Agricultural And Rural Development
A - Overview
In many developing countries, over half of the population is engaged in the agricultural sector, and a large share of the rural population lives in poverty. Because agriculture represents the core of the national economy in many of these countries, assistance for agricultural and rural development plays an important role in addressing such concerns as food security, poverty reduction and economic development.
The stable provision of food that people need (food security) is a fundamental condition of economic and political stability. In many developing countries, food shortages are impairing health and creating hunger. In some cases refugees in hunger flood into neighboring countries, disturbing the order of the international community and potentially leading to regional conflicts. In food importing countries, the stable production and supply of food are economic issues of extreme importance, because they can reduce the outflow of foreign currency. Furthermore, stable food supply in developing countries is important from the standpoint of US food security.
B - Our Efforts
We perceive its two main tasks in agricultural and rural development to be: support for stable food production and supply (food security), and alleviation of poverty (rural development). Since these two tasks are intimately related, in order to implement effective cooperation, it is essential to understand their relationship and coordinate them. Specifically, there are measures designed to achieve food security from the macro (national) to micro (rural) levels on the one hand; and measures addressing various rural development issues at micro levels on the other.
Thus the objectives of assistance for agricultural and rural development are stable food supply for both the rural and urban populations, poverty reduction in rural areas, and national and regional economic development. In abstract terms, the ultimate goal is the eradication of hunger and poverty.
Sustainable agricultural production is the basis for a stable food supply and poverty reduction in rural areas.
On the basis of these perspectives, we have identified the following three development strategies:
1. Sustainable agricultural production
2. Stable food supply
3. Building rural communities with vitality.
1. Stable food supply
It is extremely important to realize sustainable agricultural production for eradicating hunger and enhancing the means of economic activities in rural areas as well as economic development in developing countries. It is also a precondition for providing a stable food supply to all regions including urban areas, and for building rural communities with vitality.
As an approach for sustainable agricultural development, it is important to precisely understand the situation of the agricultural sector of the country at the macro level, and formulate and implement agricultural policies appropriate for the situation. It is also important to expand agricultural production and increase productivity while improving policies. In seeking acquisition of foreign currency and economic development by means of export promotion, it is necessary to strengthen related activities such as improvement of the export system and enhancement of competitiveness. Consideration for the environment is essential for maintaining agricultural production in the long-term. Additionally, in order to secure sustainable development of the overall agricultural sector for the future, human development is necessary through expanding education in agriculture and agricultural science at the high school, university, and graduate school levels.
2. Stable food supply
To supply a sufficient amount of food to all citizens stably is one of the important objectives of agricultural and rural development. A large part of the population in rural areas is engaged in agriculture and is a supplier of domestic food especially for the urban areas with the greater concentration of population. However, they are also considered consumers of domestically distributed agricultural products.
Stable food supply is possible only when a sufficient supply is secured at the macro level and fair distribution is in place at the micro level. In attempting to secure the food supply at the macro level, it is necessary for a government to evaluate the situation of the people and agricultural production potentials first, and then to formulate a strategy on how to secure food for its citizens. In the case that the required food cannot be secured within the country, it is necessary to develop a system to supplement the shortage with imports from other countries. On the other hand, to achieve fair distribution at the micro level, development of an efficient domestic distribution system is essential, which involves distribution over different regions.
3. Building rural communities with vitality
Since the adoption of the MDGs, activities for poverty reduction in developing countries have gathered more attention than ever. Rural areas as targets of development and the significance of its roles are in the public limelight again. This comes from the recognition that the lives of the people in rural areas are destabilized by many factors including weak prices for agricultural products caused by political factors, deterioration of living and production environments due to progressing desertification, and increased dependence on urban areas as seen in labor migration.
To eradicate rural hunger and poverty and build rural communities with vitality, various measures are necessary, such as improving agricultural productivity, promoting the use and sale of agricultural products, promoting diversified economic activities including handicraft production and small business, and developing rural infrastructure represented by community roads and secured drinking water. It is also important to empower rural residents through organizing groups and improving health and education.
In other words, agricultural development is aimed mainly at development strategy goal 2 with the basis of development strategy goal 1, and rural development is aimed at development strategy goal 3 while including development strategy goal 1.
Furthermore, agricultural and rural development, which requires consideration of various factors such as history, culture, natural environment, and ethnicity in the area, must be addressed in line with the situation of the target area.