The purpose of this study was to develop a framework to assess irrigation design and operating strategies. This objective was achieved successfully and the framework was applied to formulate guidelines to increase farm profitability whilst using scarce resources, such as water and electricity, effectively. The study was targeted at sugarcane irrigated with semi-permanent irrigation systems. “ZIMsched 2.0”, a water balance and crop yield prediction model and the “Irriecon V2” economic assessment model were available at the start of the study. The missing link, however, was a relatively cost effective and efficient method to design and cost irrigation hardware alternatives. Irrigation hardware impacts on both the agronomic and economic performance of systems, for example, through different peak design capacities and associated operating limitations. Thus, a novel, spreadsheet-based irrigation design tool, with an automated costing component, was developed to complete the framework. The framework was used to investigate the costs and benefits of potential design and operating solutions to a selection of irrigation issues, including: over-irrigation on shallow soils, the opportunity to shift electricity use out of expensive peak periods and, the opportunity to demonstrate the benefits of deficit irrigation strategies. For shallow soils, the increase in system hardware costs, needed to better match water application to soils, increased margins due to more effective water use. Innovative deficit designs and operating strategies allowed for reductions in water and electricity costs. The reduced costs, however, did not always offset yield penalties and revenue loss resulting from water stress. The financial benefits of deficit irrigation strategies were shown when water savings were used to convert dry land cane into irrigated cane. This highlighted the differences between the direct and opportunity costs of water. Finally, a field work component, relating to the precise monitoring of irrigation strategies and corresponding crop responses was included in this study. Systems which enabled soil water potential and stalk extension to be monitored remotely via the internet were considered useful for the successful implementation of an optimum irrigation strategy. The easily accessible data allows for effective decision making and more importantly, reassures famers of the current state of their crop. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

Network theory has been widely and successfully used to model, analyse and visualise complex systems. This study aimed to develop approaches to analyse complex integrated sugarcane supply and processing systems. A literature review includes network theory, complex systems, the Theory of constraints, indicator analysis and root cause analysis. The cause-and-effect networks of four sugarcane milling areas in South Africa; viz. Eston, Felixton, Komati and Umfolozi were developed, where the factors that negatively affected the performance of the milling areas were represented by vertices, the relationships among the factors by arcs and the strength of these relationships by weights. Three network theory based analytical tools namely; (a) primary influence vertex analysis, (b) indicator vertex analysis and (c) root cause vertex analysis were developed to analyse the networks. The results from the analyses indicate variations in the numbers and strengths of primary influence factors, problem indicator factors and root causes of problems between the four milling areas. Rainfall, drought and high soil content in sugarcane were identified as the strongest primary influences in the respective milling areas. High crush rate variability, low cutter productivity, running behind allocation and increases in operating costs were identified as the strongest indicators of poor performance in the respective milling areas. Rainfall was found to be the most dominating root cause of poor performance in all the milling areas. Since the South African integrated sugarcane production and processing system is complex, it is likely that the unique approaches developed in this study can be used successfully to also analyse other relatively complex systems. It is recommended that these approaches be tested within other systems. The main contribution of this study is in the form of a relatively easy-to-use network theory based comprehensive systems analyses tool. This analytical approach has, to the author's knowledge, not been used in any agri-industrial application previously. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN) is mainly composed of small-scale farmers with low production capacity and knowledge (ISRADS, 2004). The general problem is the performance of smallholder irrigation schemes, issues that cause low productivity; whereas the cost of purchasing machinery is too high. In the rural areas the majority of the people are unemployed due to different reasons such as lack of employment opportunities available to them, lack of skill, and low level of education and mostly they are inexperienced. This study identifies theperformance of irrigation projects amongst smallholder sugarcane farmers in KwaZulu Natal in order to uplift the livelihood of smallholder sugarcane production as well as its sustainability.This was done on the basis of demographics, historical background and agricultural potential. This dissertation will discusses all approaches used to conduct the study. The dissertation also describes the analytical framework used in this study, namely: The research design, sampling, sample size, data, data collection procedures, model description and the specific analyses carried out to address the study objectives. The results of net values of irrigated and non-irrigated lands, the irrigating households indicated13% of sugar cane production per hector more than non-irrigators. It is clearly indicated that water/ irrigation can contribute on maximizing sugarcane yield and promotes sustainability. Improving the technology from small scale growers’ point of view, extension officers from different areas that produce sugarcane should be scheduled to attend Refresher Courses at SASRI to train them on different aspect of irrigation management and sugarcane production. When there is newly established technology, such as invention of a new variety of sugarcane that is resistant to drought and diseases. It would be more essential for agricultural development to encourage government investment on more irrigation schemes facilities.

