories, economic efficiency and human relations in rural communities. / 陳煜禮. / 論文(哲學博士)--香港中文大學, 2007. / 參考文獻(p. 226-230). / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-02, Section: A, page: 0713. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / School code: 1307. / Lun wen (zhe xue bo shi)--Xianggang Zhong wen da xue, 2007. / Can kao wen xian (p. 226-230). / Chen Yuli.

American agriculture in the twentieth century underwent immense transformations. The triumphs in agriculture are emblematic of post-war American progress and expansion but do not accurately depict the evolution of American agriculture throughout an entire century of agricultural depression and economic failure. Some characteristics of this evolution are unprecedented efficiency in terms of output per capita, rapid industrialization and mechanization, the gradual slip of agriculture's portion of GNP, and an exodus of millions of farmers from agriculture leading to fewer and larger farms. The purpose of this thesis is to provide an environmental history and political ecology of overproduction, which has lead to constant surpluses, federal price and subsidy intervention, and environmental concerns about sustainability and food safety. This project explores the political economy of output maximization during these years, roughly from WWI through the present, studying various environmental, economic, and social effects of overproduction and output maximization. The complex eco system of modern agriculture is heavily impacted by the political and economic systems in which it is intrinsically embedded, obfuscating hopes of food and agricultural reforms on many different levels. Overproduction and surplus are central to modern agriculture and to the food that has fueled American bodies for decades. Studying overproduction, or operating at rapidly expanding levels of output maximization, will provide a unique lens through which to look at the profound impact that the previous century of technological advance and farm legislation has had on agriculture in America.

Doctorat en sciences sociales, politiques et économiques / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

South Africa, emerging from the yoke of colonialism and imperialism embarked on an ambitious land reform programme during the 1990’s. It was anticipated that land reform would take place effectively and sustainably. However, evidence to date revealed that land reform has been a failure and the cause thereof can be attributed to the lack of post settlement support. The focus of the research was to find out whether post-settlement support is the reason behind successful projects and if so to highlight the necessity of post-settlement support in land reform projects. The methodology used was through review of literature, legislations and policies on land reform and analysis of case studies. Outcome of the research indicates an intricate relationship between land reform and post-settlement support. The transfer of land to land reform beneficiaries must go hand in hand with the effective provision of post-settlement support for projects to be success and sustainable. / College of Law / LL.M

Thesis (MDF)--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / The constraints that impede the growth of smallholder farmers have been attributed to lack of access to markets and technical expertise. This has led to mainstream banks classifying smallholder farmers as high risk and therefore unwilling to finance smallholder farmers. Contract farming has developed as a model that may be able to link smallholder farmers with agribusinesses who have the expertise and have built marketing channels that can be utilised by the smallholder farmers. Despite its potential to bring smallholder farmers into the mainstream agriculture industry, literature on contract farming has indicated that contract farming can be skewed in favour of the agribusiness due to their superior bargaining power and information asymmetry in favour of the agribusiness. This study examines the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC)’s Kat River Development Scheme to finance nine farmers through a contract farming arrangement with Riverside (Pty) Ltd. More particularly, the study examines how this financing model contributes to improved access to finance, markets and technical expertise for the farmers. It also examines how the arrangement contributes to reducing the risk of financing smallholder farmers for IDC. The empirical analysis indicates that, despite the fact that the farmers are able to obtain access to finance, market and technical expertise, the ability for the scheme to meet its objectives in the long term is dependent on improving transparency between the agribusiness and the farmers, providing appropriate incentives for the farmers to apply the required effort and the farmers buying into the long term strategic aim (or “big picture”) of the scheme.

