Rural Development in a Changing World

The subject of rural development, as distinct from agricultural development, is explored in this book by an international and distinguished group of professionals in various fields. It is the first time that the many specific aspects of contemporary rural development have been brought together in one volume. Moreover, each subject is discussed in two contexts: that of the advanced countries and that of the developing ones, an arrangement which may shed some light on the question of how and to what extent the experience of one can influence the other.

The importance of rural development for developing countries cannot be underestimated. The fact that the majority of the labor force in these countries is engaged in food production on a subsistence level leaves little doubt that rural development is the cornerstone of national growth. Not only does this book elucidate the many problems facing agricultural countries, but it hopes to provide guidelines for their possible solutions.

Chapters in the first part of the book are organized under the headings: Rural Development—Policies and Planning; Agriculture and Industry; Rural-Urban Relationship; The Farm Unit; Agrarian Reform and Cooperative Institutions; Extension Services; and Implementation of Rural Development. The remainder of the book consists of eight case studies of agricultural and urban development in the United States, the Netherlands, Italy, Israel, Greece, Mexico, the Sudan, and Ceylon.