Rural transformation is an urgent global priority in the face of rising inequality, exclusion, conflict and climate change. In 2023, FAO convened two expert consultations to review historical and current patterns of rural transformation and identify pathways for resilience and inclusivity. A key outcome was a collection of papers in a Special Issue of Global Food Security titled “Resilient and Inclusive Rural Transformation: New Pathways for Development”, which span critical themes from natural resource management and climate change to social protection and innovation, alongside cross-cutting issues such as gender and nutrition and underscore the critical need to adopt an agrifood systems lens in shaping rural transformation strategies. This brief distills insights from the 12 contributions featured in the Special Issue. By integrating these insights into operational strategies, FAO and its partners can better manage complex trade-offs and synergies to achieve sustainable development outcomes.