Thesis (MPA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research work focuses on the role that the Department of Agriculture has played in the improvement of the livelihood of smallholder farmers in the Vhembe District, Limpopo Province, for the period 1994 to 2004. The research endeavours to determine what was done to improve the livelihood of smallholder farmers, and the extent to which smallholder farmers were developed. It determines the stage of development smallholder farmers are in after a decade of democracy. The study considers various variables that could be responsible for the good or bad performance of the Department of Agriculture in the Vhembe District. The Vhembe District was chosen because it consists of varied ecological and climatic regions, making it possible for various farming enterprises to flourish in one area. The research links the role played by the Department of Agriculture with the level of development of smallholder farmers in the District. It investigates the support that the Department of Agriculture provided through various strategic programmes, such as the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme, the Revitalisation of Smallholder Irrigation Schemes, training and development, and poverty-alleviation programmes, aimed at kick-starting micro-enterprises. The research identifies areas where the Department did not meet the expectations of the smallholder farmers regarding support. It outlines possible reasons for good and poor performance of the Department of Agriculture and its extension officers in the four local municipalities of the Vhembe District, namely Makhado, Musina, Mutale and Thulamela. This is based on data gathered through focus group discussions with various groups of farmers and extension officers. The research reveals that the budget allocation for agricultural development has never been enough to address the pressing and varied needs of smallholder farmers in the Vhembe District. The conclusion is reached that the support provided by the Department of Agriculture to improve the livelihood of smallholder farmers was inadequate. Another conclusion is that smallholder farmers are heavily reliant on the Department for almost all their farming needs. This dependency has led to many smallholder farmers not being able to creatively initiate any action that would ultimately empower them to become selfreliant. However, the research shows that a small percentage of farmers have realised the need to become independent in order to avoid lifelong dependency on the Department of Agriculture. The researcher concludes that, after a decade of democracy, there is still a great need for the Department’s support in order to improve the livelihood of smallholder farmers. There is also a need to conduct a skills audit, which will help the Department to place officials according to their areas of expertise, and to capacitate officials who may be lacking some skills through various capacity-building programmes. The research revealed that there may be officials who are morally corrupt in their behaviour and conduct. This has resulted in inefficiency and poor service delivery to farmers. On the other hand there are officials who perform exceptionally well and whose behaviour is beyond reproach. The researcher concludes that these exceptional performers should be recognised and rewarded for their good performance, while those with unsatisfactory performance should be dealt with according to the disciplinary code and procedures of the public service. The need is identified to channel resources to smallholder farmers who will utilise them effectively. This would promote self-sufficiency in the long term. In channelling these resources, the Department should also consider the promises made, with the view to fulfil them as far as possible. The researcher concludes that in order for smallholder farmers to realise their potential they have to change their lives through agriculture. They need to become more organised in order to speak with one voice. They also need to participate in secondary agriculture, where they are able to access more markets, not only as producers but as agro-processors as well. With appropriate and consistent support by the Department of Agriculture in the Vhembe District, smallholder farmers’ livelihood could be improved, which will lead to economic development of the local municipality, the district, the province and ultimately South Africa as a whole. