Thesis (M.Sc. (Agricultural Economics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / Agricultural production measures the performance and efficiency of a country’s agricultural sector. The state of agricultural production can be assessed through the value of agricultural production, which is a product of agricultural gross production and output prices in monetary terms. The study examines the relationship between the value of agricultural production, government spending on agriculture, and other selected variables. Annual data for the value of agricultural production, government expenditure in agriculture, consumer price index, average annual rainfall, food import value, and population from 1983 to 2019 were collected from different sources and were used in the analysis for this study. The Johansen cointegration test was used to determine the existence of a long-run relationship between the value of agricultural production and selected variables by using both the trace and eigenvalue tests. The results indicated that there is a long run relationship among the variables. The study further used the Granger causality test to check the causality between the value of agricultural production and government expenditure in agriculture. The results show that there is no causal effect between the two variables. Lastly, the study used a Vector autoregressive (VAR) model to determine the relationship between the value of agricultural production and selected variables. The results of the VAR model indicated that government expenditure on agriculture, average annual rainfall, food import value, and population positively affect the value of agricultural production. The study also found that the consumer price index negatively affects the value of agricultural production. The study recommends that the government increase its spending on the agricultural sector, which could be in the form of research investment in technologies such as climate-smart agricultural technologies. Additionally, the study recommends that policymakers should review the monetary policy of South Africa to ensure price stability and prevent inflation. Lastly, the study recommends that the South African government should discourage imports and encourage South African agricultural producers to produce more major imported food products.

<p>A major challenge of achieving sustainable development is to balance two critical targets with finite resources: to secure food security for a growing population with rising consumption demands, and to prevent further pollution into the environment and losses in ecosystem services. More importantly, the targets of food production and environment protection are not only related to socio-economic and technological development, but also tangled together both ecologically and economically, in particular regarding competition for land – the necessary natural resource for achieving both targets. In view of this, a comprehensive understanding about how to achieve sustainable development requires integrated analyses of the nexus of agricultural production, land use and environmental protection (the “agriculture-land-environment nexus”), interactions between these components,  and their responses to socio-economic development and policies. </p> <p><br></p> <p>This dissertation consists of three essays focusing on the impacts of environmental protection polices and infrastructure on the agriculture-land-environment nexus. The first essay analyzes how pollution reduction influences ecosystem services, with both a theoretical model and also empirical analysis with city-level data from China. Existing literature from the environmental and ecological fields reports that pollution reduction contributes to ecosystem services, but the ecosystem effects via economic channels remain under-addressed. We find when integrated together with an economic system, the reduction of pollution causes losses in the area of natural land that supports ecosystem services, which is further supported by empirical evidence. This finding emphasizes the importance of taking ecosystem effects into account on the design, implementation and evaluation of pollution control policies.</p> <p><br></p> <p>The second essay researches the impact of a large-scale forestry and grassland conservation policy in China, the grain-to-green project (GTGP), on cropland supply and crop production. In this essay, we first develop a theoretical model of the relationships between cropland supply, land value (with market access as proxy) and GTGP, and then empirically test these relationships using gridded data from China. We find GTGP not only directly reduces cropland area, but also restricts the elasticity of cropland supply in response to market access. Furthermore, we apply the GTGP’s impacts on cropland supply elasticity on a grid-solving computable model, in order to both validate the model and elasticity estimates via hindcasting and evaluate the GTGP’s impact on agricultural production via simulation. In the computable model where all grids are connected with crop markets, we find two effects of GTGP on agriculture: the direct effect that restricts cropland use and crop production in regions where it is implemented, and the indirect effect that increases crop production on regions not restricted or less restricted by