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Changing Livelihoods and Landscapes in the Rural Eastern Cape, South Africa: Past Influences and Future Trajectories

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  • Sheona Shackleton

    (Department of Environmental Science, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa)

  • Marty Luckert

    (Department of Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology, University of Alberta, 515 General Services Building, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H1, Canada)

Abstract

This paper seeks to understand the drivers and pathways of local livelihood change and the prospects for transformation towards a more sustainable future. Data are used from several studies, and a participatory social learning process, which formed part of a larger project in two sites in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Secondary information from a wealth of related work is used to place our results within the historic context and more general trends in the country. Findings indicate that livelihoods in the rural Eastern Cape are on new trajectories. Agricultural production has declined markedly, at a time when the need for diversification of livelihoods and food security seems to be at a premium. This decline is driven by a suite of drivers that interact with, and are influenced by, other changes and stresses affecting local livelihoods. We distil out the factors, ranging from historical processes to national policies and local dynamics, that hamper peoples’ motivation and ability to respond to locally identified vulnerabilities and, which, when taken together, could drive households into a trap. We end by considering the transformations required to help local people evade traps and progress towards a more promising future in a context of increasing uncertainty.

Suggested Citation

  • Sheona Shackleton & Marty Luckert, 2015. "Changing Livelihoods and Landscapes in the Rural Eastern Cape, South Africa: Past Influences and Future Trajectories," Land, MDPI, vol. 4(4), pages 1-30, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:4:y:2015:i:4:p:1060-1089:d:59109
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    Cited by:

    1. Sheona Shackleton & Vanessa Masterson & Paul Hebinck & Chinwe Ifejika Speranza & Dian Spear & Maria Tengö, 2019. "Editorial for Special Issue: “Livelihood and Landscape Change in Africa: Future Trajectories for Improved Well-Being under a Changing Climate”," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(8), pages 1-8, July.
    2. Mugido, Worship & Shackleton, Charlie M., 2019. "The contribution of NTFPS to rural livelihoods in different agro-ecological zones of South Africa," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    3. Menelisi Falayi & James Gambiza & Michael Schoon, 2020. "Unpacking Changing Multi-Actor and Multi-Level Actor Ties in Transformative Spaces: Insights from a Degraded Landscape, Machubeni, South Africa," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-25, July.
    4. Jessica Cockburn & Carolyn (Tally) G. Palmer & Harry Biggs & Eureta Rosenberg, 2018. "Navigating Multiple Tensions for Engaged Praxis in a Complex Social-Ecological System," Land, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-24, November.
    5. Silindile Sibiya & Jai Kumar Clifford-Holmes & James Gambiza, 2023. "Drivers of Degradation of Croplands and Abandoned Lands: A Case Study of Macubeni Communal Land in the Eastern Cape, South Africa," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-27, March.
    6. Dale Blair & Charlie M. Shackleton & Penelope J. Mograbi, 2018. "Cropland Abandonment in South African Smallholder Communal Lands: Land Cover Change (1950–2010) and Farmer Perceptions of Contributing Factors," Land, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-20, October.
    7. Hebinck†, Paul & Smith, Lothar & Aliber, Michael, 2023. "Beyond technocracy: The role of the state in rural development in the Eastern Cape, South Africa," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    8. Shackleton, C.M. & Mograbi, P.J. & Drimie, S. & Fay, D. & Hebinck, P. & Hoffman, M.T. & Maciejewski, K. & Twine, W., 2019. "Deactivation of field cultivation in communal areas of South Africa: Patterns, drivers and socio-economic and ecological consequences," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 686-699.
    9. Shackleton, Ross T., 2020. "Loss of land and livelihoods from mining operations: A case in the Limpopo Province, South Africa," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    10. Current Masunungure & Sheona E. Shackleton, 2018. "Exploring Long-Term Livelihood and Landscape Change in Two Semi-Arid Sites in Southern Africa: Drivers and Consequences for Social–Ecological Vulnerability," Land, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-23, April.
    11. Bennett, James & Marandure, Tawanda & Hawkins, Heidi-Jayne & Mapiye, Cletos & Palmer, Anthony & Lemke, Stefanie & Wu, Lianhai & Moradzadeh, Mostafa, 2023. "A conceptual framework for understanding ecosystem trade-offs and synergies, in communal rangeland systems," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    12. Herd-Hoare, S. & Shackleton, C.M., 2020. "Ecosystem disservices matter when valuing ecosystem benefits from small-scale arable agriculture," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 46(C).
    13. Hajdu, Flora & Granlund, Stefan & Neves, David & Hochfeld, Tessa & Amuakwa-Mensah, Franklin & Sandström, Emil, 2020. "Cash transfers for sustainable rural livelihoods? Examining the long-term productive effects of the Child Support Grant in South Africa," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 19(C).
    14. Jacqueline M. Vadjunec & Claudia Radel & B. L. Turner II, 2016. "Introduction: The Continued Importance of Smallholders Today," Land, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-12, October.

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