Smallholder agriculture and land reform in South Africa

Democratic South Africa inherited a highly unequal and dualistic pattern of landholding and an embattled smallholder sector. Market-based land reform since 1994 has done little to redistribute land or revitalise the rural economy. The tenacity of South African smallholders under difficult conditions and lessons from countries such as Zimbabwe, suggest that smallholders have the potential to make a greatly enhanced contribution to the livelihoods of the rural poor if appropriate policy reforms, including land redistribution with dedicated post-settlement support, are undertaken. A more inclusive model of agriculture could have multiple benefits through greater absorption of labour, better distribution of income and improved household nutrition, without necessarily compromising productivity. To achieve this will require major shifts by the state and the private sector, and the commitment of substantial resources over a lengthy period.