Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Drawing on an exploratory case study in agricultural linkages, this report seeks to provide lessons on how the rural poor might engage in more sustainable land refonn in South Africa. The Thandi Agricultural Linkages Project case study is a land reform initiative of the Capespan Group, South Africa's largest fruit exporting company. The study explores how small farmers involved in worker equity-share schemes can benefit from the opportunities from demand-driven changes in high value agriculture in South Africa. The study examines the institutional mechanisms adopted by Capespan to integrate emerging fruit farmers in the supply chain and its effects on farm profitability and sustainability. Six farms were chosen as the object of research for the study. The research argues that, whilst Govenunent have promulgated legislation and made resources avai lable to facilitate land reform in agriculture, its impact and sustainability is questionable. Whilst land reform to date is viewed by many critics in South Africa as a failure, this report argues that there are important, but largely unexplored. cases of success. These will require policy interventions, as well as much greater private sector involvement to overcome the capacity gaps which exists among farmers that have been empowered through land reform. Some of these opportunities call for innovative private sector agribusiness champions that can partner with Government to link emerging farmers in new ways into global and profitable local, value chains. Land reform is unlikely to be economically and institutionally sustainable unless action is taken to improve access to factors of production, strengthen the enabling environment and provide skills development and technical assistance to emerging farmers in a highly competitive global marketplace. This research report compiles a list of 'good practices' that could be replicated. and documents the lessons learned from the Thandi Agricultural Linkages Project. It is hoped that these lessons will be used to inform the policy, design and implementation of future land reform projects in South Africa . / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Deur die aanwending van 'n ondersoekende gevallestudie oor bindinge in die landbou. wil hierdie verslag graag aandui hoe behoeftiges in die platteland moontlik deel mag he aan meeT volhoubare grondhervorming in Suid-Afrika. Die Thandi Agricultural Linkages-gevallestudie is 'n grondhervormingsinisiatief van die Capespan Groep, SuidAfrika se grootste vrugte-uitvoermaatskappy. Die studie ondersoek hoe kleinboere wat in werkememers gelyke-aandeleskemas betrokke is, voordeel kan trek uit die geleenthede van vraaggedrewe veranderinge in hoewaarde landbou in Suid-Afrika. Die studie ondersoek die institusionele meganismes wat deur Capespan toegepas is om opkomende vrugteboere in die verskaffingsketting te integreer en die gevolglike uitwerking op plaaswinsgewendheid en volhoubaarheid. Ses plase is as die onderwerp vir navorsing in hierdie studie gekies. Die navorsing voer aan dat hoewel die Regering wetgewing geproklameer en hulpbronne beskikbaar gestel het om grondhervonning in landbou te fasiliteer, die impak. en volhoubaarheid daarvan bevraagteken word. Terwyl baie kritici in Suid-Afrika grondhervonning tot op hede as 'n mislukking afmaak, word daar in hierdie vers lag geredeneer dat daar belangrike, maar grotendeels onverkende, gevalle van sukses is. Dit sal beleidsingrype, sowel as baie groter privaatsektor betrokkenheid benodig am die kapasiteitsgapings te oorbrug wat bestaan tussen boere wat deur grondhervorming bemagtig is. Sommige van hierdie geleenthede vereis innoverende, privaatsektor agrisake-kampioene wat as vennote saam met die Regering kan optree om opkomende boere op nuwe wyses in verbinding te bring met wereld- en winsgewende plaaslike. waardekettings. Die moontlikheid is skraal dat grondhervorming ekonomies en institusioneel volhoubaar sal wees. tensy daar optrede is om toe gang tot faktore van produksie te verbeter. die bemagtigingsomgewing te versterk en vaardigheidsontwikkeling en tegniese hulp aan opkomende boere 10 'n hoogskompeterende wereldmark te voorsien. Hierdie navorsingsverslag verskaf 'n Iys van 'goeie bedrywe' wat ged upliseer kan word, en dokumenteer die lesse wat uit die Thandi Agricultural Linkages-projek voortgevloei het. Daar word geboop dat hierdie lesse aangewend sal word om die beleid, antwerp en implementering van toekomstige grondhervormingsprojekte in Suid-Afrika te informeer

