South Africaâs land reform programme is faced with many challenges associated with its sustainability. It is widely believed that one of the major causes of the collapse/failure of farming SMMEs is lack of capacity in many aspects of running farming as a business. Critical success factors for these SMMEs are capacity, market accessibility, business management skills, effective extension services, adequate support programmes as well as adequate financial injection. Therefore, any entrepreneur in this business must have skills in both marketing and management, coupled with adequate support systems. To address the above-mentioned problems, a comprehensive study of farming small, micro, medium enterprises (SMMEs), pre- and post-settlement support, the involvement of youth and women, accessibility of markets, linkages, small, micro, medium enterprises (SMMEsâ) institutional structures and other support services, was carried out. An intensive desktop study which included amongst others reports from government, consulting agencies, development and training institutions was used. Workshops with experts, farming stakeholders, agricultural economics departments from universities, government officials and farming small, micro, medium enterprises (SMMEs) were conducted. Participatory action research methodologies were employed during workshop sessions. Empirical evidences were drawn from eighteen case studies and surveys conducted by both Land Bank and National Department of Agriculture. Various tools of analysis were used to analyse different data sets used in this study. For instance, case studies used narrative coupled with strength, success, weakness, failure, opportunities and threats (SSWFOT) and ridge regression (RR). The data set from the Land Bank survey was analysed using GENMOD, MEAN, frequency (FREQ) and multiple logistic regression models. The data set from National Department of agriculture was analysed using frequency (FREQ) and multiple regression analysis. Case studies revealed that micro and small scale farming enterprise severely lack important key success indicators such as sustainable markets, input supply; increased income, sustainable production, skills development and professional business operation. On the contrary, it was found that medium sized enterprises have adequate levels of important key success factors that are lacking in micro and small scale farming enterprise, but also shows a need to improve on sustainable markets and input supply. These cases also revealed that financial capacity depends on marketing capacity. Consequently unit increases in marketing capacity have a corresponding increase in financial returns. The Land Bank survey revealed that perceptions of emerging farmers portray a lack of capacity and exposure. It also showed that skills, financial support, and infrastructure are important requisites for sustainable farming small, micro, medium enterprises (SMMEs). Extension support and sustainable production were found to be crucial for farming success in the emerging farming sector. It was also found that lack of understanding of the importance of formal markets; benefit of training and extension support may be the main contributors to the unsustainable nature of the emerging farming sector in South Africa. Therefore, this sector requires access to formal markets, extension support services and training in order to be profitable. The National Department of Agriculture data set revealed that there are many more micro enterprises compared to their small and medium counterparts. In addition, women are most beneficiaries for agrarian development; their involvement surpasses that of men, youths and disabled people. The results also indicate the training received to be insufficient, with much of the training being inappropriate for farming. There is a need to devise strategies to convert micro enterprises into small and medium enterprises with since a high conversion rate to small and medium levels can help to reduce poverty, unemployment and above all increase womenâs empowerment and thereby improving the socio-economic impact of these farming enterprises. The results have good implications for the present and future owners of small, micro, medium farming enterprises. The study has formulated comprehensive and sustainable strategies as a guideline for agribusiness entrepreneurs, with the overall objective of eradicating poverty in rural areas and commonages through increased agricultural production.