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsingstudie fokus op die rol wat die Departement Landbou gespeel het in die verbetering van die lewensbestaan van kleinboere in die Vhembe-distrik, Limpopo, vir die tydperk 1994 tot 2004. Die navorsing poog om te bepaal wat gedoen is om die lewensbestaan van kleinboere te verbeter, en in watter mate daar tot die ontwikkeling van kleinboere bygedra is. Daar word ook bepaal in watter ontwikkelingsfase kleinboere hulle ná ’n dekade van demokrasie bevind. Die studie ondersoek verskeie veranderlikes wat vir die goeie of swak prestasie van die Departement Landbou in die Vhembe-distrik verantwoordelik kan wees. Die Vhembe-distrik is gekies omdat dit uit verskillende ekologiese en klimaatstreke bestaan, wat verskeie boerdery-ondernemings in staat stel om in een gebied te gedy. Die navorsing veronderstel ’n verband tussen die rol van die Departement Landbou en die ontwikkelingsvlak van kleinboere in die distrik. Dit ondersoek die steun wat die Departement Landbou deur middel van verskeie strategiese programme gebied het, soos die Program vir Omvattende Landbou-ondersteuning, die Opknapping van Kleinboerbesproeiingskemas, opleiding en ontwikkeling, en programme vir die verligting van armoede, wat daarop gemik is om stukrag aan mikro-ondernemings te verleen. Die navorsing identifiseer gebiede waarop die Departement Landbou nie aan kleinboere se verwagtinge ten opsigte van steun voldoen het nie. Dit verskaf moontlike redes vir die goeie of swak prestasie van die Departement en sy voorligtingsbeamptes in die Vhembedistrik se vier plaaslike munisipaliteite, naamlik Makhado, Musina, Mutale en Thulamela. Dit is gegrond op data wat deur middel van fokusgroep-besprekings met verskeie groepe boere en voorligtingsbeamptes verkry is. Die navorsing toon dat die begrotingstoewysing vir landbou-ontwikkeling nog nooit genoeg was om aan die dringende en verskillende behoeftes van kleinboere in die Vhembe-distrik te voldoen nie. Die navorser maak die gevolgtrekking dat die steun van die Departement Landbou nie voldoende was om die lewensbestaan van kleinboere te verbeter nie. ’n Verdere gevolgtrekking is dat kleinboere vir byna al hulle boerderybehoeftes van die departement afhanklik is. Hierdie afhanklikheid lei daartoe dat menige kleinboere nie in staat is om enige kreatiewe optrede te inisieer wat hulle eindelik sal bemagtig om selfstandig te word nie. Die navorsing toon egter dat ’n klein persentasie boere besef het dat hulle onafhanklik moet word om lewenslange afhanklikheid van die Departement Landbou te vermy. Die navorser kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat, ná ’n dekade van demokrasie, daar steeds ’n groot behoefte aan steun van die departement ten opsigte van die verbetering van kleinboere se lewensbestaan is. Daar is ook ’n behoefte aan ’n vaardighede-oudit wat die departement sal help om amptenare na gelang van hulle kundigheidsgebied te plaas, en om deur verskeie kapasiteitsbou-programme daardie amptenare wat sekere vaardighede kortkom, op te bou. Die navorsing het onthul dat daar moontlik amptenare is wat moreel korrup in gedrag en optrede is. Dit het ondoeltreffendheid en swak dienslewering aan boere tot gevolg. Tog is daar amptenare wat besonder goed presteer en wie se gedrag bo verdenking is. Die navorser is van mening dat hierdie goeie presteerders erkenning moet ontvang en vir hulle goeie prestasie beloon moet word, en dat diegene wat ontoereikend presteer ingevolge die staatsdiens se dissiplinêre kode en prosedures hanteer moet word. Daar is ’n behoefte om hulpbronne te kanaliseer na kleinboere wat doeltreffend daarvan gebruik sal maak. Dit sal op die lang termyn selfvoorsiening bevorder. In hierdie opsig moet die departement poog om die beloftes wat hulle gemaak het, so ver moontlik na te kom. Die navorser kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat, vir kleinboere om hulle potensiaal te verwesenlik, hulle hul lewens deur landbou moet verander. Hulle moet beter georganiseer wees sodat hulle uit een mond kan praat. Hulle moet ook by sekondêre landbou betrokke raak waar hulle toegang tot Met die gepaste en konsekwente steun van die Departement Landbou in die Vhembedistrik kan die lewensbestaan van kleinboere verbeter word, wat ekonomiese ontwikkeling van die plaaslike munisipaliteit, die distrik, die provinsie en eindelik Suid- Afrika as geheel tot gevolg sal hê.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Broad-Based Economic Empowerment Act, No. 53 of 2003, and its Codes of Good Practice on Black Economic Empowerment are the cornerstones of a strategy implemented by the South African government to transform the economy to an inclusive one where all citizens have equal opportunities to contribute to the economic growth of the country. The process of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment has a direct impact on the operational activities of all businesses in all business sectors, including the agricultural sector. The main aim of this study is to compile a comprehensive Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment strategy for Overberg Agri Limited. The strategy is based on the implementation of initiatives aimed at compliance with the seven pillars of black economic empowerment as incorporated in the Codes of Good Practice on Black Economic Empowerment. A critical analysis of the legislative framework and executive governmental decrees governing Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment shows that the government of South Africa followed a structured legislative approach to the drafting and implementation of legislation aimed at creating