Food production strategies and the sustenance of rural livelihood at Umzumbe

Abstract
The standard of living in the rural areas of Umzumbe is impacted upon by a number of factors, ranging from the system of landownership, lack of capital and labour shortages to social problems like population increase and attitudes towards food production. The aim of this research was to examine the problems related to the process of food production among the peasantry at Umzumbe, and to assess the extent to which food is secured for the sustenance of peasant rural livelihoods. Research revealed that only 12.2 percent of the population is economically active. There is a high rate of unemployment, leading to a high dependency rate. The average annual per capita income is very low at about R551. This indicates that people lack essential funds for food security and general well-being. It was found that farming methods used by the peasants in Umzumbe were not conducive to optimum production. As a result it is difficult for them to produce a surplus that can generate high income. Overpopulation has greatly reduced the amount farming land per peasant family. Since land is controlled by Inkosi, landholders do not have a choice of size of land, so that the land used is almost always too small for substantial food production. The tribal system of landownership deprives farmers of an opportunity to obtain loans because they cannot use their land as security. Due to its small number per capita, livestock is mainly kept for subsistence and hardly generates any income. Since local residents lack capital, they cannot offer competitive salaries to their employees. As a result many of the peasants of Umzumbe engage in the migrant labour system. This in turn leads to a labour shortage locally. The low literacy rate among the peasants has not only contributed to their low income but also lead to the development of negative attitudes towards agriculture that are detrimental to food production. The survival of some of the peasants depends on petty commodity production. The combined effect of all the problems cited above has resulted in food insecurity and low standards of living in the Umzumbe region
Description
Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Geography at the University of Zululand,1997.
Keywords
Food--Research--South Africa, Food crops--Research--Africa, southern, Rural development--South Africa, Rural conditions--South Africa
Citation