This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the trends and determinants of South Africa’s sugar production and exports within the TFTA between 1996 and 2014. The specific objectives of the study were (1) to identify trends in South Africa’s sugar production and exports within the TFTA between 1996 and 2014; (2) to determine the drift rate in South Africa’s sugar exports within the TFTA between 1996 and 2014; (3) to investigate the correlation between South Africa’s sugar production and exports between 1996 and 2014; and (4) to determine the factors that affect production and exports in South Africa’s sugar industry in order to identify the industry’s major challenges and opportunities for sustained performance. The secondary data, obtained from the Economic Analysis and Agricultural Statistics Directorate of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), were used to meet the first three objectives of the study. The primary data, obtained by means of a survey questionnaire and interviews with key stakeholders, were used to meet the fourth objective of the study. A 7-point Likert scale was applied to indicate the degree to which each of the determining factors are perceived to affect the performance and resulting competitiveness of the sugar industry. The Johansen test and Porter’s Diamond Model were the analytical techniques used in the study. The results of the analysis of the secondary data revealed continued fluctuations in sugar production in South Africa between 1996 and 2014. On the basis of this, the researcher rejected the hypothesis that there is no trend in South Africa’s sugar production. It was therefore concluded that seasonal variations accounted for these fluctuations in the sugar industry. As determined using the Johansen test, drift rate variations came to 51%, indicating that there is potential for growth in South Africa’s sugar exports. This was confirmed by the results of the bivariate correlation between production and exports which clearly indicated a positive relationship between the two and prompted the researcher to accept the hypothesis that there is a positive relationship between the production and export of sugar. In determining the factors that influence South Africa’s sugar production and exports, a number of obstacles to competitiveness success were identified. With regard to sugar production, applying Porter’s Diamond model revealed that the major constraints experienced by respondents in the study area were the availability of skilled labour; cost of doing business; level of infrastructure development; cost of infrastructure; water availability; climatic conditions; soil quality; rainfall patterns; availability of financial services; access to credit; crime; and HIV/AIDS. In terms of exports, tariffs were found to be the major constraint along with certain of the abovementioned factors. While the majority of respondents view macroeconomic policy and trade policy as export constraints, South Africa’s labour, B-BBEE and competition policies are seen as neither constraining nor supportive. Product design; packaging; labelling and pricing; as well as the manager’s willingness to export; level of education and training; length of time in the business; experience; and language had a positive effect on competitive success. / Agriculture, Animal Health and Human Ecology / M. Sc. (Agriculture)

The purpose of this paper was to examine the competitiveness of the South African sugar industry relative to the top ten exporters of the product, namely Brazil, Thailand, Netherlands, Mexico, China, Germany, Canada, France, Belgium and the United States of America. Different techniques were used in the study to ensure that the main objective of the study was achieved. Three popular indices, namely the Balassa Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA#) Index, the Net Export Index (NXi) and the Relative Revealed Comparative Trade Advantage (RTA) Index were used to compare the competitiveness of the top ten sugar exporting countries including South Africa. The Trade Potential Index was also applied in the study to investigate markets that South Africa could use to increase its exports. Time series data collected on the trade map and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations were used for the analysis of the markets by using an Excel spreadsheet. The results of the study showed that South Africa has a trade competitive advantage against the majority of the countries considered. South Africa's competitive performance was surpassed by that of Brazil, which was the strongest trader of sugar, followed by Thailand and China. The remaining seven countries (Mexico, Belgium, Netherlands, Canada, Germany, USA and China) were all exceeded by the South African sugar industry. The top potential markets that South Africa could exploit to increase its exports were identified with the use of the Trade Potential Index (TPI). The countries that were identified were selected by calculating the scores, comparing tariffs imposed by these markets to the exporters of sugar and looking at the concentration of the markets that supply these potential markets. The