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Lowe, Mecca Jackson Molnar Joseph J. "Collaborative marketing enterprises local food exchange and the promise of sustainability /". Auburn, Ala., 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10415/1950.
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Davila, Luis A. "Government participation in pricing farm products". Thesis, Kansas State University, 1985. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/9830.
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Gandee, Jesse E. "Modeling direct farm marketing in West Virginia a spatial, policy, and profitability analysis /". Morgantown, W. Va. : [West Virginia University Libraries], 2003. http://etd.wvu.edu/templates/showETD.cfm?recnum=2842.
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Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2003.Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains ix, 87 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 84-87).
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Wong, Ka-yu Aileen y 汪嘉瑜. "An exploratory study on the structural change of fresh produce industry in Hong Kong and its implications on business opportunities". Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1997. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31268353.
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Kazmierczak, Tamra Kirkpatrick. "The Horticultural Producers Federation : a comprehensive approach for addressing the problems of small-scale vegetable marketing cooperatives /". Thesis, This resource online, 1990. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-03122009-040752/.
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Ejiasa, Cyprian Onyeogadirimma. "The exchange rate and the competitiveness of U.S. agricultural commodity trade /". The Ohio State University, 1985. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1487259125220352.
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SPEECE, MARK WILLIAM. "MARKETING IN THE AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF KORDOFAN, SUDAN". Diss., The University of Arizona, 1987. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/184164.
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Although Sudan is a country with enormous agricultural potential, agriculture has not prospered over the last two decades and Sudan now finds itself a bankrupt net importer of food. Much of the country's agricultural resource base is found in the rainfed agricultural region of Western Sudan, which includes Kordofan. This study focuses on Kordofan, and reports on data gathered during work for the Western Sudan Agricultural Research Project. Rather than following the production orientation usually employed by economists, it addresses issues related to the role of marketing in agricultural economic development. Marketing in Kordofan, as well as production, is subject to disruption because of climatic variations characteristic of arid and semi-arid regions. Extended annual dry periods and droughts distort price performance for agricultural commodities and cause shifts in marketing channel structure. Risk levels are substantially increased for producers and small traders, while at the same time they must take on increased responsibility for many channel functions. Marketing also suffers from infrastructure deficiencies: roads are often impassable during the rainy season, and storage losses become huge over the course of a year. The private marketing system in Kordofan has adapted to these conditions, and is performing quite effectively, efficiently, and equitably, given the adverse conditions. Competition is extensive, farmers have many alternatives when selling crops, and merchants operate on fairly modest profit margins. A widespread bias against the private sector has led to extensive government intervention into marketing spheres. These policies include direct operation of some marketing channels, manipulation of price structures through artificial exchange rates and price controls, and restrictive licensing practices. Wherever such policies have been applied in Kordofan, they have led to declining production of government controlled crops, they have restricted competition in marketing channels, and they have lowered living standards for producers and consumers. Sudan has not successfully identified areas where private channels in Kordofan cannot solve problems, and which therefore require public intervention. The government seems to have based its economic decisions upon ideological considerations and intervened in areas which it cannot perform as well as the private market.
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Ndou, Khangale Seth. "Marketing of agricultural produce with particular reference to vegetables:the case of small-scale farmers in the Northern Province". Thesis, University of Limpopo, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/10386/2104.
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Johnson, Larry A. "A comparison of optimum grain hedging strategies using commodity options and futures contracts: an application of portfolio theory". Diss., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1986. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/49803.
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Bronkhorst, N. J. "Developing an integrated marketing communication strategy for the MGK Group". Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/80495.
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Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2010.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Marketing of Agricultural Products Act 47 (No 47 if 1996) led to the dilution of single-channel marketing in the agricultural sector. Hence, marketing boards such as the Maize Board were dismantled. New legislation forced agricultural businesses to adapt to the changing environment and turn co-operatives into companies. The new developments also implied that these companies had to reposition themselves to be more competitive in a deregulated market. MGK Group Operating Company Pty (Ltd) is a prominent role player in the agricultural sector in the North West, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Gauteng provinces in South Africa. Unexpected growth in the company as well as the deregulation of the industry necessitated a bona fide marketing communication department to manage and coordinate all advertising, promotional and communication efforts. After establishing this department all marketing communication efforts were still fragmented. Consequently, the cost-effectiveness of this department was questioned by the company’s board of directors. The MGK Group’s the board of directors received a mandate to follow a holistic approach and formulate a strategy to enhance the impact of its marketing communication efforts while cutting costs. This study sets out to establish whether the implementation of an integrated marketing communication programme can ultimately satisfy the board of directors’ requirements for marketing communication that is more accountable, effective and efficient. This study starts with a literature review of the practices and theories underpinning integrated marketing communication. This is followed by testing the applicability of the various approaches and methodologies in the MGK Group environment. The study is concluded with the formulation of a marketing communication strategy and recommendations based on the needs of the MGK Group.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Wet op die Bemarking van Landbouprodukte (Nr 47 van 1996) het eenkanaal-bemarking in die sektor verwater. Dit het daartoe gelei dat bemarkingsrade soos die Mielieraad afgeskaf is. Nuwe wetgewing het landbou-ondernemings genoop om in 'n veranderende sake-omgewing aan te pas en koöperasies in maatskappye te omskep. Die aanpassing het ook beteken dat maatskappye hulself in 'n meer mededingende en gedereguleerde mark moes herposisioneer. Die MGK Groep Bedryfsmaatskappy Edms Bpk is 'n vooraanstaande rolspeler in die landbousektor in die volgende provinsies in Suid-Afrika: Noordwes, Limpopo, Mpumalanga en Gauteng. Onverwagse groei asook die deregulering van die bedryf het meegebring dat dié maatskappy 'n bona fide bemarkingskommunikasie-afdeling nodig gehad het om alle reklame-, promosie- en kommunikasie-aktiwiteite te bestuur en te koördineer. Nadat die afdeling op die been gebring is, het bemarkingskommunikasie-aktiwiteite steeds los van mekaar gestaan. Dit het daartoe gelei dat die kostedoeltreffendheid van die funksie op divisievlak bevraagteken is. Die direksie van die MGK Groep het 'n mandaat gehad om 'n holistiese benadering te volg en 'n strategie te formuleer om die impak sowel as die kostedoeltreffendheid van die maatskappy se bemarkingskommunikasie te verbeter. Hierdie studie poog om vas te stel of die implementering van 'n geïntegreerde bemarkingskommunikasieplan uiteindelik in die direksie van die MGK Groep se behoefte aan verantwoordbare, doeltreffende en doelmatige bemarkingskommunikasie kan voorsien. Die studie begin met 'n literatuuroorsig van die praktyk en teorie van geïntegreerde bemarkingskommunikasie. Daarna word die toepaslikheid van die onderskeie benaderings en metodologieë ten opsigte van die MGK Groep getoets. Die studie word afgesluit met 'n bemarkingskommunikasiestrategie en aanbevelings wat op die behoeftes van die MGK Groep gegrond is.
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Madevu, Hilton. "Competition in the tridimensional urban fresh produce retail market : the case of the Tshwane metropolitan area, South Africa". Diss., Pretoria : [s.n.], 2006. http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-08212007-150102.
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Bruno, H. Raven. "Farm to school an exploration of purchasing local foods for school cafeterias in southeastern North Carolina /". View electronic thesis (PDF), 2009. http://dl.uncw.edu/etd/2009-1/brunoh/hbruno.pdf.
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Green, Kris R. "Recruiting and maintaining dairy cooperative members : a strategy for reducing the free rider problem /". Thesis, This resource online, 1992. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-05042010-020208/.
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Norman, Grant. "A comparative analysis of the pre-1996 marketing control board system and the post-1996 free market system, with reference to the South African fruit and vegetable industry". Thesis, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/4579.
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Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research report is a comparative analysis of the pre-1996 marketing control board system and the post-1996 free market system in the fruit and vegetable industry in South Africa. The report investigates and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of both systems and their effect on the stakeholders of the industry. The control boards had both positive and negative effects on the producer within the fruit and vegetable industry. The free market system is currently also having an effect, both positive and negative, on the producer. In this research report these divergent effects are explored, the objective being to obtain a better understanding of their impact on the industry stakeholders. On reaching a clearer understanding, strategy recommendations have been designed and are presented for all producers operating within the fruit and vegetable industry. The fresh produce industry is large, with many stakeholders. The information potentially available is vast, but, given the fact that time was too limited to do a complete research study on the entire industry, it was decided to focus on four sectors of the industry, namely bananas, deciduous fruit, citrus and potatoes. To give the report more credibility in terms of the data acquired, a number of interviews were conducted with producers and producer organisation leaders, from whom first-hand, ground level information was obtained. In this research it was found, among other things, that in general there was an imbalance in both the producer and consumer surplus in South Africa. Despite regulation, the marketing control boards had, through the pooling of prices, provided benefits only to certain producers. This, in effect, meant that quality improvement was largely negated, as the return to the producer did not provide an incentive to produce a better quality product. Contrary to the control board system, the free market system provides industry stakeholders with many opportunities, while the role of producers is also evolving to incorporate aspects of marketing. Producers consider service excellence, and culture and diversity to be important. Furthermore, in terms of available channels for marketing, many producers view the fresh produce markets as a desirable means of marketing their produce, as these outlets are still considered to be the price-determining mechanism for the fresh produce industry.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsingsverslag is 'n vergelykende studie van die bemarkingsbeheerraadstelsel voor 1996 en die vryemarkstelsel ná 1996 in die vrugte- en groentebedryf in Suid-Afrika. Die verslag ondersoek en bespreek die voor- en nadele van albei stelsels en hul uitwerking op die bedryf se belangegroepe. Die beheerrade het ’n positiewe sowel as negatiewe uitwerking op die produsent in die vrugte- en groentebedryf gehad. Die vryemarkstelsel het tans ook ’n positiewe sowel as negatiewe uitwerking op die produsent. Hierdie uiteenlopende gevolge word in hierdie navorsingsverslag verken om só ’n beter begrip van die impak daarvan op die bedryf se belanghebbers te verkry. Strategie-aanbevelings is op grond van groter begrip ontwerp en aan produsente in die vrugte- en groentebedryf voorgelê. Varsprodukte is die grootste bedryf in vrugte- en groentebedryf, en daar is talle belangegroepe. Die inligtingsmoontlikhede is enorm, maar gegewe die feit dat tyd te beperk was om ’n volledige navorsingstudie van die hele bedryf te onderneem, is daar besluit om vier sektore te beklemtoon, naamlik piesangs, sagtevrugte, sitrus en aartappels. Om die verslag meer geloofwaardigheid te gee ten opsigte van die data wat verkry is, is ’n aantal onderhoude met produsente en die leiers van produsentorganisasies gevoer om eerstehandse, voetsoolvlakinligting te bekom. Die verslag het onder meer bevind dat daar oor die algemeen ’n wanbalans in die produsente- sowel as verbruikersurplus in Suid-Afrika is. Die bemarkingsbeheerrade het ondanks regulasie voordele slegs aan sekere produsente gebied deur die saampot van pryse. Dit het in werklikheid beteken dat gehalteverbetering grootliks ontken is omdat die opbrengs nie die produsent aangespoor het om die gehalte van hul produkte te verbeter nie. Die vryemarkstelsel bied, in teenstelling met die beheerraadstelsel, talle geleenthede aan die bedryf se belangegroepe terwyl die rol van produsente ook ontwikkel word om aspekte van bemarking te inkorporeer. Produsente beskou voortreflike diens, en kultuur en diversiteit as belangrik. Daarby beskou produsente die varsproduktemark, wat een van die beskikbare bemarkingskanale is, as ’n wenslike manier om hul produkte te bemark omdat dié afsetpunt steeds as die prysbepalende meganisme vir die varsproduktebedryf gesien word.
