Challenges for local community development in private sector-led renewable energy projects in South Africa: an evolving approach

2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 46-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holle Linnea Wlokas ◽  
Anya Boyd ◽  
Marco Andolfi
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Community Development ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Community Needs ◽  
Community Benefits ◽  
Socio Economic Development ◽  
Assessment Approach

The Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme in South Africa is intended to support the uptake of renewable energy, help address the current energy supply crisis and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Notably, it also requires project developers to engage with socio-economic development at the local level. The distributed nature of renewable energy generation may induce a more geographically dispersed pattern of development, and renewable energy sites can be highly suited to rural locations with otherwise poor potential to attract local inward investment. Socio-economic development and enterprise development are two of seven economic development elements in the programme.In order to prepare a bid submission, project developers have to assess local socio-economic needs around their project site and develop strategies on how to address these. This paper investigates the challenges for local community development. The research is based on case studies and presents findings from the perspective of a research team working alongside project developers. Early findings indicate that there are potential community benefits from commercial wind projects, providing an appropriate community engagement process that is aligned with the project cycle determined by the tender process and engineering requirements. The Passive Community Needs Assessment approach is introduced as a possible solution.

scholarly journals Impact study of NOOR 1 project on the Moroccan territorial economic development

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 8
Author(s):  
Amale Laaroussi ◽  
Abdelghrani Bouayad ◽  
Zakaria Lissaneddine ◽  
Lalla Amina Alaoui
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Economic Impact ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Solar Power ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Concentrated Solar Power ◽  
Professional Literature ◽  
Study Results ◽  
The Impact

Morocco is one of the countries investing more and more in Renewable Energy (RE) technologies to meet the growing demand for energy and ensure the security of supply in this sector. The number of solar projects planned and implemented, as well as solar thermal projects in the form of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) installations is steadily increasing. Many of these installations are designed as large utility systems. In order to provide strong evidence on local, regional and even national impacts, this article examines the impacts of large-scale renewable energy projects on territorial development, based on a case study of the NOOR 1 (Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)) project in Ouarzazate, Morocco. The data collected during this study, conducted through semi-structured interviews with experts, stakeholders, local community representatives and combined with an analysis of documents provided by the NOOR 1 project managers, investors and consulting firms specialized in the field of Renewable Energy, provide detailed evidence on the type and magnitude of impacts on the economic development of the Moroccan southern region where the NOOR 1 plant is located. The data collected is analyzed using NVIVO software. The study results in a consolidated list of many impacts with varying levels of significance for different stakeholder groups, including farmers, youth, women, community representatives and small and medium firms owners. It should be noted that the importance of analyzing the economic impact of large infrastructure projects is widely recognized, but so far, there is little published in the academic and professional literature on the potential impacts of these projects at the local level. Even less information is available on the local impacts of large-scale project implementation in Morocco. While many macroeconomic studies have fed the recent surge in investment in RE projects with the promise of multiple social, economic, environmental, and even geopolitical benefits at the macro level, public debates and discussions have raised considerable doubts. The question of whether these promises would also leave their marks at the local level has also arisen. Despite these uncertainties, very few academics and practitioners have conducted research to empirically develop a good understanding of the impact of RE projects at the local level. To fill this research gap, the economic impact analysis of NOOR 1 provides a detailed empirical overview, which allows a better understanding of the effects that the infrastructure developments of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants can have on the economic environment in which they are located.

scholarly journals Community Development Programs For Socio-Economic Development In Pakistan

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Siraj Bashir ◽  
Nasreen Aslam Shah
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Community Development ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Living Standard ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Government Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Socio Economic Development ◽  
The Impact

Community development program is defined as the set of programs and policies designed to improve the socio-economic condition and also use the existing resources in better way. It is an organized process where member’s efforts of a community can be joined with the collaboration of government departments and non-governmental organizations to improve and evolve community socially, economically and culturally. In Pakistan, the first community development program was introduced in 1951 with the establishment of pilot project in Karachi, by the federal government. Since 1951 till today various community development programs have been implemented by government and non-government organizations (NGOs) to improve the living standard of people. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact and contribution of community development programs for socio-economic development in Pakistan. The research study endeavored to analyze the social and economical impacts of these programs on the communities where the programs were implemented. The study included interviews with government officials, NGOs staff and beneficiaries in the field. The findings of study shows that programs in general have positive impacts and appreciated but a lot of work are needed to be done for the welfare of whole society. The recommendations were made as to the best practices of community development programs for policy makers and NGOs to improve the living standard of people in the country.

Astronomy for Development – A story from South Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (S367) ◽  
pp. 168-175
Author(s):  
Carolina J. Ödman
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Capacity Building ◽  
Research Community ◽  
Recent History ◽  
History Of Astronomy ◽  
Bright Future ◽  
Socio Economic Development ◽  
History Of

AbstractIn this article we describe the recent history of astronomy in South Africa from the perspective of development. We describe how all major astronomy initiatives have carried a component of development with them, be it capacity building or socio-economic development. We highlight some activities and conclude that South Africa’s coherent and ambitious strategy has led to substantial changes in the astronomy research community in South Africa and that the young astronomers now starting their careers are taking possession of a bright future.

scholarly journals Challenges faced by libraries in a democratic South Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 408-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Maredi Mojapelo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Research Design ◽  
Access To Information ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
Socio Economic Development ◽  
Arts And Culture ◽  
Convenience Sampling

Community libraries are crucial for people to have access to information to satisfy their multiple needs. As custodians of information and knowledge in diverse spheres, they play a role in the socio-economic development of nations. This article attempts to investigate challenges faced by libraries in three different settings in post-apartheid South Africa. The study adopted a qualitative research design. The users, librarians and a well-placed official of the relevant department were interviewed. Convenience sampling was used to select users and librarians while purposive sampling was used to select an official. Face-to-face interviews and observation and a checklist were used to collect data. Senior officials of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture need to study challenges revealed by the findings and to take action to remedy the situation.

