Exploring the implementation of one household one hectare programme in selected northern KwaZulu-Natal communities.

Abstract

The issue of land development is high on the South African agenda. The South African population is in a buoyant mood following the positive prospects to amend the South African Constitution to allow government to expropriate land without compensation. But opposition parties in the country and the right wing interest groups such as the AfriForum are controversially at loggerhead with government, challenging the possible amendment. Simultaneously, South Africa is among the countries that have reduced their support to farmers over the last three decades. Those farmers are considered the least supported in the world according to recent studies. As a result, it is important to undertake land development studies that focus on agriculture. This will aid government intervention in land development and food security which affects livelihoods of the rural communities. This study critically analysed four projects in KwaZulu-Natal that are implementing the One Household One Hectare Programme. The projects are uMhlabawethu, Sibuyelekhaya, Sukuma Senze and Future. The projects are in three local municipalities: City of uMhlathuze, Big Five False Bay Municipality and Jozini. This is an exploratory qualitative study, inclusive of primary and secondary data, underpinned by a constructivist worldview and executed through narrative research strategy. A non-probability sampling strategy was applied with a purposive sampling technique. Four project managers and two monitoring and evaluation specialists were interviewed along with eight farmers. Primary data were analysed through a combination of content, matrix and thematic analysis whilst secondary data were analysed through content analysis and Microsoft Excel software. The results show that the ultimate vision of creating vibrant, equitable and sustainable rural communities will be compromised, unless a multi-pronged approach based on coordinated and integrated agrarian transformation; strategic and pragmatic upgrade of rural development; and improved land reform programme is adopted. This study has implications for land development policy formulation and creating vibrant, equitable and sustainable rural areas.