Rural Economy:
farming communities of Piedmont (Italy) and of
Bombali District (Sierra Leone)
Rural economic: the main elements
• Farm and non-farm industry
• Economic growth, development, and change
• Size and spatial distribution of production and household units and
interregional trade
• Land use, housing and non-housing as to supply and demand
• Migration and (de)population
• Finance
• Government policies as to development, investment, regulation, and
transportation
• General-equilibrium and welfare analysis.
Rural economic system: the main farmers
communities of Piedmont (Italy)
HABITAT: a quick view
COMMUNITY: selected information (Piedmont Region)
Age groups
Male
Female
Total
0-14
292.026
275.892
567.918
15-64
1.375.398
1.389.380
2.764.778
>=65
443.152
598.204
1.041.356
Total
2.110.576
2.263.476
4.374.052
Over 65/0-14
Average age
183,3
43
46
Immigration
rate
43,77
Emigration rate
36,9
Source: ISTAT, 2012
BUSINESS: a quick view
Agricultural productions
Tourism
Commercial activities, light industries
BUSINESS: selected information (Piedmont Region)
Labor force:
-Agriculture: 3%
-Industries: 33%
-Services: 63%
Unemployment rate: 5%
Number of activities (main sectors):
-Commerce:
23%
-Constructions: 16%
-Agriculture:
14%
Source: ISTAT, 2012
INSTITUTIONS: selected information
Regional Government: Piedmont
Some actors in the region:
Metropolitan town (Turin)
Provinces
Municipalities
Mountain Communities
Territorial organization (e.g.: AIPO)
Rural economic system: the farmers of Bombali
District – Northern Province (Sierra Leone,
western Africa)
HABITAT: a quick view
HABITAT: selected information
Tropical climate, with two seasons
(rainy – May to November and dry
– December to April)
Forest area diminished by:
-Logging
-Mining
-Slash and burn
-Land conversion for cattle grazing
Bombali District: lowland plains
with forest, savannah and
farmland.
COMMUNITY: a quick view
COMMUNITY: selected information
Major health related problems
(percentage of total death)
Source: Sierra Leone Census, 2004
Source: Sierra Leone Census, 2004
Source: Sierra Leone Census, 2004
BUSINESS: a quick view
Farming
Commerce and services
Mining
Foreign aid
BUSINESS (Bombali District) : selected information
Source: Sierra Leone Census, 2004
INSTITUTIONS: selected information
Constitutional Republic
The President is the head of the State, head of the Government and
Commander in Chief of the Army.
Sierra Leone is divided in 4 regions: Northern Province, Southern Province,
Eastern Province and Western Area (the capital area of Freetown).
The Province are divided into District and, furthermore, into Chiefdoms.
Sierra Leone is a member of Commonwealth and Economic Community
of West African States (ECOWAS).
ETHOS: a quick view
Inter-religion coexistence
Inter-ethnic coexistence
Arts (music, dance…)
ETHOS: selected information
The population of Sierra Leone comprises 16 ethnic groups.
The four largest are the Mende, Temne, Limba and Kono who represent
about 50% of the population. Other smaller ethnic group are Mandingo, Krio,
Loko, Fula, Susu...
Lebanese community (descendants of Lebanese settlers who settled in
Sierra Leone during the late 19th century) is spread all over the country.
Religion:
• Islam believers are approximately 60% of Sierra Leone’s population
• Christians are approximately 30% of Sierra Leone’s population
• African traditional religion cover the remaining 10%
The two main religions present often some traits of traditional religion.
