Learning from the local: Rural livelihoods in ditsobotla, north west province, South Africa

Francis, Elizabeth

doi:10.1080/02589009908729638

Cited by 11 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Monetary contribution to rural livelihoods from formal cash income streams (e.g., wages, remittances, government grants, pensions, and seasonal labor on commercial farms) and non-farm activities have been reported in a number of studies and account for more than 70% of total livelihoods in South Africa (Beinart, 1992;Francis, 1999;May et al, 2000). Beinart (1992) reported that 78% of household cash income came from migrant remittances and 22% from crop production, but did not consider livestock and secondary woodland resources.…”

Section: Relative Contribution Of Livelihood Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 96%

Monetary valuation of livelihoods for understanding the composition and complexity of rural households

2005

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There is, at present, little precise understanding of the relative contributions of the various income streams used by impoverished rural households in southern Africa. The impact of household profiles on overall income is also not well understood. There is, therefore, little consideration of these factors in national economic accounting. This paper is an attempt to reduce this gap in knowledge by reflecting on the relative contribution of agro-pastoralism, secondary woodland resources, and formal and informal cash income streams to households in the semi-arid rural village of Thorndale, Limpopo Province, South Africa. In the absence of jobs and confronted with high migrant labor, households with open access to natural resources derived more benefits from land-based livelihoods than cash income streams (i.e., 57.5% vs. 42.5%). Total livelihood income was valued at US$2887 per household per annum. A significant correlation between monetary values derived from crops and formal wages was established, and it was found that households with high cash incomes tended to invest more in crop production. Over 80% of households were male-headed. Of these heads of household, more than 60% were long-term migrants to urban areas, leaving household decision-making to the women. The low literacy rates of women have deprived them of paid jobs outside the area and, therefore, have increased their dependence on crops (62%) and secondary woodlands resources (60%). This was further reflected in the proportion of households in which females were the main contributors of cash income (9.7%), or joint contributors with men (24.4%). Various positive correlations were established between the number of women per household and the three land-based livelihoods. This implied that women's total control over such activities was mostly a result of the absence of men and not a typical phenomenon. In spite of this control, it was not positively reflected in the lives of the majority of the women. Households differed in their participation in livelihood activities. Household size influenced the level of production and was positively correlated with the value of secondary woodland resources and crops. The study shows the interdependence of land-based livelihood sources and the impact of household features on production and consumption. Policies that focus on livelihood options need to recognize and accommodate associated household dynamics.

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Section: Relative Contribution Of Livelihood Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 96%

Monetary valuation of livelihoods for understanding the composition and complexity of rural households

2005

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“…Even the traditional farming communities in Limpopo Province have tended to increasingly earn little or no income from agricultural activities. Indeed, most former Bantustan households are no longer dependent solely upon agriculture as the main source of income (Baber, 1996; Bryceson, 1997, 1999, 2000; Francis, 1999, 2000, 2002; McCusker, 2002).…”

Section: State Interventions Rural Development Livelihoods and Wmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This article investigates, therefore, the impact of PAP projects on women's ability to practise their long‐standing survivalist strategies and/or modern livelihoods. Rather than submit as helpless victims of the grim social reality, poor rural women in erstwhile colonies have historically survived through a plurality of livelihoods (Ellis, 1998, 2000a, 2000b; Bryceson, 1997, 1999, 2000; Francis, 1999, 2000, 2002; Shackleton et al ., 2001; Seethal, 2002; McCusker, 2002). Rural women in Africa have overwhelmingly been in control of most of subsistence agriculture and in informal business activities (Eshete, 1992; Koissy‐Kpein, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rural Women's Survivalist Livelihoods and State Interventions in Ga‐Ramogale Village, Limpopo Province

Tsheola

2012

African Development Review

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Women constitute the majority of rural dwellers experiencing the worst effects of poverty while carrying the responsibility of securing a living for their households. Historically, rural women have practised a multiplicity of livelihoods that have always remained survivalist and less effective in generating cash income. However, well-intended state interventions through Poverty Alleviation Programme (PAP) projects for women's empowerment have instead removed women from their practice of survivalist livelihoods without offering them the necessary enabling conditions to establish independent biographies for practice of 'modern' cash generating strategies. Based on a systematic sample of 177 households and interviews with women in Ga-Ramogale, this article concludes that PAP projects have, rather than empowering women for sustainable participation in rural development, deepened their poverty and deprivation by enticing them away from the practice of livelihoods for which they had developed experience, skills and knowledge over years, and thereby effectively engendering increased reliance on dependency-oriented livelihoods.

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Understanding Flood Risk and Livelihood Resilience in Begusarai

Rashmi

2024

Making India Disaster Resilient

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Learning from the local: Rural livelihoods in ditsobotla, north west province, South Africa

Cited by 11 publications

References 17 publications

Monetary valuation of livelihoods for understanding the composition and complexity of rural households

Monetary valuation of livelihoods for understanding the composition and complexity of rural households

Rural Women's Survivalist Livelihoods and State Interventions in Ga‐Ramogale Village, Limpopo Province

Understanding Flood Risk and Livelihood Resilience in Begusarai

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