Eastwood, RobertKirsten, Johann F.Lipton, Michael2007-06-082007-06-082006-11Eastwood, R., Lipton, M. & Kirsten, J.F. (2006). Premature deagriculturalisation? Land inequality and rural dependency in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Journal of Development Studies, 42(8), 1325-1349. [http://www.informaworld.com/openurl?genre=article&issn=0022-0388&volume=42&issue=8&spage=1325 ]0022-0388 (Paper)1734-9140 (On line)http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/002203806009http://hdl.handle.net/2263/2667Cross-national regressions reveal abnormally low agricultural workforce shares, given GNP, in developing countries that had historically concentrated land into large capital-intensive farms. We argue that such deagriculturalisation was premature, since its concomitant labour shedding has undesirable outcomes. In a new South African survey, a large proportion of rural households (and working-age persons) was ‘dependent’, relying for income almost wholly on either migrant remittances or pensions. A separate group (with less poverty and unemployment) relied mainly on local, including own-farm, income. The group was heavily over-represented in one of the three regions, where many more households had significant land.217670 bytesapplication/pdfenRoutledgeAgricultural workforceDeagriculturalisationDeveloping countriesLand use, Rural -- South AfricaIncome distribution -- South AfricaPostprint Article