Industrial economy: business clusters (industrial
districts) of Italy and the “psecial economic zones”
of China
Industrial economy: business clusters of Italy
BUSINESS: selected information
Industrial district: high concentration of specialized companies in a specific
context
Two main issues:
- High concentration of industries as a part of productive process
- High specialization of any element (company) of the district
But also
-Contextualized competencies and shared values
-High competitiveness among companies
-Collaboration among companies
Business and ethos: selected information
Industrial districts and Made in Italy
“4 A”:
Arredo casa (Forniture)
Abbigliamento moda (Textile and fashion)
Automazione meccanica (Mechanical automation)
Alimentari e bevande (Food and beverage)
Business “demography”: selected information
Numbers:
42 in north-east Italy
45 textile
39 in north-west Italy
35 furniture
45 in central Italy
20 shoes and leather
26 in south Italy
38 mechanics
21 others (including food)
Numbers: 2 millions of workers (average per district: 12.800 wks)
Industrial economy: special economic zones
(China)
Industrial economy: special economic zones
(China)
Incentives offered to foreign investors:
Labour
The ability to use the Chinese vast pool of low cost labour was a powerful
incentive to locate in Special Economic Zones (SEZs). Foreign firms have also
the right to hire and fire labour, which was different from the then prevailing
Chinese lifetime system of public or collective firms.
Land use
SEZs were physically developed as planned entities with infrastructures and
access to a container port complex (airports played a more significant role later)
so that parts and raw material could easily be brought in for processing and
shipped to foreign markets. A degree of protection of private property was also
significant, since until 2004 there was no constitutional protection of private
property in China outside SEZs.
Tax incentives
SEZs offered reduced corporate income tax rate, including income tax
exemptions for foreign nationals working in SEZs. No custom duties were levied
on imported materials and parts as long as they were for re-exports.
Industrial economy: special economic zones
(China)
The development of SEZ went through several stages:
In 1980, the first four SEZs were established in proximity to Hong Kong (Shenzhen), Macau (Zhuhai) and
Taiwan (Shantou and Xiamen). Their location was aimed at attracting "overseas" Chinese capital and also as
a showcase for the potential impacts of such a reform.
By 1984, the SEZ model was judged to be successful and could be expanded. 14 coastal port cities, from
the Dalian to Beihai, were selected to become SEZs. This triggered the development of modern port
infrastructures.
In 1985 the status of SEZ was expanded to the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, and the XiamenZhangzhou-Quanzhou Triangle (Min River delta). This also provided additional space for the setting of
industrial districts. In time, the Pearl River Delta would become the world's most important manufacturing
cluster.
In 1988, the status of SEZ was expanded to Hainan Province which mostly developed the touristic and
agribusiness sectors, which became the fifth SEZ.
By the late 1980s, a substantial migration of labor from interior to coastal provinces was beginning to be
observed. In an attempt to counterbalance this trend, six Yangtze River ports and 11 border cities were
granted the SEZ status, in addition to all the capital cities of interior provinces and autonomous regions.
By 1992, 60 SEZs have been set in China, including 5 initial SEZs, 15 coastal port cities, 8 river port cities,
19 inland cities and 13 border cities. Then, the process received wide adoption, particularly through the
coastal provinces of China. Ten years later, by 2005, there were 210 national development zones and 1,346
provincial development zones.
Industrial economy: special economic zones
(China)
The development of SEZs went through several strage:
In 1980, the first four SEZs were established in proximity to Hong Kong (Shenzhen), Macau (Zhuhai) and
Taiwan (Shantou and Xiamen). Their location was aimed at attracting "overseas" Chinese capital and also as
a showcase for the potential impacts of such a reform.
By 1984, the SEZ model was judged to be successful and could be expanded. 14 coastal port cities, from
the Dalian to Beihai, were selected to become SEZs. This triggered the development of modern port
infrastructures.
In 1985 the status of SEZ was expanded to the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, and the XiamenZhangzhou-Quanzhou Triangle (Min River delta). This also provided additional space for the setting of
industrial districts. In time, the Pearl River Delta would become the world's most important manufacturing
cluster.
In 1988, the status of SEZ was expanded to Hainan Province which mostly developed the touristic and
agribusiness sectors, which became the fifth SEZ.
By the late 1980s, a substantial migration of labor from interior to coastal provinces was beginning to be
observed. In an attempt to counterbalance this trend, six Yangtze River ports and 11 border cities were
granted the SEZ status, in addition to all the capital cities of interior provinces and autonomous regions.
By 1992, 60 SEZs have been set in China, including 5 initial SEZs, 15 coastal port cities, 8 river port cities,
19 inland cities and 13 border cities. Then, the process received wide adoption, particularly through the
coastal provinces of China. Ten years later, by 2005, there were 210 national development zones and 1,346
provincial development zones.