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Theme 2:
Prospects for advancing rural development and sustainable livelihoods
This theme explores the potential strategies and opportunities to advance rural development, focusing on strengthening local accountability, exploring economic opportunities in sectors like eco-tourism and agriculture and retaining local talent.
Exploring Economic Development Opportunities
Exploring economic development opportunities emerged as a major prospect for advancing rural development and sustainable livelihoods. Participant 7 identified key economic opportunities in sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, eco-tourism and the ocean economy.They said,“The municipality has the potential to improve the ocean economy,with about 30 kilometers of Coastal Belt,”adding that mining and nature conservation also hold promise.These sectors represent untapped potential that,with the right infrastructure and investment, could help drive economic diversification and growth in rural municipalities.
A Focus group participant pointed out that one of the most significant opportunities for rural development lies in the availability of land. Unlike urban areas that are often congested, rural regions have land that can be utilised for agricultural activities. The participant highlighted the need to unlock this agricultural potential to improve livelihoods. They emphasised that with the right support and investment,rural agriculture could be further developed,offering opportunities for both subsistence and commercial farming.This would not only increase food security but also reduce dependency on government support.
Another focus group participant also spoke about the informal skills that are prevalent in rural areas, noting that while these skills are often unrecognised, they hold great value. They cited examples such as traditional dancing, which reflects the cultural richness of the region. The participant suggested that these informal skills could be harnessed to drive local development, with initiatives that formalize and promote these talents. This would create new opportunities for income generation while preserving local culture.
The region’s rich biodiversity and scenic coastlines were identified as valuable assets for developing eco-tourism. One participant in the focus group interview described the “virgin coast” of the region and its unique biodiversity, which includes species that can only be found in the area. They highlighted the natural beauty and biodiversity as assets that could be developed to attract tourism. Furthermore, the participant mentioned that the municipality was in the process of applying for Blue Flag Status for its coastal areas, which would certify the beaches as clean and well-maintained, thereby increasing their attractiveness to tourists. Developing eco-tourism would require investments in infrastructure, conservation and environmental education but could provide a sustainable way to grow the local economy.
Participant 7
“Improving the local if we can improve local economic development and explore manufacturing hubs and improve agriculture within the municipal area. The municipality is having a potential to improve ocean economy. Since the municipality it’s is having, about 30 kilometres of Coastal Belt. Also, the mining is a potential the potential and tourism on nature conservation. Yes. Yes. Okay”
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