PERCEPTIONS, RESPONSES
AND
VIEWS ON DROUGTH IMPACT
AMONGST LAND REFORM
BENEFICIRIES IN EASTERN CAPE
PROVINCE
SOUTH AFRICA
Dealing with Disasters
Conference
17 – 18 September 2015
Northumbria University
Newcastle-upon Tyne
UK
Siviwe Shwababa
&
Dr Andries Jordaan
shwababasz@gmail.com
PAPER OUTLINE
 Introduction
 Historical Context
 Constitutional Directives
 Implementation
 Methodology
 Results & Recommendations
INTRODUCTION
 The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform
(DRDLR) has a constitutional mandate of implementing
legislative measures which enable citizens to gain access to
land on equitable basis.
 Against a back drop where the majority of citizens do not
have an equitable access to land, this constitutional
promise remains vital.
ECONOMIC CONTEXT OF THE POPULATION
•
•
Poverty very rife in previous
homeland areas
Government targets the rural
poor communities for land
reform initiatives
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
• Pervasive process of land alienation.
• The process dispossessed the majority of black South Africans.
• 1913 Native Lands Act was established which reinforced the massive
dispossession of land from blacks South Africans
CONSTITUTIONAL DIRECTIVES
•
The 1996 Constitution of post apartheid South
Africa enshrines the following:
o The need for equitable redistribution of land
amongst South Africans.
o Placement of the responsibility upon
government to prioritise the equitable access
to land by all citizens.
•
Redistribution of land should be done within the
prescripts of the Bill of Rights.
GOAL OF LAND REFORM PROGRAMME
Ensure that previously disadvantaged
people acquire equitable access to land
and increase their participation in
agricultural activities
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LAND REFORM PROGRAMME
• Land restitution
• Land redistribution
• Land tenure reform
LAND REDISTRIBUTION
Policy Context
• In order to ensure sustained
productivity within the land
reform farming sector, the land
reform beneficiaries derive
support from the
Recapitalization and
Development Programme
(RADP)
Aims
• That all land reform farms
are 100% productive:
• Increase production on
targeted farms
• Broaden the skills base in
the farming sector.
• Increase market access
and linkages.
AIMS...(CONT.)
• That the class of black fledgling
commercial farmers which was
destroyed by the 1913 Natives
Land Act is rekindled:
• Develop emerging black
farmers into commercial
farmers;
• Ensure the integration of black
farmers into the agricultural
value chain
• Increase investment in the
agricultural sector
PROBLEM STATEMENT
The land reform farmers in South Africa have a vital role to
play in the in the country’s agricultural industry, GDP and on
food security. Their vulnerability, coping and adaptation
capacities towards drought is receiving less attention.
Current Status
LAND PARCELS ACQUIRED FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
PSSC
Farms
Acquired
hectares
EC
196
181 613
Number of
beneficiari
es
1 433
FS
151
113 317
508
GP
93
15 881
268
KZN
236
130 415
7 132
LP
139
56 086
2 857
MP
178
142 321
1 263
NC
79
446 557
230
NW
157
122 801
3 326
WC
48
34 126
1 341
TOTALS
1 277
1 243 117
18 358
DRDLR END OF TERM REPORT 2009-2014
DRLRD END OF TERM REPORT 2009-2014
PSSC
Farms
Hectares
EC
160
FS
177
GP
130
KZN
178
LP
177
MP
197
NC
75
78,735
132,030
27,329
77,338
71,538
128,814
313,688
Farmers Trained Strategic
Partners
94
52
67
70
0
26
371
58
197
44
209
61
89
40
NUMBER OF JOBS CREATED THROUGH RADP
Number of Jobs
Nature
Amount spent
5 392 jobs
2 731 permanent and R2,954,895,179
2 661 seasonal and billion.
casual jobs
RECAPITALISATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF LAND
REFORM FARMERS
• The above spending focuses on
money spend through RADP for
the comprehensive farm
development support of land
reform beneficiaries(DRDRL
2014/2015 APP)
DROUGHT IMPACT
• Total economic loss affecting a
large number of people.
• Affected people are generally the
most vulnerable in the society and
are those that depend on farming
for their survival.
DROUGHT & HUMAN HEALTH
Millennium Development Goals
(1) Eradication of extreme
poverty and hunger
(2) Reduction of infant mortality
(3) Improvement in maternal health
(4) Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria,
tuberculosis, and other diseases with
access to essential medicines.
(5) Reduction of the proportion of
people without access to safe water
and improved sanitation.
DROUGTH & HUMAN HEALTH
• Water Shortages
• Pollution of water sources
• Resulting into: cholera,
typhoid E.coli infection,
Vibro illness
DROUGHT & HUMAN HEALTH
• Competition for water
resources
• Civil strife
• Mass migrations
• Food shortage
DROUGHT & HUMAN HEALTH
• Invasion of alien vegetation.
• Environmental degradation
RESEARCH STUDY
DROUGHT EVENTS IN SOUTH AFRICA
•
•
Severity of drought in the country
Possible options available to land owners?
DROUGTH STATUS IN SOUTH AFRICA
ANDRIES VISSER
PHILLIP MANOTO
SUNDAY TIMES:1 MARCH
2015
DOUW WENTZEL
STUDY AREA
STUDY AREA
AIM
To understand how drought has affected the land reform farmers
and gain insight into their perceptions, responses and views on
drought and its impact on their livelihood.
OBJECTIVES
1. Access land reform farmer’s and their family’s experience on
local drought, rainfall patterns and other stressors.
2. Assess their vulnerability: economic, environmental and social
vulnerabilities.
3. Determine how changes in rainfall patterns have impacted on
their farms and livelihood.
4. To assess their ability to adapt and cope with current and future
drought incidents
METHODOLOGY
• Participatory Learning Approach
FINDINGS
Stressor/Impact
1. Reduced soil fertility
2. Limited crop growth
3. Water shortages
4. Unemployment
5. Illness(HIV)
6. Poverty
7. Heavy rainfall flood events
FINDINGS:
Coping strategy
1. Use of hardy crop type – such
as Pineapples
2. Crop substitution- peas and
sweet potato
3. Rain tanks; deeper ploughing
4. Sale of livestock and crops
5. Medicinal plants
6. Subsistence gardens
7. Replacing grass roofs with
corrugated zinc;
dig furrow around houses
LIMITING FACTORS FOR LAND REFORM FARMERS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Their livelihoods are vulnerable to
drought & its impact
Poor coping mechanisms during dry
spells
No access to credit, insurance etc.
No access to feed supplementation
No Financial backing for restocking in cases where drought
disasters have led to losses.
No early warning systems
Policy gaps :
RADP policy not aligned to the
Policy Framework for Disaster Risk
Management in South Africa
(GN654 of 2005) e.g.
Hyogo/Sendai Framework
RECOMMENDATIONS
– DRDLR should develop a drought impact mitigation model suitable
for the land reform farmers .
– Such a model will assist in minimising the impacts drought, reduce
the health related distresses associated with drought and improve
resilience.
– The recapitalisation policy should incorporate drought mitigation
measures.
TAKE HOME MESSAGE
• Land reform farmers are currently lacking resilience
towards drought and its associated human health
distresses.
• Research projects of this nature can aid government
in the important role of facilitating coping and
adaptation strategies as policy responses to drought
PROPOSED CONFERENCE RESOLUTION
The South African Land reform programme to
be encouraged in embracing
resilience
measures towards natural hazards such as
drought.