an equitable society by addressing the inter-related issues of human rights, employment equity, skills development, allocation of natural resources and black economic empowerment. Overberg Agri Limited partially addressed its significant non-compliance with the Generic BEE Scorecard by entering into an agreement with Thembeka Capital. However, this transaction only addressed the ownership requirement of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment and had a limited effect on enhancing the black economic empowerment status of Overberg Agri Limited. Overberg Agri can achieve its goal of Level 4 Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment status by: • Reorganising its business structure in terms of core agricultural and non-core business activities; • Selling significant stakes in non-core business entities to black shareholders; • Entering into other joint ventures with black businesses; • Addressing all seven elements of the B-BBEE scorecard and making the required resources available for this. This research report provides value due to the fact that it adequately addresses the research problem. It also followed the proposed research procedure in addressing the research problem and it provides the foundation for a general application of its findings. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Breëbasis Swart Ekonomiese Bemagtigingswet, Nr. 53 van 2003, en die generiese kodes vir goeie praktyk ten opsigte van swart ekonomiese bemagtiging vorm die hoekstene van die strategie wat deur die Suid-Afrikaanse regering geïmplementeer is om die ekonomie te omskep in 'n inklusiewe een waar alle landsburgers gelyke geleenthede gegun word om 'n bydrae te lewer tot die ekonomiese groei van die land. Die proses van Breëbasis Swart Ekonomiese Bemagtiging het 'n direkte invloed op die operasionele bedrywighede van alle besighede in al die besigheidsektore, insluitend die landbousektor. Die hoofdoel van hierdie studie is om 'n omvattende Breëbasis Swart Ekonomiese Bemagtigingstrategie vir Overberg Agri Beperk op te stel. Die strategie is gebaseer op die implementering van inisiatiewe wat gemik is op voldoening aan die vereistes van die sewe pilare van swart ekonomiese bemagtiging soos uiteengesit in die generiese kodes vir goeie praktyk vir swart ekonomiese bemagtiging. 'n Kritiese analise van die wetgewende raamwerk en uitvoerende regeringsbesluite wat 'n invloed het op Breëbasis Swart Ekonomiese Bemagtiging dui aan dat die Suid-Afrikaanse regering 'n gestruktureerde wetgewende benadering gevolg het in die opstel en implementering van wetgewing wat daarop gemik is om 'n regverdige samelewing te skep deur aandag te skenk aan die interafhanklike kwessies van menseregte, gelyke indiensneming, vaardigheidsontwikkeling, toekenning van natuurlike hulpbronne en swart ekonomiese bemagtiging. Overberg Agri Beperk het sy aansienlike gebrek aan voldoening aan die voorskrifte van die generiese swart bemagtigingstelkaart gedeeltelik aangespreek deur 'n ooreenkoms met Thembeka Capital aan te gaan. Die transaksie skenk egter slegs aandag aan die eienaarskapvereiste van Breëbasis Swart Ekonomiese Bemagtiging en het 'n beperkte uitwerking op die verhoging van die swart ekonomiese bemagtigingstatus van Overberg Agri Beperk gehad. Overberg Agri Beperk kan sy teiken van Vlak 4 Breëbasis Swart Ekonomiese Bemagtigingstatus bereik deur: • Sybesigheid struktuur te herstruktureer ten opsigte van kern- en nie-kernbesigheidsaktiwiteite; • Aansienlike aandeelhouding van nie-kernbesigheidsentiteite aan swart aandeelhuers te verkoop; • Gesamentlike ondernemings met swart besighede te begin; • Aandag te skenk aan al sewe elemente van die Breëbasis Swart Ekonomiese Bemagtigingtelkaart en die hulpbronne beskikbaar te stel wat daarvoor benodig word. Die ondersoekverslag is van waarde aangesien dit die ondersoekvraag volledig aanspreek, die voorgestelde ondersoekprosedure gevolg het en 'n basis skep vir die algemene toepassing van die bevindinge.

Thesis (MDF)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The main purpose of this study was to develop a methodology to evaluate business plans which support governmental grants to emerging farmers in the Winelands area of the Western Cape. The study focuses primarily on two types of emerging farmer groups namely (i) farm equity groups and (ii) individual farmers (less than 10 members per farm). Empowering disadvantaged people is exceedingly complex, therefore it is of paramount importance to compile a detailed and comprehensive business plan based on a proper feasibility study. If a project is not feasible on paper it will rarely succeed in practice. Four LRAD business plans per group were evaluated and have been scored against a contents list, which was compiled from an ideal farm business plan. This was followed up with a questionnaire to evaluate the current situation on the farms and to test the understanding of the business plan and its elements with the beneficiaries. There is a clear distinction in the quality of business plans between the equity