Thesis (M.A.)--Carleton University, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Small scale farmers represent 80% of all farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and contribute up to 90% of agriculture production. Small scale farming is not without its problems and sub-Saharan Africa has one of the lowest agriculture productivities in the world - this despite ample land and water availability. These problems include inter alia, the fundamental lack of economies of scale and access to market, high transaction costs, and limited access to finance. This is in a global environment, where contract farming is becoming very dominant in agriculture: In 2010, 41% of the North American agriculture output was sold on contract, compared to 11% in the ‘60’s. The research objective was to evaluate contract farming as a vertical integration mechanism for small scale farmers to take advantage of this growing long term trend. To this end, a hypothesis was proposed that contract farming is a practical model that increases farm income for the small scale farmer. In support of this hypothesis, five propositions were tested, viz: does contract farming provide market linkage, reduce transaction costs, increase rural development, raise production output, and can it be applied across different crops. The research followed a deductive approach and a qualitative data collection method. The propositions were tested using empirical evidence obtained from semi-structured interviews with companies involved in contract farming. The hypothesis was confirmed by the evidence presented. The individual propositions: market linkage, transaction costs, rural development and different crops were all supported. However the evidence presented that contract farming raises output was inconclusive. These findings are however, subject to solving a number of issues - such as land transfer, mitigating the effect of low economies of scale, controlling side selling, and having a dispensation that increases profits over the long term. Further to the findings, a model framework is proposed to structure a contract farming system. With 60% of the sub-Saharan population involved in agriculture, the ability to increase farm side income presents an enormous opportunity to contribute to rural economic prosperity. This is not only for the benefit of farmer, but also for his community, via the multiplier effect. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / ccgibs2014 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / MBA / Unrestricted

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the Masters of Art (Community Work) in the Department of Social Work University of Zululand, South Africa, 2001. / This study is about the significance of income generating projects in Kwa-Ngwanase area. The study was conducted on poverty alleviation projects funded by the Department of Welfare and Population Development As an evaluative research, semi-structured interviews were conducted. A sample of twenty projects was drawn, fourty respondents were interviewed where two were from each project-Related literature has been reviewed that focuses on poverty alleviation and income generating projects. Various recommendations have been made based on the findings of the study. The findings of the study indicated a need for training project members in capacity building. Project members also need to be motivated in one way or the other so that they can develop a sense of ownership and work hard for the success of their own projects. The research findings indicated clearly that the strategies and policies were not effective enough in achieving the desired goals of poverty alleviation.

Thesis (M.Com. (Information Systems)) - Rhodes University, 2007.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLIAH ABSTRACT: Several indispensable variables for effective community development include, among others: development skills, networking and partnership, and community participation in the development project life cycle. The study aimed to derive relevant lessons about these factors for Rwanda from the South African community development experience. A literature study was first undertaken on key concepts such as participation, rural community, development, and policy and practice. Literature on principles and policies guidelines for community development in both the South African and Rwandan contexts was also reviewed. Within the perspective of comparative analysis, the socio-political and historical backgrounds of both countries served as the basis of criteria for selecting four case studies. From South Africa, three case studies were selected from both the apartheid and post-apartheid periods. One postapartheid study was regarded as unsuccessful and one was successful. The third is a successful ongoing case that straddles the apartheid and post-apartheid periods. From Rwanda, a postgenocide ongoing case was selected on the grounds of its perceived success. A comparative analysis was undertaken of practical results and the South African experience provided actual relevance for Rwanda in specific ways. In complete contrast to the current view that community driven development depends on the political context, the study shows that it depends rather on a number of objective principles for active community participation. What is demonstrated is that community driven development cannot be adequately supported by the developer-centred, consultation, and blueprint approaches because they fail to inspire active community participation. Nor can community participation be seen merely as cheap labour or superficial involvement. Instead, it implies empowering the community with development skills that enable people to acquire more choices and gain control of their community life. To achieve such empowerment, the study stresses the need for a shift toward the bottom-up approach to the planning and implementing of rural-based development projects. