Why do problems emerge?
By Stanley Maphosa
Text: John 2: 1-12
Problems in any set up emerge because of the following reasons among other:
1. Lack of Leadership
In all areas, home country, business and organizations, problems arise when there is lack of leadership. We all lead in one way or another. Leadership is physical and spiritual, abstract and tangible. It is both wine and wine skin. Both the spiritual and the physical should grow in order for leadership to grow. Leadership is also dimensional. If you look at where you are going it is big and where you are coming from looks small. If the place you have been is still overwhelming you, then you are not growing in Leadership. You have to constantly move to the next dimension
-By your decision
-Others decide it for you. People, God and circumstances can challenge you to go to the next level. Job was challenged by problems and David by Goliath
Leadership is situational. The situation can demand that a leader emerge
In John Chapter 2. The situation on the absence of wine, the mother and the governor put pressure on Jesus’ leadership to perform
Leadership is critical in any sector. If a man does not show leadership in his house, by default, the wife or the eldest son will show it. At least someone will show leadership.
2. Lack of vision
Vision is insight, foresight and prophetic. Vision for the individual is introspection or examining yourself. Insight is looking inside your business, your organization and has an honest and realistic view, Have some people who will be realistic about yourself and not on the basis of your background or exposure. Foresight is not saying what is coming but the understanding that change is the only thing that is constant. We lack foresight vision when we do crisis management. Problems emerge because of the lack of a plan for what is coming in future. We have to pay the price now if we have to succeed tomorrow. Vision is therefore a choice. Vision is prophetic-see what is coming and see what is coming. Vision is virtual and actual
3. Lack of Financial understanding
Money does grow in trees. It is like a tree. Psalms 1. In the bank world people open u branches. Any major company opens up branches. You cut of branches you cut the flow of money. The tree is supporting the branches and every branch produces like the tree. Genesis 39 says Joseph is a tree. If you do not understand how money works, you will have problems .Where the tree starts determines where the branches go.
4. Lack of order
Any time you see problems; there is a lack of order. Someone should have dropped the ball, defaulted or faltered. We have to learn to deal with our abnormalities and dysfunctions.
5. Lack of competence
If you put people in a position and they are not gifted or competent, in it will cost you a lot. Family businesses are killed by employing relatives who know nothing. Government performance is affected by people who are deployed because they sing the loudest in political rallies. Lack of gifts or competence causes problems. Any organization is only as strong as its gifted people. This is true for a family, a church or any organization. When you fall in love, do not just fall in love with a face or what walks out of a house. Fall in love with someone who is very gifted. If the person is not gifted, very early in the marriage problems will start to emerge. They will sit in the couch and watch TV and that will be all. Skills levels that we bring to the table are very critical. Daniel Chapter 1 says Daniel was very skilled and intelligent. Nebuchadnezzar got the best men who did not have dual interest (eunuchs) into Babylon. He wanted people that would make the empire (company) stronger and better than what it was. If you have a problem, do not go to someone less gifted than you are to resolve the problem.
Lessons from John Chapter 2:
Jesus’ mother was already there. Maybe she was a relative or to dress the bride or to cook whatever. Jesus arrived and walked through the crowd he was invited with his disciples.
The mother came and said there was no wine
-Leadership problem.
-Vision problem: over invited everybody in the country
-Did not understand how money works. They had wine for the selected few people or bought cheap wine that gets finished quickly like water
-There was no order. Mary did not go and tell the governor but ran to Jesus. She did not understand protocol and procedure, she jumped the gun. Jesus was an invited guest .If there was no wine, the governor of the feast should have known that there was no wine
-There was a lack of competence. The pots were for the Jewish purification and not the drinking of water. There were wrong pots at the wrong place-wrong service
-There was lack of gift. The people who were supposed to serve wine did not know much about wine-busy at work but doing nothing in line with what wine serving about.
-Mary challenged Jesus to make wine-to show leadership. She was expecting the son to buy the wine; she was not expecting this kind of miracle
-They filled in the pots (showing how empty mankind is and that he/she needs to be filled)
Jesus in Chapter 2 of John
1. Showed leadership by telling the servants what to do
2. Showed vision about what should be done
3. Shows that you do not need money for everything. You can get the best from the branch of the vine
4. Showed order. He did not take the wine to his mother but to the Governor of the feast
5. Showed gift-miracle. Each time we need miracles we need Leadership- Moses go as Leader, David go as a Leader, and Samuel go as a leader.
If we need miracles in this season and time, we need leadership and vision, understanding of finance
Then his disciples believed in him. They just walked with him but believed him when he showed leadership, vision, order, gift, and a generational plan. He invested his life because he was showing himself through the marriage as a picture of the church and himself. He was also fulfilling the law. If you build, count the cost. The women and the men were carrying what they did not know-maybe presidents. Jesus was feeding the future. What you are carrying is greater than you are. Jesus was investing into the bride and the groom.
This beginning…….
If you start one miracle, then others are following. We need to begin. The first is important but it will never be the same as the others that will follow. There are many beginnings but let this be a definite beginning for solutions rather than problems.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Human Trafficking
Human trafficking. Is it a new phenomenon?
By Stanley Maphosa
This phenomenon, as far back as I remember, started with Joseph in the Bible. His bothers trafficked him to the Ishmeelites who later auctioned him in Egypt where he was bought by Potiphar. In this incident, trafficking happened to Joseph because of two things. Firstly, he was young and therefore vulnerable. The strong and older brothers who have taken him into the pit got hold of him again and shoved him into the Ishmaelite caravan. He was just like a sheep going to the slaughter, I trust all he did was cry and that did not help him in that place and the time when the trafficking happened. Secondly. Joseph was traffic ked because he had favor with God and his parents. He was a dreamer with a predicted future to lead his brothers and even his parents. His parents loved and favored him maybe because he was the last born and gave him a coat of many colors. This favor caused anger and bitterness on his brothers who ended up selling him. The buyers benefitted from Egypt and the brother who sold Joseph got some money in the process.
The slave trade of old was another form of human trafficking. People from Africa were bought from chiefs and kings for small items like alcohol, beverages, guns, ornaments and spices. They were vulnerable in the sense that the king’s word was not opposed and they were handed over to the slave traders who transported them under very cruel conditions across the seas and oceans to Europe and the Americas. The traders sold them to the plantation owners, factory owners and individuals where they worked very hard in extreme conditions for no payment. The kings who sold them, the traders and the buyers benefitted and the victims did not get anything out of the deal. This was the second worst form of oppression and exploitation in human history after that of the Israelites who had gone to Egypt as a result of Joseph being sold by his brothers. The slave trade though abolished by William Wilberforce and others gave birth to some forms of oppression like colonialism, imperialism, capitalism and apartheid among others that made the poor poorer and the richer rich until this day. Our brothers in the Americas, Jamaica and the Diaspora are now unable to come back home to Africa and live with us in Soweto or Mdantsane their original home. Africa has been used, through cheap labor or manpower to develop Europe and America
The Human and child trafficking we are taking about today is a modern day slavery. It is subtle but still strives on vulnerability, gain for the rich and loss for the poor and manipulation. The traffickers today claim that they will give you a dream job in another place, they promise bursaries and all green pastures. The vulnerable believe their lies and at the end of the journey find there is nothing like that. They find themselves sold to prostitution for both males and females, selling drugs and or working for no payment in environments not fit for human settlement. Human trafficking is a big business which has systems and structures as well as coordinated syndicates around the world. It is the second largest business after drugs. While drugs are sold and used once and for all, human beings can be resold and in the process make a lot of money for those in the deal. There are cases where parents or guardians are driven by poverty, greed or any other motive to sell their own children. In the face of HIV and AIDS and the growing numbers of orphans and vulnerable children are susceptible to human trafficking. With false promises and or coercion, the victims are tricked and transported to what is called “better life.” In that better life place, they are isolated from help and kept in fear, debt, drugs, threats and violence. They enabling documents like the passports, identity cards and drivers license are taken away from them. Exploitation begins to take its toll as the victims are forced into prostitution, domestic slavery, forced labor or even mutilated for body organs.
