Thesis (M.Inst.Agrar.(Entomology ))--University of Pretoria, 2003. / Includes abstract in English. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität, Hohenheim, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 231-238).

Thesis (MScEng (Industrial Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / South Africa has a two-fold agricultural sector consisting of large-scale, industrialised, commercial farmers, as well as small-scale, resource poor subsistence farmers. One of the aspirations of the post-1994 South African Government is to rectify the imbalances in South African agriculture, where less than 20% of the farmers produce more than 80 % of total national agricultural products. In an attempt to improve supply from previously disadvantaged farmers, a land redistribution programme was launched with the goal of transferring 30% of total agricultural land to black farmers by 2014. However, farmers that are beneficiaries of the land transformation and redistribution programme often struggle to sustain the previous levels of productivity of the land. This is due to inexperience in macro-agriculture as well as a lack of resources. In such cases the beneficiaries revert back to subsistence type farming on previously productive and successful commercial farms. This phenomenon can have a devastating effect on the country’s food security, Gross Domestic Product, unemployment rates and the farmer’s prosperity and development opportunities. By reverting to small-scale farming, access to formal marketing chains is also restricted because of the economies of scales required to sustain a competitive supply to these markets. Urgent strategies are therefore required to improve the competitiveness of farmers who farm on a small scale due to restricted resources and inexperience. In this regard two proven theories to analyse industries for improved competitiveness exist, namely value chain analysis and clustering. Both are investigated in this study in order to determine their suitability for application in the emerging farming sector of South Africa. Value chain analysis has been widely applied to production and manufacturing industries (including agricultural production and agri-food manufacturing) to scrutinise production processes. Valuable insight into an industry’s strong and weak points can be gained by studying various factors. These include the inputs required for the manufacturing of the final product, the steps or processes required in the chain of events, the value added in each step, the contributors in the chain, as well as the linkages between the contributors. Knowledge is also gained regarding chain and process optimisation potential for improved competitiveness. The clustering of small firms to improve their ability to compete in formal markets has received a significant amount of academic interest over the past 100 years. In this regard it is important to determine the factors that influence competitiveness, and to develop strategies to improve the potential of small-scale manufacturing firms to compete with larger scale enterprises. The clustering or grouping of small firms to co-operate with each other and to compete against larger firms – as opposed to competing against each other – has resulted in improved competitiveness for many small firms across the world. A number of common key success factors for improving the competitiveness of smallscale, resource poor farmers are identified in this study through the investigation of a host of case studies. The results from these case studies also provide adequate evidence that the analysis and upgrading of value chains, as well as the promotion of collective action by small farmers, are key components for improving competitiveness and market access. This study focuses on the development of a framework to guide the development of strategies for improving competitiveness amongst small-scale, resource poor farming industries, including a production cost analysis sheet to calculate the competitiveness of farmers in this sub-sector. The Framework is also evaluated for its functionality by looking at the implementation thereof amongst a group of emerging farmers in the Western Cape.

In South Africa, maize is grown all over the country under various environments including both dry and irrigated agriculture. The majority of maize farmers are smallholders farming on small pieces of land with low input technologies. Additionally, South Africa`s smallholder maize farmers are characterised by low maize productivity, this is despite of the availability of many improved maize varieties on the market. It is clear that professional maize breeders are continuously developing many superior maize varieties with traits more suitable for the commercial farming sector than the smallholder sector. Against this background, this study used a descriptive statistics approach to find out maize varieties and traits preferred by smallholder farmers. The study also evaluated factors that influence smallholder farmers` maize varietal selection choice using descriptive statistics and multinomial regression. The data used for the empirical analysis was obtained from a survey of 200 smallholder farmers in Mhlontlo Local Municipality, in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.

Lack of knowledge about climate change poses a greater risk to human development in general. This study emerges from the premise that agriculture, and more specifically smallholder farmers, are the most affected by climate variability due to the type of assets they hold. Among other factors, climate change can directly and adversely impact the ability of smallholder farmers to sustain their livelihoods. Taking into consideration spatial differences across Ngqushwa Local Municipality, smallholder farmers in different areas have to understand the constraints they face that emanate from climate change. The study aimed to explore the knowledge that smallholder farmers in Ngqushwa local municipality have on climate change, strategies they utilise to cope and minimise the detrimental effects of climate change. The study also focused on climate change information sources namely, meteorological and Indigenous Knowledge (IK) that smallholder farmers have at their disposal for coping and adaptation to climate change. Furthermore, the study analyses comprehensiveness and usefulness of information that the resource-poor farmers possess. The findings of this study show that smallholder farmers in Ngqushwa local municipality access climate change information through televisions, newspapers and listening to the radio. Their knowledge of the behaviour of birds, moon, wind, and insects is also an important source of forecasting weather patterns. Recommendations from this study include the following: enhancing and widening the sources of climate change information, education encompassing the nature of climate change, networking of smallholder farmers, linking meteorological and indigenous knowledge and supplementing natural water supply.