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Verskeie onmisbare veranderlikes vir doeltreffende gemeenskapsontwikkeling sluit, onder andere, die volgende m: ontwikkelingsvaardighede, netwerk en vennootskap, en gemeenskapsdeelname aan die lewensiklus van die ontwikkelingsprojek. Die studie het gepoog om relevante lesse omtrent hierdie faktore vir Rwanda af te lei uit Suid-Afrika se ondervinding ten opsigte van gemeenskapsontwikkeling. 'n Literatuurstudie oor sleutelbegrippe soos deelname, landelike gemeenskap, ontwikkeling en beleid en praktyk, is eers onderneem. Literatuur oor beginsels en beleidsriglyne vir gemeenskapsontwikkeling in sowel die Suid- Afrikaanse as Rwandese omgewings is ook bestudeer. Binne die perspektief van vergelykende analise, het die sosio-politiese en historiese agtergrond van albei lande gedien as die basis van die kriteria waarvolgens vier gevallestudies gekies is. Drie Suid-Afrikaanse gevallestudies is uit die apartheids- en die post-apartheidsera gekies. Een post-apartheidstudie is as onsuksesvol beskou en een as suksesvol. Die derde geval is 'n suksesvolle, voortgaande een uit die apartheidsera en daarna. Uit Rwanda is 'n voortgaande geval uit die era na die volksmoord op grond van sy sigbare sukses gekies. 'n Vergelykende analise van die praktiese resultate is onderneem, en die Suid-Afrikaanse ondervinding het op spesifieke maniere wesenlike toepassings vir Rwanda verskaf. In algehele teenstelling met die huidige opvatting dat gemeenskapsgedrewe ontwikkeling afhang van die politieke omgewing, wys hierdie studie dat dit eerder van 'n aantalobjektiewe beginsels vir aktiewe gemeenskapsdeelname afhang. Wat gedemonstreer word, is dat gemeenskapsgedrewe ontwikkeling nie voldoende deur ontwikkelaargesentreerde, konsultasie- en bloudrukbenaderings ondersteun kan word nie, aangesien hulle nie daarin slaag om aktiewe gemeenskapsdeelname te inspireer nie. Net so kan gemeenskapsdeelname nie bloot gesien word as goedkoop arbeid of oppervlakkige betrokkenheid nie. Dit impliseer eerder die bemagtiging van die gemeenskap met ontwikkelingsvaardighede wat mense in staat stelom meer keuses te bekom en om beheer oor hulle gemeenskapslewe te verkry. Die studie beklemtoon dat, ten einde hierdie bemagtiging te bereik, daar 'n skuif moet plaasvind na die benadering waar die gemeenskap betrokke is by die beplanning en implementering van landelikgebaseerde ontwikkelingsprojekte.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1985 K37 / Master of Arts

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters in Technology: Public Management, Durban University of Technology, 2013. / This thesis explores the management of community development projects in Mafunze and Inadi Tribal authorities. These are rural areas situated on the Westside of Pietermaritzburg along Bulwer Road. The community development projects were developed as means for rural development after the apartheid regime. When the African National Congress came into power after the first democratic elections in 1994, they came up with a working policy document which was the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP). Most of the community development projects were executed as per principles of the RDP. The management of these projects involved a number of stakeholders as dealt with extensively in the study. The research was a case study analysis which aimed to determine the extent to which socio- economic upliftment is achieved through community development projects and their management thereof. The sample was drawn from a population of eleven community projects. Project committee members were interviewed in their mother language as most of the committee members would not understand English. The study concentrated on the views and opinions of the stakeholders in the management of community projects. The responses were translated from IsiZulu to English while other comments were captured in IsiZulu then translated into English. The ethical conduct and confidentiality was highly emphasized and kept as such as project communities feared that they may be victimised. The study revealed that total commitment of the community in development issues is vital. This called for active participation in planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. It also revealed that most projects collapsed after being handed over to the community; further, the study did reveal that there was more room for improvement in terms of skills exchange programmes with the international community.