What percentage of Swaziland sugarcane production comes from small-scale farming?

• A. 23%
• B. 77%
• C. 59%
• D. 35%

Answer: (A)

The key idea is how production is split between small-scale farmers and larger estates in a commercial sugar industry. In Swaziland, sugarcane is mainly produced on large-scale plantations that benefit from economies of scale, irrigation, and access to mills, while smallholders contribute only a minority share. About 23% of production comes from small-scale farming, meaning roughly one in four bags of sugarcane is grown by smallholders and the rest by large estates. This reflects a common pattern where large, capital-intensive systems dominate production, with smallholders involved mainly through schemes that link them to processing facilities.