Inclusive Rural Development Research Articles

An attempt at implementing a holistic inclusive development model: Insights from Malaysia's land settlement scheme

AbstractThis paper examines the influences of Malaysia's Federation Land Development Authority (FELDA) scheme in fostering inclusive rural development. Based on the model of holistic inclusive development, the paper investigates the performance of FELDA from four perspectives: social development, industrialisation, modernisation and basic needs. The main findings of the study indicate that, to a large extent, the scheme has successfully stimulated both the social and economic development of the community. Nonetheless, establishing a strong trust, social cohesion and rapport between the public authorities and community remain the main challenges in determining the success of this state‐led agenda. Moreover, keeping traditional values in the modern system will be the key principle for the sustainability of the programme if plans are made to adopt the scheme in other regions.

Microfinance and Ecosystems Conservation - How Green Microfinance Interacts with Socio-Ecological Systems - Lessons from Proyecto Cambio in Nicaragua and Guatemala

Environmental degradation is the result of complex human-environment dynamics, often sustained by socio-economic inequalities. Recently microfinance has been proposed to be an interesting tool to support environmental protection strategies that aim at once to foster rural development and promote ecosystems conservation or adaptation to climate change. In this paper we provide one of the first analysis of the link between microfinance and ecosystems conservation. We base our analysis on the assessment of the first large-scale microfinance programme for biodiversity conservation: Proyecto CAMBio. Our empirical analysis exploits a unique set of secondary and primary data collected by the authors in Nicaragua and Guatemala. We introduce a theoretical framework and a practical methodology to assess such programme, and we apply it to our case studies. Even if with different peculiarities, the two cases studied show that microfinance for ecosystems conservation has good potentialities to introduce environmental elements in the rural activities of small farmers and in the products provided by microfinance institutions, and it is an interesting path to pursue. However, they also underline that choices and actions of rural households and local financial intermediary institutions are strongly influenced by habits and local dominant development pathways, which are among the main causes of socio-economic inequalities and environmental degradation. Green Microfinance per se does not seem to be able to revert such dangerous dynamics while, interacting with them without a proactive strategy, it risks to have no effect or eventually support the causes of environmental degradation. We then call for a renewed proactive role of green microfinance for ecosystems that, articulating with local actors and territorial dynamics, should aim not only at providing a green product to individual farmers, but instead support new alliances and collective, socially informed, actions to redirect the habits that support environmental degradation towards environmentally friendly and socioeconomic inclusive rural development.

Impacts of Large-scale Land Investments on Income, Prices, and Employment: Empirical Analyses in Ethiopia

Summary We review the trend and types of large-scale land transaction in Ethiopia since 1992 and assess the impacts of one such investment using four scenarios: (i) a baseline scenario; (ii) the forest loss resulting from the land transfer; (iii) the operation of the investment at full scale; and (iv) an alternative scenario of a smaller investment paired with a more inclusive rural development policy. Results showed that forest resources are important for the rural poor, but that losses can be offset by gains from employment generation and business opportunities. The alternative scenario indicated opportunities for better social and environmental sustainability.

Understanding Rural Retailer at the Base of the Fortune Pyramid

The literature in the field of rural marketing has paid little attention to intra-rural transaction. However, approaches towards inclusive marketing and rural market development are incomplete without clarity on rural to rural transaction. In this article an attempt has been made to understand the rural to rural transaction in the context of rural retail units. Identification of the supportive features, appreciation of organizational limitations of the business, and design of alternative revenue options were found as three strategies adopted by rural retailers to build a profitable enterprise. Compatibility and desirability of the revenue alternatives have been discussed to be the indicators determining the importance of each of these strategies. Implications are discussed both for commercial ventures involved in rural marketing as well as for agencies concerned with the design and implementation of income generating programmes in rural areas.

Prospects of Rural Transformation Centre (RTC) of Malaysia from the Perspective of Inclusive Rural Development

In the contemporary discourse, it is argued that the ultimate objective of rural development is to improve the quality of life for rural people. This makes it essential to go beyond the incomerelated factors of rural development. Inclusive Rural Development, a more specific concept than the concept of conventional rural development, accommodates the variables for the quality of life in rural development. This concept covers three different but interrelated dimensions: economic dimension, social dimension and political dimension. Rural Transformation Centre (RTC), implemented by the government of Malaysia, is among the third generation of the rural development programmes in the country. RTC is a site to implement some integrated initiatives for the rural communities within 100 kilometre radius of the sites. There are eight major initiatives under the RTC implementation programmes, which are: training of rural population; setting up of 1Malaysia information kiosks; high-value agriculture initiatives; agro-food products processing; agricultural produce supply chain management; university cooperation; food safety and pharmaceuticals services; and rural population financial facilities. RTC brings a unique opportunity for members of the rural communities to benefit from a myriad of initiatives and activities related to their livelihood and wellbeing within the same premises. Despite some challenges, this programme has enormous potentials to address many important aspects of rural development. Based on review of relevant literature and field visits, this paper attempts to examine the prospects of the RTC concept of Malaysia in light of the theory of Inclusive Rural Development. The findings of this paper will help relevant governmental and nongovernmental bodies and researchers gain an insight about the potentials and challenges of RTC for further improving the quality of life for the rural communities.

