DEVELOPING SOUTH AFRICA’S RURAL AREAS
Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist, Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa
Friday 23 January 1.00 pm COURSE FEES R115; Staff and students R58
The rural economy should not be forgotten in South Africa’s economic growth agenda, where there tends to be a strong urban bias in policy discussions. The rural areas are still a significant segment of society and the economy, though 68% of the population now lives in urban areas.
Apart from the rural areas’ reliance on remittances and social transfer payments, the outstanding characteristic of the rural economy is its dependence on a few key industries, all of which are typically resource-based, such as agriculture, mining, fishing, tourism and forestry.
With rising unemployment and low economic activity, policymakers are searching for areas of growth and job creation. For many rural areas, agriculture and tourism are the only industries that still have the potential to generate livelihoods and employment. However, for these industries to perform better, we must address the various infrastructure and governance constraints that have limited their development and growth, thus preventing them from achieving their full potential. These industries have more than doubled in size since 1994, but are not yet at capacity.
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