Children should watch who they talk or chat to in the social networking sites. They should be aware of agents that advertise opportunities in the newspapers and report any suspicious actions of human trafficking
Stanley Maphosa is the Regional Operations Manager for World Vision South Africa and he is writing in his personal capacity
By Stanley Maphosa
This phenomenon, as far back as I remember, started with Joseph in the Bible. His bothers trafficked him to the Ishmeelites who later auctioned him in Egypt where he was bought by Potiphar. In this incident, trafficking happened to Joseph because of two things. Firstly, he was young and therefore vulnerable. The strong and older brothers who have taken him into the pit got hold of him again and shoved him into the Ishmaelite caravan. He was just like a sheep going to the slaughter, I trust all he did was cry and that did not help him in that place and the time when the trafficking happened. Secondly. Joseph was traffic ked because he had favor with God and his parents. He was a dreamer with a predicted future to lead his brothers and even his parents. His parents loved and favored him maybe because he was the last born and gave him a coat of many colors. This favor caused anger and bitterness on his brothers who ended up selling him. The buyers benefitted from Egypt and the brother who sold Joseph got some money in the process.
The slave trade of old was another form of human trafficking. People from Africa were bought from chiefs and kings for small items like alcohol, beverages, guns, ornaments and spices. They were vulnerable in the sense that the king’s word was not opposed and they were handed over to the slave traders who transported them under very cruel conditions across the seas and oceans to Europe and the Americas. The traders sold them to the plantation owners, factory owners and individuals where they worked very hard in extreme conditions for no payment. The kings who sold them, the traders and the buyers benefitted and the victims did not get anything out of the deal. This was the second worst form of oppression and exploitation in human history after that of the Israelites who had gone to Egypt as a result of Joseph being sold by his brothers. The slave trade though abolished by William Wilberforce and others gave birth to some forms of oppression like colonialism, imperialism, capitalism and apartheid among others that made the poor poorer and the richer rich until this day. Our brothers in the Americas, Jamaica and the Diaspora are now unable to come back home to Africa and live with us in Soweto or Mdantsane their original home. Africa has been used, through cheap labor or manpower to develop Europe and America
The Human and child trafficking we are taking about today is a modern day slavery. It is subtle but still strives on vulnerability, gain for the rich and loss for the poor and manipulation. The traffickers today claim that they will give you a dream job in another place, they promise bursaries and all green pastures. The vulnerable believe their lies and at the end of the journey find there is nothing like that. They find themselves sold to prostitution for both males and females, selling drugs and or working for no payment in environments not fit for human settlement. Human trafficking is a big business which has systems and structures as well as coordinated syndicates around the world. It is the second largest business after drugs. While drugs are sold and used once and for all, human beings can be resold and in the process make a lot of money for those in the deal. There are cases where parents or guardians are driven by poverty, greed or any other motive to sell their own children. In the face of HIV and AIDS and the growing numbers of orphans and vulnerable children are susceptible to human trafficking. With false promises and or coercion, the victims are tricked and transported to what is called “better life.” In that better life place, they are isolated from help and kept in fear, debt, drugs, threats and violence. They enabling documents like the passports, identity cards and drivers license are taken away from them. Exploitation begins to take its toll as the victims are forced into prostitution, domestic slavery, forced labor or even mutilated for body organs.
Children should watch who they talk or chat to in the social networking sites. They should be aware of agents that advertise opportunities in the newspapers and report any suspicious actions of human trafficking
Stanley Maphosa is the Regional Operations Manager for World Vision South Africa and he is writing in his personal capacity
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Land Reforms And Rural Development
“WITHOUT LAND REFORM RURAL DEVELOPMENT WILL NEVER BE SUCCESSFUL” AN EXPLAINATION OF HOW LAND REFORM CAN AND SHOULD GIVE RURAL DEVELOPMENT A PUSH START.
Stanley Maphosa
S3R Consulting
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 Introduction 3
2.0 Definition of terms 3
3.0 Access to land for the poor 4
4.0 Introduction of cash cropping 5
5.0 Land reform as a mechanism for development 5
6.0 Land reform as a push start for rural development 6
7.0 Conclusion 8
8.0 Bibliography 9
1.0 Introduction
The purpose of this paper is to highlight the pivotal role played by land reform in rural development as it has been a channel through which the poor can access land, and how this exercise can push start development. However, there is a need to be aware of other factors that might affect development, for example a balanced allocation of land to agriculture and industrial development. In the process of qualifying the given statement, a critical analysis will be done with examples of South Africa, as a country that is in the midst of a land reform debate. Recommended prerequisites for successfully implementing land reform will also be highlighted in a bid to show how land reform can and should push start rural development.
2.0 Definition of terms
Rakolojane (2002) points out that land reform deals with the way in which land is owned and how patterns of ownership change. She also quoted Jeppe (1980: 208) defining land reform as a means of altering inequitable power structures for effective development of participatory institutions both local and national and thus strengthening democracy. This therefore means that democracy is so much attached to the reforms in land which were amongst the major causes of colonialisation and oppression. Land reform may extend to land redistribution, change of tenure and settlement on the land. Masilela and Weiner (2001), in their case study of land reform in South Africa point out this process is viewed as a way of responding to unjust acts that occurred during apartheid. De Wet (2000) elaborates on this issue by noting that the primary aim of South African government for the land reform program is to contribute towards reconciliation by addressing the injustices and inequalities of post freedom land allocation. Thus, land reform is a saturated program that contains social, political and economic aspects that need to be recognised.
Social, political and economic capitals that are associated herein with land reforms are essential for development in the rural areas since the most important field of production is agriculture. Therefore, deriving from the given definition, it is assumed that successful rural development would call for land reform especially in countries where the majority of the rural population was at some time displaced from fertile land by the colonial masters
3.0 Access to land for the poor
Providing land to the poor is the crucial starting point in rural development as agriculture is the main means of production in rural areas. With land available to them and all things being equal in terms of the rain, developed agricultural skills and inputs, rural communities can only buy salt which they cannot grow on the soil. Land reform, therefore, comes in to address issues on welfare (where land is given to the one who tills it), efficiency (to do with giving land to the majority of rural dwellers) and empowerment (that looks at land being the key resource that will cut off the dependency cycle of the poor). Thus, ownership of land has implications on the livelihood of the rural population and their development. Hence, writing about the Zimbabwe land reform exercise, Moyo (2003) states that the overriding objective on the land policy is to improve farm productivity and land use where access to land has to be improved. However, before independence most of the African countries like South Africa did not have access to fertile and adequate land. Most of the prime land belonged to the whites. This eventually led to poverty being associated with the rural population where they were very poor since they were driven to areas without investment, where they could not produce cattle because of tsetse flies, and where rainfall patterns were erratic therefore resulting in low productivity.
