Abstract:

The Journal of Law and Rural Development provides a forum where the link between law and rural development can be explored. IFAD’s experience has been that changes in the law can unlock the potential for development, particularly where smallholders and poor rural people are concerned. Social, political and legal infrastructure are just as important as the physical variety, and developing these systems can be as essential as building roads or irrigation canals in helping to improve poor people’s lives. IFAD’s mandate to address rural poverty and promote rural development is unique among international organizations. For many years IFAD limited its activities to financing projects and programmes implemented by its Member States, but over the last decade it has begun to transform itself into a knowledge centre and a key participant in the international policy dialogue around rural development issues. The launch of this journal is another step forward in this transformation.