Factors that influence the sustainability of rural crop production community projects in the Umzimvubu District
- Authors: Majiki, Fezeka
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/8089 , vital:24991
- Description: Maize production is the main cropping activity in the Umzimvubu district. This cereal crop is the staple food for the Eastern Cape’s rural communities and accounts for nearly 95 per cent of the crops cultivated in dry-land cropping programmes. Food security in rural areas has been a major concern for the South African government. In attempts to mitigate hunger and poverty, the government has initiated rural development maize production projects. The primary objectives of the projects were to achieve sustainable livelihoods and rural development for the poor. The projects were expected to improve the quality of rural life and provide basic nutritional requirements of the community. Historically the rural poor have had to fend for themselves through subsistence farming in adverse environments. Input costs for farming have become increasingly expensive; this resulted in major challenges for subsistence farming. The crop production projects initiated in the Umzimvubu district have not been sustainable and have fallen short of addressing the needs of the various communities. The study aims to identify the factors that influence the sustainability of the crop production projects in the Umzimvubu district. A triangulation research method was used to provide multiple viewpoints to examine the data; this allows for greater accuracy of the research. The mixed method approach in which the researcher collects and analyses data integrates the findings and draws inferences using both qualitative and quantitative methodology. The quantitative research methodology provided the demographics and biographical data on the participants. The qualitative research methodology concentrated on the focus group discussions that gave an insight into the participants' views, perceptions and concerns. Focus groups were used to examine the factors influencing the sustain-ability of the projects and to explore how these projects are perceived and under-stood by the community and people working on the projects. The research interest is not only in what the project beneficiaries think, but also in why they think as they do. The main data collection was obtained from the focus groups and individual face-to-face interviews with the beneficiaries of the crop projects in the Umzimvubu district. It was found that the farming areas required rehabilitation, were susceptible to erosion and degradation, and lacked adequate land use practices. The beneficiaries of the cropping programmes had small amounts of other crops growing in their individual household gardens for household use in conjunction with the maize received from the maize programmes. The income made from selling maize from the programmes was insignificant and did not contribute substantially to the household needs, as the communities in these projects were still failing to secure adequate food requirements. The maize yields do not substantiate the monetary investment from the beneficiaries. Furthermore, the findings indicated that the beneficiaries do not receive consistent income from the programmes. The participants consisted of large households comprising mainly elderly people who depended on social grants as a regular source of income. These elderly were burdened with taking care of their grandchildren, whose parents were employed in either urban areas or unemployed and formed part of the household. The unemployed young adults also depended on child support grants for income. The maize harvested had to be shared between a large number of community members and the livestock. The findings also suggested that there was dependency on outside contractors for cultivation and other practices. The study found that most of the beneficiaries felt disempowered, as they had not been involved in the decision-making process. Furthermore, policy-makers failed to acknowledge existing indigenous knowledge and practices of the rural communities (i.e. inter-cropping and green mealie harvesting). Indigenous practices should be included into the programmes instead of compelling beneficiaries to adhere to new forms of cultivation. The communities introduction to new large-scale and challenging, highly technological methods resulted in most of the communities being fully dependent on government support and guidance. Training and the empowerment of beneficiaries are imperative. Rural people should be included in development of strategies and the role of the women should be given more recognition. It should be acknowledged that rural households are diverse and that the model cannot apply to each village or community.
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- Date Issued: 2016
Opportunities and challenges faced in promoting small holder farming as an element in rural economic development: the case of Buffalo City Municipality in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Siyabonga Makhathini
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Family farms -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural families -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Households -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Buffalo City (South Africa)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc Agric (Agricultural Economics)
- Identifier: vital:11203 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007534 , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Family farms -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural families -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Households -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Buffalo City (South Africa)
- Description: This study looked at the opportunities and challenges faced in promoting smallholder farming as an element in rural economic development. The main objective is to highlight the key factors affecting smallholder production; and how those factors affect smallholder farmers in rural areas of Buffalo City Municipality, and hence identify the ones likely to predict success for future use in intervention programs. The content and scope of this study is limited to the socio-economic constraints (economic activities, household assets e.g. natural assets, physical assets, financial assets etc.) faced by rural households and therefore prescribe the necessary interventions to enhance rural livelihoods. Data was collected through review of secondary sources, direct observation through field visits and interviews with households. Questionnaires were used as the main tool of inquiry to gather data from households in selected villages within Buffalo City Municipality. The collected survey data was coded and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 19.0. The study used Descriptive, Gini Coefficient and Binary Logistics model to analyze the collected survey data. For the descriptive model, the main pointers that were employed for this study were frequencies and mean values. The Gini Coefficient model was used to measure the contribution of different sources of income to overall inequality. The binary logistic regression model was used to uncover the correlates of the household income for different rural groups (famers and non-farmers). The results reveal that farm income has a strong association to overall household income per capita. Unearned income sources also have a substantial contribution to household income. Remittances and child grants were significant to non-farming household income per capita. Given the diminishing farm size of smallholder-led agriculture; these results suggest that a diversified household income portfolio is vital in addressing poverty in rural areas. Based on the results this study concluded that agricultural activities cannot solely enhance food security.
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- Date Issued: 2013
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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- Date Issued: 2012
People-centred development in practice: the case of the Zikhova-Ngqinisa Sidibene Woodlot Trust Project
- Authors: Pona, Faith Zolisa
- Date: 2003
- Subjects: Zikhova-Ngqinisa Sidibene Woodlot Trust Project , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Citizen participation , Woodlots -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3356 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007610 , Zikhova-Ngqinisa Sidibene Woodlot Trust Project , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Citizen participation , Woodlots -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: This study addresses the question of people-centred development as a transformative aspect of the new South African development arena. The concept is defined as the involvement and active participation of people in the decision-making, evaluation and implementation of the development processes, It is one of the forms of democratisation which involves the decentralisaton of authority to the lower tiers of government. This study provides an analysis of the efficacy, relevance, advantages and disadvantages of people-centred development in the South African context. The Zikhoya-Ngqinisa Woodlot Trust Project was chosen as a case study, The reason was that through the process of devolution of the Department of Forestry and Water Affairs (DWAF), which involved the handing over of the management and financial resources of the small woodlots to the communities for their own benefit, the two villages, Zikhova and Ngqinisa, were given the Zikhova woodlot. The devolution of DWAF is one of the various forms of decentralisation that has given more autonomy to the lower tiers of government in the sense that the communities now have to satisfy their own needs. The main focus of the study was to identify and analyse constraints on the implementation of people-centred development specific to the Zikhova-Ngqinisa Woodlot Trust Project. Other interrelated aspects of people-centred development such as sustainability, community involvement and benefits of the project were also investigated and analysed. , KMBT_363
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- Date Issued: 2003