ATTRIBUTES AND SAVINGS BEHAVIOUR OF ACAT CLUB MEMBERS IN KWAZULU / Eienskappe en spaargedrag van ACAT-klublede in KwaZulu

Abstract

A survey of communal clubs serviced by the Africa Co-operative Action Trust (ACAT) in KwaZulu during 1989 is used to identify attributes and savings behaviour of club members. Discriminant analysis shows that garden club members tend to have higher on-farm income per household member and receive more KwaZulu Department of Agriculture (KDA) extension input than savings club members. Members who belong solely to a savings club receive more ACAT training and tend to be further from infrastructural amenities. Garden clubs can assist rural development by encouraging surplus production for sale and focusing KDA extension efforts. Savings clubs improve access of rural people to training and farm inputs. Club savings increase during the pre-planting season (August to November) when input purchases are made. Post-planting savings are much lower, indicating allocation of funds to alternative uses (reduced incentive to save until next pre-planting season). These patterns suggest that members use savings clubs to obtain inputs rather than as typical savings institutions. Total real annual savings and withdrawals in savings clubs fell between 1985 and 1987, due to a fall in average club membership. This was associated with declining real annual ACAT-KwaZulu operating budgets which reduced ACAT staff visits to clubs and assistance with input deliveries.

Uittreksel

'n Opname van gemeenskapsklubs wat in 1989 deur die Africa Co-operative Action Trust(ACAT) in KwaZulu bedien is, word gebruik om die eienskappe en spaargedrag van klublede te identifiseer. Diskriminant ontleding toon dat tuinklublede gewoonlik 'n hoër op-die-plaas-inkomste per gesinslid het en meer voorligting van die KwaZulu se Departement van Landbou (KDA) ontvang as wat die geval is met spaarklublede. Lede wat uitsluitlik aan 'n spaarklub behoort, ontvang meer ACAT-opleiding en is meestal verder weg van infrastruk-turele geriewe. Tuinklubs kan landelike ontwikkeling aanhelp deur surplusproduksie vir verkope aan te moedig en KDA-voorligtingspogings te fokus. Spaarklubs verbeter die toegang van landelike mense tot opleiding en landbou-insette. Klubspaargeld vermeerder gedurende die voor-aanplantingseisoen (Augustus tot November), wanneer insette aangekoop word. Spaar na aanplanting is baie laer, wat dui op 'n toewysing van fondse aan alternatiewe gebruike (minder motivering om te spaar tot volgende vooraanplantingseisoen). Hierdie patrone suggereer dat lede die spaarklubs gebruik as 'n middel om insette te bekom, eerder as tipiese spaarinstellings. Totale reële jaarlikse deposito's en onttrekkings in spaarklubs het tussen 1985 en 1987 gedaal, vanweë 'n daling in gemiddelde klublidmaatskap. Dit het gepaard gegaan met dalende reële jaarlikse ACAT-KwaZulu bedryfsbegrotings, wat besoeke deur ACAT-personeel aan klubs en bystand met insetaflewering verminder het.