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Santos, Edimar Paulo 1980. "Produção orgânica e estratégia de comercialização e marketing verde em supermercados". [s.n.], 2014. http://repositorio.unicamp.br/jspui/handle/REPOSIP/257125.
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Orientador: Maria Angela FagnaniDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Agrícola
Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-25T22:57:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Santos_EdimarPaulo_M.pdf: 10764091 bytes, checksum: d5565293183613d10b2f5e37b522d31d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014
Resumo: Cresce significantemente o número de consumidores de produtos orgânicos, pela preocupação com os efeitos dos alimentos ingeridos no dia-a-dia, com relação à saúde e sua ação no meio ambiente. Percebe-se que há um lugar reservado aos produtos orgânicos em grandes redes de supermercados e que, apesar do preço superior aos similares produzidos sem a tecnologia orgânica, a demanda por este produto tem aumentado. O trabalho buscou explicitar as insuficiências e limitações das práticas de mercado dos produtos orgânicos em supermercados e o risco da adoção dos mesmos pelos pequenos agricultores orgânicos, como base para buscar melhorar este canal e/ou pensar em outros canais de comercialização. Para cumprir com esses objetivos foram analisadas diferentes estratégias de comercialização adotadas pelos supermercados. Foram selecionados para estudo 10 supermercados na região do Pólo Bandeirante do estado de São Paulo, onde os produtos orgânicos foram comparados com os não orgânicos: preços praticados e estratégias de mercado. Foi verificado que há uma diferença significativa de preço de produtos orgânicos quando comparado com os não orgânicos tornando o mesmo acessível a apenas uma parcela da população e tendo como conseqüência um desserviço ao movimento de agricultura orgânica
Abstract: Significantly increasing number of consumers of organic products , the concern with the effects of food intake on a day- to-day with regard to health and its action on the environment. It is noticed that there is a place reserved for organic products in large supermarket chains and that , despite the higher price to similar produced without organic technology , the demand for this product has increased. The study sought to explain the shortcomings and limitations of market practices organic produce in supermarkets and the risk of adopting the same by small organic farmers , as a basis for seeking to improve this channel and / or think of other marketing channels . To fulfill these objectives were analyzed different marketing strategies adopted by supermarkets . Were selected for study 10 supermarkets in the Bandeirante pole of São Paulo , where organic products were compared with non- organic region : prices and market strategies . It was found that there is a significant price difference of organic products compared with non- organic making it accessible to only a portion of the population and as a consequence having a disservice to the organic farming movement
Mestrado
Planejamento e Desenvolvimento Rural Sustentável
Mestre em Engenharia Agrícola
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Mphahama, Litsoanelo Evodiah. "Institutional constraints to horticulture production and marketing". Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/428.
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Lesotho has a land area of about 30.340 square kilometers and is completely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. Much of the country is mountainous. Its agricultural sector is characterized by low productivity due to erratic climatic conditions, limited arable land and fragile soils with a low water holding capacity. These conditions have proved very detrimental to crop production, rendering agriculture a risky economic activity. Numerous efforts have been made over the years to address the technical constraints confronting the sector, but nothing seems to be changing. The implication is that the technical/climatic factors mentioned above may be only part of the problem. The current situation whereby Lesotho imports nearly 95% of its domestic food requirements is unsustainable, but this desperate picture looks set to worsen with the continuing threats of contracting farm sizes and further declines in farmer participation rates. But this sector has continued to be an important source of household survival and existence. A study was designed and conducted during 2008 and 2009 to identify the institutional constraints to horticulture production in Lesotho, looking specifically at the obstacles to effective production and marketing of horticultural products. A total of 100 farming households were enumerated in four districts of the country, namely Butha Buthe, Berea, Mafeteng, and Thaba-Tseka. A range of institutional and non-price factors in the farming and marketing environment were incorporated in a binary choice model to investigate the degree of satisfaction of the farming households with their previous year’s farming results. To avoid selection bias in the sample, a probit model was chosen, and the Stata-10 software was used to estimate probit coefficients. The results provide indications that property rights, the agricultural extension service, the condition of the physical infrastructure, and distance to markets may be crucial elements threatening the existence of this sector in Lesotho. The difficulties in accessing markets and land remain important institutional constraints to horticulture production and marketing in Lesotho. Recommendations made on these issues include providing more policy support to homestead gardening and for these issues to be incorporated into the Vision 2020 process. Also to be included is the issue of addressing the growing national food insecurity and enhancing Basotho livelihoods in general.
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Och, Nathan Ronald. "The Effect of Export Promotion Programs on Establishing Export Markets". Thesis, North Dakota State University, 2010. https://hdl.handle.net/10365/29631.
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There is a pattern of growth throughout agribusiness in North Dakota in which agricultural products ranging from commodities to machinery have all seen growth since 2000. Exports have contributed to most of this production increase. Agribusinesses across North Dakota are exporting to many areas of the world. With the help of the North Dakota Trade Organization (NDTO) many companies have developed trading relationships with clients in other nations. The purpose of this research is to measure the value of NDTO export promotion on North Dakota agribusiness [through the use of marketing, export programs, and counseling]. If the data supports the use of the NDTO, firms may be encouraged to use the services provided by the NDTO when export issues arise. This thesis uses a Tobit left censored model to bring the data together to produce empirical results which can be associated with the NDTO and its impact on a firm's total exports. Firm-level export promotion was found to be insignificant. However, small and
medium firms were shown to benefit from the use of the NDTO through an average increase in 2008 export revenue of about $16,095 and $269,317, respectively. Furthermore, this is a $6.44 and a $107.73 return on dollar investment for small and medium firms investing in the services of the NDTO, respectively.
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Zenda, Sipho Macriba. "A systems approach to marketing in less developed agriculture with reference to Bululwane Irrigation Scheme". Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1001045.
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Mzuyanda, Christian. "Assessing the impact of primary agricultural co-operative membership on smallholder farm performance (crops) in Mnquma Local Municipality of the Eastern Cape Province". Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1021285.
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Madlodlo, Sinazo. "Technical and institutional constraints faced by vegetable co-operatives in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa". Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/1497.
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This study focused on the technical and institutional constraints faced by the vegetable co-operatives with regard to the impact on productivity. Vegetable co-operatives have no access to markets due to their poor performance on productivity and poor quality produce resulting to low prices for the produce such that they cannot compete in a market economy. In this study, the data was drawn from a sample of thirty vegetable co-operatives in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) of the Eastern Cape; obtained through focus group discussions and interviews from each cooperative. The objectives of the study are to measure the productivity of vegetable co-operatives using Total factor productivity analysis (TFP) and profitability of vegetable co-operative using Gross Margin (GM). Followed by the descriptive statistics in identifying and assessing the socio-economic characteristics as well as coping strategies adopted by vegetable co-operatives in BCMM where percentages, means and tables are used looking at the highest frequency. The results show that the vegetable co-operatives in the BCMM are not productive and profitable due to major constraints experienced by co-operatives such as lack of market, information, trainings and business skills, capital, infrastructural facilities, effective extension services that all leads to poor produce quality. Co-operative is said to be profitable and viable if total revenue is greater than the total variable cost which makes the gross margin positive. In this case, the total gross margin is negative. The results showed that the production costs, maintenance (tractor hire, generator hire and servicing) and electricity costs were the major costs incurred in the production of vegetable by the co-operatives.
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Rodrigues, Bethânia Avila. "Planejamento estratégico para comercialização de produtos da agricultura familiar". Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, 2017. http://repositorio.utfpr.edu.br/jspui/handle/1/2285.
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CapesOs empreendimentos de agricultura familiar não são recentes no Brasil e vêm, dia a dia, ganhando força e reconhecimento. Quanto ao sistema orgânico de produção agrícola, este surgiu ao final do século XIX, com fortes movimentos contrários a utilização de produtos químicos na agricultura. Sendo uma alternativa sustentável no mercado, a demanda por produtos vem crescendo ao longo dos anos em todo o mundo, e, com isso o número de agricultores familiares dedicados à produção orgânica também se multiplica. O presente estudo objetiva delinear o planejamento estratégico voltado para a comercialização da produção orgânica de agricultores familiares, para inserção e manutenção dos seus produtos no mercado. Para isso, foram selecionados os agricultores familiares que possuem certificação por auditoria, pela certificadora IBD certificações LTDA, no município de Ponta Grossa/PR, configurando uma população de sete produtores. A obtenção dos dados se deu por meio de entrevistas pessoais, e o tratamento desses foi realizado por meio de estatística descritiva e análise interpretativa. Dessa forma, pode-se desenhar o perfil dos empreendimentos agrícolas familiares estudados, compreender os benefícios e dificuldades em obter a certificação de produção orgânica, compreender o processo produtivo e caracterizar o processo de comercialização dos empreendimentos. Além disso, foram averiguadas as estratégias adotadas para manter a produção e a comercialização da produção do núcleo familiar, bem como analisar o cenário em que estão inseridos, dentro do mercado de consumo de olerícolas e frutas. A partir desses resultados, foi possível concluir que: o baixo grau de escolaridade dos agricultores não interfere no processo produtivo, mas ainda é uma dificuldade no processo de gestão e planejamento dos empreendimentos; a obtenção da certificação de produção orgânica, embora tenha demandado um processo criterioso e demorado, é um diferencial para a comercialização; devido ao baixo volume de mão de obra dos núcleos familiares, esses dedicam muito tempo aos processos de produção e pouco tempo, ou nenhum, para planejar e gerenciar os processos de comercialização; embora haja políticas e programas de incentivo à comercialização na agricultura familiar, ainda existem carências de fomento aos processos produtivos, no sentido de expansão da oferta de insumos específicos para produção de orgânicos, e de capacitação de mão de obra; e, dentre os canais de comercialização existentes, a comercialização direta ao consumidor final é a que gera maior e mais rápido retorno financeiro, além de contribuir para a divulgação dos produtos através da comunicação boca a boca.
