Investigating sustainability of community gardens as a mechanism to poverty alleviation in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
- Authors: Matshotyana, Ntombizodwa
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality (Eastern Cape, South Africa) -- Economic conditions , Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Poverty -- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural development projects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9116 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1015668
- Description: Poverty is one of the social problems plaguing South Africa. In South Africa it is required of municipalities as entities in the socio-economic and political transformation process and agents of change, to eradicate poverty and unemployment by facilitating local economic development in their respective areas. Local economic development has to be implemented in a way that takes cognisance of the different challenges that exist within various areas and contexts. Various district and local municipalities have initiated an array of agricultural programs such as community or food gardens as aspect of their Local Economic Development strategies. In this study I investigated the sustainability of community gardens as a mechanism to poverty alleviation in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. The study focused exclusively on community gardens in Bloemendal, KwaZakhele, Motherwell and Walmer. A mixed methods research approach was employed to gather data from the community garden members and municipal official who administers the community gardens. Semi-structured interview was conducted with the municipal official administering community gardens in Nelson Mandela Bay. A structured questionnaire was used to gather data from the community garden members. Observations were made on types of crops grown in the gardens, in order to supplement and validate data collected and information gathered during interviews. Community garden members identified funding as their main challenge. Community gardens have a potential to be sustainable if the requisite support structures that need to exist to support the micro-farmers are in place.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Matshotyana, Ntombizodwa
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality (Eastern Cape, South Africa) -- Economic conditions , Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Poverty -- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural development projects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9116 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1015668
- Description: Poverty is one of the social problems plaguing South Africa. In South Africa it is required of municipalities as entities in the socio-economic and political transformation process and agents of change, to eradicate poverty and unemployment by facilitating local economic development in their respective areas. Local economic development has to be implemented in a way that takes cognisance of the different challenges that exist within various areas and contexts. Various district and local municipalities have initiated an array of agricultural programs such as community or food gardens as aspect of their Local Economic Development strategies. In this study I investigated the sustainability of community gardens as a mechanism to poverty alleviation in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. The study focused exclusively on community gardens in Bloemendal, KwaZakhele, Motherwell and Walmer. A mixed methods research approach was employed to gather data from the community garden members and municipal official who administers the community gardens. Semi-structured interview was conducted with the municipal official administering community gardens in Nelson Mandela Bay. A structured questionnaire was used to gather data from the community garden members. Observations were made on types of crops grown in the gardens, in order to supplement and validate data collected and information gathered during interviews. Community garden members identified funding as their main challenge. Community gardens have a potential to be sustainable if the requisite support structures that need to exist to support the micro-farmers are in place.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An evaluation of a poverty alleviation programme : a case study of Ndakana village, district of Nqamakwe
- Authors: Mavuso, Fezile Theophilus
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8287 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018560
- Description: The study sought to evaluate the extent to which poverty alleviation programmes of the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) addressed the agricultural needs of the Ndakana community. The emphasis had been on the effectiveness with which these programmes were implemented. Ndakana Village is situated in the Nqamakwe District. The village consists of Hili-hili, Mathafeni, Ncora and Diphini locations which are approximately twenty kilometres from the rural town of Nqamakwe in Amathole District. In the Eastern Cape, several poverty alleviation programmes are implemented which should, inter alia, alleviate the phenomenon of poverty in the rural areas. Despite these programmes it, however, appears that there is very little, if any, improvement in the poverty situation. Against this background it is essential that the progress in the alleviation of poverty be evaluated and if necessary, steps be taken to ensure that the envisaged objectives be achieved. On the importance of evaluating the program, Monette et al. (2011:5) write that in the past few decades, many large, ambitious expensive programmes intended to cope with social problems and to provide services to individuals have been developed. Along with the growth of these programs has emerged an increasing concern over their results: Do they achieve their intended goals? These programs are costly, and some evaluation is needed to assess whether resources are, indeed, being used effectively. Equally important, a program that fails to achieve its goals leave a problem unresolved or a service undelivered. Monette et al. (2011:6) further regard evaluation as a use of scientific research techniques to assess the result of a program and evaluate whether the program, as currently designed, achieve its stated goals In accordance with the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) (1994:20), a national land reform programme is the central driving force of rural development. Such a programme aims to effectively address the injustices of the forced removals and the historical denial of access to land. The RDP aims to ensure security of tenure for rural dwellers in implementing the national land reform programme, and through the provision of support services, the South African government intends to build the economy by generating large-scale employment, increasing rural income and endeavours to eliminate overcrowding.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Mavuso, Fezile Theophilus
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8287 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018560
