Small Business Ideas in Rural Areas in South Africa

There are many small business ideas that can help you make money in South Africa. However, it is important to focus on providing quality products and services that will solve the challenges that people in rural areas face. Apart from solving challenges people face, small businesses in rural areas will create employment opportunities and help alleviate poverty.

Best Small Business Ideas for Rural Areas in South Africa

The following are some lucrative small business ideas in rural areas South Africa.

1. Recycling

Recycling involves collecting everyday household waste and other recyclable materials and selling it to recycling plants to be used as raw materials for making new products. You can start a recycling business in the rural areas in South Africa and start collecting drinking bottles, cans, glasses, plastics, and paper and send them to recycling plants. To make good profits, you will have to collect these materials in large volumes.

2. Spaza Shop

A spaza shop is one of the most profitable business ideas for rural areas in South Africa. Many households buy household items in retail. You can stock items like juice, snacks, beverages, groceries, and household items in your spaza shop. You don’t need huge startup capital to start a spaza shop.

3. Brick Making

People are always building houses in the rural areas and starting a brick-making business will make you huge profits. To get started, you will need cement, sand, a brick maker, and the basic skills to make the bricks. The good news is that brick makers are easily available in rural areas in South Africa. You will only need to identify a customer and tell them about your business. If you make excellent bricks, then your work will do most of the marketing for you.

4. Taverns

The tavern business is one of the most successful small business ideas for rural areas in South Africa. People in rural areas do not mind spending their money on alcohol. To make the most out of this business, it is advisable to get a liquor license to avoid getting into trouble with the authorities.

5. Farming

Farming is a lucrative business idea for rural areas in South Africa. With large pieces of land lying idle in the rural areas, you can put them to use through crop farming or poultry farming. After harvesting your crops, you can sell them or supply them to grocery stores, schools, hotels, and even hospitals in towns and cities. You need to find buyers to whom you will be selling your harvests. With poultry farming, you can rear chicken, turkeys, ducks, geese, for meat, eggs, or both.

6. Transport Business

Transport has been a common challenge in rural areas in South Africa, especially over long distances. Rural areas experience a scarcity of basic services and amenities such as health care services, learning facilities, or shopping centers. In most cases, these services and centers are found in small towns and even others in the city far from the rural areas. To help people overcome the transportation challenge, you can start a transportation business to provide trips to schools, shopping centers, and even hospitals. You can choose to use a minibus or even a motorbike.

7. Wholesaler

People in the rural areas mostly have challenges in getting necessities like household items, skincare and hair products, and toiletries. To help solve this problem, you can open a wholesaler shop that sells almost everything. This will save people the hustle of looking for transport to go for the items in town. It is advisable to locate this shop between villages so that it will be accessible to as many people as possible.

8. Internet Service Provider

Internet connectivity remains a challenge for rural areas in South Africa. However, there have been efforts to provide internet in rural areas. People in rural areas need the internet to connect with the rest of the world. Small businesses will need it for marketing while students need it to access valuable information for their studies. A good example of such a business to start is an internet café.

9. Tutoring

Many schools in rural areas have very many students in a single classroom. This makes it difficult for teachers to give students one on one attention in class. Offering after-school tutoring services will be one of the best businesses to do in rural areas. Alternatively, you can offer these services during the holidays. This is a very convenient business to start because you can do it at your house or at the student’s house.

10. Tourism Business (Travel and Adventure)

Rural areas in South Africa remain unexploited and you will be amazed by the beautiful sceneries and wildlife that is hidden in the rural areas. If you have a passion for travel and adventure, you can start a travel and tours company and organize tours to beautiful destinations in rural South Africa. Show both South Africans and foreigners the beauty that lies in the country. By doing so, you will be making memories as you earn.

11. Salon and Barbershop Businesses

Salons and barbershops are not readily available in rural areas in South Africa. This makes a salon and a barbershop a good business idea in South Africa's rural areas. Many people living in rural areas have challenges in accessing hairdressing services. With both men and women being more conscious about hair grooming today, providing hairdressing services will prove to be a profitable business to do.

Summary of Business Ideas in Rural Areas in South Africa

The above are some of the most profitable small business ideas you can start in South Africa. To make the most out of any of these small business ideas, first conduct market research, ensure you are passionate about it, and have a clear marketing strategy. Fortunately, most of these business ideas don’t require huge startup capital.