Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Agricultural labourers'

Thousands of farmers were saved from bankruptcy by the Department of Agriculture, says Minister Greyling Wentzel. He said in 1986/1987 2 741 farmers who would have been bankrupt were saved through the department’s production aid scheme. The Rill,7m they received as loans enabled them to get a crop in the ground, without which they would have gone under. The debt consolidation scheme likewise helped about 2 000 farmers escape bankruptcy for the period 1983/1984 to 1986/1987.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Current mainstream theories of intimacy were derived from studies with primarily White, middle class participants living in developed countries. However, as social contexts shape people’s definitions, meanings and behaviours, it cannot be assumed that mainstream intimacy conceptualisations would apply to other populations. Studies of intimacy should be located in its social and historical context. Previous South African studies of Black and Coloured couples mainly emphasised HIV/Aids, interpartner violence and gender inequality, and neglected to investigate positive aspects of intimate lives of poorer communities. A lack of such context-specific data on how South African men and women construct and experience intimate relationships hinders appropriate and effective interventions. This study addressed this research gap by exploring intimacy experiences of long-term heterosexual adult Coloured couples living in a low-income semi-rural community. The objective of this qualitative study was to gain an understanding of how the participant couples expressed and experienced intimacy. The participants were 15 couples (i.e. 30 participants), between the ages of 23 and 66 years, who had been married or living together for a minimum period of two years. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore: (i) how couples understand intimacy, and (ii) how intimacy is expressed and experienced in committed adult heterosexual relationships. Theoretically, this study was informed by social constructionism and interviews were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis method. The following themes were identified: (i) closeness means being together, (ii) sex and intimacy (iii) closeness in talking (iv) expressions and experiences of intimacy/closeness through acts of care, (v) alcohol disrupts closeness (vi) family of origin and the constructions of intimacy; and (vii) community constructions and norms. Although much of the international literature suggests that mutual self-disclosure is the foundation for intimacy, self-disclosure did not feature prominently in the narratives of this study’s narratives. Closeness was expressed through sharing in practical and tangible ways. Gender was pertinent to these couples’ experiences and gender roles were fundamental to their intimacy perceptions and behaviours. Despite some contestations of hegemonic masculinity and femininity constructions, most of the participants did not demonstrate an active awareness or resistance regarding learned gender roles. They did not seem to consider these gender roles as problematic, limited or limiting, nor did they indicate alternative gender ideas. This was attributed partly to poverty and low education levels, which constrain people’s access to alternative gender perspectives. Religion and community influences also play an important role in their understanding of their role as partner. Although Christianity endorses traditional gender ideas, the participants themselves felt that their religious beliefs and practices facilitated intimate experiences, and prevented alcohol abuse and domestic violence. In conclusion, implications for policy and practice in terms of gender inequality and alcohol abuse are discussed, as are the limitations of the study.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Huidige hoofstroom teorieë van intimiteit is afgelei van studies met hoofsaaklik Wit, middelklas-deelnemers. Aangesien sosiale konteks mense se definisies, betekenis en gedrag met betrekking tot intimiteit vorm, kan dit egter nie aanvaar word dat die hoofstroom konseptualisering van intimiteit ook van toepassing sal wees op ander bevolkingsgroepe nie. Studies van intimiteit moet geleë wees in die sosiale en historiese konteks. 'n Gebrek aan sodanige konteks-spesifieke data oor hoe verskillende groepe Suid-Afrikaanse mans en vroue intieme verhoudings verstaan en beleef, kan toepaslike en effektiewe verhouding ingrypings belemmer. Verder het vorige Suid Afrikaanse studies oor Swart en Kleurling paartjies hoofsaaklik gefokus op HIV/VIGS, paartjie geweld en geslags ongelykhede en het nagelaat om positiewe aspekte van die intieme lewe van paartjies in arm gemeenskappe te ondersoek. Hierdie studiehet hierdie navorsing leemte aangespreek deur te verken hoe hoe langtermyn, heteroseksuele, volwasse paartjies in 'n lae-inkomste semi-landelike gemeenskap intimiteit verstaan, beleef en uitdruk. Die deelnemers was 15 paartjies (d.w.s 30 deelnemers), tussen die ouderdomme van 23 en 66 jaar, wat getroud was of saamgewoon het vir 'n tydperk van ten minste twee jaar. Kwalitatiewe semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude is gevoer om die volgende te verken: (i) hoe paartjies intimiteit verstaan, en (ii) hoe intimiteit betoon en ervaar word in toegewyde volwasse heteroseksuele verhoudings. Die studie is teoreties geskoei op sosiale konstruktiwisme en onderhoude is ontleed met behulp Braun en Clarke se tematiese analise metode. Die volgende temas is geïdentifiseer uit die onderhoude: (i) nabyheid beteken om saam te wees, (ii) seks en intimiteit, (iii) nabyheid deur gesels (iv) uitdrukkings en ervarings van intimiteit deur dade van sorg, (v) alkohol ontwrig saamwees, (vi) die invloed van die familie van oorsprong op die konstruksie van intimiteit, (vii) gemeenskap konstruksies en norme. Alhoewel die internasionale literatuur aandui dat wedersydse selfonthulling die grondslag vir intimiteit vorm, het self-onthulling nie prominent in die deelnemers se vertellings voorgekom nie. Nabyheid is eerder beleef en betoon deur praktiese en tasbare dade en gebare. Geslagsrolle was fundamenteel in paartjies se belewing en uitvoering van intimiteit. Ten spyte daarvan dat sommige individuele deelnemers hegemoniese geslagsrolle bevraagteken het, het die meerderheid deelnemers nie ‘n aktiewe bewustheid of weerstand getoon rakende geleerde geslagsrolle nie. Hulle het skynbaar nie hierdie geslagsrolle as problematies, of beperkend gesien nie. Hulle het ook nie aangedui dat hulle alternatiewe geslagsrol idees het nie. Dit word gedeeltelik toegeskryf aan armoede en lae vlakke van onderrig wat mense se toegang tot alternatiewe geslagsrolle en perspektiewe beperk Godsdiens en gemeenskap invloede speel ook 'n belangrike rol in hul begrip van hul rol as lewensmaat. Alhoewel Christenskap tradisionele geslag idees onderskryf, het die deelnemers gevoel dat hulle godsdienstige oortuigings en praktyke intieme ervarings fasiliteer, asook die misbruik van alkohol en huishoudelike geweld verhoed. Dit impliseer dat godsdiens bydra by tot die skepping en instandhouding van manlikheid en vroulikheid idees in hierdie gemeenskap. Ten slotte, is implikasies vir beleid en praktyk in terme van geslagsongelykheid en alkoholmisbruik bespreek, asook die beperkinge van die studie.

