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.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- 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.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Recapitalisation and development programme for cattle producing farmers in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Sontundu, Qaqamba
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Land reform -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/12790 , vital:27121
- Description: This thesis examines the impact of the recapitalisation and development programme on cattle producing farmers in Joe Gqabi and Chris Hani Districts. This research is based on the insight that most of the Eastern Cape cattle producing farmers are facing financial problems and their farms are dilapidated even though there are interventions from the Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform and Rural Development and Land Reform through programmes such as CASP and RADP for rescuing the cattle producing farmers. The major challenges faced by the cattle producing farmers into getting the funding will be established in this study. The main focus is on the farms that have already got the funding and also on the ones that are still in the pipeline for being funded by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform. To a lesser extent, the thesis draws on findings from careful considerations of case studies comprising ten farms, thus five farms from Joe Gqabi and five from Chris Hani Districts. The research methods under this research design yielded data that was descriptive and exploratory based on human experiences and are associated with discovering changes in situations. The research findings show that delays in releasing recapitalisation and development funds for land reform beneficiaries have been recognised as one of the main reasons for the collapse of land reform projects. In most cases the funds are arriving long after they were needed for important faming activities. The delays are also leading to permanent closure of the farms. Therefore, it is essential for the success of land reform programmes to ensure that the production model is designed so as to generate benefits for land reform beneficiaries. This thesis is concluded by making recommendations to the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform in order to address the identified Recapitalisation and Development Funding challenges as well as to identify what can be considered as effective financial support to the land reform projects.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Sontundu, Qaqamba
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Land reform -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/12790 , vital:27121
- Description: This thesis examines the impact of the recapitalisation and development programme on cattle producing farmers in Joe Gqabi and Chris Hani Districts. This research is based on the insight that most of the Eastern Cape cattle producing farmers are facing financial problems and their farms are dilapidated even though there are interventions from the Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform and Rural Development and Land Reform through programmes such as CASP and RADP for rescuing the cattle producing farmers. The major challenges faced by the cattle producing farmers into getting the funding will be established in this study. The main focus is on the farms that have already got the funding and also on the ones that are still in the pipeline for being funded by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform. To a lesser extent, the thesis draws on findings from careful considerations of case studies comprising ten farms, thus five farms from Joe Gqabi and five from Chris Hani Districts. The research methods under this research design yielded data that was descriptive and exploratory based on human experiences and are associated with discovering changes in situations. The research findings show that delays in releasing recapitalisation and development funds for land reform beneficiaries have been recognised as one of the main reasons for the collapse of land reform projects. In most cases the funds are arriving long after they were needed for important faming activities. The delays are also leading to permanent closure of the farms. Therefore, it is essential for the success of land reform programmes to ensure that the production model is designed so as to generate benefits for land reform beneficiaries. This thesis is concluded by making recommendations to the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform in order to address the identified Recapitalisation and Development Funding challenges as well as to identify what can be considered as effective financial support to the land reform projects.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
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