Anmerkungen:
Nach Informationen von SSRN wurde die ursprüngliche Fassung des Dokuments March 22, 2023 erstellt
Beschreibung:
This conceptual paper looks at current issues faced in rural development and especially unsustainable socio-economic advancement and makes arguments and suggestions to mitigate the impending worsening of the situation, towards the socio-economic upliftment of rural communities. It is critical to reflect and focus on rural communities and people in their everyday lives and how they enjoy their human rights. It is argued that the government and the private sector, and all their stakeholders should actively seek viable solutions to the many complex challenges that rural communities face. Land is a basic livelihood asset, and many people have no land of their own and neither do they have finance to buy land. It is also the case that rural areas are undergoing changes in their structures. In addition, the needs, economic activities, population up-skilling and policies on rural development all require greater urgent consideration. Against this background, some land distribution initiatives for agricultural endeavours are briefly discussed but they cannot be the primary solution to a myriad of rural community challenges. This calls for far more strategic thinking by all involved and multi-sector inputs and strategic partnerships and commitment are essential to support and empower rural people. The formulation of suitable governmental and private sector strategies for rural communities to assume control of their future and also that of subsequent generations of rural dwellers is vital and it has particular resonance in the entire SADC region. The status quo would be too disastrous to contemplate as the rural population increases in Southern Africa. A fully integrated rural development plan is in the making but is not yet significantly improving the output of people and the needed physical resources in rural areas towards sustainability are to an extent still lacking and such issues need to be urgently addressed. To mollify the tensions arising from rural poverty and gross inequality