This thesis is the study of a single farm, Klaver Valley in the Darling district, 1812 - 1898. Chapter One provides a physical view of Klaver Valley from 1812 to 1898 showing the changes in the landscape and production of grains, wine and wool over the period. It argues that these changes occurred as a direct result of external market forces. Chapter Two focuses on the changes which occurred in the labour process from the early 1800s to 1898, arguing that the main impetus for change came from mechanisation of harvesting in the 1820s and 1850s. Chapter Three explores the notion of a capitalist farmer and argues that Duckitt and later Ruperti can be categorised as capitalist farmers. The main thrust of their progressive capitalization occurred before the 1850s and it did so as a result of the system of informal credit which existed at farm level among farmers, allowing for re-investment and survival of cash flow. Chapter Four studies the process of proletarianisation which accompanied the capitalist development of the farm and its farmers. While taking account of the existence of a small number (3) of sharecroppers on the farm in the 1840s, 1870s and 1890s, this chapter argues that by the early 1830s, the farm was operating on the back of fully proletarianised labour. Composition of the labour force, wages and tasks, the work of women and the change from resident and permanent to casual labour from the 1820s to the 1890s, form some of the main focuses of this chapter. Chapter Five explores the nature of the relationship between the farmer and workers from 1829 - 1898, the two increasingly alienated from each other by the encroachment of the overseer. It argues that capitalist relations of production developed in the context of paternalism throughout although it was increasingly shaped by the cash-oriented relationship.

