RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Poverty, especially rural poverty, and food insecurity represent persistent problems in developing countries, even in those which experience satisfactory overall growth rates. Over 1 billion people in the developing countries are considered poor, with a substantial majority of them living in rural areas. The development of agriculture can play a direct role in rural poverty alleviation, since the majority of rural poor depend on agricultural activity for providing the main source of their income and employment. It also contributes indirectly to alleviate rural poverty because the state of agriculture influences that of the non-farm rural economy. Reductions in the incidence of rural poverty from agricultural growth depend not only on its rate per caput but also on its impact on distribution, and also on increasing opportunities for non-agricultural employment in rural areas in synergy with agricultural growth.

Adequate institutional arrangements are required to determine rights and access to rural resources, such a land, water, trees and wildlife, as a prerequisite to sustainable agricultural development and food security. Many countries specifically require advice on such institutional arrangements for property rights, on how to ensure more equitable access by women and men to natural resources, on functioning land markets and land administration and on good governance of land and other natural resources, including environmental management. The appropriate use of communication methods and techniques can facilitate dialogue with rural people, increase their participation and improve the outreach and impact of extension and training activities. Scarcity of qualified development agents, the large number of people to be reached, the remoteness of many rural areas, illiteracy, the different local languages, are some of the problems that communication can help overcome.

In the sphere of rural development, FAO has competence in major areas (food and nutrition, crops, livestock, fisheries and forestry) that are basic to improving rural incomes and employment opportunities. It is the only international agency that deals with all aspects of rural land tenure. It has developed specific capabilities for capacity-building and institutional strengthening, developing and applying participatory process and methods to help the rural poor capture available opportunities and have access to the necessary resources. The challenge is to improve rural livelihoods, farm incomes and food security.

FAO assistance to Members in implementing differentiated rural development policies and programmes is focused on three major priority areas: (i) institutional arrangements that ensure improved access to productive assets, with special reference to land; (ii) improved rural institutions that foster sectoral contributions to poverty alleviation and rural employment generation, and (iii) effective, gender-sensitive participation of rural populations in all aspects related to agriculture, forestry and fisheries. Considering that poverty eradication is a major goal of all Members, and that it has stimulated UN system-wide response, FAO's contributions focussed on the rural sector are not provided in isolation but are an integral part of a broader effort. Critical to the attainment of better rural living standards will be investment in improved access to safe water and sanitation, power supplies, health services and education.

• Rural Institutions
  
• Land Tenure
  
• Environmental Management
  
• Women in Agriculture and Rural Development