Low productivity in agriculture has been observed to be a problem against increased food security. Enhancement of agricultural productivity is a key to improved food security and it can be achieved by improving technical efficiency of maize farm households. There is little empirical work on technical efficiency of small-scale farmers in Lesotho, hence the need for this study. Maize is a staple food in the country however, its production is not keeping pace with the increasing population, thus, it is not considered suitable for food security. The study therefore investigated the potential to raise maize productivity in Leribe and Mafeteng districts of Lesotho. The primary objective of this study was to identify factors affecting the productivity of small-scale maize farmers in Lesotho, using stochastic frontier production analysis (SFA). Due to high levels of multicolinearity principal component regression was used to relate technical efficiency scores to hypothesised factors that affect technical efficiency. Primary data were used in order to provide estimates of technical efficiency and its determinants. The primary data were obtained by way of personal interviews through the use of well-structured questionnaires administered in Leribe and Mafeteng districts of Lesotho. A simple random sampling technique was used to select a sample of 150 maize farmers drawn from the two districts. The empirical results revealed that nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) have a significant positive impact on maize production, suggesting that these variables are important intermediate inputs in enhancing agricultural productivity in the study area. Phosphorus was negative and significant implying that it led to a decrease in production. The importance of labour and seed quantity on maize output was not statistically explained, even though their estimated coefficient quantities were positive as expected. It was found from the estimated gamma (g ) of 0.196 that technical inefficiency is a significant component of the composed error term of the stochastic specification. The gamma value indicates that about 19.6% of total variation in maize output was due to technical inefficiency. The gamma value results in this study indicate that the low maize productivity levels in Lesotho are largely due to random shocks, rather than being technical inefficient. The results of the analysis further showed that the estimated level of efficiency ranged from 11% to 100% with a mean of 87%. The mean technical efficiency of 87% implies that maize farmers were not fully technically efficient, there was 13% allowance for improving efficiency using technology from best-practiced maize farmers. However, about 91.5% had the technical efficiency exceeding 60%. There was a significant difference in the levels of technical efficiency across maize farmers in the two regions. Leribe region attaining high levels of TE should be utilised as a source of knowledge that could be transferred more easily to Mafeteng region which is less efficient. Some of the variables of interest in this study contributing to efficiency increase were age, seed quality, tractor power, farm-experience, market access, credit access and off-farm income. Gender and extension visits were not statistically significant in increasing the level of technical efficiency. The estimated coefficients of household size, primary education, animal power and farm training were positive, thus increasing technical inefficiency of farmers in the study area. The policy implication arising from this study is that stress tolerant maize varieties should be planted to address the climate change effect on maize production in the study area. Improvement of maize market infrastructure throughout the country could also be an incentive for farmers to increase maize outputs.

The problem indicated in the preceding quotation bas accompanied the process of economic development throughout the Western world. The specialization of labour and the large-scale use of capital have not only led to a manifold increase in labour productivity, but they have also raised the problem of maintaining price stability and avoiding severe depressions and inflations. In contrast, the economics of underdeveloped countries are characterized by stability. We may say, therefore, that economic equilibrium and stability are not synonymous with prosperity. On the contrary, economic expansion is a pre-requisite for a high and increasing level of living.

Given the environmental concerns on the one hand, especially soil erosion and deforestation, and the hope that the global cocoa market offers on the other hand, cocoa production is a potential candidate to simultaneously guarantee a competitive return to investment for farmers in northern Haiti and mitigate the negative environmental impact of farming practices. It becomes crucial for policy makers and investors to know and understand the key elements of the decision to produce cocoa. Though there has been substantial effort to improve the cocoa sector in Haiti, cocoa production systems in Haiti lag behind in the area of sustainability. To address the lack of information on key criteria farmers rely upon to produce cocoa sustainably, this study identifies factors influencing the sustainable cocoa production adoption decision. The act of adopting sustainable cocoa production in this study is defined by the rehabilitation of old cocoa farms and the establishment of new cocoa plantings that fit into agroforestry management systems. This study also is a first attempt at describing the current state of sustainable cocoa production in Haiti. A qualitative method was used to conduct this research. The approach used was focus groups. Fourteen focus groups and seven individual interviews provided data used to answer the research question. Additionally, a SWOT analysis was conducted on the cocoa sector. Results of the investigation indicate that farm gate price, farm size, property ownership, land configuration and rural infrastructures, networking, and animal feeding practices were key determinants of sustainable cocoa production in northern Haiti. In addition to these factors influencing sustainable cocoa production in northern Haiti, the SWOT analysis identified key elements that constrained or might help with expansion and growth of the cocoa sector. Weaknesses include lack of maintenance and rehabilitation of farms. One of the best opportunities lies in physical proximity to the U.S. market and special trade agreements with favorable buyers from the European Union who are looking for the fine cocoa flavor of the Criollo variety. Black pods, drought and climate change, low producer price and corruption within farmer cooperatives pose the greatest threats.

