Purpose: The present descriptive-analytical study aimed to rank the barriers of the application of the value chain in the context of rural entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approach: The statistical population was composed of 125 entrepreneurs from the provinces of Tehran, Hamedan, and Golestan, Iran. Data were analyzed by the TOPSIS technique.…

As Irish farm households face difficulty remaining viable, the state-funded agricultural advisory service is beginning to charge for services and is suffering from a hiring freeze. Other rural development extension services are emerging and the role of traditional extension is being reevaluated. (SK)

Describes rural revitalization efforts for small towns in central Washington. Planning analysis by Eastern Washington University faculty and students emphasizes community participation. Details revitalization of the town of Wilbur from planning stages to final outcomes. Describes overall project results. (KS)

Officials in eight Virginia localities gave their perceptions of community needs, described external sources of technical assistance, and evaluated the assistance. Analysis revealed a vertical pattern in the network of assistance from public and private agencies and demonstrated that communities are dependent upon the network to maintain…

If farmers are to meet the new challenges facing agriculture (environment, rural development, etc.), appropriate knowledge has to be produced. But observations in six EU countries (France, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK) show that unexpected problems arise when technical support for agriculture is linked to market regulation,…

The article is an account of the experiences of a missionary "enabler" helping with the settlement of families, the development of farming and community activities, and the general improvement of conditions in Nega Nega, Zambia. (Author/MS)

Buying and selling on the Internet, known as e-commerce, has become big business, and is still growing. E-commerce has two components, business to consumer retailing and business to business supply-chain operations. Participation is dependent on access to and adoption of advanced information technologies. Access to technology is influenced by…

An essential component of community-based rural development is the leadership and problem-solving abilities of local people. The Colorado Rural Revitalization Project--a joint venture of two universities and a state agency--provided educational, consultative, and technical assistance services for a 1-year capacity-building program in 47…

In 1994, a multiagency service team, consisting of state and federal agencies, colleges, private consultants, and nonprofit organizations, was formed to coordinate delivery of technical assistance services to small manufacturers in Maine's wood products industry. Results were generally positive but showed the need to carefully match assistance…

Describes a project in Sri Lanka that used nonformal training to prepare development workers to help women's groups organize income-generating projects. The nonformal, participant-centered program reinforces individual and group consciousness and activities within a flexible framework. (CT)

This publication describes the formation and evolution of rural agribusiness (RA) in the southern hemisphere as a precondition for improving the lives of families in rural communities, and focuses on RA endeavors created by development projects in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa. After a short introduction, the first section of this study…

The paper addresses the importance of developing a rural community's commercial sector for economic development by providing some analytical tools. Procedures are outlined to estimate commercial sector activity in a community, to estimate commercial sector activity for various counties within a state (Nevada is used as an example), and to develop…

An Appalachian Regional Commission survey of 180 institutions of higher education in the Appalachian Region pinpoints which institutions offer technical assistance to state and local governments and officals. (Author)