M. Comm. (Financial Management) / The threats of climate change have become too serious to ignore. It has thus become necessary for humans to consider the environmental impact of their decisions, including the decision regarding which agricultural practices to use. Organic agriculture is believed to be a mitigating factor when it comes to climate change. It has the additional benefit of contributing to human health due to the fact that the consumption of organically grown food reduces exposure to potentially harmful pesticides. In this study the perceptions of organic farmers regarding the benefits and disadvantages of organic agriculture, from a financial and nonfinancial perspective, were gauged. A convenience sample of 26 farmers was obtained. The utility of a convenience sample was necessary due to the unavailability of a complete database of organic farms in South Africa. The results of the study indicated that the non-financial benefits of organic agriculture were considered to be the most important consideration for the decision to farm organically irrespective the high input cost associated with it. Indeed, high input costs were identified as the greatest disadvantage of organic agriculture. The results of the study contribute to the existing body of knowledge of the trade-off between the financial and non-financial benefits of organic agriculture in South Africa.

Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT:ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Organic agriculture is a growing sector world wide due to the ecological and SOCIOeconomic crisis in conventional agriculture. The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (!FOAM) estimated a growth rate of between 20 and 30 percent annually across the world. This trend is also detectable in South Africa although it is still a relatively new movement. During the last two years the number of farmers who had converted to organic farming has increased sixfold and although they still account only for a minute small percentage of the total agricultural production, the increasing importance of this sector can now be observed. This was the reason for this study, which dealt specifically with the conversion process to organic farming. Based on survey results, knowledge was gathered about organic farmers in South Africa concerning sociodemographic aspects, farming operations, motivations and problems of the conversion process. In the second part of the study, the focus was placed on three farming systems in the Western Cape, including pome fruit, vegetables and table grapes. Six farms were evaluated on the basis of technical, social and economic aspects of the conversion period. Several differences were observed between organic and conventional farmers, including a higher level of education and a younger age of organic farmers. Mainly horticultural holdings were converted, with a potential for exporting. Problems farmers had to face during the conversion period included the lack of knowledge and information, higher weed infestation and high certification and inspection costs. On most of the farms it was still too early to assess the financial impacts of the conversion, but where it was possible, the feedback was mainly positive. The changes that took place during the conversion period included technical changes such as the approach to pest and disease control, fertilization and seed inputs. Essential investments at the beginning of the conversion period were a financial burden. Variable costs rose mainly as a result of an increase in labour and machinery input. The conversion period had no obvious impact on the fixed costs and thus the net farm income. With respect to these findings it was recommended to support the conversion to organic farming not only financially with different instruments such as subsidies for certification costs but also to develop an improved infrastructure for marketing, networking and information exchange. Several areas for research were identified to increase the knowledge of organic farming in the South African context. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Organiese boerdery is wêreldwyd 'n groeiende bedryf as gevolg van die ekologiese en sosioekonomiese krisis waarin konvensionele landbou verkeer. Die International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (lFOAM) het die groeikoers op tussen 20 en 30 persent per jaar wêreldwyd beraam. Hierdie neiging is ook in Suid-Afrika waar te neem, alhoewel dit hier nog' n relatief nuwe beweging is. Gedurende die afgelope twee jaar het die getal boere wat na organiese boerderyomgeskakel het, sesvoudig toegeneem. Alhoewel hulle nog 'n baie klein persentasie bydra tot die totale landbouproduksie, is die toenemende belangrikheid van die bedryf waarneembaar. Dit was die beweegrede vir hierdie studie, wat