Second Growth: Community Economic Development in Rural British Columbia

2005 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 1067-1068
Author(s):  
Andrew Molloy
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Community Development ◽  
Small Town ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Action Learning ◽  
Small Time ◽  
Community Economic Development ◽  
Second Growth

Second Growth: Community Economic Development in Rural British Columbia, Sean Markey, John Pierce, Mark Roseland and Kelly Vodden, Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, 2005, pp. 352.This theoretically rich, community economic development (CED) work, written by four members of the Centre for Sustainable Community Development (formerly the Community Economic Development Centre) at Simon Fraser University, is the product of a three-year participatory-action-based research project involving four “forest-based” British Columbia communities. Two Aboriginal communities and two municipalities were case studied as part of an action-learning exercise in order to gain “insight into the apparent conflict between the economic imperative and fluidity of capital versus the lived worlds of rural and small time places” (3). Through their empirical studies of the four communities, the authors argue that CED, fostered at the local level, can allow for the kind of capacity building that is needed to create diversified, sustainable economic futures for resource-based rural and small-town communities. They are careful, however, to distinguish between the use of CED as a “localized and palliative strategy” for marginalized communities caught in the throes of political and economic dependency, and the possibilities for a more robust (theoretically balanced) version of CED, which can become part and parcel of rural and small-town locally-based planning and development. While recognizing the appropriateness of CED in either situation, they argue that a host of negative economic and political factors, which are intensifying under the direction of neo-liberal ideological thinking, have resulted in a pressing need for the more robust form of community development and corresponding revitalization strategies.

scholarly journals Industrial strategy and local economic development: The case of the foundry industry in Ekurhuleni Metro

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 448-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Phele ◽  
S Roberts ◽  
I Steuart
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Local Economic Development ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Action Plans ◽  
Foundry Industry ◽  
The Past ◽  
Concrete Action

This  article explores the challenges for the development of manufacturing through a case study of the foundry industry in Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality. Ekurhuleni Metro covers the largest concentration in South Africa, but the industry’s performance has been poor over the past decade.  The findings reported here highlight the need to understand firm decisions around investment, technology and skills, and the role of local economic linkages in this regard.  The differing performance of foundries strongly supports the need to develop concrete action plans and effective institutions at local level to support the development of local agglomerations.

The Potential of Community-based Geotourism in Rural Development in South Africa: The Case of Witsie Cave Project

2015 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 471-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey Mukwada ◽  
Ntebohiseng Sekhele
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Rural Development ◽  
Rural Community ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Local Economic Development ◽  
Community Leaders ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Free State Province

This paper examines the challenges confronting community-based geotourism as a tool for Local Economic Development in a poor rural community based in the Free State province of South Africa. Data were collected through interviews that were held with participants of the Witsie Cave project, local community leaders and municipal officials, as well as through the content analysis of the project’s documents. The results indicate the need to address a conundrum of intertwined endogenous and exogenous conditions as a strategy for enhancing the viability of community-based geotourism projects.

scholarly journals Engaged and Activist Scholarship for Socio-Economic Development in South Africa: A Conceptual Appraisal

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 23
Author(s):  
Paulin Mbecke
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Engaged Scholarship ◽  
Socio Economic Development ◽  
Activist Scholarship

<p><em>The debate around scholarship (engaged and activist) is new in South Africa. Currently, the practice of engaged scholarship and activist scholarship is poor or quasi-inexistent, yet, it is believed that these two approaches can contribute to human rights activism which favours socio-economic development. This paper identifies the patterns and principles of engaged scholarship and activist scholarship and their connection with socio-economic development. It argues that effective engaged and activist scholarship programmes can contribute to and facilitate socio-economic development. Thus, the paper suggests a model outlining four key principles forming a conceptual framework for an effective engaged scholarship and a supporting activist scholarship model that facilitates the awareness and participation of communities in socio-economic development efforts.</em></p>

scholarly journals The Effectiveness of the Expanded Public Works Program in Promoting Local Economic Development: A case study of Zibambele Project, eThekwini Municipality

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (3(J)) ◽  
pp. 60-72
Author(s):  
Nonkululeko Zulu ◽  
Jabulani Nyawo ◽  
Pfano Mashau
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Local Economic Development ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Public Works ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Employment Opportunities ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Marginalised Groups ◽  
The Government

In South Africa, with the advent of democracy, the Expanded Public Works Programme was conceived as an employment strategy by government in order to alleviate poverty and promote a better standard of living for marginalised groups, particularly youth and women in South Africa. This is a qualitative exploratory research in which the data was collected through face-to-face interviews with beneficiaries. The researcher utilised the exploratory research in order to explore the effectiveness of the Zibambele Project at the local level, and to see how it creates employment opportunities for marginalised groups. The key focus of the literature review is on local economic development, with special reference to the poverty alleviation strategies as a guideline for economic growth at local levels. The findings show that the government-led programmes that eliminate poverty at the grassroots level as well as creating employment opportunities for marginalised are crucial. Furthermore, the study shows that the government programmes are more needed in order to tackle poverty and also increase local economic development in South Africa.

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