Thesis (MScAgric)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Vegetable research was conducted to support the diversification and development of small farms in East Central Virginia. Experiments at 12 sites were successfully conducted over a 2 year period to establish superior production practices for the area’s 2 major commercial vegetable crops, cherry tomato and bell pepper. For cherry tomato production, black plastic and straw mulches significantly increased total yield. Black plastic mulch also significantly increased early yield, but neither of the mulches were cost-effective. String-weave staking generally did not affect yield or net economic returns, and it reduced yield on sandy soils during droughty conditions. Irrigation had a positive, but non-significant impact on yield when tested during a growing season with normal amounts of rainfall. Nitrogen applications of 84 kg/ha were most cost-effective, with higher rates found beneficial for irrigated plantings on lighter soils. Plant populations of 13,450 plants/ha produced similar yield and net economic returns as populations of 17,930 plants/ha. <i>Castlette</i> and <i>Small Fry</i> were superior cultivars. For bell pepper production, steady but non-significant increases in yield and net economic returns were detected as nitrogen rates rose from 79 to 158 to 235 kg/ha. Black plastic mulch significantly increased yield and net economic returns, mostly due to moisture conservation benefits. A single-row pattern with an in-row spacing of 41 cm was the most cost-effective planting scheme. <i>Gator Belle</i>,<i> Keystone Resistant Giant #3</i>, and <i>Giant Ace</i> were superior cultivars. On-farm testing improved researchers’ understanding of farm family needs, accelerated the adoption of new technology, and identified deficiencies of technology which were masked at the field station. Field station research was valuable for screening risky treatments, but yields at the station were uncharacteristically high. Extension staff were valuable in the designing of research, but they selected a disproportionate amount of college-educated, medium- and large-scale farm operators as participants for on-farm testing. Paraprofessionals, female personnel, and social scientists were beneficial in strengthening linkages between project personnel and farm families. Marketing was a major obstacle. / Ph. D.

Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The agriculture sector continues to be viewed as a vehicle through which economic growth and development can be achieved; particularly for developing economies. This view is incorporated in South Africa’s rural development framework in the National Development Plan, which indicated that this sector will be the main driver in developing the country’s rural economies. However, the South African agricultural sector is known to be dualistic; consisting of a large-scale commercial and a small-scale subsistence sector. This study is particularly focused on smallholder farming in South Africa, which have developed as a result of the decades of government intervention that have guided reform driven by the general political and economic philosophy of white domination. The most notable interventions, which drew the line between white and black landholding, were the Natives’ Land Acts of 1913 and 1936, followed by various policy interventions to support White, large-scale agriculture. The question remains whether or not an expanded smallholder sector can significantly contribute to rural development, employment creation and poverty reduction in the former homeland areas of South Africa. In order to answer this question, the need arises for reliable data on smallholder farming, conceptual clarification on definitions of “smallholder” or “small-scale” farmers and diversity among farming systems needs to be taken into account. These considerations are crucial in order to design and implement effective rural development policies. One way of addressing this question is the use of farm typologies. Given the diversity that exists within agricultural systems, various schemes of classification have been developed and evolved over time. The objective of this study is to provide an empirical framework that would classify smallholder farmers in the former homeland areas of South Africa according to their livelihood strategies. This study seeks to achieve the objective in three distinct ways. Firstly, by giving a broad overview of the smallholder sector in South Africa. Secondly, by utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques to identify farming households situated in the former homeland areas, using the General Household Survey (GHS) and the Income and Expenditure Survey (IES). Thirdly, apply multivariate statistical techniques, specifically Principle Component Analysis (PCA) and Cluster Analysis (CA), to develop the ultimate classification system. The results from both typologies suggested eight distinct types or groups of farming households in the former homeland areas. Important findings suggest that higher salary incomes are crucial for the enablement of households to market their produce. Social grants were found to be key in determining livelihood strategies among faming households, most notably old age and child support grants. One of the groups that were identified was typically food insecure, with their agricultural production not sufficiently feeding the household. Lastly, direct agricultural support from the government was clearly focused on livestock services which placed a minority of households at a distinct advantage to sell produce to the market. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die landbousektor word algemeen gesien as een van die moontlike drywers vir ekonomiese groei en landelike ontwikkeling, spesifiek in ontwikkelende lande. Hierdie siening word ook uitgesonder deur die Suid-Afrikaanse ontwikkelingsraamwerk, en by name in die Nasionale Ontwikkelingsplan wat aandui dat die landbousektor die hoofrol behoort te vervul om landelike gebiede te ontwikkel. Die vermoë om hierdie mandaat uit te voer moet in die konteks van die kenmerkende dualisme raakgesien word. Suid-Afrika het hoofsaaklik twee tipes boere; grootskaalse kommersiële boere en kleinskaalse, meestal bestaansboere, wat meestal in die voormalige tuislande opereer. Hierdie dualisme is die resultaat van verskeie regeringsinmengings, hoofsaaklik gedryf deur die algemene politieke bestel, ideologie en beleid wat op rasseklassifikasie gegrond was gedurende die vorige eeu. Sekerlik een van die mees bekende was die Naturellegrond Wet van 1913 en 1936, wat die skeidingslyn tussen swart en wit grondbesit ingestel het. Verder is verskeie wetgewings implimenteer om die kommersiële landbousektor te bevoordeel gedurende hierdie tydperk.. In hierdie konteks is dit belangrik om te vra of die uitbreiding van die kleinskaalse landbousektor werklik kan bydra tot landelike ontwikkeling, werkskepping en armoedeverligting in die voormalige tuislande van Suid-Afrika. Om hierdie vraag te beantwoord word betroubare inligting benodig, moet die konsep van “kleinskaalse boere” uitgeklaar word en laastens moet diversiteit tussen verskillende boerderystelsels in ag geneem word. Die antwoorde op hierdie vrae is noodsaaklik vir die ontwikkeling en implimentering van effektiewe landelike ontwikkelingsbeleid. Die gebruik van boerderytipologieë is ‘n oplossing om hierdie kwessies aan te spreek. Verskeie klassifikasiesisteme is in die verlede ontwikkel om die diversiteit in boerderystelsels te ondersoek. Die hoof doel van hierdie studie is om ‘n empiriese raamwerk te ontwikkel om kleinskaalse boerderye, wat in die voormalige tuislande voorkom, volgens hul lewensbestaanstrategieë te klassifiseer. Om hierdie doelwit te bereik, sal die studie eerstens ‘n oorsig gee van die kleinskaalse landbousektor in Suid-Afrika. Tweedens sal Geografiese Inligtingstelsels (GIS) tegnieke gebruik word om spesifiek huishoudings in die voormalige tuislande te indentifiseer in die Algemene Huishoudings Opname (AHO) en die Inkomste en Uitgawes Opname (IUO). Derdens sal meerveranderlike statistieke gebruik word, spesifiek Hoofkomponentanalise (HKA) en Bondelontleding (BO), om die klassifikasiesisteem te ontwikkel. Die resultate van die tipologieë wat in hierdie studie ontwikkel is gee agt spesifieke groepe van boerderyhuishoudings. Hierdie groepe was beduidend verskillend van mekaar en elkeen se lewenbestaanstrategieë word uitgewys. Die hoofbevindings dui aan dat addisionele salarisinkomste ‘n belangrike rol speel in die vermoë van kleinskaalse boere om hul produkte te verkoop. Verder is dit opmerklik dat maatskaplike toelaes ‘n aansienlike rol gespeel het in die vorming van die groepe, spesifiek wat betref ouderdomspensioene en kindertoelae. Daar is ook ‘n spesifieke groep huishoudings in beide tipologieë wat probleme ondervind om voedselsekuriteit op huishoudelike vlak te handhaaf. Laastens wys die studie dat direkte landbou-ondersteuning teenoor kleinskaalse boere ‘n kenmerkende fokus op lewendehaweboerderye plaas wat sulke boerderye bevoordeel het om vir die mark te produseer.

Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to consider whether smallholders operate within homogenous or differentiated farming systems i.e. a similar “‘one type”’ system or a system that could be described as a smallholder typology consisting of a number of farming types. The enquiry firstly described and analysed farm diversity and then developed risk attitude profiles of smallholder farmers in the Stellenbosch local municipal area in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The problem statements, directing this study is that there is a general misconception that smallholders are all “‘the same’” and that they all operate within one ‘“representative farming model”’; and that the majority of smallholders are risk averse. These views also argue that all smallholder farmers are not primarily directed at profit objectives, but that social considerations are most relevant and that different social orientations are shaping farming systems. These views are investigated in this study and the hypotheses directing this analysis is that smallholders in the study area are not a homogenous group; rather types within a broader farming typology, with different orientations and objectives and with different risk attitude profiles. The study originated as part of an international collaborative investigation – the South African Agrarian Diagnoses project, a joint research project of the Agro Paris Tech/Agence Francaise de Development, the Standard Bank Centre for Agribusiness Development and Leadership, Stellenbosch University and the University of Pretoria in to farmer diversity and farmer typologies in South Africa. This investigation looked at smallholder farming in different agrogeographical areas in South Africa, with this particular study focussing on potential smallholder farmer diversity in the Stellenbosch local municipal area. The Stellenbosch local municipality and Western Cape Department of Agriculture provided logistical support, information to this investigation and participated in focus group sessions. Smallholder activity in this study was defined to include both small scale farming activities and the mobilisation of smallholders/farm workers in so-called ‘“farm worker equity schemes’” – a type not included in the other regions. Data was collected from eight smallholders’ farming communities and the four different farm workers’ equity share schemes through surveys and interviews. The following towns and hamlets: Franschhoek, Kylemore, Lanquedoc (Herbal View and Spier Corridor), Pniel, Jamestown, Raithby, Lynedoch and Koelenhof; and four farm workers’ equity share schemes were: Swartrivier vineyard project, Koopmanskloof vineyard project, Enaleni Trust and Poker Hill vineyard project. Personal interviews and focus group discussions were conducted and cluster analysis was used for the diversity (typology) analysis and the Likert scale was employed to measure risk attitude profiles. A non-probability sampling approach was used to select a sample size of 49 respondents. The reason for using non-probability sampling technique was that when one wants to do the diversity analysis, one must try to include many respondents in the sample and the farmers that are included must be representative of the population from which they are selected. The variables selected as determinants of farm diversity included information about: demographics and households, land ownership and occupation, farming activities, farming objectives, agricultural inputs, labour, equipment, farming constraints, access to markets, financial support services, educational and training services, extension services and reasons for quitting farming activities. From this, different farming types and typologies were identified, described and structured. Preference indications for different risk management strategies were then used to measure and describe the risk attitudes of different types of smallholder farmers using the Likert risk attitudinal scale. The results and findings confirmed the study hypotheses relating to diversity in smallholder farming