T H E E C O N O M Y Understanding Africa's Rural Areas: A Socio-economic view

AUTHOR: Chilombo (Olga) Priscila EconomicResearcher/Statistician@ RDJ Consulting Courtesy: wwwnewsdaycozw

The definition of what a rural area is keeps evolving as living standards and dynamics shift over time. In the African context, a rural area is typically a geographic region outside urban centers characterized by low population density, predominantly agrarian economies, and limited access to infrastructure and basic services Various definitions and criteria may be used to classify areas as rural, depending on national statistical systems, development policies, and research methodologies. As we tap into the topic of Rural Development in this edition of the Energy and Sustainability Africa magazine, this article therefore will take you though some important components of Africa's rural areas and provide basic understanding of the socioeconomic structure of rural life

Demography

Africa's rural population remains significant, with around 60% of the continent's population residing in rural areas as of 2020, according to the World Bank. However, this figure varies widely between countries and regions. For instance, countries like Niger, Burundi, and Malawi have predominantly rural populations, while others, such as South Africa and Nigeria, have more urbanized populations The age structure of rural populations in Africa tend to be youthful, with a higher proportion of children and young adults

In terms of gender, Afrobarometer reports that considering its 34 national representative sample of African countries, 55% of women in Africa reside in rural enumeration areas These proportions however again followed the trend and varied widely by country, ranging from just one-fifth in Gabon (21%) to more than threefourths in eSwatini (83%), Niger (83%), Malawi (81%), Madagascar (78%), Mali (78%), and Burkina Faso (77%).

Rural areas in Africa often experience rapid population growth due to factors such as high fertility rates and limited access to family planning services This growth presents challenges for resource allocation, development, and service provision

Economy

Africa’s rural economy is mainly characterized by agriculture The International Labour Organization (ILO), national labor force survey data indicates that the majority of rural Africans are engaged in agriculture, with limited access to formal employment opportunities. Subsistence farming in rural communities is therefore common, although there is also a growing commercial agriculture sector, including cash crops such as cocoa, coffee, and cotton As a result, rural economies are reported to significantly contribute to national GDP in many African countries, particularly through agriculture and related sectors. In fact, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) reports that the agriculture sector employs about 60% of Africa's population and contributes about 25% to Africa's GDP However, due to the agrarian nature of rural communities, the attraction to urban areas is high

Challenge to Economic Development

Despite rural communities in Africa accommodating over half of the continent’s population, these areas still face significant economic bottlenecks that hinders rapid development. The World Bank statistics show that access to basic services remains limited in many rural areas of Africa, with significant disparities across regions Some of these include the lack of access to basic infrastructure within rural settings such as clean water supply, adequate healthcare facilities, educational institutions, paved roads, electricity and modern technology. Availability and access to such services is often limited, and transportation networks may be rudimentary.

As a result, people tend to migrate often Despite statistics indicating a youthful population in rural areas, many of these young people are not permanent in rural communities. They tend to move to urban areas in search of work or better education, and therefore leaving behind the younger and elderly who may not be as productive. In the end, the lack of economic opportunities, limited agricultural productivity, and environmental pressures in rural areas becomes the major cause of increased ruralto-urban migration Nonetheless, other natural factors such as seasonal labor movements and displacement due to conflict or environmental degradation also contribute tomigrationinruralareas

Despite all these challenges, rural areas remain an important part for any economy towards achieving sustainability and development The International Trade Centre (ITC) reveals the importance of agricultural exports from rural Africa to global markets, highlighting the role of rural economies in international trade Making rural areas sustainable through investments in critical areas is vital to the economic, social and environmental viabilityofnations.

What else do you think can be done to ensure growth and economic development of these areas that hold more thanhalfofourcontinent’spopulation?Theconversation continuesat esa@rdjpubishing.africa

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