The Trumpet Newsletter – Issue 1 – 1 October 2017
Quarterly Economic Research Newsletter of the NAMC
South Africa should do more to boost its local poultry production capacity.
Recent Research output.
Past events hosted by the MERC
Foreword
The National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC), as a state-owned entity that is empowered through legislation to be a premier advisory body to the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and other sector stakeholders, established a markets and economic research unit ten years ago. The unit, named the Markets and Economic Research Centre (MERC), has evolved over the past ten years and has expanded its portfolio of research outputs mainly in three focus areas namely, agro-food chains, smallholder market access and agricultural trade. In its intensification of research output, it has also sought to continuously improve the quality of its offering with the aim of making it more reliable and relevant for its audience (the Minister and directly-affected groups). The NAMC, through MERC, has also endeavoured recently to seek ways to communicate its research outputs in a number of user-friendly platforms and channels. The recently launched economic research portal (www.namc.co.za/research-portal) is one such example. As part of making more options available for stakeholders to access its research output, it has been decided that a research newsletter should be established.
Focus
South Africa should do more to boost its local poultry production capacity
By: Lucius Phaleng
South Africa is currently faced with the challenge of an upsurge of chicken imports into the country particularly from the EU. This has raised concern from the poultry industry as producer margins come under pressure and survival of the local poultry industry is threatened with wide-ranging implications on local jobs and incomes.
Update – Recent Research Output – Working Papers
Factors influencing communal livestock farmers’ participation into the National Red Meat Development Programme (NRMDP) in South Africa: the case of the Eastern Cape Province
By: K. Sotsha, B. Fakudze, L. Myeki, S. Ngqangweni, B. Nyhodo, X. Ngetu, N. Mazibuko, H.M. Lubinga, T. Khoza, T. Ntshangase and V. Mmbengwa
The National Red Meat Development Programme (NRMDP) initiative emanated from the observation that the local demand for beef
outstrips production, resulting into importation of more beef. The programme has so far had a significant contribution towards communal farmers’ participation in formal beef markets as well as their understanding of the value of formal beef market participation. Empirical evidence to support this notion is still desirable. Hence this case study was conducted to determine the factors that influence farmers’ participation in the programme, focusing on the Eastern Cape Province.
Economy-wide effects of a possible erosion of AGOA preferential access for South Africa
By: B. Nyhodo, T. Ntshangase and S. Ngqangweni
Removal of South Africa’s preferential access to the USA market under AGOA, is expected to lead to losses in the South Africa economy, albeit minimal. This study used, as a policy shock, the introduction by USA of applied tariffs on selected imported agricultural products (beverages and tobacco; sugar; and vegetables, fruits and nuts) from South Africa.
Published Journal Articles
Factors influencing the growth of South Africa’s agricultural exports to world markets
By: X.Y. Potelwa, M.H. Lubinga and T. Ntshangase
South Africa is a net exporter of agricultural products into the world market. Owing to the fact that Agriculture is one of the major
earners of foreign exchange, an empirical analysis was conducted to determine factors influencing the growth of South Africa’s
agricultural exports to the world market.
The role of agricultural trade and policy complementarities in poverty reduction in South Africa
By: M.H. Lubinga
Although South Africa exhibits an increasing positive trend in agricultural exports, poverty still remains a considerable challenge in the
country. This study sought to determine whether South Africa’s increasing trend in agricultural export performance translated into lower
poverty levels between 1996 and 2014.
Published Books
WTO: Agricultural Issues for Africa
By: R. Sandrey, M.H. Lubinga, W. Mwanza, E. Nderitu, M.W. Omolo, X.Y. Potelwa and W. Viljoen
The book, jointly published by tralac and NAMC, examines the complex multilateral trade negotiations, specifically as regards the
inclusion of agriculture as part of the multilateral talks. Topics tackled by the book include market access negotiations under the WTO, the
gains for African agriculture and overall African welfare, and new and emerging trade issues – the so-called Singapore issues of trade
and investment, competition policy, transparency in government procurement and trade facilitation.
Papers presented at conferences.
Export promotion and social welfare in South Africa: Evidence from the agricultural sector
By: M.H. Lubinga, N. Mazibuko, S. Ngqangweni,X.Y. Potelwa and B. Nyhodo
South Africa’s industries in the agricultural sector spend some of the statutory levy income on export promotion activities. Some industries argue that statutory levy expenditure on export promotion activities generates satisfactory returns on investment but empirical evidence is yet to be presented to support the argument. Hence, this study fills this gap by building a unique dataset based on statutory levy expenditure on export promotion for four industries (citrus, deciduous fruits, table grapes and wine).
South Africa’s domestic resource mobilization position: is it good or bad and why?
By: B. Nyhodo, S. Ngqangweni, S. Ntombela,L. Myeki, N. Nengwekhulu and V.M. Mmbengwa
The market-oriented financial system of South Africa implies minimum state intervention as market mechanism is assumed to achieve the
highest efficiency in terms of resource allocation. South Africa has put in place strong administrative measures to ensure efficient tax collection process; however, the country still experiences large losses in the form of illicit financial flows.
Assessment of the participation of smallholder farmers in agro-processing industries of Gauteng Province
By: V.M. Mmbengwa, T.M. Khoza, L. Myeki, K. Rambau, N. Tempia, and J. Rakuambo
In South Africa, smallholder farmers were known to have a limited scope of participating in the agro-processing sector. Hence, part
of transformational agenda of the country is to ensure that smallholder farmers are meaningfully participating in the agro-processing
industries. The primary objective of this study was to identify critical factors that influence smallholder participation within the
agro-processing industries.
Feature
Rika Verwey’s path as an Agro-Food-Chain Researcher
Rika Verwey is a Senior Economist within the MERC division under the Agro-food chain focus area. She holds a Master’s degree in Econometrics from the University of Pretoria. Her duties involve undertaking research projects/programmes relating to agro-food chains; coordinating and liaising with relevant stakeholders in order to gather data and information pertaining to specific projects/programmes; manages research projects/programmes in the area of agro-food chains; supervises junior staff; as well as a provision of expertise and/or participating in MERC cross-focus area and NAMC cross-divisional research projects. Her nine years at the NAMC and her eminence has given her an opportunity to understand the agricultural sector. Since joining the NAMC, Rika has gathered valuable knowledge through industry engagement and attendance of seminars as well as courses undertaken.
Awareness
2nd Research Symposium 2017
Climate Smart Agriculture
Up-coming events
Past events
Seminar – For Sharing Solutions
Leadership Conversation with Dr Amon Myeni on the 06th April 2017, NAMC
The Self-Defeating Leadership Behaviour Model.
The idea behind the conversation was to ensure that employees at different levels get a
better understanding of what is leadership and management and can distinguish between these two terms.
Climate Change in Agricultural industries: coconuts in Sri Lanka
This was joint seminar organised by National Agricultural Marketing Council, Landbank and Agricultural Research Council. The Seminar was presented by Prof Garry Griffith together with panellists Dr Moses Lubinga (NAMC), Dr Mampiti Matete (Land Bank), Dr Sue Walker (ARC).
Workshop
Hemp feasibility stakeholder validation workshop on the 24th March 2017, Leriba Hotel and Spa, Centurion
The purpose of the workshop was to share the hemp feasibility study findings and gather consensus on the findings. Hence, it is referred to as a validation workshop. The specific objectives were: to validate the key findings of the hemp feasibility study, get recommendations in terms of what needs to be done to establish a sustainable hemp industry in SA and outlining the role of other stakeholders (private and public).
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