OPSOMMINGDie bevindinge van 'n studie wat die invloed van die effektiwiteit van die berging van mielies (tydsduur van berging en verliese) op huishoudelike voedselsekuriteit in 134 landelike huishoudings in noordelike Kwa-Zulu-Natal (1999) ondersoek het, word gerapporteer. Die huishoudings wat in die steekproef opgeneem is, is uit drie distrikskleinboere organisasies getrek. Onderhoude is gevoer aan die hand van 'n semi gestruktureerde vraelys. Mielie bergingsmetodes is verder ondersoek in fokus groep besprekings. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat berging van mielies oneffektief is en dat dit nie die huishouding se voedselsekuriteit betekenisvol verbeter het nie. Aanbevelings sluit in opleiding betreffende die berging van mielies, verbeteringe aan die populêre nqolobane, die gebruik van meer doeltreffende plaagdoders en ook dat boere geld bymekaar sit om metaal tenks aan te skaf vir beter gesamentlike berging van mielies.-Ms Joyce M Thamaga-Chitja Community Resources

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The central theme for this article arises from conversation on how agricultural scientists can move from technology transfer to complementing development. Researchers may be willing to embrace developmental concerns while lacking enabling skills and perspectives. Agricultural researchers often choose agendas based on cost, efficiency and appropriate controlled input use. This is problematic for small-scale commercial agriculture in traditionally managed rural situations because it does not include the issues of authority, power and complexity found in situated contexts. This article describes researcher learning arising from participatory farmer–researcher activity that determined a mutually beneficial research agenda. The participatory nature of the research was determined by how relationships were developed and managed. Researchers came to understand that attitude, environment and relevant issues, not specific tools, achieved participation.

The aim of this study was to evaluate socially farmers' decisions about the cultivation of cash crops. It specifically assessed the feasibility of World Relief-SempreVerde scheme by investigating the agricultural promoters; the factors influencing farmers' decisions to adopt, reject, discontinue or continue with the promoted crops; and the support required for improving the food and income security of smallholder farmers. The research took place in nine villages in Cuamba district, Niassa province, Mozambique. It involved a survey of 245 farmers stratified according to gender and wealth. Focus group discussions, questionnaires and interviews with leaders, farmers and managers of promoter institutions were used. A model for introducing cash crops is proposed. This research suggests that agricultural promoters should look to cash crops that can be intercropped with existing food crops; explore dry season agricultural activity; select drought-, pest- and disease-resistant crops; provide markets for existing crops; promote perennial crops; build a well-organised extension, credit and buying system; and/or incorporate livestock in the existing farming system.

This study analysed factors influencing smallholders' market participation, using wealth-ranking factors. Two hypotheses were tested: that (1) wealth status and (2) wealth-ranking factors are positively related to market participation. Significant and positive relationships were found between wealth-ranking factors (labour, number of livestock, implements, bicycles, food availability, area of land cultivated and crops sold) and wealth status. Wealth status and wealth-ranking factors were positively and significantly correlated with the number of different kinds of cash crops sold. However, household characteristics not indicated as wealth-ranking factors, such as age, gender and literacy level, related insignificantly to market participation. Labour was the most important wealth-ranking factor explaining market participation. This analytical tool can be used to assess the wealth-ranking factors that influence market participation. It can help identify strategies for improving this participation and may also be used to assess the way a cash crop development project affects a household's wealth status.