Rural America has been challenged with a fast-changing world of economies and migration in recent years; it is imperative to address the issues with thoughtful and strategic partnerships that have a common focus. This chapter presents several successful rural partnership models which demonstrate collaborative and cooperative partnerships, where…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyse knowledge systems and channels of innovation diffusion in Tajikistan. In particular, I look at the formation of agricultural advisory services (AASs) and how these provide a vital source of knowledge and innovation for farmers during the transition process. Methodology: Empirically, this paper draws…

Akshar Forum, an experimental livelihood school in the semi-rural village of Pamohi, Assam, in Northeast India, tests cutting-edge methods in education in the context of underserved communities and rural development programs. Started in 2015, the school links 42 children and their parents to the vast knowledge resources of the Internet to teach…

New venture activities and diversification at farms seem to be perceived as inherently beneficial both to farmers and to rural development. However, the benefit of such efforts and the critical resources and capabilities leading to them seem not to be well understood yet. The purpose of this paper is therefore to explore critical resources and…

This article presents a lesson that focuses on numeracy. In the lesson, students were tasked to find the best path for a new expressway. The purpose of the activity was for students to gain an appreciation of the complexities associated with designing public infrastructure and to put into practice the mathematical skills. This article also…

The limited effectiveness and fiscal unsustainability of professional-led public sector extension systems in developing countries have aroused considerable interest in Farmer-led Extension (FLE) approaches in the recent decades. A key challenge facing these initiatives is a lack of sustainability of the farmer groups developed through project or…

Advances in energy access in developing countries over the past 25 years have been remarkable with more than 1 billion unserved people gaining access to electricity and modern fuels. However, as impressive as this may sound, large gaps remain: 1.6 billion people still lack access to electricity and another 2.5 billion continue to rely on…

This paper sets forth a model of regional stewardship developed and implemented at a post-compulsory institution serving rural communities in central Appalachia, a region that is among the most impoverished in the United States. The model, termed place-conscious capacity-building, emphasises culturally-responsive methodologies and the strategic…

A new paradigm of multi-dimensional rural development has emerged which advocates a broader conception of the rurality where the rural is no longer the monopoly of the farmer. This new, broader paradigm needs to be reflected in the "methodology" of social scientific research, both generic and applied. In this paper we are primarily…

The author uses a simulation model to illustrate how the farm crisis is expected to affect rural businesses and governments. He offers the results and implications for private and public decisions makers as an aid to planning for efficient delivery of services. (Author/CH)

Describes computer Industrial Impact Model used by Texas Agricultural Extension Service rural planners to assess potential benefits and costs of new firms on community private and public sectors. Presents selected data/results for two communities assessing impact of the same plant. (NEC)

Uses of the agricultural knowledge systems concept of information flow are described in Holland, Bhutan, Switzerland, and India. Application of the model for gaining an overview of institutions must be combined with a functional approach for designing appropriate extension programs. (SK)

Presents an overview of the South Pacific Telecommunications Development Programme (SPTDP), which is designed to extend the present telecommunications, infrastructures to provide network-connected telephones to more communities. Highlights include satellite networks in the area, telegraph and television services, user requirements, and cost…

Communities experiencing rapid growth due to energy development have serious and predictable social and human service problems, especially concerning women, the aged, and other minorities. The Wyoming Human Services Project, a model of impact mitigation, might be emulated elsewhere to modify the effects of such growth now and in the future.…

Proposes an alternative approach to addressing crises in rural communities. By viewing the community as the client, the counselor can bridge the usual gap between individual career counseling and the economic development of the community. Goal-setting, career exploration, and action-planning become the process and the outcome measures. (RJM)