Assessing the role of cooperatives in poverty alleviation in the Eastern Cape: a the case of Amathole district municipality
- Authors: Vellem, Babalwa Faith
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Poverty -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Cooperative societies -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Human services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employees -- Training of -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employees -- In-service training -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: vital:11669 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007113 , Poverty -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Cooperative societies -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Human services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employees -- Training of -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employees -- In-service training -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The study Assess the role of Cooperatives in Poverty Alleviation in the Eastern Cape Case Study of Amathole District Municipality how cooperatives are conducted in the Amathole District Municipality and establishes the perceptions of staff and members of the public about the service rendered by the municipality, and developing the mechanisms that can be used to identify cooperatives activities and how to improve the services rendered by the municipality, and if there are any challenges, they must be resolved. The research was also to look at how the support from government and other government agencies are used to enhance the cooperatives governance. Lastly, the research was to find the best model for cooperative development and what needs to be done to enhance the capacity of the cooperatives. The literature indicates that staff must be equipped with necessary skills; however it is evident that training and development is essential for the members of the cooperative. Questionnaires and interviews were used as a method of collecting data from the respondents. In this study, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to analyse the data. The research assumption was that cooperative development is a viable tool for economic development of the rural areas. This can help many South Africans and many communities come out of poverty. However, there are limitations that were caused by the inability of government to co-ordinate cooperative development. Despite the role that cooperatives play in South Africa, cooperatives still experience a number of challenges. These challenges are, amongst others, lack of access to finance, lack of access to market, lack of business skills, lack of infrastructural facilities and lack of knowledge about the cooperative. In view of the challenges facing the cooperatives, the government instituted a number of state departments and parastatals for funding and other necessary support. These are DTI, DEDEA (in the Eastern Cape), ECDC, South African Development Agency (SEDA), Department of Labour and municipalities. The objectives of these support institutions are to provide necessary support needed by cooperatives and to ensure that cooperative development is sustainable.
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Community development projects and food security: the case of Zanyokwe Irrigation Project Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Authors: Ndlovu, Sikhanyiso
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Irrigation farming -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Farms Small -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Family farms -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food security -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Soc Sc (Dev)
- Identifier: vital:11438 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007226 , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Irrigation farming -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Farms Small -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Family farms -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food security -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: Although food insecurity is said to have decreased in South Africa in the past years particularly at the national level, however, at household level a substantial proportion of households remains at risk of food insecurity and are experiencing hunger particularly in the Eastern Cape Province were poverty is rife. Food insecurity in the Eastern Cape Province is attributed to the fact that agriculture, the mainstay of the rural economy is no longer given the value that it should carry, does not help the situation. Despite much research on food (in) security in South Africa, the link between poverty and household food security is not at all clear. This study seeks to fill this gap specifically by looking at the linkages in the main between food security and poverty especially in the community level. Amidst the various programmes and initiatives that are in place in South Africa, there is continual prevalence of food insecurity facing the majority of South African households. The major aim of this study was therefore to examine the impact of one of these programmes, the Zanyokwe irrigation scheme in enhancing food security not only for the farmers but also for the surrounding communities. This study adopted a qualitative approach to research. The study unearthed that even though Zanyokwe irrigation scheme has played an indispensable role in enhancing food security for the smallholder farmers and the community at large challenges such as market challenges, road infrastructural issues, land tenure issues, lack of proper coordination amongst the farmers as well as farmer empowerment are a major limitation to the growth of the irrigation scheme and the farmers. Thus, the study recommended that farmer support services, training, agriculture subsidies, improved infrastructure as well as addressing market related challenges will go a long way in reducing the plight of the Zanyokwe farmers as well as enhancing food security
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