Abstract:
This study investigates challenges and opportunities faced by urban smallholder farmers in the City of Cape Town metropolis. The study was conducted in five districts using 39 smallholder farmers in the metropolis as respondents. Based on the surveys employed for the purpose of this study, a structured questionnaire was used to collect data through face-to-face interviews. The questions contained in the questionnaire were both open- and closed- ended. In this study, attributes such as age, gender, highest academic qualification, farming experience, locality and region were asked.
Enterprises covered include vegetable crops (at Philippi, Khayelitsha and Kraaifontein); bee farming (Somerset West); as well as eggs and crops (Atlantis). In the study, 48,7% of the respondents were female and 51,3% male. The survey found that 15 of the 39 respondents (38,5%) use a computer in their farming. Educational levels of respondents were found to be low (Grade R to Grade 7) in Khayelitsha (71,4%) followed by Atlantis district (20,0%). This is in line with many studies conducted in South Africa and other developing countries among similar groups of smallholder farmers.
The results of the study suggest that more attention must be given to supporting smallholder farmers in all five study areas to ensure that they engage in agricultural commercial production. To facilitate more opportunities for smallholder farmers, support systems should include provision of infrastructure development; supportive policy environment; institutional support services; and measures to improve the management level of smallholder farmers.
The implication of this is that it is important for policymakers to know that a vital requirement of smallholder farmers’ is access to markets, therefore localising markets in centres can improve agricultural production.
Despite opportunities that have been created to facilitate participation of smallholder farmers in the economy, these farmers continue to face numerous challenges that limit their ability to participate in commercial agriculture. Policymakers should create an enabling environment for smallholder farmers and empower them to produce high quantities of good-quality products on a regular basis.
