This study analyses survey data gathered from small and large-scale poultry producers in the rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal, and highlights factors constraining the impact of commercial poultry production on the local economy. It was found that small-scale poultry production has the ability to...

This study analyses survey data gathered from small and large poultry producers in the rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal, and highlights factors constraining the impact of commercial poultry production on the local economy. It was found that small-scale poultry production has the ability to initiate...

This paper extends a previous study in South Africa aimed at developing methodology for assessing the performance of equity-share schemes. The previous study proposed four broad criteria to measure performance: poverty alleviation; empowerment and participation; institutional arrangements and...

High transaction costs are detrimental to the efficient operation or existence of markets for inputs and outputs. The cost of information and the costs associated with the search for trade partners, distance to formal markets and contract enforcement are likely to influence the marketing of food...

The new Cooperatives Act 14 of 2005 was promulgated in August 2005 to promote the development of sustainable cooperatives in South Africa and their use as a vehicle to develop small enterprises. This paper uses the new institutional economics (NIE) to highlight problems created by the Act. Case...

The Heckman two-stage procedure is used to identify and rank the determinants of internal and external credit rationing in rural households using data sourced from two districts in the former KwaZulu homeland. The results confirm international findings that high transaction costs faced by rural...

A postal survey was conducted in 1998 among 92 South African agribusiness firms to establish the extent of adoption of the ISO 9000 quality assurance standards, reasons for certification, and the costs and benefits of adopting these standards. Almost 36% of respondent firms were ISO 9000...

This paper evaluates the impact of institutional and governance factors on the performance of 10 smallholder agricultural cooperatives in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Five of the cooperatives grow and market vegetables, three produce and market poultry, one is a beef production cooperative and another...

This paper has two objectives: first, to identify the main contaminants responsible for high treatment costs in the Umgeni catchment area, and second, to predict treatment costs from observed levels of contaminants. A partial adjustment model of treatment costs is estimated for the DV Harris...