Johan van Rooyen

Towards regional food security in southern Africa: a (new) policy framework for the agricultural sector

Abstract In the southern African Region (SAR) large populations, mainly concentrated in rural areas, face food insecurity and poverty. Food insecurity is intensified by adverse weather conditions and droughts which impact negatively on farm level food production throughout the region. Agriculture constitutes an important economic sector in the majority of countries in the region. This is measured as share of agricultural value added to the GDP and as agricultures share in employment. Based on these facts alone, it must be obvious that sustained agricultural performance will play a significant role in the improvement of food security and livelihoods in the region. However, food security is not only attained in rural areas and by the consumption of home produced food stuffs. Urbanisation is expected to increase dramatically over the next few decades and feeding the urban masses, at affordable prices, must be considered to be a high future priority for governments in the region. Food security must not be viewed as an agricultural issue per se . The drive to food self sufficiency through domestic agriculture production in many countries in the region did not enable these countries to feed their own population. Food security should rather be defined as the acquirement of sufficient and nutritious quantities of food ( Sen, 1981 , Poverty and Famines: An essay on Entitlement and Deprivation ). An approach, whereby attention is given to the macro level availability of food, access to income streams as well as improved production capacity to acquire food at a household level and the utilisation of nutritious food, should therefore be guiding food security policies ( SADC: FSTAU, 1997 , A Strategic Framework for Food Security in the Region ). This broader view emphasises household level poverty reduction, economic development and growth as important components of a food security strategy (World Food Summit, Rome, 1996). An important issue which therefore needs to be explored is whether agriculture does have the potential to contribute to economic processes, which will support broad based development and food security. This paper is intended to argue the importance of agricultural development for food security in the region and to develop a diverse policy framework to strengthen this new, more comprehensive role of agriculture in the region.

A quantitative determination of the food security status of rural farming households in the Northern Province of South Africa

The majority of South Africans living in rural areas are food insecure despite high levels of national food self-sufficiency. The household food security position of two groups of rural farming households in the Venda region was evaluated quantitatively: one group produces vegetables that are sold or consumed locally, the other group produces cash crops – mangoes and other subtropical fruits. Using the collected data, food availability and energy, protein and fat requirements were calculated and balances derived. It was found that more than 80 per cent of the households had a negative balance of energy, protein and fat intake. The average energy, protein and fat coverage consumption was the same for both groups of farmers. A number of agricultural determinants were tested, but only non-agricultural determinants were found to be significant. These include household size, household (food) expenditure and proportion of the budget spent on food.

Measuring perceived black economic empowerment in the South African wine industry

Abstract The aim of this study is to develop a scale to measure perceived black economic empowerment (BEE) as reported by beneficiaries themselves. Two scale development procedures were carried out on randomly selected samples of 213 and 322 previously disadvantaged individual respondents within 14 and 11 wine business that cover the larger part of the wine industry chain. The results led to a ‘feeling’ self-report scale (5-dimensions) and an ‘evolution’ self-report scale (6-dimensions). The emerged dimensions are: Business ownership and control (BOC), Access to finance (ATF), Employment and Human Resources Management (EMP) [internal and external], Social capital/enabling environment (SOC) and Lobbying power and collective action (LOB). First measurement results indicate that respondents feel less empowered with respect to BOC and ATF as compared to EMP, SOC and LOB. There appears to be no gender or age differences, but there are geographical differences. The latter is mostly per farm, that is, a lot of variation in BEE is observed at the firm level. The scale can be used at the firm and industry level as a diagnostic tool to monitor BEE progress as a complementary and not a substitutive framework to the wine industry scorecard as an objective measure of BEE. Future research should focus on the gap between the two definitions and assessment tools in order to comprehensively capture BEE in its entirety. The scale can also be adapted to fit the context, for example, its use in the agricultural sector at large.

AN ANALYSIS OF THE COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE AND POLICY INCENTIVES OF COMMERCIAL WHEAT PRODUCTION IN SOUTH AFRICA

Despite the fact that all direct and indirect measures of subsidisation and protection have been removed, commercial agriculture is still widely considered to be subsidised, privileged and uncompetitive. This paper shows how the process of deregulation has in fact changed the situation. The paper reports on the comparative advantage in the production of wheat in South Africa and reveals the various distortionary effects, if any, of the policy environment on the production of wheat in the country prior to 1997. The paper concludes that South Africa has a strong comparative advantage in the production of wheat, especially, in the inland areas. Favourable climatic and soil factors as well as abundant and relatively cheaper domestic factors of production may be some of the reasons for this strong comparative advantage. The inland areas have better RCRs due to higher inland transportation costs. However, wheat production under irrigation seems to have no comparative advantage. This is mainly due to the implicit subsidy on irrigation water.

ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN FLOWER INDUSTRY

In this paper some interesting findings from recent studies regarding the economic aspects of the South African flower industry are highlighted. By looking at South Africa’s competitiveness and doing a comparative advantage study, an international perspective is firstly developed. The contribution of the flower industry in the South African economy is then discussed. This includes a case study on flower growers in the Gauteng Province. The final section notes some challenges for this industry. This network of studies provide a basis from which a conclusion can be drawn that it would be important to structure government initiatives to assist the private sector to expand this industry. A strategic planning exercise where the South African flower industry is positioned within an international perspective as well as to take note of the current transformation stage of the economy will be required.

New agricultural development criteria: a proposal for project design and implementation

An environment conducive to a viable emerging agricultural sector is developing in South Africa, but it has yet to benefit most resource-poor producers. Some of the crucial constraints are accessibility and affordability of resources and services. Centrally managed agricultural projects as the main historical development model have largely failed to live up to the expectation that this would be the ‘cutting edge’ of development. This paper argues that the failure of these projects was partly due to four criteria for development not being sufficiently incorporated into project design and implementation: technical aspects of a project must be reconciled with social structures and realities; farmer diversity must be dealt with through focused support; business linkages must be structured and maintained; and skills development and participation must be institutionalised. Two of these criteria – dealing with diversity and facilitating participation – are elaborated on through a case study in the North West Province of South Africa. Typology analysis led to the identification of four distinct farmer types and this was followed by a Logical Framework planning process to develop a unique support strategy for each type. The objectives and activities required for each type are quantified. It is argued that this model, extending the project cycle to include the four new development criteria, constitutes a model for small farmer entrance into a competitive market.

DETERMINING THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR'S ROLE IN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA

Abstract The role and contribution of the agricultural sector in regional development has been argued positively for economic growth and development. Promoting support programmes for commercial and subsistence/emerging agriculture should therefore receive priority in regional support programmes. An analytical approach to determine agricultures role has been proposed as well as to establish the required policy measures and public sector support. Two requisites for the application of this proposed approach needs to be emphasized: (i) A reasonable level of data and information is required. It is however, believed that this data base is sufficiently representative for South Africas various regions to determine major policy approaches and support programmes. The establishment of commodity based linkages and multipliers will further enhance these processes; (ii) In the present South African environment consultation and participation of all relevant groupings during policy making processes seem imperative. Eac...

FARMWORKER PARTICIPATION SCHEMES: CONDITIONS FOR SUCCESS / PLAASWERKER DEELNAME SKEMAS: VEREISTES VIR SUKSESVOLLE TOEPASSING

Farm worker participation schemes which give access to farm assets must be viewed in the context of agrarian reform. For South Africa this implies a possible strategy to support land reform programmes. This paper summarises factors which might impact on successful implementation of the model.

Agricultural education and training in South Africa: An overview

Major political, economic and social changes are in progress in South Africa. The present agricultural education, training, extension and research systems will have to be restructured to allow for an expanding clientele base and a better coordinated system. The process of democratisation is expected to influence such systems fundamentally. The demand for participation in programme design and evaluation will require outreach programmes linking rural communities to laboratories, lecture rooms and policy‐making. Affirmative action programmes, to enable a more representative professional corps, will direct training programmes to include part‐time and distance‐training systems, as well as short course presentations. The proliferation of agricultural training policies and institutions should be attended to urgently, partly because it is costly and partly owing to the inequities of the present system. The demand for trained agriculturists in Southern Africa provides a basis for cooperation in the subcontinent. I...

GRAIN AS A TRADING COMMODITY IN SOUTHERN AFRICA / GRAAN AS 'N HANDELSKOMMODITEIT IN SUIDELIKE AFRIKA

It is a well known that not all trade in southern Africa is recorded. Recorded trade therefore gives a skew picture and this paper specifically attempts to estimate and investigate unrecorded trade in the region, using the grain market and the “grain trade ratio”. Unrecorded trade occurred in most southem Africa countries and no recorded trade is observed for South Africa during the period 1986–1991. This corresponds to the time when South Africa was politically excluded from formal trading in southern Africa. The grain trade ratio (grain trade as percentage of grain production) is decreasing. The paper examines why the trade ratio decreased when national policies emphasized local food production programmes, market liberalization and more open trade in the region.