spesifiek klem gelê het op die omskakelingsproses na organiese boerdey. Beskrywende inligting oor organiese boere in Suid-Afrika, soos sosio-demografiese eienskappe, boerdery-aktiwiteite, motiverings en probleme met die omskakelingsproses, is met behulp van 'n opname verkry. In die tweede gedeelte van die ondersoek is daar op drie boerderystelsels in die Wes-Kaap gefokus, naamlik vrugte, groente en tafeldruiwe. Ses boerderye is aan die hand van tegniese, sosiale en ekonomiese aspekte van die omskakelingsperiode geëvalueer. Verskeie verskille is waargeneem tussen organiese en konvensionele boere, insluitend 'n hoër vlak van opvoeding en 'n jonger ouderdom van organiese boere. Hoofsaaklik boerderye in die hortologie, met uitvoer moontlikhede is omgeskakel. Van die probleme wat boere gedurende die omskakelingsperiode ondervind het, het 'n gebrek aan kennis en inligting, hoër voorkoms van onkruid, asook hoë sertifiserings- en inspeksiekoste ingesluit. By die meeste van die boerderye was dit nog te vroeg om die finansiële impak van omskakeling te kon beoordeel, maar waar dit tog moontlik was, is hoofsaaklik 'n positiewe terugvoer gevind. Die veranderinge wat gedurende die omskakelingsperiode plaasgevind het, het tegniese veranderinge soos die benadering tot pes- en siektebeheer, bemesting en saad ingesluit. Noodsaaklike investerings aan die begin van die omskakelingsperiode het 'n finansiële las tot gevolg gehad. Koste het hoofsaaklik weens 'n toename in arbeid- en masjinerie insette gestyg. Op grond van die bevindinge van die ondersoek is aanbeveel dat ondersteuning vir die omskakeling na organiese boerdery nie net finansieel deur middel van verskillende instrumente soos subsidies vir sertifiseringskoste gegee word nie, maar om ook 'n verbeterde infrastruktuur vir bemarking, netwerke en inligtingsuitruiling te ontwikkel. Verskeie gebiede vir verdere navorsing IS geïdentifiseer om kennis oor orgamese boerdery in die Suid- Afrikaanse konteks uit te brei.

Thesis (MTech (Design)--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2011. Bibliogr.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 179-185). / This study investigates the production, consumption and regulation within the South African Organic Cotton Project (SAOCP). It argues that the implementation of design strategies has the potential to promote the consumption of organic cotton clothing products in South Africa. This is necessary because of growing global concerns about environmental and social issues, such as global warming, environmental degradation and pressurised working condition. These point to a need for fundamental change of our industries to sustain future generations. In the fashion and textiles industry, cotton production specifically is among the most environmentally damaging. Organic cotton production serves as a sustainable alternative to conventional production, and has increasingly been included by brands and organisations in the United States and several European countries. However, in South Africa, organic cotton production and consumption remains in a formative stage. Though sustainable consumer intentions are there, they do not manifest in the consumers‟ buying behaviour. This study wants an attempt to promote the consumption of organic cotton apparel products by South African consumers through suggesting a more interconnected, transparent value chain providing a collaborative learning and teaching experience. The literature extensively reviews the cotton fibre industry and notion of fashion and design in connection to the sustainability debate. Further, it presents innovative design projects encouraging sustainable consumer lifestyles, indicating the necessity of a holistic and re-connective strategy to promote such behaviour. A qualitative multi-method research approach is employed – including a consumer survey, an in-context immersion, focus groups and interviews with key informants. These (mainly) participatory research methods aim to include participants in the design process as co-designers. Activity Theory is utilised as an analytical lens in this study to examine the dynamics of a number of actors in the SAOCP who share the objective of promoting organic cotton consumption in South Africa. Consequently, the Design for Sustainability model guides the adaptable design strategies that are relevant and sustainable within South Africa, and possibly also internationally in similar industrial contexts. This research study concludes that promotion of organic cotton consumption can be achieved through stakeholder re-connection in the organic cotton value chain, and the development of a humanised and transparent system. Ultimately, the strategies attempt to contribute to an increased well-being among actors through a deeper level of understanding of one‟s role in the SAOCP system.