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Poverty, which was traditionally a rural phenomenon, has become one of the main drivers behind people migrating to urban areas. It is estimated that more than 50 per cent of the global population lives in cities while the current annual growth rate of cities in sub-Saharan Africa is almost double the worldwide average. The provision of food for the growing number of poor urban citizens is a major challenge, which needs to be addressed by city authorities. As most of the urbanised poor are exposed to agriculture due to their rural backgrounds, agriculture should be viewed as a possible solution to the challenge of urban food security for the urban poor. Put differently, feeding a growing urban population living in poverty will be one of the major humanitarian and political challenges of the next century. This implies that increased pressure will be put on urban agriculture for food production inside or close to cities, especially in developing countries where poor transportation infrastructure between the cities and rural areas creates problems for food supply. This research explores the significance of urban agriculture as one of the solutions to urban poverty. The aim of this research report is to critically analyse the concept of urban agriculture and how it can contribute to urban renewal and the alleviation of poverty for the urban poor. It focuses particularly on the scope, problems and challenges of urban agriculture in the high density settlements of Khayelitsha-Mitchell’s Plain in Cape Town where widespread poverty and high unemployment intensifies the need for low cost food production for poor households. The research takes into account the lessons learned in the past and looks at the role government, individuals, community organisations, NGO’s and corporate South Africa can play in expanding urban agriculture. We look at the different types of urban agriculture and the various success factors and potential pitfalls in implementing strategies of urban agriculture. This research also takes a closer look at the various problems faced by those keen to utilise urban agriculture opportunities. This research indicates that urbanisation is inevitable and has a negative impact on the poverty levels of urban citizens due to the migration of the rural poor. This is relevant to the Western Cape and in particular, to the Cape Town townships of Khayelitsha and Mitchell’s Plain, due to the accelerating migration from the rural Eastern Cape. The City of Cape Town is doing a fair amount of work in the field of urban agriculture through the Urban Agriculture Policy it adopted in 2007. However, this research concludes that urban agriculture in Africa, including South Africa, still does not receive the necessary recognition or support when compared to the developed world.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africans earning less than Rl 440 per month (18 million adults) and less than R2 880 per month (29 million adults) are regarded as poor and relatively poor respectively. Of the relatively poor, 78% are unbanked, i.e. do not have access to a formal bank account, while 86% of the poor are unbanked. These figures show clearly that commercial banks do not meet the financial needs of many people, especially the poor for savings, credit, transmission and insurance services. Therefore the importance of those institutions that do not form part of the formal financial sector and provide micro savings and micro credit services, generally referred to as micro finance, to the poor at the local level on a sustainable basis. The objective of this research is twofold. Firstly, a review of the literature on micro finance in general to establish the financial needs of the poor, the constraints formal financial institutions face in providing micro financial services and to identify best practice regarding the provision of financial services to the poor in order to be in the position to form an opinion on institutional success. Secondly, to analyse a specific South African micro finance initiative, Financial Services Cooperatives (FSCs), to identify how FSCs relate to the international best practice and to establish whether they are successful in addressing the financial needs of the poor. A FSC is a financial institution through which micro finance services (savings, credit, transmission and insurance) are extended to unbanked households in a rural village. It utilises a community's rules, customs, relationships, knowledge, solidarity and resources combined with formal financial methods and concepts. The FSC is initiated, owned, financed and managed by the villagers themselves. FSCs are registered cooperatives under the Cooperative Act of 1981 and may accept deposits from their members in terms of an exemption from the Bank Act of 1990. Currently, FSCs experience problems in providing credit, transmission and insurance services, preventing them from intermediating between borrowers and savers. After reviewing the above-mentioned international best practice the conclusion reached with regard to FSCs includes the following: FSCs only provide savings services and therefore do not intermediate between borrowers and savers as required for a financial institution. This in tum prevents them from being sustainable. FSCs' failure can be ascribed to the restrictive legislation, unsuccessful regulation and supervision. New legislation is currently under review that will change the landscape for micro finance and specifically for FSCs. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrikaners wat minder as Rl 440 per maand (18 miljoen volwassenes) en minder as R2 880 per maand verdien (29 miljoen volwassenes) word onderskeidelik as arm and relatief arm bestempel. Agt-en-sewentig persent van dié wat relatief arm is, het nie toegang tot 'n formele bankrekening nie, terwyl 86% van dié wat arm is, geen toegang het nie. Hierdie syfers toon duidelik dat kommersiële banke nie aan die finansiële behoeftes, met betrekking tot spaar-, krediet-, transmissie- en versekeringsdienste van baie mense voldoen nie, veral nie die armes nie. Daarom dat instellings wat nie deel vorm van die formele finansiële sektor nie en mikrobesparings en mikro-krediet, algemeen bekend as mikro-finansies, in 'n plaaslike gebied en op 'n volhoubare basis verleen, belangrik is. Die doel van hierdie navorsing is tweeledig: Eerstens, bied dit 'n oorsig oor die mikro-finansiering literatuur ten einde die finansiële behoeftes van die armes te ondersoek en die beperkings wat formele finansiële instellings ondervind om mikro-finansiële dienste te verskaf, aan te stip. Beste praktyk rakende die voorsiening van finansiële dienste aan die armes word geïdentifiseer, om sodoende in 'n posisie te wees om 'n opinie te kan vorm oor institusionele suksesfaktore. Tweedens, om a spesifieke Suid-Afrikaanse mikro-finansiële inisiatief, Finanical Services Cooperatives (FSCs) te ondersoek, ten einde vas te stel hoe hierdie inisiatief vergelyk met internasionale beste praktyk en hoe suksesvol dit is in die voorsiening van finansiële dienste aan die armes. 'n FSC is 'n finansiële instelling waardeur mikro-finansiële dienste (spaar-, krediet-, transmissie- en versekeringsdienste) verskaf word aan diegene in 'n plattelandse nedersetting wat nie toegang tot formele bankdienste het me. FSCs maak gebruik van 'n gemeenskap se reëls, gebruike, verhoudings, kennis, solidariteit en hulpbronne en kombineer dit met formele finansiële metodes en konsepte. Dit is 'n inisiatief van die gemeenskap en word deur die inwoners van die nedersetting besit, finansier en bestuur. FSCs is geregistreerde koëperasies in terme van die Ko-operatiewe Wet van 1981, en mag ook deposito's van hulle lede aanvaar op grand van 'n vrystelling van die Bankwet van 1990. Tans ondervind FSCs probleme in die verskaffing van krediet-, transmissieen versekeringsdienste wat hulle verhoed om as tussenganger tussen leners en spaarders op te tree. Na die oorweging van die internasionale beste-praktyk, kan die volgende gevolgtrekking rakende FSCs gemaak word: FSCs tree nie op as tussenganger tussen leners en spaarders nie, soos vereis word van 'n finansiële instelling nie. Dit beperk gevolglik volhoubaarheid. Die mislukking kan toegeskryf word aan beperkte wetgewing, onsuksesvolle regulering en supervisie. Nuwe wetgewing is tans onder oorweging wat die landskap vir mikro finansiering en veral vir FSCs sal verander.

