11 Dec 2013

The newly reconstituted Rural Development Council (RDC) advocates for rural development to prepare communities to a level where they become resilient and enterprising.

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Peter Siele said this involves transforming rural communities to take advantage of opportunities in the evolving technology and infrastructure to advance their socio-economic statusHe said the attraction of investors to rural areas was a prominent feature of the RDC as espoused by four strategic areas linked to community based enterprise development.

Minister Siele explained that the key focus areas were agricultural development and food security, provision of basic services and infrastructure, support and protection of indigenous knowledge, and rural entrepreneurial development.

He said infrastructural development still remains a priority for rural development, adding that without the necessary infrastructure, investors would not be easily drawn to the rural areas. As a way forward, Mr Siele said the Rural Development Council has resolved that it was necessary to provide economic infrastructure such as water reticulation, electricity distribution, and access roads to production areas as this would curb the current situation whereby investors opt to set up production facilities in places where basic services were provided.

Furthermore, the minister said the village infrastructural project implemented by his ministry aims at improving the living standards of the rural population and making major villages alternative investment locations.

The MP for Shoshong, Mr Phillip Makgalemele had asked the minister to state if attraction of investors to rural areas features prominently in his strategy for rural development as promoted by the RDC and how the council was addressing impediments on rural areas investments as presented by the Minister of Trade and Industry, which include non-availability of factory shells and limited infrastructure. ENDS