GTGP. Essay 2 contributes to the literature by not only estimating the pattern of gridded cropland supply in China, but also reveals the indirect effect of GTGP on agriculture, which has seldom been researched. </p> <p><br></p> <p>The third essay researches the impact of transportation infrastructure on Brazilian agriculture, land use, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Combining a geographic information system (GIS) based analysis and computable model simulation, we find the expansion of infrastructure mainly contributes to the transportation cost reduction in inland Brazil and causes local cropland expansion and increased GHG emissions from land conversion. However, the shifting of crop production towards inland Brazil reduces the demand for cropland in southeastern and southern Brazil, which offsets the impact on cropland expansion and GHG emissions at the national level. Findings in Essay 3 indicate the importance of capturing both spatial heterogeneity and spatial spillover effects of infrastructure expansion when evaluating agricultural and environmental impacts. </p>

Until recently, there have been different and sometimes conflicting views on whether or not the communal land tenure system (CLTS) has a positive or negative impact on rural economic welfare. This study analyses some trends associated with the CLTS in the Ditsobotla area of the NorthWest province, focusing on the implications for rural economic welfare. The results of the study suggest that the CLTS is extremely important in order to sustain the rural economy, and therefore this dissertation presents developmental, policy and research options for consideration by government and other affected stakeholders for the betterment of the livelihood of people in the Ditsobotla area. The study adopts participatory research techniques in the selected villages of Springbokpan and Mooifontein. It also reflects on land tenure experiences in other African countries. The dissertation concludes with a suggestion that the South African government should engage in in-depth research programmes prior to the implementation of the envisaged communal land tenure reform legislation and that, the state should secure sufficient funding to boost agricultural activities in the area. Taking all these factors into account, a view is held that all developmental endeavours in the area must be informed by the collective participation of the affected local people, and their efforts must be united for the enhancement of their livelihood. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

A precocidade de maturação é o principal fator de sucesso econômico do persicultor paulista, em vista desse fato existe uma demanda muito grande por novas técnicas que possibilitem a melhoria da qualidade dos frutos e uma maior precocidade na colheita. Este trabalho visa verificar a influência dos sistemas de podas e manutenção das folhas após a colheita nas reservas de carboidratos não estruturados em ramos e raízes do pessegueiro da cultivar Flordaprince,verificar a produção dessas plantas e a qualidade dos frutos em função das reservase verificar a eficiência do uso do regulador vegetal 2,4-DP (ácido diclofenoxipropiônico), em função das reservas de carboidratos solúveis existentes nas plantas, bem como seu possível efeito na qualidade dos frutos obtidos. O trabalho conduzido na Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz", em Piracicaba. O delineamento foi de blocos ao acaso, constando de 9 tratamentos e 4 repetições. Cada parcela foi composta por 4 plantas. Os dados foram submetidos as análises de variância e à comparação das médias pelo Teste de Tukey. O espaçamento adotado foi de 3,0 X 1,2 metros, correspondendo a 2777 plantas ha-1. As plantas foram conduzidas em sistema líder central, e todas receberam as práticas de irrigação, nutrição, quebra de dormência, tratamento fitossanitários, desbrotas, normalmente utilizadas. As podas foram realizadas logo após a colheita, no final de agosto de 2003, quando da ocasião da instalação do experimento. Foram coletadas amostras de raízes e ramos,que foram trituradas, secas em estufas, moídas e submetidas à análise de laboratório. Verificou-se os teores de carboidratos solúveis totais no ramo e na raiz das plantas de pessegueiro. O crescimento dos frutos apresentou a forma de uma curva sigmóide dupla. O tratamento onde não ocorreu desfolha de verão apresentou maior produção de frutos, e maior número de frutos por planta. A aplicação do regulador vegetal 2,4-DP não promoveu aumento significativo nas dimensões dos frutos, causou ainda uma queda no teor de sólidos solúveis e promoveu uma melhora na coloração dos frutos, tanto na face exposta como no fundo do fruto. Ocorreu ainda uma antecipação na colheita em cerda de 7 dias devido a aplicação do regulador vegetal. A concentração de carboidratos solúveis nas raízes e nos ramos flutuou de acordo com a época em que foram coletados, dentro do ciclo da planta, e a concentração nas raízes foi sempre superior àquela encontrada nos ramos. A poda de renovação causou uma queda na produção e um número menor de frutos por planta. / The precocity maturation is the main factor of economical success of the producing of peach from São Paulo, in view of that fact the very big demand exists goes new techniques that make possible the