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.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/85627 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Pienaar, Petrus Louw |
| Contributors | Traub, Lulama, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Agricultural Economics. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 111 p. : ill., map |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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