The challenge of slow economic development within the countryside - is one which gives rise to a plethora of opportunistic problems that ultimately directly and indirectly compromises the quality of the life and living conditions in many rural areas in developing countries like South Africa. This challenge was also prevalent within Umzumbe Phungashe Sub-Region, which was used as the case study in this research. The rationale behind this study is that rural areas, in both developed countries as well as in developing countries like South Africa, remain largely under-developed. This is despite initiatives such as projects targeted at stimulating Rural Local Economic Development (RLED). RLED is viewed by both the government and theorists alike as an imperative approach towards the achievement of sustained development of rural areas (Rogerson, 2006; Davis, 2006 and Nel and Rogerson, 2007). They argue that if RLED is carried out successfully, it has the potential to remedy the injustices of our historical legacy, such as; poverty, exclusion, escalating unemployment rate, infrastructural backlog, brain drain from rural to urban areas, migration of skilled labours, lack of opportunities and poor planning amongst others; which inevitably hinder the improvement of the living standards in the countryside.
It is against this background that this dissertation proposed a deconstruction of the barriers hindering sustained RLED, in a quest deal with the challenge of slow economic development in rural areas, while simultaneously crafting strategies to stimulate and promote sustained local economic development within the countryside. The process, method and approach of deconstruction is important; not only in highlighting the obstacles to it successful implementation, but in helping to forge more innovative solutions to deal with those factors that hinder its success.
The study sought to rigorously deconstruct the most salient hindering factors, contributing to the slow rate of Rural Local Economic Development; while simultaneously proposing innovative indigenous strategies to deal with the former. It aimed to this through investigating a number of issues, such as to:-
Evaluate approaches and model of LED which have been utilised internationally and elsewhere in Africa;
Investigate the most salient contributing factors to the slow rate of Rural Local Economic Development in South Africa, with the emphasis of KwaZulu-Natal;
Identify innovative indigenous strategies that can be used or formulated (in the absence of efficient ones) to spur sustained Rural Local Economic Development; by using the case study of Umzumbe Phungashe Sub-Region;
Investigate the reason(s) for the reluctance of big businesses (and other potential investors) to invest in rural areas; and,
Identify what contribution localised indigenous initiatives have to offer traditional top-down LED projects.
The main theme under study, which is Local Economic Development within the countryside, was broadly discussed, stemming from its background, definitions, evolution and approaches and strategies that guide it. Furthermore, postmodernism and deconstruction as an epistemological approach to unpacking the factors that attribute to the slow rate and modest results of Local Economic Development in rural areas was discussed together with other complementary concepts such as; rurality, ruralisation, re-imagining rural areas and reframing development. The broad overarching policy framework that directly or indirectly impacts on Local Economic Development within the countryside was also discussed.
In this dissertation globalisation has been discussed together with its associated theories and factors that promote and drive it. This analysis has been carried out in a quest to provide a foundation to evaluate the relationship between globalisation and Local Economic Development within the countryside, under the theme “globalisation a challenge- opportunity”, which alludes to the notion that in cases where globalisation poses a challenge; that it should be dealt with efficiently and effectively to ensure that such is
ultimately turned into an opportunity. Furthermore, various cases studies from both developed and developing countries have been investigated to identify both challenges and opportunities; while simultaneously identifying lessons that can be learnt from such.
A rigorous analysis of the study area or case study highlighting its strengths and weaknesses was carried out in this dissertation. This was carried out in an effort to identify those challenges that impact negatively on the rate of Rural Local Economic Development, so that credible solutions to deal with such can be crafted. Furthermore, the analysis intended to identify the strong points that the area possesses so that they can be strengthened and exploited to help promote sustained rural development.
In summary the dissertation found that there are a plethora factors that have been identified as the most salient factors hindering sustained Rural Local Economic Development in the area. These factors inter alia; have been the lack of understanding of what Local Economic Development is and what it is meant to achieve and how. Low literacy levels, investment in under-researched projects that do not speak to the needs of the community, corruption, poor project management skills and inadequate infrastructure have all worked against the development of successful economic strategy. The involvement of all stakeholders in the area has been identified as the main turning point in eradicating the barriers hindering Local Economic Development. From such forums it is argued that more innovative and homebrewed solutions can be produced - which have better chances of successfully eradicating these barriers.
The adopted method of deconstruction together with postmodernism as an approach to knowledge created an enabling environment for the dissertation to investigate the root causes of the factors that contribute to the failure of the LED strategies. The dissertation has helped bridge the gap in the studies that have highlighted the obstacles to RLED, while failing to eloquently debunk the inertia for these challenges and forge more innovative solutions to eradicate such.
The dissertation challenges the orthodox production of knowledge to solving problems through merely adopting foreign tools and strategies aimed at stimulating RLED. Research has proven that in many instances these imported tools and strategies are not necessarily appropriate to achieve successful implementation in
developing areas. Without a clear comprehension of the specific local factors that make an area unique, generalised LED strategies are bound to fail because they do not address these factors directly. Little notice is taken of indigenous knowledge which could support LED strategies. The modernist approach to problems of one tool fits all has proven inadequate in so far as dealing with a number of social problems, such as poverty relief, crime, substance abuse and RLED amongst others.
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