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Development, a non-ceasing phenomenon as long as mankind has dwelt on this planet, IS a complex matter which encompasses the three bottom-lines, i.e. social, economic and environmental aspects and aims at improving the quality of life. In fact, development issues are always challenging countries and their leaders as they try to introduce strategies and projects to benefit their rural sector which constitutes, especially in developing countries, most of the population who are living in poverty and continuing to stagger in very destitute level. One of these countries is Eritrea, a nation of which more than 80% live in rural areas and which is rated one of the lowest twenty nations on the human development index (measurement of literacy, health and life expectancy status) as well as the human poverty index of which 53% of the population lived below national poverty line during the period of 1987 to 2000 (UNDP, 2002). This paper is an attempt to discuss rural development and how it is being implemented in relation to Eritrea's reconstructions and rehabilitation efforts that took place after its freedom from foreign occupation. It is an assessment on the rural projects' planning and implementation process, and eventually also looks at the impacts they have on the life of the beneficiaries. As a whole, this research paper consists of an introduction and nine chapters. It can be classified into five parts, i.e. the theoretical literature, the country's status in specific fields, the sample research areas, an overall synthesis and lastly conclusions and recommendations as one part. The theoretical background revolves around rural areas and their reasons for poverty, different development theories within which rural development could be seen as one ingredient, and focuses on participatory rural development where projects can play vital roles in changing life style especially when they are managed in an integrated way touching main areas of need. The second section of the paper is a general overview of the socio-economic status of Eritrea and some of the efforts made by the government. These are mainly the health, education, water supply, agriculture and darn construction projects, accomplished mainly by government in partnership with domestic and foreign NGOs, whereas the same time people contributed mainly in kind. In relation to these five projects the researcher has drawn up questionnaires and personally filled them in five villages, namely Sheeb, Ade-awhi, Korbariaya, Azien and Wara, while at the same time holding discussions with the beneficiaries. In this section the assessment of the people's state and their response in relation to the planning process as well as impacts of the projects on their lives have been made for every village. In other words, the chapter shows the practical data analysis of the research. The next is, in similar form, an overall synthesis of the research. The researcher weighs and analyses the results in relation to planning issues, especially how far the people played a role in participation and the extent of their influence as well as their contentment with the end result in comparison to their expectations. Moreover, it investigates the projects' impact on the environment, and their influence on the socio-economic lives of the beneficiaries, and then sees how the projects have been managed at institutional level and whether the policies that are in effect have direct influence on initiating rural development projects. Finally some conclusions are drawn and recommendations are made that could be a benchmark for further studies and provide impetus to accelerate the present rural development planning and implementation. The researcher may have overlooked some necessary elements or missed some basic factors in dealing the current way of initiating development. But with the resources were available and the time at his disposal, while faced by the limitations explained in the introductory section of the paper, the researcher has made some efforts to highlight his convictions to the best of his academic ability. The sole purpose of his final statements is based on his wish for more rural upliftment and long-term as well as sustainable benefit to the rural people of his country, Eritrea. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ontwikkeling, 'n verskynsel wat nie ophou nie, bestaan al so lank as wat daar lewe op die planeet bestaan. Dit is 'n ingewikkelde saak wat drie aspekte behels: die sosiale, ekonomiese en omgewings aspekte en die doel daarvan is om lewensgehalte te verbeter. Ontwikkelingskwessies stel 'n uitdaging aan die leiers van lande; die regerings moet stategië uitwerk en projekte van stapel stuur wat die landelike sektor sal bevoordeel en veral in ontwikkelende lande, woon die grootste gedeelte van die bevolking op die platteland waar hulle gebuk gaan onder armoede. Eritrea is een van hierdie lande. 80% van die mense van Eritrea woon op die platteland. Etritrea word gereken as een van die twintig onontwikkelste lande op die menslike ontwikkelings indeks (wat geletterdheid, gesondheid en lewensverwagting meet) en ook op die menslike armoede indeks. 53% van die bevolking het vir die tydperk 1987 tot 2000 onder die nasionale armoedelyn geleef (UNDP, 2002). In hierdie studie word landelike ontwikkeling bespreek en hoe dit geïmplementeer is tydens die rekonstruksie en rehabilitasie pogings na die onafhanklikheid van Eritrea. Dit is 'n waardebepaling van die beplanning en implementasie van die landelike projekte en kyk ook na die impak wat dit op die lewens van die landelike bevolking gehad het. In die geheel bestaan hierdie studie uit 'n inleiding en nege hoofstukke. Dit kan in vyf afdelings ingedeel word: teoretiese literatuur, die stand van die land betreffende spesifieke gebiede, die navorsingsgebiede, 'n oorsigtelike sintese en ten laaste die gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings. In die teoretiese agtergrond gaan dit om die landelike gebiede en die redes vir armoede, asook die ontwikkelingsteorië waarin landelike ontwikkeling gesien word as een bestandeel. Dit fokus op deelnemende landelike ontwikkeling waarin projekte 'n belangrike rol kan speel om die lewensgehalte te verbeter, veral as dit bestuur word op 'n geïntegreerde wyse en die grootste behoeftes aanspreek. Die tweede afdeling is 'n algemene oorsig van die sosio-ekonomiese stand