A REVIEW OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC STUDIES UNDERTAKEN TO IMPROVE THE PRODUCTIVITY OF SMALL SUGAR CANE PLANTERS IN MAURITIUS

V Toory and J A Tonta Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute ABSTRACT

In Mauritius the findings of technical research undertaken on sugar cane by the Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute (MSIRI) are disseminated to all categories of sugar cane growers, namely, the miller-planters, the large- and small-planters. However, the small-planters, on account of their narrow resource base and the numerous constraints which they have to face, have lagged behind in the adoption of new techniques and technologies as developed or adapted by research. A revision of the research strategy and the adoption of an alternative approach which could strengthen the research-client linkage was therefore required. Consequently, in the mid 1980s socio-economic research was included in the research and development (R & D) programme of the MSIRI. This paper highlights the need for socio-economic research at the MSIRI. Past achievements are critically reviewed. The future avenues of research to improve further the efficiency of small-scale growers of sugar cane are also discussed.

BACKGROUND
In Mauritius, sugar cane cultivation is undertaken by three categories of growers, namely, the millerplanters, the large-planters and the small-planters. The miller-planters who constitute the corporate sector of the industry, cultivate about 55% of the total area under cane (about 40 000 ha) and the size of their farms varies between 750 and 5200 ha. They produce nearly 60% of total sugar output of the island. The large-planters are those who by definition, own plots which are over 42 ha in size. They harvest some 12 000 ha of sugar cane each year. The small-planter group consists of around 33 000 individuals who on aggregate, cultivate about 25 000 ha. The majority of them have fields which are less than 0.5 ha. They are mostly part-time farmers who are also employed in other sectors of the economy. Hence, revenue from sugar supplements their household budget. The annual sugar production of the island which on average was about 519 000 t in the 1950s jumped to 616 000 t in the 1980s. This remarkable achievement is undeniably due to intense efforts made by research in areas pertaining principally to breeding, physiology, plant nutrition and protection. However, the productivity increase at field level has not been of the same order of magnitude for each producer group. Over the period referred to, the average yields of miller-planters increased from 75 to 80 t ha-1 and those of small-planters moved from 48 to 62 t ha-1, with the result that the productivity of the latter group has continued to lag behind that of the corporate sector. The persistence of this yield gap has been a growing source of concern for national planners, the sugar industry and research scientists.
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A review of socio-economic studies undertaken to improve the productivity .of small sugar cane planters V Toory and J A Tonta

It is rightly believed that by increasing the productivity of the small-planter sector to levels comparable to those of the corporate sector, the national sugar production can be greatly increased, therefore bringing additional income for the country. Furthermore, as small-planters are more vulnerable to changes in economic and environmental conditions, there exists the danger that if proper measures are not undertaken in the medium- to long-term, they will gradually disappear and this may eventually lead to serious social and economic difficulties.

THE NEED FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC STUDIES

The small-planters, just like other categories of producers, have always been serviced by research undertaken by the Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute (MSIRI) which is the sole body responsible for all work pertaining to sugar cane agronomy and processing. However, the methods used for the dissemination of research findings towards the various producer groups have always been different. While the miller-planters have direct links with research, the small-planters had to rely exclusively on the Extension Services of the Ministry of Agriculture for access to information. This approach, though appropriate for logistic reasons, certainly had its drawbacks as it did not favour the direct interaction between the research scientists and the planters. As reported by Lutchmeenaraidoo et al. (1973), for a long time, little was known of the production environment in which the smallfarmers operate. Thus, the research administration came to realise that there was the need to revise the research strategy and to adopt an alternative approach which through the strengthening of the research-extension linkage could lead to improvement in the small-planters productivity. In the mid 1980s, the MSIRI included socio-economics in its research and development (R&D) programme. The main objectives of socio-economic research were to promote a better understanding of smallfarming systems, to identify constraints to higher productivity and to identify the specific needs of small-planters, if any, in terms of technological innovation and/or adaptation. More recently, the terms of reference were enlarged to evaluate projects implemented to improve the productivity of small-planters.

