A critical analysis of development NGO programmes in rural areas: a case study of East Cape Agricultural Research Project in South Africa
- Authors: Sanyangore, Agnes
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: East Cape Agricultural Research Project , Non-governmental organization -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Land reform -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Land tenure -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/96187 , vital:31248
- Description: For a number of decades now, development non-governmental organisations (DNGOs) have been central to the world-wide development system which involves funding from international donors. Overall, DNGOs rely quite fundamentally on their donors for organisational sustainability, such that upward accountability to donors is inevitable. At the same time, as development agents, DNGOs are often celebrated for the deep participatory methodologies used when engaging with the beneficiaries of their programmes, leading to significant downward accountability – as least potentially. Often, for DNGOs, an awkward tension between upward and downward accountability exists. This thesis considers this tension by examining a DNGO in South Africa, namely, the East Cape Agricultural Research Project (ECARP), which focuses on questions around land redistribution. ECARP works with farm labourers and dwellers on commercial farms and small-scale farmers on redistributed farms. In the context of a broader understanding of ECARP’s mission, capacities and programmes, the thesis looks specifically at ECARP’s food security and sovereignty programme amongst small-scale farmers on redistributed farms. By drawing upon Interface theory, the thesis discusses in detail the diverse manner in which ECARP uses participatory methodologies in this particular programme. The thesis concludes that there is a reasonable degree of downward accountability in this programme, but that this does not distract from the fact that ECARP remains within the tension-riddled space marked by dual demands for accountability.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Sanyangore, Agnes
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: East Cape Agricultural Research Project , Non-governmental organization -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Land reform -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Land tenure -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/96187 , vital:31248
- Description: For a number of decades now, development non-governmental organisations (DNGOs) have been central to the world-wide development system which involves funding from international donors. Overall, DNGOs rely quite fundamentally on their donors for organisational sustainability, such that upward accountability to donors is inevitable. At the same time, as development agents, DNGOs are often celebrated for the deep participatory methodologies used when engaging with the beneficiaries of their programmes, leading to significant downward accountability – as least potentially. Often, for DNGOs, an awkward tension between upward and downward accountability exists. This thesis considers this tension by examining a DNGO in South Africa, namely, the East Cape Agricultural Research Project (ECARP), which focuses on questions around land redistribution. ECARP works with farm labourers and dwellers on commercial farms and small-scale farmers on redistributed farms. In the context of a broader understanding of ECARP’s mission, capacities and programmes, the thesis looks specifically at ECARP’s food security and sovereignty programme amongst small-scale farmers on redistributed farms. By drawing upon Interface theory, the thesis discusses in detail the diverse manner in which ECARP uses participatory methodologies in this particular programme. The thesis concludes that there is a reasonable degree of downward accountability in this programme, but that this does not distract from the fact that ECARP remains within the tension-riddled space marked by dual demands for accountability.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
An investigation of Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) to enhance community development in Mount Ayliff village
- Authors: Pindo, Abongile
- Date: 2022-04
- Subjects: Expanded Public Works Programme , Public works -- South Africa , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/58146 , vital:58613
- Description: Lack of community development which includes poverty, unemployment and inequality is still prevalent in South Africa, even after the country has gained its independency in April 1994. South Africa has the highest unemployment and poverty rate, especially in rural areas like Mount Ayliff. This high unemployment, inequality and poverty within the country is an indication that the government is not doing enough in terms of dealing with these triple challenges. The South African government has introduced numerous development and economic policies, programmes and strategies to address unemployment, poverty and enhance community development. These initiatives include Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP), Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR), National Growth Plan (NGP), National Development Plan (NDP) and the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). The EPWP’s vision is to enhance community development in South African communities through temporary employment and skills development for unemployed youth. EPWP has been unemployment relief in many communities and has employed over five million people since its introduction. This study aims to investigate the role played by the EPWP to enhance community development and employment creation in Mount Ayliff Village. The study followed a qualitative descriptive approach, where secondary sources of data were reviewed to address the research objectives and questions. The main research findings are that the EPWP has played a significant role in enhancing community development in Mount Ayliff Village through provision of employment opportunities, development projects, introducing and empowering youth with skills and training for future permanent employment. Based on the findings, the study recommends that there must be frequent monitoring and evaluation of the EPWP projects to ensure that its goal is achieved and guidelines for recruitment of participants are followed. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic science, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04