- Description: The study sought to evaluate the extent to which poverty alleviation programmes of the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) addressed the agricultural needs of the Ndakana community. The emphasis had been on the effectiveness with which these programmes were implemented. Ndakana Village is situated in the Nqamakwe District. The village consists of Hili-hili, Mathafeni, Ncora and Diphini locations which are approximately twenty kilometres from the rural town of Nqamakwe in Amathole District. In the Eastern Cape, several poverty alleviation programmes are implemented which should, inter alia, alleviate the phenomenon of poverty in the rural areas. Despite these programmes it, however, appears that there is very little, if any, improvement in the poverty situation. Against this background it is essential that the progress in the alleviation of poverty be evaluated and if necessary, steps be taken to ensure that the envisaged objectives be achieved. On the importance of evaluating the program, Monette et al. (2011:5) write that in the past few decades, many large, ambitious expensive programmes intended to cope with social problems and to provide services to individuals have been developed. Along with the growth of these programs has emerged an increasing concern over their results: Do they achieve their intended goals? These programs are costly, and some evaluation is needed to assess whether resources are, indeed, being used effectively. Equally important, a program that fails to achieve its goals leave a problem unresolved or a service undelivered. Monette et al. (2011:6) further regard evaluation as a use of scientific research techniques to assess the result of a program and evaluate whether the program, as currently designed, achieve its stated goals In accordance with the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) (1994:20), a national land reform programme is the central driving force of rural development. Such a programme aims to effectively address the injustices of the forced removals and the historical denial of access to land. The RDP aims to ensure security of tenure for rural dwellers in implementing the national land reform programme, and through the provision of support services, the South African government intends to build the economy by generating large-scale employment, increasing rural income and endeavours to eliminate overcrowding.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An evaluation of two poverty alleviation projects in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality
- Authors: Sojola, Vuyisile Theophilus
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9215 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020801
- Description: The researcher is disturbed by the high rising levels of poverty and unemployment in the Eastern Cape whilst there are poverty alleviation programmes that have been established since the ushering in of the Democratic Government in 1994. The sole purpose of the research is to investigate two poverty alleviation projects in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality under Amatole District Municipality in the Eastern Cape. The study will focus on the following aspects: project management, capacity building, support, coaching, monitoring and evaluation, the market and the views community members have on poverty alleviation projects. The research sought to find out what challenges have been encountered by Tshabo Bakery Project and Ilitha Poultry Project which might impact negatively to the project. The researcher will use interviews, questionnaires, focus groups, direct observation and document analysis to collect information for the study. Findings and recommendations for this study will also be presented.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Sojola, Vuyisile Theophilus
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9215 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020801
- Description: The researcher is disturbed by the high rising levels of poverty and unemployment in the Eastern Cape whilst there are poverty alleviation programmes that have been established since the ushering in of the Democratic Government in 1994. The sole purpose of the research is to investigate two poverty alleviation projects in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality under Amatole District Municipality in the Eastern Cape. The study will focus on the following aspects: project management, capacity building, support, coaching, monitoring and evaluation, the market and the views community members have on poverty alleviation projects. The research sought to find out what challenges have been encountered by Tshabo Bakery Project and Ilitha Poultry Project which might impact negatively to the project. The researcher will use interviews, questionnaires, focus groups, direct observation and document analysis to collect information for the study. Findings and recommendations for this study will also be presented.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Agricultural public spending, growth and poverty linkage hypotheses in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa
- Authors: Ndhleve, Simbarashe
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural poor -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural industries -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Government spending policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Finance, Public -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Agricultural Economics)
- Identifier: vital:11157 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/493 , Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural poor -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural industries -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Government spending policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Finance, Public -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The adoption of the Millennium Development Goal 1 (MDG1) of reducing the rate of poverty to half of the 1990-level by 2015, the advent of democracy in South Africa, among other things, have raised concerns over the potential role of the agricultural sector. There is a belief that the sector has the capacity to successfully reduce poverty among the rural masses and contribute to addressing the problem of inequality in South Africa. In line with that thinking, South Africa‘s agricultural sector has attracted considerable fiscal policy interest. For instance, South Africa‘s statistics show that public investments in agricultural development programmes have been growing. In spite of this, rural poverty is still a major concern on an overall basis. However, this might not be the case in the Eastern Cape Province and the situation might be different for each district municipality. This study assesses the linkages between public agricultural investment, agricultural growth and poverty reduction in the Eastern Cape Province. The study also addresses the question whether Eastern Cape Province is on course to meet several regional development targets. The study also aims to provide an estimate of the amount of agricultural investment required to attain the agricultural productivity growth rate which is sufficient to meet MDG1. The study reviewed the various theories of public spending, linkages between public investment and agricultural growth and how these components affect the incidence of poverty. The conventional wisdom that public expenditure in agriculture positively affects economic growth and this growth consequently reduces poverty was noted. The reviews also revealed that in many developing countries, the current level of public agricultural investment needs to be increased significantly for countries to meet the MDG1. This study employed the decomposition technique and