improvement of the quality of the fruits and the larger precocity in the crop. This work seeks to verify the influence of the systems of prunings and maintenance of the leaves after the crop in the carboidrates reservations in the structured in branches and roots of the peach tree of cultivating Flordaprince, to verify the production of those plants and the quality of the fruits in function of the reservations to verify the efficiency of the use of the vegetable regulator 2,4-DP (acid diclofenoxipropiônico), in function of the reservations of existent soluble carboidrates in the plants, as well it’s possible effect in the quality of the obtained fruits. The work was established at Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz of Queiroz", in Piracicaba. The experimental design used was of blocks at random, consisting of 9 treatments and 4 repetitions. Each portion was composed by 4 plants. The data were submitted the variance analyses and to the comparison of the averages for the Test of Tukey. The adopted spacing was of 3,0 X 1,2 meters, corresponding to 2777 plants hectare-1. The plants were driven in system central leader, and all received the irrigation practices, nutrition, numbness break, and treatments to keep healthy plants were maid, sprouts were removed, usually used. The prunings were accomplished soon after the crop, in the end of August of 2003, when of the occasion of the installation of the experiment. Samples of roots and branches, that were collected were triturated, droughts in greenhouses, milled and submitted to the laboratory analysis. It was verified the tenors of total soluble carboidrates in the branch and in the root of the peach tree plants. The growth of the fruits presented the form of a curve double sigmóide. The treatment where didn't happen defoliates of summer presented larger production of fruits, and larger number of fruits for plant. The application of the vegetable regulator 2,4-DP didn't promote significant increase in the dimensions of the fruits, it still caused a fall in the tenor of soluble solids and it promoted an improvement in the coloration of the fruits, in the exposed face and in the bottom of the fruit. It still happened an anticipation in the crop in bristle of 7 days due to application of the vegetable regulator. The concentration of soluble carboidrates in the roots and in the branches it floated in agreement with the time in that they were collected, inside of the cycle of the plant, and the concentration in the roots was always superior that found in the branches. The renewal pruning caused a fall in the production and a smaller number of fruits for plant.

Tendo em vista uma distinção constantemente realizada pela historiografia colonial entre a \"pobreza de São Paulo\" e a \"riqueza do Nordeste\", tomamos este contraste enquanto ponto de partida para a elaboração de uma pesquisa que visa decifrar os papéis econômicos e sociais que as regiões de São Paulo e de Pernambuco apresentavam frente ao Império Colonial português entre 1580 e 1720. Acreditamos que tais papéis podem ser constatados levando-se em conta contextos e atribuições específicos designados a essas regiões no período mencionado. Além disso, a identificação da existência de tais comparações sobre os níveis de vida de ambas as regiões em documentos de época, formuladas pelos contemporâneos ainda entre o final do século XVII e o primeiro quartel do XVIII, pode esclarecer os primórdios das raízes dessas imagens e de seu acentuado contraste. Na verdade, o que se pretende é demonstrar que os conceitos econômicos precisam ser matizados quando analisamos atividades econômicas de regiões que devem ser compreendidas segundo sua importância e seu papel específicos na América / Keeping in mind a distinction made by brazilian colonial historiography between \"São Paulo\'s poverty\" and \"Pernambuco\'s wealth\", we considered this contrast to study the economic and social places that São Paulo and Pernambuco occupied in the Portuguese Colonial Empire among 1580 - 1720. We believe that these \"places\" must been studied looking on the specific colonial regions\' contexts and atributions. Moreover, through the identification of comparisons in colonial documents, written at the seventeen and eighteen centuries, we can throw light on these ideas of \"poverty\" and \"wealth\", because we expect that they were constructed in determined moments in the past. Indeed, we intend to show that the economic concepts must been carefully thought when the colonial regions\' ativities are analysed according to their importance and especificities in America

