Repository logo

Masters Degrees (Geography)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10413/6616

Browse

Browsing Masters Degrees (Geography) by Subject "Agriculture."

Filter results by typing the first few letters
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The impacts of drought on the rural communities of Msinga in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
    (2022) Maniram, Annika.; Lottering, Romano Trent.; Sewell, Shenelle Janalyn.
    Drought is viewed as an important feature of climate change that results in extended periods of dryness, increasing temperatures and heatwaves. Additionally, drought is an extreme event in the hydrological cycle, and it is considered to be one of the most detrimental natural disasters occurring around the world. With the increasing impacts of climate change and anthropogenic activities, the seriousness and frequency of drought is expected to rise in the upcoming decades. Furthermore, a drought is defined as a period of below-average precipitation which results in drier than normal conditions. Globally, droughts are viewed as one of the most distressing natural disasters, which affects food production, water resources, biodiversity and livelihoods. Approximately, 1.5 billion people have been directly impacted by drought this century, whilst every year an estimated 55 million people are affected around the world (Harvey, 2021 & WHO, 2021). Droughts are a key feature of South African climatic conditions, because of its topography, location and below average rainfall. In 2015/2016, South Africa had experienced one of the worst droughts in 30 years because of the extreme weather system, El Nino. The South African drought had resulted in threatened livelihoods, water shortages, loss of agricultural production and increased food prices. Additionally, drought is one of the most difficult challenges affecting developing countries, with the most detrimental effects being felt by rural communities and subsistence farmers, since they mainly rely on rain-fed agriculture. The main aim of this study is to determine the impacts of drought on the rural communities of Msinga in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The objectives for this study are to determine the socio-economic impacts of drought, to examine the perceived seriousness and frequency of drought and to investigate the adaptation strategies of drought. This research study also focuses on a theoretical framework. It discusses the sustainable livelihoods approach and the drought perception theory. The SLA assumes that all individuals have assets and abilities that can improve their livelihoods, whilst the drought perception theory discusses how farmers perceive drought based on four elements. The data obtained for this research study is archival data that was collected in June 2019 till August 2019 at the Msinga Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. However, this research project was conducted over a period of three years during 2020 – 2022. The data that was used for this project was collected using a quantitative research method. Additionally, the collection of data was conducted using a purposive sampling method, which is utilised when the researcher uses their own judgement to choose a group of participants that requires the people with the most characteristics based on their relevance to the research study. From the Msinga region – 180 respondents were chosen. Furthermore, the tools that were used in this study included a questionnaire which provided a deeper understanding of the community dynamics. Questionnaires are a research tool that consists of a series of questions that aim to collect data from a respondent. Furthermore, to analyse the data that was collected, a programme called Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used. Data from the completed questionnaires were entered onto the SPSS programme. The demographic results have indicated that majority of residents within the Msinga Municipality were female, with a large portion of the surveyed population being single. The age distribution was disproportionate, with the older generation being the majority and the working-class population being the minority. The findings also showed a high level of uneducated residents, with majority of the population being unemployed and relying on social grants. The socio-economic impacts of droughts were also discussed, with the results showing high levels of malnutrition, food insecurity, limited food choices, crop failure, unemployment and poverty. The findings also presented adaptation and mitigation measures for dealing with drought, as well as strategies based on indigenous knowledge. The results also showed the different types of water that respondents used for irrigational purposes, as well as the perceived seriousness and frequency of droughts. Additionally, the results presented the percentages of respondents that received agricultural training and assistance from the government during a drought. It also discussed early warning systems and drought management programmes within the area. This project also presents some recommendations based on the results in the study. These included; women empowerment, environmental education, sustainable agricultural practices and governmental involvement and interventions.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Urban agriculture in the Durban unicity : a case study of Demat.
    (2002) Pillay, Ananthan.; Bob, Urmilla.
