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Course on Rural Development in Belarus
Duration of the case: 9 months (March - November 2004)
Prepared by: Leonid Kalitenja and Viatcheslav Tcherniavski
Centre for Social Innovations, Republic of Belarus
January 2005

Abstract

Development of rural regions represents an urgent issue both for Europe and for Belarus. Under the rural development we consider a directed, intentional process of sustainable economic, social and political changes, as well as environmental changes, aimed at improvement of the quality of life of population, living in rural areas.

The necessity of an integrated approach to rural development is recognized both in developing countries and in advanced ones. What is the integrated approach? The integrated approach means such organization of activities aimed at development, when:

• the key points are the society, economics, environment;
• the development proceeds both "up", and "down": it is necessary to include politics, financing and support of the government on all levels, as well as other resources and citizens' contribution;
• all sectors are engaged: state, private, public;
• the basis of interrelation are partnership and cooperation.

Rural development has to be based on the interests and involvement of the community of a certain territory. It is also necessary to note, that the more a community is active and viable, the more likely it is to attract new people into this territory and prevent departure of local population.

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