Doctoral Dissertations

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Browsing Doctoral Dissertations by Subject "Agricultural productivity"

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    Efficiencies of small-scale sugarcane growers in the King Cetshwayo District Municipality of KwaZulu-Natal
    2019
    Low agricultural productivity remains a threat to the existence and sustainability of the small-scale production of crops. Unfavourable climatic conditions such as drought are a concern to the long-term supply of food in the context of a rapidly growing population. The continuous uncertainty surrounding access to credit, extension support and industry regulations exacerbate the dilemma faced by small-scale growers. Therefore, there is a need to develop strategies to promote agricultural efficiency and productivity. Sugarcane is a traditional crop produced in three provinces in South Africa and it contributes to the livelihoods of many small-scale sugarcane growers operating in the rural set-up. This thesis aimed to evaluate agricultural efficiencies, productivity and efficiency change and identify barriers to technical efficiency of small-scale sugarcane growers in the sugar producing regions of the King Cetshwayo district municipality. This is a grey area as existing studies have given more attention to SFA (Stochastic Frontier Analysis) and ranked constraints faced by small-scale sugarcane growers. The thesis analyses three methodological approaches to addressing the objectives of the thesis. The first objective was to analyse the technical, cost and allocative efficiency of a sample of 300 small cane growers located in the King Cetshwayo district municipality (KCDM) of Northern KwaZulu-Natal. This objective was achieved through estimating agricultural productive efficiency using Data Envelope Analysis (DEA). The second objective was to determine the chemical-input use efficiency, which was determined using the Slack-Based Measure (SBM) approach of the sampled cane growers. The third objective was to employ the Truncated Regression model to identify key socio-economic sources of technical efficiency; this chapter relied on field survey data of 300 sugarcane growers. The fourth objective measured input-oriented technical, cost and allocative efficiency of 160 small-scale sugarcane growers in the Felixton and Amatikulu regions. The fifth objective investigate the determinants of technical, cost and allocative efficiency in the Felixton and Amatikulu regions. Both objectives used the DEA and Truncated Regression model. The sixth objective decomposed agricultural efficiency change in small-scale sugarcane growers in the Amatikulu region using the Färe Primont Index (FPI) using farm-level data for 38 small-scale growers. Furthermore, the Bayesian Modelling Average technique (BMA) investigated policy-related sources of small-scale sugarcane productivity to investigate determinants of total factor productivity to address objective seven. The last objective was to identify the barriers to technical efficiency using a qualitative approach known as Thematic Analysis (TA) using semi-structured interviews involving fewer than ten participants and Focus Groups (FGs) with extension officers in both Felixton and Amatikulu regions. The results of the DEA showed that low cost and allocative compared to technical and scale efficiency with distribution of technical efficiency ranging at 60%. The study also reported a higher technical efficiency compared to chemical-use efficiency. The determinants of technical efficiency were education, off-farm income, experience, and extension support and land size. The results of agricultural productive efficiency in the Felixton and Amatikulu regions reported mixed mean scores. The technical scores in both regions were almost equal, but exhibited significant differences in cost and allocative efficiency. Socio-economic factors such as experience, education, and access to credit and employment status of the small-scale sugarcane grower showed a positive relationship with technical, cost and allocative efficiency. The findings of the FPI approach revealed increased input growth in both input mix and input scale mix efficiency. However, input technical efficiency reported a negative input growth. The sources of TFP were education, sustainability investment, and education of the small-scale grower. The qualitative analysis in chapter seven identified four clear barriers to technical efficiency. Market dynamics were reported as very hard issues to keep up with because they are very tricky. The findings of the qualitative approach also reported the severe distress small-scale sugarcane growers experienced because of drought as one of the environmental challenges faced in the optimisation of technical efficiency. The results also reported technical difficulties because of poor support from extension officers and the slow response of the contractors. The study recommends agricultural policies targeted at agricultural research and development, educational development, and the adaptation of innovative technologies. Furthermore, there is a need to improve stakeholder involvement and regulation of the sugar industry to promote long-term efficiency and productivity.
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