A socio-economic impact assessment (SEIA) of the Idutywa agripark project on project beneficiaries in Mbashe local municipality of the Eastern Cape Province
- Authors: Magida, Phiwokuhle Thulani
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Rural poor -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural development projects -- South Africa , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc Agric (Agricultural Economics)
- Identifier: vital:11211 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1016195 , Rural poor -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural development projects -- South Africa , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: Poverty, inequality and unemployment have always been challenging first in South Africa with special reference to rural South Africa. These persistent challenges with severe impacts on black population are believed to be the results of the previous governance in South Africa. Policies have been formulated, reformulated and others implemented in a form of development projects which have achieved little success in pursuit of combating these challenges. However, in the process of achieving rural development through developmental projects, a fundamental stage in the life cycle of these projects is often omitted or given little attention. This stage is the monitoring and evaluation stage which is critical to ascertain potential impacts (both positive and negative) especially if the project is to be replicated and achieve its objectives as postulated in the millennium development goals. This thesis attempted to carry out a Socio-Economic Impact Assessment (SEIA) of the Agripark project implemented at Dutywa on the livelihoods of communities directly affected by this project. The Agripark project is a project that comprises three linked components, a seedling nursery, an agro-processing facility and a sizeable feeder plot and has been implemented to benefit four villages. This project has been implemented as the second Agripark project by the University of Fort Hare in partnership with the province’s Department of Agriculture. To track change after the implementation of the project, data were collected from the same respondents that were interviewed for the baseline study, therefore, the same sample size that was used in the baseline study was also used for this study. As a tool for data collection, a questionnaire was developed to elicit the required information and was interviewer administered during data collection. The results of the study revealed that Agripark project has impact on both social and economic wellbeing of the households. The processing unit of the project was not yet functioning therefore the project was not fully effective thus the impact was not as intended by the project when the study was carried out. Skills transferred were only on production but only a small number of people could receive them. These households largely relied on external sources of income mainly on social grants and their contribution to total household income had increased to 88% in 2011 compared to 80% in 2008. As much as the increase in incomes cannot be entirely be because of the project but Agripark had a positive impact on household incomes through wages of those employed there and through increased profitability of hawking vegetables. The proportion of household earning incomes less than the Poverty line fell from 85% in 2008 to approximately 79% in 2011. The household complemented their staples with a variety of vegetables and the main source of these vegetables was Agripark even though own production was declining. Even though food was still the main item of these households expenditure, the proportion of income spent on food fell from 64% in 2008 to 48% in 2011. There were no environmental impacts found. From the descriptive analysis, the project had impact on the livelihoods of these households because it brought change on the household expenditure as a result of the income earned by those who are working in the Agripark. There was an improvement on risk of food insecurity through cheaper vegetable that both physically and financially attainable. However, as much as the project had positive impact, there were also concerns raised by the respondents that the employment was only biased to certain individuals which cased stress to some households. Furthermore, the empirical analysis of the selected variables showed that participation in Agripark had an impact on economic wellbeing of the beneficiaries. Thus, funding must be made available to the project so that it can upgrade their electricity and have the processing plant running as it may be the major source of employment, skills development and achievement of its objectives.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Magida, Phiwokuhle Thulani
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Rural poor -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural development projects -- South Africa , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc Agric (Agricultural Economics)
- Identifier: vital:11211 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1016195 , Rural poor -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural development projects -- South Africa , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: Poverty, inequality and unemployment have always been challenging first in South Africa with special reference to rural South Africa. These persistent challenges with severe impacts on black population are believed to be the results of the previous governance in South Africa. Policies have been formulated, reformulated and others implemented in a form of development projects which have achieved little success in pursuit of combating these challenges. However, in the process of achieving rural development through developmental projects, a fundamental stage in the life cycle of these projects is often omitted or given little attention. This stage is the monitoring and evaluation stage which is critical to ascertain potential impacts (both positive and negative) especially if the project is to be replicated and achieve its objectives as postulated in the millennium development goals. This thesis attempted to carry out a Socio-Economic Impact Assessment (SEIA) of the Agripark project implemented at Dutywa on the livelihoods of communities directly affected by this project. The Agripark project is a project that comprises three linked components, a seedling nursery, an