Classification and characterisation of smallholder farmers in South Africa: a brief review

CPR Carelson; B Ncube; M Fanadzo

doi:10.17159/2413-3221/2021/v49n2a12821

Authors

CPR Carelson Western Cape Department of Agriculture, South Africa
B Ncube Centre for Water and Sanitation Research, Department of Civil Engineering and Surveying, Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa
M Fanadzo Department of Agriculture, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7777-7078

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17159/2413-3221/2021/v49n2a12821

Keywords:

Farmer classification, support, livelihoods

Abstract

The South African agricultural sector has experienced various transformation processes over the past 25 years, from a predominantly white commercial sector to a black focused sector with an emphasis on smallholder farming. The government is committed to supporting the smallholder farming sector through interventions that include land reform and access to water, amongst others. Despite these efforts, smallholder farmers remain vulnerable, especially during drought periods. Smallholder farmers are not homogeneous; instead, they are diverse, and their farming needs also differ according to their livelihood needs. Due to the diversity of smallholder farmers, it is difficult for the government to effectively respond to their needs. The 2015–2018 drought is a case in point. This paper assesses the challenges of defining and classifying smallholder farmers in South Africa. The complex Western Cape classification system is presented as a case study. The study concludes that there is a need for a simpler method of grouping the smallholder farmers based on their livelihoods to develop relevant support systems.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

ALIBER, M. AND COUSINS, B., 2013. Livelihoods after land reform. Journal of Agrarian Change, 13(1):140-165. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/joac.12012

COUSINS, B., 2010. What is a ‘smallholder’?. PLAAS, University of the Western Cape, Working Paper, 16.

COUSINS, B., 2013. Supporting smallholders into commercial agriculture: A social dialogue and learning project. Proceedings of the First Innovation Lab. Cape Town. 19 September 2013.

CHIKAZUNGA, D. AND PARADZA, G., 2013. Smallholder Farming: A Panacea for Employment Creation and Enterprise Development in South Africa? PLAAS Working Paper 27. Institute for Poverty, Land, and Agrarian Studies, September 2013

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES (DAFF), 2011. National Framework for Extension Recovery Plan. Pretoria.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES (DAFF), 2014. Drought Management Plan: Department of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural Development: Northern Cape Province. Kimberley.

DUVERNOY, I., 2000. Use of a land cover model to identify farm types in the Misiones agrarian frontier (Argentina). Agricultural Systems, 64(3):137-149. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0308-521X(00)00019-6

FANADZO, M. AND DUBE, E., 2018. Recognising the differences between farmers key to smallholder development. Water Wheel, 17(6):12 – 15.

FANADZO, M. AND NCUBE, B., 2018. Challenges and opportunities for revitalising smallholder irrigation schemes in South Africa. Water SA, 44(3) July 2018 ISSN 1816-7950 (Online) http://www.wrc.org.za

FANADZO, M., NCUBE, B., FRENCH, A. AND BELETE, A., 2021. Smallholder farmer coping and adaptation strategies during the 2015-18 drought in the Western Cape, South Africa. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts A/B/C, p.102986. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pce.2021.102986 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pce.2021.102986

GREENBURG, S., 2013. ‘The disjunctures of land and agricultural reform in South Africa: Implications for the agri-food system’. PLAAS Working Paper 26. Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies, August 2013.

HART, T. AND ALIBER, M., 2012. Inequalities in agricultural support for women in South Africa. Human science research council: policy brief.

HENDRICKS, M., 2014. Connecting small-scale farmers in Grabouw, South Africa to formal markets: an assessment of the key constrains. Master Thesis, Wageningen University

KIRSTEN, J.F. AND VAN ZYL, J., 1998. Defining small-scale farmers in the South African context. Agrekon, 37(4):551-562. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03031853.1998.9523530

KIRSTEN, J. F., 2011. “Most SA farmers are small-scale”, Farmers’ Weekly, 23 September 2011, p. 38.

KOCH, A. AND TERBLANCHÈ, M., 2013. An overview of agricultural extension in South Africa. South African Journal of Agricultural Extension, 41(1):107 – 117.

KOECH, K.E., MUTAI, K.B., KIBET, K.L. AND KOSGEI, K.G., 2015. Determinants of market facilitators choice by smallholder farmers in Laikipia County Kenya. Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Science 8(1):78 – 82.

LIEBENBERG, F., 2015. Agricultural advisory services in South Africa. Discussion Paper. University of Pretoria. 17 July 2015.

