Magister Philosophiae (Land and Agrarian Studies) - MPhil(LAS) / The thesis examines continuity and change in the agrarian history of the Mwenezi District, southern Zimbabwe since 1980. It analyses agrarian reforms, agrarian practices and development initiatives in the district and situates them in the localised livelihood strategies of different people within the Dinhe Communa Area and the Mangondi resettlement Area in Lieu of the Fast-Track Land Reform Programme (FTLRP) since 2000. The thesis also examines the livelihood opportunities and challenges presented by the FTLRP to the inhabitants of Mwenezi.The thesis contributes to the growing body of empirical studies on the impact of Zimbabwe's ongoing land reform programme and to debates and discourses on agrarian reform. / South Africa

One of the measures introduced in order to address the effects of the racial land discriminatory practices and policies which led to the majority of the South African population being denied access to land prior to 1994 is the national land reform programme. This includes replacement of discriminatory policies with those intended to redress the injustices of colonial and apartheid land dispossession. This study has focused on national land reform programme with specific reference to the land redistribution programme. This has been done by assessing the factors affecting the beneficiaries of the land reform process with reference to the selected land redistribution project in the Cacadu District Municipality in the Province of the Eastern Cape. As a result of this study, key challenges experienced by the beneficiaries of the land reform process were identified. These challenges include the difficulties relating to access to services such as training, mentoring, credit and transport by the beneficiaries of the land reform process; lack of skills , lack of access to markets, and the lack of co-ordination between government departments. In view of these challenges, this study provides recommendations for improving the implementation of land redistribution projects.

The government that was voted in, in 1994 initiated and implemented the Land Reform Programme that had three key elements, namely; Land restitution, redistribution and tenure reform. This study was undertaken to examine the limitations that resulted in some of the projects not to succeed. The study took a form of a case study of two farms that were redistributed in 1997 under the Land Redistribution Programme in the Blue Crane Route Municipal area in the Eastern Cape. The findings confirmed a variety of weaknesses that led to the collapse of these farms. Whilst acknowledging that there are some measures that are put in place to address those limitations the, study shows that there is still scope to do more. It is therefore one’s sincere wish that what transpired out of this study will make a positive contribution by providing some elements that can be used as a remedy in advancing the Land Reform Programme.

In Mexico, a primary agent for social change continues to be agrarian reform. However this is no longer restricted to the reformation of outdated, pre-Revolution land tenure systems. Today, it is necessary to formulate effective and feasible agrarian policies which will help to meet Mexico's current needs for financial, technological and social development and which will solve problems created by the new land tenure structure. It is thus that the Mexican government has launched various new programmes which are intended to facilitate and enhance the development of the ejido system of land tenure within the country. The use of the ejido as a means of distributing and holding lands has had problematical success. Because peasants' rights to ejido lands are usufructuary, they have no title to the land. As a result, the land cannot be used as collateral for securing loans for agricultural production from private lending institutions. To aid the ejidatarios, the government has established specific national credit banks whose function it is to lend money to groups of peasants who in turn assume a collective responsibility for the debt incurred. This study examines credit groups in two colonies along the Candelaria River, Campeche, Mexico, to determine the impacts of these groups on agricultural landscapes in the colonies. As somewhat of a control, in order that a valid basis for comparison might be established, a third community, possessing a similar physical environment and organizational framework, but lacking credit groups, was also studied. The intent of the study is to investigate how the function of credit groups affects land area cultivated, methods of agriculture, types of crops grown, and the socio-economic well-being of the communities in the field area. In order to undertake the study, it was first deemed necessary to review the evolution of land tenure systems in Mexico with a view towards understanding the framework within which the Mexican peasant is intended to carry out his agricultural activities. Three critical social factors were then identified as affecting the unity and cohesion found in the credit groups, and ultimately within the communities themselves. These factors were the background of group and community members, allegiance to the group or community, and the leadership quality found in the field area. Interviews were then carried out, with the majority of people interviewed fitting into two broad categories, either peasants who were eligible to receive or in fact were receiving agricultural credit, or peasants who were ineligible to receive this aid. Additional information regarding the characteristics of the field area and the operation of the credit groups was obtained from credit banks serving the area, from the Department of Agrarian Affairs and Colonization, the Centre of Agrarian Studies, and other relevant sources. The study indicates the agricultural methods and types of crops grown in the field area are directly affected by the credit groups and result in agricultural landscapes which bear a strikingly different aspect from those effected by peasants who do not benefit from credit aid. Nevertheless, this is a superficial difference. The land area cultivated and, perhaps more important, the economic well-being of those who receive credit aid versus those who do not receive such aid, does not appear to differ significantly. This similarity in these latter two variables is shown to be attributable in part to the diverse and, in some cases, incompatible backgrounds of some residents of the field area, to varying degrees of allegiance and commitment to the credit groups and communities studied, and to differing qualities of leadership within the groups and communities. Equally important was the finding that the ejido system of land tenure was unacceptable to the colonists who were interviewed In light of the impact of the social factors on the field area, and the apparent disteem for the actual framework within which the residents of the colonies exist, the validity of colonization schemes such as that along the Candelaria becomes questionable. Consequently, implications for changes in the current ejido system of land tenure are discussed in the final chapter of the study. If the system itself is not abandoned, as it might well be modifications to it are certainly imperative. / Arts, Faculty of / Geography, Department of / Graduate

