Gender in assessing agricultural projects in the Nseleni District, KwaZulu-Natal

The purpose of this study is to identify the role played by women in the agricultural development projects that are managed and worked by women in the Nseleni district of Kwazulu-Natal. The other purpose of this study is to establish the impact that these projects have. Females are heads of families in many households of rural communities of Nseleni. This is attributed to the fact that most males are working in remote urban areas of the country. Many of these females are fully engaged in different agricultural projects. When it comes to the administration of these projects, women are relegated to the bottom of the ladder as regards positions. Nseleni is under a tribal authority, which is composed of six different amaKhosi. In all these tribal authorities, the second in charge, the Izinduna, are all males. This has had a negative effect on the role of women in terms of getting access to farming land, where they have to get a male guarantor. Looking at extension officers, particularly from the government, most of them are males. This imbalance in the government employees has also influenced decisions taken to favour males. This is contrary to the 2020 vision of the Department of Agriculture which is to unlock agricultural development and to improve service delivery in KwaZulu-Natal without any gender discrimination. This vision is aiming to use participatory methodologies in involving communities at large in agricultural development.

Author dc:creator

• Zulu, Gugu Cynthia

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Buthelezi, R.

• Women in agriculture
• Agricultural development projects

Licence

• https://devspace.unizulu.ac.za/bitstreams/4b8cb0b4-087f-4898-a2c2-04e64d245c45/download