ABSTRACT This research uses a Simetar simulation technique to evaluate the effect of the adoption of the Price Loss Coverage program included in the 2014 Agricultural Act on Louisianas rice equitable rental arrangement choices. Two scenarios are examined: one in which prices of the last three years are detrended and a second one in which they are not detrended. Each scenario includes six rental arrangements (Cash rent, Fixed Price, Fixed Yield, 60/40, 70/30, 80/20) and each rental arrangement has four adjustments (base, price trigger, yield trigger, and price and yield trigger). Three different risk measure analysis were conducted: Mean-Variance, Value at Risk (VaR), and Stochastic Efficiency with respect to a Function (SERF) to measure and analyze the risk associated with each option. In addition to that, the study reviews some provisions of the newly adopted Farm Bill (PLC and ARC-Parish). The Mean-Variance results show that for the tenant the 80/20 share with yield-price trigger (6D), the 70/30 share yield-price trigger (5D), and the 60/40 share with yield-price trigger (4D), dominate all the other Louisiana rice rental arrangements. For the landlord, the Fixed Dollar Base (1A), Fixed Price Base (2A), Fixed Yield Base (3A), dominate all the other Louisiana rice rental arrangements. The VaR results show that for the tenant the 80/20 share with yield-price trigger (6D) dominates all the other Louisiana rice rental arrangements, and for the landlord the Fixed Dollar Base (1A), Fixed Dollar with yield trigger (1B), Fixed Price Base (2A), and Fixed Price with yield trigger (2B) dominate all the other Louisiana rice rental arrangements. Finally, the SERF results show that the tenant best choices are the 80/20 share with any trigger option (6A, 6B, 6C, 6D), and the landlord best choices are the Fixed Yield or Fixed Price with any trigger option (2A, 2B, 2C, 2D,3A, 3B, 3C, 3D)

This dissertation research consists of three essays. The first two studies analyze experimental research data based on three pasture systems for grass-fed beef (GFB) production in the Gulf Coast Region. System 1 included bermudagrass and ryegrass; System 2 included bermudagrass, ryegrass, rye, dallisgrass, and clover mixtures (red, white, and berseem clovers); and System 3 included bermudagrass, soybean, sorghum sudan hybrid, ryegrass, rye, dallisgrass, and clover mixtures (red, white, and berseem clovers). Fifty-four Fall-born steers were weaned in May and grouped into nine groups and randomly blocked into treatments and replicates. Inputs and output data were recorded on a daily basis. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in terms of CO2 equivalent emissions from each system were estimated based on the experimental data and literature for the first three years (2009/10 to 2011/12). For the first essay, the three pasture systems were analyzed to maximize the profitability and sustainability of grass-fed beef production. The simplest grazing system yielded higher profit than the most complex, but the most complex system produced the lowest greenhouse gas impact. A trade-off was found between profitability and GHG impact among the systems. In the second essay, the same three pasture systems were analyzed for labor use and profitability based on five years of experimental data (2009/10 to 2011/12). System 1 was more profitable as well as more labor consuming. Systems 1 and 2 were more profitable than System 3 with or without including the labor expenses. Application of simulation and dominance techniques showed that decision makers would choose between Systems 1 and 2 based on their risk preferences. The third essay analyzes the technical efficiency of grass-fed beef farms in the U.S. The study is based on a cost and return survey conducted in 2013. The average technical efficiency of grass-fed beef production was found to be 76%. Technical efficiency is positively affected by farm specialization, and percentage share of grass-fed beef meat in GFB income and negatively impacted by off-farm income and owning cow-calf segment. Increasing return to scale was found in GFB production and larger-scale farms were found to have lower average costs than smaller-scale farms.