ACHIEVEMENTS
In the last 15 years, six projects have been undertaken. The approach adopted for the conduct of these studies was either partially or totally based on the Farming Systems Research procedures which in essence consist, firstly, of surveys to identify problems which may be of physical, biological and socioeconomic nature and secondly, of on-farm experimentation to test the validity of suggested solutions. In the sections that follow, each of these projects is briefly discussed. Emphasis is also laid on feedback on the needs of clients and on issues identified in these studies which require the attention of agricultural scientists.

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A review of socio-economic studies undertaken to improve the productivity .of small sugar cane planters V Toory and J A Tonta

The Landindex project for small-planters

The aim of the project was to compile a database of the physical, geographical and agronomic characteristics of sugar cane lands, together with some socio-economic factors, with a view to carrying out studies related to productivity of small-planters. The survey revealed that factors like rockiness, lack of irrigation in some areas, gaps in cane rows, the cultivation of non-recommended varieties and maintenance of very old ratoons had a depressing effect on productivity. The growing unavailability of agricultural labour and transport facilities for conveying the crop to the mill were also aggravating the situation of small-farmers. This project has by far been the most important study to identify planters constraints to higher productivity. An extensive computerised database has now been created and is updated yearly. It is currently being used as a tool to guide extension work (Ricaud 1990).

Labour and transport problems of small-scale planters

In the light of findings of the Landindex project, a survey was carried out in four contrasting cane growing regions to understand the causes for labour shortages and transport problems among smallplanters. It was found that the main factors which were responsible for the occurrence of these constraints were farm size, the number of holdings per planter and his place of residence in relation to the location of his plot. Research highlighted the need for the introduction of field mechanisation for harvesting and the organisation of labour and transport on a co-operative basis (Anon 1990).

The Souvenir drip irrigation pilot project

During the 1970s, many pilot drip irrigation schemes were installed as cane growers (mainly millerplanters and large-planters) looked to drip irrigation as a means of increasing yields and irrigation efficiency and reducing operation costs (Batchelor and Soopramanien 1993). In the second half of the 1980s, Government initiated the above project as a response to the difficulties encountered with earlier irrigation schemes in the northern plains of the island. A site of approximately 160 ha of sugar cane land, split in a 60:40 ratio between 180 small-planters and a sugar estate was earmarked for drip irrigation. As it was the first time that technology developed for large plantations was to be transferred to small plots, it was necessary to assess the technical and managerial difficulties that might arise. The development of drip irrigation on adjoining small-planters and miller-planters lands was therefore, an ideal opportunity for a pilot socio-economic study of the small-planter being exposed to a new technology. The study was undertaken in two phases. Phase I aimed at understanding the characteristic features of the existing farming systems and identifying major technical and socioeconomic constraints prior to the introduction of drip irrigation. It was found that planters in the project area were mostly ageing males, and owning a plot which on average was below 0.32 ha in size (Berthelot and Pillay 1988). An old variety (M13/56) which was mainly planted in winter and meant for early harvest was predominant. Planters had the tendency to overfertilise their fields and had recourse to manual weeding. In the light of these findings a technological package which included drip irrigation, new varieties and improved husbandry practices was proposed to the targeted planters. The project beneficiaries were also encouraged to form a Water Users Co-operative Society which would ensure an efficient management of the irrigation scheme (Doyle 1991). The second phase, building on the first one, attempted to monitor and quantify emerging changes resulting from the introduction of the new technological package. It was observed by 1992, or 5 years after the implementation of the project, that though most of the planters had yield improvements of the order of 75 % through adoption of high yielding varieties and irrigation, certain issues like planter participation in research planning, improved co-ordination between institutions servicing planters and the need for increased extension input had still to be addressed. For example, many planters continued to overfertilise their fields and did not adopt chemical weeding (Tonta and Toory 1995).

