Cape Town - President Jacob Zuma says government will continue with the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme directed at reviving land reform projects and irrigation schemes in the former homelands as well as distressed farms owned by individuals.
Delivering the State of the Nation Address on Thursday, Zuma said government had now developed the National Rural Youth Service Corps programme to assist youth in rural areas.
To date, more than 7 000 young people have been employed in the programme.
In the last State of the Nation speech, Zuma highlighted rural development as a key priority for the government, saying the state would ensure a comprehensive rural development strategy linked to land and agrarian reform and food security.
Government wants rural development and reform to be linked to food security. The Greater Giyane municipality in Limpopo was the first area to undergo development under the rural development and land reform programme, and has served as an example for the whole country.
Schemes such as the Neighbourhood Development Grant programme were also seen to be allowing not only the towns, but the areas around them, to experience a surge in their economies.
Government was working towards upgrading well-located informal settlements and providing proper service and land tenure to at least 500 000 households by 2014.