scheme land reform models and individual farmer’s business plans. The quality of the equity farmer’s business plan was in most cases around 25 percent better compared to those of the individual farmers. The result of the study shows that there is a direct link between the quality of the business plan and the sustainability of the projects. Lower scored individual farmer projects under review, struggle to stay afloat with a weak cash flow as their main drawback. On the other hand the better scored equity scheme projects are much more sustainable; however more focus needs to be placed on developing the shareholders in the understanding of the financial side and land ownership principals. The author is of the opinion that only feasible projects must receive grant funding and this should be supported by good mentorship policies from government. South Africa can no longer afford “social business plans” in the land reform process; there is a need for sound farm business plans as a very important first step to feasible and sustainable farming ventures. The methodology developed in this study could become a valuable tool for government departments for directly measuring the quality of business plans and thereby indirectly the feasibility of land reform projects. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die hoofdoel van hierdie studie was om 'n metodiek te ontwikkel waarmee plaas besigheidsplanne geёalueer kan word vir die aansoek van skenkings (“grant”) fondse vir opkomende boere in die Kaapse Wynlandarea. Die studie fokus hoofsaaklik op twee tipes groepe, naamlik (i) plaas aandele skema groepe en (ii) individuele boere (minder as 10 lede per plaas). Die bemagtiging van opkomende boere is baie kompleks, daarom is dit baie belangrik om 'n gedetailleerde en omvattende besigheidsplan, gegrond op' n behoorlike ondersoek na die haalbaarheid, daar te stel. As 'n projek op papier nie haalbaar is nie, gaan dit nie sommer suksesvol wees in die praktyk nie. Vier LRAD besigheidsplanne per groep is geëvalueer teen 'n inhoudslys wat vanaf ‘n ideale plaas besigheidsplan saamgestel is. Dit is opgevolg met 'n vraelys om die huidige situasie op die plase te evalueer en die begrip van die besigheidsplan en sy elemente te toets. ‘n Duidelike kwaliteits verskil kan gesien word tussen die aandeel skema boere -en individuele boere se besigheidsplanne. Die gehalte van die aandeel skema boere se planne was in die meeste gevalle ongeveer 25 persent beter as dié van die individuele boere. Die studie kan 'n direkte lyn trek tussen die besigheidsplan inligting en die volhoubaarheid van die projekte. Die individuele boere- projekte onder oorsig sukkel om kop bo water te hou met 'n swak kontantvloei as hulle belangrikste nadeel. Aan die ander kant, is die aandeleskema projekte baie meer volhoubaar, maar meer fokus moet geplaas word op die ontwikkeling van die aandeelhouers se begrip van die finansiële kant van die boerdery asook eienaarskap op die plaas. Die tyd het aangebreek dat slegs haalbare projekte befonds moet word en dat die regering hierdie projekte moet ondersteun met goeie mentorskap beleid. Daar is nie meer plek vir "sosiale besigheids planne" in die Suid-Afrikaanse grondhervormingsproses nie. Goeie werkbare plaas besigheidsplanne is nodig as 'n baie belangrike eerste stap om volhoubare boerdery ondernemings daar te stel. Hierdie studie is 'n waardevolle hulpmiddel in die regering se hand vir die evaluering van besigheidsplanne van grondhervormings projekte.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Grondhervorming en dit wat daarmee gepaard gaan, is een van die hoekstene van die normalisering van ons samelewing en is sedert 1994 deel van die transformasieproses. Die huidige regering gaan uit van die oortuiging dat blywende vrede nie verkry kan word sonder dat dié ongelykhede reggestel word nie. Is daar ‘n antwoord op Suid-Afrika se ongelyke grondbesit, en kan kontrakboerdery 'n rol speel in die oorbrugging van die probleme? Een van die belangrikste aspekte van die regstelling van die ongeregtighede van die verlede, is die uitwissing van armoede, en in hierdie verband is Landbou 'n belangrike rolspeler. Ten einde armoede te bestry en werk te skep, moet die toekomstige generasie bemagtig word deur eienaarskap te versprei. Die Wet op Inheemse Grond van 1913, die Inheemse Trust- en Grondwet van 1936, en die Groepsgebiedewet van 1950 het swart Suid-Afrikaners die geleentheid ontneem om plaaseenhede te besit en te bedryf in die blanke gebiede van Suid- Afrika wat, soos ons almal weet, verreweg die grootste gedeelte van die land asook die meer produktiewe boerderygrond uitgemaak het. Die grondhervormingsproses streef om die erfenis van hierdie wette ongedaan te maak. Sedert die Suid-Afrikaanse grondhervormingsprogram in 1994 van stapel gestuur is, heers daar groot debat oor die beleid, implementeringstrategieë en die impak van sodanige pogings op landbougrond, die lewens van die bevoordeeldes, en die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie. Met die toename in skaal en kompleksiteit van