Includes bibliography.
This is an exploratory study which investigates changes introduced by management on farms in Elgin and explores the perceptions of some of those involved in the changes. The initiatives and activities of the Rural Foundation for Community Development (Rural Foundation) and its involvement in these changes forms a crucial part of the exploration. Three questions direct the study. 1. What are the changes that have been introduced? 2. Why were they introduced? 3. What is the social meaning of the changes? The study is based on a case study of four farms. Documentary material was collected from a variety of sources including the Rural Foundation, the South African Government, as well as other agencies operating in the field. Interviews with various actors were conducted, including management and a selection of workers on each of the four farms, Rural Foundation officials as well as other actors connected to the developments on the farms. The study is informed by historical materialist theory and draws from certain labour process theories. Important for the study was the discussion raised in these theories around the effect that workers' motivation has on their productivity. The study is located in the context of the national historical development of capitalist agriculture since the Second World War. More specifically it is situated locally in terms of changes that occurred on Elgin farms more generally prior to the 1980's as well as the present general circumstances in the area. Three fields of change are identified on the four farms: (i) training of workers, (ii) new incentives and pay structures, and (iii) community development. It is asserted that these changes are measures introduced by management in an attempt to, firstly, decrease production costs by employing greater numbers of women and migrant workers and paying them less. Secondly, they are aimed at increasing the productivity of workers through measures designed to improve the 'quality' and stability of workers and to develop a new authority structure on the farms. Four trends are thus identified as occurring on the farms: 1. Increasing use of women and migrant workers. 2. An improvement in workers' living conditions and standards. 3. An increasing emphasis on improving workers' productivity. 4. A shift in the emphasis on control towards developing workers' consent.

Bibliography: pages 182-190.
The thesis examines adolescent experience on two grape-growing farms in the Western Cape. Particular attention is paid to the daily lives of farm residents with special reference to adolescents and the power relations between farmers and farm residents and between males and females insofar as they affect adolescents. The current literature on conditions on white-owned farms in South Africa lacks detailed research at the micro-level. This thesis begins to fill the gaps in the literature by providing an understanding of how people on the farms pursue their day-to-day lives. Six months intensive fieldwork was conducted on two farms in the Western Cape. During this time participant observation was supplemented by a household survey, the correction of life-histories and interviews with farm residents. Adolescent labour was documented in both summer and winter by using observations, 24-hour recalls and instant checks. An important theme which recurs throughout the thesis is that of the entrapment and encapsulation of farm residents. I show that despite the fact that different people - men, women and adolescent girls and boys - have different options for resisting the constraints of farm existence, they remain trapped in the valley with few alternative opportunities for employment elsewhere.

The South African wine industry faces unique challenges in the socio-economic development of its farm labourers due to its historical context and development over the past three centuries. A long history of malpractice, a lasting paternalistic mentality, and only partial compliance to regulations to reduce inequality and improve livelihoods for farm labourers hinders the success of industry-wide transformation. Despite studies regarding the current state of living and working conditions in the wine industry and types of socio-economic development needed for successful transformation, little research has been done to address whether these initiatives are creating a lasting impact on the well-being of labourers. Research on current intervention strategies aimed at empowering labourers must take into account the origin of wine in the Cape region, the legacy of Apartheid, and the current state of socio-economic inequality amongst wine industry workers. The purpose of this research is to provide a better understanding of how and to what degree initiatives and programmes designed for socio-economic development are actually making an impact within the industry. The central research question asks: “to what extent has socio-economic development initiatives aimed at the transformation of wine farm labourers influenced perceptions of well-being?” This research combines both document analysis and qualitative comparative case study methods in assessing the impact these initiatives have had on labourers’ perceptions and attitudes towards personal development and a better standard of living. At the end of the study, the researcher wants to know how the labourers perceive socio-economic initiatives; do they actually believe themselves has having gained increased levels of respect, dignity, and equality, and have these perceptions been impacted by current socio-economic initiatives?.

The study of rural history and social unrest in the English countryside has concentrated largely on East Anglia and southern England. Apart from one or two recent studies, the western agricultural counties have been relatively ignored. More importantly, apart from giving some detailed accounts of the lives of rural political activists, many historians have paid less attention to the daily lives of the majority of agricultural labourers. This has led to a general acceptance that most labourers were part of a rural proletariat whose loss of common rights and declining living standards culminated in the Last Labourers’ Revolt of 1830. This thesis seeks to broaden this view by providing a more holistic view of labourers’ lives in Worcestershire in order to determine what social and economic changes had the most impact on rural life in general and on three settlements in particular. The introduction demonstrates how romantic views of the past have influenced some historians’ attitudes. It then determines the empirical basis for this study.

