Market information to promote agricultural investment: The challenge

Abstract

The move towards more competitive agriculture in South Africa, largely unburdened by regulatory constraints, is characterised by an undersupply of relevant information in some cases and inadequate access to it in others. This affects the heartbeat of production, investment, financial and strategic decisions. The very nature of intersectoral agricultural linkages, as well as the differences between specific interest groups, suggest that information needs are likely to differ too. There is, however, a common objective - direct or indirect - for all the users of agricultural information. This is to maximise the returns to investment in the short, medium and long run. However, there exist various problems in providing information, which impedes the ability of information users to position themselves strategically in order to maximise returns.