The democratic government in South Africa has brought about several policies which were initiated for rural development, and one of the government’s strategies was to involve the agricultural sector. Farmer Support Programmes (FSPs) were developed to assist small-scale farmers to become commercial farmers. The study looked at the participation of small scale farmers in the planning and implementation of the FSPs in the Amahlathi Local Municipality. 108 small scale farmers were selected using a non-random purposive probability and twelve farmers’ organisations. Semi-structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used as the data collection tool and method respectively. The data analysis used was a descriptive analysis and a thematic analysis. The results revealed that the farmers have a positive perception towards the support programmes being helpful in their farming needs. The positive perception was especially on the extension and advisory services, dipping and vaccination programme, and the supply and funding of inputs and assets. However, the results revealed that there was no significant difference between gender and the perception of the farmers when a chi square test of association was performed. The results also revealed that the farmers and farmers’ organisations were not involved in the planning of the programmes by the government. It is therefore recommended that for the success of the FSP and for economic growth in the rural areas, the government has to avoid using a top-down approach when developing these programmes, and instead consult the farmers and the farmers’ organisations to know the specific needs of the farmers in their farming practices.

Orientador: Antonio Márcio Buainain / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Economia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-20T14:56:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Viegas_IsabelFernandesPinto_D.pdf: 3944537 bytes, checksum: 3d38c0b0e67b377eee3c5de361f7e3a7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: As características do sistema econômico dominante e suas implicações sobre a agricultura, ao mesmo tempo em que criam tendências de concentração, padronização e exclusão, também criam oportunidades que podem atuar no sentido contrário, permitindo o desenvolvimento de nichos e diferenciações baseadas em características dos produtos/serviços, dos processos e dos próprios produtores. O Comércio Justo e Solidário emergiu como uma proposta de inserção produtiva para atores com potencial limitado de inserção no mercado convencional visando, além de viabilidade econômica, aspectos qualitativos e dimensões que em geral não são valoradas pelos mecanismos de mercado. A hipótese que orienta este trabalho é a de que, dentro de certos limites, o Comércio Justo e Solidário funciona de forma coerente com seus princípios originais, mas à medida que o aumento da abrangência e escala eleva a complexidade das operações, haverá reflexos na sua organização que podem afastá-lo dos princípios básicos e que podem implicar na exclusão de um grupo relevante de beneficiários potenciais. O presente trabalho busca responder em que medida o Comércio Justo e Solidário pode atender aos seus princípios originais, funcionando com base em redes ampliadas de produtores e comércio. Apoia-se na hipótese de que redes sólidas, compostas por atores com objetivos diversos, mas coerentes e convergentes com os princípios originais, podem garantir a legitimidade de um sistema de Comércio Justo e Solidário. Para isso, busca verificar como algumas redes de Comércio Justo e Solidário certificadas e não certificadas se organizam, enfatizando as relações estabelecidas e os objetivos predominantes dos atores participantes que determinam essas relações. A metodologia baseou-se em pesquisa bibliográfica, entrevistas, observação e análise das redes sociais. Foram entrevistados atores de oito redes de Comércio Justo e Solidário utilizando o método Net-Map Toolbox (SCHIFFER, 2007) para a elaboração de mapas das diferentes relações estabelecidas entre os atores (apoio, subsídios, comerciais, pessoais, conflitos e normas), sua influência e seus objetivos (econômicos, coesão do grupo, desenvolvimento, políticos, exploração e desestruturação). Para a análise da composição das redes e coesão das relações foram utilizados os programas Ucinet (BORGATTI; EVERETT; FREEMAN, 2002) e NetDraw (BORGATTI, 2002) e foram estimadas as densidades. As redes apresentaram desenhos diversos, de difícil comparação, indício da auto-organização que, de acordo com o referencial teórico considerado (OSTROM, 1998), é fator chave para o sucesso da ação coletiva. As principais similaridades apresentadas foram em relação à diversidade de atores em termos de atuação e objetivos, ao predomínio de relações pessoais em relação às demais consideradas, à baixa percepção relativa de conflitos e de relações de normatização. Em geral, as organizações consideradas atuam a favor da reciprocidade, uma vez que as relações pessoais próximas, o compartilhamento de responsabilidades e a descentralização de recursos favorecidos nessas redes tendem a estabelecer a confiança e a reduzir o oportunismo / Abstract: The characteristics of the dominant economic system and its implications on agriculture, while creating trends of concentration, standardization and exclusion, they also create opportunities that can act in the opposite direction, allowing the development of niches and differentiation based on product characteristics / services, processes and producers themselves. The Fair Trade has emerged as a proposal for inclusion of players with limited potential of insertion in the conventional market, aiming not only the economic viability, but quality attributes and other dimensions that are not valued by market mechanisms. The hypothesis that guides this work is that, within certain limits, the Fair Trade is consistent with its original principles, but as the scope and the scale increase, also increases the complexity of operations. This will be reflected in the organization which can loose the basic principles and that can lead to the exclusion of a relevant group of potential beneficiaries. It relies on the assumption that strong networks composed of actors with different goals, but consistent and convergent with the original principles, can guarantee the legitimacy of a system of Fair Trade. This doctoral dissertation seeks to answer in which extent Fair Trade can meet its original objectives, working on extended networks of producers and trade. It thus tries to see how some networks of Fair Trade certified and not certified are organized, emphasizing the relationships established and the overriding objectives of the actors involved that determine these relationships. The methodology was based on literature review, interviews, observation and analysis of social networks. Actors from eight Fair Trade networks were interviewed using the method Net-Map Toolbox (SCHIFFER, 2011) to map different relations between actors (support, subsidies, trade, personal, conflicts and norms), their influence and their objectives (economic, group cohesion, development, politcs, exploitation and disruption). To analyze the composition of networks and the cohesion of the relations it were used the programs Ucinet (BORGATTI; EVERETT; FREEMAN, 2002) e NetDraw (BORGATTI, 2002) and densities, reciprocity and transitivity were estimated. The networks presented different designs, difficult to compare evidence of self-organization that, according to the theoretical referencial (OSTROM, 1998), is the key to the success of the collective action. The main similarities presented were in relation to the diversity of actors in terms of performance and goals, the predominance of personal relationships than the others considered, the low perception of conflict and normatization relations. In general, the organizations considered act in favor of reciprocity, since the close personal relations, sharing of responsibilities and descentralization of resources favored in these networks the establishment of trust and reduce opportunism / Doutorado / Desenvolvimento Economico, Espaço e Meio Ambiente / Doutor em Desenvolvimento Economico

