Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Kweneng Rural Development Association'

This thesis investigates the determinants of participation in microfinance programmes and its impact on rural welfare in order to suggest improvements to the level of participation and the effectiveness of the programmes. The level of participation by rural smallholders in Botswana is much lower than expected in spite of the availability of schemes and their ease of access. The study uses one of National Development Bank Botswana's credit schemes in Kweneng District to investigate this problem. A field survey was carried out on 112 smallholder farmers, half of whom are scheme participants, to establish what factors affect the probability of their participation in the scheme. The study applied a logit model to determine which variables significantly affected the probability of participation in the credit scheme. The results indicated that some variables like gender and educational status had little effect on the probability of participation. A number of policy variables which include age, previous experience of credit use, respondents' perception of group collateral, distance from the National Development Bank, access to irrigation and total landholding size were found to have a significant effect. On the welfare effect, more than half of participants in the microfinance credit scheme indicated that their welfare improved as a direct result of the programme. As future research, it would be useful if the study could be extended to all districts of the country to enable the generalization of findings and provide valuable information for agricultural and poverty alleviation policy purposes.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005.<br>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Community associations and community centres have become a common phenomenon throughout South Africa. The aims of these associations and centres are closely linked to community development. Research has found that activities related to development programmes at such centres come to an end when facilitators hand the programmes over to the community. This was indeed the case at the Darling Focus Association and Centre in Darling. A possible reason for this was that the community's needs and expectations were not being met. The purpose of this study was to establish whether this Community Association and the services, activities and programmes presented at the Centre meet the needs and expectations of the rural community. A literature review was undertaken to present an in-depth look into the body of knowledge surrounding the study. Rural community development and the notion of rural community were discussed, since they create the context in which community associations and community centres function. Special attention was given to the revision of literature on the purposes and functions of community associations and centres. The concepts of community needs and community expectations were reviewed. The literature review concluded with a reference to the sustainability of activities following on training and development programmes based on community needs. The geographically demarcated area of the study was the rural town of Darling, as well as the Darling Focus Association and Centre. A context analysis was done and documents were analysed to gain knowledge of the functioning of the Association and the Centre. The activities, services and programmes offered by the Association at the Centre were established. A survey was undertaken among the Darling community, the members of the management committee of the Darling Focus Association and the participants in activities at the Darling Focus Centre. Samples were selected from these three groups, after which three different questionnaires were designed and tested and finally administered to the three groups. Statistical analysis was carried out on the data gathered during the community survey, and frequency tables and cross-tabulations were constructed. Data gathered from the management and participant surveys was analysed and described using frequency tables. The analysis showed that the community, the members of the management committee and the participants in activities at the Centre had different viewpoints on the functioning of the Association and the Centre. The community survey also revealed the needs of the community for certain activities, services and programmes, as well as their expectations of the Association. Comparisons were made between the needs of the community and the activities, services and programmes offered by the Association. The expectations and viewpoints of the community were also compared with the viewpoints of the management committee members and the participants. The conclusions of the study indicated that the activities, services and programmes offered by the Association at the Centre did not meet the needs of the community, and shortcomings were identified. The viewpoints of the management committee and the participants in activities did not comply with the expectations and viewpoints of the community. It is argued that this might be the reason for the low sustainability of activities, services and programmes of the Association. Recommendations are made to the Association to increase participation within the community and to address the community's needs in order to improve the sustainability of the activities, services and programmes of the Association.<br>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Gemeenskapsverenigings en -sentrums het al 'n algemene verskynsel in Suid-Afrika geword. Die doel van hierdie verenigings en sentrums is nou gekoppel aan gemeenskapsontwikkeling. Navorsing het bevind dat aktiwiteite rondom ontwikkelingsprogramme ophou nadat die fasiliteerders die programme aan die gemeenskap oorgee. Dit is spesifiek gevind in die Darling gemeenskap, by die Darling Fokus Vereniging en Sentrum. 'n Rede vir die verskynsel mag wees dat daar nie aan die gemeenskap se behoeftes en verwagtinge voldoen word nie. Die doel van hierdie studie was om vas te stelof die landelike Gemeenskapsvereniging en die dienste, aktiwiteite en programme wat in die Sentrum aangebied word, aan die behoeftes en verwagtinge van die landelike gemeenskap voldoen. 'n Literatuuroorsig is onderneem om 'n in-diepte verslag te lewer van die literatuur wat die teoretiese onderbou van die studie vorm. Landelike gemeenskapsontwikkeling asook die begrip landelike gemeenskappe, wat die konteks vorm waarbinne landelike gemeenskapsverenigings en -sentrums funksioneer, is bespreek. Spesiale aandag is gegee aan die oorsig oor literatuur aangaande die doel en funksies van gemeenskapsverenigings en -sentrums. Die konsep van gemeenskapsbehoeftes en - verwagtinge is bespreek en die literatuuroorsig is afgesluit met verwysing na die volhoubaarheid van aktiwiteite wat volg op opleidings- en ontwikkelingsprogramme, gebaseer op gemeenskapsbehoeftes. Die geografies-afgebakende studiegebied was die landelike dorpie Darling, asook die Darling Fokus Vereniging en Sentrum. 'n Konteksanalise is gedoen en dokumente is geanaliseer om kennis te bekom van die funksionering van die Vereniging en die Sentrum. Die aktiwiteite, dienste en programme wat die Vereniging aan die gemeenskap by die Gemeenskapsentrum bied, is vasgestel. 'n Opname is verder onderneem onder die Darling gemeenskap, die lede van die bestuurskomitee van die Darling Fokus Vereniging en die deelnemers aan die aktiwiteite by die Darling Fokus Sentrum. Steekproewe is van die drie groepe getrek, drie verskillende vraelyste is ontwerp en getoets en daarna op die drie verskillende groepe toegepas. 'n Statistiese analise is op die data uitgevoer wat in die gemeenskapsopname ingesamel is, en frekwensietabelle en kruistabulasies is opgestel. Data wat in die bestuurs- en deelnemersopnames ingesamel is, is ontleed en met behulp van frekwensietabelle beskryf. Die analises het getoon dat die gemeenskap, die lede van die bestuurskomitee en die deelnemers aan aktiwiteite by die Sentrum verskillende sieninge oor die funksionering van die Vereniging en die Sentrum het. Die gemeenskapsopname het ook die behoeftes van die gemeenskap vir sekere aktiwiteite, dienste en programme, asook hul verwagtinge van die Vereniging, uitgewys. Vergelykings is getref tussen die behoeftes van die gemeenskap en die aktiwiteite, dienste en programme wat deur die Vereniging aangebied word. Die verwagtinge en sieninge van die gemeenskap is ook vergelyk met die sieninge van die bestuurslede en die deelnemers. Die bevindinge van die studie het getoon dat die aktiwiteite, dienste en programme wat die Vereniging aan die gemeenskap bied, nie in die behoeftes van die gemeenskap voorsien nie, en leemtes is geïdentifiseer. Die sieninge van die bestuurskomitee en die deelnemers aan aktiwiteite stem nie ooreen met die verwagtinge en sieninge van die gemeenskap nie. Daar word verder redeneer dat dit moontlik die rede mag wees. vir die lae volhoubaarheid van aktiwiteite, dienste en programme van die Vereniging. Aanbevelings word gemaak vir die Vereniging om die deelname van die gemeenskap te verhoog en om aandag te gee aan die gemeenskap se behoeftes om sodoende die volhoubaarheid van die aktiwiteite, dienste en programme van die Vereniging te verbeter.

