Rural development project

Rural Development in a Pandemic – challenges and opportunities

Rural areas in South Africa are currently characterised by poor physical infrastructure, scarcity of running water and poor sanitation, and lack of work opportunities and skills to harness business opportunities. In our research, we found that the economic fallout during the pandemic and its subsequent lockdowns hit rural areas hardest.

The CoE-HUMAN therefore held a conference in January 2021, attended by approximately 300 online participants, to stimulate focused research activity on Rural Development in Southern Africa through discussions contributing to the new dynamics for rural development research and policy, in a post-pandemic world.

Notably, a CoE-HUMAN Honorary Appointee, Prof Monde Makiwane, published a book in partnership with other organisations, Reflections from the Margins: Complexities, Transitions and Development Challenges: The case of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. This book brings together different perspectives and realities of the post-apartheid Eastern Cape to provide an in-depth exploration of the province’s development dilemmas. The book is useful for development scholars and practitioners interested in understanding the state of the province, and similar settings, and the degree to which it has emerged from the shadows of its colonial and apartheid legacies.

The advent of COVID-19 and its effects on the poor – including further entrenched food and job insecurity is a game changer for rural development research and policy making. In particular, the weaknesses in our urban-biased model of development have been revealed.