Thesis (MPhil (Animal Sciences. Livestock Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Information from 200 randomly selected egg project beneficiaries was obtain during 2008 to evaluate the impact of managerial factors on the sustainability of poverty alleviation egg laying projects in the Vhembe district, with special reference to the three municipalities (Mutale, Makhado, and Thulamela). A high proportion (80%) of the beneficiaries was poor rural women. The majority of these beneficiaries are old and illiterate. A high proportion of the beneficiary households is composed of extended families and headed by unemployed women. The majority of beneficiaries are sole breadwinners. The majority relies on agriculture and social grants as a source of income. All the beneficiaries indicated that the project increased the household income as a result of the revenue collected from the sale of eggs. From the study, 96% of the projects were initiated by Government, while only 3.52% were initiated by the beneficiaries themselves. A very high proportion of the beneficiaries (88.94%) was not given any opportunity to decide about the type of the project they were interested in. This also included a high proportion (60.61%) of beneficiaries who indicated they were not interested in starting an egg laying project. A high proportion of beneficiaries (60.71%) were not satisfied with the project, and 51.52% indicated is because of lack of funds and the remainder been because of lack of support from the government. A proportion (53.77%) of beneficiaries indicated that they are visited only once a week by extension officers. A high proportion of the beneficiaries (73.23%) rated the support that they get from the extension officers as poor. A high proportion of the beneficiaries received 36 layers, and only 3.02% were having more than 36 layers. About 69.35% of the beneficiaries didn’t know the causes of mortalities of their layers. This also confirmed the high proportion (65.85%) of beneficiaries who indicated that they were not trained to identify and treat diseases. About 73.87% of the beneficiaries rated the performance of the project as good. About 53.27% of the beneficiaries indicated that the project can sustain itself. A proportion of beneficiaries (52.76%) indicated the sustainability indicator as good market of the products. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Inligting van 200 lukraak geselekteerde eierprojek begunstigdes is tydens 2008 ingesamel, met die doel om die invloed van bestuursfaktore op die volhoubaarheid van armoede verligtings eierproduksie projekte in die Vhembe distrik, met spesiale verwysing na die drie munisipaliteite Mutale, Makhado en Thulamela. ‘n Groot proporsie (80%) van die begunstigdes was arm landelike vroue. Die meerderheid van hierdie vroue was oud en ook ongeskool. ‘n Groot proporsie van die begunstigde huishoudings bestaan uit direkte en verlangse familielede, met dié huishoudings wat werklose vrouens as familiehoofde het. Die meerderheid van die begunstigdes is ook die alleen broodwinners. Die meerderheid van die huishoudings maak staat op landbou en welsyn toekennings as ‘n bron van inkomste. Al die begunstigdes ht aangedui dat huishoudelike inkomste toegeneem het as gevolg van die verkoop van eiers geproduseer in die projekte. In die studie was 96% van die projekte deur die Regering geïnisieer, terwyl 3.52% van die projekte deur die begunstigdes self geïnisieer is. ‘n Groot proporsie van die begunstigdes (88.94%) was nie die geleentheid gegun om ‘n keuse te kan uitoefen oor die projek wat hulle wil doen nie. Hierdie laasgenoemde proporsie het ook die begunstigdes (60.61%) ingesluit wat aangedui het dat hulle nie in eierlê projekte belanggestel het nie. ‘n Groot proporsie van die begunstigdes (60.71%) was ontevrede met die projek, met 51.52% van hierdie groep wat dit aan ‘n tekort van fondse toegeskryf het. Die oorblywende 9.19% het dit aan ‘n gebrek van ondersteuning vanaf die Regering se kant toegeskryf. ‘n Proporsie van die begunstigdes (53.77%) het aangedui dat hulle een keer per week deur ‘n voorligtingsbeampte besoek word. ‘n Groot proporsie (73.23%) het die kwaliteit van ondersteuning deur die voorligtingsbeamptes as swak beoordeel. ‘n Groot proporsie van die begunstigdes het 36 lêhenne ontvang, met slegs 3.02% wat meer as 36 lêhenne ontvang het.Ongeveer 69.35% van die begunstigdes was onseker oor die redes vir die afsterwe van hulle lêhenne. Dit ondersteun die groot proporsie (65.85%) van die begunstigdes wat aangedui het dat hulle geen opleiding om siektes te kan identifiseer en te behandel, ontvang het nie. Ongeveer 73.87% van die begunstigdes het die projek as goed gereken, met 53.27% wat gevoel het die projek kan ditself onderhou. ‘n Proporsie (52.76%) van die begunstigdes het die bemarkingswaarde van hulle produk as ‘n volhoubaarheidsindikator beskou.