Thesis (MPhil) --Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The incidence of organic agriculture, seen as the sustainable agriculture of the future, was investigated in the Western Cape Province (WCP). Informationabout organic farms in the WCP was obtained through the Internet, over a period of three months. These farms occupy about 33% (771 122 hal of the area within the WCP which is presently being used for the cultivation of crops and horticulture. The information obtained with regard to the type of agriculture and the location thereof was processed and presented graphically. Further, the utilisation of land in the WCP was researched, as well as the problems experienced with the degradation thereof. The possibility of making municipal commonage available to communities and small farmers for sustainable agriculture was also investigated. Taking cognisance of the above variables (organic farms, soil quality and municipal commonage), "Go Organics at Spier" (GOAS) was investigated as a case study. Recommendation was then made on how organic agriculture in the WCP could be promoted. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die voorkoms van organiese landbou, gesien as die volhoubare landbou van die toekoms, is ondersoek in die Wes~Kaap Provinsie (WKP). Inligting oor die organiese plase in die WKP is verkry deur middel van die Internet, oor 'n periode van drie maande. Hierdie plase beslaan ongeveer 33% (771 122 ha) van die oppervlakte binne die WKP wat tans vir die verbouing van gewasse benut word. Die inligting wat verkry is ten opsigte van die tipe landbou en die ligging daarvan is verwerk en grafies voorgestel. Verder is daar ondersoek ingestel na die benutting van grond in die WKP en die probleme wat ondervind word met die degradasie daarvan. Daar is ook ondersoek ingestel na die moontlikheid om munisipale gemeenskapsgronde beskikbaar te stel aan gemeenskappe en klein boere vir volhoubare landbou. Met inageneming van bogenoemde veranderlikes (organiese plase, grond kwaliteit en munisipale gemeenskapsgrand), is "Go Organics at Spier" (GOAS) as 'n gevallestudie ondersoek. Voorstelle word dan gemaak oor die bevordering van organiese landbou in die WKP. / Thesis

Thesis (M.Sc. (Crop Science)) --University of Limpopo, 2012 / Organic tomatoes are increasingly popular with larger market acceptance since organic farming uses limited or no artificial chemicals. Application of organic fertilisers such as cattle manure has potential to boost organic tomato productivity particularly under low input farming systems. However, information is required on the optimum level of manure application on different tomato cultivars to help emerging tomato farmers in South Africa. The objective of this study was to determine the relative response of yield and yield components among selected determinate and indeterminate tomato cultivars using different levels of cattle manure. Two separate field experiments were conducted at the University of Limpopo during 2007 and 2008 using a split plot design with three replications. Two sets of tomato cultivars were included in which one set consisted indeterminate types (Money Maker, Ox Heart and Sweetie) and the other determinates (Roma and Floradade). Cultivars were assigned as the main plot treatments with six rates of manure (0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 in gram per plant) applied as the subplot treatments to each set. Results indicated significant interactions (P ≤ 0.01) between indeterminate tomato cultivars and levels of manure applied for fruit yield and fruit size in both experiments. Plant height showed variation from 78 to168 cm in Experiment I and 87 to 176 cm in Experiment II. During Experiment I fruit number varied from 23 to 91 per plant and 23 to 97 in Experiment II. Significant differences were detected among determinate cultivars on fruit yield varying from 7928 to 3 4705 kg per hectare during Experiment I and 3 169 to 2 9840 kg per hectare during Experiment II. Overall, the best level of manure for maximum fruit yield and greater fruit size was achieved at 40 g per plant in the indeterminate cultivar Sweetie. Conversely, the best level of manure for maximum fruit yield was achieved at 30 g per plant in determinate cultivar Roma. Thus, to achieve maximum yield, tomato growers could apply 600 and 800 kg per hectare manure on the determinate and indeterminate tomato cultivars, respectively. / the National Research Foundation (NRF)

South Africa (SA) is food secure on a national level, however citizens in rural and marginalised areas face household food insecurity due to lack of access to this food. South Africa has low fertility soils and scarce water resources. Climate change reports of unpredictable weather conditions will further exacerbate these challenges. The majority of the agricultural production methods in SA are industrialised and rely heavily on external inputs. Alternative agricultural production methods which are environmentally less taxing, are affordable and yield nutritious food, need to be investigated and adopted. A long-term trial investigating the differences in yields between conventional and organic farming systems was established at the NMMU George Saasveld campus. A baseline study preceded the cropping seasons to establish pre-treatment soil conditions before the two farming systems were be implemented. The trial was a randomized complete block design split into organic, conventional and control plots. In the first cropping season (summer) three crops cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata), sweet potato (Ipomea batatas) and cowpea (vigna ungucuilata) were planted under the different treatments. Soil fertility changes after application of chemical and organic fertilizer were measured. Soil pH and phosphorus increased whilst potassium and soil carbon decreased from baseline levels. The organic plots were found to have higher soil pH, potassium and carbon, whilst P was higher in the conventional plots. The organic cabbages had a yield 12% lower than conventional cabbages, organic cowpeas were 51% lower than conventional cowpeas. Baboons damaged sweet potato plots before maturity. Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica), radish (Raphanus sativa) and green pea (Pisum sativum) were planted in the second cropping season (winter). Organic broccoli yields were 51% lower than conventional broccoli, organic green peas were 18 % lower than conventional green peas. The organic radish yields were 36% lower than conventional yields and this was statically significant. The yield differences were statically significant between control and conventional cabbages (25%) and broccolis (68%). The results indicate that there is on average an initial 25% yield difference between organic and conventional farming systems. Similar studies have shown that the yield gap can be reduced within three to four years. This study presents preliminary results of trials that are to continue for ten years, during which time the yield differences may vary.

D.Tech. Business Administration. Business School. / Focuses on the awareness and knowledge of consumers on organically produced and genetically modified food, and how their self-rated level of knowledge impacts on their attitudes, perceptions and purchasing behaviour in the field. Furthermore, it highlights changes in consumer knowledge, perceptions, attitudes and purchasing behaviour over time, indicating to the rate of acceptance of these foods. In addition, it also supplies guidelines for future marketing communication on such food.

There is growing evidence that the way that the world produces and consumes food needs to change. There is growing public awareness of serious environmental threats (e.g. global warming, loss of biodiversity and pollution) as well as social concerns (e.g. poverty, inequality and food security). It is necessary for global agriculture to rethink its approach to food production and to find new ways of producing food that can meet the demands of the growing world population and at the same time reduce the environmental degradation caused by farming. So called green revolution technologies, resulting in high intensity, high input agriculture are damaging the very resources on which agriculture depends; soil and water. Research reveals current conventional practices to be unsustainable. There is a growing recognition, arising from the creation of new knowledge and the development of deeper understanding, that this change is necessary and urgent. Organic (or ecological) farming has emerged as a more beneficial way of producing food from a social and environmental perspective. Demand for, and production of, organic food grew steadily in the second half of the twentieth century and has increased dramatically in the twenty first century. This can largely be ascribed to social learning processes. This growth is not yet reflected in South African agriculture. Given the advantages of organic agriculture, it is necessary to consider how to accelerate its expansion. Understanding the social learning processes of organic farmers and using learning histories are useful tools to create a better understanding of how this can be achieved. The objective of this dissertation is to make use of four social learning frameworks to enhance the understanding of the social learning dynamic of organic farmers by: • Using existing baseline data from a survey of the organic farming sector to draw out the learning histories. • Developing an understanding of four social learning frameworks. • Combining the learning histories and the understanding of social learning frameworks to form a deeper understanding of the social learning dynamics in the South African organic agricultural sector. A literature review of the organic sector and of four learning frameworks (profound change, conversion of knowledge, deeper learning, and the pedagogy of adult social learning) is used to develop an understanding of the essence of organic agriculture and how people learn. Information from a survey of organic farmers in South Africa, is used to impregnate the learning frameworks in order to develop an understanding of how organic farmers in South Africa are learning Open-ended questions from the survey are analysed and interpreted based on the understanding of learning frameworks. Selected statements that reflect social learning are highlighted, incorporated into the learning frameworks and discussed to better understand how organic farmers are learning. The analysis indicates that a high proportion of organic farmers are social learners. The four frameworks demonstrate that many organic farmers see their role as more than just providers of food. They also see themselves as custodians of the land with a deep concern for the environment. Fewer organic farmers demonstrate an understanding of social issues. Those that did showed a clear understanding of the need to integrate social considerations into food production. Networking and sharing of learning are important methods of knowledge creation among organic farmers as a result of the limited research and support for organic farmers in South Africa. Recommendations to accelerate and understand the learning by organic farmers and consumers are provided. Future research is suggested in order to investigate how to assist organic and conventional farmers to better understand learning, identify how learning can be enhanced or retarded, and actively engage in learning that facilitates knowledge creation. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.