Over the past fifteen years there has been an extensive conversion of land use from traditional farming practices to conservation and private game reserves. It has been suggested by Langholz and Kerley (2006:2) that privately owned preserved areas can engage in ecotourism initiatives by protecting biodiversity, succeeding financially and contributing to social upliftment. However, ecotourism has to operate within the context of historical land dispossession of the majority black population and current land reform initiatives to address this problem. In view of the economic, social and environmental importance of ecotourism based private game reserves (PGRs) in South Africa, particularly the Eastern Cape, the main goal of this research is to examine the Indalo association of private game reserves in the Eastern Cape Province’s development model for ex-farmworkers and adjacent communities. This was done through a literature survey and analysis of existing studies and by interviewing the managers of the Indalo PGRs and a few farmworkers to get their opinions of the tension between what they are doing and the imperatives of land reform. This involved an exploration of their community development work, particularly around issues of job creation, participation in decision-making, capacity building and sustainability. The thesis comes to the following conclusions. The first is that the establishment of PGRs have a significant positive impact on the local areas in which they are established. As a land-use, ecotourism based game reserves are an economically and ecologically desirable alternative to other land uses. Therefore the ecotourism based private game reserve industry with its extensive community development focus for farmworkers and local communities is a viable and sustainable alternative to conventional land reform. The second is that the Indalo PGRs development work has built capacity in the communities it has served. However, community participation, particularly in decision-making is limited and needs more attention if productive and sustainable development is to be achieved. Lastly, communities rely heavily on external support for their development and upliftment. However, the majority of the PGRs have/or are putting measures in place to ensure the continuation of community development projects to ensure the long-term sustainability of projects.