The family farming enterprises are not recent in Brazil and come from day to day, gaining strength and recognition. As for the organic system of agricultural production, this appeared at the end of the nineteenth century, with strong movements against the use of chemicals in agriculture. Being a sustainable alternative in the market, the demand for products has grown over the years all over the world, and with this the number of family farmers dedicated to organic production also multiplies. In this sense, the present study aims to outline the strategic planning aimed at marketing the organic production of family farmers, for insertion and maintenance of their products in the market. For this, we selected the family farmers who are certified by audit, by the certifier IBD certifications LTDA, in the city of Ponta Grossa / PR, constituting a population of seven producers. The data were obtained through personal interviews, and the treatment of these was performed through descriptive statistics and interpretative analysis. In this way, it is possible to design the profile of the family farms studied, to understand the benefits and difficulties in obtaining organic production certification, to understand the productive process and to characterize the commercialization process of the enterprises. In addition, the strategies adopted to maintain the production and commercialization of the production of the family nucleus were analyzed, as well as to analyze the scenario in which they are inserted, within the consumption market of vegetables and fruits. From these results, it was possible to conclude that: the low level of schooling of the farmers does not interfere in the productive process, but it is still a difficulty in the process of management and planning of the enterprises; the certification of organic production, although it has demanded a careful and time-consuming process, is a differential for the commercialization; because of the low volume of workforce in the family, they devote a lot of time to production processes and little or no time to plan and manage the marketing processes; although there are policies and programs to encourage commercialization in family agriculture, there are still deficiencies in the productive processes, in the sense of expanding the supply of specific inputs for organic production, and training of labor; and, among the existing marketing channels, direct marketing to the final consumer is the one that generates greater and faster financial return, besides contributing to the dissemination of products through word of mouth communication.
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Carlisle, Juliet Hazel. "Member perspectives on the role of social capital in the success of the Heiveld Cooperative in the Northern Cape, South Africa". Thesis, Rhodes University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011734.
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The aim of this qualitative study is to explore the perspectives of current members of the cooperative regarding the role of social capital in the success of the Heiveld Cooperative on the Suid Bokkeveld in the Northern Cape, South Africa (SA). This cooperative has been cited by several researchers as being successful for various reasons, including the existence of a marketable resource, a steady increase in production, and certification through Fairtrade, resulting in an export market. Social capital, as a contributing factor to the success of the cooperative, has not however previously been investigated in depth. In light of the unique success of this cooperative, it is important to obtain an in-depth understanding of the role of social capital, if any, in its success, particularly in the formation and day-to-day operation of the cooperative. With a particular focus on the members’ perspectives of the cooperative, this qualitative research adopted a case study approach to explore and to gain multiple and subjective understanding of the role played by social capital in the success of the Heiveld Cooperative. This may assist the organisation under study, as well as similar initiatives, in strategically harnessing the benefits of social capital as a resource in future. This report has three interrelated sections. The first part is an academic paper, which includes a condensed literature review, research methods, results and discussions. The second part is an expanded literature review, while the third section details the research methods. It is vital to note that these sections are separate, but interrelated. Convenience sampling was used to identify current members of the cooperative who participated in this exploratory qualitative study. Four heterogeneous focus group discussions, with a total of 44 members of the Heiveld Cooperative in the Suid Bokkeveld, were conducted. The focus groups were heterogeneous, as they included ordinary members, founding members and committee members. A guideline with questions based on the theory of social capital was developed, and used to initiate or stimulate discussion among the members of the cooperative in order to address the key research question, namely: What was the role of social capital, if any, in the success of the Heiveld Cooperative in the Northern Cape as perceived by current cooperative members? The primary source of data was collected through focus group discussions, while secondary data was obtained from documents in a form of internal reports and papers written for the Heiveld Cooperative. Data was analysed using open coding and constant comparison techniques in order to induce emerging themes from the data. Findings of this study revealed that social capital played a major and influential role during the inception and also in the successful operation of the Heiveld Cooperative, by bonding and bridging not just between individual members, but also between communities, trading partners and other collaborators. Another key finding of this study is that social capital was also critical in enhancing supportive knowledge sharing, and the promotion of pride and shared identity, which the study identifies as aspects of cognitive social capital. Interestingly, the cognitive dimension of social capital in the Heiveld Cooperative has contributed to the weakening of social capital, as evident in claims related to lack of transparency and procedural injustice. Last, but not least, leveraging the sense of community has also been useful in promoting collective efficacy, strengthening familial togetherness, and enhanced democratisation of decision-making. Diminished trust, based on perceived oligarchy and nepotism is gradually weakening relational social capital. Findings in this study are illuminated using the social capital theory described by Nahapiet and Ghoshal (1998) to depict the social, cognitive and relational aspect of social capital that are at work at Heiveld Cooperative. Additionally, the social network theory by Hoppe and Reinelt (2010) is used to highlight the systemic view of social capital, which embraces the structural, relational and cognitive nature not only internal to but also between networks of the cooperative. Recommendations are provided to ensure social capital is harnessed, rather than undermined. These include the need to promote the processes of learning, monitoring and discussion that have been implemented; harnessing the benefits of bonding and bridging social capital; leveraging the sense of community and applying a more systemic view of social capital; and addressing perverse aspects of social capital such as nepotism and oligarchy that have been identified.
23
Feir, Abdulmuhssin Al. "Geographical analysis of farming systems in semiarid lands: Taif region case study". Diss., The University of Arizona, 1989. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/184707.
Texto completoResumen
This dissertation presents a case study of agricultural land use patterns and marketing aspects in the Taif region of Saudi Arabia. This area is one of importance to the overall agricultural future of Saudi Arabia, being a major producer of fruits, vegetables and dates in the Kingdom. In recent years, increases in personal income associated with oil production in the Kingdom have created significant changes in the types of crops grown as well as the way of life of the small farmer. These changes include the following: (1) Because better paying jobs and an enhanced lifestyle are luring farmers to the large urban areas, fewer workers are available for labor on the farms. (2) Large government subsidies have created a situation where the small farmer finds it no longer profitable to grow cereal crops as he traditionally did. (3) A lack of adequate refrigerated trucks and an increase in salinity in groundwater has caused farmers near the market centers of Makkah and Jeddah to cut fruit trees and replant with vegetables that can withstand more saline water and can be transported to the nearby markets more easily than those framers living in the farther areas of the region. What the author concludes is that increased attention to the problems of the small farmer in the region is necessary so that food supplies will be maintained to feed a growing population and so that self-sufficiency can be achieved. Additional support by the government in the way of subsidies and loans and more programs to educate farmers in marketing techniques and improved farm methods and management must be developed. And finally, the farmers should work together, sharing information and resources for the common good of all small farmers in the region.
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Arowolo, Steven Alaba. "Implications of food value chain support structures for water resource management by smallholder farmers in the Eastern Cape Province". Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1001027.
Texto completoResumen
Smallholder agriculture is faced with so many challenges despite all the policies and programmes that have been channelled towards ensuring improvement in this sector. Improving smallholder agricultural productivity requires that smallholder farmers gain access to reliable and adequate farmer support services such as physical infrastructures like good road network, functional irrigation facilities, extension services, finance and efficient marketing system. However, these support services are lacking in a vast majority of the rural communities in which the smallholder farmers live and work. This study is centred on governance within the food value chains, with specific focus on butternuts and chicken value chains;with a view to identifying those factors preventing smallholder farmers from accessing the mainstream market. Ciko and Mbozi villages in Mbashe local municipality were used as the research sites for the study. Data were collected across the two villages through sampling of 100 individual farming households based on random selection; questionnaires and checklist of questions were used as tools to access information from farmers through focus group discussions, personal interviews and key informants. In addition,Ciko Santrini project and foundation community project, which are the two agricultural community projects located within the study area were also investigated. Conceptual and analytical frameworks were employed in the research analysis. Williamson’s 4-level of social analysis and the sustainable livelihood frameworks were used to conceptualize the analysis. Inferential analysis was carried out using binary logistic regression and discriminant analysis with focus on butternuts and cSmallholder agriculture is faced with so many challenges despite all the policies and programmes that have been channelled towards ensuring improvement in this sector. Improving smallholder agricultural productivity requires that smallholder farmers gain access to reliable and adequate farmer support services such as physical infrastructures like good road network, functional irrigation facilities, extension services, finance and efficient marketing system. However, these support services are lacking in a vast majority of the rural communities in which the smallholder farmers live and work. This study is centred on governance within the food value chains, with specific focus on butternuts and chicken value chains;with a view to identifying those factors preventing smallholder farmers from accessing the mainstream market. Ciko and Mbozi villages in Mbashe local municipality were used as the research sites for the study. Data were collected across the two villages through sampling of 100 individual farming households based on random selection; questionnaires and checklist of questions were used as tools to access information from farmers through focus group discussions, personal interviews and key informants. In addition,Ciko Santrini project and foundation community project, which are the two agricultural community projects located within the study area were also investigated. Conceptual and analytical frameworks were employed in the research analysis. Williamson’s 4-level of social analysis and the sustainable livelihood frameworks were used to conceptualize the analysis. Inferential analysis was carried out using binary logistic regression and discriminant analysis with focus on butternuts and chicken production among the smallholder farmers in the study area to determine factors that could encourage farmers ‘access markets. The results showed that factors such as; assistance from government agency, partnerships with private and public institutions and farmers’ decision due to access to information were significant at 1% level for both butternuts and chicken production. On the other hand, factors such as provision of input subsidy and farmers’ membership of agricultural development projects are significant at 5% level. The findings suggest that adoption of any or combination of the significant factors could serve as good support structures for farmers and they could directly help them market their produce efficiently.
25
Lukangu, Gastao. "Factors influencing smallholders participation in agricultural markets in Southern Niassa, Mozambique". Thesis, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/4093.
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Government, donors and NGOs in southern Niassa have been, after the 1992 peace
agreement, extensively involved in agricultural development programmes to improve
smallholders' food security. A study of the area and literature review revealed that many
factors limited the benefits of agricultural market development programmes. Yet,
opportunities in southern Niassa suggested that appropriately designed programmes could
improve the standard of living of smallholders if these programmes were designed on a
solid understanding of factors and strategies influencing agricultural market participation by
smallholders.
