food security, sustainable livelihoods and gender in south ... · highest proportion of people...

Workshop Gender and Food Security, University of Warwick, 8 February 2013, Stefanie Lemke, University of Hohenheim

GENDER AND NUTRITION

Food Security, Sustainable

Livelihoods and Gender

in South Africa

Workshop „Gender and Food Security“,

08.02.2013, University of Warwick

Dr. Stefanie Lemke

Department Gender and Nutrition, Institute for Social Sciences

in Agriculture, University of Hohenheim



2 Workshop Gender and Food Security, University of Warwick, 8 February 2013, Stefanie Lemke, University of Hohenheim

http://www.southafrica.info/2010/

First Soccer Worldcup in Africa 2010...




Photo: S. Lemke

Whose Perspective? Sustainable Development?




South Africa

High unemployment rate (up to 40%); high levels of poverty;

entrenched migrant labour system; disruption of social structures

Highest proportion of people living with HIV/AIDS, weak public health

system

More than half of population food insecure, one third at risk of going

hungry (Labadarios et al. 2008); children at greatest risk: stunting rates

around 20%; micro-nutrient deficiencies

Sandton, Johannesburg Township Alexandra, Johannesburg




South Africa

Growing inequality - Gini coefficient highest in the world (with Brazil);

qualified workforce leaves; social and economic stability at risk

High crime levels – especially women at risk; high number of

immigrants; xenophobic attacks

Highly contradictory position of women: formal legal position vs. actual

societal norms around gender issues & livelihoods

Sandton, Johannesburg Township Alexandra, Johannesburg




Countries in Transition Experience:

Rapid urbanisation

Rising energy costs, rising food prices

Migrant labour system

Growing inequality

Nutrition transition; co-existence of

over-, under- and malnutrition

Alexandra, Johannesburg

Sandton, Johannesburg



Background: Research Since 1998

Underlying causes of food & nutrition security at household level, intra-household dynamics (gender and other power relations); coping strategies

Integrating meso- and macro-level Rural & urban households, specific focus on farm worker households

Photos: S. Lemke




Study# Study Sample

1996-1998

North West

University

THUSA Vorster et al. 2000; 2005 THUSA: Transition & Health during

Urbanisation in South Africa

37 sites; 5 strata (rural, farms, informal,

urban, upper urban)

n=1854

1998-2001

TU Munich-

Weihenstephan

Household Food

Security* Lemke 2001, Lemke et al. 2003

15 sites; 5 strata

n=166

Since 2001

NWU

FLAGH Kruger, Lemke et al. 2006

FLAGH: Farm Labour & General Health

Programme

3 schools, n=241

3 farms, n=136

2004-2008

University Giessen

Funded by DFG,

NRF, NTW, DAAD

FANS Lemke 2005; Lemke et al. 2009

FANS: Farms & Nutrition Security

4 farms

n=69

# All studies carried out in North West Province, RSA

* 17.2% of THUSA 1998

Year,

University




Participatory Gendered Approaches

People as actors, not recipients:

rights vs. needs;

participation vs. patronizing measures

Emphasis on:

How do people themselves reflect and analyze their situation?

What are people’s capabilities, livelihood and coping strategies?

What are underlying gender issues - impact of direct/structural violence

on access to resources, livelihoods, food and nutrition security?

Photo: N. Heumann



Current Research Since 2009

Sustainable agriculture & local food systems, sustainable livelihoods, food & nutrition security, right to food, land reform How can existing power dynamics (paternalistic system: farm

owners-farm workers; patriarchal structures: men-women; multiple other power issues, i.a. age, social status) be addressed?