From the past, land had always had socio – economic and political meanings to people hence the existence of a strong attachment to land. Ownership of land was a symbol of wealth and influence to the blacks. Therefore, the loss of their land stripped them off their dignity, left them poor and with no identity. As some African countries gained independence, land reform programs were taken up to rectify this anomaly. Though with challenges and weaknesses, many rural areas were developed and continue to be developed through this process. For example, through land reform, the poor landless population in the rural areas will be able to access land. Finally they will put up decent shelter and rear their livestock with adequate grazing land, restoring their dignity. The government needs to made available facilities to easily access inputs. This will greatly contribute to the food security of the rural areas, an achievement towards developing the rural poor. Despite criticisms that have been published on how only the affluent and foreigners access land property due to their influence and the money that they have, if it is not for land reform, the rural poor will still be landless and poor after 15 years of democracy.
4.0 Introduction of cash crop production
Land reform gives room for local farmers to engage in cash cropping and still be able to grow food crops. This stance will see the development of many rural areas as it will attract investors. For example, amazing infrastructural developments can be seen in the Mashonaland part of Zimbabwe where they grow cotton as a cash crop and grain crops for food. The state needs to support communal farmers by making available facilities to access inputs and viable markets. In the process of exposing the local farmers to markets, they are also exposed to various investors who came into the rural areas to offer them relevant services. For example banks, Post Office depots and supermarkets offering basic commodities will be established.
This in turn will lead to construction of roads for easy access to communities and provision of reliable transport. In Kenya, land reform was meant to increase land productivity and encourage the rural people to invest in land as a way of increasing productivity. However, cash cropping brought about the concept of feminisation of poverty, where men have access to most of the benefits of cash cropping leaving women with very little or nothing to support their welfare. Though challenges were faced in achieving this aim, this was meant to place the rural poor at a strategic position of being developed.
5.0 Land reform as a mechanism for development
Masilela and Weiner (2001: 25 - 26) outline various objectives stated by the government of Zimbabwe in their documents that present land reform as a mechanism for development. Firstly, land reform in Zimbabwe was meant to relieve population pressure on overcrowded communal lands by bringing abandoned and under utilised commercial land into full production. Secondly, land reform was meant to extend and improve the agricultural base by supporting the peasant farmers through households and cooperative production. Thirdly, it aimed at improving the standard of living of the largest part of the poorest sector of the population that is the rural folk. It also aimed at distributing services and infrastructure to neglected areas and these were the rural areas. Finally, it aimed at implementing a resettlement programme that would eliminate the country’s economic dependence on the numerically small large-scale commercial sector. These five objectives define development of the rural poor elaborating the point that land reform is very essential in rural development. It does not only look at agricultural development but also considers development of industries, especially agriculture – related and service industries in rural areas.
Therefore, though the actual implementation of the program came with challenges, Zimbabwe had managed to justify that land reform is crucial for rural development. South Africa and other countries can learn from the Zimbabwe situation yet avoiding the pitfalls experienced thereof.
6.0 Land reform as a push start for rural development
Land reform is indeed essential for rural development, and this can be learnt through the analysis of lessons learnt from countries that implemented land reform. As aforementioned, various challenges were met and can still be met in the process of implementation; however, this cannot be a justification of disqualifying the crucial role played by land reform in rural development. Van de Wall (2004: 39) outlines prerequisites for a successful land reform and these show how land reform can and should push start rural development. He states that the rural population must accept the principle of land reform. During this process there is a lot of movement and political upheavals. It also demands a change in the patterns of life. For example, if there were plots allocated specifically for commercial farming, more time should be spent in the fields leaving less time to work elsewhere. The commercial farmer should treat that as a full time work that needs planning and the whole weight in it.
In South Africa, it is reported that 90% of the people allocated land have not fully utilised it. Some have sold it and gone to look for employment elsewhere. Farming should be viewed in the light of the change of lifestyle. In response to this change of lifestyle, a number of new commercial farmers need to leave their places of employment to take up full time farming. Secondly, for land reform to push start development, commercial farmers have to be aware that it would imply high costs and a large number of qualified and trained staff. There is also need for technical support services. This calls for proper management within the farms and adequate inputs for good harvests. The government and other partners in rural development need to take note of this need and provide credit facilities for inputs and farming implements.Extension staff from the Department of Agriculture needs to train farmers on various skills and assist them with equipment. The training should not be done in hotels and fancy venues but hands on in the farm with practical deomonstrations.This will assist farmers who have to develop their plots and cannot afford all the required inputs and those who have limited knowledge in farming. However, this is not to say that the whole process will be an automatic and total success since some challenges will be faced.
The land reform process should be push started by the commitment of the central government of the country. Other levels of government, NGOs, civil society and corporate should also realise the long term benefit and support the programme. The government needs to fully participate in the process through political and economic interventions. The government should also open up opportunities for the new farmers to easily access markets to sell their produce. For example depots need to be set up in various areas for easy access to the market. Prices should be monitored to ensure free trade for the new farmers
For land reform to push start development in the rural areas farmers need to enjoy security in respect of land rights. In South Africa there are plots that were put up for sale and the owners would have complete control over thee land. True, this came with some discourse as it isolated the poor who could not afford to buy land, but it speeded up the process of growth among the new commercial farmers. Because, they had spent financial resources to acquire the land, they were, therefore pushed to work towards fruitful results. In the rural areas, land is said to belong to the chief and so it can not be sold. That is why the chief is able to evict any person not subject to him or suspected of witchcraft. Rural subsistent farmers cannot sell but pass on to the next generation.The rural population is in secure with their land rights as they cannot use land for collateral in banks to get money to develop it for their economic improvement.
7.0 Conclusion
It is unfortunate that the African countries that underwent land reform faced great challenges that even threatened the political stability of the countries concerned and their economic sector. However, a close and balanced analysis of the implementation of the land reform program reveals that land reform can and should push start rural development as it is concerned with the key means of production. It is important that we understand and acknowledge the multi sectoral nature of rural development. It is not only agricultural benefits brought about by land reform that would complete the development process in the rural areas. All activities be they infrastructural or spatial, take place in the land amd the questions of land ownership, restitution of the land, allocation of used or underutilised land is crucial to this debate. The fact that rural populations that comprise the highest numbers in the country are crowded in small pieces of land some of which is not arable while there are huge spaces if unused land need to be look at very critically and appropriate redress action taken as soon as possible.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
De Wet, C. 2000. Land reform in South Africa: a vehicle for justice and reconciliation, or a source of further inequality and conflict? Development Southern Africa 14 (3).
