Source: Wandile Sihlobo and Johann Kirsten, Business Day, 19 July 2020, photo credit: Underberg Farmers Association/Food for Mzansi
The rural economy should not be forgotten in SA’s post-Covid-19 recovery plans. This is still an important segment of society and the economy, though 68% of the population now lives in urban areas.
Apart from its reliance on remittances and social transfer payments, the one outstanding characteristic of the rural economy is its dependence on a few key industries, all of which are typically resource-based, such as agriculture, mining, fishing, tourism and forestry.
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