Determinants of Agricultural Market Participation in the Sarah Baartman District, Eastern Cape of South Africa

This paper highlighted the determinants of agricultural market participation and the promotion of the establishment of vegetable markets, fruit markets and nurseries in the Sarah Baartman district, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The research was conducted by taking a representative sample consisting of 49 agricultural projects, with 664 beneficiaries participating in this project. The following 9 local municipalities were visited: Ndlambe, Makana, Blue Crane, Camdeboo, Ikwezi, Sundays River, Kouga, Kaukama and Baviaans. Quantitative and qualitative design was used as a detailed questionnaire written in English, with a focus group discussion, a stakeholder’s discussion, and field observations as part of the data collection. A purposive sampling technique was used to select forty-nine (49) projects, in order to cover uniformity and homogenous characteristics such as infrastructure requirements, skills availability, production challenges, agricultural training needs, water source needs, educational level and others. Data was coded, captured and analysed with a software package for social sciences (SPSS version 20) using Descriptive Analysis and Univariate Regression Analysis. The results showed a significant association among the following variables: age, educational level, farming experience, land, land acquisition, crop planted, water source, water rights, agricultural training and market participation. Based on the results, it is recommended that fruit and vegetable markets be established, as well as the creation of a complete, viable agro value chain that will expand community driven agricultural production and processing.