The Role of Demographic Transition on Socio-Economic Transformation and Society: Evidence from Southern African Development Community (SADC) Countries

Abstract

This chapter aimed to investigate how the population structures of SADC countries are changing, document evidence of the changing population structures, assess the impact of the changing population structures on social change, and propose policy, program, and social action responses to the changing population structures. SADC countries are undergoing demographic change and various countries are at different stages of the transition. The demographic transition results in numerous changes that include an increasing proportion of the youth, increasing proportion of the working population, changing dependency ratios depending on the stage of the country in the transition, and these have social, economic, political, and cultural implications for society. Countries with high fertility and mortality should focus on reducing both fertility and child mortality to initiate the transition while countries with falling fertility and increasing working age populations must create employment opportunities, particularly for the youth and encourage investment in health and education. More advanced economies with larger formal sectors like South Africa should focus on generating domestic savings and female labor force participation outside the home. Because the demographic transition is underway in all the SADC countries, now or later, it is imperative that these countries design and develop appropriate policy and program interventions that will promote economic growth resulting from the dividend, which may otherwise turn into a demographic disaster.

Appendix: Age Structural Transition in SADC Countries, 1950–2050