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Periodical article | Leiden University catalogue | WorldCat |
Title: | Contract Farming in Malawi: Smallholder Sugar and Tea Authorities |
Authors: | Nankumba, J. Sinoya Kalua, B. |
Year: | 1989 |
Periodical: | Eastern Africa Economic Review |
Issue: | Special issue |
Period: | August |
Pages: | 42-58 |
Language: | English |
Geographic term: | Malawi |
Subjects: | contract farming small farms cane sugar tea Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment Development and Technology Economics and Trade |
Abstract: | This study of the Smallholder Sugar Authority (SSA) in Nkhota-Kota District and the Smallholder Tea Authority (STA) in Mulanje-Thyolo District of Malawi was conducted from the 1986/87 to 1987/88 season. A survey was undertaken to examine the performance of the projects and isolate factors which lead to the results achieved, from which policy recommendations could be proposed. The survey was based on a census of all the growers in SSA and a target sample of 20 percent of the growers in STA. Growers sign contracts with the authorities to grow the cash crop, they sell it through the authorities to the processing factories and they receive their revenue through the authorities. Both authorities benefited from their monopsony powers. Growers disliked the relative cane payment system (RCPS) for determining the sugarcane tonnage. Customary land tenure provided more opportunity for women and security of tenure among the growers as the authority found it difficult to envisage eviction. Bibliogr., notes, ref. |