Chapter One

Introduction to Rural Development

Prepared by Abdiqani Mohamed Abdilahi

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Introduction
Rural development usually refers to the method of
enhancing the quality of life and financial well-being
of individuals, specifically living in remote areas.
Rural development seeks to collectively enhance the
wellbeing of those who live outside of urbanized
areas.
Definitions
A rural area is an open land that has few homes or other buildings, and
not very many people.
In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located
outside towns and cities.
Development is a process that creates growth, progress, positive change
of physical, economic, environmental and social.
Development is the process of providing opportunities for improving the
quality of human life in a rural community.
development can be defined as bringing about social change that allows
people to achieve their human potential.
Rural development
Rural Development is the process of improving the quality of
life and economic well-being of people living in rural areas, often
relatively isolated and sparsely populated areas.
It is a process which aims at improving the well being of people
living outside the urbanized areas through collective process.
Rural development is a term that concentrates on the actions
taken for the development of rural areas to improve the economy.
Concept of rural development
Rural is an area, where the people are engaged in primary
industry in the sense that they produce things directly for
the first time in cooperation with nature.
In fact it is a long term process of improving infrastructure
and life of rural area.
For example, agriculture development, roads, water,
hospitals, schools, markets and police centers etc.
Objectives of rural development
To improve productivity and the income of rural people.
To guarantee increased and quick employment
possibilities.
To help expand the access of the rural population to basic
services, including, education, health care, etc.
To guarantee to increase the standard of living of the
underprivileged people.
Scope of rural development
Rural development is a dynamic process which is
mainly concerned with the rural areas.
These include agricultural growth, economic and
social infrastructure, fair income as also housing and
house sites for the landless, village planning, public
health, education and communication etc.
Elements of rural development
The three basic elements of rural development are:
Basic necessities of life.
Self-respect.
Freedom
Basic necessities of life
People have certain basic needs, without fulfilling these needs it
would be impossible or very difficult for them to survive.
The basic necessities include food, clothes, shelter, education,
primary health care and security of life and property.
When any one or all of them are absent or in short supply, we may
state a condition of underdevelopment.
Provision of the basic necessities is the responsibility of the
government.
Self respect
Every person and every nation seeks some sort of self
respect, dignity.
Absence of self respect indicates lack of development.
Freedom
Freedom refers to political or ideological freedom,
economic freedom and freedom from social servitude
(slavery).
 Characteristics of rural community

Size of the Community

Density of Population
Agriculture and livestock is the Main Occupation
Close Contact with Nature
Social Solidarity
Cont.

Size of the Community

The village communities are smaller in area than the urban
communities.
Density of Population
As the density of population is low, the people have intimate
relationships and face-to-face contacts with each other. In a
village, everyone knows everyone.
 Cont.
Agriculture and livestock is the Main Occupation.
Agriculture and livestock is the fundamental occupation of the rural people
and forms the basis of rural economy.
A farmer has to perform various agricultural activities for which he needs the
cooperation of other members. Usually, these members are from his family.
Thus, the mem­bers of the entire family share agricultural activities.
Close Contact with Nature
The rural people are in close contact with nature as most of their daily
activities revolve around the natural environment. This is the reason why a
ruralite is more influenced by nature than an urbanite. The villagers consider
land as their real mother as they depend on it for their food, clothing and
shelter.
Cont.
Social Solidarity
Social solidarity emphasizes the interdependence between
individuals in a society, which allows individuals to feel that
they can enhance the lives of others.
In addition it is a form of unity.
The five assets in rural development programme

The five capitals in rural development programmes;

Human capital- knowledge, skill, ability, experience of human beings, who
are the partners of development.
Natural capital-natural resources.
Financial capital- money, materials, support etc.
Physical capital- infrastructure, machinery etc.
Social capital is a set of shared values or resources that allows individuals to
work together in a group to effectively achieve a common purpose.
Life of rural development
Lifestyle in rural areas are different than those in urban areas,
mainly because limited services are available.
Governmental services like law enforcement, schools , fire
departments and libraries may be distant, limited in scope or
unavailable.
Utilities like water, street lighting and garbage collection may not
be present.
Public transport is sometimes absent or very limited, vehicles are
little people walk or ride animal.
D. In rural area can bring
Infrastru
cture

Econom Technolo
y gy

Education
Knowledge Health
and skills
Rural development skills
Farming skills
Harvesting skills
Poultry farming skills
Bee keeping skills
Irrigation skills
Carpentering skills
Electricity skills
Construction skills
Communication skills
Challenges of rural development
Higher levels of ;
Poverty
Unemployment
Conflicts
Health Diseases
Droughts
Poor infrastructure
Cont.
Lower levels of;
Educational system
Poor water system
Low literacy rate
Modern labor skills
Low resources
poor telecommunication
Lack of electricity
Lack of administration
END OF CHAPTER ONE
THE END