Exploring the motivations, practices, perceived benefits and challenges of cover cropping among Stellenbosch winegrowers

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.

Grantor dc:publisher

Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University

Year dc:date.issued

2026

Author dc:creator

• Courtney Doyle

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Gaigher, Rene
• Saruchera, Munya

Language dc:language.iso

en

Repository record dc:identifier.uri

https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135760

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135760