Agricultural extension, sustainable livelihoods and self-reliance: the case of Illovo's small-scale sugarcane farmer development programme (Noodsberg, South Africa).
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Date
2015
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Abstract
Small-scale Sugarcane Grower Development Programmes implemented in rural communities
have become very popular in South Africa because sugarcane contributes substantially to
both local and national economies. Illovo Sugar has adopted such development programmes
with an aim of improving rural livelihood and option and also improving the South African
sugar industry. In most cases, however, it appears that sugarcane development programmes
are primarily driven by the pressure to meet the demand for sugar which has focused the
programmes on developing sugar through small-scale farmers. This study then seeks to
investigate and unravel the role that extension could and should play in sugarcane
development programmes to refocus such programmes on the farmers (rather than on the
commodity), to build their capacity, and to make their livelihoods more sustainable in the
face of change and opportunities for improvement.
This investigation was conducted with three groups of participants; small-scale sugarcane
farmers, extension worker and enablers. Enablers, in the context of this study, refers to
stakeholder/s or structure/s involve in making, suggestion of changes and alteration of
policies, law and processes that shapes the impact of the Small-scale Sugarcane Grower
Development Programme on the programme’s target farmers. In the case of this programme,
the enablers are the Illovo development manager and SASRI extension specialist who were
selected purposively as key informants of the study. The other participants (including farmers
and extension providers) were selected using a Snowball Sampling. Thirty-five farmers
participated in this study, sampled on the principle of saturation. The investigation with
farmers was carried out using semi-structured interviews as basis for developing themes and
focus group discussion for surfacing in-depth data. Semi-structured interview was also
employed to gather data from extension workers and enablers.
From the perceptions of small-scale sugarcane farmers the study discovered that extension is
primarily involved in technology transfer, particularly in the production aspect of the
programme. From the perceptions of farmers, extension workers and enablers the study found
that the programme is intensively focusing on ensuring that all small-scale farmers supply
sugarcane to Illovo at the end of each season. The study determined that the role of extension
assumes that, through transferring technology and ensuring technical support, the livelihoods
of small-scale farmers will be enhanced and sustained and self-reliance will be achieved. The study also found that the development programme focuses on building farmer knowledge
to run the farm and ensure sustainability, but does not facilitate the acquisition of skills by
farmers to engage with scientific enquiry. Farmers are given a limited opportunity to
participate in all the activities of the programme which jeopardise their chances of being selfreliant
in their farming operations. This also has adversely impacted on farmers’ ability to
own their development and be accountable for what they achieve. The study essentially found
that the programme focuses more on developing the enterprise (sugarcane) through farmers
than on building farmer capacity to improve the enterprise while sustaining their livelihoods
– which is the antithesis of both theory and intention of development and extension.
In the light of this, the study suggest that in the production, finances and marketing aspects of
the programme, the role of extension should be extended to engaging farmers in an extension
conversation with the aim of building their capacity to engage with scientific enquiry. The
agenda for improving farmer capacity can be developed around the idea of advancing farmer
skills and knowledge, and creating opportunities within the programme to enhance farmer
aptitude. The study further recommends a shift in the programme from technology-oriented
toward more farmer-centred development that places farmers in the centre of the programme
and encourages farmer participation in all the processes of the development programme. This
will include adoption of a learning-based approach that suggests a learning process of
investigation, assimilation and sharing to be used by all the role-players (farmers, extension
and enablers) in facilitating an intervention relevant to farmers’ livelihood.
Description
M. Agric. Mgt. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2015.
Keywords
Sustainable living--South Africa--Noodsberg., Sugarcane industry--South Africa., Farmers--South Africa--Economic conditions., Agricultural extension work--South Africa., Illovo Sugar Limited., Noodsberg Sugar Mill., Sugarcane farmer development programmes.