The National clap for South Africa

5.9Subsistence agriculture

Subsistence agriculture and work on family plots account for at least 48% (550 000) of all children engaged in economic activities (excluding unpaid domestic work and fetching fuel or water) for over three hours a week. Most of these children (82%) live in ex-homeland areas; about 7% live in formal urban areas, 7% in commercial farming areas and 2% in informal urban areas. The activities are male-dominated, with three boys for every two girls. However, many of the girls not helping in subsistence agriculture are engaged in household chores.

South African subsistence farming is generally on a small scale, on very small plots, and with limited technology. Families produce food to relieve the effects of poverty and their dependence on cash. Few families produce enough to cover their total food needs. It is estimated that 20% of land in poor rural areas is seriously degraded and a further 40% moderately degraded. While just over a quarter of African rural households have access to a plot of land for cultivation, the average size is only 2,2 hectares, and poorer households have even smaller plots. Only 18% of rural African households own agricultural equipment (Agriculture: May et al, 1998: 232).

During consultations, work in subsistence agriculture emerged as a priority, especially in provinces with ex-homeland areas, where most of this work occurs.

There are a number of similarities between commercial and subsistence agriculture. This indicates that policy measures relevant to commercial agriculture (see 5.8) may also be applicable in subsistence agriculture. The similarities include:

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  Children often work long hours.
  
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  Some of the work is detrimental to schooling.
  
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  There is a seasonal demand for more work, e.g. during harvesting.
  
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  Work often involves carrying of heavy loads and other heavy manual labour.
  
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  Parents working in subsistence agriculture often spend large parts of the day away from the home, and older children have to look after their younger siblings.
  

It appears that subsistence agriculture is less hazardous than commercial agriculture in a number of respects, discussed above (see 5.8). On the other hand, children in subsistence farming are likely to have poorer health and poorer access to basic amenities, increasing their susceptibility to hazards.

Work in subsistence agriculture represents direct assistance to the family and also teaches children valuable skills. However, it is very difficult to monitor subsistence agriculture because works occurs within the household and is therefore more hidden.

Proposals for addressing excessive work of children in subsistence agriculture include the following:

Subsistence agriculture should be one of Child Labour Action Programme's priority areas because of the high number of children working in this sector, and because of the very long hours that they work. Lead institution: DL. Secondary institution: DrA, NPA. New policy? Elaboration of existing policy. Once off cost: moderate. Recurrent cost: moderate. Time line: within three years of adoption of policy. Agricultural extension services to subsistence agriculture and research to improve production in this sector should be increased to improve crops, stock quality and production methods that will reduce reliance on extensive work by children and also improve the health status of children. Investigation of such a programme, to increase food security, was requested by Cabinet in August 2003. Lead institution: DrA. New policy? Elaboration of existing policy. Once off cost: minimal (identification of how children could benefit from different extension and research strategies). Recurrent cost: significant. Time line: Once off, within three years of adoption of policy. Recurrent: to phase in over the next six years. Long-term solutions for child labour in subsistence agriculture require increased land redistribution, including to the poorest households, improved productivity and access to markets to sell products so as to provide an adequate income and reduce the need to rely on child labour. When restitution projects start downscaling over the next years the money so released should or two should be used for an increased redistribution programme, which sufficient pre-planned post-settlement support. Lead institution: DLA. Secondary institution: DrA. New policy? Elaboration of existing policy. Once off cost: moderate (design of upscaling). Recurrent cost: significant, but funds made available through expected downscaling of restitution programme. Time line: within five years of adoption of policy. Proposals discussed elsewhere, that should also assist children working in subsistence agriculture: Allowing more flexible school hours could allow older children to help their families with necessary tasks, especially during busy seasons – see (72). Without this the families will be poorer, and the children further deprived, or the child will not attend school regularly. Facilities for boarding, discussed at (71), would also assist children from deep rural areas. However, children at boarding school would not be available to work in busy seasons or harvest times. This would particularly affect families dependent on subsistence agriculture. Areas where children spend long hours in subsistence agriculture should be one of the criteria for targeting poverty alleviation initiatives. See (5). Drafting on guidelines on what work by children is acceptable and what not, made known through an educational and awareness campaign aimed at subsistence farmers. See (101).