The proceedings of a national conference to examine the present situation and needs in rural areas of Rhodesia and to formulate a strategy of joint Christian participation in development are provided. The conference program centered around three main themes: Training Schemes, Extension and Development in Rural Areas, and Ecumenical Action in Rural…

Panelists discuss a ground-breaking study of new Pennsylvania firms; examine patterns/needs of small businesses during phases of start-up, growth, maturity, and decline; describe untapped markets in the federal government and through export trade; and review how states can support small business growth by legislative and regulatory change. (NEC)

Reports study of auto supply, apparel/textile, chemicals, tourism, instruments/telecommunications equipment industries, showing how Appalachia's ability to compete with other regions lies in access to capital, technology, and a skilled workforce. Concludes capitalizing on existing strengths will require action by all levels of government and the…

Lists addresses, telephone numbers, and contact persons for each state data center plus those in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Describes available rural data and services (mostly free): informational assistance, computer tapes and printouts, maps, assistance using data, and information on new products. (NEC)

Outlines activities planned by the 69 local development districts in the 11 member states to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Appalachian Regional Commission. Summarizes the results of a questionnaire sent to all local development districts to determine the commission's most important accomplishments and remaining needs. (NEC)

A survey of 441 adults from four small rural Utah and Wyoming communities exhibiting highly divergent population growth patterns indicates residents of energy "boom" towns do not report criminal victimization experiences that differ from those in "nonboom" communities, but they do exhibit significantly higher fear of crime.…

The European program Amerique Latine-Formation Academique (ALFA) has provided 12 Latin-American and 10 European universities and colleges with a framework for creating an International Master in Rural Development. Globalization, regional integration, and sustainability have created a new set of questions for rural areas, both in Europe and in…

Describes a new 5-year leadership development program designed for selected farm and rural nonfarm men and women in the general age range of 25 to 40." (Author)

A study was conducted to determine whether the tenets of rural social work were applicable only to the developing countries or whether they were also meaningful in the context of other industrial nations of the West. (CT)

Notes that declining local resources and state and federal policies demand more intercommunity collaboration. Discusses how continuing education can help rural communities by promoting multicommunity collaborations, expanding the perspectives of community leaders, and presenting new models for local development. (SK)

A rural development and regeneration project in Northern Ireland used community education as an important part of the community development process. Project workers' involvement with community groups necessitated skills of empathy, networking, and group facilitation above and beyond those needed in adult education. (SK)

Case studies from Dutch horticulture projects are used to evaluate the concepts of projects, planning, participation, and platforms. The artificiality of project boundaries and shortcomings of planning models and participatory approaches are addressed. Suggestions include choosing intervention boundaries that reflect reality in terms of time,…

Chayanov's ideas on rural development (farmer participation in agricultural evolution, increasing the scope and differentiation of extension activities, and using methods adapted to farmers' characteristics) could be usefully applied today in reforming Russian agriculture. (SK)

The distance learning experiences of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization led to the following suggestions for applying distance learning strategies to the challenges of food security and rural development: use distance learning for the right reasons, be sensitive to context, use existing infrastructure, engage stakeholders, and…

During the 80s and 90s in Mexico there was a boost in participatory strategies developed, in order to solve serious deficiencies in community development programmes and projects. The mere existence of such methodologies, "per se," does not guarantee the conscious and voluntary participation of rural inhabitants. The social energy…