Abstract
Background: Agro-processing is viewed as a possible poverty alleviation tool for rural development in South African communities. Agro-processing can be a tool for income generation and local economic development for rural settings.Aim: To examine the role and impact of cottage farming in Raymond Mhlaba municipality, rural Eastern Cape province. The study sought to identify ways of developing the cottage and agro-processing industries as a tool for poverty alleviation and local economic development.Setting: Grounded on the sustainable development theory and the human capital development approach, the study explores how rural people in Raymond Mhlaba Municipality utilise their livelihood capitals as a tool for survival.Method: The researcher employed a qualitative approach by using in-depth interviews and focus group discussion.Results: The study revealed that rural households embark on various survival strategies, cottage farming being dominant.Conclusion: The purpose of the study was to enhance small-scale farming using agro-processing as a poverty alleviation strategy, thus promoting a sustainable rural development for the Eastern Cape province.
Highlights
The development of a cottage farming is important for economic growth and the promotion of more pluralist societies
The analysis resulted in the development of key themes that are diverse and small communal farming in, finance, marketing, gender and local economic development (LED) in Raymond Mhlaba as a survival strategy, leading to rural development
When the products are ripe, women in the village go to the neighbouring towns where they sell their products on the streets; this is evident in the town of Alice and Fort Beaufort
Summary
The development of a cottage farming is important for economic growth and the promotion of more pluralist societies. Cottage farming such as stock, crop and fish can be used as a tool for poverty alleviation, especially for rural communities. The subset of manufacturing that processes raw material and intermediate products derived from agriculture is a significant contributor towards rural development. It means using a set of technological and economic activities undertaken on basic agricultural resources with the aim of transforming them into usable items or products such as juice, etc. Agro-processing can be a tool for income generation and local economic development for rural settings
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