Proposing a farm assessment toolkit
Evaluating a South African land reform case study
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21510233 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Aart-Jan Verschoor (Agricultural Research Council– Agrimetrics, Hatfield, Pretoria, corresponding author), Colleta Gandidzanwa (0000-0001-9596-2453, Future Africa Institute, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, Pretoria), Terence Newby (GeoTerraImage (Pty) Ltd. AgriHub Business Park, Willows, Pretoria), Anneliza Collett (Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD), Riviera, Pretoria), S L Venter (0000-0003-0513-1029, Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria), Sonja Venter (Agricultural Research Council -Vegetables, Industrial and Medicinal Plants, Roodeplaat, Pretoria) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 62 |
| Issue | 3-4 |
| Pages | 215-227 |
| Publication date | 2023-10-02 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Agrekon (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0303-1853 • E-ISSN: 2078-0400 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/03031853.2023.2279159 |
| OpenAlex | W4389568922 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 23 |
The paper presents a robust, scientific evaluation method to determine the potential viability of a farm, compared to its current performance. The comparison informs recommendations for sustainable farm development. The process entails a stepwise analysis of land suitability, enterprise potential, infrastructure status, operator capacity, inherent limitations and external risks of the farm. An expert panel considers quantitative and qualitative data to establish suitable development measures. Applied to a land reform initiative, ±2000 farms entailing 1.86 million hectares were evaluated, detailing corrective measures for each farm. Roughly 59% of the evaluated farms were potentially commercial, but only 7% performed accordingly. Correlations between farmer capability and farm performance, as well as between infrastructure and performance, were evident, indicating that post-settlement support is vital. As risk and limitation scores increased, farm viability tended to decrease. The tool accurately determined viability based on available resources (natural and physical), resulting in evidence-based policy advice. The evaluation informed land reform policy recommendations, proposing more coordinated support to improve access to services. The tool would also be useful for farmers to reflect on enterprise performance. The visual, sequential nature of the evaluation facilitates sound decision-making. The tool has potential as a valid agricultural development evaluation instrument
Agriculture · Business · Economics · Environmental economics · Environmental planning · Environmental resource management · Geography · Political science · Sustainable development · Agricultural Innovations and Practices · Computer Science · Land Rights and Reforms · Sustainable Agricultural Systems Analysis · Finance
Land Reform in Developing Countries
Land redistribution in South Africa’s land reform policy
The Number, Size, and Distribution of Farms, Smallholder Farms, and Family Farms Worldwide
Land Tenure and Agricultural Productivity in Africa
The Sorry State of M&E in Agriculture
Elite Capture in South Africa's Land Redistribution
| Citations per year | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Highly cited | No |