The growth and development of sport in Co. Tipperary, 1840 to 1880, was promoted and supported by the landed elite and military officer classes. In the instances of cricket, rugby union and association football, the military were the principle agency through which these sports were disseminated among the people of Tipperary. Sporting trends which were fashionable in Great Britain also became evident in Ireland, and by extension, Tipperary. The thesis demonstrates the emergence of these sports at a micro-level in Tipperary and the qualitative research is indicative of the trends by which they became apparent. The degree to which horse racing and hunting to hounds became an integral aspect of the social lives of the elite class is reflected countywide. The associational culture among this class became evident in summer time recreations most notably archery, lawn tennis and cricket. Cricket was the one sport which was quickly diffused throughout the sporting community of Tipperary as it became, in the 1870s, the most prolific team sport in the county and played by all classes. Sport took place without borders and to this end patronage was a key element of this support. There were some notable supporters who gave of their time and money to ensure that the best resources were in place to bring this about. In this respect the 3rd Marquis of Waterford was a leading figure. The thesis clearly shows that sporting diversions continued through the traumatic famine period. As everyday life continued, so too did recreational sport. Hurling remained a part of Tipperary life and the research identifies new sources to demonstrate this. The growth and evolution of sport in Co. Tipperary, 1840-1880, is put into context with comparable studies in Ireland and Great Britain as the Victorian penchant for sport manifested itself in this part of rural Ireland.