Magister Philosophiae (Land and Agrarian Studies) - MPhil(LAS) / Insecure access and limited rights to land are major factors contributing to poverty among rural women (Ellis,2000; Havnevik et al,2007). Despite that, rural women’s livelihoods are directly linked to land; they generally lack secure access to productive land. In acknowledging the inequalities in terms of land ownership among Malawians, the government of Malawi introduced a land reform project known as the Community Based Rural Land Development Project (CBRLDP) (GoM, 2002a). This study aims at assessing the effects of group-based titling of the CBRLDP on creating secure access to land and livelihoods of women beneficiaries.Using qualitative research design, methods such as in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and questionnaire surveys were used as sources of primary data and project reports while CBRLDP programme planning documents and evaluation reports as sources of secondary data were consulted. While the data shows that secure access to land could create women’s sustainable livelihoods,the study found that access to land and the livelihoods generated by the CBRLDP are gendered, for instance,there are more male beneficiaries as compared to women. With regard to women’s land rights, this study shows that women are still struggling in claiming their rights to land. Furthermore, the study found that the roles of traditional leaders in securing access to land and protecting women’s land rights within the CBRLDP remain unclear. The study also reveals that access to land alone is not enough for the creation of women’s sustainable livelihoods.

No description available.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / In 1994, the first democratically elected South African government promised to redistribute 30 % of white-owned farmland to the formerly disadvantaged people in order to rectify the racially-based unequal distribution of land and to improve their socioeconomic conditions. The ANC-led government opted to promote agriculture for achieving the latter aim since agriculture is generally seen to have a strong potential for poverty alleviation and economic development in the under-resourced areas.

The objectives of this study were to identify the extension needs of land reform beneficiaries (A1 and A2 farmers) for sustainable land reform, by describing and analyzing the current extension corporation and activities in newly resettled areas. The study was carried out in three districts, namely Kadoma, Chegutu and Zvimba , situated in Mashonaland West province of Zimbabwe. The target population samples for the study comprised of A1 and A2 farmers (N=690) and the extension personnel in the three districts (N=68). The study revealed that there is a distinct difference between A1 and A2 farmers regarding their socio-economic status, education level, farm size, land tenure status, and governance structure. 58.0% of A1 farmers farm on farm sizes that vary between 0.5 – 50ha, while 76.3% of A2 farmers received farm sizes between 51 - 200ha. A1 farmers mainly have obtained only primary level education, while 57.3% of A2 farmers obtained post matric education. In general the A1 farmer households are bigger with 16.2% of the households bigger than 10 members compared to A2 farmers where 31% of the households are smaller than three household members. A1 farmers use permits as tenure instruments which allows them to farm and communally share grazing areas and water sources. A2 farmers use offer letters and 99-year lease which allows them to exclusively use resources on their farms. The tenure instruments that apply to A1 farmers have limitations as farmers cannot use them to borrow operational capital since the land is considered state land. In general A1 farmers are less satisfied than A2 farmers with the current land reform program implemented by the government. According to farmers (A1 and A2) the major constraints preventing them to farm optimally are: frequent droughts, inadequate financial credit, poor availability of production inputs, poor extension services, poor farming knowledge and no farming equipment. Farmers perceived the following stumbling blocks in order of priority to the current land reform program: inadequate credit facilities, unstable political situation, corruption and inefficient extension services. 48.0% of extension officers in the three districts (Chegutu, Kadoma, Zvimba) are between the age of 18-30 years, 64.2% of the extension officers have obtained only a certificate in agriculture, which is causing problems in the role they play as technical advisors to farmers. 86.6% of the extension officers have never attended in-service training to attend to their skills development. The average ratio of extension officer to farmer is 1:250-300, which is internationally acceptable for efficient extension delivery. T&V and FSRE extension approaches are the popular approaches extension staff use, although they are in general not satisfied with these extension approaches being used, due to the little financial support government provides to execute these approaches. There is also very little monitoring of application of the various extension approaches by the department, and there is a lack of commitment on the part of the government. 72.0% extension officers indicated that they have at least weekly contact with farmers, mainly through group meetings. Extension officers perceived their technical as well as extension knowledge to be adequate for efficient extension delivery. The major constraints being faced by extension officers in the three districts are: lack of operational budgets, lack of production inputs for farmers, lack of commitment on the part of the farmers and government, low level of farmers' knowledge about farming practices and climate change. Extension officers perceived the following stumbling blocks in priority order to the current land reform program: corruption, lack of planning, lack of coordination among stakeholder and political interference. A negotiated transition for a land reform program is highly recommended. Proper selection of the land reform beneficiaries and human capital development is a critical component of a sustainable extension system. There is a need of greater participation of private role players in providing of inputs. For this to happen government should allow a free market system. A gradual transformation of extension to self finance system is needed. A levy can be imposed on A2 farmers who are in a stronger economic position, so as to finance some of the operations of extension. Due to difference in socio-economic status between A1 and A2 farmers, a tailor made extension support system needs to be implemented, taking into consideration these differences. There is a need for programmed extension with expected and measurable outputs, which offers options and problem solving strategies, facilitate decision-making and technology adaptation, and a need of attracting more private players in the agricultural extension arena. Also there is a need to employ more female extension officers, so as to improve participation of female farmers and offer in-service training for extension officers is much needed. / Dissertation (MSc Agric)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

