Covering the 1976 activities of the Southern Rural Development Center (SRDC), this third annual report describes SRDC's: history; organization; regional workshops; functional networks; network bibliographies and other publications; Title V reports; grant received for training in rural development; orientation visits; consultants; information…

Discussion of agricultural and rural development extension systems in developing countries emphasizes the importance of a communication system and the goal of improvements in the socioeconomic status of farmers. The use of various instructional materials is discussed, constraints to development are reviewed, and the importance of feedback is…

Some states use subsidies, grants, and other public monies to rejuvenate lagging rural economies, but without sound economic analysis to guide these efforts money may go to projects that do not achieve economic development goals. Minnesota's Iron Range programs illustrate what happens when economic analysis is sacrificed in political tugs-of-war.…

Discusses the use of video and local television for community development in developing nations, taken from his report, "Television for Development: The African Experience." Highlights include the use of media by untrained people, the importance of communication, the need for political support, and the advantages and disadvantages of…

Describes pilot project for establishment of microcomputer-based data system for village-level planning and rural development in Sri Lanka which was initiated in January 1983 to investigate problems and possibilities of improving information management at local level. Administrative and planning structure, project scope and objectives, and…

Describes the video program of Zimbabwe's Department of Agricultural, Technical, and Extension Services (Agritex), which produces and distributes training aids for extension staff, farmers, and ministries involved in rural development. Main problems with use of video in Agritex are discussed, and recommendations are offered for improving the video…

This paper examines the extent to which rural America is digital--has access to the Internet and to newer technologies such as wireless broadband--and discusses rural supply and demand for "going digital." Supply aspects include issues of both infrastructure and public policy. Demand aspects include entrepreneurs (business users) and…

These four bulletins describe how a group of limited-resource small farmers in northern Florida's Jackson County, the USDA, the West Florida Resource Conservation and Development Council, Florida A&M University, and the Federation of Southern Cooperatives organized the New North Florida Cooperative to increase farm income by introducing…

Describes the structure of the Chinese rural school system and its operational ties to the communes, which provide the "productive labor" component of Chinese education, various resources and facilities for schools, and governance of agrotechnical education at the middle and secondary level. (SJL)

Building strong ties between Appalachian schools and communities was the topic of the Appalachian Regional Commission's October 2002 annual conference (Maryville, Tennessee). Main speakers focused on maintaining a long-term perspective on investments in education, creating rural "places of opportunity" that can retain educated people,…

Describes Tennessee Technology Foundation, a government-sponsored linking agent designed to assist new high-technology businesses. Describes foundation projects offering new high-tech businesses entrepreneurial assistance, administrative support, funding assistance, job networking, and institutional coordination services. Tells foundation…

Describes current changes in rural transportation services. Describes general thrust of innovative efforts to provide rural passenger transportation despite declining resources. Describes public-private transportation cooperation, human-service agency coordination, linking state and local bus services, mixed passenger-package functions, community…

Reviews social work consultation models and describes applications of consultation techniques in rural communities. Discusses following steps in developing rural consultation services: making contact, negotiating contract, formulating goals, problem solving, action, evaluation, and termination. Encourages consultation services development as…

Discusses three simulation games focusing on social and economic interaction that can be used to enhance understanding and sensitivity in development studies training: the Green Revolution Game (rural development in India), Exaction (a whole national society game commissioned by the World Bank), and Africulture (a new game about labor-scarce…

Describes problems in rural education and highlights reform programs in rural schools. Many reform programs combine school improvement with rural economic development. Barriers to reform include the One Best System Model and consolidation. Local control of schools is a key to successful reform. (KS)