Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to provide the first in depth description of the natuurboerdery
farming system as developed and adopted by ZZ2, a privately-owned farming
conglomerate in South Africa. Natuurboerdery aims to increase agricultural productivity
and sustainability while maintaining environmental integrity to contribute to overall
sustainability. A case study research design using multiple sources and techniques for
data gathering was applied to investigate the reasons for and process of converting from
conventional farming to natuurboerdery, describe the principles and practices of
natuurboerdery farming and document the changes and benefits realised by conversion.
It was established that ZZ2 converted to natuurboerdery farming due to the challenges
associated with conventional methods of farming. The main challenges ZZ2 experienced
were recurrent pests and diseases which were becoming difficult to control with inorganic
pesticides, large decreases in yields and unsustainable production outputs or returns to
support production costs mainly due to the escalating cost of inorganic pesticides and
fertilisers. ZZ2 also became aware of the growing customer demand for healthy food
produced by ethically accepted methods while minimising environmental degradation.
A conceptual framework was developed to describe the natuurboerdery farming system,
based on five principles or health aspects: agro-ecosystem health, soil health, plant health,
food health and human health. All of the practices developed and adopted by ZZ2 were
described and classified in terms of this framework. Natuurboerdery integrates the use of
inorganic fertilisers and organic soil amendments for soil health and plant nutrition;
inorganic pesticides, fermented plant extracts from herbal plants with insecticidal
properties, EM products, compost teas and biological control agents for plant protection.
The conversion to natuurboerdery resulted in changes and benefits which were described
and classified under: strategic and technical, economic, social and ecological and
environmental. The main findings were that soil health has improved, soil organic carbon
levels have increased, the use of inorganic products for plant nutrition and protection has decreased with significant cost savings, yields have risen, water availability has increased
and energy spending has been reduced.
The conclusions drawn from the research findings indicate that natuurboerdery is neither
organic nor conventional farming which indicates that inorganic and organic inputs are
compatible in sustainable farming systems. The natuurboerdery farming approach is a
potentially sustainable farming system which works with nature. Areas for further
scholarship, research and recommendations have been identified to improve the
sustainability of natuurboerdery. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie tesis was om die eerste in-diepte beskrywing van natuurboerdery
saam te stel soos dit deur ZZ2 ontwikkel en gebruik is. ZZ2 is ‘n Suid Afrikaanse
boerdery konglomoraat in privaatbesit. Natuurboerdery beoog om boerdery
produktiwiteit en volhoubaarheid te verhoog, terwyl dit die integriteit van die natuuur in
stand hou om tot algehele volhoubaarheid by te dra. ‘n Gevallestudie is as
navosingsontwerp gebruik en verskeie bronne en metodes is toegepas om inligting in te
samel. Die proses en redes vir die oorskakeling van konvensionele boerdery na
natuurboerdery is ondersoek, terwyl die beginsels en praktyke van natuurboerdery
beskryf is en die veranderings en voordele van die oorskakeling gedokumenteer is.
Dit is vasgestel dat ZZ2 na natuurboerdery omgeskakel het as gevolg van uitdagings wat
met konvensionele boerderymetodes gesassosieer word. Die hoof-uitdagings wat ZZ2
ondervind het was terugkerende peste en siektes wat moeilik beheerbaar was met
onorganiese plaagdoders, groot afnames van oeste en onvolhoubare produksie uitkomste
of winste om die produksiekostes te dra. Stygende pryse van onorganiese plaagdoders en
kunsmis was die grootste oorsaak van hoë produksiekostes. ZZ2 het ook bewus geraak
van die groeinde klante-aanvraag vir gesonde kos wat op eties-aanvaarbare metodes
geproduseer is en skade aan die natuurlike omgewing verminder.
‘n Konsepsuele raamwerk is ontwikkel om natuurboerdery as ‘n boerdery-sisteem te
beskryf en is gebasseer om vyf beginsels of gesondheidsaspekte: agroekosisteemgesondheid, grondgesondheid, plantgesondheid, voedselgesondheid en
menslike gesondheid. Al hierdie praktyke wat deur ZZ2 ontwikkel en gebruik is word in
hierdie tesis beskryf en geklassifisseer in terme van die konsepsuele raamwerk.
Natuurbeordery integreer die gebruik van onorganiese kunsmis en organiese
grondwysigings vir grondgesondheid en plantvoeding. Geïntegreerde praktyke sluit in:
onorganieise plaagdoders, gefermenteerde kruieplant-ekstrakte met insek-bestrydende
einskappe, EM produkte, kompos-tees en biologiese beheeragente vir plantbeskerming. Die oorskakeling na natuurboerdery het sekere veranderings en voordele gehad. Dit word
geklassifiseer volgens die betrekking wat dit het op die strategiese en tegniese,
ekonomiese, maatskaplike en ekologiese en omgewings-aspekte van ZZ2. Die
hoofbevindings was verbeterde grondgesondheid, verhoogde organiese koolstofvlakke in
die grond, laer gebruik van onorganiese produkte vir plantvoeding en beskerming met
noemenswaardige koste-besparings, verhoodge oeste en waterbeskikbaarheid, en kleiner
spandering op energie.
Die navorsingsbevindings wys daarop dat natuurboerdery nie organies of konvensionele
boerdery is nie en dat onorganiese en organiese insette dus verenigbaar is in volhoubare
boerdery-sisteme. Die natuurboerdery uitkyk is ‘n potensiële volhoubare boerderysisteem wat in staat is om saam die natuur te werk. Areas vir verdere studie, navorsing en
voorstelle is geïdentifiseer om die volhoubaarheid van natuurboerdery te verbeter.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/6694 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Taurayi, Silent |
| Contributors | Kelly, Candice, University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Management and Planning. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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