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 Periodical article |
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| Title: | Can it be achieved? Partnering towards improving livelihoods in the Ganspan settlement, Northern Cape Province, South Africa |
| Author: | Norris, D. |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Periodical: | Africa Development: A Quarterly Journal of CODESRIA (ISSN 0850-3907) |
| Volume: | 36 |
| Issue: | 1 |
| Pages: | 49-62 |
| Language: | English |
| Geographic term: | South Africa |
| Subjects: | livelihoods rural development subsistence farming |
| External link: | https://www.jstor.org/stable/24484040 |
| Abstract: | Although South Africa has a productive agricultural sector, largely due to extensive commercial farming, an estimated 14 million households are vulnerable to food insecurity. Ensuring that the rural poor have access to productive land in order to farm for subsistence has been a policy objective of the South African government. This article uses the Agricultural Research for Development (ARD) approach to determine the livelihood strategies of one such community, the Ganspan community in the Northern Cape Province. It examines the current socioeconomic dynamics of the area and how they impact on livelihoods, as well as visions for the future and an initial road map for achieving better livelihoods. Eighty out of 210 households were sampled to determine the livelihood typology of the settlement. Participatory rural appraisal tools were used to explore stakeholders' perceptions of the current problems/opportunities and the possible solutions. Only 3 percent of households are solely dependent on agriculture whereas the majority (76 percent) derive their livelihood from non-agricultural activities. The rest of the households derive their livelihood from both agricultural and non-agricultural activities. Agriculture makes a modest contribution to household income compared to social grants and employment. Generally, the community is economically depressed. The article concludes that collaboration and joint action by various stakeholders is essential for the sustainable development of the settlement. The establishment of an innovation platform with representatives of all relevant stakeholders is recommended in order to jointly implement integrated and inter-institutional development action plans. Bibliogr., sum. in English and French. [Journal abstract] |