Masilela, C & Weiner, D. 2001. Resettlement planning in Zimbabwe and South Africa’s rural land reform discourse. Third World Planning Review 18 (1)
Moyo, S. 2003. The land question – which way forward? Southern African Political and Economic Monthly 7
Rakolojane, M. 2002. Only Study Guide for OADRUR – Y. Pretoria: University of South Africa
Van de Wall, G. 2004. Towards a system of land tenure in the national states, in Towards freehold? Options for land and development in South Africa’s black rural areas, edited by CR Cross and R Haines. Cape Town: Juta
Stanley Maphosa
S3R Consulting
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 Introduction 3
2.0 Definition of terms 3
3.0 Access to land for the poor 4
4.0 Introduction of cash cropping 5
5.0 Land reform as a mechanism for development 5
6.0 Land reform as a push start for rural development 6
7.0 Conclusion 8
8.0 Bibliography 9
1.0 Introduction
The purpose of this paper is to highlight the pivotal role played by land reform in rural development as it has been a channel through which the poor can access land, and how this exercise can push start development. However, there is a need to be aware of other factors that might affect development, for example a balanced allocation of land to agriculture and industrial development. In the process of qualifying the given statement, a critical analysis will be done with examples of South Africa, as a country that is in the midst of a land reform debate. Recommended prerequisites for successfully implementing land reform will also be highlighted in a bid to show how land reform can and should push start rural development.
2.0 Definition of terms
Rakolojane (2002) points out that land reform deals with the way in which land is owned and how patterns of ownership change. She also quoted Jeppe (1980: 208) defining land reform as a means of altering inequitable power structures for effective development of participatory institutions both local and national and thus strengthening democracy. This therefore means that democracy is so much attached to the reforms in land which were amongst the major causes of colonialisation and oppression. Land reform may extend to land redistribution, change of tenure and settlement on the land. Masilela and Weiner (2001), in their case study of land reform in South Africa point out this process is viewed as a way of responding to unjust acts that occurred during apartheid. De Wet (2000) elaborates on this issue by noting that the primary aim of South African government for the land reform program is to contribute towards reconciliation by addressing the injustices and inequalities of post freedom land allocation. Thus, land reform is a saturated program that contains social, political and economic aspects that need to be recognised.
Social, political and economic capitals that are associated herein with land reforms are essential for development in the rural areas since the most important field of production is agriculture. Therefore, deriving from the given definition, it is assumed that successful rural development would call for land reform especially in countries where the majority of the rural population was at some time displaced from fertile land by the colonial masters
3.0 Access to land for the poor
Providing land to the poor is the crucial starting point in rural development as agriculture is the main means of production in rural areas. With land available to them and all things being equal in terms of the rain, developed agricultural skills and inputs, rural communities can only buy salt which they cannot grow on the soil. Land reform, therefore, comes in to address issues on welfare (where land is given to the one who tills it), efficiency (to do with giving land to the majority of rural dwellers) and empowerment (that looks at land being the key resource that will cut off the dependency cycle of the poor). Thus, ownership of land has implications on the livelihood of the rural population and their development. Hence, writing about the Zimbabwe land reform exercise, Moyo (2003) states that the overriding objective on the land policy is to improve farm productivity and land use where access to land has to be improved. However, before independence most of the African countries like South Africa did not have access to fertile and adequate land. Most of the prime land belonged to the whites. This eventually led to poverty being associated with the rural population where they were very poor since they were driven to areas without investment, where they could not produce cattle because of tsetse flies, and where rainfall patterns were erratic therefore resulting in low productivity.
From the past, land had always had socio – economic and political meanings to people hence the existence of a strong attachment to land. Ownership of land was a symbol of wealth and influence to the blacks. Therefore, the loss of their land stripped them off their dignity, left them poor and with no identity. As some African countries gained independence, land reform programs were taken up to rectify this anomaly. Though with challenges and weaknesses, many rural areas were developed and continue to be developed through this process. For example, through land reform, the poor landless population in the rural areas will be able to access land. Finally they will put up decent shelter and rear their livestock with adequate grazing land, restoring their dignity. The government needs to made available facilities to easily access inputs. This will greatly contribute to the food security of the rural areas, an achievement towards developing the rural poor. Despite criticisms that have been published on how only the affluent and foreigners access land property due to their influence and the money that they have, if it is not for land reform, the rural poor will still be landless and poor after 15 years of democracy.
4.0 Introduction of cash crop production
Land reform gives room for local farmers to engage in cash cropping and still be able to grow food crops. This stance will see the development of many rural areas as it will attract investors. For example, amazing infrastructural developments can be seen in the Mashonaland part of Zimbabwe where they grow cotton as a cash crop and grain crops for food. The state needs to support communal farmers by making available facilities to access inputs and viable markets. In the process of exposing the local farmers to markets, they are also exposed to various investors who came into the rural areas to offer them relevant services. For example banks, Post Office depots and supermarkets offering basic commodities will be established.
This in turn will lead to construction of roads for easy access to communities and provision of reliable transport. In Kenya, land reform was meant to increase land productivity and encourage the rural people to invest in land as a way of increasing productivity. However, cash cropping brought about the concept of feminisation of poverty, where men have access to most of the benefits of cash cropping leaving women with very little or nothing to support their welfare. Though challenges were faced in achieving this aim, this was meant to place the rural poor at a strategic position of being developed.
5.0 Land reform as a mechanism for development
Masilela and Weiner (2001: 25 - 26) outline various objectives stated by the government of Zimbabwe in their documents that present land reform as a mechanism for development. Firstly, land reform in Zimbabwe was meant to relieve population pressure on overcrowded communal lands by bringing abandoned and under utilised commercial land into full production. Secondly, land reform was meant to extend and improve the agricultural base by supporting the peasant farmers through households and cooperative production. Thirdly, it aimed at improving the standard of living of the largest part of the poorest sector of the population that is the rural folk. It also aimed at distributing services and infrastructure to neglected areas and these were the rural areas. Finally, it aimed at implementing a resettlement programme that would eliminate the country’s economic dependence on the numerically small large-scale commercial sector. These five objectives define development of the rural poor elaborating the point that land reform is very essential in rural development. It does not only look at agricultural development but also considers development of industries, especially agriculture – related and service industries in rural areas.
Therefore, though the actual implementation of the program came with challenges, Zimbabwe had managed to justify that land reform is crucial for rural development. South Africa and other countries can learn from the Zimbabwe situation yet avoiding the pitfalls experienced thereof.
6.0 Land reform as a push start for rural development
Land reform is indeed essential for rural development, and this can be learnt through the analysis of lessons learnt from countries that implemented land reform. As aforementioned, various challenges were met and can still be met in the process of implementation; however, this cannot be a justification of disqualifying the crucial role played by land reform in rural development. Van de Wall (2004: 39) outlines prerequisites for a successful land reform and these show how land reform can and should push start rural development. He states that the rural population must accept the principle of land reform. During this process there is a lot of movement and political upheavals. It also demands a change in the patterns of life. For example, if there were plots allocated specifically for commercial farming, more time should be spent in the fields leaving less time to work elsewhere. The commercial farmer should treat that as a full time work that needs planning and the whole weight in it.
In South Africa, it is reported that 90% of the people allocated land have not fully utilised it. Some have sold it and gone to look for employment elsewhere. Farming should be viewed in the light of the change of lifestyle. In response to this change of lifestyle, a number of new commercial farmers need to leave their places of employment to take up full time farming. Secondly, for land reform to push start development, commercial farmers have to be aware that it would imply high costs and a large number of qualified and trained staff. There is also need for technical support services. This calls for proper management within the farms and adequate inputs for good harvests. The government and other partners in rural development need to take note of this need and provide credit facilities for inputs and farming implements.Extension staff from the Department of Agriculture needs to train farmers on various skills and assist them with equipment. The training should not be done in hotels and fancy venues but hands on in the farm with practical deomonstrations.This will assist farmers who have to develop their plots and cannot afford all the required inputs and those who have limited knowledge in farming. However, this is not to say that the whole process will be an automatic and total success since some challenges will be faced.