Thesis (M. A. (Biblical Studies)) -- University of the North, 1989 / Refer to the document

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Dev.Studies)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

The aim of this study was to determine the role of tourism, empowerment and participation in the socio-economic upliftment of the community of Umgababa. The research examines the views of the community on their socio-economic conditions, their willingness to participate in tourism business ventures and their perceptions and attitude towards communicating with other rural communities on tourism development. The study concludes that the socio-economic living conditions of the community of Umgababa are very poor and that empowerment and participation of the community in tourism could be an answer to their problems. Given the opportunity, the majority of the people were willing to participate in a tourism business venture. Investigation revealed that there is an abundance of natural and human resources in Umgababa to start a tourism business. The community also felt that by communicating their knowledge and experience they would be able to help other communities in their own development. / Geography / MA (Geography)

Poverty among individuals, households or communities is not a static condition. There are many factors which contribute to its causes and depth. In South Africa the economic gaps imposed by the previous apartheid government aggravated economic inequalities and caused considerable disparities, which has resulted in high unemployment rates. Inequalities were also manifest in the neglect of infrastructural and service provision as well in the effective absence of independent governance among some race group. This led to a call for pro-active initiatives by the post-1994 democratic government to remedy the living condition of the previously disadvantaged people. As part of its poverty relief drive the South African government has embarked on a series of developmental initiatives in bringing infrastructure related services to the poor and to reduce the enormous prevailing backlog, with the aim of increasing community participation, improving service delivery and promoting the upliftment of the lives of poor people through the medium of local governance. This study investigated the Integrated Development Planning, which has been undertaken in Grahamstown in the Makana Municipality in the Eastern Cape to respond to the prevailing poverty and underdevelopment among the poor communities. Relying on their developmental mandate to initiate and co-ordinate all development activities within their area of jurisdiction through the IDP, the Makana Municipality has drawn up a development strategic plan in conjunction with the local communities and with other stakeholders and organisations to identify and assess development backlogs within the communities with the aim of addressing such backlogs. This study revealed from the interviews conducted with some municipal personnel and questionnaires administered to sampled residents of Grahamstown that some faces of poverty, such as unemployment and lack of access to some of the most basic of infrastructure such as, sanitation facilities, water, electricity, formal house, education, security and recreation facilities are apparent in Grahamstown. However, the Makana Municipality through, the IDP has achieved some notable feats in the provision of providing some of the basic amenities such as water, housing, electricity and sanitation albeit at a slow rate. The mechanism of delivery is hampered by bureaucratic settings within government and the ambiguity attached to some of the projects. The service and infrastructural developments targeted towards the poor and the involvement of communities in the affairs of the local government might be seen as a partially panacea for poverty alleviation in South Africa. However the capacity of the local governments to effectively carry out this developmental challenge assignment might be a new twist in the developmental challenge facing local governments in South Africa. The thesis provides an overview of the Makana Municipality IDP and the degree to which is serving as one mechanism to address poverty in the Grahamstown urban area

