Rural Development in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

Rural development comprises development programmes and initiatives intended for enhancing living standard of the rural dwellers. The initiatives are usually taken by local authorities, local and international donor agencies, and related non-governmental organisations. In Africa, this is perhaps because statistical evidence shows that over 80% of the population of most African nations reside in the rural areas. This is a conceptual study aimed at assessing the challenges and opportunities of rural development in Africa based on related literature. Rural development theories were reviewed which include integrated rural development model, sectoral development model, urban development model, and industrial development model. Agriculture has been the most prominent occupation among major rural dwellers in Africa, yet rural development is accepted as much broader than agricultural development, because some other activities associated with rural development provide a substitute to agriculture and serve alternative sources of income and means of survival to the rural poor. As a whole, agricultural development could still serve as a main contributor of rural growth up to the present time, and it continues to serve a significant role in poverty reduction.