van Eritrea en van die regering se pogings om dit te verbeter. Die vyf projekte wat betudeer is, is gemoeid met gesondheid, onderwys, water voorsiening, landbou en die konstruksie van damme. Die regering het hierdie projekte onderneem in vennootskap met plaaslike en buitelandse nie-regerings organisasies (NGOs) maar die bevolking self het ook 'n bydrae gemaak, gewoonlik in die vorm van arbeid. Met betrekking tot hierdie vyf projekte het die navorser vraelyste opgestel en dit persoonlik in die vyf dorpies naamlik Sheeb, Ade-awhi, Korbariaya, Azien en Wara voltooi terwyl hy dan ook besprekings met die bevolking gehou het. In hierdie afdeling word daar vir elke dorpie'n waardebepaling gedoen van die toestand van die mense en hulle reaksie op die beplanningsproses asook die impak van die projek op hulle lewe. Dan volg 'n oorsigtelike sintese van die navorsing. Die navorser weeg die resultate op en analiseer dit veral betreffende beplanning en tot hoe verre die mense self 'n rol gespeel het, hoeveel invloed hulle gehad het en of die resultaat aan hulle verwagtings voldoen. Die studie kyk ook na die impak van die projek op die omgewing en die invloed wat dit gehad het op die sosio-ekonomiese lewens van diegene wat veronderstel is om voordeel daaruit te trek. Daar word gekyk na hoe die projekte op hoër vlak bestuur is en of regeringsbeleid 'n invloed het op die beplanning van landelike ontwikkelingsprojekte. Dan word gevolgtrekkings en aanbeveling gemaak wat tot nut kan wees vir ander navorsers en kan lei tot beter en vinniger beplanning en implementasie van landelike ontwikkelings projekte. Die navorser het dalk per abuis sekere elemente en basiese faktore oorgesien maar met die hulpbronne en tyd tot sy beskikking asook die beperkings wat in die inleiding tot die studie bespreek word, het hy sy oortuigings op skrif gestel tot die beste van sy vermoë. Hy hoop dat sy aanbevelings sal lei tot groter landelike ontwikkeling op die lang termyn en dat die mense van sy land, Eritrea, die volgehoue voordeel sal trek.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The fundamental purpose of this study is to establish the extent to which theory and practice relate in the context of community participation. The point of departure is to understand what participation entails and the methodologies available to the development practitioner. As illustrated by the case study, there is a meaningful relationship between theory and the practicing of Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), which is the methodology of choice for the project. Although the PRA techniques were utilized in gathering data for the project, many of the key decisions were made independently of the community. This brings to light the controversy between technical expertise on the one hand and to what extent the community should be included in any decisions made at this technical level, especially since they may only end up rubber-stamping the professional's opinions anyway. The question arises whether or not the whole concept of empowerment is simply a utopian concept. This is by no means an easy question to answer. However, the case study does illustrate that participation can be harnessed to achieve a successful project. It is important to note that even in difficult circumstances where 'dependency' has taken root, there exists hope that the people can actively participate in the project. It also reinforces the urgency of the need to actively encourage social change that will inspire people towards participation. This has been viewed for too long by the local people as the domain of the educated only. It is therefore important that development agencies create awareness of participation since it cuts across all their projects. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie is om vas te stel tot watter mate teorie en praktyk met mekaar verband hou binne die konteks van gemeenskapsdeelname in die bestuur van gemeenskapsprojekte. Die vertrekpunt van die studie is die verstaan van wat deelname behels, en watter metodologieë beskikbaar is vir ontwikkelingspraktisyns. Soos deur die gevallestudie geïllustreer, is daar 'n verband tussen die teorie en die praktiese gebruik van "Participatory Rural Appraisal" (PRA), die tegniek wat deur die spesifieke projek gebruik word. Alhoewel die PRA tegniek aangewend is, word baie van die belangrike besluite onafhanklik van die gemeenskap gemaak. Dit plaas 'n fokus op die kontroversiële posisie wat bestaan tussen tegniese insette aan die een kant en die mate waartoe gemeenskappe op hierdie tegniese vlak aan besluite moet deelneem, veral aangesien hierdie tipe deelname slegs op die roetine-goedkeuring van professionele sienswyses mag uitloop. Dit vra die pertinente vraag of deelname nie slegs 'n utopiese konsep is nie. Hierdie is nie 'n maklike vraag om te antwoord nie, maar, die gevallestudieondersoek ondersteun wel die idee dat deelname ingespan kan word om positiewe resultate vir 'n projek te verseker. Dit is belangrik om daarop te let dat selfs waar 'n sindroom van afhanklikheid ontwikkel het, die hoop bestaan om gemeenskappe aktief in projekte te laat deelneem. Hierdie beklemtoon die belangrikheid daarvan om sosiale verandering aan te moedig ten einde 'n positiewe ingesteldheid teenoor deelname te inspireer. Vir te lank reeds sien plaaslike gemeenskappe hierdie as die terrein slegs van opgeleide persone. Dit is dus belangrik dat ontwikkelingsagente aandag skenk daaraan om gemeenskappe te sensiteer rakende deelname, aangesien dit die suksesvolle uitvoering van al hulle projekte raak.

M.A. (Community Development) / Please refer to full text to view abstract