Thesis (MSc (Agriculture)) --University of Limpopo, 2007 / The main objective of this study is to identify the socio-economic factors associated with the level of annual farm turnover of emerging farmers in South Africa. This study defines emerging farmers as those farmers that are participating in the market and have intentions to produce and sell more. The study is based on a randomly selected quota sample of 500 emerging farmers surveyed from the nine provinces of SA in 2005. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis and logistic regression are used to analyse the data. Factor analysis is used to determine the emerging farmers’ access and utilization of agricultural infrastructure and support services. The logistic regression is used to predict the likely positioning of emerging farmers in the high and low farm turnover groups. Farm turnover is based on how a farm household organizes and manages its resources and how it is able to interact with the outside stakeholders. The level of annual farm turnover is categorized into four groups, low turnover group 1 (LTG1), low turnover group 2(LTG2), high turnover group 1 (HTG1) and high turnover group 2(HTG2). Whilst many studies on constraints to production in agriculture in South Africa have identified infrastructure as such a constraint, few have attempted to study the extent to which emerging farmers are able to access and utilize output markets infrastructure. The results show that the local output markets are generally more accessible to emerging farmers. Access to external markets is absent. The implication of this is that it is important for policymakers to know that farmers access output markets in a package form and that the role of locating output markets in centers can stimulate agricultural and rural development. The creation of favourable environments for the participation of emerging farmers in the mainstream of the economy has been the most significant initiative in promoting structural change, away from subsistence farming towards commercialization of agriculture in South Africa. Despite the new opportunities that have been created to facilitate participation of emerging farmers in the first economy, emerging farmers continue to face a host of challenges ranging from socio-economic to farm based constraints. These constraints have made some emerging farmers to fall in the high farm turnover group and others in the low farm turnover group. Logistic regression analysis is used to identify socio-economic factors that place emerging farmers in one group versus the other and to identify constraints faced by emerging farmers. Six logistics models are developed to distinguish emerging farmers in one group from another. Model 1 compares the HTG2 and the LTG1. The factors that increase the likelihood of being in an HTG2 rather than in an LTG1 are farm size, level of education, sugar farming, tarred road to the local fresh produce market, distance to the output market, being NAFU (National African Farmers Union) membership, and access to ground water. Horticulture and livestock farming decrease the chances of being in the HTG2. Factors that increases the likelihood of being in the HTG2 rather that LTG2 are farm size, level of education, sugar farming, road conditions to the local fresh produce market and access to ground water. Farm structure decreases the chances of being in the HTG2. The main factors affecting most of the emerging farmers in South Africa are the size of farm, level of education, distance to output market which leads to lack of transport and that most of the emerging farmers uses surface water for irrigation. Some of the farmers face poor road condition to the output market and they produce less to the output market. Access to high value commodities such as sugar does increase. The policy required to encourage commercialization must be tailored to the needs of the different categories of emerging farmers in South Africa. The low turnover group of farmers appears to contain community garden farmers. These farmers will require the comprehensive set of programmes that are commonly recommended. The programmes include land reform, educational programmes, infrastructural services, marketing and / Land and Agricultural Development Bank of South Africa