grondhervorming het dit al hoe moeiliker vir die Regering geword om die proses te monitor en te evalueer. Dit is nou alombekend dat, behalwe vir kwantitatiewe aanwysings, daar baie leemtes bestaan in die inligting oor grondhervorming. In die lig van die veranderende aard van wêreld-landbou- en voedselmarkte en die voortspruitende behoefte vir vertikale integrasie van die voedselverskaffingskettings, het hierdie werkstuk ten doel om die rol van kontrakboerdery as 'n instelling te ondersoek, ten einde die voortgesette deelname te verseker van kleinboere in ontwikkelende lande in die markte vir hoëwaarde produkte. Die klem val spesifiek op die Suid-Afrikaanse omstandighede vir grondhervorming. Die werkstuk bespreek die teoretiese rasionaal van kontrakboerdery, en illustreer hoe dié vorm van boerdery aangewend kan word om markmislukkings en a-simmetriese informasieprobleme te oorkom. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Land reform and associated matters are some of the cornerstones of the normalizing of our society and have been part of the transformation process since 1994. The present regime is of the conviction that lasting peace cannot be achieved without such unequalities being addressed. Is there an answer to unequal ownership of land in South Africa, and can contract farming play a role in bridging these problems? One of the most important aspects of the unrighteousness of the past, is poverty and in its eradication, agriculture is an important role player. In order to combat poverty and create jobs, the future generation must be empowered by ownership of the economy. The Indigenous Land Act of 1913, The Indigenous Trust and Land Act of 1936, and the Group Areas Act of 1950 deprived Black South Africans of the opportunity to own and run farming units within the white areas of South Africa that, as we all know, formed by far the largest part of the land as well as the more productive farming land. The land reformation process strives to annul the legacy of those laws. Since the South African land reform program was started in 1994, a heated debate has raged about the policy, implementation stategies, and impact of such efforts on agricultural land, the lives of the beneficiaries, and the South African economy. With the increase in scale and complexity of land reform, it became more and more difficult for the regime to monitor and evaluate the process. It is now common knowledge that, except for qualitative indications, many shortcomings are apparent in the information on land reform. In light of the changing nature of world agricultural and food markets and the subsequent need for vertical integration of the food-supply chains, this study aims at investigating the role of contract farming as an institution, in order to ensure the continued participation of small farmers in developing countries in the markets for high-value products. The emphasis falls specifically on the South African conditions for land reform. This study describes the theoretical rationale of contract farming, and illustrates how this form of farming can be applied to overcome market fiascos and assimmetrical information problems.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Tigray region in northern Ethiopia is a historic centre of agricultural production and home to many subsistence farmers that still use traditional farming systems and practise rain-fed agriculture. The region has been affected adversely by famines and periodic droughts for centuries and is vulnerable to climate change. Farmers are producing on small plots of often degraded land and through their own actions have depleted the natural resources they rely on, in particular soil, water and trees. This study sought to explore the environmental degradation of Tigray through both a literature review of its agricultural socio-political history and a lived experience in the village of Abraha We Atsebaha among farmers of the region. It uses a variety of methodologies and methods, including a literature review, grounded theory, narrative inquiry and ethnography, to expand on the factors that have contributed to the current degradation, the implications for traditional farming and the potential for land regeneration. The first journal article seeks to explore how Ethiopians have shaped their natural environment. In particular, it focuses on deforestation, soil degradation, the role of changing governance and land-ownership patterns, and the effects of climate change. The article demonstrates that traditional farming systems do not operate in isolation from their socio-political and environmental context. The second journal article provides an in-depth narrative inquiry conducted in Abraha We Atsebaha over a three-month period in 2014. This village is known for its indigenous farming knowledge, commitment to regeneration and innovation in conservation practices. Interviews were conducted with selected farmers and local leaders and informal discussions were carried out with government extension representatives using the ethno-ecological