Resilience of small-scale farmers amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: a case study of small-scale farmers in Limpopo Province, South Africa

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dc.contributor.advisorHamann, Ralph
dc.contributor.authorRamarumo, Thanyani
dc.date.accessioned2026-01-19T11:56:39Z
dc.date.available2026-01-19T11:56:39Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.date.updated2026-01-19T10:52:11Z
dc.description.abstractThis qualitative study examines the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on small-scale farmers in Limpopo, South Africa. The closure of various market channels such as street vendors, restaurants, hotels and large social gatherings by the government left these farmers susceptible to market shocks, given their reliance on these channels. Over a span of 17 months, the study observed 21 farmers, exploring their adaptive strategies amidst the crisis. Farmer selection was based on their access to various markets: municipal markets, local informal markets, or alternative channels facilitated by intermediaries. The research underscores a pronounced correlation between market access and resilience. Farmers with market access demonstrated greater resilience compared to their counterparts lacking such access. The study further details the various coping mechanisms adopted by these farmers, including finding alternative markets, starting new businesses, changing crop patterns, and modifying their transport system. This research provides a deeper understanding of the intricate link between market access and farmer resilience, particularly for small-scale farmers facing both supply and demand disruptions. Furthermore, the study highlights that intermediaries can play a crucial role in strengthening farmers' resilience during crises. However, their effectiveness is dependent on the organisation's vision and goals. It also provides practical implications for improving market access and government response to crises. This includes government preparedness for similar future disruptions can be achieved by collaborating with the private sector to establish localised markets in rural communities. Also prioritising the development of these local markets is essential for bolstering both local food systems and farmers' resilience in the face of the shocks.
dc.identifier.apacitationRamarumo, T. (2025). <i>Resilience of small-scale farmers amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: a case study of small-scale farmers in Limpopo Province, South Africa</i>. (). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Commerce ,Graduate School of Business (GSB). Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42612en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationRamarumo, Thanyani. <i>"Resilience of small-scale farmers amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: a case study of small-scale farmers in Limpopo Province, South Africa."</i> ., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Commerce ,Graduate School of Business (GSB), 2025. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42612en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationRamarumo, T. 2025. Resilience of small-scale farmers amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: a case study of small-scale farmers in Limpopo Province, South Africa. . University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Commerce ,Graduate School of Business (GSB). http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42612en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Ramarumo, Thanyani AB - This qualitative study examines the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on small-scale farmers in Limpopo, South Africa. The closure of various market channels such as street vendors, restaurants, hotels and large social gatherings by the government left these farmers susceptible to market shocks, given their reliance on these channels. Over a span of 17 months, the study observed 21 farmers, exploring their adaptive strategies amidst the crisis. Farmer selection was based on their access to various markets: municipal markets, local informal markets, or alternative channels facilitated by intermediaries. The research underscores a pronounced correlation between market access and resilience. Farmers with market access demonstrated greater resilience compared to their counterparts lacking such access. The study further details the various coping mechanisms adopted by these farmers, including finding alternative markets, starting new businesses, changing crop patterns, and modifying their transport system. This research provides a deeper understanding of the intricate link between market access and farmer resilience, particularly for small-scale farmers facing both supply and demand disruptions. Furthermore, the study highlights that intermediaries can play a crucial role in strengthening farmers' resilience during crises. However, their effectiveness is dependent on the organisation's vision and goals. It also provides practical implications for improving market access and government response to crises. This includes government preparedness for similar future disruptions can be achieved by collaborating with the private sector to establish localised markets in rural communities. Also prioritising the development of these local markets is essential for bolstering both local food systems and farmers' resilience in the face of the shocks. DA - 2025 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - Covid-19 KW - Limpopo KW - South Africa LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2025 T1 - Resilience of small-scale farmers amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: a case study of small-scale farmers in Limpopo Province, South Africa TI - Resilience of small-scale farmers amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: a case study of small-scale farmers in Limpopo Province, South Africa UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42612 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/42612
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationRamarumo T. Resilience of small-scale farmers amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: a case study of small-scale farmers in Limpopo Province, South Africa. []. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Commerce ,Graduate School of Business (GSB), 2025 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42612en_ZA
dc.language.isoen
dc.language.rfc3066eng
dc.publisher.departmentGraduate School of Business (GSB)
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Commerce
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subjectCovid-19
dc.subjectLimpopo
dc.subjectSouth Africa
dc.titleResilience of small-scale farmers amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: a case study of small-scale farmers in Limpopo Province, South Africa
dc.typeThesis / Dissertation
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationlevelMPhil
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