This paper will critically analyze chapter 6 of the national development plan that focuses on inclusiveness of rural economy in development planning in South Africa. Rural integration is of vital importance in rejuvenating the economies of the rural areas that have been in relative marginalization in development planning since the apartheid era. The government therefore saw the need to stimulate economic growth in rural areas in order to foster employment opportunities and empowerment to local rural communities. Notably, this integration of rural areas into development planning will also have an impact on other rural specific problems such as health provision and access, water and sanitation issues. In addition the NDP also intent to curb the surging problem of rural-urban migration that is devastating to the stock of rural human capital which is vital towards local economic development. Nevertheless, there is need for a critical analysis of the viability and sustainability of job creation in the agro-processing sector proposed by the government given the current forces of globalization and climate change. In an effort to address the issues of climate change affecting agricultural activities, the document proposed the establishment of irrigation schemes in the rural areas which in a way contradicts with the 2030 vision of a ‘healthy’ environment in chapter 5 [you needs state the healthy environment perspective versus the issue on irrigated agriculture]. This paper therefore will consider government policy positions and its feasibility with respect to current problems and debates around economic development and development integration in the rural areas. A key concept highlighted in this chapter is ‘participation’ which requires ... ... middle of paper ... ...rtfall, 2008:451). Community marginalisation is then alluded to political structures such as those that characterised the apartheid era, which were not open enough to allow participation of the rural areas. Form this point of view one is then justified to content that the NDP itself does not do justice in allowing the participation of the rural communities because of its ‘top-down’ approach that undermines the notions of social inclusion. Hence, there is need for the planners and the government to also consider and value the different dimensions that are envelops participation or inclusive as a whole. This also calls for the scrutiny of the NDP document itself in relation to its availability and accessibility, thus one cannot talk on an inclusive development when the people involved are not even aware or cannot access the document that determines their future.
At the same time, the local agricultural economy was experiencing a deep economic depression due to the severe droughs that had occured throughout the past decade. The loss of crops cut out the average farmers'/planters' main food source as well a...
Chambers, Robert. Rural Development: Putting the Last First. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1993.
In the books, Sacred Rice by Joanna Davidson and The Anti-Politics Machine by James Ferguson we see how cultural misunderstandings or ignorance by development agencies can lead to their projects at their intended goal. In fact within these two books we see how two resources that many may see as unimportant or trivial led to these failures due to the fact that development organization did not look into such possibilities. With this in mind I am going to compare and contrast the idea’s, history, and developmental attempts that have occurred in Lesotho and rural West Africa in order to see how understanding a culture is needed in order to aid it in development. To start off we should examine how Ferguson and Davidson did their ethnographical
...suasive. At the end of the book the thesis is unanswered and he favours to discuss the spread of bureaucratic power into the Thaba-Tseka region and development is merely a “tool” for bureaucrats instead. Ferguson’s anti-politics machine is only but one of the workings of ‘development’ leaving his thesis largely unanswered. Personally we don’t find the book useful despite its excellent detail and capture of concept. Instead we find it considerably outdated as a lot has changed since the early 1980s. Both Lesotho and the approach of development programmes have changed since and are completely different. Nonetheless we do see the book’s value as fundamental read and it was revolutionary at its time and how it possibly impacted the field of development to what we see today.
The agriculture market has taken a complete turnaround from its origin, because of technological advances leading to a higher rate of production. Agriculture started out as a simple family owned farm where the goods produced were the bare necessities for the family to survive. Overtime crop production focused on cash crops and crop production became easier leading more famers into cities to get jobs in the factories. Agriculture production soared over this time and lead famers to look for a profit not simply sustainability. As production increased rules became more overlooked, therefore government programs were set up to protect the consumer. The Government program set up play favorites to big corporations and punishes smaller business and family
In order to do so assure the true democratisation of the local level in decentralisation processes“…effective channels of political participation and representation must be developed that reinforce and support decentralized planning and administration, and that allow citizens, and especially the poor, to express their needs and demands and to press claims for national and local development resources.” (Beck, T. 1989 in Moser, C. 1995, p.166)
‘Social Planning’, is a model of development which can be described as, ‘Doing For’, the community. If it is perceived by government bodies that a community has sunk so low that is unable to be resolved by using alternative methods, (some of which will be discussed later in this essay), the government will intervene with methods deemed necessary.
