Evaluating the impact of government support programme on the development of land reform farms in South Africa

Abstract

Concerns have been raised in various studies regarding the unproductive use of agricultural land acquired through land reform programme. Given the vital role of agriculture in creating jobs and ensuring food security, it is essential to make concerted efforts to promote the development of land reform farms for commercial purposes. This study aims to evaluate the initiatives undertaken by various stakeholders to facilitate the commercial use of land reform farms and contribute empirical evidence to shape support programs.

The study is guided by the development theory, which emphasises the importance of considering the actors and structural powers in the development process, as their influence plays a pivotal role in the relevance of policies. The researcher sought to demonstrate how the development theory has informed the existing policies related to the development of land reform farms. To gather comprehensive data, a mixed-method approach was employed, allowing for the triangulation of findings from various sources. Quantitative data was collected from 122 participants using survey questionnaires, while qualitative insights were obtained through three focus group discussions with farmers and four open-ended discussions with commodity organizations. For data analysis, Microsoft Software Package (Version 2020) was utilised, and a Pearson Correlation Coefficient approach was applied to examine the nature, strength, and direction of the key variables being measured. Additionally, a correlation coefficient was used to assess the frequency and direction of interactions between these variables.

The study indicates that most farmers gained income from farming due to land access and support. Partnership effectiveness was insufficient for enhancing most farmers' skill sets. Although Land Development Support (LDS) fulfilled most of farmers' desires for commercial farming, farm sustainability might suffer due to insufficient entrepreneurial aptitude. Additionally, comprehensive stakeholder consultation in policy development could enhance policy relevance for addressing potential challenges in farm sustainability. Land size and its utilisation (r= -0.2700); Funding sufficiency for farm production (r=0.1775); Income derived after LDS ( r=0.5212); Aspirations of farmers (r=0.0757); Partnership arrangement and sustainability of production (r=0.0044) emphasises the importance of remodelling the partnership arrangement to cub its current challenges.

In conclusion these findings underline the need for a more streamlined approach that involves the active participation of relevant stakeholders, a well-defined funding model, and the selection and capacity building of farmers involved in developing land reform farms. This holistic approach is essential to address the challenges associated with unproductive land use and to foster the successful development of land reform farms for commercial purposes, thereby contributing to enhanced food security and job creation.

Verskeie studies het kommer uitgespreek oor die onproduktiewe gebruik van landbougrond wat deur die grondhervormingsprogram verkry is. Gegewe die belangrike rol wat landbou speel in die skep van werksgeleenthede en die bevordering van voedselsekerheid, is dit noodsaaklik om doelgerigte pogings aan te wend om die ontwikkeling van grondhervormingsplase vir kommersiële doeleindes te bevorder. Hierdie studie ondersoek die inisiatiewe wat verskeie belanghebbendes geneem het om die kommersiële benutting van grondhervormingsplase te fasiliteer en om empiriese bewyse te lewer wat ondersteuningsprogramme kan lei. Die studie is gegrond op die ontwikkelingsteorie, wat beklemtoon hoe belangrik dit is om oorweging te skenk aan akteurs en strukturele magte in die ontwikkelingsproses, aangesien hul invloed ’n deurslaggewende rol speel in die relevansie van beleid. Die navorser poog om aan te toon hoe die ontwikkelingsteorie bestaande beleid rakende die ontwikkeling van grondhervormingsplase ingelig het. Om omvattende data in te samel, is ’n gemengde-metode benadering gebruik, wat triangulasie van bevindings uit verskeie bronne moontlik gemaak het. Kwantitatiewe data is uit 122 deelnemers verkry deur middel van vraelyste, terwyl kwalitatiewe insigte ingesamel is uit drie fokusgroeponderhoude met boere en vier oop-einde gesprekke met kommoditeitsorganisasies. Vir data-ontleding is die Microsoft Software Package (weergawe 2020) gebruik en ’n Pearson-korrelasiekoëffisiënt is toegepas om die aard, sterkte en rigting van die sleutelveranderlikes te ondersoek. Daarbenewens is ’n korrelasiekoëffisiënt gebruik om die frekwensie en rigting van interaksies tussen hierdie veranderlikes te evalueer. Die studie toon dat die meeste boere inkomste uit boerdery verkry het danksy grondtoegang en ondersteuning. Vennootskappe was egter nie voldoende effektief om die vaardighede van die meeste boere te verbeter nie. Alhoewel die Grondontwikkelingsondersteuning (GOO) die meeste van die boere se begeertes vir kommersiële boerdery vervul het, kan plaasvolhoubaarheid in die gedrang kom weens ’n gebrek aan entrepreneurskapvermoë. Daarbenewens kan omvattende belanghebberkonsultasie in beleidsontwikkeling die relevansie van beleid versterk ten opsigte van die potensiële uitdagings rondom plaasvolhoubaarheid. Grondgrootte en die benutting daarvan (r = -0,2700); befondsingsvlak vir plaasproduksie (r = 0,1775); inkomste ná “LDS” (r = 0,5212); boere se aspirasies (r = 0,0757); vennootskapsreëlings en produksievolhoubaarheid (r = 0,0044) beklemtoon die noodsaaklikheid om vennootskapreëlings te herstruktureer om die huidige uitdagings die hoof te bied. Ten slotte beklemtoon hierdie bevindings die behoefte aan ’n meer vaartbelynde benadering wat die aktiewe deelname van relevante belanghebbendes, ’n duidelik omskrewe befondsingsmodel, asook die seleksie en kapasiteitsbou insluit van boere wat betrokke is by die ontwikkeling van grondhervormingsplase. Hierdie holistiese benadering is noodsaaklik om die uitdagings wat met onproduktiewe grondgebruik verband hou, te hanteer en die suksesvolle ontwikkeling van grondhervormingsplase vir kommersiële doeleindes te bevorder, en om sodoende by te dra tot verbeterde voedselsekerheid en werkskepping.

