Three billion people live in rural areas in developing countries. Conditions for them are worse than for their urban counterparts when measured by almost any development indicator, from extreme poverty, to child mortality and access to electricity and sanitation.

The agricultural sector accounts for 3.8 percent of the GDP of Barbados and 2.9 percent of its jobs. The Government of Barbados considers agriculture to be one of the nation’s potential growth drivers and supports it through a combination of incentives and concessions to agricultural producers, high border protection, and support to research and infrastructure. Support to producers in Barbados averaged 33.4 percent of gross farm receipts in the latest 3 years of the study (2012-2014), while a significant share of total support (38 percent) was provided in the form of transfers to general services. Total transfers arising from agricultural policy reached 1.1 percent of the national GDP. All types of support decreased during the period of study, but the share of price support in support to producers increased. Reorienting agricultural policy from input subsidies and per-hectare payments towards support to general services would be beneficial for agricultural competitiveness and build a foundation for sustainable growth in agriculture.

Addressing rural development is key for Ethiopia's growth process. A series of government-led structural reforms have contributed to sustained growth in the country over the last two decades as well as to considerable poverty reduction in rural areas. However, Ethiopia faces critical challenges it will need to overcome to meet the needs of a growing rural population. In practice, this will require updating the existing rural development strategy in order to better integrate the interaction of rural and urban areas. Policy approaches that account for the fast urbanisation process experienced in the country will therefore be key to improving the well-being of rural populations and promoting national growth. This report takes a spatial approach to study Ethiopia's rural development strategies. It highlights the need to develop stronger and more functional linkages between rural and urban areas. As such, the development of intermediary cities and small urban centres provides large scope for inclusive rural transformation. The report is the result of rigorous analysis, and extensive consultations with national and international stakeholders. It identifies some of the key challenges faced by rural areas and provides a series of recommendations to enhance Ethiopia's rural development strategies.