En mai 1940, la population ardennaise fuit devant l’arrivée des troupes allemandes. Les ressources économiques et agricoles du département, qui faisaient pourtant l’objet de plans d’évacuation préparés dès les années 1930, sont abandonnées à l’occupant. Quelques semaines plus tard, une vaste zone du nord-est de la France, dont les Ardennes font partie, est déclarée « zone interdite ». Les terres cultivables sont confisquées à leurs propriétaires et prises en charge au profit du Reich par une entreprise appelée Ostland, qui a déjà orchestré un semblable mouvement de spoliation en Pologne depuis son invasion. L’une de ses filiales régionales, la WOL III, met en place dans les Ardennes un vaste projet d’implantation des méthodes agricoles nationales-socialistes qui nécessite une abondante main-d’œuvre. Des agriculteurs allemands, appelés « chefs de culture » sont diligentés sur place et gèrent de grandes exploitations dans lesquelles travaillent plusieurs milliers de prisonniers français et coloniaux ainsi que 5 000 agriculteurs ardennais contraints à se mettre à leur service. Des ouvriers juifs sont également recrutés et des milliers de Polonais, expulsés de leurs villages, sont déportés pour travailler dans ces fermes qui exercent une agriculture intensive. Cette situation engendre des tensions sociales qui s’expriment particulièrement lors de la Libération et lors de procès d’épuration qui visent certains employés de l’Ostland. Les autorités françaises tentent de gérer au mieux la liquidation de l’entreprise allemande et l’organisation du rapatriement des Polonais dans leur pays, deux opérations difficiles qui nécessitent de longs mois. La reconnaissance des victimes de l’Ostland est inégale et tardive puisqu’elle n’intervient qu’à partir des années 1990. Des mémoires distinctes et spécifiques aux différents groupes de travailleurs émergent aussi à cette époque et s’expriment lors de commémorations
In May 1940, the population of the Ardennes fled from the arrival of the German troops. The economic and agricultural ressources of the department, which yet had been subject to evacuation plans since the thirties, were given up to the occupying forces. A few weeks later, a large area of the North-East of France including the Ardennes was declared « forbidden zone ». The cultivable land was confiscated from its owners and taken over for the benefit of the Reich by a company named Ostland, which had already orchestrated a similar spoliation movement in Poland since its invasion. One of its local subsidiaries, WOL III , set up in the Ardennes a vast project to implement the National Socialist agricultural methods which required an abundant workforce. Some German farmers, called crop managers, were sent out there to run large farms on which several thousands of French and colonial prisoners as well as 5000 Ardennes farmers were working under duress. Jewish labourers were also recruited and thousands of Poles, expelled from their villages, were deported to work on these farms with intensive agriculture. This situation caused social tensions that were particuliarly evident during the Liberation and during the « purification » trials involving some WOL employees. French authorities tried to manage the liquidation of the German company and the organisation of the repatriation of the Poles, two difficult operations that took many months to complete. Recognition of Ostland victims was uneven and late since it occurred only from the 1990s onwards. Distinct memories specific to the different groups of workers also emerged at that time and were expressed during commemorations

This study investigated whether high quality Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) relationships between farmers and farm labourers reduce the level of militancy that labourers will adopt during labour strikes. The study was conducted in the aftermath of the farm labour wage strikes which occurred between August 2012 and January 2013 in De Doorns in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, in which three labourers lost their lives. Purposive sampling was used to conduct semi-structured interviews across a spectrum of farmers and managers in De Doorns to construct eight case studies of the same event. The interviews were transcribed and analysed in order to test the propositions that were developed during the literature review. This study confirmed the existence of LMX relationships between farmers and labourers. The study further found that: labourers who enjoy higher quality LMX relationships with farmers may be less militant during labour strikes; trust is a critical factor in developing and sustaining high quality LMX relationships; the quality of LMX relationships influences the time required to restore the work relationships after a crisis situation; and the social context in which leaders and members are embedded will influence the quality of the LMX relationship. These findings have applications for the management of labour intensive industries in South Africa that could benefit from reduced militant behaviour during labour strikes.
Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2013.
zkgibs2014
Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
MBA
Unrestricted

Thesis (M.A.)--York University, 2006. Graduate Programme in Social Anthroplogy.
Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 159-164). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:MR29612