Enhancement of smallholder production to improve rural livelihood is an important policy goal in developing countries. Research findings indicate that smallholder production can be improved through establishment of new smallholder irrigation schemes, and the rehabilitation of abandoned ones. Smallholder irrigation has a potential to contribute significantly in shifting smallholder farming to commercial farming. Although the roles of irrigating farmers are clearly defined, smallholder farmer’s development results in South Africa have been disappointing. The performance of smallholder irrigation is unsatisfactory. Smallholder irrigation has failed to improve the standard of living and livelihoods of smallholder farmers in South Africa. The majority of farmers are still producing at subsistence level. This study, therefore, aimed to contribute to smallholder irrigation literature in two ways; firstly by evaluating the extent of irrigation participation of smallholder farmers towards commercialization in the study areas. The study also examined the determinants of irrigation participation among smallholder farmers. A sample of 80 households was drawn by random sampling of smallholders in four villages as follows: 40 respondents from Mgxabakazi and Dinizulu villages and 40 respondents from Ncorha flats and Tshatshu. The sample included both irrigators and non-irrigators. Descriptive analysis shows that irrigators had better production and wellbeing than non-irrigators. For the inferential analysis of the data, two models were employed namely, Binary Logistic Regression Model (BRM) and Truncated Regression Model (TRM). The Binary Regression model was used to predict the probability of farmers participating in irrigation schemes. Whether or not a farmer participated in irrigation was introduced as the binary dependent or response variable that could be explained by a range of explanatory or predictor variables such as source of water, land size, ability to sustain business, membership in the scheme, market access, availability of the irrigation system, willingness to irrigate, farming type commercial or subsistence and institutional support services. From these predictor variables, being part of the irrigation, ability to sustain business and market were found to be factors influencing farmer’s decision to participate. The second model required the in-depth investigation of the influence of irrigation participation as reflected by extent of commercialization. In order to do this, the level of commercialization was measured by calculating Household Commercialization Index. Then the truncated regression model (TR) was used to test the factors that affect the level of commercialization for the farmers who are participating in the irrigation schemes.Age, irrigated land, willingness to commercialize and gross value of production were found to exert strong influence on the level of commercialization among farmers participating in irrigation. The study recommends that investments in smallholder irrigation should receive high priority, with emphasis on collective action, promotion of contract farming and strengthening the support services from government and the private sector, and ensuring enhanced access to market to all farmers.