Este trabalho analisou o comportamento da produtividade da terra na agricultura brasileira, avaliando se há ou não convergência na evolução dessa variável. A análise compreende o período de 1960 a 2001 e alguns sub-períodos desses 42 anos, mais precisamente, os sub-períodos de 1970 a 2001, 1975 a 2001 e 1980 a 2001. A convergência é um processo em que uma mesma variável (por exemplo, renda per capita, produtividade da terra) apresenta diferentes valores entre países, regiões ou estados, mas essa diferença se reduz ao longo do tempo, indicando que a desigualdade diminui. As razões para haver o processo de convergência são várias, destacando-se as mudanças estruturais no processo de produção, a difusão tecnológica, a retirada de obstáculos ao crescimento da produção, dentre outras. A ocorrência da convergência da produtividade torna mais homogênea, do ponto de vista da modernidade, a agricultura do país. Para atingir o objetivo proposto na tese, desenvolveu-se um modelo teórico sobre convergência da produtividade da terra, tomando como base o modelo de Barro e Sala-i-Martin (1990). Quatro indicadores de convergência foram testados, os quais são: convergência- &#946; absoluta, convergência &#963;, grupos de convergência e convergência- &#946; condicional. Os dados utilizados referem-se às produtividades das culturas de algodão herbáceo, arroz, batata-inglesa, café, cana-de-açúcar, feijão, fumo, laranja, mandioca, milho e soja, coletados no Anuário Estatístico do Brasil. Inicialmente, testou-se a presença de convergência- &#946; absoluta para as onze culturas supracitadas. Apenas seis culturas apresentaram essa convergência (café, cana-de-açúcar, fumo, laranja, mandioca e soja). Para as mesmas onze culturas foi testada a presença de convergência- &#963; e apenas a cultura da soja a apresentou para todos os sub-períodos analisados e as culturas da laranja e mandioca para o período de 1960 a 2001. Isto não invalida o resultado da convergência- &#946; absoluta, pois a literatura mostra que se houver convergência &#963;, necessariamente haverá convergência- &#946; absoluta, mas não o inverso. Para as culturas de algodão-herbáceo, arroz, batata-inglesa, feijão e milho foi testada a presença de grupos de convergência, diagnosticando-os para as culturas do algodão-herbáceo, batata-inglesa e feijão a convergência- &#946; absoluta para os estados com maior produtividade. Finalmente, para a cinco culturas que não apresentaram convergência- &#946; absoluta, testouse a presença de convergência- &#946; condicional, usando como variáveis explicativas a produtividade inicial da cultura, a deficiência hídrica e o capital humano. Bons resultados econométricos foram obtidos para a convergência- &#946; condicional da produtividade do algodão-herbáceo, da batata-inglesa e do feijão. No entanto, não se obteve resultados satisfatórios para as culturas do arroz e do milho. A partir desses resultados, o trabalho sugere algumas medidas de política econômica capazes de melhorar a convergência da produtividade da terra na agricultura brasileira, em especial para as culturas do arroz e do milho. Isto permitiria uma modernidade mais homogênea na agricultura nacional. / This work analyzed the behavior of land productivity in the Brazilian agriculture, evaluating if there is or not convergence in the evolution of this variable. The analysis is taken in the time period from 1960 to 2001 and also in some sub-periods of these 42 years, more precisely, the sub-periods of 1970-2001, 1975-2001 and 1980- 2001. The convergence is a process in which the same variable (for example, per capita income, land productivity) presents different values among countries, regions and states, but this difference is reduced during the time, indicating that the inequality decreases. There are several reasons to appear a convergence process, especially the structural changes in the production process, technological diffusion, removal of obstacles in the production growth, among others. The occurrence of the productivity convergence becomes more homogenous the country’s agriculture, from the modernity point of view. To reach the objective proposed in the thesis, a theoretical model about convergence in the land productivity was developed, based on Barro and Sala-i-Martin model (1990). Four convergence indicators were used, which are: &#946;- convergence, &#963;-convergence, groups of convergence and &#946;-conditional convergence. The data used refer to the productivity of herbaceous cotton, rice, potato, sugar cane, beans, tobacco, orange, manioc, corn and soybeans crops, collected from Brazilian Annual Statistical Yearbook. Initially, the presence of &#946;-convergence was tested for the eleven crops commented above. Only six crops presented this convergence (coffee, sugar cane, tobacco, orange, manioc and soybeans). For the same eleven crops, the presence of &#963;-convergence was tested and only soybeans presented it for all the subperiods analyzed and the orange and manioc crops for the period of 1960-2001. This does not invalidate the &#946;-convergence result, because the literature shows that if there is &#963;-convergence, the &#946;-convergence will necessarily happen, but not vice-versa. For cotton, rice, potato, beans and corn crops the presence of convergence groups was tested, and it was diagnosed for cotton, potato and beans crops that &#946;-convergence appear among the states with highest productivities. Finally, for the five crops which did not present &#946;-convergence, the presence of &#946;-conditional convergence was tested, using initial value of land productivity, hydric deficiency and human capital as explicative variables. Good econometric results were obtained for the cotton, potato and for beans. However, for corn and rice crops not satisfying results were obtained. From these results, the work suggests some policies that are able to improve land productivity convergence in the Brazilian agriculture, especially for rice and corn crops. This would allow a more homogenous modernity in the domestic agriculture.

