Potential applications of the Internet of Things in sustainable rural development in South Africa

Abstract

There are strong commitments from the South African (S.A.) government to promote rural development and improve the quality of life in rural communities. The challenges that face rural areas in S.A. include underutilisation and/or unsustainable use of natural resources; poor or lack of access to socio-economic infrastructure and services, public amenities and government services, lack of access to clean water or lack of water resources for both household and agricultural development; low literacy and skills levels. This paper reports on potential applications of internet of things (IoT) technologies that could contribute to sustainable rural livelihoods. These technologies have been categorised under land and water resource management, food security, rural infrastructure and services, agricultural logistics, disaster and risk management, public health and education and eco – management. The purpose of the paper is to prove the potential of IoT as a possible contributor to sustainable rural development.