Agriculture is a main source of employment and is a significant contributor to the gross national product in most of the Latin American countries. In order to meet domestic and export needs, production and productivity must be increased; land tenure systems must be changed to cope with employment and income distribution problems; institutions must be modernized in order to support production, productivity, and commercialization; and technology must be introduced rapidly for better competition in both national and international markets. The rural sociologist can contribute in many different areas to Latin America's economic development. Three areas of activity in which the rural sociologist can contribute to Latin America's economic development are (1) technological change, (2) institutional development, and (3) extension services. The rural sociologist plays an important role in the various mechanisms used to (1) induce technological change; (2) develop institutions which will transfer, generate, and disseminate knowledge on agriculture; and (3) formulate alternative strategies by which extension services can work with commercial and subsistence agriculture. (NQ)