The spotlight on rural developed and sustainable livelihoods has increased over the years. Additionally, the importance of natural resources (specifically in poorer contexts and rural areas that have limited infrastructure and services) is well documented. This research focuses on examining the natural resource asset base of rural households in KwaDube, a rural community in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It argues that natural resources are central to rural households. The research further asserts that, for rural households to have sustainable livelihoods, their natural resources should be available, diverse and accessible. A diverse natural resource asset base provides rural households with a variety of strategies and means for strong livelihood outcomes and coping mechanisms during times of shocks and stress. The research establishes that KwaDube has 28 natural resources used by households of which land is the primary resource. However, households of KwaDube have limited control and access to land and other natural resources in their community. Research further establishes that due to the influence of patriachal traditions which favor men over women in the allocation of resources and opportunities, there is limited equitable access to natural resources. Added to the impact of partriarchy, this study observes that the other main challenge to natural resource accessibility and use is the continuity of Apatheid policies and traditional administrative arrangements which provided access and entitlements to specific groups of people at the expense of others (age, race and gender). The research notes the numerous challenges faced by rural households that highlight their inability to have adequate resources. There is generally very little if any ownership in the form of private property. The available natural resources such as land, forests and water are public property and are degraded. There are inadequate laws protecting use of public property, hence households find themselves exposed to over-consumed natural resources associated with the tragedy of the commons. Diminishing resources mean households continue to struggle to build strong natural resource asset bases. Consequently, households adopt livelihood strategies that are survivalist in nature such as seeking jobs elsewhere, diversifying their income by engaging in off-farm employment and engaging in petty trade using some of the natural resources in KwaDube. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.

Urbanisation is an inevitable process that creates opportunities for economic growth and development, however, it can come at the cost of urban poverty and environmental degradation - two of the greatest challenges facing policy-makers. The global failure to develop in a sustainable manner has led to the adoption of green economy in the context of poverty alleviation and sustainable development. Given South Africa’s high rates of urbanisation, the nation’s government, in partnership with civil society and the private sector, is taking steps to green its economy, with the transition ranging from large-scale solar installation projects to small-scale grassroots level projects where the green jobs are created for the poor, predominantly women, by paying them for environmental services. This research investigates how urban poor women in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, under the management of a local environmental non-governmental organisation (ENGO), Wildlands Conservation Trust (WCT), are using the green economy concept to generate income and contribute to environmental sustainability. Using a case study approach, three areas were selected in which semi-structured questionnaires were administered to women who are involved in a ‘green-preneurship’ initiative, consisting of three project nodes, namely, waste-, tree-, and food-preneurship. The women registered under the project collect and segregate waste for sale to the ENGO (waste-preneurs), while others grow indigenous trees for sale to the ENGO (tree-preneurs), and some grow food crops for subsistence and sale of any excess to community members (food-preneurs). The project is reducing poverty levels and empowering the women both economically and socially. Furthermore, while the primary incentive for participating in the green economy initiative was found to be financial, the project has helped to raise environmental awareness and is a mechanism through which women can contribute to environmental sustainability. Their voluntary participation in the project indicates the importance of urban poor women to green economy. This role stems from understanding the importance of the environment to their livelihood, and in this regard, green economy can be said to be addressing the social and environmental externalities of urbanisation, with women at the forefront. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

Since South Africa’s democratic transition poverty, especially in terms of income, has persisted. Poverty reduction strategies must focus on closing the gaps of current policies which miss the poorest. Specifically, attention must be paid to those living in rural areas. While the use of agriculture as a poverty reduction strategy was envisioned by government as one of the key components of land reform and rural advancement, its potential has been limited as South Africa agriculture in the post-apartheid era is challenged with providing opportunities and support for small-scale farming systems. It was thus the aim of this dissertation to address part of this crisis by engaging with smallscale farmers in an attempt to understand the barriers and opportunities that they confront when accessing inputs needed for agricultural production that contributes towards their livelihoods. This was explored through a case study in which two focus groups and ten qualitative interviews were conducted. Through this it was found that land is being used productively by resource poor farmers as a pathway from poverty. The inability to purchase fencing and the lack of easy access to water proved to be the two most significant barriers to crop production while accessibility to seeds was found not to be an issue when controlling for financial limitations. Opportunities arose as respondents relied on interdependent relationships between the different assets in their possession. Overall, it was concluded that with a more appropriate support system which focused on overcoming the lack of information and resources, as well as the lack of services and infrastructure productivity could improve giving small farmers the potential to make a larger contribution to reducing poverty. / Thesis (M.Dev.Studies)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

This work examines the notion of food security, how people see and define food security, how institutions and organizational efforts seek to assist people in food security ventures, and whether such ventures can be turned into sustainable livelihoods. The study was predominantly qualitative using a Sustainable Livelihoods Framework to determine people’s capabilities and capacities to generate food through food gardens, and the role played by food gardens in providing sustainable livelihoods. Thirty-seven unstructured interviews and two focus group discussions were conducted with food garden practitioners, community leaders and development facilitators. The study was done in a rural area of Vulindlela and the peri-urban setting of Imbali Township, both situated in Pietermaritzburg. It was established that irrespective of food availability, and even if nutritious and safe food supplies were adequate and markets were functioning well, food security can still occur, and people can still go hungry if they cannot afford to buy food. The level of education of food garden practitioners was very low, and social grants were the primary source of household income. The respondents defined food security not only in terms of food access and availability, but from the broad perspective of general improvement in their well-being. This includes other factors such as poor health, illiteracy and the lack of access to social services and a state of vulnerability and powerlessness. Access to assets and resources remains a big challenge facing food garden practitioners in the Msunduzi Municipality. Government departments, the business sector and the civil society need to come together to work as a unit in order to speed up service delivery and resource redistribution to the poor in a manner that is effective, efficient and sustainable. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.