Depuis plus d'un siècle, les associations accompagnent les changements que vivent les espaces ruraux français. Longtemps laissées à l'écart, elles sont aujourd'hui très sollicitées dans la mise en œuvre de l'action publique de développement rural. Des premiers contrats de pays des années 1970 à la LOADDT de 1999, en passant par le programme européen LEADER, les associations sont invitées, ou s'invitent, pour faire vivre une démarche de démocratie participative. Elles se mobilisent afin de faciliter la construction d'un projet partagé de territoire. Cette thèse s'interroge sur le rôle du rapport au territoire dans les modalités d'implication des associations dans ces procédures de développement. En analysant les processus de construction des mondes associatifs, nous proposons une lecture socio-spatiale de la nébuleuse associative. L'action publique de développement rural, en sollicitant les associations, va interagir, plus ou moins fortement, avec ces mondes associatifs et les amener à se redéfinir. L'espace politique choisi par les élus, va entrer en résonance avec les configurations socio-spatiales associatives et orienter les modalités d'implication des associations dans la construction du projet territorial. Prescrite, volontaire ou volontariste, l'implication associative va se moduler aussi en fonction de la pédagogie de conduite du projet territorial mise en œuvre par les élus et les chargés de mission. Ce modèle d'analyse est appliqué au Pays Quercy Rouergue, projet de pays avorté, à l'origine de la modification de la LOADDT.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T14:17:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Maria Telma Oliveira Marques.pdf: 1632724 bytes, checksum: b8fb51f512b54a42e07cc07d559fc512 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-11-12<br>Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior<br>The objective of this research, a case study, is to know and to analyze a sociable rural experience of culture of the priprioca, as well as the process of collective participation, in the small village of Campo Limpo, in the city of Santo Antonio do Tauá, in the State of Pará, from 2003 to 2007. The purpose to carry out this study appeared due to the changes, that have been occurring at Campo Limpo, with the installation of some economic projects for the extraction of the Priprioca, of the Curauá, of the Nim and of other cultures focused on export. The object of the present study is the collective participation and the sociability of a group constituted of 03 (three) families with blood ties, accomplishing 15 (fifteen) associates for the planting of priprioca. The raised hypothesis recognizes that the collective participation has been internally created in the intra and inter familiar relationships, as well as externally through the organization of the Rural Producers Association Rancho Fundo , created by the group, as instrument of management and realization of culture and commercialization of the priprioca. The idea has been centered in the fact of knowing if this experience has been making possible and resulting in collective participation, and what is the meaning of this collective participation in the construction of the notion of citizenship and rights for the associates. Thus, the nature of the research is qualitative, having, as methodological procedures, the bibliographic survey, the documentary research, the local observation, the preliminary contacts, the ethnographic study, the use of the field diary, the photographic register, and the achievement of semi-structured interviews with oriented topics. The research has disclosed, as results, that the associated work has contributed for strengthening the ties, and also has been stimulating the conquer of the permanence, mainly of young people in the rural area. In this investigation, the land appears in a relationship of respect, that enhances values, like simplicity, which can be maintained through time, because it is based on respect to life. In this sense, the association has been useful as a way to deal with the lack of land and material resources. The participation of the people has been expressed as a learning process, that has been occurring in the internal and external practical activities, being able to direct itself to a future sustainable local development<br>O objetivo desta pesquisa, um estudo de caso, é conhecer e analisar uma experiência rural associativa de cultivo da priprioca e o processo de participação coletiva, na localidade de Campo Limpo, no município de Santo Antônio do Tauá, no Estado do Pará, no período de 2003 - 2007. A proposta de se realizar este estudo surgiu em decorrência às mudanças que vem ocorrendo em Campo Limpo com a instalação de alguns projetos econômicos para extração da Priprioca, do Curauá, e do Nim e outros cultivares voltados para a exportação. O objeto do presente estudo é a participação coletiva e o associativismo de um grupo constituído por 03 (três) famílias com laços de parentesco perfazendo 15 (quinze) pessoas associadas para o plantio da priprioca. A hipótese levantada reconhece que a participação coletiva vem se tecendo internamente nas relações intra e inter familiares, e externamente através da organização da Associação de Produtores Rurais Rancho Fundo criada pelo grupo como instrumento de gestão e realização do cultivo e comercialização da priprioca. A idéia centrou-se em saber se essa experiência vem possibilitando e resultando em participação coletiva, e quais os significados dessa participação coletiva na construção da noção de cidadania e direitos para os associados. Para tanto, a pesquisa é de natureza qualitativa, tendo como procedimentos metodológicos, o levantamento bibliográfico, a pesquisa documental, a observação local, os contatos preliminares, o estudo etnográfico, a utilização do diário de campo, o registro fotográfico e a realização de entrevistas semi-estruturadas com tópicos orientadores. A pesquisa revelou como resultados que o trabalho associativo contribuiu para o fortalecimento dos vínculos, e vem estimulando a conquista de permanência principalmente dos jovens no meio rural. Nesta investigação, a terra aparece numa relação de respeito, que realça valores como a simplicidade e que podem se manter no tempo porque se trata de uma relação baseada no respeito à vida. Neste sentido, a associação vem também servindo como forma de lidar com a escassez da terra e dos recursos materiais. A participação dos sujeitos expressou-se como um processo de aprendizagem, que vem se fazendo nas atividades práticas internas e externas, podendo se direcionar para um desenvolvimento local sustentável futuro

碩士<br>國立臺灣大學<br>建築與城鄉研究所<br>101<br>The main purpose of this research is to explore the development processes of village wineries established by Taiwan’s rural associations. According to this study, some village wineries have performed well in terms of improved wine-making and tourism capabilities, indicating that winery industry could be a promising development target for Taiwan’s rural regions. To understand the development processes, this research uses eight village wineries, including XinYi, DaHu, CheCheng, WuFeng, ShuSeng, BuLi, DaAn and ShiWeiQiang, as the study cases. The research findings suggest that the key factors contributing to the excellent performance of these village wineries are government’s assistance and winery’s capacity. As for government’s assistance, there are four essential elements: financial support, technology support, contest-holding and marketing support. As for winery’s capacity, this research argues that it is because that these wineries were established by rural associations with the third sector’s nonprofit and profit features, allowing them to obtain and mobilize required resources effectively and efficiently. Even though they are supported by the government and equipped with third sector features, these village wineries, however, still demonstrated different development trajectories. By using factors such as motivation, wine-making capability, tourism and marketing capability, this study further categorizes these village wineries into three development types.