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A review of socio-economic studies undertaken to improve the productivity .of small sugar cane planters V Toory and J A Tonta

Socio-economic profile of small-planters

The first phase of the Souvenir drip irrigation project which enabled the establishing of the socioeconomic profile of planters in a given region triggered the need to extend similar studies to other parts of the island. Consequently, a survey was conducted in four regions of the island in order to develop a clear understanding of the socio-economic characteristics and constraints of small-planters. It was expected that the foregoing would be a prerequisite to any attempt at improving technology transfer. The study revealed that more than 75 % of planters interviewed were above 40 years of age and that 46% of them had at least attended primary schools. They were mainly constrained by unfavourable climatic conditions, poor weed control, high input cost and shortage of labour (MSIRI 1994). It was also found that planters were reticent to borrow from financial institutions to undertake development projects and that record-keeping to keep track of the evolution of components in production costs was practically inexistent. These findings were of much relevance to a new extension agency, the Farmers Service Corporation (FSC), created in 1989. The reasonable level of schooling of farmers has enabled the FSC to emphasise the publication of info-sheets and the organisation of vocational training programmes as part of its extension activities.

Rehabilitation of abandoned cane lands

A present source of concern for the sugar industry is the decline in sugar production as a result of cane cultivation being abandoned in some sectors; this is most prevalent among the small holders. It is estimated that over the 1980-1995 period, some 6000 ha of cane lands have been abandoned or converted to other uses (Julien et al.1995). As a further decline in our sugar production would jeopardise our capability to honour our European Union quota of 507 000 tonnes of sugar together with the additional allocation of 85 000 tonnes acquired through the Special Preferential Sugar agreement of 1995 and other market commitments, a task force set up by the Ministry of Agriculture recommended that an islandwide survey be carried out to assess the reasons for land abandonment, to identify measures for their rehabilitation and to prevent further land abandonment. The MSIRI, in collaboration with other agencies servicing planters, reached the conclusion that in addition to technical constraints which were long known to hamper field productivity, a new set of adverse socioeconomic factors were emerging. These included a shift to more profitable crops, lack of confidence in cane cultivation, increased difficulties with procurement of credit and other inputs, plot fragmentation due to succession problems and urbanisation pressure. The survey, however indicated that around 1170 ha (about 73 % of the abandoned cane fields in the areas surveyed) could be rehabilitated provided that the planters were given the required support (MSIRI 1996a).

Economics of grouping small-planters into Land Area Management Units (LAMUs)

Given the small size and fragmented nature of their plots, it is becoming increasingly uneconomical for individual planters to continue cane cultivation. To overcome this size constraint, Government, through the FSC, has since 1986 been encouraging planters to group themselves into larger units called Land Area Management Units (LAMUs); these units are blocks of adjoining plots which can be managed collectively. Under this scheme, planters adhering to a LAMU benefit from a closer and continuous monitoring of all field operations performed up to harvest. This ensures an efficient use of resources and timeliness of operations. To-date, about 114 LAMUs have been created, they cover some 1253 ha and, on aggregate, belong to 1637 adherents (Tonta et al. 1997). Given the wide range of conditions under which the LAMUs operate, a project has recently been implemented in collaboration with the FSC to determine their viability, cost-effectiveness and optimal size.

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A review of socio-economic studies undertaken to improve the productivity .of small sugar cane planters V Toory and J A Tonta

It is expected that the findings of the study will serve as a guideline to decision-makers in formulating future development strategies and will also provide organisational and management guidelines for planters who would like to create their own groupings under their specific circumstances.

DISCUSSION
During the last decade, there has been consensus among policy-makers and researchers that in addition to traditional technology generation and adaptation by research (e.g. high yielding varieties, improved cultural practices, etc.), the strengthening of the existing research-extension linkage would be a major key to the improvement of the productivity of small-sugar cane planters in Mauritius. The development of a more efficient research-extension network, initially requires, among other things, a thorough understanding of the physical, biological and socio-economic conditions under which the planter operates (the identification process). In that respect, several projects have been implemented by the MSIRI; the discussion that follows analyses their contribution towards the objectives set and the future scope for socio-economic research.

The identification process

All surveys completed up to now, have with varying emphasis, focussed on the biological, physical and socio-economic factors affecting farmers. Given the coverage of these surveys, it might be tempting to say that the level of understanding achieved so far is sufficient for actions based on their findings to be implemented at any time in the future. This may hold for the removal of technical constraints; but when it comes to socio-economic parameters, a few difficulties may crop up. The most recent survey, the one on rehabilitation of abandoned lands pinpointed the emergence of a set of constraints (problems of succession, land speculation, shift to more profitable crops, etc.) which were not apparent in the early 1990s. These observations clearly suggest that owing to the dynamic nature of the local economy, surveys dealing specifically with identification of emerging socio-economic constraints need to be undertaken prior to the introduction of new measures (technical or non-technical) to improve the productivity of planters.