The definition of genocide encompasses not only the killing of a protected group as is so often erroneously believed, but also inter alia the causing of serious bodily and mental harm to a group and deliberately inflicting conditions of life on a group calculated to bring about its destruction in whole or in part. Eight stages have been identified through which conventional genocide goes. There is a closed list of four groups named in the Genocide Convention in respect of which genocide can be perpetrated. Problems have been experienced with the classification and the determination whether a group should qualify or not. In answer to this problem, the definition of the groups should be seen cohesively and attempts should preferably not be made to compartmentalise any group suspected of being targeted for genocide. The special intent required for genocide sets it apart from other crimes against humanity. The intention that needs to be proven is the desire to exterminate a group as such in whole or in part. The mention of “in part” opens the door for genocide to be perpetrated against a small sub-group which conforms to the definition of a group. The white Afrikaner farmer forms part of the larger white Afrikaner group residing in South Africa. Incitement to genocide is an inchoate crime and is regarded as a lesser crime reflected in lower sentences being passed for incitement than for genocide itself. The requirements are that the incitement must be direct and public. The required intention to incite must also be proven for a conviction to follow. The farmer who laid the complaint with the International Criminal Court, did so in the hope that the Prosecutor would utilise his or her proprio motu powers to instigate an investigation in South Africa regarding white Afrikaner farmers. The complaint and petition as well as the statistics used by the farmer paint the picture of incitement to genocide and possible genocide. The allegations are not specific and will have to be proven in a court of law for any such finding to follow. / Abstract

The main objective of the study was to investigate the causes underlining small-farmers default on bank loan repayments in the North West Province. One hundred and sixty farmers were randomly selected to be part of the sample. Questionnaires were issued to both farmers and bank officials. Descriptive statistics, correlation and regression models were used to analyse the data. The overall results indicate that most of the small farmers are in the old age category (58 years on average) with very low educational level. This scenario poses a challenge to the stakeholders in agriculture specifically the succession plan to these elderly people when they leave agriculture due to retirement. It was revealed by the study that the farmers do not keep either financial or production records. The analysis shows that the small farmers lack skills in financial management therefore, they are unable to execute the prerequisite to modern farming which are literacy and numeracy as indicated by Woohall et. al.,( 1985). Most of the respondents have outstanding debt from Agribank yet they received loans from Landbank. Because of their low production and other many responsibilities, they are unable to repay loan instalments thus leading to loan default to their current financial supplier, which is Landbank. Lack of monitoring of loan funds was identified as one of the causes of the farmers Joan default. The analysis also indicates that the small farmers have access to finance but the major problem is lack of financial management skills, more involvement in household responsibilities, and lack of technical assistance from relevant stakeholders like extension officers and project managers from the bank or from the Department of Agriculture. Since the Land bank have no field officers to assist the farmers, it is recommended that the bank should have field officers to assist farmers in their business, especially with production, marketing, financial management and farm management Skills. The inability of the farmers to access good value markets for their products was identified as one of the problems, which led to loan default because the farmers are unable to market their products at the right time for good value in excess of their cost. It is recommended that financial institutions should assist their clients to access better markets for their products for better price which will in turn give them better income in order to repay their loans. / M.Sc. (Agric. Economics) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2005

Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The availability of water for irrigation purposes is becoming a serious concern for smallholder famers in the former homeland areas of South Africa. Not only because of global weather change and the occurrence of more erratic weather events, but also due to competition for fresh water between the agricultural, industrial and domestic sectors (Hamdy et al., 2003). Food production increases in smallholder agriculture is seen as a possible solution to the food security challenges in the rural areas of the Limpopo Province (Altman et al., 2009). Smallholder farmers in Giyani mostly use traditional furrow irrigation systems and their farm crop productivity remains very low, compared to commercial farms in the same area. The objective of this study is to utilize and test various innovation technologies aimed at increasing Water Productivity (WP) in order to facilitate better irrigation management of the available water resources. The study was conducted on two farms, Zava Cooperative Garden and Mzilela Cooperative Garden, in the rural areas of Giyani over a two year period from 2012-2013. This study seeks to achieve the objective in three distinct ways. Firstly, the use of NIR technology is used to evaluate the prediction ability of soil chemical parameters for fertilizer requirement calculations. Secondly, WP trials were conducted on smallholder tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) production for three consecutive seasons, evaluating their current tomato crop production systems and also testing new innovations for WP increases. Thirdly, applying the MonQI methodology, inputs and outputs of all crop production sites were done to monitor the cropping systems throughout the period of the research. The results from this study indicate the importance of applying new innovations amongst smallholder production systems. Important findings from the NIR technologies indicated that this innovation can improve soil nutrient management in a more affordable, user friendly manner. The results showed that good prediction models were obtained for pH (KCl), electrical conductivity (EC), P, K, Mg, Na and CEC, with R2 and RPD values larger than 0.60 and 1.4 respectively. The prediction of exchangeable Ca was less successful with a R2 value of 0.43. Results from the WP trials suggest that drip irrigation performed better than furrow irrigation in terms of yield and WP. Yield and WP were very low for all treatments, being below 32 t/ha and 5.2 kg/m-3 respectively. Improved management practices, such as soil nutrient management and mulching were introduced in the 2nd and 3rd seasons of tomato trials in order to increase WP at field level at Mzilela farm. Results showed tomato yield increased from an average of 26.5 t/ha to 120.9 t/ha and WP increases from 4.61kg/m-3 to 17.69 kg/m-3. Deep drainage of water out of the rootzone decreased with better irrigation management. The results from the monitoring of inputs and output of their cropping systems revealed that smallholder farmers, using traditional farming practices, yielded very low and mostly below 5 t/ha for all crops. Some crops were totally lost due to hail and heat-waves. NPK balances for conventional cropping by the smallholder farmers at Mzilela was in the range of 0 to -70 kg/ha. The tomato production fertilized treatment of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd WP trials, showed positive nutrient balance results for P and K in the range of 80 to 140 kg/ha. N balances were mostly negative for all plots. NFI was R2768 and R4740 for season 1 and 3 respectively, while the 2nd season results showed a loss of - R5176. With the improved yield from the WP trial sites, and the fruits being sold to the Spar, the NFI increased to R42486 in the final season. The study concludes that great improvements in yield, WP and NFI are attainable and sustainable amongst smallholder farmers in the Giyani area. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die beskikbaarheid van water hulpbronne vir besproeiings doeleindes onder kleinskaalse boere in die voormalige tuislande is besig om ernstige bekommernisse te wek. Nie net as gevolg van globale weer veranderinge en meer gereelde ekstreme weer toestande nie, maar ook as gevolg van die kompetisie tussen die landbou, industriële en huishoudelike sektore vir water gebruike (Hamdy et al., 2003). Verhoogde voedsel produksie onder die kleinskaalse landbou sektor word gesien as moontlike oplossing vir die voedsel sekuriteit uitdagings in die platteland areas van die Limpopo Provinsie in Suid-Afrika (Altman et al., 2009). Kleinskaalse boere in Giyani gebruik meestal tradisionele voor-besproeiings stelsels en hul produktiwiteit bly steeds baie laag wanneer dit met kommersiële boerderye vergelyk word. Die hoofdoel van hierdie studie is om Water Produktiwiteit (WP) te bestudeer en verskeie innovasie tegnologieë te toets om beter besproeiing bestuur van kosbare water bronne te fasiliteer. Die studie was uitgevoer op twee plase, naamlik Zava Koöperatiewe Tuin en Mzilela Koöperatiewe Tuin, wat in die plattelandse areas van Giyani geleë is en die studie is gedoen oor ‘n periode van twee jaar vanaf 2012 tot 2013. Om hierdie doelwit te bereik was die navorsing in drie eenhede uitgevoer. Eerstens sal Naby-Infra Rooi (NIR) tegnologie gebruik word om die voorspelling vermoë van grond chemiese eienskappe te toets vir meer effektiewe grond voedingstof bestuur deur kleinboere. Tweedens sal WP proewe uitgevoer word op kleinskaalse tamatie (Solanum lycopersicum) produksie. Die huidige tamatie gewasproduksie stelsels was getoets om die WP statusse te evalueer van hul tradisionele bestuurs praktyke van beide drip- en voorbesproeiings stelsels. Laastens, is insette en uitsette