- Authors: Pindo, Abongile
- Date: 2022-04
- Subjects: Expanded Public Works Programme , Public works -- South Africa , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/58146 , vital:58613
- Description: Lack of community development which includes poverty, unemployment and inequality is still prevalent in South Africa, even after the country has gained its independency in April 1994. South Africa has the highest unemployment and poverty rate, especially in rural areas like Mount Ayliff. This high unemployment, inequality and poverty within the country is an indication that the government is not doing enough in terms of dealing with these triple challenges. The South African government has introduced numerous development and economic policies, programmes and strategies to address unemployment, poverty and enhance community development. These initiatives include Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP), Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR), National Growth Plan (NGP), National Development Plan (NDP) and the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). The EPWP’s vision is to enhance community development in South African communities through temporary employment and skills development for unemployed youth. EPWP has been unemployment relief in many communities and has employed over five million people since its introduction. This study aims to investigate the role played by the EPWP to enhance community development and employment creation in Mount Ayliff Village. The study followed a qualitative descriptive approach, where secondary sources of data were reviewed to address the research objectives and questions. The main research findings are that the EPWP has played a significant role in enhancing community development in Mount Ayliff Village through provision of employment opportunities, development projects, introducing and empowering youth with skills and training for future permanent employment. Based on the findings, the study recommends that there must be frequent monitoring and evaluation of the EPWP projects to ensure that its goal is achieved and guidelines for recruitment of participants are followed. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic science, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04
Assessing the abundance of non-timber forest products in relation to forest succession on the Wild Coast, South Africa
- Authors: Njwaxu, Afika
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Non-timber forest products -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Forest ecology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Non-timber forest products -- South Africa -- Willowvale , Forest ecology -- South Africa -- Willowvale , Rural development -- South Africa -- Willowvale , Forest plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/94090 , vital:30999
- Description: The number of people in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, that are engaging in arable cropping has declined markedly over the last few decades. This is due to a number of factors such as a decrease in human capital because of migration of able-bodied people to urban areas, disinclination to participate in farming, raiding of crops by livestock and lack of equipment. This has resulted in abandoned croplands being invaded by trees and shrubs as the start of forest succession leading to a change in species composition and the ecosystem benefits reaped from these sites. Key amongst these benefits is a variety of non-timber forests products (NTFPs) which are an integral part of livelihoods in the area. The study was conducted in Willowvale, on the Wild Coast, South Africa. Aerial photographs were used to determine when cessation of cropping occurred in local fields and when revegetation began in order to determine the age of old fields. Botanical inventory and Braun-Blanquet scale were used to assess species richness, composition and abundance of vegetation in fields abandoned at different times. Focus groups were used to identify NTFPs found in these old fields, their uses as well as rank their importance to the local people. Results showed an increase in woody cover with time since field abandonment. Species richness also increased with age of the old field with approximately three species gained per decade. When species richness was disaggregated by growth forms, herbaceous plants were abundant in the early stages of succession, shrubs in the mature stages and trees increased steadily with time. A total of 177 species were recorded from 50 plots that were sampled during the ecological data collection. Of these, 70 species (39.6%) were identified by the focus group participants as NTFPs. The participants grouped the NTFPs into six categories namely: food, building, medicinal, craft, cultural and energy. There was an increase of richness of NTFPs with forest succession; however the proportion of NTFPs decreased with age suggesting an increase in non-useful species. This suggests that harvesting from plots of different ages would be the optimal way for local people to get access to a large variety of NTFPs.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Njwaxu, Afika
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Non-timber forest products -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Forest ecology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Non-timber forest products -- South Africa -- Willowvale , Forest ecology -- South Africa -- Willowvale , Rural development -- South Africa -- Willowvale , Forest plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/94090 , vital:30999
