A detailed summary of the economic geography of South Africa, agriculture (small and large scale farming), mining in SA, secondary and tertiary sectors, industrial regions (PWV complex, Ethekwini Metropolitan region, Southwestern cape region, Nelson Mandela metropolitan region), strategies for indu...
1.1. Economic Sectors
1. Primary sector – extracts natural resources.
2. Secondary sector – processing primary raw materials to produce manufactured goods.
3. Tertiary sector – provides services e.g. education/tourism
4. Quaternary – intellectual activities like research and information technology.
1.2. The economic sectors contributions to the South African economy
® Employment: how many people have jobs
® The value of goods an services produced
®
GDP = the total value of a country’s output for one year
Economy = a country’s income and how it is spent.
1.3. The use of statistical and graphical information
® Understand the economics and geography of a country
® Perspective on a region
® Planning and funding for development of a province
® Change over time
AGRICULTURE
2.1. The contribution of agriculture to the South African economy
Agriculture is important to the economy:
® More than 600 000 jobs in agriculture
® Provide raw materials for industry = further employment
® Many people are reliant on agriculture for their employment e.g. supermarket, truck drivers,
factory workers
® Large contribution to the economy
® Produce is exported
2.2. The role of small-scale farmers and large-scale farmers
SMALL-SCALE FARMING
Commercial farming:
Higher value crops for local markets.
Often family run businesses
Subsistence farming:
Supply so little to the market:
1. Small, no surplus for sale. Small because most of them are in the former ‘black homelands’
, 2. Not enough training in modern farm methods
3. Roads. Were poor in those days and distances to markets and ports were very large
4. Lack of access to irrigation water, electricity.
5. Most food is consumed by the family
6. Population has increased in areas
LARGE-SCALE COMMERCIAL FARMING
Challenges:
1. Production costs have increased
2. Government assistance and subsidies have been withdrawn
3. Farmers cut back their production of low-value products that can be imported more cheaply to
produce high-value products
2.3. The main agricultural products produced
SA = range of climates
® Subtropical low veld = tropical fruits
® Summer rainfall = maize
® Winter rainfall region of southwestern cape =deciduous fruits and grapes
2.4. Factors that favour and hinder agriculture in South Africa
FACTORS FAVOURING AGRICULTURE
1. Range of climates = production of many different agricultural products
2. Long growing season = most have 200 frost free days
3. Flat land = extensive commercial crop farming
4. Rivers = irrigation water supplement rainfall in drier areas.
5. Exotic crops added to indigenous crops = higher yield
6. Climate research = select most suitable crops
7. New strains of crops = naturally bred hybrids and GM strains.
8. Land ownership: large farms = white are commercially operated
9. Trade = exports of products
FACTORS HINDERING AGRICULTURE:
1. 7% of land is arable, 55% is for beef and cattle
2. Insufficient rain and shortage of water
3. Rainfall is unreliable and droughts are a constant threat
4. Soils are poor in most regions, little humus
5. The elimination of agricultural subsidies
6. Bad farming practices
7. Soil erosion
8. Land ownership = small parcels of land are too small for efficient commercial production
9. Trade = some farmers have reduced production because it can be imported more cheaply
MINING
3.1. The significance of mining to the development of South Africa
1. Diamond and gold = railways= export possible
2. Mining = training in mining/engineering = Technikon and universities
3. Link industries = supply products to mines /use new materials produced = many jobs
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