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Research Publications (Management Sciences)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/217

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Subject: search.filters.subject.Rural communities

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Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Driving sustainable growth for small and medium enterprises in emerging urban–rural economies
    (MDPI AG, 2023) Tshikovhi, Ndivhuho; More, Krantisagar; Cele, Zamaswazi
    Rural economies are crucial for global development, with more than 80% of the world’s population living in rural areas and agriculture providing livelihoods for approximately 2.5 billion people worldwide. However, these economies are often vulnerable to various factors, including climate change, natural disasters, and a lack of progressive economic policies. The main aim of making rural economies more sustainable is to promote long-term economic development, protect the environment, and improve the quality of life in urban–rural communities. This paper explored certain strategies for enhancing rural economies to be more sustainable. The results show that smart growth has been rapidly growing in urban cities, while certain communities outside urban areas have been left behind. However, both urban and rural communities need economic growth and be adaptive to smart growth to serve their communities and adhere to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the new era of innovation. Thus, we argue that rural areas are a big part of emerging economies. As such, they cannot be left behind in any smart growth. In this study, we found that rural economies need training and up-skilling in order to improve their sustainability and efficiency targets. Through a systematic review, this paper looked at various ways rural communities can solve their challenges toward smart growth and the sustainability of their resources. As a result, we propose solutions for urban–rural communities to implement in daily activities in terms of policy and practice approaches.
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    Rural community perceptions on land use change and its effects on their agricultural practices in Vulindlela Traditional Area, KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa
    (2023-12-01) Zondi, Nkululeko Ephraim
    This study assessed the level of awareness among the Vulindlela rural community regarding land use and land cover changes occurring in their community. Additionally, this study sought to examine the effects of these land use and land cover changes on the agricultural practices of the Vulindlela rural community. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methods. Secondary data from Statistics South Africa and the Msunduzi Local Municipality were used to determine the relationship between population growth and housing unit expansion. Primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews to capture the community’s perceptions of land use change and its impacts on agricultural activities. The study results indicated a strong relationship (r = 0.81, t = 2.39, df = 3, p = 0.10) between population growth and an increase in housing units. Respondents also noted that land use and cover change has occurred in Vulindlela. The driver of this change is an increase in residential housing units built on land designated for agriculture (crop and pastoral fields). Residential development on agricultural fields is a result of the de agrarianisation by the local community. De-agrarianisation drivers in Vulindlela include a lack of agricultural equipment, high costs (time and money) associated with agriculture, inadequate government support, increased dependence on government grants and lack of interest in the younger generation in agriculture.
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    A rural perspective on the practice and challenges of community participation in post-apartheid South Africa insights from rural Beaufort-West Municipality
    (International Institute for Science, Technology and Education, 2021-04) Davids, Gregory; Prince, T.; Makiva, Msuthukazi; Fagbadebo, Omololu M.
    Post-apartheid South African (SA) government devised legalized platforms for citizen participation to channel their voice towards public policy formulation, implementation, outcome, and its impact. Instead of using these platforms, dissatisfied communities with service delivery resort to social protests and unrest. Indeed, citizens’ voice and participation in government decision-making through social protests, is among the critical elements to democracy and good governance. The study sought to investigate the practice and challenges there are, with regards to community participation at the local level within selected rural communities, in South Africa. The study relied on qualitative research methodology to gather primary data. Extant literature was consulted to collect secondary data so that the phenomenon is greatly understood. The results showed that community participation is practiced as a once-off event instead of being viewed as a process that is comprised of interrelated activities. The study concludes that effective community participation requires continual engagement across the entire policy planning, decision making, and implementation stages. Furthermore, as each public policy phase has its challenges, flexible strategies are required to facilitate community engagement and participation. This, for instance, will increase the degree of decision-making consensus, while by default reduce the level of community dissatisfaction with service delivery, which currently South Africa experiences, through social unrest.
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    Insight into self-reliance of rural communities for endogenous growth in KwaZulu-Natal
    (Siauliai University, 2022-06-06) Zondo, Robert Walter Dumisani
    It has been established that development in most African countries has been severely affected due to the loss of the key aspects that define communities and the environments in which they live. Rural communities are normally overlooked when development interventions are implemented. Immediate intervention of rural communities requires funding for infrastructure such as earth dams, training facilities, marketing of products and services, frameworks for rural development plans as well as capacity support. Such funding plays a positive role in the development of self-reliance of rural communities. Other than funding, African indigenous knowledge is critical in advancing the self-reliance of rural communities. However, such a knowledge system is either underdeveloped or not fully utilised for development purposes. The underutilisation of African indigenous knowledge leads to the loss of valuable information that could be used for developmental purposes, ensuring unified communities. This affects the establishment of self-reliance strategies in rural communities leading to the creation of endogenous growth. Such growth enriches the development process and empowers communities to be self-reliant, thus improving quality of life. The economic empowerment strategies should result in the development of rural entrepreneurs for South Africa. This study assesses the effects of self-reliance on rural community development in KwaZulu-Natal.