A precocidade de maturação é o principal fator de sucesso econômico do persicultor paulista, em vista desse fato existe uma demanda muito grande por novas técnicas que possibilitem a melhoria da qualidade dos frutos e uma maior precocidade na colheita. Este trabalho visa verificar a influência dos sistemas de podas e manutenção das folhas após a colheita nas reservas de carboidratos não estruturados em ramos e raízes do pessegueiro da cultivar Flordaprince,verificar a produção dessas plantas e a qualidade dos frutos em função das reservase verificar a eficiência do uso do regulador vegetal 2,4-DP (ácido diclofenoxipropiônico), em função das reservas de carboidratos solúveis existentes nas plantas, bem como seu possível efeito na qualidade dos frutos obtidos. O trabalho conduzido na Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz”, em Piracicaba. O delineamento foi de blocos ao acaso, constando de 9 tratamentos e 4 repetições. Cada parcela foi composta por 4 plantas. Os dados foram submetidos as análises de variância e à comparação das médias pelo Teste de Tukey. O espaçamento adotado foi de 3,0 X 1,2 metros, correspondendo a 2777 plantas ha-1. As plantas foram conduzidas em sistema líder central, e todas receberam as práticas de irrigação, nutrição, quebra de dormência, tratamento fitossanitários, desbrotas, normalmente utilizadas. As podas foram realizadas logo após a colheita, no final de agosto de 2003, quando da ocasião da instalação do experimento. Foram coletadas amostras de raízes e ramos,que foram trituradas, secas em estufas, moídas e submetidas à análise de laboratório. Verificou-se os teores de carboidratos solúveis totais no ramo e na raiz das plantas de pessegueiro. O crescimento dos frutos apresentou a forma de uma curva sigmóide dupla. O tratamento onde não ocorreu desfolha de verão apresentou maior produção de frutos, e maior número de frutos por planta. A aplicação do regulador vegetal 2,4-DP não promoveu aumento significativo nas dimensões dos frutos, causou ainda uma queda no teor de sólidos solúveis e promoveu uma melhora na coloração dos frutos, tanto na face exposta como no fundo do fruto. Ocorreu ainda uma antecipação na colheita em cerda de 7 dias devido a aplicação do regulador vegetal. A concentração de carboidratos solúveis nas raízes e nos ramos flutuou de acordo com a época em que foram coletados, dentro do ciclo da planta, e a concentração nas raízes foi sempre superior àquela encontrada nos ramos. A poda de renovação causou uma queda na produção e um número menor de frutos por planta. / The precocity maturation is the main factor of economical success of the producing of peach from São Paulo, in view of that fact the very big demand exists goes new techniques that make possible the improvement of the quality of the fruits and the larger precocity in the crop. This work seeks to verify the influence of the systems of prunings and maintenance of the leaves after the crop in the carboidrates reservations in the structured in branches and roots of the peach tree of cultivating Flordaprince, to verify the production of those plants and the quality of the fruits in function of the reservations to verify the efficiency of the use of the vegetable regulator 2,4-DP (acid diclofenoxipropiônico), in function of the reservations of existent soluble carboidrates in the plants, as well it’s possible effect in the quality of the obtained fruits. The work was established at Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz of Queiroz”, in Piracicaba. The experimental design used was of blocks at random, consisting of 9 treatments and 4 repetitions. Each portion was composed by 4 plants. The data were submitted the variance analyses and to the comparison of the averages for the Test of Tukey. The adopted spacing was of 3,0 X 1,2 meters, corresponding to 2777 plants hectare-1. The plants were driven in system central leader, and all received the irrigation practices, nutrition, numbness break, and treatments to keep healthy plants were maid, sprouts were removed, usually used. The prunings were accomplished soon after the crop, in the end of August of 2003, when of the occasion of the installation of the experiment. Samples of roots and branches, that were collected were triturated, droughts in greenhouses, milled and submitted to the laboratory analysis. It was verified the tenors of total soluble carboidrates in the branch and in the root of the