Rural self-reliance strategies in South Africa: community initiatives and external support in the former black homelands

This paper examines the relevance of the concept of self-reliance in the co ntext of rural community economic development in South Africa. Whilst chang ing global and local circumstances oblige impoverished communities to becom e mure pro-active in the enhancement of the quality of their lives, they ne vertheless cannot ignore basic market forces and the need for an appropriat e level of external assistance. Four community-based agricultural ventures in South Africa's former Homelands are examined. A comparison between the f our schemes permits an assessment to be made of what such community venture s require if they are to succeed and have a meaningful impact on job creati on and poverty alleviation. The role of external support agencies and acces s to markets in each case features prominently in the assessment. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. Ail rights reserved.