The strengthening of the research-extension linkage

Both the Landindex and the Souvenir drip irrigation pilot projects highlighted the inadequacy of the then existing extension network owing to institutional limitations. In those days, very few planters were in close contact with the research scientists. With the coming into operation of the Farmers Service Corporation (a body independent of the MSIRI), a new dimension was given to the organisation of extension work in Mauritius. Findings from the survey on the socio-economic profile of planters and from earlier projects have largely served as guidelines for a proper definition of the operational framework of the Farmers Service Corporation. At present, the FSC is an effective interface between research and planters; it is worth mentioning that through increased interaction with the planters and organisations servicing them, the MSIRI has recently set up a Small Planters Desk (SPD) within its premises. The SPD provides small-planters with information and advice on sugar cane and collaborates with the FSC and sugar estates for the follow-up of any problems they may be having at field level. The SPD thus presents a direct communication channel between the small-planter sector and the MSIRI (MSIRI 1996b). It is expected that this innovation, among other complementary measures already undertaken, will not only be a mechanism to accelerate the transfer of technology process but will further help in identifying and prioritising projects relevant to planters needs.

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A review of socio-economic studies undertaken to improve the productivity .of small sugar cane planters V Toory and J A Tonta

Productivity improvement
In most projects, the emphasis was not directly on productivity improvement. It is only in the Souvenir drip irrigation pilot project, where research was deeply involved in the introduction of the new technology, that measurements related to changes in yields achievable were monitored until project completion. However, these data do not provide sufficient indication for ascertaining the sustainability aspect of productivity improvements resulting from induced changes in the farming system. In general, productivity improvement is a long-term process as sugar cane has a long crop cycle and changes in its management may imply considerable social and agronomic problems. Significant results may not be obtained in the short-term. Given the paucity of information on the small- sugar cane planters operating in the country, it is not possible for the time being to comment on any changes that might have been brought about with the incorporation of the social sciences in the local sugar cane research programme. It is strongly felt that both research and other institutions servicing planters should join their efforts in developing a database which would capture the desired information.

FUTURE SCOPE FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC RESEARCH

In the forthcoming R&D programme of the MSIRI, the major thrust will be on the development of strategies which are expected to either reduce cost or improve productivity or do both at the same time. This will imply the evaluation of economic merits and demerits of techniques and technologies that aim at fulfilling these objectives. For example, the use of in-vitro plantlets for sugar cane propagation is likely to raise questions from planters with respect to its cost implications and acceptability compared to the conventional method of using cuttings. No doubt, socio-economic studies will help in elucidating such issues. Another example will be the economic appraisal of different types of contract services mainly developed by sugar estates in Mauritius with a view to assist planters in overcoming difficulties they have to face in carrying out field operations. The contract services are felt to be advantageous to planters in that they help to overcome resource constraints such as labour shortage and transport availability; they allow timeliness of field operations and, furthermore, planters having recourse to such services are in a position to benefit from new technologies and techniques of production. As the development of these types of services are likely to gather momentum in future, it is imperative that their contribution towards improving planter productivity and efficiency be assessed. In a broader perspective, it is felt that the modernisation and the long term viability of the noncorporate sector of the sugar industry will only be possible through the grouping of planters for a more efficient management of their plots. The projects completed so far, showed that this is an area of development which should not be overlooked. For example, at Souvenir, the planters were invited to group themselves into a Water Users Co-operative Society, but in practice it did not prove to be effective as the framework laid down proved to be unacceptable to them. The labour and transport survey suggested the need for planters to organise themselves on a co-operative basis in order to cope with labour and transport constraints during harvest. The on-going project on the economics of grouping planters into LAMUs has shown that LAMU development has not progressed as initially expected due to various constraints of technical and socio-economic nature. These observations suggest that in the coming years socio-economic research should orient itself towards assisting planters in developing appropriate organisational framework which through grouping would help them to benefit from economies of scale and also enable them to express their views in a forceful manner. This will require an effective co-ordination between agencies servicing planters and existing planter organisations and at research level, the development of expertise in the field of sociology and related disciplines.

