The role of land-based strategies in rural livelihoods: The contribution of arable production,animal husbandry and natural resource harvesting in communal areas in South Africa

The majority of South Africa's rural population resides in the former homelands. Although cash from urban and government sources is the mainstay of the rural economy in many areas, the multiple and diverse livelihood base of rural households is not widely recognised. This diversity includes the land-based strategies of arable farming, livestock husbandry and consumption and trade in natural resources. This article examines recent and emerging literature from a livelihood perspective in terms of the role and value of each of these three land-based livelihood sectors. We conclude that the contribution of land-based activities to rural livelihoods is important in both financial and social terms, and is probably greater than previously appreciated within the whole gamut of livelihood strategies adopted by rural households, including transfers from formal employment and state pensions. We examine the policy implications of this for land and agrarian reform in South Africa.     

The Sacred Cows of Government Spending

In attempts to reduce state expenditure the Government has exempted defence and the police. J R Shackleton questions the capacity of government to reflect public preferences even in public goods.     

The Development and Interim Validation of A Dimensions-Based Senior Management Assessment Centre

Hugh McCredie, Group Staff Manager of Glynwed International, and Viv Shackleton, Senior Lecturer in Work Psychology at Aston Business School, describe the design of a dimensionally based assessment centre for potential general managers and give an interim evaluation of the centre's operation. While confirming some of the doubts expressed by critics about the usefulness of such dimensions in arriving at overall assessment ratings, they make a case for their value in terms of longer term career progression and training/development action arising out of attendance at the centre.     

Are the communal grazing lands in need of saving?

The condition, productivity and profitability of the communal grasslands in the southern African ‘homelands’ are assessed by review of the published data. There is very little empirical data from the communal grasslands themselves. These data, supported by other circumstantial evidence, do not support the often‐held notion that the communal grasslands are severely degraded and beyond recovery. This is especially so for the moist and mesic areas of southern Africa. Results from the arid areas are variable.     

Sources of capital and income for communal area farmers in Kavango: Implications for agriculture and rural development

A survey based on a structured questionnaire was conducted at the beginning of 1995 to identify sources of capital and income for rural households in Kavango. The survey, which covered 80 households, revealed that there was a high dependence on external income sources. Pensions were the major source of income for the highest proportion of all households (33 per cent), followed by wages (23 per cent) and brewing (10 per cent). Other sources of income of similar importance to brewing were crop sales, non‐formal work and cash remittances.

Livestock were a minor source of income but a major source of capital and food security. Households with smaller cattle herds depended more on cattle for income and food security than those with larger herds. Cattle were a highly valued production resource that was only consumed during times of crisis and only in the absence of less valuable assets that could be easily liquidated. Grain storage was more popular among groups with the lowest income. By various criteria, female‐headed households always tended to be in the group of households categorised as the poorest of the poor. However, given sufficient income, over one third of them would purchase cattle to diversify their investment portfolio.

This article presents a number of potential strategies for improving the incomes of rural households in Kavango. These include the promotion of equitable livestock ownership and better use of the grazing resource through community management, intensification of cropping and the implementation of labour‐intensive programmes to develop rural infrastructure.