RESEARCH

CURMO also specialises in research and has conducted several research projects including situation analyses, pilot demonstrations, project assessment and reports. Both directors have also individually been involved in research and development over the last 20 years. These include educational research in identified African countries, Israel, and several states of the United States. Comparative studies regarding adult education were conducted on policy and practice in India, Indonesia, Soviet Union as well as Nigeria, available at Pretoria University library, www.up.ac.za, catalogue/title: A model for implementing basic education and training in the developing regions of South Africa (Author: MM Burger).

Also research on vocational education models in South Africa, as available at Unisa library: www.oasif.unisa.ac.za, title: 'n strategie vir die aanbieding van beroepsvoorbereidende onderwys in die sekondêre skoolfase in die RSA (Author: MM Burger). Research conducted on policies and practice of agricultural education in mainstream education by WP Burger includes: 'n Didaktiese ondersoek na die relevantheid and doeltreffendheid van Landbou-onderwys in die derdewereldsituasie van Suider-Afrika en Landbou-onderwys aan hoër landbouskole.

NOTE: Different dissertations/papers as indicated on CVs are also available.

DEVELOPMENT MODELS:

Several development models for purposes of economic, educational and community development have been designed as part of research and community development projects managed by CURMO.

1: The following developmental model was proposed as part of a rural development project to capacitate emerging farmers It aims to expose young people interested in farming to practice experience and skills training in order to improve their capacity to make informed career choices. It also provides paid job opportunities to unemployed youth. Similar models were developed for other target groups e.g. permanent farm workers who do not wish to leave farm in situations where commercial farms are sold to government for land retribution purposes.

POSSIBLE PROJECT PARTNERS:
Youth organisations, DoA, Relevant Government Departments, DTI/SETAS (learnerships), Farming union/s municipalities, Project Funders

FARM OWNERSHIP:
Collectives may be privately owned or government owned/

2: Rural Project Model developed during research project on renewable energy usage as economic activators in KZN conducted for DME:

The model will be presented in the follow steps in planning (pre-implementation) and implementation:
Step 1: Establishment of community social structures
Step 2: Establishment of physical structures (i.e. processing/technology/education and training centre to facilitate income-generating activities)
Step 3: Establishment of an appropriate and cost-effective technology/renewable energy mode to provide for an enabling environment in terms of infrastructure for income-generating activities
Step 4: Development and implementation of capacity-building programme* (i.e. education, training and development)
Step 5: Establishment of economic structures (i.e. cooperatives, legal business formats, markets).
Step 6: Monitor and evaluate

*The development of effective economic structures and local organisations is not integral to a people-centred development project. The capacity-building programme must provide for this aspect.

Such a project provides an effective forum where the economic needs of a rural community could be communicated to local authorities and to economic role-players in a broader context, and where they could discuss issues regarding income-generating opportunities, projects and the management of such projects. Research has found that the development of social and economic structures, established to achieve specific goals, contributed to sustainable improvements in human well-being of communities.

EXTERNAL ASSESSMENTS REPORTS OF CURMO PROJECTS:

The following assessment reports on a pilot demonstration project (activating rural economies) were conducted by an external assessor – in this case a functionary of the development bank of South Africa (DBSA)(Note: reference to specific individuals and place are being omitted)

Click Here for Assessment Report 1

Click Here for Assessment Report 2