Chapter-1 Introduction

Four major factors influence these changes: increased concerns about the persistent and deepening of rural poverty; changing views about the concept of development itself; emergence of a more diversified rural economy in which rural nonfarm units play an increasingly important role; and increased recognition of the importance of reducing the non-income dimensions of poverty to achieve sustainable improvements in socio-economic well being of the poor.

The World Bank assists its partners to achieve rural development in accordance with its vision; the farm and nonfarm growth should widely shared with private and competitive agriculture; agribusiness should be the main engine of growth; family farms and nonfarm enterprises should provide ample employment opportunities to the society; rural people should use soils, water, forests, grasslands and fisheries in sustainable manner; rural areas should endowed with proper linkages for markets, products, inputs and finance; proper health and sanitary facilities; family planning services; educational opportunities; and essential legal frameworks, public investments, and productive and social services.¹

Despite of so many drastic changes the concept of rural development is still changing on. The concept is so dynamic and important for the economic policies of the country that every country has to formulate the policies according to its changing dimensions. With the changing rural circumstances and development thinking, governments and donor agencies are applying different perspectives regarding the concept and pursuing different combinations of rural development policies to cope up with these changes. These changes become more important for developing countries as a major portion of their population is still in rural areas.