Labour legislation was introduced into agriculture in the early 1990s with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) being gazetted in 1992. Since the mid-1990s "new" labour legislation pertaining to agriculture has been implemented in South Africa, and includes the Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997 (amended), the Unemployment Insurance Act 63 of 2001 (amended), the Labour Relations Act (LRA) 66 of 1995, the Land Reform (Labour Tenants) Act 3 of 1996, the Extension of Security of Tenure Act 62 of 1997, the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, the Skills Development Levies Act 9 of 1999, and the Sectoral Determination (an amendment of the BCEA 75 of 1997) which includes the imposition of minimum wages. This study examines the legislation in detail as well as the implications of this legislation for agricultural labour employment in South Africa. A relative increase in the cost (transaction and wage) and risk associated with labour motivates farmers to replace labour with machinery, machinery contractors, labour contractors or new technologies that are labour-saving. This results in a decrease in the demand for unskilled workers and higher levels of poverty and unemployment in South Africa. This study estimates long-run price elasticities of demand for regular labour in South African (SA) agriculture using both Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression and a Two-stage Least Squares (2SLS) simultaneous equations model. The 2SLS model includes a labour supply equation. Secondary data obtained over a 43 year period (1960-2002) from Statistics South Africa and the Abstract of Agricultural Statistics were used in this study. Both models were estimated for the period 1960-2002, and included a piecewise slope dummy variable for wages with the threshold year taken as 1991 to reflect expected changes in farm labour legislation. Study results show that the estimated long-run price elasticity of demand for labour for the pre-1991 (i.e., 1960-1990) period was -0,25 for the OLS model and -0,23 for the 2SLS model suggesting that the demand for regular labour was jnelastic during this period. For the post-1991 period (1991-2002), the long-run elasticity was estimated as -1,32 for the OLS model and -1,34 for the 2SLS model. This shows a structural change in demand that questions the appropriateness of minimum wage and other labour legislation that has raised the cost of regular farm labour in South Africa. Labour legislation introduced in the early 1990s encouraged farmers to substitute casual workers for regular workers. However, the inclusion of all casual workers in minimum wage legislation from 2006 is expected to slow the casualisation of agricultural labour as farmers turn to labour contractors, chemicals and machinery as the next best substitutes. The study found that an increase (decrease) in the price of chemicals (pesticides and herbicides for crops, and labour saving dips and sprays for animals) result in an increase (decrease) in the demand for regular labour. The demand for labour is also sensitive to changes in real interest rates (used as a proxy for machinery costs). The cost of capital would decrease (increase) as interest rates fall (rise), resulting in farmers adopting more (less) machinery and equipment, causing a decrease (increase) in the demand for regular labour, ceteris paribus. In order to reverse the regular labour unemployment trend in SA agriculture, government could choose to adopt more flexible labour market regulations (i.e., legislation regarding the hiring and dismissing of farm workers, and increases in wages and benefits for the farm worker could be based on the individual performance of each worker as opposed to increasing the wages of the entire workforce through minimum wages) which would reduce labour costs and encourage farmers to employ more labour.
Thesis (M.Agric.Man.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

In 1955 and 1966 Canada opened its doors to a limited number of Caribbean domestic workers and seasonal agricultural workers. Canadian government officials remarked that the programmes were part of Ottawa’s aid package to the Caribbean and that they would enhance trading relationships between Canada and the Caribbean, a view which had been echoed by other writers on the topic. This thesis argues that both programmes were instituted after Canada had exhausted all attempts to recruit adequate European labourers. The thesis also argues that both programmes were deliberately designed and executed to ensure that Canada got maximum benefits at low cost. Canada also attached unprecedented conditions to both schemes in an effort to significantly reduce the number of workers recruited. The thesis provides a thorough examination of the proposals by Caribbean governments, together with interest groups from Canada, to persuade Canada to establish these migrant programmes and the excuses and refusals by Canada to those proposals. The thesis documents the increasing recruitment of Mexican agricultural workers at the expense of Caribbean workers which further dispels the view that the migrant programmes were part of an aid package to the Caribbean. The thesis notes that unlike the domestic programme the agricultural programme was not a route towards landed immigrant status.

Processes of dispossession led to the deconstructing and reconstructing of new forms of citizenship through new political identities. Concepts of citizenship and identity are now re - emerging with the reconstruction of a new political order post 1994. Who farm dweller families are in the newly constructed polity, or how their identities are understood by the new state, will have bearing on what they can rightfully access as part of the programmes of redress and transformation. Making the argument that farm dwellers are neither ‘peasant’ nor ‘labour’ or ‘worker’ in the dominant theoretical sense the research sets out to contextualise the farm dwellers’ development dilemma. This research attempts to situate farm dweller families in a dynamic and his torically fraught political economy so that a more accurate consideration is given to the impact of future settlement options on their households’ economy. This study evaluates the relationship between farm dweller settlement patterns and their household f ood security. in the Amajuba District of KwaZulu - Natal, South Africa. The situation of the farm dweller families in the Amajuba district tells a story of extreme vulnerability. The vulnerability is a product of their dependent relationship on the owners of the land for permission to access these basic but critical livelihood needs. Their continued dependence on natural resources, rather than the cash economy, is also a product of this decades’ long relationship which has perpetuated levels of generational chronic poverty. The cycle of this level of poverty is clearly vicious and without directed targeted intervention might take generations to overcome, if it is ever broken. The political economic context of an aggressive global food industry fed by industrial forms of agriculture, the levels of vulnerability, dependency and lack of agency in the farm dweller household economy and the incredibly uncertain government settlement and agricultural policy environment, makes the feasibility of new rural settlemen ts with new forms of economic and social functionality almost unimaginable. What the research finds is that in presenting the farm dweller perspective a good motivation can be made for developing a specific targeted state intervention that has short, medium and long term trajectories to provide farm dwellers with redress, and economic development opportunities.
Thesis (M.U.R.D.P.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