The land reform process should be push started by the commitment of the central government of the country. Other levels of government, NGOs, civil society and corporate should also realise the long term benefit and support the programme. The government needs to fully participate in the process through political and economic interventions. The government should also open up opportunities for the new farmers to easily access markets to sell their produce. For example depots need to be set up in various areas for easy access to the market. Prices should be monitored to ensure free trade for the new farmers
For land reform to push start development in the rural areas farmers need to enjoy security in respect of land rights. In South Africa there are plots that were put up for sale and the owners would have complete control over thee land. True, this came with some discourse as it isolated the poor who could not afford to buy land, but it speeded up the process of growth among the new commercial farmers. Because, they had spent financial resources to acquire the land, they were, therefore pushed to work towards fruitful results. In the rural areas, land is said to belong to the chief and so it can not be sold. That is why the chief is able to evict any person not subject to him or suspected of witchcraft. Rural subsistent farmers cannot sell but pass on to the next generation.The rural population is in secure with their land rights as they cannot use land for collateral in banks to get money to develop it for their economic improvement.
7.0 Conclusion
It is unfortunate that the African countries that underwent land reform faced great challenges that even threatened the political stability of the countries concerned and their economic sector. However, a close and balanced analysis of the implementation of the land reform program reveals that land reform can and should push start rural development as it is concerned with the key means of production. It is important that we understand and acknowledge the multi sectoral nature of rural development. It is not only agricultural benefits brought about by land reform that would complete the development process in the rural areas. All activities be they infrastructural or spatial, take place in the land amd the questions of land ownership, restitution of the land, allocation of used or underutilised land is crucial to this debate. The fact that rural populations that comprise the highest numbers in the country are crowded in small pieces of land some of which is not arable while there are huge spaces if unused land need to be look at very critically and appropriate redress action taken as soon as possible.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
De Wet, C. 2000. Land reform in South Africa: a vehicle for justice and reconciliation, or a source of further inequality and conflict? Development Southern Africa 14 (3).
Masilela, C & Weiner, D. 2001. Resettlement planning in Zimbabwe and South Africa’s rural land reform discourse. Third World Planning Review 18 (1)
Moyo, S. 2003. The land question – which way forward? Southern African Political and Economic Monthly 7
Rakolojane, M. 2002. Only Study Guide for OADRUR – Y. Pretoria: University of South Africa
Van de Wall, G. 2004. Towards a system of land tenure in the national states, in Towards freehold? Options for land and development in South Africa’s black rural areas, edited by CR Cross and R Haines. Cape Town: Juta
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
The Crisis of Third World Poverty
TITLE: DISCUSS THE CRISIS OF POVERTY IN THE THIRD WORLD.By Stanley Maphosa
TABLE OF CONTENT.
1. Introduction 3
2. Urban Bias 3
3. Food Crop Versus Cash Crops 3
4. Structural Adjustment Programs 4
5. Limited Access To Agricultural Inputs 5
6. Limited Access To Land 5
7. Rural-Urban Migration 6
8. Gender Imbalance Against Women 7
9. Poor Representation Of The Poor 7
10. Conclusion 8
11. Bibliography 9
1. Introduction.
Poverty is multifaceted. Lele and Adu-Nyako (1992: 95) and De Beer (2000: 7) state that poverty is largely a rural phenomenon. Rural poverty is most common among the third world poor households and manifests itself in a number of ways that include diseases, malnutrition, and hunger (Rakolojane 2000: 19). This paper will discuss the poverty crisis in the third world with the background of poverty being a rural phenomenon. This discussion will look at some of the factors that perpetuate poverty with examples of efforts to combat poverty.
Before looking at these factors, it is important to define or describe poverty as affecting people. The United Nations Development Program distinguishes between income poverty and human poverty (Kotzé 2000: 229). Income poverty refers to a person as being poor when his or her income is lower than the poverty line, which is US$1 per day per person in sub-Saharan Africa (UNDP 1997: 33). Human poverty focuses on the denial of choices and opportunities for living a tolerable life (UNDP 1997: 2).
2. Urban Bias.
In most third world countries, the public expenditure policies have tended to benefit the urban population. Government subsidized services have mainly benefited the better off urban population, leaving few resources for the provision of services to the rural areas (Lele and Adu-Nyako 1992: 101). This has seen most rural areas not receiving many services for its benefit in alleviating poverty. Bryant and White (1982: 280) further argues on the issue of urban bias by stating that although the rhetoric of national plans is that of rural development, the reality of national budgets is more frequently that of urban development. This scenario of channeling more resources to the urban areas at the expense of the rural areas has tended to perpetuate rural poverty in third world countries.
3. Food Crop Versus Cash Crops.
Many third world countries that were once able to feed their own populations are no longer able to do so, with the majority of them becoming net food importers (Bryant and White 1982: 277). There has been a general shift in the production of crops from food crops to cash crops that are mainly for export. The export crops attract better monetary returns for the farmers. Lele and Adu-Nyako (1992: 97) states that food imports increased rapidly between 1974 and 1989, although the per capita food availability declined due (apart from the shift to cash crops) in part to the high rate of population growth. The production of cash crops has mainly been for the increasing of household income. This has however led to greater malnutrition and even hunger within countries as people turn their energies from food crops toward export crops (Bryant and White 1982: 277). The increased cash crop production at the expense of food production is resulting in many household being caught up in the physically weak deprivation trap as described by Robert Chambers (1983: 112-113).
4. Structural Adjustment Programs.
Many third world countries implemented the structural adjustment programme in an effort to uproot poverty. Whilst the performance of the adjustment programme is difficult to measure due, amongst other reasons, to the shift of aid flows in favour of reforming countries, reforms have benefited export producers who are not the real poor in rural areas (Lele and Adu-Nyako 1992: 103). Moreover the reforms required a reduction in public expenditure thus affecting the services that can be made available to the poor in the rural areas. In Malawi, Lele and Adu-Nyako (1992: 103) highlight that the reform, which liberalised the maize markets, adversely affected the poor households although the fiscal impact was positive. The prevailing licensing arrangements in Malawi was such that the poorer small holder farmers could not participate in export crop production in response to the price incentives offered by the structural adjustment.
5. Limited Access To Agricultural Inputs.
Access to agricultural inputs to boost agricultural production by the rural population is essential to the reduction of poverty (Lele and Adu-Nyako 1992: 104). Research into improving agricultural production has tended to overlook the constraints faced by the small farmers in the rural areas. Biotechnology that suits the resources of small-scale farmers who rely on rain fed agriculture is still limited (Lele and Adu-Nyako 1992: 104). Most developed seeds require inputs, which are beyond the reach of rural farmers, and the seeds are no longer subsidized as a result of the structural adjustment. The rural population cannot access credit schemes for improvement in their agriculture nor are they likely to adopt new technology, which they find too risky (Bryant and White 1982: 278). After the land reform in Zimbabwe, many farmers could not access loans to finance their farming activities due to lack of collateral when approaching lending institutions.