碩士<br>朝陽科技大學<br>休閒事業管理系碩士班<br>96<br>This research aims at probing into obstacle and benefit of rural community empowerment, the member of rural community development association qualified to register in whole Taiwan is a research object to the open network of community of Taiwan, in order to make up the questionnaire form of '' the obstacle and benefit of the rural community empowerment '' by oneself, according to the north, medium, the comparison of south, east samples 40 of rural community development association, add up to issue 200, after deducting an invalid questionnaire, the physically valid questionnaire is 152, the recovery rate reaches to 76% , data after letter degree''s analysis and description statisticsing analysis, the result of study is as follows: 1. The whole but the speech, the obstacle of community empowerment of the policy, community, residents three respects residents, have higher obstacle situation, among them it is the highest with the policy obstacle, but two respects of organization and expert do not have obstacle questions. 2. The benefit of community empowerment has quite high degree, among them benefit degree will be the most obvious with the whole in the future, and the industry though benefit is lower than other classifications, also have basic of benefit degree. Therefore, the above-mentioned result studies to put forward a following suggestion: 1. The obstacle of community empowerment：Suggest governmental administration procedure to simplify to turn and flexible principle, draw up financial subsidy scale, match with community to need to broaden a community opinion, periodically publicizee the promotion project of community empowerment, set the establishment that the community workday, community participates an inducement mechanism, carry out to compose the related curriculum of the community empowerment, project book and periodically collect membership dues, and the foreign expert station in community over a long period of time. 2. The benefit of community empowerment：The community can produce some benefits after empowerment, suggesting a government unit should keep on a promotion to promote by promoting the community whole quality of life the community develop, making the country community develop to have vitality more. Face to then suggest a government unit to can periodically hold the training curriculum of industry innovative technology in the industry besides, the industry special features making the place originally possessed, produce a larger benefit through the creative technique.

The practice of contracting out services to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) has spread worldwide during the 1990's, and has significantly reshaped the relationship between government and NGOs. Within this dissertation, I explore the trend towards contracting at the international and South African levels. I argue that with the outsourcing of support services becoming an important performance strategy at an international level, there is no reason why NGOs in South Africa cannot start to perform a similar role. However, conclusions drawn from the experience of developed countries in relation to contracting should be treated with caution in South Africa. The continuing reform of the public sector in South Africa since 1994 has opened the window of opportunity for NGOs which have a record of valuable achievement in undertaking development work, and can demonstrate their capacity to establish contractual relationships with government and communities. The case study of the Association for Rural Advancement (AFRA) suggests that the practice of contracting NGOs in South Africa is still relatively new and therefore imperfect, because of severe capacity constraints. The major finding of this research is that evidence is mixed on the effects and outcomes of involving NGOs in contracting, but if used carefully contracting is a viable palliative for the existing fundraising shortage facing NGOs and can, more importantly, extend services to the majority of South Africans.<br>Thesis (M.Dev.Studies)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