This thesis aimed at measuring the economic costs of soil degradation and to determine factors that influence the incidence and extent of adoption of soil conservation technologies by smallholder farmers in Malawi. A dynamic optimisation model was used to derive and analyse the optimal conditions for soil resource extraction and use in Malawi, while a selective tobit model was used to simulate the two-step decision-making process of farmers with respect to adoption of soil conservation technologies. Soil degradation has long-term consequences and static models, which form the bulk of studies that have so far been carried out in Africa on this topic, do not account for the inter-temporal dimension of optimal resource management. To deal with this shortcoming, this thesis used an inter-temporal optimisation framework, which considers soil in a time-dependent resource extraction perspective. This thesis has demonstrated that soil degradation is causing an enormous reduction in the productive value of smallholder land in Malawi. Current user cost of soil quality based on current practices of smallholder farmers, which represents annual loss in productive value of land, was estimated to be US$21 per hectare. Based on this value and land area under smallholder agriculture in Malawi, economic costs of soil degradation among smallholder farmers were estimated to amount to 14 per cent of the agricultural GDP. If left unabated, soil degradation threatens not only the future of smallholder agriculture but also, economic growth prospects of the nation. Although not operating on the SS optimal path in terms of soil resource management, current practices show that smallholder farmers in Malawi still consider, to certain degree, the dynamic costs in soil resource use. Hence, there is no strong evidence to suggest that current trends in land degradation are due to an institution failure (i.e., smallholder farmers have private incentives to conserve their soil resource). A result that suggests presence of other factors, most likely market distortions, behind existing deviations of farmers' practices from dynamic optimum. Government's serious support of the input and output market reforms is important not only to make the markets work but also, to make smallholder agriculture a profitable enterprise. It is only when smallholder agriculture becomes profitable that farmers can seriously invest in the soil resource. Agricultural support programs such as "food for work" if extended to include soil conservation, could lead to substantial curtailment of soil erosion since farmers can invest their labour in their own gardens during the critical times of land preparation. The sensitivity analysis indicated that increasing the discount rate to' 5%, SS solutions were close to current practice solutions. This suggests that one reason smallholder farmers are exploiting the soil resource is because they have a higher time preference. The high levels of poverty, especially among the smallholder subsistence farmers in Malawi, entail that farming households are more concerned with their survival now than their future well being. The study estimated an optimal output of 1.5tonlha and nitrogen fertiliser rate of 49 kg/ha at SS. The fertiliser estimates are based on smallholder farming system that incorporates soil conservation. In one of the most detailed studies on nitrogen use efficiency in Malawi, Itimu (1997) indicated that with the incorporation of manure, nitrogen fertiliser use dropped from 60 to 30 kg/ha to produce about 2.5 tons of maize. Malawi uses area specific recommendations for fertiliser application. However, using "best bet" technologies, at least 35kgN/ha is recommended for smallholder farmers on average. The SS optimum fertiliser estimated in the current study was somehow higher due to the fact that an inter-temporal framework, which considered the dynamic costs of soil nutrient extraction, was used. Results from fertiliser recommendation trials may be reinforced if researchers consider the inter-temporal nature and dynamic costs associated with the use of soil. The selective tobit model results indicate that factors that influence smallholder farmers' decisions to adopt soil conservation technologies may not necessarily be the same factors that influence subsequent decision on levels of adoption. The implication of this finding is that different policy prescriptions on soil conservation should strictly be guided by the goals the government wants to achieve. With fertiliser prices being out of the reach of most smallholder farmers in Malawi, soil conservation is one of the reliable options available to reduce soil degradation. However, any policy aimed at improving adoption of soil conservation technologies among smallholder farmers would succeed only if the various needs of smallholder farmers at the two decision stages are properly identified and addressed. / Thesis (PhD (Agricultural Economics))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

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