Globalisation and the Rural Poor

This article surveys how globalisation is affecting rural poverty. The forces of change may affect the welfare of the rural poor through their influence on productivity, growth, income distribution, technologies, the security of livelihoods, and policies. There are both credit and debit entries: large potential benefits, for example from accelerated growth, but also real dangers that the rural poor will be left behind, for example that they will not have access to the knowledge and other assets necessary for success in a commercialised world. The article also discusses some of the influences on the ways the forces of change work themselves out, stressing the importance of market access, positive government policy stances and the assets of the rural poor.