THIS CHAPTER considers the global urbanisation trend that has affected South Africa just as much as fast-growing China and India. It also promotes an integrated and inclusive rural economy.
Across Africa there has been major migration into cities where people perceive greater opportunity. It aims to address the "urban bias" that can arise in public policy by ensuring that those who live and work in rural areas are properly included in South Africa's development.
Agriculture, as the primary economic activity in rural areas, is the main focus of the chapter, with an eye on creating opportunities that will address rural poverty. The driving force will be an expansion of irrigated agriculture, supplemented where feasible by dry-land production.
The NDP concedes that a major risk to its rural programme is that tenure security for black farmers in the communal areas under the land reform programme will not be adequately addressed. It proposes the Land Bank be used to support land purchases as well as provide post-settlement support. A stepped programme of financing, it says, would address most financing problems of land-reform beneficiaries.
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