ABSTRACT
Rural development is based predominantly on activities in agriculture and its upand downstream sectors and in the craft and commercial sectors. They are undertaken by either the private or the parastatal sector and they are supported or coordinated by the public sector as and when the need arises. In general, all such activities can be broken down functionally into (a) primary agricultural production, (b) the processing of agricultural products, (c) agricultural and nonagricultural services and (d) the commercial activities of micro, small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs). According to the usual effect criteria, economic efficiency, social compatibility and environmental sustainability are expected.
