Globally, rural areas are underdeveloped and face many challenges – in South Africa, this is especially so. In an effort to address these challenges, many developing countries have adopted strategies to give people in rural areas incentives to stay there and build a better life for themselves.
Studies indicate that only 21 percent of South Africans living below minimum levels reside in densely settled areas, meaning that four out of every five of our poorest citizens are rurally based.
Research shows that most of the fast-developing rural communities across the world share a common thread: instead of giving hand-outs, support organisations have invested in providing skills and development training. Many initiatives, including some in South Africa, follow this lead and have experienced positive results.
Some of the challenges in our rural communities include the absence of infrastructure (water and electricity supply and proper roads) and the neglect of agriculture. Furthermore, because populations are geographically dispersed, and because communications and transport infrastructure is often poor, rural people have difficulty organising and expressing their preferences through political processes.
The rural poor, women in particular, have little political power. Globally, urban elites pursue policies that disadvantage the agricultural sector, such as onerous taxes and low urban food prices. This policy set, often identified as urban bias, has been pervasive in many countries. Although rural elites are able to obtain some compensation, this amount is insufficient to offset urban bias and often aggravates impacts on the rural poor. READ MORE
Source: Business Report. #IFAMAFRICA
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