Diphuputsong tse fapaneng ho nnile ha hlahiswa matshwenyeho mabapi le tshebediso e se nang molemo ya mobu wa temo o fumanweng ka lenaneo la tokiso la ntjhafatso ya tsa mobu. Ha ho nahanwa ka karolo ya bohlokwa ya temo ho theha mesebetsi le ho nnetefatsa polokeho ya dijo, ho bohlokwa ho etsa boiteko bo kopanetsweng ho kgothaletsa ntshetsopele ya mapolasi a ntlafatso ya mobu ka sepheo sa kgwebo. Sepheo sa diphuputso tsena ke ho lekola mehato e nkilweng ke baamehi ba fapafapaneng ho nolofatsa tshebediso ya kgwebo ya mapolasi ka diphetoho tsa mobu le ho fana ka bopaki ba diteko, ho theha mananeo a tshehetso. Diphuputso tsena di tataiswa ke kgopolo ya ntshetsopele, e toboketsang bohlokwa ba ho nahana ka batshwantshisi le matla a sebopeho tshebetsong ya ntshetsopele, kaha tshusumetso ya bona e bapala karolo ya bohlokwa bakeng sa bohlokwa ba maano. Mofuputsi o ile a leka ho bontsha kamoo kgopolo ya tswelopele e thusitseng ka teng maano a teng a amanang le tswelopele ya temo ya tokiso ya mobu. E le ho bokella boitsebiso bo akaretsang, ho ile ha sebediswa mokgwa o kopaneng wa mekgwa, o dumellang ho kopanya diphuputso tse tswang mehloding e sa tshwaneng. Dintlha kapa datha ya diteko e ile ya bokellwa ho tswa ho bankakarolo ba 122 ka tshebediso ya dipotso tsa dipatlisiso, ha deitha e hlalosang e ile ya fumanwa ka dipuisano tse tharo tsa dihlopha tse tsepamisitseng maikutlo le dihwai le dipuisano tse nne tse bulehileng le mekgatlo wa dihlahiswa. Bakeng sa tlhahlobo ya datha, Microsoft Software Package (Version 2020) e sebedisitswe, mme mokgwa wa Pearson Correlation Coefficient o sebedisitswe ho lekola mofuta, matla le tataiso ya mefutafuta ya bohlokwa e lekantsweng. Ho phaella moo, ho ile ha sebediswa diphuputso tsa phokotso ya mekgahlelo ho bontsha palo e tsitsitseng ya ditshebedisano pakeng tsa mefuta ena. Diphuputso di bontsha hore boholo ba dihwai bo fumana tjhelete ya temo ka lebaka la ho fumana mobu le tshehetso. Ho sebetsa ha bolekane ho ne ho sa lekana bakeng sa ho ntlafatsa ditsebo tsa boholo ba dihwai. Le hoja Tshehetso wa Ntshetsopele ya Mobu (LDS) e ile ya phethahatsa ditakatso tse ngata tsa dihwai tsa temo ya kgwebo, ho tshwarella ha polasi ho ka nna ha utlwa bohloko ka lebaka la ho se be le bokgoni bo lekaneng ba ho ba mohwebi. Ho phaella moo, ho buisana ka ho pharaletseng le ba amehang ha ho etswa maano ho ka ntlafatsa bohlokwa ba maano a ho sebetsana le diphephetso tse ka nnang tsa hlaha mabapi le ho tsitsa ha temo. Boholo ba mobu le tshebediso ya wona (r= -0.2700); Ho lekana ha tjhelete bakeng sa tlhahiso ya polasi (r=0.1775); tjhelete e fumanweng ka mora LDS (r=0.5212); Ditakatso tsa dihwai (r=0.0757); Tokisetso ya tshebedisanommoho le tshebetso e tsitsitseng ya tlhahiso (r=0.0044) e hatisa bohlokwa ba ho fetola tokisetso ya tshebedisanommoho ho sebetsana le diphephetso tsa yona tsa jwale. Qetellong, diphuputso tsena di totobatsa tlhokahalo ya mokgwa o ntlafaditsweng o akareletsang ho nka karolo ka mafolofolo ha ba amehang, mohlala o hlalositsweng hantle wa ditjhelete, le ho kgetha le ho haha bokgoni ba dihwai tse amehang ho ntshetsopele ya dihwai tsa phetoho ya mobu. Mokgwa ona o akaretsang ke wa bohlokwa ho sebetsana le mathata a amanang le tshebediso ya mobu e sa hlahiseng letho le ho kgothaletsa ntshetsopele e atlehileng ya mapolasi a ntlafatso wa mobu ka sepheo sa kgwebo, ka hona ho kenya letsoho ntlafatsong ya tshireletso ya dijo le ho theha mesebetsi.

