Enhancing the contribution of small-scale growers in the sugar industry.
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Date
1999
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Abstract
In the South African Sugar Industry, small-scale sugar cane growers outnumber large-scale
growers by more than 10:1. They farm approximately 33% of the total area planted to sugar
cane, but produce approximately 10% of sugarcane reaching the mills. Special institutional
and support services have been developed to promote the interests of small-scale growers.
This study assessed the effectiveness of small-scale grower development as perceived by
the Mill Cane Committees (MCCs) who represent the Black small-scale grower
organisations.
The study focussed on the MCCs. Information from members of these committees was
gathered by way of questionnaires, group discussions and key informant interviews with
support services representatives. Findings were contextualised in an historical perspective
which indicated social, economic and political marginalisation, which has had profound
consequences.
Some of the more important findings were:
1. Small-scale growers were neglected, marginalised and isolated in the Sugar Industry
until 1973, and were excluded from using support services available to other growers
until 1983.
2. The organisational structures of small-scale growers are ineffective.
3. Small-scale growers had a low level of trust in the support services offered by the
Sugar Industry to support their operations.
4. Interaction between the Mill Cane Committees, the local farmers' associations, the
local grower councils, and service providers, mainly small-scale cane contractors and
extension services, were considered poor.
5. Support services were not directed by small-scale growers' needs.
6. Training programmes, whilst beneficial to small-scale growers, were shown to be too
technical and narrow. They concentrated too strongly on elements of sugar cane
production and not sufficiently on the people and their operations.
7. Small-scale growers perceived cooperatives as a means of empowerment. Without
significant increase in profitability (better sugar cane and more of it), this was shown
to be questionable as cooperatives are unlikely to be self sustaining.
8. Small-scale growers did not understand the interrelationships between the aims of
the Sugar Industry and their own operations. The mills aim to make profits from
sugar cane and the South African Cane Growers' Association wishes to maintain a
good political image to protect import tariffs, whereas small-scale growers want more
emphasis on support systems and community development.
Small-scale growers must realize that the Sugar Industry is not responsible for providing
improved education and training and support services neither for sugar production nor for
activities outside of the Sugar Industry. The Sugar Industry may choose to assist small-scale
growers if it believes that by doing so it will increase its own profitability and improve
its political image. Small-scale growers should control their destiny and be committed to self
management of small-scale grower development in the long term. This may be achieved
by developing effective organisational structures, proper interaction with support service
providers and less dependency on the Sugar Industry.
The findings of this research are considered to be relevant to most if not all developing
countries, because sugar cane production requires a mill, the mill requires assured sugar
cane supply; this is most efficiently supported by estates and large-scale growers. Small-scale
growers remain a convenient "top up" when sugar cane is in short supply and an
inconvenient and expensive burden when sugar cane is not required.
Description
Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1999.
Keywords
Sugarcane industry--KwaZulu-Natal., Sugar growing--KwaZulu-Natal., Farms, Small--KwaZulu-Natal., Sugarcane--Economic aspects--KwaZulu-Natal., Theses--Agricultural economics.