Administra tiewe en organ/sa tor/ese problem£ van georganiseerde landbou In 'n nuwe provins/ale bedeling.

Abstract

TITLE Administrative and organisational problems of organised agriculture in a new provincial dispensation. BACKGROUND The primary function of organised agriculture is to organise agricultural producers, to coordinate viewpoints and to promote policy objectives through liaison and negotiation. Organised agriculture as dynamic sector, accepts that structural changes must take place from time to time and must, therefore, give attention to promoting its preferences in respect of constitutional changes. Constitutional changes have resulted in, inter alia, the abolition of discriminatory laws and the establishment of nine provinces. This dispensation puts pressure on the general structure of organised agriculture to adapt to the development and to create an organisational structure in which all agricultural producers can be accommodated. OBJECTIVE The object of the study is to make recommendations concerning the establishment of an appropriate organisational structure for organised agriculture in South Africa which is adaptable within a changing constitutional dispensation. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The approach that was followed in the development of an organisational structure was to use a theoretic framework devised by means of a literature study, as basis. The empirical study was in the form of a single questionnaire distributed to members of the six provincial agricultural unions for completion. The questionnaire data was analysed by the statistical consultation service of the Potchefstroom University. After which the information was used to formulate a recommendation for an organisational structure. FINDINGS The South African Agricultural Union is regarded as a very useful organisatoin and the importance of the Union was confirmed in the study. In the case of the provincial agricultural unions, some of these organisations are considered less useful by the respondents. The formation of provincial agricultural unions in the respective provinces was confirmed by the study and the respondents were unanimous in their opinion that provincial agricultural union boundaries should co-incide with the existing provincial boundaries. The study showed that policy resolutions and viewpoints of the national organisation are not regarded as binding by the lower structures, which is the main reason for the ineffective servicing of the agricultural producer. The study also showed that provincial agricultural unions and farmers' associations should be regional organisations of the national organisation and that direct membership of the national organisation was a good idea. Attention should rather be given to this instead of having agricultural producers as direct members of the provincial unions. All farmers should be accommodated in a single organisational structure in the changing constitutional dispensation. The servicing of agricultural producers must, therefore, be centralised within a single organisational structure. The influence of the changing constitutional dispensation on organised agriculture is regarded as considerable and necessitates structural adjustments. The financing of the general organisation of organised agriculture by, inter alia, statutory financing , is an acceptable method, and ways to retain and expand this must be developed. However, it must not be regarded as the only source. Other sources of financing should be developed.