Indigenous knowledge systems and gender relations interface and its implications for food security: the case of Khambashe rural households in the Amathole District, South Africa
- Authors: Garutsa, T C https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1904-2764
- Date: 2015-01
- Subjects: Food security -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Indigenous peoples -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/26581 , vital:65660
- Description: The aim of this study was to find out about how the intersection of indigenous knowledge systems and gender relations affects food security in the rural households of the Khambashe village in the Eastern Cape. The focus is on food security-related indigenous knowledge utilized by women rather than the general indigenous knowledge of the people in the Eastern Cape. Ample literature exists on food security and gender, food security and indigenous knowledge systems and the role of gender dynamics in the application of indigenous knowledge systems. However, there is dearth of literature on studies on the role of the indigenous knowledge systems-gender relations interface in food security. Hence this study was directed at investigating the indigenous knowledge systems-gender dynamics interplay and its implications for food security and sustainable development with specific reference to the rural households of Khambashe village of the Eastern Cape Province. Furthermore, the study seeks to determine factors accounting for the attrition of women’s indigenous knowledge in food production systems of the Khambashe rural households. The main position advanced in this thesis is that domination coupled with marginalisation of women and indigenous knowledge systems by hegemonic Western power/knowledge and traditional African practices account for challenges faced by rural households with regard to food security and sustainable livelihoods. Put differently, the core argument of this study is that the intersection between gender and indigenous knowledge systems has two opposing possibilities for food security. On the one hand, through the various roles of women in the application of indigenous knowledge systems in rural areas, the indigenous knowledge and gender relations interplay can operate to enhance the likelihood of achieving sustainable rural livelihoods and hence food security. On the other hand, gender oppression, subjugation, exclusion and marginalization through various practices such as the utilization of discriminatory patriarchal cultural values and norms can inhibit the application of the rich folk knowledge reservoir of ideas held by women in food production processes. Key illustrative examples of the constraints imposed by cultural traditions that pose problems for the realization of sustainable rural livelihoods are cultural practices which prohibit women to inter alia own and inherit land. These cultural practices also deprive women the liberty to make their own decisions without the consultation of men despite being sole providers of their own households. In other words, lack of access to assets and other resources owing to the marginalization of local knowledge by the dominant Western-based scientific knowledge systems and culturally-derived gender discriminatory practices make the role of women in the process of utilizing indigenous knowledge systems for the purposes of food security difficult. The theoretical framework of this study is drawn from the post-development discourse derived from Foucault’s archaeology of power and knowledge, ecofeminism and African feminism. Such a framework has a utility to reinvigorate marginalised indigenous knowledge and thereby help women reclaim their leadership in processes of ensuring food security. In a situation where indigenous knowledge systems have been excluded and subjugated by the dominant Western knowledge systems, an extended post-development discourse of this nature is transformative. While Foucault’s theory will provide key insights around power/knowledge dynamics and issues, ecofeminism and African feminism will extend these insights in the exploration of the patterns of power in both the knowledge and gender relations domains. In fact interactions in food production processes are embedded in systematized knowledge and traditional gender relations. Hence, in order to ensure a deep-going analysis of these phenomena, Foucault’s framework on power/knowledge is augmented by the ideas of ecofeminism and African feminism owing to the fact that systems of domination whether in the knowledge arena or gender relations domain are responsible for the challenges relating to food secure households and sustainable rural livelihoods. The rationale for this approach is that subjugation and marginalization of indigenous knowledge systems by Western hegemonic power/knowledge coupled with exclusionary and discriminatory practices of patriarchal cultural values is seen as inhibiting the proper application of indigenous knowledge in food production processes. The extended post-development discourse adopted for this study takes into consideration the fact that oppression and discrimination the world over has taken the Foucauldian power/knowledge dimension in the sense that women in rural African settings are not only prevented by Western science from the application of indigenous knowledge for the development of sustainable livelihoods but that their own cultural traditions are also a hindrance towards them owning land and property, making their own decisions without recourse to men and exercising their own authority. A mixed method approach combining qualitative and quantitative research design was utilized in order to gain a full grasp of nuances of the interface between indigenous knowledge and gender dynamics in food production processes in Khambashe. This methodological triangulation was used for purposes of enhancing the capturing of comprehensive data and a holistic understanding of food security issues in the area. Further, owing to the fact that survey questionnaires as research instruments would have not given a voice to women as key research participants and that the deployment of in-depth interviews alone as research tools would have compromised the generalizability of the findings of the study, each of the two research methods were to confirm, clarify, complement, enhance and elaborate the research results of the other. In other words, in order to counterbalance the limitation of questionnaires with regard to artificiality and not affording a voice to research participants in-depth interviews were conducted. The lack of generalizability of the latter was compensated by the high degree of representativity afforded by the use of the former (that is, questionnaires). As already indicated above, the study setting for the empirical data was the Khambashe village in the Eastern Cape. Information gathered included the more positive effects of the IK-gender relations interplay on food security covered in Chapter 7. This chapter described and analysed the various roles women play inter alia animal