MMBENGWA, V., GROENEWALD, J., VAN SCHALKWYK, H.D. AND SEBOPETSA, M., 2012. An Evaluation of the Quality of Government Extension Services in West Coast District of Western Cape Province, RSA. OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development, 4(12):113-126.

MVELASE, T. C., 2016. Developing practical solutions to problems and constraints faced by smallholder irrigation schemes in South Africa. Master Thesis, University of KwaZulu-Natal.

NCUBE, B. AND LAGERDIEN, A., 2015. Insights into Indigenous Coping Strategies to Drought for Adaptation in Agriculture: A Karoo Scenario. Report to the Water Research Commission, WRC Report No 2084/1/15: ISBN 978-1-4312-0652-0, Bellville, South Africa.

NCUBE, B., 2018. Constraints to smallholder agricultural production in the Western Cape, South Africa. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts A/B/C, 106:89-96. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pce.2018.05.012

NEL, J.E., 2015. Successful integration of upcoming farmers in the commercial sector: A focus on the Western Cape. Master Thesis, Stellenbosch University.

NGAKA, M.J., 2012. Drought preparedness, impact and response: A case of the Eastern Cape and Free State provinces of South Africa. Jàmbá: Journal of Disaster Risk Studies, 4(1):1-10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/jamba.v4i1.47

OETTLE, N., FAKIR, S., WENTZEL, W., GIDDINGS, S. AND WHITESIDE, M., 1998. Encouraging sustainable smallholder agriculture in South Africa. Environment and Development Consultancy Limited, Wales.

OKUNLOLA, A., NGUBANE, M., COUSINS, B. AND DU TOIT, A., 2016. Challenging the stereotypes: small-scale black farmers and private sector support programmes in South Africa. A national scan. PLAAS Research Report no. 53. Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies, June 2016.

PIENAAR, L. AND TRAUB, L.N., 2015. Understanding the smallholder farmer in South Africa: Towards a sustainable livelihoods classification. International conference of agricultural economics. Agriculture in an interconnected world. 29th Milan Italy 2015. Universita Degli Studi Di Milano 8 – 14 August 2015.

PIENAAR, L., 2013. Typology of smallholder farming in South Africa’s former homelands: Towards an appropriate classification system. Master Thesis, Stellenbosch University.

REPORT TO THE MULTI-STAKEHOLDER TASK TEAM ON DROUGHT., 2017. Agri SA’s status report on the current drought crisis. February 2016.

THAMAGA-CHITJA, J.M. AND MOROJELE, P., 2014. The context of smallholder farming in South Africa: Towards a livelihood asset-building framework. Journal of Human Ecology, 45(2):147-155. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09709274.2014.11906688

TERBLANCHÈ, S.E., 2013. Agricultural extension training needs of the non-government advising sector in South Africa. South African Journal for Agricultural extension 41:94 – 106.

TSHUMA, M.C., 2014. Understanding the small-scale agricultural sector as a precondition for promoting rural development in South Africa. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 9(31):2409-2418. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5897/AJAR12.1631

TSHONI, S., 2015. Analysis of smallholders’ farm diversity and risk attitudes in the Stellenbosch Local Municipal area. Master Thesis, Stellenbosch.

UBISI, N.R., MAFONGOYA, P.L., KOLANISI, U. AND JIRI, O., 2017. Smallholder farmer’s perceived effects of climate change on crop production and household livelihoods in rural Limpopo province, South Africa. Change and Adaptation in Socio-Ecological Systems, 3(1):27-38. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/cass-2017-0003

VAN AVERBEKE, W. AND KHOSA, T.B., 2007. The contribution of smallholder agriculture to the nutrition of rural households in a semi-arid environment in South Africa. Water SA, 33(3): 413 - 418. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/wsa.v33i3.180612

VAN AVERBEKE, W., DENISON, J. AND MNKENI, P.N.S., 2011. Smallholder irrigation schemes in South Africa: A review of knowledge generated by the Water Research Commission. Water SA, 37:797-808. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/wsa.v37i5.17

VAN NIEKERK, J.A., 2012. Redefining the role of the extension agent in commercializing South African agriculture: An Eastern Cape case study. PhD Thesis, University of the Free State.

VINK, N. AND VAN ROOYEN, J., 2009. The economic performance of agriculture in South Africa since 1994: Implications for food security. Development Planning Division Working Paper Series No.17, Development Bank of South Africa: Midrand.

WESTERN CAPE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (WCDoA), 2017. Recommendations report on appropriate commodity-specific thresholds and exit strategies. May 2017.

WESTERN CAPE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (WCDoA), 2018. Lower Olifants River: Impact Assessment of the 2017/18 drought. August 2018.