The main research hypothesis of this study was that: smallholders would participate in
agricultural markets when their wealth status was high, when they had enough available
household labour and when cash crops were profitable." Four main hypotheses were
investigated: (i) factors and strategies identified through smallholder perceptions would
provide local and time specific information on the constraints and solutions to smallholder
market participation; (ii) wealth status and wealth-ranking factors were positively related to
market participation where agriculture was the main economic activity as in southern
Niassa; (iii) labour aspects such as crop labour requirements (CLR) could be negatively
related, while available household labour (AHL) and the ratio AHL/CLR could be
positively related to smallholders cultivation of cash crops and subsequent participation in
agricultural markets; and (iv) aspects of profitability and indicators could be used to predict
smallholder cash crop preferences.
Data for this study were collected in Cuamba district of Mozambique from nine focus group
discussions (FGDs) with community leaders, 287 household-head questionnaires and staff
interviews during September 2002. Nine villages were randomly selected. The leaders'
FGDs provided the criteria utilised to rank households according to wealth status and much
of the qualitative information of this study. The wealth-ranking tool was used to identify
and analyse the socio-economic factors that influenced smallholder market participation. A
follow-up interview of managers of promoting institutions also provided greater insight on
some aspects raised by smallholders. The study employed (i) descriptive statistics such as
means and frequencies; (ii) correlation analysis and standard scores (iii) qualitative analysis
was also used for some wealth-ranking, perceived labour demand and aspects of
profitability influencing cash crop cultivation, preference and market participation based on
information from FGD, farmers and staff; and (iv) simple mathematical expressions for
analysis and interpretation of the research findings.
This study relied on perceptions, knowledge and experience of smallholders, leaders and
leaders of promoting institutions. Smallholder-suggested factors and strategies were in line
with the limitations of socio-economic characteristics such as low effective household
labour, particularly for females. These strategies included an improvement in outputs and
inputs markets, agricultural services and credit at a subsidised prices or low interest rates.
Other strategies for improving smallholders' participation in agricultural markets included
promotion of profitable cash crops, household food security, provision of extension support
services and information about cultivation and agricultural markets. However, smallholders
did not identify some factors that have been acknowledged to influence agricultural market
participation: ecological and natural resources, policies, institutional infrastructures and
physical infrastructures. Smallholders also did not mention socio-economic factors (except
household labour) as influencing their decisions to participate in agricultural markets in
spite of the fact that researchers assume these factors in almost every study on smallholder
market participation.
The findings of this research confirmed that a wealth-ranking tool could be used to identify
the socio-economic factors affecting smallholders' participation in agricultural markets. The
identified wealth-ranking factors such as labour, livestock number, implements and bicycles
significantly correlated with wealth status and subsequently to smallholder agricultural
market participation. Conversely, household socio-economic characteristics not indicated as
wealth-ranking factors such as age and gender related poorly to market participation. The
wealth-ranking tool could also be used to identify strategies for improving smallholder
participation in agricultural markets, and to evaluate an agricultural market development
programme.
The study found that, other factors being held constant, CLRs were negatively related to
market participation. Weeding was the most labour intensive operation followed by
harvesting, soil preparation, transportation, land clearing and seedling preparation. It also
found that AHL and the ratio AHL/CLR were positive and significantly related to market
participation. The ratio AHL/CLR together with household consumption requirements and
yield were used to estimate the total area a household could cultivate, both for food crops
for consumption and for cash crops; the proportion of farmers likely to participate in the
market; and those unable to cultivate enough for consumption.
The research also confirmed that profitability-related aspects correlated to cash crop
preferences. Yield was the most important factor that influenced smallholders' preference
for cash crops. It was also found that indicators incorporating more aspects of profitability
correlated strongly with cash crop preferences. The correlation increased as more aspects
were incorporated. A crop, such as tobacco, with a profit of more than twice the profit for
food cash crops was preferred more than food cash crops. The indicators and underlying
aspects of profitability were used to interpret the current and projected cash crop preference.Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.
26
Rangoato, Phakisho Mangawa Amagolo. "Market access productivity of smallholder maize farmers in Lepelle Nkumpi Municipality, Limpopo Province, South Africa". Thesis, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10386/2217.
Texto completoResumen
Thesis (M.Sc. Agric. (Agricultural Economics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2018Agriculture is the backbone and a very important sector of the South African economy. This is because it provides food and employment to a lot of people in the country especially those living in the rural areas. Smallholder farmers also play an important role in livelihood creation and also alleviation of poverty among the population in Limpopo province, but despite this, their productivity is low. A decline in agricultural productivity reduces market access resulting from low quality and quantity of produce by smallholder farmers which invariably affect their accessibility to market. This study therefore examined the determinants of market access and productivity among smallholder maize farmers in Lepelle-Nkumpi municipality using the Probit model and Cobb Douglass production functions. While the Probit regression model was used to analyse the effect of socioeconomic characteristics of smallholder maize farmers on market access, the Cobb Douglass production function was used to examine the determinants of productivity among the farmers in the study area. The results of the Probit regression analysis indicated that farm size, hired labour and maize produced per hectare had positive significant influence on probability of farmers accessing markets. Farm size and maize produced per hectare were statistically significant at 1% and hired labour was statistically significant at 5%. The results of Cobb Douglas Production Function indicated that the elasticities of market access, farm experience, fertilizers, capital and membership of association were significant and positive. Based on the study findings, it is recommended that farmers should be provided with market infrastructure and marketing information services. This will help the farmers in a way that the transaction cost will be minimised and farmers will not incur more cost when they participate in the markets. Farmers in the study area indicated that transportation cost is the major challenge facing them. This is because of the poor conditions of roads in the study area. Therefore, the study recommends that there should be inputs subsidy that helps farmers to improve their productivity.
27
Geyser, J. M. (Judith Mariette). "Decision support system to manage investment risk of grain farmers in South Africa". Thesis, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/26593.
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Wiese, Arthur Michael. "Alternative methods of raw product valuation for agricultural cooperatives : a forecasting approach". Thesis, 1985. http://hdl.handle.net/1957/26748.
Texto completoResumen
Raw product value of vegetables for processing in the
Northwest used to be established by a competitive market
involving proprietary processors and growers. Due to the
relocation of proprietary processors to the Midwest, this
competitive market has eroded forcing cooperative processors
to seek other means to set raw product values. In the
absence of a competitive market for raw product,
cooperatives must rely on an average of last year's prices
paid by processors in a given region to value raw product.
This method of lagged averages may be resulting in
misallocated contracted acreage to grower-members of
cooperatives, and inappropriate production levels of the
processed good given market conditions. Therefore, the
principal objective of this research is to develop and
evaluate alternative methods of forecasting raw product
value.
Since the market for processed vegetables at the
retail level is competitive, one alternative method employed
was to use a forecast of supply and determinants of demand
affecting retail price to forecast raw product value. These
explanatory variables were regressed against raw product
values of various crops obtained from a northwest processing
and marketing cooperative. The raw product values were
expressed as net returns/acre to the crops under
investigation. The estimated equations, which had adjusted
R²'s ranging from .267 to .851, were used to forecast raw
product value. A second forecasting method investigated in
this study was an exponential smoothing model.
Raw product value forecasts were generated over two
different time horizons, identified by the cooperatives'
accounting procedures. The two alternative forecasting
methods were compared to each other, and to the method
currently in use by the cooperative, with the aim of
determining the most accurate forecasting technique.
Results showed that both the econometric and smoothing
approaches fit the data better over the estimation period
than did a naive lagged price estimate resembling the
present method in use by the cooperative. The econometric
method also fit the data better than did the smoothing
approach.
The econometric model provided poor forecasts for the
longer forecast horizon, but proved to be effective in the
shorter. The smoothing technique forecasted more effectively
in the longer forecast horizon as compared with the shorter.
These results suggest the importance of the forecast horizon
in determining the more appropriate forecasting technique.
Both forecasting techniques proposed in this study
produced forecasts which were more accurate than the
cooperative's present method at least half of the time. This
suggests that viable alternatives to the present method of
establishing raw product value exist for agricultural
cooperatives.Graduation date: 1986
29
Howell, Jordan P. "Community supported agriculture as revitalization : reconnecting the farm and the dinner table /". 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10288/456.
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30
Ziqubu, Allison. "An economic analysis of the relationships between land values, agricultural commodity prices and land reform issues in South Africa". Thesis, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/765.
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Jardine, David Neil. "Articulating the realm of the possible: two farm marketing boards and the legal administrative field". Thesis, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/5663.
Texto completoResumen
This thesis suggests that it is impossible to consider any administrative agency in the
abstract without losing important elements of the nature of the legal environment within
which the agency operates. There is a large gap between the theories of formal
administrative law and the experience of practice in particular administrative settings.
Drawing upon the work of sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, the thesis develops the concept of
the legal administrative field as a means to approach this issue. The use of Bourdieu's
concepts of field, habitus and capital help to articulate and give a theoretical structure to a
process and series of practices that are otherwise hard to identify or study.
Two Alberta farm marketing boards, and certain specific legal issues faced by each board,
are examined in detail and analyzed in terms of the concept of the legal administrative
field. It is shown that for each board, the realm of what was 'legally possible' shifted
despite the fact that there were no changes in the formal administrative law and that legal
practice in these fields involves far more than the application of the principles of formal
administrative law. The intersection of the principles and habitus of formal administrative
law, the structure provided by the legislative and regulatory framework, and the respective
capital and habitus of all the individuals, agents and agencies within the field all interact
and these complex interactions are what structure the legal administrative fields and shape
the shifts which occur within them. In the struggles of interpretation which occur in these
fields an attempt to make a clear demarcation between the practice of law by lawyers and
the administration of the system by administrators is inadequate; it simplifies and renders
invisible much of the complex series of interactions in which the legal practitioner is a
participant and which create the field in which he or she practices.
The conclusion is that the heuristic value of the legal administrative field in relation to the
legal issues faced by the two marketing boards, and in relation to legal practice in the farm
marketing area has been established and that this concept provides a useful perspective
and a valuable supplement to a more traditional approach.
32
Ndokweni, Mimi Faith. "Improving sustainable livelihoods through organic produce marketing opportunities : evaluation of the Ezemvelo Farmers Organisation". Thesis, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/9383.
Texto completoResumen
For many poor rural South African communities, involvement in agriculture remains one
of their most secure livelihood strategies. For the majority of these people, indigenous
knowledge and the use of local materials, resources and skills is often the only asset they
possess. The Ezemvelo Farmers Organisation (EFO) from the community of Embo in
KwaZulu-Natal is one such group of rural people befitting this description. In the
absence of financial resources to purchase relatively expensive agricultural inputs,
accompanied by a lack of infrastructural development in their community, EFO farmers
have become organic farmers by default. EFO members produce mainly traditional
organic crops. However, little has been documented about the potential value of trade in
these products. The purpose of this study was to explore potential marketing
opportunities for traditional organic products through the mobilisation of indigenous
knowledge, skills, and natural resources to improve the livelihoods of EFO members.
