PROMOTING COMPETITIVENESS IN SOUTH AFRICAN AGRICULTURE AND AGRIBUSINESS: THE ROLE OF INSTITUTIONS / BEVORDERING VAN MEDEDINGENDHEID IN DIE SUID-AFRIKAANSE LANDBOUEN AGRIBESIGHEID: DIE ROL VAN INSTELLINGS

Abstract

This paper considers private and public institutions that will help promote the competitiveness of commercial farms and agribusiness firms, and enhance the productivity of communal farmers and the competitiveness of emerging farmers in South Africa. Commercial agriculture and agribusiness are creating institutions (such as food safety standards and strategic partnerships), adopting existing private and public institutions (e.g. TQM, ISO 9000 and HACCP) or restructuring to add value to products and services, reduce costs and gain access to export markets. Government should focus its relatively scarce resources on providing physical and legal infrastructure (such as secure property rights and contract enforcement) to reduce transaction costs, including risk, so that markets work efficiently. A major challenge for local agricultural economists is to provide information about institutions that will promote the productive use of land in communal areas, and the competitiveness of emerging farmers on redistributed commercial farmland.

Hierdie referaat oorweeg private en openbare instellings wat die mededingendheid van kommersiële plase en agribesigheidsfirmas sal help bevorder, en die produktiwiteit van gemeenskapsboere en die mededingendheid van opkomende boere in Suid-Afrika sal versterk. Die kommersiële landbou en agribesigheid skep instellings (soos voedselveiligheidstandaarde en strategiese vennootskappe), neem bestaande private en openbare instellngs aan (bv. TQM, ISO 9000 en HACCP) of herstruktureer om waarde tot produkte en dienste toe te voeg, koste te verminder en toegang tot uitvoermarkte te verkry. Die staat behoort sy relatief skaars hulpbronne toe te spits daarop om fisiese en wetlike infrastruktuur te verskaf (soos veilige eiendomsregte en kontrakafdwinging) om transaksiekoste, risiko ingesluit, te verminder sodat markte doeltreffend werk. 'n Hoofuitdaging vir plaaslike landbou-ekonome is om inligting te verskaf oor instellings wat produktiewe grondbenutting in gemeenskapsgebiede sal bevorder, en die mededingendheid van opkomende boere op herverspreide kommersiële landbougrond.