peach tree plants. The growth of the fruits presented the form of a curve double sigmóide. The treatment where didn't happen defoliates of summer presented larger production of fruits, and larger number of fruits for plant. The application of the vegetable regulator 2,4-DP didn't promote significant increase in the dimensions of the fruits, it still caused a fall in the tenor of soluble solids and it promoted an improvement in the coloration of the fruits, in the exposed face and in the bottom of the fruit. It still happened an anticipation in the crop in bristle of 7 days due to application of the vegetable regulator. The concentration of soluble carboidrates in the roots and in the branches it floated in agreement with the time in that they were collected, inside of the cycle of the plant, and the concentration in the roots was always superior that found in the branches. The renewal pruning caused a fall in the production and a smaller number of fruits for plant.

Tendo em vista uma distinção constantemente realizada pela historiografia colonial entre a \"pobreza de São Paulo\" e a \"riqueza do Nordeste\", tomamos este contraste enquanto ponto de partida para a elaboração de uma pesquisa que visa decifrar os papéis econômicos e sociais que as regiões de São Paulo e de Pernambuco apresentavam frente ao Império Colonial português entre 1580 e 1720. Acreditamos que tais papéis podem ser constatados levando-se em conta contextos e atribuições específicos designados a essas regiões no período mencionado. Além disso, a identificação da existência de tais comparações sobre os níveis de vida de ambas as regiões em documentos de época, formuladas pelos contemporâneos ainda entre o final do século XVII e o primeiro quartel do XVIII, pode esclarecer os primórdios das raízes dessas imagens e de seu acentuado contraste. Na verdade, o que se pretende é demonstrar que os conceitos econômicos precisam ser matizados quando analisamos atividades econômicas de regiões que devem ser compreendidas segundo sua importância e seu papel específicos na América / Keeping in mind a distinction made by brazilian colonial historiography between \"São Paulo\'s poverty\" and \"Pernambuco\'s wealth\", we considered this contrast to study the economic and social places that São Paulo and Pernambuco occupied in the Portuguese Colonial Empire among 1580 - 1720. We believe that these \"places\" must been studied looking on the specific colonial regions\' contexts and atributions. Moreover, through the identification of comparisons in colonial documents, written at the seventeen and eighteen centuries, we can throw light on these ideas of \"poverty\" and \"wealth\", because we expect that they were constructed in determined moments in the past. Indeed, we intend to show that the economic concepts must been carefully thought when the colonial regions\' ativities are analysed according to their importance and especificities in America

No description available.

Until recently, there have been different and sometimes conflicting views on whether or not the communal land tenure system (CLTS) has a positive or negative impact on rural economic welfare. This study analyses some trends associated with the CLTS in the Ditsobotla area of the NorthWest province, focusing on the implications for rural economic welfare. The results of the study suggest that the CLTS is extremely important in order to sustain the rural economy, and therefore this dissertation presents developmental, policy and research options for consideration by government and other affected stakeholders for the betterment of the livelihood of people in the Ditsobotla area. The study adopts participatory research techniques in the selected villages of Springbokpan and Mooifontein. It also reflects on land tenure experiences in other African countries. The dissertation concludes with a suggestion that the South African government should engage in in-depth research programmes prior to the implementation of the envisaged communal land tenure reform legislation and that, the state should secure sufficient funding to boost agricultural activities in the area. Taking all these factors into account, a view is held that all developmental endeavours in the area must be informed by the collective participation of the affected local people, and their efforts must be united for the enhancement of their livelihood. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)