A research team of three postgraduate students, each involved in his/her own independent
study, worked in collaboration to collect relevant research information. Five data
collection tools were used to collect this information. These were a household survey, a
sustainable livelihoods analysis, a forcefield analysis, a stakeholder analysis, and a
workshop. Research results showed that there are five stakeholders involved in EFO
activities, each with his/her own personal interests. EFO members mainly produce
amadumbe, sweet potatoes, and potatoes, which they market to a packhouse, the local
community, and to hawkers. Other crop varieties are produced for household
consumption and small quantities are sold to the local community and hawker markets.
Farmers obtained a slightly higher price for crops sold to the packhouse as compared to
the other two markets. The packhouse was the farmers' largest market for the 2002 season. However, the
packhouse market was unsustainable for farmers because of problems due to the delays in
payments for produce, the high quantities of crops that are rejected because they did not
meet the quality control standards of the packhouse, and problems due to the unreliability
of transport from Embo to the packhouse. The majority of EFO members' farms were also found to be unprofitable due to the high costs of inputs and losses to production.
Constraints such as a shortage of kraal manure for soil conditioning, unfenced properties,
a lack of water for irrigation, and the unavailability of a tractor for ploughing were found
to be contributing factors to the unprofitability of member farms. Recommendations for
improving marketing and profitability were that projects involving farmers should be
regularly evaluated, EFO members seek business management skills, direct contracting
agreements with their suppliers, explore value added products, and for Government to
play a role for rural enterprise development to take place.Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.
33
Harris, Andrea Luise. "Motives for the vertical integration and diversification of the Western Canadian prairie pools". Thesis, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/3702.
Texto completoResumen
In recent years the three Prairie Pools have actively expanded their primary operations to
include a number of investments both within and outside of the agricultural sector. The Pools'
investment strategies are economically interesting because they are being pursued within the
context of a co-operative organizational structure which requires that the users of the cooperative
business also own, control, and benefit from its operations. This thesis examines the
possible economic incentives agricultural co-operatives may have to invest in vertically integrated
and diversified activities using the case of the Western Canadian co-operative elevator companies
as an example.
The analysis undertaken in this thesis is structured in two ways. First, the economic
literature regarding co-operative formation and conventional firm expansion is surveyed. This
analysis suggests that an important difference between vertically integrated investments and
diversified investments is that they are motivated by the realization of distincly different sets of
economic benefits for the co-operative firm and its members. It is argued that co-operative
vertical integration can convey benefits to members indirectly through the market, in the form of
increased producer margins and improved market access. However, these benefits may not
impact the "bottom line" of the co-operative firm. Diversification can, on the other hand, provide
a co-operative with direct monetary benefits in the form of improved financial performance and
increased profits, which can translate into increased patronage refunds available to members.
The second component of this analysis involves the development of a simulation model to
examine the implications of an additional hypothesis proposed to explain co-operative expansion.
The proposed hypothesis is based on the notion that perhaps the indirect market benefits from cooperation
and co-operative expansion are being undervalued. This undervaluation can result in a
preoccupation with the monetary benefits from co-operative business, and may therefore cause a
bias towards diversified investments. The model developed in this thesis illustrates that, although
such a bias may improve a co-operative's rate of return, it may also result in significant
opportunity costs for agricultural producers due to a decrease in a co-operative's pro-competitive
effect on primary markets.
34
Sonjica, Ivy. "Investigation of marketing of small-scale peanut agribusinesses in the Vulamehlo District, Southern KwaZulu-Natal". Thesis, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/883.
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Latham, Susie. "Marketing cooperatives : A model of the output decisions of the Cloverdale lettuce and vegetable cooperative". Thesis, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/1582.
Texto completoResumen
Marketing cooperatives play an important role in agricultural activities. Institutional support for cooperatives is based on the idea that, collectively, farmers can achieve benefits than, individually would be difficult to obtain. Head lettuce in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia is marketed and distributed by a central selling agency which is organized as a producer cooperative. Members of the cooperative are subject to regulations, in the form of market quota allocations which control the quantity of head lettuce they can sell through their cooperative. This study describes and analyses the market structure of the head lettuce industry in British Columbia to ascertain and quantify the source of benefits to producers from cooperative marketing within a regulated marketing environment. A model of the industry is constructed to characterize the market for head lettuce in B.C. The parameters which affect consumer demand and farm supply are estimated with econometric equations. A feature of supply is that current production decisions are influenced by the producer's market quota allocation which, in turn, is determined by the producer’s past sales. The market quotas are believed to have constrained supply response and this is borne out by the empirical results which indicates a highly inelastic supply curve. The demand for head lettuce is also estimated to be inelastic. This result is not surprising since head lettuce is regarded as a basic commodity by consumers. The estimated supply and demand elasticities are used to derive linear supply and demand curves at the cooperative and wholesale levels. These are used with the observed 1990 price and quantity levels to calibrate a model of the B.C. head lettuce industry. A counterfactual model is then formulated to simulate a market with no controls on output. Given an inelastic wholesale demand, the simulation results indicate that for very small increases in cooperative output, large decreases in price occur. Consequently total revenues decline at every alternative assumption of supply increase. This result supports the hypothesis that output restrictions by the cooperative have the potential to increase members' output prices. It is concluded that while the market quotas have in the past provided positive benefits to cooperative members, the quotas may now be hindering the process of adjustment to the loss of tariff protection and changing market conditions by making producers less price responsive.
36
Kalauba, Puseletso Perpetua. "Factors influencing production and market participation among smallholder tomato farmers in Madibong and Manganeng Villages, Makhuduthamaga Municipality in Greater Sekhukhune District". Thesis, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/10386/3468.
Texto completoResumen
Thesis (M.Sc. (Agricultural Economics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021The agricultural sector in the Limpopo Province, comprises both commercial and subsistence farming. The smallholder farmers in the province are mainly producing for subsistence purposes and play an important role in poverty alleviation and livelihood creation. These smallholder farmers produce lower quantities of products that are also of low quality. Consequently, their products are rejected in the markets and by processors, and this affects the extent to which they participate in the market. This presents a challenge since the smallholder farming is highly labour intensive and represent the main source of income-generating occupations and a source of economic relief for the majority of people residing in the former homeland areas of the Limpopo Province. This study examined the factors influencing production and market participation among smallholder tomato farmers in Madibong and Manganeng Villages, at Makhuduthamaga Municipality in Greater Sekhukhune District, using the Multiple Linear and the Logistic Regression Models. The Multiple Linear Regression Model was used to analyse the socio-economic factors influencing tomato production among smallholder farmers in the study area. The results of the model indicated that extension access, fertiliser application, marital status, use of agricultural equipment and income from production output significantly influence tomato production among smallholder farmers. The Logistic Regression Model was used to analyse the socio-economic factors influencing market participation among smallholder tomato farmers in the study area. The Logistic Regression results indicated that factors such as educational level, gender of the farmer, farming experience, marital status, and farm size positively and significantly influence market participation while market distance negatively influences market participation among smallholder tomato farmers in the study area. Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that the local municipality invest more in rural adult education in order for the farmers to adopt new farming skills and utilise the market information provided. In addition, the investment in adult education has the potential to contribute to rural development and job creation in the study area. The study recommends that there should be a comprehensive producer support such as input subsidies, that focuses primarily on subsidising smallholder farmers when purchasing production input such as fertilisers and pesticides.
NRF (National Research Foundation)
37
Mushayanyama, Tinashe. "Improving access by smallholder farmers to organic crop supply chains : evidence from the Ezemvelo Farmers' Organization, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa". Thesis, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/5540.
Texto completoResumen
The 48 members of the Ezemvelo Farmers' Organisation (EFO) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South
Africa (SA), that were fully-certified as organic farmers were surveyed during October-December
2004 to assess their perceived level of satisfaction, trust, cooperation and commitment in a
formal supply chain producing amadhumbes (a traditional vegetable tuber), potatoes and sweet
potatoes for a major SA supermarket group. Empirical recursive models show that a high level of
satisfaction in the working relationship results in these farmers trusting the pack-house agent
more. High levels of trust, in turn, lead to higher levels of both commitment to, and cooperation
in, the supply chain. A simultaneous-equation model showed that EFO farmers with higher levels
of commitment tend to be more cooperative, and that members with higher levels of cooperation
tend to be more committed toward the working relationship.
These results suggest that strategies to improve the working relationship with the pack-house
agent need to promote satisfaction, trust, cooperation and commitment. For example, co-investment
in better crop storage facilities at farm-level would promote satisfaction and hence
trust. There is also scope for more cooperation in the planning of new organic crop products to
grow and market, and to remove some price uncertainty by giving EFO farmers more information
about prices that they will be paid by the pack-house agent in this supply chain. In addition,
satisfaction and, hence, trust, cooperation and commitment may be improved by adopting a formal
contract between the EFO farmers and the pack-house agent to replace the current, incomplete
verbal contract that governs trading. Some issues that may be addressed in this contract are
improved communication systems via regular meetings, renegotiations of trading terms so that
farmers can benefit from positive changes in organic crop prices; guidelines for paying farmers
more quickly by the pack-house agent; mechanisms to trace crop quality to a specific farmer to
avoid free riding; and penalties for breaching the contractual arrangements.
The 48 EFO farmers were also asked to give their perceptions of the main constraints on
organic crop production and marketing in the formal organic crop supply chain. They
perceived that uncertain climate, unavailability of tractor or draught power when needed,
delays in payments for crops sent to the pack-house, lack of affordable inputs (particularly
labour and manure), a lack of cash and credit to finance inputs, lack of affordable transport to
market crops, more work than the family can handle, a lack of manure to purchase; and a lack
of crop storage facilities and telephones to negotiate sales as the current top 10 constraints.
Principal Component Analysis summarized the underlying dimensions in the 20 constraints
ranked by these farmers as indicating "lack of market information and lack of market power";
"crop production expansion constraints"; "commitment to crop area expansion"; "lack of
liquidity"; "lack of proper storage facilities"; and "lack of information about alternative
markets".
Potential solutions to better manage these perceived constraints include: improved risk
management practices (e.g., supplemental irrigation, water-harvesting and small boreholes),
improving access to tractor services via improved tractor scheduling or using local contractor
services, quicker pack-house delivery payments, improving quality inspection at the departure
points at EFO farm-level to reduce crop rejection rates and "free riding" by producers of lower
quality organic crops, more interaction with the retailer to promote sales of organic crops,
providing advice on how the EFO farmers can improve their bargaining power, and providing
more information (e.g. crop prices) about other organic markets and changing consumer
preferences. Apparently, the costs and benefits of these potential solutions, and how they will
be financed, need to be evaluated.
