A research report submitted to the Faculty of Science, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2016. / This report examines the potential for private in commercial land-use activities to yield a positive return to capital as well as ecosystem infrastructure in South Africa. Intact ecosystem infrastructure in South Africa is concentrated in the Eastern Cape, Kwa-Zulu Natal and Mpumalanga, all of which have a high prevalence of communal land-ownership and small-scale farmers. These areas are under threat of rapid degradation from poor land-use practices including over-grazing, over-harvesting of forestry products, alien encroachment and over-frequent burning resulting in soil erosion and degradation, decreased water retention and quality as well as denudation and biodiversity loss. As such developing effective strategies to respond to the drivers of land degradation is a critical task for ecosystem goods and services preservation. While the majority of existing state led strategies around sustainable land-use, land-reform and rural development in these areas have proven ineffective there are notable exceptions emanating from the state, NGOs and the private sector. This report analyses these examples in case study format, pointing out the key features of each case with regards to the enabling environment and primary outcomes from both a financial and ecosystem infrastructure returns perspective. Specific attention is also given to the development of effective social processes that have a proven track-record improving the social base that underlies effective socio-ecological systems. The end goal of the report is to provide a theoretical model designed for real-world application / LG2017

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Political Studies, Johannesburg, March 2017 / The role of youth in development in South Africa is of increasing concern to development practitioners. Figuring out how to maximise youth participation in a way that is meaningful is often difficult, particularly in national discourse around development. This is important because of the centrality of youth in demographic trends as well as the role of citizen participation in advancing democracy. Currently, the scope for meaningful youth participation in South Africa is limited because of access to opportunities for participation, and a perception of social status as a requirement for involvement in development; this, coupled by a lack of political will and the inability to adopt people-centred approaches to development mean that youth participation is often ignored in development processes. Within these contexts, this paper looks to assess whether there is a developmental environment which is conducive to meaningful youth participation. Through an analysis of field data obtained through interviews with youth in Tembisa as well as National Planning Commissioners, this paper analyses the scope of youth participation as it related to the National Development Plan. This data draws conclusions about youth perceptions of development, the National Development Plan and their role in national development. It also draws conclusions about the ways the National Planning Commission envisions the role of youth in the implementation of the plan, as well as their role in creating an enabling environment for youth participation. These insights are grounded in a theory of a democratic developmental state and the Capabilities Approach, assessing which approach to development would best create an environment for meaningful youth participation / XL2018