Farmworker equity-share schemes were initiated by the private sector in the Western Cape region of South Africa in the early 1990's as a method of redistributing farm assets to land reform beneficiaries while maintaining the viability of commercial farming operations. This study set out to identify the institutional characteristics of successful farmworker equity-share schemes in South Africa, and to discern a set of best institutional practices that will likely promote the success of future equity-share schemes. A detailed study of nine commercial farming ventures involving partnerships with farmworkers was undertaken in the Western Cape during November 2001 to explore relationships between their institutional arrangements, worker empowerment, management quality and performance. Farmworker equity-share schemes (FWES) have received both positive and negative publicity. This thesis adds to the debate surrounding these land reform projects by comparing the results of case studies conducted by the Surplus People's Project in 1998 with more recent (2001) case studies. The latter suggest that many of the concerns raised by the Surplus People's Project, such as beneficiaries' participation and expectations, power relations between management and worker-shareholders, skills transfer and labour relations, have been addressed. The dissertation also highlights those issues that remain areas of concern, for example, beneficiaries' tenure security, literacy levels amongst worker shareholders, skill and wage differences between men and women, and exit procedures. A cluster analysis of variables measuring four constructs of a successful farmworker equity-share scheme, viz. sound institutional arrangements, effective worker empowerment, competent management and good performance, revealed positive relationships between these constructs. Best institutional practices identified by the analysis suggest that farmworker equity-share schemes should be operated as (or like) a company with voting and benefit rights proportional to individual shareholdings, but with restrictions on certain share transactions to prevent free-riding by non-workers and the loss of creditworthiness through sudden outflows of equity and managerial expertise. However, this positive relationship between best institutional practices and enterprise performance is dependent on effective worker empowerment (e.g. skills transfer and gender representation), good governance (e.g. external auditing) and competent management (e.g. schemes to reward worker performance and to resolve disputes). From a policy perspective it is recommended that public land reform grants should be awarded only to beneficiaries of FWES that have been co-financed by a bank or reputable investor as this ensures a thorough financial assessment of the project, and only to projects that can demonstrate a history of good labour relations. It is also recommended that the Department of Land Affairs should consider extending its grants to regular but seasonal farmworkers who wish to participate in an established project. While farmworker equity-share schemes may not provide all of the answers to land reform they have an important role to play in redistributing wealth and de-racialising commercial agriculture in South Africa.
Thesis (M.Agric.Mgt.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003.