Ukukhathazeka sekuphakanyisiwe ocwaningweni olwahlukahlukele mayelana nokusebenza okungenamkhiqizo komhlaba wokulima otholakale ngohlelo lokuhlengahlengiswa komhlaba. Ngokweqhaza elibalulekile lwezolimo ekudaleni amathuba emisebenzi kanye nasekuqinisekiseni ukutholakala kokudla, kubalulekile ukwenza imizamo ebumbene ukugqugquzela intuthuko yamapulazi okuhlengahlengiswa komhlaba ngezinhloso zohwebo. Lolu cwaningo luhlose ukuhlola imizamo eyenziwayo ngababambiqhaza abahlukene ukugqugquzela ukusetshenziselwa ukuhweba kwamapulazi okuhlengahlengiswa komhlaba kanye nokunikeza ubufakazi obusebenzayo ukwakha izinhlelo zokwelekelela. Ucwaningo lwesekelwe injulalwazi yokuthuthukisa, egcizelela ukubaluleka kokubhekelela abenzi kanye namandla ezakhiwo enqubeni yezentuthuko, njengoba umthelela wakho ubamba iqhaza elibalulekile ekubalulekeni lwezinqubomgomo. Umcwaningi ubefuna ukuveza ukuthi injulalwazi yentuthuko izolekelela kanjani izinqubomgomo ezikhona ezihlobene nokuthuthukiswa kwamapulazi okuhlengahlengiswa komhlaba. Ukuqoqa imininingo esabalele, indlela yocwaningo engxube yasetshenziswa, ukuvumela indlelangxube yemiphumela ezinsizeni ezahlukahlukene. Imininingo yocwaningo lwezinombolo yaqoqwa kubabambiqhaza abayi-122 ngokusebenzisa uhlamibuzo lwesaveyi, ngesikhathi imibono yekhwalithethivu yona yatholakala ngokusebenzisa izingxoxo namaqoqo abalimi amathathu acwaningwayo kanye nezingxoxo ezivulekile ezine nezinhlangano zezimphahla zohwebo. Ukuhlaziya imininingo, iMicrosoft Software Package (Version 2020) yasetshenziswa, kanye nendlela yaPearson Correlation Coefficient yasetshenziswa ukuhlola isimo, umfutho, kanye nenkomba yamavarebuli anqala ayekalwa. Okunye futhi, inombolo esiza ukubona ukuhlobana kwezinto yasetshenziswa ukuhlola inhlalanjalo kanye nenkomba yokuxhumana phakathi kwala mavarebuli. Ucwaningo luveza ukuthi abalimi abaningi bathola imali engenayo ngokulima ngenxa yokuba nomhlaba kanye nokwesekwa. Ukuphumelela kobudlelwane kwakungenele ukuqinisa izinhlobo zamakhono abalimi abaningi. Yize noma Ukwesekwa Kwentuthuko Yomhlaba, iLand Development Support (LDS) kwagcwalisa izifiso zabalimi abaningi abalimela ukuhweba, ukusimama kokulima kungebe nakho ukuhamba kahle ngenxa yokwesweleka kobuhlakani bezokuhweba. Okunye futhi, ukuxhumana nababambiqhaza okusabalele ekuthuthukiseni inqubomgomo kungaqinisa ukubaluleka kwenqubomgomo ukubhekana nezingqinamba ezingaba khona ekusimameni kwezolimo. Ubungako bomhlaba kanye nokusetshenziswa kwawo (r= -0.2700); Ukuba khona ngokwanele kwezimali ukukhiqiza ezolimo (r=0.1775); Imali engenayo etholakala emva kwe-LDS (r=0.5212); Izifiso zabalimi (r=0.0757); Ukuhleleka kokusebenzisana kanye nokusimama komkhiqizo (r=0.0044) kugcizelela ukubaluleka kokuhlela kabusha uhlelo lokusebenzisana ukunciphisa izingqinamba ezikhona. Ukuphetha, le miphumela igcizelela izidingo zendlela yokwenza kahle kakhulu ebandakanya ukuhlanganyela okusebenzayo kwababambiqhaza ababalulekile, kanye nemodeli yezimali echazwe kahle, kanye nokukhetha nokwakheka kwamandla kwabalimi ababandakanyekayo ekuthuthukiseni amapulazi okuhlengahlengiswa komhlaba. Le ndlela efaka konke ibalulekile ukubhekana nezingqinamba ezihlobene nokusetshenziswa komhlaba okungenamkhiqizo kanye nokugqugquzela ukuthuthuka okunempumelelo kwamapulazi okuhlengahlengiswa komhlaba ngezinhloso zokwakha imali, nokuholela ekunikeleni ekusimameni kokudla kanye nokudaleka kwamathuba emisebenzi.