Unpacking the ‘Emergent Farmer’ Concept in Agrarian Reform:Evidence from Livestock Farmers in South Africa

South Africa has historically perpetuated a dual system of freehold commercial and communal subsistence farming. To bridge these extremes, agrarian reform policies have encouraged the creation of a class of ‘emergent’, commercially oriented farmers. However, these policies consider ‘emergent’ farmers as a homogeneous group of land reform beneficiaries, with limited appreciation of the class differences between them, and do little to support the rise of a ‘middle’ group of producers able to bridge that gap. This article uses a case study of livestock farmers in Eastern Cape Province to critique the ‘emergent farmer’ concept. The authors identify three broad categories of farmers within the emergent livestock sector: a large group who, despite having accessed private farms, remain effectively subsistence farmers; a smaller group of small/medium-scale commercial producers who have communal farming origins and most closely approximate to ‘emergent’ farmers; and an elite group of large-scale, fully commercialized farmers, whose emergence has been facilitated primarily by access to capital and a desire to invest in alternative business ventures. On this basis the authors suggest that current agrarian reform policies need considerable refocusing if they are to effectively facilitate the emergence of a ‘middle’ group of smallholder commercial farmers from communal systems

GCIS : rapport de recherche en technologie et C.A.O. de circuits= V.L.S.I

SIGLEAvailable from INIST (FR), Document Supply Service, under shelf-number : AR 15686 (1); AR 15686 (2); AR 15686 (3) / INIST-CNRS - Institut de l'Information Scientifique et TechniqueFRFranc

The small group subtlety of using ICT for participatory governance: A South African experience

The greater number of government efforts to stimulate participative governance in communities using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) often fall short of expectations. In South Africa extending egovernment to communities has been in the form of more and/or better equipped ICT-enabled community centres, called Thusong Service Centres. In this paper, based on action research experiences, we report outcomes of interpretive research into ICT-enabled approaches to participative governance in communities. Using the Diffusion of Innovations theory as an analytic lens, the findings reveal a subtlety that is not often mentioned in the call for participative e-governance; people from communities prefer to work in groups rather than individually. The collectiveness inclination is a common denominator of many developing countries where people choose to come together to leverage the few available resources. Individuals become apprehensive when made to work on their own using the ICT. The research reveals the necessity to re-design ICT to suit small groups as part of participative e-governance rather than the normative ICT design that suits individual work styles. Additionally, the research reveals that by working in groups, communities are more willing to accept the government initiatives that are being energised with the use of ICT. Methodologically, the research revealed the ethical issue that arises from action research in its raising of unrealistic expectations in a community.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/govin

Tradition in transition - intergenerational relations with focus on the aged and their family members in a South African context

This study describes the intergenerational relations influence on the care of the aged in a transitional period expressed by a group of aged South Africans and their family members. Focused ethnographic research was carried out from 2001 to 2006 in a semi-rural area in central South Africa. Twenty-nine participants representing 16 families took part in multiple group interviews. The data was supplemented through individual interviews with 10 of the participants as well as home visits, participation in community activities, notes and video recording. The transcribed interview texts were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The study shows aspects of tradition in transition as reciprocal care between generations, the significance of traditional values and the impact of modernization on care. The findings reveal the on going transition in Africa influencing the role of the aged as well as the reciprocal care within the extended family. The study also discloses that in reciprocal relationships, family members do not necessarily have a biological bond and that revaluing of traditions can be seen as a response to social and economic change and as a tool to maintain influence. This ethnographic study contributes knowledge in the field of gerontological care, by illuminating the impact of transition on the role of aged as well as the caring of the aged in the extended family an important issue for health professionals caring for a growing number of older persons in Southern Africa and in countries with a large representation of minority groups from developing countries.Denna studie beskriver generationsövergripande relationers inflytande på omvårdnaden av äldre i en övergånsperiod/ transition uttryckt av en grupp äldre sydafrikaner och deras familjemedlemmar. Fokuserad etnografi genomfördes från 2001 till 2006 i ett semi-landsbygdsområde i centrala Sydafrika. Tjugonio personer som representerade 16 familjer deltog i multipla gruppintervjuer därutöver genomfördes individuella intervjuer med 10 av deltagarna. Förutom intervjuer ingick hembesök, deltagande i sociala aktiviteter, fältanteckningar och videoinspelningar i studien. Materialet analyserades med användande av kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Studien visar på aspekter i anknytning till tradition i transition såsom ömsesidig omvårdnad mellan generationer, betydelsen av traditionella värden och moderniseringens inflytande på omvårdnad. Denna etnografiska studie bidrar till kunskap inom gerontologisk omvårdnad genom att belysa transitionens påverkan på de äldres roll samt omvårdnaden av äldre i storfamiljen vilket är av vikt för hälso-och sjukvårdspersonal involverade i omvårdnad av en växande grupp äldre i Södra Afrika och i länder med en stor representation av minoritetsgrupper från utvecklingsländer. Nyckelord: Familjen, modernisering, Sydafrika, tradition, transition, äldre, ömsesidighet</p

Outcomes with OAE and AABR screening in the first 48h—Implications for newborn hearing screening in developing countries

OBJECTIVE : Early discharge of newborns (<24 hours after birth) from birthing centres is an important barrier to successful newborn hearing screening (NHS) in developing countries. This study evaluated the outcome of NHS within the first 48 hours using an automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) device without the need for costly disposables typically required, and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE). METHODS : NHS was performed on one hundred and fifty healthy newborns (300 ears) with TEOAE and AABR techniques before discharge at a hospital. A three-stage screening protocol was implemented consisting of an initial screen with TEOAE (GSI AUDIOscreener+) and AABR (Beraphone MB 11). Infants were screened at several time points as early as possible after birth. Infants were only re-screened if either screening technique (TEOAE or AABR) initially yielded a refer outcome. The same audiologist performed all TEOAE and AABR screenings. RESULTS : Over the three-stage screen AABR had a significantly lower refer rate of 16.7% (24/144 subjects) compared to TEOAE (37.9%; 55/145 subjects). Screening refer rate showed a progressive decrease with increasing age. For both TEOAE and AABR, refer rate per ear screened 24 hours post birth was significantly lower than for those screened before 24 hours. For infants screened before 12 hours post birth, the AABR refer rate per ear (51.1%) was significantly lower than the TEOAE refer rate (68.9%). Overall AABR refer rate per ear was similar for infants screened between 24 to 36 hours (20.2%) and 36 to 48 hours (18.9%) but significantly lower than for TEOAE (40.7% and 41.9%, respectively). Lowest initial refer rates per ear (TEOAE 25.8%, AABR 3.2%) were obtained after 48 hours post birth. CONCLUSION : In light of the early post birth discharge typical in developing countries like South Africa, in-hospital screening with AABR technology is significantly more effective than TEOAEs. AABR screening with a device like the MB 11 is particularly appropriate because disposable costs are negligible.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ijporl2016-07-30hb201