Revitalizing the rural economy: The power to make a change

In the effort to eliminate poverty worldwide, policies that address rural poverty must be central. The global rural poverty rate is higher than the urban poverty rate, and rural residents account for 80% of the extremely poor. Revitalizing rural areas so that they are productive, sustainable and healthy places to learn, work, and live can have a tremendous impact on global poverty.

Revitalizing rural areas to strengthen the connection between rural and urban economies can spur growth and diversify the farm and non-farm sectors to contribute to poverty reduction. Rural areas have the potential to become hubs of innovation and to drive the transformation of food systems and overall livelihoods.

Empowered rural economies can not only act as drivers of food security but also as springboards for national, regional, and global value chains and providers of quality environmental services. Policies that encourage investments in rural infrastructure, such as transport networks, telecommunications, and energy should be priority areas in this regard.