6. Limited Access To Land.
Access to land has determined the access to credit (Lele and Adu-Nyako 1992: 105). Population growth has increased pressure on the available land. The limited access to land and the unequal distribution of land and the rights to land remain the most serious problem impeding rural development (Bryant and White 1982: 284). Rakolojane (2000: 20) also points out that the poverty crisis and food production has led to focusing of attention to the question of land and land tenure issues in sub-Saharan Africa. She also highlight that the distribution of land rights for the poor in the third world is a crucial determinant of income distribution and wealth. With land being the resource the rural people have and a source of livelihood for most third world rural people (Bryant and White 1982: 284; Rakolojane 2000: 20), its being unresolved and its limited access perpetuates poverty. The path to sustainable growth for the poor is access to productive assets, the most important of which is land (Rakolojane 2000: 20).
Some governments have put effort to redistribute land equally, however, the challenge of the traditional African land tenure system, of rights of cultivation but not to ownership, may still remain (Lele and Adu-Nyako 1992: 105). Access to land by the poor can be made possible through land redistribution, land tenure reform, and settlement schemes (Rakolojane 2000: 21). Zimbabwe is in the process of redistributing land to the poor, and has also embarked on the land tenure reform process. Rakolojane (2000: 21) highlight that of the three (3) above stated means of access to land by the poor, redistribution has scored some success over the other two (2) in South Africa.
7. Rural-Urban Migration.
Africa has experienced the highest level of rural-urban migration as a result of policies that have discriminated against agriculture and promoted industry (Lele and Adu-Nyako 1992: 98). Cornwell (2000: 128) states that the principal reason for the rural to urban migration is rural poverty, where rural dwellers are virtually pushed to the urban areas where there are better opportunities for an improved life. One interesting point noted by Rakolojane (2000: 21) is that the rural to urban migration that is on the increase within and between countries in southern Africa is transferring rural poverty to urban areas. She also point out that the lack of access to land will continuously lead to the rural-urban migration. Squatter camps have sprung up in many of southern Africa’s urban areas. The camps are a result of inadequate accommodation, which is not affordable to the urban poor.
The majority of people migrating to the urban areas are men, leaving behind women. Migration has had a negative effect on the rural household, with productive potential in Southern Africa suffering as a result of labour depletion (Cliffe 1992). This has resulted in most households being headed by women who now have to perform both productive and reproductive roles and yet still remain household heads. The predominantly male migration has been associated with the neglect of agriculture and the rural sector (Lele and Adu-Nyako 1992: 98).
8. Gender Imbalance Against Women.
Africa has been reported to be having a disproportionately high representation of women in the poverty group (Lele and Adu-Nyako 1992: 98). Lele and Adu-Nyako further highlight that women’s income earning is restricted by the high proportion of dependants, their lesser access to land and productive services, and the gender based division of labor that restricts women to domestic and low wage jobs. Although women are responsible for family and national food production in sub-Saharan Africa, they do not have access to land both under communal tenure and private ownership (Bruce 1993). Low literacy levels of women also place them at a disadvantaged position when seeking employment. With these disadvantages, women remain the population expected to provide for the household in the rural areas. These disadvantages are likely to perpetuate poverty.
Enrolment of women to schools has improved of late, although they still lag behind men (Lele and Adu-Nyako 1992: 98). Women lobbying groups have been working on improving the access by women to equal chances as men.
9. Poor Representation Of The Poor.
Chambers (1983: 131) highlights a link that exists between powerlessness and poverty. He further states that the powerful at local level are the elite who are the opposite pole to the poor along each of the dimensions of deprivation. Such rural elites are now regarded as exploitative (Chambers 1983: 131). According to Chambers (1983: 131) three clusters of exploitation stand out, namely, nets, robbery, and bargaining and its absence. The local elites stand as nets in the sense that they catch and trap resources and benefits that are meant to benefit the poor. The elite are usually the ones who access credit schemes offered to alleviate poverty in most rural third world countries. The elite is also well placed to use deception, blackmail, and violence to rob the poor (Chambers 1983: 133). This can take the form of exploiting small farmers into signing documents they do not understand. The local elite can exploit the poor when they fail to bargain or negotiate for prices of commodities, especially when the poor, to meet immediate needs, enter into distress sales. In most distress sales prices of assets are lower than their true market value.
The political systems has also taken advantage of the poor, and in the process perpetuated poverty. Urban bias in the public expenditure has been strong in the third worlds (Lele and Adu-Nyako 1992: 103). Politicians who get voted into power by the poor whilst spending lesser resources to develop the rural areas have often manipulated the rural poor. National policies and institutions have built-in biases that exclude the poor from the benefits of development, for example, through the lack of grassroots institutions that encourage the participation of people in development issues (Rakolojane 2000: 19).
10. Conclusion.
With poverty being largely a rural phenomenon, the crisis has tended to directly affect the rural population in the third world. Poverty, however, affects the urban areas that have to contend with the rural poverty. Also as highlighted the rural poverty crisis has tended to be transferred to the urban areas through rural-urban migration and national policies. The largely urban biases of many third worlds have perpetuated poverty of rural areas. The above has been the discussion of some of the factors that perpetuate poverty in third worlds.
11. Bibliography.
Bryant, C. White, LG. 1982. Managing development in the third world. Colorado: Westview Press.
Chambers, R. 1983. Rural development: putting the last first. London: Longman.
Cornwell, L. 2000. Only study guide for DVA101. Pretoria: University of South Africa.
De Beer, F. Swanepoel, H. 2000 (eds). Introduction to development studies. Cape Town: Oxford University Press.
Lele, U. Adu-Nyako, K. 1992. Approaches to uprooting poverty in Africa. Food Policy 17 (2).
Rakolojane, M. 2002. Only study guide for OADRUR-Y. Pretoria: University of South Africa.
TABLE OF CONTENT.
1. Introduction 3
2. Urban Bias 3
3. Food Crop Versus Cash Crops 3
4. Structural Adjustment Programs 4
5. Limited Access To Agricultural Inputs 5
6. Limited Access To Land 5
7. Rural-Urban Migration 6
8. Gender Imbalance Against Women 7
9. Poor Representation Of The Poor 7
10. Conclusion 8
11. Bibliography 9
1. Introduction.
Poverty is multifaceted. Lele and Adu-Nyako (1992: 95) and De Beer (2000: 7) state that poverty is largely a rural phenomenon. Rural poverty is most common among the third world poor households and manifests itself in a number of ways that include diseases, malnutrition, and hunger (Rakolojane 2000: 19). This paper will discuss the poverty crisis in the third world with the background of poverty being a rural phenomenon. This discussion will look at some of the factors that perpetuate poverty with examples of efforts to combat poverty.
Before looking at these factors, it is important to define or describe poverty as affecting people. The United Nations Development Program distinguishes between income poverty and human poverty (Kotzé 2000: 229). Income poverty refers to a person as being poor when his or her income is lower than the poverty line, which is US$1 per day per person in sub-Saharan Africa (UNDP 1997: 33). Human poverty focuses on the denial of choices and opportunities for living a tolerable life (UNDP 1997: 2).
2. Urban Bias.
In most third world countries, the public expenditure policies have tended to benefit the urban population. Government subsidized services have mainly benefited the better off urban population, leaving few resources for the provision of services to the rural areas (Lele and Adu-Nyako 1992: 101). This has seen most rural areas not receiving many services for its benefit in alleviating poverty. Bryant and White (1982: 280) further argues on the issue of urban bias by stating that although the rhetoric of national plans is that of rural development, the reality of national budgets is more frequently that of urban development. This scenario of channeling more resources to the urban areas at the expense of the rural areas has tended to perpetuate rural poverty in third world countries.