碩士<br>國立暨南國際大學<br>社會政策與社會工作學系<br>98<br>This study focuses on why non-profit organizations promote rural community economic development since the past ten years, in the context which framer`s associations and cooperatives have been doing for a long time. After reviewing the literature, we find that framer’s associations and cooperatives play an important role at different period of times separately. In this study, the main research object is organizational operation which is highly relative to their environment. Therefore, the researcher employs “new institutional theory” as the theoretical framework to conduct this study. This framework helps the researcher to figure out how organizational environment influences the role and the community economic development strategy of framer’s associations, cooperatives and non-profit organizations. Meanwhile we find out how these three types of organizations also influence the organizational environment. Based on the logic of comparative study, the researcher uses purposive sampling to study the three pairs of research organizations. Afterwards the researcher conducts data analysis within and between organizations to explore the phenomenon which the three types of organizations coexist to promote the community economic development in the same community. This research also find out the position of framer`s associations, cooperatives and non-profit organizations in the rural community economic development. The main findings of the study as follows: 1. In different community context, non-profit organizations promote rural community economic development with different reasons. In general, there are various needs in rural communities. Non-profit organizations have many advantages such as democratic civil participation, various interests in community development. In addition, the policy trend also encourages non-profit organization to fill the service gaps. 2. Regarding the role of promoting rural community economic development, framer’s associations focus on both agricultural production and trade; producers cooperatives concern product selling; non-profit organizations not only care about the agriculture production itself, but also show consideration for other affairs such as agriculture culture development, tourism, business park development. Due to the different roles of the three types of organizations, the approaches which they used to promote rural community economic development are also different. Framer’s associations and producers cooperatives start from agricultural production, and then combine the tourism to promote rural community economic development; on the contrast, non-profit organizations widely connect different aspects of community development. 3. The research findings present three different networks between framer’s association, producers cooperative and non-profit organization: (1) the relationship which based on resources exchange; (2) the relationship which extend from interpersonal network to organization; (3) the competitive relationship in product market. However these three different networks only include the interaction between two different types of organizations. There is still no interaction among these three types of organizations. 4. This research also find the relationships between the three types of organizations and government are as follows; (1) the relationship between framer`s association and government is subordinate, and framer’s association also shows its quango characteristics; (2) the relationship between producers cooperative and government is mutual benefit; (3) the relationship between non-profit organization and government is also mutual benefit. 5. Institutional environment has an impact on the three different types of organizations. Legal environment and social environment influence their operation; economic environment affects their promoting strategy of agricultural products. Inversely, the strategy of rural community economic development of the three types of organizations also affects the organization environments such as economic environment, social environment and technology environment.

Lesotho is a country plagued by underdevelopment and poverty. This research is a case study of an indigenous community organisation in the northern district of Botha-Bothe in Lesotho. Boseele is a rural development organisation which attracted international donor investment in the aftermath of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project. The study aims at investigating the impact of capacity development processes on Boseele and its members. The study identified capacity building landmarks over a period of ten years. A case study approach was used within a qualitative research design. Data was collected through individual and group interviews, observations, story-telling and transect walks. The results were analysed through thematic, chronological, narrative and document analysis. Boseele’s successes with CIDA funding reflect positive foreign aid contributions towards the work of civil society organisations in Lesotho. However, setbacks and lack of continuity by a nursery project funded by MS-Lesotho show that the empowerment process is vulnerable where social and economic problems of individual members and communities are not fully addressed.

Executive summary: last page (unnumbered)<br>The Sustainable Livelihood framework approach is a comprehensive method for determination of food insecurity and poverty at household level. The objective of this study was to determine the livelihood strategies and the coping mechanisms used by rural households in Abela Lida PA, Shebedino district, Southern Ethiopia. This study used both qualitative and quantitative methods to estimate the contribution of different resources to total food access and cash income, detailing expenditure patterns, asset holdings and capacity to cope with shocks. Simple random sampling was used for selecting 72 households for the survey. The data was collected during the hunger season using the checklists designed for livelihood and coping strategies. The study showed only 30% households had all the adults as working members, due to poor work skill, low awareness and lack of job opportunities. The main sources of income are sale of cash crops mainly coffee (55.6%) followed by sale of cash crops plus livestock (18%), labour (12.5%), PSNP (8.3%). The average annual income for the households was found to be birr 4,727.92 (~$293.34) and agriculture is the main livelihood strategy. Awareness and access to basic social services has improved and escalated price of staple foods, has negatively affected poor households and safety net beneficiaries who rely on purchase. Seasonality has also affected agricultural activities, prices and employment opportunities. The increase in fuel price was found to be the main shock followed by coffee price fluctuations and failure in purchasing power of money. About (63%) households faced shortage of food or money to buy food, medical expenses, cooking fuel and school fees.<br>Agriculture, Animal Health and Human Ecology<br>M.A. (Human Ecology)

Thesis (M Dev.)--University of Limpopo, 2006.<br>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.<br>Not listed

