Integrating conservation and development : a study of KwaJobe.
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Date
1997
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Abstract
Low levels of development, increasing levels of environmental degradation and poverty are
features which characterise many rural areas in the Developing World. The socio-economies
of these rural communities are primarily founded on the direct utilization of the natural resource
base. The challenge faced by rural communities is thus to achieve socio-economic growth and
stability in conjunction with environmental conservation and stability. Integrated conservation
and development projects (ICDPs) have been applied in underdeveloped areas with the
objective of enhancing biodiversity conservation through approaches which attempt to address
the needs, constraints and opportunities faced by the rural communities. While successes have
been recorded, critical analyses by researchers have found that few projects have met their
objectives.
This case study in KwaJobe, KwaZulu-Natal, attempts to ascertain the development priorities
as identified by the community. The participatory rural appraisal techniques utilized in this
study provide a valuable approach for local people to provide information to outsiders, as well
as to analyse their own circumstances with reference to natural resource management. The
findings of the study indicate that the community is characteristic of many rural communities
in underdeveloped areas. The development priorities identified by the community focus on
economic and social welfare needs. The presentation of two natural resource based
development models, ie, a resource based tourism development and an irrigation development,
were used to interpret the development preferences and priorities of the community. From this
it was possible to ascertain that the communities development priorities do not include natural
resource management or environmental conservation. Development initiatives which rank these
criteria as the primary objective do not induce support from the community. Approaches to
rural development thus need to focus primarily on the meeting of community identified needs
if they are to be accepted and supported by the community.
Methods need to be devised to facilitate sustainable development which offer opportunities for
environmental conservation, rather than attempting to achieve development via conservation
initiatives. There is thus a need for a change in the focus of ICDPs from using conservation
initiatives to facilitate rural community development, to a focus which prioritises meeting the development needs identified by the communities. Attempts can then be made to facilitate
environmental conservation by means of integrated development and conservation projects
(IDCPs).
Description
Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1997.
Keywords
Ecotourism--KwaZulu-Natal--Kwajobe., Conservation of natural resources--Economic aspects--KwaZulu-Natal--Kwajobe., Rural development--KwaZulu-Natal--Kwajobe., Theses--Environmental science.