The Reconstruction And Development Programme (Rdp) And Regional Development: A New Challenge To The Agricultural Economist

Political change has engendered a new regional dispensation which poses development problems and also challenges. Survival and sustainability are key requirements for human security. Modem approaches to regional development favour a bottom-up approach, with local and regional authorities shouldering the main responsibility. The South African government has only recently started to emphasise the need for economic growth as prerequisite for achieving basic needs and human development. The RDP alludes to the importance of a balance between growth and equity. It will have to cope with structural regidities in the South African economy. International competitiveness must be improved by industrial and trade reforms; employment growth must be accelerated; education needs improvement; South Africa must achieve monetary and_fiscal stability, reduced inflation, increased savings and an attack on poverty. A new approach to regional develo~ment ts needed. Although recent agricultural policy statements emphasise a balance efficiency and equity, the accent 1s already on improved access to previously excluded groups, particularly in terms of marketing development, research, fmanc~, extension and human resource development. Regional development will be profoundly influenced by the type of power given to regional governments, fiscal relationships between regional and national governments regional disparities, institutional factors and relationships with NGO's and civics. It is within this framework that agricultural economists must shape their contributions to the RDP.