As agriculture has become more intensive, farmers have become capable of producing higher yields using less labour and less land. Growth of the agriculture has not, however, been an unmixed blessing. It, like every other thing, has its pros and cons. Topsoil depletion, groundwater contamination, the decline of family farms, continued neglect of the living and working conditions for farm labourers, increasing costs of production, and the disintegration of economic and social conditions in rural communities. These are the cons of the new improved agriculture.
...ing a more sustainable environment. A call upon local and national government to provide adequate policy relating to urban agriculture has been made. According to Rogerson, (in Liebenberg 2005:40-43) in many parts of Africa, urban agriculture is still frowned upon by authorities but in the face of Africa’s growing poverty problem it is being reconsidered (collective solution).
...population distribution designed to reduce the rate of rural-urban migration appears to have had limited success in many developing countries. Policies must be directed at altering the rural economy in order to slow the rate of urban sprawl. Broad land use planning and changing of planning standards and governmental procedures would go a long way to reduce many of the problems that face urban populations in the developing areas, especially Africa. Urbanization can cause a lot of problems for a city or even a country. It can cause cities to become overpopulated which are known as mega-cites, and cause problems with living arrangements and finding a job. Urbanization can also cause health problems. Urbanization is supposed to be good for developing countries on the rise but with this rapid growth in Africa, these problems can become a major concern in the future.
(The Sustainability of Irish Agriculture, n.d.) Sustainability is very important on my home farm. Practices have been put in place that won’t cause harm to the environment. My home farm is a small, family enterprise and I feel that new approaches are needed in order to maintain the farms sustainability status. Non-renewable inputs that are harmful to the environment or to the health of farmers should be minimised. As well as this, farmers have knowledge and skills that could be put into use, therefore substituting human capital for costly external outputs. Sustainable agriculture outcomes can be positive for food productivity, reduced pesticide use and carbon balances. (Agricultural Sustainability: concepts, principles and evidence, 2007) In this essay, I will discuss the principles and practices of sustainable agriculture, identifying how they may relate to my home farm. I will then discuss whether or not present activities can change to more sustainable methods in the
Overall Central Africa’s dependence on agriculture could improve the wellbeing of the people but a long history of corruption, violence, and prevalent transportation issues have hindered an improvement in the economy resulting in poverty among the region. Poverty will not subside unless these issues are dealt with and improved.
Economic development is highly dependent on the natural resources for food and energy production, which inputs to manufacturing, and to absorbing wastes and pollutants. Thus, there is a high dependency on farming. However, South Africa is not rich in agriculture resources; ...
...earch and extension, rural infrastructure, and market access for small farmers. Rural investments have been sorely neglected in recent decades, and now is the time to reverse this trend. Farmers in many developing countries are operating in an environment of inadequate infrastructure like roads, electricity, and communications; poor soils; lack of storage and processing capacity; and little or no access to agricultural technologies that could increase their profits and improve their livelihoods. Recent unrest over food prices in a number of countries may tempt policymakers to put the interests of urban consumers over those of rural people, including farmers, but this approach would be shortsighted and counterproductive. Given the scale of investment needed, aid donors should also expand development assistance to agriculture, rural services, and science and technology.
The backbone of a stable nation, socially and politically, is agriculture. Agriculture is the largest sector that provides a nation with food and employment. Agriculture is currently being affected by climate change and at the same time it is also a contributor to climate change. The drastic elevations in climate change started from the mid to late 20th century and they have been increasing since then (Boisvenue & Running 2006). Climate change is affecting agriculture by interfering with the efficiency of crop production. Agriculture is facing droughts, flooding, sea level elevations, natural disasters, and health hazards for employees. All of these exponents lead to crop failure that creates famines and food prices to rise. On the other side, agriculture is also contributing to climate change through their output of greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprints. These are caused by the activities that agriculture engages with such as breeding of livestock, ploughing of fields, deforestation, and the use of pesticides and other agrochemicals. Climate change affects countries differently, mainly due to their ability to adapt and their geographical location. Canada and Russia benefit from the changes in climate while Sudan and Bangladesh are affected negatively, struggling to adapt. Agriculture and climate change are interrelated processes that exist mutually making it harder to reduce one without affecting the other.