What benefit-sharing mechanisms can help forestry-based land restitution beneficiaries in South Africa? The case of Limpopo province forestry projects
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Date
Authors
Makhubele, Lucky
Tshidzumba, R.P. (Ratsodo Phillip)
Chirwa, Paxie W.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Taylor and Francis
Abstract
The capture of the benefits by the elites due to the lack of a benefit-sharing mechanism is a serious threat to the development of forestry land restitution projects in South Africa. This study investigated the benefit-sharing mechanisms desirable to land claimant beneficiaries in forestry-based land restitution projects. A random sampling technique was used to select 351 and 170 households’ beneficiaries in Levubu and Tzaneen communities in Limpopo Province, respectively. Data were collected using a household questionnaire and focus group discussions. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse data. Findings revealed that there are still no benefit-sharing mechanisms in Levubu and Tzaneen communities, but the beneficiaries comprehend the significance of developing a benefit-sharing mechanism for fair and equal distribution of benefits. The results revealed that stakeholders’ meetings (58.7%) and open beneficiaries’ meetings (40.6%) were preferred mechanisms. In addition, beneficiaries in both Levubu (54.4%) and Tzaneen (68.9%) preferred to receive benefits monthly. This paper provides the first overview of a benefit-sharing model in forestry-based land restitution projects in South Africa. It concludes that there is a need to consider the early development of a benefit-sharing mechanism in land restitution projects in order to allow a greater equal share of the benefits.
Description
Keywords
Benefit-sharing, Community forestry, Forestry projects, Elites, Land reform, Land restitution
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
Lucky Makhubele, Ratsodo Tshidzumba & Paxie Chirwa (2022) What
benefit-sharing mechanisms can help forestry-based land restitution beneficiaries in South
Africa? The case of Limpopo province forestry projects, Forests, Trees and Livelihoods, 31:3, 153-169, DOI: 10.1080/14728028.2022.2089735.