- Description: The number of people in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, that are engaging in arable cropping has declined markedly over the last few decades. This is due to a number of factors such as a decrease in human capital because of migration of able-bodied people to urban areas, disinclination to participate in farming, raiding of crops by livestock and lack of equipment. This has resulted in abandoned croplands being invaded by trees and shrubs as the start of forest succession leading to a change in species composition and the ecosystem benefits reaped from these sites. Key amongst these benefits is a variety of non-timber forests products (NTFPs) which are an integral part of livelihoods in the area. The study was conducted in Willowvale, on the Wild Coast, South Africa. Aerial photographs were used to determine when cessation of cropping occurred in local fields and when revegetation began in order to determine the age of old fields. Botanical inventory and Braun-Blanquet scale were used to assess species richness, composition and abundance of vegetation in fields abandoned at different times. Focus groups were used to identify NTFPs found in these old fields, their uses as well as rank their importance to the local people. Results showed an increase in woody cover with time since field abandonment. Species richness also increased with age of the old field with approximately three species gained per decade. When species richness was disaggregated by growth forms, herbaceous plants were abundant in the early stages of succession, shrubs in the mature stages and trees increased steadily with time. A total of 177 species were recorded from 50 plots that were sampled during the ecological data collection. Of these, 70 species (39.6%) were identified by the focus group participants as NTFPs. The participants grouped the NTFPs into six categories namely: food, building, medicinal, craft, cultural and energy. There was an increase of richness of NTFPs with forest succession; however the proportion of NTFPs decreased with age suggesting an increase in non-useful species. This suggests that harvesting from plots of different ages would be the optimal way for local people to get access to a large variety of NTFPs.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Now that we have the land: analysing the experiences of land reform beneficiaries in the Makana Municipal District of the Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Msuthu, Simela Thuleka
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Land reform , Sustainable development , Land reform -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Land tenure -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Land settlement -- Government policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Restitution -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/167551 , vital:41491
- Description: The “land question” in South Africa goes back more than a century to the 1913 Natives Land Act which facilitated the dispossession of African people from fertile land to arid homelands and congested townships. This mass dispossession of Africans from their land was accompanied by an array of legislation aimed at restricting their upward mobility, thus laying the foundations of structural inequality in South Africa. The advent of democracy in 1994 brought about a number of legislative reforms aimed at addressing the injustices that were imposed by the colonial and apartheid governments on the African people. At the forefront of these legislative efforts was the restoration of land to the original inhabitants of the country. Research indicates that, since 1994, the South African government has issued out land to different individuals and communities around the country in an attempt to address structural unemployment and poverty that plague the country. Using the Sustainable Livelihoods Theoretical framework, this study sought to examine the experiences of land reform beneficiaries in the Makana Municipal district of the Eastern Cape, in order to determine the extent to which the transfer of land to landless people has met the governments’ agenda to alleviate poverty and unemployment in the rural regions of South Africa. The findings in this study show that, successful land reform in South Africa is hindered mostly by two factors. Firstly, the inability of land beneficiaries to access quality education, skills training, finances and formal agricultural value chains. Secondly, land beneficiaries are further placed at a disadvantage by the poor quality of public services in their local municipalities and inconsistent post-settlement support from the state. The conclusion made in this study, is that the government has to be cognizant of the aforementioned structural barriers, when designing and rolling out land reform projects throughout the country. Failure to address these glaring structural barriers, will result in the creation of a peasant class of people living on underutilized land.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Msuthu, Simela Thuleka
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Land reform , Sustainable development , Land reform -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Land tenure -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Land settlement -- Government policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Restitution -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/167551 , vital:41491
