The empowerment of women in agriculture: does it contribute to poverty alleviation and improvement of quality of lives in rural areas?

Kalazani-Mtya, Lindeka

Title: The empowerment of women in agriculture: does it contribute to poverty alleviation and improvement of quality of lives in rural areas?
Creator: Kalazani-Mtya, Lindeka
Subject: Women in rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Subject: Rural poor -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Subject: Land tenure -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Subject: Women in agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Subject: Agricultural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Subject: Food supply -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Subject: Quality of life -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Date: 2011
Type: Thesis
Type: Masters
Type: M Soc Sc (Rural Development)
Identifier: vital:11941
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/318
Identifier: Women in rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Identifier: Rural poor -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Identifier: Land tenure -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Identifier: Women in agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Identifier: Agricultural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Identifier: Food supply -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Identifier: Quality of life -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Description: This study examines the extent to which the Siyazondla food programme, which is a woman based project, empowers women with agricultural skills and knowledge to alleviate poverty and improve their quality of lives in Ducats North area in East London. The investigation is based on the argument that when a woman is empowered, poverty will be reduced and the quality of life will improve. Through the use of qualitative research methodology, all women who are the main beneficiaries of the Siyazondla programme in Ducats North village were interviewed. Findings seem to indicate that although women in the project manage to produce good crops to feed their families, they are still not sufficiently empowered with skills and education to improve their quality of lives. This was found to be exacerbated by the fact that the officials assigned for the programme are to a greater extent inefficient and lack relevant knowledge to support beneficiaries. Most importantly, it was revealed that there is lack of monitoring and evaluation of the programme by government and this was considered to be the major constraint to successful implementation of the programme and in ensuring that poverty is alleviated in the area. It is on the basis of these findings that the study recommends that in order to yield positive results and ensure that women in the programme are empowered, there is a need to change the deeply embedded patriarchal perceptions and discriminatory practices and attitudes that seem to undervalue women‟s work. This will require greater awareness of women‟s contribution to agriculture, and the recognition of the role played by women in food security and poverty alleviation, coupled with a strong commitment from the government to empower rural women in agriculture.
Format: 93 leaves; 30 cm
Format: pdf
Publisher: University of Fort Hare
Publisher: Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities
Language: English
Rights: University of Fort Hare

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