Abstract
M.A. (Development Studies)
The discussion of global development seems increasingly dominated by the notion of sustainability. The debate to replace modern, mechanised agricultural systems with alternative systems, such as organic and natural farming methods, in order to address increased dependency of fossil fuel consumption and its impact on the environment in general has shaped the foundation for this dissertation. Using the commodity chain analysis approach, this study examined a small-scale, alternative strawberry farm and a large-scale, commercial strawberry farm in the Magaliesberg region in the North West Province, South Africa. The study explored the dimensions of ecological, economic and social sustainability within each chain as well as within individual links of the chains.
A commodity chain analysis has many advantages when attempting to explore these dimensions of strawberry production on differing farms in South Africa. It is used as a tool “to identify and illuminate the individuals, institutions, technologies, forms of knowledge, and forms of capital involved in transforming raw agricultural products into consumable foods” (Hamilton, 2009:17).
The sustainability of alternative farming compared to commercial farming is discussed in the findings. Alternative (organic) and commercial farmers are driven by different motivations to sustain their land sustainably. Strawberry farming requires a large workforce as the majority of the work is done manually, therefore the strawberry-farming sector, along with large parts of the agricultural sector, sustains a substantial amount of livelihoods in the country. Statistics illustrate that the strawberry sector in South Africa is currently not growing. Poor global and local economic conditions, the escalating rise of prices, the power of the large retailers as well as the fact that policies aimed at growing agricultural productivity are poor are all contributing factors for the general decline in strawberry farming in South Africa.