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A review of socio-economic studies undertaken to improve the productivity .of small sugar cane planters V Toory and J A Tonta

CONCLUSION
Socio-economic research was included in the R&D programme of the MSIRI with the major objective of improving the productivity of small sugar cane planters. The studies undertaken so far have covered the identification of small- planters characteristics and their technical and socio-economic constraints to higher productivity. Findings from these projects, have in one way or another helped in strengthening the research-extension linkage. They have also shed light on the future orientation of socio-economic research at institutional level.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors would like to thank the Director of the MSIRI for giving them the opportunity to present this paper.

REFERENCES
BATCHELOR CH and SOOPRAMANIEN GC eds. 1993 . Drip irrigation research. Final report of the Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute and the Institute of Hydrology Drip irrigation research project. Reduit : Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute and UK: Institute of Hydrology, 36 p. BERTHELOT PB and PILLAY KP. 1988 . Small planter studies : Souvenir Farming Systems Research Project . A report on Phase 1. MSIRI Occasional Report No. 2 . Reduit : Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute, 29 p. DOYLE P. 1991 . A report on the socio-economics of drip irrigation in the Mauritian sugar sector. Reduit : Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute, 55 p. (Internal Report). JULIEN R, DARIFAT P, NOEL A, ROY M, RUHEE H, TYACK JC and DEVILLE J. 1995. Report of the Task Force on supplying the European Union cane sugar refiners deficit. 19 p. ( Unpublished ). LUTCHMEENARAIDOO K, NARAIN TM, BRUNET LR and ZMANAY D. 1973 . Survey of sugar cane planters and their production pattern. Mauritius : Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, 97 p. ( Technical Report of a Committee appointed in 1972 to conduct a survey among planters of sugar cane cultivating less than 100 arpents.) MSIRI see under Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute MAURITIUS SUGAR INDUSTRY RESEARCH INSTITUTE . 1990 . The small cane planter and the labour shortage and transport problems. A report on surveys carried out in four factory areas by the MSIRI in collaboration with the Farmers Service Corporation. MSIRI Occasional. Report No. 5 . Reduit: Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute, 17 p. MAURITIUS SUGAR INDUSTRY RESEARCH INSTITUTE. 1994 . A socio-economic study of small sugar cane planters in Mauritius. A report on surveys carried out in four factory areas by the MSIRI and the Farmers Service Corporation. MSIRI Occasional. Report No. 7. Reduit: Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute, 39 p.

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A review of socio-economic studies undertaken to improve the productivity .of small sugar cane planters V Toory and J A Tonta

MAURITIUS SUGAR INDUSTRY RESEARCH INSTITUTE. 1996a . Rehabilitation of abandoned cane lands. A Report on a survey carried out in various factory areas in collaboration with the Farmers Service Corporation and Planters Advisers on sugar estates. MSIRI Occasional Report No. 10 . Reduit : Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute, 59 p. MAURITIUS SUGAR INDUSTRY RESEARCH INSTITUTE. 1996b . Small- Planters Desk Planters Info Sheet No. 1, Nov. 1996. Reduit : Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute, 1p. RICAUD C. 1990 . MSIRIs Contribution to improve the efficiency of small-planters. Reduit : Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute, 7 p. (Internal Report) TONTA JA and TOORY V. 1995 . Souvenir Farming Systems Research Project : Report on Phase 2. MSIRI Occasional Report No. 8 . Reduit : Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute, 55 p. TONTA JA, TOORY V, PILLAY KP, AUTREY LJC, JEEHA L, SONIAH RK, OOGARAH P, MAYER P and DARGENT G. 1997 . Economics of grouping planters into Land Area Management Units (LAMUs). Phase 1 : Review of services offered to planters. MSIRI Occasional Report No. 13. Reduit : Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute, 35 p.

COMMENTS
Remark -The Farmers Service Corporation took an active part in the conduct of surveys and this shows good collaboration between research and extension. Q. A. In your future scope, you did not take into consideration, derocking and irrigation? In terms of economic appraisal, it comes under resource-economics rather than socioeconomics and we have considered only socio-economic issues in this study.

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