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Defining Small-Scale Farmers In The South African Context

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  • Kirsten, Johann F.
  • van Zyl, Johan

Abstract

South African agriculture is comprised of mainly two categories of farmers -- the subsistence farmers in the former homeland areas and the large-scale commercial (mainly white) farmers. This is in contrast with the situation in many other countries in the world where one would find a whole range of farm sizes, ranging from the very small or subsistence farmer to the very large farmer/agribusiness. The paper highlights the situation of small-scale farmers in an international context and compares it with the South African situation that is totally different. Within this context, this paper has as basic premise that in South Africa the concept of "small-scale farmer" is usually value-laden, creates wrong impressions and is often viewed in a negative light. "Small-scale" is often equated with a backward, nonproductive, non-commercial, subsistence agriculture that we find in parts of the former homeland areas. This paper endeavours to correct the negative perceptions towards smallscale farms by redefining the small-scale farmer and laying to rest the fallacy that small relates to land size only.

Suggested Citation

  • Kirsten, Johann F. & van Zyl, Johan, 1998. "Defining Small-Scale Farmers In The South African Context," Agrekon, Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA), vol. 37(4), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:agreko:54898
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.54898
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    2. Hatzenbuehler, Patrick L. & Mavrotas, George, 2017. "Macroeconomic Factor Influence on Agricultural Program Sustainability in Kaduna State, Nigeria," Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security Policy Research Papers 265415, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security (FSP).
    3. Fenji Materechera & Mary Scholes, 2022. "Scenarios for Sustainable Farming Systems for Macadamia Nuts and Mangos Using a Systems Dynamics Lens in the Vhembe District, Limpopo South Africa," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-19, October.
    4. Francesco Caracciolo & Fabio Gaetano Santeramo, 2013. "Price Trends and Income Inequalities: Will Sub-Saharan Africa Reduce the Gap?," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 25(1), pages 42-54, March.
    5. Nelson Mango & Clifton Makate & Lulseged Tamene & Powell Mponela & Gift Ndengu, 2018. "Adoption of Small-Scale Irrigation Farming as a Climate-Smart Agriculture Practice and Its Influence on Household Income in the Chinyanja Triangle, Southern Africa," Land, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-19, April.
    6. Pienaar, Louw & Traub, Lulama, 2015. "Understanding the smallholder farmer in South Africa: Towards a sustainable livelihoods classification," 2015 Conference, August 9-14, 2015, Milan, Italy 212633, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    7. Van Aelst, Katrien & Holvoet, Nathalie, 2016. "Intersections of Gender and Marital Status in Accessing Climate Change Adaptation: Evidence from Rural Tanzania," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 40-50.
    8. Ngepah, Nicholas, 2010. "Inequality and agricultural production: Evidence from aggregate agriculture and sugarcane farms in South Africa," African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, African Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 5(2), pages 1-19, December.
    9. Ndlovu, P.N. & Thamaga-Chitja, J.M. & Ojo, T.O., 2021. "Factors influencing the level of vegetable value chain participation and implications on smallholder farmers in Swayimane KwaZulu-Natal," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).

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