van die kleinboere se produksie stelsels met die MonQI metodologie bestudeer om die huidige produksie sisteme te evalueer, sowel as die WP proef persele, deur opbrengs, grond voedingstof balanse en netto plaas inkomste (NPI) te moniteer en te bereken vir 4 half jaar seisoene gedurende die navorsings periode. Die resultate van die navorsing voer aan dat die gebruik van innovasie tegnologieë onder kleinskaalse boerderystelsels ontsettend belangrik is vir verbeterde produksie. Hoofbevindings van die NIR tegnologie dui dat meer doeltreffende grond voedingstof bestuur moontlik is en wat goedkoper en meer gebruikersvriendelik is vir kleinboere. Hierdie tegniek het goeie voorspelbaarheid-modelle getoon vir pH (KCl), Elektriese Geleiding (EG), P, K, Mg, Na en katioon uitruilings kapasiteit (KUK) met R2 en RPD waardes hoër as 0.60 en 1.4 onderskeidelik. Die voorspelbaarheid van Ca was minder suksesvol met ‘n R2 waarde van 0.43. Die resultate van die WP toetse wys dat drip besproeiing beter as voorbesproeiing presteer het in terme van opbrengs en WP. Opbrengs en WP was baie laag vir alle behandelings van seisoen 1, met waardes laer as 32 t/ha en 5.2 kg/m-3 onderskeidelik. Verbeterde bestuurspraktyke, soos grond voedingstof bestuur asook die gebruik van ‘n deklaag, was in die 2de en 3rde seisoen toegepas om opbrengs en WP te verhoog op plaasskaal op Mziela plaas. Resultate het gewys dat opbrengs verhoog het van ‘n gemiddelde van 26.5 t/ha tot 120.9 t/ha en WP verhoging van 4.61 kg/m-3 tot 17.69 kg/m-3. In terme van die insette en uitsette van die produksie sisteme het opbrengste van alle gewasse, wat nog van tradisionele metodes gebruik, laer as 5 t/ha getoon. Soms van die totale oeste verloor deur hael of hittegolwe. Die NPK balanse vir die gewasverbouing met konvensionele kleinboer metodes was in die orde van 0 tot -70 kg/ha. Die kunsmis behandelings van die tamatie proewe van die 1ste, 2de en 3rde WP seisoene het positiewe balanse getoon vir P en K in die orde van 80 tot 140 kg/ha. Die N balanse was meestal negatief vir alle verbouings persele. Die NPI was R2768 en R4740 vir seisoen 1 en 3 onderskeidelik, terwyl die 2de seisoen verlies van -R5176 getoon het. Die verbeteringe in opbrengs met die WP proewe en met die verkoop van die tamaties aan die Spar was die NPI vir die 4de seisoen R42486. Die studie sluit dat daar groot moontlikehede is vir verhoging in opbrengs, WP en NPI onder kleinboere in die Giyani area.

Thesis (DTech. degree in Business Informatics) / South Africa's post-apartheid Black farmers commonly referred to nowadays as "emerging farmers" need knowledge support to be successful in agricultural productions. Web-based learning enables knowledge users and knowledge providers to actively engage interactively, and provides a dynamic platform of knowledge support with unparallel flexibility and convenience. However, this technology is yet to be adequately harnessed to the benefit of South Africa Black emerging farmers, who urgently requires knowledge support that could enable their transformation into market oriented farming. In this study we present a model to solve this problem.

Thesis (DTech. degree in Business Informatics)--Tshwane University of Technology, 2009. / South Africa’s post-apartheid Black farmers commonly referred to nowadays as “emerging farmers” need knowledge support to be successful in agricultural productions. Web-based learning enables knowledge users and knowledge providers to actively engage interactively, and provides a dynamic platform of knowledge support with unparallel flexibility and convenience. However, this technology is yet to be adequately harnessed to the benefit of South Africa Black emerging farmers, whourgently requires knowledge support that could enable their transformation into market oriented farming. In this study we present a model to solve this problem. Qualitative grounded theory approach was utilized as the research methodology. Theresearch revealed that weakly on-demand knowledge support, lack of requisite formal agricultural education, management skill and knowledge for market oriented farming will remain a major setback to the transformation of Black emerging farmers. The researcher proposed an agricultural knowledge support portal-model. In order to cover the entire spectrum of agricultural knowledge support process of the emerging farmers, this study has modelled a number of fundamental components such as synchronous and asynchronous knowledge support systems, Interactive services for personalised knowledge support; Virtual laboratory for researchers and expert viii networking; knowledge bureau for problems presentation and linkage with expert through expert directory; knowledge repository for resource re-use and knowledge sharing; and e-learning for formal agricultural education of farmers and their family. The benefit of this research and knowledge support model will enables large groups of dispersed knowledge providers to directly support individuals, thereby creating a link between agricultural knowledge systems, educational institution and other research organization to pool resources and provide a coherent platform for action. In addition, it will provide a platform of interaction, collaboration and enhance access to knowledge based on requirement on the web. Emerging farmers will no longer seek solutions, rather personalized solutions comes to the farmers. Knowledge support portal holds a promise to enhance agricultural knowledge acquisition and utilization, for the transformation of Black emerging farmers into market oriented or commercial farming.