South Africa\u27s Agricultural Sector Twenty Years After Democracy (1994 to 2013)

Abstract South Africa’s agricultural sector has undergone substantial policy reform since the dawn of democracy in 1994. Now, twenty years later, it is an opportune time to look back at this period to review key successes and failures. This article revisits South Africa’s context and policy at the start of this period, the reforms that followed, and evaluates the transformational effect (or lack thereof) on the sector. For this purpose, the article pulls from both qualitative sources and descriptive statistics to provide both a historical context and current perspective. The analysis shows that redistributive land reform and smallholder support programs have achieved limited success in transforming the sector towards greater inclusivity. Trade and marketing policy reform, however, has succeeded in transforming the sector towards greater productivity and international competitiveness. This has increased the market and climate resilience of the sector, but the limited inclusivity of historically disadvantaged persons poses significant challenges

A Tale of Two Markets: Unequal Access to Private Property in a South African City

ArticleIn line with international trends, South Africa’s post-apartheid government has embarked on a housing policy that emphasises asset building. Homeownership has become a dominant policy for assisting the historically disadvantaged Black population. This paper looks at two property markets in Mangaung, a metropolitan municipality that includes Bloemfontein. We analysed property activity on 2,545 residential stands in former Black and former White areas in Mangaung since 1990. Our findings show two distinct markets. The formal property market in former Black areas shows a low number of transactions, low value and slow turnover. In the former White areas, a housing investment made between 1990 and 2016 would have yielded an annual return of 14 per cent, but in the former Black areas only 7 per cent. This poor return makes it difficult for homeowners in former Black areas to use housing for asset building

Report: PASA/SABA snapshot industry survey 2002

In recent years the importance of statistical information on the book industry has been noted by various role-players. Apart from the interest expressed by individual PASA and SABA members, statistical information on the industry is also required by government. PASA, SABA, PAMSA and PIFSA are represented by the PICC (Print Industries Cluster Council). A cultural observatory has been set up at the HSRC, whose task it is to collate statistics on all industries (that are grouped in similar Cluster Councils) and to feed information to government. The aim of the Cluster Councils is to make government funding available to business sectors for developing their industries; this funding, however, is dependent on accurate and reliable information about the shape and size of the industry. There are also regular requests from international bodies for statistical information on the local industry for worldwide collation, e.g. International Publishers’ Association (IPA) and the Board of the Frankfurt Book Fair (FBF).cp201

Why Are Outcomes Different for Registry Patients Enrolled Prospectively and Retrospectively? Insights from the Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF).

Background: Retrospective and prospective observational studies are designed to reflect real-world evidence on clinical practice, but can yield conflicting results. The GARFIELD-AF Registry includes both methods of enrolment and allows analysis of differences in patient characteristics and outcomes that may result. Methods and Results: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and ≥1 risk factor for stroke at diagnosis of AF were recruited either retrospectively (n = 5069) or prospectively (n = 5501) from 19 countries and then followed prospectively. The retrospectively enrolled cohort comprised patients with established AF (for a least 6, and up to 24 months before enrolment), who were identified retrospectively (and baseline and partial follow-up data were collected from the emedical records) and then followed prospectively between 0-18 months (such that the total time of follow-up was 24 months; data collection Dec-2009 and Oct-2010). In the prospectively enrolled cohort, patients with newly diagnosed AF (≤6 weeks after diagnosis) were recruited between Mar-2010 and Oct-2011 and were followed for 24 months after enrolment. Differences between the cohorts were observed in clinical characteristics, including type of AF, stroke prevention strategies, and event rates. More patients in the retrospectively identified cohort received vitamin K antagonists (62.1% vs. 53.2%) and fewer received non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (1.8% vs . 4.2%). All-cause mortality rates per 100 person-years during the prospective follow-up (starting the first study visit up to 1 year) were significantly lower in the retrospective than prospectively identified cohort (3.04 [95% CI 2.51 to 3.67] vs . 4.05 [95% CI 3.53 to 4.63]; p = 0.016). Conclusions: Interpretations of data from registries that aim to evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with AF must take account of differences in registry design and the impact of recall bias and survivorship bias that is incurred with retrospective enrolment. Clinical Trial Registration: - URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier for GARFIELD-AF (NCT01090362)

Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.

BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362

The role of the agricultural sector in the South African economy

Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The importance of the agricultural sector in the South African economy is often stressed by farmers and agricultural industry organisations. The reality, however, is that the sector has constituted less than 3% of the economy since 2005 (DAS, 2012). It is therefore important that the current role of the agricultural sector in the South African economy is investigated. This has been the subject of a number of studies. The most comprehensive study to date was undertaken by Brand (1969) within the well-known framework of Johnston and Mellor (1961). A number of less comprehensive studies have followed. This is the second comprehensive analysis of the role of the agricultural sector in the South African economy. This study reapplies Brand’s (1969) framework to the data currently available. The results are contrasted with those obtained by Brand (1969) and other authors, in order to establish whether, and if so how, the role of the sector has changed in the last 50 years. The results obtained are then incorporated into policy suggestions. The findings of this thesis are, firstly, that the agricultural sector has been unable to meet the demand for the main food items consumed domestically since 2000. This, however, did not result in the predicted rapid increase in food and general inflation. Secondly, agricultural exports have not played a growth-leading, but rather a balancing role in economic development, because the sector maintained a positive trade balance during the full period of analysis. Thirdly, the sector has released labour to the rest of the economy since 1962, thereby fulfilling what is seen as a requirement by the economic development literature. Fourthly, the sector has probably made a net transfer of capital to the rest of the economy since the mid-2000s. Lastly, the agricultural sector plus the sectors with which it has the strongest linkages represented around 7% of the economy in 2010. This study concurs with Brand’s (1969) main conclusion that the South African agricultural sector does not play a growth-leading or initiating role in the economy, but rather a growth-permissive role. This is due to the sector’s relatively small quantitative significance in the economy, which limits the growth impact of agricultural exports, capital transfers from the sector and linkages with the rest of the economy. The sector plays a growth-enabling role, however, by supplying food to consumers at the lowest possible price - either by producing it domestically, or by affording food imports with the exchange earned through the export of agricultural produce. In addition, the sector has an important role in providing employment, especially in rural areas. It is recommended that the current agricultural marketing and international trade policy framework, which is conducive to international trade and limits market distortions, is retained. The sector has the potential, given the adoption of the required policy, to create employment by virtue of its relatively high labour intensity and the existence of some complementarities between capital and labour in the sector. Also, the competiveness of the sector should be increased by means of an investment in infrastructure.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die belangrikheid van die landbousektor in die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie word dikwels deur boere en bedryfsorganisasies benadruk. Die realiteit is egter dat die sektor sedert 2005 minder as 3% van die ekonomie uitmaak (DAS, 2012). In die lig hiervan is dit belangrik dat die huidige rol van die landbousektor in die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie ondersoek word. Dít was al die tema van verskeie studies, waarvan die mees omvattende tot op hede deur Brand (1969) binne die bekende raamwerk van Johnston en Mellor (1961) aangepak is. Verskeie minder omvattende studies het sedertdien gevolg. Hierdie tesis is dan die tweede omvattende analise van die rol van die landbousektor in die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie. Brand (1969) se raamwerk word op die huidige data toegepas. Die resultate word dan met dié van Brand (1969) en ander navorsers vergelyk om vas te stel of, en indien wel hoe, die rol van die sektor verander het oor die afgelope 50 jaar. Hierna word die resultate in beleidsvoorstelle geïnkorporeer. Daar word eerstens bevind dat die landbousektor sedert 2000 nie in staat is om in die binnelande vraag na die hoof-voedselsoorte wat plaaslik verbruik word, te voorsien nie. Dit het egter nie tot die voorspelde sterk toename in voedsel- en algemene inflasie gelei nie. Tweedens het landbou-uitvoere nie ’n leidende rol in ekonomiese groei gespeel nie, maar eerder ’n balanserende rol vervul aangesien die sektor gedurende die volle periode van analise ’n positiewe handelsbalans gehandhaaf het. Derdens het die sektor arbeid aan die res van die ekonomie beskikbaar gestel, soos vereis in die ekonomiese ontwikkelings literatuur. Vierdens het die sektor waarskynlik sedert die middel-2000’s ’n netto-bydrae kapitaal aan die res van die ekonomie gemaak. Laastens het die sektor, tesame met die sektore waarmee dit die sterkste skakels het, in 2010 sowat 7% van die ekonomie uitgemaak. Hierdie studie stem met Brand (1969) se hoofbevinding saam, naamlik dat die Suid-Afrikaanse landbousektor nie ’n groei-inisiërende rol in ekonomiese groei speel nie, maar eerder ’n groei-vergunnende een. Dít is ’n gevolg van die sektor se klein kwantitatiewe omvang in die ekonomie, wat die impak wat landbou-uitvoere, kapitaaloordragte en die sektor se skakels met die res van die ekonomie op makro-ekonomiese groei het, beperk. Die sektor stel egter ekonomiese groei in staat deur voedsel teen die laagste moontlike prys aan verbruikers te verskaf - óf deur dit plaaslik te produseer, óf deur die invoer daarvan te bekostig met die buitelandse valuta wat deur middel van landbou-uitvoere verdien word. Verder het die sektor ook ’n belangrike rol as werkverskaffer, veral in plattelandse gebiede. Daar word voorgestel dat die huidige landboubemarkings- en internasionale handelsbeleid, wat internasionale handel bevorder en markverwringing beperk, behou word. Gegewe dat die vereiste beleid ingestel word, het die sektor die potensiaal om werk te skep weens die betreklik hoë arbiedsintensiteit, en die moontlikheid om arbeid en kapitaal in sommige gevalle op ’n komplementêre wyse aan te wend, wat in die sektor bestaan. Die mededingendheid van die sektor moet ook verskerp word deur middel van staatsinvestering in infrastruktuur