Submitted by Celso Magalhaes (celsomagalhaes@ufrrj.br) on 2017-10-23T10:26:53Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2016 - Fernando Oliveira Mateus.pdf: 4428090 bytes, checksum: 328440bdde67b772d9be4e74428efbb1 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-10-23T10:26:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2016 - Fernando Oliveira Mateus.pdf: 4428090 bytes, checksum: 328440bdde67b772d9be4e74428efbb1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-10-26 / Throughout History, electricity has proven to be an important vector for development. In general, national Human Development Indexes ? HDIs have evolved in straight correlation with the country?s per capita consumption of electric energy. In line with this inference, Brazil set a legal framework that requires universal access to electric energy. Such universal access still hasn?t been reached though, in spite of successive rural electrification programs in the past and the LUZ PARA TODOS (LIGHT FOR ALL), in course since 2003. In the wake of these programs, as a strategy to effectively turn energy into a vector for development, ELETROBRAS conceived the implementation of community projects to benefit the production of communities that receive electrification and demonstrate vocation to a given economic activity, thus fostering the local economy. These projects were named Community Centers for Production ? CCPs, which have been implemented in rural Brazil with the support of ELETROBRAS or the MINISTRY OF MINES AND ENERGY itself. However, the number of implemented CCPs still falls short of Brazil?s needs, and, judging by the CCP cases addressed in this study, the consolidation of a specific program to better explore the productive potential of Brazilian rural communities is well deserved. Currently, the biggest challenge is delivering electrification to communities in remote regions, which cannot be connected to conventional power grids. In these locations, electrification must be done mainly with photovoltaic systems, which are substantially more expensive. As it happens in regions electrified with conventional power grids, electrification may offer Brazilians living along rivers and in remote regions not only access to the comforts of lighting and refrigerating food, but also a sustainable way of generating income and/or promoting their own food security. Among the challenges to the implementation of CCPs in rural Brazil and especially in remote regions, we highlight the elaboration of projects, and the lack of regular financing to fund equipments that could benefit the local production. As alternative, we point out possible institutional arrangements with agents of complementary vocations, organized with the Avant-garde Entities developed by the Alberto Luiz Coimbra Post-graduation and Research Institute in Engineering ? COPPE, using regulatory resources already available in the electricity sector that nowadays are exclusively destined to R&D projects. For CCPs in remote regions of northern Brazil, the Amazon Fund, run by the National Social and Economic Development Bank ? BNDES, could also be used / Ao longo da hist?ria tem se verificado que a eletricidade ? um importante vetor de desenvolvimento dos povos. De modo geral, os ?ndices de Desenvolvimento Humano-IDH dos pa?ses t?m evolu?do com estreita correla??o com o consumo per capta de energia el?trica. Alinhado com essa constata??o foi definido no Brasil um Marco Legal que exige a universaliza??o do acesso ? energia el?trica. Tal universaliza??o ainda n?o foi alcan?ada, apesar de sucessivos programas de eletrifica??o rural do passado e do PROGRAMA LUZ PARA TODOS-PLpT, em curso desde 2003. Na esteira desses programas, como estrat?gia para que a energia seja efetivamente um vetor de desenvolvimento, foi idealizado pela ELETROBRAS que tamb?m pudessem ser implementados empreendimentos comunit?rios para beneficiar a produ??odaquelas comunidades que seriam atendidas e que tivessem uma reconhecida voca??o produtiva, de modo a dinamizar a economia local. A esses empreendimentos deu-se o nome de Centros Comunit?rios de Produ??o-CCP, que foram implantados em algumas localidades do interior brasileiro com o apoio da pr?pria ELETROBRAS ou pelo pr?prio MINIST?RIO DE MINAS E ENERGIA. Entretanto, o n?mero de unidades implementadas ainda ? muito aqu?m do que a realidade brasileira exige e, a julgar pelos exemplos de CCPs abordados no presente estudo, merece que se consolide um programa espec?fico para que o potencial produtivo das comunidades rurais brasileiras possa ser mais bem explorado. O maior desafio atual ? o atendimento das popula??es das regi?es isoladas, que n?o podem ser interligadas ?s redes convencionaisde distribui??o el?trica. Nessas localidades, o atendimento dever? ser feito, principalmente, por sistemas fotovoltaicos de gera??o, que s?o substancialmente mais caros. Tal como ocorre nas regi?es atendidas com redes el?tricas convencionais, o processo de eletrifica??o pode oferecer aos brasileiros ribeirinhos ou que vivem em regi?es remotas, n?o apenas o acesso aos confortos da ilumina??o e refrigera??o de alimentos, mas tamb?m uma forma sustent?vel de se obter renda e/ou promover a sua seguran?a alimentar. Dentre os gargalos que t?m dificultado a implementa??o dessas unidades produtivas no interior brasileiro e em especial nas regi?es isoladas, neste trabalho o autor destaca como principais, a elabora??o dos projetos dos empreendimentos e a aus?ncia de fonte de recurso regular para custear os equipamentos que iriam beneficiar a produ??o local. Como alternativa, aponta poss?veis arranjos institucionais com atores com voca??es complementares, organizados pela metodologia dos Organismos de Vanguarda desenvolvida pela COPPE, trabalhando com os recursos regulat?rios j? dispon?veis no setor el?trico e que hoje se destinam exclusivamente a projetos de P&D. Para unidades nas regi?es remotas do norte do pa?s, opcionalmente se poderia lan?ar m?o do Fundo Amaz?nia que ? gerido pelo BNDES