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Traditional top-down decision-making models have become unpopular since public institutions have been demanding more democracy at local level. New approaches and techniques have focused on how the majority of people can be involved in a bottom-up approach to development and decision making. Techniques, such as Participatory Rural Appraisals (PRAs), have identified people's concerns regarding the use of natural resources centred on land issues. Land is essentially a subject of public concern. Land as a spatial phenomenon controlled politically and used by all for survival and other purposes needs to be assessed in an integrated and time-spatial way for better planning and decision making. Geographical Information Systems (GISs) have often been used by statutory "experts" in evaluating, analysing and mapping of land and land-related features. GISs have a lot of potential in being applied as decision-making tools. If this is the case, how can public perceptions and politics be presented and mapped in a GIS to improve and democratise decision making even further? The study has investigated new methods of representing people's perspectives at grassroots level in a non-traditional way. A sub-region of the Lowveld, situated in the Mpumalanga province, has been selected because of the various kinds of land owners in the region. The Kruger National Park lies to the east of the study area, from where some black communities claim to have been removed. To the west of that is one of the districts of the former homeland KaNgwane, namely Nsikazi, and west of that two areas of intensive large-scale commercial fruit and vegetable production in the Nelspruit-White River and Kiepersol-Hazyview areas. Towards the escarpment north-west of these lie large commercial exotic forest plantations, owned mainly by Safcol and MandL Given the high demand and need for land from the overpopulated Nsikazi district, the process of land reform is a matter of great concern. White male commercial farmers in both regions where commercial farming is active were interviewed about their knowledge and perceptions of land reform. Various themes were presented to the farmers to comment on, namely the history of forced removals, land use, land potential, hydrology and where land reform should take place. Interviews were taped in Afrikaans, transcribed and translated to English. "Mental maps" were drawn on tracing paper overlaid on topographical maps of the Land Surveyor General, Mowbray. These were digitised and managed in Arclnfo, and displayed and analysed in ArcView, from where output maps were produced. The results of this technique proved to be very useful and can certainly broaden the use of GISs in decision making and public participation. However, GISs alone cannot be seen as the solution to better development and better decision-making. Public participation is of the utmost value in facilitating and initiating these processes. Land use planning needs to be the responsibility and concern of all land users and owners at a local level, where GISs can be applied as a tool to provide easier and more effective analysis and results for the implementation of initiatives. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Tradisionele bo-na-onder besluitnemingsmodelle het in die laaste paar dekades baie ongewild geraak met die totstandkoming van instellings wat die publiek se mening hoog ag en demokrasie op grondvlak probeer bevorder. Nuwe benaderings en tegnieke poog nou om die publiek se mening in 'n onder-na-bo benadering tot ontwikkeling en besluitneming te integreer. Grondhervorming is basies die erns van die publiek, meer so as die staat. Grond is 'n ruimtelike verskynsel wat polities beheer word maar deur die meerderheid gebruik word vir oorlewing asook ander doeleindes. Dit behoort op 'n tyd-ruimtelike basis op 'n geïntegreerde wyse vir beter beplanning en besluitneming ondersoek te word. Geografiese Inligtingstelsels (GISs) word hoofsaaklik deur statutêre "kenners" gebruik in die evaluering, analise en kartering van grond en verbandhoudende verskynsels. Dit beskik verder oor die potensiaal om in besluitnemingsprosesse gebruik te word. Die vraag ontstaan egter hoe die publiek se menings en politieke strukture met 'n GIS verteenwoordig en gekarteer kan word ter verbetering van besluitneming op 'n meer demokratiese wyse. Die studie het nuwe metodes ondersoek waarvolgens mense op grondvlak se persepsies op nie-tradisionele maniere verteenwoordig en ondersoek kan word. 