The soil series description is described as medium base status, clay loam to clay textured subsoil; high base status , clay loam to clay. Other soils that characterize the area in which the study falls are: Streambeds, Valsrivier, Shortlands, Katspruit, Glenrosa.In terms of the commodities, all soils in the district are suitable for production of these crops. Macadamia nuts prefer well drained soils ; as a result, most soil types can be regarded as suitable for macadamia production provided, they are well drained without restrictive layers in the top 1 m of the soil. According to Hutton soils are described as an optimal soil type suitable for mango cultivation both under irrigation and dry land cultivation. With regard to colour,indicate that only reddish-brown, red and dark-brown soils, particularly in the subsoil, are suitable for avocado growth. All of the above requirements match the characteristics of Hutton soil. Three weather stations within the Vhembe district around which the farm sites for the study are located were selected namely Makwarela, Mutale and Malamulele.

The data sets were for a 10-year period . The mean annual rainfall from the 3 stations ranges from 642 mm at Malamulele to 1037 mm at Makwarela . Based on the coefficient of variation at the 3 weather stations over the 10 years there was a distinct difference in the CV across the stations with Makwarela having the lowest CVand a sharp increase to 45% and 50% at Mutale and Malamulele respectively. This showed that there is extremely high variability within the months between the years at Mutale and Malamulele while the rainfall at Makwarela was relatively more reliable. High variability in rainfall amount between years can limit growth.The total monthly rainfall distribution at all 3 indicates that most of the annual rainfall comes during the months of September to March.This can be generalized as the wet summer season. The peak rainfall is from December to January/February with rainfall declining significantly after April. Very little rainfall, if none at all,ebb and flow table is received between May and August. This can be generalised as the dry, winter season. This discussion will relate the various results to each other and to the overall understanding of these results on the sustainability of the systems. The results showed that males were mostly responsible for the farming activities and this may have a negative impact on sustainability of the farming systems in the future because demographic statistics show that female numbers are growing more quickly than male numbers.The age of active farmers was mostly above 51.According to in most rural smallholder communities in the Limpopo Province,the youth often leave the farm lands in the rural areas to seek employment in the towns; this may pose a threat to sustainability as there will not be enough farmers with suitable agricultural experience to continue the cultivation of HVCs in future.

It is proposed by that secure land tenure is a necessary pre-condition for the adoption of long-term sustainability of farming practices which characterizes sustainable farming systems. Results of the study do not support this theory as the majority of the farmers farm on communal land. If there were significant changes in land tenure policy in the Vhembe district, this would make the area vulnerable in terms of sustainability of the farming systems for both farm sizes. This is highly plausible, in the future, as land reform remains a pressing and controversial issue in the South African political context. The agronomic conditions for crop cultivation are mostly suitable with respect to the inherent soil fertility, however, fertilizer inputs are low due to high prices. The three areas studied receive differing amounts of rainfall, two areas are in the 650 mm range and the other area receives about 1020 mm. However, the CV of annual amount is much larger in the areas with the lower amounts of rainfall making these areas more vulnerable which may result in non-sustainable production conditions. According to the adverse effects of climate change on agricultural productivity in South Africa are on the increase. These include rainfall decreases amongst others. Future decreases in rainfall will make farms that are completely dependent on rain-fed agriculture, such as the mango farmers in the study, vulnerable in terms of sustainability.