Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS)
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The Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS) engages in research, training, policy development and advocacy in relation to land and agrarian reform, rural governance and natural resource management. It is committed to social change that empowers the poor, builds democracy and enhances sustainable livelihoods.
Collections in this community
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Fact Check [4]
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Policy Briefs (PLAAS) [130]
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Policy Submissions [13]
Recent Submissions
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Cash transfers for sustainable rural livelihoods? Examining the long-term productive effects of the Child Support Grant in South Africa
(Elsevier, 2020)Cash transfers have received increased scholarly and policy attention, as a means of reducing poverty in the global South. While cash transfers are primarily intended to prevent impoverishment and deprivation, several ... -
The effect of varying dietary nutrient densities on the relative growth of ostrich body components
(OpenJournals Publishing AOSIS (Pty) Ltd, 2020)The influence of varying dietary protein and energy levels on the relative growth of body components of ostriches was evaluated over a 244-day growth period. One hundred twenty 1-day-old ostrich chicks were randomly ... -
Weed community assessment and response to smother cropping strategies at George, South Africa
(Editorial board of Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences, 2020)Weeds are one of the major constraints to crop cultivation that can affect crop yield based on their species composition and density. A field trial was initiated to assess the weed community composition and evaluate ... -
Meat quality, skin damage and reproductive performance of ostriches exposed to extensive human presence and interactions at an early age
(Springer Nature, 2020)The effect human presence and interactions performed after hatch to 3 months of age has on ostrich meat quality, skin damage and reproductive performance at a later age was investigated in 416-day-old ostrich chicks. The ... -
Bureaucrats, investors and smallholders: contesting land rights and agro-commercialisation in the Southern agricultural growth corridor of Tanzania
(Taylor & Francis, 2020)Since the triple crises of food, fuel and finance of 2007/8, investments in agricultural growth corridors have taken centrestage in government, donor and private sector initiatives. This article examines the politics of ... -
Changing livelihoods in rural Eastern Cape, South Africa (2002–2016): Diminishing employment and expanding social protection
(Taylor & Francis, 2020)This is evident in South Africa’s former ‘homelands’, the site where this study examined changes in rural livelihoods over a 14-year period. Detailed survey data (collected in 2002 and 2016) from two villages in the Pondoland ... -
Collapse, conflict or social cohesion? Learning from livestock dipping associations in Kwazulu-Natal
(2020-06-29)This working paper is about the revival of communal cattle dipping in post-apartheid KwaZulu-Natal, which has improved animal healthcare and strengthened the livelihoods of the black rural households that keep cattle in ... -
Assessing potential for employment-intensive land reform in South Africa: Key research findings from a CBPEP study
(GTAC, 2020)The Capacity Building Programme for Employment Promotion (CBPEP) is an EU-funded initiative aimed at assisting the Government of South Africa to attain its goal of reducing unemployment, by building state and institutional ... -
Thematic study: Agricultural value chains in South Africa and the implications for employment-intensive land reform
(GTAC, 2020)This paper is part of a larger research initiative intended to formulate policy options for land reform in South Africa and facilitate employment and livelihoods through small-scale agriculture. The report examines small-scale ... -
Thematic study: The strengths and weaknesses of systems of land tenure and land administration in South Africa and the implications for employment intensive land reform
(GTAC, 2020)The CBPEP/GTAC Project: Employment intensive land reform in South Africa: policies, programmes and capacities aims to formulate a set of options for rural land reform in South Africa aimed at generating a large number of ... -
A review of support services for smallholder and small-scale agricultural producers
(GTAC, 2020)The CBPEP/GTAC Project: Employment intensive land reform in South Africa: policies, ‘programmes and capacities aims to formulate a set of options for rural land reform in South Africa aimed at generating a large number of ... -
Thematic study: International experiences of support policies for smallholders: A review and an exploration of underlying rationale and narratives
(GTAC, 2020)This thematic study on International experiences of policies supporting smallholder production is part of the background papers of the ‘GTAC/CBPEP/EU study on employment-intensive rural land reform in South Africa.’ It ... -
Thematic study: Conceptualising finance to support labour-intensive land redistribution
(GTAC, 2020-01)This paper seeks to provide an overview and understanding of how South Africa’s smallholder farmers and small-scale black commercial farmers (‘SFs & SSBCFs’) presently finance their agricultural operations (excluding land ... -
Thematic study: Climate change and its impacts on the feasibility and sustainability of small-scale systems of agricultural production, in communal areas and on farms transferred through land reform
(GTAC, 2020-03-31)This paper is intended to provide context and support discussion on the potential impacts of climate on small-scale farming systems in South Africa and the resulting socio-economic impacts, including in the context of black ... -
The social and cultural aspects of small-scale agricultural production in South Africa and the implications for employment-intensive land reform
(GTAC, 2020-03-31)There is widespread agreement that Government interventions to support smallholders have often been poorly constructed (Khulisa, 2016; Aliber & Cousins, 2013) and have failed to produce positive impacts (Okunlola et al, ... -
A synthesis of evidence from four local municipality studies: Sakhisizwe Local Municipality – Eastern Cape, Nkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality – KwaZulu-Natal, Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality – Limpopo, Matzikama Local Municipality – Western Cape
(2020-03-31)This paper sets out to provide an accessible summary of the key findings which have emerged from the extensive research conducted as part of a project to develop a draft policy framework for employment intensive land reform. ... -
A synthesis of evidence from five commodity studies
(GTAC, 2020-03-31)This is the second of three papers which draw together and summarise the key findings from the extensive research conducted as part of a project to develop a draft policy framework for employment-intensive land reform. The ... -
Summary of research findings from seven thematic research studies informing policy proposals for employment-intensive land reform
(GTAC, 2020-03-31)This is the first of three papers which draw together and summarise the key findings from the extensive research conducted as part of a project to develop a draft policy framework for employment intensive land reform. The ... -
Final Report
(GTAC, 2020-03-31)This study focuses on the potential contribution of redistributive land reform to employment creation. Can land redistribution be undertaken in a manner that also creates jobs, and if so, through which types of land use ... -
Municipal case study Sakhisizwe Local Municipality, Eastern Cape
(GTAC, 2020-03-31)This report presents the municipality case study for Sakhisizwe Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape. The goal of the report is to examine the employment creating potential of land redistribution in Sakhisizwe Local ...