Photos: S. Lemke




Funded by Margarete von Wrangell Habilitationprogramme & European Social Fund; Fiat panis (student grants)

PAR in cooperation with local Partner-NGOs and researchers:

Nkuzi Development Association, Limpopo

Grootbos Foundation, Western Cape

Women on Farms Project, Western Cape

CART Center for Appropriate Rural Technology, Western Cape & Eastern Cape

also Human Sciences Research Council; independent researchers

10 Masters students carried out research with these NGOs

Current Research




Sustainable livelihoods framework

P

HS

N F

KEY:

H – Human capital

F- Financial capital

N – Natural capital

S – Social capital

P – Physical capital

Influence

& access

Livelihood assets

Vulnerability

context

Shocks

Trends

Seasonality

Policies, institutions

and processes

Structures

Level of

government

Private

sector

Processes

Laws

Policies

Livelihood

strategies

I

n

o

r

d

e

r

t

o

a

c

h

i

e

v

e

Livelihood

outcomes

More income

Increased well-

being

Reduced

vulnerability

Improved food

security

More sustainable

use of NR base

P

HS

N F

P

HS

N F

KEY:

H – Human capital

F- Financial capital

N – Natural capital

S – Social capital

P – Physical capital

Influence

& access

Livelihood assets

Vulnerability

context

Shocks

Trends

Seasonality

Vulnerability

context

Shocks

Trends

Seasonality


and processes

Structures

Level of

government

Private

sector

Processes

Laws

Policies


and processes

Structures

Level of

government

Private

sector

Processes

Laws

Policies

Livelihood

strategies

I

n

o

r

d

e

r

t

o

a

c

h

i

e

v

e

Livelihood

outcomes

More income

Increased well-

being

Reduced

vulnerability

Improved food

security

More sustainable

use of NR base

Livelihood

outcomes

More income

Increased well-

being

Reduced

vulnerability

Improved food

security

More sustainable

use of NR base

(DFID 1999)



Research Example:

The impact of an organic food production and life skills

training program on food security and livelihoods of

unemployed rural women in South Africa– A case study

Master thesis research by Fereshteh Yousefi, 2010

Photos: F. Yousefi




Grootbos Nature Reserve & Stanford Township

Photos: F. Yousefi

Photos: Grootbos




Selected Results

Low incentive to work in agriculture, lack of future prospects

Low incomes (stipends)

Different expectations of project facilitators and women

Poor living conditions of women in contrast to working environment,

dependence on social assistance, expectation of support

Project not sustainable: aims to address a variety of tasks while it is

not self-sufficient yet.

(Lemke et al. 2012)




SLF adapted from DFID (1999) to illustrate the effect of GTF project on livelihoods

of unemployed rural women



Research Example:

Women agricultural cooperatives in the Western Cape,

South Africa: a strategy to achieve food security and

promote women’s empowerment

Master thesis research by Ana Cristina Eisermann, 2010

Photos: A. Eisermann




Women's empowerment is about the process by which those who have

been denied the ability to make strategic life choices acquire such

an ability

The ability to exercise choice incorporates three inter-related dimensions

Achievements

(Outcomes) (Pre-conditions) (Process)

Agency Resources

Women‘s Empowerment Framework (Kabeer, 1999)




Selected Results

Women experience difficulties and frustration, i.a. due to lack of skills

Expectation for more technical assistance from WFP

Stipend might negatively affect efforts to generate income

No marketing strategies in place

Power relations at different levels hamper development of cooperative-

based livelihood

(Lemke et al. 2012)




Evidence of Cooperative members‘ empowerment process

Resources (pre-conditions) Land, funds, income (stipend), inputs,

education, training, soft and technical

skills and organization

Achievements (outcomes) Sense of ownership, leadership,

respect, improvements in the food

situation, ability to co-facilitate

workshop, awareness about rights,

increase of self-esteem and

confidence

Agency (processes) Decision to participate in the

cooperative, pioneers, active

engagement in the process of land

access, women invested time to

learn, reflect and bargain




Weak tenure security, low job opportunities and seasonal employment, lack of access to land

Weak organization skills, low social status

Limited access to health services and education

Changes in agricultural production & trade - farmers reduce costs – decline in jobs

