Reaching the Rural Poor : A Renewed Strategy for Rural Development

"From Vision to Action", the
Bank's previous rural development strategy launched in
1997, had a decisive influence on global thinking - but
disappointing results on the ground. In 2001, lending for
agricultural projects was the lowest in the Bank's
history. The new strategy is results oriented:
"Reaching the Rural Poor" stresses practice,
implementation, monitoring, and empowerment of the people it
is designed to help. This strategy responds to changes in:
the global environment; in client countries; and, in the
Bank, starting with the development of regional action
plans, and extensive consultations at the regional level. It
also reflects, and reinforces the Bank's commitment to
the United Nations Millennium Development Goals to increase
rural incomes, and broaden opportunities for rural people.
The key features of this strategy are to: focus on the rural
poor; foster broad-based economic growth; address rural
areas comprehensively; forge alliances of all stakeholders;
and, address the impact of global developments on client
countries. In this capacity, support for better
agricultural, and trade policies, should be achieved through
increased advocacy for trade liberalization, by
mainstreaming agricultural trade liberalization, and
trade-capacity development in the Bank's country
assistance, and operations; and, by facilitating capacity
building through technical assistance in the areas of
standards, and sanitary and phytosanitary regulations.