The Church social missions have undergone different paradigm shifts whilst trying to respond to challenges faced by the poor in the society. It seems that at the beginning the Development paradigm was the one used by churches in designing their social mission strategies. According to this paradigm, help for the poor in the society was to come from the Western countries’ development initiatives; in the process of implementing such strategies the local people’s cultural aspirations were often neglected. On the other hand, the poor were not given a chance to take destiny into their own hands in order to define the solutions to their problems. However, this paradigm was later declared a failure and a need to move to the Post Development Paradigm was advocated. This study argues that most churches in Mankweng still base their social missions strategies on the Development paradigm and therefore they fail to adequately respond to the challenges faced by the poor in that community. The study therefore looks at a possibility of developing a new social mission strategyin Mankweng that is based on the Post Development Paradigm. Though the title is about Mankweng, the focus of the study is on the Western part of the Township called Ntshitshane. Observations and interviews were conducted amongst the community members in that area. After a thorough analysis of the findings it was established that the poor in that context relies among other things on their cultural ethic of bothoas a means of addressing their social challenges. This study concludes that the same cultural ethic of botho used by the poor there can be a viable point of departure in defining a social mission strategy within that context. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

Poverty, unemployment and inequality constitute the three main challenges to the attainment of universal socio-economic development within the Republic of South Africa. The government is the Republic of South Africa is grappling to alleviate and eradicate poverty since the dawn of freedom in April 1994. Further, poverty and inequality is historically racially biased due to the segregation which non-whites suffered during the pre-freedom era. The Eastern Cape Province has been regard as the poorest of all the nine provinces in South Africa. The war on poverty in the province has been intensified through the utilisation of social grants as social safety nets under an inclusive social security system. Despite of this poverty alleviation intervention, the prevalence rates of poverty the province remains alarmingly high.

Through collaborative monitoring and case study comparison, this thesis explores conceptual and methodological approaches to monitoring transitions toward adaptive co-management. In so doing, a number of knowledge gaps are addressed. Firstly, conceptual and methodological frameworks are developed for monitoring transitions toward adaptive co-management. Secondly, a conceptual and practical approach to monitoring the processes of collaboration and learning is developed and tested. Thirdly, a conceptual and practical approach to monitoring the governance outcomes of adaptive co-management is developed and tested. Fourthly, a conceptual and practical approach to monitoring the livelihood outcomes of adaptive co-management is developed and tested. Based on the outcomes from these four components of the study, this thesis explores the ways in which transitions toward adaptive co-management might be initiated under the resource poor conditions that characterise South Africa's communal areas. The four case studies explored in the study are described as 'resource poor' in terms of institutional capacity, ecosystem productivity and social vulnerability. From a resilience perspective these case studies can be described as being in the re-organisation phase of the adaptive cycle following multiple disturbances over time, largely due to South Africa's historical 'separate development' policies. Scholars have suggested that it is in this re-organisation phase that innovation and novelty might occur. The lens of social learning is applied to analyse collaborative processes within these contexts. Results indicate that the institutional innovation necessary for transitions toward adaptive co-management relies on careful facilitation by an 'honest broker'. Equally important is finding a balance between maintaining key individuals and knowledge holders within decision making networks, and preventing rigidity and vulnerability within communities of practice. The results point to an over simplification in the rhetoric that currently surrounds the learning outcomes of multi level networks. The governance outcomes of the initiatives are explored through the lenses of adaptive governance, social capital, adaptive capacity and self-organisation. Results indicate that under resource poor conditions creating the conditions that facilitate self-organisation is the major challenge facing transformations toward adaptive governance. Long term access to reliable information and capacity and financial support for adaptive management are key constraining variables. The livelihood outcomes of the initiatives are analysed through the lens of resilience and diversification. Results suggest that flexibility, rather than livelihood diversity, is the key livelihood strategy employed by households in situations were options are limited. Interventions that enhance opportunities for households to specialise in situ by actively dealing with structural constraints, such as access to markets and credit, is vital to encouraging innovation during transitions toward adaptive co-management. Based on the results from monitoring, this study identifies key focus areas that require a great deal more attention if transitions toward adaptive co-management are to be initiated under resource poor conditions.