Planted acreage of cotton in Louisiana has decreased over the past several years due to higher cotton variable production costs, stagnant cotton market prices, and higher grain yields and market prices for corn and soybeans. The general objective was to determine the economic impact of the adoption and use of an onboard module building cotton harvest system on the ability of the cotton enterprise to compete for planted acreage in the mixed crop farming areas of Louisiana. Specific research objectives included the estimated of comparative ownership and operating costs for the module building harvest systems relative to existing basket/module builder harvest systems, and to evaluate the impact of the use of the new cotton harvest system on expected levels of crop rotation net returns. SERF analysis was utilized to evaluate the impact of risk preferences on the crop rotation decision. The total cotton system harvest cost for a 6-row module picker was estimated to be $51 per harvested acre, compared to $77 per acre for a 6-row basket harvest system and $149 per acre for a 4-row basket harvest system. Two levels of mean crop yields were evaluated: average yield history in the region (cotton 1,150 lbs./acre, corn 154 bu./acre, soybeans 44 bu./acre), and recently observed higher yields for cotton and corn (cotton 1,380 lbs./acre, corn 176 bu./acre). Results indicated that cotton/corn rotations generally had higher expected net returns above variable costs over cotton/soybean and corn/soybean rotations under the price, yield and cost assumptions of the study. Risk efficiency evaluation of crop rotation alternatives indicated that the cotton/corn rotations were generally more dominate than the cotton/soybean rotations, due primarily to the higher level of expected net returns from corn production compared to expected net returns from soybean production. The risk analysis along with the net return simulation analysis conducted confirmed the continuing importance of the levels of expected crop market prices and yields in determining optimal crop rotation choices.

This study seeks to determine the impact of EU trade policy on the sustainability of smallholder sugarcane farming in Swaziland. Using the policy analysis matrix, the study analysed impacts of policy change on the profitability of smallholder sugar cane farmers of the Komati region in Swaziland. It also measured the level of government intervention in the area. Agriculture plays a major role in the lives of the majority of Swazis since most households rely on this sector as a major source of income, either as smallholder producers or as recipients of income from employment on medium and large-scale farms, and estates. Most rural Swazis participate in the sugar industry where they grow sugarcane, either as smallholder or medium-scale commercial farmers. The sugar industry is the largest in the agriculture sector in terms of income generation. Recent developments indicate that sustainability of the sugar industry in Swaziland is under threat due to developments in the world sugar market. Specifically, the European Union (EU) is reforming its sugar trade regime to conform to its obligation in the World Trade Organization. Such reforms will result in removal of all preferential trade agreements with all its trading partners including Swaziland, and this paints a bleak future for Swaziland smallholder sugarcane farmers who benefit from the high prices received from this market. Impacts of the EU sugar sector reforms on the sustainability of smallholder sugarcane farmers of Swaziland were investigated using the policy analysis matrix (PAM). Three PAMs were constructed; one analyzing the base case scenario; the second and third providing sensitivity analysis taking into account price changes. The results of the PAM base case scenario indicate that farmers were generally competitive (positive private profitability) and had potential for growing the industry. However, farmers were discovered to be inefficient (negative social profitability), indicating that there existed wastages in terms of resource use. The positive net policy transfers suggested heavy presence of government support, as a result; farmers made positive private profits. The other incentive indicators; subsidy ratio to producers (SRP), effective protection coefficient (EPC), nominal protection coefficient on inputs (NPCI) and nominal protection coefficient on output (NPCO) are positive, also confirm that farmers received some incentives from government to produce sugar cane during the year under review. The second and the third PAM, analyzing future impact of the EU reforms both show devastating consequences of the reforms. Both predict negative private and social profits. This is an indication that smallholder sugarcane farming in the Komati region will be unsustainable after the EU reforms. In fact, the second and third PAMs indicate that smallholder farmers of KDDP will not be able to survive without government support. Therefore, considering the contribution that smallholder sugarcane farming makes in the economy of Swaziland, and direct intervention in poverty reduction, it is important that Government consider various ways that can be employed to keep smallholder sugarcane farming viable in this area. Considering the fact that preferential trade with the European Union is coming to an end soon, it is imperative that Government explore alternative markets where Swaziland sugar can be sold at favorable prices. Smallholder farmers must also be assisted to improve efficiency so as to reduce production costs and improve revenue.

