Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
agriculture as a non-profitable business. In extreme cases, some farmers do not even see
the value of other cattle by-products such as manure. It is, therefore, crucial to understand
why these farmers do sell their cattle, see value of other cattle by-products and do not add
value to cattle by-products. In other words, there is need for research and development
strategies aimed at identifying marketing constraints that the communal farmers experience
and possibility of a niche market for Nguni cattle products.
Despite efforts to make poverty history in several regions, there is no agreement on which
income-generating activities should be promoted and/or how development agencies
should allocate available limited resources to reduce poverty. Policymakers view the rural
economy as a sector driven almost entirely by agriculture, with almost all poverty reduction
initiatives biased towards agriculture (Kirsten and Moldenhauer, 2001; Machethe, 2004).
They advocate that agriculture is the critical source of livelihood of rural societies and the
best hope for reduction of poverty in rural Africa. Provision of land and promotion of
agriculture are thus seen as the pathway out of poverty and inequality in rural South Africa
(Lipton, 1996). Such a policy position obviously calls for a bold land reform programme
that squarely addresses South Africa's history of land-related racial exclusion.
Maize and other related coarse grains constitute half of the global cereal production
and trade (Falcon and Naylor, 1998). Maize alone constitutes about 60% of coarse grain
production globally and is the basic staple in much of sub-Saharan Africa, Central America,
the Andean regions and many of the poorest parts of Asia (Falcon and Naylor, 1998). Maize
also provides fodder for livestock in many developing nations and is the basic energy source
for the livestock sector of middle and higher income countries. It is, therefore, not surprising
that the long-term demand prospects for maize appear stronger than for most other crops.
However, barley, sorghum and millet are preferred and grown in drier ecosystems and have
a high degree of substitutability among all the grains in feed rations (Falcon and Naylor,
1998).
Maize is the staple food of Swaziland and the main crop grown by the vast majority (90%)
of small, primarily subsistence farmers on the Swazi Nation Land (SNL) (Magagula and
Faki, 1999; Mkhabela and Mashinini, 2005). The Swazi Nation Land is communal land
held in trust and allocated by the traditional authority. The other land tenure system in the
country embraces the Title Deed Land (TDL) that includes commercial farms, estates and
ranches that are held under freehold or various concession agreements. Agriculture on the
TDL is mainly commercial oriented.
Rice and wheat are consumed in Swaziland in increasing quantities especially in the urban areas
and together they now account for 25% of the cereal consumption in the country (MOAC,
2003). However, neither rice nor wheat is grown in Swaziland in significant quantities and at
present the economic prospects for sizeable domestic production is questionable.
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