    Recent trends indicate that there has been an expansion of food production in cities. The urban areas were traditionally the focus of commercial, industrial and residential land use. Although agriculture was the forte of rural areas, urban agriculture presents an emerging land use in South African cities. Thus urban agriculture is an unconventional land use in terms of city space. This must be viewed within the context of rapid urbanization, especially in developing countries that have experienced rapid growth in urban population numbers through in-migration and natural population growth. This resulted in unemployment and wide scale poverty. As an innovative response to poverty, the poor have generated alternative livelihood strategies, inter alia, the growing of food crops as a means to achieve supplementary sources of food. This study is an examination of the impacts of urban agriculture in the Durban Unicity and uses the case study of the Demat community in Welbedacht. The purpose of the study was firstly to determine the socio-economic profile of the community of Demat. Secondly, the study intended to examine the nature and extent of agriculture in the urban residential area of Demat. Thirdly the study focused on the accessibility, ownership and availablility of resources needed by the people to engage in agricultural production in the community of Demat. The fourth objective was to determine whether urban agriculture was supported by the state and other nongovernmental organizations. A critical objective was to assess the potential role of urban agriculture in food security, income generation and employment creation in the community of Demat. The sixth objective was intended to provide recommendations for improving urban agriculture in the residential area of Demat. The study revealed that the majority of the people were poor. In the absence of formal employment opportunities, the majority indicated that they were involved in urban agriculture to supplement incomes as a means of contributing to food security and to alleviate poverty generally. Even pensioners who are not normally considered to be economically active were involved in urban farming. Although food crops were grown for household consumption, they were also sold to generate supplementary incomes. As this form of agriculture was characterized by low energy inputs, evidence of environmental degradation was non-existent or minimal. In the main, crop cultivation was shaped by multiple influences. Some of the primary factors were food shortages, unemployment, household labour availability and prevailing poverty. Specific problems related to crop production were as follows: damage by livestock, lack of fencing, lack of water, lack ofland, lack of fertilizers, lack offinance and the lack of support services. The recommendations provided in the study relate to general and specific concerns raised by the community of Demat. In this respect the national government, the provincial government and the Durban Unicity must make resources available to alleviate the plight of the poor. urban areas were traditionally the focus of commercial, industrial and residential land use. Although agriculture was the forte of rural areas, urban agriculture presents an emerging land use in South African cities. Thus urban agriculture is an unconventional land use in terms of city space. This must be viewed within the context of rapid urbanization, especially in developing countries that have experienced rapid growth in urban population numbers through in-migration and natural population growth. This resulted in unemployment and wide scale poverty. As an innovative response to poverty, the poor have generated alternative livelihood strategies, inter alia, the growing of food crops as a means to achieve supplementary sources of food. This study is an examination of the impacts of urban agriculture in the Durban Unicity and uses the case study of the Demat community in Welbedacht. The purpose of the study was firstly to determine the socio-economic profile of the community of Demat. Secondly, the study intended to examine the nature and extent of agriculture in the urban residential area of Demat. Thirdly the study focused on the accessibility, ownership and availablility of resources needed by the people to engage in agricultural production in the community of Demat. The fourth objective was to determine whether urban agriculture was supported by the state and other nongovernmental organizations. A critical objective was to assess the potential role of urban agriculture in food security, income generation and employment creation in the community of Demat. The sixth objective was intended to provide recommendations for improving urban agriculture in the residential area of Demat. The study revealed that the majority of the people were poor. In the absence of formal employment opportunities, the majority indicated that they were involved in urban agriculture to supplement incomes as a means of contributing to food security and to alleviate poverty generally. Even pensioners who are not normally considered to be economically active were involved in urban farming. Although food crops were grown for household consumption, they were also sold to generate supplementary incomes. As this form of agriculture was characterized by low energy inputs, evidence of environmental degradation was non-existent or minimal. In the main, crop cultivation was shaped by multiple influences. Some of the primary factors were food shortages, unemployment, household labour availability and prevailing poverty. Specific problems related to crop production were as follows: damage by livestock, lack of fencing, lack of water, lack of land, lack of fertilizers, lack of finance and the lack of support services. The recommendations provided in the study relate to general and specific concerns raised by the community of Demat. In this respect the national government, the provincial government and the Durban Unicity must make resources available to alleviate the plight of the poor.