…

VULNERABILITY

CONTEXT

H

F N

P S LIVELIHOOD ASSETS

OUTCOMES LIVELIHOOD STRATEGY

TRANSFORMING

STRUCTURES

AND PROCESSES

Women

agricultural

cooperative

•Formation of an enabling environment

•Government structures and processes (law, regulations, policies) - fail to reach the women under study: Department of Land and Agrarian Reform, DTI (responsible for cooperatives), Department of Labor Rights

Desirable outcomes would be

regular and sustainable source

of income, food security. Not

possible to affirm yet whether these outcomes will be

achieved.

women who live and/or

work on farms

= limited livelihood

assets pentagon




Improvements in the women’s individual capacities and agency were achieved, as well as important livelihood outcomes

The structural causes of disempowerment have not been properly

tackled

Ongoing dependency on support by NGOs or others (farm owners)

While programmes illustrated here are not sustainable yet, they stimulate an awareness of possibilities, visions, ownership, and rights that can have a long-term effect on the livelihoods of participating women

Conclusion Case Studies

(Lemke et al. 2012)




Assessment of marketing strategies and institutional structures to achieve a sustainable model for smallholder farming cooperatives (Women on Farms Project; Master thesis Tande Ndoping, 2012)

Lack of secure funding

High staff turnover

Communication gap

Problems to access land

Inadequate infrastructure; lack of access to markets

Lack of skills both at level of NGO and cooperatives

Lack of adequate extension services

Follow Up Research 2012:




Challenges:

Lack of communication: GTF & lodge/restaurant

300 € per night and no tomatoes?

Is agricultural capacity building the right way to

go for these women?

Tourists

Money

Food Follow up research

Grootbos Foundation

(Master thesis, Gabriel

Laeis 2012)

Capacity building &

income

Local

Community

Money & Resources

Local food systems and responsible tourism:

a strategy to strengthen rural livelihoods?




How can we emphasize

better the dimension of

supporting structures

and institutions??

Increasing the power and rights

of the poor, using a Human

Rights-based approach to

development

Photo by WFP during farm workers’ strike in Ceres, South

Africa, November 2012. Farm workers in solidarity with the

South African’s miners decided to start strikes, demanding

better working conditions and the enforcement of the

minimum wage.




• brings power issues and how they impact on production and

reproduction of poverty to the centre

• emphasizes equity, identifies social exclusion, prioritizes the poorest

of the poor

• emphasizes accountability, could provide more leverage to

mobilization and collective action, demanding more accountability

from governments

Human Rights-based approach (HRBA) to assess the missing dimension of power relations

(Source: Moser et al. 2001; FAO 2011)




Overall Conclusion

• Women are critical to processes and outcomes of food security and nutrition.

• Women face empowerment and participation challenges that require structural change – not simply food security programs. Inter alia, these structural changes also entail changes in

• Attention to women’s health

• Women’s and girl’s education

• Women’s participation in public and political processes

• Public acknowledgement of, and engagement with, gender-based violence, especially but not only directed towards women and girls




Challenges For Research

Short time span of Master projects - officially six months!

Missing background of students in social sciences

Methodological challenges:

PAR – develop research continuously in cooperation with NGO & research participants, based on insights gained; requires continuous feedback & reflection

Participant observation – ongoing process of reflection, requires experience

Observation important tool, under-utilized (Quotes by Denzin, Silvermann, Euroqual Conference, May 2010, London)




DFID 1999. Sustainable Livelihoods Guidance Sheets. Department for International Development.

http://www.eldis.org/vfile/upload/1/document/0901/section2.pdf (accessed October 2012).

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2011. The state of Food and Agriculture: Women in

agriculture, closing the gender gap for development. Rome: FAO. http://www.fao.org/docrep/013/i2050e/i2050e.pdf.