Policy, production, and productivity : spatial dynamics in the South African maize industry during the 20th century

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2019.ENGLISH SUMMARY : This dissertation investigates the way distortionary agricultural policies, responding to political tensions during South Africa’s structural transformation, also distorted the location of production. Taking the example of maize, it explores the interplay between changes in policy, production and productivity, and changes in the spatial footprint of production. The study covers more than a century (1904–2015), so as to include all the agricultural policy phases typical of an economy undergoing structural transformation. It finds that changes in agricultural policy after the mid-1930s, enacted in response to the political tensions that emanated from the converging and diverging interests of groups within the mining and agricultural sectors, are reflected in changes in maize production and prices. With the implementation of supportive policies, production expanded into areas previously supporting little maize, thereby undermining environment-based comparative advantages of production. Using spatial indexes, the study estimates that at its peak this policy-induced shift in the location of production reduced productivity by between 7.9 and 15.3 per cent. The dismantling of supportive policy during the 1980s and 90s coincided with the removal of land from maize production by farmers. By 2015 the area planted to maize had reverted back to the level it had reached almost 80 years earlier in 1935, before supportive measures were implemented. But spatial inefficiency partly persisted because some production continued in drier, lower-yielding regions. After the distortionary policies were removed, some of the spatial distortion remained, despite the lower productivity, because of region-specific investments in improving plant material, farming practices and infrastructure. So, while some of South Africa’s maize production ended up in the wrong places, technological improvements eventually made the wrong places more right. Despite the misguided policies, drought-focused research-and-development investment in technologies such as hybrid maize generated a sequence of innovations which more than quadrupled the maize yield per unit of rainfall between 1950 and 1993. The South African case serves to show that distortionary policies carry both short- and long-term costs. This is particularly relevant to sub-Saharan Africa, several of whose countries have pursued or are still pursuing various forms of maize and other agricultural intervention. The case also offers an example of successful adaptation to adverse weather conditions and suggests that a change in the location of production can serve as a proxy for climate change. Three new historical datasets for the period were created specifically for this study: maize price, trade and production data; hybrid adoption, replacement and yield trial data; and district-level maize output and area planted data compiled from 17 digitised agricultural censuses, standardised to current spatial boundaries. Although the datasets are limited to maize, the procedures devised to construct them can be used by future researchers to extend the analysis to other crops and regions.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Hierdie proefskrif ondersoek die manier waarop verwronge landboubeleid, in reaksie op politieke spanning gedurende Suid Afrika se strukturele transformasie, ook die ligging van produksie verwring het. Vanuit die perspektief van mielies, verken dit die wisselwerking tussen beleidsverandering, produksie en produktiwiteit, en veranderinge in die ruimtelike voetspoor van produksie. Die studie strek oor meer as ‘n eeu (1904–2015), sodat dit al die onderskeie landboubeleidsfases insluit wat tipies is aan ‘n ekonomie wat ‘n strukturele transformasie ondergaan. Dit vind dat veranderinge in landboubeleid