4. Results
4.2. Testing Phase (2)
4.2.4. Current Initiatives Evident in the Case Study as Identified by Participants
In the final stages of each focus group workshop, participants were asked to indicate current NRM initiatives, projects and programs that are being conducted in the Okhahlamba Local Municipality. The aim was to not only understand what is being carried out in the area, but to demonstrate which of the initiatives are successful or not, and the reasons for this. Such information could then be used to guide future projects by learning from the failures and successes of existing initiatives. Table 4.4 below gives a simplified summary of the initiatives discussed, a short description as understood by participants, their status (successful or unsuccessful) and the reason for their success or failure.
Government Sectors
Environmental Government Organisation Local Community
(Tribal Authorities) NGOs/NPOs
Summary of Responsible Bodies Identified by
Participants to Implement Proposed Solutions
Table 4.4: Current initiatives being conducted in the LM and their status based on the perceptions of participants during the workshops (see colour key below table)
Initiative/
Organisation Description Status Reason
Active NPO
-On the ground, active through community representatives -Good relationship with environmental government organisation (funding and work together)
-Successful -Good approach (gain trust of community) constant -Stewardship type programs
-Various projects (planting trees, recycling in exchange for food, seeds etc.)
-Successful -Funding from government -Forced to work because of strict monitoring and reporting requirements
-Constantly involved in area, gained trust and developed a strong relationship with community
Active NGO
-Extension officers
-Working on communication between two tribal areas -Good relationship with environmental government organisation (funding and work together)
-Successful -Good approach (gain trust of community) constant -Stewardship type programs
-Extension officers (leave behind trained individuals in the area).
Plots of land (local) that are used as an example to others
-Successful -Ongoing example that is within walking distance for local community
Various NGOs/NPOs (Unspecified)
-Donga rehabilitation -Alien invasive eradication
-Successful during program but temporary (stone packs fill up fast)
-Limited donga rehabilitation (30 people)
-Soil erosion rehabilitation (stone packs)
-Plant short thorn tress and Vetiver/ Kikuyu grass
-Temporarily successful
-Community do not build stone packs when not paid
-Can only plant trees/grass when funding is available -National environmental NGO
acts as a resource provider to small NGOs/NPOs
-Successful -Set realistic expectations that can be met (positive
association)
National government job creation project
-Natural resource management -Aims to create jobs
-Alien Species Eradication
-Successful -Use waste/ materials from one program to benefit another (e.g. wood for alien eradication to develop community)
-Strict monitoring and report requirements ensures results -Large training aspect, locals encourage to become entrepreneurs
Initiative/
Organisation Description Status Reason
Government initiative programme
-Not detailed -Not specified -Not specified
-Involved in donga rehabilitation -Successful -Support by provincial and national departments Community-based
national government programme
-Rehabilitation -Not specified -Not specified
Government funded local environmental committee
-Fire breaks and management - Successful but limited
-Is working but does not stop ad hoc burning
Environmental government organisation
-Firebreaks (manage burning) -Not very successful -Difficult to manage large area, lack of cooperation
-Good relationship with NGOs and NPOs (funding and work together)
- Successful -Good approach, gain trust of community, constant -Stewardship type programs
-Alien Species eradication -Not specified -Not specified National
government programme
-Alien Species eradication -Donga rehabilitation
-Not specified -Not specified
Government funded local community project (1)
-Promote cultural heritage as a tourism product
-Not specified -Not specified
Government funded local community project (2)
-Not specified -Successful when
funded
-Not specified
Participants (Table 4.4) have heard of or knew of projects, committees, organisations, programmes or initiatives being conducted in the area but, in most cases, were not aware of the objectives or status of these initiatives. This reiterates the challenge that actors and stakeholders in the area face limitations due to their lack of communication and integration. It is evident that there are a large variety of initiatives in the area, with the majority of focus being on land rehabilitation and alien species eradication. Key NGOs/NPOs working in the area and government funded projects, programmes and organisations were identified by participants. Despite the success of many of the initiatives, it is evident that the main limitation they face is the temporary time scale of projects and the lack of incentives for locals to use the skills developed in the post-project phase. The initiatives that are successful are due to their constant involvement with the community which has resulted in a strong relationship being developed.
It was interesting to note that none of the current initiatives in place involved the improvement of farming techniques or training, which is one of the key solutions that were raised during the debriefing sessions in most of the focus group workshops. It became apparent that the majority of programs in
Rural Dev.: Rural developers, NPOs, NGOs, researches and planners; Local Com.: Local rural community; Conserv. Auth.: Conservation authorities; Conserv. & Agric.: Conservation authorities and agriculture developers; Gov. Depart.: Relevant government department; Local Gov.: Local Municipality and tourism representatives
place aim to mitigate the challenges or issues, for example donga rehabilitation, rather than address the source of the issue which is the poor farming techniques and incorrect grazing management.
It was perceived by one group of participants that the majority of the current initiatives in place are not successful in the long term due to “the lack of integration and the sheer scale of the problems” that they are facing. It was further reiterated that programs that are designed to teach the local community skills such as building stone packs, are only temporarily successful during the time in which people are paid.
Therefore such skills are not put in place voluntarily, even though the local community recognises the benefits of such techniques. It was indicated that there are no incentives to participate in such initiatives despite it being an income opportunity. During the workshop with the local community, this was reiterated as they indicated that they will not voluntarily put rehabilitation infrastructure in place because it will result in the loss of possible future income as there will no longer be a need for programs in their area.
One participant in the local community focus group workshop indicated that initiatives put in place are limited by the fact they are governed and controlled by politics rather than by the concerns of the natural environment or its people. The other participants agreed by indicating that most of the initiatives are put in place in the other tribal area, Amazizi, rather than in Amangwane, simple because the main tourist route runs through the Amazizi community and they want the area to have an appeal for visitors.
The integration of actors was identified as a key component in creating a successful initiative, therefore demonstrating the need for the involvement of government sectors, NGOs, tribal authorities and local communities. This indicates the need to find a collective forum so that all actors are working towards the same goal by following a structured guideline.
Another common theme between initiatives that have been successful in the area is the strict requirement to conduct monitoring and reporting. This ensures that aims and objectives of the initiative are met as an unsuccessful report would result in a termination of funding. This incentive demonstrates the success of the project to those implementing it and provides a positive attitude to all those involved while ensuring that funding is being spent wisely.