In this study, an attempt has been made to examine the supply response of beef farmers in Botswana by using the Nerlovian partial adjustment model. The short run price elasticity was 1.511 while the long run elasticity was 1.057. This is a clear sign that price policies in Botswana are effective in obtaining the desired level of output for beef. Moreover, in the future, price increase need to be adopted as a strategy for improved cattle supply. Emphasis should also be given on extension services with a view of promoting cattle farming as a commercial farming. The promotion of cattle farming for commercial purpose should be supported with a strategy by which farmers change their attitude of oxen production to weaner production. The speed of adjustment, however, was relatively very slow at 14% per period. This slow adjustment perhaps tells that Botswana beef farmers, who are predominantly subsistence, may not be having enough capacity (in terms of resources and technology) to immediately increase beef production when economic environment improves in their favour. This situation can be improved if future government intervention is geared towards improvement of current technology of using communal grazing and indigenous breeds. The government also needs to strengthen its extension services to educate the farmers on new technologies of beef production.
Indigenous crops, through their high nutritional value and hardy attributes, offer potential trade opportunities for rural farmers. There is a niche market that can be explored for these indigenous crops particularly with the growing demand for high nutritional value food in the country. These crops are mostly produced by rural households or gathered from the wild by rural farmers. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify potential markets for African leafy vegetables (ALVs) by farmers in Limpopo Province. Sixty households producing ALVs were selected with the composition of 54 women and six men, with this selection done using a purposive sampling procedure. Of the total production, 50–60% of the produce was sold in the informal market. It was evident that local rural markets constituted a greater portion of the total market at 73% and 20% allocated to hawkers in town. As a result, urban and periurban consumers present potential buyers since these areas are populated with the middle-class population which is susceptible to changing consumption trends. Because of this potential, supermarkets and township hawkers are proposed as the potential channel for ALVs targeting the identified population. Thus, it is suggested that, in order to create a synergy between economic improvement of rural farmers and trending consumer demands, the Department of Agriculture in Limpopo Province creates a conducive environment through which ALV farmers can be connected with supermarkets and township marketers.
The study analysed causality between agricultural exports and its share of gross domestic product in South Africa from 1994 to 2011. Apple, avocado, mango and orange exports in tonnes were used to Granger analyse agricultural exports versa agricultural GDP contribution. The results of the Granger causality test showed a unidirectional causality between exports and GDP. Policies and programmes can help farmers with employees wage to enter the export markets which are ineffectual. Policies can be aimed at redress, such as the Employment Equity Act; which is size dependent on other sectors outside agriculture which discourage growth and export participation.
The paper analyses the link between avocado, apple, mango and orange exports and agriculture's share of Gross Domestic Product in South Africa. The study used secondary time series data that covered a sample size of 20 years (1994 -2014) of avocado, apple, mango and orange exports in South Africa. Two Stages Least Square models were used for data analysis. Empirical results for agricultural exports equation revealed that agricultural economic growth in South Africa was significant with a positive coefficient. Also a negative relationship between the Net Factor Income (NFI) and the agricultural exports in South Africa was noticed. Real Capital Investments had a significant positive coefficient. Consequently, results from agricultural economic growth equation revealed that agricultural exports were significant with a positive correlation. A relationship between NFI and agricultural GDP was also witnessed. Like other variables, Real Capital Investment was significant but negatively correlated.
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