Hosted by Planning Commission of India and Institute for Human Development, New Delhi
April 14-16, 2010

One fourth of the world’s population lives in the rural areas of Brazil, China, India and South Africa. Such areas are undergoing rapid and deep economic, social, demographic, cultural and political transformation.

This Conference will focus on the key challenges faced. It will bring together policy makers and public sector administrators, academia and civil society, to share models, experiences, and innovations that work drawn from emerging economy countries including new and flexible approaches that leverage the forces of globalization for the benefit of rural populations. It will strengthen understanding between countries facing similar challenges and build new networks between common interest groups. 

This Conference, comes at a critical time in the ever enhancing pace of globalization. When these challenges are fully addressed, then the 1.6 billion rural inhabitants will reach their real potential to contribute to their countries and to our planet, producing more and better quality food, creating more productive jobs that support better livelihoods, safeguarding culture and traditions, and looking after the vast natural resources under their stewardship.

The transformation of the rural areas in the emerging economies is happening in a context of rapid globalization making any change in an individual economy interactive with the rest of the world. 

This raises questions as to how country-specific transformation policies can best be tailored to respond to both the domestic and international trends. As these do not always coincide, it makes change an even greater challenge.

Download conference information here.

Visit www.ruraltransformation.in for more details.