Thesis (M Dev.)--University of Limpopo, 2006. / Eliminating poverty and deprivation and their negative social effects is a critical challenge facing South Africa today. No political democracy can survive and flourish if the masses of the people remain in poverty, are landless, and do not have tangible materials for a better life. Attacking poverty and deprivation should be a priority of any democratic government (RDP 1994:1, 2, 9). Then South African government like its counterparts in the developing world is being restructured to improve governance and alleviate poverty. Optimal agricultural performance by small-scale farmers for poverty relief, food security, is shown to increase income and employment. Recognizing the contribution of these farmers in agricultural development and helping them improve their farming methods and secure small loans would impact favorably on poverty alleviation in the rural areas. The aim of this study is to determine the role played by rural development projects in poverty alleviation. In addition policy options, consequences and recommendations will be entertained. / Not listed

Thesis (M.DEV.) -- University of Limpopo, 2013 / The study aims to provide insights into the nature and extent of development funding provided to various poverty eradication projects by the National Development Agency (NDA) and its subsequent impact on reducing poverty in the predominantly rural communities of the Makhuduthamaga Municipality in the Limpopo Province. It examines in detail the impact made by the NDA on community development through the disbursement of funds to poverty eradication projects. It also provides insights into the total number of the NDA-funded projects and the total proportion of the NDA-funds allocated to them in the Makhuduthamaga Municipality. The study further examines the nature of the NDA support regarding the design of the interventions, relevance, participation of communities, delivery modalities and sustainability. The effectiveness of the NDA-funded projects in community development is determined using employment opportunities created, income generated, skills transferred, assets accumulated, sustainability mechanisms and community empowerment indicators. Although all of these indicators are found to be tightly linked to the NDA’s mandate of poverty eradication, the extent to which the NDA has achieved its objectives in disbursing development funding earmarked for poverty eradication and strengthening of CSOs was yet to be determined, hence the relevance of this study. The study, therefore, highlights key issues regarding the types of employment opportunities created and levels of income emanating from the NDA-funded projects. The study further highlights various areas of community empowerment, financial and sustainability measures put in place for the sustainability of the NDA-funded projects. Using a combined method of research, that is the qualitative and quantitative case study approach, the study highlights in detail insights into the impact made by the NDA on community development, particularly on Makhuduthamaga Municipality. The study highlights that while the NDA made some strides in the creation of employment opportunities, income generation, food security and community empowerment, both financial and institutional sustainability proved to be a daunting challenge for the NDA-funded projects Tailor-made and accredited training interventions coupled with the introduction of market-driven products to the NDA-funded projects as opposed to heavy reliance on donor funding will go a long way in bringing about productivity and, most probably, positive balance sheets and the maximum impact on the NDA funded projects.

South Africa is currently experiencing a paucity of skills in certain occupations and high rate of illiteracy. In order to address these challenges, the government promulgated legislations such as the Skill Development Act, 1998, Skills Development Levies Act, 1999, South African Qualifications Act, (SAQA) and other policies aimed at reducing the rate of illiteracy through providing Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET). These are progressive and commendable policies, as part of their implementation, many people (unemployed and employed) have received training in various trades using funds from the National Skills Fund (NSF). The study was therefore undertaken in order to learn about beneficiaries’ experiences and perceptions they hold towards these programmes. This study was conducted at KwaCeza through the Masibumbane community development project. The members of the Masibumbane community development project received skills training which was funded by the Department of Labour (NSF) in 2005. The training was aimed at enhancing their chances of accessing income generating opportunities. They were trained in carpentry, bricklaying, sawing and poultry farming. The study sought to establish how these project members perceived the skills development programme and learn more about their experiences during and after receiving training. The findings of the study revealed that the Skills Development Programme is perceived certainly as one of the effective programmes the government has ever introduced in South Africa. If well co-ordinated, it can play an important role in closing the skills gap that exists in the South African economy. However, the main challenge is that the majority of the people trained could not access job opportunities and have therefore lost hope. It became clear that the training they received was not demand led. The training was not linked to job opportunities available in the community, the people that were trained had no choice, but to take what was offered to them as they were desperate for income generating opportunities. The group that was trained in sewing and poultry farming had no market for their produce. This therefore implies that the Department of Labour as the custodian of skills development cannot successfully create employment opportunities for the unemployed people without the participation of various state departments and private sector. Other stakeholders need to work hand in glove with the Department of Labour in order to ensure that people are equipped with relevant skills and are able to access income generating opportunities in the open labour market. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

