The 4th Annual International Conference on Public Administration and Development Alternatives 03 - 05 July 2019, Southern Sun Hotel, OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa Women in Agricultural Co-Operatives for Poverty Alleviation in Mpumalanga Province: Challenges, Strategies and Opportunities TS Ngomane and MP Sebola University of Limpopo, South Africa Abstract: The study analysed the success of cooperatives in alleviating poverty amongst female headed household who are part of cooperatives within Mpumalanga Province. The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform introduced the one household one hectare and one household two dairy cows programme in 2016 in line with the Agri-Parks initiative meant to achieve rural economic transformation. All the three districts within Mpumalanga Province (Gert Sibande, Nkangala and Ehlanzeni) were targeted beneficiaries. Cooperatives have potential to increase rural women purchasing power to meet market demands and bar- gaining power. They are drivers of women's economic development in the rural sphere, however there are challenges such as low literacy levels which limit them to understand market information, lack of agricultural inputs, access to markets and gender dynamics. This is a desk top analysis of agricultural cooperatives within the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform's ability to alleviate or eradicate poverty amongst women. Information was gathered from the department's reports on cooperatives and also on the exten- sive literature on the ability of agricultural cooperatives to alleviate poverty. The study discovered that the majority of women benefited from accessing land through cooperatives, are able to secure food security at household and community levels. Keywords: Agriculture, Cooperatives, Land, Poverty, Women 1. Introduction Programme (CRDP) as a strategy for rural devel- opment was approved by the Minister of Rural Post 1994, the African National Congress being the Development and Land Reform in 2009. The CRDP ruling party had the political mandate of creating strategy aims at driving agrarian reform with the aim a land reform programme to address land dispar- of establishing rural business initiatives, agro-indus- ities in South Africa. Three motivations led to the tries and cooperatives in villages and rural towns. It is development of the land reform programme which in line with the CRDP strategy that the Department of was to foster reconciliation and stability, promote Rural Development and Land Reform introduced the economic growth as well as the reduction of pov- one hectare one household and one household two erty especially at household level. The country's land dairy cows programme in 2016 in line with the Agri- reform programme was thus market-based as it was Parks initiative by the department meant to achieve based on upholding and protecting private property rural economic transformation (DRDLR, 2015). All the ownership and at the same time expropriating land three districts within Mpumalanga Province, namely: when necessary through the payment of market- Gert Sibande, Nkangala and Ehlanzeni districts were related prices (Walker, 1998; Sebola & Tsheola, 2014). targeted where households had access to one hec- The allocation of land happens within the space and tare of land for cultivation or one hectare of land limit of public administration practice in a country. and two dairy cows. The idea of the cows is that they should provide milk for a family. In most instances South Africa just like many other countries ratified laws cooperatives were already in existence even though that deals with the prevention of discrimination against some were not functional due to lack of inputs. In women such as the Convention of the Elimination of areas where there were no cooperatives, families and All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) communities were then encouraged to form such. and the Southern African Development Community The formation of cooperatives is a poverty reduction (SADC) Gender and Development Protocol adopted strategy meant for improving household food security in 2008. The Comprehensive Rural Development (Republic of South Africa, 2016). 127 TS Ngomane and MP Sebola 2. Theoretical Framework production since women seem to work well when they are together because they are able to organ- This paper in anchored on the cultural feminism ize themselves in an effort to assist one another. theory which is an ideology that attempts to revali- This assists government, communities and women date undervalued female attributes. It is a theory that themselves in securing food security in the rural commends the differences of women and men. The sphere. Through co-operatives, women are able theory emerged in the mid 1970's where it exposed to provide a network of mutual support to over- women's oppression in gendered constructions that come cultural restrictions. This is evident in the devaluate feminine attributes. Cultural feminism South African culture where women form groups seeks to understand women's social locations in called "ilima" or "letsema" to assist each other in society by concentrating on gender differences planting, harvesting and storing of food. Women between women and men. This theory of feminism are able to increase their productivity and income commends the positive aspects of what of the female by collectively negotiating better prices for inputs character or feminine personality. Cultural feminism like fertilizer, seeds, transport and storage through is a variety of feminism which emphasizes essential cooperatives. It is through cooperatives that women differences between men and women, based on are able to access markets (Republic of South Africa, biological differences in reproductive capacity. The 2010; Woldu et al., 2015). Cooperatives create safe liberation of women can only come through indi- spaces for women to build their own social solidarity vidual change where women recognise and create and problem solving capacity as they feel accepted of women-centered culture, and the redefinition of and understood by their own unlike if they were in femininity and masculinity (Bingham et al., 2009; mixed cooperatives with men who do not necessar- Alcoff, 1988). This paper intends analyzing wom- ily have to deal with reproductive work. en's access to land and how that assists them in alleviating poverty at household and community Women who own land can access capital and other level. resources such as extension services to assist them with their farming activities (Kameri-Mbote, 2005). 3. Cooperative Defined Land can help elevate the status of women in communities and help shape them as agricultural A co-operative is defined as "an autonomous asso- producers. It has been confirmed by several studies ciation of persons united voluntarily to meet their that there is a relationship between access to land common economic, social, and cultural needs and and lowered incidences of violence against women. aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically When women have access to land, there is reported controlled enterprise" (ILO, 2002; Njoku et al., 2003). improvement of families' nutrition, education of Co-operatives enforce social inclusion, political and children from families that own land, decrease in economic empowerment of members, especially fertility rates and bargaining powers by women women. They have a potential to assist rural women within a home environment (UNECA, 2007; Gomez to have purchasing power and thus meet market & Tran, 2012). demands, this give them bargaining power. Women are able to share labour and accomplish more in 5. Challenges Faced by Women Within a short space of time. Co-operatives are drivers of Cooperatives women's economic development in the rural sphere (Republic of South Africa, 2012-2022). Co-operatives Even though women play a significant role in the play a role in ensuring food security in the rural production of food around the world, it is said that sphere. Food security is defined as "When all people, few women have access to land (Lorber, 2010; UN, at all times, have physical and economic access to suf- 2012). Agricultural cooperatives play a role in pov- ficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary erty reduction and rural development. Despite the needs and food preferences for an active and healthy ability of cooperatives to enhance the position of life" (World Food Summit, 1996). women with regard to poverty alleviation, most cooperatives still face challenges. Below are some 4. Women and Cooperatives of the challenges faced by women in cooperatives and how the Department of Rural Development Agricultural cooperatives have the ability to pro- and Land Reform assist women to deal with their mote the participation of women in economic challenges. 128 Women in Agricultural Co-Operatives for Poverty Alleviation in Mpumalanga Province: Challenges, Strategies... 5.1 Low Literacy Levels 2012). Technology is useful in assisting women to access markets and also network within value Membership in cooperatives is predominantly con- chains. Women struggle to move from being sub- stituted by the elderly and women with low literacy sistence farmers to commercial farming because levels. Low literacy levels have an impact on capacity they still depend on old farming techniques and out- building and this is one of the serious constraints dated technology which do not help them increase limiting the success of women cooperatives. This is their yields