The primary objectives of the Centre for Real Economy Study (Crest) are to catalyse economic research with a sectoral focus, especially relatively under-researched service sectors, and to improve the flow of information on relevant research between the policy and academic communities. The Provincial Economic Intelligence Unit’s (PEIU’s) objectives are to develop sub-national economic analysis capacity so as to inform Provincial Growth and Development Strategy processes. The SADC Trade Development Project is a three-year partnership between AusAID and TIPS created to conduct a number of research projects on trade reform in Southern Africa. The project aims to develop research infrastructure in the region by creating new databases, formulate policy- and private sector-relevant information tools and publications to inform policy, and build capacity in the region. The Trade & Industry Monitor’s main objective is to disseminate policy-relevant economic research, from macroeconomic policy to competition and regulation policy, ‘development’ issues in general, as well as sub-national economic policy issues, in an accessible format to policy-makers and analysts. The Academic Data Access and Training facility (ADAT) seeks to reinvigorate the relationship between TIPS and the economics departments of tertiary institutions. The ADAT facility will provide post-graduate students with access to new economic data not readily available to Universities as well as provide Small Research Grants to researchers undertaking policy-oriented studies in TIPS’ programme areas. The Southern African Development Research Network is a broad-based policy and research network which aims to increase the supply of policy-relevant research in the region and strengthen evidence-based policy-making. SADRN will initially focus on industrial policy and sector development at the regional level, service sector development and the impact on poverty, and trade policy and its linkages to pro-poor growth. Under the Small Enterprise Development (SED) programme, TIPS as an independent, credible institution not directly involved in the delivery of SMME services has since 2004 undertaken a number of broad-ranging, qualitative assessments of the outcomes of government's policy, strategy and initiatives in small enterprise development. The purpose of this project is to contribute to reducing poverty and inequality in South Africa by supporting the government to develop a Strategy for the Second Economy, as part of its Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (Asgi-SA), located in the Presidency. Economic Regulation

Sector Strategy Development

Abstract:

In 2006, the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) commissioned TIPS to undertake a project on trends and forecasts in key sectors of the economy in the context of the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (ASGISA) - a strategy aimed at accelerating economic growth, raising employment and reducing poverty.

The aim of the study was to further the 'process of discovery' essential to designing, implementing and adjusting targeted interventions to open bottlenecks and unlock the growth and employment potential in the identified sectors.

Special emphasis was placed on five ASGI sectors - Primary Agriculture, Agro-processing, Biofuels, Arts & Craft and Film & TV - with in-depth quantitative and qualitative analyses of both historical and forecasted future trends provided.

A further stage of this project will encompass a modeling exercise based on expected growth rates flowing from ASGISA interventions to assess the likely impact of these interventions on the South African economy at the macroeconomic sectoral levels. This will allow a comparison between the 'baseline' growth performance of the economy and the 'accelerated' growth performance to provide a guide as to the extent to which South Africa will meet its target of halving unemployment and poverty by 2014.


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