Industrialization entails structural transformation of a traditional economy dominated by primary activities into a modern economy where high-productivity activities in manufacturing assume an important role. Invariably this process remains a defining feature of economic development. This definition suggests that economic growth and development requires shifting production factors from low-productivity to high- productivity activities that allow for learning, externalities and higher profits and wages. But this process is not spontaneous or automatic.

The Environment Operational Directions 2013–2020 of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) identified strengthening environmental governance in developing member countries (DMCs) as a priority area. Studies showed that policy and regulatory frameworks needed to be more effectively aligned to promote greater resource efficiency, abate pollution, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Estimates showed that public sector and international development assistance would not be sufficient to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the private sector needs to contribute additional resources.

The world economy is undergoing a period of structural and technological transformation, sometimes described as the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’. At the centre of this is the digitalisation of economic activity, which is being experienced differentially across the globe.

Regional integration is making steady progress in Africa and a key objective is to improve the prospects for industrialisation by expanding the regional market. The paper draws on a combination of trade data analysis and industry case studies to better understand the links and synergies between regional value chains and regional integration. The trade data and case studies of two diverse sectors (garments and food retailing) demonstrate the expansion and diversity of regional trade and regional value chains in Southern Africa.

Regional integration in Africa is underway but ongoing progress requires that the gains are widely spread. South Africa’s huge regional trade surplus in manufactured goods is already leading to protectionist pressures in neighbouring countries.

Agro-processing is a large sector, which is widely regarded as having significant potential, but the export performance of the region has been quite poor if South Africa is excluded.

Regional integration is making steady progress in Africa and a key objective is to improve the prospects for industrialisation by expanding the regional market. The paper draws on a combination of trade data analysis and industry case studies to better understand the links and synergies between regional value chains and regional integration. The trade data and case studies of three diverse sectors (garments, food retailing and automotive) demonstrate the expansion and diversity of regional trade and regional value chains in southern Africa.

A number of studies suggest the risk preference of low income individuals can result in behaviour that create conditions of sub optimal investment and thus persistent poverty. In this paper, we carry out a study with small-scale farmers in the Matzikama Municipality of the Western Cape, South Africa. We investigate how risk preference affect technology investment amongst small-scale farmers in developing countries.

In 2015, Malawi became one of Africa’s first countries to impose a ban on plastic bags, following global concerns around the environmental damages caused by single-use plastics and joining a surge of policy instruments to deal with the issue in Africa. However, this led to a backlash from the business community, who argued in court that the ban would lead to economic costs and job losses, following which Malawi stopped implementing the Environment Management (Plastics) Regulations of 2015 in accordance with a court order.

China increasingly dominates global manufacturing and South Africa, while the largest industrial power in Africa, has lagged with the manufacturing sector’s share of GDP declining in a low growth economy. China’s industrial development has been synonymous with SEZs which operate on a vast scale. Chinese firms are increasingly investing in Africa and a growing share of this investment is in the manufacturing sector and also within SEZs.