The role of social grants on commercialization among smallholder farmers in South Africa: evidence from a continuous treatment approach

SOURCE: Agribusiness
OUTPUT TYPE: Journal Article
PUBLICATION YEAR: 2018
TITLE AUTHOR(S): S.Sinyolo, M.Mudhara, E.Wale
KEYWORDS: AGRICULTURE, INCENTIVES, MAIZE PRODUCTION, SOCIAL GRANTS
Print: HSRC Library: shelf number 10692
HANDLE: 20.500.11910/13257
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11910/13257

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Abstract

This study examined the role of social grants to smallholder producers' incentives to sell maize marketable surplus. The study used the generalized propensity score (GPS) matching method to analyse the data collected from a sample of 774 smallholder producers in KwaZulu-Natal. The results support the disincentive hypothesis, demonstrating a negative association between social grants and market participation levels of smallholders. The study findings imply that policies aimed at increasing smallholder commercialization should also focus on how to reduce the disincentive effects of social grants.