- Ms Tessa Cousins, Facilitator
Ms Cousins, the facilitator for the seminar, welcomed everyone present
and thanked them for their participation. As the impact that HIV/AIDS
is having, and will continue to have, on rural development is a new and
an emerging area of concern she asked that each of the delegates introduce
themselves briefly and indicate what their main concerns were with regard
to HIV/AIDS and rural development and why; in order to hear each others
perspectives and assumptions. The concerns expressed provided both an
important basis on which to begin discussions within this diverse group
on the effect that HIV/AIDS will have on the land reform, agriculture and health
sectors and marked the direction for future such forums, policy development
and research.
There was general consensus from all delegates that the HIV/AIDS pandemic was impacting on all sectors of South Africa and that it had the potential to seriously undermine development. Particular concern was expressed about the impact and implications of HIV/AIDS on access to land, land and food security, sustainable livelihoods and development. However, delegates felt that in order to know how best to respond to the effect of HIV/AIDS there was a need for more information about how HIV/AIDS is affecting each particular sector, the implications for and impact on each sector, and how the relevant sectors were currently dealing with HIV/AIDS. It was hoped that this seminar would help to provide both information and answers to some of these concerns.
Several delegates expressed concern at the lack of cohesion between planning and implementation of policies, between policy makers, land officials and the communities they serve. The need was also expressed to galvanise research, policy and implementation and to bring these areas together in a more co-ordinated manner to provide a more effective response to HIV/AIDS. Some delegates felt that the seriousness of the pandemic called for the land reform, agriculture and health sectors to be brought together to find workable mechanisms to mitigate the effect of the HIV/AIDS pandemic on these sectors. It was hoped that this seminar could begin this process of developing a multidisciplinary and cohesive response to HIV/AIDS.
The next section comprised of a number of formal presentations. These dealt with the specific and anticipated impact of HIV/AIDS on land; an overview of the socio-economic impact of HIV/AIDS in KwaZulu-Natal; and a report from the DLA HIV/AIDS desk on existing land reform HIV/AIDS policy and its integration into programmes within the department.
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