United States of America, Lesotho, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi and Egypt were identified as the top five countries that South Africa could exploit for its sugar exports. South Africa has trade agreements with the majority of these countries which assist the country in obtaining preferential agreements when exporting its products to these countries. Recommendations were made that could help the sugar industry to grow its competitiveness. / Inhloso yaleliphepha bekukuhlola kuncintisana kwemboni yashukela yaseNingizimu Afrika nayicatsaniswa nebatfumeli ngaphandle labasembili labalishumi balomkhicito, lekuyiBrazil, iThailand, iNetherlands, iMexico, iChina, iGermany, iCanada, iFrance, iBelgium ne-United States of America. Kusetjentiswa emasu lahlukene kulesifundvo kucinisekisa kutsi inhloso lenkhulu yesifundvo iyaphunyelelwa. Kusetjentiswe ema-indice, lekuyi-Balassa Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA#) Index, i-Net Export Index (NXi) kanye ne-Relative Revealed Comparative Trade Advantage (RTA) Index kucatsanisa kuncintisana kwalamave lasembili lalishumi lakhicita shukela kufaka ekhatsi eNingizimu Afrika. I-Trade Potential Index nayo isetjentisiwe kulesifundvo kuphenya timakethe letingasetjentiswa yiNingizimu Afrika kute ikhulise kutfumela ngaphandle kwayo lomkhicito washukela. Idatha yeluchungechunge lwesikhatsi legcogcwe kulibalave lekuhwebelana kanye naseNhlanganweni Yekudla Neyetekulima yaMhlab'uhlangene isetjentisiswe kuloluhlatiyo lwetimakethe ngekusebentisa si-spreadsheet se-Excel. Imiphumela yesifundvo ikhombise kwekutsi iNingizimu Afrika inekusitakala ngekuncintisana ekuhwebeni nayicatsaniswa nelinyenti lalamave lamanyenti lahlatiyiwe. Kusebenta kwekuncintisana kweNingizimu Afrika kundlulwe kusebenta kweBrazil, lebeyingumhwebi lomkhulu washukela, ilandzelwe yiThailand kanye neChina. Lamave lasikhombisa lasele (iMexico, iBelgium, iNetherlands, iCanada, iGermany, i-USA neFrance) onkhe andlulwe yimboni yashukela yaseNingizimu Afrika. Timakethe letingaba khona letiphambili leti iNingizimu Afrika ingatisebentisa kukhulisa kutfumela ngaphandle kwayo tibonwe ngekusebentisa iTrade Potential Index (TPI). Emave laboniwe akhetfwe ngekubala imiphumela, kucatsanisa ematharifu lafakwe nguletimakethe kubatfumeli bangaphandle bashukela nekubuka kulokucocana kwetimakethe lephakela letimakethe letingaba khona. I-United States of America, iLesotho, iDemocratic Republic of Congo, iMalawi ne-Egypt abonwe njengemave lasembili lasihlanu langasetjentiswa yiNingizimu Afrika kutfola ngaphandle shukela wayo. INingizimu Afrika inetivumelwano tekuhwebelana nelinyenti lalamave lokusita lelive ekutfoleni tivumelwano tekubekwa ngembili nangabe kutfunyelwa ngaphandle imikhicito yayo kulamave. Tiphakamiso letingasita imboni yashukela kukhulisa kuncintisana kwayo tentiwe. / Inhloso yalo mbhalo wocwaningo kwabe kuwukucubungula nokuhlaziya amandla okuncintisana ngempumelelo kwemboni kashukela yaseNingizimu Afrika uma iqhathaniswa namazwe ayishumi ahamba phambili emhlabeni ekuthumeleni imikhiqizo kashukela emazweni angaphandle, okuyi-Brazil, Thailand, Netherlands, Mexico, China, Germany, Canada, France, Belgium kanye neMelika (USA). Kulolu cwaningo kwasetshenziswa izindlela ezihlukahlukene ngenhloso yokuqinisekisa ukufezekiswa kwenjongo enkulu yocwaningo. Kwasetshenziswa izinkomba-simo ezintathu ezidumile futhi okuyizona ezisetshenziswa kakhulu, okuyi-Balassa Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA#) Index, Net Export Index (NXi) kanye ne-Relative Revealed Comparative Trade Advantage (RTA) Index ukuqhathanisa amandla okuncintisana ngempumelelo kwamazwe ayishumi ahamba phambili emhlabeni ekuthumeleni ushukela emazweni angaphandle, kubandakanya neNingizimu Afrika. I-Trade Potential Index yasetshenziswa futhi nayo kulolu cwaningo ukuphenya nokucubungula izimakethe ezingasetshenziswa yiNingizimu Afrika ukukhulisa inani lemikhiqizo yayo ethunyelwa emazweni angaphandle. Idatha eqoqwe ochungechungeni lwamaqophelo alandelana ngokwesikhathi ebalazweni lokuhwebelana kanye naseNhlanganweni Yokudla NezolimoyeNhlangano Yezizwe yasetshenziselwa ukuhlaziya izimakethe ku-Excel spreadsheet. Imiphumela yocwaningo yabonisa ukuthi iNingizimu Afrika isesimweni esikahle futhi inamandla angcono okuncintisana ngempumelelo kwezohwebo uma iqhathaniswa neningi lamazwe acutshungulwayo. Amandla eNingizimu Afrika okuncintisana ngempumelelo adlulwa yilawo e-Brazil, okuyizwe elinamandla kakhulu futhi elihamba phambili kwezokuhwebelana ngoshukela, kulandele i-Thailand kanye ne-France. Imboni kashukela yaseNingizimu Afrika inamandla angaphezulu kwawo wonke lawa amanye amazwe asele ayisikhombisa (okuyi-Mexico, Belgium, Netherlands, Canada, Germany, USA kanye ne-China). Amazwe ahamba phambili angasetshenziswa yiNingizimu Afrika ekukhuphuleni umthamo wemikhiqizo yayo ethunyelwa emazweni angaphandle ahlonzwa ngokusebenzisa i-Trade Potential Index (TPI). Lawo mazwe ahlonziwe akhethwe ngokubala inani lamaphuzu, ukuqhathanisa intela yempahla ekhokhiswa yilawo mazwe emazweni angaphandle athumela ushukela kanye nokubheka ubuningi bamazwe athumela imikhiqizo yawo kulawo mazwe angasetshenziswa yiNingizimu Afrika ukukhulisa umthamo wemikhiqizo yawo ethunyelwa emazweni angaphandle. I-USA, Lesotho, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi kanye ne-Egypt ahlonzwa njengamazwe aphuma phambili iNingizimu Afrika engathumela kuwona ushukela. INingizimu Afrika inezivumelwano zokuhwebelana neningi lalawa mazwe, okuyizivumelwano eziyilekelelayo ekutholeni izivumelwano ezizokwenza ibhekelelwe kangcono futhi icatshangelwe uma ithumela imikhiqizo yayo kulawa mazwe angaphandle. Kwenziwa izincomo ezingayilekelela imboni kashukela ukuthi ikwazi ukukhulisa amandla ayo okuncintisana ngempumelelo. / Agriculture and  Animal Health / M. Sc. (Agriculture)

