Re-examining economic orthodoxies: interactions of

poverties and wealth and the creation, verification dissemination and adoption of SLM approaches

Noel OettleEnvironmental Monitoring Group, South Africa

The context: facilitation of the adoption of enhanced SLM practices in the arid west of

South Africa• Resource poor farmers in the west of South

Africa farm with indigenous rooibos tea• Land access by small scale farmers is limited,

driving expansion of lands into marginal areas• Sandy soils are vulnerable to erosion by wind and

water• Farmers understand land degradation as both a

cause and an effect of endemic poverty

The location of the study area in western South Africa

When stripped of fynbos cover, sandy rooibos soils are vulnerable to erosion

Our approach: Participatory Action Research to enhance land management

• People centred and responsive to problems identified by farmers = local ownership

• Partnership with farmer organisation (Heiveld Co-operative) and collaboration with other institutions (NGOs, GEF SGP, government, etc.)

• Technical support for farmers by Mentor Farmers & EMG• Problem analysis and intervention design by farmer • Resource contribution from farmers and others• Action learning: research, observe, reflect, plan, act,

research further, observe impacts, re-plan, etc….

Farmers Hendrik Hesselman and Abraham Sass plan contour bunds to prevent soil erosion

Average cost of interventions per hectare of land protected from erosion

Contributions: Project Farmer (in kind)Labour €48 €16Fuel & equipment €11 €10Totals €59 €26

Hartwig Oktober demonstrates how contour bunds promote infiltration & prevent gully erosion

Contour bund reinforced with mesembryanthumums

Noel Oettle, Nick Helme, Simon Todd, Eugene

Marinus & Rhoda Malgas

Pieter Koopman’s shelter belts & contour ploughing conserve soils and biodiversity

Human Scale Development Theory of Manfred Max Neef and colleagues

• Multidisciplinary approach to understanding what motivates people

• Founded on the premise that all people share the same basic human needs

• We differ greatly in how we go about satisfying these basic human needs:Personal preferences, culture, genderPersuasion, advertising, religion, moralsTime and place, fashion, external pressures

The basic human needs……• Subsistence• Protection• Affection• Understanding• Participation• Idleness• Creation• Identity• Freedom

Synergic satisfiers

• Satisfy a given need, simultaneously stimulating and contributing to the fulfilment of other needs

• They tend to be liberating • We recognise them: this is lekker!!!• In conservation and development processes,

this is where the magic lies

Applications of human scale development theory in Sustainable Land Management

Design of interventions that satisfy a range of needs (e.g. a workshop designed to share information should also be a learning and social event that should aim to make people feel safe and comfortable)Need Satisfier

Understanding Information provision, interactive discussion, peer learning

Idleness Relaxed time schedule, energisers, tea breaks

Participation Interactive process, social gathering, cooking together

Affection Meeting old friends and relative in a safe and friendly environment

Freedom Don’t coerce participation, let people choose

Subsistence Provide tea and snacks, or a meal; address livelihood concerns

Protection Focus on common issues and solutions and collective action strengthen social bonds

A farmer shares his knowledge of soil and water management with his peers

Weather monitor Bennet Hesselman takes pride in his contribution

Katriena Fortuin shares collective insights into weather impacts and responses on behalf of her neighbourhood group

Thank you for your attention