The South African Organic farming industry has indicated a stable increase in the production of organic products from insignificant informal sectors to a fast-growing formal sector. Although there is no documented evidence of the origins of the sector, it can be considered that the formalisation of the organic industry started in 1994 with the formation of Organic Agriculture Association of South Africa (OAASA). The expanding organic food sector is a current organisational change in food demand in South Africa. Therefore, it is becoming vital for food marketers to know consumer needs and demands for food in South Africa, particularly organic food, as consumer preferences sturdily affects the direction of the marketers’ approach, in terms of what is in demand and consumed. Accordingly, this research investigated the factors that influence consumer attitude towards organic food and how consumer attitude influences consumers’ buying intentions. A non-experimental quantitative approach was employed to respond to the purpose and goals determined for the study. A survey was circulated to South African purchasers residing in the Gauteng Province, who were over the age of 18 years and liable for their own domestic food acquisitions. A total of 310 questionnaires were completed, but only 301 responses without errors were utilised for statistical analysis. Data collection was conducted by means of an in-store intercept approach and snowball sampling was applied to supplement the purposive sampling approach to achieve a statistically significant respondent sample. In order to examine and understand the socioeconomic characteristics of the sample and further determine the type of respondents who took part in the research, descriptive statistical analysis was used for this current research. Furthermore, to meet the goals of the research, inferential statistical analysis was used to attain the description view of every recognised variable’s performance of the participants. The findings of this research firstly showed that product quality, subjective norms, health and environmental concerns had a positive influence on consumer attitude towards organic food. The analysis further indicated that health concerns had the strongest influence on the respondents’ attitude for organic food, followed by product quality, then subjective norms. Surprisingly, environmental concerns showed no statistically significant influence on the consumers’ attitudes towards the purchase of organic foods. Secondly, the results showed that the respondents had a favourable and positive attitude for organic food. The participants believed that organic food was higher quality, healthier, safer, fresher and tastier than conventionally grown food. Thirdly, the results showed that even though the respondents considered price as a significant influence when purchasing food, and also considered organic foods to be expensive than conventional food products, they still intended to purchase more organic food. The results further showed that, though some respondents had access to organic food in the retail-stores where they regularly shop, other respondents still expressed difficulty in finding organic food products. However, this does not change their intent to purchase more organic food. Lastly, the results indicated that, although respondents had a great intent to buy organic food, this did not translate into actual purchase behaviour, because actual shopping behaviour of organic food was low, which reiterates the intention-behaviour gap. This means that, although the respondents had a strong intention to purchase organic foods, there are still hurdles which hindered them from making the actual buying of organic foods. The intention-behaviour gap among consumers is mostly triggered by the inaccessibility of organic food products, consumers’ lack of confidence in the trustworthiness of organic food certifications, and the high price of organic food. It is therefore advised that organic food sellers must aim to expand purchasers’ awareness of organic food, in terms of what makes organic food distinctive from non-organic food and the justifications for high prices of these products, so they will be more prepared to buy organic food. Organic food traders and marketers must improve the accessibility of these foods by supplying them where it is convenient for purchasers to buy such products. It is also suggested that the South African government must put in place official certification and inspection programmes for organic food products to improve consumer confidence in certified organic food products. This current research can contribute by adding value to the literature on environmental sustainability in the perspective of a growing economy, specifically South Africa. The research further extends its contribution in assisting organic food producers, operations, sellers, government and regulatory institutions to further understand the factors that influence consumer attitude for organic food and consumers’ buying intentions. This will enable the effective development of organic agricultural programmes (e.g. certification) and improve marketing campaigns that will motivate South Africans to select organic food products. / Life and Consumer Sciences / M. Cons. Sci.

