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Rural economics
About: Rural economics is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 6715 publications have been published within this topic receiving 120212 citations.
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Book•
01 Jan 1969
TL;DR: In this article, the authors studied the economy of cities and the main social problems that humanity has and the greatest source of creativity, innovation and development opportunities to solve those problems, which is relevant for a number of reasons: first of all, because most of the planet's population is grouped in them.
Abstract: Studying the economy of cities is relevant for a number of reasons. First of all, because most of the planet's population is grouped in them. Secondly, because they concentrate the main social problems that humanity has and, finally, because they are also the greatest source of creativity, innovation and development opportunities to solve those problems. Cities group companies and people who interact with each other both within their scope and with their peers in other cities. The general framework in which the current economy operates is, in general, the city and if the latter does not create the conditions for the economic activity to be sustainable, not only the city, but the country itself will suffer the consequences.
4,610 citations
Book•
01 Jan 1992
TL;DR: The concept of sustainable rural livelihoods as discussed by the authors is based on capability, equity, and sustainability, each of which is both end and means, and is defined as: "a livelihood comprises people, their capabilities and their means of living, including food, income and assets".
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to provoke discussion by exploring and elaborating the concept of sustainable livelihoods. It is based normatively on the ideas of capability, equity, and sustainability, each of which is both end and means. In the 21st century livelihoods will be needed by perhaps two or three times the present human population. A livelihood comprises people, their capabilities and their means of living, including food, income and assets. Tangible assets are resources and stores, and intangible assets are claims and access. A livelihood is environmentally sustainable when it maintains or enhances the local and global assets on which livelihoods depend, and has net beneficial effects on other livelihoods. A livelihood is socially sustainable which can cope with and recover from stress and shocks, and provide for future generations. For policy and practice, new concepts and analysis are needed. Future generations will vastly outnumber us but are not represented in our decision-making. Current and conventional analysis both undervalues future livelihoods and is pessimistic. Ways can be sought to multiply livelihoods by increasing resource-use intensity and the diversity and complexity of small-farming livelihood systems, and by small-scale economic synergy. Net sustainable livelihood effects and intensity are concepts which deserve to be tested. They entail weighing factors which include environmental and social sustainability, and net effects through competition and externalities. The objective of sustainable livelihoods for all provides a focus for anticipating the 21st century, and points to priorities for policy and research. For policy, implications include personal environmental balance sheets for the better off, and for the poorer, policies and actions to enhance capabilities, improve equity, and increase social sustainability. For research, key questions are better understanding of (a) conditions for low human fertility, (b) intensity, complexity and diversity in small-farming systems, © the livelihood-intensity of local economies, and (d) factors influencing migration. Practical development and testing of concepts and methods are indicated. For the reader, there is a challenge to examine this paper from the perspective of a person alive in a hundred years’ time, and then to do better than the authors have done. Gordon Conway is Representative for the Ford Foundation in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. He was previously Professor and Chairman of the Centre for Environmental Technology at the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine. In the mid 1980s, he also established the Sustainable Agriculture Programme at the International Institute for Environment and Development in London. He has worked extensively in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, mostly on issues of agriculture and environment. For comments on an earlier draft we are grateful to John Lawton, Melissa Leach, and Michel Pimbert. The views expressed are ours and should not be attributed to the Institute of Development Studies or the Ford Foundation. URI http://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/handle/123456789/775 Citation Chambers, R. and Conway, G. (1992) Sustainable Rural Livelihoods: Practical Concepts for the 21st Century, IDS Discussion Paper 296, Brighton: IDS Is part of series IDS Discussion Paper;296 Library catalogue entry http://bldscat.ids.ac.uk/cgi-bin/koha/opac-search.pl?q=rn:90567 Rights holder Institute of Development Studies Sustainable rural livelihoods: practical concepts for the 21st century
3,945 citations
Book•
07 Sep 2000
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a framework for livelihoods analysis in rural Tanzania based on a case-study in Rural Tanzania, focusing on the gender and rural living conditions.
Abstract: PART I. CONCEPTS, DEFINITIONS, AND FRAMEWORK 1. Livelihoods, Diversification, and Agrarian Change 2. A Framework for Livelihoods Analysis PART II. DIMENSIONS OF DIVERSE RURAL LIVELIHOODS 3. Determinants of Livelihood Diversification 4. Poverty and Income Distribution 5. Agriculture and Farm Productivity 6. Environment and Sustainability 7. Gender and Rural Livelihoods 8. Macro Policies and Reform Agendas PART III. INVESTIGATING LIVELIHOODS FOR POLICY PURPOSES 9. Methods and Livelihoods 10. A Case-Study in Rural Tanzania PART IV. LOOKING AHEAD 11. Livelihoods, Diversification, and Policies
3,639 citations
Book•
01 Jan 1983
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that researchers, scientists, administrators, and fieldworkers rarely appreciate the richness and validity of rural people's knowledge or the hidden nature of rural poverty.
Abstract: Rural poverty is often unseen or misperceived by outsiders. Dr Chambers contends that researchers, scientists, administrators and fieldworkers rarely appreciate the richness and validity of rural people's knowledge or the hidden nature of rural poverty. This is a challenging book for all concerned with rural development, as practitioners, academics, students or researchers.
3,197 citations
Abstract: The diversity of rural livelihoods in low income developing countries is receiving increased attention in discussions about rural poverty reduction. This paper explores just one facet of livelihood diversity, namely the reasons for households to adopt multiple livelihood strategies. The distinction is made between diversification of necessity and diversification by choice. Six determinants of diversification are considered in the light of that distinction, and these are seasonality, risk, labour markets, credit markets, asset strategies, and coping strategies. The paper concludes that under the precarious conditions that characterise rural survival in many low income countries, diversification has positive attributes for livelihood security that outweigh negative connotations it may possess. Policy should facilitate rather than inhibit diversity. Diverse rural livelihoods are less vulnerable than undiversified ones.
1,143 citations