Agricultural Economics
Agricultural Economics applies economic principles to solve agricultural and agribusiness problems. Our degrees equip graduates for professional and senior management positions, and are highly valued by employers. They give our graduates the flexibility to pursue a wide range of career opportunities. The Agricultural Economics major can be taken as part of a BScAgric (4 year) degree. Students taking the BScAgric option must major in Economics and Agricultural Economics, and take subjects such as Biometry and Statistics, Animal Science, Crop Science, and Horticultural Science.
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Entrepreneurial development pathways for smallholder irrigation farming in KwaZulu-Natal: typologies, aspirations and preferences.
(2017)Smallholder irrigation in South Africa is strategically recognized as an important sector in addressing rural poverty, food insecurity and rising youth unemployment. However, despite the government’s efforts and huge ... -
A demand analysis of farm labour employment in the south coast and midlands commercial sugarcane farming by labour categories : implications of the sectoral determination.
(2016)The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of changes to the regulatory environme nt governing farm labour employment since the mid-1990s on wages and employment of farm workers in the South African sugar ... -
The impact of capital endowment on smallholder farmers’ entrepreneurial drive in taking advantage of small-scale irrigation schemes : case studies from Makhathini and Ndumo B irrigation schemes in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2016)Smallholder irrigation has been taken across the developing countries as a means of poverty reduction. However, irrigation schemes have failed to meet these goals for various technical and institutional reasons. The South ... -
The impact of social grants on rural households' incentives to farm, market participation and farm entrepreneurship : evidence from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2016)While there is general consensus on the need to reduce poverty and food insecurity in Africa, considerable debate exists on the effectiveness of transfers, such as social grants, in attaining these goals. The concern is ... -
Comparative analysis of the impact of food prices on household food security : evidence from the North-West and KwaZulu-Natal Provinces, South Africa.
(2015)The prevalence of household food insecurity in South Africa is not a result of a shortage of food but of a lack of access to food. Contributing to this are the rising food prices that adversely affect the rural poor, as ... -
Analysis of factors determining livelihood diversification among smallholder farmers in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2016)Abstract not available. -
Climate change perception, crop diversification and land use change among small-scale farmers in the Midlands region of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa : behavioural and microeconomic analyses.
The future of small-scale agriculture in South Africa is facing the challenges of high population growth, land degradation, and agro-biodiversity loss. In the Midlands region of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), the challenges are ... -
Measuring rural household vulnerability to food insecurity : the case of uMzimkhulu Local Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
The objective of this study is to examine the factors associated with vulnerability to food insecurity among rural households in Umzimkhulu Local Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal. This includes identification of the most ... -
Measuring the operational competitiveness of commercial operations in public protected areas under Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife : implications for ecotourism in the KwaZulu-Natal Province.
(2015)In many countries, most of the wildlife and biodiversity remains under state control, and the state employs conservation agencies to regulate their use and management. However, state sanctioned protection of wildlife and ... -
Evaluating farmers' and consumers' acceptance of new cooking banana hybrids in Uganda : micro-economic analysis and policy implications.
(2014)Banana is an important world food crop supporting the food security and livelihoods of millions of smallholders in tropical countries of Africa, including Uganda. Despite the crop‟s importance in Uganda, its productivity ... -
An analysis of the economic competitiveness of green maize production in smallholder irrigation schemes : a case of Makhathini flats irrigation scheme in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2014)Recent assessments of smallholder irrigation schemes indicate that their success has been limited. Factors that contributed to their modest performance were poor infrastructure, limited knowledge of crop production among ... -
Market participation, channel choice and impacts on household welfare : the case of smallholder farmers in Tanzania.
(2014)Markets and improved market access plays an important role in improving rural incomes of smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan African countries, particularly in Tanzania. Despite this, participation of smallholder farmers ... -
The significance of women empowerment on rural livelihood outcomes among irrigation and dry-land farming households in Msinga, South Africa.
(2015)Women are major players in ensuring households‘ wellbeing in most rural areas of developing countries, including South Africa. The capacity to improve the livelihoods of their households is hampered because they are ... -
Spatial prioritisation of conservation areas on the fringes of KwaZulu-Natal protected areas : application of the characteristics framework using tourism competitiveness.
(2014)Prioritisation of conservation areas has become a major area of study over the last few decades as a result of greatly increased rates of biodiversity loss and extinction with the rapidly expanding human population and ... -
The economics of smallholder irrigation water management : institutions, water-use values and farmer participation in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2014)In recognition of the role of smallholder irrigation farming in ensuring better rural livelihoods, the South African government has made substantial public investment in irrigation infrastructure. The most important ... -
Smallholder farmers' willingness and ability to pay for improved irrigation : a case of Msinga Local Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal Province.
(2014)Water is the essence of life for humankind. Due to water scarcity from increased population and increased demand for the resource, there is a need to allocate the water efficiently. Economists have proposed water pricing ... -
An economic analysis of the demand for resources and the supply of output in South African agriculture.
(2015-04-28)No abstract available. -
An economic study of the technology of harvesting and transport systems used in clearfelling Acacia mearnsii, Eucalyptus grandis and Pinus patula.
(2015-04-28)Objectives of this thesis are to project the description and supply of Black labour in the forestry industry of southern Africa, survey harvesting and transport systems used overseas and locally, select and adapt a ... -
The economic feasibility of producing ethanol from sugar-cane in South Africa.
(2015-03-10)The study is an evaluation of the economic feasibility of producing ethanol from sugar-cane in South Africa. With the depressed state of the sugar market and recent substantial increase (40% in January 1985) of liquid ...
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