The impact of the recapitalisation and development programme on agricultural productivity in South Africa

Abstract

Since the dawn of democracy in 1994, the South African government has had various farmer support programmes. This study investigated the impact of the Recapitalisation and Development Programme (RADP) on agricultural production in Gauteng province, South Africa. A survey was conducted involving all 51 beneficiaries of RADP in Gauteng province. Primary data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and two-tailed t-test analysis were performed on the data using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24. The results show that the overall impact of RADP on agricultural production (crops and livestock) was not statistically significant. However, the area cultivated with maize and spinach improved significantly, while potatoes, soya beans, cabbage, tomatoes and green peas showed an insignificant increase in their cultivated area. It is recommended that key production requirements be identified to assist RADP in providing support that improves the agricultural production of the beneficiaries.