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Periodical article | Leiden University catalogue | WorldCat |
Title: | Managing Communal Vegetable Production in Lesotho: The Case of Communal Gardens |
Author: | Mashinini, Vusi |
Year: | 2001 |
Periodical: | Africanus |
Volume: | 31 |
Issue: | 2 |
Pages: | 6-16 |
Language: | English |
Geographic term: | Lesotho |
Subjects: | collective farms horticulture Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups) Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment Development and Technology |
Abstract: | Communal gardens in most parts of Lesotho are in a state of collapse. This paper first discusses the historical policy context of community gardens and outlines their modus operandi. It then focuses on the unsustainable management of communal garden resources due, amongst others, to social differences among community members in age, gender, economic resources, status and political affiliation, which generate conflict in terms of access and withdrawal rights. Moreover, the multiple users and user groups involved in community gardens accentuate conflicts. This is buttressed by disagreements over the tenure of user groups, the prevalence of free riders, vandalism and the failure of communal garden committees to effectively apply and enforce rules of behaviour among members and rules of exclusion to non-members. Given the importance of communal gardens, as emphasized by all of the Kingdom's national five-year development plans, it is necessary to compile a nationwide inventory of communal gardens and make an in-depth analysis of their contribution to sustainable rural livelihoods in Lesotho. Bibliogr., sum. |