ABSTRACT
This chapter explores equity and balanced growth in rural institutions in detail from four perspectives. Employment and employment creation is considered first, because decent and well-paid jobs are the cornerstone for equity and balance within a community or region. Rural development thinking places far greater emphasis on employment as an area for policy concern. Next, balanced growth between regions is discussed, through an evaluation of the potentials and pitfalls of area development and planning. Third, the role of women in agricultural production is examined, with special reference to the historical inequities suffered by them, and the steps currently being considered and undertaken to redress matters. Finally, a case is made for forest enterprises as having special potential for delivering relative equity in rural areas. There exist a number of factors to which rural institutions could pay particular attention in order to advance their chances of developing regionally balanced forestry enterprises.
