The background, organization, and recent publications of the Southern Rural Development Center (SDRC) are presented in this annual report of the 1988-1989 fiscal year. Forty-three activities and projects are briefly described, including conferences, meetings, and workshops sponsored and co-sponsored by SDRC. Four regional task forces are described: (1) Strategies for Job Creation and Retention in Rural Communities in the South; (2) Formulation of Alternative Approaches for Maintaining and Enhancing Small-Scale Producers' Roles in Southern Agriculture through On- and Off-Farm Initiatives; (3) Alternatives for Leadership and Human Resource Development in Rural Communities in the South; and (4) Alternatives for Financing Infrastructure Development in Rural Communities in the South. Research and extension research project proposals and progress reports are also included. (ALL)