In South Africa commercial agriculture employs approximately 8.5% of the national workforce. Therefore, information about commercial farmers’ perceptions of and management responses to the HIV/AIDS pandemic are likely to be of interest to policy makers and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the health sector, as well as practitioners in rural development and commercial agriculture. HIV/AIDS affects businesses such as commercial farms by decreasing productivity, increasing costs and therefore decreasing overall profitability. Farm business’ responses to the challenges posed by HIV/AIDS may advantage or disadvantage farm workers. For example, farm workers are highly vulnerable to burden-shifting activities (practices which reduce the cost of HIV/AIDS to the employer, such as the outsourcing of low-skilled jobs). However, farm businesses may also play a substantial role (e.g., by providing formal adult education or access to clinics) in addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic in rural commercial farming areas of KwaZulu-Natal and in South Africa generally. This study presents an analysis of KwaZulu-Natal commercial farmers’ perceptions of and management responses to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. This analysis identifies the farm, business and personal characteristics of the various respondents. It is important to know this information because it assists in understanding why commercial farmers are responding as they are, which will in turn assist in future HIV/AIDS policy planning. The analysis is based on a postal census survey of Kwanalu (KwaZulu-Natal Agricultural Union) commercial farmer members in April and May 2007. Results suggest that, on average, Kwanalu members are highly concerned about the impact of HIV/AIDS on their businesses. A majority of respondents perceived HIV/AIDS to negatively affect the current and future profitability of farming, increase labour absenteeism and staff turnover rates, and reduce labour productivity. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the data shows that respondents’ management responses to the HIV/AIDS pandemic varied by farm size and enterprise type, but include paying higher than average wage rates to attract and retain healthy and productive workers, multi-skilling staff to provide back-up skills, and mechanisation to defer costs of HIV/AIDS. Respondents tended to believe that effective HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention programmes require an integrated approach between government, employers and employees. Two response indexes were calculated: (1) ranking by adopters only (only those who use a certain response are included) and (2) ranking by all respondents (a response is not used by a respondent automatically scores zero). The response indexes showed that resource-intensive HIV/AIDS services such as provision of antiretrovirals (ARVs) and nutritional supplements are ranked high by actual adopters, but relatively low overall (as only a small proportion of respondents are adopting these strategies) in the ranking by all respondents. Burden-shifting practices (e.g. mechanisation) are ranked relatively high in both rankings, indicating that respondents rate them as important in managing HIV/AIDS, and that many respondents are utilising them. Relatively inexpensive HIV/AIDS services (e.g. informal communication) are ranked low by actual adopters but high on the overall index as many respondents are using them (but doubt their effectiveness). A linear regression analysis was conducted on principal components from the response indexes to identify characteristics of “high” and “low” responders and of those who utilise burden shifting activities or HIV/AIDS services. The characteristics of “high” responders are that they perceive HIV/AIDS to impact on costs; they employ a high proportion of skilled labour; and they have high turnovers and high debt servicing obligations. Responders who employ large amounts of labour (particularly permanent labour); who perceive HIV/AIDS as the responsibility of the employer; who are older and more experienced; and who have a relatively high debt: asset ratio tend to use HIV/AIDS services to manage the impacts of HIV/AIDS. Many respondents already play an important but inexpensive role in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment through encouraging voluntary HIV testing and providing staff with information and transport to clinics. Policy makers should take this into consideration when formulating HIV/AIDS policies to combat the pandemic.

Many authors have cited the relatively high unemployment rate as the most severe economic problem facing South Africa today. At the same time, government institutions claim that the agricultural sector can help solve the high unemployment rate, as this sector has the potential to create employment for a large number of unemployed South Africans. These institutions do not elaborate on how the sector will provide so many jobs. Published empirical studies on the South African (SA) agricultural sector have recommended ways in which policy-makers may achieve their goals of creating employment. However, most studies on labour considered the entire agricultural sector, whereas this study focuses on a sub-sector, namely the SA sugarcane sector. The study aims to analyse the potential of the sugarcane SA sector to create employment by estimating long- and short-run price (wage) elasticities of labour demand for large-scale sugarcane farms on the South Coast, in the Midlands and in Tugela/Zululand during 1984/1985-2008/2009. Using panel data, two models are estimated by Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), Model 1 capturing labour use intensity and using “labour units employed per 1000 tonnes of cane cut” as the dependent variable, while Model 2 captures the total labour units demanded by large-scale sugarcane farmers. Only Model 2 is estimated using simultaneous equations as past studies indicate that labour use intensity may be analysed using single-equation models. For Model 1, the estimates of the long-run wage elasticities compared to the short-run wage elasticities are similar and around -0.5, -0.17 and -0.33 for the South Coast, Midlands and Tugela/Zululand regions, respectively. The wage elasticity estimates for Model 2 in the short-run were -0.34, -0.24 and -0.17 and in the long run -0.61, -0.42 and -0.30 for the South Coast, Midlands and Tugela/Zululand, respectively. The two econometric techniques (OLS and 3SLS) yielded similar wage elasticities. Results suggest that all labour demand estimates were wage inelastic, with the South Coast having a relatively greater response of labour demand to wage rate changes than the other two regions. Inelastic demand estimates for labour in all three regions may be due to the perennial, long-term nature of sugarcane and farmers taking time to decide how to respond to changes (hikes) in the price of labour. The decline in the demand for labour by large-scale sugarcane farmers due to an increase in real wage rates raises questions about the appropriateness of labour laws and minimum wage iii legislation that have increased the real cost of farm labour in the large-scale sugarcane sector of KZN. In order to reverse the rising farm labour unemployment trend in South Africa, the study recommends that policy-makers could rather adopt more flexible labour market regulations (for example, those relating to the hiring and dismissal of workers) that would reduce real labour costs and encourage local farmers to employ more labour on sugarcane farms. Furthermore, the land under sugarcane proved to be an important determinant of the demand for labour by large-scale sugarcane farmers and hence policies regarding land reform need to be revised and implemented more proficiently. Future research could focus on the skill-level of those workers who are affected the most following an increase in minimum wages and possible reasons why the KZN sugar industry is losing land to other land uses.
M.Sc.Agric. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2013.