- Description: The “land question” in South Africa goes back more than a century to the 1913 Natives Land Act which facilitated the dispossession of African people from fertile land to arid homelands and congested townships. This mass dispossession of Africans from their land was accompanied by an array of legislation aimed at restricting their upward mobility, thus laying the foundations of structural inequality in South Africa. The advent of democracy in 1994 brought about a number of legislative reforms aimed at addressing the injustices that were imposed by the colonial and apartheid governments on the African people. At the forefront of these legislative efforts was the restoration of land to the original inhabitants of the country. Research indicates that, since 1994, the South African government has issued out land to different individuals and communities around the country in an attempt to address structural unemployment and poverty that plague the country. Using the Sustainable Livelihoods Theoretical framework, this study sought to examine the experiences of land reform beneficiaries in the Makana Municipal district of the Eastern Cape, in order to determine the extent to which the transfer of land to landless people has met the governments’ agenda to alleviate poverty and unemployment in the rural regions of South Africa. The findings in this study show that, successful land reform in South Africa is hindered mostly by two factors. Firstly, the inability of land beneficiaries to access quality education, skills training, finances and formal agricultural value chains. Secondly, land beneficiaries are further placed at a disadvantage by the poor quality of public services in their local municipalities and inconsistent post-settlement support from the state. The conclusion made in this study, is that the government has to be cognizant of the aforementioned structural barriers, when designing and rolling out land reform projects throughout the country. Failure to address these glaring structural barriers, will result in the creation of a peasant class of people living on underutilized land.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Re-thinking rural development through agriculture
- Matunhu, Jephias (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8415-5867)
- Authors: Matunhu, Jephias (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8415-5867)
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agriculture -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24532 , vital:63067
- Description: This study addresses the problem of abject rural poverty in the post-apartheid South Africa with specific reference to the Amathole Rural District (ARD) in the Eastern Cape Province (the poorest province in the country). Abject poverty is conceptualized as inability to meet the basic human needs such as food, water, shelter and clothes. The study is premised in the revisionist trajectory of rural economic development, which regards agriculture as the ‘engine’ for rural development. The thesis addressed the following issues on rural poverty reduction in the ARD; the efficacy of rural agriculture in rural poverty reduction, value-adding to rural farm produce, support that is required and social factors that may affect the residents’ ability to fight poverty through agriculture? The thesis adopted the concurrent transformative mixed research methodology; and data were collected from a purposive sample of 138 respondents using unstructured interviews and semi-structured questionnaires. Data were collected with the help of research assistance. The study established that the ARD residents were keen to fight abject poverty through rural agriculture but were constrained by the lack of arable land, financial resources, technological support, corruption and HIV/AIDs. In view of the above findings, the thesis concluded that deep collaboration and participation of strategic partners such as government, the rural residents, NGOs and the business sector is essential in the implementation of pro-poor strategies in the ARD. The thesis also called for further research into the following areas that have a direct influence on the efficacy of rural agriculture on the ARD’s development; ICT and development, the rural residents’ attitude towards savings and on the political economy of cooperative ventures in rural agriculture. The thesis also encouraged further research to establish new linkages and roles of the following pertinent partners in ARD’s development; government, the rural residents, NGOs and the business sector. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2010
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Matunhu, Jephias (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8415-5867)
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agriculture -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24532 , vital:63067
- Description: This study addresses the problem of abject rural poverty in the post-apartheid South Africa with specific reference to the Amathole Rural District (ARD) in the Eastern Cape Province (the poorest province in the country). Abject poverty is conceptualized as inability to meet the basic human needs such as food, water, shelter and clothes. The study is premised in the revisionist trajectory of rural economic development, which regards agriculture as the ‘engine’ for rural development. The thesis addressed the following issues on rural poverty reduction in the ARD; the efficacy of rural agriculture in rural poverty reduction, value-adding to rural farm produce, support that is required and social factors that may affect the residents’ ability to fight poverty through agriculture? The thesis adopted the concurrent transformative mixed research methodology; and data were collected from a purposive sample of 138 respondents using unstructured interviews and semi-structured questionnaires. Data were collected with the help of research assistance. The study established that the ARD residents were keen to fight abject poverty through rural agriculture but were constrained by the lack of arable land, financial resources, technological support, corruption and HIV/AIDs. In view of the above findings, the thesis concluded that deep collaboration and participation of strategic partners such as government, the rural residents, NGOs and the business sector is essential in the implementation of pro-poor strategies in the ARD. The thesis also called for further research into the following areas that have a direct influence on the efficacy of rural agriculture on the ARD’s development; ICT and development, the rural residents’ attitude towards savings and on the political economy of cooperative ventures in rural agriculture. The thesis also encouraged further research to establish new linkages and roles of the following pertinent partners in ARD’s development; government, the rural residents, NGOs and the business sector. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2010
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- «
- ‹
- 1
- ›
- »