Agriculture and land reform: How far are we from an integrated and inclusive rural economy?
Progress with land reform as per the NDP has been underestimated and, while still slow, is closer to the 30% target than typically believed
Chapter 6 of the National Development Plan (NDP) sets out the parameters for an integrated and inclusive rural economy. It opens with: “By 2030, SA’s rural communities should have greater opportunities to participate fully in the economic, social and political life of the country. People should be able to access decent basic services that enable them to be well-nourished, healthy and increasingly skilled. Rural economies will be supported by agriculture and, where possible, by mining, tourism, agroprocessing and fisheries.”
Agricultural expansion, more agroprocessing, job creation and land reform are central to growing rural economies. It rests on goals such as promoting irrigated agriculture and high-value and labour-intensive industries; bringing unproductive land in former homelands and underutilised land reform farms into production; increasing productivity; and expanding access to new export markets...
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