Describes cooperatives as a new socioeconomic strategy for rural economic development. Cooperatives involve local control, local ownership, and empowerment through organization. Categorizes and gives examples of cooperatives in agriculture, retail grocery, credit, crafts, and health. Suggests some reasons why cooperatives tend to be ignored in…

Although failures have been encountered in the West African cooperative movement, farm cooperatives are an indispensable tool for rural development. They can generate an investment budget at the village level and can provide a stimulating framework for education. The Senegalese farm cooperative movement has experienced a number of problems. Three…

A confederation of 10 coffee producers from southern Mexico seeks to improve the lives and incomes of participants by taking advantage of the lucrative organic coffee market. A farmer-to-farmer extension approach teaches over 200 participants to improve the quality and production of coffee in a manner that conserves natural resources and…

Describes history, organizational problems and activities of Paraguay's Asociacion de Agricultores de Alto Parana (ASAGRAPA) and Programa de Ayuda Cristiana (PAC), farmer organizations. Details how cotton production losses forced farmers to invent new, varied markets, turning subsistence crops (peanuts, corn, and rice) into cash crops, while…

These four bulletins describe how a group of limited-resource small farmers in northern Florida's Jackson County, the USDA, the West Florida Resource Conservation and Development Council, Florida A&M University, and the Federation of Southern Cooperatives organized the New North Florida Cooperative to increase farm income by introducing…

A group of limited-resource small farmers in northern Florida's Jackson County, the USDA, the West Florida Resource Conservation and Development Council, Florida A&M University, and the Federation of Southern Cooperatives organized the New North Florida Cooperative to increase farm income by introducing improved methods of marketing…

This chapter describes a community development project in Siete Pilas (Spain), a village whose economy is based primarily on small family farms and unskilled labor. The project grew out of the Sierra Education Program, which in 1980 sent adult-education teachers to five villages in the Sierra de Ronda region. The goal was to stimulate a socially…

As the first part of a four part report to the U.S. Congress pursuant to Title IX, Section 901 of the Agricultural Act of 1970, this second annual report is limited to rural development activities of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) delivery system (the USDA National Rural Development Committee, State Rural Development Committee, and…

As the first part of a four part report to the U.S. Congress pursuant to Title IX, Section 901 of the Agricultural Act of 1970, this third annual report is limited to rural development activities of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) delivery system (the USDA National Rural Development Committee, State Rural Development Committee, and…

As part 1 of a four part report to the U.S. Congress pursuant to Title IX, Section 901 of the Agricultural Act of 1970, this fourth annual report is limited to rural development activities of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) delivery system (the USDA National Rural Development Committee, State Rural Development Committee, and county…

The Western Wisconsin Communications Cooperative (WWCC) was established in 1973 to develop and implement a county-wide, multi-service, broadband, interactive, telecommunications system to enhance the quality of rural life. Eight school districts adopted the system's concept and signed a 15 year lease agreement with WWCC. Funds were procured from…

A consolidated summary of information submitted by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agencies and State Rural Development (RD) Committees, this sixth annual report on USDA information and technical assistance includes USDA organizational arrangements for rural assistance, some assessments, research supporting RD information and technical…