Comprehensive Rural Development Programme : the concept

1. Comprehensive Rural Development Programme: the concept Presentation to the Select Committee on Land and Environmental Affairs Mr T TGwanya Director-General: Department of Rural Development and Land Reform 25 AUGUST 2009

2. PURPOSE • To inform participants about the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP) concept and the proposed approach for its implementation. • To invite participants to interrogate the concept and to engage constructively in the Green Paper process.

3. OUTLINE The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) has developed the CRDP. The CRDP requires active participation by all stakeholders. Rural people must take the centre stage in the improvement of their own quality of life. The design of the Programme is predicated on lessons learnt from pilot sites (Muyexe Village, Giyani and Riemvasmaak, Northern Cape).

4. DISCUSSION • The strategic objective of the CRDP is to achieve social cohesion and development among rural communities. • The CRDP hinges on a three-pronged strategy: • co-ordinated and integrated broad-based agrarian transformation; • an improved land reform programme; and • strategic investments in economic and social infrastructure.

5. AGRARIAN TRANSFORMATION • Agrarian transformation is seen as the rapid fundamental change in the relations of land, livestock, cropping and community. • The change of attitude by development workers and rural people themselves is critical in defining these relations.

6. AGRARIAN TRANSFORMATION cont. Some of the objectives of the agrarian transformation strategy include but is not limited to: Facilitating the establishment of business initiatives, rural and agro-industries, co-operatives, cultural initiatives and vibrant local markets; the empowerment of rural communities to be self-reliant and able to take charge of their destiny; the development of a mitigation and adaptation strategy to reduce vulnerabilities with special reference to climate change, erosion, flooding and other natural disasters; and the use of appropriate technologies, modern approaches and indigenous knowledge systems; 6

7. AGRARIAN TRANSFORMATION cont. increased production and sustainable use of natural resources: Livestock farming and related value chain development (exploring all possible species for food and economic activity); and cropping and related value chain development (exploring all possible species, especially indigenous plants, for food and economic activity); strengthening rural livelihoods for vibrant local economic development. A livelihood is the means of living that rural people build through access to and use of the assets they need for this purpose; and food security, dignity and improved quality of life for each rural household. 7

8. RURAL DEVELOPMENT • Rural development focuses on, but is not limited to: • The establishment of rural business, agro-industries, co-operatives, etc.; • the empowerment of rural people and communities; and • the revitalization of old and creation of new economic, social, and information and communication infrastructure, public amenities and facilities in villages and small rural towns, etc.

9. RURAL DEVELOPMENT cont. Some of the objectives of the rural development strategy include but is not limited to: Social mobilization to enable rural communities to take initiatives; establish savings clubs and co-operatives for economic activities, wealth creation and productive use of assets; access to resourced clinics; non-farm activities for strengthening of rural livelihoods; leadership training, social facilitation and conscientisation for the CRDP and socio-economic independence; 9

10. RURAL DEVELOPMENT cont. democratization of rural development, participation and ownership of all processes, projects and programmes; co-ordination, alignment and co-operative governance (Local municipalities, traditional councils, provincial government); participation of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) including faith-based organizations, Community Based Organisations (CBOs) and other organs of civil society; and social cohesion and access to human and social capital. 10

11. LAND REFORM Land reform focuses on reviewing the Restitution, Redistribution and Tenure Reform Programmes. All land reform programmes must therefore be linked to the CRDP. The establishment of the new Department of Rural Development and Land Reform has also re-confirmed Government’s commitment to revitalise and develop rural areas and that land should be seen as a catalyst for poverty alleviation, job creation, food security and entrepreneurship. The revised land reform strategy will include: 11

12. LAND REFORM cont. Picking up the pace of land redistribution through: Increased access to land by previously disadvantaged people, through the redistribution of 30% of white-owned agricultural land; and Reviewing the land reform products and approaches. Review of land acquisition processes. Establish a special Land Commission for an audit of privately owned agricultural land. Put mechanisms in place to ensure that land is used productively. Provide for the effective development and beneficiation of land reform beneficiaries. The categorization of beneficiaries through targeted allocation. 12

13. LAND REFORM cont. TENURE REFORM Fast-tracking the settlement of labour tenancy claims, especially in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga. Facilitating secure access to land by farm dwellers. Protecting the land rights of farm workers, and creating decent jobs on farms. Dealing effectively and promptly with illegal evictions, which includes access to legal representation. Establishing agri-villages for local economic development on farms. Providing basic needs for farm dwellers, including water, sanitation, electricity, housing, etc. Dealing effectively with State land administration. Providing effective support to and capacity building of farm dwellers. Implementation of the Communal Land Rights Act, 2004 (CLaRA). 13

14. LAND REFORM cont. RESTITUTION Increasing the pace of settling outstanding land restitution claims by: Providing an analysis of outstanding claims (nature and type) and indicating related challenges; adopting a developmental approach to the settlement of restitution claims and its contribution to the CRDP; defining the strategy of dealing with land claims in the Land Claims Court, and ensuring that these are “winnable and strong cases” thereby setting a good precedent; appealing cases that may set bad precedent and shortening the protracted processes. Ensuring sustainability, beneficiation, and contribution to poverty eradication, economic growth and employment creation as well as the vibrancy of land restitution projects, going forward. 14

15. EMPLOYMENT CREATION MODEL • Central to the three-pronged strategy is an employment creation model. • Para-development specialists to train and mentor selected unemployed community members. Using the Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) principles. Muyexe: e.g. secure 1 job per household (900 jobs). • Phase One (incubator) - meet basic needs. • Phase Two - entrepreneurial development. • Phase Three -small, micro and medium enterprises and village markets.

16. CRDP MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM Programme Development, policy and legislation development and Co-ordination Stakeholder commitments OFFICE OF THE PREMIER CRDP Champion (MEC with rural development function) Stakeholder commitments COUNCIL OF STAKEHOLDERS (Organs of civil society, government, business, co-operatives, ward committees beneficiaries, workers, community development workers, traditional institutions, etc.) Conditionalities, code of conduct & disciplinary panel Household Co-operatives & other enterprises (groups of 20) SOCIAL COHESION AND DEVELOPMENT

17. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN • The CRDP requires a co-ordinated strategy. • Refinement of the CRDP will continue through selected pilots in the eight provinces. • Pilot phase expected to run for a minimum of two years. • The CRDP will then be scaled up from the initial pilot sites into other sites nationally but linked to the overall planning frameworks within a province.

18. ORGANISATIONAL AND PERSONNEL IMPLICATIONS New mandate led to alignment: organisational arrangements between DRDLR and other government departments and institutions [e.g Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs released the Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme (ISRDP) staff complement to the DRDLR]. Ministries of Public Works, Water and Environmental Affairs, Transport & Social Development have pledged support. War Room on Poverty provides additional co-ordination.

19. IMPLICATIONS Financial: The DRDLR reprioritized R505 million from its current budget for the design and pilot stage. Government departments and civil society’s commitments have not been finally quantified. Communication: being developed. Vulnerable groups: targeted. Constitutional: None. Rural Development is a concurrent national and provincial competency but legislation would need to be created.

20. CONCLUSION The CRDP was officially launched in Muyexe, Giyani on 17 August 2009. Our vision is to see vibrant and sustainable rural communities; the CRDP is the vehicle that will take us there. We require commitment and co-operation from our stakeholders. We will use available resources, but additional Budget is required.

21. Working together we can do more to improve the quality of life for all our people living in rural areas”Thank you! “