Concept of Assistance for Rural Development

Concept of Assistance for Rural Development
Rural Development Issues
Rural development issues are often equated with poverty reduction. Although the definition of poverty varies5, income poverty is used as a generalguideline in defining poverty.  In the case that “three-quarters of impoverished groups live in rural areas”, “impoverished (poverty)” indicates conditions resulting from income poverty. Improvement of livelihood is a central component of rural development.
There also exists an opinion, which is increasingly becoming mainstream, that living standards cannot be measured by income and consumption, but require  a wider view.  For those who support this argument, the satisfaction of Basic Human Needs (BHN) is necessary to improve living standards.  Also, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been using the Human Development Indicator (HDI), which is based on life expectancy, literacy rate, gross enrollment ratio, and real GDP per capita in its Human Development Reports since 1990.

Guidelines on Poverty Reduction

Poverty is described as the lack of the following five capabilities.

① Economic capabilities: to earn an income, to consume, and to have assets

② Human capabilities: to have access to health care, education, sufficient nutrition, clean water, and hygienic living conditions

③ Political capabilities: human rights, to participate in political and policy making process, and to be able to have an influence on decision-making.

④ Socio-cultural capabilities: to participate as a valued member of the community with social status and dignity

⑤ Protective capabilities: to prevent vulnerability from food insecurity, illness, crime, war, and conflict.

As described above, comprehensive measures are essential for a multi-dimensional approach to poverty reduction.  The number of assistance organizations which view comprehensive rural development as an effective approach in improving the livelihoods of rural people has increased.  For example, agricultural development needs an increase of consumers, industrial development, and the improvement of infrastructure, and inhabitant’s productivity through expansion, education, health care services has much effecton those conditions.  Also, it is important to preserve the environment through resource management and natural disaster prevention.  Moreover, it is essential that governments assist a variety of activities through a cross-sectional approach. In short, rural development deals with multi-sectoral issues, such as infrastructure, health care and hygiene, education, environment and governance as well as local income generation.

Significance of Assistance
Rural development aims to improve livelihoods by implementing comprehensive development for rural areas where a majority of people in poverty live.   Rural development can also contribute to reduce poverty in urban areas by reducing excessive population influxes from rural areas.