growth elasticity of poverty concept to estimate the response of poverty to its key determinants. The size of public spending, prioritization of public spending and the intensity in the use of public funds emerged as important in increasing agricultural production. The relationship between government investment in agriculture and agricultural GDP shows iv that public funds were largely behind the province‘s success in increasing agricultural production throughout the period from 1990s to 2010. Agricultural spending went to sustainable resource management, administrative functions and then farmer support programme. Exceptional growth in the size of spending was recorded in respect to agricultural economic function, structured agricultural training, sustainable resource management and veterinary services. Overall output from the agricultural sector fluctuated, and the sector contributed less than 5 per cent to the total provincial GDP. Correlations between growth in agricultural sector and changes in the incidence of poverty in Eastern Cape show that during the period 1995 to 2000, increases in the agricultural GDP per capita may have failed to benefit the poor as poverty increased in all the reported cases.–However, for the period between 2005 and 2010, the situation was different and it was observed that increases in agricultural GDP per capita and were associated with reduction in the incidence of poverty. Growth elasticity of poverty (GEP) estimates reveal that agricultural GDP per capita was more important in reducing poverty in 5 out of the 7 district municipalities. Non-agricultural GDP per capita was only important in two district municipalities. It emerged that most of the district municipalities are not in a position to meet any of the regional set goals. This situation is largely attributable to the province‘s failure to boost agricultural production which is an outcome of low and inefficient public expenditure management, inconsistent and misaligned policies and failure to fully embrace the concept of pro-poor growth. Varied provisional estimates for the required agricultural growth rate and the increase in public spending on agriculture required in order to reach MDG1 were calculated for each district municipalities. All the district municipalities of Eastern Cape will need to increase public investment in agriculture for them to achieve MDG1.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Ndhleve, Simbarashe
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural poor -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural industries -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Government spending policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Finance, Public -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Agricultural Economics)
- Identifier: vital:11157 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/493 , Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural poor -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural industries -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Government spending policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Finance, Public -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The adoption of the Millennium Development Goal 1 (MDG1) of reducing the rate of poverty to half of the 1990-level by 2015, the advent of democracy in South Africa, among other things, have raised concerns over the potential role of the agricultural sector. There is a belief that the sector has the capacity to successfully reduce poverty among the rural masses and contribute to addressing the problem of inequality in South Africa. In line with that thinking, South Africa‘s agricultural sector has attracted considerable fiscal policy interest. For instance, South Africa‘s statistics show that public investments in agricultural development programmes have been growing. In spite of this, rural poverty is still a major concern on an overall basis. However, this might not be the case in the Eastern Cape Province and the situation might be different for each district municipality. This study assesses the linkages between public agricultural investment, agricultural growth and poverty reduction in the Eastern Cape Province. The study also addresses the question whether Eastern Cape Province is on course to meet several regional development targets. The study also aims to provide an estimate of the amount of agricultural investment required to attain the agricultural productivity growth rate which is sufficient to meet MDG1. The study reviewed the various theories of public spending, linkages between public investment and agricultural growth and how these components affect the incidence of poverty. The conventional wisdom that public expenditure in agriculture positively affects economic growth and this growth consequently reduces poverty was noted. The reviews also revealed that in many developing countries, the current level of public agricultural investment needs to be increased significantly for countries to meet the MDG1. This study employed the decomposition technique and growth elasticity of poverty concept to estimate the response of poverty to its key determinants. The size of public spending, prioritization of public spending and the intensity in the use of public funds emerged as important in increasing agricultural production. The relationship between government investment in agriculture and agricultural GDP shows iv that public funds were largely behind the province‘s success in increasing agricultural production throughout the period from 1990s to 2010. Agricultural spending went to sustainable resource management, administrative functions and then farmer support programme. Exceptional growth in the size of spending was recorded in respect to agricultural economic function, structured agricultural training, sustainable resource management and veterinary services. Overall output from the agricultural sector fluctuated, and the sector contributed less than 5 per cent to the total provincial GDP. Correlations between growth in agricultural sector and changes in the incidence of poverty in Eastern Cape show that during the period 1995 to 2000, increases in the agricultural GDP per capita may have failed to benefit the poor as poverty increased in all the reported cases.–However, for the period between 2005 and 2010, the situation was different and it was observed that increases in agricultural GDP per capita and were associated with reduction in the incidence of poverty. Growth elasticity of poverty (GEP) estimates reveal that agricultural GDP per capita was more important in reducing poverty in 5 out of the 7 district municipalities. Non-agricultural GDP per capita was only important in two district municipalities. It emerged that most of the district municipalities are not in a position to meet any of the regional set goals. This situation is largely attributable to the province‘s failure to boost agricultural production which is an outcome of low and inefficient public expenditure management, inconsistent and misaligned policies and failure to fully embrace the concept of pro-poor growth. Varied provisional estimates for the required agricultural growth rate and the increase in public spending on agriculture required in order to reach MDG1 were calculated for each district municipalities. All the district municipalities of Eastern Cape will need to increase public investment in agriculture for them to achieve MDG1.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- «
- ‹
- 1
- ›
- »