Farming the "Miracle"

The peaceful political transition of South Africa in 1994 was widely considered to be a "miracle". Now, nine years later, the "miracle" is firmly entrenched in the society. But, how did the average farmer adapt to the changes resulting from this "miracle"? This is the question to be addressed in this paper. Following a brief historical overview, the underlying structural changes will be discussed and building on this basis the major overt changes will be identified. The reactions of farmers will be discussed with the aid of two case studies of which the first will be based on the wheat industry and the second on the wool industry of the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Finally, specific conclusions regarding vertical and horizontal relationships will be made.Farm Management,