Breaking the poverty cycle: exploring farmers’ strategies to empower employees in the agricultural sector

The primary aim of this research project was to explore the various strategies of specific farmers who have chosen to improve productivity through innovative labour management strategies. In particular, to describe strategies that have empowered employees and will enable them to break the poverty cycle. The potential to highlight a business case for quality jobs in the agricultural sector could add to the understanding of labour-intensive agricultural production systems. Participants in this study empower their employees through various means, which includes intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. The agricultural sector was specifically targeted in this study as farmworkers are some of the most vulnerable employee-populations in South Africa, because they have a relatively small chance of empowering themselves, or their children, as they are often stuck in the poverty cycle. The research method employed in this study was qualitative in order to gain an in depth understanding of labour management systems (LMS). Information was gathered through semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with a number of purposively selected farmers. The participants in this study were selected for a select number of reasons. The main reason being that they employ strategies that empower their employees in various ways to ensure the future employability of these employees. All the participants are committed to ensuring the success of their employees, because this ensures the success of the farms. Farmworkers are one of the cornerstones on which a farming enterprise is built, another cornerstone is the farmer. When these two components understand and respect one another and work with each other, rather than against each other, both will prosper. The approaches that the participants in this study utilise to empower their workers ensure that the poverty cycle for these workers in this semi- and unskilled sector is broken and that they become, not only employable, but invaluable to the farms on which they work. The approaches were categorised from the one end as the point where labour is commodified and treated as a cost factor, the “low road” -this approach aligns with McGregor’s theory X and may be termed “exploitative”. While, at the other end of the continuum of approaches is the view that an employee has potential and investment in the employee will yield commitment and discretionary effort - this approach aligns with McGregor’s theory Y, the “high road”. This includes strategies to improve productivity and empower employees beyond the workplace, and to a certain extent, the community