'n Sub-streek van die Laeveld wat geleë is in die Mpumalanga provinsie, is geselekteer vanweë die verskeidenheid grondeienaars wat daar voorkom. Die Kruger Nasionale Park is geleë in die oostelike deel van die studiegebied vanwaar sekere swart gemeenskappe gedurende die Apartheidsregime verskuif is. Direk wes hiervan lê die voormalige tuisland KaNgwane se Nsikazi distrik en wes daarvan twee areas, naamlik Nelspruit-Witrivier en Kiepersol-Hazyview, waar die kommersiële boerdery van vrugte en groente op groot skaal beoefen word. In die noordwestelike gedeeltes van die studiegebied kom grootskaalse uitheemse bosbouplantasies voor wat aan Safcol en Mondi behoort. Met die stygende aanvraag na grond vir residensiële- en landbougebruik in die streek, veral vanuit die Nsikazi distrik, is grondhervorming en die toepassing daarvan, 'n probleem, indien nie 'n bedreiging, vir die meeste grondeienaars. Onderhoude is met blanke manlike kommersiële boere, in albei die kommersiële streke gevoer om hul menings en kennis van grondhervorming te ondersoek. Verskeie temas is as besprekingspunte gestel, naamlik die geskiedenis van gedwonge verskuiwings, grondgebruik, grondpotensiaal, water hulpbronne en waar hul meen grondhervorming sou moes plaasvind. Onderhoude was in Afrikaans opgeneem, getranskribeer en in Engels vertaal. "Kognitiewe kaarte" was op deursigtige papier geteken wat oor 'n reeks topografiese kaarte van die gebied gelê is. Die resultate is versyfer en in Arelnfo gemanipuleer en daarna in ArcView ontleed en vir verslaglewering gekarteer. Die resultate van die tegniek beloof om vir beide besluitnemers en die publiek as deelnemers in die proses baie bruikbaar te wees. Dit verbreed ook die gebruik en toepassing van GISs en die sisteem se vermoëns. GISs kan egter nie alleenlik aangewend word om ontwikkeling en besluitneming vir die publiek beter of meer aanvaarbaar te maak nie. Alle mense se deelname is van die uiterste belang en waarde in die inisiëring, fasilitering en implementering van strategieë en projekte. Grondgebruiksbeplanning moet die verantwoordelikheid van almal word wat grond op plaaslike vlak gebruik of besit, nie net van die wat deur 'n probleem of program, soos grondhervorming, geraak word nie. 'n GIS kan aangewend word om die prosesse van ontwikkeling en besluitneming te vergemaklik deur analises vinniger en op 'n meer effektiewe manier te ondersoek vir beter en meer demokratiese besluitneming.

Please read the abstract in the 00front part of this document / Thesis (DCom (Agricultural Economics))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

The objective of the study is to analyze the impact of the ECRDA in projects managed by Eastern Cape emerging farmers. In this study, emerging farmers are farmers that are participating in the market and have intentions to produce and sell at a large scale. The study also investigates the challenges facing the emerging farmers supported by ECRDA as well as the support given to these farmers by ECRDA. The study is based on randomly selected farmers around Eastern Cape Province that are supported by ECRDA with finance to buy production inputs. Six interviews have been conducted around Eastern Cape, one in each of the six district municipalities. The information was transcribed and verbatim text was produced. From the verbatim text about 8 themes and sub- themes were identified and were analysed using qualitative content analysis method. The themes that were identified are: The first theme was the lack of infrastructure make a conducive farming environment. The second was the insufficient service from ECRDA officers, as well as those from the department of agriculture. The third theme that emerged was the availability of farming land from which the clients plough, and also use as a grazing land for their livestock. The fourth one focuses on the access to capital, and the challenges that are encountered when applying for loan at ECRDA. The fifth theme is the concern about the safety of the maize they plant, not only from the unattended livestock, but as well as thieves, when the maize is ready. The sixth theme is the availability of market, where the farmers are able to sell their produce when it is ready. The seventh theme was skills development, and whether farmers are trained in order to be effective and efficient farmers. The last theme focuses on loan repayment, how the farmers repay the loan from the ECRDA. These themes constitute the main challenges that hinder the sustainability of emerging farmers’ projects.

