Influence of institutional factors on smallholder farmers’ marketing channel choices - Institutional Constraints to Small Farmer Development in Southern Africa - page 88

5.4.1 Agricultural potential
Kat River Valley is characterised by a variety of land uses, ranging from export-oriented
citrus farming, commercially oriented rangeland stock farming to small-scale vegetable and
crop production and stock farming (McMaster, 2002). Commercial farmers are mainly
located in the Middle Kat and Lower Kat, whereas smallholders and emerging farmers
mostly practice agriculture in the Upper catchment. According to Nel (1998), during
apartheid, citrus farming was only practiced by white commercial farmers. As part of black
empowerment drive, some black farmers were helped operate citrus farms by Ulimocor, after
apartheid. In addition to citrus farming, Farolfi and Rowntree (2005) noted that vegetable
gardening is an important occupation amongst emerging and smallholder farmers. Most
of these vegetables are grown on fertile plots lying adjacent to rivers and streams. Whereas
some farmers practice sprinkler irrigation, irrigation by hand is also practiced by farmers
who lack irrigation infrastructure.
The soil, on which most cultivation occurs in the valley, is alluvium, which is suitable for
agriculture. According to Smit (2003), the fertile valley land can be utilized only through
irrigation, using water from the Kat River. Furthermore, Smit (2003) explained that
even though the soil is suitable for agriculture, phosphorous and potassium deficiencies
have been identified in the alluvial soil profiles of the Kat River basin. These deficiencies
will only become effective threats if the pH level rises, because the soil will be at risk of
losing necessary iron, manganese and boron needed for successful plant growth (Magni,
1999). Regardless of the potential threats, the potential for cultivation in the catchment
is strengthened because the alluvium soil type within the Kat River is relatively uniform
between the upper and lower areas of the river.
There is a corresponding change in vegetation from Eastern Thorn Bushveld dominated by
Acacia karroo in the valley, to more succulent thicket in the south. The Acacia bush is the
predominant vegetation type at the valley bottom owing to lower rainfalls. This vegetation
type is capable of supporting livestock, explaining animal farming in the area. Acacia bush is
also suitable for game farming, even though the area has not yet gained tourism importance
from the four game reserves in the area (Motteux, 2001). Apart from different farming
types, lack of sufficient rainfall remains a limiting factor to agricultural development in
the catchment. In addition to rainfall problems, environmental problems in the Kat River
Valley include over-fertilization, litter, water-pollution, erosion and river siltation, reduced
tree and grass cover and increasing sediment output (Smit, 2003).
Emerging and smallholder farmers in the Kat River Valley have a potential to increase
their production size if production difficulties are lessened. One of the main production
difficulties that the emerging and smallholder farmers are facing is lack of title deeds on the
land they farm. Unavailability of title deeds makes it difficult to access credit and, in turn, it