Real accounting marketing margins since 2001 showed that the farmer's share of the
consumer's rand for the 48 fully certified organic EFO farmers rose, while their net returns
(selling price less accounting costs) were lower than those of the pack-house agent and
hawkers selling at the Isipingo market on the South Coast of KZN. Net returns for the 48 EFO
farmers also seemed to be relatively higher if they sold through the informal supply chain
(hawkers) rather than the formal supply chain. The EFO farmers' net returns may be improved
by lowering operating costs and by aggressive marketing to customers willing and able to pay a
price premium for organic crops. These farmers may also consider performing some of t he
marketing services themselves (e.g. crop cleaning, grading and packaging) if they have the
skills and can access more finance. There are, however, hidden benefits from maintaining the
formal supply chain relationship, as the pack-house agent helped to secure tractor services and
fencing, and facilitates access to the retailer.Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.
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Mabuza, Majola Lawrence. "The institutional economics of cultivated mushrooms in Swaziland : a study on value chains, transaction costs and collective action". Thesis, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/11331.
Texto completoResumen
This study focuses on commercial mushroom production, a relatively new economic activity
in Swaziland that seeks to assist rural-based small-scale farmers to diversify and improve their
economic independence and livelihoods. The mushroom programme is in line with the
National Development Strategy, which, among its major objectives, aims to address povertyrelated
challenges through the promotion of non-conventional high-value agricultural
commodities that have not been explored by local farmers despite having a relatively high
consumer demand in local and international markets. In attempting to provide an impetus to
the mushroom industry, the Swaziland government currently offers free training in mushroom
production, extension services, high quality spawn at a very nominal fee, and free substrate
bags. Considering the geographical suitability and the magnitude of investment made towards
the mushroom development programme, there is a need to understand why many farmers are
not participating in the industry, and why Swaziland still imports more than 95 percent of
locally consumed cultivated mushrooms. There has also been no research so far on the
challenges and opportunities in producing, value adding, and marketing of mushrooms in
Swaziland. This study was, therefore, an attempt to address these knowledge gaps. It also
provided an opportunity to draw relevant policy and management implications to inform
future strategies in the industry. The specific objectives of the study were to: (i) identify and
examine the factors that influence households’ decisions to participate in mushroom
production; (ii) study the underlying mushroom production and market access constraints; (iii)
examine the effects of transaction cost factors that influence mushroom producers’ market
channel choice decisions and the quantity of mushrooms sold in selected channels; and (iv)
study the effects of organisational form on producers’ participation in collective
responsibilities.
Using cross-sectional data gathered from mushroom producers and non-producers, the results
of the Two-Stage Conditional Maximum Likelihood and Two-Stage Probit Least Squares
estimation methods revealed that farmers’ decisions to participate in the mushroom enterprise
are mainly influenced by institutional factors. Farmers who have undergone training in basic
oyster mushroom production, are located in close proximity to input and output markets, and
have positive perceptions towards mushrooms, are likely to participate in the mushroom
industry. The development of positive perceptions towards mushrooms is predominantly
influenced by the knowledge gained on their nutritional and therapeutical properties.
The value chain approach was used to identify the underlying factors constraining mushroom
production and producers’ participation in mainstream markets. Among the important
findings, the study showed that producers’ plans to expand production capacities are
hampered by the difficulty to access key inputs and services, which are centralised and fully
controlled by the government. Generally, local farmers produce below capacity in relatively
small low-cost structures, which are also not well equipped. As a result, farmers apply very
primitive management methods that eventually affect their productivity. These constraints are
partly responsible for the extremely low locally produced volumes and inconsistent market
supply, prompting local mushroom traders to rely on imports. Other constraints relate to the
lack of diversification as farmers currently produce only the oyster mushroom, yet consumers
are mostly interested in the button mushroom, which is favoured for its appearance and taste.
Currently, no cultivated mushrooms are exported from Swaziland and producers have not yet
engaged in any form of mushroom processing. Instead, from what they harvest, it was found
that about six to 10 percent is consumed at household level and the remainder sold through
four channels identified as: (i) the farm gate; (ii) retail market (supermarkets); (iii)
middlemen; and (iv) food services industry (restaurants/hotels). Among the four channels, the
retail market and farm gate were, respectively, identified as the most preferred. Between the
two, the retail market offers a comparatively higher producer price and a relatively more
dependable market. Cragg’s regression results revealed that producers who are likely to
supply the retail market are those who manage a relatively large number of spawn
impregnated bags, have a high labour endowment, own cold storage facilities, and are
affiliated to mushroom producing groups. However, the difficulty in accessing market
information and lack of bargaining power significantly constrains other producers’ plans to
supply the retail market; hence, they end up selling through less remunerative channels, such
as the farm gate. Producers’ decisions on the quantity of mushrooms supplied through the
retail market are significantly affected by the difficulty in accessing transport and uncertainty
about meeting the retailers’ quality requirements.
Over 90 percent of mushroom producers in Swaziland currently participate in the industry
through farmer groups. These groups are predominantly organised in two forms, depicted as
model A and B, respectively. In model A, besides establishing their own by-laws, members
produce mushrooms in one growing house where they share the costs and benefits of all preproduction,
production and marketing activities. In model B, members also establish their
own by-laws and share all pre-production activities. However, instead of producing under one
roof, each member manages his/her own growing house and members are at liberty to make
their own marketing arrangements independently. The results of the Propensity Score
Matching method indicated that producers affiliated to model B groups have significantly
higher levels of cooperation, which is evidenced in making joint decisions and performing
shared manual activities. Participation in such groups also improves producers’ knowledge of
the enterprise, and reduces the likelihood of internal free-riding.
The overall results of the study point to the need to strengthen farmer training in mushroom
production and value-addition. In attempting to improve producers’ access to key inputs and
services, it is recommended that the government should relinquish its position (to the private
sector) as the only provider of these services, allowing public institutions to assume a
monitoring role. Producers’ competitiveness and sustainable participation in the mushroom
value chain can be enhanced by institutionalising and strengthening collective action, which
can possibly enable them to achieve economies of scale benefits in the input and product
markets, and improve their bargaining position. As indicated in the empirical chapters, market
availability for mushrooms is not a challenge in Swaziland. However, the lack of a market
information system, expert assistance in agribusiness management, poor value chain
governance, and lack of vertical coordination, predispose producers to high marketing and
transaction costs such that they end up selling through less remunerative marketing channels.
39
Mosese, Douglas. "Analysis of vertical price transmission in the South African potato markets". Thesis, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10386/3433.
Texto completoResumen
Thesis (M.A. Agricultural Management (Agricultural Economics)) -- University of Limpopo -- 2020Potato is the most important vegetable crop in South Africa in terms of contribution to the gross value of agricultural production, export earnings and contribution to food supply base and food security in the SACU region. Despite the importance of this commodity, very little is known about the nature of price transmission between different levels of potato value chain in South Africa. The study aims to determine the nature of price transmission in the South African potato market. The objectives of the study are to investigate the existence of long-run equilibrium relationship between producer, wholesale and retail prices; to determine characteristics of the relationship; and to determine the direction of price causality. The study made use of Error Correction Model and Granger Causality test. The Empirical results reveal the existence of price asymmetry in the South African potato value chain. Furthermore, the results show that retail prices are more responsive producer price increases than they are to producer price declines. The Granger causality test shows that prices in potato value chain are determined mainly at the wholesale level (i.e. at the National Fresh Produce Markets). The study recommends further research focusing on price transmission for other basic food commodities and that the government retains and strengthens the existing food price monitoring system.
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
40
Tembe, Prudence Ntombifikile. "The potential role of amadumbe marketing for rural small scale farmers in Mbonambi Municipality". Thesis, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/5479.
Texto completoResumen
Involvement in agricultural activities has generally been the main livelihood strategy for
rural people. This was also the case with KwaMbonambi and Sokhulu farmers,
especially amadumbe producers. The research was therefore undertaken to explore the
marketing opportunities for amadumbe in the Mbonambi Municipality under which
KwaMbonambi and Sokhulu tribal areas fall.
A research team was formed by five staff members from the Department of Agriculture
including the researcher. Five research tools were used to collect data and these were
questionnaires for formal retail shops, focus groups for processing centres, a transect
walk to assess the land availability, sustainable livelihoods and force field analyses for
amadumbe producers,
From the findings, the formal retail shops and processing centres did not have a direct
link with local amadumbe producers of KwaMbonambi and Sokhulu. Their produce
came via agents from Durban and Johannesburg.
Amadumbe producers on the other hand were producing amadumbe for their own
consumption or to sell either to local communities (from the garden gate) or to hawkers
in nearby towns. A recommendation was made that an amadumbe marketing forum be
constituted in order to close the gap between formal retail shops, the processing centres
and the amadumbe producers of KwaMbonambi and Sokhulu. Farmers felt that they
could produce amadumbe of the quantity and quality required by the formal outlets if
they improved their production amounts and marketing strategies.Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.
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Gadzikwa, Lawrence. "Appropriate institutional and contractual arrangements for the marketing of organic crops produced by members of the Ezemvelo Farmers' Organisation in KwaZulu-Natal". Thesis, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/743.
