that span of time, present housing needs must be met, as well as the new housing needs of as many more people as are alive today. 32. As the rural-urban exodus continues, the housing needs of the towns and cities will be much greater than in the rural areas. Urban housing is controlled, and meets .fairly strict standards. The towns and cities will also need a fairly expen­ sive infrastructure of services, electricity, water, roads etc. before they can function as decent human settlements. Rural housing is less regulated and traditionally relies on local skills and materials. But even there "modem" influences are bound to be felt, and rural dwellers will be insisting on im­ proved housing. 33. How can these needs be met? The issues of materials, facilities and costs must be considered. There is also the ques­ tion of the limited time available to develop the settlements. Many major cities in Africa are doubling in size and population in 10 years or lessl 34. Experience so far has shown that the speed at which new and renewed housing is produced has fallen short of demand. Admit- 144 E/ECA/CH.9/5 tedly, some of the slums and squatter a ·eas of African cities could h.ave been avoided if low-cost housir.g had been available. But even low-cost housing ends up being beyond the means of the low-income groups. 35. Si·te-and-service schemes have been tried to help the urban poor build their own houses. There is also the policy of upgrad­ ing areas. Zambia has tried both schemes in Lusaka with some success, although the schemes have slowed down with the current depression. 36. Another problem to tackle is the tendency for African capi­ tal cities to loom larger than life, dominating the rest of the country, absorbing enormous guant it ies of resources, materials, 
**Analysis**
The text discusses the housing needs of urban and rural areas in Africa, highlighting the challenges of meeting these needs, including the need for infrastructure, materials, and costs. It also touches on the issue of urbanization and the tendency of capital cities to dominate the rest of the country. This suggests that the text is primarily focused on urban planning and development, which is often linked to economic development.

**Category**
Economic development, Employment