Mainstreaming of smallholder irrigators: the case of Taung Irrigation Scheme, North West, South Africa

English:The majority of emerging farmers live in the former homelands where the former apartheid regime enveloped them, and it is these farmers that need to be mainstreamed into the economy. To be mainstreamed into the growing economy of South Africa, these farmers will need to overcome many challenges. Small-scale agriculture m South Africa is associated with non-productivity and commercially unviable agriculture. The situation is complex and is largely attributable to the fact that South African small-scale agriculture has a history of generating dependency. Farmers (especially those based in the large former homeland irrigation schemes) have become accustomed to the profound support provided by the parastatal organisations that managed most of the irrigation schemes in the country. The Taung irrigation scheme is no exception. Literature highlights constraints from an institutional and technical viewpoint faced by small-scale farmers. The issue of contract farming is explored as a means of overcoming all the constraints. Using primary data collected from the Taung irrigation scheme, this study points out the factors that have an influence on the success potential of small-scale farmers. Theinvestigation focuses on the role of private sector involvement and the role they play in helping small-scale farmers improve success potential and thus mainstreaming them in to the South African economy. The study uses cluster analysis and principal component analysis techniques to perform the analysis. The main components that have the most significant influence on success potential are highl ighted and discussed thoroughly. The issues of importance raised in this study are institutional and technical in nature. Thus, the continued collaboration between small-scale farmers, government and private sector is needed to ensure sustainable successful development. The study provides a reference framework for assessing potential success in smallholder farm management. The study also reveals the embedded institutional and technical deficiencies that need to be addressed to achieve a well functioning agricultural sector. Institutions have a critical role in reducing costs and can have an influence on the development and organisation of economic activity. The results call for a revisit of the policies and institutional framework, and enriching them with information on the factors that affect performance as found in this study. An innovative policy making process is necessary to support smallholder agriculture beyond the farm gate.