malvernmugadzikwa
Clemence Machadu
IN her famous song titled “Say a prayer for me”, Dolly Parton sings:
The bright lights of the city are a pretty sight to see;
Perhaps they are extra pretty to a country girl like me;
Temptation waits at every turn and it won’t let me be;
So mama when you pray tonight, say a special prayer for me
The song is an ode about a girl who is now apparently vulnerable after moving from the countryside to the city, hoping for greener pastures, only to find the situation in this environment unbearable.
The bright lights syndrome is actually one of the major causes of rural-urban migration and it occurs when folks are attracted to move to cities thinking that they will live a better life there compared to the rural areas.
In Zimbabwe, rural-urban migration increased between 2012 and 2022, with the proportion of the population in urban areas jumping from 33 percent in 2012 to 38,6 percent in 2022.
About 5,86 million Zimbabweans are living in cities out of the country’s total population of 15,18 million people.
With the El Niño-induced drought experienced this year, which has since been declared a State of Disaster, rural-urban migration is likely to continue as folks in rural areas seek opportunities in cities.
Are the cities themselves a haven of endless opportunities? Is moving from the rural areas to the cities akin to moving from Egypt to Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey?
In some cases, beyond the bright lights, some folks end up living difficult lives in the city.
Given the high levels of informalisation of the economy, there are fewer job opportunities in the formal sector.
And even for those who are employed, the incomes are not that rosy.
In the absence of income-generating opportunities in the city, some folks might end up being vulnerable and pushed into desperate measures for survival, such as prostitution, robbery and drugs.
Lack of sustainable job prospects in many rural parts of Zimbabwe continues to drive this urban migration, despite the hardships migrants face.
The challenges faced by some folks in urban areas serve as a stark reminder of the need to explore alternative avenues for economic development.
While cities have traditionally been seen as centres of opportunity, it is crucial to recognise the potential of rural areas through rural industrialisation.
The National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) has identified the need to promote rural industrialisation as critical in achieving the targets for the manufacturing sector. The blueprint further states that competitive advantages of all provinces in the country will be utilised and that decentralisation of economic activity from major cities and towns will be pursued.
NDS1 also talks about development of innovation hubs and clusters in provinces to aid rural industrialisation and is targeting to increase the number of small and medium enterprises in the manufacturing sector operating in the rural areas by 5 000 from 2021 to 2025.
Rural industrialisation holds great promise in propelling economic growth and improving living standards in rural communities.
By promoting the establishment of industries and businesses in rural areas, we can also create job opportunities closer to home, thereby curbing the influx of rural inhabitants into already overpopulated cities.
Section 13(1d) of the Constitution requires the State to take measures to “bring about balanced development of the different areas of Zimbabwe, in particular a proper balance in the development of rural and urban areas”.
By promoting rural industrialisation, we can contribute to a more balanced distribution of wealth and development across the country.
This can also help bridge the urban-rural divide by facilitating the transfer of technology and skills to rural communities.
President Mnangagwa has already charted the path for rural industrialisation and what is now left is for relevant policies and legislation to be aligned with what has been set out by the President and implemented fully.
He is on record saying: “We have taken a conscious decision as Government to qualitatively transform our countryside, principally our rural areas, where the majority of our people live. This is what the policy of devolution is about, namely to trigger and predicate economic activity in each province on resources and competitive edge which each province yields.”
The rural areas in Zimbabwe are home to 61,4 percent of the country’s population and the industrial policy that is currently being crafted should prioritise developing sustainable economic opportunities in these areas. Already, the move by the Government to establish village business units in the country’s 35 000 villages is a masterstroke as it will set a firm foundation upon which rural industrialisation can take off.
The 2024 National Budget has also come out in support of rural industrialisation by stressing that focus will also be on transformation of the rural economy through agricultural development under the auspices of Rural Development 8.0.
The programme seeks to promote rural development anchored in agricultural activities by promoting agro-businesses, value addition of agricultural products and creating market linkages.
What is also important going forward is to ensure that there is increased funding, and the mid-term fiscal policy review should accordingly respond to that.
The financial services sector should also consider lending to viable rural projects that seek to add value to rural produce, for instance, to cater for the acquisition of machinery.
Even private citizens themselves should consider using their free funds to import second-hand machinery for value addition of agricultural produce with export potential.
If we can afford to import these high volumes of second-hand vehicles and pay duty on top of it, we can surely reprioritise and import machinery, which does not attract payment of duty and can be used to promote value addition and earn us more foreign currency.
To make sure that rural industrialisation is a success, it would be critical to ensure that we improve rural infrastructure, especially roads that link rural areas with urban areas and regional markets.
Accessible and reliable infrastructure is indispensable in facilitating the movement of goods.
It will also reduce transportation costs while attracting investment to rural areas.
The Government should also prioritise skills development and resource-based vocational training as a prerequisite for rural industrialisation.
Given the low pass rate at Ordinary Level, many young people in rural areas do not proceed with their education due to lack of expanded options.
But vocational training focused on the resources of a particular region in the country can unlock opportunities for these young people.
Institutions such as the Scientific and Industrial Research and Development Centre should be empowered to intensify and extend their short vocational trainings such as mushroom growing and food processing to rural areas.
Instead of watching wild fruits rot in the forests every other season, young people can be trained to preserve or process these foods for the export market and make a living out of it.
By bringing opportunities closer to home for young people in rural areas, we can help address the challenges faced by those who move to cities but only to become vulnerable to the vagaries of its dark corners.
Clemence Machadu writes about socioeconomic development issues. Feedback: [email protected]
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