Pelser, A. J.Botes, L.Esenjor, Akinagum Fidelis2015-08-312015-08-312004-112004-112004-11http://hdl.handle.net/11660/1094English: Literature abounds with discussions regarding land degradation and the sustainability of land resources conservation programmes in sub-Saharan Africa. A thorough understanding of past and present intervention mechanisms and the consequences both to humans and to the entire ecosystem is necessary to advise stakeholders in conservation initiatives. This study employs comprehensive multiple participatory methodologies in analysing both the causes of land degradation and the importance of local communities’ real involvement in land resources conservation initiatives. The participatory methodologies include focus group discussions. The consequences of the paternalist classical model of land resources conservation programmes practised in the developing countries include endless conflicts between conservation officers and local communities, a lack of unequivocal acknowledgement of indigenous knowledge, denial to local communities of access to rights and adequate benefits, and a lack of local support and community participation which results in the sudden collapse and abandonment of conservation programmes. This indicates a wasting of government agencies’ heavy investment in conservation initiatives. Yet, worldwide advocation of a shift from official to community-based conservation approaches does not mean the total withdrawal of government agencies. It only means a trimming down of government agencies’ “do it all” recurrent roles to one of facilitation of the conservation initiatives of local communities. Government agencies may also give unconditional support in community-based initiatives. It has been established that the continuous occupation of the centre stage in land resources conservation programmes by government agencies has accelerated land degradation, has intensified conflicts between government officers and local communities, has wasted local available resources input, has denied local communities access, rights and benefits of land resources, and has increased the number of abandoned conservation projects. The hope of effectively practising real community-based land resources is an uphill task. This is so because government agencies operating in Lesotho have raised unsustainable expectations of food-for-work and/or cash payment incentives to local community members for participating in conservation work. This poor practice has established a false impression that land resources conservation is the sole responsibility of government agencies. This study has established that to practise community-based conservation would require drastic new training of government agencies; it would necessitate providing more sustainable incentives to local communities, and also re-orientating, empowering and capacitating the people for the challenging tasks ahead. Real involvement of local communities in the processes of identification of conservation needs, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation are sure ways of ensuring sustainable land resources conservation programmes.Afrikaans: Daar is volop literatuur oor grondverval en die volhoubaarheid van programme vir grondhulpbronbewaring in Sub-Sahara Afrika. ‘n Grondige begrip van intervensiemeganismes van die verlede en hede, asook van die gevolge vir sowel die mens as die totale ekosisteem, is noodsaaklik ten einde belanghebbendes ten opsigte van bewaringsinisiatiewe te adviseer. In hierdie studie word omvattende meervoudige deelnemende metodologieë aangewend om sowel die oorsake van grondverval as die belangrikheid van plaaslike gemeenskappe se werklike betrokkenheid in grondhulpbroninisiatiewe te ontleed. Die deelnemende metodologieë sluit fokusgroepbesprekings in. Die gevolge van die paternalistiese klassieke model van grondhulpbronbewaringsprogramme wat in ontwikkelende lande bedryf word, omvat eindelose konflikte tussen bewaringsamptenare en plaaslike gemeenskappe, ‘n gebrek aan ‘n ondubbelsinnige erkenning van inheemse kennis, ‘n ontkenning van plaaslike gemeenskappe se reg tot toegang en voldoende voordele, asook ‘n gebrek aan plaaslike ondersteuning en gemeenskapsdeelname wat daartoe aanleiding gee dat bewaringsprogramme skielik in duie stort of laat vaar word. Dit dui op ‘n vermorsing van staatsagenstskappe se dure belegging in bewaringsinisiatiewe. Die globale voorspraak vir ‘n verskuiwing van amptelike na gemeenskapsgebaseerde bewaringsbenaderings beteken egter nie die totale onttrekking van staatsagentskappe nie. Dit beteken net ‘n afskaling van staatsagentskappe se herhaalde ‘ons-doen-alles’ rolle na ‘n situasie waarin die bewaringsinisiatiewe van plaaslike gemeenskappe gefasiliteer word. Staatsagentskappe kan egter ook onvoorwaardelike ondersteuning aan gemeenskapsgebaseerde inisiatiewe gee. viii Daar is bewyse dat die sentrale rol van staatsagentskappe in grondhulpbronprogramme daartoe bygedra het om grondverval te laat versnel. Dit het ook die konflik tussen staatsamptenare en plaaslike gemeenskappe verskerp; dit het gelei tot ‘n vermorsing van plaaslik beskikbare hulpbroninsette; dit het plaaslike gemeenskappe ontneem van die toegang, regte en voordele van grondhulpbronne; en dit het die aantal bewaringsprojekte wat laat vaar is, laat toeneem. Die moontlikheid om werklike gemeenskapsgebaseerde grondhulpbronne doeltreffend toe te pas, is geen maklike taak nie. Dit is die geval omdat staatsagentskappe in Lesotho nie-volhoubare verwagtinge geskep het ten opsigte van kos- vir-werk en/of kontantinsentiewe aan plaaslike gemeenskappe vir deelname aan bewaringswerk nie. Hierdie swak praktyk het ‘n valse indruk geskep dat grondhulpbronbewaring die alleenverantwoordelikheid van staatsagentskappe is. In hierdie studie is vasgestel dat om gemeenskapsgebaseerde bewaring te beoefen, ‘n ingrypende nuwe opleiding van staatsagentskappe vereis; dit vereis ook dat meer volhoubare insentiewe aan plaaslike gemeenskappe voorsien sal word; en dat die gemeenskap geheroriënteer, bemagtig en instaatgestel word ten opsigte van die uitdagings hieromtrent. Slegs die werklike betrokkenheid van plaaslike gemeenskappe in die identifisering, beplanning, implementering, monitering en evaluering van bewaringsbehoeftes sal volhoubare grondhulpbronbewaringsprogramme verseker.enThesis (Ph.D. (Sociology))--University of the Free State, 2005Land use -- Environmental aspects -- Lesotho.Land degradation -- Environmental aspects --Lesotho.ThesisUniversity of the Free State