na die middel-1930s, in reaksie op die politieke spanning wat voortgespruit het uit die gedeelde- and botsende belange van groepe in die myn- en landbou sektore, gereflekteer word in veranderinge in mielie-produksie en pryse. Met die implementering van ondersteunende beleid, het produksie uitgebrei tot gebiede wat voorheen min mielies verbou het, sodoende is die omgewingsgebaseerde vergelykbare voordeel van produksie ondermyn. Ruimtelike indekse word gebruik om te beraam dat hierdie beleidsgeïnduseerde verskuiwing, produktiwiteit met tussen 7.9 en 15.3 persent verlaag het. Die aftakeling van die ondersteunende beleid gedurende die 1980s en 90s strook met die onttrekking van grond van mielieproduksie. Teen 2015 het die aangeplante area teruggekrimp tot ‘n vlak wat dit byna 80 jaar vantevore in 1935 gehandhaaf het, voor die ondersteunende maatreëls. Maar die ruimtelike ondoeltreffendheid het gedeeltelik voortgeduur omdat produksie steeds plaasgevind het in sommige droër gebiede met ‘n laer opbrengspotensiaal. Nadat hierdie beleide verwyder is, het die ruimtelike verwringing gedeeltelik voortbestaan, ten spyte van die laer produktiwiteit, as gevolg van streekspesifieke beleggings in die verbetering van plantmateriaal, verbouingspraktykte en infrastruktuur. So, alhoewel van Suid Afrika se mielieproduksie in die verkeerde plekke beland het, het tegnologiese vooruitgang hierdie verkeerde plekke uiteindelik meer reg gemaak. Ten spyte van onbedagte beleid, het droogte gefokusde navorsing-en-ontwikkeling beleggings in tegnologieë soos batermielies, opeenvolgende innovasies tot gevolg gehad wat mielie opbrengs per eenheid reënval meer as viervoudig verhoog het tussen 1950 en 1993. Die Suid Afrikaanse geval wys dat verwronge beleid beide kort- en langtermyn kostes dra. Dit is besonder relevant tot sub-Sahara Afrika waar verskeie lande histories of tans verskillende vorme van mielie en ander bemarkingsintervensies voortsit. Die Suid Afrikaanse geval bied ook ‘n voorbeeld van ‘n suksesvolle aanpassing tot ongunstige klimaatsomstandighede and stel voor dat ‘n verskuiwing in die ligging van produksie kan dien ‘n proksie vir klimaatsverandering. Drie historiese datastelle vir die periode is spesifiek vir hierdie studie ontwikkel: mielieprys, handel en produksie-data, bastermielie aanneming-, vervanging- en proef opbrengs-data, and distriksvlak mielieproduksie en geplante area data saamgestel uit 17 gedigitaliseerde landbousensusse, gestandaardiseer tot huidige distriksgrense. Alhoewel die datastelle beperk is tot mielies, sal die prosedures wat ontwikkel is om hulle daar te stel ook deur ander navorsers toegepas kan word om die analise uit te brei na ander gewasse en streke

Synchronization of oestrus in the Boer goat doe: The response to the use of intravaginal progestagen and PMSG

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SOUTH AFRICA’S AGRICULTURAL SECTOR TWENTY YEARS AFTER DEMOCRACY (1994 TO 2013)

South Africa’s agricultural sector has undergone substantial policy reform since the dawn of democracy in 1994. Now, twenty years later, it is an opportune time to look back at this period to review key successes and failures. This article revisits South Africa’s context and policy at the start of this period, the reforms that followed, and evaluates the transformational effect (or lack thereof) on the sector. For this purpose, the article pulls from both qualitative sources and descriptive statistics to provide both a historical context and current perspective. The analysis shows that redistributive land reform and smallholder support programs have achieved limited success in transforming the sector towards greater inclusivity. Trade and marketing policy reform, however, has succeeded in transforming the sector towards greater productivity and international competitiveness. This has increased the market and climate resilience of the sector, but the limited inclusivity of historically disadvantaged persons poses significant challenges