in the target area, namely that smallholders in this geographical area are not a homogenous group and rejects the stated hypotheses that most smallholder farmers are risk averse. A Stellenbosch smallholder typology, with six different farming types were established viz: type 1 – farmland-occupying but non-farming households (10.2% of the sample), type 2 – pensioner – livestock farmers (16.3% of the sample), type 3 – part-time cattle farmers (14.3% of the sample), type 4 – commercial equity share farmers (16.3% of the sample), type 5 – retirement planning crop producers (20.4% of the sample), and type 6 – commercial crop producers (22.5% of the sample). With regard to risk profiles, risk attitudes varied between these types and also within each type, hence risk attitudes for smallholders are also not found to be similar. The results revealed that those smallholder farmers moving on a development path towards commercial agriculture (types 4, 5 and 6) were risk preferring; less commercially orientated farm types (types 1, 2 and 3), showed risk averse and risk neutral orientations. The risk profile percentages of farmers interviewed were 43.2%, 34.1% and 22.7%, respectively for risk preferring, risk neutral and risk averse; this finding rejects the stated hypotheses. From these results, a number of issues, relevant to development support programmes, were proposed for further agricultural economic research. The most important of these are related to: appropriate development support strategies related to farm types and the potential development paths for each type; and the structuring of appropriate ‘“risk management instruments”’ for each type, in particular to support smallholder farmers; with a development trajectory towards commercial farming, i.e. to support emerging commercial farmers – an important category of farming listed in current government policy and in the National Development Plan. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doelwit van hierdie studie was om ondersoek in te stel na die tipe kleinboere-stelsel (smallholder farming systems) wat voorkom in die Stellenbosch munisipale gebied in die WesKaap provinsie van Suid Afrika en die eenvormigheid al dan nie daarvan te ontleed. Eerstens is plaasdiversiteit ondersoek en ontleed; en daarna die risikohoudings van sondagie kleinboere. Die ontledings is dan gebruik om uitspraak te gee oor die eenvormigheid of diversiteit van kleinboerestelsels in die geogafiese gebied. Die probleemstelling wat hierdie studie gerig het, was dat daar ’n algehele wanbegrip mag bestaan dat kleinboere almal “dieselfde” is, of binne n ‘“eenvormige verteenwoordigende boerderymodel”’ funksioneer; en dat, gekoppel hieraan, die meerderheid kleinboere risikoafkerig is. Hierdie sienings hou ook voor dat alle kleinboere nie noodwendig op winsdoelwitte fokus nie, maar dat maatskaplike oorwegings ook relevant is en dat verskillende oriëntasies boerderystelsels vorm. Hierdie sienings word in hierdie studie ondersoek en die hipotese wat die analise rig, is dat die kleinboere in die studie nie ’n eenvormige of homogene groep is nie, eerder verskillende soorte/tipes kleinboere met verskillende oriëntasies en doelwitte en dus ook met verskillende risikohoudings. Die studie het sy oorsprong as deel van ’n internasionale samewerkende ondersoek – die South African Agrarian Diagnoses-projek van die Agro Paris Tech/Agence Francaise de Development, die Standard Bank Sentrum vir Agribesigheidsontwikkeling en Leierskap, Universiteit van Stellenbosch endie Universiteit van Pretoria oor die diversiteit en tipologieë van kleinboere in Suid Afrika. Hierdie ondersoek het gekyk na verskillende agro-geologiese gebiede in SuidAfrika, met hierdie studie wat gefokus het op die potensiële diversiteit van boere in die Stellenbosse plaaslike munisipale gebied. Die Stellenbosche Munisipaliteit en Departement van Landbou in die Wes Kaap het ondersteunend gestaan met logistiek en deelname aan fokusgroep gesprekke. Kleinboeraktiwiteit in hierdie studie is gedefinieer om beide kleinskaalse boerderyaktiwiteite op klein grond