Poverty reduction policies in Lesotho: the case of self-help projects
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Date
Nov-11
Authors
Ralebese, Halieo Laurentina
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
Afrikaans: Lesotho is sedert sy onafhanklikheidswording in 1966 in ‘n stryd teen armoede gewikkel. Inisiatiewe om armoede te verlig sluit ‘n verskeidenheid strategieë in, onder andere selfhelpprojekte. Die doel van die selfhelpprojekte is veral om armoede in plattelandse gebiede te verminder, waar die meerderheid van die armes woon. Ten spyte van die wye toepassing van hierdie projekte, is daar bewyse dat armoede in Lesotho in beide absolute en relatiewe terme toeneem. Hierdie studie fokus op die prestasie van die selfhelpprojekte en voer aan dat die selfhelpprojekte nie armoede verlig nie, aangesien dit, wat betref die ontwerp en implementering, nie doeltreffend is nie. Die studie het spesifiek probeer om die volgende te bepaal: - of die selfhelpprojekte in Lesotho tot die verligting van armoede in staat is, en - of die politieke dominansie van selfhelpvraagstukke die verligting van armoede verhinder. Die studie gebruik twee benaderings om die navorsingsvrae aan te spreek, naamlik ‘n literêre ondersoek en ‘n empiriese ondersoek. Die literêre ondersoek het ‘n teoretiese analise van armoede-verligtingsbeleide, -programme en -strategieë in Lesotho behels. Hiervoor is regeringsdokumente asook verslae deur skenkingsagentskappe gebruik. ‘n Analise van die beleidsmakingsproses in Lesotho is verder onderneem om te bepaal wat die omvang is van die beleidproses se uitwerking op die armoede verligtingsbeleide, insluitend selfhelp-projekte. Op empiriese vlak is ‘n opname gedoen oor die deelnemers in die selfhelprojekte, asook oor die betrokke regeringsamptenare in die administrasie van selfhelpaktiwiteite. Data is deur middel van persoonlike onderhoude ingesamel. Bewyse uit die twee benaderings suggereer dat politieke ontwikkelinge met 'n fokus op armoede verligting, grootliks verpolitiseerd is. Sulke aktiwiteite word deur direkte en intense betrokkenheid van selfsugtige politieke figure gekenmerk. Affiliasie met die regerende party is meer as dikwels 'n vereiste vir mense om aan ontwikkelingsbedrywighede deel te neem. Deur hierdie praktyk word baie mense wat in nood verkeer, uitgesluit. Daar is ook vasgestel dat die selfhelpprojek-ontwerp defektief is, aangesien dit baie min voordele bied wat nie die lewens van die bevoordeeldes op ‘n volhoubare basis ondersteun nie. Die implementering van die projekte word verder gepolitiseer, deur dit in instrumente te verander om politieke belange te verbeter. Weens hierdie redes het die projekte daarin misluk om armoede in die plattelandse gebiede te verminder. Die verhandeling verduidelik derhalwe die aard en inhoud van die selfhelpprojekte in Lesotho, bepaal die reders vir mislukking van die selfhelpprojekte as instrumente vir armoedeverligting, en doen voorstelle daaroor aan die hand.
English: Lesotho has grappled with poverty reduction since independence 1966. Poverty reduction initiatives include a variety of policies and strategies including self-help projects. The self-help projects purport to reduce poverty particularly in the rural areas where the majority of the poor people live. However, despite the wide application of these projects, evidence suggests that poverty is increasing in Lesotho both in absolute and relative terms. This study focused on the performance of the self-help projects and argues that the self-help projects do not reduce poverty because they are deficient in terms of both their design and implementation. Specifically, the study sought to establish: - Whether the self-help projects in Lesotho are geared to poverty reduction; and - Whether political dominance of self-help issues hampers poverty reduction. The study used two approaches to address the research questions namely, a literary search and an empirical investigation. The literary search involved a theoretical analysis of poverty reduction policies, programmes and strategies in Lesotho. Government documents and reports as well as reports by donor agencies were helpful in this regard. An analysis of the policy making process in Lesotho was also undertaken with the view to establish the extent the policy process impacts on poverty reduction policies including self-help projects. At the empirical level a survey of the participants in self-help projects and the government officials involved in the administration of self-help activities was undertaken. Data was collected through personal interviews. Evidence from the two approaches suggests that development activities that have a poverty reduction focus are highly politicized. Such activities are marked by direct and intense involvement of self serving political figures. More often than not affiliation to the ruling party has been a requirement for people to participate in development activities. This practice has excluded many of those in need. It has also been established that the self-help projects are defective in their design as they offer a modicum of benefits that do not support the lives of the beneficiaries on a sustainable basis. Further, implementation of the projects is politicized turning them into instruments for enhancing political interests. For these reasons the projects fail to reduce poverty in the rural areas. Thus, the thesis explains the nature and content of the self-help projects in Lesotho, establishes the reasons for the failure of the self-help projects as instruments for poverty reduction and provides recommendations thereof.
English: Lesotho has grappled with poverty reduction since independence 1966. Poverty reduction initiatives include a variety of policies and strategies including self-help projects. The self-help projects purport to reduce poverty particularly in the rural areas where the majority of the poor people live. However, despite the wide application of these projects, evidence suggests that poverty is increasing in Lesotho both in absolute and relative terms. This study focused on the performance of the self-help projects and argues that the self-help projects do not reduce poverty because they are deficient in terms of both their design and implementation. Specifically, the study sought to establish: - Whether the self-help projects in Lesotho are geared to poverty reduction; and - Whether political dominance of self-help issues hampers poverty reduction. The study used two approaches to address the research questions namely, a literary search and an empirical investigation. The literary search involved a theoretical analysis of poverty reduction policies, programmes and strategies in Lesotho. Government documents and reports as well as reports by donor agencies were helpful in this regard. An analysis of the policy making process in Lesotho was also undertaken with the view to establish the extent the policy process impacts on poverty reduction policies including self-help projects. At the empirical level a survey of the participants in self-help projects and the government officials involved in the administration of self-help activities was undertaken. Data was collected through personal interviews. Evidence from the two approaches suggests that development activities that have a poverty reduction focus are highly politicized. Such activities are marked by direct and intense involvement of self serving political figures. More often than not affiliation to the ruling party has been a requirement for people to participate in development activities. This practice has excluded many of those in need. It has also been established that the self-help projects are defective in their design as they offer a modicum of benefits that do not support the lives of the beneficiaries on a sustainable basis. Further, implementation of the projects is politicized turning them into instruments for enhancing political interests. For these reasons the projects fail to reduce poverty in the rural areas. Thus, the thesis explains the nature and content of the self-help projects in Lesotho, establishes the reasons for the failure of the self-help projects as instruments for poverty reduction and provides recommendations thereof.
Description
Thesis (Ph.D. (Public Administration))--University of the Free State, 2011
Keywords
Poverty -- Lesotho, Rural development projects -- Lesotho -- Citizen participation, Economic development projects -- Lesotho -- Citizen participation, Poor -- Services for -- Lesotho, Economic development projects -- Lesotho