Influence of institutional factors on smallholder farmers’ marketing channel choices - Institutional Constraints to Small Farmer Development in Southern Africa - page 87

5.3 Topography and climate
The Kat River is a tributary of the Great Fish River, which lies on the eastern part of South
Africa. Its altitude increases from approximately 600 metres to 1,600 metres at the top of
the escarpment (Shackleton and Shackleton, 2006). The Kat River Valley's topography is
heterogeneous because it has a 'basin' topography with significant areas of terrace and foot
slope bottom lands, surrounded by steep mountain slopes (Motteux, 2001). The topography
limits development in the area because the steep slopes and escarpments restrict tillage and
road development. The availability of dongas in the area makes some of the land unusable.
According to Magni (1999), Kat River Valley's climate can be described as mild. The
rainfall is unevenly distributed within the area. It ranges between 400 mm and 1,200 mm,
where the least rainfall is received at the confluence with the Great Fish River and the
highest, in the mountainous northern region of the catchment (Magni, 1999). Although
the rainfall is relatively high in the mountainous region, much of the area in the catchment
can be regarded as sub-humid to semi-arid. Kat River Valley receives both summer and
winter rainfall. Approximately 75% of the mean annual precipitation is received between
October/November and February/March, where the highest rainfall figures are recorded
in March. The temperatures range from moderately hot summers to cool moderate winters
(Motteux, 2001).
5.4 Socio-economic factors
Population in the Kat River Valley is composed of different races, and the racial composition
is the result of history and apartheid. The Upper and Middle Kat belong mainly to black
Xhosa speakers and coloured Afrikaans speakers, whereas the Lower Kat belong mainly to
white English speakers. Of the total population in the area, approximately 94.28% are black
Xhosa people, 4.12% coloured and 0.76% white (Motteux, 2001). The towns of Seymour
and Fort Beaufort are principally inhabited by black Xhosa speakers. Fort Beaufort is the
major town and rural service centre for the Kat River Valley. Farmers, especially smallholder
farmers, get most of their farming inputs from and sell their produce in Fort Beaufort.
The Upper Kat River Valley resembles the characteristics of typical former homeland areas
of South Africa. Human population densities are high, employment levels are low and there
is a high dependence level in the Upper Kat. Poor inhabitants rely on gifts, state pensions
and migrant labour remittances for household survival (Nel, 1998). However, some
emerging and smallholder farmers are farming for the market, and the Kat River Valley
can be regarded as one of the areas where smallholder farmers are farming successfully.
Proportions of males to females, amongst the emerging and smallholder farmers, differ
with farming practices. For instance, in citrus farming, there are higher proportions of
males whereas there are higher proportions of females in vegetable farming (Magni, 1999).