This research focuses on policy networks as a framework to analyse the implementation of the South African Land Reform (Labour Tenant) Act 3 of 1996 (LTA) and the Extension of Security of Tenure Act 62 of 1997 (ESTA) more generally. In particular, this research looks at the Association for Rural Advancement’s (AFRA) implementation of the farm dwellers project, specifically, how this organisation has been using the policy networks approach to implement its farm dwellers project. The LTA and the ESTA guide the South African post-apartheid land reform programme. This programme responds to the racially-based system of land access created by colonialism and apartheid. It is against this system of land access that the post-apartheid, democratic government undertook a vast land reform programme, intended to redress the injustices of the past (Drimie 2003:39). The LTA and ESTA are situated within this perspective and their objectives were derived from an understanding that land reform has the potential to make a direct impact on poverty through targeted resource transfers and by addressing the economic and social injustices caused by colonial and apartheid dispossession. However, after sixteen years of democracy and policy implementation of the land reform programme, little progress has been made. This includes an undertaking in the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) of 1994, which provided a set of guidelines and principles for the evolving land policy, to redistribute, by 2014 (extended from 1999), 30% of the 80% of commercial farmland (mostly white owned) to black South Africans and to make land reform the driving force of rural development (Drimie 2003:39). By March 2009, a total of 5.2% of the targeted 30% of commercial farmland has been transferred through the various land reform programmes (Kleinbooi 2009:1). Concerns have been raised that attribute this seeming failure of the land reform programme to the government’s market approach (Mkhize 2004). This has been sustained by the government’s shift from the RDP to Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR). AFRA, in its funding proposal of 1998-2000, has identified this shift as “disturbing because it implies that government’s economic and political direction is likely to result in reduced resources for rural and agricultural development, a shift which will impact hard on the already tough conditions of poverty that people live in.” From this understanding, this research hopes to establish that the seeming failure of the implementation of the South African land reform can be improved through a more effective utilisation of policy networks. More particularly, this research hopes to establish how AFRA has been using policy networks to implement its Farm Dwellers project from 1994 until today.<br>Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

This study aims at exploring the policy advocacy role of civil society organizations in land reforms policy using the Association for Rural Advancement in KwaZulu-Natal as a case study, and focusing specifically on the aspect of land redistribution programme. The specific objectives of the study are to identify the advocacy strategies used, to assess their strengths and weaknesses, to examine the extent to which land redistribution programme is being influenced by the advocacy action of AFRA, to identify the limitations in policy advocacy for land redistribution, and to assess the effectiveness of AFRA‘s policy advocacy work in the lens of the factors for effective policy advocacy delineated by Bratton (1994: 48-55). Thus, this study provides an understanding of the magnitude and challenges of policy advocacy functions of CSOs in such a sensitive issue as the land ownership in South Africa. This study has been informed by qualitative research methodology in both data gathering and analysis. Data were collected using a triangulation of data collection techniques, and analyzed using thematic analysis, which is a method for identifying, analysing and reporting patterns (themes) within data. It has emerged from this study that civil society organisations provide avenues for voices and issues that may not have been prioritised by policy makers to be placed on the public agenda. A wide range of strategies to engage with the state are employed by civil society organisations, and those strategies are strategically employed in a complementary manner so that they could be more effective depending on the issue at hand and the context within which advocacy is being made. Furthermore, it comes out the study that there are many challenges faced by the CSOs involved in land issues, among others are the antagonistic climate portraying the relationships with the state, the issue of funding, the low literacy level of rural landless people, etc. For more impact to be perceived in policy influence, the study suggests that CSOs in the land sector and AFRA in particular should establish an effective networking framework in order to pool resources, and share expertise and experience; they should increase their clients‘ involvement in policy process by making opening their membership to rural people living in the communities they work with; examine the possibility to gain domestic financial base. For government agencies, more particularly the Department of Land Affairs, it is suggested to reassess their relationships with the civil society so that the two sectors work collaboratively for the best of the poor people they all have to serve.<br>Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

This research examines the applicability of the Kindernothilfe self-help group approach among the Ngäbe indigenous people in Panama from the perspectives of complex system theory and development as empowerment. It is based on an extensive literature review and an empirical qualitative study with focus group discussions and expert interviews following the grounded theory method. The dissertation displays the multiple dimensions that have reverberated to poverty and to the failure of development and most group approaches in the Ngäbe region. Nevertheless, it indicates that a culturally fitting self-help group concept could become a promising approach to empowering the Ngäbe people. Some crucial adaptations, however, are necessary. The most significant change regards the suggestion to work with mixed-sex ‘family groups’ that combine peer group meetings and joint gatherings. It represents the most suitable approach both from the perspective of the Ngäbe people and from the viewpoint of gender mainstreaming and complexity.<br>Development Studies<br>M.A. (Development Studies)