persele, as ook die mobilisering van kleinboere/plaaswerkers in sogenaamde gedeelde boerdery - eienaarskapskemas in te sluit – n unieke tipe wat nie in die ander streke ondersoek is nie.. Data is vanuit agt kleinboergemeenskappe en die vier verskillende gedeelde eienaarskapskemas vir plaaswerkers deur middel van opnames en onderhoude bekom. Die boerderygemeenskappe was in die volgende dorpe en klein dorpies gevestig: Franschhoek, Kylemore, Lanquedoc (Herbal View en Spier Corridor), Pniel, Jamestown, Raithby, Lynedoch en Koelenhof; en die vier gedeelde eienaarskapskemas vir plaaswerkers was: die Swartrivier wingerdprojek, die Koopmanskloof wingerdprojek, Enaleni Trust en die Poker Hill wingerdprojek. Persoonlike onderhoude en fokusgroepbesprekings is gehou en cluster analise is gebruik vir die diversiteit (tipologie) analise en die Likertskaal is gebruik risiko houding profiele te meet. 'N niewaarskynlikheidsteekproefneming benadering is gebruik om 'n steekproefgrootte van 49 respondente te kies. Die rede vir die gebruik van nie-waarskynlikheidsteekproefneming tegniek was dat wanneer 'n mens die diversiteit ontleding te doen, moet 'n mens probeer om soveel respondente in die monster en die boere wat ingesluit is, moet verteenwoordigend van die bevolking waaruit hulle gekies word om te sluit. Onderhoude is gedoen met sulke kleinboere en trosanalise is gebruik vir die analise van diversiteit (tipologie), en die Likert-skaal is gebruik om risikohoudingsprofiele te meet. Die veranderlikes wat as determinante van plaasdiversiteit gekies is, het inligting oor demografie en huishoudings, grondeienaarskap en -besetting, boerderyaktiwiteite, boerderydoelwitte, landboukundige insette, arbeid, toerusting, boerderybeperkings, marktoegang, finansiële ondersteuningsdienste, opvoedkundige en opleidingsdienste, uitbreidingsdienste en redes hoekom boerdery laat vaar is, ingesluit. Hieruit is verskillende boerderytipes geïdentifiseer en gekonstrueer. Voorkeure opsies vir verskillende risikobestuurstrategieë is gebruik om die risikohoudings van die deur middel van die Likert risikohoudingskaal te meet. Die resultate van hierdie studie het die hipotese oor die aanwesigheid van diversiteit bevestig, naamlik dat kleinboere in hierdie geografiese gebied nie ’n homogene groep is nie n verwerp die gestelde hipoteses dat die meeste kleinboere is risiko-sku. ’n Stellenbosch-tipologie, bestaande uit ses verskillende boerderytipes, is vasgestel: tipe 1 – huishoudings wat nie boer nie maar wat op landbougrond woon (10.2% van die monster), tipe 2 – pensioenaris-veeboere (16.3% van die monster), tipe 3 – deeltydse veeboere (14.3% van die monster), tipe 4 – kommersiële gedeelde eienaarskapskema boere (16.3% van die monster), tipe 5 – gewasprodusente wat aftrede beplan (20.4% van die monster), en tipe 6 – kommersiële gewasprodusente (22.5% van die monster). Met betrekking tot risikoprofiele het risikohoudings tussen die tipes en ook binne elke tipe gewissel, dus is die risikohoudings van kleinboere ook nie gevind om dieselfde te wees nie. Die resultate toon dat kleinboere wat in die rigting van kommersiële landbou beweeg (tipes 4, 5 en 6) risiko-voorkeurend is; daarenteen het minder kommersieel gerigte plaastipes (tipes 1, 2 en 3)risiko-afkerige en risiko-neutrale instellings getoon. In die geheel was die persentasies 43,2%, 34.1% en 22.7% vir risiko-voorkeurend, risiko-neutraal en risiko-afkerig onderskeidelik, wat ook die diversiteitshipotese ondersteun. Vanuit hierdie bevindings word ’n aantal kwessies wat relevant is vir ontwikkelingsondersteuningsprogramme vir kleinboere op verskillende ontwikkelingstrajekte, voorgestel vie verder elandbou ekonomiese navorsing. Die belangrikste hiervan hou verband met die aangewese ontwikkelingstrajekte per kleinboer tipe en daarmeegepaardgaande gepaste “risikobestuurinstrumente” – veral vir die ondersteuning van kleinboere met ’n ontwikkelingstrajek na kommersiële boerdery, m.a.w. opkomende kommersiële boere – ’n belangrike boerderykategorie wat in huidige regeringsbeleid en in die Nasionale Ontwikkelingsplan geprioritiseer word.

Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study uses a double-hurdle (DH) model to examine the key factors influencing market participation decisions among maize-producing households in the former homelands of South Africa. In the first stage of the double-hurdle model, using data on South African rural maize growers, the decision whether or not to participate (binary variable) is used to estimate the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE), which is assumed to follow a probit model. In the second stage, the conditional quantity sold (continuous variable) is assumed to follow a truncated normal regression model, whereby the MLE is estimated by fitting a truncated normal regression into the quantity sold. The results of the double-hurdle regression point specifically to five key factors that were found to have a positive statistical effect on rural smallholders’ market participation decisions, and on the conditional quantity of maize they traded (viz. household size, land size, access to credit and government transfers for the first stage, which was estimated using the probit model, and age, education and employment status of the household head, use of tractor when cultivating, government transfers, quantity produced, market price, and own transport to the market for the second stage which was estimated using truncated normal regression). Based on the findings highlighted above, it is recommended that the integration of rural smallholders as market participants cannot be achieved without effective policy interventions that create and sustain an enabling environment that encourages greater participation. This includes improving access to land and road infrastructure; providing extension services and making available relevant advice and information related to both production and marketing aspects; and enhancing the accessibility of both credit and production input. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie maak gebruik van die dubbel-hekkie (DH) model om die vernaamste faktore te ondersoek wat besluite oor markdeelname onder mielieproduserende huishoudings in die voormalige tuislande van Suid-Afrika beïnvloed. In die eerste stadium van die double-hurdle model, met gebruik van data oor landelike Suid-Afrikaanse mieliekwekers, is die besluit oor deelname of andersins (binêre veranderlike) gebruik om die maksimum-aanneemlikheidsberaming (maximum likelihood estimation (MLE)) te skat wat aanvaar word om op ’n probit-model te volg. In die tweede stadium is die voorwaardelike hoeveelheid verkoop (kontinue veranderlike) aanvaar om op ’n afgeknotte normale regressiemodel te volg, waardeur die MLE beraam word deur ’n afgeknotte normale regressie in die hoeveelheid verkoop te pas. Die resultate van die dubbel-hekkie regressie dui spesifiek op vyf sleutelfaktore wat gevind is om ’n positiewe statistiese effek op landelike kleinboere se markdeelnamebesluite te hê, en op die voorwaardelike hoeveelheid van mielies wat hulle verhandel (naamlik grootte van die huishouding, grootte van die grond, toegang tot krediet en regeringsoordragte vir die eerste stadium, wat geskat is deur gebruik te maak van die probit-model, en ouderdom, opvoeding en indiensnemingstatus van die hoof van die huishouding, gebruik van trekker tydens bewerking, regeringsoordragte, hoeveelheid geproduseer, markprys en eie vervoer na die mark vir die tweede stadium, wat geskat is met afgeknotte normale regressie). Gebaseer op die bevindings wat hierbo uitgelig is, word daar aangeraai dat die integrasie van landelike kleinboere as markdeelnemers nie moontlik is sonder doeltreffende beleidsingrypings wat ’n instaatstellende omgewing skep en onderhou wat groter deelname sal aanmoedig. Dit sluit in verbeterde toegang tot grond en pad-infrastruktuur; verskaffing van voorligtingdienste en relevante raad en inligting m.b.t. produksie- en bemarkingsaspekte; en die verbetering van toegang tot beide krediet en produksie-insette.

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / Zambia, a country in Sub Saharan Africa, is home to over 13 million people. Of this population, 61 percent are found in rural areas and depend on agriculture for their livelihood, making the sector a key area for the development of the country. Agriculture remains a key sector because of its huge potential and the number of people that are dependent on it. However, smallholder farmers face many challenges, which include inadequate market and price information, inability to access credit, inadequate extension services, low input supply and low usage of hybrid seed amongst others. Given this situation, the study undertook to use quantitative research methods to determine the effect of agricultural services on smallholder performance in Zambia. It also focused on determining whether the sources of agricultural services affect performance. The results of the study reported that sources of fertilizers, maize seed and loans had a significant influence on yield of maize achieved by farmers. Access and utilisation of fertilizer, seed and maize price information had also shown that there was a relationship between these variables and yield produced. With these results, it is imperative to understand and manage the level of government involvement in the provision of agricultural services so that private sector participation is not discouraged.

