Market Access Enablers for Small-Scale Crop Farmers

Abstract

Cooperatives are deemed as vehicles for rural development, especially in developing countries. Smallholder farmers generally experience huge marketing transactional costs, and to reduce this they normally resort to becoming members of cooperatives. In South Africa, most small-scale farmers do not have access to markets. With no markets in place, the transformation would be almost impossible. The study's aim was to assess the determinants of market access in agricultural cooperatives in Limpopo Province. A face-to-face survey was conducted with 146 agricultural cooperatives members. The results showed that market access was associated with age, training, workers in a household, knowledge of the cooperatives principles and act, annual income, and access to funding. The study recommended younger farmers be targeted when designing market access interventions as the impact of job creation is huge amongst this group. Tailor-made training on market access and cooperative principles and acts should be designed. Funding should be made more accessible to small-scale farmers in cooperatives.