Despite phenomenal success of the commercial agricultural sector in South Africa and significant progress in integrating smallholders since democratic reforms, food security concerns remain. Recent global increases in food prices have further exacerbated vulnerabilities and made it imperative to examine alternative food production questions in the country. Organic agriculture is identified as one of the sustainable approaches to farming and offers insights towards a paradigm shift in food and nutritional security. Notwithstanding, consumer awareness, knowledge and consumption of organic foods are significantly lower in developing than developed countries. Risks associated with adoption of organic practices need to be explored to address the supply and demand constraints. Similarly, while consumer awareness of organic foods is the first step in developing demand for organic products, it does not necessarily translate to consumption. Therefore it is important to investigate these issues. The objectives of this study were to: (i) describe the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of organic farmers and consumers; (ii) establish the determinants of farmers‘ decision to participate in organic farming distinguishing between the fully-certified organic, partially-certified organic and non-organic farmers; (iii) elicit farmers risk preferences and empirically analyse farmers sources of risk and risk management strategies; (iv) explore consumer awareness, perceptions and attitudes regarding organic products; and (v) identify the factors that influence consumer‘s preference and consumption of organic products. A total of 400 respondents were surveyed, consisting of 200 smallholder farmers in KwaZulu-Natal and 200 consumers in the Eastern Cape. The KwaZulu-Natal study was conducted earlier and identified the following as major sources of risk, lack of consumer awareness of organic products and lack of information among producers about consumer preferences for organic products. This informed the need to undertake a consumer awareness and preference study, in order to inform producers. The Eastern Cape is a bordering province to KwaZulu-Natal with similar socio economic conditions and a major consumer of produce from KwaZulu-Natal. It was also expected that in the intervening period there could have been awareness about the product. An vii indication of its appeal would not be in the consumption of the product by the people who grow it, but by consumers who reside in bordering regions. Producer and household questionnaires were used to record household activities, socio-economic and institutional data as well as household demographics through personal interviews. The Arrow Pratt Absolute Risk Aversion (APARA) coefficient was used to measure the farmer‘s degree of risk aversion and the experimental gambling approach to establish the risk classification. Consumers were also asked about their awareness and knowledge about organics, attitudes and perceptions towards organics, preference and consumption patterns. The ordered probit results indicate that older farmers, who are less risk averse and reside in the sub-ward Ogagwini, Ezigani, and Hwayi were more likely to be certified organic farmers. Similarly, the propensity to adopt organic farming is positively correlated to household size, livestock ownership, asset base and tenure security. The risk analysis indicates that at higher pay-offs most farmers are intermediate to moderately risk-averse, with little variation according to personal characteristics, and that non-organic farmers tend to be more risk averse than fully-certified and partially-certified farmers. In general, price, production and financial risks were perceived as the most important sources of risk. Using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), seven principal components (PCs) explaining 66.13% of the variation were extracted. Socio economic factors having a significant effect on the various sources of risk are age, gender, education, location, information access and risk taking ability. The most important traditional risk management strategies used by the surveyed farmers are crop diversification, precautionary savings and participating in social networks. There was general awareness of what constituted organic foods with many consumers associating organic foods with health and nutrition, chemical free and produced using indigenous methods of production. However, there was low awareness of organic products among consumers with little or no knowledge of organic certification and standards. According to the logit model the major factors influencing consumer awareness of organic products are: gender, education, employment status, and location of the respondents, person/household member responsible for shopping and the price perception of the decision maker. The discriminant analysis showed that the consumption of organic products is significantly affected by age of the consumer, viii location, person/household member responsible for shopping, consumer awareness of organics, price perception and label trust. The findings from this study provides useful practical insights for policy makers, farm advisers and researchers in the design of effective and efficient policies, programmes and projects which can affect the adoption of organic practices, increase smallholder farmers capacity to manage risk and drive growth in the organic food market.