agro-processing facility and a sizeable feeder plot and has been implemented to benefit four villages. This project has been implemented as the second Agripark project by the University of Fort Hare in partnership with the province’s Department of Agriculture. To track change after the implementation of the project, data were collected from the same respondents that were interviewed for the baseline study, therefore, the same sample size that was used in the baseline study was also used for this study. As a tool for data collection, a questionnaire was developed to elicit the required information and was interviewer administered during data collection. The results of the study revealed that Agripark project has impact on both social and economic wellbeing of the households. The processing unit of the project was not yet functioning therefore the project was not fully effective thus the impact was not as intended by the project when the study was carried out. Skills transferred were only on production but only a small number of people could receive them. These households largely relied on external sources of income mainly on social grants and their contribution to total household income had increased to 88% in 2011 compared to 80% in 2008. As much as the increase in incomes cannot be entirely be because of the project but Agripark had a positive impact on household incomes through wages of those employed there and through increased profitability of hawking vegetables. The proportion of household earning incomes less than the Poverty line fell from 85% in 2008 to approximately 79% in 2011. The household complemented their staples with a variety of vegetables and the main source of these vegetables was Agripark even though own production was declining. Even though food was still the main item of these households expenditure, the proportion of income spent on food fell from 64% in 2008 to 48% in 2011. There were no environmental impacts found. From the descriptive analysis, the project had impact on the livelihoods of these households because it brought change on the household expenditure as a result of the income earned by those who are working in the Agripark. There was an improvement on risk of food insecurity through cheaper vegetable that both physically and financially attainable. However, as much as the project had positive impact, there were also concerns raised by the respondents that the employment was only biased to certain individuals which cased stress to some households. Furthermore, the empirical analysis of the selected variables showed that participation in Agripark had an impact on economic wellbeing of the beneficiaries. Thus, funding must be made available to the project so that it can upgrade their electricity and have the processing plant running as it may be the major source of employment, skills development and achievement of its objectives.
- Full Text:
Determinants of rural households’ diversification of livelihood strategies: a case of Intsika Yethu farmers of the Eastern Cape province, South Africa
- Authors: Munhenga, Daniel
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Farm management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc Agric (Agricultural Economics)
- Identifier: vital:11220 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1019818 , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Farm management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: Despite the continuing perceived economic centrality of agriculture in Intsika Yethu local municipality, rural households engage and pursue diverse non-farm livelihood activities to cope with diverse challenges and risks such as drought. This study assessed the importance of existing livelihood strategies adopted by the different rural households in Intsika Yethu; the link between households’ ownership and access to different ‘assets’; factors determining households’ ability to adopt certain livelihood strategies in the area. A survey of 120 households in six administrative areas and informal discussions with key informants were used to collect demographic data, data on socio-economic activities and factors determining the choice of livelihood strategies of the households in Intsika Yethu. The research findings indicated that only about 10% of the interviewed households relied solely on on-farm livelihood strategy only. Credit, remittances, market distance, affiliating to cooperatives, education and household size have a potential of influencing households to shift from on-farm livelihood strategy to other livelihood strategies. The government may need to promote programs and awareness on how households can diversify their livelihood strategies as a way of coping with economic constraints in the area.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Munhenga, Daniel
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Farm management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc Agric (Agricultural Economics)
- Identifier: vital:11220 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1019818 , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Farm management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: Despite the continuing perceived economic centrality of agriculture in Intsika Yethu local municipality, rural households engage and pursue diverse non-farm livelihood activities to cope with diverse challenges and risks such as drought. This study assessed the importance of existing livelihood strategies adopted by the different rural households in Intsika Yethu; the link between households’ ownership and access to different ‘assets’; factors determining households’ ability to adopt certain livelihood strategies in the area. A survey of 120 households in six administrative areas and informal discussions with key informants were used to collect demographic data, data on socio-economic activities and factors determining the choice of livelihood strategies of the households in Intsika Yethu. The research findings indicated that only about 10% of the interviewed households relied solely on on-farm livelihood strategy only. Credit, remittances, market distance, affiliating to cooperatives, education and household size have a potential of influencing households to shift from on-farm livelihood strategy to other livelihood strategies. The government may need to promote programs and awareness on how households can diversify their livelihood strategies as a way of coping with economic constraints in the area.
