Social support networks of South African farm dwellers in the context of household food and livelihood security : a mixed methods approach from a gender perspective

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2010

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DOI:
http://dx.doi.org/10.22029/jlupub-17042

Abstract

Since the transition to democracy in 1994, South Africa s government has attempted to improve the working and living conditions of farm dwellers through laws on fair labour practises, minimum wages, land reform and tenure security. However, farm dwellers remain among the most deprived and marginalised population groups.Using a mixed methods approach, this study focuses on underlying causes of food and livelihood insecurity and the importance of social networks among 69 farm dwellers. From 2004 to 2008, research was carried out on three commercial farms and one rural informal settlement in the North West Province employing a variety of methods, such as in-depth and structured open-ended interviews, focus group discussions and observations. This study is part of a larger research project which investigated the link between nutrition security, livelihoods and HIV/AIDS of farm worker households.Farm dwellers are trapped in a vicious cycle of low financial assets, restricted physical access to services and livelihood opportunities, low health and educational levels, low social resources and dependency on the farm owner. Tenure insecurity, high vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, alcohol abuse, gender-related conflicts and the disempowerment of women further compromise food and livelihood security. Since permanent employment is mainly linked to men, women are dependent on their male partners not only for income, but also for housing and benefits. Women draw on more income and social capital sources compared to men, but this does not enable them to break out of dependency. Every second household (52.3%) is categorised as food insecure, with more conjugal households (62.5%) being insecure than female-headed households (33.3%). Social support networks of farm dwellers consist on average of ten persons, who are mainly kin-related (64.6%) and live within a radius of less than 50 kilometers (89.0%). Network formation is influenced by gender, place of residence, age, distance to birth place and household food security, and not by length of stay, income and household category. The farm owner plays a central role, particularly regarding material and financial assistance, confirming existing paternalistic structures. The majority of network actors have a low economic status, resulting in overall limited network resources. While support networks help to overcome times of economic insecurity and food shortage, the obligation of reciprocity may trap farm dwellers into food and livelihood insecurity in the long term. Apart from the church, other social groups are scarce, mainly due to limited infrastructure and low organisation capital. The lack of linkages to urban areas and more affluent households restricts farm dwellers access to information and opportunities to mobilise resources for better livelihood outcomes. This in-depth research reveals the complexity of factors impacting on food and livelihood security of farm dwellers, highlighting paternalistic structures, gender dynamics and conflict, limited social capital and existing social networks. Participatory strategies aimed at capacity development and empowerment are required to enable both men and women to build on existing resources and to challenge their vulnerability.

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