Rural population ageing in poorer countries: possible implications for rural development

Although the ageing of rural populations is now well underway in a large number of developing countries, our understanding of this phenomenon's social and economic implications and its integration into development plans and policies remain inadequate. This paper first outlines national levels of urban and rural ageing in the years around 1990, and then presents an overview of the main developmental challenges that rural ageing tends to produce. Particular attention is given to issues relevant to agriculture and food security. It is argued that countries must respond to the various challenges posed by rural ageing and seize the opportunity to rethink their agricultural and rural development policies in order to promote progress for people of all ages.

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