The changing agricultural environment (dualistic agricultural landscape, land reform programme, market liberalisation and globalisation) has caused emerging ostrich farmers to become increasingly isolated. Governmental agriculture reforms and public sector interventions have been insufficient to address all the challenges faced by rural ostrich farmers in the Eastern Cape. Participation in the ostrich supply chain for emerging farmers in the Eastern Cape is currently unsustainable as a result of avian influenza, control and registration protocols for ostriches (VPN04), structural barriers in marketing, technical constraints and a lack of market participation. People in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape are challenged by inferior infrastructure, poor site conditions, low earnings, poor access to health services and unreliable water sources. The marginal conditions and prevalent complexities in which agriculture is practised require costly resource intervention. Intensive ostrich production necessitates continuous genetic improvement, methodical record keeping, intensive egg incubation methods and highmaintenance chick rearing and ostrich handling while minimising feed costs throughout this process. Rural farmers have not embraced ostrich farming in the same way as they have done with other livestock farming because it does not offer the anthropological functions that traditional livestock farming provides. The ostrich supply chain requires a wide range of activities to bring products to the final consumer. The worth of ostrich production lies mainly in the higher returns which are achieved only through the export markets. Today the ostrich industry has become vulnerable to market cannibalism, a lack of market development, unregulated numbers of ostriches and recurring international meat bans. The deregulation of the ostrich single-channel marketing system had a substantial effect on the value chain on which farmers depended for market access and market protection. As the majority of ostrich products are being exported to the European Union, the role of intermediary agencies is becoming an important factor influencing entry into the high-end markets. This agent structure that represents the South African ostrich industry is vital for the distribution, market penetration and regulation of the ostrich products. The ostrich leather, which is today the main product line, is primarily used for luxury goods and is susceptible to economic downturn and over-supply. The ostrich meat industry has been severely influenced by outbreaks of avian influenza and processors now pre-heat the meat in order to maintain export. However, this preheating meat facility is only for export produce and available to farmers who conform to VPN04 and have officially registered farms. The relevant South African government departments played a crucial role in identifying avian influenza outbreaks and liaising with the European Union about avian influenza isolation strategies. No previous studies have been conducted on the participation of emerging farmers in the Eastern Cape ostrich-industry supply chain and on the interventions required to address the multiple constraints and forces in this sector. This led to a study with research emphasis on the required capacity for supply-chain participation and the supporting mechanisms that would be required for emerging ostrich farmers to integrate successfully into this supply chain. An exploratory research approach was chosen for the investigation, as no earlier research has been undertaken that could serve as a source of reliable data or reference. A triangulation research methodology using both the quantitative and the qualitative approach was applied. The qualitative research entailed an interpretive approach associated with using grounded theory and content analysis for interpreting data. The comparative case study design was the main qualitative research instrument for the multiple-case studies on emerging ostrich farmers in the Eastern Cape. The study was undertaken at five different sites, namely, the Peddie Ostrich Programme, the Rockhurst Ostrich Programme, the Hlumani Co-operative farm, the Zamukwanda Ostrich farm near Pearston and the Mimosadale Ostrich farm. The quantitative methods were applied to capture all the measurable components and representations of the stakeholders and participants, through interviews, questionnaires and focus group interviews. The quantitative study also included an experimental instrument to measure the capacity of emerging farmer programmes for supply chain participation. It was found that the main driver for three of the case studies pertained to land ownership and that ostrich farming was incidental and only seen as means of activity for income. These three humanitarian farming projects had limited capacity for intensive management requirements for ostrich farming. It was found that the VPN04 bio-security protocols and disease control require a higher level of record keeping for EU markets and is prohibitively expensive for poor rural emerging farmers. The study established that the emerging ostrich farming programmes contributed value to the industry and government rural development in land redistribution programmes, vehicles for reduction of poverty and job creation in the rural areas and by acting as out-grower programmes for commercial farmers. The researcher’s observation is that through strategic interventions the programmes have potential to become commercial players in the industry. The following interventions were recommended from this study: Feasibility study of programmes and review of location selection before initiation. Providing supportive interventions for programme start-ups; Improved selection of programme beneficiaries; Improved structure of emerging farmers’ co-operatives; On-going and appropriate training for emerging ostrich farmers; The role of government and mentors needs to be defined; Reducing feed costs; Establishing programmes linkages to informal markets and facilitating increased self-consumption; Developing new export markets; Alternative finance for the no-income months; Alternative marketing channels to export markets; Representation of emerging farmers in the ostrich-industry leadership structures.