husbandry, crop production, creation and utilization of indigenous technology in food production processes and in post-harvesting practices. In contrast, chapter 8 investigated and discusses the various constrains which account for the hindrance in the operationalization of IK in food production processes by women. Chief among the identified constrains in Khambashe are the marginalization of local knowledge by hegemonic Western science and the discriminatory traditional practices. The research results of this study show that despite the key role of women in the application of local knowledge, practices and technologies in food production processes, the penetration, colonization and domination of the African socio-economic and cultural sphere by the West has resulted in the deterioration in the use of indigenous knowledge. Imperialistic Western knowledge masquerading as modern science and technology manifested in inter alia chemical fertilizers and modified food is a constraint to the utility of women’s indigenous knowledge and practices that ensures both food security and sustainable development. In view of the fact that failure to utilize readily available indigenous knowledge, practices and technologies owing to the marginalisation of local epistemes by Western science and the discriminatory African traditional practices and gender relations has led to further impoverishment of rural communities, there is a need to both empower women and to revitalize their indigenous knowledge for purposes of food security and sustainable development in rural areas such as Khambashe. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities, 2015
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- Date Issued: 2015-01
The contribution of urban agriculture to food sovereignty and household food security in Lingelihle
- Authors: Buso, Lelethu
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Food security -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Food sovereignty -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Urban agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/53834 , vital:46005
- Description: Most urban households in South Africa are food insecure even though poor households spend 60–80% of their income on food. Most of these households are low-income households who depend on social grants and whose main source of food are markets. This research assessed the contribution of urban agriculture to food sovereignty and household food security in Lingelihle Township, Cradock, in the Chris Hani district, South Africa. The research data were collected both from households that practise farming in Lingelihle Township and those that do not. The study used Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) methods such as observation, transect walks, resource mapping, food consumption diaries, focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews to collect data. The research findings revealed that urban agriculture has the potential to contribute to achieving food sovereignty and household food security. The comparison between households that farm and households that do not farm proved that households that farm are more food secure and have more disposable income than households that do not farm. The study offers recommendations on how urban agriculture can be supported to contribute to household food security and food sovereignty. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2021
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- Date Issued: 2021-12
The role of field and garden cultivation for food security under a changing climate: the case of Fairbairn and Ntloko villages, Eastern Cape
- Authors: Brooks, Haydn
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Climatic changes -- Economic aspects -- Eastern Cape (South Africa) , Climatic changes -- Social aspects -- South Africa , Food -- Economic aspects -- South Africa , Food security -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/58013 , vital:27019
- Description: The world is becoming more complex due to the increasing occurrence of social-ecological change. This is particularly evident in the developing world, especially on the African continent, where existing vulnerabilities (i.e. endemic poverty, weak governance, overpopulation and HIV/AIDS) are being exacerbated by the impact of climate change. Climate change poses a very real threat to millions of Africans, especially those who rely on the natural world for their livelihoods. The increasing variability of climate and rainfall patterns are said to have dire consequences on agricultural production which is the main livelihood activity of rural dwellers across the continent. The impacts of such change and variability include, changes in the frequency and intensity of droughts, flooding and heavy storms, leading to worsening soil conditions, desertification as well as disease and pest out-breaks which will likely result in reduced crop and livestock yields. A reduction in agricultural production will likely have a negative effect on the food security of millions of people. This study was conducted in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, in two rural villages, Fairbairn and Ntloko located in the former Ciskei homeland, with the purpose of exploring the nexus between climate change, cultivation and food security. This study combined social-ecological thinking with that of political ecology to create a robust lens, in which to analyse the complex interactions between humans and the environment. A mixed methods approach was used to gather the data which consisted of a household survey, using a structured questionnaire as well as semi-structured interviews with various respondents. Quantitative data were analysed using Excel and Statistica 13, whilst coding was used for qualitative data. The main aim of the study was to explore the extent and characteristics of cultivation in the two study sites, the role of household food production in food security as well as the challenges that local cultivator’s face with regards to climate change. In recent decades, there has been a decline in rural agricultural production with many fields that were previously cultivated, lying vacant and unused. However, as this study found, cultivation is still important as over 50% of sampled households cultivated a small area within the homestead. This was mainly done to supplement household food expenditure in order to save cash incomes. The results also found that although participants had perceived negative changes in climate and rainfall (amount, onset, duration), it was not considered the most important challenge for own production. Rather, lack of fencing and capital were seen as major hindrances to efficient own production. Understanding the complexity of own production and food security under a changing climate can help form better and more resilient policies and strategies for rural development, in addition to strengthening future livelihoods of rural people in an ever changing world.
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- Date Issued: 2018