cosmos-corpus-praxis guidelines to enable an integrated exploration of the nature of traditional farming, the causative factors of environmental deterioration and the resultant communal response. In addition to written interview notes, observations and field notes were recorded daily. Photographs are used to give a real sense of the community and their work. It emerged during this process that underlying belief systems were exceptionally important in a context of traditional conservation. Both articles discuss the development work undertaken by government in the rural farming sector and the successes and challenges faced. They also show that elements of traditional farming, sustainability measures and environmental care were suspended in favour of short-term survival as a consequence of social, political and population stressors. This study provides learning points, gained from insights gleaned from the literature review and the lived experience, for improving development interventions in this region. This study did not explicitly explore the role of religion in conservation or the potential long-term effects of current government policies and initiatives. However, it contributes to the small pool of literature on the region focused on traditional farming systems by providing a comprehensive overview of the drivers of degradation (historical and current) and offers a unique, “soft” experiential narration of a village in northern Ethiopia that allows insight into farmer experiences, pressures and adaptation efforts. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Tigray-streek in die noorde van Ethiopië is ’n historiese sentrum van landbouproduksie en die tuiste van menige bestaansboer wat nog op tradisionele boerderystelsels en reënbesproeiing staatmaak. Die streek het eeue lank onder hongersnood en periodieke droogtes gebuk gegaan en is kwesbaar vir klimaatsverandering. Boere bewerk klein stukke, dikwels afgetakelde, grond en het deur hul eie optrede die natuurlike hulpbronne waarop hulle staatmaak – veral die grond, water en bome – uitgeput. Hierdie studie was daarop toegespits om ’n beter begrip te vorm van die omgewingsaftakeling in Tigray. Vir hierdie doel is ’n literatuurstudie van die sosiopolitieke landbougeskiedenis van die gebied onderneem, en is die lewe in die dorp Abraha We Atsebaha tussen boere van die streek ervaar. Die navorsing het van ’n verskeidenheid metodologieë en metodes, waaronder ’n literatuuroorsig, gegronde teorie, narratiewe ondersoek en etnografie, gebruik gemaak om lig te werp op die faktore wat tot die huidige aftakeling bygedra het, die implikasies vir tradisionele boerdery, en die potensiaal vir grondvernuwing. Die eerste tydskrifartikel verken hoe Ethiopiërs hul natuurlike omgewing gevorm het. Dit konsentreer veral op ontbossing, grondaftakeling, die rol van veranderende staatsbestuurs- en grondbesitpatrone, en die uitwerking van klimaatsverandering. Die artikel toon dat tradisionele boerderystelsels nie afsonderlik van hul sosiopolitieke en omgewingskonteks funksioneer nie. Die tweede tydskrifartikel beskryf ’n narratiewe diepte-ondersoek wat oor ’n drie maande lange tydperk in 2014 in Abraha We Atsebaha onderneem is. Hierdie dorp is bekend vir sy inheemse landboukennis, toewyding aan vernuwing, en innoverende bewaringspraktyke. Onderhoude is met ’n uitgesoekte groep boere en plaaslike leiers gevoer, en voorligtingsbeamptes van die staat is by informele gesprekke betrek. Die etno-ekologiese cosmos-corpus-praxis-riglyne is gebruik om ’n geïntegreerde studie te onderneem van die aard van tradisionele boerdery, die oorsaaklike faktore van omgewingsaftakeling, en die gevolglike gemeenskapsreaksie. Benewens skriftelike aantekeninge gedurende die onderhoude, is waarnemings en veldnotas ook daagliks opgeteken. Foto’s word gebruik om die gemeenskap en hul werk getrou uit te beeld. Gedurende hierdie proses het aan die lig gekom dat onderliggende oortuigingstelsels besonder belangrik is in ’n tradisionele bewaringskonteks. Albei artikels bespreek die ontwikkelingswerk wat die regering in die landelike boerderysektor onderneem, sowel as die suksesse en uitdagings daarvan. Dit toon ook dat elemente van tradisionele boerdery, volhoubaarheidsmaatreëls en omgewingsorg as gevolg van maatskaplike, politieke en bevolkingsfaktore laat vaar is ten gunste van korttermynoorlewing. Die insigte wat uit die literatuuroorsig sowel as die lewenservaring in die bestudeerde gemeenskap spruit, bied lesse vir die verbetering van ontwikkelingsintervensies in die streek. Die studie het nie uitdruklik die rol van godsdiens in bewaring of die potensiële langtermynuitwerking van huidige staatsbeleide en -inisiatiewe ondersoek nie. Tog dra dit by tot die klein hoeveelheid beskikbare literatuur oor tradisionele boerderystelsels in die streek deur ’n omvattende oorsig te bied van die (historiese en huidige) snellers van aftakeling, en vertel dit ’n unieke, ‘sagte’ ervaringsverhaal oor ’n dorp in die noorde van Ethiopië om sodoende insig in landbou-ervarings, -druk en -aanpassingspogings te bied.