This thesis explores the material and non-material impacts of private game farming for a group of farm dwellers in KwaZulu-Natal. The thesis is located within the context of an increasing trend whereby farm dwellers are being relocated in order to provide farm owners with the economic opportunity that commercial game farming entails. The thesis emphasises the marginalised position of the farm dwellers and points to the fact that the farm dwellers themselves often have little control and knowledge regarding their legal rights. It further emphasises the lack of protection that this group receives from the authorities. Even though legislation has been implemented to address tenure insecurity, in reality this legislation has made little difference to the lives of farm dwellers. The thesis concludes that as a direct consequence of the relocation the farm dwellers were affected materially, but perhaps more important were their ‘invisible’ non-material losses. Their non-material losses include loss of self-esteem, increased social marginalisation and the cutting of their ties to their ancestral land.
Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

Broad-based black economic empowerment (BBEE) is a policy objective in South Africa. Farmworker equity-share schemes (FWES) satisfy several of the empowerment goals specified by the proposed AgriBEE Scorecard. Information about the costs and benefits of subscribing to an empowerment label will help managers to make more informed decisions about empowerment and could therefore promote BBEE. The Thandi label is an initiative to market fruit and wines originating from FWES and farms operated by previously disadvantaged farmers. A case study of the Thandi label was undertaken to determine whether or not the accredited empowerment attribute adds value to Thandi products. An exploratory-explanatory case study was adopted basing questions largely on the theoretical propositions of asymmetric information, the benefits of product labelling and the preconditions for a successful label. Primary data were collected via in-depth interviews with managers of Capespan, The Company of Wine People and empowerment farms participating in the Thandi label. The study made use of in-depth interviews with key informants to investigate issues considered (on theoretical grounds) to be critical in establishing a successful label. Responses were subsequently tabulated and compared, where relevant, across respondents in order to check for consensus views. Results indicate that the Thandi label had not succeeded in differentiating fruit, whereas the Thandi wine label had increased sales revenue and was covering accreditation costs incurred by farms as well as the recurring costs of maintaining and marketing the label. Thandi fruit had not grown its share of the domestic or export markets and did not command a price premium, Capespan subsequently discontinued the Thandi fruit label. Thandi wine, on the other hand, had grown its export market and consumers were prepared to pay a premium for Thandi wine products. The data indicate that empowerment attributes were useful in finding shelf space for products, but that quality is essential to grow market share and to earn price premiums. In short, accredited empowerment attributes can add value to quality products sold to discerning consumers who lack information about empowerment and quality attributes at the point of sale. Empowerment labels must include quality attributes. Government should at least absorb some of the transaction costs confronting producers and marketing agencies in negotiating standards for farms and firms participating in generic empowerment labels. It could also offer auditing services to local accreditation agencies to improve their credibility. Further research estimating consumers' willingness-to-pay for products branded with empowerment labels is necessary to estimate the size of premiums that different products may command.
Thesis (M.Ag.Man.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

This research was undertaken to determine the extent to which share equity schemes have been successful. The research also investigated the possible causes of failure of the established share equity projects and sought to determine the feasibility requirements that may be put in place to ensure success and sustainability of the ventures in support of land reform. The methodology used involved comparing the data gathered from business plans, valuation reports and other project documents from the Department of Land Affairs (DLA) with the information gathered through interviews and observations. The results revealed causes of failure to include the fact that beneficiaries of the investigated equity schemes did not participate in business plan development or implementation and therefore had no sense of ownership in the intended joint ventures. It was also found that none of the business plans included any form of training for capacity building and therefore no mechanism for empowering beneficiaries existed to participate effectively at all levels of the farming enterprise. Furthermore, original farm owners as the majority shareholders tended to re-invest profits into farm assets rather than paying dividends. It was concluded that the inclusion of a training programme in every business plan is crucial to the success of farm share equity ventures as this may enable beneficiaries to be sufficiently empowered to participate effectively at all levels of the business.
Thesis (M.Env.Dev.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.