The South African (SA) Sugar Industry is committed to transformation in land ownership and supports the SA government's target to transfer 30% of freehold sugarcane land to previously disadvantaged individuals (PDls) by 2014 via the land market under the willing buyer/willing seller principle. The medium-scale farmer scheme for emerging commercial sugarcane farmers, which was introduced in 1996 to help redistribute commercial sugarcane farmland to PDIs is an important component of the SA Sugar Industry's land reform strategy. The average financial performance of emerging commercial farmers (now called New Freehold Growers or NFGs) in the SA Sugar Industry was below that of large-scale commercial farmers during 1997-2007 (real average annual net return per hectare of R390 versus R3 075 in 2007 Rand). Given that this trend raises concerns about the long-term viability of NFGs, the first aim of this study is to identify factors that distinguish between successful, less successful and unsuccessful NFGs using a stratified random sample of 96 NFGs in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) surveyed during July-November 2008. These NFGs were classified according to whether their mortgage loans were current (successful), in arrears (less successful) or in the process of legal action (unsuccessful). Student t-tests indicate that successful NFGs, on average, had statistically significantly more experience in farming sugarcane, larger farm sizes (proxied by average annual gross farm income), greater solvency and liquidity, and larger areas annually replanted to sugarcane than the less successful and unsuccessful NFGs. The successful NFGs also placed relatively more emphasis on computerized record keeping systems that can save time in conducting production and financial analyses to improve farm profitability. They also on average tended to make more use of their own financial record keeping system in addition to the services of bookkeepers, and used more risk management strategies than unsuccessful NFGs, in particular having off-farm investments and keeping cash and credit reserves. A multinomial logit model of factors affecting the sample NFGs' mortgage loan repayment status estimated that extension contact, production and financial risk management capacity, farm financial and production management ability, own record keeping and cash management, and having more sugarcane farm experience to operate larger farm sizes were key determinants of successful loan repayment. The results suggest that policy makers can promote the viability of NFGs by (1) encouraging them to manage solvency and liquidity levels and implement replanting schedules in line with industry norms (e.g. debt:asset ratio of 0.5 or lower, and the replanting of 10% of the area under cane (AUC) per annum); and (2) facilitate the transfer of adequate size farms (expected annual gross farm income can meet annual loan repayments) in commercial transactions or transactions funded via government grants to farmers who have the relevant farming experience. New Freehold Growers are also encouraged to build business relationships with industry support staff, implement good record keeping practices, and develop strategies to manage risk (e.g. off-farm investment and holding cash and credit reserves). The second aim of this study was to document the NFGs' perceptions of the scheme and industry role players in order to identify what aspects could be improved for both current and future farmers. The results suggest that most sample respondents (84%) can identify with, or have experienced the relatively low current returns (cash flow problems) usually associated with the early years after land purchase, while about 60% of the sample NFGs would have preferred to first lease their land before buying. Future NFGs, or the beneficiaries of other land reform initiatives, must be informed that an investment in land has low current returns relative to capital growth and that the annual profit from farming is low relative to the land value. The possibility of leasing could also be considered for future land transfers to NFGs or other land reform beneficiaries to help manage the liquidity constraints associated with land purchase. Ninety-nine percent of the sample NFGs felt that it was important for new farmers to have a mentor. Post-settlement support thus needs attention from industry role players, and a sustainable mentorship programme could, in part, meet this need. / Thesis (M.Sc.Agric.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009.