3. Food Crop Versus Cash Crops.
Many third world countries that were once able to feed their own populations are no longer able to do so, with the majority of them becoming net food importers (Bryant and White 1982: 277). There has been a general shift in the production of crops from food crops to cash crops that are mainly for export. The export crops attract better monetary returns for the farmers. Lele and Adu-Nyako (1992: 97) states that food imports increased rapidly between 1974 and 1989, although the per capita food availability declined due (apart from the shift to cash crops) in part to the high rate of population growth. The production of cash crops has mainly been for the increasing of household income. This has however led to greater malnutrition and even hunger within countries as people turn their energies from food crops toward export crops (Bryant and White 1982: 277). The increased cash crop production at the expense of food production is resulting in many household being caught up in the physically weak deprivation trap as described by Robert Chambers (1983: 112-113).
4. Structural Adjustment Programs.
Many third world countries implemented the structural adjustment programme in an effort to uproot poverty. Whilst the performance of the adjustment programme is difficult to measure due, amongst other reasons, to the shift of aid flows in favour of reforming countries, reforms have benefited export producers who are not the real poor in rural areas (Lele and Adu-Nyako 1992: 103). Moreover the reforms required a reduction in public expenditure thus affecting the services that can be made available to the poor in the rural areas. In Malawi, Lele and Adu-Nyako (1992: 103) highlight that the reform, which liberalised the maize markets, adversely affected the poor households although the fiscal impact was positive. The prevailing licensing arrangements in Malawi was such that the poorer small holder farmers could not participate in export crop production in response to the price incentives offered by the structural adjustment.
5. Limited Access To Agricultural Inputs.
Access to agricultural inputs to boost agricultural production by the rural population is essential to the reduction of poverty (Lele and Adu-Nyako 1992: 104). Research into improving agricultural production has tended to overlook the constraints faced by the small farmers in the rural areas. Biotechnology that suits the resources of small-scale farmers who rely on rain fed agriculture is still limited (Lele and Adu-Nyako 1992: 104). Most developed seeds require inputs, which are beyond the reach of rural farmers, and the seeds are no longer subsidized as a result of the structural adjustment. The rural population cannot access credit schemes for improvement in their agriculture nor are they likely to adopt new technology, which they find too risky (Bryant and White 1982: 278). After the land reform in Zimbabwe, many farmers could not access loans to finance their farming activities due to lack of collateral when approaching lending institutions.
6. Limited Access To Land.
Access to land has determined the access to credit (Lele and Adu-Nyako 1992: 105). Population growth has increased pressure on the available land. The limited access to land and the unequal distribution of land and the rights to land remain the most serious problem impeding rural development (Bryant and White 1982: 284). Rakolojane (2000: 20) also points out that the poverty crisis and food production has led to focusing of attention to the question of land and land tenure issues in sub-Saharan Africa. She also highlight that the distribution of land rights for the poor in the third world is a crucial determinant of income distribution and wealth. With land being the resource the rural people have and a source of livelihood for most third world rural people (Bryant and White 1982: 284; Rakolojane 2000: 20), its being unresolved and its limited access perpetuates poverty. The path to sustainable growth for the poor is access to productive assets, the most important of which is land (Rakolojane 2000: 20).
Some governments have put effort to redistribute land equally, however, the challenge of the traditional African land tenure system, of rights of cultivation but not to ownership, may still remain (Lele and Adu-Nyako 1992: 105). Access to land by the poor can be made possible through land redistribution, land tenure reform, and settlement schemes (Rakolojane 2000: 21). Zimbabwe is in the process of redistributing land to the poor, and has also embarked on the land tenure reform process. Rakolojane (2000: 21) highlight that of the three (3) above stated means of access to land by the poor, redistribution has scored some success over the other two (2) in South Africa.
7. Rural-Urban Migration.
Africa has experienced the highest level of rural-urban migration as a result of policies that have discriminated against agriculture and promoted industry (Lele and Adu-Nyako 1992: 98). Cornwell (2000: 128) states that the principal reason for the rural to urban migration is rural poverty, where rural dwellers are virtually pushed to the urban areas where there are better opportunities for an improved life. One interesting point noted by Rakolojane (2000: 21) is that the rural to urban migration that is on the increase within and between countries in southern Africa is transferring rural poverty to urban areas. She also point out that the lack of access to land will continuously lead to the rural-urban migration. Squatter camps have sprung up in many of southern Africa’s urban areas. The camps are a result of inadequate accommodation, which is not affordable to the urban poor.
The majority of people migrating to the urban areas are men, leaving behind women. Migration has had a negative effect on the rural household, with productive potential in Southern Africa suffering as a result of labour depletion (Cliffe 1992). This has resulted in most households being headed by women who now have to perform both productive and reproductive roles and yet still remain household heads. The predominantly male migration has been associated with the neglect of agriculture and the rural sector (Lele and Adu-Nyako 1992: 98).
8. Gender Imbalance Against Women.
Africa has been reported to be having a disproportionately high representation of women in the poverty group (Lele and Adu-Nyako 1992: 98). Lele and Adu-Nyako further highlight that women’s income earning is restricted by the high proportion of dependants, their lesser access to land and productive services, and the gender based division of labor that restricts women to domestic and low wage jobs. Although women are responsible for family and national food production in sub-Saharan Africa, they do not have access to land both under communal tenure and private ownership (Bruce 1993). Low literacy levels of women also place them at a disadvantaged position when seeking employment. With these disadvantages, women remain the population expected to provide for the household in the rural areas. These disadvantages are likely to perpetuate poverty.
Enrolment of women to schools has improved of late, although they still lag behind men (Lele and Adu-Nyako 1992: 98). Women lobbying groups have been working on improving the access by women to equal chances as men.
9. Poor Representation Of The Poor.
Chambers (1983: 131) highlights a link that exists between powerlessness and poverty. He further states that the powerful at local level are the elite who are the opposite pole to the poor along each of the dimensions of deprivation. Such rural elites are now regarded as exploitative (Chambers 1983: 131). According to Chambers (1983: 131) three clusters of exploitation stand out, namely, nets, robbery, and bargaining and its absence. The local elites stand as nets in the sense that they catch and trap resources and benefits that are meant to benefit the poor. The elite are usually the ones who access credit schemes offered to alleviate poverty in most rural third world countries. The elite is also well placed to use deception, blackmail, and violence to rob the poor (Chambers 1983: 133). This can take the form of exploiting small farmers into signing documents they do not understand. The local elite can exploit the poor when they fail to bargain or negotiate for prices of commodities, especially when the poor, to meet immediate needs, enter into distress sales. In most distress sales prices of assets are lower than their true market value.
The political systems has also taken advantage of the poor, and in the process perpetuated poverty. Urban bias in the public expenditure has been strong in the third worlds (Lele and Adu-Nyako 1992: 103). Politicians who get voted into power by the poor whilst spending lesser resources to develop the rural areas have often manipulated the rural poor. National policies and institutions have built-in biases that exclude the poor from the benefits of development, for example, through the lack of grassroots institutions that encourage the participation of people in development issues (Rakolojane 2000: 19).