This dissertation seeks to explore the legacy of coloniality inherent in the built environment of South African cities today, especially the City of Tshwane (Pretoria), and propose strategies to rewrite a more inclusive and transformative architectural legacy. As the historical (and current) seat of the South African government, Pretoria has seen much of the making of South Africa’s colonial (as well as pre and post-colonial) history. The remains of the architectural heritage speak of European classical ideals, battles for imperial power and colonial ways of life, and many of these heritage buildings could be seen to be struggling to represent a diverse and transformed nation. As the call has gone out to question the future of statues and monuments of problematic past leaders, it brings to light the question of our built history, heritage and the legacy it leaves. Colonial architecture heritage faces different avenues of conservation, such as forms of reuse or adaptive reuse; however, many are facing abandonment due to its inability to transform or adapt to the changing needs of society. Such is Berea Park Sports Club's case, abandoned and then vandalised, its ruins speaking of possibly becoming forgotten altogether. By investigating the reuse of the building and sports grounds through the themes of urban land reform, architectural hybridity and relevant heritage approaches, this project seeks to reimagine the legacy of the site and address spatial and social justice concerns left in the wake of the colonial city. / Mini Dissertation (MArch (Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Architecture / MArch (Prof) / Unrestricted

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Community Work in the Department of Social Work at the The University of Zululand, South Africa, 2009. / The study investigated the poverty alleviation involving Land Reform Program (LRAD) Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development at Nhlahlayethu Farm (Umkhanyakude District). Besides land that has been taken back from White farmers and given to Black people; very little has been done to show the difference in poverty alleviation. Observations indicate that agricultural activity in land reform projects (LRAD- Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development) decrease significantly on land that was commercially viable under previous management. Large numbers of people presently own land that was initially owned by one person. Therefore, the first aim of the study was to investigate challenges and opportunities of land reform projects. The second aim of the study was to determine the general perspectives of the target farmers on agricultural farming. The third objective of the study was to investigate the general causes of non- functionality of land reform projects. The fourth objective of the study was to investigate how the whole group of farmers could work the farm up to its full potential and to determine how the Department of Land Affairs and Agriculture, could collaborate to improve development efforts towards sustainable land reform projects. The findings revealed that farmers experience a lot of challenges caused by the lack of funds and farming equipment after the land has been transferred. This ends up making the program of land reform not fully effective in alleviating poverty. Positive perspective of farmers towards farming is hindered by the lack of' farming management skills accompanied by the rate of illiteracy. Policies between the Department of Agriculture and Land Affairs need to be aligned so that after transferring the farm to beneficiaries, resources are available for supporting the target farmers. On the basis of the findings of this study, recommendations to the Land Reform Program (LRAD- Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development) as well as for directing future research were made.