Empowering the Rural Poor

Both rural women and men, including young people, have critical knowledge of intra-family and community issues that affect their daily lives, hence their views must be at the centre of collective processes. Rural people must be encouraged to join participatory mechanisms. Whether by supporting the creation of inclusive rural organizations, fostering youth leadership in agribusiness or amplifying women’s agency before their family members, affirmative actions that seek to include the least represented voices can help reduce inequalities and accelerate social inclusion.

Land tenure and access to water and other resources are often at the centre of economic and gender inequalities as well as political disputes and conflicts in rural areas. Therefore, promoting a balanced, just and inclusive governance of these resources can result in more stable and prosper rural societies.

The deficient availability of information and services in rural areas may limit their supply and communications with larger inhabited centres. Facilitating market linkages and supporting investments in rural infrastructure can catalyse farmers’ revenues in low-income contexts, thereby fostering long-term chains and strengthening dignified employment in the fields. Furthermore, investments in education, advisory, financial and social protection services can fast track rural people’s way out of poverty.

It is crucial to systematically collect and assess relevant data in order to properly formulate and monitor programmes and projects that help promote long-lasting socioeconomic development. Only by reading sufficient and accurate evidence will one be able to examine the root causes of poverty, and weigh to what extent each disaggregated factor influences it. In light of the widespread information gaps in rural areas, scaling up investments in monitoring and evaluation systems today is vital to the success of interventions tomorrow.

Emphasis must be given to prevention, preparedness and appropriate response to the risks that people experiencing extreme poverty face. Creating social safety nets can cushion rural people from downfalls, while ensuring decent incomes, dignity, social inclusion and economic, health and educational benefits for entire families. These benefits provide immediate alleviation and help to overcome intergenerational transmission of poverty.