Rural development is a serious problem in Bangladesh, and so is the situation of women. This thesis assesses the programmes offered by a particular non-governmental organization, the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC), which simultaneously promote rural development and improve the status of women. This assessment is achieved by examining the functioning and impact of these programmes in a single village. The study is exploratory and uses qualitative methods, employing principally unstructured but in-depth interviews. Results indicate that most village women were aware of the need for improvement in the position of women, but interest, and thus active participation, was greater among those who were widowed or divorced. For these women, the programmes did succeed in raising their income through better technical knowledge, and in some ways improved their position in the family and society. They did not, however, succeed in raising their administrative knowledge, confining them to "women's only" projects, and did little to increase political empowerment.

Many of the Third World countries are characterised by high levels of poverty in the rural areas. So, many government strategies are geared towards improving the living standards of the poor rural masses through introduction of cash crops in the agricultural sector. These are meant to create employment opportunities and provide a sustainable supply of income for the rural poor. Asparagus production in Lesotho is one of those strategies that was used by the government to combat rural poverty. In the past years, especially during the initial years of implementation of the asparagus project. the peasants achieved sustainable livelihoods. However, in the last decade, the asparagus project was confronted with many difficulties that made it less beneficial to the peasants. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2001.

Since the 1950s, various paradigms of development have aimed to achieve improvement in the living conditions in the developing world (Africa, Asia and Latin America). Today the effects of globalisation have increased the gap between the information and technology haves and have-nots and development practice (born out of the paradigms developed over the last fifty years) now seeks to address issues such as access to Information Communication Technology (ICT) and the need for developing countries to participate in the global economy. The practice of development has and continues to raise debate, as Friberg and Hettne (1985 in Melkote and Steeves, 2001:19) note "there is no universal path to development. Each society must find its own strategy". Thus development projects have ranged in approach and focus. This research project examines the first year of the joint venture between the Media in Education Trust (MiET) and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education (KZNDE) to develop Education Centres Supporting Rural Development in KwaZulu-Natal. These education centres aim to address a number of development issues for rural communities in KwaZulu-Natal. Through these centres access is provided for schools and communities in the area to Information Communication Technology, teacher development programmes, educational materials (including textbooks), library services, skills development programmes (including Adult Basic Education and Training), youth programmes and HIV/AIDS education and support. This research examines the Education Centres project in relation to Development Communication Theory and the local and global development context. The local context focuses on the challenges faced by South Africa as a developing nation and the urban-rural divide. The global perspective is gained through examining the centres project in relation to the Millennium Development Goals. In order to examine the Education Centres, this research project examines three centres in KwaZulu-Natal and their objectives in relation to the issues of participation, access, sustainability and the economic and socio-economic impact of the development project. These issues relate not only to the local and global context for development but to the relationship between technology, education and development. This Education Centres project is still in the early stages and thus the challenges faced could still be resolved during the course of the project. The key challenges identified when examining the three centres in relation to the issues of participation, access, sustainability and the economic and socio-economic impact of the development project are the lack of physical resources currently available in the centres and the lack of Internet connectivity in two of the centres. These two factors restrict the centres from fully achieving their objectives in the context of access, participation, sustainability and the socio-economic impact of the project. The Education Centres project is scheduled to establish these Education Centres over four years. This research presents an analysis of the first year of the project, thus there is opportunity for additional research as the project progresses and this future research can more accurately examine if the Education Centres project is meeting its objectives in relation to the issues outlined in this research - those of access, participation, sustainability and the socio-economic impact of the development project. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2006.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Dev.Studies)-University of Natal, Durban, 2001.