Esterhuyse, P.Goitsemodimo, Relopile Gosiame2016-02-122016-02-122015-072015-072016-02-09http://hdl.handle.net/11660/2284English: Rural poverty is a major crisis across the world, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa where the majority of the population reside in rural areas. South Africa is no exception, with a rural population that exceeds 40% and is characterised by widespread poverty (unemployment, food insecurity, environmental degradation and resource shortage, particularly water). The study focuses on the largely rural town of Thaba Nchu, with 42 villages, in the Free State Province about 60 km east of Bloemfontein. Water shortage is a major constraint in this semi-arid town with low and erratic rains of about 500 mm per annum, as it affects many of the livelihood strategies practised in the rural areas such as crop production and livestock breeding, which rely mostly on rainwater. The majority of the households are therefore dependent on social grants as the main source of income and the support they receive from their social networks (relatives, friends, neighbours and other acquaintances). In order to enable households in the area to enhance food security and well-being, the Rainwater Harvesting and Conservation project introduced the Infield Rainwater Harvesting (IRWH) technique. However, the acceptance and sustainability of the project as well as the technique applied have been affected by various factors. The purpose of this study is to investigate the socio-cultural dynamics and livelihoods in the villages of Potsane and Rietfontein (Thaba Nchu), in order to gain an insight into the impact of the rainwater harvesting and conservation technique on sustainability and food security. Ethnographic research methods such as participant observation, in-depth interviews with key informants, focus group discussions with selected members of the communities and case studies with leading members of the Rainwater Harvesting and Conservation (RWH&C) project were employed in the study. These techniques were favoured because they tend to forge a closer relationship between the researcher and the participants, who are viewed as valuable members of the research.Afrikaans: Armoede op die platteland is wêreldwyd ‟n reuse krisis, veral in Sub-Sahara Afrika, waar die meerderheid van die bevolking in landelike gebiede woon. Suid-Afrika is geen uitsondering nie, met ‟n landelike bevolking van meer as 40%, en gekenmerk deur wydverspreide armoede (werkloosheid, voedselonsekerheid, omgewingsagteruitgang en ‟n tekort aan hulpbronne, veral water). Die studie fokus op die merendeels plattelandse dorp Thaba Nchu in die Vrystaat, ongeveer 60 km oos van Bloemfontein en wat uit 42 kleiner dorpies bestaan. ‟n Tekort aan water is ‟n groot beperking in hierdie semi-dorre dorp, met ‟n lae en ongereelde reënval van ongeveer 500 mm per jaar, aangesien dit baie van die strategieë om op die platteland ‟n bestaan te maak, soos gewasproduksie en die aanhou van lewendehawe raak, wat almal meestal op reënwater staatmaak. Die meerderheid van die huishoudings is gevolglik afhanklik van maatskaplike toelae as die hoofbron van inkomste asook steun van sosiale netwerke (familie, vriende, bure en ander kennisse). Ten einde huishoudings in die streek in staat te stel om voedselsekuriteit en welstand te verhoog, het die Rainwater Harvesting and Conservation project die Infield Rainwater Harvesting (IRWH)-tegniek bekendgestel. Die aanvaarding en volhoubaarheid van die projek, sowel as die tegniek wat toegepas word, word deur verskeie faktore geraak. Die doel van hierdie studie is om die sosiokulturele dinamika en bestaanswyses in die dorpies Potsane en Rietfontein (Thaba Nchu) te ondersoek om sodoende insig te verkry wat betref die impak van die rainwater harvesting and conservation-tegniek op volhoubaarheid en voedselsekuriteit. Etnografiese navorsingsmetodes soos deelnemerwaarneming, diepgaande onderhoude met sleutelinformante, fokusgroepbesprekings met geselekteerde lede van die gemeenskappe en gevallestudies met toonaangewende lede van die Rainwater Harvesting and Conservation project (RWH&C) is in die studie gebruik. Die keuse het op hierdie tegnieke geval omdat dit meestal gelei het tot ‟n hegter verhouding tussen die navorser en die deelnemers, wat as waardevolle lede van die navorsing beskou is.enRainwater harvestingFood securitySustainabilitySocial networksLivelihoodsWater shortageWater harvesting -- LesothoWater-supply, Rural -- LesothoDissertation (M.A. (Anthropology))--University of the Free State, 2015DissertationUniversity of the Free State