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Rural households livelihood strategies in communities around the Fort Hare and Middle Drift rural dairy projects in Eastern Cape Province South Africa
- Authors: Mukotami, Samuel
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Households -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Dairy farming -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc Agric (Agricultural Economics)
- Identifier: vital:11228 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1021132 , Households -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Dairy farming -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: In this study, rural households livelihood strategies in communities around Fort Hare and Middle Drift dairy projects in the Nkonkobe Municipality are explored from a household perspective. Rural communities around Fort Hare and Middle Drift dairy projects in Eastern Cape, South Africa are found choosing a multiple of livelihood portfolios that are linked to dairy project activities to increase food, generate income, and safeguard against risks and shocks. The dairy projects in rural areas can reduced the problem of shrinking livelihood options in rural areas were most of the households are relying on government grants which has characterised the rural areas with long queues during month ends. The main objectives of this study are, to assess whether the rural dairy projects set goals are being achieved; to identify dominant livelihood strategies of households living around dairy projects in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa and to identify determinant factors influencing rural households around dairy projects to choose certain livelihood strategies that improve their welfare. The study analysed socio-economic survey data that had been collected from households in six rural villages in Nkonkobe Municipality surrounding the Fort Hare and Middle drift dairy projects. The stratified and random sampling method was used. The descriptive analysis comparing the livelihood portfolios’ in the six rural villages around Fort hare and Middle Drift dairy projects has revealed that there is an increasingly important role of the non-farm economy in the area (income from activities not linked to farming) as compared to farming, non-labour (income from remittances and government grants) and non-farm activities that are combined with farming (non-farm and farming activities). The multinomial logistic regression model revealed, with respect to the household variables, social-economic and institutional related variables as some of the barriers faced by poor households in rural areas sharing boundaries with rural dairy projects to enter into various livelihood strategies. Results from this study outlined that rural communities around dairy projects do not rely much on one livelihood pathway but they link multiple strategies together to improve their standard of living. The study, therefore, conclude that rural dairy projects with activities that are complementing with rural livelihood pathways available can be trusted as a reliable and sustainable livelihood source to reduce poverty in communities which share boundaries with rural dairy projects.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Mukotami, Samuel
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Households -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Dairy farming -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc Agric (Agricultural Economics)
- Identifier: vital:11228 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1021132 , Households -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Dairy farming -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: In this study, rural households livelihood strategies in communities around Fort Hare and Middle Drift dairy projects in the Nkonkobe Municipality are explored from a household perspective. Rural communities around Fort Hare and Middle Drift dairy projects in Eastern Cape, South Africa are found choosing a multiple of livelihood portfolios that are linked to dairy project activities to increase food, generate income, and safeguard against risks and shocks. The dairy projects in rural areas can reduced the problem of shrinking livelihood options in rural areas were most of the households are relying on government grants which has characterised the rural areas with long queues during month ends. The main objectives of this study are, to assess whether the rural dairy projects set goals are being achieved; to identify dominant livelihood strategies of households living around dairy projects in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa and to identify determinant factors influencing rural households around dairy projects to choose certain livelihood strategies that improve their welfare. The study analysed socio-economic survey data that had been collected from households in six rural villages in Nkonkobe Municipality surrounding the Fort Hare and Middle drift dairy projects. The stratified and random sampling method was used. The descriptive analysis comparing the livelihood portfolios’ in the six rural villages around Fort hare and Middle Drift dairy projects has revealed that there is an increasingly important role of the non-farm economy in the area (income from activities not linked to farming) as compared to farming, non-labour (income from remittances and government grants) and non-farm activities that are combined with farming (non-farm and farming activities). The multinomial logistic regression model revealed, with respect to the household variables, social-economic and institutional related variables as some of the barriers faced by poor households in rural areas sharing boundaries with rural dairy projects to enter into various livelihood strategies. Results from this study outlined that rural communities around dairy projects do not rely much on one livelihood pathway but they link multiple strategies together to improve their standard of living. The study, therefore, conclude that rural dairy projects with activities that are complementing with rural livelihood pathways available can be trusted as a reliable and sustainable livelihood source to reduce poverty in communities which share boundaries with rural dairy projects.
- Full Text:
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