A Successful Journey towards Inclusive Rural Development

A Successful Journey towards Inclusive Rural Development

Políticas Públicas y Agricultura familiar. Los Acuerdos territoriales de desarrollo rural con inclusión como herramientas para una nueva política nacional de desarrollo rural.

La agricultura familiar engloba un conjunto diversificado de situaciones de trabajo y de vida que exceden la producción de subsistencia y demandan políticas públicas integrales de desarrollo. En la última década ha comenzado a instalarse en laagenda pública, y también en la de gobierno, lanecesidad de avanzar hacia un modelo de desarrollo rural que sea socialmente inclusivo y, por ende, política, económica y ambientalmente sustentable. Tal modelo debe partir del reconocimiento de los agricultores familiares como sujetos viables de desarrollo económico. El presente trabajo enfoca las principales características de los Acuerdos Territoriales para el Desarrollo Rural con Inclusión (ATDRI) y las Propuestas Territoriales de Desarrollo Rural con Inclusión(PTDRI) como herramientas privilegiadas para una nueva política pública de desarrollo rural.

Financial and Economic Assessment of Biodiesel Production and Use in India

In recent times, biofuels are receiving increased attention because they have the potential to enhance the energy security of energy deficit nations while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. They also provide opportunities for inclusive rural development. This paper shows that prevailing administered prices do not provide adequate financial incentives to produce biodiesel in India. In contrast to financial analysis results, social cost–benefit analysis shows that biodiesel production from jatropha and pongamia is economically viable. This paper illustrates that financial analysis results may not provide a sound basis for pubic policy, particularly when there are distortions in the market. Biodiesel has the potential to significantly generate rural employment and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. If the production is limited only to wastelands, in meeting 20 per cent blending target, biodiesel would not affect food production in India. While explaining the reasons for failure of biodiesel production taking off in a big way in India, the paper argues that public sector interventions are necessary to correct existing market, non-market, and institutional failures, which prevent development of biodiesel markets.

Livestock in Mixed Farming: A Leveraging Asset for Inclusive Rural Development in India

During 1997 to 2003, the total livestock population has decreased by around 14.1%. Among cattle, the population of indigenous breed has decreased by around 7.6% while crossbreed cattle shows an increase of 12.6%. There are only 30 breeds of cattle and 6 breeds of buffalo registered along with the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR), Karnal. India’s total milk production as on 2004 stands at 97.1 MT (Million Tonnes) which accounts for 14.9 % of the global milk production. Annual growth rate of milk production was 4.11% during 1990-91 to 2000-01. The per capita availability of milk in India is 241 gm/day which is much less than many developed countries like USA (661 gm/day), UK (656 gm/day). The value of consumption of milk and milk products for 30 day period has increased from Rs. 5.29 (1977-78) to Rs 47.60 (2003-04) for rural India. Likewise, the value of meat production from beef has also increased over the years indicating the importance of livestock for rural people.

Jobs in the Bush: Global Industries and Inclusive Rural Development

Abstract How do rural communities manage the challenge of local governance and community capacity‐building, given the policy choices of central government (both state and national) in favour of global resource‐development industries? Central government policy choices expose rural communities to the vagaries of the global economy, even as the Australian government's stated intent vis‐à‐vis rural Australia is the exact opposite: to encourage locally driven economic and community sustainability. Rural development policy in Australia often has the effect of denying the very outcomes it hopes to achieve. On the one hand, government policies encourage rural communities to be independent, to build ‘social capital’, and to add value to their local produce; on the other hand, macroeconomic policies change the contexts within which these communities function, creating a tension which is difficult to reconcile. In the case of the Western District of Victoria, an established agricultural and pastoral region, the cycles of economic activity have been disrupted in recent years by new and exciting global industries whose trajectories sit largely outside local control. This paper questions whether governments have a systemic view of the impact of these competing demands on rural communities, and calls for a more informed, whole‐of‐government policy‐making for the development of Australia's rural regions.

Economic Efficiency in Cooperatives

HE cooperative form of business organization has deep historical roots in the economy. The cooperative dairy association movement began in New York in the mid-1800s as a response to the monopsony power of privately held milk-processing plants.1 It was perceived that a producer cooperative had the ability to produce processed cheese from its members' raw milk at a lower per-unit cost than would have been possible by contracting with a geographically isolated, private, for-profit firm. Modern refrigerated transportation has diminished monopsony power. In modern times, the cooperative form of business has been consciously nurtured as a matter of public policy. The tax laws of the United States exempt cooperatives that meet certain requirements from payment of income taxes.2 Certain other pecuniary advantages are available to agricultural cooperatives. Loans are available to cooperatives at a belowmarket rate of interest. The collective knowledge of the Department of