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: There is substantial evidence supported by literature that many smallholder farmers can benefit from agricultural markets and commercialisation. This research examines the challenges and constraints that smallholder farmers have to deal with in the study area and what needs to be done to overcome the barriers to market access. An argument was made that identification of these barriers could lead to the necessary interventions and assist in institutional innovation to alleviate market constraints and challenges faced by smallholder farmers. The qualitative approach was deemed appropriate and entailed the face to face method in the collection of data through the use of structured questionnaires. Smallholder farmers in Tembisa, involved in the production and marketing of specific agricultural commodities were visited to investigate the challenges and constraints facing them. The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality’s database of smallholder farmers was used to access the smallholder farmers involved in the production of selected vegetables in Tembisa. The study revealed that access to land, access to agricultural inputs, access to credit, market information, infrastructure and farmer support services were barriers to market participation. The lack or limited access to these resources will affect the manner in which smallholder farmers benefit from the opportunities available in the agricultural markets in respect of the quality and quantity of the agricultural produce. Whilst the fresh produce market and supermarkets in the area have extended a hand of cooperation and business relationship with smallholder farmers, there is currently no formal existing relationship since they are unable to exploit those opportunities due to their inability to comply with the required standards set by the market. Most of their produce is sold at the farm gate, local community and to the hawkers. It is expected that addressing such barriers may create enabling conditions that would encourage smallholder farmers to access and participate more effectively in markets. Such efforts could improve the ability of smallholder farmers to become part of the mainstream or commercial agricultural economy. Some barriers and constraints require direct intervention by government and policy makers have to institute agricultural policy reforms to incorporate smallholder farmers within large scale agriculture.

Dissertation (PhD)--Stellenbosch University 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: It is indeed possible for agricultural institutions to render optimum services to farmers provided that such services meet the requirements of the farmers. Insofar as the agricultural extension and information arm of these services operated in the past, the emphasis was on keeping abreast - on a scientific basis - of the needs of commercial farming. The reason for this was that over the years a clear picture of the commercial farmer as individual and his particular needs had emerged and the focus was on this. The opposite is true of developing agriculture. It is evident from available literature that there are substantial differences between them, and that these may well have a very real influence on the nature of their information requirements. Inadequate knowledge and information concerning the developing farmer - mainly as a result of very little personal contact at grassroots level - therefore create a gap in the armour of the National Department of Agriculture (NDA) as a service organisation. This study is aimed at making a contribution to this inadequate - often totally lacking - pool of knowledge and to formulate a strategy that could narrow this gap. To gain an insight into and become conversant with the world of small farmers and subsistence farmers and the influence that the realities of their lifestyle may ultimately have on their ultimate information requirements and the implementation thereof, a profile was compiled of traditional small-scale farmers in several Rural Areas of the Western Cape Province. This information was acquired from recent surveys and studies carried out in these areas. Using this profile as background, an attempt was made to describe the information environment by using a qualitative investigation method known as the focus group data collection technique. The findings of the investigation show that the very real need for land ownership and the availability of financial assistance are primary needs. Before these problems are solved to the satisfaction of small farmers, it can not be expected that they will identify information as a high priority. As regards the utilisation of specific channels of information, fellow-farmers and agricultural extension officers are identified as the most important personal channels, with the radio and printed media as the major mass-media channels. In the absence of a departmental communication strategy, development support communication (DSC) is put forward as a potential strategy to bridge the shortcomings that emerged form the investigation. In fact, DSCis the liaison between interest groups with a view to reaching consensuswhich leads to action in which the interests, needs and abilities of all role players are taken into account. The role of the go-between to act as mediator between ground-level communities and institutions such as the NDA's Directorate of Communication, and extension and research would also be vital. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Institusionele dienslewering in die landbou kan optimaal geskied mits dit aan die behoeftes van boere voldoen. Sover dit landbouvoorligting en -inligting as die ondersteuningsarm daarvan betref, is in die verlede op wetenskaplike grondslag tred gehou met die behoeftes van die kommersiële boerdery aangesien 'n kennispoeloor tyd opgebou is oor dié boer as persoon en sy besondere behoeftes. In ontwikkelingslandbou geld die teendeel. Uit die literatuur blyk dit dat daar aansienlike verskille tussen kommersiële en kleinboere bestaan wat 'n wesentlike invloed op hul inligtingsbehoeftes mag uitoefen. 'n Onvoldoende kennispoel van die ontwikkelende landbouer, grootliks as gevolg van weinige grondvlakkontak, skep gevolglik 'n gaping in die mondering van die Nasionale Departement van Landbou (NDL) as diensleweringsorganisasie. Die studie is daarop gerig om 'n bydrae te lewer tot die gebrekkige en dikwels algehele ontbrekende kennispoel en 'n strategie voor te hou ten einde die gaping te vernou. Ten einde op hoogte te kom met die leefwêreld van kleinboere en bestaansboereen die invloed wat die gegewe mag uitoefen op hul uiteindelike inligtingsbehoeftes en -benutting, is 'n profiel saamgestel van tradisionele kleinboere in verskeie Landelike Gebiede van die Provinsie Wes- Kaap. Die inligting is bekom uit resente opnames en studies wat in die Gebiede uitgevoer is. Met die profiel as agtergrond, is voortgegaan om kleinboere in Landelike Gebiede se inligtingsomge_wingte beskryf deur gebruik te maak van 'n kwalitatiewe ondersoekmetode bekend as die fokusgroepdata-insamelingstegniek. Die bevindings van die ondersoek toon dat die behoefte aan grondbesit en die beskikbaarheid van finansiële hulpbronne primêre behoeftes is. Alvorens dit tot bevrediging van kleinboere opgelos word, kan nie verwag word dat inligting as 'n hoë prioriteit deur hulle beleef sal word nie. Wat die benutting van spesifieke inligtingskanale betref, word medeboere en landbouvoorligters as die belangrikste persoonlike kanale gemeld, met die radio en die gedrukte media as die belangrikste massamediakanale. By gebrek aan 'n departementele kommunikasiestrategie word ontwikkelingsteunkommunikasie (aSK) as 'n potensiële strategie voorgehou om die leemtes te oorbrug wat in die ondersoek aangetoon is. aSK is in wese die skakeling tussen belangegroepe met die oog op konsensusbereiking wat oorgaan tot aksie en waarin die belange, behoeftes en vermoëns van alle rolspelers in berekening gebring word. Van groot belang in die aSK-strategie is die rol van die tussenganger wat bemiddelend optree tussen grondvlakgemeenskappe en instellings soos die NDL se direktoraat Kommunikasie, landbouvoorligters en selfs navorsers.

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirement of the degree of Master of Arts in Sociology (Coursework and Research) JOHANNESBURG / The advent of the Fast Track Land Reform Programme influenced a major shift of small scale farmers from subsistence cereal cropping to the commercial growing of tobacco. Smallholder tobacco farmers enjoyed economic prosperity in the tobacco farming sector but that prosperity was short lived. Smallholder farmers face a lot of marketing, production and policy problems within the tobacco farming industry and these problems are increasingly rendering them unproductive. Most smallholder tobacco farmers are entrapped in a ‘vulnerability context’ in which they are exposed to food and income insecurity owing to the problems which they face. However, despite the challenges which they face, smallholder tobacco farmers are largely resilient; they formulate and reformulate their livelihoods on a daily basis in endeavours to cushion themselves against the overwhelming odds. It was against this background that this qualitative study sought to explore the adaptive strategies that are pursued by smallholder tobacco farmers in response to the effects posed by tobacco mono-cropping. This study also sought to examine the factors that influenced the choice of the adaptive strategies that were pursued by those farmers as well as the factors that constrained their adaptive capacity. To meet the aims of this study, a purely qualitative methodology was adopted in which unstructured interviews and focus group discussions with smallholder farmers who were purposively selected were conducted in Hurungwe district. The study found out that smallholder tobacco farmers were highly adaptive and agricultural intensification, migration, and micro-enterprise activities were found out to be the main activities that were pursued by those farmers. The study also found out gender, income levels, educational levels, infrastructure and equipment ownership as the main factors that either determined or constrained the adaptive capacity of those farmers. Based on key findings, the researcher recommended the government and non-governmental organisations to enhance rural people’s education and credit facilities access, ensure infrastructural development in rural areas and encourage peer to peer sharing of vocational skills. / MT2017

A research report for the partial fulfillment of Masters degree in the school of Geography and Environmental studies, Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2007. / Unable to load abstract