Kabeer, N. 1999. Resorces, agency, achievements: Reflections on the measurement of women's empowerment

Development and Change, 30: 435-464.

Kabeer, N. 2005. Gender equality and women's empowerment: A critical analysis of the third millennium

Development goal. Gender and Development, 13(1): 13-24.

Kruger A., Lemke S., Phometsi M., Van’t Riet H., Pienaar A.E., Kotze G. 2006. Poverty and Household Food

Security of Black South African Farm Workers: The Legacy of Social Inequalities. Public Health Nutrition, 9(7): 830-

836.

Lemke S. 2001. Food and Nutrition Security in Black South African Households – Creative Ways of Coping and

Survival. PhD Thesis, published online: http://tumb1.biblio.tu-muenchen.de/publ/diss/ww/2001/lemke.pdf.

Lemke S. 2005. Nutrition Security, Livelihoods and HIV/AIDS: Implications for Research among Farm Worker

Households in South Africa. Public Health Nutrition, 8(7): 844-852.

Selected References

http://www.eldis.org/vfile/upload/1/document/0901/section2.pdf

http://www.fao.org/docrep/013/i2050e/i2050e.pdf

http://tumb1.biblio.tu-muenchen.de/publ/diss/ww/2001/lemke.pdf






Selected References

Lemke S., Jansen van Rensburg N.S., Vorster H.H., Ziche J. 2003. Empowered Women, Social Networks and the

Contribution of Qualitative Research: Broadening our Understanding of Underlying Causes for Food and Nutrition

Insecurity. Public Health Nutrition 2003, 6(8): 759-764.

Lemke, S., Bellows, A., Heumann, N. 2009. Gender and sustainable livelihoods: case study of South African farm

workers. Int. J. Innovation and Sustainable Development, 4 (2/3): 195-205.

Lemke S., Yousefi F., Eisermann A., Bellows A.C. 2012. Sustainable livelihood approaches for exploring smallholder

agricultural programmes targeted at women – examples from South Africa. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems,

and Community Development. Advance online publication, published online 17 August 2012, p.1-17.

http://dx.doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2012.031.001.

Moser, C., Norton, A.; C., T., Ferguson, C., & Vizard, P. 2001. To claim our rights: Livelihood security, human rights

and sustainable development. UK: Overseas Development Institute.

Vorster HH, Wissing MP, Venter CS, Kruger HS, Kruger A, Malan NT, De Ridder JH, Veldmann FJ, Steyn HS,

Margetts BM, Macintyre UE 2000. The Impact of Urbanization on Physical, Physiological and Mental Health of

Africans in the North West Province of South Africa: The THUSA Study. South African Journal of Science, 96: 505-

13.

http://dx.doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2012.031.001




References Qualitative Methods Creswell J.W. 2009. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. 3rd edition.

Thousand Oaks, Cal.: Sage.

Denzin N.K., Lincoln Y.S. 2008. Collecting and interpreting qualitative materials. 3rd edition. Thousand Oaks, Cal.:

Sage.

Denzin N.K., Lincoln Y.S., Smith L.T. (eds). 2008. Handbook of Critical and Indigenous Methodologies. Thousand

Oaks, Cal.: SAGE.

Lemke S., Bellows A.C. 2012. Qualitative and mixed methods approaches to explore social dimensions of food and

nutrition security. In Albala K. (Ed.), Routledge International Handbook of Food Studies, pp. 318-328. London/New

York: Routledge.

Pyett P.M. 2003. “Validation of qualitative research in the ‘real world’.” Qualitative Health Research, 13(8):1170-1179.

Rubin H.J., Rubin I.S. 2005. Qualitative interviewing: The art of hearing data. 2nd edition. Thousand Oaks, Cal.:

Sage.

Silvermann S. 2010. Doing qualitative research. A practical handbook. 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks, Cal.: SAGE.

food security, sustainable livelihoods and gender in south ... · highest proportion of people...

Documents