Texto completoResumen
The Ezemvelo Farmers’ Organisation (EFO) is a certified organic smallholder group in KwaZulu-Natal province (South Africa) that exists as an institution to improve smallholder access to niche markets by reducing unit production and transaction costs. The study is motivated by the need to understand drivers of collective action, prevalence of internal group free-riding, and the impact of contract terms on contract performance. These three theoretical concepts are pertinent in understanding organisational and institutional issues affecting the performance of smallholder organic farming groups and in formulating policies to promote the performance of such groups. The study relies on the theoretical
foundations of collective action, free-riding and contracts found within the realm of New Institutional Economics (NIE). These theories, though separate, are in fact related in certain respects. Collective action in smallholder groups, apart from being a function of a plethora of socio-economic factors, including transaction costs, could be constrained by free-riding within the group, which in turn could be influenced by flawed contractual arrangements. This study of collective action focuses on 200 farmers drawn from a sample survey of 49
non-EFO members, and a census survey of 103 partially certified and 48 fully certified EFO members. A ‘collective action’ model investigates the impact of perceived benefits and savings on production and transaction costs attributed to collective action by drawing comparisons between EFO members and non-members using a multinomial logit model. The study of free-riding uses data from 151 members of the EFO to construct an index of free-riding within the group using principal components analysis (PCA). A ‘contract model’, which also focuses on EFO members only, attempts to measure the impact of
verbal contract provisions on contract performance in addition to evaluating the determinants of preferred contract terms using a combination of PCA, Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression, and logit models. Results indicate that continued participation in EFO is not influenced by the age or gender of the farmer, but positively influenced by growth in the net benefits of participation, and negatively by an increase in the size of the household’s cropland or on-farm earnings. With respect to production and transaction costs, the results suggest that EFO has reduced fully certified members’ concerns that crops would be damaged by livestock or constrained by inadequate technical information. However, this is not the case for other problems such as price uncertainty in conventional markets, a lack of affordable operating inputs, a lack
of affordable transport, and a lack of communications infrastructure. The index of free-riding behaviour constructed using principal components analysis
suggests that free-riding poses a serious threat to EFO’s collective marketing efforts. Ordinary Least Squares regression analysis of the index scores shows that members who are male, poorly educated, partially certified, aware of loopholes in the grading system, and who do not trust the buyer are more likely to free-ride. Benefits accruing to EFO members are limited and there is substantial confusion among members about the terms of EFO’s verbal contract with the pack house that purchases their organic produce. Ordinary Least Squares regression analysis of the impact that perceived contractual terms have on quantities delivered to the pack house yielded interesting
findings. Perceptions that delivery calls are made by the buyer, that grading procedures are flawed and that prices are not jointly established were found to reduce quantities delivered to the pack house, after controlling for differences in farm and farmer characteristics. Logit models estimated to identify the determinants of preferred contract clauses indicate that farmers with higher levels of formal education and farm income, and lower levels of experience, favour a written contract over a verbal contract. Similarly, farmers with higher
levels of formal education and lower levels of family farm labour favour a contract
denominated by area rather than weight. It is concluded that EFO should recruit households that rely on farming for income and which are land constrained. EFO is more likely to survive if it continues to secure fully
subsidised information, transport, fencing, and certification services for its members, and if it improves the benefits of participating by synchronising harvest and delivery dates, negotiating price discounts for organic inputs, and by maintaining an office with telephone, fax and postal services. In the longer-term, EFO should address institutionalised free-riding by issuing tradable ownership rights. In the short-term, EFO must engage with the pack
house (buyer) to remove flaws in the grading process that conceal the origin of low quality produce. Transparent and mediated negotiations leading to an incentive compliant contract with the buyer may also help to build trust and reduce free-riding within EFO. It is also recommended that the terms of EFO’s contract with the pack house should be revised so that; (a) delivery calls can be made by either the pack house or by EFO during specified periods and with reasonable notice, and (b) grading procedures are fully transparent and ensure traceability so that losses caused by poor quality can be internalised to members who deliver inferior produce. In addition, it is important that prices be
negotiated at the beginning of each season and that the contractual parties have recourse to pre-agreed facilitators and an arbitrator to resolve disputes on price and quality. A written contract is recommended to support these more complex terms, with the proviso that the contract is explained to current and prospective members, and that growers are fully informed of their rights and obligations.Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.
42
Mthembu, Nonkululeko. "Perceptions of barriers to market participation among three farmer groups in rural KwaZulu-Natal". Thesis, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/766.
Texto completoResumen
There has long been evidence that many smallholder farmers can benefit from marketoriented agriculture. However, smallholder farmers often face a number of barriers to accessing the markets. Smallholder market access is often cited as a factor that exacerbates the smallholder situation, but is little researched. This study investigated barriers to market participation among three smallholder farmer groups in rural KwaZulu-Natal. It is hypothesised that identification of these barriers could assist in institutional innovation to alleviate market constraints and challenges faced by smallholder farmers. It is also 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. Three farmer groups from rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal (Centocow, Mbumbulu and Muden) were selected to participate in the study because they had interests in marketing fresh produce. One group (Mbumbulu) was a certified organic producer and was supplying a formal market. The other two groups (Centocow and Muden) were not organically certified and sold produce to informal markets. A three way comparison that included agricultural Policy Reform, Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) from Local Municipalities and focus group discussions was used to check and validate farmers’ responses to questions asked. Agricultural policy reforms relevant to these groups were reviewed. IDPs were analysed to evaluate service delivery and provision of infrastructure (enabling conditions for market participation). Focus group discussions were conducted to investigate farmer experiences in marketing and perceptions of agricultural policy constraints. The study revealed that access to resources, market information, infrastructure and farmer support services were barriers to market participation. Efforts to incorporate smallholder farmers through agricultural policy reforms in large scale agriculture have failed. Programmes to create enabling conditions (e.g. infrastructural development and telecommunications) were either not budgeted for or not implemented by local municipalities. Local economic development programmes focused on developing tourist attractions, although communal areas (Centocow and Mbumbulu) have the potential for agricultural growth. Local municipalities also faced challenges, such as lack of capacity to plan, implement, budget for planned projects, lack of service provider commitment and municipal funds. The results showed that despite barriers to market participation, smallholder farmers still marketed limited amounts of produce. If identified barriers are addressed, the issues raised in this study might improve market participation. Some barriers require direct intervention by government, as in the case of support services, extension service, credit and training. Investment in good infrastructure may encourage smallholder farmers to participate effectively in markets. This may be done by establishing a market infrastructure that includes collection points, transportation and market deposits in order to address the problems of proximity to markets. Such intervention should require the involvement of the private sector.Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.
43
Mohammed, Mohammed Abdurahman. "Perceptions and management of risk by commercial farmers in Eritrea". Thesis, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/5537.
Texto completoResumen
A survey of 186 commercial farmers from three Zobas (provinces) of Eritrea was
conducted between November 2002 and February 2003 to examine farmers' perceptions
of risk, to determine the most important sources of risk affecting farmers' decisions, to
identify managerial responses to risks and to identify information use. As part of the main
survey, 74 randomly selected commercial dairy farmers were also interviewed to identify
factors that affect the purchase of livestock insurance.
Findings show that whilst some risks are of concern to most farmers, others are more
enterprise or region specific. In general, changes in weather, changes in the labour force,
and diseases, pests and weeds were identified as being important sources of risk for most
farmers. Factor analysis was used to analyse heterogeneity amongst farmers' perceptions
of various risks. Results indicate that programmes designed to assist farmers in Eritrea to
manage production and price risks should vary between enterprises and between regions.
Policy implications of this research include that the government of Eritrea should
disseminate information to clarify agricultural tax and land policies, and its
demobilization and rehabilitation programmes. Relaxing foreign exchange rate controls
may reduce price risks in agricultural input markets.
Increased use of information sources, choice of production system, keeping production
records, and diversification of farm enterprises were found to be the main production
responses to risk. Important marketing responses included indirect selling (e.g. to the
grain board or wholesalers) and use of marketing information, while important financial
responses were keeping financial records and investing off-farm. Factor analysis was
used to analyse heterogeneity amongst farmers' managerial responses to risk. Results
indicate that farmers respond differently to different types of risk attributed to enterprise
type. Policy implications of this research include that the government of Eritrea should
create a more conducive environment for business, train farmers with appropriate record
keeping skills and improve road and communication infrastructure.
Results also show that farmers' sources of information vary according to farm type.
While poultry and dairy farmers depend largely on information provided by the
government, horticulture and crop farmers rely mostly on their own sources of
information or non-governmental sources. Policy recommendations include additional
and appropriate record-keeping training for farmers, improving the road and
communication infrastructure, promoting commercial information providers, and
periodically publishing an agricultural magazine by the Ministry of Agriculture in a way
that farmers can understand the information.
The results of a logit model of the adoption of livestock insurance indicate that formal
education of the farmer and the farmer's awareness of livestock insurance increase the
probability of insurance adoption, whereas farming experience, poor location and use of
alternative risk management strategies, such as off-farm investments and farm enterprise
diversification, reduce the probability of livestock insurance adoption. Further insight
into the socioeconomic factors influencing farmers' adoption of livestock insurance may
assist policy makers and the National Insurance Corporation of Eritrea in their future
plans. Results of this study have some policy implications, such as the need for a variable
rather than fixed insurance premium, improving the know-how of farmers concerning
risk assessment, improving Zobas' infrastructure and a need for a thorough study to be
conducted on the demand for agricultural insurance in Eritrea.Thesis (M.Sc.Agric.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.
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Van, Lille Adele. "E-commerce opportunities for the Ficksburg Cherry Festival (2012)". Diss., 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/13390.
Texto completoResumen
A website with a good e-commerce design will positively influence a customer’s attitude, strengthen the trust of the customers towards the organisation, increase the satisfaction of the customer, draw consumers, and bring forth purchases/repeat purchases from them. The purpose of this study was to determine viable e-commerce opportunities for the Ficksburg Cherry Festival website. The study endeavoured to ascertain how the Ficksburg Cherry Festival could improve its website by identifying e-commerce opportunities for the Ficksburg Cherry Festival website. In this study a non-random self-administered survey approach was used where attendees were intercepted at the venue of the Ficksburg Cherry Festival and the exhibitors in their stalls. The existing Ficksburg Cherry Festival website was analysed for e-commerce features that are present and opportunities for further implementation of e-commerce features were identified with help from the attendees and exhibitors. The findings of this study presented a demographic profile and attendance characteristics of both the attendees and exhibitors, which the management team of the Ficksburg Cherry Festival can use to better market the festival using traditional and online communication for both attendees and exhibitors. The recommendations will assist the management of the festival to improve the website and to progress from a straightforward information-only website to a fully-developed e-commerce site, with positive effects for all the stakeholders. Similar South African festivals could find the research findings and recommendations of value for their own website development as well.Business Management
M. Com. (Business Management)
45
Mchunu, Bongumusa Reginald Emmanuel. "Seeking a deeper understanding of the quality of relationships in the smallholder maize production system in Msinga". Thesis, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/8537.
Texto completoResumen
In South Africa, the majority of inhabitants rely on agriculture as the main source of livelihood.
Agricultural crop production remains the primary source of subsistence, employment, and
income. Due to policies put in place by the apartheid government, agriculture remained divided
into large scale commercial farming and subsistence small scale farming. The 1913 and 1936
Tenure Acts and the 1927 Administration Act favoured white farmers of large scale commercial
farms who produced and supplied markets. These acts were effective until 1994. Smallholder
farmers were not supported to operate at commercial farming levels and instead remained as
subsistence farmers. However, the present government has been putting policies in place to
encourage smallholder farmers to operate at commercial farming levels.
Smallholder farmers are faced with many challenges that restrict them from being commercially
active in crop production. Their challenges range from the lack of land, equipment, and financial
resources. They may also struggle to meet the quality and safety standards set by food
processors, large retailers, wholesale buyers, and exporters. Smallholder farmers are also
constrained by limited support services provided by government.
