A comparative investigation into the indigenous land management practices between Tsetse and Miga communities in the North West Province (Molopo District)

Abstract

The study investigated indigenous land management practices in the North West Province with special reference to Miga and Tsetse villages. The study found that the apartheid forced removal policies had a great impact on the socio-economic and cultural life of the communities in the two study villages. The communities were resettled in a new harsh environment in which they encountered. various problems with adaptation. The land management practices in Miga and Tsetse villages were different from the traditional farming practices in their places of origin in the then Western Transvaal, where they were self-reliant. The new farming practices in Miga and Tsetse are based on modern agricultural land use system, which include the use of modern equipment and other inputs. Most of the community members cannot afford them due to high levels of unemployment. Moreover, given the arid conditions of the area, the new farming practices depend on availability of rain. The policy strategies and projects instituted and implemented by both the Bophuthatswana government and the North West Provincial government did not benefit the two communities much. Lack of funds and dependency on government funds made the projects unsustainable. The study recommended that since the Miga and Tsetse Communities have access to land for farming, the North West Provincial Department of Agriculture should put more emphasis on promoting and improving indigenous farming methods by incorporating them into the provincial agricultural development strategies. This is due to the fact that these practices are sustainable and affordable to the local communities. They are adaptable and tuned to the needs of people. Also, they pertain to cultural values of the communities. Moreover, the current poverty situation in Miga and Tsetse villages necessitates the great need for the communities to initiate other income generating ventures beside agriculture. The government should provide the communities with the necessary support including capacity building to ensure the sustainability and success of these projects