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Exploring the motivations, practices, perceived benefits and challenges of cover cropping among Stellenbosch winegrowers
Thesis (MScConsEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2026.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1869484204162547712 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Courtney Doyle |
| author2 | Gaigher, Rene |
| author_browse | Courtney Doyle Gaigher, Rene |
| author_facet | Gaigher, Rene Courtney Doyle |
| author_sort | Courtney Doyle |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MScConsEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135760 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-07-01T04:11:10.436Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135760 Exploring the motivations, practices, perceived benefits and challenges of cover cropping among Stellenbosch winegrowers Courtney Doyle Gaigher, Rene Saruchera, Munya Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Conservation Ecology and Entomology. Cover crops -- South Africa -- Stellenbosch Vineyards -- South Africa -- Stellenbosch -- Management Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Western Cape -- Management Viticulture -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa -- Stellenbosch Wine industry -- South Africa -- Stellenbosch UCTD Thesis (MScConsEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. Courtney D. 2026. Exploring the motivations, practices, perceived benefits and challenges of cover cropping among Stellenbosch winegrowers. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/5268b818-702b-4157-8265-014c8e0931af ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Cover cropping is an effective practice for improving biodiversity and agroecosystem functioning in vineyards. Understanding the factors that influence winegrowers’ decision-making around cover cropping would help guide future research and agricultural extension services to optimize this agroecologically important practice. This study explores the motivations, practices, perceived benefits and challenges associated with the use of cover crops on wine farms in the Stellenbosch region, with a particular focus on whether these factors differ between small, medium and large farms. Using semi-structured interviews with 19 participants, the research applied the Awareness, Motivation, Pathways, and Rewards (AMPR) framework to assess the factors shaping growers’ decision-making around cover cropping in vineyards. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns across the interviews and to compare responses across farm sizes. The findings show that environmental motivations were the dominant driver of cover crop use across all farms, with soil health, erosion control and water retention consistently highlighted as essential to long-term sustainability. Economic motivations were present but differed across farm sizes, with participants from larger farms more likely to mention long-term cost savings and carbon-related benefits, while those from smaller farms emphasised biodiversity and general environmental concerns. Management practices showed a high level of adaptability, shaped by context-specific factors such as soil type, rainfall variability, equipment availability and consultant advice. Participants also described a range of ecological, aesthetic and sometimes emotional benefits, although these benefits were balanced against challenges such as establishment costs, limited machinery and climate uncertainty. Although cover cropping was broadly viewed as a standard and valuable practice in Stellenbosch, farm size played a noticeable role in shaping capacity, constraints and decision-making. The findings highlight that while environmental values strongly anchor adoption, structural and financial realities influence how cover crops are implemented in practice. The study contributes to understanding how sustainable vineyard practices are negotiated in a South African context and suggests that expanded technical support, peer learning and region-specific research could help strengthen adoption across different farm scales. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dekgewasse is 'n effektiewe praktyk vir die verbetering van biodiversiteit en landbou-ekosisteemfunksionering in wingerde. Begrip van die faktore wat wynprodusente se besluitneming rondom dekgewasse beïnvloed, sal toekomstige navorsing en landbouvoorligtingsdienste help om hierdie agro-ekologies belangrike praktyk te optimaliseer. Hierdie studie ondersoek die motiverings, praktyke, waargenome voordele en uitdagings wat verband hou met die gebruik van dekgewasse op wynplase in die Stellenbosch-streek, met 'n spesifieke fokus op of hierdie faktore verskil tussen klein, medium en groot plase. Deur semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met 19 deelnemers te gebruik, het die navorsing die Bewustheid, Motivering, Weë en Belonings (AMPR) raamwerk toegepas om die faktore te bepaal wat produsente se besluitneming rondom dekgewasse in wingerde vorm. Tematiese analise is gebruik om patrone in die onderhoude te identifiseer en om reaksies oor plaasgroottes te vergelyk. Die bevindinge toon dat omgewingsmotiverings die dominante dryfveer van dekgewassegebruik oor alle plase was, met grondgesondheid, erosiebeheer en waterretensie wat konsekwent uitgelig is as noodsaaklik vir langtermyn volhoubaarheid. Ekonomiese motiverings was teenwoordig, maar het verskil tussen plaasgroottes, met deelnemers van groter plase meer geneig om langtermyn kostebesparings en koolstofverwante voordele te noem, terwyl dié van kleiner plase biodiversiteit en algemene omgewingskwessies beklemtoon het. Bestuurspraktyke het 'n hoë vlak van aanpasbaarheid getoon, gevorm deur konteksspesifieke faktore soos grondtipe, reënvalvariasie, toerustingbeskikbaarheid en konsultantadvies. Deelnemers het ook 'n reeks ekologiese, estetiese en soms emosionele voordele beskryf, hoewel hierdie voordele gebalanseer is teen uitdagings soos vestigingskoste, beperkte masjinerie en klimaatsonsekerheid. Alhoewel dekgewasse breedweg as 'n standaard en waardevolle praktyk in Stellenbosch beskou is, het plaasgrootte 'n merkbare rol gespeel in die vorming van kapasiteit, beperkings en besluitneming. Die bevindinge beklemtoon dat terwyl omgewingswaardes die aanvaarding sterk anker, strukturele en finansiële realiteite beïnvloed hoe dekgewasse in die praktyk geïmplementeer word. Die studie dra by tot die begrip van hoe volhoubare wingerdpraktyke in 'n Suid-Afrikaanse konteks onderhandel word en dui daarop dat uitgebreide tegniese ondersteuning, portuurgroepleer en streekspesifieke navorsing kan help om die aanvaarding oor verskillende plaasskale te versterk. Masters 2026-04-09T12:46:37Z 2026-04-09T12:46:37Z 2026-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135760 en Stellenbosch University viii, 51 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Cover crops -- South Africa -- Stellenbosch Vineyards -- South Africa -- Stellenbosch -- Management Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Western Cape -- Management Viticulture -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa -- Stellenbosch Wine industry -- South Africa -- Stellenbosch UCTD Courtney Doyle Exploring the motivations, practices, perceived benefits and challenges of cover cropping among Stellenbosch winegrowers |
| title | Exploring the motivations, practices, perceived benefits and challenges of cover cropping among Stellenbosch winegrowers |
| title_full | Exploring the motivations, practices, perceived benefits and challenges of cover cropping among Stellenbosch winegrowers |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the motivations, practices, perceived benefits and challenges of cover cropping among Stellenbosch winegrowers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the motivations, practices, perceived benefits and challenges of cover cropping among Stellenbosch winegrowers |
| title_short | Exploring the motivations, practices, perceived benefits and challenges of cover cropping among Stellenbosch winegrowers |
| title_sort | exploring the motivations practices perceived benefits and challenges of cover cropping among stellenbosch winegrowers |
| topic | Cover crops -- South Africa -- Stellenbosch Vineyards -- South Africa -- Stellenbosch -- Management Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Western Cape -- Management Viticulture -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa -- Stellenbosch Wine industry -- South Africa -- Stellenbosch UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135760 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT courtneydoyle exploringthemotivationspracticesperceivedbenefitsandchallengesofcovercroppingamongstellenboschwinegrowers |