U.S. consumption of beef has declined during the last three decades. Consumer preferences have shifted toward products that are considered healthy, environmentally friendly and obtained through sustainable production methods. Because of the characteristics of grass-fed beef production, consumers are becoming more interested in grass-fed beef products than conventional beef products. A choice-based experiment was used to assess consumers preferences for grass-fed beef. A national online survey was conducted in May 2012 and the information from 4000 respondents was collected from the entire U.S. The respondents were divided in two groups of similar size: grass-fed beef eaters, comprised by the respondents who had eaten grass-fed beef in the last year and 2000 respondents from the general population. The participants were asked to evaluate three sets of three hypothetical beef steaks. Each set also included the no purchase option. In addition to the choice experiment, information regarding the consumers lifestyle, belief and attitudes towards grass-fed beef along with their demographic and socioeconomic information was requested. The attributes that consumers evaluated for the grass-fed beef choice experiment included the type of production (grass-fed or grain-fed beef) with USDA certification, source grade and price. Price was the most important attribute for consumers choice, followed by the type of production. The results revealed that on average, grass-fed beef with USDA certification was preferred over grain-fed beef. Consumers valued steaks produced in the U.S. more than imported. The interactions between the consumers demographic characteristics and the product attributes revealed that female consumers prefer grass-fed beef with USDA certification and were willing to pay more for this product. The USDA certification was valued by the consumer and certified grass-fed beef products were preferred over grass-fed beef products without certification. The analysis also showed that sustainability, novelty and convenience are consumers attitudinal and behavioral characteristics that affect their choice for grass-fed beef products. The nutrition dimension, which accounts for the consumers interest in food composition and weight control, did not affect his choice for beef products.

The major focus of this study was to identify the linkage between information and consumer behavior and to examine the role that a new media index played in the identifying the tone of news stories. Past studies have relied on using the number of media stories but, this study tests a new approach, i.e., in order to analyze the effect of information by incorporating the sentiment indices. These indices were created based on the tone of the news story. The results from sentiment indices were compared to the results from the information index. Bartens Synthetic model (BSM) was used to capture the demand interrelationships and a Polynomial Inverse Lag model (PIL) was utilized in order to identify the size and length of change in demand. A time series data set, comprised of household purchases from 2008 to 2010, was created with information obtained from Nielsen HomeScan panel data. This study investigates three cases of food safety incidents, in which each case presents a unique scenario of food safety incidents. The first case is related to the PCA peanut butter recall of 2009, the second case investigates the refrigerated cookie dough recall of 2009 and the third case considers the effect of the Gulf oil spill on the demand for meat products and, in particular, on the demand for frozen seafood. This study was able to confirm significant changes in the demand of affected products in the post-event period. Furthermore, the study brings important contributions to the existing literature. To our knowledge, this is the first study which utilizes a natural word processing algorithm to identify the sentiment of the news story related to a particular food safety incident and that actually assigns a sentiment score to the story. The comparison between the media index, created by using the number of news stories related to the particular event, and the sentiment index reveal that the sentiment index exhibits a stronger effect on the demand for the products tested. The results from sentiment indices show that it can be used as a feasible alternative to the currently used media indices to measure the information effect on demand.