10. Conclusion.
With poverty being largely a rural phenomenon, the crisis has tended to directly affect the rural population in the third world. Poverty, however, affects the urban areas that have to contend with the rural poverty. Also as highlighted the rural poverty crisis has tended to be transferred to the urban areas through rural-urban migration and national policies. The largely urban biases of many third worlds have perpetuated poverty of rural areas. The above has been the discussion of some of the factors that perpetuate poverty in third worlds.
11. Bibliography.
Bryant, C. White, LG. 1982. Managing development in the third world. Colorado: Westview Press.
Chambers, R. 1983. Rural development: putting the last first. London: Longman.
Cornwell, L. 2000. Only study guide for DVA101. Pretoria: University of South Africa.
De Beer, F. Swanepoel, H. 2000 (eds). Introduction to development studies. Cape Town: Oxford University Press.
Lele, U. Adu-Nyako, K. 1992. Approaches to uprooting poverty in Africa. Food Policy 17 (2).
Rakolojane, M. 2002. Only study guide for OADRUR-Y. Pretoria: University of South Africa.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Leadership and Conflict
Leadership and Conflict
Stanley Maphosa
Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. Settle matters quickly… - Matthew 5:23-25a
Leaders in any environment know that conflicts are part of the reality of leadership. It is impossible to avoid conflict and be in business at the same time. The goal is not to avoid conflict, but to learn to resolve it.
Conflict is a general term referring to any degree of disagreement between two or more people. Conflicts can be considered situations calling for negotiating and bargaining, or conferring with another person in order to resolve a problem.
James 4:1-2 says, “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.
Simply put, conflict comes when we do not get what we want. A commonly held estimate is that leaders devote 20 percent of their time to conflict resolution. That is approximately 2 months out of the year!
Here are some steps to conflict resolution:
Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) – Speaking the truth in love brings about maturity, the principal ingredient in conflict resolution. It requires the leader to get as much information as possible to know the truth, then lovingly convey that truth by putting yourself in the other person’s shoes.
Seek to understand the other’s point of view – Conflict will never be resolve if defenses are held high and emotional blinders prevent you from seeing the other person’s point of view. Interestingly, the more we understand the other’s point of view, the less dogmatic we are about our own.
Seek common ground – By finding what you agree upon up front, you can defuse the situation quickly. When all parties are less emotionally involved in their opinion, coming to a common understanding and eventually agreement is much easier.
Make your desires and expectation clear – Conflict cannot be resolved if either or both parties don’t know what the other really wants. Mutual satisfaction may not be achievable, but achieving resolution is impossible if the reasons are not clear. Honesty and clarity are essential.
Stay focused on the issue at hand – This step is perhaps easiest to understand but most difficult to follow. We all chase rabbit trails that have nothing to do with the issue at hand, yet if you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one. Make sure you are focused on the real issue.
Listen and don’t respond defensively – Make sure each person has their full say in the matter. As a leader, take notes and jot down questions or comments you’d like to make when they are finished, without interrupting. When responding, never accuse, just state the facts, and apologize for any part you may have played in the conflict. Prayer is also helpful if it is centered on God’s guidance for a solution and not your side.
Make a commitment to what is in the organization’s best interest – By aiming at what is best for the good of the organization, both sides will drop their defenses and resolution will follow. This may also result in a different result than what both came to the table with.
Always reflect to discover and apply what you learned – Conflict can be a wonderful way to learn and grow. When defenses are low and grace is high, receptivity is enhanced. When receptivity is enhanced, there is much greater potential to learn something new. At the end of the process, take time to reflect on what insights you gained and what you might do differently next time. Reflect on what you learned about yourself and how you can use this situation to become a better leader. Note, Christ did this with his disciples after sending them out to minister (Mark 6:7-13; 30-32).
As long as human institutions and human relationships exist, conflicts will continue to occur. A leader must accept this and accept that he has a responsibility to resolve conflicts or create an enabling environment for their resolution. An effective leader will do this well.
Some Biblical reflection on conflict:
Proverbs 15:1-7
1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.
3 The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.
4 The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
5 A fool spurns his father's discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.
6 The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings them trouble.
7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools.
Ephesians 4:1-4
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
4 There is one body and one Spirit-- just as you were called to one hope when you were called-
Stanley Maphosa
Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. Settle matters quickly… - Matthew 5:23-25a
Leaders in any environment know that conflicts are part of the reality of leadership. It is impossible to avoid conflict and be in business at the same time. The goal is not to avoid conflict, but to learn to resolve it.
Conflict is a general term referring to any degree of disagreement between two or more people. Conflicts can be considered situations calling for negotiating and bargaining, or conferring with another person in order to resolve a problem.
James 4:1-2 says, “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.
Simply put, conflict comes when we do not get what we want. A commonly held estimate is that leaders devote 20 percent of their time to conflict resolution. That is approximately 2 months out of the year!
Here are some steps to conflict resolution:
Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) – Speaking the truth in love brings about maturity, the principal ingredient in conflict resolution. It requires the leader to get as much information as possible to know the truth, then lovingly convey that truth by putting yourself in the other person’s shoes.
Seek to understand the other’s point of view – Conflict will never be resolve if defenses are held high and emotional blinders prevent you from seeing the other person’s point of view. Interestingly, the more we understand the other’s point of view, the less dogmatic we are about our own.
Seek common ground – By finding what you agree upon up front, you can defuse the situation quickly. When all parties are less emotionally involved in their opinion, coming to a common understanding and eventually agreement is much easier.
Make your desires and expectation clear – Conflict cannot be resolved if either or both parties don’t know what the other really wants. Mutual satisfaction may not be achievable, but achieving resolution is impossible if the reasons are not clear. Honesty and clarity are essential.
Stay focused on the issue at hand – This step is perhaps easiest to understand but most difficult to follow. We all chase rabbit trails that have nothing to do with the issue at hand, yet if you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one. Make sure you are focused on the real issue.
Listen and don’t respond defensively – Make sure each person has their full say in the matter. As a leader, take notes and jot down questions or comments you’d like to make when they are finished, without interrupting. When responding, never accuse, just state the facts, and apologize for any part you may have played in the conflict. Prayer is also helpful if it is centered on God’s guidance for a solution and not your side.
Make a commitment to what is in the organization’s best interest – By aiming at what is best for the good of the organization, both sides will drop their defenses and resolution will follow. This may also result in a different result than what both came to the table with.
Always reflect to discover and apply what you learned – Conflict can be a wonderful way to learn and grow. When defenses are low and grace is high, receptivity is enhanced. When receptivity is enhanced, there is much greater potential to learn something new. At the end of the process, take time to reflect on what insights you gained and what you might do differently next time. Reflect on what you learned about yourself and how you can use this situation to become a better leader. Note, Christ did this with his disciples after sending them out to minister (Mark 6:7-13; 30-32).
As long as human institutions and human relationships exist, conflicts will continue to occur. A leader must accept this and accept that he has a responsibility to resolve conflicts or create an enabling environment for their resolution. An effective leader will do this well.
Some Biblical reflection on conflict:
Proverbs 15:1-7
1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.
3 The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.
4 The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
5 A fool spurns his father's discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.
6 The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings them trouble.
7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools.
Ephesians 4:1-4
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
4 There is one body and one Spirit-- just as you were called to one hope when you were called-
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