Characteristics of agricultural input package users in communal clubs serviced by Acat in KwaZulu: A note

Abstract

Characteristics of communal club members who use input packages are studied using a survey of communal clubs serviced by Africa Co‐operative Action Trust (Acat) in KwaZulu during 1989. Discriminant analysis shows that full input package adopters tend to belong to older clubs, have less formal savings and receive more visits each year from KwaZulu Department of Agriculture (KDA) extension officers. They also have a greater proportion of land under sugar‐cane, larger farm sizes and a higher rand monetary value of livestock.

Members of older clubs benefit from greater club experience in ordering inputs and liquidity for securing discounts on bulk orders. Clubs also enable scarce KDA extension manpower resources to be used more effectively by focusing extension efforts on groups rather than individual farmers. Sugar‐cane production probably indicates member willingness to innovate and the availability of funds to buy complete input packages for other crops. Increased access to land promotes input package adoption which can raise agricultural productivity. Development of institutional arrangements for a land rental market in KwaZulu should be considered. Higher monetary values of livestock reflect Increased ability to bear risk associated with technology adoption and that adopters have the means to purchase input packages

Notes

Masters student and lecturer, respectively, in the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Natal. Financial assistance from the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) is gratefully acknowledged. Findings and conclusions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the HSRC or the University of Natal. The authors thank colleagues at the University of Natal for their helpful comments.