When addressing problems that smallholder farmers are facing it is a common practice to focus
on increasing production rather than to look at issues that affect production. It is thus important
to look at the whole production system when the aim is to address problems affecting production
and to understand the linkages in the system.
The objective of this research was to seek a deeper understanding of the quality of relationships
among smallholder farmers, extension officers, input suppliers, and output buyers in the maize
production system in Msinga, South Africa. This objective was addressed in the application of
social learning which was informed by systems thinking in order to gain a deeper understanding
of the perspectives, practices, and experiences of all role players involved in maize crop
production.
This research was conducted through five levels of deeper learning where the first level was the
review of literature. Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were carried out as
tools for data collection in the other four levels of deeper learning. The second level sought to
gain individual role player’s perspectives, practices, and experiences on the linkages and the
quality of relationships in maize crop production. The third level consisted of two separate focus
group discussions that brought together role players that worked together and were familiar with
one another. The linkages and the quality of relationships were explored further. The fourth level
brought together all role players into one group discussion where there was reflection on the
findings of the previous group meetings and a cause and effect analysis on the quality of
relationships. The fifth and final level was to establish strategies to improve the quality of
relationships among role players in the maize production system.
Communication, trust, communal and exchange relationships, control mutuality, satisfaction, and
commitment were through a review of literature established as being important indicators of
quality of relationships,. It was established that these indicators are interrelated where
communication is the most important construct of the quality of a relationship and that the rest of
the indicators are developed through communication.
However, the findings of the research showed that weak linkages and poor quality relationships
among role players of the Maize Production System occurred as a result of farmers’ practices,
low literacy levels, lack of financial resources, inappropriate extension approaches, weak
production input distribution channels, and farmers’ lack of information and access to output
markets. Moreover, limited communication among role players in the system resulted in poor
quality of relationships because communication is the most important construct of the quality of
relationships. Communication is also the construct through which other indicators are developed.
Nevertheless, through social learning, the awareness of the quality of relationships that exist
among role players informed new thinking and, as a result it was recognized that change was
required. These new insights led to multi-stakeholder conversations over the development of
strategies to improve the quality of relationships among role players. These strategies were
aimed at improving not only the quality of relationships among role players, but also the forward
and backward linkages which would be beneficial to all stakeholders in the maize production
system.Thesis (M.Agric.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.
46
Dale, Beshir Butta. "Gender mainstreaming in agricultural value chains : the quest for gender equality, employment and women's empowerment in Arsi zone, Ethiopia". Thesis, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/26841.
Texto completoResumen
Abstracts in English, Afrikaans and ZuluThis thesis investigates gender relations in agricultural value chains by examining gender differentials in terms of gender roles in agricultural production and marketing, gender division of labour within the household, gendered daily and seasonal activities in the household, decision-making power within the household, and access to productive resources and agricultural support services. The study also assessed historical, socio-cultural, and institutional factors constraining gender equality and women’s empowerment in agricultural value chains. Employing critical theory, the study used a qualitative research approach, specifically basic classical ethnographic methods - participant observation, field notes, in-depth interviews, semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews, focus group discussions and secondary documents. The study also used a time-use survey and seasonal calendar as its primary source of data. The study revealed that women are generally underrepresented in most profitable nodes of the value chains. However, agricultural value chain interventions have different outcomes for women in female-headed households (FHHs) and women in male-headed households (MHHs). The commercialization of agriculture, particularly in MHHs, has led women to lose control over the commodities they traditionally used to control, as these commodities have fallen into the hands of men. Therefore women in this category are either disempowered or at least not empowered by the value chain interventions. Nevertheless, for women of FHHs, gender mainstreaming in agricultural value chains has contributed to improving gender equality, employment, and women’s empowerment by boosting their economic, social, and personal empowerment levels, though they still lag behind the men in many aspects. The participation of women in managing and controlling high-value crops is constrained by unequal power relations within the household and society. This could be explained in terms of limited resources, low level of literacy, shortage of labour and time, limited access to productive inputs, technologies, market information and agricultural extension services, restriction of mobility, and other socio-cultural and institutional barriers.
Hierdie studie handel oor genderverhoudings in landbouwaardekettings deur genderkenmerke te ondersoek ten opsigte van genderrolle in landbouproduksie en -bemarking, die verdeling van take by die huis op grond van gender, daaglikse en seisoenale werksaamhede tuis volgens gender, besluitnemingsbevoegdheid in die huishouding, en toegang tot produktiewe hulpbronne en landbouhulpdienste. Die studie verreken ook die historiese, sosiaal-kulturele en institusionele faktore wat gendergelykheid en die bemagtiging van vroue in landbouwaardekettings belemmer. Genderverhoudings word deur die lens van die kritiese teorie bekyk. ʼn Kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering is gevolg en klassieke etnografiese metodes is toegepas, waaronder deelnemerwaarneming, veldaantekeninge, deurtastende en halfgestruktureerde onderhoude, onderhoude met sleutelinformante, fokusgroepbesprekings en sekondêre dokumente. ʼn Tydbenuttingsopname en seisoenale kalender was die primêre databronne. Uit die studie het geblyk dat vroue by die mees winsgewende skakels van die waardeketting grotendeels onderverteenwoordig is. Die uitkomste van landbouwaardekettingintervensies vir vrouehuishoudings (VH) (huishoudings waarin ʼn vrou die broodwinner is) verskil van dié vir mannehuishoudings (MH) (huishoudings waarin ʼn man die broodwinner is). Weens die kommersialisering van die landboubedryf, in veral MH’s, het beheer oor die kommoditeite van vroue se hande in dié van mans oorgegaan. Gevolglik word vroue in hierdie kategorie ontmagtig of ten minste nie deur die waarde van kettingintervensies bemagtig nie. Ofskoon ʼn groter genderbewustheid in die landbouwaardeketting gelyke indiensneming en die ekonomiese, maatskaplike en persoonlike bemagtiging van vroue bevorder het, het vroue steeds ʼn groot agterstand. Ongelyke magsverhoudings tuis en in die samelewing beperk vroue se bestuur van en beheer oor lonende gewasse. Die redes hiervoor is onder meer beperkte hulpbronne, ongeletterdheid, ʼn tekort aan arbeid en tyd, beperkte toegang tot produktiewe insette, tegnologieë, markinligting en landbouverlengingsdienste, beperkte mobiliteit en talle ander sosiaal-kulturele en institusionele struikelblokke.
Lolu cwaningo luphenya ubudlelwano kwezobulili kwezemisebenzi yokukhiqiza ngasemkhakheni wezolimo , lokhu kwenziwa ngokuthi kuhlolwe izimpawu ezahlukile kwezobulili, mayelana nezindima ezidlalwa ubulili emkhakheni wezemikhiqizo yezolimo kanye nokuthengiswa kwemikhiqizo, ukwehlukaniswa kwabasebenzi ngokobulili ngaphakathi kwekhaya kanye nokutholakala kwemithombo yokukhiqiza kanye nemisebenzi yokuxhasa ezolimo. Isifundo futhi sihlola izinto ezithinta umlando, inhlalakahle yabantu kwezolimo kanye nezimo/nezinto ezikumaziko ezidala ukungalingani kobulili kanye nokuhlonyiswa ngamandla kwabesimame emisebenzini yezokukhiqiza kwezolimo. Ukusebenzisa umqondo ogxekayo (critical theory), kusetshenziswe indlela yokucwaninga eyencike kwingxoxo, ikakhulukazi izindlela zokuqala ze-ethinogilafi, phecelezi (basic classical ethnographic methods) – ukubhekisisa izenzo zabadlalindima, ukuthatha amanothi wokwenzeka ezinkundleni zokusebenza ezingaphandle, ukwenza izinhlolo vo ezijulile, ukwenza izinhlolo vo ezimbaxambili, ukwenza izinhlolovo zomuntu onolwazi olunzulu, izingxoxo zeqembu eliqondiwe kanye nemibhalo yesigaba sesibili. Isaveyi yesikhathi ebizwa nge (time-use survey) kanye nekhalenda yenkathi (seasonal calendar ) zisetshenziswe njengemithombo yokuqala yedatha. Ucwaningo luveze ukuthi abesimame ngokwenjwayelo bamele inani elincane labesimame emikhakheni eminingi yezokukhiqiza, okuyimikhakha engenisa inzuzo eningi. Yize kunjalo, imizamo yokuxhasa imisebenzi yokukhiqiza kwezolimo inemiphumela eyehlukahlukene kwabesimame kumakhaya aphethwe abesimame (FHHs) futhi le mizamo inemiphumela eyehlukahlukene kwabesimame kumakhaya aphethwe ngabesilisa (MHHs). Ukufakwa kwemboni yezolimo kwibhizinisi, ikakhulukazi kwimizi ephathwe ngabesilisa (MHHs), sekuholele ekutheni abesimame balahlekelwe yilawulo kwimithombo yezomnotho ebebejwayele ukuyiphatha, njengoba le mithombo yezomnotho seyiwele ngaphansi kwezandla zabesilisa. Ngakho-ke abesimame kulo mkhakha mhlawumbe bephucwe amandla noma mhlawumbe abahlonyisiwe ngokwanele ngamandla ngamakhono okuxhasa imisebenzi yezokukhiqiza. Yize-kunjalo, ngasohlangothini lwabesimame abaphethe imizi FHHs, ukulinganisa amanani ngokobulili kwimisebenzi yezolimo sekube negalelo ekuthuthukiseni ukulingana ngokobulili, kwezemisebenzi kanye nokuhlomisa ngamandla kwabesimame ngokuxhasa amazinga abo ezomnotho, ukuhlonyiswa kwamazinga abantu kanye nomuntu ngamunye, yize abesimame basahamba emuva kwabesilisa emikhakheni eminingi. Ukubandakanyeka kwabesimame ekuphatheni kanye nasekulawuleni kwezitshalo zecophelo eliphezulu kukhinyabezwa ukungalingani ngamandla ngaphakathi kwekhaya kanye nomphakathi. Lokhu kungachazwa ngokwemithombo yomnotho emincane, ngokwamazinga aphansi emfundo, ngokusweleka kwabasebenzi kanye nesikhathi, ngokwamathuba amancane okufinyelela izinsiza zokukhiqiza, ngokwezixhobo zobuchwepheshengokuswela ulwazi lwezimakethe kanye nokwandiswa kwemisebenzi yezolimo, ngokwemigomo evimbezela ukuhamba kanye nezinye izihibe ezivimbela inhlalakahle yabantu kwezolimo kanye nezihibe zamaziko.
Development Studies
D. Phil. (Development Studies)