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RURAL DEVELOPMENT RECONSIDERED: A PERSPECTIVE FROM THE SOUTH 



America", we must give equal attention and equitable assistance to the future generation 

 in our rural as well as urban communities. 



The Southern Rural Development Initiative, a partnership of 27 community based 

 organizations and funders working directly with low income people throughout the South, 

 has prepared this paper based on its experience, to provide some practical policy and 

 programmatic recommendations for the Clinton/Gore Administration. (More background 

 information on the Southern Rural Development Initiative may be found in the Appendix). 



While we are concerned about the conditions in all of rural America, these 

 recommendations come from the unique perspective of our experience in working in the 

 South, many of us in persistently poor counties with large concentrations of people of 

 color. The people of these communities of Appalachia, the Black Belt, the Carolinas 

 migrant labor camps, and other small towns and rural places have been left out and left 

 behind. But, they still have the spirit, strength and hope to build for positive change in 

 their communities. 



We offer these recommendations from a community based perspective. They come from 

 people at the grassroots level who are trying to change conditions and rebuild their 

 communities from the bottom up. From this unique view, we know the home grown 

 solutions that are relevant, flexible, workable, inclusive and democratic which will be most 

 effective. We need the assistance and resources of our government at all levels to be 

 supportive, sensitive and responsive to this community process. 



These recommendations were prepared not only for the U.S. Department of Agriculture 

 but for all agencies of the federal government that play a role and have an impact on 

 people in rural America. We believe our recommendations form a coherent, 

 comprehensive, and compassionate plan to help rebuild rural America. 



