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Rural Development

A key reform is to promote trade rules that favor non-trade distorting support payments. Trade agreements should favor farm income support payments that discourage or at least do not encourage heavier production of price-suppressing surpluses of agricultural commodities…Trade reform policies can and must be part of a package that liberalizes U.S. commodity agriculture and promotes a true domestic rural development model based on entrepreneurship…reforming trade agreements and rules has the potential to provide multiple benefits to the rural communities in the United States and developing nations (Hunger Report 2005, Page 110). Cross Reference: Trade, Rural Development (Domestic) and Agriculture (Domestic and International).
Important lessons from rural-led development successes in Asia and Latin America must guide a larger more focused effort for Africa (Hunger Report 2005: Side Bar: Page 12).
Development assistance must target sectors that can address the needs of hungry and poor people, especially programs that help smallholder farmers raise their productivity and supports locally designed, integrated approaches to rural development. Foreign aid targeted effectively is essential, and the United States needs to do its share. More and better development aid from wealthy countries like the United States is essential to cutting poverty and hunger in the developing world (Hunger Report 2005, Page 10) Cross Reference: Development Assistance
Because most of the world's poor and hungry people live in rural areas, development efforts must focus on rural and agriculture development initiatives (Hunger Report 2004, Page 84) Cross Reference: Agriculture
Agriculture and rural development efforts should focus on arid, mountainous and other difficult terrains, where hunger and severe poverty are concentrated (Hunger Report 2004, Page 9). Cross Reference: Agriculture
Africa: Farm and rural nonfarm activities are synergistic. Therefore, the broad development of institutions, infrastructure and facilities in rural areas must be seen in light of how they affect agricultural production and competitiveness. Countries also must invest in their people by supporting employment training, education and health care, and creating institutions and policies that make ending hunger and poverty an explicit and measurable goal. In this regard, strategies for improving agriculture must be cognizant of the broader rural development objectives and careful assessments done to ensure addressing one constraint does not create harm for the other, especially relating to environmental sustainability…Thoughtful, innovative ways of tapping into, and intelligently using, local information and experience about local soil conditions, drought cycles, pests and diseases should be sought when formulating region-specific agricultural innovations and support services (Hunger Report 2003, Page 87). Cross Reference: African Agriculture, Employment, Health Care
The ultimate goal of U. S. farm programs must be to promote sustainable agriculture, reduce rural poverty and eliminate food insecurity, both in the United States and throughout the world. Toward this end, the United States should: gradually eliminate tariffs on developing country agriculture exports, export subsidies and production-linked domestic support payments; support U.S. farmers who leave agriculture with adjustment assistance that would include counseling, job training, education reimbursement and transportation aid; support small and mid-size farmers with comprehensive rural development programs and technical assistance in adopting new technologies and developing greater economies of scale; establish provisions for farmers to help them sustain losses resulting from catastrophic weather events; strengthen assistance for farmers in meeting conservation goals and environmental mandates, including increased technical assistance, cost-share programs and incentive payments for use of environmentally friendly practices; increase research and regulation in areas, such as biotechnology, food safety, disease prevention and environmental quality; invest in rural communities by supporting economic development initiatives, job training, business promotion and infrastructure development, and reduce hunger in the United States (through nutrition and poverty reduction programs) and worldwide (through development assistance and trade opportunities), with this adding to the ongoing demand for food production (Hunger Report 2003, Page 55). Cross Reference: Agriculture (Domestic), Food Security (Domestic), Rural Development (Domestic), Environment, Biotechnology, Nutrition Programs, Trade, and Development Assistance.
Foreign aid should provide income-earning opportunities for smallholder farmers and protect the labor rights of landless workers (Hunger Report 2001, Page 64)
Southern governments and civil society organizations should invest in gender-sensitive and poverty-focused rural development (including off-farm employment) and agricultural research and extension (Hunger Report 2000, Page 80). Cross Reference: Gender Equality, Agriculture

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